Child of Time: The Pendragon Line

Part 23: A Safe Place

Beowulf steadied me between his knees as we were swept away together, his fingers dug into my sides as he maintained a firm grip. The tunnel was dark and we were pushed forward at incredible speeds, tossed and rammed against every turn we came to.

I imagined this what it would be like to fall out of the boat while white water rafting, as I sputtered and choked.

Beowulf kept me close to his chest and did his best to take every bump as the waters violently tossed us around. I could feel his warm breath ruffle my hair and the thumping of his heart through his chest and despite the situation I could feel my cheeks go red from the sudden intimacy.

"Woooohoooooooo!" echoed through the darkness as we sped on.

The boys arms were lifted in the air and a smarmy grin plastered his face.

"Aye! Percy, you're crazy!" I could hear Galahad exclaim as he was no doubt attempting to keep the boys head above the water.

Suddenly, all four of us were pushed past a jutting turn and we could see the light of day and the harsh smoky glow of fire.

I blinked from the sudden and harsh brightness.

"Hold on!" Beowulf yelled to the others, wrapping his entire arm around me as he braced himself.

That's when I saw the 30ft drop that loomed in front of us and I felt my stomach churn.

Instinctively, I tried to push back and somehow get away, but Beowulf held me firmly, even when I began to the ground disappear and the world fall from beneath us.

We were air born, plunging alongside a cascade of water from a hole in the side of the stone castle. Air born within seconds I didn't even have time to scream or take one last gulp of air when we torpedoed into some kind of lake.

The sound of the rushing water went silent as my head and body was submerged.

Looking around I watched as three large clouds of bubbles appeared next to me as Beowulf, Galahad and Perceval entered the water.

I followed their lead and pushed hard against the bottom of the mote with my shoeless feet, breaking the surface of the pool and gulping in the fresh air.

Boy, had I missed fresh air! I probably looked like an idiot, floating and breathing deeply with a moronic grin plastered on my face.

My smile soon faded as I opened my eyes and ears to the world around us.

I could still hear the sound of battle raging but from a distance and I realized that we must be just outside the castle courtyard. A thick growth of trees stood tall to the right and the skyscraper walls of the castle to our left. Above was the rushing fall of water escaping from where we had just fallen.

Perceval helped me steady myself on the slippery lake mud as we climbed out of the water.

My feet touched the cold grass happily. Anything that wasn't castle stone felt luxurious.

Beowulf and Galahad grasped hands and begun talking lowly.

I looked to Perceval questioningly but he returned my gaze with a shrug.

I cleared my throat and stood next to Perceval.

The two men looked over us and again I caught Beowulf's eye.

"We must hurry." He said, keeping his gaze steady. I could feel my face turn red. I wasn't used to people eyeing me to closely. Attentiveness wasn't exactly a key point to the culture of the twenty first century.