Life is not just about the good things or not just about the bad things. It is both. It all depends where you focus your attention.
~ Ann Marie Aguilar
Chapter 4: Signs of Things to Come
After the feast, Gaius spent a good part of his time in bed staring straight up but his gaze wasn't fixated on the ceiling. It was on everything that had happened that day. To the debacle that Arthur had found himself in at the market with those two boys to the chaos at the feast. The banner of the Dragon King had been magically produced in front of them all and it was the final piece of the puzzle that Gaius needed to make sense of everything. The center of the puzzle was that young sorcerer he had found doing magic against Arthur in aid of his companion when they had humiliated the prince earlier that day. With the arrival of the banner it suddenly clicked where Gaius had seen him before – Balinor.
The boy had slightly resembled Balinor from the last time he saw him though it was his eyes. Those were Hunith's eyes. That boy was the son of Balinor and Hunith; that had been Emrys. That made how easy he seemed to use his magic make more sense. For a while he had heard and listened to the silly and outrageous rumors about Emrys that Gaius knew had to be fabrications but even he was thrown by what he had pictured in his mind when it came to Emrys against what was the reality. The boy seemed to look so ordinary that it was understandable why no one would think he was Emrys. Gaius decided to be silent on the matter and besides, who would believe him if he said otherwise? He did have to wonder what Emrys had planned next for Camelot after his disruption of the feast.
Camelot's failed celebration was not taken too well by its king. Uther's chance to show a confident and strong front behind his Purge of Magic had not only been ruined but had been turned into a humiliating spectacle. The Dragon Royals had slighted him and had come and gone without a trace to follow. Because of this madness, Uther had to cancel the tournament that Camelot was going to host in a week as a means of trying to contain how far the stories of the feast spread. The last thing he needed was his enemies to gain more clout against him. It didn't work completely as while news of what occurred didn't spread far and wide, it did spread in whispers discussed among the common folk. Uther didn't set the gossip among commoners to carry much weight to be a sufficient hindrance though.
Arthur had been a little disappointed that he couldn't fight in the tournament but his disappointment was diluted by the image of that cloaked figure he had glimpsed the day of the ruined feast. He didn't need to wonder who that was. It was him, Emrys. He knew it. He was like a ghost. One moment he was there as clear as day and after he blinked the man was gone. His father had him conduct a full search of the city and later the villages for any sign of the sorcerer that was no doubt in league with the old crone that had masqueraded as Lady Helen and who had disrupted their feast. Yet, there was no sign to be seen.
There was a council meeting held in the throne room to discuss it. Uther was looking in distaste at the banner of the Dragon King before him. Arthur had only heard stories of this image but had never seen it up close. It was a golden dragon with its wings outward and facing to the right in back of a star shape pattern that Gaius had identified as the Aquarian Star which according to him and Geoffrey of Monmouth was a symbol of great magic. Uther had tried having the banner burned and shredded but it was there with not a blemish on it. It seemed indestructible.
"Disgraceful," Uther growled. "Turning one of Camelot's proud banners into this…monstrosity!"
"No doubt the work of the Dragon Royals. Most likely the Dragon Prince Emrys," said Arthur.
Uther held his finger out to his son. "Just Emrys Arthur. He and his father Balinor are the farthest thing from a king or prince and I will not stand for them to be referred to those titles as if they were anything other than savages."
Arthur shrunk back a bit. "Of course father."
Uther then stomped over to sit at his throne. "There has been no luck in the searches."
"None father. No trails or sightings from anyone. They are in the wind."
"Sire," Gaius said speaking out. "It is possible that we wouldn't be able to find one. With power such as the ones he wields, Emrys no doubt used it to transport himself and any conspirators far from our reach. Most likely in an area in the other kingdoms where magic is still legal."
Uther stroked his chin a bit as he let those words sink in. "Yes, perhaps you're right. Cowards such as him would no doubt do whatever they can to evade us. They flaunt their evil in our lands and retreat to toast to our despair in the lands of our enemies."
"Then what should we do sire?" asked one of Uther's knights.
"For now…we must have the kingdom resume its daily courses. I will not allow Balinor or Emrys to disrupt the sanctity of Camelot any more than is called for. But I want vigilance to be exorcised stronger than ever. It's high time that we see to bringing those two in to face justice once and for all."
Over in the land of Essetir, within a moderately sized villa, the meeting was being watched by a beautiful but hard woman. She was observing Uther through her scrying bowl and was smirking at the look of frustration plain on the king's face.
"Mistress Nimueh?"
Nimueh looked up to see her prized student across the room. "Morgause, you have come."
Morgause had been Nimueh's student and protégé for a good five years now. Morgause would alternate between her training with Nimueh here in her private villa to her responsibilities of maintaining Cornwall. Nimueh considered Morgause and her noble connections and position to be of an invaluable asset that she would undoubtedly need in the future. Not to mention her and Arthur's secret bastard son that would become just as invaluable some day himself. Despite the feelings of bitterness and spite she held towards Vivienne, her eldest daughter was proving to be a worthy priestess to apprentice under her.
"Of course mistress," she said bowing her head respectfully.
"Please, come in," she said gesturing to a spot in front of her.
Morgause slowly stepped inside Nimueh's magical study. "You seem to be in a fine mood today," she observed.
"Well, it would seem that the Dragon Prince's little show that you sent about was true after all."
Morgause nodded. She had settled in Cornwall and her parents Gorlois and Vivienne had given her great loyalty of the people there. Morgause actually relied on select commoners to tell her news that wouldn't usually get put in official reports. Emrys' actions during Uther's festival feast for the Great Purge being one of them.
"Have you seen if my sister was harmed during his show at Camelot?"
Nimueh shook her head. "Have no fear child, your sister Morgana is fine. The worst thing that seemed to happen to her was a start when her plate of food flew up and dunked its contents on Uther's head along with Arthur's and his own. I saw her discuss and laugh with her maidservant on it. A little too playful and innocent for my liking but it has a result that I am content with. Uther is both humiliated and been made helpless in the wake of Emrys' power."
"Arthur?" she asked. "Did you see if anything happened to him?"
"Nothing too severe I imagine. He seemed no worse for wear."
Morgause nodded. After five years she still thought somewhat fondly of Arthur even if his father now held her complete disgust for what he had done to her kin.
"Then would it not be wise to take advantage of the situation and strike further against Uther when his pride and strength have been wounded?"
Nimueh held up a hand to calm the young sorceress down. "Yes…but not quite yet. It is unclear of how Emrys means to proceed from here. His father may lack the ambition to fully combat Uther but Emrys has shown to be more daring than his father by actually infiltrating Camelot and disgracing Uther within his reach."
"So, you are suggesting we wait and observe where Emrys takes his actions from here?"
Nimueh nodded. "That would be the best course." She then waved her hand and chanted for a new image to appear in the bowl.
Morgause looked in the bowl to see an image of Emrys in his cloak as he presented himself to the outside world.
"Emrys is a powerful sorcerer," Nimueh continued. "He could be a powerful ally or a deadly adversary. If Emrys is working his own plan then the last thing we should do is get in the way of it and earn his ill will. Those stories that your people back in Cornwall told you of Emrys and his acolytes combatting other sorcerers. I'm unsure of his motives and the last thing we need is to get the wrong kind of attention from him this early. We'll give him two months to see where he is moving on from here."
"And if he is like his father and has the same lack of ambition?"
"Then we will step in and eliminate Uther ourselves." She went to a shelf and pulled out a book. "And I have the perfect method to keep in reserve if and when we would do so."
Nimueh showed Morgause an illustration of a fanged and clawed beast emerging from a pool of water.
Merlin was in his parent's room with his parents, sister and brother enjoying a nice family dinner. Liana was wearing the necklace that he and Will brought for her. She hugged them both when she got it and told them that she loved it; Will had been ecstatic to hear that. Merlin was happy to be with his family as they enjoyed dinner by themselves though he did wonder what made his parents insist on it.
"So," Balinor said about a minute into their meals. "Your mother and I heard an interesting whisper yesterday."
"A whisper?" asked Merlin's brother Nowe. "About what?"
It was Hunith who answered her son. "We heard it from one of our merchants that left to do some secret trading in the legal lands who heard it from some customers. Apparently, Uther Pendragon announced a festival to try and celebrate the twenty year mark of his Great Purge but it didn't have the result he must've been expecting." Merlin almost choked on his food at that part but Hunith continued. "Apparently there was a dead sorceress all of a sudden in the middle of the throne room and their food seemed to turn into live animals and Frith's crest was found to have fallen at Uther's feet from one of his own banners."
Nowe burst out laughing. "That's amazing."
Balinor smiled a bit. "Amazing is right. But puzzling," when Hunith gave her husband a stern look. "Merlin…how do you think that all happened? I'd like your opinion son."
"Who really knows about these things," he said trying to shrug it off.
"Merlin," Hunith said stretching his name.
"Okay, you caught me."
"Obviously," Balinor growled. "Merlin, why did you lie to your mother and I? You said that you were going to the eastern Druid camp, not to Camelot."
Merlin was silent as he let the bit from his father's tone subside. Liana and Nowe were silently looking back from their parents to their brother in anticipation.
"Your father just asked you a question Merlin," Hunith said as she joined in on the scolding of their son.
Merlin crumpled under both his parents' tones. "Okay, I admit it. I lied. I felt that I had to go to Camelot but I didn't think you would understand and let me go."
Balinor stood from the table. "Merlin, could you come with me please?"
It was not a request. Merlin nodded. The two of them went into the nest room that was vacant of anyone.
"Father, I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"Really?" he said putting his hands on his hips. "Are you sorry that you lied to your mother and me or that you were caught in your lie?" Merlin looked down in shame but Balinor put his hand down on his shoulder. "Merlin, I can't speak for your mother but I'm not angry with you. Not really. It's more that I'm disappointed that you felt that you had to lie to me."
"I didn't believe you would agree if you truly knew what I felt I had to do. Uther had called a festival for the twenty year mark of the Great Purge. They were celebrating to the death and suffering of hundreds. To the destruction of magic itself. Celebrations shouldn't be called to feast and toast to things like that. Uther and his kingdom couldn't be allowed to think that it was okay to act so disgraceful and believe that there would be no cost to it. I had to make sure that they knew that Frith would not stand for this outrage! That butcher believes death and cruelty shows true might and I wanted to show that Frith has greater might without having to resort death spectacles preceding a festival and feast to make our point clear."
Balinor listened silently to his son and then nodded when he was finished. "You might be surprised Merlin when I say that I agree with you."
"You do?"
"Yes, maybe at first I might've been against it. However, listening to your defense helped to convince me. This festival that Uther called for is disgraceful and he and his people should know that we would not stand for it. That no one should stand for that. Had you spoken like this before then you could've gone to Camelot with my blessing. Your mother could've still argued but I would've helped you and spoken to her so she would've given her blessing as well."
Merlin started to smile a little. "Really?"
"However," Balinor said holding up a finger to point to the ceiling. "That still doesn't excuse your lie son. Merlin, one day you will be the Dragon King when my times comes. Before then, you have to learn to stand by your decisions. You can't go behind everyone's backs to do things like this on behalf of the kingdom even if you were right. You have to stand by and defend your decisions when they are right and take responsibility when they're wrong. This sneaking around is a coward's tactic to use so you could take credit when it works out or hide away when it doesn't. I expect better from you in the future if I'm to trust Frith to you. Is that clear?"
Merlin nodded as he took in his father's words.
"I'm sorry. For not telling you."
Balinor cracked a small smile. "Now I believe that. Alright, let's head back and finish up dinner."
Balinor took his son by the shoulder and they moved back to re-join the rest of the family.
It had been a month since the failed festival of the Great Purge and Merlin felt that his point got through to Uther all right. Camelot didn't seem to be in a very celebratory mood anymore. Merlin was out in the woods of the Valley of Fallen Kings in his normal peasant clothes to find rare herbs for Frith's chief physician that couldn't be found within their land's boundaries. Balinor and Hunith had punished Merlin for his lying by making him have to go out and gather any herbs or remedial ingredients that she would need for a month. This was his last day of the punishment and he was not sorry to say goodbye to being a hunter gatherer. He was covered in dirt and his clothes were damp with sweat. He looked into the basket and went through the list to see that he was still missing one thing: Swamp algae.
"Oh, my favorite," he mumbled as he put the list away.
He had navigated these woods so many times that he knew them almost as much as the grounds of his land. He knew where most of the landmarks were and where most of the rogue groups of hermits and bandits were too. Not too many now as there were ten years ago. With he and his father traveling around here and punishing anyone around who did or tried to do harm many fled to find safer grounds to work their business but the reputation stayed. The Valley of Fallen Kings was still talked as a den of bandits and cutthroats that Balinor was happy to encourage to strengthen the protection of Frith.
Merlin found the pond where he would find the algae he needed. He took care in where he stepped so he could avoid falling in the water. He wasn't looking forward to be soaking wet on top of being sweaty, dirty and tired. He was relieved when he found a bed of algae and he hadn't lost his balance. He bent down to dig some up and placed it into the basket. When he thought he had enough, he started to step back for the bank.
When Merlin was only two steps away from dry land, he heard a loud screech. Merlin froze in his tracks and looked through the trees to see what caused that. There was no way that a sound like that came from a human source. It was some kind of animal or beast. Merlin tossed the basket for shore while he kept an alert anything that might try and jump up at him. There was a new sound, like rapid thumping, and it was getting closer. Merlin then heard rustling through the trees and he turned his head just in time to see a man running at him.
"Duck!" he yelled before he tackled Merlin and brought him in the water.
As they fell in, Merlin saw the shadow of something big swoop down from up above them. It lightly grazed the water before it rose up again. Merlin rose from the water and wiped his eyes clean in time to see the shape of a winged creature flapping its wings and rising back into the air from the swoop it seemed to make from behind Merlin. He saw that it had an eagle's head but its body looked like a lion. He recognized it. It was a griffin! And it was flying off into the distance having been denied easy prey.
Merlin looked back at the man that had apparently helped save him from getting terribly hurt from that griffin's claws. He was trying to get back on his feet as he coughed out the water he took in.
"Are you okay?" Merlin asked as he moved to help him stand. Merlin got a better look at him and saw that he seemed to be a few years older than himself though was still young. He had a strong build and fierce look about him but there was something gentle in his eyes in contrast.
The mystery man waved off Merlin's concern. "I'm fine. It's you that should have all the concern. You were almost taken by that thing."
"Don't worry, I'm alright. It was lucky you came by. I wouldn't have noticed where it was coming from in time."
"I saw that thing in the sky through the trees and saw it swoop down and looked to see you in the water and you were in its direction. The thick trees must've hid it from you seeing it in time."
"Well thank you then," he said shaking the man's hand. "I think I owe you my life."
His hero shrugged. "It's alright. I just did what any other man would do."
"Not as many men as you would think." He wouldn't think a lot of people would jump to save a random stranger from a griffin swooping down at them. He offered his hand. "I'm Merlin."
The man reached out to return Merlin's handshake with a small smile.
"I'm Lancelot."
End of Chapter 4
A/N: Well, how about them apples. It seems that Lancelot is just fated to meet Merlin by saving him from that griffin no matter what universe you're in. I'm sorry this one took a while to get through. I had a great deal of overtime work this past week and was concentrating a lot of my writing time with my other story.
