Chapter 1
"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow," Merlin thought dully, too tired to really care that his feet ached. All of him was too tired to care. He sighed, even his hair was tired.
But it was good to have some kind of pain to focus his thoughts on to distract himself from worrying about Morgana. He tried to avoid thinking of her as much as possible but could not escape his growing anxiety. That she had betrayed the kingdom by passing the Crystal of Neahtid to their enemies distressed him more than he could say.
Ugh, there she was, invading his thoughts again. He rubbed his eyes and gave up trying to distract himself for a moment.
It looked as though the dragon's warnings concerning Morgana weren't as far fetched as he'd thought. But even acknowledgment that the dragon's claims could have merit felt like a betrayal of a friend. And the dragon! The destruction and death he'd seen in that cursed crystal horrified him. It couldn't be a real vision, could it? Surely Kilgharrah wouldn't unleash such horrors on the kingdom he'd been maneuvering Merlin into protecting.
A clatter somewhere drew him back to his present circumstances and he noted with chagrin that he was shuffling so slowly he was barely making progress towards home and his waiting bed. The stress and worry compounded with unrelenting hard physical labor was wreaking havoc on him and he knew it. If something were to happen, he feared he couldn't effectively protect Arthur and with all the trouble he imagined looming on the horizon, that was a truly disturbing thought.
He stopped for a moment and wearily propped himself against the wall and rubbed his gritty eyes. Just how he was expected to answer all the threats to Camelot and still get Arthur's socks laundered, he couldn't imagine but he was doing his best. Destiny and Magic definitely owed him a favor unless they wanted him to sleep on the cold stone corridor floor tonight. He checked his surroundings, closed his eyes and released his magic. He performed no spell, only unbottled it, allowed it to flow and fill him, hoping for a rejuvenating effect. The warmth reassured and comforted him and relieved the worst of the aches and pains but he still couldn't completely escape the exhaustion of mind, body and spirit. If only he could rest and have something to distract him for a while.
Be careful what you wish for, his conscience replied wryly.
Oh shut up.
He resumed trudging down the dark corridor, past a lit sconce, around the corner and past a tapestry as he had a hundred times before.
Wait.
What is that?
Was there a faint glow emanating from the rock wall behind the cloth? A tingling warmth was calling to him and his curiosity was piqued. He pulled the tapestry aside, revealing a faint, silvery outline of an arch shining on the stone. He warily reached out and his fingers pushed right through the wall. Astonished, he pulled back and reached out with his magic to explore the space. His curiosity was met with an eager, welcoming magic that almost had a sense of loneliness tainting it. There was a sort of desperation to the welcoming tingle like the hopeful greeting of a neglected puppy.
He took a deep breath.
Gaius would kill me if he knew what I was doing!
He grinned.
Good thing he doesn't know.
Ducking behind the tapestry and stepping forward, he melted through the wall. An ancient, dusty stairway led up, circled about and continued up some more. Despite the magical boost, Merlin's legs were spent and wobbly but he didn't stop until he reached the top landing and put his hand upon an ornate wooden door that had certainly seen better days. He pushed and the door gave way with a prolonged creak, opening into a spacious tower room. The heavens arched high above, the spectacular starscape standing out brightly through wide gaps in the ceiling where the top center of the dome had given way and fallen to the floor. The thickly clustered stars and fat crescent moon seemed so close. The magnificent view was mesmerizing. Gaping, Merlin made his way past the rubble on the floor.
After a while, he tore his gaze from the ethereal heavens shining through the ruined stonework to survey the room. It looked like it had been dedicated to scholarly pursuits. Shelves heavy with dust and stuffed with parchment scrolls and bound sheaves of vellum nestled on the walls that separated alcoves of arched windows. There were small, raised desks scattered about, holding thick, moldering books with desiccated inkwells and decayed quills at the ready. He bent over the nearest text and brushed dirt and debris away. It was in a language he didn't recognize. Gaius might know. He reached for a scrap of dusty parchment lying nearby and did a quick charm to rehydrate the ink in the well. The magic in the room shifted. It felt ..hungry?
Hmm, odd.
Noting the moon's position overhead and anxious to wrap up this adventure, he picked up the decrepit quill and copied a few sentences from the text. It was a chore. Every finger, joint ached with fatigue. He settled himself in the chair the better to finish copying the last few lines. His eyelids were so heavy. Just laying his head on his arms for a moment wouldn't hurt. He pillowed his head on the crook of his arm. He felt drained which was hardly surprising considering his long chore-filled day and the lateness of the hour. But the room was peaceful and wanted him there somehow.
He came to himself, chilled, and tried to shake off the heavy lethargy. He looked again at the heavens and realized with a start how far the stars had drifted. Morning would come in only a couple of hours and he needed some real rest.
He headed out, closing the heavy door behind him and making his way down the staircase, fighting not to stumble. As though in a dream, he made his way to his chambers and fell down upon his bed never stirring once in his sleep.