Chapter Thirteen
It was with no small degree of trepidation that Arthur dismounted from his horse and ventured into the clearing where he was supposed to meet the dragon.
Good men had died here, burned to death by the dragon's flame. Arthur himself had nearly been killed as well. He owed his survival to his servant, but this time Merlin was not here to protect him. He had to face the dragon alone and he was not sure that he would live to tell the tale.
But he would not turn back.
He heard the heavy beat of wings on the air and a dark shadow crossed over him. He flinched instinctively behind his shield, a hand going for his sword. The ground shook beneath his feet as the dragon landed. Hot breath puffed over him, recalling the scorching heat of fires that had barely missed him. It took every ounce of Arthur's courage to stand his ground rather than run for cover. He was entirely at this creature's mercy.
"Your sword will avail you little, Arthur Pendragon."
Arthur made a conscious effort to lower his shield and release his white-knuckled grip from the hilt of his weapon. "I did not come here to fight you, Kilgharrah."
The dragon raised his eyebrows. "You address me by my true name."
"Merlin has told me a great deal about you."
"It seems that many truths have been revealed, if Merlin has called me here at your bequest."
He spoke cryptically, as usual, but Arthur knew what he was not saying. "I know that Merlin has magic, if that's what you mean."
"Indeed!" Golden eyes glinted with triumph. "So the long-awaited day of revelation has arrived at last. The wheels of destiny have begun to turn and the age of Albion is nigh. But all is not as it should be."
"No. Merlin is… he's sick."
The dragon bent down to peer at him. "It is no common illness that can sever the connection between a dragon lord and a dragon for two long months. I knew he could not be dead, for the earth would have grieved his passing, but I could not sense him."
"We could not find him either. Morgana was holding him captive. She collared his magic."
A low growl rumbled in the dragon's throat. "The witch claims to fight against the oppression of magic, but she is no better than Uther! Magic is not meant to be bound. It is the roar of fire, the crack of lightning, the calamity of an avalanche, the ferocity of crashing waves, the great upheaval of an earthquake. It is raw power drawn from the earth itself, wild and dangerous and beautiful. It should never be chained." He practically spat the last word, eyes blazing. Arthur took a hurried step backwards as the dragon arched his neck and beat the air with his wings, exercising the freedom that his own magic had been denied for more than two decades.
"Merlin escaped," Arthur told him quickly, hoping to subdue some of his rage before he set the whole clearing on fire.
That gave the dragon pause. "It seems the might of Emrys cannot easily be contained."
"Nor controlled. After what Morgana did to him, Merlin's magic has been running rampant. He can't keep it in or turn it off, he can't restrain it. His eyes are burning constantly."
The dragon did not seem concerned. "Perhaps it is a natural evolution of his gift."
"Merlin is all but gone. He was more than his magic, he was good and wise and funny and clumsy and loyal and brave and he wouldn't ever shut up – but all of that has been stripped away. He is a shell, filled with nothing but pain and fear and fragmented memories."
The dragon frowned. "Merlin." There was a low hum to his voice and goose bumps rippled across Arthur's skin; he could tell that the word held power. The dragon closed his eyes, listening intently. When he opened them there was sorrow in their depths. "I am sorry. I knew there was something wrong when he called, but I did not realise the extent of the damage."
Arthur's heart sank. He had been hoping that the dragon would tell him he was wrong, that Merlin was okay and just needed a little more time to adjust after his prolonged captivity. He didn't want to hear that Merlin was lost to him forever. "Can nothing be done?"
"The magic will allow no intrusions. Morgana's torture penetrated deeply, so Merlin has been buried deeper still. In the attempt to protect him from further harm his magic has layered defences so thick that he has become a prisoner in his own mind. It would be no small feat to escape from this prison of his own making. After what was done to him, I doubt he has the strength."
"Can't you help?"
"Anyone trying to pull him out would be dealt with as a threat. His magic has reached a deadly potency; I doubt even I would survive the experience."
"There has to be something we can do. We can't just leave him like this!"
"I do not have the answers, King Arthur. Perhaps if you could find a way to convince Merlin that he is safe, his magic would release him willingly. But trust once broken is not easily restored."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Do you know how Merlin was captured?"
The question threw him. "Our theory is that Morgana came upon him while he was asleep."
"By happenstance? My, how fortune must have favoured her that day. Convenient also that she had magic-binding restraints on hand, rare though they are, and chose to use them on a hapless servant."
Arthur could hear the sarcasm in the dragon's voice. "She must have known about his magic somehow."
"Merlin guarded his secret carefully. Only those he trusted knew the truth."
"Are you saying he was betrayed?"
"Traitors can only come from among friends, King Arthur. I would have thought that was a lesson you would have learned by now."
Arthur flinched at the less-than-subtle reference to Morgana. He had grown up with her. They had bickered like siblings, but when it mattered they had each other's backs. Arthur would never have suspected her of treachery, not in a million years. He still struggled to understand how she could have turned on him, what he could have done to earn her hatred. It had been a betrayal that he could never have seen coming.
Arthur didn't want to think that there could be yet another traitor within his inner circle, but Morgana must have had someone on the inside. How else could she have known he was travelling through the Valley of the Fallen Kings with enough notice to set up an ambush? How else could she have known Uther was dying and that Arthur intended to use magic to heal him; how else could she have placed the enchanted necklace around Uther's neck when he had been under heavy guard? How else could she have known about Merlin's magic? Someone had to have been feeding her information.
But who? He had to put feelings aside, ignore the bonds of love and friendship that had blinded him in the past and think about this logically. It couldn't be Guinevere – she may have been Morgana's handmaiden, but Morgana had tried to kill her more than once. It couldn't be Gaius – he had come under suspicion before but his name had already been cleared. It couldn't be Gwaine – he was the one who had alerted Arthur to the fact that Merlin was missing in the first place. In fact, it couldn't be any of his knights – they had all been attacked by the bandits when Arthur's route was leaked and barely escaped with their lives. It couldn't be any of the councillors either – none of them had access to Uther on his deathbed.
"The answer lies before you, King Arthur. You need only open your eyes to the truth."
He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. But there was only one name remaining.
"Agravaine."
As he said it out loud all of the pieces began to fall into place. Agravaine had turned up out of nowhere, unexpected and unannounced, saying he had heard about Uther's ailment and wished to offer Arthur his support. If he truly blamed magic for his sister's death, why avoid Camelot for years after her passing? His brother, Tristan, had blamed Uther – it stood to reason that Agravaine felt the same. He knew Morgana from when she was a child; Arthur and Morgana had been to visit him a few times when Uther thought they should experience life outside the city, and Agravaine had doted on her like she was his niece.
Agravaine had known about the route change and he had not been there to be caught up in the ambush. He'd had unrestricted access to Uther. He had cast suspicion on Gaius and convinced Arthur that he had to be the traitor, even when Arthur's gut instinct had said otherwise. He had had been awarded his position in court because he was a blood relative and his loyalty had been assumed, unlike the others who had proven their loyalty through years of service. Of all the people in Arthur's inner circle, he was the only one who did not have a personal bond with Merlin…
And Merlin had tried to tell him.
"Agravaine has made this story up."
"Because he is your uncle you will not see him for who he really is."
Arthur had silenced him. He had refused to listen.
Heedless of his servant's warnings, Arthur had continued to trust and confide in his uncle.
The rest of the council had learned of Merlin's magic later, but Agravaine had been the first person Arthur had told. He had been the one to suggest sending Merlin back to Ealdor. He was the reason Morgana had known about Merlin's magic and the reason she had known exactly where to find him.
He had sent Merlin into a trap.
And again, Merlin had tried to tell him. He had tried to stop him from re-entering Camelot, but Arthur had promised him it was safe. Merlin had launched them backwards off the steps of the castle to keep Arthur away from Agravaine, but Arthur had promised they could trust him. He hadn't listened.
No wonder Merlin refused to tell Arthur the nature of the threat within Camelot. He knew from experience that Arthur wouldn't believe him. Merlin had been by his side for almost seven years, the most loyal servant and truest friend that Arthur had ever had, but Arthur had trusted Agravaine's word over his.
No wonder Merlin didn't feel safe. No wonder his magic wouldn't settle.
But now that Arthur knew the truth, he could make this right. He would make this right.
"If I stop Agravaine, will Merlin come back?"
"I can offer no guarantees, young king," the dragon answered. "But I do know this: if you do not stop the traitor, you will lose everything."
"Then I will make haste. Thank you, Kilgharrah."
"Merlin has always had great faith in you, Arthur Pendragon. Do not let him down."
"I won't." Not this time.
ooOOoo
Agravaine watched Arthur's horse approach the gates of Camelot and felt a thrill of anticipation. He had been hard pressed for time but everything was in place for the king's arrival.
"Remember what I told you," he said. A group of young knights waited with him on the parapets, each highly skilled – trained by Arthur himself – but young and impressionable. "Your King is under the thrall of magic. When we approach him he will try to resist us, but is our solemn duty to liberate him from this spell no matter what he might say or do. When the magic is purged and the King is returned to his right mind, you will all be hailed as heroes of Camelot. Have courage."
The knights tightened their hold on their weapons, clearly nervous but determined as well. They had grown up under the belief that magic was evil; in the name of protecting the kingdom from a dangerous sorcerer they were all too willing to commit treason. They had already turned on their own; through force of numbers and the element of surprise, they had taken each of Arthur's most loyal knights into custody and secured them in the dungeons. All that remained was Arthur and Merlin himself.
"Come now. It is time."
They assembled at the gates, spears and swords held ready.
"Halt!" the guardsman called.
"It is the King," Agravaine said, stepping out into the light of the torches. He motioned for the knights to stay back out of sight for now. "Let him pass."
Arthur rode through the gates.
"Welcome home, sire."
When Arthur caught sight of him his face darkened with rage. "You!" He swung out of his saddle and drew his sword.
He knew, then. Agravaine had suspected that the dragon would reveal his true nature to the king – creatures of magic always did seem to have more knowledge than they had any right to.
That is why he had moved so quickly.
"King Arthur, what is the meaning of this?" he feigned as his nephew stalked towards him, murder in his eyes.
"Traitor," Arthur hissed. "I should strike you down where you stand."
"My lord?"
"You were in league with Morgana all along!"
"That's ridiculous. How could you believe such a thing?"
"I might have been blind to your treachery before, but my eyes have been opened."
"Sire, you are not making sense. I have only ever been loyal to you. I could never consort with a sorceress – magic killed my beloved sister Ygraine."
"Don't speak her name! You have defiled her memory, using her as an excuse to cover your lies."
"I am not the one trying to allow the return of magic to Camelot. Think about what you are doing, Arthur. I cannot believe you would allow her death, and the death of your father, to be in vain."
"This is not about magic! This is about you conspiring with my enemies to bring about Camelot's downfall. This is about you trying to lead me astray at every turn. This is about you selling out my servant to be tortured and killed!"
"Merlin? Is he the one who has put these ideas in your head?"
"He saw through you before I did. He tried to warn me."
"Sire, I implore you to think about this logically. Merlin is a sorcerer. You have known all your life how dangerous magic is, how it corrupts and destroys. Why would you change your stance on magic now?"
"Because I was wrong. Magic is not evil."
"You are basing that assumption on the example of one man who has lied to you since the day you met."
"To protect me."
"No, sire. To get close enough to you to cast an enchantment. You are a changed man since he arrived in Camelot. You have violated the First Code by allowing commoners to become knights – commoners who were loyal to Merlin first. You have consorted with a serving girl. And now you are tearing down everything your father worked for. An enchantment is the only explanation for this irrational behaviour! We must break the hold it has over you before it is too late."
"Merlin is not the one who has been manipulating me, Agravaine. It is you."
"Don't you see? Merlin is trying to turn you against me because I see him for who he really is. I cautioned you against changing the laws on magic, and now he is trying to get rid of me. I am your uncle! I have only ever wanted what is best for you and for the kingdom. How could you take the word of a lowly servant over mine?"
"You cannot draw the wool back over my eyes, Agravaine. The pieces add up to one obvious conclusion."
"No, sire. You are not seeing clearly. It is not your fault. You are bewitched. And so I will do what I must, for your own good." Agravaine snapped his fingers and the group of knights emerged from the shadows to surround Arthur with a wall of steel. "Until the source of this spell can be eliminated, you are under arrest."
The shock on Arthur's face was priceless. "You cannot detain me – I am the King of Camelot! This is unlawful!"
"Actually, sire," Agravaine pulled a sheet of parchment from his belt. "I have here a decree signed by the majority of the council, calling for your immediate detention until this threat to the kingdom has been dealt with."
Arthur turned his attention to the knights. "Sir Edmund, Sir Favian, Sir Dain, Sir Henry – all of you! You swore your allegiance to me. I am your king and I am telling you, Lord Agravaine is lying. He seeks to destroy Camelot. You must arrest him immediately!"
"That is the enchantment talking. Do not worry, Arthur. When the spell is lifted everything will become clear to you once more."
"You cannot seize the throne like this, Agravaine! The people will not stand for it."
"Arthur, you misjudge me. This is not a bid for power. You will be released and reinstated as soon as you are clear of the taint of magic."
"I am not enchanted!"
"Please come quietly, Arthur. These men have no desire to hurt you."
"Whatever you are planning, you will not get away with it!"
"I am simply upholding the laws of your father. The use of magic is forbidden in Camelot and punishable by death."
Arthur froze. "You wouldn't dare."
"It is the only way to save you, Arthur. Merlin must die."
"No!" Arthur lurched forward but four knights grabbed him from behind and a fifth wrenched the sword from his grasp. He struggled furiously, trying to pull free, but the knights shoved him to his knees and clapped chains around his wrists. Still he fought, refusing to go down easily, snarling his rage. He twisted out from under them and kicked out with booted feet, catching one knight across the jaw and sending another reeling. But the others pinned him down, winning out through sheer weight of numbers.
"I'm sorry, Arthur," Agravaine lied, barely able to contain his glee. He picked up a discarded spear and used the butt to deliver a sharp blow to the king's head, knocking him out cold.
ooOOoo