Chapter 9 [Hours Later—Clearing]
Merlin rode the mare through the woods. Caution guided him along the winding paths between Camelot and his destination. His eyes watched every tree and hill for Serkets' menace and their barbed tails. He didn't trust Uther not to send a patrol after him. Morgana could ambush him from anywhere.
Not exactly your leisurely ride….
He spied the clearing in question. His hand pulled up on the reins. His eyes surveyed that spot. All right, Morgana. What are you up to? Sol touched Horizon's western plane. Crimson burnished overhead clouds.
At first glance, Serenity invited him forward. Nothing, not a blade of grass or a bird overhead, moved. Instinct however reminded him of Ambush's potential in that place. Memoria prompted images of the Serkets' attack and Kilgarrah's rescue.
He dismounted from horseback. He tied the reins to a nearby tree branch. He lingered by his horse for a few heartbeats.
A dozen Mercian knights emerged from the trees on all sides. They encircled him preventing retreat or escape. Menace pointed swords at him.
The mare reared and neighed at them.
Merlin shook his head at the mare. He held his hands palm down to calm her down. He curled his lip. "MORGANA!"
Clapping could be heard throughout the clearing.
Morgana slunk out from behind a nearby tree. "And you are early? Well done, Merlin!" She coughed. "Arthur couldn't give you a better horse though? I would have thought better of him than that!" She smirked. She waved her hand. "Rach!" Canary sparked in her eyes.
The mare's reins came undone. She galloped away into the woods.
Merlin narrowed his eyes. "Enough games! Where's Gwen? You said she would be here!"
She put her hand on her chest. Incredulity exaggerated her facial expression. Sarcasm dripped from her reply, "Merlin, you wound me! I do keep my word…for all of the good it will do you." She motioned to Merlin's right. "Bring her out!"
Two knights carried the still sleeping Gwen out of the brush. They brought her right to Merlin's side. Then they dropped her like a sack of potatoes on the grass.
Merlin kneeled down beside Gwen. He found no bruises or injuries.
"Satisfied?" Morgana smirked. Gloating and Satisfaction gleamed in her eyes. "She's still sleeping." She sauntered in a wide circle around the sleeping Gwen and him.
"I can see that." Annoyance grated in his tone. He could've cast an awakening spell of course. He didn't feel like exposing his magic at that point. "We're here. Wake her up."
"Wake her…?" Morgana sniffed. Dismissal's chortles stabbed forth from her. She flicked her hand.
Merlin flew backward into a tree. Impact dazed him.
"You really should know your place, Merlin. Pity Arthur did not teach you that! The serets will…come nightfall." She allowed a pronounced sigh. "Now if you had been respectful, I might have let you both go…."
He grimaced. Pain shot through his back, shoulders and legs.
Kilgarrah…. He slumped against the tree.
"Such a shame! He will never know what hit him." She glowered at him. "To think…."
A deep roar echoed through the woods.
Fire rained down in the distance.
Serets' death screeches filled the area.
The cavalry bore down on them. Ywain and Josiane crossed blades with several of the knights. Malodius' claws scored chain mail and gouged more warriors' flesh. Kilgarrah rose above the trees. His tail swatted the remaining knights like flies. His flame cut off Morgana's path toward her horse.
She raised an eyebrow. "Magical creatures…rescuing these servants?" She frowned. "They hate you all! They'd turn you in to save their own hides!"
Malodius stopped himself right between Morgana and the fallen servants. Emerald glowed in his eyes. His tail flicked in the air. His paw swiped at her.
"Stupid creature!" Canary flickered in her eyes. She tried to cast a spell…
…but it fizzled….
"Malodius is immune to your magic, Milady." Ywain stabbed the last Mercian. "Surrender."
Gwen and Merlin stirred in their midst.
Josiane advanced on Morgana's left.
Kilgarrah loomed behind her. Challenge and Dare puffed smoke from his nostrils.
Mo…r…gana? Morgause whispered in her mind.
"Sister? NAY! What have these traitors done? ARGHH!" Morgana glared at those around herself. She spat at the ground.
TRAITORS? NAY, MORGANA PENDRAGON! THEY SERVE THE GREATER GOOD! A tall luminescent woman appeared in a white flash. DO YOU NOT REMEMBER ME?
Morgana trembled. Memoria did recall Morgause's mention of such a creature. She curtseyed before the newcomer. "Milady."
Kilgarrah and Malodius both bowed their head in Reverence's service as well.
"Bow, Sir Ywain, before her." Josiane kneeled. She yanked Ywain down with her.
"Who is she, Princess? I do not…." Ywain started.
Not many mortals have seen me, Ywain of Nemeth. I am the triple goddess. I am she that your beloved worships in my temple. I know you do not forget your vow to her. The goddess looked about the clearing at the gathering. I believe we have the Hope of Albion before me. Arise Guinevere and Merlin. I would speak with you both as well. Her eyes flashed yellow.
Gwen grimaced. Her eyes slowly blurred back into focus. Shock and Surprise shoved her into a sitting position. Kilgarrah and Malodius unnerved her. Morgana scared her. "What is this? Who are all of you?"
"Mmm….Gwen?" Merlin grunted. He forced himself to stand up. "What hit me?"
"You hit the tree, Merlin." Morgana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "The triple goddess healed you."
"Triple…what?" Gwen rubbed her head.
Merlin's eyes went wide. He bowed before her. "Gaius told me about you. You're the source of the old religion?"
Aye. You will lead my great hope one day. These beings will know of you and your power, the goddess foretold.
"Power? Milady, Merlin is but a servant. He has no power!" Morgana denied.
The goddess quirked an eyebrow. Perhaps. He has more layers than you presume. Show them, Merlin…
Merlin glanced around at the others. "Show them? Show them what? I…."
The goddess rolled her eyes. I understand why you've kept your secret. Do not presume, however, that you can lie to me. I know who you are, Merlin of Ealdor, Son of Balinor the Dragon Rider or should I say EMRYS!
"Emrys?" Morgana scoffed. "Merlin? Forgive me, Milady, but…"
Merlin narrowed his eyes. Canary glinted therein. He raised his hand.
Gwen gasped. Her eyes bulged wider and wider. He has magic! He really has magic! What will Arthur do when he finds out? Uther will kill him!
Morgana rose up several feet into the air. She hovered in place for a few of Hourglass' grains. She stared at Merlin. "You…YOU HAVE MAGIC?"
"Aye." Merlin shrugged to Gwen. "Aye. I have magic just like you." He slowly lowered his hand.
Morgana settled back to the ground. She shook her head. "You've had magic all of this time? I wanted someone to talk to and you rejected me!"
"I wanted to talk to you! All right?" Merlin threw his hands up in the air. Exasperation curled his lip. "Gaius argued that it was too dangerous! I care! All right?"
"And yet you poisoned me!" Morgana pointed her finger at him.
"Morgause tied her spell against Camelot to you! In order to stop it, Gaius and I had to stop your heart! We were going to revive you! Morgause took you away before we could do it!" Merlin rubbed his forehead. "I'M SORRY! MORGAUSE CAST THE SPELL AND USED YOU! NOT GAIUS AND NOT ME!"
"You tried to poison her, Merlin?" Gwen stiffened. Disbelief impeded her thought process. She shook her head.
"Part of the plan, Gwen. We were going to bring her back!" Merlin face palmed himself. "Blame Morgause! She resurrected the Knights! Camelot was in danger!"
"Morgause…did…?" Morgana turned to the goddess. "That cannot be!"
He is correct. Morgause used you, Morgana Pendragon. Look to him. Does he not atone? He states his intention. He has apologized. I believe you should look to your own intentions. You tried to kill him as well. The triple goddess looked to Kilgarrah.
"I healed Merlin. Be grateful." Kilgarrah squinted at the high priestess. "You have a dark destiny, Milady. For that reason, I told Merlin to let you die!"
"And…the Dragon talks?" Gwen gulped. She turned to Merlin. "Is there anything else you wish to tell us, Merlin?"
"Wait. You spoke with him?" Morgana frowned. "That would…" Now her eyes widened. "YOU'RE A DRAGON LORD TOO?"
The goddess cleared her throat. Merlin is the son of Balinor the Dragon Rider. By right, he is not only a dragon lord and sorcerer, there is more that even he does not know. Ywain of Nemeth, please speak on that.
"What does she mean there is more? I would not know…." Merlin looked to the strange knight. "Sir Ywain she called you?"
"That is my name, Merlin." Ywain smiled. "You are no mere servant either. Your father was Sir Balinor of Nemeth as well."
"Sir…Balinor?" Merlin mouthed the words. He shook his head. Numbness robbed all feeling for his arms and legs. He rubbed his forehead. "That can't be! I am a peasant. I…."
"Sir Balinor had earned his spurs. He planned to bring Lady Hunith to Whitgate. Alas! Uther of Camelot threatened invasion if our king did not turn Balinor over to him. Balinor fled to the north to save us all, Merlin. I am deeply sorry. He loved your mother." Ywain shook his head.
"I know. I talked to him before he died." Merlin bit his lip. "He left me a knighthood?" He tried to wrangle this matter around in his mind. Priority demanded that he stay at Arthur's side and serve him. Still he could be a knight? Perhaps he could do more good that way?
And what of the prophecy?
"It is yours by hereditary right." Ywain clarified.
"Arthur needs me." Merlin shook his head.
"Merlin! Arthur should know!" Gwen grabbed onto Merlin's arm. "He'd be the first to raise you up to being a knight! With this claim…"
"With that claim, Uther would burn Merlin at the stake, Gwen." Morgana shook her head. "Pity, Merlin. Your world is growing. Whatever will Arthur think of you now?"
"He'll deal with it! I'll talk to him!" Gwen pressed.
You had best hope so." Morgana rolled her eyes. "I cannot believe I will be working with you, Merlin."
You had best get used to that idea, Morgana Pendragon. Your paths are parallel to one another in many ways. Your fathers both laid your paths. Look to each other as allies. Guinevere, you will convince Arthur Pendragon. Much rides with you as well. The triple goddess looked to the north. Lady Morgana and you will stay with me. The others have a mission of their own. Princess Mithian of Nemeth is about to be attacked in the north. I believe you all might help her? The goddess waved her hand.
Josiane, Ywain, Malodius, Kilgarrah and Merlin all vanished from view.
And so it begins. I leave you two to forge a peace. The goddess disappeared.
"Peace?" Gwen frowned.
"We were friends. Why can you not try to understand magic, Gwen? Perhaps if Uther would, we would not have to be enemies?" Morgana shook her head. "I wish Arthur would understand that."
"Arthur knows the law. Uther won't change it." Gwen folded her arms across her chest. She struggled to fathom how Merlin could have magic….
…then how he managed to keep it from Uther, the Witchfinder, the knights and even Morgana herself….
Once again, she recalled his words from the stocks. That's what he meant that he was more than he seemed? She shook her head. How did Uther not suspect? In her mind's eye, she recalled the strange and miraculous events tipping battles to Victory's side of the ledger for Camelot. The tornado blowing the marauders away from Ealdor. The dragon sparing the city. The orb guiding Arthur away from the spiders in the pit. The earthquake destroying the Cawdorian lines during the Battle of Shallot.
Morgana rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe Merlin did all of that. It must have been him that defeated Nimue." She sighed. "You see? Magic can be used for good."
"I know that! I just wish whoever put the magic poultice under my pillow to help me hadn't left it there." Gwen ran her hands through her hair.
"That was probably Merlin too." Morgana raised an eyebrow. "And of course Uther and Arthur had to indict your father over it." She squirmed. "A remedy to help you. That reaction is why some of us have to resist Uther. Do you know why the Witchfinder was called, Gwen?"
Skepticism deepened Gwen's frown. "Nay. I do not."
"Morgause told me someone in the woods claimed to see someone making dragon shapes with smoke." Morgana rolled her eyes. "It was probably a young boy taking a break from his chores. Some nosy person saw it. They ran to Uther. Of course he has to persecute us."
"You'd be safe! You're his ward!" Gwen met her glance with his own. "I was nearly burned at the stake. So was that old wizard."
"Aye…him. Bumbling old fool. He wanted to get caught." Disbelief prompted a cough from Morgana.
"He was thinking of me." Gwen turned and walked away.
Morgana glanced toward the sky. Lady, how can we break through to them without force? It's impossible!
Rock meet Hard Place….