The Once and Future Geek

by Mari Mancusi

  Stu tapped his foot impatiently. “And?”

  Lucas kept skimming. “And it looks like she demanded he come see her at Avalon to have a talk,” he added. “In his last email, he says he's on his way.” He glanced at the computer clock. “That was only a few hours ago.”

  “Awesome. Maybe he's still there now!” Stu cried excitedly. “We can go find him and tell him about Morgan and get his help with the battle. With him on our side, I'm sure we'll win!”

  “Of course!” Sophie exclaimed. “Merlin was always so insistent about needing all three of us to bring down Morgan Le Fay. And now I'm thinking he wasn't just talking about the videogame.”

  “So how do we get to Avalon?” Stu asked, turning to Arthur.

  Arthur looked at him blankly. “I have no idea.”

  Stu's excitement faltered a bit. “Oh,” he said, disappointed. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. “I don't suppose it's something you can Google Map?” he asked Lucas.

  His stepbrother shook his head. “Unfortunately Google Maps doesn't really cover mystical islands from a thousand years ago.”

  “Right. Of course.” The four of them fell silent, sobered. It had all seemed so perfect! But if they couldn't find Merlin, there was no way that . . .

  “Oh, Lord Stuart? Where art thou?”

  Ugh. Stu groaned as Elaine burst into the cave, skipping over to the group, throwing her arms around his waist and looking up at him with big, pathetic, puppy dog eyes. Just the thing to make the bitter moment complete. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Sophie's frown.

  “Who are you?” Elaine demanded, turning and giving Sophie a sour look. “And why are you bothering my lord and protector?”

  Stu sighed, working to pry her hands from his body. “Put the claws away, Elaine,” he commanded. “This is Sophie. The friend I was telling you about.”

  “This is Elaine?” Sophie interjected suddenly. “The one you're taking to the Snowflake Dance?”

  What? Stu squinted at her, confused. “The Snowflake Dance?” he repeated. “Why on earth would I take Elaine to the Snowflake Dance?”

  “A dance?” Elaine interrupted with a happy chirp. She pranced around Stu, clapping her hands excitedly. “You're taking me to a dance? Oh m'lord! I am so happy! I love to dance!”

  Stu slapped his hand against his forehead in frustration.

  “Um, hello?” Arthur interrupted, much to his relief. Saved by the medieval king. “We're wasting valuable time here. Guinevere still needs to be rescued. And if you two can't do it without Merlin, than I'm coming with you. At least this way we'll have extra muscle and maybe—”

  “Ooh Merlin! I love Merlin!” Elaine interrupted, stopping her dance, a bit out of breath. “He used to always show up at Avalon with these things he called Twinkies which, if you haven't tried them, are the best food in the entire world! Mmm. I just taste the goodness now!”

  “Elaine, we know what Twinkies are,” Stu interrupted impatiently. “And we don't need—”

  “Wait, did you say Avalon?” Sophie asked, looking at the girl with new eyes. “Do you know where Avalon is?”

  Elaine gave her a sneer. “Of course I do,” she replied haughtily. “I only spent three years there, training with the priestesses. I think I'd know the way.”

  Stu stared at her excitedly. Maybe saving the girl's life hadn't been such a big mistake after all. “Is it far?” he asked. “Can you take us there?”

  “I would take you to the ends of the earth, if it pleased your lordship,” Elaine swore stoutly, batting her eyelashes in Stu's direction.

  Sophie snorted. Stu shook his head.

  “Okay, then here's what we're going to do,” he said. “Elaine, Sophie and I are going to head to Avalon to find Merlin and get him to help in the fight. In the meantime, Arthur, you head back to the castle to meet with the tribal lords.”

  “But . . . “ Arthur's face twisted with anguish again. “Are you sure I can't come with you? I mean, I'm the one that Morgan wants.”

  “Which is exactly why you can't go,” Sophie reminded him gently. “Look, I know you want to be all knight in shining armor for Guin. But remember what you promised my mother. To meet your destiny head on—no matter what.” She paused, then added. “Besides, what do you think Guinevere would want you to do in this situation?”

  Arthur frowned and scuffed his boot against the dirt. Then he looked up. “She'd want me to save the world,” he said with resolve.

  “Don't worry,” Stu chimed in. “We won't let you down. We'll retrieve Merlin, head to the castle, obliterate Morgan and rescue Guinevere. She'll be back in your arms before you know it.” He gave Sophie a small smirk. “And this time, not even stepmom aggro will be able to stop us!”

  She kicked him playfully and he thought once again about how much he'd missed her.

  “I'll go back to the castle with you,” Lucas told Arthur. “I can help you strategize. I don't know if you know this, but I play a mean Great Battles: Medieval videogame. And you've seen my leet skills at Risk.” He turned to Stu and Sophie. “Don't worry, I've totally got King Arthur's back.”

  Stu fist-bumped his stepbrother. “Well then, what are we waiting for?” he asked with a grin. “Let's go make history!”

  Chapter 46

  The isle of Avalon was no ordinary island. Shrouded in mists, it was the magical retreat of the druid priestesses who worshipped the Great Mother. Legend had it that it was originally created by the fae folk, and that some of them still made their home there, in another dimension, between the curtains of mist. And some legends even spoke of the Holy Grail itself, being hidden deep underground, beneath the mighty hill, known as the Tor.

  In Sophie's time, it was a bustling tourist attraction and no longer even an island—the lake surrounding it had grown marshy over the years, becoming one with the land. But back in medieval times it still seemed mysterious, magical, and more than a little spooky.

  Though Elaine was, perhaps, the most annoying person Sophie had ever met, and she didn't appreciate her clinging to her friend like she did, she had to admit, they would have never found the island without her. Elaine had chartered a boat from a small, lakefront village and rowed them into mists, which were thick as pea soup. Sophie couldn't see her hand in front of her face when they were in the middle of the lake—never mind any island—and would have been pretty much lost forever. But somehow Elaine knew exactly the path to take and soon they found their way to the other shore.

  Sophie leapt off the boat, grateful to be back on dry land, peering up and down the shoreline. “How big is this island?” she asked a little worriedly. The mists were still thick and it was starting to grow dark. “And where would Merlin have gone to meet Nimue?”

  Elaine pulled the boat up onto the beach. “You ask a lot of questions,” she noted sourly. Then she turned to Stu. “Follow me,” she instructed. “I shall lead you to the village. Surely Merlin will be there to greet us. And if not, Nimue, our Lady, will know exactly where to look for him.”

  She grabbed his hand and started dragging him up the hill. Stu glanced at Sophie and shrugged helplessly. She rolled her eyes. The sooner they found Merlin and ditched this girl, the better.

  As they walked up the steep hill, slowly as to not lose their footing, Sophie wondered how long Morgan would keep Guinevere hostage before she'd decide to kill her. If they got there too late—if Guin were already dead—well, she didn't know how she'd be able to return to Arthur with the news.

  She shook her head. She couldn't think like that. She had to keep the faith.

  “Hello? Can I get some dinner down here?” called out a familiar-sounding male voice from the mists. The three of them stopped short, looking at one another.

  “Merlin?” Sophie cried. “Is that you?”

  “Yes, yes, it's me and I'm starving! Don't you druids ever eat? And don't bring me those horrid mushrooms this time. They're terrible for my digestion.”

  “Come on!” Sophie urged the ot
hers, diving through the mists, no longer caring that she didn't know the way. She could follow Merlin's voice as he continued to complain about the mystical island's dinner menu.

  A few moments later the mists fell away, revealing a small clearing surrounded by large trees. In the center stood a particularly large, gnarly oak tree. Sophie's eyes widened as she realized Merlin himself seemed to be caught in its branches.

  “Sophie! Stu!” Merlin cried, looking both embarrassed and relieved. “Thank the wind and rain you're here!”

  “What happened?” Sophie asked, rushing toward him. “Why are you all tangled up in this tree?” She reached the magician and tried to pull away a branch that had wrapped itself around his forearm. But to her surprise, the tree shifted, a thin branch reaching down from above, slapping her hand.

  “Hands off the prisoner!” the tree scolded in a low-pitched female voice. Sophie let out a surprised shriek and stumbled backwards in shock. Did the tree really just speak to her?

  “Now that's just rude,” Merlin scolded the tree. “I'm allowed to have visitors you know.”

  “We need your help, Merlin,” Stu informed the magician, approaching the tree with caution. “Morgan Le Fay has kidnapped Guinevere and we need to rescue her. Just like we were trying to do in Camelot's Honor.” He related the story of what had happened.

  When he had finished the magician peered around the clearing. “And where is Arthur now?” he asked.

  “Back home,” Sophie assured him. “We sent him to Camelot to plan tomorrow's battle. But he only went because we promised we'd go and rescue Guinevere for him.”

  “Yes,” Merlin agreed. “As much as I hate to admit it, Arthur needs Guinevere to rule by his side. I suppose a rescue is in order.”

  “So, um, can you help us?” Sophie asked. “I mean, that's what you've been training us for, right? With the videogame?”

  Merlin nodded, looking rueful. “That is correct,” he agreed. “But at the moment, I'm afraid I'm a bit indisposed. You see, Nimue was angry at me for not telling her about the missing scabbard and Arthur being gone. To punish me, she's trapped me in this tree for the next thousand years. So I'm afraid you may have to do without me. Maybe find a pickup group in the next town?”

  “No way,” Stu exclaimed. “We're a team. We're sticking together.” He unsheathed Excalibur, the blade shining brilliantly in the fading light, and raised it to the tree.

  “No, no!” Merlin cried quickly. “You can't just cut it! It's magical!”

  Stu lowered his sword reluctantly.

  “Well, maybe I have a spell?” Sophie suggested, pulling out the little book from her pocket and skimming through.

  “No one can free him but a daughter of Avalon,” the tree informed them haughtily. “And obviously there are none of those around.” It sniffed.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  Sophie whirled around, surprised to see Elaine step into the clearing, glaring at the tree with a defiant look on her face.

  “And who might you be?” the tree asked in a bored-sounding voice.

  “I am Elaine,” she declared, squaring her shoulders. “The Lady of Astolat.”

  Merlin shot Stu a suspicious look. “No offense,” he said to the girl. “But aren't you supposed to be dead?”

  “I was!” Elaine chirped happily. “But Lord Stuart came and rescued me just in time!” She glanced over at her hero with adoration. Stu shuffled from foot to foot, refusing to meet Merlin's eyes.

  “Never mind that now!” Sophie interrupted. “Elaine, you said you trained as a priestess at Avalon. Does that mean you can free Merlin?”

  “Maybe,” she sniffed. “If someone important were to ask me to.”

  Sophie squeezed her hands into fists. “Seriously, I have had about enough of—”

  “It's okay!” Stu interrupted, jumping in between the girls. He shot Sophie a pleading look, then turned to Elaine. “Would you mind freeing Merlin for me?” he asked. “I'd be . . . forever grateful.”

  Elaine smiled at Sophie smugly, then waved her arms, muttering something under her breath. A moment later, the tree's branches loosened, sending the elderly magician crashing to the ground. He climbed to his feet, rubbing his back, then gave the trunk a little kick.

  “Bloody irritating thing,” he muttered. “Though I suppose it is better than the rack.” He turned to Sophie and Stu. “Now where were we?”

  “We were rescuing Guinevere,” Sophie exclaimed. “Morgan took her to her castle. Wherever that is.” Hopefully Merlin would know and they'd no longer be dependent on Elaine.

  “Tintagel.” Merlin nodded. “What an interesting choice.”

  Stu and Sophie looked at him questioningly.

  “It was there that I went to claim Arthur as my own,” he exclaimed. “When he was but a baby. I wanted to hide him away where no one could discover his true heritage, as son of Uther, until he was old enough to take the throne.” He frowned. “Morgan certainly wasn't happy with me that day, if I remember it right.”

  “So she wanted to get her brother back to the castle? Where it all began?” Sophie asked.

  “Perhaps. Or perhaps it's just a good spot to kill someone. It's been abandoned for many years and lies in ruin on the shores of Cornwell.”

  “Cornwell,” Stu repeated. “Isn't that really far from here?”

  Merlin tugged on his beard, calculating. “If we traveled by foot, it would take weeks—maybe a month.”

  Sophie's enthusiasm faltered. A week? A month? That was too long. But Merlin only smiled. “Luckily for you, you have a level seventy-nine druid on your side,” he reminded them. “One who just happened to have mastered the art of teleportation.”

  Stu's eyes lit up. “You mean . . . ?”

  Merlin nodded. “I can get us on her front steps in five minutes,” he bragged. “Just say the word.”

  And this time there was no one to stop them.

  Chapter 47

  “So if we moved Sir Ector's men to this spot here and then had King Leodegrance's men gather here, we could send Gawain and his brothers through this pass right along here—to put on the pressure,” Lucas suggested, setting up the small stones representing each army on their dust-drawn map of England's eastern shore. “This way we could surprise the Saxons and cut off any escape route they might have.”

  Arthur stared down at the map, nodding thoughtfully. “I'd want to leave Sir Bors' men here,” he suggested, grabbing a rock and placing it due east. “Just in case they tried to sneak in by the sea.”

  “Definitely,” Lucas agreed. “And then you can keep King Percival's men back here, in case you need reinforcements.”

  “Perfect,” Arthur cried. He looked up at Lucas. “Do you think this will really work?”

  Lucas shrugged. “It's your basic zone defense with a little blitz thrown in for good measure. Definitely effective on the football field.” He grinned. “I do it all the time when playing Madden. Even works against the Patriots.”

  “I can't wait to see the Saxons running back home with their tails between their legs,” Arthur finished, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

  “All thanks to you,” Lucas finished. He looked at his friend in admiration, shaking his head. “Man, who would have thought when I first found you, shivering on the school front steps that you'd turn out to be so legendary!”

  Arthur's face reddened to the color of a ripe tomato. “Well, I had a little help from my friends,” he reminded Lucas. “In fact, I owe you pretty much everything.”

  “Meh.” Lucas brushed off the compliment. “Just do me one favor.”

  “What's that?”

  “Throw a really big party when you get back from defeating the Saxons. I'm in the mood to celebrate! After all, it's not every day you get to time travel to the Middle Ages. I want to see some action!” He grinned. “Maybe even score a dance with a real medieval chick.”

  “Just as long as it's not Guinevere,” Arthur teased.

  “No way, man, s
he's all yours. I prefer brunettes anyway, no offense.”

  Arthur smiled. “You're a good friend, Lucas Lake. I am lucky to have you.” And suddenly Lucas felt his own face growing red.

  At that moment Gawain poked his head through the door. “They're ready for you, m'lord,” he told Arthur. Arthur nodded and told him he'd be there in a moment. Gawain ducked out of the room.

  Arthur turned to Lucas. “Here goes nothing!” he said. “Wish me luck.”

  Lucas smiled at him, shaking his head. “You don't need it, man. You're going to be awesome.”

  And with that, Lucas watched his friend turn and walk out of the room, shoulders and head held high, just like a real king. He felt a chill trip down his spine.

  “Go get 'em, Arthur,” he whispered.

  He rubbed out their map and scattered the rocks they'd used to represent the knights. After all, every good football player knew not to leave a strategy lying around in plain sight. Then he rose to his feet and headed out of Arthur's chamber and toward the kitchen. He was starving—not a good day to have missed lunch to make up a test.

  “You!” A woman's voice startled him. “You were with Lord Stuart!”

  He whirled around, surprised to be recognized. His eyes fell upon Elaine, standing in the hallway, wringing her hands as if distraught.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, approaching her cautiously. “I thought you were taking my brother and Sophie to Merlin.”

  She nodded, casting her eyes to the floor. “I did,” she said. “And then I freed Merlin from a tree. Just as Lord Stuart asked of me.”

  “Well, that's good . . . “

  “But then they left me!” she cried. “Merlin said I could not join them in their fight. He teleported me back here while they went on to Tintagel.” She scowled. “Even though I am much more powerful than that horrible wench Sophie.” She looked up at Lucas with big brown dejected eyes. “Why does he prefer her over me?” she asked pleadingly.