Nor could she ever foresee without fear (Part 2)
Merlin groans, awakening to a frantic Gaius shaking him and calling him name hurriedly. "Arthur can wait," he grumbles, "and so can the leeches."
"It's not about the leeches, Merlin," Gaius says, stepping back. Merlin rubs his eyes and looks at him.
"Alright," he says. It would be just like Arthur to wake him up at ungodly hours of the morning for something frivolous. He stands and pulls his trousers on, pulling his nightshirt over his head.
"Morgana is gone," Gaius says, gravely.
"What?" Merlin asks, voice muffled, from inside his nightshirt. He pulls it over his head. Suddenly he becomes aware of the warning bells ringing, and he shivers. "Gone?"
"Gwen came running to me not long ago…"
Merlin swears and runs out the door.
--
Merlin arrives at Arthur's chambers so quickly that he has to halt so as not to fall on his face; Arthur turns from his place at the window and meets his eyes.
"What are we going to do?" Merlin ventures, quietly, and Arthur looks away.
"Father's holding a counsel shortly," he says.
Merlin nods and runs his hands through his hair; a moment later, Gareth, one of Uther's men, knocks on the door to Arthur's chambers and enters without waiting for permission. "Uther is holding counsel now, sire." Arthur grabs Merlin's arm as he walks past him, and they follow the servant to the great hall.
--
There stands in the middle of the great hall a young boy Merlin does not recognize. As soon as Arthur reaches the head of the room and assumes his position beside his father (Merlin at Arthur's side), Uther waves for the boy to speak.
"Sire," he begins, "King Uther, Prince Arthur. My name is Llymn."
"Llymn," Uther repeats. "You say you have information on my ward?"
Llymn seems to hesitate for a moment, but then surges forth. "I saw her leave Camelot," he says, and his entire audience seems to hush. Merlin could swear his breath quiets to hear the boy speak.
"Leave? You mean she left voluntarily?"
Llymn nods. "My mother and I have been journeying to Camelot, because magic is legal in our home kingdom. We wished to be free of such villains as live there. We'd heard of the iron resolve of Uther Pendragon of Camelot to rid his kingdom of sorcerers, so we decided to make our pilgrimage here."
"Of course," Uther says, and looks flattered as he leans back in his chair to listen.
"We were in the woods just outside your borders late in the evening. We'd been traveling so long, we were wearied, and furthermore, we were close to Camelot and wished to arrive by dawn. A woman was walking our way. She was cloaked, and had a strange expression on her face.
"My mother urged me to run - to run into the nearby bushes and hide. When I asked her why, she said the woman looked like a witch. So I ran and hid. The woman began to throw spells at my mother. I stayed quiet and watched as she - she hurled spells," here Llymn seems to hesitate. "Awful spells. Mother began to convulse on the ground. I could barely see because of the darkness, but I could hear my mother's screaming very well. It was horrible. Then - then the witch uttered one more spell, and there was no more noise. I could hear her stripping my mother of her jewelry, our money - all the wealth we'd had." Llymn pauses and ducks his head. A quiet sniffle echoes throughout the hall.
"As soon as I was sure the witch was gone, I ran down to where my mother's body lay and wept over her. It felt like hours. I would have had her buried, but of course I am poor. I thought about trying to go ahead to Camelot anyway; I hoped that the King there would help me. I regret that the first dawn I am to see in Camelot is on the day of my mother's death, but, alas, there's nothing to do for her now."
Uther leans forward and clears his throat. "I am sorry for what happened to your mother, Llymn," he says. "But do you suggest…?"
"I do not wish to foul her name, sire, and yet…" He digs in his pocket for a moment and draws out an object.
"What is it?" Uther asks.
"The witch dropped it," Llymn says, holding it out. Uther makes a motion, and Gwen steps forth from her spot beside the other servants. She looks at it from a considerable distance, but the way her face changes when she sees it says everything.
"It is hers - it is Morgana's bracelet," she whispers, and steps back, head down. Llymn places the bracelet back in his pocket.
Uther stands and takes a step forward. All eyes turn to him, but he seems to have been rendered speechless. "You have stolen this bracelet from her - you are lying!"
"I am not lying, sire. I would swear it on my life," Llymn whispers, bowing.
Uther hunches over, his entire body shaking slightly. The entire room breaks out in whispers as he stumbles back onto his throne, Gaius at his side. Merlin turns to see Llymn back away nearer to the door, smiling faintly.
Uther gasps just as the door shuts behind Llymn. He looks around the hall wildly, eyes wide.
"Morgana's a witch," he says, his voice hoarse and quiet, yet still discernable. He stands, and Gaius grabs his arm to be sure he doesn't fall. Not finding Llymn, Uther yells it. "A witch!"
"Sire," Gaius begins, trying to set him back on the throne.
"I want everyone to leave but my knights," Uther says.
The hall clears out quickly, whispers abounding. The knights gather around Uther, who finally sits down once more, rubbing his temples.
"We must call a search," he says. "All of you are to search for Morgana. As she is presumed dangerous, each team should have at least two men."
The knights discuss which men will team up with whom and which directions each team will go; once they are done, Arthur approaches his father, who has turned his back on the room in thought.
"You don't think," Arthur asks, causing Uther to turn around. "You don't think she really killed anyone, do you?"
Uther only looks at his son for a moment, Merlin watching them both. "All evidence we have says she did," Uther says, and turns away.
--
"What do you think?" Merlin asks, as he follows Arthur to his chambers.
"I don't know, Merlin," Arthur answers, exasperatedly. He sighs. "Sorry."
They continue on in silence until they reach Arthur's bedchambers.
"We're going after her, aren't we."
"Of course," Arthur says. "I must know what Morgana is… where her allegiances stand. I must know."
"Right," Merlin says quietly. Arthur's hand poised on the door handle, Merlin thinks of something. "I'll go and pack, then."
--
Dawn breaks over the hills, but Morgana, out of breath and about to collapse, does not notice.
"We should rest now, my lady," Sybil says as she turns to her. "We're far enough from Camelot; they'll only just be discovering you're gone."
Morgana nods and goes to the nearby stream, filling her skin with water. She nearly downs it all in one swig.
They walk a little further until they find a small rocky cave. It's deep enough to hide them, yet they can tell it does not go further into the ground. It's cold and dim, but it's safe. Morgana lays her cloak on the ground and wraps herself in it. "I suppose a fire is out of the question, even here?"
Sybil shrugs. "Would you like my cloak?"
"No," Morgana says; "no, you need it." She drops off to sleep before she can continue.
Sybil goes over to her and reaches for Morgana's skin, nearly empty. She steals it away and fills it with more water. She then reaches into her satchel and digs out some tasteless herb powders that cloud the mind; these she has used to mold her victims to her will. Morgana will become pliant in her arms as she consumes it. She returns the skin to Morgana's side, and while there, draws out with a gentle spell a fragment of Morgana's mind. It shines with the glimmer of a sword where she cups it in her palm.
Going to her own corner of the cave, she brings out her Descrying orb and pours the memory into it. She watches as Morgana goes to a grave with Uther; they both fawn over the man who, listening closely, Sybil discovers is Morgana's father and Uther's friend. She also sees Morgana's meeting with a band of murderers, an agreement to kill Uther; this is where it was set to happen, then. Sybil grins; she's found the perfect gem. She touches the orb in particular spots, moving the murderers into the scene at the gravesite, she causes Uther to turn and see them, and for them to attack him while Morgana looks on, triumphant. While unexpected, this memory of Morgana's is perfect. Sybil pulls it out of the orb, cups it in her palms once more, utters a spell, and blows on it sweetly like the soft seeds of a dandelion.
Uther should be receiving the news from Liir soon, and this modified memory should help his decision along.
"To Uther, the truth," she whispers, and grins wickedly as the lie floats out of the cave, glimmering, beautiful.
--
Gaius is already at his chambers when Merlin runs in. Gaius is sitting at the table, head in hands, mumbling to himself. He looks up quickly as Merlin enters.
Without preamble, Merlin asks: "What do you think about Morgana?"
"I think I did the wrong thing," Gaius says, quietly. When Merlin tilts his head in question, Gaius continues. "Morgana's dreams - her nightmares - I had my suspicions, but I never dared speak them aloud, I never wanted her to know…"
"Know what, Gaius?"
"I feared she was a Seer; that she had the gift of prophecy. I thought it would help her - to deny it - not to know it at all." He grows quieter. "I'm not sure what secrets have done for her."
"You don't think she's really…?"
"Of course not, Merlin," Gaius says. "But I still wonder…"
Merlin thinks of Llymn smiling in the great hall. Is Morgana truly evil? He would never have believed it, can scarcely believe it now. Still, Morgana is his friend, and Arthur himself has resolved to find her. It isn't as if they have a choice; they aren't about to leave her for the other knights to find. Arthur may trust them, but Merlin knows he cannot trust them to that degree, not if Morgana's life depends on it.
"I have to do something," he says, running to his room.
"Merlin." He turns around to see Gaius looking at him sadly. "Uther wants her back alive, but not necessarily unscathed. You and Arthur know her best; at whatever cost, it is you who must find her."
Merlin nods, taken aback. "Of course," he says, and opens the door to his room. "Of course."
--
The spell describes the tracks that sorcerers leave behind - each sorcerer leaves behind a specific track that can be followed, but only as long as they haven't hidden it, and only as long as their pursuer has something of theirs.
Merlin runs to Morgana's room, now unguarded. He rifles through her drawers quickly and finds a hairbrush, with dark hairs sticking out of its teeth. Making sure the door is closed, he tries it:
"Ábeþece pæð Morganaes."
Footsteps light up in a light blue, very gently, so that Merlin practically has to bend down to see them. He looks from the hairbrush to the floor; he tosses the hairbrush on the bed, stripped of its bedclothes. He looks down again at the dusty floor, no lighted steps in sight. Upon picking up the hairbrush again, the path reappears. He laughs, cutting the silent and somber air of Morgana's bedchamber.
--
When he leaves Morgana's chambers, he nearly runs into Gwen. She walks past him after mumbling something like "Sorry," but he grabs her arm.
"Gwen, I'm sorry."
"It isn't your fault," she says. He releases her arm and watches her.
"Was Morgana acting strangely last night?"
Gwen looks up at him. "Yes," she answers. "Oh, Merlin, it's all my fault." Her eyes begin to water, but Merlin grabs her shoulders.
"Arthur and I are off to search for her," he says. "Do you-"
"Please," Gwen answers. "Please."
--
When they reach Arthur's chambers, Arthur halts his packing long enough to look up at them.
"Guinevere," he says.
"She's coming with us," Merlin says, defiantly, even as Gwen lowers her head in subservience.
"No," Arthur says. "You may get hurt."
Gwen raises her eyes to Arthur, looking at him directly. "I wish to come with you," she says. "Morgana is my lady, my sister, my friend. Without her, my life is nothing to me."
Arthur glances at Merlin, who is still watching Gwen. He turns back to her and nods, lowers his head, returns to his packing. "Then you ought to get ready for whatever may be ahead."
"Of course, sire," Gwen says, and leaves.
Merlin goes to the window and looks out, grabbing the hairbrush in the pocket of his trousers. Upon doing so, he can see the light blue footsteps of Morgana leading from what he recognizes as a little-used exit out onto the grounds of the castle.
"I've no idea how we're to find her, I hope both you and Gwen realize that," Arthur says.
"Yeah," Merlin mutters. "Erm, actually - look." When Arthur looks at him confusedly, he repeats himself.
"What?"
"Do you see that?" He points where he can see the footprints, watching Arthur's eyes to see if he follows.
"What exactly am I looking for, Merlin?"
"A path," Merlin says, "footsteps." Arthur looks harder.
"I really don't see anything-"
Just as he says it, Merlin lets the hairbrush swing into his eyesight. In hindsight, he probably should have taken something less awkward, like maybe a handkerchief. At least he could pass that off with an, ‘Oh, remember that time when my nose wouldn't stop running? Yeah, Morgana gave me her hanky, she's really nice sometimes,' but instead:
"Is that… Morgana's hairbrush?" Arthur, despite his overall countenance, manages to look slightly amused. He raises an eyebrow.
"What? No," Merlin says innocently, and hides the brush behind his back.
"It is." Missing lady or no, Arthur can always manage to sound as smug as he wants. He leans forward and reaches for it, but Merlin twists around. "Give it to me." Merlin leans back into the edge of the window frame, Arthur practically on him. Merlin looks down for a moment, possibly a little embarrassed at having taken his act too far, and, taking advantage, Arthur quickly reaches for his arm and pulls the hairbrush out of Merlin's grasp. He looks at it for a moment.
"I don't even want to know," Arthur says, but then he looks out the window and back at Merlin quickly. "I see it," he says. "Do you see it?"
"No," Merlin answers, "not anymore. Ahem… maybe it's the brush?"
Arthur looks down at it. He shoves it into Merlin's hands again, looks out the window, snags it back. "It is!" He smiles. "How can we see it, though? I mean, Morgana wouldn't have left a trail of breadcrumbs on purpose…?"
Merlin shrugs, staring outside. "Dunno." He meets Arthur's eyes and shrugs once more, for good measure. Arthur taps the brush against his thigh and retreats to his pack, placing the brush on top. "Does it really matter if we're going anyway?"
Arthur doesn't answer Merlin's question, so after a moment, Merlin mutters something about getting his things and leaves.
--
The three of them meet at the stables. After divulging the secret of the hairbrush to Gwen, who looks at it in wonder, they set off. They are quiet, Arthur holding the hairbrush, leading the way; all three of them filled with questions. The land before them is hilly and grassy, empty and silent, presenting no answers. They are utterly alone.
--
The first thing Morgana sees upon awakening is darkness, and then she hears a rustle.
"Sybil?"
Someone is approaching behind her, and when she turns, she sees Sybil entering the cave. It is lighter outside than it had been when Morgana had dropped off to sleep around dawn. Sybil looks at her and smiles gently.
"We should be off soon; by now they'll be looking for you."
Morgana nods, pulling the cap off her skin of water, gulping it down. They set off, Morgana standing on weak legs.
"Why would you risk your own safety to help me escape Camelot?" she asks, pulling her hood on against the sun. "If you stay with the druids anyway, I shouldn't matter…"
"I lived in Camelot when I was younger," Sybil says. "I was just beginning to learn magic when Uther banned magic from his kingdom… It was disgraceful. The sorcerers of Camelot were becoming powerful, they were doing great things. He had never spoken against them before. And yet… I had to flee; my life depended upon it. I went to the druids, to learn magic. I later realized that I must help those who could fall under the executioner's axe in Uther's kingdom.
"When I See some young person in Uther's kingdom who has magic and doesn't know it - one who is at risk - I come back to save them. Those of natural magical ability should be able to learn, to enhance their talent. Uther discourages this, of course. But if you were to learn under the druids, you could become great."
Morgana looks at Sybil as they pause briefly.
"I haven't had Visions in years, though; not until I Saw you. Somehow I knew it was the Lady Morgana, the King's ward, and I knew that I had to save her from his tyranny, had to bring her somewhere where she could harness her magic."
Sybil shivers and walks on. Morgana follows closely behind, not taking her eyes off her.
"I tried to kill him, once," Morgana says softly. "He arrested my maidservant Gwen's father on charges of sorcery… he was innocent, of course… I tried to help him escape, but…"
Sybil nods, once. "You didn't see it through, though," she says, and Morgana almost recognizes her tone as accusatory.
"I don't know what happened," Morgana says. "I'm almost glad the men I'd hired were… sidetracked."
"You don't think the murderer should suffer for his crimes?" Sybil asks, not meeting Morgana's eyes but instead looking ahead. "After all, not every sorcerer he condemned could have had blood on his hands. But Uther Pendragon…"
"Has the blood of many, yes," Morgana finishes. "Then perhaps he should suffer."
They continue on in silence. After a while, Morgana empties her water-skin and then holds her palm out sadly, letting the few drops left collect in her hand.
"Here," Sybil says, holding her own water-skin out to Morgana. "Have mine."
"I couldn't," Morgana says, reluctant, but looks longingly at Sybil's offering anyway.
"Do not worry about me, my lady."
Morgana looks at her before grabbing the water-skin and gulping the water down.
Sybil turns to walk on, smiling as she does so. As an extra provision that morning, she'd laced her own water with the drugs she's made herself immune to, the drugs now wracking Morgana's system. It won't be long until she will be bendable to Sybil's will, not long before she will be plotting against Uther.
--
They walk into the evening, until they can find shelter. "We'd best stop," Sybil says, and Morgana hums her assent.
Sybil clears the ground underneath a few close-set trees, knowing they might act as shelter, but also knowing that, should Uther's men pass at any time, they will stumble upon the women, or at the very least will know they'd been there. Sybil must keep her wits about her, must expect them at any moment: for, if Uther's men find them, Sybil herself will be gone before Morgana can realize in her drugged state what is happening, and Sybil will perhaps-not-accidentally leave her satchel, with all her magical belongings, to be attributed to Morgana as Uther's men capture her. What is to be done with the sorceress, the treasonous ward, Sybil will leave to Uther.
"It's so cold," says Morgana, shivering, as she digs out some food from her pack.
"I'm sorry, my lady," Sybil answers. They both finish eating and Morgana lies down for sleep, curling up, face screwed up tight.
Once Sybil can be sure she's asleep - which is some time later - she crawls over to Morgana and whispers a few words of a spell. When Morgana doesn't stir, she continues. She can feel her words permeating Morgana's thoughts to enchant her, pushing aside the mists of her dreams to work on her delicate mind. She mixes the words of the spell and her own words.
Uther Pendragon has long murdered your kind - belíefe - he has hurt you - féoge - ábradwe - Uther.
Morgana stirs, her brow wrinkling. She mumbles, repeating Sybil's own words, the spell. This is when Sybil at last knows it is working on Morgana. Once she awakens, Morgana will have no recollection of what Sybil is doing to her even now, but once Uther's men take her away, weak and screaming, the spell will affect her. Morgana may wait until she's in the dungeons to make her move, or she may even lash out against the men as much as she can as they take her away.
Regardless, Uther will get the punishment he deserves for his endless and hideous crimes, and Camelot will fall apart from within; Sybil will be sure of it.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
"It's not about the leeches, Merlin," Gaius says, stepping back. Merlin rubs his eyes and looks at him.
"Alright," he says. It would be just like Arthur to wake him up at ungodly hours of the morning for something frivolous. He stands and pulls his trousers on, pulling his nightshirt over his head.
"Morgana is gone," Gaius says, gravely.
"What?" Merlin asks, voice muffled, from inside his nightshirt. He pulls it over his head. Suddenly he becomes aware of the warning bells ringing, and he shivers. "Gone?"
"Gwen came running to me not long ago…"
Merlin swears and runs out the door.
--
Merlin arrives at Arthur's chambers so quickly that he has to halt so as not to fall on his face; Arthur turns from his place at the window and meets his eyes.
"What are we going to do?" Merlin ventures, quietly, and Arthur looks away.
"Father's holding a counsel shortly," he says.
Merlin nods and runs his hands through his hair; a moment later, Gareth, one of Uther's men, knocks on the door to Arthur's chambers and enters without waiting for permission. "Uther is holding counsel now, sire." Arthur grabs Merlin's arm as he walks past him, and they follow the servant to the great hall.
--
There stands in the middle of the great hall a young boy Merlin does not recognize. As soon as Arthur reaches the head of the room and assumes his position beside his father (Merlin at Arthur's side), Uther waves for the boy to speak.
"Sire," he begins, "King Uther, Prince Arthur. My name is Llymn."
"Llymn," Uther repeats. "You say you have information on my ward?"
Llymn seems to hesitate for a moment, but then surges forth. "I saw her leave Camelot," he says, and his entire audience seems to hush. Merlin could swear his breath quiets to hear the boy speak.
"Leave? You mean she left voluntarily?"
Llymn nods. "My mother and I have been journeying to Camelot, because magic is legal in our home kingdom. We wished to be free of such villains as live there. We'd heard of the iron resolve of Uther Pendragon of Camelot to rid his kingdom of sorcerers, so we decided to make our pilgrimage here."
"Of course," Uther says, and looks flattered as he leans back in his chair to listen.
"We were in the woods just outside your borders late in the evening. We'd been traveling so long, we were wearied, and furthermore, we were close to Camelot and wished to arrive by dawn. A woman was walking our way. She was cloaked, and had a strange expression on her face.
"My mother urged me to run - to run into the nearby bushes and hide. When I asked her why, she said the woman looked like a witch. So I ran and hid. The woman began to throw spells at my mother. I stayed quiet and watched as she - she hurled spells," here Llymn seems to hesitate. "Awful spells. Mother began to convulse on the ground. I could barely see because of the darkness, but I could hear my mother's screaming very well. It was horrible. Then - then the witch uttered one more spell, and there was no more noise. I could hear her stripping my mother of her jewelry, our money - all the wealth we'd had." Llymn pauses and ducks his head. A quiet sniffle echoes throughout the hall.
"As soon as I was sure the witch was gone, I ran down to where my mother's body lay and wept over her. It felt like hours. I would have had her buried, but of course I am poor. I thought about trying to go ahead to Camelot anyway; I hoped that the King there would help me. I regret that the first dawn I am to see in Camelot is on the day of my mother's death, but, alas, there's nothing to do for her now."
Uther leans forward and clears his throat. "I am sorry for what happened to your mother, Llymn," he says. "But do you suggest…?"
"I do not wish to foul her name, sire, and yet…" He digs in his pocket for a moment and draws out an object.
"What is it?" Uther asks.
"The witch dropped it," Llymn says, holding it out. Uther makes a motion, and Gwen steps forth from her spot beside the other servants. She looks at it from a considerable distance, but the way her face changes when she sees it says everything.
"It is hers - it is Morgana's bracelet," she whispers, and steps back, head down. Llymn places the bracelet back in his pocket.
Uther stands and takes a step forward. All eyes turn to him, but he seems to have been rendered speechless. "You have stolen this bracelet from her - you are lying!"
"I am not lying, sire. I would swear it on my life," Llymn whispers, bowing.
Uther hunches over, his entire body shaking slightly. The entire room breaks out in whispers as he stumbles back onto his throne, Gaius at his side. Merlin turns to see Llymn back away nearer to the door, smiling faintly.
Uther gasps just as the door shuts behind Llymn. He looks around the hall wildly, eyes wide.
"Morgana's a witch," he says, his voice hoarse and quiet, yet still discernable. He stands, and Gaius grabs his arm to be sure he doesn't fall. Not finding Llymn, Uther yells it. "A witch!"
"Sire," Gaius begins, trying to set him back on the throne.
"I want everyone to leave but my knights," Uther says.
The hall clears out quickly, whispers abounding. The knights gather around Uther, who finally sits down once more, rubbing his temples.
"We must call a search," he says. "All of you are to search for Morgana. As she is presumed dangerous, each team should have at least two men."
The knights discuss which men will team up with whom and which directions each team will go; once they are done, Arthur approaches his father, who has turned his back on the room in thought.
"You don't think," Arthur asks, causing Uther to turn around. "You don't think she really killed anyone, do you?"
Uther only looks at his son for a moment, Merlin watching them both. "All evidence we have says she did," Uther says, and turns away.
--
"What do you think?" Merlin asks, as he follows Arthur to his chambers.
"I don't know, Merlin," Arthur answers, exasperatedly. He sighs. "Sorry."
They continue on in silence until they reach Arthur's bedchambers.
"We're going after her, aren't we."
"Of course," Arthur says. "I must know what Morgana is… where her allegiances stand. I must know."
"Right," Merlin says quietly. Arthur's hand poised on the door handle, Merlin thinks of something. "I'll go and pack, then."
--
Dawn breaks over the hills, but Morgana, out of breath and about to collapse, does not notice.
"We should rest now, my lady," Sybil says as she turns to her. "We're far enough from Camelot; they'll only just be discovering you're gone."
Morgana nods and goes to the nearby stream, filling her skin with water. She nearly downs it all in one swig.
They walk a little further until they find a small rocky cave. It's deep enough to hide them, yet they can tell it does not go further into the ground. It's cold and dim, but it's safe. Morgana lays her cloak on the ground and wraps herself in it. "I suppose a fire is out of the question, even here?"
Sybil shrugs. "Would you like my cloak?"
"No," Morgana says; "no, you need it." She drops off to sleep before she can continue.
Sybil goes over to her and reaches for Morgana's skin, nearly empty. She steals it away and fills it with more water. She then reaches into her satchel and digs out some tasteless herb powders that cloud the mind; these she has used to mold her victims to her will. Morgana will become pliant in her arms as she consumes it. She returns the skin to Morgana's side, and while there, draws out with a gentle spell a fragment of Morgana's mind. It shines with the glimmer of a sword where she cups it in her palm.
Going to her own corner of the cave, she brings out her Descrying orb and pours the memory into it. She watches as Morgana goes to a grave with Uther; they both fawn over the man who, listening closely, Sybil discovers is Morgana's father and Uther's friend. She also sees Morgana's meeting with a band of murderers, an agreement to kill Uther; this is where it was set to happen, then. Sybil grins; she's found the perfect gem. She touches the orb in particular spots, moving the murderers into the scene at the gravesite, she causes Uther to turn and see them, and for them to attack him while Morgana looks on, triumphant. While unexpected, this memory of Morgana's is perfect. Sybil pulls it out of the orb, cups it in her palms once more, utters a spell, and blows on it sweetly like the soft seeds of a dandelion.
Uther should be receiving the news from Liir soon, and this modified memory should help his decision along.
"To Uther, the truth," she whispers, and grins wickedly as the lie floats out of the cave, glimmering, beautiful.
--
Gaius is already at his chambers when Merlin runs in. Gaius is sitting at the table, head in hands, mumbling to himself. He looks up quickly as Merlin enters.
Without preamble, Merlin asks: "What do you think about Morgana?"
"I think I did the wrong thing," Gaius says, quietly. When Merlin tilts his head in question, Gaius continues. "Morgana's dreams - her nightmares - I had my suspicions, but I never dared speak them aloud, I never wanted her to know…"
"Know what, Gaius?"
"I feared she was a Seer; that she had the gift of prophecy. I thought it would help her - to deny it - not to know it at all." He grows quieter. "I'm not sure what secrets have done for her."
"You don't think she's really…?"
"Of course not, Merlin," Gaius says. "But I still wonder…"
Merlin thinks of Llymn smiling in the great hall. Is Morgana truly evil? He would never have believed it, can scarcely believe it now. Still, Morgana is his friend, and Arthur himself has resolved to find her. It isn't as if they have a choice; they aren't about to leave her for the other knights to find. Arthur may trust them, but Merlin knows he cannot trust them to that degree, not if Morgana's life depends on it.
"I have to do something," he says, running to his room.
"Merlin." He turns around to see Gaius looking at him sadly. "Uther wants her back alive, but not necessarily unscathed. You and Arthur know her best; at whatever cost, it is you who must find her."
Merlin nods, taken aback. "Of course," he says, and opens the door to his room. "Of course."
--
The spell describes the tracks that sorcerers leave behind - each sorcerer leaves behind a specific track that can be followed, but only as long as they haven't hidden it, and only as long as their pursuer has something of theirs.
Merlin runs to Morgana's room, now unguarded. He rifles through her drawers quickly and finds a hairbrush, with dark hairs sticking out of its teeth. Making sure the door is closed, he tries it:
"Ábeþece pæð Morganaes."
Footsteps light up in a light blue, very gently, so that Merlin practically has to bend down to see them. He looks from the hairbrush to the floor; he tosses the hairbrush on the bed, stripped of its bedclothes. He looks down again at the dusty floor, no lighted steps in sight. Upon picking up the hairbrush again, the path reappears. He laughs, cutting the silent and somber air of Morgana's bedchamber.
--
When he leaves Morgana's chambers, he nearly runs into Gwen. She walks past him after mumbling something like "Sorry," but he grabs her arm.
"Gwen, I'm sorry."
"It isn't your fault," she says. He releases her arm and watches her.
"Was Morgana acting strangely last night?"
Gwen looks up at him. "Yes," she answers. "Oh, Merlin, it's all my fault." Her eyes begin to water, but Merlin grabs her shoulders.
"Arthur and I are off to search for her," he says. "Do you-"
"Please," Gwen answers. "Please."
--
When they reach Arthur's chambers, Arthur halts his packing long enough to look up at them.
"Guinevere," he says.
"She's coming with us," Merlin says, defiantly, even as Gwen lowers her head in subservience.
"No," Arthur says. "You may get hurt."
Gwen raises her eyes to Arthur, looking at him directly. "I wish to come with you," she says. "Morgana is my lady, my sister, my friend. Without her, my life is nothing to me."
Arthur glances at Merlin, who is still watching Gwen. He turns back to her and nods, lowers his head, returns to his packing. "Then you ought to get ready for whatever may be ahead."
"Of course, sire," Gwen says, and leaves.
Merlin goes to the window and looks out, grabbing the hairbrush in the pocket of his trousers. Upon doing so, he can see the light blue footsteps of Morgana leading from what he recognizes as a little-used exit out onto the grounds of the castle.
"I've no idea how we're to find her, I hope both you and Gwen realize that," Arthur says.
"Yeah," Merlin mutters. "Erm, actually - look." When Arthur looks at him confusedly, he repeats himself.
"What?"
"Do you see that?" He points where he can see the footprints, watching Arthur's eyes to see if he follows.
"What exactly am I looking for, Merlin?"
"A path," Merlin says, "footsteps." Arthur looks harder.
"I really don't see anything-"
Just as he says it, Merlin lets the hairbrush swing into his eyesight. In hindsight, he probably should have taken something less awkward, like maybe a handkerchief. At least he could pass that off with an, ‘Oh, remember that time when my nose wouldn't stop running? Yeah, Morgana gave me her hanky, she's really nice sometimes,' but instead:
"Is that… Morgana's hairbrush?" Arthur, despite his overall countenance, manages to look slightly amused. He raises an eyebrow.
"What? No," Merlin says innocently, and hides the brush behind his back.
"It is." Missing lady or no, Arthur can always manage to sound as smug as he wants. He leans forward and reaches for it, but Merlin twists around. "Give it to me." Merlin leans back into the edge of the window frame, Arthur practically on him. Merlin looks down for a moment, possibly a little embarrassed at having taken his act too far, and, taking advantage, Arthur quickly reaches for his arm and pulls the hairbrush out of Merlin's grasp. He looks at it for a moment.
"I don't even want to know," Arthur says, but then he looks out the window and back at Merlin quickly. "I see it," he says. "Do you see it?"
"No," Merlin answers, "not anymore. Ahem… maybe it's the brush?"
Arthur looks down at it. He shoves it into Merlin's hands again, looks out the window, snags it back. "It is!" He smiles. "How can we see it, though? I mean, Morgana wouldn't have left a trail of breadcrumbs on purpose…?"
Merlin shrugs, staring outside. "Dunno." He meets Arthur's eyes and shrugs once more, for good measure. Arthur taps the brush against his thigh and retreats to his pack, placing the brush on top. "Does it really matter if we're going anyway?"
Arthur doesn't answer Merlin's question, so after a moment, Merlin mutters something about getting his things and leaves.
--
The three of them meet at the stables. After divulging the secret of the hairbrush to Gwen, who looks at it in wonder, they set off. They are quiet, Arthur holding the hairbrush, leading the way; all three of them filled with questions. The land before them is hilly and grassy, empty and silent, presenting no answers. They are utterly alone.
--
The first thing Morgana sees upon awakening is darkness, and then she hears a rustle.
"Sybil?"
Someone is approaching behind her, and when she turns, she sees Sybil entering the cave. It is lighter outside than it had been when Morgana had dropped off to sleep around dawn. Sybil looks at her and smiles gently.
"We should be off soon; by now they'll be looking for you."
Morgana nods, pulling the cap off her skin of water, gulping it down. They set off, Morgana standing on weak legs.
"Why would you risk your own safety to help me escape Camelot?" she asks, pulling her hood on against the sun. "If you stay with the druids anyway, I shouldn't matter…"
"I lived in Camelot when I was younger," Sybil says. "I was just beginning to learn magic when Uther banned magic from his kingdom… It was disgraceful. The sorcerers of Camelot were becoming powerful, they were doing great things. He had never spoken against them before. And yet… I had to flee; my life depended upon it. I went to the druids, to learn magic. I later realized that I must help those who could fall under the executioner's axe in Uther's kingdom.
"When I See some young person in Uther's kingdom who has magic and doesn't know it - one who is at risk - I come back to save them. Those of natural magical ability should be able to learn, to enhance their talent. Uther discourages this, of course. But if you were to learn under the druids, you could become great."
Morgana looks at Sybil as they pause briefly.
"I haven't had Visions in years, though; not until I Saw you. Somehow I knew it was the Lady Morgana, the King's ward, and I knew that I had to save her from his tyranny, had to bring her somewhere where she could harness her magic."
Sybil shivers and walks on. Morgana follows closely behind, not taking her eyes off her.
"I tried to kill him, once," Morgana says softly. "He arrested my maidservant Gwen's father on charges of sorcery… he was innocent, of course… I tried to help him escape, but…"
Sybil nods, once. "You didn't see it through, though," she says, and Morgana almost recognizes her tone as accusatory.
"I don't know what happened," Morgana says. "I'm almost glad the men I'd hired were… sidetracked."
"You don't think the murderer should suffer for his crimes?" Sybil asks, not meeting Morgana's eyes but instead looking ahead. "After all, not every sorcerer he condemned could have had blood on his hands. But Uther Pendragon…"
"Has the blood of many, yes," Morgana finishes. "Then perhaps he should suffer."
They continue on in silence. After a while, Morgana empties her water-skin and then holds her palm out sadly, letting the few drops left collect in her hand.
"Here," Sybil says, holding her own water-skin out to Morgana. "Have mine."
"I couldn't," Morgana says, reluctant, but looks longingly at Sybil's offering anyway.
"Do not worry about me, my lady."
Morgana looks at her before grabbing the water-skin and gulping the water down.
Sybil turns to walk on, smiling as she does so. As an extra provision that morning, she'd laced her own water with the drugs she's made herself immune to, the drugs now wracking Morgana's system. It won't be long until she will be bendable to Sybil's will, not long before she will be plotting against Uther.
--
They walk into the evening, until they can find shelter. "We'd best stop," Sybil says, and Morgana hums her assent.
Sybil clears the ground underneath a few close-set trees, knowing they might act as shelter, but also knowing that, should Uther's men pass at any time, they will stumble upon the women, or at the very least will know they'd been there. Sybil must keep her wits about her, must expect them at any moment: for, if Uther's men find them, Sybil herself will be gone before Morgana can realize in her drugged state what is happening, and Sybil will perhaps-not-accidentally leave her satchel, with all her magical belongings, to be attributed to Morgana as Uther's men capture her. What is to be done with the sorceress, the treasonous ward, Sybil will leave to Uther.
"It's so cold," says Morgana, shivering, as she digs out some food from her pack.
"I'm sorry, my lady," Sybil answers. They both finish eating and Morgana lies down for sleep, curling up, face screwed up tight.
Once Sybil can be sure she's asleep - which is some time later - she crawls over to Morgana and whispers a few words of a spell. When Morgana doesn't stir, she continues. She can feel her words permeating Morgana's thoughts to enchant her, pushing aside the mists of her dreams to work on her delicate mind. She mixes the words of the spell and her own words.
Uther Pendragon has long murdered your kind - belíefe - he has hurt you - féoge - ábradwe - Uther.
Morgana stirs, her brow wrinkling. She mumbles, repeating Sybil's own words, the spell. This is when Sybil at last knows it is working on Morgana. Once she awakens, Morgana will have no recollection of what Sybil is doing to her even now, but once Uther's men take her away, weak and screaming, the spell will affect her. Morgana may wait until she's in the dungeons to make her move, or she may even lash out against the men as much as she can as they take her away.
Regardless, Uther will get the punishment he deserves for his endless and hideous crimes, and Camelot will fall apart from within; Sybil will be sure of it.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3