Chapter Nine

Perci returned home to much more than what she left with. The citizens of Atlantis and Avalon welcomed the ones that had left with joys and welcomed the hobbits and Rangers just as well.

Perci enjoyed seeing the looks of shock and wonder on each of the newcomers faces as they beheld the beauty that is Atlantis.

"Miss Perci! This is where you live?" One of the young hobbits, Hawthorne, asked in wonder.

"It is, this is my home… and hopefully your home now as well," Perci said, looking over her shoulder at the mixture of Rangers and Hobbits around her.

One of the Rangers that had accompanied them, the current leader, met her eyes. "I can already sense that this place would do well for our people. We will send out missives immediately. Our people now have a home."

Perci smiled at him. "And you all will always have a home here. The kingdom of Atlantis, and the kingdom of Avalon, are open to all whom wish to come and settle here."

He bowed his head. "Thank you, Perci."

Their conversation was interrupted by the voice of her dear friend. "Ah, the Queen has decided to return to us! I hope you've had plenty enough excitement out there in the wilds, Your Majesty?" Adonis said as he sauntered out of the forest towards her with a smile.

"Queen?" A hobbit asked. Perci winced. Oops.

"Did I forget to mention that?"

"You might've."

"Oops."

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Later that night found Perci relaxing once more on her balcony as she heard the faint sounds of merriment that were happening in the city as the hobbits, elves, rangers, and fae as well as others from the forest joined in a feast of welcome to the newcomers.

She sensed them then.

Turning around she eyed Lord Orome and Lord Ulmo. "My lords," she greeted.

"Your Majesty," Lord Ulmo said with a bow of his head. Orome bowing his head in greeting with a wide smile on his face.

"Dear Persephone, you have completed the task my lady wife and I set before you better than we had expected. We thank you for bringing peace to our people."

"Of course. I don't want others to suffer when I can assist."

The Valar exchanged glances.

"And that is why we believe that you are ready."

"Ready for what?"

In answer, Lord Ulmo brought out a familiar box.

"Ready for the last two kingdoms."

A flash and three found themselves on the top of one of the peaks of the mountain range that protected Atlantis and Avalon. The box was held in front of her. Orome pointed to one of the last two orbs.

"Choose this one."

Perci did so and almost dropped it as it felt so heavy in her hands.

"Throw it, if you would."

She threw it towards the nearby peak. Perci looking out one way could see Atlantis and if she turned her head could see the tops of the Avalon castle. Rumbling began as the new kingdom began to form out of the peak, the rocks becoming the castle. You couldn't tell where one began as the castle was the mountain.

A bridge formed along the mountain range towards Perci and then continued down the part of the mountain she was on before it disappeared in the fog below towards the forest.

Rounded towers appeared as the castle continued to grow until finally it stopped. The castle was wider then Avalon but not as tall as its sister kingdom. It was more of a masculine looking kingdom as opposed to the more willowy, elegance of Avalon.

"Persephone, may I present to you the Kingdom of Camelot." Orome said before the two left her with a flash and she knew that she would be exploring Camelot for the rest of the night before they returned. Statues appeared along the bridge, mirroring those of Atlantis. Two large statues of griffins appeared sitting elegantly while smaller versions were on the bridge every few feet. Perci could see one or two flags waving on the top of a peak of the castle. She saw the symbol and felt her heart begin to race. Could it really?

There is no way it is actually…

She saw seven figures come towards her from the bridge as she paused in the middle of it as her mind began to race. Six of the seven were dressed in chain mail, bright red cloaks wrapped around them with the same symbol from the flag on the cloaks. The last man had a brown overcoat, a blue shirt, and a red handkerchief wrapped around his throat.

"Hello, my queen, it is a pleasure to meet you at last," one of the men in armor said with a bow. "I am King Arthur of Camelot, this is Merlin, and these are the Knights of the Round Table. We pledge our loyalty to you, Queen Persephone."

Perci smiled brightly at King Arthur. "My King, I'm sure that we will get along brilliantly." She stepped forward and took his arm, allowing him to continue to lead her into the kingdom. "Are you really the King Arthur?"

The blonde looked down at her with amusement dancing in his blue eyes.

"I am. I'm assuming you've heard of me?"

"I've heard of all of you. But I want to hear it all from all of you. Tell me the tales of King Arthur and his Round Table."

"I believe we can do that. Merlin, I'm sure our queen here would love to hear your talent of story weaving."

That night was a night of merriment as the Legend of King Arthur and his knights and his warlock was told to a very eager listener.

Along the way through Atlantis and through the tales they all spun for her, Perci met the others that came with Camelot. Satyrs, Dire wolves, Small dragons that had different talents, Mages, and Witchers, along with others of the Round Table. Perci spent two days with those of Camelot, sending only a brief message to those in Atlantis and Avalon to let them know that she was alright and for them not to worry about her disappearance. It was on the morning of the third day that Orome and Ulmo came to her once more.

"Your Majesty, the last of your kingdoms is ready for you."

With a similar flash to the one before, the appeared on the other side of Atlantis, the opposite of where Avalon was.

This was actually a peninsula that was still surrounded by the forest and mountain range that protected the other kingdoms. Looking back, she could see the faint peaks of Camelot on top of the mountains and part of the outer ring of Atlantis. She couldn't see any part of Avalon at all, with how far they were.

Lord Ulmo took out the box once more and Perci without prompt took the last one and threw it. The castle appeared, the simplicity mirroring that of Atlantis's palace. A drawbridge appeared, two large statues of almost skeletal looking beings on horses appearing.

"This is the Kingdom of Westeros."

A faint roar of a dragon echoed around her.

"We now proclaim you: Queen Persephone of Atlantis, Queen of Camelot, Queen of Avalon, Queen of Westeros. You are Queen Persephone of the Earth and Sea. All Kingdoms under your rule might be separate on this side of the mountains, but across Middle Earth you will now and always will be known as the Queen of Earth and Sea."