Snow crunched under the hooves of a deer. It's reddish fur contrasted from the whiteness of the snow. It's frozen breath became shallower and shallower as it stumbled through the evergreen forest. Speckles of blood trailing behind it. An arrow struck deep within the side of it's chest. Slowly, it lay down from it's painful trek. The stag exhaled deeply one last time, falling snow flakes fluttered from it's breath. The stag lay still in the snow, silence filling the forest only for a moment until the sound of crunching footsteps coming closer to the body flooded the area. A young lad dressed in a heavy green tunic jogged to the dead stag. When the boy came close, he stopped pointed his finger at the antler and arched his back for a closer view. He counting silently to himself. He stood straight and turned in the opposite direction.
The boy yelled to a man in the distance "It has six points, my king!"
Lights flickered as a man dressed in dark heavy furs and silver chain mail treaded in the dimly lit stony hallways. Occasionally passing a window, with beams of white winter's light revealing his worn face, and shining armor. The black and grey furs shown sleek. Embroidered blue banners with a dragon depicted fluttered as he hastily trotted by. A young maiden, dressed in a beige gown and a cloth covering her hair from the other end of the hallway walked hesitantly towards him. She quickly bowed to him as they met each other in the middle.
"Y-your lordship." She said timidly.
"Igraine..." He pauses to catch his breath. "... how is she?"
The younger woman smiles at him.
"She is well, m'lord. As is the babe."
The man sighs deeply in relief and his shoulders relax. He looks up to the ceiling.
"God watch over us. Respondit orationem meam." He whispers wheezily to himself. He levels his head, and takes his gaze to the double wide wooden door at the end of the hallway.
"Thank you, Laila. You have been more than helpful."
She courteseis to him.
"Igraine is awake now, if you'd like to see her and meet the babe." Laila said to him softly, aware of his relief from stress and anxiety. She gestured to the door.
"I shall do just that, Laila. Again, thank you. Please, carry on as you were." He continued down the hallway, as Laila went on with her day in the opposite direction. As he neared the door, his heart would beat quicker and quicker. He stopped at the door, taking a breath. He postured himself and slowly opened the door. It creaked as he did so. He entered the room, lit up with the fireplace. And there he saw his beloved, Igraine. Her golden hair shined hues of orange and yellow in the flame's light, holding a baby wrapped in thick blankets. She looked up at him from her bed covered in sheets and furs. Her eyes brightened and her smile grew as he entered and closed the wooden door behind him.
"My King Uther, I'm afraid this may complicate things with Merlin." She looked down at the baby, her fingers grazing against the baby's small rosy cheeks. His expression changes slightly as he strokes his dark brown beard. He walks over to the side of the bed, and sits at Igrain's side. His hand leaves his beard and he holds a lock of Igrain's golden hair. His fingers glide across it.
"My hunt was fruitful, I had caught a magnificent stag. It had an even number of points on it's antlers." He let go of her long golden hair and gently placed hand on the baby's small, pale, head.
"She will be blonde like her mother... It is too bad that she'll keep it covered under a helmet" He said, with a mixed expression of happiness and sadness.
"She has her father's green eyes, a sign that she will grow to be a good and wise leader like you." Igraine said as she glided the back of her hand ever so lightly on Uther's cheek.
"Can't we just try until we have a son?" Igraine said as her hand left his cheek and continued to clutch the baby.
"No." Said Uther. "It must be the first born." Igraine sighed and re adjusted herself in the sheets and furs. She looked off into the fireplace.
"What shall we name her?' Uther asked her as her blue eyes shined with hues of orange and crimson.
"I like Arturia. It would fit her well." She said as she stroked the baby's cheek. Uther stood back up.
"Indeed, that is a fine name for the child." She said as he walked up to the doors. "I will have a feast prepared tomorrow to celebrate." Uther opened the door, preparing to leave the room, he turned his head to Igraine as he stood in the doorway I am sure you're tired. Please, get some rest. For now, I must take my leave." He continued through the doorway and quietly closed the door behind him, trying to minimize the creaking noise it would cause.
The king continued through the halls and down the stone stares of the castle. He found himself in the grand hall. It was empty other than a man in a thick grey clock. A hood covered his face and he carried a twisted wooden staff with stones tied onto it with leather strings. The room was almost ghostly as the pale winter light from outside filled the giant hall. The kings footsteps on the hard stone floors echoed through the hall as he walked to the cloaked man.
"I counted six points on the Stag you've killed this morning. Congratulations on the birth of daughter. You really should have been more careful on counting the points before you shot at it, my good king. This does put a dent in our plans, doesn't it?" Said the cloaked man smugly.
"There were two stags. The one in front had an odd number of points, but leaped out of the way before my arrow could strike... it was a surprise, really. We had no idea there were two of them." Uther said with a tone of irritation in his reply.
"What is done is done, and now we have a girl who must grow to become a king. This is quite the comedic situation we have." Said the cloaked man. He leaned against a long wooden feasting table. He crossed his arms and kept his head down while he began brooding about the situation. "And now we have a visitor, surely to take delight in this mishap... Morgana." His head shifted at the end of the great hall, where a pale woman wearing a red grandiose dress and a leopard's fur cloaked around her shoulders. Her long, sleek black hair braided in the back.
"Am I not welcomed around my own dwelling now, Merlin?" Her voice was suave and she strutted towards the two of them, the end of her red gown dragging behind her. Uther's expression turned into a sarcastic grin at the sight of his step-daughter.
"Not at all, Morrigan. I'm simply surprised that you aren't celebrating the birth of your new sister." Merlin snickered at her villainously.
"Ah, yes. A sibling to me from the man who had killed my father and now beds my mother. What a delightful day it is indeed." She did as he eyes striked coldly at the King.
"Enough, Morgana. You too, Merlin. I've heard enough of your endless bickering to last a thousand lifetimes." Uther said as he stomped his foot towards the two. Morgana scowled and turned sharply away from the conversation heading to the other side of the great hall to the set of stairs heading towards the northern tower.
"If I am needed, I will be in my mother's quarters." She said loudly and angrily. Soon her footsteps faded and the two men were alone once more. Merlin walked closer to the king, using his staff as a cane.
"You'd do well to be weary her, she is a temptress, that one. I sense much magical potential from her, and I do not doubt that she may try to use magic against you, my king." Merlin said as he watched the empty stairway diligently.
"I hope she comes to accept in the future. She has quite the grudge." Said Uther looking blankly at the ground.
"Well, it's hardly your fault, is it? Gorlois was rampaging through the lands, his mind corrupted. His own kingdom would have succumbed to starvation if you hadn't stepped in to stop it all." Merlin said to Uther, placing his hand on his shoulder. He continued "What is done is done, there is nothing more you can do about it now." Merlin walked away to the doors leading out to the courtyard, he stopped in the middle of the hall and glanced back at Uther.
"We must discuss our plans for the Saxon invasions. I will gather your counsel at the war table by sundown. Oh, and bring me some wine." He finished and continued on his way out of the great hall, out to the snowy courtyard.