Alaia Skyhawk:
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Music: N/A
"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A
~(-)~
Chapter 37: The Gates of Avalon ~Part 1~
The light was clouded, yellow and eerie, seeming at once like a fog until it became realised that this was a view below water. There was a hand in that water, it was limp and still, the view edging upwards to show an arm in chainmail, followed by a shoulder and chest clad in voiders and hauberk... Then the face, eyes closed but oh so familiar, blond hair shifting in the currents from the unconscious man's descent through the water... And lastly a view looking to the water's surface, of a beautiful young woman in a golden cloak and dress, hand outstretched over the water as she watched the prince drown...
Blue eyes flew open, a choked gasp bursting from her lips as she sat up in her bed shaking in aftermath.
"Arthur!"
Morgana continued to shake, eyes wide, before she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down... It was just a nightmare, like so many others she had suffered... It was just a dream...
~(-)~
The man crept through the undergrowth, near silent in his movements, his eyes fixed upon the deer that wandered among the trees just ahead. He slunk ever closer to it, careful and purposeful, eventually stopping and taking aim with the crossbow in his hands.
Something crashed through the trees behind him, slamming into him and almost knocking him over, the deer running away in fright.
"What is it?"
Arthur stood there wanting to swear, turning and glaring at the manservant who had just wrecked his shot and almost slapped him in the face with the two dead rabbits he was carrying on strings.
"You really are a total buffoon, aren't you, Merlin!"
Merlin stared back.
"I was just asking."
The prince waved in the direction his prey had fled.
"Who? Me or the deer? We're supposed to be hunting. It required speed, stealth, and an agile mind!"
He slapped Merlin on the head in annoyance, the servant replying to that almost absently.
"So you're able to get by on two out of three, then."
Any retort by Arthur in response to that was aborted, when a woman's scream of fear and distress echoed through the trees. Without another word, the prince raced off in the direction of the source, Merlin rolling his eyes behind him and following.
Here we go again...
They ran through the forest towards the noise, hearing a man begging for mercy in addition to the cries of the woman. There was a group of four bandits attacking the pair, demanding money, but that soon went downhill when Arthur shot one of them in the back with his crossbow.
He dropped the weapon, drawing his sword and charging the two bandits who left the old man on the floor and came towards him. One was struck on the head and shoved to the side by the prince, Arthur turning his attention to the other, while behind him the first man regained his feet and retrieved his sword.
Merlin saw it happen, saw that Arthur was completely oblivious to the danger, and then quickly looked around for something he could use... Ah yes, a convenient dead and damaged branch right above the man now turning to strike at Arthur's back.
"Forbearnan firgenholt."
The branch broke, falling on and crushing the man, while Arthur finished dealing with his friend. When those two were dead, he turned to face the last remaining bandit, where he stood near the old man and the golden-cloaked woman who cowered against him.
The bandit ran off, Arthur glancing up to the branch that had broken.
"That was a stroke of luck."
He walked towards the pair he'd just saved, while behind him Merlin rolled his eyes at the prince's obliviousness before shouting after the fleeting brigand.
"And let that be a lesson to you!" Arthur paused and glanced back at him, his expression clearly saying 'it's not like you did anything'. Merlin just stared back innocently. "What? I was covering your back."
Arthur shook his head, turning back to the woman and the old man.
"Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"
She turned, revealing the most exquisitely beautiful face, her long golden-brown hair hanging loose and woven at the front with tiny jewelled beads and fine golden chains, as distinct as the ceremonial staffs that both she and the old man carried. She then smiled, pushing back her hood.
"No." She turned to the old man beside her, he too wearing blue robes of a quality no commoner could afford. "I'm Sophia, and this is my father."
The prince nodded to him, introducing himself.
"Arthur Pendragon." The old man nodded, before the prince turned his attention back to Sophia. "At your service." He took hold of her hand and courteously placed a kiss upon it, before turning to frown at Merlin. "Don't just stand there. Pick up their bags and carry them! We're heading back to the city."
Arthur began to usher Sophia and her father down the trail towards Camelot, while behind him Merlin shook his head in annoyance and picked up the two moderate-sized bags dropped nearby. For a pair of obvious nobles, they were travelling light and strangely with no escort, but it was still irritating to be told to carry their stuff when he was already hauling around two dead rabbits and all the associated gear carried for trips outside the city.
And so he tramped along behind the trio, listening as Sophia's father graciously thanked Arthur for his help, and watching as the prince kept glancing at her in a fashion that clearly said 'dear heavens she is beautiful'. As for Merlin, she was a bit too pretty to be of an interest to him... Not that he didn't like beautiful girls, it was just he seemed to have a bad record in getting involved with them. Namely Nimueh tricking him into drinking poison because she wanted him dead.
And so it went, Arthur talking to Sophia's father, Merlin trailing along at the rear, and said young woman making pretty eyes at the prince. Arriving at the city wasn't much more interesting. An audience with the king, revealing the pair to be Aulfric and Sophia of Tiamor, whose home had been destroyed by raiders, and after barely escaping with their lives they were on their way to family they had in the Kingdom of Caerleon. This prompted Uther to immediately invite them to stay in the city and rest a couple of days, and of course prompted Arthur to order Merlin to resume carrying their bags around.
The pair left the council chambers, the visitors and the king heading off to dine together, while Merlin followed Arthur to his chambers to drop off the hunting gear and prepare to sort out rooms for the guests. Of course, Arthur was already thinking about that.
"Put her in a decent room."
Merlin glanced at Arthur's back, smiling slightly to himself.
"The one next door is empty."
Arthur nodded, taking off his gloves and jacket.
"The room next door is fine... Excellent in fact." It was then he turned and noticed the knowing smile on Merlin's face. "Shut up."
The servant continued to tidy up the mess Arthur had left on his table this morning.
"What? I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to." He started to pull one of his formal jackets on now, the red-velvet one with the golden studs patterning it. "I want to make it clear, that my intentions towards Sophia are... completely honourable." Merlin just looked like he was trying not to laugh, Arthur then starting to frown before pausing. "...Put her in a room at the other side of the castle. It's warmer, more comfortable."
It took all of Merlin's control not to chuckle, although he did raise his eyebrows and little and smile to himself. Yep, Arthur was smitten. It had been written all over his face from the moment he'd first looked at Sophia.
He forced himself to straighten his face before Arthur noticed the smile, keeping his tone serious.
"Of course." He finished stacking the breakfast things he'd not had time to clear this morning, due to Arthur being in a rush to go out and kill things. "She is very beautiful."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes, she is."
At the slightly dreamy and thoughtful way Arthur said that, there was just no way Merlin could resist.
"And if your intentions are honourable."
Arthur frowned, indignant.
"Oh, they are. Most definitely."
Merlin spoke, the image of innocent thoughtfulness.
"Then what's the problem with her staying next door?"
Instant silence... Arthur staring at him before looking away and doing his best not to look like he might possibly be made flustered by the words of his manservant. He failed though, because he changed out of the fancy jacket and back into a more plain one.
"There isn't one." He headed out of the room, to join his father in dining with their guests. "You've convinced me. Put her in the room next to mine."
Merlin watched him go, before bursting out laughing the moment Arthur was out of earshot. He just shook his head and chuckled to himself all the way down to the kitchens with the tray of plates, before returning via a detour to the laundry to get fresh sheets for the room next to Arthur's and another in the adjacent hallway. A quick sweep and dust of both, and he put the bags he'd left in Arthur's chambers into them and then trailed down to the main dining hall where a meal for the two resident nobles, and the two guests, had been hastily set up.
He waited outside them, yawning with boredom, until the thing finally ended and he escorted Sophia and her father to their guest rooms. This was the boring side of the job, followed by the additional boring bit of setting himself up for being laden with double the work he normally had to contend with.
He handed over a bundle of sleeping things for Sophia, which the women in the laundry had prepared for her in light of her lack of belongings, putting on his best polite smile and manners... And Arthur said he didn't know how to be diplomatic.
"If you need anything else, just let me know."
Sophia smiled and nodded, accepting the bundle at the threshold of her room.
"Thank you."
He turned and walked away to resume his normal duties, Morgana coming along the hall towards him. The king's ward noted his presence, before her gaze took note of the young woman turning to enter the guest room.
Sophia smiled slightly as if n courtesy, but Morgana never noticed. All she knew was the sudden terror in her heart, as the face from her nightmare now walked the halls before her.
Morgana stopped in her tracks, stopping Merlin when he was about to walk past her.
"Who was that?"
Merlin glanced to the now closed door, answering.
"Sophia Tiamor. We rescued her in the woods... Well Arthur did most of the rescuing."
Morgana shook her head a little.
"She can't stay here."
Merlin frowned, a little baffled by Morgana's reaction.
"The king said she and her father are welcome in Camelot." Morgana was still staring at the door, like something was frightening her. "Is everything ok?"
Morgana seemed to come to her senses, starting to smile.
"Yes... Thank you."
She hurried away, Merlin just shrugging and going in the opposite direction. Morgana was one of the nicest nobles in Camelot, certainly the only one that talked to him like he had a brain, but even so there were times when she was a bit odd.
But what he didn't know was the fear now coursing through her, fear for Arthur, as she hurried through the castle to the one person she knew she could talk to. She went straight to Gaius' chambers, entering it as the physician was just lifting a glass bottle filled with a bubbling liquid from a burner set up on one of his tables.
He heard her enter, turning after putting the bottle down.
"Lady Morgana?"
She pushed the door closed, her entire manner anxious as she approached him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you."
He reassured her, greeting her warmly. Most of it's Merlin's. If I'd known you were coming I'd have tidied up in here."
She shook her head, still staring before looking him in the eye.
"It's not that, it's just... Your bench is on fire."
He nodded with a smile.
"My bench is on fire." He paused, the words sinking in before he turned to see the flames. "My bench is on fire!"
He grabbed the piece of burning cloth with a pair of tongs, lifting it from where it had fallen on the burner just as Morgana rushed over with a basin of water.
"Here!"
He dropped it into the water, the flames quenched before he sighed to himself.
"You're always getting me into trouble." The minor calamity over, he now noted the anxious expression on her face. "What brings you to this dark corner?"
She swallowed uncomfortably, aware of how silly this would sound.
"I had another dream."
He regarded her kindly.
"I see."
"I saw Arthur lying underwater, drowning, and there was a woman standing over him watching him die." The fear rose in her voice, her expression tormented as she looked to Gaius. "And she's here... In Camelot."
Gaius sighed, trying to reassure her.
"The mind plays tricks. It borrows from everyday life and plays out it's own fantasies."
Morgana shook her head, her voice rising in volume from agitation.
"But I had this dream before she came to Camelot."
"You must be mistaken."
She kept shaking her head.
"No, I know what I saw. It was so real... I saw him die, Gaius. She's going to kill him."
Gaius reached out to her, putting his hands on her shoulders, his voice calm.
"These are just dreams, Morgana. Nothing more. Are you taking the sleeping draught I made up for you?"
She bowed her head.
"It doesn't help."
He seemed to think for a moment, before going to one of his tables and picking up a vial among the assortment stood there. This he then gave to her.
"Try this. It will induce a deeper sleep." She was quiet, and again he tried to reassure her. "You've nothing to fear."
He gave her another light hug to comfort her, as she accepted his help.
"Thank you, Gaius."
She headed for the door, pausing when the physician called out to her.
"And, Morgana." She glanced back at him. "Don't bother Uther about this. No need to worry him."
She frowned slightly, nodding after wondering what he meant and then thinking he must mean the nightmares in general. The king had often worried about the number of times she'd struggled to sleep properly.
She returned to her chambers, remaining there for the rest of the day. She used the potion as instructed, falling into slumber with a prayer for the nightmares to stop.
~(-)~
"I'm taking Sophia out for a ride today. To show her around."
Merlin glanced to where Arthur was leaning against one of the posts of his bed, watching him moving the pillows in prelude to taking off and replacing the sheets. Outside the morning sky was clear in the promise of another day of good weather, but inside this room he was already wondering where this was going.
"Where do I come into this?"
Arthur folded his arms across his chest, trying to be casual.
"Well, I'm supposed to be on patrol with the guard of my father this morning. So, I need you to cover for me."
Merlin paused in his work, staring at him.
"What? And lie to the king?" He shook his head. "No. No way. He'll see right through me. He'll have me in the stocks quicker than you can say rotten tomatoes."
"Merlin... I need you to do this for me."
Oh dear, he was using 'the look'. The expression of almost but not actually pleading, that also seemed to say 'I'm a nice guy, do me this favour'.
Merlin sighed.
"I am a terrible liar. I start sweating, my vision blurs, my brain stops working."
"No change there then." Arthur walked around the side of the bed so he was next to him. "Look, I promised Sophia I'd take her out, and if I don't turn up I'll blow my chances."
Ah, so that's what this was about. Merlin gave him a knowing look.
"So you like her."
Arthur regarded him as if that should be obvious.
"Yeah, what's not to like? I want to spend some more time with her, but I need to get my father off my back." He used that expression again. "I can't order you to lie to the king, but... you'll be a friend for life if you do."
They looked at each other, a battle of wills, but the moment Arthur had used the word 'friend' he'd sealed it.
Merlin sighed, relenting.
"Go on then, you don't want to keep her waiting."
Arthur immediately headed for the door.
"Thanks, Merlin, I won't forget it."
Merlin watched him go, murmuring to himself under his breath once the prince was gone.
"Sure you won't, at least until you decide to be a prat again... Why do I let you talk me into these things?"
He resumed changing the bedding, acknowledging the fact that he'd gotten the short end of the stick, and yet at the same time feeling pleased with himself. While Arthur hadn't really meant 'friend' as in friend, the fact he'd used the word at all meant that somewhere in the back of that oversized ego of his, he was actually enjoying having him around.
Which at present was about as close as Arthur was ever going to get to admitting that behind it all part of him was starting to view Merlin that way, and for the warlock who had long since decided Arthur was worth being a friend to, that was a small but significant victory.
Bed finished, Merlin headed to the laundry to dump the dirty sheets, before heading to the council chambers to speak to the king... He had an appointment with the stocks to go to.
~(-)~
"Are you sure it's her?"
Gwen's concerned voice reached Morgana's ears, where the lady stood by the window watching Arthur and Sophia riding out into the woods from one of the side-roads out of the castle. Gaius' sleeping draught hadn't worked, and instead of a good night's sleep she'd woken up screaming. Gwen had arrived at dawn to find her mistress already awake, huddled and trembling in a chair near the burn-out fire in the hearth, and in light of her trust Morgana had explained everything.
She watched the pair disappear from view, the edge of fear still there in her voice.
"I could never forget that face."
Gwen came to the window, standing behind her.
"You should speak to the king."
Morgana turned and looked at her, dispirited.
"And tell him what? That I can see the future?"
Gwen nodded.
"If you think Arthur's life is in danger."
"You know how he'd react."
"You're his ward, he wouldn't harm you."
Morgana shook her head.
"He hates magic more than he cares for me."
"That's not true."
"Would you care to put it to the test?"
That question made Gwen pause; she could hardly argue with it.
"But what else can you do?"
Morgana turned back to the window.
"I'm going to have to try and stop her myself."
She went silent, Gwen leaving her by the window. Leaving her to the thoughts and concerns for Arthur's safety.
Nearing midday, she was not the only one to be concerned, a certain physician having followed up on her suspicions to enter the room of Sophia's father. Shaken and thankful for managing to talk his way out of a confrontation with Aulfric, Gaius hurried back to his chambers with a great deal on his mind... Partly about the old man's staff, which he'd managed to take a close look at, but more importantly... The fact that in rage the visiting nobleman's eyes had changed colour, and that meant only one thing.
The both of them had something to do with magic.
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: It's episodes like this that remind me just how much Morgana used to care about Arthur. It makes the way she ends up, even more sad to see.