EXPEDITION: An Unmatched Fanfiction

Chapter Seven: Strange Case

King Arthur sat in a nice chair, one of the nicer ones he had ever been in. It did not compare to the old throne in his castle, but the fact that this type of chair appeared to be a standard feature in this strange new world made it even more impressive in Arthur's mind. The chair was crafted skillfully from glossy, mahogany wood. The seat and armrests were covered in a soft white padding, and the backrest had a similar upholstered material surrounding it. After the chaos of fighting the flying vessel on the ocean and the culture shock of landing in this alternate version of England, he was happy to melt in this chair and have a brief moment of relaxation.

Dr. Jekyll brought Arthur back to his London home. They were both seated in a very hospitable living room. The room had a few chairs arranged comfily around a fireplace. The temperature was perfect for the warm fire cackling in the firebox to effectively do its job. Arthur was mesmerized by the fire as it danced around, casting a faint glow. The fire's light was not too powerful, though, as the bright midday sun blasted into the room from the window, illuminating Dr. Jekyll in an almost hallowed ray of light.

Another man, one dressed like the man who almost ran over King Arthur in his carriage, entered carrying a silver platter with two saucers, two cups, and an ornately designed teapot.

"Your tea, sirs," the man announced,  delicately placing the platter on a small table between Arthur and Dr. Jekyll's chairs.

"Ah, thank you, Poole," Dr. Jekyll said, then directed his attention towards Arthur. "That is my butler, a fine worker if I may say so. Anything you may need, he will provide."

Poole grabbed the teapot and poured the two men their drinks. "Enjoy." With that, he left the room.

Arthur did not notice until he saw the tea how incredibly parched he was. He greedily took the cup and took a long sip, enjoying the earthy taste of the liquid. "I must say, this is quite the wonderful cup of tea!"

"Yes, you cannot be a good Englishman without a great cup of tea," Dr. Jekyll joked with a jovial laugh. "I know of a good place to obtain great leaves. I like my tea to be...medicinal, in a sense. That should be of great service to your health, I promise you will feel less feverish in no time at all."

"Well, this certainly brings joy to my heart. And I must express again my utmost gratitude for inviting me into your home. I am sure in the state you witnessed me out there, I was not a man who looked like he deserved a place to rest his head, so I must thank you for your great kindness."

Dr. Jekyll turned his head from King Arthur, staring pensively out the window. "Yes, I have realized it is better to be pious than diabolical. One leads to vast destruction unseen by many, so I prefer to keep my wits about me in a more dignified way, and show it unto others. It helps to keep me in check." Dr. Jekyll's words drifted as he continued to gaze out the window. Arthur was not sure of the implications behind what he said were, but before he could interrupt the silence, Dr. Jekyll spoke again. "I must know more about you. What brought you to London in such a fashion that you knew not your own location."

King Arthur shrunk slightly in his chair. He did not know how to approach telling an outsider of his journey thus far. He could hardly believe what had happened himself, how was he supposed to impart this onto a third party? "Well," he started, "I was in England as I would have been any other day, and I was visited by my good associate, Merlin."

"Merlin?" Dr. Jekyll interrupted.

"Yes, Merlin! Do you know him?"

"I certainly know the name. It is connected to a great legend, I am sure you know this."

"Well, Merlin informed me of a vision, a prophecy--"

"He has magic powers?" Dr. Jekyll interjected once more. "Are you talking of the Merlin from the tales of King Arthur?"