"So, Balinor, the young prince is dead, yet the king suddenly seems more alert than ever" Kilgharrah mused as he watched Balinor, Hunith and Morgause overseeing the reconstruction of the castle so recently destroyed.
"Which, Kilgharrah, proves that Uther is afraid, and therefore he will most certainly make a mistake" Balinor replied. "We will allow them a few days to process what has happened, then, when the time is right, I will go in and kill Arthur as well" he said.
"I advise caution Balinor, Uther will not let Arthur out of his sight for very long, and even then, you can be sure he will never be alone" Kilgharrah stated. Balinor turned to the Dragon now, face set in a grimace.
"A day? a week? A year?" he spat. "sooner or later I will have Uther where I want him" Balinor stated. "And Uther's sprits will be broken anyway when his little witch returns from the isle of the blessed with nothing but tails of charred corpses" he added. Kilgharrah huffed at that. Balinor smirked at him.
"Don't tell me you're feeling remorse over the deaths of the druids there. We did what was necessary"
"so it was necessary to kill them all, just so you could gain the cup of Life, and just so you could spite Uther that bit more" Kilgharrah stated.
"I can't imagine they would simply hand it over to me" he replied.
"You did not even give them that option!" Kilgharrah roared. Balinor shrugged.
"you of anyone should know there are always casualties in war"
"A war that was nowhere near them. I warn you Balinor, you are treading a deadly path, and you must take steps not to stumble, I only see sorrow in the days ahead" the Dragon said, then it turned away from him then, dismissing him. Balinor felt his rage begin to rise, but refused to give into it.
Nimueh appeared on the Isle of the Blessed, feeling the cold wind whipping at her, but almost immediately she was greeted with something even more unpleasant. Around her, on the ground lay the remains of the Druids who had called the Island home, who had, for a longer time than anyone could remember, protected the sacred artefacts of the old religion from both theft, and misuse.
"No…" she breathed softly. The alter where so many magical practices had taken place was broken, shattered in two. Between the bodies lay artefacts, left to rest uselessly on the ground, scattered around, open to the elements. She felt her breath catching in her throat. She knew the handiwork of a Dragon when she saw it. Feeling the tears sting her eyes, she slowly moved forwards, searching, jumping when a young voice spoke up.
"You won't find it" She spun around to see a small boy there, maybe twelve or thirteen, he carried a small staff, tailored to his height, and wore the blue robes of a Druid child.
"What happened?" she asked softly.
"You already know. Balinor knew you'd come for the cup… but while he was taking the life of your prince, he also sent his Dragon to us" he replied. Nimueh could feel the tears falling from her eyes. The boy looking at her quizzically.
"For whom do you weep Nimueh? For the druids here? Or for your lost prince?" he asked gently as he moved forwards . She looked up at him sharply.
"For all of them, and for my king" she replied. The boy turned away from her looking out over the ocean.
"Would it make any difference knowing we would not let you use the cup in any event?" he asked mildly.
"You would…" her voice trailed off. The boy nodded, still looking out at the sea.
"The Cup present's a great gift to those who wield it, but it also carries a terrible price. The gift is life" he said.
"And the price is another life, yes I know" she cut in. the boy turned to her then.
"Then you know nothing, and I am sorry" he replied. "You believe death to be the cup's price? No" he said.
"Then what?" she demanded.
"Had it not honestly crossed your mind? This King, Uther. Once he realised the power of the cup, do you believe he would ever allow it to be returned?" he asked.
"Uther is a loyal, honourable man" she said.
"That, is not what I asked" he replied.
"Yet that is how I choose to answer" she stated. "But what do theoretical questions prove now? You said Balinor has the Cup" she said. The boy inclined his head at her point.
"He does, but he does not yet have full knowledge of its capabilities" he told her.
"Neither does Uther"
"Uther is a small man, with a small mind, seeing only what is important to him in the long run" he stated, something akin to anger entering his voice.
"So you believe it is better off remaining in Balinor's hands?" she said, her face flushing, despite the cold.
"That, I did not say" he replied.
"Then stop telling me riddles and state yourself clearly!" she yelled.
"The cup was never meant for human hands, nor was it meant for the hands of a Dragonlord" he replied. "Balinor cannot keep it, but neither can Uther possess it" he finished, suddenly his face softened and he reached out, taking Nimueh's hand.
"I am not blind to your sorrow, or that of your king and his family. But what you ask, will e difficult" he said.
"then all is lost" she said, her voice as quiet as a small breeze.
"That is something I did not say either" he replied. "There can be a way to achieve both our goals" he said. "But I cannot guarantee we will not lose more than we gain in doing them"
"That is a risk I'm prepared to take" she said.
"I would not speak too soon" he said.
"Are you some kind of Druid seer?" she asked. The boy smiled up at her.
"I am simply Mordred" he replied.
Morgana sat next to Merlin's body, holding his hand softly in her, still talking to him quietly. It had been two days since his death, and her outburst. Speculation was rife around the castle that she had finally lost her mind, at the end of the hall Percival stood guard, never leaving her side. But he was nothing to her, not in the grand scheme of things. No, in the grand scheme of things, no one seemed important anymore. The hours had simply gone past, blurring into one another, night to day, so when Arthur walked in, stopping, she didn't even look up.
"How long as she been here?" Arthur whispered, looking at Percival.
"Most of the night, all this morning" he replied softly. Arthur nodded at him.
"Do you need anything?" he asked, knowing that meant the knight had been here as well. Percival shook his head softly. Arthur sighed and nodded, then turned, walking slowly towards Morgana. She looked up at him and smiled, then back at Merlin.
"see, your brother is here now" she whispered to him. Arthur slowly knelt next to her.
"Have you eaten?" he asked gently.
"How can I eat?" she replied. "Merlin needs me" she added. Arthur blinked then slowly stood, "I'll let you alone then, for a bit" he said. Morgana nodded, but her attention was already back on Merlin. Shaking his head sadly, he turned and walked out of the hall.
"She is simply in mourning sire, eventually she will accept what has happened" Gaius explained as he stood in front of Uther and Arthur. Arthur having gone to his father, the concern for Morgana's state of mind at the forefront of his mind.
"But she sits there, for hours, just talking to him" Arthur stated.
"Sire, grief, is a very delicate thing, people react differently to it, and no one knows how they will react when the time comes" Gaius told him gently.
"But it seems like more than grief, with Morgana, Its like she honestly believes he's going to start answering her" Arthur said.
"But by the same token, you must allow Morgana time, you must remember that she has lost two people she cares for deeply" Gaius said. Arthur nodded, but seemed unconvinced. Slowly Uther put a hand on his shoulder.
"I know you worry for Morgana, and it speaks volumes of how you feel about her, but Gaius is right Arthur, she needs time to adjust" he said quietly.
"I know, I just… I'm worried what will happen when we entomb… when we…" Arthur took a sudden shaky breath, releasing it slowly, the two men giving him time to suppress his emotions. With the exception of Morgana, Arthur had probably been the most effected by his brother's death. And it showed. His normally relaxed attitude, his friendly open face. Gone. Replaced by a tense smouldering of anger kept just below the surface. Ready to strike when it was provoked.
"I just think we should be more concerned" he finally said. Uther sighed then nodded.
"Very well, I will make sure to keep an eye on her, personally" he said. Arthur nodded, then turning, walked out. As the doors closed, Uther looked over at Gaius.
"Could he be right?" Uther asked. Gaius sighed and shook his head.
"Sire, in my years as physician I have seen grief overtake many people, it is not something I care to know, but something I must know. And as I stated to Arthur, it can take many forms, this could be grief, yes, and also Arthur could be correct, but I daren't interfere" he said.
"If there is a possibility that Morgana is losing her mind –" Uther began.
"And if there is a possibility she is not, sire, as painful as it is to watch, we must let her come to the truth herself" he stated. Uther slowly nodded.
"You are the more knowledgeable than I in such matters" he agreed.
"If anything sire, I believe you should keep watch on Arthur" Gaius said.
"Why?" Uther was suddenly concerned.
"The anger he is keeping in check, that is also something else I have seen. It is not an easy anger to control, and sooner or later he will lose control" Gaius said. "And his bond to Merlin was so strong, the sudden breaking of it. I fear Arthur is in a far more dangerous place than Morgana is at present"
"Is there anything to be done?"
"Only to prepare, and to pick up the pieces once it has happened" Gaius admitted. "I am sorry sire, that is probably not much help" he said. Uther shook his head.
"Gaius, without you to help us over the past few days, who knows where we would be" Uther assured him. Gaius slowly bowed, then then Uther nodded, turned and left the room.
Percival looked over as the door opened and the young serving maid that had been assigned to Morgana entered. She was carrying a small plate of food. She glanced at Percival, then over at Morgana.
"I brought some food, I don't really know what else to do, to be honest" she said. Percival nodded at her.
"Thank you" he told her. She gave a tight smile, then moved towards Morgana, kneeling down when she reached her. Morgana looked up at her, her eyes bleary.
"Just some food my lady" Gwen said, handing out the plate. Morgana looked at it, then at Gwen.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry" she replied.
"Please, try to eat just a little, keep your strength up" Gwen insisted.
"I said, I am not hungry" Morgana repeated. Gwen nodded at her, and stood, leaving the plate on the floor.
"I'll leave it there, just in case-" There was a clatter as the plate of food was thrown across the room, food covering the floor, Morgana glaring at her. At the head of the hall, Percival stepped forwards.
"When I want your services I will call for them, now get out!" Morgana snapped. Gwen, shaken bowed and hurried out, Percival watching her as she ran past.
Out in the hall, she rounded the corner, nearly running into Uther, who caught her.
"Oh, sire, I'm sorry" she said, blinking. He shook his head, instead looking towards the room where Merlin lay in state.
"What happened?" he asked. Gwen was normally so reserved, so polite, this was enough to get his attention.
"I'm sorry, I was taking some food to Lady Morgana"
"She didn't want to eat I take it" Uther replied mildly.
"No sire, I didn't mean to upset her, really"
"I know, please, don't let it trouble you" he assured her. Gwen nodded as he stepped back, "Go on, see to your duties" he told her. Gwen bowed and then carried on, moving past the king. Uther shook his head, slowly walking forwards, into the room.
Balinor looked up as Kilgharrah suddenly began looking around.
"What is it now?" he demanded. Kilgharrah looked at him, then shook his head.
"I thought I heard something" the Dragon replied. Balinor rolled his eyes, and turned away. Kilgharrah put his head back down, slowly smiling to himself. After all Balinor hadn't actually ordered him to tell him what was wrong, So when he caught sight of Uther's witch hiding in the underbrush of some nearby bushes with a small boy, Kilgharrah decided he would simply wait and see what happened.. And after recent event's he wanted nothing more than to burn the Dragonlord to death.
No.
Let the Dragonlord see how far he had finally fallen, he thought. Killing Uther and his family was one thing, being ordered to kill his own magical kin. That was something entirely different.
"Where is it? Do you see it?" asked Nimueh looking around from their hiding place. Beside her, her small companion, Mordred, remained silent, looking at the Dragon.
"Mordred?" she asked again. The boy blinked, shaking his head, concentrating on the question instead of the Dragon.
"Hunith. He's entrusted it to her" he said finally. Nimueh looked around, the Dragon, Balinor and his daughter, but of Hunith there was no sign.
"Damn it" she muttered.
"She's in the castle" Mordred suddenly said, his eyes closed. "On the far side of it" he added. Nimueh nodded and took his hand.
"Get us there" she said. Mordred nodded at her, and the pair of them vanished.
Hunith stepped out from behind her dresser, pausing as in front of her a small whirlwind appeared, stepping back as Nimueh and Mordred appeared.
"The cup. Now" Nimueh said, then stepped forwards. "And I'm not going to ask again" Hunith looked from her to the boy, then back again before raising her hands, which began to glow.
"I don't think so" the other woman replied
Morgause was halfway to her father who had been calling to her when she suddenly stopped.
"Father!" she yelled. Balinor looked over at her.
"The witch is here" she stated. Balinor stepped forwards.
"Where?" he demanded.
"With mother" she replied. Balinor ran forwards with Morgause, the pair entering the castle quickly.
"I'm surprised you managed to get in here at all" Hunith stated as the two women circled each other.
"I wouldn't have been" Nimueh spat back. "And you brought this on yourself, for whatever reason Balinor despises Uther, you have no right to take an innocent in your conflict" she carried on.
"We have every right, hounded by that Pendragon dog!" Hunith roared. "only finding solace in another kingdom!"
"Did that give you the right to kill Merlin? To kill those innocents on the Isle of the Blessed? Or Glorious!" Nimueh screamed back.
"We swore one day we would return, to claim what was rightfully ours, now the time has come and if you, my dear, cannot stand a few bloodied noses in the course of that, then you are in the wrong place"
"This was not bloodied noses, this was pure slaughter for the hell of it!"
"Yes! And there will be so much more to come!" Hunith screamed back. Nimueh suddenly became very calm.
"Then I am sorry for you" she replied.
"For what?" Hunith asked, suddenly very unsure.
"For blooding your nose" Nimueh replied, launching out with a crackle of magical energy, Hunith screaming as it whipped around her, lifting her into the air. Beside them the door suddenly burst open, Balinor roaring as he saw what was happening, Morgause raising her hands, before with a sudden blast both were knocked from the room, the door slamming on them. Mordred looked at it and smiled, even as Hunith continued to scream. Outside the door began to bang, but would not budge. Hunith's screams were becoming whimpers.
"This is but a fraction of the pain you caused that boy before he died" Nimueh stated. "Now, where is the cup" she stated.
"behind the dresser!" Hunith stammered. Nimueh nodded at Mordred who moved over. Nimueh dumping Hunith in the corner of the room. A moment later Mordred appeared holding it. Nimueh nodded and reached out her hand.
"But you will never have it!" Hunith screamed, beside her a knife that was situated next to her plate of food shot forwards. Nimueh turned,
"Salamatre!" she yelled, the knife spinning around, flying back and embedding itself into Hunith's chest. The woman gaped, looking down, then fell to the side, gasping. Nimueh actually looking shocked at what she had done.
"We must go" said Mordred, taking her hand. Nimueh looked down at him, then nodded.
"I am sorry" she whispered, still looking at the woman. The moment they vanished the door finally burst open. Balinor's eyes going wide.
"Hunith?" he whispered, walking forwards, falling to his knees. Behind him, Morgause watched mutely.
Uther looked up as there was a flash in front of him, Nimueh appearing with a small boy.
"Well?" he demanded.
"We have it" Nimueh said. Uther nodded and glanced at the small druid boy.
"Who…?"
"A friend, Balinor has a lot more to answer for than just Merlin" Nimueh stated. Uther looked at him, and nodded.
"Come, we can see to his needs later" he said rising from his seat.
The room where Merlin was laid to rest was thankfully empty when they arrived, Nimueh quickly filling the cup with the jug of water on the small stand at the side of the room. She hurried over to Uther who was kneeling by his son.
"Raise his head" she said gently. Uther did so, cupping Merlin's head so his mouth was open slightly. Nimueh gently reached over, pouring some of its contents into his mouth. Slowly she nodded at Uther who let him lay back down. Nothing however happened.
"Nimueh?" he asked softly. Nimueh nodded and looked at Mordred.
"He returns" Mordred said. Then he smiled and took the cup, "And this must be once again removed as a temptation" he added, the cup seeming to explode into light in his hands. Uther was about to protest then nodded, instead he looked over as the doors opened and his family walked in for the morning vigil. Nimueh led Mordred to the back of the room, standing out of the way.
"Balinor, my love" Hunith whispered. Balinor holding her hand gently, Morgause doing what she could to heal the wounds.
"I am here" he whispered. Hunith smiled at him.
"Hold me" she said softly. He pulled her close to him.
"Always" he replied. Hunith kissed him gently on the cheek, then slowly let out a shuddering breath.
Merlin awoke with a start, gasping for air, eyes wide, the others in the room watching.
"What?" asked Arthur, stepping forwards, behind him, Uther and Vivienne were also standing up. Morgana blinking at him.
"so its not enough for Blainor to simply kill him, you raise him as well!" Arthur roared. Uther gripping his arm tightly. Merlin looked panicked, his eyes darting around the room, before they settled on his family.
"Father?" he asked gently. Trying to stand, his legs not supporting him, he fell to his knees, Uther rushing to his side.
"Father" Arthur warned.
"Merlin?" Vivienne's voice was almost hollow as she too stepped forwards. Merlin looked up at her, nodding slowly.
"Guards!" yelled Arthur, the doors opening and the guards running in, stopping short, seeing Merlin alive.
"Seize that creature" Arthur ordered.
"Arthur? What?" Merlin was confused.
"Guards, leave the room" Uther ordered.
"Father, I implore you, this is a trick by Balinor, nothing more" Arthur stated. "that's no more Merlin than I am you" he said.
"Arthur you will stand down!" Uther roared.
"No I will not!"
"Arthur!"
"STOP!" screamed Morgana suddenly. "Please, just stop" she said more quietly. Slowly Merlin got to his feet, and made to move towards Arthur, Arthur for his part, drawing his sword.
"Arthur its me" Merlin said.
"My brother is dead!" Arthur roared at him.
"I know. I was. I don't… I don't know how or why, but Arthur it is me" he said. Arthur shook his head. Merlin smiled sadly, and stepped forwards again.
"I'm not going to warn you again" Arthur said.
"You told me, you couldn't do this without you, that you'd be waiting for me" Merlin said softly. Arthur's eyes going wide. "You said you'd give up the kingdom" he continued. Arthur suddenly found himself shaking, lowering the sword.
"Merlin?" he asked softly. Merlin smiled and nodded, reaching out to his brother, then pulling him into a tight embrace.
"How?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know" Merlin admitted quietly. "But it is me Arthur" he said softly. Arthur didn't reply, instead he just began to cry, his younger brother, rocking him gently, a moment later Uther and Vivienne were both there, hugging them. Finally they broke apart, Merlin walking over to Morgana. She was still staring at him. Slowly she reached out, to touch his face, hesitating at the last moment. Merlin smiled and took her hand, putting it to his cheek.
"Merlin?" she whispered. He smiled and nodded, then she threw herself into his arms, sobbing. He smiled as he stroked the back of her hair, looking down at her.
"It's okay now. It'll all be okay now" he comforted her. She nodded, her head still buried into his chest.
Balinor held the body of his wife for several silent minuets, beside him, Morgause began to sob. He pulled her to him, then finally, rage overtaking him he stood up and stormed from the room.
Kilgharrah looked up as he approached.
"I warned you this path would lead to sorrow" Kilgharrah informed him.
"Burn them" Balinor hissed. "Burn them all, raze Camelot to the ground if you need to! but Kill every last Pendragon!" he roared. Kilgharrah roared.
"When is enough for you!" he demanded.
"I am a Dragonlord and you will obey me!" Balinor yelled. "And you will not return here until Uther and his entire family are nothing but ash" he finished. Kilgharrah roared, then took flight.
Oh how Uther was going to pay for this….