Chapter 10

To their surprise, the curator was the woman who had taken their picture in the morning. She introduced herself as Dr. Nimh. The name made Morgana smile and the woman winked.

"Yes, I know, it sounds a lot like the Disney movie. So how can I help you?"

Arthur told her his story of semi-precious, Arthurian-related stones. The woman considered his question for a moment before answering.

"I'm sorry. I never heard about stones' or jewels' discoveries here in Tintagel."

Morgana tried to mask her disappointment and Dr. Nimh gave her an apologetic smile.

"It's refreshing to see young people interested in something from the Legend that is not related to the Guinevere/Lancelot affair, dragons or Avalon. You have no idea how many theories I heard through the years, especially since BBC launched its Merlin' series."

Morgana hid a smile.

"Don't say anything against it, Arthur is a fan!"

"Am not."

Dr. Nimh exchanged a knowing smile with Morgana at the objection, before returning to their previous subject.

"I wish I could help you. If you like rocks, I suggest you visit Rocky Valley. It's up north near Trethevy. There's very interesting carving of a maze there."

"Thank you very much for your time, Dr. Nimh, and for the picture too."

"It was my pleasure. You two make a lovely couple. I hope you'll enjoy your stay."

Arthur nearly dragged Morgana outside. His energetic pace had her panting in no time, and she considered herself in shape.

"Slow down a little, will you?"

He did, but didn't stop until they were out of the village, and alone.

"Do you have a copy of the poem with you?"

"No, I know it by heart. Why?"

"Recite it"

She did.

"His right claims to a crown, and spun the pillars of stone; Hidden ran…"

Arthur silenced her before she completed the third stanza.

"We were not looking in the right place. 'Spun the pillars of stone'. The first line leads to Tintagel, the second tells about the mazes in Rocky Valley."

Perplexed, Morgana played with a strand of hair that had escaped the loose braid she finally knitted to stop the wind from tangling her curls.

"Are you sure?"

"Nope. But it's worth looking… It's on our way back anyway."

It was already mid-afternoon when they reached the sign-post which indicated the turn. The sky had clouded dangerously, and they decided to postpone their visit to Rocky Valley to the next morning.

Arthur went up to their room to put their stuff away and ask for a suitable place for diner. He came across the bed & breakfast rack of pamphlets on his way down, and picked each that read 'Rocky Valley' before joining Morgana in the common room. She was curled in a velvet couch the color of fall leaves and welcomed him with a hug before snatching the pamphlets from his hand.

"You were right."

"I'm always right."

"Of course, my love, but this time you really were. Look!"

She put one under his nose. The photograph on the front page showed an endless spiral, pale grey on the mossy rock face.

"It says there are two of them, facing each other."

"What did you say?"

"There are two spirals, facing…"

"No, before that."

Morgana gave an exasperate sigh. He was not going to let it go.

"Fine. You were right."

Arthur took the touristic paper off her hand. Surprised, her stare went up from her hands, immobile on her lap, to his face. His eyes had the exact shade the sea had offered during their morning walk. His intense gaze searching hers made her self-conscious. Warmth flamed her cheeks. Morgana lowered her stare, but he cupped her face and forced her to look back.

"You said, 'my love'."

"Oh."

She breathed more easily, but he didn't back off. She liked that, though his reaction was a bit confusing. Morgana smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What about it?"

"You never said it before."

"Oh. Sorry?"

"You should."

"I can't promise it won't happen again."

"Shut up, Morgana."

Arthur pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her teasing smile until she surrendered and kissed him back. He would never have enough of her mouth, of her body willingly pressing to his. He wanted to hear her laugh, to see her eyes brightened with happiness, and be the cause of it. He wanted to hold her when she was frightened, and to wipe away her tears. She was everything he ever wanted and more. He needed her with him for a lifetime.

"Morgana…"

A discreet caught interrupted him. She jumped, blushing furiously, and backed off to the other side of the couch.

"Mr. Pendragon, you wanted to know about restaurants in the area?"

"Yes, yes, thanks."

The owner left them with recommendation about a very nice seafood restaurant nearby, with, as he putted it, 'a casual atmosphere young people loved'. Morgana's blush deepened. The message was clear enough about public display of affection…

Unconcerned, Arthur picked up the pamphlets on the couch and started reading about those spirals carved into walls of rock… Spun the pillars of stone.

"You're not going to crawl in there, are you?"

Morgana had taken off her jacket to approach the opening at the basis of the wall Arthur was pointing at.

"Well, if we want to know what's in here…"

Arthur glared and shook his head.

"Come on, Morgana, be reasonable…"

She brushed his comment aside and knelt on the dirty ground.

"Arthur, I know what I'm doing."

"Wait! At least take the flashlight."

He fumbled within his backpack to extract a torch.

"You carry a flashlight with you?"

"First aid necessity kit. I served six months with the EM Aussie team for Commonwealth areas. Some habits die hard."

Surprised, Morgana looked up to him as he switched the lamp on and off to make sure it was working properly.

"I didn't know that."

"I went right after college."

Right after we split ten years ago. They always avoided that particular subject. She grinned with mischief.

"Is there anything else I should know about?"

He grinned back.

"Hum… I shared a flat with Merlin for two years."

"I knew that."

"I dated this girl, Sofia, during my second year at Uni. She was vegetarian and a yogi…"

"This I really don't want to hear about. Give me the torch."

Laughing, Arthur flicked the torch on and handed it to Morgana so she could see inside the hole.

"So?"

Her cast-down face when she stood up told him enough. She brushed the leaves still gripped to her pullover, displeased.

"The hole is barely two feet deep. There's nothing there."

She plunged her hand in her pocket to take the crystal out and look at it. He didn't ask why she had it with her.

"I was hoping to see a keyhole or something…"

"Sure, Alice. And the white rabbit to go with it…"

Morgana grimaced at the mocking mention of Lewis Carroll's fable, unconsciously making the stone pirouette at the end of its lace.

"Coming here was your idea, I recall…"

Arthur suddenly grabbed the crystal from her hand.

"Hey!"

"Stand back."

She snorted, but did as she was told, turning her back on him to pick up her jacket and put it back on.

"Morgana."

"What!" she snapped.

"You should look at this."

She spun on her heels and gasped. Arthur was now standing on one boulder in the middle of the steam, holding the crystal by its chain above his head. The light, diffracted by the rock crystal, was creating patches of color on the rock walls, at the exact spots of the visible spirals. She spotted another carving, fainter than the first two, now enlightened by the diffracted light. The fourth face of the crystal was pointing toward the ruins of Trewethett Mill, or more precisely at the millstone nearby the ruins.

"Don't move."

Morgana hurried to the milestone, and quickly brushed off the moss covering it.

"Arthur! You do have a knife, don't you?"

He handed the required tool. Morgana took the biggest blade, and ran it along the basis of the round stone to clear it completely. At some point, she stopped and tapered the blade on the stone. The sound came out muffled.

Her eyes shined excitedly.

"Do you think you can lift it?"

"You must be kidding me… Morgana, this thing must weight more than an elephant!…"

"Not if it's hollow…"

He sighed.

"Fine. But I know I won't be able to even move it."

Arthur planted his feet on the ground firmly and bent his knees not to hurt his back. Grabbing the heavy circle of stone, he took a deep breath and pulled. The millstone didn't budge. His jaw clenched in the effort when he tried again. Nothing.

"Try to turn it on one side."

Breathless, he could only nod. Pushing the damned thing seemed easier than lifting it. He put all his weight on one side. His foot slipped and he fell, missing injuring his knee on the hard angle by inches. But the stone had moved slightly. Morgana stopped him in his second attempt.

"I've got an idea. Wait a sec'."

She used the knife to dig around the boulder, pushing leaves and peat aside. Minutes later, one side of the stone seemed to bear on a fragile pedestal.

"Go on."

Arthur gave it another push. This time the millstone moved by one inch. Encouraged, he pushed again and Morgana gave a victorious yell.

"YES!"

Below the stone was a very small cavity in the rocky floor, filled with mud and leaves. She cleared it frantically. Once she was satisfied with her work, she considered the Swiss knife, and chose the screwdriver for its large flat blade before slipping it inside the hole. Morgana explored the hollow with care. Suddenly her face lit up. With a sharp twist of her wrist, she blocked the tool on the side of the hole, and lift slowly. Her finding glittered with a transparent blue in the midday light.

"I don't believe it."

"Arthur, I think we just found another crystal..."

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