Jack and Annie watched in horror as the water from the cupsplashed over the stone floor. It trickled into the cracks betweenthe stones and disappeared.
Jack scrambled to the cup. He picked it up. It was completelyempty.
"Oh, no," Jack moaned. He sat back and put his head in hishands. Camelot will never wake up now, he thought. The legendwill end forever.
"Jack!" said Annie. "Look!"Jack raised his head. He pushed his glasses into place. Agolden cloud was rising from the cracks between all the stonesof the floor.
The cloud spread quickly throughout the great hall, filling theroom with wonderful smells--the scent of cedar smoke and evergreen,of roses and almonds.
The cloud rose up and up, then wafted out through the upperwindows of the hall. Suddenly, a white dove flew through one ofthe windows. It soared across the dark room like a bright light,then swooped back out into the night.
Soft, gentle laughter came from the end of the hall. Thelaughter grew louder. Jack saw King Arthur and QueenGuinevere looking at one another--they were laughing! TheKnights of the Round Table were laughing, too!
Best of all, Jack saw Morgan le Fay smiling at him and Annie!
"Jack! Annie! Come here!" she called. She held out her arms.
"Morgan!" cried Annie. She ran to Morgan and threw herarms around the enchantress. Jack stood up. Still holding theempty cup, he ran to Morgan and hugged her, too.
"We did what the Christmas Knight told us to do!" said Annie.
"We brought back the Water of Memory and Imagination!""But I dropped the cup," said Jack, "and spilled all the water!""But the water made a gold cloud," said Annie. "And everyonecame back to life!"Morgan laughed with amazement.
"You have just returned from the Otherworld?" she asked.
"Yes!" said Annie.
"A white stag brought us back!" said Jack. He turned to KingArthur.
"Your Majesty," he said, "we have good news. Your knightsare safe. Sir Lancelot said to tell you they'll be home before thefirst night of the New Year."The king looked bewildered. "You found them--?""Yes, and they're all fine," said Annie.
"Here--" said Jack. He handed the silver cup to the king.
"Please give this back to Sir Galahad.""And this to Sir Lancelot," said Annie. She took the glass keyfrom around her neck and gave it to King Arthur.
"Oh, and this to Sir Percival," said Jack. He pulled the woodencompass box from his pack and gave it to the king.
At first, King Arthur was too stunned to speak. Then heclapped his hands and laughed joyfully.
"Thank you!" he said to Jack and Annie.
The Knights of the Round Table all cheered.
"Ring the bells!" King Arthur shouted. "Call the people ofCamelot to the castle!""They have already gathered outside the doors, YourMajesty," said a page.
"Bring them in!" said King Arthur. "We must rejoice together!"Queen Guinevere smiled at Jack and Annie. Her eyes sparklednow. "Once again, you have helped save Camelot," she said.
"Thank you very much.""You're welcome," said Jack and Annie together.
Then Jack heard the sounds of children talking and laughing.
He turned to see a crowd of people streaming through the archeddoorway of the great hall. They carried candles, a giant fir tree,and boughs of holly and pine. Musicians followed them withstringed instruments.
As everyone started to decorate the hall, the musicians beganplaying and singing a beautiful Christmas carol.
"Jack!" said Annie. "Look!"The white stag was standing in the arched doorway.
Jack turned excitedly to Morgan. "See that white stag?" hesaid. "He took us to the Otherworld! See him?"Morgan smiled.
"Yes, I do see him," she said. "And now I see everything."Jack looked back at the doorway. The stag was gone. In hisplace stood an old man with a long white beard. He held a staffand wore a flowing red cloak--the same cloak Jack and Anniehad worn on their quest.
"Who's that?" Jack asked.
"That is Merlin the magician," said Morgan. "It was Merlinwho invited you here. I see that now.""Merlin?" said Jack. "He sent us the Royal Invitation?""Yes," said Morgan. "Then he put the rest of us under a spell.
And he carried you to the Otherworld.""No," said Annie, "the Christmas Knight put you under aspell.""And the white stag carried us to the Otherworld," said Jack.
Morgan smiled.
"Merlin was both the Christmas Knight and the white stag,"she said. "Remember, he's a magician, not a mortal. He canchange his shape whenever he wishes.""Oh, wow," whispered Annie.
"Why did Merlin do these things?" asked Jack.
"Merlin was angry when King Arthur banished magic fromCamelot," said Morgan. "I see now he finally took matters intohis own hands.""How?" said Jack.
"He knew King Arthur would send no more knights to theOtherworld for the Water of Memory and Imagination," saidMorgan. "So I assume he brought you to Camelot hoping thatyou would offer to go instead.""Why did he want us to go?" asked Annie.
"Merlin has often heard my tales of your adventures in thetree house," said Morgan. "He knows you both have a greatdesire to fight for the good. And he knows you use the gift ofimagination very well. Those are two special qualities needed tosucceed in any quest."Jack and Annie looked back at Merlin. From far across theroom, the white-bearded magician smiled at them. He raised hisstaff. Then he slipped out the door.
Jack looked around the great hall. All the candles and torcheswere lit now. A fire blazed in the hearth. The musicians wereplaying. Everyone was singing. The room glowed with warmfirelight and rosy faces.
At last, Christmas in Camelot was just as Jack had imagined itwould be. The spell of the Dark Wizard had been broken. Thegreat hall was filled with beauty and love and joy and light. |