-1A/N: I know this is taking me forever, but, between packing, my sisters, and the way I've been feeling overall, it's taking me a bit longer….
Disclaimer: Criminal minds isn't mine
9. Waiting
All of the town's scholars, teachers and philosophers were gathered under strict orders. Tell none but their lady wives, bring little, carry a dagger. They were escorted to the ballroom, where the chambermaids had lain soft quits for them to lay upon. Though none would be sleeping. They were too full of fear of being next, of being what may plunge the world to darkness. They were silent, shaking in their solitude.
The BAU had decided to assist the King's men in protecting the targets. For the first hours of the night, Hotch, Reid, and Emily would patrol the halls, keeping eye and ear open. In the early morning hours they would retire to sleep, and Gideon, Morgan, Garcia and JJ would take over. If they were lucky, no one would get by, and all of these men would remain safe.
.-.-.-.-
Gideon was resting while he waited for the next shift to start. Though, rest wasn't easily accomplished. The pressure of everything going on around them kept his mind busy, weighing down on him. This strange place, this case. Waiting around until he could get up and stretch his legs.
A thought flickered across his mind, something important. But something was blinding him from seeing it. Like a tingling weight, barricading this important piece of knowledge. He had never had a spell on him, but Jason Gideon was sure this was what it felt like.
He growled angrily, knowing that whatever he was being kept from thinking was too important to be restricted from.
"Morgan," He called, wandering if he was awake.
"Yeah," Came a stressed reply.
"Something's wrong.' Gideon said, trying to phrase it in his mind.
"I know," Morgan said, sitting up and facing him. "Something is blocking my thoughts." He shook his head. "Doesn't seem right, but, what about any of this does?"
"Its like the answer is right in front of us." Gideon clenched his fist.
"And someone doesn't want us knowing what it is." Morgan finished.
.-.-.-.-
"The wizard will find him!" Avolrn paced in the kings chamber, worried. He had been in the ballroom, watching the men they protected pointlessly. The wizard knew of Reid, they wizard would be after him.
But they too had found themselves unable to act. They had tried to say something to the strangers the gods had sent, to warn them, but their words were empty and dead. They were as be spelled as the strangers.
"I know." The king growled, trying to think.
"He will destroy us all." Avolrn faced the king, needing an answer. "Maybe this is a test from our god. Maybe we are supposed to sacrifice him, to preserve the peace."
"They were sent to help us." The king replied.
"That would help us." Mercede spoke. "To use the boy before Eclise can-"
"Do you truly believe that Eclise would do this?" The king asked. Yes, he had been hurt by Eclise in the past, and he hated him, but something seemed wrong.
"He is the most powerful after I am gone." Mercede replied, avoiding the question. "An he has reason to despise us."
The king closed his eyes, tormented by the choice he would have to make. Whatever enchantment had been lain over them, it kept all from speaking of what they all knew would happen. The boy was the key, and it seemed that, if they didn't use him, their enemy would.
.-.-.-.-
They walked around the ballroom, making sure soldiers remained at each door, and that no one else was in the corridors. They walked alone, armed only with a dagger, and their guns. They did not speak to each other as they passed, trying to focus only on what they needed to do.
Hotch was making his fourth round when he and Reid started walking toward each other. There was something pulling at him, a need to be near Reid, to hold him and keep him close. He did not simply pass by his lover this time, instead he turned around, and pulled Spencer into his arms, holding him tightly.
"Hotch…?"
"Something's not right," Hotch said quietly, more to himself. "I don't know what it is."
Reid shifted in Hotch's grip, wrapping his arms around Aaron. 'I've felt it." he confessed. "But we cant just stop,"
"Shh," Hotch whispered, his body cold with unexplainable fear. "I love you," he whispered.
Reid closed his eyes, breathing heavily. "I love you too."
Footsteps. They could hear them getting closer, and hesitantly, pulled apart. Hotch looked at Reid, fragile, beautiful thing that he was, and wanted nothing more then to protect him. But why? He couldn't think, his head was fuzzy. Their shift was almost over, everything would be fine. "Be careful," He whispered, and slowly, walked away.
.-.-.-.-
Reid stood where he was, feeling cold from Aaron's absence. He was confused, an odd feeling. He usually understood things, could grip them. His mind had never hidden the things he needed to know away from him, not like this. Eclise had said they were bewitched, maybe…
He needed to find Hotch, to find everyone. If they were under some kind of spell, it could be preventing them from knowing what could end this case. Something a wizard had gone to great lengths to block from their thoughts, something they would normally have figured out by now.
"Ah," The king sighed, seeing Reid alone and confused. "It's only you."
Reid looked at the king, his words forming before he could speak them. "I need to talk to you." He said, walking toward the king. "something is wrong, with all of us. Like, a charm or something, blocking our thoughts."
The King stared at him, he was vast in understanding, and knowledge. "We felt the presence of magic," The king said quietly, his thoughts far from the conversation.
"Sir?? Reid stared at him, he was distant.
"Oh yes," The king said, staring at Reid. "I'm afraid, I agree with Mercede."
"About what-"
"After all, we cant have evil rule over everything. And, out god would help us, especially in such a time of need…" He stared at Reid, his eyes hard. "You need to come with me." He grabbed Reid's arm tightly, pulling him down the corridor. "Sir, wait-" Reid tried to pull his arm back, to get the king to slow down and talk. "You're hurting me."
"Don't you see?" The king turned around, panic in his eyes. "it's the only way.
Reid could see bruises forming under the King's fingers, his grip too tight. "We need you, to move you-"
"Hey!" A voice sounded from down the hall.
.-.-.-.-
Eclise could no longer wait for them to respond, striding through the forests while the moon hid behind clouds. The eclipse would come soon, to soon for none of this to be under control. He levitated from the ground, controlling the area around him, and disappeared.
.-.-.-.-
"Hey!" Emily called, hearing Reid and the king's low voices. When she had seen the way he was grabbing Reid's arm, she reached for her gun. Something wasn't right. "Let go of him." She said, fingers on the cool metal.
"The king pulled away from Reid, confused. "I-I'm sorry." he apologized. 'I don't know what came over me. " He nodded at Emily, then walked away, muttering nonsensically.
Emily looked at the small bruises on Reid's arm, then to his puzzled eyes. "What was that about?"
"I don't know," Reid said, turning to her. "I think we're under some kind of spell though."
She held back a laugh. It still seemed ridiculous that they were in this place, let alone under a spell. "What do you mean?"
"It's like a fuzziness in our heads," He started, frowning at her giggle. "What?"
"Your hair is fuzzy." She said quietly.
He had to smile, though, it was beside the point. "Haven't you noticed it?"
"I have." She confessed. "How are we supposed to solve a case if a wizard is hiding all of the answers?"
"I don't know…" Reid whispered as the bells began to ring.
