he following morning, Jade went looking for Kat. Breakfast that morning had been either toast or cereal - Kat had made the selection of dried fruits and grains in the cereal and made the jams at a previous date, but her input into breakfast that morning had been minimal. In fact, Jade hadn't seen her all morning, which is why she was searching. Nobody had actually gotten around to giving Jade a tour of the house. She'd been shown the lounge, kitchen, dining room, bathroom and David's bedroom, but she had no idea where Kat's bedroom would be, and as such, was wandering down the halls, opening random doors. So far she had discovered a library, a study, an unoccupied bedroom, and a room that was empty, save a large, soft rug, and piles of cushions, pillows, blankets and towels. The next door Jade came across was slightly ajar, and Jade heard a soft lilting tune emanating from within. She tapped lightly, and the humming stopped, followed by a puzzled-sounding, "Jade?"
Jade pushed open the door, and poked her head in.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure."
Kat was standing there in a bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel, in front of an open wardrobe. There were a couple of dresses on the bed, but Jade was distracted by the room itself, first. Or rather, the four-poster bed which dominated the room.
"Nice bed."
"Thanks. I *like* my bed."
"Having trouble deciding what to wear?" asked Jade, noting the open cupboards.
"Yeah... A bit," laughed Kat, putting a linen dress back in the wardrobe. "I never knew getting dressed was this difficult!"
Jade laughed, and pulled out a long raspberry coloured skirt.
"What's wrong with this?"
"I can't find the top I wear with it. And it may be a little chilly to wear it anyway," she replied, with a glance out the window to the grey clouds just gathering on the horizon. "It's going to storm this evening."
"But it's warm enough for the moment. And you can always add a cardigan if you get cold later."
"That is true. I do have this," Kat paused to remove a soft black cardigan from the wardrobe, "which I haven't worn yet."
"Well, there you are then."
Kat sat on her bed, and laughed.
"It's ridiculous, isn't it? I like him so much, and I've only just met him."
"Not that odd. I knew as soon as I met David that I loved him."
"That's different, though. You at least knew something about him."
"You don't truly know someone until you meet them in person, or at least, that's what I think." Jade paused. "I'll leave you to get dressed. It's almost 11:00, and he'll be here soon."
Jade left Kat to dress.

***

Marc arrived at 11:15, and was greeted by Kat at the door. He accepted an offer of tea before they moved the mirror from his car, and followed Kat into the kitchen, where he was greeted by Darryl, Jade, David, and Tim. Sarah, Mel and Jim entered the kitchen when they heard the kettle go on, and Darryl made introductions while Kat found cups and made tea. They sat around the kitchen table drinking tea for a while, until Mel said that she and Jim were taking Elainer and Julia to their new house that afternoon, to unpack the three bedrooms. Kat immediately offered to look after the girls, but Mel declined, saying that the girls needed to take some small amount of responsibility for their things. Darryl then added that he, Sarah, and Tim would be heading home that afternoon, as he and Sarah had a dinner party to attend that evening, and had already arranged a babysitter for Tim. Both segments of the family assured Kat that they would definitely be staying for lunch, however. The invitation was extended to Marc, who accepted, and it was decided that they would have lunch before they did anything about the mirror.

The meal was uneventful, with much talk and much eating, and by the end of the meal, the family felt they knew Marc quite well, and Mel let it be known that she quite approved of him. After lunch had been cleared away, more tea and coffee consumed, and a period where they just sat around the table chatting, Jim suddenly realised it was almost 3:00, and decided it was time he and his family made a move. The girls gathered their things, and piled into Jim's car. Darryl and Sarah decided to leave at the same time, and it was a full hour before everything was organised, and the two cars actually left. Once they were out of sight, Kat pushed her hair out of her face, and laughed.
"Now... How about we do something about my latest possessions?"

David and Marc carefully removed the box of goblets and plates first, carrying them with care into the formal dining room. Marc was quickly distracted by the goblets Kat had on display, and Jade and Kat enthusiastically unpacked the box, Jade collecting the plates, and Kat unwrapping the goblets. David was placed on polishing duty, and he cleaned the goblets and plates gently, while Kat attempted to decide where she'd put them. The four of them happily arranged and rearranged for a while, before Kat decided it would wait, and sent the boys out for the mirror. They placed it down in the lounge room, and Kat once again lovingly traced her finger along one edge. David looked at the grandfather clock in the hall.
"It's 6:30," he commented, casually.
"6:30?" exclaimed Jade, "David, we have 7:00 reservations!"
"You're going out? I had dinner planned."
"Sorry, Kat," Jade apologised. "I forgot to tell you."
"It's alright," Kat replied. "Marc, did you want to stay for dinner?"

Marc accepted, and David and Jade left, and Kat moved into the kitchen to work out what to cook for two people, where she had been originally planning on ten. They ended up with pasta - a long dinner, over a couple of glasses of wine, with fruit for desert - and Marc helped with the washing up. After the meal, they moved back into the dining room and rearranged the display cabinets until Kat was satisfied with the result. Eventually, they moved to the lounge room, where Kat poured them both a glass of port, and Marc lit the fire. By the time the fire was blazing, Kat had collected her cardigan, and seated herself on the couch nearest to the fire. Marc hesitated, then sat beside her on the couch. They sat by the fire, drinking port, and talking. They spoke of many things, from food to religion to the meaning of life, until Kat noticed the lights flicker. She got up from the couch, and peered out the window. The night had become dark and stormy - rain was falling heavily, and several shutters were banging in the wind. Kat and Marc moved around the house, securing shutters and windows, and also locking up the house. Kat jumped at a loud roll of thunder, followed by a crash, and peered out the window again. Rain was lashing against the house, and lightning lit the sky.
"It's really storming out there," she commented. "I hope David and Jade are alright."
"I'm sure they are," comforted Marc. "We should probably get out some torches or something, in case the lights go out."
Kat smiled. "Don't you know the lights always go out just after you say that?"
The lights flickered again, but stayed on. They both laughed.
"In any case, I have no idea where the torch is, or if it has any batteries. *I* prefer candles."
"Well, do you have any candles, then?" teased Marc.
"You don't know me very well, do you Marc?" teased Kat in return, opening a cupboard, and taking out a box of white candles.
Marc simply laughed, and the two of them moved around the lounge room, placing candles in the sconces on the walls, in the candelabras, and in the candlesticks too. When that was done, they settled back down by the fire and resumed their conversation. Marc lifted a lock of Kat's hair, and absently twirled it around his finger. The conversation slowed down, and the drumming of the rain on the window became the dominant sound in the room. Kat met Marc's eyes, and smiled at him. Marc slowly leaned forward, and just barely brushed his lips against hers. He broke away, then kissed her again. Kat tasted wine and port, allowed her eyes to close as she kissed him back.

The front door slammed open, and the fire flickered, followed by voices in the hall. Kat and Marc broke apart, Kat jumping to her feet and moving swiftly into the hall to see what was happening. Marc followed at a slower pace, after giving himself a moment to collect himself. David pushed the door closed against the gale blowing into the house, and bolted it closed. He and Jade were both soaked to the skin.
"Are you alright?" Kat asked.
"Yes," David replied. "There's a tree across the driveway though, so we had to walk up from the street. It's really blowing a gale out there."
"Oh. Go and have a shower, and get some warm clothes on. I'll make some tea, and we'll have it in the lounge. The fire's going."
At that moment, there was another loud bang, and the lights went out, leaving the hallway bathed only in the light from the fire.
"Uh oh," said Jade, through chattering teeth. "I sure am glad the kids aren't here."
"You really need to have a shower," Kat replied. "Let me grab you a candle stick each, and go shower. The hot water is gas, but unfortunately, the heater is electric, so dress warmly when you get out."
Kat moved into the lounge, and came back with two candlesticks. She handed one to Jade, who immediately headed up the stairs towards the bathroom. David took his and headed towards the guest bathroom, collecting a fresh towel on the way. Then Kat looked to Marc.
"We should rug up too. Come up to the attic, I'll get out some of Dad's jumpers for you to wear."

The attic was freezing, so Kat and Marc were quick about selecting clothing. To his dark trousers and t-shirt, Marc added a light grey jumper that had belonged to Kat's father, and a heavy dark grey cloak. They stopped at Kat's bedroom on the way back down for Kat to change into a heavier woollen skirt, a long-sleeved top, and a deep forest green cloak. She also collected a heavy brown cloak for Jade, and David's blue cloak from the hall. Marc and Kat put the cloaks on the couch, then moved into the kitchen. Kat boiled water in a saucepan on the stove, and made tea. By the time that was ready, Jade and David had come down from the shower. Jade was standing by the fire, and David was wrapping his cloak around him, over his cords, shirt and jumper. Jade was wearing a pair of soft woollen trousers, a t-shirt and a jumper, and Kat handed her the brown cloak, before handing her a cup of tea. Kat and Marc reclaimed the couch, and the four of them sat around in the fire-and-candlelit room, sipping their tea. After that, they moved onto port, and soon they were all feeling quite warm, despite the heating having conked out, and the wind and rain quickly sucked the warmth from the rest of the house.

Eventually, comfortably seated around the fire, Jade's eyes fell on the mirror. Bathed in fire-light, the golden swirls and dragons seemed to glow out of the wood. Soon, everyone's gaze had turned towards the mirror. There was silence in the room.
"So, Kat," said Jade, slurring ever so slightly. "Are you going to take us to Avalon this evening?"
Kat raised an eyebrow.
"It's the right sort of night for it," she said, letting her shoulder brush Marc's as she settled back into the couch. "Though I don't know that you're dressed for Avalon."
"I wouldn't make a very good medieval woman anyway," laughed Jade. "And I definately wouldn't make a good priestess, I don't know enough."
"You could be a sooth-sayer, I suppose. Just put my hood up to cover your face, and gather it a bit more at the front, and nobody would be able to tell if you were a man or woman."
"What about me?" asked David, with a grin. "Do I get to be a sooth-sayer too?"
"I don't think so. You would have to be a noble of some description. You're dressed the part. All you need now is a rapier."
"I could use a fire-poker," he laughed.
"I don't think so. You'd have to buy one. Or get one of the fencing rapiers out of the attic, remember when we used to play with them?"
David laughed.
"I thought Mum hid them!"
"She did. In the attic. She actually put them away with the rest of the fencing things... They're in one of the chests, I found them a couple of years ago."
"To think we spent so long searching for them, and they were right there the whole time."
"I know," smiled Kat.
"What about you?" asked Jade.
"I would need to get my circlet, but other than that, I'm fine. I already have my dragon bracelets, I never take them off!"
"Really?" teased David. "I hadn't noticed."
Kat stuck her tongue out at him.
"What about me?" Marc asked, picking up a strand of Kat's hair again.
Kat smiled at him as he started twirling it around his finger.
"You could be my knight protector?"
"I didn't know priestesses had knight protectors?"
"They didn't. Well, most of them didn't. But some of them did, especially those that actually went to court... Usually appointed by the King they served to protect them. Not that anyone ever really dared to attack a priestess, but..."
"I would need a sword."
"I'd have to buy you one. Don't happen to have a broad sword laying around the house."
"You could have the other rapier?" suggested David.
"I don't think so," laughed Marc. "I'm not a rapier kind of guy. Give it to Jade."
"Sooth-sayers didn't have swords," said Kat. "But you could always just hide it under your cloak."
The four laughed, and the sound of the rain became the dominant sound again.
"So, how do you do it?" Jade asked.
"I stand in front of the mirror... and I raise the mists. Then we're on the barge to Avalon, and it's in front of us."
"But how?"
"I just reach up... Touch the mirror... Tell it to open the way to Avalon... and it happens. I don't know "how"."
"Well, are you going to show us?"
"If you really want me to," Kat replied, and left the room.

Kat returned a few minutes later, carrying the rapiers she'd mentioned, and a gold circlet, which she carefully placed on her head. David buckled on his rapier, and then helped Jade with hers.
"Oh, I don't really need that, David," Jade laughed.
He looked at her for a moment.
"You wanted to go to Avalon, Jade. I have learned that when my sister is involved, nothing is impossible. It's best to be prepared."
Jade looked puzzled, but joined him standing behind Kat, with Marc. Kat paused, then whispered something quietly to the mirror. She spoke quickly and quietly, and Jade noticed that the firelight flickering behind them seemed to make the golden lettering stand out, and the dragons to writhe on the frame. Kat's bracelets also seemed to be alive, and writhing up her arms. Jade was about to mention this to David, when Kat lifted her arms above her head in a Y shape, then touched the dragons on the mirror. The glass went misty, and the frame seemed to vanish, as did the rest of the room. Then Kat raised her arms again, and the mists lifted, revealing Avalon before them.

Jade gasped, and shivered, suddenly feeling cold. She looked around and realised that they were on a barge, on some sort of lake. Kat was standing at the prow of the boat, just beginning to lower her arms. Jade clutched at David's arm, and he helped her to sit down in the boat. Kat lowered her arms, but stood standing until they docked on the island, where she alighted with the ease of long practice. She turned to help Jade onto the island, and Jade gasped at the faded blue goddess symbol that blazed upon her forehead. Marc leaped up lightly behind Kat, and once David had also alighted, the boat pulled away. A short way up the path, stood an elderly woman. Kat moved forward, then knelt at the woman's feet.
"Vivian," she said, her voice sounding choked.
The woman smiled, and bid her to rise, and met her eyes with a motherly smile.
"Cáitlín. I see you have been successful in your venture."
"It has taken many years, Lady."
"Not so long. Time passes differently here. Come forward, my children."

Jade clutched David's arm as the three of them moved forward. The lady looked them over closely, then smiled.
"My children," she repeated. "You have been well hidden. Listen, and remember. Daibhí," she said. "The Guardian."
David shook loose of Jade's arm, and knelt as Kat had done. The lady blessed him.
"Marcus. The Knight Protector."
Marc also knelt, and received the lady's blessing. Then the lady looked to Jade.
"Sinéad. The Conmhaol."
As the lady spoke these words, Jade slowly was flooded with memories. Of running with the wolves, the lust of battle, the sweet feel of blood on her sword and in her teeth, running with her men... Jade knelt in reverence, and the lady blessed her. The three of them stood, and understood their purpose. Marc moved to stand behind Kat, and Jade and David moved to either side.
"Do ye remember?" asked the Lady, in a strangely formal way.
"Aye," each confirmed in turn.
"I am to guard Cáitlín, as I ever have," spoke Marc, hand reaching for a sword that wasn't at his side.
"I am to be the Guardian of our quest," spoke David. "I will carry the holy artefact after Cáitlín has acquired it."
"And I am the Conmhaol," spoke Jade. "The Wolf Warrior. I will guard the group, with the aid of my men if need be, and always with my life."
"And I," spoke Kat, "am Cáitlín, Priestess of Avalon. It is my sacred task, placed upon me by the Goddess, to retrieve the Holy Grail from the outside world, and bring it here to Avalon for the sacred rite at Samhain in two moon cycles hence."
The lady nodded in satisfaction.
"We hath just celebrated Lammas. Thou hath 2 full moon cycles to complete thine task."
"I understand, Lady."
"Good," said the lady with a smile. "Now, come up and sup with us. Then we shall outfit you all, and you can begin your quest."

The next morning, as the four prepared to leave Avalon again, David paused at the boat with Jade.
"Alright, Canagán?" he asked her with a small smile.
She bared her teeth at him, then smiled.
"I am Conmhaol," she said. "I am always alright, even when I'm in love."
They smiled at each other, and boarded the barge.
"Where's Marcus?" asked Kat from the path.
"Behind you, a stór," he said quietly. "As I always will be."
Kat turned and smiled at him.
"Ready?"
"Aye."
"Let us depart, then."
Kat and Marc climbed aboard also, and the barge moved silently away from Avalon. Kat raised the mists a second time, and Avalon vanished behind them, and ahead appeared the mainland shore. Once they had alighted a second time, and the barge vanished again, David, Marc, and Jade all looked to Kat.
"Well, Caitín? Which direction do we head?" asked Marc.
"North," she replied. "The grail is North of Avalon."
"Let us begin then," spoke Jade. "I am sorely out of shape and could do with a good run."
Kat, Marc, and David mounted up, and David took the lead rope of Jade's horse. Jade placed her belongings in her saddle bags, and started running along the North Road.
"Do we follow, Cáit?" teased David.
"Indeed we do!" she laughed, and the three of them took off after Jade.