Arthur Hood: the Heir of Robin and King

Chapter Twenty-Four

Inside their own train car that night, Arthur, Little Johnny and Merlynna slept in their own comfy bunk beds. Despite what had happened earlier that day with the ogre and with everything else, shutting their eyes came easy. They were just unable to keep them open. And though there was a danger of the beast making its appearance again and finding the train in the trees, the Children of the Forest were ready.

'With the extra traps we've placed around here, not only will the Wild Children have an even tougher time trying to find us if they plan on attacking us, the ogre will have a hard time too,' Esme had said. 'We'll be safe.'

And as a breeze floated through a window and over her bunk bed, Merlynna was dreaming of her feline companion. She was back at the Home for Enchanted Girls, lying down on a patch of grass and soaking up the summer sun. Fury darted above, trying desperately to catch a butterfly in his mouth.

'Stop that,' Merlynna giggled in demand but Fury kept at his pursuit. 'I said, stop that. If you do, I'll give you a treat.'

Now Fury listened. With a meow, he dropped out of the air and landed with a thud right on top of Merlynna. He then began to lick her face in a hungry obsession.

'All right, all right,' the young witch moaned in delight. 'Let me get the treat.'

But as she was about to retrieve the goody from her pocket, a chill came blowing by, nudging her from the slumber. And as a shiver sent goosebumps coursing over her skin, her eyes burst open and she found that was still being licked.

'Fury,' Merlynna softly beamed at her flying cat. She wanted to yell and scream with joy but she didn't want to wake Arthur and Little Johnny. 'You found me. I'm so glad you're safe.' She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug.

Fury purred and purred some more but quickly got bored and wriggled free. Then to Merlynna's dismay, he shot into the air and flitted out of the window.

'Not again,' Merlynna groaned with a muted tone before jumping out of bed and out of the train car, where light from several lanterns dotted around strained her eyes. But they soon adjusted and she saw Fury swoop towards the forest floor right underneath her.

With everyone else sleeping, Merlynna made sure to keep quiet as she bolted after him. She leapt across a walkway, down a set of stairs, climbed a ladder, swung on a rope and slid down a slide. And as her shoes eventually touched the forest floor, she looked around.

'Fury?' she breathed. 'Fury?' A meow then caught her and she saw her friend sitting on a well underneath a lamp.

Slowly, she tiptoed over before pouncing and catching him in her arms. 'You're not getting away from me this time.'

She thought Fury would protest but all he did was stare down at the water in the well.

'What are you looking at?' she asked, glaring down too. It was then that she saw a face staring back at her and it wasn't a reflection.

It was the face of the mermaid at the lake. It was Nixie. Her skin gleamed as if it was made of a million sequins and her green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

Though shocked, Merlynna waved and said calmly, 'Hello.'

Nixie blinked before raising her head above the water. And she replied in a dreamy and hypnotic voice, 'Hello, young one.'

'I would never have thought I'd see a mermaid inside a well. How did you get in there?'

'Your cat brought me here. This well is connected to the rivers, creeks and lakes in this forest.'

'Did he now?'

'He told me of you.'

'You can understand cat?'