The lady of unicorns
It was another normal day in Camelot. The sun was shining, birds were flying, and Arthur, of course, was on another hunting trip. Arthur's hunting party, which was composed of himself, two knights, and also of course, Merlin and Alexia, snuck around in the woods, armed with crossbows. A loud crack resounded through the trees , stopping Arthur cold. He raised a hand and motioned to the two knights, sending them around another way. Merlin and Alexia, however, stayed back.Alexia felt like she was forgetting something.
But she was not able to point out.
Arthur looked back to where Merlin and Alexia were standing, and harshly whisperd, "Merlin." The two of them looked at Arthur, who motioned for them to come closer with his head.
"What is it?" Merlin asked as they approached Arthur's side.
"I don't know." Arthur said thoughtfully. After another moment, he motioned in front of them and told Merlin, "We'll surround it. I want you to go in there and flush it out."
"You want me to go in there? You just said you don't know what it is. It could be dangerous."
Arthur shook his head.
"No. I want you both to go there." He said with a smile.
Alexia gave him a glare before he pushed them. Merlin and Alexia sneaked through the woods. Suddenly, they heard more shuffling noises. Merlin quickly picked up a large stick from the forest floor. Alexia was now having some bad feeling. She was definitely forgetting something. But they continued to move.
Coming around a large rock, Alexia gasped loudly as they saw a unicorn, while Merlin dropped the stick. The unicorn neighed at them as they walked up to it. Alexia was totally entranced by the creature. She moved a bit forward towards the unicorn and placed a hand on his head. The unicorn neighed softly. Merlin looked at them with a small smile.
He looked at the mystical creature, clearly in awe.
Suddenly he heard the hunters coming and his head snapped around.
"Go. Go!" He hissed, making shooing motions at the unicorn. But the unicorn just looked at him. Alexia realised what she was forgetting, while Merlin continued to make the unicorn run. "Please, go. Shh. They're gonna kill you. Please, go! Arthur, no!" Alexia's head Snapped up.
Arthur shot his Arrow and Alexia quickly raised her hand in front trying to protect, but the arrow pierced her hand killing the unicorn.
Alexia gasped in pain before turning to the dead creature.
Merlin went to it and sniffled softly as he stroked its head while it died. "I'm sorry. Sorry."
Alexia rushed behind him and placing her hand on the unicorn.
"No!" She whispered shocked.
"It's my fault." She whispered softly, tears flowing her eyes.
"Ha-ha! A unicorn!" Arthur laughed.
Merlin looked up at his with a stricken expression. "What have you done?"
"Don't be such a girl, Merlin." Arthur taunted, still looking down at his prize.
"You did wrong Arthur." Alexia stated with such firmness, Arthur almost frowned, before he saw her hand, getting surprised.
Suddenly behind Arthur, Merlin and Alexia saw a man, wearing a long white cloak and carrying a large wooden staff, standing behind Arthur in the woods.
"Anhora!" Alexia whispered but no-one heard.
Arthur noticed their gaze into the forest behind him, and frowned. "What are you looking at?" he asked, turning to look. He and the other two knights turn around, but the man was gone.
"You did wrong Arthur. You slayed a unicorn. They are symbol of purity and hope. Slaying them is a sin." Alexia said.
Arthur just shook his head.
"Stop it Alexia. Right now it's your hand you must be worried for." He said moving toward her, while she jerked her hand away from him. Standing up, she furiously wiped her tears and started moving away from all of them.
Arthur frowned at her behaviour and looked at Merlin, who was looking a bit worried.
In Camelot's council chambers, Arthur and his knights entered. Merlin walked behind them, carrying the unicorn's horn on a red velvet pillow.
"Father! A unicorn's horn to grace the walls of Camelot." Arthur announced, motioning to the pillow Merlin is carrying.
Uther looked up and grinned, sweeping his cape back with a wide motion. "Magnificent. It's the first one I've seen." He took the horn and turned it towards the councilors. "Gaius, look at this."
Gaius opened and closed his mouth once, struggling with his thoughts, before replying, "It is very impressive, My Lord."
Uther looked him giving Gaius a long suffering look. "What is it, Gaius? Speak your mind."
"Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures. There is a legend that says that bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one."
"Nonsense. We will be the envy of every kingdom." Uther insisted, laying the horn back on the pillow and clapping Arthur on the shoulder.
Arthur returned his father's smile. "I'm pleased you like it."
Merlin and Gaius walked through the square. People were carrying baskets of food around, and barrels of apples and grain stand stall.
"I don't understand how Arthur can have taken any pleasure from killing the unicorn." Merlin muttered to Gaius as they walked.
"Arthur is a hunter." Gaius reminded him. "It's in his blood. Whereas you are something entirely different."
Merlin looked off into the distance, his mind going back. Gaius stopped as he murmured, "It was the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I wish you'd been there."
"It's a rare privilege. Alas, there are few unicorns still alive."
Merlin leaned in closer and replied, "You try telling that to Arthur."
"I can imagine it would be difficult." Gaius said.
"Alexia was hurt while our hunting trip, she tried to stop the arrow Arthur shot." Merlin said.
"Where is she?" He asked.
Merlin just shrugged.
Meanwhile Alexia rushed down the cave.
"Hello!" She called. The great dragon came down, sitting in front of her.
"What is it young witch?" He asked.
"I think you know. The dark power that is present right now. The curse is going to start soon." Alexia said, sadness evident in her voice.
"I felt the dark force, but why is the curse placed?" He asked.
"Arthur slayed a unicorn." Alexia said, looking at her hand, as she remembered the scene.
Kilgharah looked surprised, but soon a look of realisation appeared.
"Ah! That's why you, young witch, are most affected." Kilgharah said.
Alexia frowned.
"Alexia you are linked to the unicorns, by the blessing of the white goddess herself. You have a life force, a heart, of gold. Unicorn is a symbol of purity." Kilgharah said.
Alexia's frown deepened.
"I don't know what you are taking about, but I am afraid that the curse will be placed soon. People will die from starvation." She said to herself.
"I can not do anything about this young witch. It is young Pendragon's doing." Kilgharah said.
"I didn't come for a solution. I know you can't do anything." Alexia said.
Kilgharah looked at her in questioning way.
"I just wanted to talk to someone." She said in a low voice and gave the great dragon a small smile, leaving the cave.
In Arthur's quarters, Arthur sat in front of a large array of meats, bread and fruits, finishing off his meal as he gave Merlin a list of more chores.
"My horse threw a shoe. Take it to the blacksmith. Make sure he does a good job. And when you've done that, you can polish my s..." Arthur turned around and saw Merlin staring glumly out the window. "...saddle. Merlin? Have you listened to a word I've said?"
Merlin turned back to him and nodded.
"You've got a face like a wounded bear ever since we got back from that hunting trip." Arthur said, turning back around in his chair and stared at the grape in his hands. "Don't tell me you're still upset about the unicorn." He popped the grape in his mouth and stood up from the table.
"I don't think you should have killed it." Merlin replied.
"Oh, really? And why is that?" Arthur asked snarkily.
"It was... It was doing no harm." Merlin tilted his head slightly, and asked, "What purpose did you serve by killing it?"
"We were hunting. That's what you do. Would you have me bring it home as a pet?" Merlin started to turn back to the window when Arthur exclaimed, "Look at this."
"What?" Merlin asked, walking around the bed.
"Do you know what that is?"
"No."
Arthur grabbed the back of Merlin's head and shoved it towards the floor, forcing him to see what was lying there. "Rat droppings." He let go of Merlin's head. "My chambers are infested. You need to spend less time worrying about unicorns and more time worrying about rats."
Alexia entered the room. Arthur and Merlin saw her.
"Sorry I am late." She said in a low voice.
Arthur rolled his eyes while shaking his head, while Merlin looked a bit worried.
"Alexia did you see Gaius?" Merlin asked.
Alexia looked confused for a bit before shaking her head.
"Why? Is he ill?" She asked.
Arthur looked at her in surprise.
Merlin sighed a bit.
"You need to show your hand." He said. At this Alexia glanced at her hand before letting it fall back.
"It's fine." She said and moved towards the bed to set it.
"No. You are going to Gaius right now. I don't want you doing your work with an open wound." Arthur said.
At this Alexia just raised a brow.
"I mean, I don't want you to spill your blood over all of my things. Just get it wrapped." He said.
A guard entered, slightly breathless, and explained, "My Lord, the King requests your service as a matter of urgency."
"Find that rat. And go to Gaius." Arthur ordered as he walked out. Merlin looked at Alexia. Alexia just let out an angry huff.
Uther picked a dead piece of wheat stalk from a field and crushed it between his fingers, looking out over the rest of the fields. Every field was brown and dead, only the trees and bushes on the edges of every field are still green and healthy.
"Every single ear has died. We've received reports that it's the same throughout the entire kingdom."
"I rode through this valley only yesterday. The crop looked healthy enough then." Arthur said, motioning towards the dead fields.
"It happened overnight." Uther informed him. "Farmers are at a lost to explain it."
"Is it a disease of some kind?"
"Perhaps. I've asked the court physician to conduct some tests." Both men turned back towards the waiting horses. "We must ration what little food we have left."
In Gaius's chambers, a large variety of test tubes and flasks were set out as Gaius tried to determine what killed the crops. "Any ideas what caused the crops to die?" Merlin asked as he came out of his room.
"I'm here to complete all the tests. No disease I have heard of could spread through the entire kingdom in a single night." Gaius finished pouring a solution into a flask, and shook it around some.
"What could kill all the plants other than a disease?"
Alexia, who was sitting at a corner, scoffed a bit. Gaius looked at her with a disapproving look. The tantrums she threw few minutes ago, when Merlin dragged her to the physician and her stubbornness to not get any cure for her wound, was enough to upset the said physician. Alexia quickly zipped her mouth, locking it and throwing the imaginary key away.
Gaius shook his head before turning to Merlin.
"It is not killing all the plants." Gaius reminded him. "The trees and hedges around the crop fields are unharmed. Unfortunately, you can't eat trees and hedges."
"It's only killing plants we can eat?" Merlin realised. Alexia scoffed again.
Merlin glared at her.
"It appears so."
Merlin leaned up against Gaius's worktable. "If it's not a disease, it must be magic."
"We can't assume that, Merlin. Perhaps there is something in the soil and water that can explain it. I can't tell the King it's caused by sorcery until I'm completely certain." Gaius said. Alexia had it enough.
"Listen, it's because Arthur killed the unicorn. It's the curse Gaius. How can you not figure out such a simple thing. It's a curse, only eatables are damned right now, if we didn't do something soon, who knows, maybe water will even disappear." Alexia ranted.
The pair looked at her, while she groaned, slumping to the place where she sat earlier, her head in her hands.
They were too oblivious.
Outside the castle, villagers stood in a very long queue leading into the palace grounds. A guard rationed out grain to the villagers. "Next!"
Uther and Arthur walked down the long line of villagers as Arthur briefed his father on the situation. "The livestock is either dying or has been eaten. Food and water's very scarce and we're distributing rations, but they're very meagre."
Arthur opened a small shaft in the grain store, dumping out the last of the grain onto the already too small pile.
"This is all the grain we have?" Uther asked, sounding shocked.
"The people are growing scared. There's been some looting."
"We must maintain order at all costs. Panic will make the situation worse. I'll issue a decree that looters will be executed." Uther turned with a flourish of his cape, walking out of the grain storage room. "From tonight, Camelot will be under curfew."
"I'll see to it." Arthur replied, following him out.
Outside the castle, Merlin passed Gwen as she headed to the well along the outer wall.
"Merlin." Gwen called, getting his attention. "Is it true what they're saying about the crops? They're all dead?"
"Afraid so." He confirmed. "We may have to start tightening our belts." He started to walk away.
"I'm sure Arthur will think of something." Gwen called hopefully.
Merlin popped his head back around the castle wall, and with a manic grin, replied, "Well, and if he doesn't, I will."
Gwen smiled at him and started pumping for water, but only dry sand came out. Even after a few more pumps, all that was coming out was sand. "Merlin!" She yelled. Merlin popped back around the corner and saw the sand, and both of their scared gazes met.
Merlin broke into run, running towards the castle.
The door to physician's chamber was thrown open. Merlin entered.
"Gaius, what Alexia said was true. The water is not there. It's gone." Merlin panted. Gaius looked surprised, before both of their gazes turns to the chamber's of the magical pair.
"Alexia!" Gaius called. There was no reply.
"Alexia!" This time it was Merlin.
Still there was no reply. Both looked at each other.
Taking few steps forward, both the mentor and ward entered the chamber's, only to find Alexia on the bed, unconscious.
"Alexia!" Merlin yelled moving towards her. He tapped her cheeks, hoping to wake her up. But no response.
"How is this possible?" He asked, looking at Gaius for answer. And it was the first time, he was short of answers.
Uther and Arthur stood at the well in the Square, Uther sifted sand through his fingers into the well bucket.
"Sand." Uther said softly as he sifted whole handfuls of sand from the well bucket through his hand. "And you say the well is full of it?"
"I sent men down to the underground reservoir. There is no trace of water to be found." Arthur reported.
"First the crops, and now this." Uther murmured.
"It's the same throughout the kingdom. There's precious little water anywhere."
Uther looked into the bucket, and then up at his physician. "Gaius. Can you offer any explanation for this?"
Gaius leaned up against the wall of the well and replied, "I cannot think of a scientific explanation. I can only conclude it's the result of sorcery."
"I believe you're right. It is the work of magic." Uther turned and looked up at the castle. "The kingdom is under attack."
Merlin sat in his room with an unconscious. Holding out his hand over her, he chanted as Gaius approached unseen, "ei deffro, ei gwella, gadael i'r salwch ei gadael! "
When he saw Gaius was standing behind him, he started stuttering out, "I was... I was just, er..."
"I was hoping you might be trying to cure her." Gaius said grimly. "I know I've cautioned against using magic, but if ever there was a time to use your talents, it's now."
"Well, I wish I knew how. I've tried everything. If it is magic, it's more powerful magic than I possess." Gaius and Merlin exchanged bleak looks, and Merlin turned back to his magic book.
In the castle courtyard, Arthur addressed a group of guards. "Patrol the market and the lower town. No one is to leave their homes. Dismissed." The guards turned on heel and begin marching away as Merlin entered the square.
"Merlin." Arthur called, "You do realize there's a curfew?"
"Yeah, I was in your chambers, hunting for the rat." Merlin explained.
"Did you find it?"
Merlin looked towards the ground and shook his head. "No."
"So you have been outwitted by a rat?"
"They do say rats are very intelligent."
"More intelligent than you, it would seem." Arthur scoffed."Go home. It'd be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant for breaking the curfew."
He said. Then he turned back.
"Well, how is my other servant?" He asked.
Merlin looked at him, before giving a small smile.
"Uh, she was too stubborn to get treatment. Now the wound is infected, she is unconscious right now." Merlin said. Arthur shook his head.
"How can someone be so stubborn?" He said.
"Well I ask the same question myself, since I met you." Merlin muttered. Arthur looked at him conspicuously. But before he could retort, he saw the white cloaked man walk through the courtyard and into the palace.
"What was that?" He asked.
"What?" Merlin asked, looking in the same direction.
Merlin and Arthur ran after the man, and Arthur jumped over the courtyard corridor ledge. They chased the man through the castle, with him always just too far ahead, to the burial vaults where they lost him. When the man was nowhere to be seen, Arthur gave some signs to Merlin. Merlin nodded his understanding, then followed Arthur anyways.
"That means you go the other way and cut him off." Arthur hissed, pointing in Merlin's face.
"Okay." Merlin agreed before running off.
Arthur walked down the hall opposite directions and met up back at the back of the hallway without seeing anyone. Then they saw a man's silhouette as he briefly rounded the corner. The duo split ways again, hoping to catch him, but once again they met up at the stairwell without having seen anyone.
"Where is he?" Arthur demanded
"I didn't see anyone." Merlin replied, slightly breathless.
"He was right here! Don't tell me you let him get past you." Arthur growled.
"Arthur, no one passed me."
Arthur looked incredulous. Throwing his hands up, he exclaimed, "Are you blind?!"
"Are you looking for me?" A man's voice interrupted, causing both men to look over. The cloaked man stood near the wall opposite the stairwell. "I am Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns."
Merlin and Arthur exchanged a look, and then Arthur asked in an all-business tone, "Camelot is under curfew. What's your business here?"
Anhora looked off to the side for a moment before bring his eyes back up and stating, "I have come to deliver a message."
"And who is this message for?"
"It is for you, Arthur Pendragon." Anhora replied.
Arthur's mouth became a thin line in his anger, and he strode forward a few steps to ask, "Is it you who's responsible for killing our crops, turning our water into sand?"
"You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Camelot." Anhora informed Arthur.
"Me?" Arthur exclaimed harshly. "You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?"
"When you killed the unicorn, you unleashed a curse. For this, Camelot will suffer greatly." Anhora told them gravely.
"If you have put a curse on Camelot, you will lift it, or you will pay with your life." Arthur threatened.
Anhora was insistent. "The curse was not my doing."
Arthur took a few more threatening steps forward until he is nearly in Anhora's face. "Undo the curse or face execution." He said dangerously.
"Only you can do that. You will be tested."
"You're under arrest." Arthur stated, and reached for Anhora, but he disappeared and Arthur stumbled into the suddenly empty space.
Anhora reappeared on the stairway behind them, forcing both men to turn around to hear Anhora's grave warning. "Until you have proven yourself, and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. If you fail any of these tests, Camelot will be damned for all eternity." He said looking at Merlin for the last line, like giving a message.
The next morning, Merlin sat at the table in Gaius's chambers, where the two are discussing the current crisis. "And you believe what this Anhora said about the curse to be true?" Gaius confirmed looking down at Merlin from where he was standing.
"Well, you said there's a legend that misfortune comes to anyone who slays a unicorn." Merlin reminded him. "Alexia was telling us again and again about the curse. And now, she is lying on the bed. You truly don't know what happened to her?" Merlin asked hopefully.
Gaius joined him at the table, setting down two bowls that are fairly empty. "I don't know. Do you honestly think I won't cure her if I knew?" He said. Merlin looked down. Gaius shook his head a bit. "Not much for breakfast, I'm afraid." He apologized. "We're down to our last few scraps of food."
"Don't worry, without Alexia I am not in mood to eat." Merlin muttered, before looking up. "Where did you get the water to make the tea?" Merlin asked, taking a drink.
"Fortunately, for both of us, you forgot to empty your bath yesterday."
Merlin looked disgusted, and promptly spit the tea back into the cup. "You're making tea from my bath water?"
"It's not so bad. Perhaps a little... soapy." Gaius joked lightly, but Merlin didn't seem very amused with the joke.
He sighed softly before Gaius asked, "What does Arthur think about the curse?"
Merlin scoffed before setting the cup down. "He doesn't believe it's his fault. He's convinced Anhora's responsible for it."
Gaius leaned forward slightly, and said seriously, "If you do not wish to drink bath water, you better make sure Arthur sees sense."
In a new place, a place that was covered in some mist, fog, no... They were clouds.
A huge palace. Alexia woke up.
"Where am I?" Alexia thought to herself.
She looked around and saw that she was lying on a huge royal bed. It was soft. So soft. She looked down and saw that she was dressed in a pure white gown. She frowned. Standing from the bed, she looked around and saw the room. The room was huge and was fully furnished for a royalty.
Alexia was amazed. Moving to the door, she opened it. Nobody was there.
"Where am I?" She thought to herself.
Looking around, she didn't see a single soul.
Deciding to see more of this place, Alexia started moving forward. She reached a huge hall. The hall was of the same colour. Pure white. Huge pillars of white colour stood supporting a pure white ceiling. In the centre was a huge golden dome.
The pillars had cravings of golden. Alexia stepped to a pillar and placed her hand on the pillar, golden sparkles flew.
Alexia giggled at the view.
"Where am I?" She mused, but this time happily.
In his chambers, Arthur was putting on his boots when he found a hole in one of them. "That... rat!" Arthur growled and stood up from the bed he had been sitting on. He turned to Merlin, who was cleaning, and said, "It's eaten through my boot, look at it!"
"I guess the rat must be as hungry as the rest of us!" Merlin said silently.
Arthur noticed this but regardless replied.
"You think this is funny?"
Trying to grin, Merlin replied, "Moderately."
Arthur threw the shoe, which hit Merlin in the shoulder and then fell to the floor. "Get it mended. Find that rat."
"Have you given any more thought to what Anhora said last night?" Merlin asked, walking across the room to put laundry away.
"Ah, well, he may have escaped last night, but at least we now know who we're looking for. I told my father I'll find this Anhora and put an end to it."
"What if he was telling the truth about the curse?" Merlin pointed out.
Arthur gave him an exasperated look, asking, "You think I'm responsible for bringing suffering upon my own people?"
"No, not deliberately." Arthur gave him another look at that. After deliberating for a several long moments, Merlin revealed, "When you killed the unicorn, I saw Anhora in the forest."
That catched Arthur's attention. "Why didn't you say anything?" He exclaimed.
"It was just for a second, and then he disappeared. I didn't even...well, I-I thought I was seeing things."Merlin defended. "But he was definitely there."
"That doesn't actually prove anything." Arthur argued.
"Doesn't it make you think he might be telling the truth?"
"Because he was skulking about in the forest? That makes me trust him even less." Arthur scoffed.
Merlin looked slightly exasperated."Why would Anhora appear in Camelot, and then lie to you?"
"We had him cornered." Arthur shrugged. "He was trying to talk his way out of it by blaming me."
"Arthur, he can disappear into thin air. He didn't have to talk his way out of anything." Merlin pointed out.
The two faced each other over Arthur's table. "My father has warned me about sorcerers like him. They will not rest until our kingdom is destroyed."
"Well, I believe he's telling the truth." Merlin replied quietly.
"Then you're a fool. You cannot trust a single word a sorcerer says. You'd do well to remember that." Merlin's face fell slightly when Arthur turned away, but the prince failed to notice as he donned his jacket.
"Now, I think I've figured out what Anhora's next move is going to be, and when he makes it, we're going to be waiting."
That night, in a storage room of the castle, Merlin leaned against a pillar near the grain store, in his own thoughts. When Arthur walked in to see him sitting there, he hit him with a broom.
"Don't you worry about keeping watch, Merlin. You just make yourself comfortable." Arthur said sarcastically. Merlin sighed and smacked his lips. "Stop smacking your lips. It's annoying." Arthur called back over his shoulder.
"I'm thirsty."
Arthur turned around, and replied exasperatedly, "We're all thirsty, Merlin."
Merlin sighed again before getting up from his perch and moving to the other doorway.
Standing in the opposite doorway, Arthur leaned against the wall, looking utterly bored until he saw a light. Catching Merlin's attention, he whispered, "Pst! Someone's coming."
When they saw the intruder walk by, Arthur drew his sword and Merlin followed as they stalk the intruder into the grain store. They stopped when they saw the intruder's silhouette in the storage room. Arthur motioned to Merlin, and mouthed 'You go over there and come in.'
Merlin nodded his understanding, and Arthur slowly walked into the room, holding his sword before him. "Show yourself, before I run you through." He ordered the intruder.
As Merlin quietly picked up a scythe hook, a man edged around the corner with a shovel in one hand and a sack of grain in the other. He was dirty, with brown hair and eyes, and wore the cheap and ratty clothes of a peasant.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked.
In a very quiet voice, the man started to reply, "My name is... My name is..."
"Speak up!"
"My name is Evan, My Lord." He said in a trembling voice.
Merlin came out of hiding to see the fearful man.
"I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves. My father has order that looters be executed." Arthur reminded him.
"Please, My Lord. I- I do not steal for myself." Evan replied, his voice soft and shaking. "I have three children they have not eaten for two days. They are hungry."
"It's the same for everyone." Arthur reminded him, his voice laced with sympathy but still hard.
"I- I know that it is wrong to steal. I couldn't bear to see them starve." Evan bowed his head with shame.
"And could you bear for your children to see you be executed?"
Evan shook his head, close to tears.
After deliberating for a long moment, Arthur replied, "Then you should go home." Evan quickly looked up, surprise and shock clear on his face. "If you're caught stealing again, I will not spare you."
Evan smiled. "Yes, My Lord. Thank you." He puts down the sack of grain and shovel, and starts to leave.
"Wait." Arthur called after him, before picking up the sack of grain and tossing it to Evan.
"Use it sparingly. It might be the last food you and your family get for some time." Arthur said kindly.
Evan smiled and nodded. In a completely different voice, he straightened up and said, "You have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, My Lord. This will bring its own reward." He then turned around and disappeared into the darkness.
After doing his duties, Merlin entered his chambers, only to find Alexia, lying unconscious.
"Alexia! I wish you could have been with me." He said sitting beside her. Gaius entered the room.
"You able to identify?" He asked.
Gaius just shook his head.
"It looks like she slipped into coma. But there is no reason for this. It was just a small wound, probably a bit infected. But it was just a small one. I didn't find any other symptom. Her breathing is only sign she is alive." Gaius said.
Merlin sighed stroking her hair.
"Wake up soon Alexia. Please." Merlin said.
Meanwhile, Alexia smiled, looking around, when suddenly someone appeared in front of her. She quickly took a step back.
"We won't do you a single harm young lady." The man said.
"Who are you?" Alexia asked.
"I am Filos, young lady." The man introduced himself. Alexia nodded in acknowledgement.
"What place is this?" Alexia asked.
"This place is a place of myth." The man said. Alexia frowned.
"This is Ehlanes" the man said.
Alexia's frown deepened.
"This is the place, where the unicorns live." He said.
"But don't they live on the land?" Alexia asked.
Filos smiled.
"Many live there too, but this place is not only for unicorns, but for Pegasus, Centaur, and Kelpie too." Filos.
Alexia gasped.
"What?" She asked.
The man nodded.
"This land is pure. Of all the worlds in this whole universe, Ehlanes is the most purest of places. Nobody, who is not pure of heart, can enter here." Filos said.
Alexia gasped.
"You mean I am pure of heart?" She asked.
Filos just smiled.
"Wait! If only magical horse creatures are here, then how can I?" Alexia asked.
"Is this afterlife? Am I dead?" She asked before gasping.
"No! You are not dead." The man said.
Alexia looked relieved.
"But you will be dead if nothing is done soon." Filos said.
Alexia looked at him in confusion.
"What shall be done?" Alexia asked.
"The curse shall be uplifted." The man said.
A look of realisation came on Alexia's face.
Camelot was about to be doomed. The curse, Arthur killed the unicorn.
"But what has this to do with me? Is everyone dying?" Alexia asked. Hoping she was wrong.
"No young lady only you are dying. But if the curse is not lifted soon, everyone will die." Filos said.
"So only I am dying?" Alexia asked.
Filos nodded.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because you can't live where a curse was placed for slaying a unicorn." Filos said.
Alexia groaned.
"What has all this to do with me?" She asked.
"Because you don't know who you are Arian. You are a girl of pure heart, but there are few powers, which you don't know. You are not aware of. You are not just a pure hearted girl, You are not just the protector of the once and future king and Emrys, you are not just defined in prophecies, but you, young lady, are the princess of unicorns. You are the chosen lady of unicorn, their protector and their power sharer." Filos said.
Alexia just stared at him, gaping like a fish.