So I just realized I shoulda just made this Pre-Arthur story it's own thing. There's so much to write, and I have a great storyline planned overall. I'll try to swap the stories from Arthur to Merlin regularly.
"Aah you are bac-" called Uther from his bedroom table, dipping a quill in a small pan of ink in order to signing a pardon. Uther did a double take, stood up in alarm, gazing at Igraine soaking in rainwater as she was rubbing her hair with a scrap of cloth.
Several servant women scuttled over to help dry the queen, quietly cursing the servant accompanying the queen. The only glow in the room came from Igraine's smile, who was completely indifferent to the puddle of water forming beneath her. Igraine dismissed the servants, however, excusing them from drying her off.
"Igraine!" Uther approached uneasy. "Didn't you have a servant with you to protect you from the rain?"
"Oh Uther... Meldred was with me however the poor girl was getting so wet herself. We decided to take care of our own selves on our way back." Igraine said reaching over to her drawer to fetch a fresh pair of clothing before setting it down on the bed. Uther's apprehensive gaze didn't diminish.
"She is your servant, not your equal." Uther declared, watching Igraine patting her face dry once more.
"She is as human as you and me Uther. You will be better off believing it. It was a joy to experience anyway! I haven't been in the rain that long since I was a little child!"
She rubbed the ends of her hair with the piece of cloth, smiling as she saw a confused Uther. He sighed and looked back at the pardon.
"You lose me in your smile..." he smiled slightly, looking defeated. "So, tell me about your trip. Was it productive?"
Igraine seemed to be waiting for this question for a while now and set down her spare clothes on the bed and came closer to him.
"Ooh Uther, Bossiney is such a wonderful town! It had been so long and it was an unbelievable change from years ago. There is magic everywhere! Uther, people there use magic to transport water from the streams and lakes to an everlasting frozen barrel! The water was ice cold and was the most refreshing drink I've tried! All over town are candles that absorb the sunlight only for it to glow at night! There was no fire Uther! It was incredible! Right before the Seeker gave her speech at the community meeting, oh Uther, the people put together a play using smoke shaped humans and dragons against the backdrop of the twilight and sea. Uther you must join me the next time! You must!"
Uther smiled in admiration while watching Igraine speak of Bossiney with much passion.
"Fascinating. Perhaps I will one day. Though, you alone are perfect as Camelot's ambassador to Bossiney. I am pleased you love it so. Were you able to ask about the deaths of the Ordway family?"
Igraine sighed happily and looked down at the bed. She looked slightly concerned as she walked back to the bed and stroked her fresh pair of clothing lying on the blanket. The roots of her hair were drying, though drops of water fell down the strands of her hair and onto the bed.
"Yes- I did. She wasn't surprised when I told her that Lewen accused Magan of offering magical services to kill Lewen's family."
Arthur was watching and turned to Enygeus.
"Wait, what's happened? Who are Lewen and Magan?"
Enygeus glanced at him.
"Your mother just travelled to Bossiney, a fully magical town lead by magic. Bossiney is close to Camelot; therefore you can imagine trade taking place. At the time, citizens of Bossiney would sell magical potions and services to Camelot citizens. A wave of Camelot citizens began requesting the darkest of magic- tonics to manipulate others, love potions, and even death without use of poison or physical touch.
Your mother was positioned as an official Camelot ambassador to ensure there would be good relations between the Camelot and Bossiney. She went to Bossiney to work with the leader, who is called the Seeker, to put a stop to this trade.
The story is Lewen went out for a hunt, only to return to his dead family. He had accused Magan, a magical trader of Bossiney, of offering these magical services to Lewen's family's enemy. Your parents are trying to work with Bossiney the best they can to put a stop to these sorts of trade."
"My mother used to work with those of magic?" asked Arthur troubled; imagining his mother smiling and offering a kind work to a sorcerer. Enygeus nodded. Arthur turned back to his father speaking.
"Is the Seeker going to punish Magan?"
"The Seeker said there has to be evidence… and she thinks she's getting to that point soon. But she is willing to listen to suggestions on how to enforce her people to stop selling that sort of magic with Camelot."
"Well," Uther chuckled impressed. "This certainly is a start. You are quite amazing to have them so willing to work with us so early in the relationship. I don't think this could have been done by anyone else." Uther said smiling, and headed back to his pardon.
"Yes- such a good thing it is to keep good relations... heh. Perhaps we could possibly invite them for dinner one day!" Igraine called over to him.
"Yes perhaps..." he said, signing one pardon and setting it aside to view another.
"Perhaps sometime soon…" Igraine called nervously.
"Yes, maybe…" Uther said setting another pardon aside.
"Perhaps tonight… for dinner."
Uther looked up at nervously smiling Igraine and understood immediately she invited some sorcerers for dinner.
"Who have you invited?"
"Oh it's only one girl... her name is Nimueh! She's bright girl. The Seeker is having her do some work with me, reporting any news about Bossiney! You will find her to be very pleasant, I am sure!"
Uther sighed and turned to his pardon.
"Anything to keep good relations with them..."
"And… well... I've also invited Tristan." Igraine added quickly, picking up her fresh pair of clothes and hurrying behind the screen.
The sound of a quill tip snapping on the surface of a pardon.
"Tristan?"
"Yes! I thought he might help. Sorry Uther, I can't talk or hear you well, I'm behind the screen changing..."
The castle doorway open allowing a dark haired girl, in her early twenties, with big bold blue eyes and porcelain skin, walking in with the look of a stench under her nose. She scanned the castle tapestries and windows and flashed a smile at an approaching Igraine.
"Hello Nimueh! I am so please that you've come." Igraine greeted, allowing Nimueh to view the grand hall.
"Hello." Nimueh responded, pulling a fake smile on her face, acting slightly annoyed as she made it a point stare at the statues on the side of the room. She crossed her arms.
Igraine and Uther exchanged confused looks.
"Nimueh...this is my husband. The King of Camelot."
"Oh yes. Hello your majesty." She said with the same confident posture, only turning her eyes to Uther giving him a critical stare. When Uther replied back, she returned her attention to the tapestries with that fake smile and a roll of her eyes.
Igraine turned to Uther and heaved in a sigh. This was going to be a long night.
The three sat down on their respective chairs. Suddenly the door opened and in walked Tristan. Tristan looked slightly thinner, more bothered, and walked in with a servant with a sigh.
"Tristan! I am so happy you've come!"
Tristan hugged Igraine solemnly and looked to the floor.
"Tristan, I'd like you to meet Nimueh. Nimueh, I thought Tristan would be an exceptional help with this effort."
Tristan turned to Nimueh and nodded. Nimueh watched Tristan and flashed her eyes to Uther, who was looking to the side, gulping some wine. The silence added to the tense and awkward feeling brimming in the air. Arthur felt uncomfortable watching himself. When the food came out, Tristan was very quiet and began taking bites of his veal, completely immersed in the food to avoid Uther. Nimueh stared at her meal, veal in currant sauce, and rolled her eyes when Uther asked if she liked veal.
"No. I don't. But I'll eat at home. So the Seeker wishes me to tell you some news…" she said quickly turning to Igraine.
"Of course.." Igraine smiled nervously, glancing at an insulted Uther, taken aback by Nimueh's insistence on going back to business.
"Magan insists he did not kill the family. There was a mother whose daughters were dying, so she asked Magan to help. Magan relayed the request to a high sorcerer, and the high sorcerer saved the daughters life."
"What does this have to do with Lewen?" Uther asked before Igraine could speak, lifting his goblet for a sip of wine. Nimueh turned to him and considered him for a moment.
"Well anyone with magic would know there is a price to pay for saving a life."
Uther leaned forward on his chair and listened while chewing his veal slowly. Nimueh continued.
"The price is death. For one life saved, there must be a life taken away."
Silence ensued differently than before. This time, the silence had a tone of surprise.
"Very Interesting…" Uther said first, leaning back in his chair, gripping his goblet.
"Can you use it on anyone who died?" Tristan asked slowly, coming out of his silence.
Nimueh turned to him and thought.
"No. A small amount of life in the body must exist."
"Do you choose who will die?" Uther asked.
"No- Death will happen to whomever death goes to."
"And that is why it is horrific!" Igraine said, glaring at Uther and Tristan, in response to their unsettling curiosity.
"It is horrific. And we will have no place for it in Camelot." Uther said stretching his back and lifting his wine to his face. Tristan sunk back into his chair playing with his veal fumed.
"Well, thank you for sharing this news Nimueh. Perhaps we can get in contact with the sorcerer and speak to her. "
"Yes… Perhaps." Nimueh pulled a quick smile. "If you don't mind. I would like to head back…but I'd like to visit Gaius before."
"Gaius?" asked Uther, looking up at Nimueh getting up.
"Yes, Gaius has been going to Bossiney to learn some magic… to aid with his medicines and all." explained Igraine. She turned to an impatient Nimueh. "I'll have our servant escort you to his room..."
"I too will be leaving. I will visit my nieces and go." Tristan snapped, also getting up. He turned to his sister. "Thank you Igraine for having me. I am pleased to see you doing well."
And with Igraines sad nod, he left.
After a short chat with Gaius, Nimueh left the castle. A cool breeze flowed in the midnight air, right beneath a blanket of stars. The mood was silent and restful. However, some noise clinkered to her left some distance away. She peeked over curiously and headed for the shadow meddling with an agitated horse. When she got a glimpse of the figure, she spoke.
"Your horse is tired Tristan," Nimueh spoke.
Tristan looked up in surprise, but when he identified Nimueh, he shook his head and turned back to the horse, trying to untangle some ropes.
"My, my… aren't we silent. Are you always this rude?" Nimueh called, taking a step closer to Tristan.
"What do you want?" Tristan muttered, picking the end of the untangled rope off the floor.
"Aren't you in a grouchy mood? Poor Tristan!" a smiled pulled on Nimueh's face; her tone melodious. "Is there anything I can do?" she mocked sympathetically. Tristan looked up at her and considered her for a moment and messed around with the ropes on the floor.
"Let's just say I wasn't here to take part in Camelot's alliance with Bossiney. I've only come to keep an eye on things." Tristan said tossing a rope over his horse's neck. He turned to her trying to catch his breath. "You sure didn't seem to be enjoying yourself," he rebutted, turning to her while resting his hand on the horse's neck momentarily.
"Well then… we seem to have something in common." She exclaimed with an irritated smile.
Tristan watched her for a moment while still catching his breath and turned to his horse again. "So why did you come?" He leaped on his horse and turned to her.
"I am ambassador!" she mocked. "The Seeker positioned me in this role 'to promote the alliance and unity between magical and non-magical people to ensure harmony in Albion'." She scoffed. "It didn't matter what I wanted. She thought it was 'a great opportunity for me to utilize my skills and brilliance'! Anyone with half a brain could have been ambassador!" Nimueh declared with a hint of contempt.
Tristan stared at her. "What would you have liked to do?"
Nimueh thought for a moment, stared at the stone floor, and spoke quietly.
"Many things. I want to take magic where it's never been before, go to neighboring kingdoms all over the world and make a difference. The world has yet to see what magic can do."
Arthur could tell by the troubled look on Tristan's face that Nimueh wasn't sounding like she wanted a positive difference in the world. Nimueh continued.
"But no... The Seeker wants to contain my powers and skills, and to 'channel it to do more productive things'. Ha! It will only be a matter of time when she leaves this earth."
Tristan shuddered while trying to settle down his agitated horse, only to return his gaze to Nimueh.
She looked up.
"Well Tristan… It was certainly a pleasure speaking to you." Nimueh said slowly, eyeing him carefully. She flashed one last smile before taking off on foot.