Chapter 14

The Blacksmith's Wife

The warmth of the forge was uncomfortable and Merlin slept lightly, hearing the voices of the wind passing through the ill-fitting doors and the tremble of the shutter beating a disjointed rythmn. The forge mingled with his dreams, like a living thing, like an animal shifting. Merlin dreamt of Arthur trapped in the Forest, he saw him lying on the floor of a cave, then beneath a yew tree, and all the while the sounds of the forge like a prowling beast hunting him. Merlin tried to call out, but Arthur could not hear him and walked away across the clearing.

Merlin woke in a sweat. He draped the blanket around his shoulders and pulled on his boots. Outside was still dark but on the horizon a thin broken line of silver heralded the morning. In the growing half-light Merlin could see the lie of the land: to the west a plain stretching for miles, no houses, or villages just acres of grassland. To the east, rocky ground over which he had walked the night before: a moor of grey-green gorse and stunted trees. A quiet wind blew across from the moor, the kind of wind that is as constant as breath. Merlin looked at the house and forge behind him. The buildings were old and crumbling but had a homely feel. Chickens scratched around the door and a large orange cat draped itself over the threshold. Merlin went over and bent down to stroke it, He didn't really like cats, something to do with the way they tormented birds, but he was pleased to see something so ordinary that he wanted to touch it. The cat uncurled itself with a yawn and unsheathed its claws.

Arthur heard Lillian's voice come from inside the house and was about to knock the door. But her voice had lost its warmth and playfulness, she sounded worried.

'Are you sure Brand? He seems so young, can he really be the one?'

'I am certain of it Lillian.'

'We have been wrong before, my love, this family Emrys has let us down before.'

'Yet the woman Aidith was powerful,' responded Brand gently,.' she found the stone,'

'Yes....' agreed Lillian, 'but she was no more successful than her father in the end, she could not destroy it.'

Merlin was astonished at the mention of Aidith, how could they have known her and her father.

'Soon Lillian, we will be free,' said Brand 'I promise you.'

There was silence for a while, then Lillian's voice again protesting.

But Brand! How will such a child fight the guardians, with no magic? I fear for the boy I fear for us…this is our last chance…!' Lillian had tears in her voice.

'We will find the prince,' said the blacksmith, his voice full of reassurance. 'The two are one and together they will free us. No….Lillian….trust me…..we will find him.'

Merlin heard the movement of chairs and hurried back to the forge. He sat on the bed trying to fathom all he had heard. The door opened. Brand stood filling the doorway.

'Come Emrys,' he said. 'Come and eat.'

Merlin gave Brand a clear and studied look. 'I heard you, he said simply, 'I heard all you and Lillian said and I want to know what is going on.'

Merlin stood up and although he was a good foot shorter than Brand he had a stature that the other man lacked. Brand looked down on him and frowned.

'Good,' he said, 'that is good, you already know more than you should and that will help.' Brand pulled up the stool and sat down indicating that Merlin should sit too.

'First Emrys, I know enough to help you greatly but you have to find the right questions to ask me, I am forbidden to do more than that.'

'Who forbade you?' asked Merlin.

'The King, Eadbald.'

Merlin stared at him. 'How is it possible you knew Eadbald?'

'I am 350 years old Emrys,' he answered.

'No!' laughed Merlin. Brand did not smile but raised his eyebrows, urging Merlin to ask better questions.

'OK,' said Merlin 'Answer this for me. How can I release Arthur from The Forest?

'You asked that of me last night, I don't know.' said Brand. 'Only you know how, you must ask me something else.'

'Where is the stone?'

'It is hidden.'

'Where, in the castle?'

'Not exactly, to was to start with it was hidden in a room below the castle, now it is hidden in a different way,' answered Brand.

'Will finding the stone help me get Arthur out?'

'No, I don't believe it will.'

Merlin was already frustrated with what seemed to be a string of answers that solved nothing.

'OK…. is it possible for Arthur to leave the Forest?

'Yes Emrys.'

'Please stop calling me that. Call me Merlin,' Brand nodded.

'I have to work it out then, but can you help me?'

' I help only by answering your questions. I cannot discuss things with you. You are on your own.'

'That's ridiculous,' said Merlin. He stood up and paced the room. Questions crowded into his head, but this would take forever, he wasn't getting more than a two sentences at a time out of Brand. He could see himself trapped here until he lost his voice. But the question that came next into his mind was more of an idea and it begged to be answered.

Brand, can anyone else help me?

'Yes,' said Brand smiling broadly.

'Lillian?' asked Merlin.

'Yes! Yes!' said Brand jumping to his feet. He went quickly to the door. 'Lillian!' he called.

His wife hurried out. 'Yes, what is it?' she said with an anxious look. Brand stepped out to meet her.

'Merlin has asked the right question my love,' he said, scooping Lillian up in his arms.

'Merlin?' she said, looking down at him with hopeful anticipation. She patted brand affectionately on the cheek and he put her down. She walked up to Merlin, her eyes shining.

'No one has ever done that! Not even the woman.'

'I told you he was the one.' said the blacksmith triumphantly. Brand offered Merlin his hand. 'I will leave you both now, I have a little work to do before breakfast. Merlin, thank-you.'

Merlin smiled, his hand disappearing inside Brand's huge fist.

Merlin turned to Lillian. 'So I do not have to question you?'

'No,' said Lillian, 'I know as much as Brand, maybe more, this was a test of your character Merlin. No other seeker of the stone has had enough humility to ask a woman for advice. Now,' she said, sitting opposite him. 'Brand has told me that you want to find your prince and get him out of Heaf. It can be done but I do not know how.'

'Brand said I knew how said Merlin, but I'm sure I don't, my magic has gone. What have I got left? '

'You do not need magic Merlin.' She placed her hand over Merlin's heart, 'you only need to use this…. and this,' she said tapping her own forehead. You need to think, but do it feelingly. You have an instinct, a story written inside you. Listen to it and tell me what you know.'

Merlin looked into Lillian's dark eyes. He saw compassion and wisdom there.

'I can't help it Lillian, I want to ask you a trivial question.'

Lillian laughed. 'I think I can guess it,' she said. 'I am 330 years old.'

Merlin gave a delighted laugh. Gaius won't believe I met people like you.

Lillian was amused with his curiosity. Is that it now Merlin? she asked, are you ready to do some hard thinking.'

Merlin, still smiling, closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. 'What do I know,' he repeated

'I know that Heaf is a place of illusion, that nothing that happened there was real, I was killed but here I am still alive.'

He opened one eye. 'I am still alive aren't I Lillian?'

'Very much so, go on.'

'The Forest is a testing ground…… if you seek the stone you find the forest, if you fail the test you are trapped….. So!' said Merlin sitting up straight. 'I have to seek the stone to enter the Forest.'

'Yes,' said Lillian evenly.

'But I have done that once, Can I do it again?'

'You passed the test didn't you maybe now you can return without hindrance, none else has wanted to but I don't see what can stop you.'

'But when I get there how do I get Arthur out?

Think Merlin, the nature of a test is…..?

'To learn, to find out something, to prove yourself?'

'And what did you find out, what did the test show you to be?'

Merlin hesitated. 'I realised that I was dishonest and that I didn't trust my own instincts and that I abandoned a friend to a terrible fate.'

Merlin turned away. He still did not know if Morgana was alive, if she was still influenced by the evil of Morgause. He didn't know if he had put anything right.

Lillian, he asked carefully. 'Are the solutions we find in Heaf….do they influence the real world? When I spoke to her, did she hear me?'

'Oh yes. Yes Merlin, perhaps only in a dream but yes, she heard you. That is the only redemption to be found in the Forest. The duality of magic means both a torture and a healing is to be found there. And if Arthur failed there is yet hope. If he is tested again and passes his test as you did…' began Lillian

Merlin remembered the tests that were set after the death of the unicorn and how he bargained for Arthur to have one more chance.

'He could get out!' said Merlin.

'Perhaps,' said Lillian, 'yes I believe that will work. But tell me what his test was.'

Merlin thought for several minutes. 'His anger got the better of him, he wouldn't listen, he assumed too much. He struck me accidentally, I know he didn't mean to hurt me, he is just….made that way…..a creature of instinct…..a killing machine….but Lillian he has to be like that to survive.'

'Indeed a warrior must know how to kill and how to stay alive. But any man who has such power over life and death must learn how to control himself, he must have a quiet heart,' said Lillian.

Merlin felt this message was also for him and he took it gratefully.

'We must get him the chance to prove himself.' said Merlin

'And to do that you must become part of the illusion, you must play a part in it.' said Lillian with growing conviction.

Merlin looked uncertain he didn't mind taking chances even with his life, but he wasn't sure how good an actor he was.

'Do you know how to do that Lillian, make me part of an illusion?'

'Three hundred years of listening and watching has given me some idea.' she said with her mischievous smile.

'Do you trust Arthur Merlin?

'I do trust him.'

'Then you will both be fine,' said Lillian, 'now we have to find a plausible part for you to play. But we can think about that on the way to the castle.'

She stood and smoothed down her apron, she looked queenly despite her diminutive size.

Merlin grinned at her and offered his hand. ' Lillian stood on her tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. 'Thank-you boy she said.

Can I ask you something else before you go?'

'Yes,' she said brightly.

'Will you tell me about Aidith.'

Lillian nodded. 'Of course, she was your kin, come and help me cook breakfast and I'll tell you all I know. But I am also curious about something,' she said with a frown. 'Did your mentor not tell you that you could lose your gift here?

Merlin shook his head. 'Gaius you mean? No he told me nothing. "

'If he did not, then he must have had a good reason, but that is hard, very hard.'

One more thing Lillian please said Merlin, remembering the conversation he over heard. 'Who or what are the guardians?'

Lillian's eyes darkened slightly, she unhooked a basket from the wall and pushed it into Merlin's hands

'First the eggs Merlin,' she said with a smile. 'Then we'll talk of monsters.'