Chapter 59 [Next Morning—Camelot]
With his mind off in the dreamscape, Merlin slumbered blissfully. His head floated on a royal pillow. His body wrapped in the quilt Mithian had drawn lovingly over him. In addition her essence relaxed him further almost as a protective assurance…
…if only it could have lasted….
Merlin. Merlin, you need to get up, Mithian called to him through the link.
What? Can't I sleep? He winced and rolled over burying his head in the pillow.
We have the negotiations this morning. Besides you and I need to talk with Father about certain matters. She stopped herself short; her own senses reeling from his hangover as well. You just had to drink as much as you did last night, didn't you? I'm *really* going to have to speak to Sir Gawain and those knights about that.
It was a party, Mithian. Kind of goes with the territory and…. His eyes slowly cracked open to the waking world….
…as they did, the streaming sunlight dazzled his recovering senses. His eyes couldn't deal with the light. His temples pounded as if besieged by a battering ram.
"AHHH!" he complained before covering his face with his hands.
Goes with the territory, does it? You might want to get some water from the pitcher, she advised pointedly. And get dressed please. I'll be right there.
He exhaled sharply before efforting himself from the bed. As he did so, he surveyed the chamber in confusion. What? Where is this? He squinted while making out the dresser, his four post bed, the writing table with a pitcher and glass in its closer left corner to himself. "These aren't my quarters!" He glanced down at the noble attire from the previous evening. "At least I'm dressed. Guess that wasn't a dream after all." He poured himself a cup of water and drank it down slowly.
As he did so, a knock came from the door.
Merlin, it's me.
He managed a rueful smile while setting the cup down. He staggered over to the door and opened it to find her standing there in the faint yellow gown she'd worn during her first courtship years earlier. "Good morning. Guess last night happened?"
"It most certainly did. The drinking I could've done without. Everything else, however…." Her lips caressed his cheek affectionately. "Everything else was perfect." She grinned at him while holding up her prized possession. "Thank you for the ring, Merlin."
"You're welcome." He admired the bauble's refractions in the early morning sunlight. "It matches your eyes. Hope King Rodor likes it."
"He's already complimented you twice on it. Guess you don't remember. By the way, this is your chamber now. Father and I were going to surprise you today. I couldn't get you across the castle by myself last night so I let you sleep in here," she informed him. She set a small green bottle on the table beside him.
"So that's how I got in here," he realized. He considered the bottle closely. "What is this?"
"It's a tonic to deal with your malady, Merlin. Kay had similar issues with liquor. Father accordingly made a practice of carrying this with us," she explained. She frowned; her heart still aching over the loss of her brother.
"I'm still feeling it too." He forced himself past the pain and numbness to embrace her supportively. "I'm sorry."
"I guess we all need to take the goddess' advice, don't we? I don't blame you. Neither does Father." She steeled her own resolve and looked him affectionately in the eye. "I love you, Merlin."
"And I love you." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "Now do I dare ask about this tonic and how it tastes?"
"How do Gaius' remedies taste? It works." She shrugged almost playfully. "We do have negotiations to get to."
He rolled his eyes before setting the bottle to his mouth. The liquid coated his mouth and throat with a bitter taste. It burned on its passage down toward his stomach. His mouth wrinkled up like a dried prune. "That is vile!"
"So Kay said as well." She walked over to the wardrobe. "Meantime let's see what we have in here." She inspected the two new tunics—one blue and one green—as well as another pair of breeches fashioned from brown cloth. "Arthur certainly did his part. These clothes will more than do." She took out the blue top. "Perhaps you might put this on?"
"What's wrong with what I have on? It's noble. Definitely better than what I'm used to," he assessed while still adjusting to his new station. He labored in a couple of deep breaths allowing the medicine to alleviate the hangover's symptoms.
"Nobility's not in the clothes or the title, Merlin. It's in your heart," she assured him. "You've always been noble at least to me." She rubbed his shoulder. "How's your head?"
"The headache's going away." He accepted the blue top from her before going in back of the changing area. There he removed the rumpled top from the previous evening and replaced it with the fresh blue one. He stepped out anxiously and glanced toward her. "That better?"
"You'll do," she teased with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. "Now let's go. You know how Arthur gets when he's waiting."
He rolled his eyes ruefully. He could almost feel the impatience radiating from across the castle already. "Yeah we'd best get moving." He took her hand. "Thanks."
"My pleasure," she assured him. "Now we are free to love. Let's see what we can do for magic." She squeezed his hand gently before leading him from the chamber.
[Fifteen Minutes Later—Round Table]
Arthur sat pensively at the table while tapping his fingers impatiently. He felt so out of sorts on that particular morning. He could think of a hundred other things he'd rather be doing rather than a preliminary agreement on magic use….
…but it was a necessary concord given the relations between Camelot and Nemeth…
He glanced around the table to find Gwen, Prince Bors, King Rodor, Queen Elena and Queen Annis of Caerleon all awaiting the start of the talks as well. "I apologize. It seems the new prince can't find his way all of a sudden."
"He has much to celebrate, Arthur. I will take the blame for him," Rodor interceded. "Be patient. Merlin learns what it means to be a noble. Besides we still wait for Meleagant to be brought up as well."
"Merlin?" Annis inquired having just arrived from her kingdom in the north only with the sunrise. "Is he not your servant, Arthur?"
"He was. I freed and knighted him last night, Queen Annis. He is now the Crown Prince of Nemeth and engaged to Princess Mithian." Arthur downed the rest of his mead to help him adjust to that particular thought.
Perceval knocked at the door. "Sire, we have Meleagant for the proceedings. May we bring him in?"
"I can see myself into the room," the prisoner protested. He strode indignantly into the area and toward the two empty chairs together. "Let me guess…our new couple sits together?" He glared at Rodor. "How does my crown fit on your head?"
"Considering I am the rightful king, it fits well, Meleagant," Rodor pointed out not bothering to hide his anger as he responded.
"I would thank you not to insult the others, Meleagant. You're only here as a courtesy. Please sit on the other side. Those seats are reserved for the other members of the Nemeth delegation," Arthur chided while motioning toward the empty seat.
"Yes well servant-royals are the rage. Are they not?" Meleagant sassed while smirking at Gwen and then Elena insultingly.
"Have a care, Meleagant," Meredith informed him; her hand firmly on her sword's hilt.
"Meredith, it is all right," Elena assured her second-in-command. "I will not allow an ill-considered insult to sully these proceedings. May we proceed?"
At that moment, Mithian helped the still recovering Merlin into the room. "Good morning, Everyone. My apologies for keeping you waiting."
"Quite all right given the occasion," Gwen assured them on everyone's behalf. Her eyes twinkled at Merlin. "Take your time, Merlin, to get your bearings."
"Thank you," Merlin accepted with an instinctive bow for Arthur and Guinevere before slumping into his seat unceremoniously.
"That's what we're here for, Merlin," Arthur indicated while dealing with his own impatience over the situation. "Now if we're all here, we can start…."
Lancelot knocked at the door. "Forgive us, King Arthur. There is another party seeking admission to the proceedings. A woman showed up in an emerald gown under a brown hooded cloak along with two other women in similar dress."
Leon exchanged anxious looks with Arthur before adding, "You're not going to believe who it is, Sire."
"Freya," Merlin realized.
"Excuse me?" Arthur queried while offering the new Prince the instinctive strange look. "You know this woman, Merlin?" His eyes motioned toward the others on the warlock's right as if to warn him not to push the point.
"It's all right," Mithian explained. "She is here as the new High Priestess of the Old Religion. She helped Merlin and me last week while we were imprisoned. We talked with her last night."
"Last night?" Rodor queried in surprise.
"The triple goddess called us to a council. You don't exactly say no to that," Merlin noted. He rubbed his forehead in consternation. "She wants us to move forward constructively so that we can all live together."
"Says the man who rides dragons and blows palace gates open," Meleagant scoffed.
"Maybe if you and your allies did not usurp our homes and thrones, it would not be necessary," Rodor responded evenly. "I would thank you not to insult either Merlin or Mithian." He met Arthur's eyes as well.
"I will want an explanation at some point, Merlin. Meantime, as King Rodor indicated, we should move on. Lancelot, please escort Priestess Freya in. I am willing to listen to her," Arthur relented. After the revived liege man departed, he shrugged. "Seems you are full of surprises, Merlin."
"Believe me, Sire, we were just as surprised as you," Mithian declared. "As you all know, we're all dealing with changes."
"I can see I missed a great deal last night," Annis presumed.
"You missed the last week. Pity I would have sent emissaries to speak with you since others failed to understand their betters," Meleagant mentioned while shooting Mithian an almost lusting glance.
Annis shook her head. "You can wish for my hand. It will never happen. As it is, I am here to escort you back to Cawdor under guard. It seems that your nobles mass their weapons and followers. Given that your followers lie mostly dead, how will you defend yourself? Seems you should be more careful of who you ally yourself with."
"Mercia is just as unstable after Odin's demise along with much of his army at Ealdor," Bors reported. Seeing Lancelot walk in with Freya, he stopped and bowed his head out of respect.
Arthur stared incredulously at the woman who strode into the room. He of course remembered her as the accursed girl sought by the bounty hunter years earlier….the girl whose inner beast rampaged and murdered across Camelot….
The beast he and his knights had to slay….
…and now she was a high priestess? Really?
"High Priestess Freya, it's great to see you," Merlin greeted respectfully. "You remember my fiancée, Princess Mithian of Nemeth?"
"Of course. And my warmest congratulations to you both on your engagement," Freya noted as she embraced them both in turn. "And I greet you all as well." She offered a nod of the head for the hosting monarchs. "Good morrow, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. I come on behalf of the triple goddess and Avalon."
"And good morrow to you," Gwen greeted. "I was under the impression that Morgana was high priestess?"
"Given her ambitions and role in recent events, the goddess deemed Morgana unfit as a High Priestess. She placed the role on my unworthy shoulders. As my first official act, I want to thank you all for consenting to at least speak on this matter," Freya expressed gratefully and respectfully. "Avalon wishes to govern itself peacefully and live in such ways alongside the rest of Britain. Change does not necessarily have to mean a violent upheaval as Queen Elena's and Prince Merlin's respective elevations in status illustrate. Continuity should also be treasured. With adjustments, tradition should endure."
"A noble sentiment indeed, Priestess Freya. Thank you," Arthur complimented. "Pardon me though for asking…will you be needing secure lodgings for after nightfall? Forgive me for asking."
"You ask out of concern for your subjects' safety, King Arthur. I appreciate your caring for them," Freya replied courteously. "Fortunately that will not be necessary. Death freed me from the curse. Merlin graciously saw me to Avalon after that."
"I see." Arthur offered Merlin a sideways glance. "As I said earlier, Merlin, we do have much to speak on."
"I made sure she reached the Other Side," Merlin noted with a heavy sigh. "I admit I helped her to hide from you, the knights and the bounty hunter." He bowed his head sadly. "This is so hard."
"Do not be distressed. Your intercession allowed me to be freed. As Princess Mithian pointed out last night, your deeds play a role in our being here. I am at peace and where I need to be. Finally, so are you. We have emerged from the shadows and into the roles we need to be in. I serve the goddess. You have a worthy woman at your side and another kingdom to serve," Freya declared. She added a smile to Rodor before sitting down.
"Thank you for the assurances and the thoughts, Priestess Freya," Arthur replied. Despite his misgivings, he offered a smile back to the latest visitor. "Once again, thank you all for coming. I admit that I wish King Lot was here. Prince Bors has his father's authority to concur to an agreement such as the one we are discussing this morning."
"I propose we have our discussions. If we come up with anything, it can be for our kingdoms. If any other rulers choose to follow our example be it here in Britain or across the great sea, they can feel free to do so," Annis suggested.
"I feel comfortable with that," Bors supported the measure.
"As am I," Rodor chimed in. "The discussion is actually not as broad reaching as some would have it be. Sorcery, like any other weapon, is determined by the user's intent. We cannot tar all magic users with a pitch brush because of the actions of a few evil ones. It would be like judging all of us because of certain rulers' misuse of their resources."
Meleagant laughed sarcastically. "I involved myself because of justified vengeance. Arthur Pendragon, your father slew my father over a pointless matter. I want justice. Where is that here? It isn't here! It isn't in Whitgate!"
"And burning me at the stake would have been justified?" Mithian supposed pointedly.
"You had your chance to get out of it," Meleagant reminded her.
Mithian shuddered. "I'd rather die than endure you."
"And how is what you did justified? Yes, Meleagant, I am sorry for what happened to your father. How was Princess Mithian's torture and attempted execution justified? What about the dead knights here and at Whitgate? How was my humiliation at Queen Radigund's hands justified? Or even what happened to Queen Guinevere or Prince Merlin justified?" Arthur proposed. "We could have settled it man to man across a field or preferably as kings across a table such as this one. Besides Odin is dead as well. I promise we shall address this point presently. For now, however, I do wish to move that we strike the ban on magic in our own realms at least. Any opposed?"
No hands went up.
Arthur nodded and smiled. "Very well. I have the document here then." He produced a scroll and set it down on the table. Translating from the Latin, he proclaimed, "Therefore on this day, I, Arthur, King of Camelot, do negate my father's laws concerning the ban on magic. We, the Undersigned Rulers and Myself, do allow magic in our realms. We shall accord favor or punish those who affect the General Peace Accordingly." He dipped his quill in ink and scribbled his signature on the appropriate line. Then he dipped his royal seal in wax and imprinted it on the parchment. "Guinevere?"
"Gladly." Gwen's eyes sparkled at her friends as she followed her husband's example. After sealing the document, she handed it to Queen Annis.
Around the table, the document went collecting signatures and seals before ending up with Rodor. "I am the last it seems. No matter." He beamed at his daughter and Merlin. "For you both and our future. Prince Kay died in part because of his hatred of magic. I will not have that festering in Nemeth any longer." He scratched his signature and sealed it. "There!" He walked the parchment back over to Arthur. "It is now official it seems."
"Yes in more ways than one," Arthur replied frankly while looking at Merlin. "Now that this removes the need for secrets, Merlin, I will expect you to regale us with those explanations."
"When you're ready," Gwen added moderating the "suggestion".
Merlin nodded numbly. Disbelief overwhelmed him. He leaned back in his chair staring at the rolled up parchment in his former master's hands. He trembled while fighting back the tears stinging his eyes.
He didn't have to hide…nor did Gaius….nor did Mithian any longer….
"Merlin? Merlin, you're staring like a fool. Now what is it?" Arthur demanded aghast.
"King Arthur, please!" Freya pleaded. She smiled at the warlock. "He's in shock. We're no longer the hunted. We're free. Goddess, be praised." She bowed her head in a spontaneous prayer.
"We did it," Merlin murmured to Mithian.
"Yes. We did." She embraced him. "Now perhaps we can move toward stability?"
"That is my fervent wish," Rodor concurred. "I want a better world. This is a step in the right direction. I can tell for too long you have walked in the dark. Walk in the light."
"Speaking of enjoying ourselves, there is some breakfast awaiting us in the main hall," Arthur invited.
"As long as there's more water," Merlin concurred needing more of the drink to assuage his hangover.
"Yes, Merlin. There will be." Arthur cracked a smile. "Come, Everyone. You as well, Meleagant." He guided them out of that august chamber and toward the awaiting feast several doors away.
"Let's eat and then we can talk more," Mithian urged her beloved while taking his hand and leading him toward the food beyond.
Perhaps it had been a short session but an august one at that. A historical barrier had been breached.
Now to keep it going….