Gwen frowned when Sophia went running and Arthur chased after her.
She hiked up her skirts and followed, only to find them nearly chest to chest, staring into each other's eyes. She was about to go back when she realized Sophia's eyes were glowing red.
"Your Highness?"
The two blinked and Arthur turned to Gwen. "Do you mind?"
"I -"
"Privacy, Guinevere! Now!"
She looked between the two and curtsied. "Of course." She retreated into the trees, but stayed close enough that she could still keep an eye on them. It seemed pointless though as they only talked for a moment before turning to head back to the horses.
"I found it!"
When he didn't receive a response, he looked up to see Gwen focused on a book. He moved closer to peek over her shoulder.
The page she was on talked about seers.
A seer is one who is tied to the strings of fate.
An oracle seer, or Oneiromancer, gets visions within their dreams that hint at events yet to come. They are drawn into their visions and have no control over what they see or when the vision begins or ends. As a result, these visions are often mentally and physically taxing on the seer. The ability usually presents itself around puberty, but can develop sooner or later due to a variety of factors; such as bloodline, trauma, or magical ability.
A divination seer, or Reader, is someone with the ability to perceive the future within crystals or through reflective surfaces. These seers have to search for the future themselves, though their visions are often much clearer than an Oneiromancer's as a result. Likewise, a Reader's visions also require great magical ability to reach the length of an Oneiromancer's vision. A notable exception to these facts is certain mystic crystals that are, themselves, tied to fate. These crystals call out to Readers and draw them into visions with a pull that only the most willful can resist.
An odd occurrence that has been noticed is that while Oneiromancers are not clairvoyant and are often incapable of developing any of the associated abilities, Readers have a propensity for clairvoyance and tend to be prodigies. This has led some to believe Oneiromancers are the true seers while a Reader's ability simply stems from their natural clairvoyant powers.
"Why are you reading about seers?" Merlin asked and Gwen jumped.
"I wasn't! I was just, I mean…" She snapped the book closed. "Did you say something?"
He sat down next to her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. So, what did you find out?"
He raised an eyebrow, but decided to drop it. Instead, he opened the book he was holding to the page he had saved. "The symbols on the staff are an ancient script called Ogham. I can't remember all of it, but what I can remember translates vaguely into holding life and death I think."
"Ogham? I think I saw something about that in here," she said, opening her book up again and flipping through the pages. "It didn't have the alphabet so I didn't realize it was what was on the staff."
She stopped on a page that had a drawing of a blue humanoid creature. It had insect wings and antennae with horns on its chin and large ears.
"It says Ogham is the language of preference of the Sidhe."
"Sidhe?"
"An immortal race of Avalon, the Island of Youth," she read. "It says they specialize in enchantments and will occasionally implant their young in human infants to create changelings. They're also apparently very brutal."
"Enchantments? Do you think that's what you saw her doing to Arthur?"
"It has to be. There's no other way he wouldn't have seen her eyes glowing with how close they were."
"I need to talk to Arthur." Merlin jumped to his feet and looked at the piles of books scattered around his room.
"I've got it. Go," Gwen said, nudging him.
"Are you sure?"
"Go."
He darted out of the physician's quarters, grateful Gaius was still busy with the king. He rushed through the halls until he reached the one that led to Arthur's chambers. He turned the corner, then immediately scrambled back around it.
He peaked around the wall to see Aulfric pacing down the hall. A moment later Sophia stepped out of Arthur's chambers.
"He's ready. Tomorrow he'll do what we need him to," she told her father.
"Good, you have done well. I must go to the elders." He walked off and she went back into the rooms.
Merlin came around the corner again. He glanced at the door she'd gone through, but followed Aulfric. They needed to know more about what was going on.
"Uther should have just killed them," Merlin huffed. "It would have saved us a lot of trouble."
"I don't think I've ever seen Arthur dismiss Uther like that," Gwen sighed. "He's definitely under a love spell."
"Love spell?"
The two jumped and turned to see Morgana standing in the doorway to the room they'd taken shelter in.
"What are you talking about?"
They shared a look.
"Sophia is a Sidhe."
"Gwen!"
"Sidhe?"
Merlin glanced between the two. "They're immortal magical creatures. We've been looking into her and we found Sidhe writing on her staff and last night I saw her father talking to the Sidhe at a nearby lake. They want to sacrifice Arthur so that Sophia can be immortal."
"My dream's going to come true," Morgana gasped, covering her mouth.
"Dream?"
… visions within their dreams…
Merlin placed his hands on her shoulders. "Morgana, breath. It's okay, we won't let anything happen to Arthur, but you've got to tell me what's doing on."
Morgana glanced at Gwen, who nodded. "I-I had a dream. Sophia lead Arthur into a lake where he drowned. But I had the dream before Sophia even arrived in Camelot. You have to believe me."
"I do."
"You do?"
He squeezed her shoulders. "I need to find Arthur. I-Do I have your permission to tell him about the dream? It might be the only way to convince him."
"I tried to tell him, he didn't believe me."
"I'll make him believe." He looked up at Gwen. "Stay with her."
"I will."
Merlin ran as fast as he could and was grateful to find Arthur in his room.
He was packing.
"Get out."
"Arthur, we need to talk."
"I ordered you to get out. Now leave me!"
"Sophia's a Sidhe. She wants to sacrifice you."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I do. You know I do, Arthur. Please, I'm your friend."
"No, Merlin, you're my servant."
That… hit harder than Merlin expected it to. "You don't know what you're doing. She's cast a spell on you. You're enchanted."
"I told you people would try to keep us apart."
Merlin turned to glare at the girl and suddenly she was screeching.
Having jumped down from the canopy of Arthur's bed, Cavall had landed on her shoulders to carve deep gashes across her skin. She managed to throw him off, but he landed on his feet, unhurt. He came to Merlin's side, placing himself between Arthur and the Sidhe-turned-humans with a hiss.
"Familiar," Aulfric said, looking shocked and pointing his staff at the cat.
"Sophia," Arthur said, stepping towards her. He glared down at the cat and tried to kick him, though he leaped onto Merlin's shoulders before his foot could connect. "Control that beast."
"Kill it," Sophia screeched, her eyes bright red.
"Look at her eyes. Look at -" Merlin started, but then Arthur's eyes began to glow red as well. "Arthur, you have to fight it."
"Na þing biþ!"
The world slowed down around Merlin. He saw the spell light up Sophia's staff and turned, dragging Cavall down so he was tucked into his chest. The spell hit his back and
Sophia smirked as the familiar went limp in its master's clutches. She had hoped to kill the beast itself, but a familiar can't live without its master so she supposed killing him worked out just as well.
"Let's go," her father ushered them out and she grabbed Arthur's hand.
"Gwen!"
Gwen dropped the vase she was holding and rushed to Morgana's side at the scream. "Wha-" she started before seeing the three figures leaving the square.
"I've got to tell Uther."
"You can't," Gwen said, grabbing Morgana's arm before she could run off.
"I've got to do something, if I don't then Arthur will die."
"Morgana, you're a seer. I read about it in one of Gaius's books. It's magic. If Uther finds out, he'll burn you."
"I don't have a choice. I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd let him die."
"Wait," she pleaded. "I'll find Merlin. He knows where they're going, the lake. We'll bring him back."
"But -"
"Please, Morgana, trust me."
"I-I do."
"We'll take care of it. Just stay here."
Gwen slowly backed away from her mistress, then ran out. She had to find Merlin.
Gyfareddau rolled out of Emrys's arms and stretched themselves out. They looked around and were disappointed to see the People of the Mounds had left. Pity, they had quite enjoyed tearing open the female.
Their head ached from the collision with the wall, but they deliberated quickly and passed the pain onto one so the other two could focus.
Was this a matter for them? Yes, Emrys was too fresh. He could handle the People of the Mounds and Rydd thought he should be left to it, but Wyllt thought it was an unnecessary risk.
Then should they follow after The King? Stay at Emrys's side? Fetch The Queen? They could sense her coming near. Perhaps they should split? No, Emrys's magic was focused inwards due to the blast. It would be unwise to draw from him now as it could send his full power outward.
The Queen could see to Emrys, he would want them to focus on The King.
Nodding, Gyfareddau let space shift around them until they were in a tree above The King and the People of the Mounds. They could see the People of the Mounds' energy around The King and Rydd wished to claw it away, but he did not have Emrys's power to use and his own was not yet a match for the People of the Mounds'. Instead, Wyllt came to the forefront, the wilds responding to his call.
The winds lengthened his jumps as he leaped from tree to tree. The branches supported his weight no matter how thin they were. The animals of his domain added their call to the air to mask his chase. Below, roots tripped up his prey to slow them down. When they reached the lake, waves clawed at the bank and crashed together to give the group pause.
He felt Emrys wake and slipped back to join his brothers.
Gyfareddau curled up on a branch and watched over The King and Emrys.
The People of the Mounds stared at the lake, chittering in human language as The King stood mindlessly at their side.
Emrys rose with the help of The Queen and the two rushed out of the castle and into the woods.
Wyllt left to ease their way and Rydd dropped down to sneak towards The King's side as Ddof rested through his pain.
Merlin and Gwen rushed through the forest towards the lake as dawn rose around them. Thankfully it seemed the three had taken a deer trail and their tracks were obvious in the soft ground so the two were making quick time, the wind at their backs and the path clear.
They reached the lake to see Sophia leading Arthur into the choppy water of the lake.
"What do we do?" Gwen asked as Merlin looked around.
He spotted Sophia's staff on the ground next to Aulfric. "Ongebringan," he whispered and the staff shot into his hand.
Suddenly Sophia shrieked and they looked up to see Caval standing on Arthur's shoulders. She tried to grab him and he scratched her hands.
Aulfric raised his staff, but Merlin was faster this time.
"Swilte, gold beorþ."
"Father!" Sophia yelled. "No! No! Stop him!"
Arthur took an aborted step forwards before placing a hand on his head as Cavall nuzzled his cheek.
Merlin turned the staff on Sophia and she faced the same fate as her father.
Gwen and Merlin ran forward as Arthur collapsed into the lake. Thankfully the water was calming so he wasn't dragged out far and they easily pulled him up onto the bank.
"Arthur?" Merlin called as they started pulling off his armor so he could breathe easier.
"What happened? Where am I?" he groaned, sitting up slightly.
Gwen went to answer, but was cut off by a hiss. They turned to see Cavall climbing out of the lake, sopping wet and annoyed.
"Why is he wet?" Arthur asked as Gwen went to help the cat. "Why am I wet?"
"Can you remember anything?" Merlin asked.
Arthur groaned and put a hand on his temple. "Oh, my head! There was a girl. Sophia, she… I asked my father something about her, I asked him…" Arthur was silent for a moment then he sat up straight. "What was I thinking!?"
"You weren't. Sophia used a love spell on you and was about to sacrifice you to make herself immortal."
Arthur stared at him blankly. "You're kidding."
"We tried to warn you, Your Highness," Gwen said, cradling a pouting Cavall.
"So did Morgana," Merlin added.
"I remember she said something about a dream. I thought she was just being jealous."
"Jealous of your ego?" Merlin muttered. He glanced back at Gwen then said, "It's not paranoia, or jealousy. Arthur, Morgana's a seer. She has visions of the future in her dreams."
The prince rubbed a hand over his face. "You're trying to tell me Morgana has magic?"
"Not exactly," Gwen said quickly. "Oneiromancy is technically a type of magic, but it's not a learned skill and Oneiromancers don't always have magic." She blushed when the two turned to her. "I did some reading."
"You can't be serious. My father -"
"Can't know," Gwen declared firmly.
Arthur sighed and started to stand, Merlin moving closer to help him. "Obviously, but I still don't buy it."
"Arth-"
"Wait, what time is it?" Arthur asked, looking around.
Merlin's eyes widened as Gwen said, "Early?"
"Patrol!" Merlin gasped.
"Hopefully Morgana foresaw this and gave Father another excuse," Arthur joked as they started for Camelot, "or else you're going to be spending the day in the stocks."
"Me? Why?" Merlin whined.
"What kind of magical protector lets their prince fall under a love spell?"
"The kind that can't tell the difference between enchanted stupidity and the prince's normal stupidity?" Merlin muttered and Arthur smacked the back of his head. "For the record, I did tell you to keep away from her and you just told me I was worried over nothing."
"If you'd do your job, it would have been nothing."
"If you'd let me do my job, then it would have been nothing."
Gwen rolled her eyes as the two bickered all the way back to Camelot.
I considered explaining Gyfareddau, but I'm curious to see what you guys think first.