In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young girl. Her name: Merlyn.
I wake to a very powerful magic, something I've never felt before and it unnerves me. I wrap a shawl around my shoulders and emerge from my chambers, heading into the kitchen, where Gaius is sitting in front of an easel with papers scattered on it, and he turns to see me in the stairway in my nightgown.
"Can't sleep?" He inquires and I push my side fringe out of my face tiredly.
"Something woke me." I respond, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall.
"What?" He questions, glancing back to his papers and I shake my head, not sure how to answer.
"I don't know. A feeling." I explain, wringing my hands subconsciously.
"What kind of feeling?" Gaius asks me, noticing my hands, so I let go and wrap my shawl tighter around my body.
"Powerful magic, here, in Camelot." I elaborate, voicing my worry over the situation. I'm about to inform Gaius of what exactly I felt when Gwen rushes into the chambers, looking frantic.
"Gwen. What's wrong?" I inquire worriedly, as she runs over to us, still wearing her clothes from
the day.
"My father's been arrested." She answers, sounding concerned for her father and I raise my brow in shock.
"Arrested? What for?" I question, not knowing what Tom could have done to warrant his arrest.
"They say he was making weapons for a sorcerer! They're charging him with treason!" She explains, disbelievingly, and I gather her in a hug, rubbing her back comfortingly. I change into a periwinkle shirt sleeved dress with a tan braided belt and my tan boots with my hair in a simple plait. We go to the dungeon so that Gwen can visit her father. Gaius and I wait a ways away so that they can have a minute.
"What did he say?" I ask her, wringing my hands, once she walks towards us
"He said Tauren came to him at the forge, offered to pay him a fortune for his help, not to make weapons, for an experiment or something." Gwen explains to us, relaying what her father told her.
"What kind of experiment?" I question, wondering what kind of experiment a sorcerer would need to ask for the help of a blacksmith to complete.
"Tauren didn't say. But he used some kind of stone...some kind of magic..." She responds and Gaius and I share a look as we realize Tauren's stone is what woke me. We bring Gwen back to my chambers to get some rest and Gaius gives her a draught to help her sleep. He exits my chambers sometime later and I look over, hoping Gwen is resting.
"She's sleeping now." He informs me and I nod, relieved that she won't be exhausting herself.
"I don't understand it. What would a sorcerer want with Tom?" I question out loud, glancing at my friend who's sleeping peacefully, and I turn back to Gaius.
"His forge, Merlyn. It's the finest in the kingdom." Gaius responds, and I open my mouth as I realize the implication Gaius is making by that answer.
"You think Tom was lying? You think he really was making weapons?" I inquire, wringing my hands as I think of how Gwen would react to that information.
"No, I don't." Gaius refutes and I knit my brows in confusion at his contrasting statements.
"Then what?" I ask him, urging him to tell me what he really thinks.
"When Tom was arrested, they found gold on him." Gaius informs me and I nod, already knowing that.
"So?" I wonder, not seeing what that has to do with Tauren needing Tom's forge.
"And from what Gwen was saying, Tauren's experiment bears all the hallmarks of alchemy." Gaus continues and I give him a disbelieving look.
"But alchemy's impossible, isn't it?" I question, having not believed in alchemy prior to this, but then again I've seen impossible things in Camelot.
"To change the very nature of one thing to another has defeated all who have tried. But if you used magic..." Gaius trails off and a thought occurs to me and I wring my hands.
"Do you think that's what woke me?" I ask him, considering the kind of magic needed to change the nature of one thing would be powerful magic, like what woke me.
"It is possible, I suppose." Gaius agrees that it could have been Tauren's magic stone that woke me. I sit in a chair in my chambers as Gwen sleeps in my bed, when I feel that powerful magic again and I wring my hands. I 'm so focused on that feeling that I don't hear the door open.
"Merlyn." Morgana greets as she steps into my chambers.
"Morgana." I greet her with a smile as I walk over and embrace her quickly. Morgana looks at Gwen sleeping on the bed and I frown at my friend's situation.
"How is she?" She questions worriedly and I nod slightly.
"She's doing okay." I inform her, realizing just how brave Gwen has been during all of this.
"We should let her rest." Morgana suggests and I nod quickly.
"Yeah." I whisper as we exit my chambers and I close the door before we stop at the bottom of the stairs.
"Morgana, have you spoken to Uther? He must realise this is a mistake. Whatever Tom was doing, it wasn't plotting against the King." I assure her as I wrap my arms around myself and she nods.
"I know that. Of course I do. But Uther...Uther only sees enemies." She responds and I shake my head at Uther's stubborn hatred of all things magical, even if someone is innocent, if magic is involved Uther can't be reasoned with.
"But Tom is the most gentle soul I've ever met." I argue, knowing that Tom would never step against the king, or plot against him or anyone else.
"But he was seen with Tauren, and that makes him an enemy." Morgana reminds me before turning to leave.
"Then..." I trail off, unwrapping my arms from around me and she stops to face me again.
"...there's little hope?" I finish, wrining my hands at the thought of not being able to do anything to help Tom.
"There's no hope, Merlyn. None at all." Morgana informs me, sounding defeated, before she leaves Gaius's chambers and I run a hand through my hair nervously. The next day, I'm wearing a 'cornflower' blue dress, as Morgana calls it, with my tan boots and a simple braid with strands loose as I stand next to Arthur as we watch the executioner and a few guards escort men into the square.
"They're to be executed?" I inquire, shocked, watching several scared looking men walk past me as they prepare for their executions.
"Yes, Merlyn." Arthur confirms as he watches them, arms crossed and I turn to look at him.
"By order of the King?" I ask him, looking up at his face, wringing my hands as I think of all the lives Uther has wrongfully taken in his tirade against magic.
"They committed a serious crime." Arthur informs me, looking away from me, and I scoff at that.
"Giving a man a bed for the night?!" I exclaim, not seeing how that deserves their execution.
"Not a man. A sorcerer." Arthur corrects and I turn to glance at the men again.
"Maybe they didn't know that." I argue, knowing that they didn't exactly ask Tauren if he was a sorcerer when he requested a bed or food.
"It is not for you to question my father's actions. Is that understood?" He reprimands me sharply, and I can't hide the flash of hurt that crosses my face before I compose myself and harden my gaze.
"Yes, Sire." I bite out, and I notice him wince at the formal title and my tone, but I pretend not to see it.
"Now go get on with whatever you're meant to be doing." He insrtucts me, his tone lighter than before but I make a show of properly curtsiying before I walk back to the palace to complete the rest of my chores. Tom had apparently tried to escape during the night and he was executed before his trial. I'm wearing a soft pink dress that Gwen made me and my tan boots with my hair in a braided updo. After finishing my chores, I bring Gwen back to my chambers because I don't want to leave her alone. She sits on my bed, staring off into nothing and I walk back into my room, seeing her still sitting like that and I frown.
"All right?" I ask her softly, my voice filled with concern.
"I just don't understand. Why did he try to escape? His trial was this morning." She replies, sounding full of grief and I feel my heart clench for her. There's a gentle knock on the door and Arthur enters. Gwen quickly stands while I cross my arms and lean against a pillar, still upset with his tone from yesterday.
"Sire." Gwen greets him and I see him wince slightly, as if the title reminded him of his behavior and I smile slightly.
"Guinevere, I...want you to know that your job is safe. And that your home is yours for life. I guarantee you that. I know that under the circumstances it's not much but, erm, anything you want, anything you need, all you have to do is ask." He assures her and I feel my face soften at his kindness, his prattish behavior yesterday forgotten at his care for my friend. He begins to leave, but pauses and turns back around.
"I'm sorry." He tells Gwen but he glances at me and I surmise he's apologizing for his behavior to me as well and I nod almost unperceptively, just enough to know he's forgiven.
"Thank you, Sire." She responds and Arthur leaves, allowing Gwen to cry and for me to hold her as she grieves for her father. She decides to go back to her house for the night and I go straight to bed. I wake up and dress in a teal dress with my tan boots and a braided belt with my hair in loose curls before I exit my chambers and walk down stairs.
"Merlyn, come and take a look. I've been doing some research and found this." Gaius calls me over as he flips through a book and I walk over, reading the page he indicated.
"The Mage Stone?" I read outloud, not understanding it's importance.
"Wonder of the ancients. Lost for a thousand years or more." Gaius informs me, his gaze varying between me and the book.
"What does it do?" I inquire, wondering what makes this stone so important.
"Theoretically, it could give the bearer the power of transformation." Gaius explains and I look up from the book, now realizing why the stone was so important for Tauren's plan.
"Gold. The power of alchemy." I think outloud once I figure it out.
"Exactly. I believe it was the Mage Stone you sensed on the night of Tom's arrest." Gaius agrees and I nod, having already considered that possibility.
"Of course! Gwen said that Tauren had some kind of stone." I remind him of what Gwen told us after visiting Tom in the dungeon. I get ready for bed and drift off to sleep rather quickly, but I'm once again woken when I sense the Mage Stone's power. I get out of bed and see Morgana walking out of Camelot. I grab a shawl and follow her through the lower town and into the woods, where Tauren's men surroud her. I decide to hide behind a tree and listen to the conversation, and intervene to protect my friend if needed.
"Where's your maid?" A man, Tauren I assume, asks her as his men point their swords at her.
"I've come in her place." Morgana replies and I can only watch from behind my tree or risk them thinking she brought others with her and put her in even more danger.
"Kill her." Tauren orders and I prepare to fight them and expose my magic to Morgana to save her.
"No! Wait! I brought the Stone!" She exclaims, reaching for the stone and stopping the men from killing her.
"What else have you brought, My Lady? The Knights of Camelot?" Tauren questions, no doubt thinking this was a trap and I hide behind my tree, hoping I wasn't seen.
"I came alone, I promise you." She assures him and my worry for my friend only increases the longer she talks to him.
"Give me the stone." He commands as he removes his hood and she hands it to him.
"You were foolish to come here. I had no quarrel with your maid. But you, My Lady Morgana, you are Uther's ward." He informs her, drawing his sword and putting it at her stomach.
"If you kill me, you'll regret it." She warns him and I try to think of how I'm going to save her.
"Why is that?" Tauren asks her, obviosuly confused as to why killing her would be a mistake.
"Because I want Uther dead, too." Morgana explains and I freeze in shock as I turn to look at my friend.
"You? An enemy of the King? And I'm to believe that?" Tauren questions, not believing it for one second.
"Why else would I be here?" She retorts and I try to contain my surprise and disbeleif that my sweet, kind, caring friend actually wants Uther dead.
"I can only guess at your motives, My Lady. You could be a spy, for all I know." Tauren suggests, trying to argue on other reasons for her to seek him out.
"And this..." She flips back her sleeves, revealing bruises on her wrists that I recognize to be from manacles. "Is it usual for Uther to chain his friends to a dungeon wall?" She questions, and upon seeing her bruises, Tauren lowers his sword. "The stone. You took it to the forge. Why?" She inquires, and I assume that Tauren believes her to truly want Uther dead after seeing the bruises.
"With it a man can alter the very essence of things. He can turn a lump of lead into gold." He informs her, holding up the bag in which the stone is in and she raises a brow in disbelief.
"Gold? A good man died in your quest for riches, Tauren. His daughter is now an orphan." She responds, and I can see Tauren shift somewhat uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry for that. Truly. But we did not want the gold to line our pockets. The gold was but a means, a means to rid this kingdom of Uther Pendragon once and for all." He explains to her, actually sounding sorry for Tom's death.
"What are you saying?" She questions, not understanding how the gold is going to get rid of Uther.
"Bribery is rife at Camelot. I will use the corruption at the heart of his kingdom, and such abundance of gold will buy me into the King's chambers, even to the King himself." He elaborates and my eyes widen at the thought of people willing to help murder the king for gold, no matter how much I hate everything Uther does, I'd never imagine killing him.
"The guards may be fools, Tauren, but the King is not." Morgana informs him, shaking her head, knowing it won't be that easy to kill Uther.
"Do you have a better plan?" He asks her, sheathing his sword.
"To get to Uther, you need someone close to him." She explains to him and I wring my hands at her suggestion, knowing where she was going with this.
"And you know of such a person?" He replies, seeming to accept her suggestion.
"I do. Me." She responds and I cover my mouth with a hand to stop the gasp from escaping my mouth at Morgana conspiring to kill Uther. Later, I'm sitting at the table wearing a navy blue dress and my tan boots with my hair loose, staring into my bowl of food and twirling my empty cup.
"Pass the salt, please." Gaius asks me, breaking the silence and I reach over, grabbing the first thing near me and handing it to him.
"You all right?" He questions, and I look over to him.
"What? Yeah. I've just got a few things on my mind, that's all." I explain to him, my thoughts drifting back to Morgana.
"Anything you'd like to talk to me about?" He inquires and I wring my hands in my lap.
"I can't imagine you'd be interested." I reply, trying to sound as if it's not important.
"So long as you're sure." He tells me, knowing its not as small as I'm trying to make it seem.
"I should be getting to work." I inform him, placing my hands on the table, standing and heading to the door behind me as I try to figure out what to do about Morgana.
"Er, Merlyn?" Gaius calls out and I stop and turn around. "That's a broom cupboard." He reminds me and I head for the correct door. I walk down the Tunnel Stairway with a torch and enters the Dragon's Cave. The dragon is sleeping and I clear my throat loudly and he stirs.
'Well, young witch, what is it you come to ask of me?'
"I need your help." I inform him, looking towards my feet before raising my gaze to his.
'Of course you do, but this time, will you heed my words?'
"The sorcerer Tauren is plotting to kill the King. He's made an ally of Morgana. I don't know what to do!" I admit, not knowing how to handle thi situation or Morgana.
'Do...nothing.'
"What do you mean? If I do nothing, Uther will die." I question, confused by his advide, or lack of advice in this case.
'Don't you want Uther dead? It is Uther that persecutes you and your kind, Merlyn. It is Uther that murders the innocent... It is Uther that will never let his son marry a servant...'
"But surely that doesn't make it right to kill him." I argue, knowing that although I want to have a future with Arthur, I would never allow Uther to be killed to make that happen. It would destroy Arthur.
'Only if Uther dies can magic return to the land. Only if Uther dies will you be free, Merlyn. Uther's reign is at an end. Let Arthur's reign begin. Fulfil your destiny!'
"Wait! Where does it say my destiny includes murder?" I call after him as he flies off.
'Free this land from tyranny, Merlyn! Free us all!'
After talking to the dragon, I can't decide what to do about Tauren and Morgana. I'm waering a jade green dress with a tan braided belt and my tan boots as I wring my hands.
"Do you think Uther's a good king?" I ask Gaius, breaking my silence, and he'sobviously confused by my question.
"Sorry?" He asks, and I continue wringing my hands in nervousness as I clear my throat.
"Uther. Do you think he's good for the kingdom?" I repeat my question and Gaius seems to think for a moment.
"Yes. Yes, I do. In the light of recent events, you may find that hard to believe." He responds as he continues his task and I look up at him.
"Hard? No. Impossible? Definitely." I correct, thinking back to everything Uther's done since I've arrived in Camelot, and Gaius empties his hand in a bowl before turning to me.
"Merlyn..." He begins to reprimand me on my criticism of the king.
"Everyone hates him." I inform Gaius, interrupting him.
"It is not Uther's job to be liked. It is Uther's job to protect the kingdom. Most of his methods are right. Sometimes he may go too far." Gaius allows, standing and placing his hands on the table in front of me and I raise a brow at him.
"Really? You mean like executing anyone who even passes a sorcerer on the street?" I inquire, remembering all of the men Uther had executed for giving Tauren a bed and some food.
"Yes. But despite Uther's failings, he has brought peace and prosperity to this kingdom." Gaius reminds me as he sits in the chair across from me and I wring my hands to busy myself.
"But at what cost? At the cost of women and children, fathers and sons! When will it end?" I exclaim, tears welling in my eyes as I think of all the innocent people who were executed just for having magic.
"It will end when Arthur is King." Gaius replies, and I lean forward, wringing my hands.
"Then why not let that time be now? Why not let Arthur be King?" I question softly, and Gaius looks shocked.
"Arthur's not ready. The responsibility would be too great. Brave though he may be, he lacks experience, he lacks judgment. Is there anything you want to tell me?" He asks me after explaining why Arthur can't be king yet and I quickly shake my head.
"I can't...I, I just...No, I can't. You've just got to trust me. Gaius, it's something I've got to work out for myself." I explain, wringing my hands and seems to accept that.
"I do trust you, Merlyn. Whatever it is, I know you'll make the right decision." He assures me and I nod, hoping that I do make the right decision. I decide to take a walk to help clear my mind, when I stumble upon Morgana sneaking out of the lower town and I follow her to a meeting with Tauren. Once he leaves, I sneak back into the town and into my chambers. The next day, I'm in Arthur's chambers, wearing a lilac colored dress and my tan boots with my hair in a loose plait with a few strands loose, watching Uther and Morgana ride out to her father's grave.
"Merlyn?" Gwen calls and I turn to see her approach me and I smile at her.
"Gwen. How are you doing?" I ask her, wondering how she's dealing with the loss of her father.
"I was about to ask you the same question." She admits, smiling slightly.
"I'm fine. Fine." I assure her and she looks out the window at the riding party.
"Morgana's been amazing these last few days." Gwen informs me and I turn to look at her.
"I think you've been amazing. After all that's happened, getting your life back together..." I trail off and she nods.
"It's better than sitting in an empty house, waiting for my father to walk through the door. The thing I find hardest to bear is that people will always think he was guilty because he tried to escape." She confides, her voice breaking, and I place a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"I know he was innocent." I assure her, hoping that somehow helps her, to know that at least one person in Camelot believes Tom was innocent.
"I think he tried to escape because he knew that whatever he said or did he'd be killed. Uther had already made up his mind. That's the kind of man he is." Gwen informs me.
"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted him dead." I remark, understanding how much Gwen must hate him for killing her innocent father.
"If Uther died I'd feel nothing. He means nothing to me." She admits, and I wring my hands.
"But if you had...you know...the choice, what would you do? If you had the power of life and death over Uther, would you kill him? For what he did?" inquire, wondering what Gwen would do if she were in my position.
"No!" She exclaims and I knit my brows in confusion.
"No?" I repeat, not seeing why she wouldn't want to kill him.
"What would that solve? That would make me a murderer. That would make me as bad as him." She elaborates and I smile, knowing what I have to do.
"You're right. Of course you're right." I agree before I run out of the room.
"Is anything wrong?!" She calls after me, probably wondering why I'm running away.
"No, no! See you later!" I yell back over my shoulder as I hurry up to my chambers and grab Sophia's staff from under my bed, before running through the woods, hoping I'm not too late. I reach the horses and see that the Camelot guards are all dead. Tauren's men are following after Uther and Morgana. I see Morgana kneeling at her father's gravesite and Uther sticks his sword in the ground. I apporach Tauren's men and raise the staff.
"Ácwele!" I whisper the chant and a bolt of energy shoots out, killing one of Tauren's men, while the other draws his sword, but I shoot him too. I see Tauren watching from behind a tree and I try to sneak up on him.
"Ácwele!" I chant, raising the staff and shooting, but Tauren absorbs the energy bolt with the stone and reflects it back to me and I feel my head swim before I'm encircled by blackness. I wake and quickly climb to the bottom of the hill in time to see Morgana and Uther hug. I enter Gaius's chambers
"Ah, busy day?" Gaius calls out as I walk in and I smile slightly.
"Had its moments." I admit, thinking back to the events of the day.
"I hear that Tauren tried to assassinate Uther." Gaius informs me and I keep walking.
"That's what I hear." I comment with a smile.
"And that Morgana saved him. How many men were there? Three? Four?" He questions, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, something like that." I reply nodding as I try to downplay my part in it.
"Morgana must have shown extraordinary courage to have defended a king against such odds. I suppose you had nothing to do with it?" He inquires and I shrug, smiling slightly.
"Oh, you know. Just background stuff." I inform him before turning and walking away.
"No need to be so modest, Merlyn." Gaius chides and I turn back to him, looking down and wringing my hands.
"Sorry." I mumble, preparing for another lecture.
"It's not a criticism. It's a compliment." Gaius explains and my eyes widen at the fact that Gaius actually outright complimented me.
"Right. Thanks, Gaius." I respond, smiling widely at his proud look, before heading up to my chambers for much needed rest.