Katherine sat in the boat with Arthur, the mage, and Bedivere.
"Welcome to the darklands." Bedivere said.
"That's the darklands."
"That's the entrance." Katherine said looking at the island.
"Hey, I can do this." Arthur said grabbing her hand.
"I know." Katherine said and smiled at him.
Arthur leaned over and kissed her forehead.
They pulled onto the island and they all walked to the circle of stones. The mage began preparations.
"You must get to the tower and place the sword on the altar stone. Only then will you stop resisting the sword. Be careful there." Katherine said tying his jacket shut.
"You sound worried." Arthur said with a smile.
"I am." Katherine said quietly.
"I will be okay."
"This place will push you to the edge of your sanity. It is dangerous. Not many make it out alive and those that do are changed forever. You may not be the same man that went in."
"No matter what man I become, I will still love you." Arthur said lifting her chin so she would meet his eyes.
"And I will still love you."
"It is time." The mage said and Katherine swallowed.
"I love you." Arthur said.
"I love you, too." Katherine said and Bedivere grabbed her arm to gently pull her out of the circle so the mage could close it and send him to the darklands.
"If he doesn't make it?" Katherine asked Bedivere.
"He will."
Katherine sat on a rock on the edge of the circle waiting patiently for Arthur to return.
"You should eat something." The mage offered.
"I'm not hungry."
"The king will need you when he returns."
"I'm not hungry."
The mage sighed and stepped away from her.
Hours passed and Katherine's heart grew tighter with each beat. Fear that her love would not make it back to her. That the kingdom would be forced into darkness with Vortigern at the helm.
Lightning flashed and Arthur was lying on the ground in the middle of the circle. Katherine ran to his side and felt his neck for a pulse.
"He's alive." Katherine sighed with a smile and looked up at Bedivere.
"Let us get him to the boat." The mage suggested.
Katherine and Bedivere helped Arthur to the boat and laid him down.
There, Katherine was able to tend to his wounds. The scratches all over his face and hand.
"I told you, I'd be okay." Arthur said quietly and Katherine looked up at him.
"Okay may be a reach, but you are alive." Katherine smiled.
"My beautiful Kat." Arthur said stroking her face with his thumb.
"Did you see everything you needed to see?" Katherine asked.
"Enough. The mage tower there looks like the one in Camelot."
"The taller it becomes the more powerful Vortigern becomes. When it is complete he will be as powerful as Mordred." The mage explained.
"That is why the sword has chosen to reveal itself now." Katherine realized.
"What happened to the mages?" Arthur asked.
"They were murdered by Vortigern. Even the ones who did not follow Mordred." Katherine said looking at Arthur's injuries.
"Vortigern started the wars. He was thirsty for power. He struck a deal with Mordred that they would share the power if he helped him gain the throne. Mordred murdered the mage king and took the staff to the tower where he was able to unlock the dark forces. Merlin stole the staff and forged it into Excalibur and used it to destroy the tower. He then gave it to the lady of the lake who bound it to the Pendragon bloodline and then Merlin was able to give it to your father. Your father used it to defeat Mordred. Now the sword is yours." Bedivere explained.
"You are the born king. You can protect the kingdom from the darkness." Katherine said looking at her love.
Arthur sat there silently and watched the islands pass them by as they made their way back to the camp. There Wet Stick, Back Lack, and Blue were waiting for him.
"I will be in our room." Katherine said to Arthur.
"I'll be there in a little."
"Hey, Katherine." Wet Stick and Back Lack said to her.
"Hello, boys." Katherine smiled.
"Blue." Back Lack said nudging his son.
"Hello, Miss Katherine." Blue said.
"Hello, Blue. You've been a good boy to your father, right?" Katherine asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. You always were such a good boy." Katherine smiled.
"Bye, Miss Katherine."
"Goodbye, Blue. Rubio, a word." Katherine said, and the blonde boy followed her.
"She knows them?" Wet Stick asked.
"Apparently she is part of the resistance." Arthur sighed and sat down.
"Rubio, I need to be sure that my armor is ready for battle. If my fiancé doesn't lead us, then I will." Katherine said walking with him.
"Yes, my lady." Rubio said.
"That won't be necessary." Arthur said and Katherine turned around.
"Arthur?"
"I'll do it." Arthur said.
Katherine smiled and walked over to him.
"Rubio, make sure my armor is ready. My fiancé will need someone to watch his back."
"Yes, my lady." Rubio smiled and walked off.
"I can't let you do that."
"You do not get a choice, your majesty."
"You could die."
"So could you. At least I'll go down with you."
"We should call a meeting. I think Bedivere would want to know what the plan is."
Arthur, Back Lack, Wet Stick, and Blue all sat around the table while those of the rebellion stood off to the side waiting to hear this great plan.
"Wet Stick, Back Lack and Blue, meet Percival, Bedivere, and Rubio. The infamous Goosefat Bill needs no introduction, and everyone here knows Kat." Arthur said adjusting in his chair with a grimace.
"Arthur?" Katherine said placing a hand on his shoulder and looking at him with worry all over her face.
"I'll be fine." He said grabbing her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"So, you believe you can defeat Vortigern?" Arthur asked the members of the rebellion.
"There are twelve barons. Leaders of the old families. Between them all they can get twelve thousand warriors. To stand a chance we will need the support of at least six barons." Goosefat explained.
"We can arrange a meeting with those six families." Rubio chimed in.
"Let me tell you how this will play out." Arthur said interrupting Rubio.
"Of course, we have only been working towards this for the last decade." Goosefat sighed.
"We'll meet with the six barons. They'll request that there is a plan and then they'll argue for a while about who will lead their men. Go on how I am not fit to lead them. I'll have to show them how I am fit to lead and tell them how incompetent they are. At which point Bedivere will get angry and ask me what I was going to do if they wanted to fight. Then I'm gonna say "I was never gonna fight."" Arthur said and looked up to see Kat rolling her eyes with a smile.
"Yeah right." Kat said and Arthur smiled back at her.
"Anyways then you were gonna say "well what was gonna happen? And I was gonna say "That's what you're here for." If you want Vortigern to stick his neck out then you need to tease him out. You don't need twelve thousand men. You just need this group right here."
"So how do you plan on doing this?" Bedivere asked.
"What is it that Vortigern cares about most?" Arthur asked everyone.
"Killing you." They all replied.
"Finishing the tower." Kat replied.
"There's my girl. So, what do we do about that?" Arthur smiled.
"We can sink his barges that are carrying the supplies and block the river." Rubio suggested.
"Bedivere, Back Lack, and Rubio will handle that."
"We can interrupt his supply of slaves." Percival suggested.
"How?" Arthur asked.
"We know their routes." Katherine said taking a sip from her cup.
"We're getting there. Kat, can you?"
"Yeah."
"Great, you can lead us."
"Burn his favorite palace down." One of the girls suggested.
"How do we do that?" Arthur asked her.
"I know who supplies his wine and brandy. Shipment comes every month."
"Rubio, Back Lack and I will handle that."
"Okay, everyone get some dinner and rest. We head out for the slaves in two hours." Katherine suggested and stood up.
Everyone went their separate ways and Katherine went to her room to rest herself.
"I believe we need to talk." Arthur said in the doorway of the room.
"About?" Katherine asked looking up at him from her seat on their bed.
"You are part of the rebellion, you have visions, is there anything else to tell me?"
"My mother was a mage, she was a seer. That's where the visions come from. I may not have any training, but her power is my power."
"Did you know her?"
"I don't remember her. I was very young when the blacklegs came to Londinium and murdered her. My father convinced them that I was not given the gift of magic and they allowed me to live. It was not until a few years later that we discovered that my dreams were coming true."
"So, the vision you had of me?"
"You pulled the sword from the stone. You led us all to war against Vortigern. I was at your side. I saw great things happen. A great king that would raise another generation of great kings and they would raise another generation. Kings that cared for the people. From the barons to the blacksmiths."
"You loved me before the visions? Even before the thought of being queen came to be?"
Katherine looked at the floor. She had never told anyone about the entire vision. She did not want to worry anyone.
"Katherine?"
"I never thought I was going to be queen. I only saw myself fighting beside you. I never saw myself bearing your children. I have wanted to for years, but I did not see myself. I only assumed that I die in the battle against Vortigern."
"No. If that is what you saw and your visions always come true then you cannot come with me." Arthur said arguing with her and moving to kneel in front of her.
"Arthur, if we alter the vision in anyway it may not come true. You may lose. You may be killed. I saw myself riding beside you. Following our born king." Katherine said grabbing his face in her hands so he would look at her.
"I can't lose you. I'd never love anyone. I could not be the person I am without you." Arthur said with tears in his eyes.
"Who knows what happens. I did not see myself, but I did not see your queen either."
"You could still be my queen?"
"Yes."
"I love you." Arthur said grabbing her wrists and resting his forehead against hers.
"I love you too."
Arthur and Katherine led the others to the spot where they would ambush the blacklegs transporting the slaves.
"Hey, boys." Katherine smiled walking out of the shadows.
They smiled at her and she looked over towards Arthur.
"Hey, boys." Arthur said and one turned and Arthur knocked him out.
Katherine took the one closest to her and slammed his head against a wall causing him to fall to the ground. She looked around and saw all the blacklegs unconscious and the children looking around.
"Go on!" Arthur said, but none of the kids moved.
"You're free. Get out of here. Run home to your mothers." Katherine smiled at them and they all ran off.
"I'm not meant for children." Arthur said to Katherine.
"Oh, just you wait." Katherine smiled at him.
"When do I get to start working on our own children?" Arthur asked wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissing the side of her head.
"Tempting." Katherine smiled and kissed him.
"Children, another time maybe." Goosefat said walking past them.