I rolled my eyes at him.
Merlin raised a paw. “What? Cats are practical people.” He paused. “I’m rooting for you, Gwen, I am. But I also realize that you’re probably going up against the most powerful being on Earth. Your odds are slime.”
Now I rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Coach.”
Merlin shook his head. “Cats don’t coach, they critique.”
Claude walked up to Merlin. He bent down and looked him in the eyes. “Listen, cat…”
“You can call me Mr. Merlin!”
Maude rushed up to Merlin. “Listen, Merlin. We know the odds may be stacked against us. But we have faith in our daughter. If anybody can do this, it is Gwen. Morgana knows it too or she wouldn’t have bribed her.”
Merlin paused to reflect. He farted. “Point taken.” He turned away. “I did not wish to offend. I just felt the need to point out the difficulty level of our quest.”
I made a fist. “But we can do it!” I held my fist out to Merlin.
Merlin put his paw over my fist. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Yes I believe we can.”
I looked down at my phone.
MIKA>Gwen?
SEBASTIAN>Gwen??
GAIL> Yoo Hoo, anybody home?
And so on.
GWEN>Sorry, doing family stuff!
MIKA>Ah…
SEBASTIAN>Cool
GAIL>Family is important and fun
GAIL>I’m taking Sebastian and Mika fishing Saturday…wanna come? They’ve never been!
MIKA>Should be interesting
SEBASTIAN>Worms r so cool
MIKA>Can’t believe he’s related 2 me
GAIL>I can…u 2 look similar
GWEN>Oh man, wish I could but more family stuff!
GWEN>I actually like fishing it’s relaxing, let’s me think
Merlin leaned over my shoulder. “Plus your cat loves fishing!”
I turned to Merlin, “I’m not going to tell them that. And stop reading over my shoulder.”
Merlin pointed to my phone. “Tell them. They will love it!”
GWEN>Plus my cat loves it when I fish
MIKA>(heart)
SEBASTIAN>ha ha
GAIL>(heart) (heart)
“See!” Merlin said proudly.
GWEN>Next time! I promise!
GAIL>Great!
MIKA>C U 2morrow
SEBASTIAN>Cool out
My notes
I’m now more certain than ever that I am on the right course. Not only is Morgana trying to bribe me, but my family knows who I am and has faith in me. Plus, I am bonding with real people… friends. Yeah, they can’t help me with my quest but they can help me live a normal life which is just as important (well almost) as completing my quest. I mean, without a normal life and happiness...then what is my quest all about?
My one concern is: what is Morgana really up to? She is offering me bribes instead of coming directly after me. Yet, she did send her crow cronies’ after me. But they were just to warn me. She knew there was no way three big crows could take me out. Plus, like Merlin always says, Morgana doesn’t like her crows...they are just people who made her angry or got in her way.
Could Morgana really not be as evil as I thought? Might she actually be trying to do her version of good?
Nah…
Chapter 9
Saturday came quickly. Which was good. I actually liked my new school and my new friends, but I knew I had to charge my staff and find some of my old knights. I knew Maude and Claude wanted to go into the woods with me, but it was too dangerous. I decided not to tell them that tonight was the night, and I would sneak out.
As I packed my backpack, Merlin lectured. “Are you sure that you don’t want back-up?”
“I’m sure,” I said packing a power aid drink. “Besides, I have you!”
“But I know Maude and Claude will want to help!” Merlin said. “And they have opposable thumbs so they can grab things and fight.”
I shook my head. “Nope, too dangerous.”
The world around me blurred. I found myself standing in a bedroom. A bedroom bigger than my entire house. There, sitting in the middle of the room was Morgana, surrounded by a team of people working on her look.
Morgana glanced at me. “Oh Gwen, how nice of you to join me in spirit at least. My team of aides is getting me ready for my show tonight. I’m doing a live special edition.”
Before I could say anything, a man in a red jacket came bursting into the room. He held a microphone up to Morgana. “Ms. Morgana! I’m Rusty Blade from Need To Know news! The people want to know what you crave more? Beauty or power? Can you tell our viewers who you are dating? Who does your hair? What do you think of the global warming issue?”
Two red shirted security men burst into the room after Rusty. “Sorry, Ma’am he got by us…”
Morgana sighed. She locked eyes with Rusty. “This is my private home!”
Rusty held the mic to her face. “When you are as rich and powerful as you are, you have no privacy. Now will you answer my questions?” he barked.
Morgana grinned, “Global warming is bad. Come on people, don’t be stupid. You have one planet. As for my hair, I do it myself. I’m an OLD fashioned girl. As for my dating, that’s for me to know and nobody to find out. As for what I crave more…” Morgana pointed at Rusty.
Rusty’s arms locked to his side. He froze and shrank. As he shrank he transformed. At first, I couldn’t figure out what he’d become. But then I realized he was now a stick of deodorant. Morgana bent down and picked up her new deodorant. “You can never be too fresh, my dear!” She lifted up her left arm and dabbed the new deodorant under it. She repeated the process on the right side. She sniffed herself and smiled. “Ah, so fresh.”
She handed the deodorant to an aide who put it on a tray. The two red-shirted security guards rushed up to Morgana and bowed. “We are so sorry, Ma’am.”
Morgana patted them each on their heads. “Don’t worry, I still find you both useful.”
The two smiled.
Morgana snapped her fingers. The two guards instantly transformed into flat shoe shaped objects. Morgana looked over at me. “My shoes really need fresh insoles. Even the beautiful get sweaty feet.” She handed the new insoles to her aide. “Morton, put these in my red pumps.”
A little mouse of a man slinked over to Morgana. “Yes, Ma’am.” He took the insoles and disappeared.
Morgana looked at me. “Power, my dear. It’s what I offer. Do you accept?”
“No!” I said flatly.
Morgana sighed. “My people love me.”
“They fear you!” I told her.
Morgana shrugged. “Love, fear, they generate the same results.” She paused and looked me in the eyes. “The good news for you is that I still find you entertaining. And you may yet serve my purpose.” She waved to me. “Be gone.”
I found myself back in my room looking at my backpack. Maude and Claude were there. “So young lady, what is your plan?” Maude asked me.
I stood there in silence. Not really sure what Morgana meant. Not really sure I wanted to know what she meant.
“Your mother is talking to you,” Claude said as sternly as I had ever heard him. “Yes, I know you may be a past and future queen, but you are also our daughter.”
I shuddered. “Sorry…”
Merlin sniffed me. “Yuck.”
“Hey, I just showered!” I said defensively.
“You stink of Morgana,” he told me.
“Oh right, that,” I sighed.
“So it happened again?” Merlin asked.
“What happened?” Maude asked.
“Morgana brought Gwen to her for a little heart to evil heart chat,” Merlin told them.
“But we were looking at her. She was right here!” Claude said. He stopped. “Oh, astral projection.”
“Bingo!” Merlin told them. “It allows magical beings to be in two places at once. Sort of.” Merlin looked at me. “W
hat did she show you?”
“Her raw power,” I said. “She commands people and magic so easily. Matter bends to her will.”
Merlin nodded. “She does, but we can still beat her because she does need to concentrate.” He paused. “I hope…”
“She asked me if I would accept her deal. I said no, of course,” I shook my head. “She told me the deal was still good. Whenever I want. Not in those words but I got her drift. It’s like she’s so sure I can’t stop her…”
Maude and Claude each put one hand on my shoulder. “That’s what she wants you to believe. But she’s scared of you.” They looked at Merlin. “Right, Merlin?”
Merlin sat there thinking about his next words. “Nah, she’s not scared at all.”
“That’s the same impression I got,” I sighed. “I saw her turn a reporter into a stick of deodorant and a couple of guards into shoe insoles.”
“She could turn you into a pile of barf and it’s game over,” Merlin said.
“Then why hasn’t she?” I asked him.
Merlin sighed. “Two possible reasons: she is enjoying this game, she thinks of you as almost her equal and is having fun. Or, she is so cocky she is playing with you like a cat with a wounded mouse.”
“Just great,” I groaned. “She did say she found me amusing. And that I might prove to be useful in the future.”
Merlin smiled. “Well, that’s interesting news. We can use that to our advantage.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
Merlin shook his head. He belched. “No idea. The good news is her vanity and cockiness might be her downfall. She thinks of no one as her equal. Which means she might let her guard down. So we have a chance. Not a big chance but a chance nonetheless.”
Maude pointed to my backpack. “Well, if we’re going to stop Morgana, we’d better get out to the woods.”
Claude looked at his watch. “Yeppers, it’s getting late. I figure it’s a 20-minute drive at this hour.”
I shook my head. “You guys aren’t coming. It’s too dangerous! And how did you find out?”
Maude locked eyes with me. “We’re your parents. Of course, we are going! And the cat told us.”
Claude showed me his muscle. “We’ve been working out. Training. We’re ready.”
Merlin looked at me. “They can drive. It would save time.”
I sighed. “Okay, let’s go.”
“That was easy,” Maude said.
“Too easy,” Claude said.
My dad knew me well.
My notes
Not thrilled with my parents tagging along with me on this. I love them, that’s why I want to protect them. They are great people but I fear no match for Morgana and her forces. I wonder if anybody is?
Chapter 10
I sat in the backseat as Maude and Claude drove towards the Camelot woods. Which all the locals lovingly called...Sherwood Forest. We drove in silence as I told them I needed to meditate to keep my chi and magic strong. I actually just didn’t want to talk because I was worried. I needed to figure out the best way to handle this. I knew my parents wanted to help and I loved them for it. But they were just two normal people. I didn’t want them getting hurt.
As we drove, my mind drifted back to a different woods...a long time ago. Lancelot looked at me with his piercing eyes. He reached for me, his arm rippling with muscle. “My lady, when fencing, you must hold your arm straight but loose,” he coaxed.
I smiled at him. “Lancelot, you are our greatest warrior. You are Arthur’s best friend. I consider you a close friend, please call me Guinevere.”
Lancelot grinned and shook his head. “My queen. I cannot. I am but the king’s humble servant. You make me blush when you call me your greatest warrior. There are many fine knights at your round table.”
I nodded, “True, but none as fine as you.”
I meant that. Lancelot may not have been what others would consider traditionally handsome, but he was actually more beautiful than handsome. He had a confidence about him that radiated to those around him. I felt better just being in his presence.
He lunged at me with his sword. I blocked his attack and countered quickly.
“Excellent!” he smiled. “Few of the knights could so easily fend off one of my attacks.”
“So, you did not soften your attack?” I questioned.
He lowered his head. “My lady, I am saddened that you would even think such a thing. When I agreed to help train you, I promised I would give it my all.”
I lunged at him with my sword. He blocked my attack with ease. “I appreciate that!” I told him.
“Have you told our king yet that I am helping you?” Lancelot asked me.
“Of course,” I said.
To this day, I don’t know why I lied.
The car rolled to a stop snapping me back to reality. Time to get my staff charged. Time to find my knights, my Lancelot, my Arthur. Time to stop Morgana.
Claude leaned over the front seat. “You ready, honey?”
“Perants fraaza!” I ordered.
Claude and Maude froze in place. “Sorry, I told them, but this is too dangerous for you.” I kissed them each on the forehead. I strapped my backpack to my back and grabbed my staff. I rolled out of the car. I looked at Merlin in the backseat napping. “Merlin wake up!”
He yawned. “Sorry, cars always make me sleepy.” He noticed Maude and Claude. “My, they are even more boring than normal.”
“I had to freeze them,” I said, motioning to Merlin to get out of the car. “This is too dangerous for them.”
Merlin dropped down to the ground. He curled his back. “This is too dangerous for anybody! Going against Morgana. You will need all the allies you can find!”
I headed into the woods. “No, my step-parents are normal people. This is not their battle.”
“That’s not for you to say,” Merlin told me.
I pulled out my staff. “I’m Queen.”
“Not in this time,” Merlin noted.
“This is my destiny!” I argued as I found myself surrounded by thick trees. The density of the trees and the setting sun made it hard to see. “Steff gliw!” I ordered. My staff started to shine. I smiled.
“Agreed,” Merlin said, catching me off guard. “But as past queen and a future leader, it’s still not your job to pick other’s destinies.”
“No, but it’s my job to keep the people I love safe!” I said.
Merlin took in my words. He scratched his head. “I can’t argue with that. Still, back-up is always nice.”
“Sometimes, you have to do things alone,” I countered.
“No man is an island,” Merlin told me.
“You’re really going to use that argument with me?” I smirked.
Merlin shrugged. He spat out of a fur ball. “I hate it when that happens,” he said. He looked at me. “And yes. Yes, I am.”
“Well, I’m not a man, I am a queen!” I stated.
“Being a dead queen is no good to anyone,” Merlin said.
The dark clouds above us began to rumble.
“Look, how hard can this be? I hold up my staff and get hit by lightning,” I said.
“Obviously, you are worried about Morgana’s minions or you would have let Maude and Claude come!” Merlin told me.
“I can handle minions,” I said.
We stepped into a circular clearing in the middle of the woods. I could hear noises from a pond nearby to my right. This was the place. Looking up, I saw the clouds thickening. I also saw several giant bats flying towards me. And when I say giant, I mean they were each the size of a horse, a large horse.
Pointing to the bats, I said, “We’ve got company!”
“Of course we do,” Merlin sighed.
“Seven on two, just lovely,” I said raising my staff.
Merlin popped out his claws. “More like seven on one and a half, but still, if you can get one down, I’ll claw it!”
I pointed my staff at the lead bat and s
houted. “Anargy blest niw!” A ball of red hot energy bolted from my staff. The ball whipped through the air, hitting the lead bat in the chest. The bat burst into flames taking out two of the other bats near him.
“Impressive!” Merlin said.
Two more bats bore down on me. They opened their mouths, I saw big white fangs dripping with yellow slime.
“Oh great, vampire bats!” I said.
“Morgana always was an over achiever,” Merlin said.
The bats were on top of me before I could get off another spell. I whacked the first bat with my staff. I scored a direct hit to the head. The bat pulled back into the air and shrieked a cry that made my heart race and my hair stand on end. The second bat swiped at me with a razor sharp claw. I blocked the claw with my staff.
“You know we don’t have a lot of time until the lightning strike!” Merlin told me.
“Yeah, but right now I’m more worried about living!” I told Merlin. I blocked a couple more of the bats’ attacks. One tried to take me down with its wings, trying to scratch and bite me. I retreated back, blocking each attack with my staff. I just couldn’t find a spot to counter attack. I knew that if I stayed on the defensive, either this bat would get me or its friend in the sky would.
“Hey, leave our friend alone!” I heard two familiar voices shouting.
Gail and Sebastian threw themselves on the giant bat, wrestling it to the ground. Sebastian grabbed one wing, Gail grabbed the other. Mika rushed up and kicked the bat in the head. The bat fell limp.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.
Mika grinned. “Fishing,” she pointed to the side. “There’s a great pond near here.”
Sebastian looked at me. “I think the bigger question is, what are you doing here…fighting giant killer bats with big sharp pointy teeth?”
“That’s not so easy to answer,” I sighed.
Gail pointed to the one remaining bat. It seemed larger than the others. It flew towards us. It opened its mouth hitting us with a high-pitched scream.
Girl to the Rescue! Page 4