RED ALERT OF WHUMP.
Captain Ozone: Oh, I didn't even know I had it disabled! :p silly me. And thanks again! :D * another big hug* yeah, Hilda is kind of a super MAJOR part of this story, and I'm really excited about it! Writing the Freya part was hard, though, since we don't really know what happened :)
Shewolf 24: I'm glad you are enjoying it so much :D hope that you continue to like it :)
FireChildSlytherin5: Wow, I feel really happy that you like it! And I know, right? What's a good story without some Merlin whump? :p enjoy it :D
Crumble And Sway.
Arthur had been battling Pelinor's forces for a while now but he still didn't understand what the King was trying to accomplish. All his strategies made no sense, they left territory unprotected and it was as if he even wasn't attacking.
Sighing, he left his horse tied to a tree and went to a little stream of water, washing his face with content. After the battle, Arthur had been searching nearby for any sign of Guinevere or just something to tell him that she was alright. He suspected they would demand a ransom eventually.
But the trees were free from ransoming notes or signs of a struggle. There was nothing, and Arthur didn't know how to continue…if he only had Merlin here….
He felt his throat close painfully. Lancelot better keep his promise and bring him back rapidly. was everything that his mind could coherently think. He took Excalibur out of the ground beside him and prepared to go back to camp but something on the other side of the stream made him stop.
It was a trail. A trail of footsteps that he was sure wasn't there before.
"King Arthur?"
Arthur looked up and immediately wielded Excalibur before him when he realized it was one of Pelinor's knights. The young man seemed really scared as he raised his trembling hands up in submission.
"I've come in peace with a message from my King!" he said, stammering slightly.
Arthur sighed and put down his sword. "Alright, what is it?"
"My King says that he wants to discuss an arrangement with you. An arrangement that would end the war."
The young knight noticed King Arthur's eyes grew hopeful as Pelinor supposed they would. He had such a bland heart, always looking to save lives.
"Go on." he said urgently to the boy.
"He says-" the young serving boy gulped "-that you must meet him in the castle just across that river, you see? He's already prepared the terms of the agreement"
Arthur nodded and climbed to his horse, gesturing for the boy to go. He spurned the horse towards the abandoned castle with a large whistle.
.
The castle was dark, and it looked empty but Arthur just shrugged it off. The thought of ending a war that was obviously provoking many casualties on both sides urged him to keep going. He entered the throne room, which was as empty as a desert during a dust storm. His gaze wondered around. There was a dust covered throne, empty sits all around a large rectangular table. He smiled, thinking of the nontraditional and yet so very perfect Round Table back home.
The place seemed to be abandoned. No one had even walked in.
Growing suspicious, The King directed his gaze further, finding out that there was a note lying on the floor in front of him.
…What?
Carefully, he began circling the area, eyes narrowed for any out-of-line activity. He reached the note and his hands started shaking when he read it.
To take down a King
A price must be paid
The forts of his soul
Must crumble and sway
You, Once and Future King
Must take down the path
That is illuminated before you
Before it's too late.
Arthur sucked a breath. What kind of disgusting joke was this? What kind of bad poetry….
His eyes danced again over the words two pillars...
Oh.
Merlin. Guinevere.
His two supportive, must trusted and loved friends.
Oh.
Oh, no.
He looked forwards and saw a long corridor, illuminated by torchlight, which flickered left.
Crushing the note in his gloved hand King Arthur went ahead, never once looking back.
Behind him, a wall of stone fell down with a hollow sound.
...
Iseldir was riding through the snow in a black stallion. The horse's black legs contrasted against the white snow with elegance as it trotted gracefully towards the borders of Camelot.
Iseldir spurred the horse so it would go faster when he spotted what he thought he would see. Two more black horses, tied up on the stables. One boring the crest of the dark days in Camelot, the red Rowan Tree over a black background.
Iseldir sighed softly. He guided his horse towards the others and jumped off, eventually sliding through Cenred's castle walls without being detected. He drew forth his hood and continued, looking around wearily with his pale eyes. There was no sign that anyone had seen him, so, with renewed hope, the druid continued his silent walk towards the throne room.
Once there, he peered carefully through one of the doors. Pelinor seemed to be a greatly fond of animal skin. There was animal skin everywhere, and the mere presence of it seemed to drown the chambers with the stench death and sorrow.
That's when he saw a silent figure, pacing restlessly through the dark room. Hollow cheeks beneath empty green eyes, tousled black hair.
Iseldir nodded to himself. This was the reason why Emrys was so jumpy then. The witch had founded herself a new ally, and a powerful king at that. The only question was… Why did Pelinor hated magic, then?
Maybe he didn't. Maybe it was all a way to make Arthur Pendragon oblivious over his reasons for hating Camelot. But Emrys had obviously seen something was wrong and had followed the witch…
For two days he was missing…doing exactly the same thing Iseldir was doing right now.
...
Merlin sucked a deep breath when Pelinor finally regained consciousness. The man looked around, trying to understand what had happened. The bounds that tied Gwen and Lancelot where on the floor and the guards were starting to wake up, still groggy from Lancelot's fists.
"You…" Pelinor whispered, advancing towards Merlin with a raised hand. "You…."
"Yes, Pelinor, me. Did your little plan failed? Believe me, there is no way I would let you hurt Gwen. So it's only you and me now, huh?"
Merlin was talking with as much confidence as he could muster but his lungs ached so much that he was actually bluffing. Pelinor seemed to notice that also. He advanced towards Merlin and gave a firm twist to the handcuffs with his meaty hands.
Merlin felt as if his skin was being torn open and he screamed, immediately breaking into coughing after.
"Not so thought after all, are we Emrys? Why didn't you free yourself?" Pelinor hissed, looking into Merlin's eyes firmly. He gave other tug to the manacles and Merlin moaned in pain, falling to his knees. "You know what? I was actually planning on letting you live. Pity. Guess your little King will need prove now, won't he? Here's what I'm going to do. I will kill you, and then, I will watch the King crumble down before my eyes. That's enough for Camelot's downfall, isn't it?"
Merlin had had enough. Not only was Pelinor a disgraceful human being, he was full of hate and loathing. And worse of all, Merlin knew that if he was killed Arthur would go out of his mind. He couldn't let that happen.
Before he could look into Pelinor's eyes and cast an enchantment the man gave another tug to the handcuffs and crashed Merlin's head to the wall he was being chained on.
Merlin slid down to the floor with a whimper.
...
Iseldir decided he had everything he needed. The witch was allied with the King and that explained a lot of things, although not all of it.
Why would Emrys not tell King Arthur? It didn't make any sense. And the most pressing question of them all, what were the witch and Pelinor planning on doing?
The druid pulled the hood further down and prepared to go back, but as he did so - be it luck or destiny- the witch raised her head, as if sensing another presence in the room.
Green, empty eyes locked with deep clear blue ones.
Before Iseldir could do anything the witch had him. She conjured magical chains that tightened around him like a deathly snake.
"Well, well well…." She said slowly. "what do we have here? A druid? What a pleasant surprise. I'm sure King Arthur would like this, wouldn't he? He's now fond of druids too."
Iseldir looked into her eyes and said, "Morgana."
Morgana smiled. "I'm sure you were spying for him, weren't you? It doesn't matter. You'll be able to tell him everything when you see him again, in a few weeks' time. I'm giving my dear brother a pleasant surprise."
...
"Emrys!"
Merlin blinked his eyes open and immediately moaned. Too bright, the light was too bright. Someone was calling his name…
"Emrys!"
He managed to focus and saw Hilda's face a few centimeters from his. Her scarred face was filled with concern.
"Hilda?" he managed.
The witch smiled a toothy grin.
"For a moment there, I thought he had managed to kill you with that blow in the head" she said.
Merlin blinked once more. His eyes were adjusting to his surroundings…he was still on the floor, barely able to move and Hilda was hovering over him, watching him carefully.
"What happened?"
"Pelinor went out in a rush, not after making me promise I would watch over you. It seems that your King has finally reached the trap."
Merlin's heart quickened with the familiar sensation of dread he had every time the prat was in trouble. A sensation he should be accustomed by now, but until that day, adrenaline and fear rushed through his blood stream and he wasn't able to stop it.
"Arthur." he croaked and the name lightened inside his soul.
Hilda nodded. "Before he went out, he took a strand of your hair. I have no doubt he wants to show it to your King since the Queen is no longer in his power"
Merlin breathed out. This wasn't good. And the headache he was having wasn't helping with the matter either.
"Why did you wake me?" He asked tiredly.
Hilda twisted her hands guiltily. She looked uncomfortable and kept glancing around but at last she said "Because you've shown me, Emrys, to have faith in your destiny. I- I stopped believing in the prophecies long ago and even more so when- when my son was killed. But you, Emrys, have shown me mercy despite everything I've done. I do believe that you can change the future of this land…and if it is in my hands to help you, I'll do so honorably."
Merlin smiled, a smile so true and warm that Hilda felt her heart beat faster in spite of herself. She blushed and looked down, placing her hands over Merlin's manacles and saying softly,
"Abricaþ benda"
