The Kraken's Calling

Chapter 11

Early the next morning finds Arthur in his aunt's solar, seated before a roaring fire in a comfortable armchair, facing his uncle's widow. Meliodas is seated across from him beyond a small table, studying his face, a cup of herbal tea warming her hands. She is a woman of sixty years or so, round of face and body, with curly brown hair and dimples when she smiles. Her clear brown eyes gaze at Arthur steadily, a warm smile softening her features.

"How like your mother you are," she breaks the silence.

"Please, can you tell me about her? I know so little," Arthur says, leaning forward to place the bitter tea on the table before him.

She closes her eyes for a moment, lost in her memories. "We were children together, here in Tintagel, the seat of the Dukes of Cornwall. We grew up like sisters. Vivienne, who lived nearby and visited frequently, was the eldest, then Igraine and me: we were inseparable." She smiles as she sees the mental picture of the three little girls at play throughout the castle. "Igraine and her brothers, Tristan and Agravaine, were first cousins to Gorlois, the old Duke's son. When their parents died, the three children came to live here full time; Agravaine, the youngest, was just an infant at the time. The old Duke had no other children besides Gorlois, who was away as a squire with Uther and his brother Ambrosius; I was the old Duke's ward, having come to Tintagel also as a very small child. I grew up here. And I was glad of the company when Igraine and her brothers came to live here." She takes a sip of her tea, steam rising to her face as she raises the cup.

"What was she like?"

"Ah, but she was beautiful. We have an image of her somewhere." She turns to get the attention of a serving woman seated on a stool under the window, using the light as she bent her head to her mending. "Edith, can you find the portrait of Lady Igraine? I think it's in the corridor to the reception hall."

The servant rises and nods, silently leaving the room. Arthur watches her depart before bringing his attention back to the elderly woman across from him, who is smiling wistfully at his eagerness. "You may have it to keep, once it's found."

"What was she like?" he asks again.

"Ah. Igraine. Her goodness glowed. She was kind and trusting and loyal, a beautiful girl, a gracious woman. It was no wonder that Uther fell in love when they met."

"He rarely spoke of her. I know so little."

"He loved her. There can be no doubt. But she wasn't his first love." Meliodas sips again from her tea, reluctant to continue with her tale of love and betrayal. "Are you sure you want to hear the whole truth, Arthur? It's not a happy story."

"Yes, my Lady. I do." Arthur nods. "I have a right to know."

Meliodas sighs, loath to start her tale. "We grew up, Igraine and I, like sisters - until we became truly sisters when I married her brother Tristan. Gorlois became the Duke while still a very young man when his father died. Vivienne, whose family seat was nearby, married Gorlois, and came to live here as a young bride. She had a child with Gorlois, a girl she called Morgause."

Arthur interrupts, "Morgause. I knew her!"

"Yes," Meliodas says, "I had heard of her visit to Camelot." Meliodas stares into the flames for a few moments, looking back into past pain. She continues her story. "Morgause was born with magic." She looks over at Arthur who is frowning.

"I didn't know that was possible."

"It's extremely rare. And only for the most powerful." She takes a sip of her tea, watching him over the rim of the cup, then resumes. "Gorlois, like your father, was no friend to magic. Vivienne feared for the child's safety, so she had her smuggled away by Camelot's physician to Nimueh and the Priestesses on the Isle of the Blessed, telling everyone that the child had died. Gorlois grieved, but accepted it."

"Wait, you said Camelot's physician took her to the Isle? You mean Gaius? He knew?"

"Yes. He knew Nimueh, the High Priestess."

Arthur shakes his head in disbelief that Gaius had never told him of this when Morgause came to Camelot to issue her challenge. Secrets. So many secrets. Arthur hopes that he will learn the truth from his aunt. He gestures to her with an open hand to continue her tale.

Meliodas nods sadly, seeing his distress, but carries on. "The girl thrived and grew quickly in her powers. She would visit Tintagel, or Vivienne would visit her when she could, when Gorlois was away at war, doing battle as one of Uther's most trusted generals, a valiant ally to Camelot. When she made the trip to see her daughter, Vivienne would stop at Camelot on the way to break her journey. It was during one of these excursions that she and Uther. . . " Meliodas's voice trails off.

"Morgana," Arthur mutters, and Meliodas nods assent. "My sister." Another secret.

Meliodas looks at him with sympathy and continues speaking. "When Uther learned of the child's birth, he rushed to Tintagel to see her. Gorlois was at home, joyful at the birth of the child he thought was his daughter. It was then that Uther first met Igraine. Vivienne was forgotten, and Igraine became the center of his world. They married shortly thereafter, with Gorlois's blessing, and Uther took her away to Camelot. She returned here only rarely."

"Did she know? About my father and Vivienne?" Arthur asks, concerned for the heartache of a mother he never knew.

"No," Meliodas assures him. "She loved and trusted your father completely."

"What happened to Vivienne? I know when Gorlois died, Morgana came to live with us. She was ten or so, I think. But where was her mother?"

"Vivienne had died from a fever when Morgana was still very young. Morgause was smuggled into Tintagel at the time to bid her mother farewell. She was a teenager, rebellious and angry. She wanted to take Morgana with her, back to the Isle of the Blessed. But Morgana had no signs of magic then, so I persuaded Morgause to leave Morgana with Gorlois, the good and honorable man Morgana thought of as her father. Morgause never came back here."

Arthur nods, understanding the heartbreak of the two girls, left without a mother. "So Morgause did know my mother?" he asks, remembering her words in the early morning the day after his defeat in the swordfight with her. Morgause had said she knew his mother 'very well' as she reined her horse ready to gallop from the courtyard in the Citadel. He remembers he'd taken Merlin with him to seek her out to keep his word to her to complete the task she would set him. When he'd placed his head on the block at her command, willing to give up his life to fulfill his promise, she'd rewarded him with a vision of his mother. Now he wonders: was there truth in what he'd heard spoken by the vision of his mother of the magic in his birth, when they stood in the leafy bower in that ruined castle? No. He quashes that thought quickly. The vision of his mother spoke Morgause's words. She must have been lying, just as Merlin had said. She was a sorceress, malevolent. His father could not have betrayed his mother like that. He would never condone the use of magic to conceive an heir, and the terrible price his mother would pay.

"Yes, of course she did. She visited here often when Gorlois was away at war, while she was growing up. She adored your mother. As did we all."

Arthur nods again, and sits back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his face, lost in thought. At the knock on the door, both Arthur and Meliodas startle at the interruption of their quiet conversation. "Enter," she calls out.

The door opens to admit Merlin, not the serving woman with Igraine's portrait that she had been expecting. "I'm sorry to intrude, my Lady," Merlin says as he walks toward the two seated before the fire.

"Well, that's a first," Arthur snorts. "A knock and an apology."

Merlin nears the small table in front of the fire and bows to Meliodas, glaring at Arthur from under his eyebrows.

"What is it, Merlin?" Arthur snaps at him, impatient; then he turns back to the woman sitting across from him. "Forgive my idiot manservant, my Lady."

Meliodas smiles at him, then looks up at Merlin and gasps. She starts to rise slowly from her chair and he reaches out with his hand to help her stand. She is staring at him in wonder. He jumps at her touch as if a spark had passed between them, and looks back at her. Magic. He can feel it. And she saw his. He gives her a small shake of his head, pleading with his eyes. He stands frozen with alarm.

"Merlin!" Arthur says again, snapping his fingers, trying to catch his attention. "What did you want?"

"Oh," Merlin stutters, taking a deep breath. "Right. Erm. . . . Duke Rivalen sent me to ask if you'd like to join him on a hunt. They're getting ready to leave right now."

"Go, Arthur," Meliodas says, dragging her eyes away from Merlin, forcing a small smile for Arthur. "You've been cooped up with an old woman far too long this morning."

Arthur stands quickly. "Can we speak again, my Lady?"

"When the time is right. I will find your mother's portrait for you, for now." She answers distractedly, looking between the two men.

"Thank you." Arthur grins and turns, grabbing Merlin's jacket and hauling him from the room. "Let's go hunting!" he says with enthusiastic joy.

"Me? No, please! I hate hunting."