Legacy Forgotten

Chapter 12

The next few months were very busy. Kenneth was working so hard contacting witches and vampires alike to recruit for their new police force. Ailis was meeting new member's everyday. Kenneth even asked for her help as she had a lot of experience with the inner workings of a police department. Their ranks were growing every day and Ailis so hoped that they could defeat Monolo in the end. They all knew at the same time they were training and initiating new members, Monolo was doing the same thing.

Ailis started having strange dreams. She dreamed the same thing nearly every night. She was walking along the beach with a woman in her late thirties with flowing black hair. She did not know how but she knew that this was Morgaine. There was a young boy, about ten or eleven running ahead of them playing with a toy wooded sword. When he got too far ahead of her she would call to him. "Arthur. Stay where I can see you."

He would turn back and call "I'm in the middle of a battle right now."

Morgaine would laugh and address Ailis. "He thinks he'll save us all one day. All by himself. He has never been the sort to ask for help."

"I don't understand." Ailis would say. "Why is Arthur always a little boy?"

"The dead can't tell you everything." Morgaine would answer. "We can only give hints and hope that you figure it out." Just then she heard a girl yell over the hill. She looked up to see three girls varying in age from five to sixteen.

"Mother." The oldest called. "It is time for supper." Ailis looked back at Morgaine.

"Are those your daughters?" She asked.

"Yes." Morgaine answered. "This is my family." She turned and called to Arthur. "Come Arthur." Arthur ran up the hill and started to pretend that he was sword fighting with the girls who wanted no part of it.

"Mother!" They yelled. "Arthur won't leave us alone." Morgaine laughed to herself and began to walk over the hill.

"Wait." Ailis called, running after her. "What if I can't figure it out?" She asked.

Morgaine turned back and smiled. "You will." She said. "You are closer than you think." Then she was gone and Ailis was left alone on the beach.

***

Ailis told Kenneth and her grandmother about the dreams, hoping they could help her figure them out but they didn't know what they meant either. "Maybe, Morgaine always saw Arthur as her little brother that needed to be protected." Kenneth suggested.

Ailis shook her head. "I thought of that but she says that the dead can only give hints. So she knows that she is dead. Arthur died before her so of course she knows he is dead. When she speaks of him to me she says that he thinks he will save us all one day."

"Maybe," Carmelita suggested. "It's not about Arthur at all. Maybe it's about her daughters."

"I thought of that as well." Ailis answered. "But the longer I have the dreams the more vivid Arthur becomes while the rest, even Morgaine seems to be out of focus. It seems like its Arthur that I'm supposed to pay attention to. It's driving me crazy." Ailis answered frustrated.

"Relax." Carmelita told her. "The answer will come to you. Most of the time the answer we seek the most; is the one we cannot find."

"What is that supposed to mean. You and your riddles," Ailis said frustrated.

"I think she means, the more you look for it the more it eludes you." Kenneth said reaching up to rub her shoulders where tension had begun to gather. "Kind of like when you look all over the house for the remote and when you finally give up and sit down, you realize that you have sat on it." He finished talking over her shoulder with a chuckle.

"I guess." She said. Needing to change the subject, she asked how things were with the team. Kenneth went over all of the new developments. They were really doing quite well. Considering they really had no idea what they were preparing for. They'd been able to find numerous witches before Monolo could. Others were not as fortunate and every one they lost ate at Ailis as if a piece of her very self had been torn off. She was determined to get them all back. Their Intel had revealed the witches were being held in a concentration camp of sorts but they had not been able to get the location as of yet.

They had double agents in place but so far they had been unable to get anything further. Apparently, Monolo had difficulty trusting anyone with his secrets. They did however find out that Monolo's base of operation was near Bath, England. Ailis knew that was a big problem as they were in Spain and Monolo was thousands of miles away in England.

"I say we go to England." Ailis said interrupting Kenneth. "Not to Bath but somewhere close enough to be able to watch him but not close enough for him to know we are there." Kenneth started to shake his head but Ailis raised her hand. "Like it or not this is turning into a war and Monolo knows exactly where we are and what we are up to. If he chooses to make an assault lets not make it easier for him." Ailis finished.

"Absolutely not!" Kenneth almost roared. "There is no way that I will move you any closer to the danger than is necessary."

"But Kenneth." Ailis started.

"I said no, Ailis." He interrupted. "You don't understand. I can't let you have your way with this. I can't. I have seen wars and diseases wipe out entire countries. I have seen nearly an entire race be wiped out because people chose to follow the insane ramblings of one man. I have seen loved ones die while I was forced to watch. I have seen death and war and I can tell you that the Goddess of war is neither kind nor forgiving. I will not sit by and helplessly watch as those I love are slaughtered." He said taking her hands into his as he sat down in front of her. "I will not put you in harms way. I will not lose you. I can't. Don't you understand?" He pleaded to her because he knew that as much as he didn't want to do this for her, none of them had a choice. He'd seen enough already to know this legacy that was written for her was not one he could change.

Ailis reached up and stroked his cheek with her finger tips. "I know that you don't want anything to happen to me, my love, but I don't control this thing. I have to finish this, for the good of everyone. I don't have the liberty of thinking for myself. You don't either. For whatever reason Kenneth. I have known since the first time I felt your touch inside my head; you have as much of a part in this legacy as I do. I need you to be with me on this. We will take care of each other." She told him.

Kenneth sat, thinking to himself for a moment. He knew what she said was true but the only thought running through his head was to take what was "his" and run. "You are right." He finally said. "We started what needed to be started here and now the force is fully capable of maintaining any rogue problem that may arise." He finished sounding as defeated as he felt.

***

Kenneth chose his second in command Jimmy to precede him. Jimmy had been Kenneth's stable boy when he was a boy. He came to Kenneth one summer day bidding for work in his stables and continued to work there until he was eighteen when Kenneth noticed his interest in books and learning in general. He allowed the boy to use his library anytime he had that was his own. Over time, Kenneth brought him in on the financial side of his business. Jimmy did very well and Kenneth could honestly say that most of his good investments had been because of Jimmy's research and recommendation. He turned Jimmy upon his request. Jimmy said that Kenneth was his master until death and since Kenneth wasn't dying anytime soon then neither should he. Kenneth couldn't think of a better person to leave in charge than a person who joined the land of the un-dead because of his loyalty to him. He bought an old Monastery in Edinburgh and along with a small team they started their efforts over there.

Ailis helped immensely. She had a mind for strategy and battle. There was no doubt that the blood of Merlin and King Arthur ran through her veins. She was as cunning as any warrior he had ever seen. She seemed to know that she had a purpose and what it was.