Chapter 25 – Apart

When they arrived at Tock's cottage, Biscuit, with his tail between his legs, slunk around behind the small house. "Tock," Granny Mill called. There was no light inside. Granny pounded on the door. Merlin and Willow exchanged glances. Granny called again. "Tock, you have work to do."

A thin voice called from inside. "Go away, Millicent. I didn't call you. My gout's not bothering me today. Let an old lady sleep."

Granny Mill opened the door. "I'm coming in, Tock. And I have company." She waved for Willow and Merlin to follow her. They went inside. The place was a wreck. Dirty dishes and used cloth lay scattered all around.

Tock sat up in her bed beside the fireplace. "You!" She pointed at Willow. Looking at Granny Mill, she said, "Why'd you bring that cursed brat here?" She grabbed up a spoon from the bowl beside her. "Get out!" She yelled and threw the spoon. Willow mumbled a magic word and her eyes flared as she used magic to deflect the spoon. Merlin's eyes flared as he used magic to freeze it in midair. The spoon veered off then froze in the air quivering.

Granny Mill rolled her eyes. "Stop showing off, you two." Merlin and Willow gave each other a little smile. The spoon dropped to the floor. Granny held out the bundle toward Tock. "You've got a lot to answer for, old woman."

Tock grinned with rotted teeth. "You're older than me, Milli. Or can't you remember anymore, old woman? What's that you've got there? Let me see it." She climbed out of bed to get a closer look. She whispered a magic word and waved a hand. Her eyes flared. The mostly spent fire roared to life.

Willow whispered. "There's nothing wrong with her eyesight."

Frowning, Granny Mill unwrapped the bundle and held up the doll.

Tock's grin bigger. "It looks just like her, doesn't it?"

Willow shook her head. Glancing outside, she hissed, "This is dark magic. Pure evil," She took a step toward the old woman, "All I've ever done is try to help you. Why do you hate me so much? This can't really be about Joel."

Tock glared at her. "You're just like your selfish father and mother. You all pretend to be so sweet and helpful, but really you're just as selfish and evil as the rest of us."

Willow's mouth dropped open. "My parents–my whole family–have been dead for ten years. Why are you bringing them up now? What do they have to do with any of this?"

Tock grimaced. "They've got everything to do with all of this. Your father never told you how I saved him, did he?"

Willow couldn't believe this stupid old woman. "No. I was only seven when he died."

Tock ignored her. "When he was a very young man, I found him wounded in the woods. Gored by a deer he was hunting. I saved his life. He was an orphan, too. I nursed him back to health. He fell for me, an older woman. I was still young enough to be beautiful then. A poor widow with a girl of my own to take care of. He was going to marry me."

Willow wanted to throw up. "That's ..."

Tock spoke over her. "Until that hussy of a girl, your mother, came along. She took him away from me."

Merlin shrugged. "Only natural."

Tock ignored him. "I swore my vengeance on them both."

Willow covered her face with her hands, knowing where this was going.

Tock warmed to her subject. "It was years later, but when I found out they were living just a village over I started rumors that they were using magic to heal people."

Willow uncovered her face to yell, "But they weren't! They were helping people!" She lowered her voice. "Without magic!"

Tock cackled. "I laughed when I heard Uther burned your whole family to death inside your cottage." She cackled again.

Willow cried. "My brothers were three and five! How could you?"

Tock took a step closer. "Then you showed up here in Crabtree. Uther's men weren't thorough enough. One got away. You managed to get under Millicent's protection, but I watched you. Your magic was strong. With her training, your magic grew stronger. But when you had the nerve to turn down Joel and break his heart you signed your death warrant, girl. I knew I had to use magic against magic. I worked hard to learn how to make that." She nodded at the doll. "An appropriate curse, don't you think? You and yours deserve broken hearts, too. You're wasting your time here, girl. I'll never end this curse."

Willow crumpled to the ground her hands over her face.

Tock snatched the doll from the hands of the distracted Granny Mill and tossed it toward the fire that suddenly roared higher.

Merlin's eyes flared. The doll froze in the air inches from the fire.

Willow looked up and gasped. "Thank you, Merlin!"

Tock growled. "Oh no, you don't!" She lunged toward the doll. Merlin's eyes flared. The doll moved higher.

Then from out of nowhere Biscuit growled and lunged toward Tock's feet. She tripped over the dog and fell into the roaring fire. Three people reached for her, but her falling body dislodged a log from the fire. The roaring log rolled out of the fireplace catching old cloth scattered around the floor on fire. It spread with amazing speed. Willow grabbed Biscuit away from the rolling log. Merlin pulled Willow to her feet.

Granny Mill yelled, "Get out. This place is a fire trap!"

Willow called, "But Tock!"

Merlin shook his head. "It's too late for her." He helped Willow and Granny out and away.

Once outside they heard people yelling, "Fire!"

Soon Arthur and his soldiers were there putting the fire out. Joel was among them. He went inside as soon as the fire was tamed. He came out shaking his head. Willow carried Biscuit to him. "I'm so sorry, Joel."

He sighed. "Don't be. She's out of her misery. Keep Biscuit, would you? That dog never liked me anyway." Willow nodded. Joel walked away. Bretty came running up to give him a hug. They walked away together.

Arthur spotted Merlin and walked toward him. Merlin turned his back so Arthur, still many yards away wouldn't see the doll Merlin handed to Willow. It was falling apart. Merlin told Willow. "Tock is dead. The curse is ended." Willow gasped and looked into his eyes. He smiled. "And I love you more than ever." She grinned up at him.

"Merlin," Arthur demanded. "Are you ready to go yet?" Merlin wheeled around to face him. Arthur snorted. "You're delaying our leaving to end a war so you can play with dolls now? Really Merlin?" He shook his head. "Come on. We're riding out, medicine or not." He yelled something to someone and walked away.

Merlin turned back to Willow and grabbed her in a fierce embrace. Biscuit yipped. Willow handed him off to Granny then turned to kiss Merlin. When they finally broke away for air, he said, "I'll be back. I'll visit often. I promise."

That was music to Willow's ears. She laughed, hardly able to believe her joy. She kissed him again. "Merlin! I'm so glad you still love me."

Merlin pulled her into an embrace that turned into another long passionate kiss. When it turned slow and gentle, he said, "It will have to be a long-distance relationship for now, but we can make it work. We can write all the time and I'm sure Gaius will want me to get supplies and deliver letters to Crab Tree frequently."

Willow laughed. "And vice versa. I can occasionally visit Camelot without Uther knowing. Or even if he finds out, it would be fine as long as I don't go too frequently or for too long. I am after all a healer that he now respects. We just don't let on that you and I are in love. Right? That would be bad?"

Merlin nodded. "That would be bad." He glanced to see that Arthur was distracted. "Currently Uther doesn't pay much attention to anything I do. We want to keep it that way for as long as possible. And the curse is broken now anyway so everything should be more normal and easier."

Willow wrapped herself up in Merlin's arms. "As much as anything is ever easy." She smiled at him. "We'll make this work. We'll take what joy and comfort in each other that we can while we can. Uther can't live forever, right?"

Merlin kissed her again. "Someday, we'll work beside each other again."

They parted when Arthur walked Merlin's horse up to stand beside them. Arthur said, "Thank you for everything you did to save and heal me, Willow. And thank you for all you did to carry news to my father of the attack and to make this plan possible. With any luck, this will turn the course of this war and we'll be back in a few weeks. Remember if you ever grow tired of this man's clowning around, I'd be more than happy to have you, now that you've abandoned your vow to spinsterhood."

She laughed. "I'm sure you'll be required to marry some great woman of noble birth to augment your future throne's influence and wealth."

He grimaced. "You make it sound so appealing." He mounted his great warhorse, Swift Frost. The horse nickered at Willow. "Merlin doesn't know how lucky he is. Both to have you and to have the freedom to have who he chooses instead of who is chosen for him."

Merlin laughed, taking Willow in his arms again. "Yes, I do know it." He looked down at Willow. "And I'm grateful for both." He kissed her.

Willow stepped away so he could mount his smaller palfrey. She smiled up at him. "Stay safe, Merlin."

He mounted and smiled down at her. "You be careful, too, Willow." He gestured toward the still smoldering cottage.

She raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Come back to me whole and sound."

Merlin grinned. "As often as I can get both Arthur and Gaius to give me time off at the same time. I'm already making plans for our first visit."

That was more music to Willow's ears. They waved until they couldn't see each other anymore.

With Granny Mill, Biscuit, and Bretty, Willow walked back to her home with elation in her step. She didn't have to break up with Merlin. They still loved each other. Parting was bearable. He had said he would try to get Arthur to come back by way of Crab Tree if possible. That would be Willow's hope.

The End