Chapter 23 [Ahead on the Forest Road==A Sixth Turn of the Hourglass Prior]
Morgana savored Triumph's sweetness. For the previous two weeks, she'd clawed, scratched and pushed rocks off of herself. Vengeance burned in her heart. She and Odin had been so close to killing Arthur. She almost had Camelot's throne within her grasp again. She would have watched Odin deal with Rodor and Mithian as they deserved.
Then the ceiling collapsed…..
She frowned. If I did not know better, I'd swear it was Emrys! How else does a stone wall and ceiling suddenly collapse like that? She ground her teeth. I will kill him! So help me….
"Are we boring you?" Arthur interjected.
She sniffed. "You are tedious, Brother, but no, I do not concern myself with you." Sarcasm widened her smirk. "I can kill you at any point." She grabbed his chin and yanked his face to meet hers. "And I will."
Arthur stiffened. "You will never win, Morgana."
"Oh?" Her eyebrow raised. "I have put Sirs Leon and Elyan into a trance. Poor Orfeo never had a chance against me. It is the traitor, Mordred, and yourself, Arthur. Poor, poor Uther…to have sorcerers at court right under his nose. Our dear father was so blinded, he did not see."
"Nor do you! It is not too late!" Arthur reminded her. "Let us go. We can talk!"
"Why? So you can chain me? So you can burn me at the stake? What kind of fool do you take me for, Arthur Pendragon? YOU USURP MY THRONE! YOU KILL MY KIND! IF NOT MORDRED AND ME, THEN WHO?
"Morgana! Listen to him! There is room for us as well! We…." Mordred started.
"I have had enough of you!" She slapped him across the face. "I have something special planned for you, Mordred. Do trust that. And then, I will find Emrys."
"More of this Emrys? Really?" Arthur scoffed. He'd heard her rant about this imaginary wizard in the tomb before the ceiling collapsed. "Another of your fellow wizards, Mordred? I cannot believe I trusted you!"
"Arthur, I wanted to be a knight! Was I any different than Gawain or Lancelot? Even Merlin was a hard working servant!" Mordred snapped.
"Merlin…" Arthur rolled his eyes. "That traitor."
Surprise arched an eyebrow. "Why, Arthur! You denounce your precious Merlin? How could you? Who else is going to clean your chamber pots, soothe your delicate ego and bumble after you across through the woods? Whatever did he do? Let's see…let's see… Maybe he and that fool, Gawain, went off on some adventure? Maybe he really went to the tavern instead of Gaius using that as an excuse?"
"Merlin's like Mordred and you, Morgana. He's a sorcerer!" Arthur hissed.
"Merlin? A sorcerer?" She laughed. Her tone mocked her captives' ears. "Come now, Brother. This is Merlin. He is but a servant boy and…."
A shadow swept overhead.
A roar shattered the stillness and din.
"Now what? If you're going to kill us, get it over with!" Arthur complained.
"Shut up!" Her eyes narrowed. "That is Ywain's pet. Still alive is it?" She curled her lip. "I do not have the blade I used against it." She heard a noise and ducked aside at the last heartbeat.
A dagger whizzed through the air and stuck into the tree…just inches from Arthur's right ear.
"Bloody hell! Missed!" Gawain spat. "Lance, watch her!" He dismounted and drew his sword. "You're like a bad shilling. You know that, Lady?"
"You can say that again," Lancelot concurred. "Greetings once again, Morgana."
"Lancelot as well. Why am I not surprised?" She rolled her eyes. "Very well. You seem determined to throw a new life away. Who am I not to help you back to the Other Side?" Her hands glowed with dark fire.
"She really thinks we're dumb enough to come out here alone, Lance." Gawain sassed. "We're just here to keep you busy."
"Busy….what?" She heard something strike a nearby tree. She saw Josiane cut through Mordred's bonds. "NAY!" She threw a lightning burst at the rescuer.
"Aye, you Witch!" Josiane deflected the attack with her scimitar. She swung her scimitar again and cut Arthur's bonds. "Stay out of the way."
"Stay out of the…? I will not let a girl tell me to stay out of a fight!" Arthur drew his sword.
Josiane ignored the King. "Surrender, Milady. You are trapped. The road is blocked in both directions." She held her scimitar at the ready. "Do not make this harder than it has to be." She touched the ground.
Lavender energies streaked forth from her fingers and across the ground toward Morgana.
"What are you doing? You're enchanting the ground, you Idiot!" Morgana sniffed. "You…" Then she saw the grass ripple and change into a cloying goo. She tried to pull her feet loose but they stuck fast.
"Oh when Josie wants you to stay still, she means it." Gawain informed her. His smirk widened. The 'gotcha attitude' practically oozed from him.
Malodius advanced into view. Emerald burned in his eyes. His tail swished back and forth. He snarled.
"And Blood Lion's ticked." Gawain grimaced. "Oh stinks to be you, my Lady."
"Uncle, do not play with her! Stop talking and pay attention!" Josiane lectured. "Do not give her an easy target!"
"A member of your family with a brain. Will wonders never cease, Gawain?" Morgana chuckled. "And she has skill." She nodded. "So what happened to you?"
"I have charm." Gawain narrowed his eyes. "Besides you're putting me to sleep with your attitude. Wish the others would get here already!"
"Others." Morgana watched as fire fell from the sky enveloping her in a circle.
"Aye. Others." Lancelot shrugged. "We have a Dragon Lord."
"Oh wonderful." Arthur rolled his eyes. "I have to be saved by that idiot. So help me…."
"A Dragon Lord? Really? Who would….?" Morgana watched Kilgarrah land not far away. "The Great Dragon? How?"
"I summoned him, Morgana." Merlin climbed down from Kilgarrah's back. Thank you, my Friend.
Of course. Deal with her, Kilgarrah accepted.
"You're using telepathy! I can hear it! That would mean…?" Morgana tensed. "YOU DO HAVE MAGIC!"
"And…she gets it," Gawain taunted. "Hey! You were warned."
"SHUT UP, YOU TOAD!" Morgana spat. She fired another energy blast in Gawain and Lancelot's direction.
"ENOUGH!" Merlin commanded. "Give up, Morgana. Do not make this any worse than it has to be!" He drew Excalibur. "Aye! I have magic! I am a Dragon Lord! On behalf of King Rodor, I arrest you for crimes against the Kingdom of Nemeth, Morgana Pendragon."
She sniffed. "And now you command me, Merlin? Please! We are in Nemeth not Camelot! You are but Arthur's supplicant…his boot licker. Well now that he knows, you will not even be that!"
"I am in my own kingdom…my new kingdom, Morgana." Merlin shook his head. "There is a great deal we both need to repent for. I am sorry about the past. I made mistakes and hurt you. Still, I will not be responsible for what you do. You will face justice."
"And you are going to do that?" Morgana laughed. "Merlin, do not test my patience!" She threw a magical burst. "I am a High Priestess! You are but a fool!"
Merlin evaded the attack. "You were a High Priestess. Apparently, the goddess has replaced you. Last chance. Give up." He stretched his hand out. Canary flashed through his eyes.
Tree roots snaked out of the ground. They grabbed onto Morgana's wrists. They muzzled her mouth. They held firm against her struggles.
"It is done, I see." Freya stepped into view. "Well done, Merlin. Well done indeed."
"I have been burned enough by loose ends," Merlin noted. "What do we do with her?"
"It will be dealt with." Freya closed her eyes. "Milady! We have her!"
Obsidian clouds rushed across the sky. They smothered Sol and his blue backdrop above.
Kneel, Merlin! Freya kneeled herself beside Malodius. She motioned for Merlin to do the same.
"Oh…yeah." Merlin did so.
"Now what? As if this little girl can….?" Morgana denied.
SO YOU DO, MY HIGH PRIESTESS! The triple goddess appeared in their midst. IT IS TIME TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS. She glared at Morgana. YOU DEFILE YOUR MAGIC AND POSITION, MORGANA PENDRAGON! YOU ARE UNWORTHY! NO LONGER ARE YOU HIGH PRIESTESS! Her hand reached for the sky.
A pillar of fire descended groundward. It seared at Morgana jolting but somehow not burning her skin. Still, her heart and mind nearly shut down. She screamed through the gag. Then she fell to the ground.
From her, a black energy ball flew into the sky. It hovered before returning to the glowing woman's hand.
AND NOW YOU DO NOT HAVE MAGIC. BE LIKE THOSE YOU DESPISE! The goddess absorbed Morgana's magic back into herself. MY THANKS TO YOU, MY HIGH PRIESTESS. WELL DONE, EMRYS.
"Thank you." Merlin bowed again. "What shall we do with her? She has broken Camelot's, Nemeth's and your laws."
I LEAVE THAT TO YOU, EMRYS. SHE CAN DO NO FURTHER HARM. STILL SHE HAS MUCH TO ACCOUNT FOR. BUT IT IS FOR NEMETH TO JUDGE. The goddess turned to Arthur. SOME BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE ABOVE THE LAWS.
Arthur coughed. "You do not judge me! I am a King!"
ARTHUR PENDRAGON, MORTAL KINGS ARE BENEATH ME! WHO ARE YOU TO SAY SUCH TO ME? YOU, A CREATURE OF MAGIC, DENY ME! YOU, A TYRANT, TORTURE AND MURDER INNOCENTS! The goddess' eyes glowed into his.
Arthur fell to his knees. His arms and back pulled toward the ground. He could not move.
YOU ARE BENEATH ME! YOU WILL CEASE YOUR GENOCIDE! The goddess glowered at the prostrated Arthur.
"Magic is evil! Camelot will not be ruled by you!" Arthur spat on the ground.
SO BE IT. YOU WILL RULE YOUR PETTY KINGDOM FOR A WHILE YET. AS YOU WISH, I WILL NOT INTERVENE WHEN CRISIS STRIKES. OTHERS WILL RISE INSTEAD, the goddess pronounced.
"And you, Merlin? You served her under my nose!" Arthur accused.
"Not as well as I should have." Merlin frowned. "I was loyal to you, Arthur. I protected you so many times. Now, I still want to. I have my oaths to Nemeth and the goddess to consider."
"I cannot believe what a traitor you are, Merlin!" Arthur complained.
Merlin shook his head. "CADAL!" He pointed at Arthur. His spell put Arthur to sleep. "There! Before he can make a bigger Prat out of himself." He rolled Arthur over and wiped the mud off of his face. "We'll get him back to Whitgate and let him rest."
THANK YOU, EMRYS. I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH OF HIS PRATTLING. YOU TREAT HIM BETTER THAN HE DESERVES. STILL I TIRE OF ARTHUR PENDRAGON'S ATTITUDE AND OUTLOOK. IF HE DOES NOT REPENT, CAMELOT WILL SUFFER! the goddess threatened. With that, she vanished in a flash of light.
"We need to get back to Whitgate." Merlin waved his hand.
"I will see to Arthur, Merlin," Mordred volunteered.
Arthur floated up and onto Mordred's horse.
"I will see the other knights back to Whitgate, Merlin." Josiane called her carpet to her side. She tugged Leon and Elyan onto its woolen surface. "See you there." She floated up and streaked off into the sky.
"A flying carpet?" Mordred shook his head. "And you are really a Dragon Lord, Merlin?"
"Really." Merlin considered Mordred. "Think on your future, Mordred. You can end up like Morgana or you can serve as a knight and sorcerer. It's up to you."
"Merlin, do not try to come between Arthur and me. I know about Gawain and Percival. I know where my loyalty is," Mordred insisted. "I will make my choice. Arthur has my loyalty."
"He had my loyalty as well. Mordred, I no longer believe you would harm Arthur. Still, will he harm you? You have seen his attitude toward magic. He will not change. Still, he is your King. If he rejects you, you have a place. Let us leave it at that." Merlin waved his hand to yank Morgana from the muck. He tied her hands. "She has paid a price. She will pay more." He looked to Mordred. "Do not let her hate infect you."
Freya stooped beside Morgana. "Well put, Merlin." She smoothed the former priestess' hair. "Morgana has been cast out. Remind the other rulers of what she has already paid."
"They will want blood." Merlin frowned. "Lancelot, can you bring her back to Whitgate?"
"It will be my pleasure." Lancelot picked Morgana up. He slid her onto the horse's back. Then he mounted the saddle right in back of her. "See you all back there. Come on, Ywain and Gawain." He rode back down the road.
"I will bear our unfortunate companion there. He deserves as much." Ywain eased Orfeo off of the branch and onto his horse. "Brave warrior indeed to face her alone."
"He did his duty and will be remembered," Merlin noted.
"On that note, see you and the Princess there." Gawain saluted. Then he, Ywain and Malodius headed back up the path.
"Where are Percival, Blancheflor and Gwen? They need to be found!" Mordred protested.
"They are safely in Whitgate, Sir Mordred. I brought them there," Freya informed him. "You will find me far more reasonable and trustworthy than the Lady Morgana." She bowed to them before vanishing into the mists.
"And now you are true to your heritage? I wonder what has changed?" Mordred proposed.
"I always was. I just wish to see worlds working together." Merlin climbed onto Kilgarrah's back. "See you back at Whitgate, Mordred." They ascended into the clearing sky and banked due west toward the capital.
Mordred climbed up on his horse. He considered his unconscious liege. "How will you treat me now, Arthur? Will you drive me into Merlin's service or allow me to stay in yours?" He frowned. Even if he did not want to hear the answer, his heart knew what would come to pass.
He spurred his horse on. Even as Destiny rushed toward him, he tried to avoid that path….