Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Chapter one:
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In a time of myth and a land of magic the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man, his name... Merlin
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Merlin and Arthur rode through the forest, hunting gear tied to their saddles but no prey not even a single rabbit or pheasant. Merlin was riding slightly behind Arthur, his cloak pulled tightly around his shoulders and sneezing every now and again. Arthur who was leading the way, was scowling and you could almost see the storm cloud above his head.
Merlin still didn't understand why Arthur continued to invite him hunting. Just because he and Arthur were equal now, didn't mean Merlin was suddenly going to like hunting any more than he had when he'd been Arthur's servant. Why couldn't he have taken the knights? He could even have even taken Merlin's replacement, George, but then again there was only so many brass jokes Arthur could take.
"You're still angry with me, aren't you?" Merlin asks.
"We spend the entire day hunting and catch nothing, because every time we got anywhere near anything you sneezed and frightened it away." Arthur answers.
"Not the last time." Merlin points out.
"No, that time you fell into a stream." Arthur almost smiled. "No-one could accuse you of being predictable, Merlin."
"Damn water spirits," Merlin mutters to himself. "I think I'm getting a cold."
"Let's hope it's a bad one." Arthur replies.
Suddenly a women's scream echoes through the forest and Arthur draws his horse to a halt and Merlin stops beside him looking round.
"What was that?" Arthur demands.
Merlin shrugs. "I think it was a bird."
The scream sounds again and a flock of birds nearby take off from the trees.
"That?" Merlin asks. "That was definitely a woman screaming."
Merlin jumps down from his horse and pulls of his cloak. Throwing it over his horses' saddle, he begins muttering to himself.
"Why couldn't it have just been a bird?" He mutters. "It's never just a bird."
Merlin quickly runs through the trees, but stays within sight of Arthur who watches him with mild amusement, as Merlin makes his way towards where the scream had come from.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asks after a moment.
"I assume you want to risk our lives and see what's going on." Merlin replies glancing back at Arthur.
"I never thought I'd say this, Merlin," Arthur jokes as he gets down from his horse and makes his way over to Merlin. "But you're learning."
Merlin rolls his eyes, as Arthur slaps his shoulder in a friendly manner. Together they make their way towards the town where the scream had been heard from. A large crowd of people had gathered just outside of the towns boundaries.
As they draw closer, Merlin clenches his fists, they were about to burn a women at the stake. Merlin never liked to see people burn, no matter what crimes they had committed. It was a horrible way to die.
"Let the woman go." Arthur orders, as the make their way through the townspeople.
"This woman has been sentenced to death." The town's chief answers. "It does not concern you."
"I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot," Arthur replies, his voice takes a hard edge. "And your village is in my lands."
"Her sorcery has brought sickness and suffering to this village." The chief answers once more, his gaze settles on Merlin. "You and your kind are a curse upon this land."
"Did she receive a fair trial?" Arthur asks, ignoring the insult to Merlin, it would do no good if Arthur was to lose his temper here.
"Your father would have shown her no mercy." The chief replies.
"I am not my father." Arthur answers, his tone like ice. "Now cut her down."
"I will not endanger the lives of all who live here." The chief refuses.
Arthur draws his sword and holds it to the chief's chest.
"I said..." Arthur repeats. "Cut her down."
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Arthur carries the women through the forest, Merlin a couple of steps ahead leading the horses and looking for a safe place to set up camp for the night. Merlin hadn't spoken a word to Arthur since they had left the town.
Arthur wasn't sure what to say to his friend, there wasn't much he could say. They had entered a town where they had tried to burn a women for sorcery. Much had changed for those who had magic, but something's remained the same. There were those who still hated magic and would never accept those who had it.
Finding a small clearing Merlin stops. His eyes flash gold and their camping equipment quickly sets itself up. Arthur sets the women down on a bedroll, before heading off into the woods. Merlin watches him go, before turning to the women, who had opened her eyes and was watching him.
"What is your name?" Merlin asks, not sure what to say to her.
"My name is Valdis, Emrys." The women replies.
"Why were they trying to kill you?" Merlin questions.
"People fear what they do not understand," Valdis answers. "I did all in my power to try and save them, but it was too late… I have never been good at healing sickness, I could not stand by and do nothing, when the same sickness took the life of my only child many years ago."
"We're safe," Arthur announces, returning through the trees. "They didn't follow us."
Merlin gets to his feet and walks over to Arthur leaving Valdis to rest.
"Is there anything more you can do for her?" Arthur asks, as Merlin stops beside him.
Merlin shakes his head. "She won't make it through the night. Even if I had Alice's skills in healing, there would be little I could do for her."
Arthur nodes in understanding. "Make her as comfortable as possible."
Merlin walks back over to Valdis after picking up a blanket, he kneels beside her, placing the blanket over her body.
"Thank you." She smiles weakly.
Merlin nodes. "I'll make a tonic to ease the pain, but I need to gather some herbs to make it. If you need anything just ask Arthur, he might be a prat at times, but he has a good heart."
Merlin then gets up and leaves the camp, heading out in search of herbs. Arthur watches Valdis from his spot by the fire.
"You should try and get some rest." Arthur speaks up.
"My time has come." Valdis answers after a moment. "When you have lived as long as I, you no longer fear the journey to the next world."
Arthur nodes, before glancing at the surrounding forest.
"I have a gift for you." Valdis suddenly speaks again. "You showed kindness and compassion. Those are the qualities of a true king."
She holds out something covered in cloth, Arthur gets to his feet and walks over to her.
"Open it." Valdis orders weakly as Arthur takes it from her hands.
Arthur pulls back the cloth to find a horn with strange carving along its sides.
"It's beautiful." Arthur mutters, tracing the patterns with his figures.
"It has the power to summon the spirits of the dead." Valdis explains.
In the early hours of the following morning Valdis dies peacefully in her sleep and Merlin smiles to himself as her spurt is reunited with that of her dead child, she was finally at peace.
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Arthur stood watching Gaius as he examined the horn Valdis had given him. Arthur had never heard about anything that could summon the dead, yes he'd seen how shades were created and the immortal army (both of them) were dead, but this was different.
Merlin had taken Valdis body to Peryglus for burial, but Arthur hadn't told Merlin about Valdis gift to him. Merlin had been giving him weird looks until they parted ways, so Arthur knew Merlin knew something was up. A horn that can summon the dead would have a strong magical presents, so Merlin could no doubt sense it.
"The Horn of Cathbhadh." Gaius speaks up, looking at Arthur. "When Uther attacked the Isle of the Blessed, the Horn of Cathbhadh was smuggled to safety before the temple fell. It hasn't been heard of since."
"The old woman said it could be used to open the door to the spirit world… To summon the dead?" Arthur questions, he wasn't sure if the horn was actually capable of doing such a thing.
Gaius nodes. "I have seen it with my own eyes. Long before the time of the Great Purge I took part in such ceremonies."
Gaius pauses for a moment. "It is possible Merlin takes part in such rituals and ceremonies…"
Arthur raises an eyebrow. That didn't surprise, the druids and sorcerers alike seemed to have a ritual or ceremony for every occasion.
"Each year at Beltane, the High Priestesses would gather at the Great Stones of Nemeton and summon the spirits of their ancestors." Gaius explains. "It holds powerful magic. You must keep it safe."
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Hello, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Until next time,
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.
