Hope you like this. I thought this up when I watched a documentary on Camelot. Just goes to show that you can never get bored of a good thing.
Now hit those review buttons, damn it! NOW!
Through the Mists
Chapter One
Maud Kenelm sat on the hillside before the forest next to the ruins of Cadbury Castle. She had always heard rumors of ghosts being sighted here. Ghosts from a long ago time where knights saved damsels in distress from dragons and rogues.
Her blonde hair was set in short spiral curls that ended about her shoulders. As odd as this tended to look, it grew that way. She was still wearing her school uniform from the day. The sun was going down, and she knew she would have to leave soon to get back home. She was sixteen.
Maud enjoyed being here. It was her favorite place to sit and watch the sun disappear into the Earth.
She downed the rest of the thermos of raspberry tea she had brought with her and stood up. She smoothed her black and grey plaid skirt and grabbed her backpack before giving the fading sun another goodbye.
As she walked down the hillside, she thought she heard a distant sound. She turned around toward the forest as she listened. The sound came again.
She listened to the sound of a flute playing. It was something new that she hadn�t ever heard.
She walked toward the forest and as she came closer, the piping became a little louder. Its song seemed to draw her closer.
She came to the forest�s edge. The piping seemed more distant now, as if her presence was driving it away. She took a step forward into the forest, but accidentally kicked up something.
She looked down and found a necklace. She picked it up and dusted it off. It was bright silver in the form of a triangular knot with another inside it.
The piping was going away. She felt her heart speed up. She whipped around and ran away up the hillside, back to her home.
�So you say that you found it? It�s so pretty!�
Maud sat with her friend, Emeny Pierce, who was fingering the necklace Maud had found. Maud stared at it. �It is pretty, isn�t it�?�
�Stupid!� Emeny slapped Maud on the back of her head. �You know better than that!�
Maud stared at her friend as she rubbed the back of her head. �What the bloody hell are you talking about?�
�You were thinking of whose it is, weren�t you.� Emeny started to smile at Maud with those green eyes of hers. Her red hair picked up the rays of light from the afternoon sun. �You know better�you find a cool necklace and you keep it.�
Maud giggled at Emeny. �Well, I was thinking of whom it belonged to, but wouldn�t it be wrong to keep a necklace that isn�t mine?� Maud smirked at Emeny. She knew very well that Emeny wouldn�t resist the bait.
�Wrong, shmrong! Who cares?� Emeny waved her hand in the air dismissively. �All I care about is you wear that necklace proudly! Either that, or I take it from you!�
Maud jumped away from her friend just as Emeny was about to tackle her. The school bell rang for lunch to end. Maud laughed at Emeny and helped her up.
�So, where did you find it, Maud?�
Maud�s blue-green eyes turned to Emeny. �In that forest that�s next to Cadbury Castle�� She trailed off as she remembered the flute.
Emeny shivered involuntarily. �That place is creepy, Maud.�
�So are you changing your verdict on the necklace, then?� Maud smirked at Emeny.
�Hell no! You are keeping that necklace! I�ll superglue it to you, if I have to!� Emeny laughed as they walked back up to the school building. �Besides�it�s not me that is wearing the thing!� Emeny had to run to keep away from Maud as she continued to swing at her.
�I�ll show you, Emeny! Take that!� Maud swung one of her books at Emeny as they ran into the school.
�Girls! Stop running around and come back to class!� Mrs. Raine screamed at the two girls. Her stern face glowered at them as they stopped and turned sheepishly toward Mrs. Raine.
�Sorry, ma�am�.� Maud and Emeny blushed simultaneously as they bowed their heads to Mrs. Raine.
�Get to class now, young ladies, and remember that you are young ladies and not a pair of wild animals.� Mrs. Raine sighed in exasperation.
Maud and Emeny grinned madly at this statement and Mrs. Raine scowled at them. �Now go to class.� Mrs. Raine said as she dismissed them.
Maud sat with Emeny on the hillside. The sun was dipping down into the Earth as dusk was coming. They played a game of hearts as they sat with their backs to one of the ruined walls of Cadbury Castle.
�This place is the ultimate in creepy.� Emeny shivered as an unfelt breeze seemed to sweep past them.
�Oh be quiet, Emeny. You�re afraid of nothing.� Maud said. She put down her last card. �I win.�
�What? Maud! I hate playing with you! You always beat me at this stupid game!� Emeny grumbled. She pulled the black blazer tighter around her.
�And you are bad when it comes to playing chess!� Maud grumbled. �You never see me complaining during THAT game.�
Maud turned to the setting sun. Emeny tugged on Maud�s sleeve. �Let�s get out of here. This place is scary.� she whimpered.
Maud sighed and stood up. �Fine. Let�s go, Emeny.�
Emeny walked a little faster than Maud in her hurry to retreat from the castle ruins. Suddenly, Maud�s hat flew off of her head. �Oh no! My hat!�
Maud turned to Emeny. �You go on ahead, Emeny. I�ll catch up after I get my hat back.�
Then, Maud ran down the hillside. Emeny stayed as she watched Maud running after the hat flying in the wind. Emeny then, turned and walked a little further down the hillside.
Maud ran after the hat. The sun was getting lower in the sky as night was creeping over the land. �Get back here, you stupid hat!� Maud made a jump for the hat, but fell onto the ground.
She got to her feet and ran after the hat toward the edge of the forest. The trees flew past her as she ran after the hat. She made another grab for it and tripped on a rock. She fell down, hitting her chin on another rock. The hat floated down and landed softly on her head.
�Just my luck�.� Maud grumbled as she got to her feet. Her ankle hurt from the rock she tripped on.
She was suddenly aware of a flute playing. There was a sort of mist in front of her. It slowly crept around her and past her. The piping seemed to get louder as the mist swept around her.
She shielded her eyes as a gust of wind blew against her and made her fall backward. She landed on her rear in the fallen leaves on the ground.
She heard something. She snapped up and glanced around. She heard the sounds of hooves pounding into the ground at a great speed.
She stood up and ran away. She ran in the direction she had come in, but it seemed there was no end to mist in front of her. The hooves were getting louder.
She had just enough time to duck as an arrow buried itself into the tree she had stopped to rest at. She gasped as another hit the tree. �YEOW!� she cried.
She ran as fast as she could to get away with a hand on her straw hat to keep it on. Another arrow flew past her and hit the tree in front of her. �HELP ME!� she cried as loud as she could. �I�VE GOT ORCS ON MY ASS! HELP ME!�
Another arrow flew past her and ricocheted off a very large rock that she ran past. The hooves got louder. She glanced behind her, but didn�t see anyone. Then, she tripped on another rock and landed face first into the ground.
She coughed a couple of times and tried to get her breath back as she raised herself onto her knees. Just then, a horse jumped in front of her. She screamed as she fell onto her rear again.
There was a man in armor on the back of his horse. He held his sword aloft as his covered face gazed down at Maud. Maud scrambled backward as she gazed frightened at the stranger.
Then, she got to her feet and ran away. �HELP ME! I HAVE A PSYCHOTIC BLOKE IN MIDEVAL ARMOR AFTER ME!� she screamed.
The knight and the horse came after her. She felt the ground under her vibrate as the hooves pounded the ground.
She ducked just in time to avoid the sword that swung over her. �EEK!� she cried.
Arrows flew past her as she jumped onto a large rock and down to the ground again. She didn�t remember the forest to be so big.
She saw a man in an archer�s uniform in front of her on another horse. The knight on the horse behind her was gaining on her as well. �Crikey!� She cried. The sword came at her again and she hit the ground with her arms clutching at her head.
She glanced up to see the archer make his horse dodge to the left. �Watch what you do, Sire!� the archer cried.
Maud sat on the ground stunned as she finally got a look at the archer in the moonlight. He had long brown hair pulled into a long braid and pale skin that shone white in the moonlight. She would have found him attractive if she wasn�t so afraid.
The knight nodded curtly and turned the horse around. He came at Maud again. She gasped and grabbed a rock next to her. She threw it at the knight and it hit his helmet.
The Knight stopped the horse as he seemed to be too dazed to do anything. The archer seemed to be smiling at the knight and shaking his head slowly. �I�ll wager five shells that you can�t catch her, sir good knight.�
�The bet��, he grunted as he pried his helmet off, ��is on!� With a final tug, the helmet came off. Short, wavy blonde hair fell out and a young face emerged from the helmet.
Maud remembered that these two men were trying to kill her and decided to run again. She ran past the trees as she heard the hooves beat the ground again.
She was surprised she was able to run for so long. She ran through brush and limbs as though she were one of the animals in the forest.
Then, the mist seemed to clear at a clearing. She stopped as she watched a great castle emerge from the mists. It towered over everything; its banners were up high and waved in the breeze.
She walked toward the clearing. It was a beautiful castle with high walls and flute music playing inside it.
Suddenly, she was pushed against a tree. The knight was on the ground and had her pinned against the tree with his sword at her throat. His steel like eyes bore into her.
�What are you doing here, witch!� he growled at her.
She tried to scream, but the sharp sword he had at her throat made it difficult. He pressed into her harder. �Speak, I say! Or do you wish to leave this place in your blood!�
�Help me!� she managed to cry out. �Someone help me!�
�Who are you shouting to, witch! Are you summoning your spirits against me?� he growled again.
�Someone! HELP ME!� she screamed. She tried to kick at the knight, but it was in vain. The armor covered his entire body. �EEK!� she screamed again.
�Unhand her, Sir Rain.�
Maud snapped her head toward the voice. A woman with long black hair walked out of the Castle and was staring at the knight.
Another set of hooves pounded the ground and the archer came into view. �We found this witch running around in the forest, Lady Morgana.� the archer said.
�I�m not a witch!� Maud cried. The sword was still pressed into her throat. She glanced back the knight.
He stared into her eyes and she saw his young face. He wasn�t much older than her; probably even seventeen. �Very well, my lady.� He grumbled and set Maud on the ground again.
Maud glanced around her. She noticed the light reflection on Sir Rain�s armor. She realized, quickly, that it was the necklace she had around her neck.
Lady Morgana stared hard at Maud with her dark eyes. �Bring her closer.� She bid toward Sir Rain.
Sir Rain grabbed Maud�s arm roughly and dragged her over to the drawbridge to the castle. Lady Morgana stared at Maud sharply. �Bring her inside. Let Merlin deal with her.� Morgana�s tone was sharp.
With that, the knight tightened his grip on Maud and they walked into the castle.