Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Chapter four: Where loyalties lie.
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Gwen watches closely as Gaius opens a pendant like object which had been found on Jared's body. She was dressed in a lilac dress and her hair was pulled back loosely.
On the table before them was Jared's body, Gaius had the job of preparing the body, so it could be laid to rest. Jared may have been an enemy of Camelot, but he wasn't just going to be dumped anywhere. He would most likely be burnt.
"What is it?" Gwen asks, as Gaius pulled a roll of paper from within the object.
"I believe it's a prayer." Gaius answers, studying the roll, before looking at Gwen and turning away.
Unrolling the paper, Gaius places it flats on the table beside Jared's body. He picks up a magnifying glass and reads the inscription.
"Can you read it?" Gwen asks, as Gaius shows no sign of reading out loud or giving an indication of what it says.
"Gaius?" Gwen asks a bit more sharply.
Gaius stands up straight and looks a bit put out at Gwen's tone. "I am no expert in the Druidic runes..."
"Please," Gwen mutters. "I know you too well."
Gaius sighs. "It is a call for victory over the enemies of the Old Religion."
"I thought the Druids were a peaceful people." Gwen frowns.
"For the most part we are." A voice behind them answers, before Gaius had a chance to answer. "But for some, the Great Purge changed that. Many blame Uther for their suffering and some acted on those beliefs."
Gaius and Gwen looked round as Freya approaches the table, beside her a young man with dark hair and dressed in druid robes. Gwen had seen him in the company of Merlin many times, but they had never been introduced.
"But he has long been dead." Gwen points out, as she watches Gaius hand the paper to Freya, who reads it before handing it to the young man beside her.
"Some believe that Arthur is no different from his father." Gaius answers, it saddened him that some only saw Uthur in Arthur, when the young king had achieved so much.
"But sorcery is no longer outlawed." Gwen replies.
"Many simply see it as a ruse," The young man beside Freya answers. "It is believed Arthur is trying to trick those with magic out of hiding, so he knows who to kill when he orders the second great purge… For them, little has changed."
"So Jared believed it was his sacred duty to fight my husband." Gwen concludes.
"More than that." Gaius shakes his head sadly.
"What do you mean?" Gwen questions.
"There are those who believe that Arthur is destined to die by a Druid's hand." The young man answers again.
"Perhaps Jared thought he was that man." Freya adds.
"Well, then, he was mistaken." Gwen answers simply, looking towards the window.
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"You know what they say, Merlin" Arthur speaks, as he and Merlin slowly approach Ismere. "Appearances can be deceiving."
The landscape around them was nothing but snow and ice. Everything was covered in thick layers of the stuff and under the soft whiteness was ice, making every step a challenge, as you didn't know if you were about to take a step and go sliding.
Arthur carried the cross bow he had stolen before they escaped their captors, but he was running low on bolts. Merlin still had the axe, but it would aid him little in a fight. Battle axels had never been his first choice of weapon, given the choice he'd pick a knife or staff every time.
"Not in this case." Merlin answers, looking up at the fortress of Ismere they were fast approaching.
The structure loomed high above them, its highest point vanishing into the angry grey clouds, which stormed overhead. The whole place gave off an aura which would send most people running and if Merlin wasn't needed there, he would never have come.
They find a good vantage point, close to the fortress and watch as Tristan and the others who had caught them enter the fortress. The gates were pulled open, but even as they passed through multiple guards kept weapons trained on them and the surrounding land. Morgana clearly didn't want anyone getting in, who wasn't allowed.
"We'll never make it in there." Merlin mutters, once the gates had been closed again.
Even with his level of magic it would be a hard task, the charms Morgana had placed on this fortress would weaken any spell even if the person casting them was unaffected.
"There's always a way, Merlin." Arthur replied.
His tone of voice put Merlin on edge, he wasn't going to like this. That fear was confirmed when he turned to look at Arthur, who smiles at him.
And so Merlin found himself crawling along a narrow tunnel, only just keeping himself from gagging at the smell. All the fortress' waste went through this tunnel and it reeked. Behind him Arthur crawled, trying to keep his face impassive.
Suddenly a pile of waste dropped from a hatch in the top of the tunnel, landing in front of Merlin, who stared at it for a moment before looking back at Arthur.
"How did you talk me into this?" Merlin questions.
"It's genius, Merlin..."
Merlin looks back at the pile of waste in front of him, he didn't even want to think about what it was.
"Genius." He agrees sarcastically.
"You've got a bit of, um..." Arthur signals to his hair. "Carrot in your hair."
Merlin quickly runs his fingers through his hair, brushing out what he hoped was carrot. Yes, he would definitely being have a nice refreshing drip in the lake when he got back home. Maybe if he was lucky Freya would join him.
"Least I hope its carrot." Arthur adds, trying not to laugh.
Merlin's eyes flash gold and a handful of waste get acquainted with Arthur face. Merlin just looks back at Arthur and grins.
After continuing through the tunnel they finally find a way out. Moving onto a ledge, they find themselves overlooking the courtyard. Man load wagons with rocks, as Saxons look on.
"Ready?" Arthur asks.
"For what?" Merlin answers, dreading the answer.
Arthur's plans were always the worst.
"Our carriage awaits." Arthur replies, waving a hand towards the wagons.
"You've got to be joking." Merlin mutters. "The place is crawling with Saxons."
"Then we'd better make sure we blend in." Arthur answers with a slight shrug.
"Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed as Arthur began climbing down towards the courtyard.
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Morgana watches from a window above the other side of the courtyard as Ruadan speaks to one of the guards.
"Let the Lady Morgana see for herself! I'll get twice that in the market at Asgorath." Ruadan was saying, but Morgana was paying him no attention, as she caught sight of Tristan, trying in hide in the shadows it seemed.
Morgana smiled somewhat wickedly and turned from the window making her way towards the court yard.
"My Lady." Ruadan greets upon seeing her. "I am grateful for this opportunity... I have brought you eight of the finest..."
Morgana glares at him, before walking past him and towards Tristan.
"Tristan." Morgana greets him.
"My lady." Tristan answers, trying to keep his voice civil.
"Isolde has missed you," Morgana carries on speaking as if Tristan had not answered. "Her cries echo through the fortress at night, how she begs for no one to harm you… It's pitiful."
Tristan clenches his jaw and holds his tongue.
"You know we had Arthur in our grasp?" Tristan suddenly changes the subject, it was better Morgana heard it from him than Ruadan. "He escaped."
"You let him go?" Morgana questions, remembering Tristan had been loyal to Arthur before.
"He got away." Tristan answers, holding Morgana's gaze.
"How?" Morgana exclaimed enraged, turning towards Ruadan. "Who let him go?"
"It was an accident." Tristan tried to explain again.
"KILL HIM!" Morgana yelled at Ruadan, ignoring Tristan. "That's all they had to do!"
Morgana turns away fuming. "I am a High Priestess! I have the power of the heavens in my hand and yet he continues to defy me!"
She turns back to Ruadan. "I want his annihilation, Ruadan! I want to put his head on a spike! And to watch as the crows feast on his eyes! Find him and do not return until you do!"
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Hello, I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Until next time,
Blessed be,
TreeOfLIfe1997.