Chapter 3.

It took me a few minutes to get over the initial shock. Wearily I yanked the knife out of the tree, which was no small feat and grabbed the note. Only it wasn't a note. It was a medieval proclamation for The Lady of the Lakes death. I made a silent promise then and there never to run in the woods again. I would run on main street whether I looked like and idiot or not. I high tailed it out of there but not before taking the dagger and note.

When I arrived at my car I was out of breath. I took out my water bottle and with an old towel proceeded to clean my hands. It wasn't human blood I knew that. It almost looked like chicken or pig blood to me but then again I had never been an expert in the blood department, not that I would want to be. When my hands were in some semblance of order I got into my car and drove home.

Either I was one lucky girl or I just had perfect timing because my no one was home. I knew Will had another school meeting but my parents I found put from a 'real' note were grocery shopping. This in some ways made it easier to do what I did next and no it wasn't commit a crime. I showered, changed, and then I broke into my parent's office all in a days work.

Not.

I had brought the dagger, which I later learned was actually called an Athame. It was here that I finally learned about the Uther Pendragons and his beautiful order of the Pendragons. Why was it that all medieval rulers had to have orders and tables? I would have thought it would be most annoying. Obviously people were that superficial even back then. I got up and dusted myself off. This order thing couldn't be coming after me could it? I'm not Lady of the Lake I mean I just wasn't. It was all so strange and I was finding it was getting stranger by the minute.

The next morning I left for school this time taking the bus with Will. He started talking to Lance and I glanced around carefully. For someone as young as myself I really had to stop being suspicious of everyone. Of course I told myself that until my eyes rested on a boy who was diagonal from me. He had black hair, creamy-white skin, brown eyes, and a look about him that made me shiver. I also noticed that he had been taking or at least staring at Will and myself. For a second our eyes locked, he nodded and then went back to his book which much to my chagrin was a king Arthur tale.

For some reason I felt a connection to this man though why I didn't know. All morning I tried looking for him but to no avail. He was in none of my classes and I didn't dare ask Will or Jennifer if they had seen him. I doddled a lot on the way to my last class, which was English. I got to the door and stopped. In my desk-chair in the middle of the class was the guy I had seen on the bus.

Contemplating whether or not to make a deal of it and opting not to I went and took a seat behind him. I settled in to long boring lectures. The only good thing I did in class was behind him I had the vantage point to see his name. It was Robert Morgan and when Mr. Morton asked him a question he replied with a soft British accent. I didn't know this guy but from everything I was seeing and hearing he was making my insides wiggly and I had no idea why.

After school Will of course had another meeting. I stopped by the library for information on report I was doing for Chem. Class. It was a nice day and since I had taken to boycotting the park I decided to walk home. Only when I decided to do it alone it didn't happen. I was already well on my way when I guy jogged up to me.

"Your Elaine Harrison right?" Robert Morgan asked.

"Yeah, I am, I go by Ellie though. Can I help you with something?" I replied

"Actually yes you can. Or rather I can help you, Ellie,"

"Oh really? And what can you help me with?" I said it jokingly but I knew, I knew what he was going to say or at least an idea.

"Can we sit? This is very, very important." He motioned to a bench and I nodded and sat down with him.

"I know all about The Lady of The Lakes. I also know what happened to you in the fall. Before you say anything please hear me out and understand I am on your side. More precise I am on The Lady's side." After I nodded he continued. I am part of an order that protects The Lady of the Lakes interests. We keep her legacy alive so to speak. What you did was heroic, saving Will like that, but it also was a terrible move for you. There are people who have always wanted you dead, for many years they have thought that we had failed in keeping you alive. They realized they were wrong when you saved him. That move also showed you are just as powerful as you were fourteen centuries ago. He paused allowing me a chance to reply and reply I did.

"Now hold it. I'm neither powerful nor am I Lady of the Lakes," I said the last bit with more passion then I actually felt. "I do realize that saving Will was heroic and that something might, all right did happen there but I highly doubt it has anything to do with me. Now I have to go. I guess I'll see you at school." I jumped up before he could reply and made my way home.

That night the dream returned only this time it was different: A glowing woman was floating on a lake. It was The Lady of The Lake and she had my face again. The same fog was surrounding her and She still looked faded and uncertain maybe even more so. She seemed to be floating farther down the river until she reached the end of it. She was falling, falling down a waterfall and at the end were sharp rocks. Men in medieval gear were again shouting and chanting. " Death to the lady, death to the lakes!" this time I knew it was the Pendragons. She was scared. No it was I. She/I was in danger! On the sidelines were two people, one I knew very well the other I didn't know so well. They were upset and then all of the sudden the Pendragons turned their attack and viciousness on them as I fell down the waterfall.

I woke up with a start in a pool of sweat. I made it to the bathroom and cleaned up then went back to my room. Mr. Morton had been right, Robert was right. I was sure of it. The only thing was, I didn't know what to do. I needed to talk to Robert about the dream. He would know and would understand it. I needed to fix this fast before Nancy came. I took deep breaths remembering it. I couldn't, would not let anything happen to my best friend. Sadly though I was beginning to believe that these day's I was in control of very little and if I wasn't then what would happen to Nancy and even to Robert? For they had been the ones the Pendragons had turned their fury on after they had killed me. Did that mean I would die soon to? In the dream I looked more faded did that mean something? I looked at a mirror and looked at my face. The face of death.

comments and critique please.

love kat