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When Ryll first opened her eyes she had forgotten the last few days. Her mind was filled with memories from the dream she'd had the night before. Had she really dreamt of her mother? Had it been just that? A dream? Or was it real? She sat up looking down at the hand she had cut the day before. The blood had dried and the skin was smooth. Her power had a limit and would eventually run out. What destiny had her mother spoken of? It was too early in the morning to think of destinies. She lay back down with the intention of falling back asleep. Then the events of the last few days came flooding back into her mind. She sat up again breathing hard.

The Witchfinder. His accusations. Gaius's execution.

She flung herself out of bed and tore out of the room not caring one bit that she was still dressed in yesterday's clothes or that her hair was a tangled mess. She tried the physician's quarters first and when she found that empty she ran down to the front doors of the castle. A pyre had been set outside but it had not been lit. A few people milled around but Gaius and Merlin were nowhere to be seen. Then she heard the sound of breaking glass. She looked up. The people around her gasped as a body came flying backwards out of a high up window. It landed with a thud, blood blossoming from the head. The women shrieked and turned their heads. Ryll walked over to the body and looked down at the empty eyes of the Witchfinder.

Arthur, Uther, and Merlin found her there, staring down at the body of the man who had caused them so much grief.

Arthur laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled her away. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said. "He was the sorcerer all along. I never would have seen it. He tripped in his haste to escape and fell out the window."

"He deserved it," Ryll said bitterly. Arthur looked at her in surprise. "For all the pain he caused in Camelot. Has Gaius been set free?"

"Yes, he has."

"Good. Let's hope your father is good at apologies," she added.

"Ryll, are you alright?" Merlin asked, coming over. Arthur left them to join his father.

"I would have been better if you'd thought to include me in any of this," she said. "All this time I was fast asleep when I could have been helping."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you. I took care of it."

"How? How did you manage to convince Uther that the Witchfinder himself was a sorcerer? What an absurd story."

"You don't believe it then?"

"Not for a minute," Ryll told him. "He was cunning but only because of his hatred for anything magical. There's no way he was a sorcerer. There's something you're not telling me."

"It's nothing," he said.

"It is something," Ryll insisted angrily. "There's something you're not telling me. Do you not trust me?"

"What? Of course I trust you, Ryll! Can we not have this conversation here?" He nodded toward Uther and Arthur. Some of the onlookers were staring at them.

"Fine." Ryll headed into the castle. She waited until they had reached a deserted corridor before she rounded on Merlin. "Gaius was protecting someone when he confessed. He wanted to distract the Witchfinder from the true sorcerer. I believe it's someone he knows well. Do you know who?"

Merlin glanced guiltily at her and she knew that he did know who it was. "I don't know," he said.

"You're lying. You're not very good at it."

"Well if I am it's for that person's own safety," he told her, irritation tingeing his words. Ryll took a deep breath, calming herself.

"I'm sorry. It's really none of my business. I've just been so worried these last few days. We all have. It won't do any good to start snapping." She pressed her fingers to her forehead. A headache had started to work its way into her temples.

"I need to go see if Gaius is alright," Merlin told her. "I'll talk to you later." He turned away from her quickly and she watched him go regretting her sharp tone. What was wrong with her these days? She was so tense she couldn't seem to keep a straight mind anymore. She still thought Merlin was hiding something from her. He'd been acting strange too and not just because he was worried about Gaius. Ryll didn't know what to think.

She wandered back to her room and took a bath, spending enough time in the water for her skin to start wrinkling and the water to cool. Then she stepped out, wrapping the towel around her and wringing out her hair. She dressed in fresh clothes and braided her hair down her back. Now that the excitement was over, she felt rather at a loss for what to do. Not that she had done much to help. She bit back her bitterness. She knew Merlin was only trying to protect her, but she didn't need protecting. Well, not much anyway. She tried to keep her pride at bay. It would do her no good to reject the protection he tried to give her.

As noon came, Ryll found her way down to the dining hall to join Morgana for lunch. They ate silently, both reflecting on the last few days. Morgana looked much better. Her face wasn't so pale and her eyes didn't hold that frightened look Ryll had grown so used to seeing.

"It's nice not to have a threat looming over our heads," Ryll said softly.

Morgana looked up at her. "Yes, it is. He was an awful man. I'm glad he's gone."

"Me to." They fell silent again. "Have you been having any nightmares recently?" Ryll asked after a moment.

"Not recently," Morgana replied. "Thankfully."

"I dreamed about my mother last night," Ryll told her. "She said that I have some sort of destiny. She knew what it was but couldn't tell me. Silly, isn't it? Destinies."

"Oh, I don't know. It sounds rather romantic like something out of a novel."

"I've already had enough excitement to last me a lifetime. I'm not sure I'm ready for a destiny."

"What else did she tell you?"

"She said that when the healing ring was broken, the power left in it transferred to me."

"So you can heal again?" Morgana asked, looking up at her.

"Sort of. The power is limited. And it won't last forever. It came back at a terrible time. I was just as frightened as you about being found out."

"We don't have to worry anymore," Morgana told her. "I'm glad you have your power back even if it is temporary."

"I just hope I never have to use it."

…

Merlin lay in bed that evening with eyes open and mind awake. He was exhausted from the last few days especially the night before when he had stayed up until dawn figuring out how to save Gaius. He knew Ryll was angry with him for not including her but the last few days had been agony. He'd lied to her over and over about the sorcerer. He didn't know what held him back from coming out and telling her that he had magic but something did. Perhaps he was afraid that it would change the way she looked at him, but he knew it wouldn't. Maybe it was habit. He was used to lying about his powers, used to hiding them. He hadn't wanted Ryll to panic. She had been stressed out enough about her own powers; she didn't need to worry about him too. He was so afraid she was going to do something rash like she had when she'd entered the tournament. She was still learning to control her anger and her reactions to things. Maybe it was best he kept it from her a little longer. But when then? When would he tell her the truth? When it was too late? When he had taken his lies too far?

With all these thoughts buzzing around his head, he couldn't get to sleep. He sat up, frustrated. He didn't know what to do. His entire life he'd kept his secret hidden. Gaius, his mother, and the great dragon were the only ones who knew of his power. Lying had become second nature to him. It was to protect himself; surely Ryll would understand that. But he didn't need to protect himself from her. Feeling resolute, he got up, grabbing his jacket and pulling on his boots. He was going to tell her. He had to tell her. He slipped past Gaius, shutting the door softly behind him. The halls were deserted as he made his way up to her room. He opened the door and peered in.

Ryll was curled up under the blankets, the moonlight casting a pale white glow over her face. Her brow was furrowed and she rolled over, fists clenched. She was having a nightmare. Merlin moved closer, not wanting to startle her awake. Suddenly Ryll sat straight up, eyes wide-open. For a moment an amber light glowed around her irises and then it was gone as if it had never been there to begin with. She was breathing hard and looked up at Merlin with surprise.

"Merlin. What are you doing here?" she asked and then continued talking without waiting for an answer. "I was dreaming." She put a hand to her face. "It was horrible."

"What were you dreaming about?" Merlin asked, sitting next to her.

"My mother. She was being chased by a rider in black. It was the Witchfinder. I'm afraid that he hunts her now in death. She is not at peace, Merlin. I could feel it."

"It was just a nightmares. She's fine. I'm sure she is at peace."

"But she isn't, Merlin. She was murdered by dark magic. That kind of magic lingers."

"But you saw her pass into the light."

Ryll was shaking her head. "She did. I know she did, but something has pulled her back. I think that there might still be some dark magic attached to me." She looked up at him fearfully. "When the wraith was tied to the ring, some of its dark magic could have mingled with the healing magic."

"Maybe it isn't her who's not at peace," Merlin suggested. "Maybe it's you."

Ryll pondered this. "Maybe it was me who was running from the Witchfinder. I heard a voice calling to me in my dream. It told me to find Avalon and that the waters would cleanse me. I didn't know what it meant."

"Avalon?"

"Yes, that's what it said. What do you know of it?"

"It is the home of the Sidhe, a magical people. The lake itself is said to have healing powers."

"Then that's where I need to go. I need to cleanse myself of the dark magic." She got out of bed as if getting ready to leave right then.

"Wait, you can't just run off in the middle of the night. Wait until morning. I'm coming with you."

"This is something I have to do on my own," Ryll told him. "Please."

Merlin wanted to argue, to resist, but the desperate, pleading look in Ryll's eyes made him hesitate. "At least wait until morning," he said.

"Thank you, Merlin." She hugged him, resting her head against his shoulder. He held her close for a minute. "I should get some rest," she said at last. "I have a long journey ahead of me."

"How will you know how to get there without a guide?"

"I'll know where it is. My mother will lead me. I think it was her voice in my dream." Ryll smiled at him. "Trust me."

…

Ryll took one look back at Camelot as she rode away from the castle. The first tinges of dawn had begun to streak across the sky. Everyone was still fast asleep save the guards on duty. She hadn't said goodbye to anyone, just left Merlin with instructions to tell everyone she was doing something for her mother and would be back as soon as she was finished. She had a long journey ahead of her, but despite the chill of the morning, Ryll was feeling hopeful. She could feel the darkness stirring within her but also the hope of renewal. She turned away from the castle and clicked her tongue to Owl. Together they rode southwest toward the waters of Avalon.

Merlin Will Return

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed part two of my story! I will post part three some time in the near future. (I had good intentions of posting sooner, but I got writing in one of my books...)

Thank you again for all the favorites and watches! It means a lot to me!