The Will of a Pendragon

The Rose Petal

    Rose is scared. She doesn't like going on the boats. Mostly because her visions are often triggered by touch. The old ships give her nightmares. Especially the ones that have been used in battle. She's sensitive to all of it and it rips my soul apart when she wakes up screaming. So, I made her a new one. One that doesn't need sails. One that hums so she has something other than everyone's energy to concentrate one. She named it The Rose Petal. 

    "Why haven't we upgraded all the ships like this?" Mr. Lancelot asked. He agreed to come with us this morning. Lucille is both happy and scared. She just wants more time with this part of him. The one that wants her in his life.

    "We never thought of it," my dad answered. "How are you feeling?" 

    "Good, man," I can sense the truth in his words and the smile on his face. 

    "Okay, Rose. I want you to take a deep breath and try to feel the energies around you. There is one, in particular, you want to find. It's the one that has no specific memories. It has all the memories. I want you to find it," Meer continued to coach Rose.

    "The scary one?" Rose asked. I sighed shaking my head. 

    "Yeah, that's the one that leads to the Grail," Meer continued. "I'm going to teach you how to block out the memories. Ready?" 

    "Yes, please," Rose giggled excitedly. 

    "We're going to be outside," I whispered to her.

    "Not too far, right?" she asked placing her little hand on my arm. 

    "No, just outside so you can concentrate better," 

    My dad grabbed my right forearm and lead me out of the room. Young is waiting for me right outside the door. He took over and began to walk me out on the deck. 

    "We need to fix this," Mr. Lancelot sighed. I can still hear them. 

    "I don't know-how. She is adamant about being this way. She thinks everyone is out to get her," my dad answered. "Her senses are insane right now. She's very alert," 

    "She's a fighter, Arthur. Just like you. Just like her mother. Leave her be for now. She'll know when it's time to take that next step. She scared of that power. Remember when you were scared of yours?" 

    "Yeah," my dad answered. 

    "It's not nice to eavesdrop," Young whispered into my ear. I laughed. 

    "I know. I can't help it sometimes," I shrugged. "It smells out here," 

    "Hmm, who would have thought that the ocean would smell gross with the salt and fish?" he asked sarcastically. I elbowed him playfully. 

    "I can feel everything around us," I admitted. I placed my hand on the rail along the ship and let go of him. "When I get scared, I can see the outlines," I whispered after making sure we are alone. I felt him step into me. "I thought I was crazy when it happened. In the darkness, I can see the pulsing life in everything. It's stronger this way," 

    "f**k," he whispered. "Only when you're scared? What were you scared of?" 

    "Rose saw Lance killing Guinevere and Guinevere killing him," I whispered. "Luc heard her say it. My heart sped up when she told me she had heard and I saw it. The magic in everything. It's brighter than before," 

    "Then restore your eyes. There's no point to be like this," 

    "They don't know that," I smiled. "It's stronger, Gray. I can see more. If Rose points us in the direction of the Grail, I can see where it will form. If it's the right one. We can stop all of this," 

    "Li," he pressed his face against the curve of my neck. 

    "I know," I whispered. "I didn't expect this," 

    "I can feel your fear about this. It's stronger than before. It's like no matter what we do, we can't escape. I f*****g hate it," 

    "Me too," I placed my hands over his when his arms wrapped around my abdomen. I took a deep breath. I feel a little better about getting this off my chest.

    "There's no one near us right?" he asked. 

    "No, no one is within hearing range. There's nothing in the water. I made sure," I reassured him. 

    He slid his hands under my shirt, pulling me back until he sat on a bench and sat me on his lap. I don't know how long we were out there but I fell asleep. The two of us jumped up when Rose's high pitched scream blared from inside the cabin. He took my hand and led me inside. 

    "Lily," she cried out. Leon is standing in front of her protectively. There's someone standing at the edge of the bed. I can make out their outline.

    "Get away from her," I demanded but the person didn't move a muscle. 

    "Li, there's no one here but Rose," Young informed me.     

    I stepped back when the figure turned to face me. Fear flashed through my body. It's cold. Sharp itchy goosebumps raised on the surface of my skin. I gasped taking in the swarm of what this thing is. I can hear the others trying to ask me what's wrong but I can't move. 

    "I said get away from her," I shouted when it turned back to look at Rose and Leon. Durendal materialized in my right hand. "Close your eyes, Rose," I instructed and swung. That thing's arm came right off and it screeched. Everyone in the room heard it before it disappeared. "s**t," 

    "What the f**k was that?" Preston asked. I held my hands up trying to get to Rose and then I felt it. Something came out of that thing. 

    "Is that blood?" I asked, holding my hands out.

    "No," my dad came over to me. "Get this off of her. It's Demon tar. How did you know it was there?"

    "I can feel it," I shivered. "I can still feel it,"

    "Spread out. Look for that thing," Young ordered. My dad and Mr. Lancelot are wiping my arms trying to get whatever this is off of me.

    "That was scary," Rose jumped into my arms the moment they were cleaned. She curled herself around me tightly. 

    "It's not here anymore," I whispered placing my hand on her head. She began to cry. Her low sobs warmed the coldness that thing left behind. She's okay. That's all that matters to me right now.

    "You can sleep with me today. Yeah?" she asked Leon. Her knight. 

    "Yeah," he agreed instantly. "We can stay in my room. This one has guck everywhere," 

    Rose let go of me and went over to him. He was the first one by her side. He couldn't see what she did but he had pushed her behind him without knowing what the hell he was up against. It might have attacked her head on without him in the way. I need to stay closer.

    "Mordred would send those to me after my father died," my dad informed us. "I was attacked several times in my sleep but we didn't know what they were until I started sleeping with Excalibur and I sliced one in half. They're underworld demons. The living can't see them because they're dead. But they can harm us and as Lily demonstrated, we can harm them," 

    "How did you know it was there?" Luc asked. 

    "I can feel it. It's cold. Really cold. It has a really loud and dark presence. How did it get on the ship? We have barriers up. Grayson and I were sitting at the entrance," 

    "They don't need an invitation. They manifest where their targets are. Even if the room is warded, they can get to her," my dad sighed. "f*****g b***h. Okay. Lance, you take the first watch. Li, you and Grayson stay with him. We'll switch when Rose wakes up. That way we can have eyes on her all day long. Have your teams patrol  the deck and each floor," 

    "Right," Mr. Lancelot agreed. 

    "Dad, It's a good idea. It is. But we can't do that. When we arrive at our destination we all need to be alert. Half of us tired is going to put a strain on all of us. I'll stay with Rose and Leon. I'll be able to sense those things," 

    "I agree with her," Lucille instantly backed me up. 

    "Those things can attack anyone. Not just Rose," Mr. Lancelot disagreed. "They can send more than one," 

    "The goal isn't to harm her. They want Rose to locate the Grail for them," I reminded him. 

    "What if they decide to go through us to get to her. Arthur, he's done that before-" 

    "It's not him." I stopped him from before he continued. "You're not up against Mordred. You don't know anything about Alyssa. She doesn't do things like he does and right now, she's the one pulling the strings. If she can get to me and Rose without pissing us off she will. She wants us to be on her side. Mordred wants you dead. She doesn't. Alyssa doesn't care about any of you," 

    "You say that like you know her. You didn't know she was controlling you your entire life. Like she's your friend," he tried to dismiss me. 

    "She was my friend," I countered. "I didn't know she was a f*****g witch but I do know her," 

    "You're going to listen to her?" he asked my dad. "We've been fighting this asshole for a lot longer than she has. So he has a girlfriend. It doesn't change anything," 

    "Alyssa isn't his girlfriend," Lucille corrected him. "Mordred is married to Guinevere. Alyssa is the one who gave Mordred his power. The one who turned Guinevere into what she is now. You don't know anything. You chose not to know. We know Alyssa is the one in charge now. You two are on this ship to protect Princess Rose otherwise you wouldn't be here. Lily, Grayson, and I are in command. Our opinion is the one that counts. Rose remains with you during the night," she pointed at the two of them. "Meerlyn and Leon will continue to watch over her in the day until she can pinpoint the Grail. After that, the three of you are going back home," 

    "Agreed," Young second her. I can feel my dad's gaze on me. 

    "She's not wrong. That's what you came for. Isn't it?" I asked him.

    "Yeah," the lie hung in the air heavily as he turned to walk away. I didn't stop him. 

    "You're really ungrateful," Mr. Lancelot directed that at me. 

    "You're one to talk," I shot back. He stopped and turned to face me. 

    "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know about half the s**t I went through," 

    "You don't know me either. The difference between us is that I didn't let it eat me up. I have nothing to make up for. Isn't that why you're here?" 

He scoffed before walking away. 

Lucille reached for my arm, stopping me from going to my room. The others left us. "He's my dad. I follow you as my future Queen. But I will not hesitate to pop you in the mouth if you disrespect him that way again. We're not all like you. Some of us have the luxury to be weak," 

    "Weakness isn't a luxury," I sighed as she began to walk away. "It's a choice," 

    "Yeah, one you don't have the luxury of making. You have a purpose. A real one. The rest of us follow your lead. The reason why my father is the way he is. Isn't because of something he did. It was because your father failed him. You haven't failed anyone of us yet, but there will be a time when you will and we are going to pay for that. Not you. So, grab on tight to your mighty horse, princess, and pray that you never fall off of it. Because those who catch you will be the one's who get hurt,"