'Miss Eustace,' Arthur breathed, 'is that you?'

The woman that he had come to know from all the times she had looked after him appeared completely different. No longer was her hair done up neatly in a bun but flowing down almost to her waist. And gone was her black dress. Now she was wearing green tights and a brown sleeveless jacket. Oh, and she was also carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows.

'It is, Arthur,' Miss Eustace replied, giving him a smile yet there was an urgency in her tone. She then looked down at the gnomes, 'Thank you for keeping him safe, you two.'

Bitty and Dolores bowed.

'I can't believe I'm saying this,' said Arthur, 'but you know the gnomes from my front step? Gnomes that have somehow magically come to life?'

'I do,' said Miss Eustace. 'We've known one another for a long time. We are friends, fighters of the Shadow.'

There was that word again.

'What's the Shadow?' asked Arthur.

'They're our enemies. The enemies of the Merry Knights, which we belong to. They're your enemies too. Including the Fays, the Sheriff's Men and many more evil beings, the Shadow has laid waste to many and their homes.'

Bitty and Dolores hung their heads.

'Wait, did you just say the Sheriff's Men?' asked Arthur. 'Who are they?'

'Descendants. Descendants of the men who supported Robin Hood's nemesis.'

'Robin Hood? The Robin Hood?' Arthur went wide-eyed. 'Then does that mean he was real? His tale?'

'Indeed, he was as real as you and me and Bitty and Dolores.'

Then realizing something else, Arthur burst out. 'And the–the-the Fays. Don't tell me they have something to do with Morgana le Fay.'

'They are her children.'

'So that means King Arthur and his tale were real too.'

'Yes.'

Arthur shook his head before mumbling to himself, 'This night has gone from strange to completely mad.'

'I know it's a lot to take in.'

'It's more than a lot to take in, Miss Eustace. And if this is all true, why are they my enemies? I've never done anything to the Fays or these Sheriff's Men. What does any of this have to do with me?'

'It's because you are special, Arthur.'

'Very special,' added Dolores.

'That's what the fairy said,' replied Arthur. 'How am I special?'

'You're special,' said Miss Eustace, 'because you are the descendant of both King Arthur and Robin Hood.'

Arthur was sure he had misheard that. 'Can you say that again?'

'You are the heir of King Arthur and Robin Hood.'

Arthur pointed to himself and mouthed, 'Me?'

'Yes.'

'I can't believe it.' Arthur then scrunched up his face. 'But wait. Wouldn't that mean my parents are too?'

'Yes. King Arthur's blood runs through your mother and the blood of Robin Hood flows through your father. They were the last heirs until they had you.'

'Do they know?'

Miss Eustace shook her head. 'For their survival, the lineages of King Arthur and Robin had to be lost to history.'

Arthur still couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'So why am I special?'

'For us, the Merry Knights, it is you who will rid the world of the Shadow. And you're special to them, for they believe you will lead them to the resting places of Morgana le Fay and the Sheriff.'

'H-h-how am I supposed to rid the world of Shadow?' Arthur burst out. 'I'm useless.'

'You are not useless.'

'And why does the Shadow want to find the resting places of Morgana le Fay and the Sheriff?'

'To bring them back so the two can lead the Shadow in making the world as evil and dark as ever.'

Arthur gulped. 'But I don't know where they are? How can I lead them?'

'Because you are a child heir of King Arthur and Robin Hood, the ones that sent the two to their resting places.'

'What does me being a child have to do with anything?'

'Because a child's mind is full of wonder and imagination, the key to unlocking and finding many things. Now, Arthur, I'd really like to tell you more but we need to go.'

'But I can't go,' Arthur replied.' My parents are coming back home tonight. I need to wait for them.'

'You can do that where I'll be taking you. We will make sure to tell them.'

Arthur was hesitant but what else could he do. He didn't want the Shadow to take him.

'Okay,' he said.

'Good,' Miss Eustace replied. 'But before we go, run along and get your shard and quill please. We don't want those getting in the hands of the Shadow.'

'You know about them?'

'Indeed. And they are very important.'

'That fairy princess was looking for my shard. I didn't give it to her.'

'Really?'

'Yes, she said it was hers. And she had her very own. She showed it to me.'

Miss Eustace looked away in shock. 'Now this could change things for the bad.'

'What? Why?'

'We'll tell you once you're safe.'

'There's something else. Something weird happened to the shard. The quill too. I'll show you.'

With haste, Arthur led Miss Eustace, Bitty and Dolores into his room where the shard and feather still lay on the shelf. The shard was still glowing and the quill was still the vibrant red feather.

More shocked, Miss Eustace said. 'When did this occur?'

'Earlier,' Arthur replied. 'I was in here waiting for my parents when I heard whispering coming from them.'

'Whispering?' squeaked Dolores.

'Yes,' said Arthur. 'Then all of a sudden, this happened. They've never done this before.'

'I've never heard of them doing this either,' said Miss Eustace. 'Of all the hands these have been passed down to . . . . but wondering can wait. We really need to leave. Arthur, do you have a bag to put them in?'

Arthur dashed over to his desk, grabbed his backpack and dumped out his school books. Then rushing back, he carefully picked up the shard and feather and placed them inside.

'Good, now follow me,' said Miss Eustace.

The four darted out of Arthur's bedroom, down the stairs and through the front door, where the boy gasped at what he saw.

'Oh, my,' he said.

Before him was a large white horse with a long flowing mane.

'This is Much, Arthur,' said Miss Eustace. 'And she'll be taking us to where we're headed.'

'I've never ridden a horse before,' Arthur replied.

'Well you're in for quite a ride.' Miss Eustace said. She then led Arthur over to Much and helped him on.

Just then, the headlights of a car sliced up the driveway.

'They're back. It's mom and dad,' Arthur burst out happily, but things soon turned more grave.

In surprise, several other gnomes popped out from the dark and together gave one huge crying squeal. 'More are coming!'

Without a thought, Arthur jumped from Much. But as he was about to run towards his parents, a figure walked out into the driveway and in front of their car, making it skid to a halt.

It was the Deputy.

Then more and more figures like him appeared around the car as Arthur's parents got out to confront the intruder.

'The Sheriff's Men,' snapped Miss Eustace as she thread an arrow into her bow.

Meanwhile, Arthur yelled, 'MOM! DAD! WATCH OUT!'

In an instant, the Deputy and the other Sheriff's Men turned and fairies led by their princess, who still had Bitty's hook stuck in her wing, descended from the pitch black above. And down they came until Arthur's parents were swarmed, grabbed by their limbs before the two were carried away into the night sky.

'MOM! DAD!' Arthur screamed, ready to pounce forward, but Miss Eustace pulled him back.

'It's no use, Arthur,' she said, as the Sheriff's Men began thundering up the driveway. 'They've gone.'

'Where are they taking them?'

'Far from here.'

'We need to go after them. We need to save them.'

'It's no use. But we'll get them back, Arthur. I promise. Right now, though, we just need to leave.'

Arthur didn't know what to do but as he watched the Sheriff's Men closing in, the Deputy's menacing face trained on him, leaving with Miss Eustace was the only choice he had.

'Let's go then,' he cried, and with help, he got back on Much. And after Miss Eustace, Bitty, Dolores and all the other gnomes jumped on too, off they went.