Chapter 5 [Hours Later—Morgana's Hut]

Agravaine cut across Woods and Fields. His eyes flitted in all signs for Pursuit. He pushed the horses as hard as they could gallop. Time and Urgency demanded a rapid pace. He only stopped once to refill his water skin and to check on Merlin's condition. Then he resumed his mission. He determined to eliminate Merlin's meddling in the schemes against Arthur. He'd please Morgana no matter what.

Approval demanded Effort after all….

He stopped the horses by the hut. He eased his way down the incline and to her door. He peeked inside. "Milady?"

Annoyance stabbed through Morgana's eye at him. A stack of leather bound tomes sat by her right arm. Metal Pitcher sat to her left. "Two visits in one day, Agravaine? Please tell me that you have something!"

"Oh I do. Follow me. I have a surprise for you." Confidence's smirk spread across his face. He motioned for her to follow him outside. "It's on the horse."

"A surprise on a horse?" She sniffed at him. Her lip curled. "I am not in mood for games, Agravaine. Whatever you have had better be worth my time. Why are you not out searching for Merlin?" She got up from her stool. She stalked outside.

"I assure you, Milady! You will be very pleased when you see it!" He rushed out after her. He felt pleased with himself in that moment. He eased past her and led her up the incline toward the waiting horses. "I believe that is who we are looking for?" Anticipation raised an eyebrow. Attention hung on her next move.

She froze by the horses' side. Excitement warmed her heart. "Agravaine, you have done it!" She confirmed that the unconscious rider was indeed Merlin. She clapped her hands. "Very well done!" She considered the drugged antagonist with care. "You drugged him with the darts?"

"Aye. I trust you are pleased?" Agravaine untied Merlin's hands from the saddle horn. He eased the captive warlock down from the horse. He resecured the prisoner's hands right after that. "Now you can kill him."

She grinned. Evil sparked in her eyes. "Now where would the fun be in that? I must be a good hostess after all!" She grabbed Merlin's feet. "Help me with him. I have something exquisite in mind for Merlin. This is something not even he can escape from."

He shuddered. He knew full well that her glee meant something horrible for Merlin. Still, he knew the boy had it coming to him. He lifted Merlin's shoulders and worked with her to bring him into the hut. "Where do we put him?"

"Over here." She motioned toward a long rope slung over a thick oak beam overhead. She tied the rope around Merlin's already bound hands. She secured his bound feet with another rope tied to the trap door. "There! Now that will keep Merlin out of trouble." She considered him once more. "After today, you won't even remember anything much less how to bother me again, Merlin." She turned to Agravaine. "You'd best go. I do not want him seeing you."

"But this is the moment of our triumph. I…." Agravaine started to protest. Then he stopped in mid-sentence. Realization grasped onto her point. "I shall deal with Guinevere."

"Do so. Perhaps you might lock her in the dungeon? Or send her north to check on Merlin's mother? Just get her out of the way for the next few days." She hissed through her teeth. "Helios marches north as we speak." She shooed him away with her hand. "Leave the defenses down. We cannot have too much resistance now. Can we?" She pinched a fingerful of powder from one of her bowls.

Agravaine bowed and departed from the hut. I wanted to see the boy suffer! Still if Morgana disposes of him, should I care? Now to deal with that maid! Randolph will assist me. I am sure! He tied Merlin's horse to a tree and got on his. He spurred his own horse back toward Camelot.

Plans continued in spite of Triumphs Achieved….

Morgana circled the unconscious Merlin. Frustration burned once more over Spoiled Plans. Anger boiled over Morgause's disfigurement and death. How many times had she and the forces of the old religion nearly toppled the Pendragons' tyranny? She hadn't understood years earlier as Famine, Drought, Supernatural Curses and Monsters threatened Camelot. Thanks to Morgause, she knew what had to happen. She knew what had to come about. She had to rid herself of her competition for the throne. Deals and Treaties would be worked out. The old religion would return to the land. Persecutions would stop.

She needed to rid her of the annoying Merlin to set her plan in motion….

She filled a wooden bowl with water from the aforementioned pitcher. Yellow, Green and Blue Powders dropped into the water next. Resin seeped into the bowl. "Now a few things from you, Merlin." She wiped Sweat from his forehead and dipped those fingers into the water. She raised her knife. Temptation focused on his exposed throat. Purpose however kept her on course. "Too easy." She cut a few strands of dark hair for the mixture. Then Knife's Point cut his arm. She brought the bowl over to the prisoner's side.

Blood dripped into the bowl. One drop after another dissolved into the contents therein.

"I believe that does it." She stirred the mixture incorporating every ingredient equally. Canary glinted in her eyes. Her hand passed over the bowl.

Bowl's Liquid frothed. Steam billowed upward for several heartbeats. Then the process ceased.

"I believe we are ready." She sauntered over to Merlin's side. "Merlin." She slapped his cheeks. "Merlin, wake up. Come on now. I do not like to be kept waiting." She lifted his chin. "Duisg!" Canary flashed in her eyes again.

Merlin stirred. Pain stabbed at his neck and back. Thinking came slowly and with great effort. Wound's Sting burned on the cut arm. His eyes blurred back into focus. He looked around at the rundown hut. "How? Where…am I?" He frowned.

"Nay. I'm afraid it is not. You're in my humble home. Of course, I would be ruling in Camelot if not for your interference. Pity." She shook her head. "The good news is that I will be back there soon enough. The bad news is you won't be able to stop me." Sarcasm elicited Mock Sympathy in her face. "It will be bad for you."

He coughed. "I'm sure. Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?" Sullenness burned in his eyes. He struggled with the ropes.

"Why, Merlin? Why should I kill you?" Mock Dismay pressed her hand to her chest. She put on her best shocked expression. A snicker returned her face to normal. "Nay. That would be too easy! I have something better in mind for you!" She smirked at him. "And you inspired me." She motioned toward the bowl. "Do you remember the throne room and the Cup of Life?"

He narrowed his eyes. Memoria took greater effort to bring past events to mind. Strain and Stress pounded at his temples. His eyes drifted toward the bowl. Shimmering Waters caught his eye. "What…what is that?"

"This?" She shrugged. "You have seen water before? I have enchanted it." She brought it over to him. "Look into it." She passed her hand over it.

He stared into Sparkling Liquid. The Throne Room's confrontation and emptying of the Cup of Life appeared before his eyes. Then other scenes from across his life followed in succession….

Ealdor's upbringing amongst family and friends. Seasons came and went. Harvests came in from the fields for Winter's survival. Long departure for Camelot and Mother's sad goodbye.

Camelot's growth. He learned survival and medicinal knowledge from Gaius. He endured teasing and gibes from Arthur. Gwen's kindness came into view several times. Companions such as Lancelot and Gawain accompanied him on adventures and battle. He faced Kilgarrah as friend and foe. Loss haunted him over Lancelot's and Freya's deaths. Fear of Discovery haunted him still. "Those…those are my memories! I feel them. I cannot remember. What…what did you do? Why?" He bowed his head.

"I've taken your memories from you. They're here." She sloshed the bowl around in her hand. "So much value. Your whole life in that stinking hovel and now licking my dear brother's boots! Pity I cannot see them for myself. Not that I want to." Snicker escaped her lips. "Pity it's so fragile. All of those immortal Mercians paid when you emptied the Cup, Merlin. Say goodbye to it!" She walked to the doorway. Enchanted Liquid cast forth from the bowl by her hand. She watched it splatter over trees and grass.

Spasms contorted his limbs and body. Scream escaped his lips. He struggled to hang onto Dissipating Memories and Sense of Self. Alas, even that evaporated. His mind went numb. He blacked out.

She shook her head. "I thought you were made of sterner stuff." A grin spread across her face. Her spell had wiped his mind clean akin to pristine parchment. "So much for you, Merlin." She untied his hands and feet. Then she dragged him from the hut. She waved her hands. Canary glinted in her eyes. "Cadal!" She muttered another spell.

He floated and alighted across his horse's saddle.

She tied his hands and feet to the stirrups. Then she mounted her own horse. "I'll put you where Arthur or his knights will never find you." She grabbed onto his horse's reins and urged her horse onward.

Time to dispose of defeated adversaries. Crisis reached Camelot's doorstep yet again….