Title: Where Nightmares Come True
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: T
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Dragoon (not a pairing, just in case you wondered), Arthur, and Morgana, mostly. Also some OCs.
Spoilers: Set a little bit after Series Four, so . . .
Warnings: Mild violence in later chapters, and maybe some disturbing descriptions.
Disclaimer: Here's looking at you, BBC.
Beta: DeleaMarie
AN: Here is it! The chapter you've all been waiting for! Enjoy;)
Chapter Ten: Where Nightmares Come True
"You explain," Farrell said to Drusilla after Morgana had stopped having a heart attack. "You know the story best."
"What happened to 'come alone'?" Arthur asked, looking between Dragoon and the two Druids with increasing incredulity. "What's going on?"
"You can talk," Merlin muttered. "What's she doing here?" He nodded towards Morgana, his eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to respond, but Drusilla spoke sharply.
"There's not time for that now; you'll barely have time to reach Camelot before dawn as it is. Please, let me explain, and then you can bicker all you like."
"What are you explaining?" Morgana questioned. "How did you find these two?" This was to Dragoon and Merlin.
"That comes later; we've got to start at the beginning," Merlin replied.
Dragoon said nothing. He'd been unnaturally quiet since his first greeting. Arthur thought he looked a little depressed and didn't miss the concerned look Merlin had whenever he looked at him. No matter the enmity between them, he wondered what was wrong with the old warlock.
"Does this story have anything to do with this?" Morgana held up the destroyed box, an eyebrow quirked inquisitively.
Drusilla started. "How did you come by that?" she asked, reaching to take it carefully.
"I found a woman named Beatrice in the woods; she gave it to me before she died."
Farrell gaped. "Died? But that means-"
"Peace, Farrell," Drusilla said. "What did Beatrice tell you?"
After Morgana had relayed what the late sorceress had said, Drusilla nodded. "It would seem that Beatrice tried to redeem herself in the end by giving you this. She was a powerful seer; I don't know what she saw, but I certainly wouldn't have known what to do without the information you just gave us.
"That said, I'm sure you are very confused. Let us sit down, and I'll explain as best I can."
There weren't many rocks or stumps big enough for all of them, so the younger people took seats on the ground, while Drusilla and Dragoon were allowed the easier chairs. After settling herself in and rearranging her braids carefully, Drusilla began.
"About thirteen years ago, Beatrice was my apprentice in the Druid clan. She was a very bright student and the most gifted I had ever taught. Farrell-my son, here-and his wife had just had a beautiful baby boy, Jeremy. It is tradition in our family to place some sort of gift on a newborn child, one that will help them in their later life. As his grandmother, I wanted to do the honors, but Beatrice begged me to let her test her mettle and gift the boy. She was so good at what she did and I was so fond of her, I agreed. I . . . regret the decision now."
Farrell touched his mother's foot, the only part he could easily reach, as she looked at the ground in shame.
"The gods only know what made Beatrice think her gift was a good idea. I should have made sure she was giving him something good before she actually cast the spell. But I didn't, and then it was too late."
"What was the gift?" Morgana asked.
"She gave him the gift of his dreams coming true."
There was a moment as the two Pendragons processed this information. Arthur's eyebrows drew together. "Could you explain exactly what you mean by that?"
"It's very simple, actually," Drusilla said. "Jeremy would dream something, and whatever he dreamt would manifest in the real world. I don't even know how Beatrice managed to get the spell to work, or where she found it, but like I said, she was exceptionally gifted."
"And she was crazy," Arthur said slowly. "At least when I saw her."
Farrell blinked. "Wait, when-"
Arthur stopped him short. "Long story. Please continue, Drusilla."
"You're right, she was mad, even back then. There was something wrong with her mind, but we didn't noticed soon enough." Drusilla sighed. "Anyway, after we found out what the spell was, we tried to make her remove it, but she refused! She also refused to show us where the vessel for the spell was, so we couldn't even break it. Nothing we did worked; Beatrice simply wouldn't do it.
"So, in the end, we banished her, to try and prevent anything else like it happening again. And I had worked out a solution: I couldn't remove Beatrice's spell, but I could add my own. I made it so that Jeremy would never dream. Never."
She held up the box. "This was the vessel for my spell. It went missing just months after I cast it, and I never was sure who took it. But Beatrice makes sense."
"And so does your story," Morgana muttered, almost to herself. "If the vessel was destroyed a week ago . . . and the monster appeared a week ago! Did Jeremy dream of him?"
"Yes," Farrell said glumly. "We told him the story of Beatrice a few years ago, and though he had never dreamed before, he knew the signs and warned us. Then we started to hear rumors of the monster."
Arthur was nodding. "Of course, that would explain why the monster's so terrifying: it's literally the stuff of nightmares. It's something only a child could have dreamed up."
"And why nothing we did would hurt it," Farrell added gloomily. "Of course a young boy would dream up something indestructible."
"Why didn't you tell the other Druids when you found out?" Morgana asked.
"We did, but no one was sure what to do," Farrell said. "Mother was gone, and we didn't know what spell she'd used to block his dreams. Our only hope was that she would be able to help when she got back. And you can, can't you?" He turned to his mother in hope. She frowned.
"I can replicate the spell, yes, but our best hope will be to destroy Beatrice's vessel so that I don't have to."
"Which is why we've got to head to Camelot," Merlin said.
"And the monster," Arthur reminded him.
Merlin groaned. "It's heading towards Camelot?"
"Probably already there," Dragoon spoke up unexpectedly, his voice gloomy. "So we must hurry." He stood up. "Anything else, Drusilla?"
The old sorceress looked at him with pity in her eyes-Arthur didn't understand it-but she said, "Just hurry. Any moment the monster is allowed to live is a moment the world could fall."
"You make it sound so dangerous," Morgana scoffed, but Drusilla shook her head.
"Never underestimate the power of a nightmare, my dear. They can bring the mightiest men to their knees." She stood. "I will return to the camp and try all I can to help Jeremy. But for once in my life I hope my efforts will be unneeded."
"If we find the vessel, they will be," Dragoon said before anyone else could speak. "I'll destroy it myself."
"I'll come with you," Farrell volunteered. "I feel like I need to. Jeremy's my son, and I'd like to do everything I can to help him."
One by one, they stood up and left the little spot in the woods, Drusilla turning towards the west to the camp, and the other five trotting quickly south, eager to reach Camelot's walls as quickly as possible.
And there you are. Hopefully that was a clear, coherent explanation. Please tell me what you thought: I'm always looking to improve my writing:)
kitkat: What made them decide to go with three episodes? It's agonizing! Thanks for the review!
Loves to read books: Thank you!