Chapter Nine- The Gatekeepers of Avalon
At first, Merlin had been unable to see anything except Freya. After all this time, she was in his arms once more, and he never wanted to let her go. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, one of his hands resting on her waist, the other tangled in her hair. Unable to control his own voice, he repeated her name over and over. Her hand was stroking his face with butterfly soft touches, comforting him with simple words. Once he had a better grip on his emotions, he raised his head, and kissed her. He had a forgotten how much shorter than him she was, so it felt weird as he lowered his head to kiss her. However, her kiss was much the same: sweet and gentle, with a touch of insecurity. As if she could doubt how much he loved her! No, that was just Freya, she could not see how special she was to him. He deepened the kiss, telling her how much he had missed her, needed her, over the course of their long years apart. She seemed to understand, as she twined her hands around his neck and stood on her tiptoes in order to see him better. They only broke apart when they heard some throat clearings from the five remaining cloaked figures.
"Merlin, my love, it so good to see you again." Freya said in her gentle voice, her smile lighting up her whole face.
"And you, Freya" Merlin replied, grabbing a hold of her hand and twining his fingers with hers. At that small gesture, her smile grew even wider, if that was even possible. Merlin knew he too was grinning like an idiot, but he didn't care. The sheer happiness he felt in this moment eclipsed the brief bursts of hope and laughter he had shared with Alienore on his way here. It was like coming out of a dark tunnel, and having the light temporarily blind you.
"Come, Merlin, and meet the rest of the Gatekeepers!" Freya said, pulling him along behind her.
"This is the Lady Vivienne. She was Lady Morgana's and Morgause's mother, and Igraine's closest friend." Freya said, standing by the tallest figure. Vivienne removed her cloak, revealing warm green eyes so similar to Morgana's when Merlin had first met her, and the golden blond hair she had passed down to her oldest daughter.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet one who I've heard so much of." Her tone was calculating, her eyes appraising. She was so alike her daughters that it felt almost like a physical slap to Merlin. He had betrayed one of her daughters, and in the end, had killed both of them. He did not expect much warmth from Vivienne, and he did not receive any.
He inclined his head forward, acknowledging the greeting. Once, he would have had to bow in front of somebody whose rank was so far above that of his own serving boy self, but no more. Now, he was Emrys, and none equaled him in terms of power. "Likewise, Lady Vivienne. The tales of your beauty and charm were still told in Camelot long after your passing."
"I don't know about charm, young man. I made more than a few enemies in my time." Vivienne said. Unwilling to linger, Merlin followed Freya down the line to the next figure.
"Merlin, this is the Lady Hekate," Freya said, as a pair of grey eyes reflected his own underneath the cloak. A woman, in her early thirties, with dull black hair stared back at Merlin. "She is your aunt, your father's sister." Freya added. It was almost unnecessary, because Merlin had felt their connection almost as soon as he saw her eyes.
"Merlin, it's so nice to finally meet you!" She said, her face warm. In a moment of spontaneity, she hugged the tall boy, despite being a good foot shorter. Then, realizing the awkwardness of her action, she immediately drew back, stammering out an apology. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me! I'm usually much more reserved, it's just I feel like I know you… I've seen your progress and you look like a spitting image of your father when he was younger."
Merlin silenced her with a smile. "It's okay. It is I who must be sorry. I'm just overwhelmed with the events of today, seeing Freya and finding out about an unknown aunt all in one day!" He said. Trying to lighten the mood, he added: "A man as old as me shouldn't get these many shocks, it's bad for my health!"
Hekate laughed, "My boy, when you're as old as you and I, almost nothing should shock you anymore!"
"True, aunt, true. Yet, coming to face with unknown relatives surprises you, whether you're fifteen or fifteen hundred."
"I'm sure your heart can survive the shock. After all, you don't look a day over 19, my boy."
"Hey! I look at least 25!" Merlin said, mock offended.
"No, my boy, despite your many years, you retain a certain innocence and adorable awkwardness that will always make you look right out of your teens." Hekate said, her voice gentling.
"Whether face I may wear, I am an old man inside. I have seen too much of the world, of what mankind can do to each other to remain innocent."
"Yet, despite what you protest, there is a part of you that is willing to try it all over again in order to see your friends again, to set things right. That love that you've held for Camelot and its inhabitants over the years will always be your strength and your innocence. It is what set you apart from all of us, in the end."
"Th-thank you, aunt." Merlin said, strangely touched by the tone of caring and love coming from the woman he had never met.
"Now go, there is others you must meet before- what is that expression kids use now days? Oh yes, before we get this show on the road!" Merlin and Freya both laughed. Hekate sounded like an old grandmother from a bad TV show, despite her youthful appearance.
"Alright, and now we come to…" Before Freya could finish, the woman removed her hood and interrupted, saying: "I can speak for myself, Freya. I am the Lady Evienne, the last High Priestess of the North, Emrys. Unlike many others here, I can claim no personal connection to either you or the Lady Alienore. Yet, I survived all of my sisters, ruling the Celtic tribes until their eventual end. I don't have a particular interest in your so-called great destiny, but I will do anything for the country I love. Thus, my help here is freely given, warlock." Evienne's eyes were steely, assessing Merlin. They were a dark brown, almost black, striking against her tan complexion. Everything about her, from her fiery red hair to her wary stance, proclaimed her to be a warrior. Merlin could very well picture her, fighting alongside the Celts for their freedom.
"I thank you for your help, Lady Evienne." He humbly said, inclining his head. With a single nod, Evienne dismissed him and Freya, allowing them to go down to the next person in line.
"Right, she's kind of intense, but she's really nice once she thaws a bit" Freya whispered, apologizing for her companion's curtness.
"It's nothing, Freya" Merlin reassured her. "I actually liked her better than Vivienne, Evienne had no qualms in telling me that while I am unimportant to her, our goals are the same for now, so we are allies. I can admire that kind of honesty."
"Well, there is little you can do to stop Evienne from being brutally honest." Freya replied, giggling. Merlin realized that while most of these powerful sorceresses where complete strangers to him, to Freya, they were sisters. They had shared a position, the burden of guarding the Gates of Avalon, for over a thousand years. While he had waited alone, they had shared the hardships of immortality, helping each other through the changing world.
"Why did none of you ever reach out to me before now, Freya? Why would you leave me alone for all these years?" Merlin asked, hurt at the realization that Freya and the other Gatekeepers could have sought him out before now, that he could have gone back already, that this whole time he had spent alone, seeking, waiting, was for nothing.
Freya sighed. She had known this question was coming, and the truth was, there was no easy answer to give Merlin. Not an answer that would satisfy him, because the working of destiny and fate were mysterious, even to those who wielded such great power such as Merlin and her sisters. "There is no easy answer Merlin. The workings of destiny and fate remain a mystery even to me, its perpetrator. It was always your destiny to return once you found the missing part of Alienore. Why you found her now, and not 600 years ago or 600 years from now, is unknown to me. Maybe Albion's time of need is approaching, and maybe it is another thousand years away. We, as Gatekeepers, guard Avalon and execute the Triple Goddess's will, but are not privy to such mysteries as this. That is the only answer I can give you. I can also tell you that I've always watched over you, waiting for this moment."
Of course, Merlin did not like her answer, but at least, it set his mind at ease a little bit. He knew that if it had been in Freya's power, she would have spent these long years by his side, just like he would have if it had been in his power. Alas, fate had set them apart, but it had given them this precious reunion. Merlin grabbed Freya's hand again, placing a kiss on each of her knuckles.
"And I never thought we would have this moment, but I am beyond happy to have had this chance." He told her. She stepped up, hugging him tight, as if memorizing the feel of him. Then, she let go of him in order to finish the introductions. She introduced him to Gwenyfair, the Lady of Air, and Ninianne, the Lady of Fire. Freya herself, was the Lady of the Lake, representing Water of course, while the Triple Goddess herself was the Lady of the Earth. Both Gwenyfair and Ninianne represent their elements not only physically, but also in their personalities. Ninianne was a short girl, with jet black hair and eyes to match, and yet in the firelight both held a glint of the flames she represented. Her temper was short, and she was fierce to protect her beliefs and those she loved. Gwenyfair, was the exact opposite. She was tall and slender, with blond hair so pale to almost seem white. Her hair and her sleeveless pink gown seemed to sway in a non-existent breeze, and she was a gentle soul, always trying to keep the peace between some of her more hot- tempered sisters.
"Right, so now I met all of the Gatekeepers. Can you tell me how this ceremony is going to work?" Merlin asked as they stepped away from Gwenyfair, the last person in line.
Freya shook her head. "I can't. That is Nimueh's job as our leader. Plus, you haven't met us all."
Merlin turned around to glance at the line of Gatekeepers. All of them had removed their cloaks, and were now milling about in a lose circle. "I don't see anyone else" Merlin replied, scanning the faces of Gatekeepers.
"No, silly, this way!" Freya said, tugging on his arm in order to make him turn around to face the way he had entered. There, he saw Nimueh standing a little ways away, watching as a weeping pair stood, hugging and talking over one another. One of them was definitely Alienore, as Merlin recognized her honey brown hair, but he did not recognize the flaxen haired girl that was now gesturing with her hands in order to explain a point. She had not been there when he had left Alienore, but she had not been with the Gatekeepers either. Who was she?
"That is Elaine of Astolat, the 8th Gatekeeper" Freya said. She waited a moment for the meaning of the name to sink in, for Merlin to do the math and connect it with the famous poem by Tennyson. "However, she prefers to be known as Elaine of Lyonesse, the younger sister of Alienore. She is the best friend I never had in life." Freya continued as she guided Merlin over to meet her.
"But how? She never even met Lancelot! I've always thought that Tennyson made up her whole story because I never heard of her…" Merlin asked, trying to fit this new piece of the puzzle in.
"Indeed. She never met Lancelot because she died with Alienore, before both of their destinies could play out. As for why you might not have heard of her, Astolat were the lands that were granted to her as part of her dowry. She was the Countess of Astolat, and some historian jotted it down as her birthplace, and voila, you've got a whole legend around Elaine, the Lily Maid of Astolat. She much prefers to go by the title she went by in life, Princess of Lyonesse, so don't even mention the names Tennyson or Astolat. They are kind of sore topics for her, she hates how people think her a weak-spined romantic heroine who killed herself because she could obtain the love of knight." Freya explained as they approached.
"Freya, we've only got a few minutes until start time, so make this introduction quick, alright?" called out Nimueh as they walked by her.
"Yes, Lady Nimueh" Freya replied.
Alienore was too busy getting to know the sister she didn't remember to notice Merlin's and Freya's approach. Elaine was like the twin she had always wanted growing up, the person who got her like her sisters Pippa and Cassie got each other. Even though Alienore had only known Elaine for minutes, they could finish each other's sentences and ended up saying the same thing at the same time. Each sister was curious about the other's life; Elaine wanted to know what it felt like to grow up in the 21st century, while Alienore wanted to know everything about her past life. This was the reason why, as Merlin got closer, all he heard was a jumble of words and questions, as each sister was too eager to let the other finish talking.
"And then there was this one hunt… I love baking, don't you… and father let us learn how to wield swords and shoot bows…My favorite color is blue… Blue and silver are the colors of the house of Lyonesse... When I was little, I jumped in a pool without floaters because I thought I could swim already and almost drowned… "
Freya cleared her throat in order to catch the girls' attention. "Excuse me, Elaine, but Nimueh just told me that we've only got a few minutes left and you still haven't met Merlin." Then, turning towards Alienore, she smiled welcomingly. "Alienore, I've heard so much about you from your sister! It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Freya." She said, extending her arms hands forward in an ancient greeting between equals.
"And I you, Lady of the Lake." Alienore said, grasping Freya's hands briefly.
"Please, my lady Alienore, it's just Freya. I used to be a simple peasant girl, without even a village to call her own, and you used to be a princess." Freya said, an embarrassed red staining her cheeks.
"And it's just Alienore for me, then. You forget, I've gone from being a school girl to a princess in the matter of hours." Alienore replied, trying to put the other girl at ease again.
"Alienore it is, then" Freya said, acknowledging the other girl's smile with one of her own. Then, turning towards Elaine, she said: "Elaine, this is Merlin Emrys. Merlin, this is Elaine of Lyonesse."
Elaine smiled at Merlin as she said: "Finally I get to meet the famous Merlin! Merlin, it's nice to finally meet the man behind so many of Freya's stories!"
"And it is nice to meet you, Elaine, sister of Alienore." Merlin said politely. He wasn't really sure of how to react to the rush of excitement and giddiness that came out of each of Elaine's words and actions. It had been so long from the time he had been young enough to be so excited when meeting a new person that he didn't remember how to act. His response had been wooden, and to cushion it, he smiled his most charming smile at her.
"So Alienore was telling me that you went to find her in high school. What did you think of it? I've read so many novels and seen so many movies and TV shows that portray it, but I've never actually gone. It sounds like such an exciting experience, though!" Elaine continued on, immediately welcoming Merlin into the small group. She treated him with a sense of familiarity, as if she had known him as long as Freya or Alienore, and for that, he was glad. She shot of question rapidly, her mouth moving at a thousand miles per hour, until Merlin threw up his hands in defeat with a small chuckle. He had held out longer than either Alienore or Freya, who were already giggling like little girls at Elaine's determined grilling of the powerful warlock.
"Whoah…The Spanish Inquisition really had nothing on you… I was there, I would know" Merlin mumbled, to the merriment of the giggling girls. "Well, I'm really not an expert on high school, Elaine. I only went for half a day, after all. But I'm sure Alienore would be more than happy to answer your questions."
"No! I want to hear it from you! Alienore already tried to explain to me, but she's too confusing. She keeps mentioning these thing called cliques, and something called football, and a weird place called a cafeteria?" Elaine said, putting a weird stress in the word cafeteria that made it sound funny. This set off Alienore into full-blown laughter, and Merlin himself was tempted to join her. But first, he must evidently explain the concept of high school to a sixth century princess…
"Well, for one, it is very different from all that you've read or seen. It is crowded and loud, and smells weird. People split off in little groups- those are the cliques that Alienore was mentioning- depending on interests. Some guys play a sport called football, which is pretty much a bunch of muscular fellows knocking heads hard. It makes as much sense as jousting did back in the day. Then, people go to classes where they are supposed to learn all the important subjects, but in reality all they actually do is talk loudly over the teacher and play around. When it is time for lunch, they head to the cafeteria to eat, and complain about how they want to go home." Merlin took a deep breath, hoping his explanation covered all the important bases. He looked over at Alienore, who gave him an impressed nod and a thumbs up, and then to Freya, who was beaming at him. Finally, he looked at Elaine, hoping that the explanation had satisfied her. She looked to be thinking about what he'd said, and as if more questions were popping up in her head.
Elaine was, in fact, about to ask more questions. She opened her mouth do to so, but was cut off by an amused Nimueh. "Much as I'd love to hear what else you're going to ask poor Merlin, Elaine, we do have a ritual to start. And you know, this type of full moon only happens once every millennium and the only the fate of the world is at stake, but hey, no pressure!"
"Yes, my lady Nimueh." Elaine replied, looking down at her feet. However, she could hide the amused half smile on her lips.
"I'm sorry, it may be the fact that I'm the only person here for whom magic is kinda of a new thing, but what the heck does this ritual involve?" Alienore asked, staring at each of the faces in the small circle.
"Oh Ali, it's nothing weird I promise!" "I don't have the faintest clue either, Alienore" "It's actually quite simple, you see…" Elaine, Merlin, and Freya said at the same moment.
"That's enough!" Nimueh said, shushing the overlapping voices. Then, turning towards Alienore, she mysteriously said, smiling the smile that had given her a reputation for cunning and trickery down the ages. "You shall see soon enough, Alienore of Lyonesse. Now, all of you, come with me. And for Pete's sake, come quietly!"
Obediently, Merlin and the others filed behind Nimueh, following her back to the altar. The rest of the Gatekeepers had assembled in a circle around it, each standing by one of the standing stones. Quietly, Freya and Elaine went and joined their sisters, completing the circle. Only one standing stone, to the back of Merlin and Alienore, stood empty. Morgana's place.