Uther was sitting in front of the fireplace in his chambers. It had been two days since he had ordered his son to be held in the dungeons but something was not right. His son's words, right before he was taken away, were torturing him.
"A King is only as good as his people as without them there can't be a kingdom"
Did Arthur thought of him as a worthless King? Was he really too cold and cruel to his people?
"We serve them as much as they serve us."
Arthur had once told him. His son kept defying him always having the same excuse. Do what is right.
That had to stop. He was not a bad king. He did what was right but that's how things are done. Arthur needed to know that and he needed to know that immediately.
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Uther went to the dungeons surprising the half sleeping guards.
"My King!" they said as they stood up.
"I want to see my son." Uther demanded.
"Of course my lord." One of the guards said and opened the cells door.
"Arthur!" the king said getting inside the cell.
Merlin's heart was beating fast. What was going to happen if he found out he was there instead of Arthur?
The young warlock searched in his mind but there was no spell to turn him into Arthur. Leave alone the risk to perform it three metres away from the king.
"Yes, father?" Merlin answered altering his voice and sticking his back at the darkest corner of the room.
"Two days now I've being thinking of what you said." Uther said moving closer to him.
"Ahm." Merlin said agreeing with him.
"A king is only as good as his people but he is a king nonetheless. He has duties no one understands and he can't be friends with his people. He is a leader and has to keep distance." Uther said trying to see his son's face.
"Aha." Merlin said trying not to reveal himself.
"I am not a cruel king, I am not a bad king but that's how thing are and for ever will be. The prince of Camelot can't risk his life every now and then for his servants. He'll do it in case of war protecting their homes along with his kingdom. "The king said.
"Aha." Merlin said in agreement.
The king looked at the corner where he son was standing. The young man was hiding from his father letting g only his boots to be seen.
"Arthur, are you alright? You seem rather speechless and that's not like you." Uther said worried.
"Ahm… My throat hurts." Merlin said in an altered voice.
"Yes, your voice is different. I'll bring Gaius. I need you to be well so we can talk." Uther said leaving the cell making Merlin sigh of relief.
No more than ten minutes pasted and the king's voice was heard in the dungeons again, this time along with Gaius's.
"He claims he is not well. Gaius I need to discuss with him and I can't do it if he is not replying." Uther said.
"I'll examine him and, I believe, he will be alright in a few days." The old physician said.
"I don't have a few days, Gaius; I need to talk with him now." The king said as the guard let them inside Arthur's cell.
"My lord, your father said you have a throat ache. I believe I have something to make you feel better." Gaius said approaching the dark corner where Merlin stood.
"Merlin!" the old man whispered in surprise. "So, here you are. I thought you went to the Elcove forest." Gaius said.
"Arthur has. Please Gaius, do something. If the king finds out…" the young warlock said whispering only to be interrupted by Uther's loud voice.
"What are you whispering?" he asked.
"My lord, I believe the prince has an infection in his vocal chords." Gaius said.
"He must not speak for at least three days." He added.
"We need to discuss now!" Uther yelled. "Show yourself, Arthur. Come out of the dark." He told his son.
"Ahm, I'd rather stay here." Merlin said in a weird voice.
"What? Come out at once! It's an order!" the king yelled furious at his son's disobedience. Merlin didn't reply.
"How dare you?" the king yelled grabbing Merlin by the collar and taking him out in the light.
"What?" Uther said confused. He was looking at Merlin and then Gaius.
"You are not my son. You are his servant. What trick is this? Where is my son?" Uther demanded to know pushing Merlin against the wall.
"He left, my lord. He is going to save Gwen." Merlin told Uther.
"The maid? And you helped him. And you, Gaius, knew!" the king yelled.
"No, sire, I didn't know anything. I thought Merlin had gone for that purpose. I found it out just now." Gaius said in a calm voice.
"Where is Arthur? Tell me!' Uther yelled at Merlin.
"He is at the Elcove forest." Merlin revealed.
"Take him! He will be executed tomorrow morning!" the king ordered the guards.
"What?" Merlin said
"Sire, I think you are making a mistake." Gaius tried to make him reasonable.
"Your assistant helped my son escape the dungeons, putting him in mortal danger. He defied my orders, Gaius! He committed treason!" Uther said pointing at Merlin who was held by two guards.
"At the least, sire. Merlin was following his master's orders. He was doing his job, my lord. Merlin is a very loyal servant to Arthur, my king, and he would never defy your son even if Arthur demanded his death." Gaius said making Merlin's eyes go wide open.
Uther looked at the young warlock as Merlin was nodding furiously.
The king took a deep breath. "Very well, I spare your life but you will not leave Gaius's chambers until my son is back. The first thing he will do at his return will be to take back his place." Uther said going towards the stairs.
"Gaius! Make sure the servant girl leaves Arthur's chambers tonight!" he yelled leaving the dungeon.
He indented to leave her there until her end or her, miraculous, recover. After all she was a good servant over the years and her father was the kingdom's finest blacksmith.
However, after Arthur defying him he couldn't allow this to go on and on. The boy was going to be taught a tough lesson at his arrival.
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Arthur was walking half the night searching for the Aldica Lake. He had left his armor back as it was useless after the Imgo had tarred it apart.
As the young man was walking ,a fairy stood on his shoulder making him stop.
"Why did you stopped?" the fairy's voice was heard.
"It is weird for me that a fairy is sitting on my shoulder." Arthur said looking at the pink fairy.
"It's weird for me to sit on a human's shoulder, too. What are you doing here?" she asked him.
"I'm looking for a lake called Aldica." Arthur said making the fairy fly in front of his face.
"Why would you want to do that?" she asked him.
"Because I have to get something from it." Arthur asked and started walking again.
"Well, you are going the wrong way. The lake Aldica is right beneath the Dreiko stars." She told him and sat on his shoulder again.
"Dreiko stars?" Arthur asked surprised.
"Yes, the dragons' heaven. Those big, filthy creatures have their own stars and we, beautiful and kind fairies, have nothing." The fairy said annoyed.
"Ahm, could you show me where the Dreiko stars are?" Arthur asked her.
"What will you give me in exchange?" the fairy asked.
"What do you want?" the prince replied. The fairy thought for a while and then said hugging Arthur's ear. "You!"
"Me?" Arthur said surprised.
"Yes, I am Princess Katrina and I will be 1050 years old next week, so my father is pushing me to marry." She said.
"So ,you must marry a Prince. I am not a prince." Arthur said.
"Oh, don't be silly. Of course you are, Prince Arthur of Camelot." The fairy said sitting on his head.
"How do you know I am Prince Arthur?" he wondered.
"Oh, those El Lords never keep their mouth shut. So, will you marry me?" she said playing with Arthur's hair.
"I am afraid I can't, my lady. I love another." He said turning right.
"What? Who is she?" Katrina asked standing up on Arthur's head and turning green.
"She is my lady, she has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, she always tells the truth putting me in my place and she has a fighting spirit I've never seen in a woman before." Arthur said taking the look of a day dreamer.
"If she is so perfect why are you here and not back at Camelot marrying her?" the fairy princess asked.
"I am afraid I can't do that. She is only a servant girl and me, a prince, my father would never understand. I am here against his will; she is dying and I have to save her." He said and stopped again.
"How romantic!" the fairy said and flew in front of Arthur's face. "Fight for your love against everyone's will and risk your life to save her. Oh, Arthur, Prince of Camelot, you are so sweet and romantic!"
"Will you help me?" he asked.
"Of course! Do you see those stars shinning more than the others? They form a dragon, follow them, keep them always in front of you and you will find the lake Aldica. But I have to warn you me faire prince, smooth songs are not sang by smooth souls." Katrina told him, kissing his cheek and then left.
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Arthur did as Katrina, the fairy princess told him and he reached the lake before the night was over.
It was a beautiful, white lake with rocks covering its left side.
Arthur looked over the waters; it didn't seem very deep.
He got his shirt and boots off, leaving his sword next to them.
"How difficult can it be?" he wondered and dived deep inside the lake.
After five minutes he came back at the surface.
"Ok, it is difficult." He said before taking a deep breath and diving again.
He swam towards the bottom, seeing nothing but white water.
Suddenly something passed him. He stopped for a moment surprised.
He started again only to stop by the same movement. He looked around making another effort to start.
Then, right before his eyes he saw something incredible. A creature half woman and half fish, her breasts covered with cells, was looking at him. He took a moment to see her and then decide to go on but he was out of air.
He returned at the surface of the lake breathing fast.
There was something different this time. Something that did not existed when he had arrived. A song, a smooth song. The most peaceful melody he had ever heard. It reminded him of winter walks in the forest with his father, when everything was covered by snow or snowflakes were falling in the leaf-covered ground.
Arthur decided to get out of the lake and listen to the melody for a while. He put on his clothes and sword and lied on the grass.
A few moments later, wonderful creatures joined him, sitting on the rocks near him. Beautiful women with the body of an eagle. They stood there, with pride, singing their beautiful song.
Arthur stood up and went near them, wanting to listen to their song better.
He climbed the rock, finding his mermaid sitting between them.
"You are so beautiful; I've never seen a creature like you." Arthur told the mermaid sitting next to her.
"It is my honour, my Prince." The mermaid said.
"Do you like my friends' song?" She asked him.
"I've never heard such a peaceful melody." He said looking at the creatures next to them.
"Would you like me to sing for you?" the mermaid said.
"Yes" Arthur replied with a charmed look.
The mermaid escorted the sirens at their song making Arthur sleepy.
"You are tired my lord, you should rest." She said.
"Now, I want to listen to you all night."
"You are really tired; I will sing to you to sleep in my arms, my Prince." The mermaid said and Arthur lied on her arms closing his eyes.
The song became louder as the prince would fall asleep with the mermaid stroking his hair.
"I've never heard a more beautiful song." Arthur repeated in a sleepy voice.
"Then I shall sing for you for an eternity." The mermaid said leaning forward to kiss him.
Arthur's hand touched his sword case. Something was in there, a fabric tickling him. He took it and looked at it with half opened eyes.
"Guinevere!" he said and broke the mermaid's hold before she could kiss him.
"What happened my lord?" she asked.
"Guinevere, I have to go!" Arthur said shaking his head trying to repulse the enchanting melody.
"But why?" the mermaid said pulling him, back.
"Leave me!" Arthur yelled.
"You are not going anywhere, Arthur Pendragon!" the mermaid said in a deep, terrifying voice, her hair turning into snakes and big teeth coming out of her mouth as she attacked Arthur.
The Prince avoided her attack only to suffer another on by the sirens that had stopped singing.
Arthur dived in the lake to avoid them but thousand little creatures with green bodies and giant cloths and teeth tried to tear him apart.
The young man was trapped among them receiving painful scratches and wounds.
Arthur fought back, punching them and kicking them until they left at the arrival of their furious Queen.
The Prince grabbed the chance and swam to the bottom being chased by the mermaid.
He saw something shinning at the bottom and went as fast as he could to get it.
The mermaid reached him and grabbed his leg pulling him towards him.
Arthur kicked her at her face and looked for a way out. And then he saw it.
An underwater tunnel. He swam towards it with the mermaid giving him a deep scratch across his chest before he could be lost in the darkness of the tunnel.
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Coming up … the final chapter, I believe… Arthur in the final stage of his adventure, meeting the witch, and finding out a big, secret