Okay, I know some of you have been waiting a REALLY long time for me to finish this story. Thank you for sticking with me, I've had a lot of stuff going on in my life. But I am trying to make finishing this a priority.
I really hope you enjoy this, it has been rattling around in my brain, trying to break free for some time now. I think it's a pretty powerful chapter, and I hope you agree. There will be, I think, two more after this one, and I will do my best to write them quickly, so you won't be worried about the fate of everyone for very long... That said, ENJOY!
Queen of the Wild Magic—Chapter 12
Arthur wasn't sure what to expect as he walked through the doorway. But he was pretty sure a purple sky in an underground world wasn't it. As his vision cleared, he could tell he was standing in the middle of a ring of ancient trees hung with long strands of dripping ivy. A lush bed of bright magenta grass was underfoot. For a while, he stood completely still and let the strangeness of the surroundings sink in. He kept wondering why he had agreed to come here in Merlin's place. The whole situation felt way beyond him.
Suddenly, the ivy was swept aside, and two of the oddest looking creatures appeared before him. They seemed taller and more insect-like than he remembered from the brief encounter with them in the abandoned lot. And they were glowing.
"Excuse me," Arthur said, trying to sound as commanding as possible, despite his utter shock. "My name is Arthur Pendragon. I'm looking for a friend."
The fairy creatures turned to each other and whispered urgently between themselves.
"Can you help me?" He asked again, more forcibly.
One of the slender beings, a girl with wide-spread black eyes and a worried smile, approached nervously. She eyed him up and down and rushed back to her friend without saying a word.
Arthur pushed forward, drawing in a breath and placing his hand upon his hip. "I'm looking for the Lady Addy. I believe she is here."
Her friend, a male with chopped brown hair and freckles, gave the girl a sharp glance and immediately ran back through the ivy from where he came.
Arthur frowned. What were they doing? Were they trying to hide Addy from him?
Playing some sort of game? Could they even understand him?
The girl stepped forward again, her loose blonde hair dancing behind her, despite the lack of breeze. "Welcome, Sir," she said in a soft, high voice. "We were not expecting you."
"Do you know who I am then?" He said.
She nodded demurely. "Yes, Your Highness. We are familiar."
Arthur began to hope for the first time. "Do you know where Lady Addy is? Where can I find her?" He asked anxiously.
She smiled. "The Lady Addy is our queen."
Arthur clenched his fist at his side. "Em, yes. But I'm afraid that she is needed elsewhere. I've come to bring her back with me."
The lady curtseyed and replied, "Lord Theosfain will be here soon. He can answer your question."
Arthur could feel his temper flare. He felt as if all she was doing was giving him the run-around. Why would she not give him a straight answer. Magical creatures! Strange lands! He should never have come. Everything here made him feel more and more uneasy.
"Lord Theosfain?" He asked.
She bowed again, refusing to meet his gaze. "He is the Queen's Council." She held out her hand to him. In it, was a gleaming silver fruit that looked like a pear dipped in lead. "Are you hungry, Sire? Would you like something to eat? Our fruits are quite safe and will refresh you."
Despite being incredibly hungry, he refused. There was no way he was touching anything here. Who knew what kind of magical properties it might possess? He might wake up turned into a frog. Or a donkey. Again. He shuddered.
She slipped the fruit back into her gown with a slight look of disappointment.
Just then, two figures emerged from the trees behind her. One was the fairy who had left earlier and the other was a long, black-haired fairy with similar features. The lady bowed slightly to Arthur, saying, "Sir, this is Lord Theosfain," and without even waiting for a reply, took the hand of her friend and departed quickly with him back through the ivy curtain. Their glowing skin lit the deep shadows under the trees as they went.
Arthur found himself alone with the new gentlemen, whom he supposed must be in charge of this place.
The dark-haired fairy shuffled near with an elegant sort of grace and bowed deeply. "Sire! We were not expecting you."
Arthur shifted to his other foot, crossing his arms in his proud, kingly manner. "Yes, so I've been told. You will help me?"
"Yes, Your Highness." He bowed again, even more deeply.
"So you know why I am here?"
"Yes. Although, it is quite strange to us that the warlock, Emrys, did not come." He sounded almost genuinely sad, as though he had hoped to meet the great wizard himself.
"Emrys?" Arthur said quizzically. "Oh! You mean Merlin?"
Theosfain nodded.
"He was detained by some strange magic affecting our world. He has sent me in his place to collect the Lady Addy and bring her back home. Now, I would appreciate it if you would take me to her."
Theosfain laced his fingers together nervously, and stood awkwardly in a fidgety pose. "Sire," he simpered, "I would love to take you to our queen. I think you will be much pleased to find how well she is doing. But..." there was a long, pregnant pause in which Arthur felt sure the man had suddenly lost his ability to speak.
"Well, what is it?" Arthur barked angrily. "Say it! Has something happened to her?"
The fairy's eyes were wild with shock. "Oh, no! No! Nothing has happened to her. She is fine. I assure you. It is not her that I wish to concern you with. It is her teacher."
Arthur was confused. "Her teacher? Why does she need a teacher?"
Darting his coal eyes everywhere but to Arthur, Theosfain replied, "The Lady wanted to be able to use and control her magical abilities. It was the only way we could allow her to return home. We wanted to make sure she would not put the world in peril again. But we have not the skill to teach her ourselves. So we had to...recruit...someone who was well versed in the art of magic."
Arthur crossed his arms and shrugged. "So, why should I be concerned?"
Theosfain wrung his hands, and in a cracked voice, he squeaked, "Because her teacher is Morgana."
-(0)—(0)-(0)-
"Oh, good," Morgan said, smiling sharply at the completely flustered fairy. "You've returned."
Theosfain nodded. He was so preoccupied with his conversation with Arthur and his concern for having to tell Lady Addy that it was not Merlin who had come for her, that he failed to notice Morgana's unusual behavior until it was almost too late. Arthur had been furious at finding that his sister was now alone with Addy and that she had been "helping" her to use her magic. Theosfain had done his best to assure him that the Lady Morgana was an entirely different person now, that there was nothing to fear from her, but to no avail. Arthur would never believe that Morgana had changed. He knew her far too well for that. But it was not Arthur's anger that had him so vexed. It was his concern for Addy. He was so worried that she would be devastated that Merlin was not here.
He had grown to care a great deal about Addy. Even though, as a human, she was difficult at times, he could see her passionate and honest true self. She would make an excellent queen, if she could learn how to control herself. Although the Sidhe did not, as a rule, mingle with the human world, they were not devoid of human feelings. Chief among them was a tremendous sense of duty. It was Theosfain's duty to serve Lady Addy, to protect her, and by extension, all of the above world.
There was never any other motive for his actions apart from his desire to serve.
Theosfain offered his customary, sweeping bow. "My Ladies, I have news I must impart."
Morgana's smile widened. "As do I, Theosfain."
He turned to Addy and sadly said, "But first, I must say that I am sorry, My Lady."
Addy made no reply. In fact, she barely moved at all. Morgana replied. "Sorry for what?"
He drew a breath and continued to try to read Addy's thoughts. Her face was blank, and it made Theosfain fear that she was upset with him. He stammered, "That Merlin has not come for you. I know how much you were looking forward to seeing him again, My Lady." He glanced up at her. Her face continued to be emotionless, vacant. His heart sank. The news must have crushed her.
"Nevermind." Morgana answered coldly. "I'm sure we will see him in due time."
There was something so odd in her reply that Theosfain turned to her and asked, "What do you mean?"
She smiled again. Cruelly. "Oh, it's just that Lady Addy and I have had a little chat while you were gone. She has told me some interesting things about you."
He was taken aback. What did that mean?
"She knows what you are after, Theo." She winked.
Theosfain turned to Addy. "My Lady?" He pleaded. "What is the meaning of these words?" Addy's face remained slack and motionless. A shiver of cold ran down his spine. Something was wrong. How could he have been so blind. Something was very wrong. "My Lady?" He called again. "Is everything alright?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Morgana answered. She stepped to Addy and slid her arm across her shoulder. Instantly, Addy's face rose and she beamed at Morgana as if she were her own personal sun. It sent fresh waves of terror coursing through Theosfain.
"What have you done to her?" He gasped, taking an involuntary step back.
Addy turned to him. Her eyes seemed so soulless. She is lost, he thought bitterly. All is lost. "My Lady Morgana has done nothing except what she must." Her voice was toneless. "You will tell us how to leave this place. Now. Or I shall destroy it, piece by piece."
He shook his head firmly. No matter what, he could not let the evil that was a Morgana-controlled Addy out of this realm. Even if it meant the destruction of his home and all he held dear.
Addy smiled and in that smile, all hope faded. "Fine. Have it your way." She raised a hand and instantly his feet and legs were bound by strong vines that had sprung up from the ground below him. They rapidly spread over his body, ensnaring him in their tightly twisted grasp. They spread so thick and so quick, that he was fully encased by them before he could even draw breath.
The door at the back of the chamber crashed open. "Theosfain, I am tired of waiting!" A voice rang out. Morgana hissed, recognizing the voice immediately. Arthur continued, "I demand to see Lady Addy!"
Morgana quickly recovered from her shock at seeing her brother, and as he approached, she gathered her thoughts and formed a devious plan. "Brother!" She called out as sweetly as she could manage.
He thundered closer, looking around uneasily, before at last settling his gaze upon her. "Morgana," he acknowledged warily, seeing Addy for the first time. "Where is that lanky imp?"
"Around. You just missed him. I think he's a bit tied up with other things at the moment." She answered as sweetly as if they had parted the best of friends. She smiled warmly. "How good it is to see you again, after so many years."
Arthur frowned and clenched his fists, wishing that Excalibur hung at his side. If it hadn't been for Addy's observance of the whole affair, he would have probably found the nearest sharp object and driven it through her devious heart. Instead, he replied coldly, "Yes."
He turned to Addy, bowing, and spoke with rushed urgency. "My lady. Please forgive me. Merlin has been delayed and has sent me in his absence. He wishes you to know how much he regrets not being here himself, but wants you to come back home as quickly as possible. As soon as I can find that strange creature, he has promised to send us both back where we belong." And far, far away from Morgana, who Theosfain has promised to keep safely here forever, he thought. He reached out to take Addy's hand, hoping to lead her away from Morgana and to safety. But Addy remained firmly where she stood.
"There has been a change of plans, dearest brother." Morgana replied. She circled Addy and placed a hand upon her arm. "Hasn't there?"
Addy nodded stiffly. "Yes. Morgana is right. I don't want to go with you. Or Merlin. He has left me here alone, and I have learned so much from Morgana. I don't wish to see him again." She stated mildly, as if commenting about a chance of rain in the near future.
"Are you serious?" Arthur cried.
"Yes," she said sternly. "I am. He is nothing to me now."
Arthur felt ill. Merlin had gone crazy with worry for this girl, and this was how she repaid him? That didn't seem like her. Yet, she had magic now. And sadly, Arthur knew how magic could corrupt people. Maybe she really had changed that much. He was sure it was Morgana's influence.
He shook his head. It didn't matter. She needed to go back. And he had promised. "I'm sorry, My Lady, but you are coming with me." He reached for her again, meaning to take her hand and lead her from this place by force. Suddenly, he felt as if his feet were rooted to the spot.
He looked down. His feet were rooted to the spot, literally. Thick, green roots had grown up over his shoes and were twining themselves around his legs. He struggled to pull them free, but they grew thicker and faster about him, winding upwards. Even with a knife, he couldn't have halted the spread of the vines about his body. He called out to Addy for help, but she merely stared blankly at him, as if not really seeing him at all. Morgana, on the other hand, watched with an expression of sheer joy. He was trapped. They had planned this together, and he had fallen right into it. He stopped struggling, knowing it would be useless.
"Why are you doing this?" He asked, looking to Addy. He knew why Morgana was doing this. What he didn't understand was why Addy was going along with it. She had seemed like a sweet, honest girl.
"She can't hear you." Morgana stated. She looked at Addy as if regarding a piece of art she had just finished. There was an odd sort of pride in her appraisal. "I control her. She is completely under my power. She will not help you. Nor will any of the fairies. I have put a spell upon the door."
The vines were still spiraling up about him, imprisoning his chest and arms. They were tight and bit harshly against his skin. But he showed no weakness to Morgana. Only his head and his right hand remained free.
Morgana stood gleefully upon the daïs above him, smiling as if all her birthday wishes had come true at once. It was far too painful for Arthur to watch.
He focused instead on Addy. Her pale face was as blank as a wall. Tricked and trapped, like him, by Morgana. What was in store for her? What did Morgana want from her? What did Morgana want from him? He thought he already knew the answer to that question.
"Morgana, please. Do with me what you will, but let the girl go. She is not a part of your revenge." Arthur said.
"Oh, dear brother. You don't need to worry. I plan on doing what I want to with you, what I have dreamt about over and over every second I was trapped in the void of death. And poor, sweet Addy will help me accomplish it. The plans I have for her... Well, it's probably a good thing you won't be around to see them. I don't think you'd like it." The evil glow of her green eyes frightened him to the core.
At the same time, Arthur felt a sudden pain in his thigh, as if a hot coal had just burnt him. He flinched, but Morgana mistook it as a reaction to her words. She slipped a sharp, curved dagger from the folds of her gown. Arthur's heart sank. He had given Morgana that dagger as a gift.
The pain in his leg grew hotter, and he feared what it might be. Working his free hand into his pocket, his hand touched the source of the fire. A small, metal object. The heat subsided almost the instant his hand touched it, and he wrapped his hand around the object trying to make out what it was by feeling it with his fingers. It was the coin from the doctor. The one he was supposed to give to Addy when he saw her again. He pulled the coin from his pocket, and clenched it tightly.
Morgana, crazed by the soon-to-be fulfillment of all of her deepest desires, was paying no attention to anything Arthur was actually doing. She merely hovered above him, lost in her own fantasies of power and revenge. She swayed back and forth, like a snake coiled and ready to strike.
How could he get the coin to Addy? Would she even notice? He would have to throw it and trust in luck or fate or whatever that it held some sort of magic that would break her from Morgana's grip. Desperately he worked the coin down to his fingers, nearly panicking when, for a second, he thought he had lost his grip on it. But at last it was in position and ready to go.
Morgana stood in the way between him and Addy. He had to get her closer. Very close, in fact, so that she wouldn't see the coin sailing past her.
He coughed a little and in a voice barely above a whisper said, "Morgana, I have only one thing to say to you."
She stopped her movements and descended the step, standing just in front of him. "What did you say?"
He repeated the statement and at the same time flicked the coin with his thumb so that it went flying smoothly upward in a graceful arc toward Addy. From the corner of his eye he watched the coin sail higher and higher, bouncing rays of gold onto her face.
But before he could see the final outcome, Morgana spoke, "What do you wish to say, Arthur? And I suggest you make it worthy, because it will be the last words you ever speak."
Fate. It was all up to fate now. He couldn't risk looking at Addy, not with Morgana so near. He looked into her eyes and all other thoughts vanished. Somewhere, in there, behind the evil that had corrupted her, was the girl I grew up with. Somewhere in there was the sweet, strong woman I been proud to call my friend, my sister. His heart filled with pity and sadness.
"Oh, Morgana," he choked, hot tears streaming. "I am so sorry."
"And so am I, dear brother," Morgana whispered.
Arthur barely felt the knife slide into his chest. The pain from it was nothing to the pain he felt looking at the thing Morgana had become. It was this pain that broke his heart, not the knife in her hands. A great darkness stole over his vision, bringing him his only release.
_(0)_(0)_
A flash of gold. It was the first thing Addy had seen in a long time. She knew she was trapped somewhere, somehow, in darkness. Then, the gold flashed before her and she felt herself returning as if waking from a fevered dream.
She was still standing on the dias in the great hall, but she felt as if time had passed that she had not been aware of. Suddenly she saw an object of gold floating towards her. Like molten fire it hovered in the air, as if a star had fallen from the sky. She recognized it as a coin. THE coin, in fact. It spun its way towards her impossibly slowly as if time and gravity had simply ceased to matter. She could clearly make out the faces of Merlin and Arthur on either side.
Bretir's words came back to her: "Two sides of the same coin. That is what has been said of them. But there is so much more than that to it. When one side rises, the other must fall. And as one falls, the other will rise. And the hand of fate keeps turning it, over and over, in an endless dance... But this is the most important part... Most people think there are only two sides. But they are wrong... There are Three."
Rising. Falling. Spinning over and over again. An endless dance of victory and defeat, life and death. If one fell, the other would rise. Each win tempered by a loss. Forever repeating the same patterns on the wheel of fate. Not two sides, but three. Addy was the third side. She was the edge. The unpredictable side that fate could not control. And it was up to her to stop the cycle once and for all.
The coin landed perfectly in Addy's outstretched hand. She clasped it to her chest as her vision cleared and she became fully aware of her surroundings. Morgana was bent over something on the ground, hidden behind the folds of her dress. Suddenly, she stood erect, raised her head to the ceiling and screamed. Addy's blood ran cold. It was not a scream of defeat, but one of achingly triumphant joy. And now, Addy saw the reason why.
Arthur lay slumped over in the grass floor, the blood from a deep wound in his chest staining the pink grass a deep shade of red. And in her heart, Addy knew he was dead. She had been too late after all. Fate had spun the wheel one last time.
Anger and frustration welled up deep within her. She had failed. Everything was lost now. She trembled and the ground trembled with her.
Morgana spun around to face her, the giddy look of crazed animal on her face. Then she saw Addy and her expression died. Addy was no longer under her control.
"You killed him!" Addy screamed, feeling the life force of the earth thudding against her, feeling power she was barely keeping in check.
"Yes!" Hissed Morgana, "And I would do it again!" She whipped her dress out behind her and shook her long tresses over her shoulders.
"You will never hurt anyone ever again." Addy cried and unleashed the full force of her rage and sadness. A yawning, ripping sound came from the air behind Morgana, as suddenly a gaping black hole in the fabric of the world opened. It spun like a vortex, sucking at the life of the world.
Morgana took one look inside and screamed in terror. Addy pushed and the still screaming Morgana went tumbling into the void beyond, never to return.
Addy hung her head, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Arthur, dead. Morgana, dead. And where was Merlin? Had Morgana done something to him as well? She looked up quickly, just in time to see the void grow in size and suck the nearest object into itself. Arthur.
"NO!" Addy screamed, trying to reach out for him. But the body was gone. She rushed forward, just as a crowd of Sidhe flung open the door and screamed at her to stop. They grabbed her back from the mouth of the abyss and retreated to a safe distance. She could hear them pleading with her through her anguished sobs.
"Please, My Queen! Please. It will destroy us all. You must close it! Save us! Save us!" They cried.
Desperately, she tried to concentrate and close the door she had opened. It merely shimmered and then continued to grow. She backed away in terror as it approached the daïs hungrily.
"Save us, Queen!" The fairies cried, even while putting themselves between her and the void. She looked into their frightened faces and knew she couldn't let them suffer for what she had done.
Addy steadied herself and tried to recall the words of Theosfain. Focus, she heard him say. You can do this, the power is within you. She took a breath and willed the door closed with every ounce of strength she possessed.
The darkness in front of her narrowed and retreated. A small cheer went up from Sidhe around her. She pushed herself even harder to close the door. Now, it was the size of a window. Straining with the effort, but heartened by the support of the Sidhe, she willed it disappear completely.
She heard herself say in a voice so powerful and queenly it frightened her, "I am the Queen of the Wild Magic. I command the door be shut!" And like that it winked from existence as if it had never been.
A cry of relief spread through the fairies and they began chanting, "Hail! Hail! Queen Addy!"
But Addy barely heard any of it. All she could see was the dark stain on the grass where Arthur had fallen. He was dead. And from where he had gone, there would be no returning. There would be no more "Once and Future King." He was lost forever.
How would she ever tell Merlin?
Author's note-
Whew! What a ride. Only two more to go! Please, please review, because I really do love to hear what you think, what your reactions are, and what's keeping you interested in this story.
Until next time...