Chapter Ten
Camelot is safe, Sigan's soul is back in its crystal, I may have to pay for that one day, but I had to make the deal with the dragon, without it I could not have defeated Sigan. One day I will free the dragon, but not any time soon.
Arthur is still an idiot, but he did come really close to apologizing for throwing me over for Cedric so easily. I should have made him say the actual words but I think it might have given him a stroke or something he looked kind of pale until he turned back into arrogant Arthur again and dumped his armor in the meal Gaius made me as a thank you for saving Camelot again.
Arthur winced.
In spite of Arthur's near contriteness he still has no idea that I broke out of the dungeons, and defeated Sigan. The things Sigan said were true it is hard to standby and be abused as an idiot knowing that I have this power; I feel it growing stronger, every time I practice it gets easier to focus. I felt his power and his rage when he possessed me, and I understood how easy it would be to cross that line. It's a temptation I have to live with, and I have a full book of reasons why I shouldn't cross, why I shouldn't use my magic to help myself, to make my life better. It wouldn't be real. You can't change the things that really matter by magic, and I think that's why the sorcerers that have gone bad are so angry. They want to use magic to cut corners and make everything better. But nothing, not even magic, can make everything better.
"Let me go with you," said Lancelot his face a mask of concern. Arthur shook his head.
"I'll enter the druid encampment alone. I do not want to scare them," he said.
"You're the Crown prince of Camelot," said Gwaine with an ironic grin, "your presence alone would frighten them."
"What do you suggest I do?" asked Arthur.
"Let me go alone," said Gwaine, "I've dealt with the druids before, I know what to do and I won't make them worried that their village is about to be attacked either."
"Our insignias and weapons may startle them," said Lancelot.
Gwaine looked around suddenly and shook his head, "No need," he said and before Arthur could ask what he meant four druid elders walked out of the trees.
"Greetings, Arthur Pendragon," said a tall man with wavy brown hair, and short beard, "I am Fas, leader to these that dwell here."
"How do you know me?" asked Arthur.
"Your coming is foretold," said Fas, "we have long awaited our visit from the once and future king."
"I don't understand," said Arthur, "I've come looking for a friend of mine. His name is Merlin."
"I know why you have come Sire," said Fas, "Please follow me." He turned with the other druids back into the forest.
Gwaine shrugged and followed.
The Druids led the knights through the trees to a small encampment about an hour's walk from where they'd stopped. After a while they walked out of the trees into a clearing in front of a large cave. Around the cave were carved reliefs of two men, one wore a crown and the carried a mighty sword, and the other had long hair and a beard, and held a staff; his eyes seemed to sparkle in the rock face.
"What is this?" asked Arthur.
"This is our temple to Emrys," said Fas, "it is said he will come here to free us from tyranny and return magic to the lands."
"Who is Emrys?" asked Arthur.
"He is the most powerful sorcerer to walk the lands, both before and in the future," said Fas.
"What does this have to do with finding our friend?" asked Lancelot.
"Please," said Fas, "you will find what you seek within." He gestured to the entrance. All three knights went forward, but Fas held up his hand. "This is only for the once and future king."
"What's in there?" asked Gwaine.
"The present, the past, and one possible future," said Fas.
"Possible future?" asked Arthur.
"There are many ways for destiny to unravel, many paths that are created and destroyed," said Fas.
"Will it show me where Merlin is?" asked Arthur.
"If you are truly worthy to walk by his side, you will find the path that leads to his," said Fas.
"You can't seriously be considering going in there," said Gwaine.
"It's a bad idea, sire," said Lancelot, "it could be a trap."
"You can hold a blade to me," said Fas, "and run me through if anything happens to your king." Gwaine started to unsheathe his sword, but Arthur stopped him.
"No, that's okay, I'll be fine," he said.
"If something eats you in there, don't expect tears from me," said Gwaine releasing his sword.
"What do I do?" Arthur asked Fas.
"Walk forward and the path will be revealed to you," said Fas.
Arthur hitched his bag over his shoulder and walked into the darkness of the cave entrance.
He walked for a minute or so into the dimness of the cave, until he heard a huge grinding noise, behind him. He ran back to the entrance but a large slab had slid over the cave mouth, he was trapped.
It took a few minutes of searching around the sealed cave entrance before, Arthur realized that he should have been in total darkness, but he wasn't.
A blue orb hung in mid air illuminating the cave. He was drawn to it; it looked so much like the one he'd seen in cave beneath the mortius tree. Before he was even aware of what he was doing, he'd reached out and touched the shimmering surface of the orb. It flickered and rippled at his touch, and he snatched his hand away, it was cold so cold to the point of burning.
"Why are you always touching things?"
Arthur spun around and there was Merlin, stood with his arms crossed shaking his head.
"Merlin!" Arthur cried, "Thank god! I've been looking all over for you!" He reached out to grasped Merlin's shoulder but his hand passed right through.
"I'm not Merlin," said Merlin.
"What the hell is this?" Arthur cried.
"I am the image of what you are searching for," said Merlin, "why do you search for such a thing?"
"Merlin's not a thing, he's my friend," said Arthur. The image of Merlin rippled in the glow from the orb.
"What is it that you truly seek Arthur Pendragon?" asked Merlin.
"I need to get out of here," said Arthur, "I need to find my friend."
"Why?" Merlin asked.
"Because he may be in danger," said Arthur.
"Very interesting," said the image of Merlin smirking.
"What?" Arthur asked through gritted teeth.
"You are telling the truth, but an incomplete one," Merlin tilted his head to one side, "what do you seek?" he asked.
"What do you care? You're just some magic trick for pilgrims," cried Arthur banging on the blocked doorway again, "I need to leave, I need to find my friend."
"You cannot leave until you find what you are seeking," said Merlin.
"I can't find Merlin trapped in this cave!"
"You haven't even looked," said Merlin. Arthur turned back from the doorway, and looked at the image of Merlin.
"Is Merlin here?" he asked.
"What you truly seek can be found here," said Merlin, "when you leave you will know where to go."
"You can tell me where Merlin is?" asked Arthur.
"I can show the path to what you truly seek, if this is what you want," said Merlin image serenely. The projection talked in riddles and didn't sound like Merlin at all, but speaking with his face, those words were starting to piss Arthur off.
"Tell me how I can get out of here," said Arthur making an effort not to yell.
"Walk the path set by whom you seek, and you will find the way you need to go," said Merlin's image before winking out.
The light from the orb flickered around the cave, blue and eerie like he was underwater. Arthur didn't like it, it made him feel cold, but all things considered it was better than the dark. The cave didn't offer much in the way of entertainment, just a round room of rough rock walls, no other entrances or exits, a ceiling a few feet over Arthur's head; Just your average cave, with a magical orb in the middle. Arthur had tried touching the orb again to bring back the image of Merlin, but nothing happened.
After yet another thorough examination of the room, and the sealed door, Arthur practically threw himself on the ground in frustration. He pulled open his bag; inside he had some food, a little water, some money, and Merlin's book. He sighed.
"Screw this meditate and have a vision crap, I'm going to read about what happened to Merlin," he said to the empty room and opened the diary.
Arthur is the ego to end all egos. I may have mentioned this before, a time or two. I think I may have seen a crack in the façade, or a least a shift in his focus. He started this masquerade to prove he was the best, even without royal privilege, but he ended it trying to prove to Gwen he wasn't as much of a royal ass as he likes people to think he is. I think he might have grown up a notch. Gwen certainly notices his newfound maturity. I think she'll be good for him, bring him down to earth. Gwen deserves a chance to be happy; goodness knows she's earned the right.
If Arthur makes her happy I'll help them as much as I can, but I won't let him use her like he did Marie. I don't think Arthur knows I know about Marie, or maybe he does because there weren't any others at least that I've seen. Marie was brought in as extra serving staff for a party in the palace. I'd only been working for the prince a couple of months, so I wasn't there I was still doing laundry at half-past darkness. I took the clean clothes up to Arthur's chambers thinking to leave the basket and put them away in the morning. When I walked in a candle was still burning by Arthur's bed, I thought he'd left it burning by accident and fallen asleep before he put it out. I was right, and wrong. Arthur was fast a sleep snoring like a warthog, but Marie was awake, half dressed in her slip and her underskirts, she was just sat there clutching this little cloth sack and crying. She wasn't making any sound, too good of a servant for that, she just sat there letting the tears roll down her face and splash on her arms and hands clutching so tightly to that bag. I must have a made a noise, or taken a breath because she looked up suddenly afraid, when she saw me she had this look of terror in her eyes, it makes me sad even now to think of it. I rushed to her shushing so she wouldn't wake Arthur, even though at that point it would have taken alarm bells to rouse him. I grabbed her dress and shoes from the floor and helped her into the other room.
"Come on," Arthur looked up from reading and saw Merlin stood in the middle of the cave holding a dress and some leather shoes. He stood looking off to one side and suddenly another projection appeared. It was a young girl, perhaps twenty, possibly younger, she had long curly blonde hair sticking up a in a mess around her head, her eyes were red and puffy and she wore a loose underdress that was falling off her shoulders.
"I'm sorry," she sniffed, "I should go."
"Let me help you," said Merlin holding out the dress. The girl let loose another sob but covered her mouth quickly.
"I'm sorry," she said again looking on the verge of crying again.
"I just want to help you," said Merlin, "here," he put the dress down on a chair and helped the girl sit down as well. He untied the bandana from around his neck and handed it to her; she wiped her eyes and face.
"Thank you," she said and handed the bandana back, "Who are you?"
"I'm Merlin, I'm his royal pratness's servant," Merlin grinned at her, but it wasn't a happy look.
"I'm Marie, and apparently I'm the prince's whore," she took in a deep breath when she said that as if willing herself not to cry again.
"No," said Merlin, "I'm sure it wasn't like that."
"I didn't think so, I mean I'm not stupid, I know girls like me don't become queen. But I figured maybe something else could be…" she sighed, "I don't think I really considered what would happen after, I didn't think he'd throw me a bag of money and roll over asleep. I didn't think I could feel so empty," she looked at Merlin, "do you know what I mean?"
"Yes," said Merlin grimacing, "Arthur's particularly gifted in making people feel like they're nothing."
Arthur sat frozen watching the scene play out in front of him, he didn't like that look of pain on Merlin's face any more than he liked the look of self-loathing on Marie's. The figures dissolved and Arthur was left staring at the blue orb again.
I helped Marie get dressed and got her out of the castle, I never saw her again. She said she was going home to her village. I hope that was true. I don't know how many other girls Arthur used and threw away like that. I never saw any others. I'd like to think he's a better man than that now. I hope the chemistry I see between Arthur and Gwen is really there, and that Arthur has truly grown up. I honestly don't know what I'll do if I find Gwen in Marie's place. Probably leave Camelot. Destiny be damned. I don't think I could serve a man who could throw away someone's soul like that. I've thought about telling Gwen about Marie, but she probably already knows, she's spent half her life in the castle. It might be why she never got close to Arthur before, but now I've formed a bridge between them and I hope I haven't made a horrible mistake.
Arthur tried to remember Marie, but he couldn't really place her even the image of her was vague and blurry. He remembered waking up and hearing Merlin speaking to a girl in the antechamber. He'd been half asleep and all he could remember thinking was that Merlin sounded so sad, and he didn't understand why. He did know why he hadn't taken another girl to his bed in the intervening years, love spells not withstanding, he'd gotten tired with the local girls, at least that's what he'd told himself. The truth was that he'd gotten tired of feeling so empty afterwards. He had a void he'd been trying to fill his whole life with duty and honor, and titles, pretty girls had seemed like the next step, but if anything they made it worse. He might have used them, but they used him too, they thought sleeping with a prince would give them status, a position, something better than what they had. But none of them really looked at Arthur and saw a real person, none of them really tried to get to know him. The first girl Arthur had taken to bed had been a noblewoman; she was a few years older than him and had decided that Arthur should become a man. Arthur had tried to court her as he had been taught was the correct fashion, but Melissa didn't care for royal functions and picnics in the woods. She told him he was handsome, and charming and she wanted to give him a gift.
When they lay in bed afterwards, Arthur had told her he loved her, and she had laughed.
"You can't love someone like me Arthur," she said, "I'm everything you hate."
Later they found out that sorcerers had killed the real Lady Melissa on the road to Camelot. Uther sent out search parties to find the imposter, but she was long gone. She had already done her damage; Arthur would not look at a woman with real respect again until Gwen snapped at him about turning his nose up to the food in Ealdor.
Author's notes: I finally found the end of this thing! Not here obviously, but rest assured there is an end. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I know its a little morose, but it was something I felt needed to be included. Happy New Year all, and don't forget to take a cookie they're virtual and thus no resolutions will be broken if you enjoy one. Later Cynic.