Merlin One-shot

The Weeping Willow

Companion to 'Spirits' Secrets' Chapter 6

A/N: I know that I usually put my author's notes at the end of the chapter, but this time, I've decided to place part of it in the beginning. This fic is dedicated to alicja . galek . I know you asked for Uther's past based on my series, but I pulled off an Agravaine story. Hope you like it! :D

Agravaine leaned back against the stone wall, tears streaking down his face. The long strands of black hair were spread messily across his face, obstructing his vision. Assuming that the blood dripping from the head wound didn't do that. Agravaine's hands clutched the hollow straws underneath him, his knuckles pale white.

And still the noble sat stoically, no emotion leaking out of the mask, except for the steady drops of tears mingled with blood. He must've wept at some point – his deranged state proves that much – but now, he was just a shell of what he used to be.

There were foot steps down the hall and the sound of the cell door being unlocked. Yet these sounds did not perturb the ailing noble. A man came into Agravaine's vision, a man cloaked in royal red, with a large crown resting on his graying hair. A man whose cold hard eyes displayed a hint of lunacy and unjustified revenge. The very same eyes that Agravaine will later inherit.

Agravaine looked up into those eyes, just as he whispered. "Why? She was a harmless girl."

Uther Pendragon slowly shook his head. "I have told you before, brother-in-law. You might not understand this even now, I can see the magic of that monster coursing through your eyes. But trust me, you will thank me later." Uther turned slowly to face one of his advisors. "Do not let him go until you believe that the enchantment has been broken."

Agravaine let his head fall against the wall again, his empty eyes drifting away before the darkness finally claimed him.

The silence that stretched was endless, as Agravaine paced around the corridor. He could hear the screams of pain from his wife within the chambers, and really it took all of his effort to keep from running in.

After what seemed to be hours, the door to the chambers opened and a maid stepped out. She smiled softly. "Congratulations, sire! You're a father to very beautiful girl." That was all it took for Agravaine to run into the chambers to look at his baby girl.

And she was very beautiful. Her gentle pink hands clutched the blanked surrounding her, her eyes closed and her small chest rising and falling. Agravaine picked her up gently. She was so light, so small. And so beautiful.

"A princess, isn't she?" a feeble voice called out to him. Agravaine turned to see his wife still resting on the bed. Helen was pale and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, but she radiated with indescribable joy. Agravaine could only nod, unable to say anything. Agravaine moved to the edge of the bed, settling himself next to his wife and still holding the small bundle.

"What do you want to name her?" He asked softly. Helen looked up at her husband thoughtfully. The gentle rays of sunlight snuck in, falling on the newborn child and illuminating her. And for just that moment, the baby seemed to glow, very much like a fairy or a magical creature.

"Fayette," Helen breathed out. She smiled widely as Agravaine turned to look into her deep green eyes. "She's our little fairy."

Agravaine woke up, just as he heard the cell doors unlock again. A guard stepped in hesitantly before placing a tray of food next to the noble. A tray containing a meager amount of soup and fresh bread. No doubt, one of the underpaid guards or someone else must've drank most of the soup.

Agravaine only sighed, as he pushed the tray aside. How could he eat when his life had literally been burnt in front of his eyes? How could he live with no one to live for? Agravaine only stared at the stone wall before him.

"Mother! Father!" A toddler giggled as she ran in circles in the large golden field before them. "It's so pretty!"

Agravaine smiled as he watched his daughter 'fly'. He was walking through his estate with his wife and child. The noble's guards stood a couple of feet behind them, ready to protect the family if need be, but also far enough to allow for some privacy.

"Slow down, Fayette," Helen called out. "You don't want to trip." The moment those words flew out, Fayette tripped. And she would have fallen if it weren't for Lady Helen's quick words in the ancient tongue. Fayette felt herself float slightly above the ground before her mother placed her back on her feet.

"Magic!" the toddler exclaimed gleefully. "Again! Again!" The parents shook their heads, amused. Fortunately, Fayette had quite the short attention span, and she was soon running towards a large tree standing at the center of the field. The tree seemed to be bent over, long strands of tear-shaped leaves billowing with the wind.

The noble couple walked behind their excited child. And it didn't take long before Fayette reached the trunk. She place her small arm on the rough bark. "What is this tree?" the child asked curiously turning towards her mother.

Lady Helen smiled fondly as she reached out to the tree. "I actually brought this tree back from the East. It was but a seed then. Now, it's grown to be quite a strong tree, hasn't it?" She reached out to her daughter, and placed her warm hand on her hair, smoothing out the golden curls. "I believe they called it the Weeping Willow, my little fairy."

Fayette looked up, confused. "Why is it weeping?" Helen paused unsure how to answer the question. Agravaine answered instead.

"It's all alone, Fayette. That's why it's weeping." Agravaine watched as his daughter gazed sadly at the tree. And then the little girl took off, running out to the other side of the field but still staying in her parent's line of vision.

"Why did you tell our fairy that?" Helen chided softly.

Agravaine chuckled. "I'm not the one who told her the tree's name was Weeping Willow."

Lady Helen turned to face her husband, about to retort back. She didn't get the chance, as Fayette ran back, her small hands clutching several wild flowers. She placed them at the root of the tree and patted the bark comfortingly.

"There," she said softly. "You're not alone anymore. So don't weep, okay?"

Both parents burst out laughing at the cute antics and hugged their child. "Oh, my little fairy," Helen whispered into the golden curls.

Agravaine curled himself into a ball, gathering the dirty cloak around him. It was cold tonight in the dungeons, and Agravaine had no intentions of freezing to death. Although, when it comes down to it, why should he really care? He had lost everyone he loved.

Agravaine heard the castle bells ring and he gazed at the window – more like a slit in stone revealing the outside world.

The guards ran from their posts. Agravaine heard one of the guards ask another.

"What happened?"

"The wicked sorceress, Nimueh, has escaped!"

"Wasn't she the cause of Her Majesty's death?"

"Yes, and they were supposed to be friends."

Agravaine only sighed as he heard the conversation fade out underneath the stomping feet. So little did Camelot and Uther understand about magic and the Old Religion.

Yet, this night strangely reminded Agravaine of another night. The night when an assassin had snuck into the noble's estate and attempted to kill Agravaine. The assassin failed that night, only because Helen stood in front of her husband, protecting him with her dying breath.

And she only asked for one promise. "Keep our little fairy safe, Agravaine. Promise me nothing will happen to her." The words echoed across the emptiness.

Agravaine failed to suppress the sob. He had failed to protect the ones he loved.

Agravaine sat next to Uther Pendragon at the feast table. His sister sat next to the king, bouncing little Fayette on her knees. Agravaine smiled as the feast continued, various jugglers and jesters preforming to giggling toddler.

Uther leaned in. "I have heard what happened to Lady Helen. You have my deepest condolences." Agravaine only nodded, the memory fresh in his mind. He averted his glance, and decided to change the subject.

"My sister tells me that Camelot will be getting an heir soon," Agravaine said, a small smile dancing on his lips at the thought of his nephew.

Uther nodded. "Yes, and we have Nimueh to thank." Uther lifted his goblet, sipping the aged wine.

Agravaine narrowed his eyes. "You are using magic? You were told of consequences, right?"

"Yes, yes, Nimueh told us everything." Uther said dismissingly. "For a life to be created, another has to be destroyed – good old Old Religion philosophy."

Agravaine only nodded at that time, but for so many years he wished he did not. He should have warned Uther, should have told him something more than what Nimueh had failed to do. But he didn't.

It was weeks later that Igraine died and Agravaine was left for another night of mourning – this time with Uther added in.

"It seems, Agravaine, we have both lost someone very dear to us because of magic." Uther was weeping as he stared at the golden haired newborn sleeping peacefully. Fayette was poking the child, hoping to gain his attention and Agravaine pulled her back.

Agravaine should have said something. He really should have. But instead he grasped the bony wrist of his little fairy and led her to her own chambers. It was the last night he told her a story and put her to bed. It was the last night he saw his little girl sleeping peacefully.

Because it was the last night Uther Pendragon remained sane. The moment those words had been uttered, Uther came to the conclusion that magic was what left him without his wife. And so, Uther started the Great Purge – a war to eradicate Old Religion from the land.

And it was that night where his little fairy was wrenched from his arms, and locked in the dungeons with other Camelot citizens – as if she was some sort of monster. All because she was a daughter of a sorceress and that she had a potential to study magic.

Agravaine burst into the throne room. "Uther, what is this?!"

The King of Camelot stood up, the previous night's grievances completely replaced by a stiff cold demeanor.

"You don't understand now, Agravaine. But I will rid this world of evil. This girl might seem to be your daughter, but she will be corrupted. Her magic will corrupt her. Just like it did to your wife."

Those words that echoed in Agravaine's head to this day. He pushed his head against the wall.

Thump.

Agravaine rushed towards the said King, his anger boiling and forcing him to commit rather rash actions. And the noble wrestled the Uther onto the ground, pinning him and punching him.

The guards were the ones who pulled the assaulting man off the ground, holding the struggling man while the King decided his verdict.

"The man has been clearly enchanted. Lock him in a cell until the little witch burns."

Thump.

Agravaine was locked in the dungeons, next to his daughter's cell. His little girl cried the entire day, the heart wrenching sobs piercing through the helpless father.

Thump.

"Please, Uther… She's just a little girl." Agravaine was literally begging on his knees.

There was a flash of red, blinding his eye sight. And still he continued, banging his head against the wall.

"Father!" his little fairy was screaming. Agravaine was begging.

They were tying her to the stake.

Oh, those flames, those flames that rose higher and higher. The crimson red, the brilliant yellow.

Agravaine was choking back his sobs. The sticky red mess from the back of his head was dripping onto his back.

Thump.

His fairy, his daughter was dying, screaming, begging, crying…

Thump.

Agravaine was screaming now. Yet no screams escaped his gaping mouth. Only the air.

His daughter, a charcoal black figure tied to stake. A silent little girl, who had died in the most painful way possible. Fayette, his little fairy, and his child he promised to protect…

… dead and gone. Her ashes left to the wind.

Agravaine let his head drop against the wall one last time before the comforting darkness engulfed him, temporarily putting him out of his misery.

The wind blew against the golden grass as Agravaine stood at the center of the field. Next to the Weeping Willow. All by himself.

His wife had died, her last wish was to keep her daughter safe. His sister had died, her last wish was to produce an heir to the throne. And his daughter was killed, too young to have any last wishes.

He was alone. Agravaine dropped to his knees as he howled towards the setting sun. What had he done to deserve this? What had he done to lose all the people he loved? Agravaine wept as the threads of the tear-shaped leaves flowed into the sky.

He wept with the Weeping Willow into the sunset skies.

A/N: That's it for this fic. What do you think?