Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
The adventure continues...
"What was that?" Arthur demands.
Merlin shrugs. "I think it was a bird."
The scream sounds again and a flock of birds near by take off from the trees.
"That?" Merlin asks. "That was definitely a woman screaming."
Merlin jumps down from his horse and pulls of his cloak. Throwing it over his horses' saddle, he begins muttering to himself.
"Why couldn't it have just been a bird?" He mutters. "It's never just a bird."
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"Her sorcery has brought sickness and suffering to this village." The chief answers once more, his gaze settles on Merlin. "You and your kind are a curse upon this land."
"Did she receive a fair trial?" Arthur asks, ignoring the insult to Merlin, it would do no good if Arthur was to lose his temper here.
"Your father would have shown her no mercy." The chief replies.
"I am not my father." Arthur answers, his tone like ice. "Now cut her down."
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"What is your name?" Merlin asks, not sure what to say to her.
"My name is Valdis, Emrys." The women replies.
"Why were they trying to kill you?" Merlin questions.
"People fear what they do not understand," Valdis answers. "I did all in my power to try and save them, but it was too late… I have never been good at healing sickness, I could not stand by and do nothing, when the same sickness took the life of my only child many years ago."
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"I have a gift for you." Valdis suddenly speaks again. "You showed kindness and compassion. Those are the qualities of a true king."
She holds out something covered in cloth, Arthur gets to his feet and walks over to her.
"Open it." Valdis orders weakly as Arthur takes it from her hands.
Arthur pulls back the cloth to find a horn with strange carving along its sides.
"It's beautiful." Arthur mutters, tracing the patterns with his figures.
"It has the power to summon the spirits of the dead." Valdis explains.
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"The Horn of Cathbhadh." Gaius speaks up, looking at Arthur. "When Uther attacked the Isle of the Blessed, the Horn of Cathbhadh was smuggled to safety before the temple fell. It hasn't been heard of since."
"The old woman said it could be used to open the door to the spirit world… To summon the dead?" Arthur questions, he wasn't sure if the horn was actually capable of doing such a thing.
Gaius nodes. "I have seen it with my own eyes. Long before the time of the Great Purge I took part in such ceremonies."
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Hello everyone, The Death Song of Uthur Pendragon will be posted shortly. Hope you enjoy it.
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.