Chapter 34 [Cenred's Castle—Mercia]
Morgause and a small contingent of knights rode across the drawbridge and into the castle proper. Failure stung in her nostrils. She had anticipated her enemies' moves in a perfect manner. Cuthbert's death drove Accolon to Camelot's door. Taene's and Wyngate's spell-induced trances had done the same to Rodor and Mithian. Morgana's proposed marriage of Merlin and Gwen set Arthur and Uther at odds. The plague distracted the old traitor, Gaius, in the south.
It was a perfect plan…it should have worked….
Betrayal's bile bit at her stomach. Somehow, Merlin had escaped Camelot. He'd reached Whitgate and broken the trances. Gwen ended up in Tintagel and then in Whitgate almost inexplicably. Accolon convinced Morgana to abandon the plan and undo everything. Then Merlin had slipped in and out of the Essetir with her last bargaining chip.
Those who Morgause fought for…her fellow priestesses, her own sister and the goddess herself…had betrayed her….
She dismounted. Uther has trapped the Prince. The knights' loyalties are divided. That is where we will start! She braced herself for Cenred's taunts. Like I can control a goddess? She snorted at that thought.
"Difficulties, Milady?" Cenred almost pranced down the stairs. He wore his chain mail. Heavy leather gloves covered his hands. His helmet covered scalp and hair alike.
"Do not start!" Morgause spat.
"Why not? I have already heard that the Lady Morgana freed Sweet Guinevere! She and the boy Accolon had filled the void in Tintagel! And the boy Merlin kept Mithian from your plans for her in Camelot. Tintagel and Nemeth are stable!" Cenred smirked. Triumph and Sarcasm played equal parts across his face. "Uther himself gives us something!"
"How so? The Prince married that wench. What of it?" She frowned.
Cenred sniggered. "My spies tell me that Uther himself instigates the very war we seek. He antagonized Tintagel and Nemeth. He exiled the Boy Prince's lapdog. His own ministers are uncertain. Even if your plans failed, the Lady Morgana allies herself with Accolon against her own father. Rodor will not help Camelot. His hatred runs deep for Uther."
"You know this? So what do you propose? I…." She heard a noise akin to the ground rumbling several leagues away. "That sounds like marching."
"Aye. Do you think I would sit here and do nothing?" He rolled his eyes at her. "Meleagant craves blood as much as I! He and I will run right over Camelot. Then we shall split the spoils." He pointed toward the back wall. "If you had come in from the northeast, you would have seen my army waiting there!"
She rubbed her chin. Even as plans splintered, others grabbed onto the splinters and forced them into a new vessel. Phoenix's resurrection had nothing on this revived venture. "You two split…?" Dark energies crackled about her hands. She grabbed onto his wrist. "NEVER!" Crimson glowered in her eyes.
Cenred screamed. Despite nary a blemish on his skin, Fire burned inside of him. His eyes went blank. He collapsed to the granite underfoot.
"Well it seems another will take your share. Now does it not? Thank you for preparing my army." She frowned at the corpse. She turned to the knights around herself. "Do as I say or share his fate! Tell the men I am in charge!"
They bowed and rushed off toward the drawbridge. Just before they reached it, a gigantic warrior in crimson armor scattered them like mice. He dismounted from the large coal-hued stallion. "Cenred, dead?" He curled his lip at her. "Morgause, I should have known. I told Cenred not to trust you."
"Greetings to you as well, Meleagant." Sarcasm dribbled from her words. She shook her head. "He would have found a way to pull back before Camelot anyhow. You could have accepted my original offer of alliance. This mess would have been so unnecessary."
"As I said before, I do not trust you, WITCH!" The tyrant hissed at her. He wanted to run her through with his blade. He squinted at Cenred's body. "And will his generals accept you? Now I have to deal with this as well! DID YOU CONSIDER THAT?"
"OF COURSE I DID!" She frowned. "Take his head. Show the generals. They will follow us. I am their Queen now. Kill Pendragon and we shall talk about this pile. You will get far more territory from me than ever from him!"
"BAH!" He hefted an enormous axe from his horse. He whipped it through the air and struck Cenred's neck. He bagged the head. "Our business is done! Get ready!" He glared at her. "I will be watching you, Woman!" He mounted his horse and rode back toward his own armies.
He will be watching? Well so will I! I only need him for so long! She got on her own horse and headed toward the waiting Mercians. As she rode in that direction, she beheld the dark suited horde awaiting their orders. To the left, the wave of Cawdorian Crimson rolled toward the first to enhance their numbers.
Anticipation lit up her eyes. Not even Camelot would be able to resist such a force especially in its divided state.
It was finally time….