Chapter Nineteen
After hiding Sir Helrid away in a deserted house, Merlin and Arthur headed out onto the streets again. They were making their way towards Arthur's blacksmith shop when they heard, coming from a few streets away, the snarl and growling of the Shadow Hounds and several screams.
Cursing under his breath at the delay Arthur turned and headed towards the noise, Merlin following behind.
They came out into a more open area, with a long squat rectangular building opposite and a small square in front of it. Two knights were standing in front of the doorway to the building trying to fight off one of the hounds. The men seemed to be keeping the beast at bay for the time being, but without knowledge of the hound's weakness, it was unlikely they would survive the battle.
Scanning the area quickly for anything made of wood, Arthur threw several crates and a barrel onto a pile near the center of the square and grabbing the torch from Merlin lit it on fire. Still holding the torch he raised his sword and approached the battling knights. He swung the torch towards the hound, striking its head just as one the knights stabbed at its left flank. The animal howled in pained as the three men pressed their advantage.
"Thank you," said one of the knights, turning to Arthur, moments later after delivering the final blow to the Shadow Hound.
Arthur gestured towards the bonfire he had started in the center of the square, that Merlin was now throwing more wood onto. "Light. They're weaker in the light."
The knight nodded in understanding.
Arthur glanced towards the building the two men had been defending and saw through the windows that a large group of people were inside.
The second knight noticed the direction of his gaze and explained, "We were stuck on this side of the gate with the Lady Morgana. We were in a large crowd of people when those monsters attacked. She insisted we get as many of them to safety as possible." He gestured toward the building. "It's an old meeting hall, there's only the one entrance. One of the people suggested it."
"Is Guinevere inside? The Lady Morgana's maidservant?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Is Morgana?" asked Arthur anxiously.
The two knights exchanged glances and the first one shook his head. "No. She insisted on going with Sir Jon to gather more survivors and wounded. She ordered us to remain here and protect those inside…neither of us liked it but she didn't give us a choice..."
Arthur smiled. "She can be stubborn." It occurred to him how much he missed Morgana.
"Do you know how to use that?" the knight asked, gesturing towards the sword in Arthur's hand.
"Pretty well," replied Arthur, adding to himself, and I taught you how to use yours.
"Good. If you could find the Lady Morgana…she should have been back by now. It has been over an hour. She said she would venture no further than a few streets."
"Which direction did she go?"
The knight gestured down a street that was opposite to the blacksmith shop.
Arthur sighed. "One moment." He headed over to Merlin and lowered his voice. "Morgana has gone with a knight in search of survivors to bring back here but they should have been back by now."
"You want to go look for her?"
Arthur sighed and rubbed his face vigorously. "I don't see that I have much of a choice. I…I need you to do something for me Merlin."
"Anything," said Merlin quickly.
"I need you to look for Gwen. Try the workshop first. She may have gone there looking for me. I know if you find her…I know you can protect her. Please."
"Of course."
"Thank you Merlin." Arthur turned to go.
"What about you? Will you be alright?" asked Merlin with concern.
"I think so. I'll take a torch and I'll try and avoid the Hounds if at all possible. Don't worry about me just…just find Gwen…and be careful yourself."
Morgana ran. She could hear the panting of the monster behind her and she sped up. She clutched a dagger in her hand but doubted it would have much effect on what was following her. She hoped desperately Sir Jon was alright. They had been separated when the animal attacked. It felt as if she had been running forever and she was running out of breath but the panting, growing ever closer, kept pushing her forward.
She hurried faster, glancing over her shoulder intermittently but she couldn't see the large black shape she knew was somewhere back there in the darkness.
She turned down a side street in what she hoped was the direction of the meeting hall where she had left the others.
She was just reaching the end of it when a cloaked figured seemed to materialize out of the darkness. She stopped abruptly and panting hard tried to force out the words to warn the stranger of the danger but before she could the figure raised its hand and murmured,
"Seltheth meth reen."
Morgana fell to the ground unconsciousness.
The Shadow Hound that had been chasing her approached, but at one word from the figure it slinked away out of the street and ran off to find another victim.
The stranger bent down over Morgana and slipped the bracelet which had kept the nightmares away for the past four months, off of her wrist. Then taking a knife and a small glass vial out from under its cloak, the figure made a small, but deep, cut along Morgana's arm and held up the vial to catch the blood.
Then standing up and stepping away from Morgana the figure murmured gently, "I'm sorry my sister, but it is for the good of all of us."
"Morgana!" Arthur's voice came ringing down the street.
The figure glanced and then turning ran off into the darkness.
Arthur took just a moment to wonder if his eyes had been playing tricks in the shadows and he had really seen a figure standing over Morgana, but he was too preoccupied to think about it for long.
He bent over Morgana with concern. He couldn't find the source for her unconsciousness, she seemed to be unhurt save for a cut on her arm which was still bleeding. He ripped a small section of cloth from his shirt and wrapped it around her arm. He set aside the torch and slipped his sword through his belt and then lifting her, made his way back towards the meeting hall. It was when he was halfway there that he heard the howls of the three Shadow Hounds behind him and he was forced to break into a run.