Fragile Peace
DAY FOUR: Imperfect Impressions
It was early the next morning and she woke up without that familiar feel of his warm muscular body. Gwen opened her eyes, spotting Arthur just a few feet away trying to dress quietly as it was still dark outside. She walked over to him, grasping his white tunic before he could slide it on over his shoulders, doing the task herself.
Arthur smiled at her touch. He supremely enjoyed finding new delicious heights to makings of love with her, but marriage was about this too, the sweet intimacy of your wife dressing you.
With both his tunics on now, Gwen fastened the ties, and then smoothed back her husband’s rumpled hair. “Have a safe trip. Come back as soon as you can.”
He hugged her, feeling through the thin material of her nightgown the fine definition of her body. “I will. Now you make sure you do what you promised me.” He moved back, tipping her chin to get her to focus in on him.
Gwen shrugged. “I had no more of them yesterday.”
Arthur nodded. “And trust I’m happy about that, but still you need to see Gaius.”
“I will.”
His lips moved against her cheek, his arms holding her tightly. “I love you. All I ever want is for you to be okay.”
She pulled back a bit, her fingers caressing his face. “I am. Come home soon.”
He just smiled. They kissed once more and then carefully he stepped out of the tiny house into the darkness. Gwen closed her eyes, holding her hands to her heart, whispering, “Come back soon to me Arthur.”
~*~
Merlin and Gaius were back from their visit to the outer villages. Gaius had given the remedies to the children with Merlin’s assistance. Tomorrow Gaius would go back to check on the progress, but so far it seemed to be a success. Now as the physician was in their outer quarters getting ready for a round of depositing vials to needing citizens of Camelot, Merlin moved to his room. As he reached his doorway he heard a familiar voice.
“Gaius?”
Merlin carefully went behind his door, keeping it open just a crack.
“Gwen dear.”
Gwen touched at the elder physician’s hand. “I’ve been having some dizzy spells.”
Merlin listened, hearing nothing for a long moment. And then…
“Gaius?”
“Ah well-
Gwen cut him off. “My mother had the same before her illness began. That’s what you were thinking of, right?”
Merlin shivered, recalling Arthur’s words. Now with Gwen mentioning it too, it made him feel less confident.
Gwen spoke again.
“Arthur insisted I come. And I know he is right. But do not mention anything of my mother to him please Gaius. I don’t want him to worry too much.”
Merlin strained to hear what was said next, hearing nothing. If only he could see them. Carefully opening the door more, he caught Gaius placing his arm around Gwen’s shoulder as he led her to the examination area behind the curtain. Before they disappeared behind it, the physician stated, “Let’s just find out what it is Gwen.”
~*~
The exam over, Gwen oddly neglected her duties afterward. Actually she had asked some of the other servant women to take over for a short while. Sitting down at the edge of the flowing little creek near Camelot’s gates, Gwen was in pensive thought. She couldn’t tell anyone yet, too soon. Not even Arthur.
“Gwen?”
She looked up, seeing Percival’s friend. “Valen?”
“I was just taking a ride and-you look a million miles away.”
She smiled at that, nervously. “I just had some news that…well…”
“Bad?” Valen asked with concern, sitting down upon the ground directly across from her.
Gwen shook her head dazedly, before apologizing. “I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t say anything about it at all.”
The sound of more footsteps came.
“Merlin?” Gwen asked. He looked so anxious. Could he know? Did Gaius tell him? She pushed away that last thought quickly. Gaius was always very professional, but they did live in the same quarters. Gaius would never tell him, but perhaps Merlin overheard?
The servant glanced at Valen before focusing on Gwen again, his voice shaking with knotted tension. He couldn’t believe it. How was he going to tell Arthur? “Uh, Gwen, I really need to talk to you.”
He looked at Valen sharply. “Alone.”
Valen’s eyebrows went up. Merlin made short amends. “I’m sorry Valen, but it’s something I can’t share with you.”
The other put up his hand with understanding, getting to his feet. “No bother at all Merlin.” He put his hand upon Gwen’s shoulder before departing. “Hope all is well with you Gwen.”
Gwen smiled gratefully at Valen’s kind gesture, and then faced Merlin, his expression so intense. “You heard?”
Merlin played with the rolled up cuffs of his trousers, avoiding Gwen’s eyes for the moment. “I wasn’t trying to listen in. Well maybe a little.” He faced her finally. “Arthur’s worried.”
“I know. I’m just still not sure how to deal with it Merlin. So much could change.”
Merlin’s face fell. He had told Arthur it was just that she was overworked. But sadly Arthur had been right. “How long did Gaius say?”
Gwen shrugged. “Months.”
“Gwen I’m so sorry.”
She peered at Merlin more strongly, brow wrinkling. “Sorry?”
“Yes, this is terrible! Well, I shouldn’t say that, but-
She put up her hand, cutting him off. “Oh Merlin, I’m not sure you fully understand. Gaius told me that…”
~*~
Hours later, Merlin was on his way to Northumbria with Sir Michael. After his talk with Gwen, he really needed to see Arthur.
~*~
Gwen left the creek soon after Merlin went his way, and resumed her duties within the palace. It was nightfall when she returned home. Closing the door behind her, she lowered her hand with a smile. With it being so dark, she moved to the table to light the candle. Before she could start up a spark, she felt a strong muscled arm press tightly against her chest. The stark chill of metal came threateningly against her throat.
A knife, Gwen thought, trying to still the fast beating of her heart. Hot heavy breath blew in her ear.
“Shhhh…not a word. Just finish lighting that candle so we have a little more light. Watch yourself. Make no funny moves.”
Gwen carefully walked forward to light the candle, fighting the shaking of her hands to get the task completed. The knife pressed against her flesh, cold and hard.
She got the spark lit and brought the flame to the candle wondering of possible actions she could take. Maybe she could throw the candle at the man, but that knife and his heavy arm was locking her in. If he was fast enough she’d be stabbed. Too risky. She shifted her eyes, catching the ponytail, the man who accosted her at the banquet.
“How did you get out? They locked you in the dungeons.”
Her accoster snickered. “I have a guard for an ally. Wasn’t easy. Camelot is so cautious now. But it helps if he has magic.”
Gwen gasped. This man knew someone with magic?
“Because of him the rest of them don’t even know that I’m out. By the time they gain awareness, it won’t matter.” While the blade of his knife still pointedly rested against her throat, his hand grasped her waist tightly, getting Gwen to cry out in protest.
“Quiet.”
His heavy breath was there again, so close to her ear she felt disgusted by the warm pressure.
“You’re going to do what I say. Defy me and it will be your last breath. Now this is the story. You’re visiting a friend, someone outside of Camelot. Give me a name that is real, no tricks.”
In the candlelight now, Gwen was able to see it against the cabinet where she usually left it, the fire poker. She came up with a name of an existing friend, wary he might detect a lie.
“I know someone named Alana. But if I leave in the night it will raise suspicions, especially from the knights. They know I’d never go anywhere in the dark alone.”
The ponytail haired man smiled. “Yes. Well that’s why you’re going to say in the note that you left in the morning. Understand?”
“We’ll never get away. Camelot guard is on careful watch.”
He sneered, tiring quickly of her excuses. “I got out of the dungeons didn’t I? We WILL get out. Now shut your mouth and start using the quill to write.” It was down on the table with the parchment. Gwen looked down upon it, her voice bothered.
“I very well cannot write with you holding me so tightly. The ink will spill and then for sure that will raise suspicions. If you want me to write…” She stated testily, “Then you will have to take your hands away from me.”
Her accoster’s eyes widened. He had expected more fear, but for sure this woman had sparks of courage. Giving in with a grimace, he hissed. “Fine.” Carefully he let her go, keeping the knife held outward just in case. “But don’t test me.”
Her hands were shaking, but Gwen kept her head up, not bothering to respond to that comment as she tried to dip the quill into the ink without spilling the black liquid. She dipped it in a few more times before finishing. He pushed her out of the way after she was done. As he read, Gwen eyed the poker that was only a few steps away
Before she could move a foot, the note was shoved against her face. She shrieked away from the wet ink, feeling splatters of it coldly against her cheek. “I wrote the note!” She complained. “What are you so angry for?”
His face was ugly with fury as he grasped her waist tightly again. Gwen fought to not cry out, not wanting to let him know that it hurt and his enraged mood was frightening her.
“What kind of love letter is this? I know he is secretly your husband. Now make it look good. Write the way you would to a man who shares your bed!”
Her eyes narrowed at that as the fear dissipated steadily. He had no right to speak to her so familiarly about the relationship she shared with Arthur, not in such an intimate way. She could use his knowledge of the secret to her advantage though.
“Fine.” She stated only, giving him no satisfaction of her upset. Carefully on a new piece of parchment Gwen wrote a new note, flourishing it with intimacies she would not be embarrassed to state in this despicable man’s presence. Once done, she looked to the rose in the vase. Cautiously she lowered it beside the note, feeling where its outer petals had already dried, and yet the inner ones seemed to be finding new blossoms. She stepped back, asking the man, “There, is that better?”
He glared at her gumption, pointing the knife at her mouth harshly. “Quiet that tongue or I will do it for you. Understand?”
Gwen shivered at that, her eyes wide with fear. Smiling with satisfaction, he lowered the knife, giving a thorough read of the note. With his head down, now foolishly thinking he’d made her frozen in fright, Gwen moved across the floor quickly, grabbing the poker and whipping it back around. She leveraged it to smack him on the head, but as he finally did realize her actions and tried to get away, the poker instead landed upon his shoulder. Her accoster yelled, spitting out ugly curses.
Gwen raced to the back door, however as she reached it a knife flew through the air. Huddled up against the table in pain, the man had thrown it. The blade fixed rigidly into the handle. Gwen turned around to try to use the front door to get away, but then with its awful timing, the dizziness hit her. She braced her hand against the wall and before she could move further he reached her.
Now infuriated, her accoster grabbed her around the waist, whipping her up into the air. Gwen kicked and screamed, “Let me go!”
His hand smacked over her mouth as he hissed at her to shut up. Taking the knife out of the door handle, he pressed the blade starkly against the revealing of skin above the neckline of her dress. Gwen’s breathing was rapid and her fight over as she glanced downward for a quick second. He could end her life in a second.
“Please, just don’t hurt me.” She whispered, this time with real shards of fear as she knew his threats were meaningful and her dizziness was a weakening force.
“Then you best listen to what I say.” He gritted out through his teeth, feeling the forming bruise from the poker she had hit him with.
As he started to drag her outside into the cool air, Gwen was thankful for one thing. She was still wearing her lavender cloak.
~*~
Arthur stood outside the palace of Northumbria. After friendly negotiations with the queen, he was taking a little respite to himself. This alliance would be good for Camelot. Thinking of home, made Arthur sigh as he rested his foot upon the bottom part of the stone railing he was leant up against. He hoped that Guinevere had seen Gaius by now and that Merlin was correct in that everything would be alright.
Voices came from nearby. He turned to see the queen’s son, barely a man at eighteen with a lady of the court, their heads bowed as they spoke romantic words and then leaned in for a kiss. Smiling at it, Arthur tried to head the other way.
“Oh, Sire, didn’t see you there.”
“Excuse us King Arthur.”
He faced them, shrugging the apologies off. The lady was blushing madly. She turned to the prince, squeezing his hand. “Alistair I should go. My father and mother will be wondering where I am.”
“I’ll walk you then.”
She shook her head. “No, my maiden, Helen is inside.” She kissed him quickly on the cheek. “I will see you tomorrow.” She turned to Arthur, giving a polite curtsy. “Your royal highness.”
He turned to her politely. “Good night Lady Rachel.”
“You’re quite taken with her.” Arthur remarked, noticing how the young man had watched her departure intently.
Alistair faced him with a heavy sigh. “Alas though, King Arthur, my mother is not that fond of her family. Says they are below us.”
“Because she’s not a princess?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
Arthur stepped up to Alistair, putting his hand on his shoulder. He’d known him now for a few years, the alliance still that new. He liked the young man, even if he was a bit sheepish at times. He was good hearted and noble. “Well, maybe she’ll change her mind. At least Rachel is a lady of the court.”
Alistair turned to him curiously. “What about you King Arthur? You’re still young of course, but is there anyone who you wish to marry?”
Arthur grinned at that. “You wish to marry her?”
Alistair answered soberly. “I love her. I know I’m youthful, at least according to my mother, but I’m sure she is the right one for me.”
“Well, just try not to rush it too much. There’s plenty of time.”
Alistair was looking at him inquisitively, gesturing forth, “And so?”
Laughing at that, the king whispered. “Alright, yes there is someone who I love very much. Her name is Guinevere.”
“Guinevere…aaahhh…” Alistair commented. “She must be a queen with a name like that.”
The comment made Arthur smile with irony. “Actually she’s a servant.”
“A servant? You can’t be serious. Whilst he was living did your father approve?”
With that question Arthur suddenly felt much older, memories of his father sailing through his heart.
“He did not. And so it took some time for us to be together, even though her status made no difference to me.”
“And so now, what if Camelot doesn’t approve?”
Arthur’s look was firm. “I love my kingdom, Alistair, however without her it doesn’t truly matter. The citizens of Camelot have always given me their respect and so when it is time for her to be queen, they will understand.”
“So you will marry her?”
They already were married, but now he wanted more, and finally Arthur felt comforted in that she did too. He just needed for Merlin to come and tell him everything was okay.
“Yes, I will.”
~*~
They made it past the Camelot guard without any difficulty. It was strange that many of them seemed not in attendance and those who were put up no protest, their looks practically frozen, sending a cold chill down Gwen’s spine. She sat at the front of the horse, where the man had ordered her to. He was seated behind, keeping the knife close in case she attempted escape. At the fast pace he propelled the horse in, they were soon deep into the woods, reaching the barriers of dense foliage and shrubbery where he finally slowed down.
As they came to a shallow clearing, Gwen noticed under the patchy moon’s light a person standing, almost as if waiting.
When they neared close enough for her to see his facial features, Gwen felt a thump of excitement start up in her heart. She knew that man and now that the horse was walking so slowly she could do it safely. Feeling the knife leave her side, Gwen made her move. She pushed away from her accoster, getting down from the horse, and running rapidly.
“Valen!” Gwen yelled with delighted relief, her booted feet pounding the forest floor until finally she was close enough to touch. Forgetting any bit of reservation, Gwen jumped into his held out arms, feeling his look of concern.
“Gwen?”
She clutched his shoulders fiercely. “Oh Valen I am so happy to see you. That man, the one who accosted me was trying to take me with him. But now you’re here and-oh.” She was still feeling just a bit dizzy so to finally be safe set Gwen’s heart at ease
Holding her firmly, Valen rubbed her back. “It’s alright now. Everything’s just as it’s meant to be.”
Such odd words. Gwen pulled back, looking up into his eyes as he smiled mildly down at her. “What do you mean by that?” She asked curiously.
Valen smiled more, giving a shrug.
She wasn’t feeling as at ease anymore, something about his demeanor making her skin prickle with disquiet. She looked across the way, seeing her accoster, simply walking toward them, not at all hurrying.
Gwen faced Valen again, feeling his large hand closing tightly over her waist, gripping her like a talon.
“So what took you so long?” He asked.
“She hit me with the fire poker!”
Gwen’s heart was filled with horror. She had run straight from one assailant to another, maybe the one who masterminded the whole thing.
But Valen? Percival’s friend?
“Valen?” She asked. Her voice shivered on the wind.
The man who was Percival’s friend smiled at her ever so gently, before he lifted one of his hands with the speed of a striking snake, and locked some of her curls within his fingers strongly enough to make her cry out in protest. “Yes Gwen. That’s my name…for now. You and I are going to take a little trip and you’re going to be much better minded with me, right? Because if you’re not, I’ll have to show you what I’m capable of. And trust me, you won’t like that.”
Her body trembled. His eyes were still a cool neutral brown, but there was something now so malevolent about them. “You’re not Valen.”
“No. I’m not.”
Her accoster had been rash and violent in how he treated her, but this man, whoever he really was, made her flesh ripple with dread. His soft dark tone, his lack of anxiety and excitement, she felt like she was being touched by blades of ice.
Shivering some more for good measure, she listened to them talking, and then lifted her foot, slamming her boot into his knee.
“AH!” His hands reached out, clutching her cloak, and ripping at some of the material. Gwen fought back, pushing her fingers against his firm chest to get away, tearing it off before she fled.
“She’s getting away!” The other man yelled. “Come on, get her!”
“She won’t get far.” Valen lifted his hand calmly, palm flat to the walls of wind as he chanted a few words.
Gwen felt her balance suddenly leave her as binds magically appeared, locking her arms against her sides, and then a similar pair wrapped around her ankles, causing her to fall hard to the ground.
Screaming, she just managed to roll to her side, keeping her front from slamming to the unmerciful forest floor.
Gwen twisted so she was seated upon her rear, her limbs in pain and those magical binds ripping away the control of her body. Struggling with them, nothing worked. They were fixed into place.
Valen came to her, kneeling down with a virulent smile. “Ah, now you see, trying to break them won’t work. They’re ropes of sorcery. And you’re just a mere frail, albeit supple, being with no power. So you can stop fighting them and me.”
She turned away so his hand lowered, getting a vicious grip of her chin. “LOOK at me Gwen. Get your last comfort from this face I have now because in the morning it will be no more.”
She tried to move away from his grip, but his fingers were locked, his nails scratching at her delicate skin.
“Now, we should talk. Or I should and you should listen. Because you see Gwen it’s up to you. This trip could be a semi pleasant one. Or it could be torturous. Trust me, these binds are the LEAST of what I can do.”
He let go of her chin just a little, whispering crudely in her ear, “You’re quite enticing.” He leered down at the reveal of the neckline of her dress. “I can see why the king likes your company so much.” His lips moved close to her skin. Gwen couldn’t move. She had no defense. So she wet her lips and spat at him, turning her face away with disgust when he finally released her.
His hand made contact with her cheek forcefully. Gwen shuddered away from him.
Valen went back to the other man who was eyeing him a bit nervously now, wanting to simply get his gold and get away. “Okay. Did my part. Can I just get my gold now?”
Valen smiled. “Sure.” He lifted his hand, sending the other man flying through the air and slamming into one of the tree trunks, his neck letting out a cracking sound right as he died.
Gwen stared in horror, struggling again with the binds, but it was no use. As Valen turned back to her and raised his hand her way, she cried out. “NO! I promise, I’ll listen. Just please. Please you can’t do to me what you did to him!”
Valen smiled benignly, lowering to his knees, speaking dismissively of the other. “He wanted his gold so badly and I really didn’t have the luxury of moments to make sure he got it. For a short time he was useful, but now that he wasn’t anymore, better to just dispose of the waste.”
Trickles of icy fear rolled down her spine. This man was a monster and she had no defense against him.
“You see now, right Gwen? What I am capable of?”
She slowly nodded her head. “Yes.”
“Good.” He grasped her by the shoulders, lifting her up, but keeping the binds in place. “Now let’s go for a ride.”
Gwen struggled for a second, pointing to herself. “I can’t move like this.”
Valen shrugged, reacting with little importance to her statement. “Sure you can.”
She pointed down to her feet. “At least remove the binds from my ankles. How am I to ride a horse?”
That made him grimace. Of course he could just tether her to it, so she’d be pressing her stomach against the horse’s rear, but that could be problematic in that it would take time and possibly leave less room for him. “Fine.”
He gripped her chin threateningly. “But if it passes through your mind to defy me, just remember Gwen what I did to him.” Her chin still locked within his fingers he jerked it in the other direction so she was focused on the fate of her accoster.
Gwen turned away with revulsion at the wide eyed corpse as Valen let go of her chin. Meeting his eyes she felt that cold trickle again. “I understand.”
Valen smiled with satisfaction. “Well then…” His eyes glowed for a momentary second and the binds from her ankles were no more, but the ones around her arms remained.
He pushed her forward, letting out a snicker as she nearly fell. “Let’s go for that ride.”
…
It was even deeper into the wood that Valen stopped his horse. Gwen looked up, seeing a cascade of the tallest mountains blanketed in winter snow.
Guessing her thoughts, Valen told her after getting down from the horse, “That’s where we’ll be heading by late morning.”
Gwen frowned, thinking how he made no sense. “It would take at least three days to get that far, and only by riding nonstop.”
“Not if you have powers of sorcery.”
As his hands gripped her waist, she shrieked away, but Valen simply held on, pulling her all the way down. Seeing her questioning look, he told her plainly, “You’ve behaved so I’m being nice. I can be even nicer if…”
He leered like he had before. Coldly Gwen turned away, waiting for the second slap, but Valen just shrugged it off. “You can gratify me later. I’m tired and you probably are too. Let’s get some sleep.”
The ground was hard, but she’d rather have it against her body than any part of him. She shivered tightly, feeling his hand lock around one of her bound arms. He led her to a tree. “Here. Now sit down.”
Lifting her head after down on the ground , she pleaded. “Can you let my arms go now?”
“No.
“But the binds, they’re hurting the midsection of my body. Please.”
He was unconvinced.
She made amends to her statement. “Maybe you could keep me tied up, but bring the binds up a bit higher. Please just do that.”
He fixed his eyes on her for a long moment, squatting down and shaking his finger in front of her nose. “If you try anything-
“I won’t. You’ve already proven to me what you can do. I can barely get my breath like this. Please.”
She expected him to show no remorse, but there was a slight flicker in his eyes before he relented.
Maybe he did have a conscience?
She waited, feeling his eyes traveling down her body, bringing her on edge again. His fingers ran over her chin. Gwen’s breath shivered as he asked her quietly, “You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
She shook her head. “No-
“A lie.” He gave an unbothered shrug, moving his fingers away from her chin. “No matter. I’ll find it out. In this body’s form my magic is just a little slower. By morning it’ll have its regular speed again.”
“Who are you really?”
“I told you by morning you’d know.” He smiled with drilled intent. “And I’ll know everything about you.”
She hated that answer. “My binds…”
When he showed no intention to help her, Gwen lowered her head in misery, but then felt it, how they just slightly levitated so they no longer pressed against her midsection. She looked up, seeing the last golden glow in his eyes, and then he was walking away to lay down on his bedroll, just a few feet away.
Gwen started to move forward to lie down, but was restricted. It was his last bit of magic before he started to close his eyes. Even though he had kept it that the binds were raised, they were now also wrapped around the tree trunk, making her a solid prisoner.
~*~
It was the oddest dream. Merlin woke from it with not so much a shiver, instead bewilderment. It made no sense really. Even stranger was the fact that he had walked far enough away from Sir Michael that he couldn’t even see a glimmer of their bedrolls anymore.
“Hello Emrys.”
Merlin turned around at the voice, lifting his hand in warning. The last time he heard that name used was when Morgana and Agravaine attacked Camelot. Agravaine was dead though, and it wasn’t a woman who was standing before him in a cloak the blended color of the river waters.
The man smiled calmly, putting up his hand. “Ease your stance. I mean no ill will.”
The man whispered the word for it and a ball of light was suddenly glowing within his palm. Merlin looked up to the man’s face. He had hair like the color of wheat fields, although just a bit darker with sprinkled grays, and he knew magic obviously. “You’re one of the Druids.”
The man extended his free hand in a friendly gesture. “Yes. I am Serac.”
“I didn’t know there were Druid camps this far to the north.”
“Emrys, there are many all over. Now with Arthur as king, we have less to fear. Our people are not ready to leave the wood yet, but at least we have some peace.”
Merlin nodded. “Arthur has done his best to not interfere with your ways of life.”
“And you are much of the reason for that.”
Merlin grimaced, confused.
Serac smiled, letting the ball of light float into the air, hovering just above them for strong enough illumination. “I should explain perhaps. My name is tied to the water, as it is a portion of my greatest gift. Looking into the pools of the forest, I can see much.”
“So you are a seer?”
Serac shook his head. “No, but it is somewhat similar. Emrys, you came into these woods with much on your mind. I can see it in your eyes now. You are troubled. Why?”
To that Merlin gave a shrug. “I don’t know if it’s so much troubled as uncertain of-
He stopped in midsentence, noticing something at the latch of Serac’s cloak, shining like burnt copper. He gestured forward wonderingly. “Serac, what is that?”
The elder man detached it from his cloak, lifting it up to the light. “It is an ancient amulet, Emrys, conveying the elements.”
“Wind, water, earth and fire?” Merlin asked.
Serac smiled with approval. “Yes. It is tied into the oldest of magics, more of the spirit than any potion.”
“Does it have any power?” Merlin asked.
To that Serac shrugged. “It depends mostly upon its wearer. Magic of the elements can produce much, but to use it rashly is a grave mistake. It darkens the soul.”
“What kinds of magic then is the amulet capable of?” Merlin asked curiously, something nagging in his mind, but he couldn’t pinpoint it.
“Alterations of the weather, rumblings of the earth, changings of shape, and then there is the darkest: messing with the mind and conducting the force of death.”
Merlin shivered. Serac placed the amulet in his hand. It was beautifully ornamented, divided into the four sections of the elements. And there was something ever so strangely familiar about it, but Merlin couldn’t identify what it was.
“You indeed look troubled, Emrys.”
Merlin shook his head, remembering what Gwen told him. “No. I’m just…I had a strange dream. It was about the winter mountains, searching for someone. But there was no reason for it. The mountains are far away and we’re almost to spring.”
“Yet not quite there.” Serac echoed, gently taking the amulet from Merlin, then placing his hand down upon his.
Merlin looked down at the withered skin, wrinkled by the elements of nature mostly, asking, “Why do your people call me Emrys?”
“Emrys means immortal. You are meant to live far beyond the man you now serve. To him you are Merlin, a fine enough name on its own, but there will come the day when you will enter the forest, become one with it, and that is when the time of Emrys will be. Merlin will disappear.”
Riddles. Just like the dragon. It was the fullest answer ever though. Merlin shook his head, thinking he better get back. “I should go.”
Serac caught his hand however before he could leave, whispering with warning, “I saw the snows too in the pond tonight. Mountains filled with them. Your dream was not without purpose Emrys. I am just not clear on its quality of importance. It seems we can only wait for time to pass to get more answers. All I know is I sense a great evil.”
“Morgana?” Merlin asked tightly.
Serac shook his head. “Possible. But I do not feel this is solely about the witch. It involves one of ours who has forgotten the peaceful teachings, who has turned against them.”
“Morgana practices dark magic.”
“Emrys, there is magic even darker than that of what she’s used.”
Merlin shivered at that, recalling what Serac said previously. “You said it was one of yours?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“We do not know.”
“How can you not-
Patiently, Serac explained. “When one of ours turns we can feel the change of the elements, but identifying said person is never so easy.”
It wasn’t a very reassuring answer. Merlin planned to talk to Gaius about it when he returned to Camelot and warn Arthur if necessary. For now though he needed to get back to the camp where Sir Michael was resting. So he bid goodnight to Serac who told him before he could leave, “Be careful Emrys. And don’t be so quick to neglect your dreams. They may be warnings.”
~*~
It was during the most advanced hours of night that Gwen opened her eyes. She turned her head as much as she could, hearing his deep snores. Cautiously she lowered her eyes, pressing with her bound hands to her midsection, relieved that he had raised the binds so they didn’t weigh so heavily there.
Recalling earlier events in the day, she smiled with fragile hope…
“So Gauis…is it my mother’s illness?”
The physician shook his head. “Nothing such.”
“Gauis?”
“You are with child Gwen.”
In the cold wooded darkness, alone with a vicious man, Gwen caressed her stomach as much she could, whispering, “I promise I will protect you.”
It was why she stopped fighting against Valen and begged him to raise the binds. It was why when those binds first wrapped around her body she did everything she could to land on her side and felt relief when she did. It was why she was being so careful, taking no rash chances, for the life growing within her needed its mother’s guard.
She thought of Arthur, the way he held her in bed, the way his lips would move over her body, the way one of those nights it must have been, that their bodies were intertwined, this life came to be. Tears fell on her cheeks.
“Arthur…I love you…we both do…please my love…find us.”
Gaius told her the dizziness was okay, a side effect and that her pregnancy might be a bit troublesome as her mother sometimes had the same. But she had no signs of any other kind of illness. She was perfectly fine, just expectant.
Gwen had felt herself then responding to the news cautiously. She was thrilled and yet often women were hindered by complications. A budding life was suddenly lost. She didn’t want to give Arthur such joy and then have it stolen away. And she didn’t want anyone else to know before he did.
However, she had no choice but to tell Merlin when she realized he was thinking the worst. And hearing that Arthur felt the same, she swore Merlin to secrecy about just the pregnancy.
Now, alone, Gwen didn’t want to hide it anymore, not from her husband. If she could just see him now, she’d rush into his arms and let him know.
Oh, she had to be the protector, courageous in mind and body. And so she’d do that to the best of her ability. She felt no building bump there now, but soon enough, her stomach would be flushed with growing life. “Do not fear. My dear one. I will let no harm come to you.”
She was more anxious than tired, but the new life needed to be nurtured, so she closed her eyes.
Day Five