Reclaiming England. (Nano Novel 2016)

Chapter Seven: Heading Off

       

Arthur stood with Guinevere, watching as his knights rode out. His wife laid a hand on his arm, her eyes following the knights – one in particular.

"I wish I would go with them," Arthur muttered.

"It is not your quest," Guinevere answered. "They shall find the Holy Grail, and we shall stay behind." She turned to Arthur as the last of the knights vanished into the distance. "They will return.

"I know... but... Galahad now fills the Seat Perilous. Remember what Merlin said, years ago?"

Guinevere frowned, but nodded slowly.

"The filling of the seat will bring about dark times," she muttered.

Arthur nodded, breathing in a sigh.

"I fear that not all will return from this quest. And those who do will be changed. Times are changing, Guinevere. And I do not think for the better."

"Well, we have had it so good for so long. We cannot have happiness forever."

"Perhaps you are right, my heart. Perhaps you are right." Arthur sighed once more, looking towards where his knights had vanished. He knew he would not see some again, and some may not return for years. He longed to be with him, but as his wife said, it was not his quest. Perhaps there would be others, but this one he left to his knights.

Taking Guinevere's arm on his, he led her inside.

The next few days were busy. They had to work in secrecy, packing and preparing without letting anyone know what they were doing. Katrina returned from her work one day with the secret documents – according to them Arthur was Katrina, Callum and Lance's father, and had adopted Maria. They were leaving London because of lack of space. Katrina had even managed to get a forged – but very accurate – signature of the general from the nearby American outpost.

Dealing with Mattimaio was another problem. They had decided very early on that they wouldn't tell him anything, just go about their work as normal and vanish before he could stop them.

Finally, they were ready. Callum had managed to get an old car to work, which Arthur seemed very interested in, as he did with most modern things. But now they were faced with another problem – Arthur couldn't drive.

As the parent of the others, he would be expected to. Katrina quickly sorted it out, saying that if anyone asked why Callum was driving, they would say Arthur had orders from his doctor that he couldn't drive.

One forged driver's licence later and they were off.

They followed the river into London, picking their way through the rubble. It was the quickest way through, and because of this a road had been cleared. It hurt to see the great buildings ruined, lying beyond repair.

It was very quiet as they drove, but eventually they reached the other side. It was here that Maria began to recognise buildings.

She sunk down in the back, closing her eyes and trying not to look. But she couldn't help herself. Eventually, she looked out the window, watching as the streets of her childhood passed by.

And then she saw it. A small street, a few trees along the side of the road. She knew one of the properties had a small lime grove growing behind – and sometimes inside – the house.

But right at the end of the cul-de-sac, she saw the house she had lived in for the first eleven years of her live. The small glimpse she caught of it as they raced past told her it was exactly as she remembered it. Dirty weatherboards, overgrown yard; fence in dire need of repair.