Arthur Hood: the Heir of Robin and King

Chapter Twenty-Six

'Little Johnny. Little Johnny.' Merlynna shook the sleeping boy. 'Wake up. Wake up.'

Little Johnny rolled over and snapped his eyes open. Instinctively, he went for his staff resting next to him but it suddenly floated into the air and out of his reach.

'What in the Robin's Wood?' Little Johnny's gaze had found the young witch. 'Did... did... did you just do that?'

Merlynna nodded. 'I thought you were going to hit me with it.'

'But how?' Little Johnny asked.

'Magic has returned to me. Though it is weak. But, hopefully, it will grow stronger.'

'How-how-how did you get it back?'

'I'll tell you all about it later after you tell me where Arthur is.'

'He's asl–' Little Johnny had looked over at Arthur's bunk and saw that it was empty. 'Wait. Where is he?'

'I don't know. That's why I asked.'

Little Johnny got out of bed, checked to see if the Shoes of Swiftness were still there, which they were, and replied back, 'Maybe he just went for a walk around the train. He could be getting some food.'

It was then that something leapt onto Little Johnny's bunk, making the boy tumble to the floor in fright. The thing then meowed and wings sprouted from its side.

'You found Fury then,' he breathed.

'More like he found me,' Merlynna said before helping Little Johnny up. She then retrieved his staff using more magic and handed it to him. 'And you're going to need that more now.'

'What do you mean by that?'

'Something bad is happening in the forest. I need to tell Arthur.'

Merlynna started towards the door of the train, as Fury curled up into a ball and fell asleep, when Little Johnny asked, 'Tell him what?'

Merlynna didn't reply but entered into the next car.

'Well wait for me,' Little Johnny called out. He grabbed the Shoes of Swiftness, threw them over his shoulder and went after Merlynna.

For ages, the two then searched the entire train and the surrounding trees, but they were unable to find Arthur. Now truly concerned, they woke up Esme and all the other Children of the Forest, telling them of his disappearance.

'Do you think the ogre may have taken him?' a young girl quivered as she teetered on a chair in the dining car.

Many others were swaying with nerves as they all stared at Esme, who stood on a table.

'No chance,' Esme replied with strength in her voice. 'It would be impossible for that monster to get through our traps.'

'Maybe he went to get Pridwen and the Sword in the Stone back from the Wild Children all by himself,' said Merlynna.

'I think that would be a more likely scenario.'

'Surely, he would have told us,' said Little Johnny.

'Maybe he just didn't want to put us in danger,' said Merlynna.

'We should go after him then.'

'I agree.'

'I will come with you two,' said Esme.

'You don't need to do that,' said Little Johnny.

'You'll need help. You also don't know the way to the Wild Children's territory.' She then told the rest of the Children of the Forest, 'Everyone else will stay here,' before turning back to Little Johnny and Merlynna. 'And on our travels, we can ask around. See if any of the forest's creatures may have seen him.'

'But before we go,' said Merlynna, 'I must tell you all something. Something dire.'

She then told everyone about what had happened to her. How Fury had woken her up, how she had met Nixie at the well before the mermaid took her to the Secret Pond. She was then hesitant to tell them the news that the Lady of the Lake had died but she did. And many cries echoed through the dining car in response.

'I'm afraid that's not all,' said Merlynna as Esme consoled a young boy beside her. 'The Lady of the Lake was killed.'

Cries abruptly turned to gasps.

'Killed by who?' snapped Little Johnny.

'By Morgana.'

'Morgana? The Queen of the Fays? King Arthur's nemesis?'

'Yes.'

'But how?'

'The Lady of the Lake had imprisoned her a long time ago in a rock and brought her here to the forest to keep safe. But somehow Morgana escaped. And that's not all. After Morgana killed the Lady of the Lake, she brought someone back to life.'

'Who?'

'The Sheriff. Robin Hood's sheriff. His grave was located here in the forest.'

Every face turned horror-stricken.

'What does this mean?' someone stammered loudly.

'That the appearance of the ogre is just the start,' Merlynna answered.

'So does this mean we have to leave the forest?' another child asked, a bespeckled girl.

It was Esme who responded this time and she did so with her head held low. 'It may have to come to that if it gets too dangerous.'

'But I don't want to leave Robin's Wood.' Everyone aped the bespeckled girl's sentiment. 'This is my home.'

'If nobody wants to leave, then we all have to be extra careful from now on,' said Esme. 'And while the three of us are off in search of Arthur, I want everyone to set up more traps. I want you to make this place a fortress. Got that?' The Children of the Forest saluted. 'Good, now Merlynna and Little Johnny, let's go.'

The three quickly got ready for their journey ahead, grabbing supplies and anything that could help them. And as they left the train in the trees not too long after, Esme noticed that Merlynna had brought along a broomstick that the young witch had found lying around.

'Why'd you bring that?' Esme asked.

'Oh,' Merlynna replied, 'I forgot to tell you, I got my magic back.'

'You what? When?'

'I was hoping the Lady of the Lake would help with its return and she did. Sadly, it wasn't the way I would have liked and I wasn't able to thank her.'

Esme nodded sadly. After a pause, she asked, 'So can you fly it? The broomstick?'

'My magic is incredibly weak at the moment – I think my body is trying to get used to it again – so I can't fly yet – I've tried. I can't even get off the ground. When my magic gets stronger, however – and hopefully, it does – I'll be able to. And hopefully also, it can help us.'

'It will definitely take us a lot less time to travel through the forest if we could fly above the trees.'

Little Johnny snorted. Merlynna looked over and saw that the boy's eyes were wide with cynicism.

'Something to say?' she asked him.

Though many would think this was no time to joke, Little Johnny thought a little good-natured teasing would lift the mood. And as he beamed with a wicked smirk, he replied, 'I think it would take more time to fly than to walk through the forest. That's if you're flying the broomstick of course.'

Although Fury hissed at the remarks as he glided between the trees above the children's heads, Merlynna smiled back, able to take the ribbing, and said, 'Careful now. I've got my magic back. Any more of that and I'll turn you into a pool of slime.'

'That's if you can catch me with your spells.' Little Johnny gestured to the Shoes of Swiftness, which he was now wearing. 'As you've seen, I can go really fast with these on.'

'Well, when I get my full magic back, and after all this is over, after we defeat the Shadow like Amzin's prophecy foretold, maybe we can have a competition. And the winner gets to be Arthur's council when he's crowned King of Camelot.'

Little Johnny gave Merlynna a wink. 'You're on.'

The two shook on it before Esme led the way towards the Babbling Brook.