Camelot
Of all the strange things that could happen in his life. What had just happened won out.
One second, he was with Cedric in a hospital, the next Ben was in a forest. He would never set foot in a forest again, once he figured out how to get out of it.
While scanning the place and trying not to go crazy for being in an extremely strange place, he saw smoke and a person screaming. It was when he saw a handful of purple hair and a green jacket that he began to understand even less what was happening there
"Mal?"
"Ben?"
The woman was worried about killing the man she held at her waist was stopped when she heard the recognizable voice of the prince.
(...)
Unknown Place
More and more accelerated the time when she would reveal herself and show everyone her power. After she had blinded and sown hatred in the king, she knew it was a matter of days before she could bring her identity to light.
She had seen Mal, but did not know the whole story. All she had was a picture of her with the prince and the certainty that they were the couple in the Book. I didn't need much. If they were the main thing, just get them away and knowing the object, it would weaken on its own.
It would be a triumphal entry when it returned....
(...)
Camelot
"You hurt me, you thing!"
Rashid complained when he saw a scratch on his arm, probably caused by Mal.
"Professor Rashid?"
Ben looked at the familiar face and took his attention away from the magical moment he was having with Mal.
"Do you know him?" Mal Didn't know much about him and didn't like Rashid anymore. "Wait, is this all your idea?"
"What? No, I'm as lost as you are."
"They've arrived! I thought they would take longer."
A voice that was usually quiet gave a loud shout to seem happy.
"More strange people."
Mal complained irritated that she didn't know where she was, what was going on, and that they had pulled her out of nowhere from her home.
"That's Merlin, wizard Merlin. Will someone explain what's going on here?"
Ben asked, getting more and more irritated.
"First come in, questions later."
Merlin said, looking around to see if there was anything suspicious. Although, in that part of Camelot no one had usually gone, including himself for years.
"No, I'm not going in there! I don't know you guys and I don't know where I am, no!"
Mal shouted, completely distraught by that situation
"I will explain everything to you, but we need to get out of here."
Merlin said.
"He's right."
"Come on Mal, I want explanations too and I'm just as lost as you are."
Ben spoke up.
"If you don't come in girl, I will beam you up!"
Rashid really didn't like that he had earned a beautiful bruise on his arm caused by Mal.
"Don't you dare come near me."
Snorting Mal followed them towards the abandoned house that was half a meter away from them.
"Kid Rashid, how are things going? White Queen and Absolem?"
Merlin asked, while he looked for some glasses in the middle of the mess that was the place.
"They are fine, with the Queen I have been speaking less, but with Absolem..."
"You guys are kidding, right?"
Ben stared at them angrily, the prince's patience was running out.
"It's just that I haven't been here in years, so I don't know where things are and I have a good friendship with White Queen and Absolem."
The wizard explained very calmly
"Okay, where are we? For starters."
"North of Camelot. Closer to the Forest part maybe?"
Merlin said calmly as always
"Yes, maybe near the Gnome area and the river it ends up meeting the Sherwood Forest River as well."
"Yeah, but I'm already warning you, there's no internet signal. So, there's no point in even calling your father or any of the royalty Ben."
Merlin warned, knowing a boy.
"That place is totally unknown. Even Arthur doesn't know about it, just so you know."
"So, this is a kidnapping?"
"Almost that."
"Okay, so they brought us to the middle of nowhere extremely for what?"
"We need to have a serious talk with you."
"I'm all ears."
"We're trying to protect you guys."
"And who is protecting us from you?"
Mal asked not believing them.
"That's serious, you nervous little thing.
"Let's start at the beginning. Cedric."
"Who is Cedric?"
"Until yesterday he was the librarian at my school."
"Cedric was a custodian..."
"Wait, was he?"
Rashid interrupted the wizard's explanation when he heard this word
"Rashid, Cedric he..."
Merlin started to say something that he discovered
"No, not really! Merlin..."
Tears formed in Rashid's almost orange eyes
"Rash..."
When Merlin stood up to say something else the magician brutally stood up
"No! This is too much for me."
Even though he could disappear he ran out of the small house.
(...)
"I still don't understand anything."
Mal spoke low to Ben when the two strangers left them alone.
There are two of us. I was with Cedric when I disappeared out of nowhere."
The prince explained
"I was on the Isle, I went to Yen Sid's house and suddenly this man who looks like a cat appeared and boom! Here I am."
(...)
"It's Cedric Merlin!" Rashid shouted! "My best friend, we studied magic together, we lived the crap out of life together!"
Rashid didn't hesitate to cry and explode with rage over the whole situation.
"I know and understand all that. But Cedric cares like crazy about this book, and he was waiting for the story to come true. Let's not throw it away, please."
Merlin said making the son of Wonderland look at him
"Okay, fine." He swallowed the rest of his cry and wiped his face. "He never wanted to tell the whole story to those two, so let's explain what is necessary."
(...)
Mal and Ben looked at each other, but covertly. They hadn't spoken to each other in days, and even though they felt that fluttering in their hearts and that uncomfortable feeling in their stomachs, it was strange and different to talk to each other now.
They wouldn't lie, if it depended on each other and if they went only by what their hearts said, they had kissed a long time ago, but in that logical equation there was also rationality, fear and insecurity.
"Okay, are you going to say everything now?"
Mal asked
"Cedric, he..."
Merlin began by saying
"Yes." Rashid Tried to look up so the tears wouldn't come down. "But he wouldn't like that. I need to explain everything to you."
"Who was this, Cedric? Did he die?"
Mal asked
"Cedric was not a librarian, formally he was a mage, but he was assigned to guardian."
"Guardian of what?"
"Of a book, but not just any book, it is a book that determines everything about everyone."
"Cool, but where do Ben and I fit into that? What do we have to do with it?"