Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
The Mark of Nimueh
A woman in red stands in a dark, damp cave, molding a creature out of clay and water. When she completed her sculpture, she places the creature into a marked egg.
"Berbay odothay arisan yeldo"
The egg glows and the clay within pulses with life. The woman puts the egg into the water; it quickly travels into Camelot's water supply and the creature inside hatches.
She peers into the water, watching intently as her plot begins to unravel.
"Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, aliese hine, to Camelot he cymþ"
A figure comes up behind the witch. "Starting your revenge plans already, Nimueh?" the figure asks in a light tone.
She smirks, "Our revenge, dear Valeria; and yes, I do believe it is time Uther Pendragon pays for what he's done to us and our kind."
Valeria nods, but her face shows no emotion, "Of course." The woman turns to leave and Nimueh continues to watch whatever she sees in the water. Oblivious to Valeria and the Le Fay family's plans that will conflict with hers (for now anyway).
As Merlin and Gaius make their way to the castle with the infected corpse, a voice stops them.
"What are you doing?" Gwen asks cheerfully.
Merlin quickly goes to shield the body, "Uh, um, just moving something."
The maid tries to get a better glance, "Looks heavy."
"It's nothing really," he hurriedly assures and changes the subject. "Someone got you flowers."
Gwen looks down and shakes her head. "Oh, no; would you like one? A purple one, purple suits; not that I'm saying that red doesn't suit you…"
Gaius casually watches the awkward exchange between the two young people. Merlin is not usually one to stumble over his words and Gwen never speaks very much, so to see them so uncomfortable, and yet not so, with each other is rather endearing. 'At least they do not bicker viciously as Arthur and Morgana do,' the physician muses. He still remembers when the two nobles were young and inseparatable, the best of friends. Now, however, they can hardly stand being in the same room without fighting.
"Thanks, well, uh," Merlin sticks the flower into his scarf and Gwen smiles brightly. "Uh, see you later."
The maid is slightly disappointed with his quick leave, but she tries not to show it. "Bye," she waves to him lightly and continues on her way into the castle.
...
Gwen enters Morgana's chambers and her smile brightens at the sight of the Lady. Unlike other nobles, Morgana is kind and gracious, never one to simply look at appearances or rank. She treats Gwen as a friend rather than simply a maid. Over the years that Gwen had been in Morgana's service, the two girls became very close.
"You look happy," the Lady comments with a smile on her own face.
"I picked these for you." She hands her the flowers.
Morgana looks down at the purple and white bunch, "That's so sweet."
"Well, something to cheer you up. I know you're not sleeping well."
She's heartened by her maid's thoughtfulness. "Well, you cheer me up."
The maid laughs softly. "Would you like me to put them in water for you?" Gwen moves to do the task, while the Lady looks over her shoulder affectionately.
Estella is walking past the council chamber when she hears a commotion within. She knows that she should return to her chambers and mind her own business, but eavesdropping didn't exactly mean that she was meddling.
Dismissing any doubts for what she is doing, the Lady peers into the room. She sees various nobles looking aghast at the dead body on the floor. Uther and Arthur are standing close to it. Gaius Merlin then enters the room to examine the infected corpse.
"What's happened to him?" the king asks.
"I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today." Gaius answers.
Uther starts to speak rapidly. "Why didn't you report it to me?"
The other man is still composed. "I was attempting to find the cause."
"What did you conclude?" the king demands.
Gaius attempts to veer away from revealing what he learned. "I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. The scientific process is a long one."
The king can see that his physician isn't telling him everything. "Why do you conceal it from me?"
"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying within twenty-four hours and it is spreading fast."
Uther is becoming slightly impatient. "What is the cause?"
"I think we should say the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery." Gaius tells his king.
Arthur looks to his father in alarm and the king quickly takes his son aside. "You must find who did this."
"I will, Father." The prince assures while still looking at the body.
The king commands, "Conduct door-to-door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards on all the gates and lend the physician your servant."
"Merlin?" the boy questions, not understanding what help the other boy could be.
"I'm going to need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me, the city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer and quickly." There is actually restrained fear in his voice.
Without listening to another word, Estella backs away and retreats to her chambers. She knows what is happening, but she dares not tell. Uther would question her intensely and when he learns of how she knows about the Afanc and Nimueh, it would be the end of her life (at least that is what she thinks) and thus Morgana's (and Arthur's). Arthur will eventually find the truth… At least, that is what she hopes.
Despite the fact that her father is ill, Gwen knows she still has chores to be done. She changes her direction from the village to Lady Estella's chambers.
The maid enters the room to find the king's niece staring out the window, her face blank. She always seems to do that – gaze outside as if she longs to be anywhere, but in Camelot…and that is probably true (but it is not). Within the walls of the city, she is confine to court etiquette and her duties as the king's niece; although, since her extended leave the year before, her duties were past to Morgana as the king's ward and the new First Lady of Camelot.
"You're upset, Gwen," the Lady states, monotonously. The maid begins to stutter her denial of the claim, but Estella can see through it, "Your eyes are red and swollen from tears."
The noblewoman is now looking at her with those piercing and slightly terrifying gray eyes. Gwen sighs sadly, "My father has gotten the disease."
What may have been pity set in her visage quickly disappears. Gwen lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She knows that Estella is not one to show that she cares, but Gwen always hoped that she would be an exception to such treatment after the years she's been in the Lady's service. But that should not be expected, especially since she did not go about comforting Arthur or Uther, only Morgana, occasionally.
However, the Lady is as sympathetic and respectful as Morgana…to an extent, at least. She never spoke an unkind word to Gwen or any other servant, but she is not as openly friendly as her cousin.
The door suddenly opens and Morgana walks in. She is about to say something to Estella, when she notices her friend's tear-stained face.
"Gwen, what is it?" Morgana asks, concern coloring her voice and features.
"My father, he- he's been infected by the disease." Gwen begins to tremble and Morgana quickly holds her friend. After a moment, the maid calms down a bit.
"You should go home and take care of him." Estella says, suddenly.
Morgana nods in agreement. "Yes, you should. Don't worry about your chores, Estella and I can take care of ourselves." Gwen gratefully bows to both Ladies and Morgana leads her to the door.
"Was there something you needed, Morgana?" Her cousin inquires.
"No, nothing terribly important; I'll see you later." Estella nods and turns back to the window, while Morgana takes the maid home.
That night, Estella walks through the streets of Camelot, making her way to the Darkling Woods. She catches sight of a shadow moving through the village. The aura of powerful magic is radiating through to her senses – it's Merlin.
Dismissing the servant from her thoughts, she quickens her pace, pulling her charcoal cloak closer to her, and continues on her journey. It is about two hours until she reaches her destination. She looks around the secluded area trying to grasp at any magical aura in the clearing.
"Daughter"
Estella swiftly turns and faces the tall woman with hair as dark as her own and eyes that resemble emeralds. "Mother," she addresses with a slight dip of her head.
"How is Camelot?" Her mother was always one to skip pleasantries.
"The disease has taken many lives, Uther is fearful of what is to come, Arthur simply follows his father's orders, and Gaius has no cure." She tells her mother.
Valeria scoffs a bit. "But of course there's no cure. To be rid of the pestilence the king must turn to magic or learn the source."
"Neither of which are likely to happen," Estella points out.
Valeria nods absently. "How is Morgana, how much has her powers developed?"
"Her visions have become clearer, but nothing drastic has occurred. No stored memories resurfacing either." Her daughter answers.
"Hmmh, I thought that she would be ready to officially train by now." The older woman comments.
"Well, apparently not." Valeria gives her a dry look and she downcasts her own.
"Keep her safe; protect her, guide her." She orders.
"As I always have and will," Estella promises.
"Good," the older woman pauses, "Keep yourself out of trouble, as well. Remember, never meddle." She doesn't say unless you have to, Valeria wants her daughter to learn to do that on her own.
"I know," she sighs, exasperated by the order that she apparently could never remember.
"Things are slow now, but don't expect them to be this way for long. Emrys' presence has started all of you on one path, but it's up to you and Morgana to ensure that the right one is continued upon." The witch tells her child.
"Yes, mother"
Valeria steps forward, her royal purple cloak rustling against the ground, and briefly kisses her daughter's forehead. "Go, now. We don't want any of the guards catching you."
Estella bows her head and does as her mother says. Valeria whispers a spell and a moment later, she and her aura disappears from the forest.
Gwen is arranging flowers in Morgana's chambers when the door suddenly opens. The prince and two guards come forward and grab the maid, arresting her for practicing enchantments.
Morgana strides out of her inner chambers, "Gwen?" As the guards take the maid out of the room, the Lady turns to Arthur. "What are you doing?" she demands.
"We found a magic poultice in her house." The prince explains.
"That's ridiculous," Morgana emphasizes.
"How else do you explain her father's recovery?" he questions.
"Well she's innocent. You know she's innocent." She insists.
"What can I do? I can't turn a blind eye." Not waiting for a response, Arthur turns to lead the guards to his father. Morgana softly scoffs at the prince's lack of personal thought. After a moment, she follows him, staying at distance, as not to receive any chastising.
...
"Why will no one believe me?" Gwen looks around the chamber and pleads, "He got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!"
Morgana walks purposefully into the chamber, "I believe you." She then addresses Uther. "Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally."
"And what of this poultice that was found?" the king questions.
Morgana casts her gaze to her maid. "What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!"
"It was found in your house." Uther stands up and walks to the maid, "Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion."
"I can't!" Gwen emphasizes.
"I'll show you no mercy." He says.
"I am not a witch! I don't know how to stop the illness!" Gwen bows her head.
"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty."
"But I've told you-"
The king interrupts, "It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment and under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death."
"No," she nearly cries.
"I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you. Take her away," Uther orders.
Morgana looks on despairingly as Gwen is taken to the dungeons.
Estella observes Merlin looking on guiltily as she leaves along with the rest of the courtiers. 'So that's what he was doing last night.'
The king's ward turns toward her guardian. "I know Gwen. She's my maidservant not a sorceress."
"Have you ever seen a sorceress?" The king questions, "Believe me; they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye." And he speaks from a great amount of personal experience.
Arthur stands back as he listens to Morgana continue to speak against the king.
"I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a witch, why would she do this? Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers, like an idle king?" She nearly growls the last part.
Uther turns on his ward. "You have no right."
"You have no right to cast such a judgment on that girl!" Morgana yells.
"I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom!" The older man states, "I take no pleasure in this."
"But you're sentencing the wrong person." The woman pleads.
Arthur then intercedes. "She's right, Father." Morgana turns to him with gratefulness in her eyes. "You hear the word magic, you no longer listen."
"You saw it for yourself. She used sorcery." Uther say.
"Yes, maybe, but to save her dying father – that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart."
"I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand." (More than he is aware of). "I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom will perish!"
"I understand that," Arthur says, a touch of annoyance that his father has such low standards of his judgment.
Uther stares into his son's sky blue eyes, the same ones he possessed in his youth. "One day, you may become king. Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces which threaten this kingdom."
"I know. Witchcraft is an evil, father. So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be king and I don't know what kind of king I will be but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I wish to live in. It will be where the punishment fits the crime." The prince declares.
Uther then looks up at his son. "I fear you're right. She's played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire."
Morgana's heart suddenly clenches. She turns from the two men with a pained expression that she quickly composes and strides out of the chamber.
Arthur is disheartened as he watches her leave, knowing that he is at fault as much as his father for what will happen to Morgana's maid.
"What if burning this witch doesn't stop the poison? How do I protect my people?" the king asks his council members.
"My men have closed down the water pumps." The prince informs.
Gaius adds, "But the emergency supply won't last for much longer. We have to find a way of cleansing the water of the disease."
"But how?" The king inquires.
"Well..." the physician is interrupted.
The doors open and Merlin bursts in. "It was me! It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!" The council stares at him. His master looks at him as if he is a madman. "Gwen is not the sorcerer. I am!" he declares.
Gaius stands up, "Merlin! Are you mad?" He demands in a hushed voice.
"I cannot let her die for me." He says to his guardian and to Uther, "I place myself at your mercy."
"He doesn't know what he's talking about." The physician quickly tells the king.
Merlin refutes the physician's words, "I do."
"Then arrest him." The king commands his guards.
Arthur intercedes, "Father, please! I can't allow this! This is madness! There's no way Merlin is a sorcerer." (But how wrong he is).
The king looks at his son, "Did you not hear him?"
"Yes," of course he did, but the idea of his idiot of a servant a sorcerer is ridiculous.
"He admitted it." Uther states.
"He saved my life, remember." The prince reminds his father.
"Why should he fabricate such a story?" the king questions.
Arthur balks for a moment, unsure of what to say and then he recalls something. "As Gaius said, he's got a...grave, mental disease."
"Really?" the king leans forward in his chair, interested in what his son had to say.
"He's in love," Arthur tells the council.
Merlin in taken aback, "What?"
"With Gwen," The golden-haired boy finishes.
Uther grins.
The servant shakes his head, "I am not."
"Yes, you are," his master throws back.
"No way." Merlin is adamant. He doesn't have those kinds of feelings for Gwen.
"I saw yesterday with that flower she'd given you." The prince reminds him.
"I'm not in love with her." The dark-haired boy emphasizes.
Arthur puts his arm around Merlin. "It's alright. You can admit it." He gestures to the other council members who were grinning at the servant.
"I don't even think of her like that!" The boy declares. Part of his mind wants to call Arthur out on the feelings he suspected the prince harbors for Morgana.
"Perhaps she cast a spell on you." Uther suggests.
Arthur looks at his father worriedly. The smiles and snickers and the other council members join in.
The prince smiles in relief. "Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he's such an idiot. There's no way he's a sorcerer." He concludes.
"Don't waste my time again." Uther tells him and then commands his guards to let the boy go.
"The great warlock returns, as I knew he would." The dragon declares.
"I need to know how to defeat an Afanc." Merlin informs the dragon.
"Yes, I suppose you do." The creature says drily.
"Will you help me?" the boy asks, nearly begs.
"Trust the elements that are at your command." The creature tells the servant.
Merlin doesn't understand, "Elements; what is it I have to do?"
The dragon proclaims, "You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other."
...
Lady Estella opens her eyes as the vision fades. She wouldn't have to meddle this time and she shouldn't (in her mind, anyway); Merlin would eventually figure it out (hopefully). Her main task, as her mother commands, is to watch over and protect Morgana.
The woman is thankful that she is not the only one who's made it their duty to so… But then again Arthur has always loved to be the hero, especially when the supposed damsel is Morgana.
"They're bringing forward the execution; we have to prove Gwen's innocence," Morgana states as she strides into the room.
"We're trying," Gaius insists.
"Please, just tell me what I can do to help." She says.
"We need Arthur," Merlin declares.
Her brow furrows, "Arthur?"
"There's a monster, an Afanc in the water supply. That's what causing the plague." Merlin explains.
"Well, we must tell Uther." The ward insists.
"An Afanc is a creature formed by magic, telling Uther wouldn't save Gwen, he'll only blame her for conjuring it." Gaius says.
"So, what are we to do?" Morgana inquires.
Merlin answers, "We need to destroy it, then the plague will stop, then Uther may see sense."
Morgana nods, the pieces fitting together. "And that's why you need Arthur."
"He's our best chance," the servant adds, "but he won't want to disobey the king."
The Lady looks between Merlin and Gaius, a plan formulating. "Leave that to me."
...
Arthur walks out from his inner chambers and finds Morgana near the door.
"You all right?" he asks, seeing her sad expression. "Sorry, about all this, Merlin's not been in today." He says gesturing to the mess on his table.
"Poor Merlin," Morgana comments
"Yeah"
"Offered to give up his life to save Gwen's," She smiles girlishly at the prince. "I certainly can't imagine any man loving me so much."
Arthur looks at her and sarcastically says, "No, I certainly can't imagine that either."
Morgana smiles slightly and mocks, "That's because you're not like Merlin. He's a lover."
The prince nearly laughs, the very thought of a servant being better than him in any way is impossible. "Yeah, maybe that's because I haven't found the right person to love."
The Lady smirks as the prince turns to put away a shirt. "Sadly, the age of gallantry seems to be dead. You look around and all you see are small men, not big enough to fill their armor." The prince softly sighs as he attempts figure out what Morgana was really trying to say. He didn't spend years at her side to never learn her tricks. "There's not one of them that's able to stand up for what is right." She finishes.
Arthur smiles (very much aware of the woman is trying to say) and asks, "What do you want me to do?"
Morgana nods slightly, extremely pleased with herself, and explain their predicament and Merlin's plan.
...
Merlin turns and is amazed to see Arthur walking toward him, Morgana close behind. The three of them make their way down into the tunnel where the water supply is.
"You better be right about this, Merlin." Arthur says.
A growl rumbles through the tunnel and Morgana audibly gasp. When the sound ceased, Arthur turns to Morgana.
"You should stay here." The prince tells her.
"I'm coming with you." She states.
"No," the prince is adamant.
"Scared I'll show you up?" The Lady taunts.
Arthur ignores it, "Father would slam us both in chains if he knew I endangered you."
"Good thing he doesn't know about it, then."
She obviously wasn't afraid of the monster or the king, so Arthur uses a different method. "I'm telling you, Morgana. Turn back. You could get hurt."
His actual concern is touching, but she pushes that feeling away. "So could you," his heart leaps at her genuine unease, but to her the words sound too vulnerable, so she adds, "If you don't get out of my way." That statement by itself hurts him a bit, more than he dares to think about. Morgana strides past him as Arthur looks at Merlin exasperatedly.
They continue on cautiously. At the fork in the tunnel, they split up. Arthur walks forward only to be confronted by the monster. One moment it is in front of him, the next it vanishes.
Morgana runs to his side panicked that Arthur was hurt. "What is it? Are you all right?"
"Yeah," he assures her.
"Did you see it?" Merlin asks.
"Yes"
The servant asks, "What did it look like?"
Arthur's not quite sure how to describe it, "I-it's quick."
Morgana screams as the monster appears in front of her. Arthur leaps forward with his sword, poised to defend her, but it disappears once more.
"Where is it?" the prince demands.
Merlin points out a supposed direction and the trio follow it. Around the corner, the Afanc decides to reveal itself. Arthur and Morgana attempt to fight it off, but nothing seems to faze the creature. When the monster tries to attack once more, Merlin then casts a spell causing the fire from Arthur's torch to grow and pounce – the Afanc is destroyed.
Estella creeps near a door of the council chamber.
"I've never heard of an Afanc before." She hears Uther comment.
"It's conjured from clay by powerful magic; the type that can only be invoked by an ancient sorcerer – one who has the power to mirror the spirit of life. I found this at the water source. It bears the mark of Nimueh."
The king sighs despairingly, "No."
"We must be vigilant, Sire."
"Will I never be rid of her?" the king asks with a shuddering breath.
"Sire-" Gaius starts.
"Leave me!" the king commands.
Estella glances at her uncle as he sits on his throne with a troubled, aggrieved expression. She sighs softly to herself. There is nothing she can do. The king bears the burden of what destiny set upon him. He does what he is meant to do. And so must they all.
Morgana, Merlin, and Tom, the blacksmith and Gwen's father, walk into the dungeons as the guard opens the cell and the maid is released.
Tom immediately rushes to his daughter and gathers her into his arms "Dad! She exclaims.
"Oh, my little child!" Tom sighs in relief.
Morgana stands at their side and Gwen reaches to grasp her mistress' hand.
"Thank you!" the maid tells the other woman.
She shakes her head, "Don't thank me. It was more Merlin."
Gwen looks to her friend, "Really?"
Morgana nods, "He's the real hero here."
The maid looks at the boy with such admiration. "I don't know what to say."
Merlin shrugs, "I didn't do anything."
Tom speaks up, "I'm- I'm grateful to you all." He says, tears clouding his eyes. "Come on, Gwen." Holding her closer, he walks with her to their home.
The noblewoman calls the servant, "Merlin, I wanted you to know, your secret's safe with me."
"My secret?" he asks.
She shakes her head, "Merlin, don't pretend. I know what you did."
"You do?"
She nods, "I saw it with my own eyes."
"You did?"
"I understand why you don't anyone to know." The Lady shrugs.
"Well, obviously," He nods.
"But I won't tell anyone." She pauses, "You don't mind me talking to you about it?"
"Er...no. I, I, it's, er..." he laughs softly, "You have no idea how hard it is to keep this hidden."
"Well, you can continue to deny it, but I think Gwen's a very lucky woman."
Merlin furrows his brow, "Gwen?"
Morgana puts her finger to her lips, shushing him, "It's our secret."
"Not really, since Arthur's announced it to the council already." Estella tells her cousin as she reveals herself from the shadows.
The green-eyed woman smiles, "Well, Merlin it seems that your affections are not so easily hidden."
The servant begins to blush and stutter as the two women walk out of the dungeon.
...
"You know," Estella starts, "Merlin and Gwen's 'relationship' isn't the only one that is so easily hidden."
Morgana smiles, "Oh yes, we cannot forget you and Owain."
The older woman slightly sneers a bit. "No, actually we can forget."
"Why are you so sour about it?" her cousin inquires.
"Because it is nothing more than a one-sided 'relationship.' I do not harbor any deep feelings for the boy and I never will." She promptly answers.
"You never know," the younger woman insists.
"I do, actually," she whispers. Morgana sees a slight sliver of sadness in her cousin's gray eyes and she in turn remains quiet.
Nimueh wrathfully swipes her hand through the water as the vision of Merlin and Gaius is shattered.
"You will pay for this, Merlin!" the woman swears.
Author's Note: As usual, let me know what you think and if you have any questions, I'm always keen to answer. Thanks for reading and please review(and please don't favorite or subscribe w/o reviewing, I would like to know to what you liked about the story, I'm also very paranoid about my writing).