Chapter Sixteen

Amon walked determinedly through the words, his mind made up, his plan set. In his pack was the purse full of coin, money he had saved and worked for throughout his life so that he could buy Edwin whatever life he wanted; so his brother could choose what he wanted his future to be. Now that coin would buy revenge. He was headed north. He had heard rumors, reliable rumors, that just past Camelot's northern border a witch lived whose powers could be bought.

Edwin had played with magic that was all; his skill at it had amounted to nothing more than a few tricks. Amon hadn't known at first and when he learned he had begged him to be careful. He hadn't wanted their family involved in that. But it was too late for safety now, too late to go back to his old life. There wasn't much point to it without Edwin. No, if magic was what it would take to make Uther rue the day he had killed Edwin, then magic was what he would turn to.

"Stop!" commanded a voice, cool and calm.

Amon whirled around. A woman stepped out from beneath the trees. She was dressed in a long, elegant gown of red and silver, her blonde hair was wavy, cascading down her shoulders.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Morgause. And I think I can help you." She started moving slowly towards him.

"Help me? How do you even know me?"

The woman smiled at him, still slowly taking one step after another closer to him. "I have ways of knowing what happens in Camelot. You want revenge for your brother?"

Amon hesitated. But this woman was different, dangerous. And right now, that's what he wanted. "Yes."

"And what are you prepared to give for this revenge?"

"Anything. I have money."

She was just a few feet away from him now. "Money was not what I was thinking of. You want Camelot to bleed?"

"Yes. Uther. Camelot. It's all the same. They turned my brother into the king. They stood back and watched, doing nothing while he died. They all need to pay."

"That would take powerful magic. I could help with that."

"You're a sorceress?"

"I am."

"Anything! I'll do anything!" Amon cried desperately. "Anything!

"I have a spell, it would kill many people, maybe even Uther…but it's blood magic. Dark magic. Are you willing to pay the ultimate price to revenge your brother?"

"Yes. I'll do anything…without my brother I have nothing."

Morgause smiled. "Then, I think something could be arranged." She held out her hand to him.

A thought occurred to Amon and he hesitated. "But I must wait a week."

"Why?" Morgause frowned.

"I gave a friend the chance to save himself. I thought it would take me a week to reach the north…that's how long I gave him, until the full moon. I need to allow him the opportunity to take that chance."

The woman thought for a moment and then nodded. "Very well."

Amon nodded and then shook the woman's hand.

Letting go of the man's hand, Morgause turned away and smiled. This would serve to add another coal on the fire of Uther's burning hatred for magic, it would push him to enforce further and stricter laws against those who practiced it. Soon even Emrys would have to reach his breaking point.

Crossing the courtyard to reach Gaius' chambers, Arthur stopped aside quickly as the horses passed. He looked up at the riders. Four of them were knights, the fifth was Morgana. He caught her eyes as she rode by and it took him a split second to remember he was supposed to show her the respect of a subject towards the heir to the thrown and to bow to her. She smiled at him and gave a small wave. She recognized him as the man who had made Gwen happy.

As the horses rode away Arthur started moving again. He knocked on Gaius' door and didn't wait for a response before entering.

Merlin was seated in front of a barrel of water, with several empty vials on one side of them, scrubbing them out.

"Hello!" said Merlin, looking up towards him. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I just saw Morgana ride off with several knights."

"Ah yes," said Merlin, "Gwen told me she's riding off to meet with some Lord on Uther's behalf. She'll be gone until tomorrow."

"Well that's good," said Arthur beginning to pace. "It'll be best for her to be away from Camelot at the present."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You're not still worried about what Amon said to you last week are you?"

"I'm not sure," shrugged Arthur. "But I'm going to keep my eyes open tonight."

"Arthur, Amon's not a wizard."

"You don't know that. You didn't know Edwin was using magic."

"Edwin wasn't a sorcerer; he didn't have powerful enough magic to pose any sort of real threat to Camelot. Amon had just lost his brother; he was emotionally destroyed and he made threats. I highly doubt you actually have to worry."

"Maybe," Arthur said, noncommittally. "I still wish Gwen had gone with Morgana. Anyways, Gaius asked me to come over and work on the leak in the roof."

"Oh, branching out professionally are we?"

Arthur smiled. "I'll take anything that pays. Just show me where it is."