Disclaimer: I am poor and own nothing. And because I'm poor, this is my only source of entertainment, so please do not sue.
Authors Note: Okay, this is how this spell was created. I looked through my herb books and found the ones necessary and the rest I made up going off of ancient techniques and rituals. It is not based off anything except that. Hope it all makes sense.
Snape's Opera Rose – Something like that, but a little further in than just their minds. Hope you like it. I adore chocolate chip cookies! And I agree, the Saxons don't get any. Especially Cerdic since he killed Tristan and that little bastard son of his cause he killed Lancelot. And since no one specific killed Dag, then the entire Saxon army is condemned to be cookieless! Thanks for the review! Made me smile.
LANCELOTTRISTANBABY – I'm sure that eventually she'll get over it. And don't worry about the knights. It can't be an OC story for the three of them if they don't live. Thanks for the review.
Texasgrrl – Sorry to hear that. There's always the ability to stop reading though if she gets too on your nerves. And there are reasons for how she is. Thanks for the review.
Zelinia – Let me know if you were right. And thank you, it is rather difficult. I'm just waiting for it all to be over. Thanks for the review.
TriGemini – Yeah, there's a lot of anger to sort out and hurt on both parts I think. You get the answers to your questions in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it and it all makes sense. Thanks for the review.
The Priestesses of Avalon
Chapter Four: Spells and Meetings
The knights entered the infirmary behind Mariska to find Jols, Vanora, Ganis and a bunch of other stable hands and barmaids helping to arrange Tristan, Lancelot and Dagonet's bed into a triangle in the center of the room. Hayley draped a heavy cloth over the window, as Esmeralda lit the last few candles spaced about the area. Lucan sat in the corner, watching intently, a touch of fear on his face.
"If you wish to stay you can," Mariska said, causing them all to start and look over to where she was already taking off her cloak and her dress, leaving only her under gown on. Vanora came over then and handed her the bowl that Esmeralda had already prepared, filled with a thick black paste. Dipping her hands in it she began to rub the mixture over all of her exposed skin, as much of it as she could. Then she walked over and managed to get in the center of the triangle of beds, sitting down on a bedroll that had been placed there, her legs straight out in front of her. "But you must be quiet and still."
"Are you sure about this Mar?" Esmeralda asked, concern on her face as she dropped a hot coal into a metal cooking pot, throwing some frankincense and dragonwort on it, watching as the herbs began to smolder, smoke billowing slowly up.
"As sure as the last time Ez," she replied with a somewhat anxious smile.
The girl grinned back slightly, walking to another pot and dropping the next coal, adding althea to that one.
"Okay, the agrimony is already under the pillow," Hayley said walking over, carrying a bowl carefully in her hands, a warm liquid already inside. "The frankincense tea is ready, they are in position and the incense burns…you don't have to do this," she began, her voice laced with worry.
"I know," Mariska replied, holding out her hands for the bowl.
"Remember, just a small amount, not even a full drink," Hayley went on, the worry growing as Mariska brought the bowl to her lips.
"I remember," Mariska sighed. This wasn't the first time she had performed this ritual, nor was it one she explicitly looked forward to. And each time she did she hoped it was the last. But it appeared she would not be that lucky this time as she brought the hemlock to her lips and took a small drink of the poison, handing the bowl back quickly and lying down, closing her eyes and opening her mind and spirit.
As soon as her head hit the pillow her two sister Priestesses began to chant.
"Great Goddess Hecate hear our plea, hear our call.
Guide this Priestess far from this wall.
Elysia is the path she seeks, to save these men she's yet to meet.
Help her to her destined place, and bring her back home with haste.
"Belladonna help her spirit fly.
Agrimony let her nay open an eye.
Althea, dragonwort and frankincense give her mind strength,
To fight all perils ahead of her at length.
Hemlock do what must be done,
but release her once this spell has run."
As they continued to chant, repeating the two verses over and over again, the lights from the candles dancing about the room, Mariska could feel her spirit being pulled at. With the belladonna and soot mixture sinking into her skin, releasing her soul to fly, the agrimony beneath her pillow forcing her to sleep, and the hemlock working on the rest of her system, slowly she began to die. That was the part she hated about this spell, she had to die for it to be accomplished. Not completely mind you, but enough to make it to the Elysian Fields. Her breathing began to slow and she could smell the herbs burning, feeling their effects as they helped strengthen her spiritual self, taking her far from the small room at the fort in Hadrian's Wall.
Then she felt it, what she knew was coming. How it always happened, she brought her hand to her face and sneezed and when she opened her eyes, she was in Elysia.
She looked around slowly, seeing how green and beautiful everything was. Heaven as the Christians called it. But she knew this wasn't all of it, merely a part. A taste of what awaited you when you were granted access. When it was your time. And since the knight's bodies had yet to die, then it must not have been their time.
She turned slowly around, making a complete circle and found that she was alone. "They must be here," she murmured, taking a step forward and looking again. "Perhaps they had been allowed entrance and I am too late," she muttered as she kept looking. The sounds of voices in the distance drew her forward. Cresting a hill she saw them, all three looking just as their bodies did, sitting in the middle of the field. She kept walking and as she drew closer, she could make out what Lancelot was saying.
"If this is the Heaven Arthur goes on and on about, it is seriously lacking," he grumbled, finally sinking onto the ground.
Dagonet and Tristan watched him as he bent his knees and rested his arms on them. "Where are our families? The bloody choir of angles? The women?" he continued to grumble as his companions merely stared back at him.
Mariska shook her head slowly and could not contain the laugh that escaped her mouth. Warriors, they would never understand.
Startled, all the men were on their feet and looking at her as she came the rest of the way over to them, still laughing.
"Who the bloody hell are you wench?" Lancelot finally asked, more than a little frustrated with everything that had happened.
"The Goddess," Dagonet murmured, bowing his head a bit.
Tristan merely continued to gaze openly at her, skepticism in his eyes.
"Nay Dagonet, I am no Goddess. Merely a Priestess come to lead you home," she said with a smile.
"So this is not Elysia then?" Lancelot asked somewhat hopefully. "You will take us there?" He was beginning to think that this was some kind of punishment against them for killing men for fifteen years, and quite frankly, that thought depressed him.
"No this is Elysia, well the outskirts of it. You are only allowed entrance to the true Elysia when it is your time," she explained slowly.
"Why have we not seen our kin?" Dagonet asked curiously. He had heard stories from other warriors where they had thought they died, had even talked to a dead brother or father, but lived by some miracle. A gift given them by the Gods themselves.
"They probably thought it would distress you more," she answered with a shrug. "Now come, you are needed back home."
"Who are you?" Tristan finally spoke, looking at her closely.
"Mariska. I am from the Temple at Avalon, and I have come with two of my fellow Priestesses to revive you, but you are all three stubborn mules who must be dealt with the hard way," she answered, raising an eyebrow at him. He would be her greatest challenge, but she always had loved a challenge. "Now come."
"Why? We are near death then as you say, let us go," Lancelot muttered.
"And leave the new King without an advisor?" Mariska asked, deciding that she may as well get on with it. Hopefully it would not take much convincing.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, eyeing her closely.
"They intend to make Arthur king, but he refuses until you are well. He is beside himself without your council Lancelot. And you Dagonet, what about the boy? Lucan has nay left your side since returning to the fort. He cries himself to sleep at night and holds your hand against his bosom as if he is afraid all of you will disappear if he so much as blinks. And you, the greatest scout ever known, do you intend to leave your comrades to be guided by a Woad?"
They all looked at her skeptically before looking to one another. She could tell they were all still unsure so she pressed on. "Dagonet, Bors children will not play. They refuse. Merely skulk about the fort, looking longingly at the infirmary. And Bors, he drinks constantly. Vanora is worried he will drown in it," she saw Dagonet waver slightly and almost grinned in triumph as he looked back to his brothers.
"I can't leave Lucan alone. Not after all he suffered. Nor my brother and his bastards," he said apologetically, stepping forward to stand next to her. "What must I do?"
"Just close your eyes and trust in the Goddess to lead you home," she smiled, watching as he took her advice. Closing his eyes and heaving a deep sigh he faded from before them.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
In the infirmary Dagonet began to groan, moving slightly in the bed. Hayley and Esmeralda exchanged triumphant looks, holding back the knights with gestures of their hands as they continued to chant.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
"Where did he go?" Lancelot asked, as even Tristan looked alarmed and they began looking about for Dagonet.
"Home," Mariska was loosing her patience at this point, and not looking forward to staying here much longer, incase the hemlock decided to take and they didn't have time to give her the frankincense antidote. "Now come, we don't have much time."
Lancelot sighed and looked to Tristan, who remained impassive as always. "They're making him king?" he finally asked, tearing his gaze to Mariska.
"Yes. Merlin believes he will be able to unite the country," she answered, holding out her hand towards him. "And Galahad told me to tell you the barmaids miss you terribly."
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "Well if the barmaids miss me then," he said with a cocky smile before walking over, pausing to look at Tristan. "You coming?"
"I'll be along," the scout replied passively, watching as Lancelot took her hand.
"Good," Lance turned to Mariska. "Tell me you will be returning as well my lady?" he asked flirtatiously, bringing her hand to his lips and looking seductively at her.
"Just close your eyes and trust the Goddess before I send you to Hades," she smiled sweetly, venom in her eyes as she removed her hand from his.
"Cold. I'll have to see if I can warm you up," his grin broadening as he closed his eyes. It was a few moments and when nothing happened he went to open his mouth to speak.
"Trust," Mariska cut him off. "She loves you despite what you think," she added softly.
A look of almost relief passed over Lancelot's face before he faded from their side.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
In the sick room, relief washed over Arthur's face as Lancelot began to stir. He looked down to Guinevere and smiled at her, kissing her cheek and squeezing her hand, barely able to contain the joy that was in his heart at the miracle he was bearing witness to. Now only one left to go. The sisters chanting intensified.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
"Come then your turn," she held her hand out towards Tristan who eyed it for a moment before shaking his head, waving her hand away.
"I'm staying."
"Ah, I can see, for all the pleasant company," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm as she held her hands out to her sides, indicating the empty fields.
"Go back. There is nothing there for me," he stated, walking further away from her.
"They want you with them Tristan," she called after him, gathering her skirt and running to catch up to him. "They miss you, you are their brother."
"And they have buried others before me," he walked faster. "It will not matter."
She caught up to him and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn to face her. "It will. More than you could ever dream," she looked into his deep brown eyes. She never imagined they could be this brown, her own green ones blazing as she bore into him. There was something there, something the others didn't have. A sadness she had seen all to often. "Who is it are you waiting to see," she whispered, watching that sadness intensify, as he turned his head away from her, pulling at his arm, but she held firm. "Who?"
"My lover," he answered after a moment. "She died in a Woad attack eleven winters ago. She was with child."
She took her hand away, looking sadly at him, remembering back to a time she tried desperately to forget. Pushing that aside, she moved to stand before him, looking up into his eyes in understanding, raising a hand to move a stray lock of hair from his eyes. "If you have not seen her, then it is not your time," she whispered softly.
"Then I will wait until it is," he answered, turning and walking away, anger skirting his eyes and voice.
"What of your hawk? She circles the fort everyday, crying out for you. She is the one who came and retrieved me! Do you leave her to that fate? Death from sorrow at the loss of a dear friend and master?"
"She will recover. She is stronger than you make her out to be," anger, she could hear it clearly there. She was making progress.
"And your horse? You leave her to become a pack animal or worse, neglected?"
"Jols will not let aught harm befall her," he continued to walk and it was trying her patience.
"Fine then, you condemn us both!" she called after him, sinking down onto the ground, anger filling her.
He paused now and turned towards her, raising an eyebrow in question.
"I will not return without you," she stated firmly, meeting his gaze. They glared at each other for a long moment, until a sound behind them caused them both to startle, looking to see who was approaching.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Hayley was beginning to get anxious. It had been too long. Mariska's breathing was getting shallower and Esmeralda and herself were loosing their voices from chanting. She met Esmeralda's eyes before looking to Tristan, who remained quiet and unmoving.
'Come on Mariska,' she thought, continuing to chant.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
"Miranda?" Tristan breathed, watching as the woman came forward, her blue eyes glowing softly, her long auburn hair falling about her shoulders and the hand of a small boy in her own.
Mariska looked on in shock before rising, stepping back a few feet and turning away, giving them a moment as he reunited with them. She cast a glance over her shoulder and saw him lift the child up, a genuine smile gracing his face and quickly turned her head away, looking out into the distance. Perhaps this was what he needed, although it would probably be harder to get him to leave now. She sighed, thinking back to a time five summers ago when she had been forced to leave this place as well. Looking out into the distance she wondered if he would come to her now. Or one of her parents perhaps, sighing she shook her head.
Now was not the time, turning she looked back towards Tristan, noticing that he had hugged the boy tightly, kissing his cheek before kissing Miranda deeply. She pulled back enough to look into his eyes and began talking, soothing a hand over his face. After a few moments he nodded, albeit reluctantly, before turning and walking back to Mariska, holding out his hand to her.
She took it and smiled sadly at him. "Just close your eyes and trust Her," she whispered. He nodded slowly and did, disappearing into nothingness.
"That was risky," Mariska said, turning to Miranda. "He may have wished to stay with you more."
"He did, but I explained that he was needed there, and we would still be here waiting for him," she had a soft kind voice, and radiant smile. She bent down and lifted her son, kissing his cheek.
"Thank you for helping," she smiled a bit over at Miranda before turning to leave.
"I also told him it was okay to move on," she added. "He said to tell you the same."
Shock washed over her face and she whirled to say something, only to find herself alone.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Tristan groaned and the girls were in motion, Hayley moved in, while Esmeralda grabbed the bowl of frankincense tea. Throwing the agrimony from under Mariska's pillow while they poured the tea down her throat.
"What's going on?" Lancelot asked groggily.
Dagonet groaned again and blinked, Bors rushing to his side, Lucan at his heals. "DAG!"
As the knights gathered around their fallen brothers, Arthur with Lancelot and Gawain and Galahad rushing to Tristan Merlin looked sadly on. It may have been too late, he realized as the girls continued to work, wiping off the salve and pouring more tea down her throat. He noticed that the Scout was watching her closely then, his face impassive but a worry about his eyes.
Well, he may not have been able to save her mother, but he would not make that mistake again. Moving forward quickly Merlin began to help, trying his best to save his granddaughter.
Authors Note: Well what do you all think? I thought it might be interesting to go into what they were going through on the other side. This is just my take on it. Let me know if you all like it.