Chapter Fourteen, The Fallout
"Merlyn, you need to rest." Gwen whispered, coming up behind her best friend who was watching Arthur on his knees in the middle of the Throne room dressed all in one linen and barefoot. It was discovered after they had helped Gwen rescue her brother from Cenred that she was around a month pregnant. At first they thought Morgause or Cenred had poisoned her as kept throwing up, until Gaius had checked her over. Bringing forth another vision from the Crystal Cave when Merlyn stood in front of a mirror in Gwaine's chambers. To say Arthur and Leon were displeased with Gwaine was a severe understatement.
"I'm fine." Merlyn promised.
"What's he actually doing?" Gwen asked, turning her attention to Arthur when she couldn't get her friend to leave.
"Thinking." Merlyn replied, a teasing smile on her face.
"About?" Gwen questioned curiously.
"You." Merlyn teased, causing Gwen to slap her arm. "Shh." Merlyn said, holding in her giggles as the pair closed the door. "He has to decide upon a quest." Merlyn said seriously, which only left Gwen more confused.
"And crouching on his knees all night's gonna help?"
"Yes, it kinda sounds like magic to me but Uther would never deem it as such. He has to transcend his body so that the quest is revealed to him in a vision." Merlyn said, shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't think you should stay here and watch him. You need proper rest for you and my niece or nephew." Gwen argued.
"I have to thanks to Uther, as it's one of the most important days in a Arthur's life." Merlyn sighed, she wouldn't admit it but she was exhausted.
"I'll stay with you then." Gwen decided.
"Thank you but I'll be fine. I'm just gonna sit here." Merlyn said with a yawn, as she lowered herself to the floor propping herself up against the stairs. Gwen looked uncertain for a moment before she relented and bid goodnight to her friend. Within minutes of Gwen heading home Merlyn fell fast asleep slumped against the stairs.
Early the next morning Uther and the other men of the court scoffed when they saw Merlyn was fast asleep outside the throne room and threw open the doors waking Merlyn up as she climbed to her feet with Gwaine and Gaius's help.
"I really wish you hadn't stayed here all night, Merlyn." Gaius sighed, as they followed everyone in, seeing Uther rest a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"I fell asleep moments after Gwen left." Merlyn whispered.
"It is time." Uther spoke, causing Arthur to come back to himself. "What is the quest you have chosen?" Uther asked, once Arthur was on his feet.
"I can see but one path, Sire. I am to enter into the Realm with the Fisher King and find the golden trident, spoken of in the Legends of The Fallen Kings." Arthur answered, causing shocked twittering to spread around amongst the Lords.
"You do understand that if you are to prove yourself worthy of the throne, you must complete this task alone and unaided?" Uther asked.
"I do." Arthur replied, weariness shinning in his eyes.
Once Uther and all the Lords left Arthur spotted Merlyn with Gwaine and Gaius.
"Please don't tell me you were sat out there all night, Merlyn?" Arthur begged, sending a glare to Gwaine as if it was his fault.
"Okay I won't." Merlyn replied cheekily, but stopped at the looks she got from the three of them. "Fine. Your father said I had to stay with you but I fell asleep pretty much straight away." She said honestly, causing anger to build within the three. Uther and Arthur's relationship has never been the same since the thugs attacked Merlyn during the Mele.
"Well, go have a bath, get some rest and have something to eat Merlyn. I'll get...George to help." Arthur said, scrunching up his nose when he mentioned George.
"Thank you Arthur." Gwaine said gratefully, leading Merlyn and Gaius back to their chambers. Merlyn still stayed with Gaius most nights as it eased Gwaine's mind to know Merlyn was with her uncle if something happened though she did often stay with him in his chambers as well. When they got back to the chambers Merlyn was starving proven by how fast she was eating after she had a bath to refresh herself and dressed in a white dress with a lace-up maroon overdress.
"You'll get hiccups, my dear girl." Gaius chastised.
"Who was the Fisher King?" Merlyn asked, after drinking some tea.
"He was a Sorcerer who lived many hundreds of years ago." Gaius explained.
"And?" Gwaine enquired.
"Legend has it he was wounded in battle. The wound festered and the infection spread not only just through his body, but through his lands as well. His mighty Kingdom was reduced to a wasteland and has remained that way to this very day."
"I don't understand. Why is Uther so worried?" Merlyn asked confused.
"Some believe the Fisher King's still alive... kept from death by his magic." Gaius explained.
"Do you?" Gwaine asked curiously. Gaius stilted his head to the side in a so-so fashion.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. I reckon a really powerful Sorcerer could perhaps do it but I don't imagine it's not without its downfalls. But the people of the North call the area, 'The Perilous Lands.' Few who have ever ventured there have lived to tell the tale." Gaius explained.
"So a normal typical quest for Arthur, where I'll have to go after him eventually and save his Dollopheaded backside." Merlyn said, rolling her eyes as she tried to hide how worried she was but she wasn't fooling her uncle nor her love.
"Well, if you have to go you won't be going alone." Gwaine assured, covering Merlyn's hand with his own. "I know you can take of yourself far better than I can or any Knight for that matter. But for mine and Gaius's peace of mind, I'll make sure to bring you two back home." Gwaine said, covering the soft swell of her stomach with his larger one. Merlyn smiled gratefully as she covered Gwaine's hand with her own. She was glad she had someone to watch her back like she always looked out for Arthur it makes a welcome change.
Gaius watched them with a small smile on his face glad that his niece who was more like a daughter to him, had someone to always look out for her, before he remembered a letter had arrived for Merlyn.
"Merlyn, before I forget this came for you." Gaius said, pulling a letter out of his pocket.
"It's from mother." Merlyn cried happily, hurriedly ripping open the letter with a wide smile upon her face making Gaius and Gwaine laugh.
"Sorry. I had a letter come from my mother." Merlyn apologised, as she entered Arthur's chambers with a basket only to let out a hiccup.
"Merlyn what are you doing?" Arthur exclaimed, racing out of his seat to snatch the basket from her only to reveal that it was empty. "It's empty?" He asked confused.
"Yes, it's to put the dirty bedsheets in." Merlyn sassed, rolling her eyes as she went to strip the bed and remake it.
Arthur rolled his eyes but watched his sister worriedly, not sure if she should be doing that. "Shouldn't you be preparing for tomorrow?" Merlyn pointed out.
"Yes. You're right. You're right." Arthur said, taking his seat at his desk once again. "How is Hunith?" He asked.
"She's okay. They've finally made her the Physician in the village so she's getting more meals a week now. I have a feeling the half of the wages I send her she's gives to the other villagers if not all of it." Merlyn stated, folding back the sheets to replace the endless mound of pillows.
"You send your mother half your wages?" Arthur asked shocked.
"Of course. What was I supposed to do, let her starve?" Merlyn scoffed.
"Of course not. I thought you saved it but I would do the same. Does she know?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah she does, and she's over the moon says she's gonna start knitting some booties once the harvest is finished." Merlyn said with a small smile, it was clear she was worried for her mother and missed her a lot.
"If they need more food you know you can always tell me, and I'll do all I can to help." Arthur insisted.
"I know and thank you Arthur, but somehow I don't think your father would agree to that." Merlyn sighed, putting the dirty sheets in the basket.
"He doesn't have to know. And don't even think of carrying that basket, Merlyn." Arthur scolded, not looking up from all the different maps.
"Just because I'm two months pregnant doesn't mean I'm an invalid." Merlyn raged, her eyes flickering gold.
"No it means I'm concerned for you and want you to take it easy." Arthur refuted, looking up at her this time. "You're like a sister to me Merlyn and you're also my best friend. I can't have you or my niece or nephew hurt now can I? Even if I do want to clobber Gwaine around the head." Arthur grumbled, causing Merlyn to laugh wetly tears glistening in her eyes. Smiling at the similar words between Arthur and Gwen.
While Merlyn and Arthur were bonding in his chambers, down in the market Morgana was plotting with Morgause who was disguised as an old woman.
"Please. Please just a moment of your time, sister." Morgause asked in a frail voice. Morgana nodded and led Morgause around a corner where they wouldn't be disturbed while Gwen watched on suspiciously.
"We must be quick, sister. This enchantment will not hold for long." Morgause whispered hurriedly. "Tell me, what has Arthur chosen as his quest?"
"He sets out tomorrow for The Perilous Lands." Morgana informed.
"How perfect." Morgause gasped with glee. "Present this to the Prince as a token of your good wishes." Morgause ordered, pulling a silver cuff bracelet with an amber in the centre that seemed to swirl with its own power.
"When the time is right, you must make a likeness of the Prince and bind it to the gift using the skills that I taught you. When he does not return, you, sister, will take your rightful place as sole Heir to the throne of Camelot." Morgause plotted, a wicked smirk on her wisened face, a smirk that Morgana returned as she nodded her agreement and hid the bracelet within the folds of her dress. Unknowingly doubts started to form in Gwen's mind in regards to Morgana especially as she saw Morgause's true face in the mirror and Morgana's fake assurances. Before Gwen would have brought it as it was what Morgana used to do but there was something in her eyes and in the matching walk of the two women that did not sit right with Gwen. Not at all.