Arthur seemed refreshed the next morning—or at least, newly determined to get through the blasted forest. He hacked and swung at the vines—many of them flying back into Gwaine's face. He pushed them aside angrily. Everyone had been quiet since they awoke that morning, and Merlin seemed to be avoiding Gwaine. For his part, Gwaine wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or contrite.
Arthur paused at a slightly clearer space, thrusting his sword into the dirt and gazing up at the trees. "We need to find the clearing where we saw the Dolorous Plains."
"Which way is that?" Elyan asked.
"North."
The knights looked up at Merlin, who was standing on top of a rise above them. "Please." Merlin's voice was calm, confident. "I know I can get us there. I wouldn't do anything to risk Gwen's life. I can get us to the Dark Tower. I am certain." The knights exchanged looks. "I know what Gwen means to you—to all of us." He glanced around at the knights, his gaze lingering for a moment when it met Gwaine's. "We need to head north."
"Which way is that, Merlin?" Arthur said, and for once the question wasn't mocking or sardonic. He honestly seemed to think Merlin would know.
"That way." Merlin pointed.
"No," Arthur said, glancing up at the sky as the sun broke momentarily through the trees as it had not done all day the day before. It shone down on Arthur's sword, which acted as a sundial. "It's…" he pointed the same way Merlin had. "Over there. How on earth did you know that?!"
Merlin shrugged. "Sense of smell. When the wind is from the north you can smell the sea."
"That's ridiculous."
Gwaine privately agreed, but Merlin had used more ridiculous excuses before, and people always seemed to buy them.
"Trust me, just this once," Merlin said.
"Arthur, give him a chance," Elyan decided. Usually Gwaine would join in at this point, but he simply watched to see what would happen.
"What choice do we have?" Leon said, a little less than enthusiastically, and they all drew their swords and started off after Merlin.
Despite his lack of a sword, Merlin clambered over roots and around vines, always at the front of the group, through the forest. They always seemed to be going the wrong way, according to Gwaine's own sense of direction, but after a short time they passed Percival's broken sword.
"Merlin, you're a genius," Percival said, picking it up with a look of wonder.
In half an hour they had reached the clearing from which they could see their destination. Arthur, no longer questioning Merlin, clapped his hand on his shoulder. "Which way now?" was all he said.
A mere two hours later, they broke through the trees and stood on the Dolorous Plain, on the edge of the forest. Gwaine felt his heart swell with pride in Merlin's accomplishment. He knew Merlin could get them through—though he had still kept his magic secret. But at least he did it.
None of the knights said anything as they headed out across the ground which was turning to arid sand, but they were all thinking the same thing. Merlin was a far more useful and talented person than they gave him credit for. His sense of direction was, apparently, miraculous. Leon, catching up, clapped Merlin on the back with a small smile as he passed. Merlin smiled back.
000
Gwen was screaming in the floor above, and this time the screaming didn't stop. Morgana smiled and climbed the stairs to Gwen's prison. Gwen had rejected her the last time, but she was close to the breaking point. Morgana could feel it. This time she would accept Morgana—would do whatever she told her. When Arthur and his most trusted knights arrived, Morgana would kill them. Gwen would return to Camelot, and under her orders, make a pretense of ruling for awhile, all the time slowly preparing the people from Morgana's arrival. Then Morgana would take the throne, with Gwen as her puppet, persuading the people to accept Morgana as their rightful queen: the heir to Uther's throne.
When Morgana threw the door open, Gwen sprang up from the floor and ran to her, throwing herself into Morgana's arms, sobbing.
"My darling," Morgana cooed, "do you see now? Everyone you have ever loved will betray you. None of them truly loves you back. They will mock you and reject you when you need them most. I am the only one who will come to your rescue." Gwen was nodded against her shoulder, still sobbing. "There, there. Let us go down and have something to eat." Morgana led Gwen down the stairs and sat her gently in a chair by the fire.
When Gwen had eaten something and had calmed herself, Morgana explained her plan. "Arthur and his knights are coming right now to save you from me," she concluded.
Gwen shook her head. "I want nothing to do with them. I want to stay here, with you!"
"You must go back to Camelot," Morgana insisted. "It is the only way. You must prepare my people for their true queen." Gwen nodded regretfully. "But do not worry," Morgana added, taking her hand. "First, we will kill Arthur and his knights."
Gwen looked up with a smile. "How?" she asked wonderingly. "Will you simply throw them backward?"
"No, that is far too quick," Morgana replied. "Here, help me move this table."
They pushed the table and the chairs against one wall of the room, and Morgana drew out a pedestal from the corner. There was a cloth draped over the top, and she removed it to reveal a crystal ball.
"This crystal will amplify my powers," Morgana explained. "It will allow me to keep them frozen in place. Then," she added, smiling, "we may do what we like with them." Gwen smiled back.
"But how do you know they will come?" she asked. "They will know it's a trap. Won't they elude it?"
"Ah, but I have already prepared for that," Morgana answered. "I have made it very difficult for them to reach us. They will believe that my tests were the trap."
"The impenetrable forest and the vast desert?"
"Yes. And more than that. They do not know the entrance to this tower that we used. They must come up through some very dangerous rooms before they reach us. First, there is a great hall where hidden crossbows will shoot at them when they step upon the floor. Then, I have enchanted a sword in the room below us: it will fight to the death with whomever comes through the door first." She indicated a small window in one wall of the room—a window that Gwen had not noticed before, as it did not look out into the sunlight, but into another part of the tower. "You can see the sword through there," she added, and Gwen walked over to it. Sure enough, through the arrow slit she could look down on the room below them. Flashing in the light she could see a sword which moved slightly in midair, as if held by some unseen champion. "You may stand there and watch if you like," Morgana added. "I must prepare for my spell." She leant over the crystal and began to chant quietly as Gwen looked out the window and waited for her rescuers to arrive.
TBC
AN: Ohhhhhh, Morgana's magical Stockholm Syndrome.
