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Chapter Four
All there was around Maud was black. All she saw was herself in a black room, much like in her dream with Rhiannon in it. She saw a bright light ahead of her. It shone out the darkness like a hole in some pitch black cloth.
She reached out to it and held it in her hands. Then, suddenly it became the necklace that Merlin let her keep. It shone like the brightest of silver in the darkness, lighting her up as well.
Suddenly, she suddenly realized that the light was growing. It grew in a ball around her, around everything.
Then, she felt pain in her stomach. She grabbed her stomach, the light faded slightly as she looked at it. She somehow knew she had to keep the light growing. She had to sustain it with everything she had.
Suddenly, a brilliant red light came at her and she felt pain all over her body now. Then, she woke up.
�-aud�Lady Maud��
She opened her eyes and found that something encircled her. She was wrapped up in a cloak. Not too far from her was Alwyn. He watched her with those gray-green eyes of his. Actually, she noticed now, that his eyes looked bright emerald now. In fact, they almost shone in the darkness like lamps. It was entirely too odd for Maud to take in all at once.
�Al-Alwyn?�
He smiled, those bright orbs closing slightly as he smiled at her. �Yes, it is I.�
Maud looked around for Rain. She found him leaning against a tree, looking very much like he was sulking. Alwyn followed her eyes and looked to Rain as well. �I had a talk with him about not trying to frighten girls that don�t happen to be on the throne of Camelot. Don�t worry, he�ll be fine. I gave him a sleeping spell to keep him quiet while you rested.�
�Sleeping spell?� Maud stared at Alwyn incredulously.
Alwyn blinked at her blankly. �Yes� I put a small spell on him to keep him from bothering you. I learned a few from my master, Merlin.�
�So you are a wizard�s apprentice?�
�Not as such.� Alwyn looked at her like she was daft. �all the archers for Camelot learn a few spells from Master Merlin to have our own advantage against Westfall.�
Maud perked up again. �Westfall! That�s where Rain is from isn�t it!�
Just then Sir Rain snapped awake. �Alwyn!�
Alwyn got to his feet quickly and ran over to Rain. �Yes, Rain?�
Rain put a hand to his head and grumbled. �Please refrain from using those damnable spells on me, Alwyn. I always end up waking with a headache!�
Rain then stood up and shook his hair out around his head. Alwyn sighed in a defeated manner and picked up his quiver, bows and something that Maud didn�t get a good look at. He strapped the mystery thing to his back and then the quiver, slinging the bow over his arm in the process.
�We need horses, Alwyn. This is efficient enough. We need to get over there quickly. Who knows what has happened to Lady Rhiannon!� Rain grumbled as he put his helmet on and strapped it into place. Then, he tied on his cloak, which was pitch black in the darkness.
Alwyn put on his cloak, which was a grey-green much like his tunic. It swirled around him as he walked over to Maud. �Go on and put on your cloak, Lady Maud. We need to get going again.�
Maud blinked up at him blankly. �M-my cloak?�
Alwyn gave her a slightly annoyed expression. �The cloak you have around you there is yours. Lady Rhysenn made it for you and slipped it into your pack without your notice, apparently.�
Maud blushed madly, jumped to her feet and pinched Alwyn�s arm. He jumped back in pain. �OW!�
Maud growled. �I didn�t know that, all right?! I�m sorry I�m not as quick as either of you, but you don�t need to keep berating me and treating me as some child who knows nothing!�
Rain gave her a deadpan expression and snorted. �Maybe it is because you act like a child who knows nothing?�
Maud threw her book at his head and he fell backwards. �ARGH!�
Alwyn sighed. �This isn�t helping, you two.�
Now both Maud and Rain were snarling at each other, in one another�s face. �I say we drop this witch in a deep dark hole and cover it up so know one will find her!�
�I say that YOU need that treatment more than I DO!� Maud snarled back.
That was when the sound of horse hooves caught Maud by surprise. Alwyn grabbed her and Rain drew his sword as they crawled behind a bush to hide.
Two men on horse rode into view. They wore black cloth around their heads to hide their faces and wore black cloaks that barely hid their forms. �They came this way! I saw them just now!� cried out the first one in a young sounding voice.
�You�re seeing things, idiot! You need to keep away from that blasted potion that the mistress likes to give everyone.� The other one said in a gruff voice.
�I know I heard a girl shouting. They said to look for a girl in strange clothing with two men beside her. I am only following orders, sir!� The younger one said. He was turning his horse this way and that in an agitated fashion.
The older one grumbled. �All right.�
Alwyn pulled Maud closer to him. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she watched the two men dismount and begin walking around. Rain held his sword at the ready for anything. Alwyn nodded to Rain.
Rain jumped up and held his sword on his shoulder and smiled at the two men. �Hello! I�m sure what you�re looking for is over that way, good sirs,� he said brightly.
Maud would have found it funny if she wasn�t so terrified. The two men didn�t find it funny. �You! I know of you!�
Rain snorted. �Oops! I guess I was wrong then! What you�re looking for is right here!�
The men drew their swords and came at Rain. He took the sword off his shoulder and swung in an arc at them. The first one went down. The second one fell back with a hand clutched at his chest. It was the younger one. �Arrgh!�
Alwyn brought Maud up from the bush and pulled out an arrow and his bow, aiming at the man. �Stay where you are, sir.�
The man dropped his sword and pulled the hood off of his head. He was incredibly pale with long blonde hair and brown eyes. He glared at Alwyn. �You two dare to defy Westfall! You shall be punished to no end!�
Then, his brown eyes fell on Maud and he snarled. He grabbed something from his back and came at Maud. She gasped and moved aside quickly to avoid his dagger.
The man didn�t seem to like this. He came at her again, this time actually grabbing her wrists and holding her to a tree, lifting the arm with the dagger in it. That was when his arms seemed to disappear.
He didn�t seem to be able to cry out. His horror stricken face stared blankly up at Maud, and then suddenly, he dropped to her feet. Five arrows littered his back. She looked to Rain and saw him cleaning off his sword, which had more blood on it than when he cut the other man down.
Alwyn slung his bow back onto his shoulder and rubbed some blood off of his face. �Lady Maud. We can take the horses to get to Westfall. Come on.�
Then, he grabbed Maud�s hand and pulled her onto a horse in front of him. He wrapped the hood around his head and pulled the younger man�s cloak onto her, pulling the hood up over her head to hide her appearance. She notice Rain did similar, though his armor still showed in the black of his own cloak.
Alwyn brought his arms around her and pulled her tighter to him, securing her. He kept one arm around her stomach and then tugged on the reins with the other hand. She blushed as his hand stayed on her. �Alwyn� where is your hand?�
Alwyn smiled brightly at her. �Do not worry, my lady, I�m only keeping you to me so that you can not fall off of the horse when we ride!�
Maud wondered briefly if that was the case, when Alwyn kicked the horse and they were riding hard in the direction she had been running before. �Keep the map close, Lady Maud! We shall need it shortly!�
Everything went past in a blur as they rode to the north. That was when the mist cleared to show a massive dark castle in a clearing. They stopped when they reached the edge of the clearing. �Westfall castle,� breathed Alwyn.
Sir Rain�s face again gained an even harder expression than it usually held. He pushed the visor down on his helmet and looked to Alwyn. �I�ll go first, Alwyn. You bring Lady Maud to the west side of the castle; there should be an entrance into the dungeons there.�
�What about you, Rain!� Maud said quickly.
Rain seemed taken aback for a moment. Then, he regained his normal visage behind the visor. �I�ll be taking the right side. I�m going to keep the guards off your backs while you retrieve Lady Rhiannon from her prison cell. She is likely to be on the far side of an oubliette. Be careful.�
Then, Rain rode off toward the right side of the castle. Alwyn kicked the horse and they rode to left, trying to keep the soft ground so the hooves wouldn�t be heard.
Alwyn drew out his bow and an arrow. He looked to the side and Rain nodded at him. Then, Rain drew his sword and raced over to a bunch of guards, swinging his sword at them.
Alwyn pointed the bow toward a locked door, letting the arrow fly and knock off the lock. Then, he grabbed the reins and reared the horse back. The horse�s front hooves broke down the door.
The sounds of Rain fighting guards disappeared as they rode through the room to another door. They broke down that one and went on through. The castle was a blur as they rode through corridor after corridor, farther down into the dungeons.
That was when Maud saw it. Up ahead was a very large room, and at the far end of it was someone with long fiery curls and a shredded dress. That wasn�t all Maud caught in the half light. �Alwyn, watch out!�
She grabbed the reins and pulled on them to stop the horse. The horse skidded slightly on the slick ground, but seemed to manage to stop. In front of them was a very large hole. The hole looked like it went down forever and was as wide as a lake. �The oubliette,� Alwyn breathed softly.
There was a strange sort of levering plank that sat on the ground, a large, strange rock beside it with a place to put the plank and spin it around. Maud grabbed the board and hefted it to the rock as best she could. Alwyn saw what she was doing and jumped off the horse to help her.
When they got the contraption together, Maud yelled at Rhiannon. �Wake up! Rhiannon! Wake up!�
Rhiannon stirred and opened her eyes. She saw Maud and quickly got to her feet. �Maud! Maud flee while you can! They will know you are here!�
Maud shook her head. �No! We came to get you and we will! Now I�m going to turn the plank and you need to get on it! All right?�
Rhiannon nodded and stood ready to take hold of the plank. Maud started moving it. She pushed hard against it and sent it toward Rhiannon.
She watched as Rhiannon jumped and caught it. Alwyn waited on the other side for her. �Jump, Lady Rhiannon! Jump now!�
Rhiannon jumped off and caught Alwyn�s arm. He pulled her onto the ground and brought her away from the edge. She clung to him as though she were afraid she might fall into the oubliette if she didn�t hold onto him.
�Maud, we�ll need Sir Rain to help us get her out of here. You watch Rhiannon, I�ll go retrieve Rain. There isn�t enough room on that horse for three people!� Then, Alwyn jumped on the horse and rode out of the room; the hooves clacking on the stone as he did so.
Maud grabbed Rhiannon and pulled her to a darkened area. �We�ll be safe here until he can get back,� Maud reassured the girl.
Rhiannon nodded silently. �Oh, but what if those men come find us here! We will be captured again and both of us will be over that pit!�
Maud shook her head. �No� I-I think we will be able to get out safely. We just need to stay quiet.�
They sat silently as they waited for the sound of hooves. Maud caught the first hint of the sound. She grabbed a hold of the necklace as though it was some sort of ward against the darkness. The sounds grew closer.
A black horse rode up and a man was on it. Rhiannon gasped. �Alwyn! We are here!�
Maud narrowed her eyes in the darkness. The man dismounted and came closer to then. His green eyes smiled at her. �Good, you know how to stay safe. Come, now, Maud.�
Maud stepped out of the darkness and into the light. Rhiannon walked out behind her. Maud was keeping her there. Maud kept staring at Alwyn. Something, everything, told her something was wrong.
Alwyn�s pleasant smile disappeared. �Come on, Maud. We need to get going! Sir Rain is waiting for us! I told him I would get you back out of here.�
Rhiannon stepped forward from Maud. �Alwyn, thank goodness!� She reached out her hand toward Alwyn.
In a split second, Maud slapped Rhiannon�s hand away from Alwyn and grabbed her around her midsection, pulling her away. �NO!�
Alwyn glared at Maud. �Why��
Maud grasped the necklace tightly in her hand. Suddenly, a burst of light pushed him back. His visage wavered much like rippling water. Then, he stood up.
Maud gasped. He had long black hair and very pale, ice like eyes. �How can you see through my visage? How dare you!� Then, he raised his hands above his head and electricity sparked from his hands.
Maud gulped and kept a hold on Rhiannon, holding tightly onto the necklace. Suddenly, just as the man was about to attack, hooves clattered into the room and an arrow shot straight through the man�s right hand.
He gasped and clutched his hand. Alwyn brought another arrow up, pointed at the man. �Ladies� please come over here.�
Maud sighed in relief. Sir rain clattered into the room at that point. �Lady Rhiannon, you may mount my horse,� Sir Rain said.
Maud ran over to Rain and handed her the now very frightened Rhiannon. He brought her up behind him and made sure her arms were secured around his waist.
Maud then ran over to Alwyn and jumped onto his horse, her violet cloak swirling around her. She wrapped her arms around Alwyn�s waist and held to him tightly.
They rode out of the room, out of the castle, and headed straight for the forest. Sounds of angry men followed them into the darkest portion of the forest.
Mist encircled them as they rode in. The mist became so thick, Maud wasn�t sure if they would be able to find the way back.
�Lady Maud! Take out the map!� called Alwyn from in front of her.
She pulled out the map from her back pack, which had been slung onto her shoulders. �Here it is. What do you want me to do with it? We won�t be able to find our way out with this mist all around us.�
�Open the map now!� was his call.
Maud griped one end of it between her teeth and unrolled it with one hand. Suddenly, there was a burst of white light and she heard the sounds of stone beneath them.
She looked down and she found that they were in the walls of Camelot once more. Merlin ran out with the five ladies running behind him. �Alwyn, you genius, you! How did you know I had slipped her a portal map?!� Merlin cried out in joy.
Alwyn laughed nervously and blushed. �I-it was nothing really; I just saw the signature on the key and figured it out.�
Maud smiled at Alwyn. She had never seen him nervous before. Alwyn helped her off the horse and then jumped down himself. Rain busied himself with helping Lady Rhiannon off his horse and onto the solid ground.
Lady Morgana caught Rhiannon and held her tightly. �Lady Rhiannon! You scared us half to death when we found you missing!�
Rhiannon smiled sheepishly. �I-I am sorry, Lady Morgana. I had gone out to get some air when I was sneaked upon by a man dressed in all black.�
Maud smiled at them. Lady Morgana gave her a gracious bow of her head to Maud. �Thank you for your assistance, Lady Maud. All of Camelot thanks you.�
Maud blushed and curtsied as best as she could. Her cloak swirled around her once again as she stood straight. �I-it was nothing� I was glad to help, Lady Morgana.�
Morgana smiled at Maud then, she turned Rhiannon around and they walked back into the castle. Maud was left watching Alwyn and Merlin laugh together. Sir Rain had that same dreamy look on his face once again. They had managed to get something done together, and for that, Maud was thankful.