Hello Everyone!
So this is my first story on fan . I'm quite excited actually.
This story is going to have quite a lot of angst, so if you don't like it, don't read.
And PLEASE LISTEN TO 'FIRE IN THE WATER' BY FEIST ALL THE WAY THROUGH READING THIS STORY- it really sets the scene.
(It is also the music that I used in the trailer, if you're wondering.)
He stared at the small, dusty wooden box with slight alarm coating his veins. The box fitted snugly in the palm of his hand, the metal carvings of snakes on the top drawing him to wonder what it meant. The way the patterns were so intricately carved onto the metal were so realistic he was almost certain the work had involved magic.
He squeezed his eyes shut in a poor attempt to push down the strange feeling that was crawling around his heart, the intensity of it making him shudder. Curiosity overtook his feelings and, with a golden glimmer of his eyes, the lock snapped open.
His eyes widened as the lid flew up, a warm feeling tingling in his muscles making him weak as he sat down on the bed. Never had he felt such strong magic in his life. The box seemed to be glowing with it.
Pushing back the nauseous feeling in his stomach, he pulled himself back to reality and looked inside the box. As soon as his eyes connected with the small gem inside it, his brain shut off and nothing around him existed anymore to him. He was captivated by the magic, and nothing seemed to be able to pull him out of it.
Inside the clear gem, a small image appeared. Not like the ones in the crystal cave, though, it was faded, as if the image was moulding to the shape of the gem. He could figure out long locks of white-blonde hair and pale skin, and he couldn't take his eyes off the gem anymore.
She was beautiful. His heart seemed to pound against his chest, and he nearly blocked out the calm, silky voice of the woman in his ears, chanting.
"kuruhusu wiki sita kwa ajili yake na kupata wake. ikiwa atashindwa, yeye atakufa. kama yeye inafanikiwa, kuvunja uchawi. yeye si kujua, lakini hisia."
Fear rushed through his veins, the words all but a blur in his mind as the vision faded. He had only caught the last of the spell, and recognised just two of the words in the old tongue.
'Enchantment' and 'Death.'
As he lay in his bed only a few hours later as the darkness surrounded his vision and he stared up at the ceiling, thinking.
Those two words he caught from the spell brought fear cascading through his heart and choked up his breath that was escaping his lips. An enchantment had been laid on him.
Anger and frustration rose in his throat, a small and uncontrollable growl escaping his tight throat as he cursed himself for getting distracted with the girl in the gem. However beautiful she was (although she was impossibly), he should have kept his focus. Willing himself not to punch something with his fists that he had subconsciously clenched, he breathed in and closed his eyes. But they snapped open when he remembered something from the spell that had been pushed far back into his mind. Two more words that confused him even more.
'Six weeks.'
A breath was emitted through his gritted teeth as he tried to figure out the spell, hating the feeling of confusion that was causing a slight headache to appear in his forehead.
His eyes snapped open that he didn't realised had fluttered closed in thought and he shot up suddenly in his bed, completely ignoring the dull ache that followed the sudden movement. The thought that had struck his head was enough to make him whimper in sadness, losing himself for a few seconds before quickly regaining his senses and standing up.
What if… what if it wasn't him who had been enchanted, but the girl in the gem?
You're correct, Emrys. Now there is two more things for you to work out. But you must hurry, or you will run out of time.
Alarm intoxicated his body as he roughly grabbed his black hooded cape and snuck out into the forest.
His feet were aching from rubbing against his leather boots as he walked through the dark forest, his eyes searching frantically through the large trees as he hugged closer to his cloak, the cold nipping at his pale skin.
You are close, Emrys.
A soft, though masculine voice whispered into his brain, causing him to breathe in. emotions were blinding him as he continued through the dark forest, so absorbed in his thoughts that he nearly cried out when he felt a strong hand placed on his shoulder.
"Do not fret, Emrys. We will protect her."
Merlin smiled softly, it fading slowly as the next words were whispered from the greying Druid's mouth.
"As much as we can, as it is only you who can save her. We are glad that you opened the kaxxa ta 'l-Dragun, for now your kind have hope. I wish you luck, Emrys, for you will need it. This will not be easy for you, but I must warn you; you are wasting vital seconds talking to me. You must go now."
The Druid placed the brown hood over his silvery hair again, before turning around and leaving Merlin slightly more informed, but still alarmed and confused. The whole situation confused him. He now knew that the box was called the 'kaxxa tal-poter,' but not much else. The Druid had given him a riddle.
Oh, how he hated riddles. Apparently it was important that he got to wherever on time, but he gives him a riddle? Frustration rose into his blood again, but was soon pushed down by another soothing, but this time very feminine, voice.
"Emrys."
It was another Druid. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he turned around, meeting eyes with a young looking girl, no older than 20, he thought. Her jet black hair hell just below her breasts and her skin was pale, covered by a dirty and worn grey tunic. She held her hands in front of her stomach, and she was smiling softly at him. She walked towards him until he was but a few steps away from touching her.
Merlin's first reaction was to frown deeper when she held out her small left hand, and looked up at him until he took it. She spread his fingers and faced his palm towards the dark sky, handing him a small black object. Still smiling softly, she curled his fingers back around the object and placed her right hand on top of it, closing her black eyes and breathing in.
"let lilu tara inkwiet tagħha permezz dan il-ġebel."
Her eyes popped open and flashed gold. Merlin felt the magic tingle through his bones, and when it faded, the Druid girl took her hand off the top of his curled up fist. She unravelled her fingers to reveal the small black pebble that had a soft gold centre. It wasn't strong, but Merlin knew that the gold colour was pure magic.
"The colour will dim if she is in danger. It will glow a brighter gold when she is content."
Merlin knew the Druid girl was talking about the girl in the gem, and before he could ask any questions, she continued,
"I cannot tell you much, but I will tell you all I can without breaking the curse. You will go on a journey, Emrys. A long one. It will be difficult, and you may not reach the end. You… you must understand; it will be difficult, but do not give up."
Merlin allowed her words to sink in. He may not reach the end. he knew that meant that he might die. Merlin's shoulders slumped, he had a feeling that this was not going to be easy.
"Will… will I be looking for something?"
"Well done, Emrys." she replied, her soft smile edging up slightly. She took his other hand in her free one, holding them up to her heart and looking up to him.
"I cannot tell you anymore. You must work it out, for that is the only way for you to have a chance in finding the… something."
"So I need to work out what I'm finding?" Merlin deduced from her words, looking down into the black eyes for an answer.
"You are correct. But you must hurry, Emrys. As must I. I wish you luck on your journey, and if you do not return, I can assure you many will mourn for you. Thank you, Emrys."
With that, the young Druid girl let go of his hands, turned around and walked off into the blackness of the forest. Merlin had felt tears form at the back of his eyes at her kind words, but none spilt. He wished he could say thank you to her, but she was lost beneath the darkness of the night, and impossible to be seen. So, he took a deep breath in and walked back towards the castle.