Fragile Peace
DAY FIVE: Sleeping Guards
It had to be a side effect of staying at her place so often. Arthur was up the next morning earlier than the dawn, restless. It would probably take Merlin at least a few crows of the cock to arrive. Arthur paced the room, his bare feet slapping against the stone.
~*~
A cock’s crow past the dawn, he was up. He gazed down at his hands, at their thinness, long fingers, and then felt his hair, the thick waviness now gone. Turning his head, he saw hers slumped against the trunk as much as possible with the binds keeping her in place. It seemed she hadn’t attempted escape, or if she had, soon realized it was futile.
He moved down to get his cloak that he had wrapped around his body in the night to keep off the evening’s chill. Reaching for the opening at the neckline, his fingers missed something usually in place.
“No.” He glanced over at the sleeping woman. It was her, wasn’t it? When they battled in the wood, she knocked it off. He walked over the woodland surface, snapping a branch into half with his boots. Her eyes came to alertness rapidly, before he could bend down to get her attention. They widened as it must have registered.
Rarely a deep sleeper, so unlike Arthur, Gwen felt a presence that made her wake. Now she gaped at the stranger. However there was something distantly familiar about him that unfortunately didn’t appease her mood.
“Well good morning Gwen.”
“What happened to Valen?”
He laughed at that, the sound coming out like a snake’s hiss. “He’s me of course. Oh I never explained, did I? That was a cover. Camelot guard is on such high patrol, had to find a way to get in.”
“But Percival knew you.”
He smiled benignly. “Of course he did. In every aspect I was Valen. I had his bones, his muscles, his personality, and even his blood. We took that all from the real man, just bits of it. That’s how the spell works. Bit by bit. They die ever so slowly, ever so painfully. By the time they’re fully gone, their body is pieced apart, flesh everywhere.”
She had very little last night, but what she had came up now. Gwen lowered her head away from her dress and vomited onto the forest floor, physically sick, and mentally filled with revulsion.
“Yes, it’s really very awful. Imagine having to wear in your hair and such pieces of a man, even if it is turned to solid liquid.”
Gwen gave dry heaves, pressing down upon her stomach with the loose part of her fingers before she looked up, shaken to the core. “Who are you? What…are you?”
“Oh now that’s quite insulting. Although you weren’t all that keen on Morgana helping me years ago either so I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised.”
His answer perplexed her as she tried to wipe at her mouth, the strong distaste of sickness against her tongue.
The man sighed. “Alas, I can’t keep you from cleaning yourself off. To be sick and have that awful taste in your mouth. Here…” He whispered benevolently, magically undoing the binds securing her arms. Gwen gasped at the sudden loss of pressure, her arms sore and stiff from their overnight imprisonment. When next he handed her a flask, she eyed it warily.
“It’s no more than water. Trust me Gwen if I wanted to kill you I could have done so already.”
She shakily nodded, not wanting anything from this monster, but she had another to think about and she needed to cleanse her mouth. So she took a few slow refreshing sips, the water cool. Then she gave him back the flask, eyes questioning. “You knew Morgana?”
“She helped me get out of Camelot.”
To her questioning look, he explained, “Uther Pendragon was going to execute me for having magic. I was just a boy and saw him end the life of my master, a good man who cared for me well. I could have died if it hadn’t been for your present king helping me escape, and taking me to the wood so I could return to my people.”
Gwen thought about the boy Arthur had helped years ago, but it was impossible. This was a man. “You can’t be him. You’re too old.”
He laughed, head falling back. “Oh I am, I assure you. My magic has been perfected quite nicely.”
“By the Druids?”
He shook his head. “Not entirely. They are good people, but too simple really.”
She churned it around in her mind, coming up with the name. “You’re Mordred.”
That made him smile with satisfaction. “Ah, finally. Yes, Gwen, I’m Mordred.”
“How could you have aged so quickly?”
He smiled with ease. “Magic.”
It stunned Gwen that the boy she met then was this man. Although there were striking similarities now that Valen’s features were no longer there. His skin was just as pale, his face ghostly with dark hair that limply hung around it.
“Arthur helped you, was good to you, going against his father’s orders. Wouldn’t it be a favor returned if you let me go?”
The question made Mordred laugh, rich and dark before he faced her with sinister soberness. “No, I don’t think so. You see Gwen I owe your king nothing. He was his own fool to help me. And there’s another little matter, someone I need to see and get retribution from. If Morgana had her way, if I had mine, magic would be fully restored. But this person remains stupidly silent.”
Gwen brought the focus back to her husband. “Arthur has made it a practice to leave the Druids alone. He allows no one to violate the lands that they choose to live in anymore.”
“CHOOSE?” Mordred asked darkly, touching her shoulder. “That’s the worst way to define it. His father forced them there. And I truly doubt his son is much better.”
“He saved you.”
Mordred shrugged. “Not without doubt. He has the wrong allies. I don’t trust him. Neither do I trust in you, even if you are much more enticing now that I am a man. Now get up and stretch your limbs a little because you see it’s your fault that we’re going to have to walk more. I’ll have to go back to get it after I take you there.”
“Where?” Gwen asked warily, using the support of the trunk to slowly get to her feet.
“I told you, the cold bitter mountains. See what your entrapment of magic does? Forces good people to live in elementally bitter environments.”
Gwen heard it then, the quiet thunder of horse’s hooves. “Camelot patrol.”
She hoped the flexing of her muscles had been enough because now she made a run for it, screaming.
“HELP ME!”
~*~
Arthur was already outside the castle, wondering if he should just saddle his horse to meet them in the surrounding woodland, when he saw them riding up. He ran anxiously to meet them.
“Sir Michael, Merlin!”
After they dismounted he talked to his knight about the trip, all the while aching to speak to Merlin. Getting out the necessary conversation, he patted the knight on the shoulder. “Go on then Sir Michael. Get some rest inside. We’ll actually be leaving before nightfall.”
Merlin and Sir Michael gave questioning looks so Arthur explained. “Our talks have ended. Everything is peaceful. I guess I didn’t need either of you to come, but now that you’re here, enjoy some early breakfast.” He said directly to his servant, “You, Merlin, stay. We need to talk.”
At this Merlin recalled the talk he had with Gwen before he and Sir Michael left Camelot…
Observing Merlin’s upset, wondering if he had heard the diagnosis incorrectly, Gwen clarified. “Gaius told me that I’m with child Merlin. Arthur and I are to have a baby.”
Her answer flooded Merlin with relief. She wasn’t dying, just expecting. “Gwen!” He let out with delight, hugging her.
Gwen laughed then, feeling her first sparkle of joy, going beyond the bewildered wonder she first felt. But then she pulled back, grasping Merlin’s hands.
“What is it?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m happy. Truly I am. And I’m almost certain Arthur will be too. We’ve spoken a few times of having children and I know he wants them. But Merlin, you must not say anything. Too often it happens that a woman is told she is with child and things change for the worst. I don’t want to excite him and then disappoint-
“Gwen.” Merlin squeezed her hands encouragingly. “That’s not going to happen. Gwen, this is perfect! Arthur’s tired of the two of you having to do everything in secret. He wants you to be queen.”
Gwen smiled softly at that, touching Merlin’s hand. “And I want to be it. I’m ready now. This has ensured that more than anything. But Merlin you cannot tell him. You must promise me.”
Merlin gave a heavy sigh, before nodding his head. “Okay, I understand. A little at least. It’s just he’s really worried about you Gwen.” He stated it carefully. “He thought there was the possibility that you had your…mother’s illness.”
“Oh Merlin. I didn’t know. I still need for you to give me time to tell him myself, but for now you must assure him that I’m not ill. Tell him it’s just stresses from work.”
Merlin smiled then with his inquisitive nature, just gently placing his hand near her stomach, his fingers whispering across it before he drew back with a bit of embarrassment, but he couldn’t help the light of excitement that came to his eyes. “You’re going to be a mother Gwen.”
Her head bounced up and down animatedly. After telling Merlin she was having a hard time contain it so she let out spontaneously, “And Arthur’s going to be a father!”
Merlin looked up to him now, master, friend, and destiny according to the dragon. Gwen swore him to secrecy, but this she wanted him to say and taking in the rigidness of Arthur’s jaw, Merlin knew he needed some assurance.
“She’s not sick Arthur. It’s like I told you. Gaius confirmed it. It’s just the stress of work and everyone visiting lately. He told her to rest, take a few days off. It’s not her mother’s illness.”
Arthur felt all the dread that had been suffocating him, just sail out. She wasn’t sick. He laughed, high pitched, grasping for his servant, holding Merlin in a grateful hug. “Ha ha….oh…Merlin…she’s okay!”
Merlin grinned, happy to be the carrier of great news, but wait until he heard the best of it. She was much more than just well. He clasped his friend in return. “She’s definitely okay.”
Arthur pulled back, hitting Merlin’s shoulder with one of his wry awkward moves, the way he often reacted after a hug, except with Guinevere of course.
“I’m going to ask her to be queen, Merlin, my queen…” He pointed to his heart, and then gestured more widely, “Camelot’s.”
Merlin smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”
Arthur boasted confidently. “Of course it is! It came from me!”
“Cabbage head.” Merlin good-naturedly brought in with a slight scoff.
Arthur just grinned, grabbing his servant by the shoulder so they could head into the castle.
Merlin grimaced. “So we’re going back tonight? Wasted trip.”
Arthur shook his head, looking his servant squarely in the eye. “Definitely not wasted.”
Merlin had to silently agree, wondering what would be for breakfast. He was starving!
~*~
Camelot Patrol.
Gwen ran to them with so much relief.
“Oh I’m so happy to-
Her words were cut off as at that moment a shrill scream wrenched the peace of the forest, directed straight at the men who were getting down from their horses to meet her. It made the tree branches shiver. It made the grasses on the ground tremble.
Gwen could only watch with horror, covering her ears at the terrible sound. The men flew backward through the air, slamming into the trunks of the evergreens, their necks snapping.
She turned around, seeing him standing there, glaring with golden eyes.
She picked up her feet, ran.
But his yell cut through with the most sobering of warnings.
“STOP now or I will send your body smashing into one of those tree trunks too!”
He told her then much more quietly. “All I have to do is lift one hand…open my mouth…and your life will be over.”
And that of…
She stopped at that, clutching her stomach with dread, sinking down to the ground with cold misery. Gwen lifted her hand, tears staining her face. “No, please.”
Risking her own life was risking her child’s. She wouldn’t run. The binds were there again, magically restricting her arms.
“I’m sorry.” She whispered, turning away from the lifeless bodies just a few feet away, even the horses, lain dead.
“Get up.” Mordred hissed at her. “Time to go see a friend of old.”
~*~
After having breakfast, graciously given to him by a servant of Northumbria, Merlin stood on one of the castle’s towers as Arthur was having a private meeting with the queen. Seeing them in the distance, the snowy mountains, Merlin gazed at them for a long time
Emrys…
Merlin turned around quickly.
Nothing there. No one.
He looked back to the mountains…the high peaks of packed snow…
Hearing it no more.
But it had been there.
He swore it had.
~*~
He stopped the horse, the sun already beginning to fill the sky. Only the clouds could hinder its vibrancy. Gwen looked around, noticing them. He got down from the horse. When it was her turn she gestured to her arms. “Will you remove them again Mordred?” She used his name, hiding her distaste and fear.
“Hah, foolish of you to ask. Get down.”
She sighed, feeling it. After all she hadn’t eaten since last night, only had bits of water and Gaius had told her that her body was reacting a bit moodily to the pregnancy. “Please Mordred. They are painful. I need to get my balance back.”
He stared at her curiously, reaching up to finger her cheek. She had to fight to not thrust away from his icy touch. It filled her with disquiet as he leered at her full bosom before lifting his eyes again with a predatory smile. “You got sick. Are you going to tell me what it is or should I find out in my own way?”
Gwen felt cold shivers climb up and down her arms, claw at her back. She didn’t want to know how he found things out. But she didn’t want to tell him either. So she just recoiled, pressing closer to the horse.
“Why are we here?” She asked, looking away from the wild roses she had first noticed, instead attempting a smile.
“I see no reason to answer your question when you’ve neglected mine.”
The force of his hands were upon her waist and before she could protest he gripped it tightly within his thin long fingers and roughly pulled her down from the horse. Just as Gwen felt the ground under her boots too the binds were magically gone. She was relieved once again at the use of her arms, but then his hands were locked around her middle. She turned backward, seeing his eyes glowing. Looking down, his hands were too. Feeling him touching her, she tried to push away.
“Get away from me!” She hissed, slapping at his hands.
Mordred laughed, whispering, “Oh you’re not being so nice anymore, are you?”
She tried to push away his hands. They kept probing, barely touching her, but filled with light. Gwen saw the expression in his eyes alter. She slapped his hands away, getting out of his grasp by scratching his flesh. He hissed angrily for a moment, but then suddenly laughed with wild delight.
“Oh this is so much better. You’re expecting a child?
HA HA HA.”
Away from him now, Gwen focused on the wild red roses, getting some comfort as they reminded her of Arthur, and just grateful to not have that monster’s hands touching her anymore. She lifted away a few, receiving Mordred’s wary glances. Recklessly she pulled away the petals of the three she’d grabbed into her hands and watched them descend to the ground, wild red scatters. It was a long-shot, but maybe if they left a trail, she’d be found.
Mordred guessed at what she was doing, stating dismissively, “You can stop doing that. I told you we’ll be traveling at quite a fast pace. By the time they find these fallen petals we’ll be long gone.” He looked down with irritation at his wrist that was bleeding from her scratches. Eyes glowing, he stopped the trickle of blood.
Gwen watched with wonder as his wound fully disappeared. Then she dropped more petals. Maybe it wouldn’t help them find her, but she felt better doing it. As she got ready to drop the last, she felt the binds suddenly around her arms again. Her hands falling at the force, a few petals landed vicariously in her cloak pocket.
Mordred smirked with satisfaction, stopping behind her. “There. Now you’ll stop tearing apart the innocent flowers.” He stated mockingly, before grinning with malice. “We should concentrate on your wonderful news anyway. Congratulations Gwen. I’m sure the king will be so happy-
His tone suddenly changed, his face saddening. “Oh, that’s right, the king won’t know for a long long…
LONG
Time.
In fact by the time he does…it’ll all be complete. The original idea was such a good one. But now finding out this, oh Gwen, you gave me such a suppler one. So don’t worry my Dear. I’ll make sure no harm comes to you. We’ll keep those binds nice and high, away from your stomach. Don’t want to do anything to disturb the new little life, do we?
Not before he or she serves their purpose.”
That brought out a mother’s wrath in her. All fear drained as she pushed the back of her body against him with furious protectiveness.
“You will do nothing to mine and Arthur’s child! I will not let you harm my baby! They will be no puppet to your disgusting intentions!” She spat at him. “And don’t you ever LEER at me again! For the thought of your icy fingers upon my constitution or your mouth anywhere near mine makes me sick! You are the FILTH upon the ground!”
He lifted his hand to her cheek. She held still rigidly, staring him strongly in the eye. The fear was still there, but for the moment it was pushed back. She had the strongest ally of all, impending motherhood.
She continued furiously. “Only a weak man lifts his hand to a woman he has bound in his disgusting magical binds. Desires them with their FILTHY mind when the woman has NO desire for them at all. Touch me and you will receive no reward!”
The words were like a slap to his cheek, and if he was caring they would truly bother him because she had a strong way of making people feel shameful for doing wrong. But for Mordred it just produced a trickle of annoyance and quashed the desire. Lowering his hand with a sneer, he grabbed her bound arm, pulling her with him.
“Come on. Because you tore it off me last night, now we won’t get as far as fast. We’ll use the cave instead. Oh and watch your mouth. Be rude to me again and I’ll bind it too.”
His pace was rapidly angry, so she walked as fast she could, feeling him dragging her when he wanted to. Gwen turned back to the wooded area for a moment, where she and Arthur had lay together just a day ago, with longing, wishing she was with him instead of with this monster. She buried the intimate thoughts in her heart. Mordred said something that piqued her interest.
“You said I tore something off you. What was it?”
Walking down a slight incline, keeping her close to his side, Mordred’s lips pursed with annoyance. He should have taken better care of it so her clawing little hands couldn’t reach. She was petite, but like that of a scrabbling cat that wouldn’t let someone catch them. It was only her pregnancy it seemed that toned down her attitude and that he planned to use to his advantage.
“Nothing for you to care about.”
She grimaced at that lacking answer as they entered a cave that was so densely covered in green moss it seemed to be formed of it. Although inside the walls were of jagged rock, the floor damp. He whispered a word at the surrounding darkness, conjuring a glowing ball of light.
She asked. “Why did we leave the horse?”
Mordred was growing tired of her questions, but answered this time as her knowledge might help make the transference easier.
“We’re in this cave because it is magical Gwen, infused with spells of transference that lead to another cave at the arm of the mountains. We’ll still have to walk more than we would have had otherwise, but at least what would normally take close to a week as you said, now will take little more than a day. Although you might want to prepare yourself. The mountains have yet to feel any effect of spring. The snow brings a deep chill to the body. Good for me really. The chill will insure you won’t try to escape.”
“I don’t understand. How can this cave lead to one so many miles away?”
Letting out a sigh, Mordred fused patience into his answer. “As I said, it has magic in it. So does the other. Now don’t think you can get away from me and use it yourself because it wouldn’t work. Only a person with magic can use transference and so someone without it, if they traveled alone, for them it would be nothing more than a regular cave.”
“How did you learn this?”
“The Druids teach it, how certain openings in the elements make traveling from one place to another not so hard. Since these two caves have mouths that open to each other on one side at least, we can travel from one to another using magic. It speeds up the body’s movements so what normally takes days, will take much less time. We will literally be walking faster than we feel we are.”
Gwen touched at her stomach, scared. “Can it hurt my unborn child?”
Mordred peered down at her, shaking his head. “No. It hurts no one, even those without magic. Rest assured, I have no intention of hurting your unborn child before it is put to its proper use.”
She gave him an ugly look at that.
Mordred hissed at her, “Remember what I said. My patience is wearing out and I’m hungry as I’m sure you are too. Now keep walking .”
~*~
They reached Camelot just a little before nightfall, having used a shortcut through the forest the queen told them about to get there faster than usual. Good fortune with them, it was without any type of attack, not even bandits. Arthur left his horse with Merlin and cautiously hurried to Gwen’s house, relieved that the market area was mostly empty so no one noticed him. Having a key for the entrance, he easily stepped inside. She wasn’t home which didn’t surprise him. He just hoped she wasn’t hard at work because if she was he would have to give her a strong reprimand and escort her back to her house to rest. He looked over at the table, seeing the rose there and a note. That made him smile, until he noticed the note’s longer length.
Strange.
As he read, it got even odder.
Dear Arthur,
Good news, as I’m sure Merlin has assured you of. I’m quite healthy, just a bit overworked. And so for that reason I decided to visit my friend Alana for a few days, leaving just this morning. As it was daylight hours, I felt fine to leave without any guard. I hope when you receive this you are in good spirits my love. I will see you in just a few days hence. I love you dearly, my fervor of feeling for you like that of this rose that symbolizes so much of what we are.
With the deepest love,
Guinevere
Arthur was staring at the note so much that when Merlin walked in behind him, his servant’s voice startled him.
“Arthur?”
“Ah-
The king caught his breath, grimacing at his servant. “Merlin, you should have warned me.”
“Well you’re not usually so jumpy.” Merlin looked to Arthur and the note, taking in how tightly his friend was clutching it. “What’s wrong?”
Arthur raked the house over with his eyes, finding nothing out of place, before he turned back to the note. “Guinevere left this for me. Said she was off to visit a friend for a few days. Left in the morning.”
Merlin smiled. “Well that’s good. She can get some rest then.”
“She said she loved me.”
“Uh…because she does.” Merlin stated wryly.
“No, you’re not getting it. We never say things like that in our notes to each other, never even use names, to keep up the secrecy of our marriage. Yet she addressed this to me by name and signed it with hers. She even spoke of love at least three times.”
He was fingering the rose, lips pushed forward into a discontented pout.
Merlin shrugged. “Maybe it’s her way of telling you she really is okay with the two of you making your relationship well known.”
Arthur nodded slowly. “Maybe.”
A knock came at the door before he could give it any great thought. He went to answer it. “Leon?”
The knight looked troubled. “Arthur, I heard you just got back. I need to speak to you. There have been some disturbing events in the castle.”
~*~
After Mordred told her that the cave would transfer them to another she had a strange sense, a cloudiness of their surroundings. Now she wondered if maybe they were in the next one. “Have we entered the other cave yet?” She asked, feeling his hand still firmly on her arm, those long fingers gripping at her lavender cloak.
Mordred shook his head. “Not yet, but it will be soon. I can tell right away, but you may have a little more difficulty. You’ll know for sure when the cold of the mountains is surrounding us.”
“And then where will we go after that?” Gwen asked, wishing he would undo her binds again, afraid if she asked he’d turn her down right away.
“You’ll find out when we get there.” He answered secretively.
~*~
“WHAT happened?” Arthur roared, running down the steps of the dungeons, gaping at the guards who were not moving at all, staring into space. “How could they just let him get away? Why weren’t they watching him more carefully and why are they standing there just like statues now?”
Merlin looked to the empty dungeon cell, as the guards just stood there, with those glazed looks. Hearing some noise behind him, he turned to see Percival. Merlin asked him about Valen. Since their return he hadn’t seen him. Percival told him that Valen informed him last night he’d be leaving in the morning. His sister in Escetia was quite ill. He wanted to spend at least some time visiting with her before things turned for the worse. Merlin reacted sympathetically as beyond him the king was still raging. Merlin took another look at the frozen guards, feeling icy prickles of dread climb up his back. There was nothing natural about this.
Meanwhile Leon was fruitlessly searching for a way to explain something that bewildered him too.
“I don’t know what happened, Arthur. This is how I found things after coming back from patrol. There seemed at first to be no issue with the guards that protect the gates, but with these guards frozen, now I have to wonder if there was something wrong with the gate guards too. How else could this man have gotten away? All the guards have been on such high alert. They would never allow a prisoner to escape if fully awake.”
Merlin cautiously stepped in. “But what if the guards outside had been just like the ones inside, but only last night? Look, they’re still not moving. This feels like it could be sorcery.”
Arthur thought about the peculiarities of Guinevere’s note. What if she wrote it because she was forced to? What if the prisoner who escaped had been some evil sorcerer?
“Guinevere…” He whispered with dread.
Merlin shook his head. “You don’t know for sure.”
The king pressed himself to action. He had to get to the bottom of this. He told Leon to send a patrol to Alana’s house to see if Gwen was there. Then he turned to Percival, asking about Valen. To that Percival responded just a bit defensively with the same story he related to Merlin. That was enough for Arthur.
But not for Merlin. Not about Valen per say. Just something about all of this was not adding up.
~*~
Gwen felt it as they were nearing the cave’s mouth. Even through her binds she could feel icy prickles climbing up her arms from the sudden substantial decrease in temperature.
Once they were out of the cave Mordred knew that the cold would be a big hindrance. That made him grimace tightly. If he kept Gwen tied up while walking through the mountains, she could get serious frostbite from not being able to move her limbs. Their walk through the snow shouldn’t be too long, but having her die on the way wasn’t the plan. He turned to her, decision made. “Alright, I’m going to let your arms go so you can get in some circulation, but you know what happens if you try anything.”
She nodded, showing him she understood.
Mordred whispered a word and the binds were gone. Gwen felt relief at that, but still he was durably holding her, and with the elements so harsh in the mountains, she knew it would put her unborn child at great risk to attempt to run away from him. As they came to the cave’s aperture, she shivered greatly at the abrupt iciness, goose bumps forming on her arms. “It’s awfully cold.”
Mordred nodded, tightening his cloak around his body and motioning for her to do the same, not so much to be caring, but to alleviate any problems along the way. “I know. Bundle up. The walk that I had to make last time was a few miles. Now without the amulet it’s probably a few more. So be ready.”
Feeling the flurries of wind rippling her clothing, Gwen pulled her cloak tighter around her shaking body, carefully walking with Mordred through the piled snow.
~*~
Arthur wanted to find his wife, but he had a kingdom to think about. When sided with Agravaine he often was too quick to depart on the first mission with his knights, leaving the kingdom in care of a treacherous man. He couldn’t take any chances like that now, and even though he trusted Merlin implicitly, his servant had no idea how to take care of a kingdom. So Arthur was busy putting new guards into place while putting the affected ones in Gaius’s care to end the spell that had indeed been set upon them.
It was the guards who had been at the outer gates he wasn’t sure about. They had no recognition of the night before, ANY of it, but they said they were feeling perfectly fine. Added to that, making the mystery only deeper, all were able to prove that they had watched over the kingdom since morning’s first light at least.
Observing Merlin coming out of Gaius’s quarters, Arthur asked, “So what happened?”
“Gaius doesn’t know. He said they’re just resting now, that they’ll be fine, but someone put them under some kind of spell.”
“The man who accosted Gwen?”
Merlin shook his head with uncertainty. Even if the prisoner had gone after Gwen again and that’s why she left that peculiar note, it nagged at him. The man didn’t feel like he was a sorcerer, not so powerful to complete thatsimple servant shouldn’t know such things. So he answered him cautiously.
“How are we even sure it was him? I mean, Arthur, he doesn’t seem…”
He was stammering, and Arthur wasn’t sure why, but also really didn’t care. He simply wanted to find his wife. As Merlin continued to stammer, Arthur cut through furiously, hair mussed up from his continuance of ramming his fingers through it.
“WHAT Merlin?”
Mentally struggling, Merlin flinched at Arthur’s outburst. Serac’s words were haunting him, and his dream he had too. Dark magic was in play here. Both he and Gaius believed that, but the prisoner did it?
No. Merlin didn’t believe that.
So who?
“Merlin!” Arthur yelled impatiently.
“I don’t think it was him.” Merlin rushed out.
Arthur rolled his eyes sharply. “Get out of my way Merlin. I have to talk to some of the council members, make sure the kingdom is heavily guarded.”
Merlin grasped at his red jacket though. “No. Listen to me. You always tell me I’m an idiot. But I’m telling you Arthur…it…” Merlin grimaced, unable to complete his thought without telling Arthur why he thought it. “Aaaah.”
Brows lifting with disdain, Arthur left his servant standing there in the hallway, struggling with what he did know…
And haunted by what he still didn’t.
~*~
As the cold started reaching points of intolerableness, they came to it, a cave deeply implanted within the mountains. Even though Gwen had no good feelings about what was to come, she was glad to finally have some respite from the freezing temperatures, her body coveting warmth. Plus she didn’t want to be in the dark anymore with Mordred. Since her strong rebuke he had stopped leering, but his closeness put her on edge.
As he pulled her inside, she noticed a figure standing at the back, slightly crouched, a cane in the grip of her hand. Mordred let her go and Gwen walked forward, focusing on the woman.
As she turned around, perhaps feeling their presence, Gwen blanched. There were many scars that tore through the normal pattern of skin. Even from the time they were girls and just shyly getting to know each other, Morgana had skin as fine as porcelain with eyes bright and vivid. Now that porcelain skin was wrenched through with reddened, irritated, jagged markings, some so close to her formerly bright eyes that…
Clutching her stomach, an awful shiver of realization hitting her, Gwen whispered,
“You’re blind.”
~*~
Saddle the horses, was the order that had been barked at Merlin by his anxious and angry master. The two of them along with Gwaine and Elyan would be riding out of Camelot within moments. Arthur had dealt with the safeguarding of the kingdom, placing Sir Leon in control, and now wanted to get answers to where his wife and the prisoner were. And just in case it was true that Gwen had gone to her friend’s, once the patrol returned, another one was in place to deliver the news to the king.
Merlin headed to the stables at a rapid pace, a bit put off by Arthur’s sourness. As he got close to the building he found himself looking upward to the snow topped mountains. And as he did, it happened again.
Emrys
Emrys
Like he had in Northumbria, Merlin whipped around, looking for someone to be there. It was too dark so cautiously he created a ball of light, finding no one still. He pressed his hands to his head, feeling as if he was under some kind of spell like that placed on the guards because it was as if a part of his mind was blocked. Had been for a while.
~*~
Morgana sneered at the words, leaning against her cane still, but using some of her pride to stand just a bit straighter. “I’m only half blind, but it can be blamed on you for sure. You’re the one who did this in the tunnels.”
To her biting words, Gwen slumped some in her standing. After her unpleasant trek with Mordred she was emotionally and physically exhausted, wishing for somewhere to rest, but on guard. Hatred was spewing from Morgana’s eyes, but also if she was not mistaken, a flash of pain. Gwen had never meant for it to be this way. Although Morgana had done much to hurt her, Gwen whispered now, forgetting Mordred for the moment.
“I’m sorry. I never meant to-
He didn’t let her finish, shockingly reminding that he was still there and had things to do. Mordred grabbed Gwen’s arm and with little gentleness pushed her down to a chair, telling her to shut her mouth and sit. Then he made his way to Morgana who fingered at his hair for a moment, seeing it through her blurry vision. What she had told Gwen was true. That day it was the rumblings of the earth that kept her from going totally blind. It jarred her away from the pools of acid and actually saved her, in part.
“It’s completely faded now.” Morgana told Mordred, moving her hand away from his natural dark hair.
“Right. And I need you to set it in one more time.”
Morgana hadn’t wanted to deal with it again. She would love to just throw the contents of the cauldron out as it brought a bad odor to the cave and the sight of what it represented repulsed her stomach. “Why?”
Mordred pointed at Gwen with careful whispers, not wanting to make her privy. “She was like a wild cat, tore away my amulet that the Druids gifted me with. I can still do the transference, but other spells are limited, and the transference itself doesn’t travel as far. Plus it has sentimental value. Thus I want it back.”
After hearing his reasons, Morgana focused on Gwen, noting that she was poorly dressed for the winter weather in one of those plunging neckline dresses. She noted too how Gwen’s eyes were going back and forth warily from one part of the cave to another, the evidence of magical ware likely bothering her. Morgana held little pity for that. She ambled past Mordred, going to the pot.
Cautiously curious about what was to happen, Gwen watched Mordred sit in front of the pot. As Morgana spooned the thick heavy liquid from it, her insides twisted. The stench was horrible. Her stomach heaved again uncontrollably, forcing her to press her hand to her mouth and look away from the disgusting display.
Flinching himself, hating this part of it, Mordred revealed to Morgana, “Poor Gwen was feeling ill during our trip.” He purposely kept his voice high to see how the handmaiden would react.
Morgana focused on Gwen, noticing her discomfort. Mordred was right. She did look not so well, her body giving shivers, and her face reddened from the bitter cold she’d been exposed to outside. Morgana turned away.
What did she care about the woman’s discomfort? It was no mercy mission to bring her here.
Mordred passed a crude smile in Gwen’s direction as he told Morgana more. “I kept wondering. Then I decided, enough. Using magic, I was able to find out her secret. You see Morgana, there was a perfectly good reason why Gwen was feeling so unbalanced. She’s expecting a child.”
It punctured Morgana like an arrow piercing her shoulder. She waited, and as Gwen faced her, knew it was for certain. Then turning away from the handmaiden, working with the liquid that would lead to Mordred’s final mutation as Valen, the unexpected news churned in her mind. It would seem that such news would make her delighted. It was the perfect way to get her revenge after all, but now with Mordred smiling so calculatedly, Morgan was twisted with indecision.
“Isn’t it wonderful news?” Mordred asked, smiling over at the handmaiden, taking a pointed look at her stomach.
Watching as Gwen angled her eyes away from him, protectively wrapping her arms around her stomach, Morgana faintly nodded, her voice a tad hoarse.
“Yes…wonderful.”
~*~
Having done some heavy riding for days now, Merlin was tired, but still he dutifully rode alongside his king as night approached, just as anxious to find Gwen. As they approached the woodland’s densest areas, Merlin heard Arthur’s quiet warning.
“Shhh…”
The trees rustled, although not from the wind it seemed. Arthur silenced everyone further with a gesture of his hand, holding his sword ready as Gwaine and Elyan did too. The three of them got down from their horses. Arthur gestured for Merlin to stay behind, which made Merlin feel mildly annoyed. No matter. He always followed close behind anyway. The sound was getting closer, the tree branches actually being jostled by whoever or whatever was there.
The knights guarded Arthur on each side, cautiously holding their sword read as he reached into the foliage and grasped at something. Whipping it around, it became evident that it was a person, a man, dirtied and injured.
“Sire!”
“Valen?”
~*~
Feeling unwell, cold and her stomach empty, Gwen moaned softly, unable to contain it. Watching Mordred physically turn into Valen using whatever crude material was in that cauldron, had added to her unsettlement. She wished she could just close her eyes and forget everything, be in her small home with Arthur’s arm wrapped snugly around her waist as was his usual when they slumbered together.
Faintly she realized a question was being asked of her. Gwen turned. “What?”
Morgana heavily dropped the spoon back into the stew, having just finished it. After Mordred bound Gwen’s legs and left, Morgana remained focused on her cooking, mostly ignoring Gwen. Now seeing her looking entirely miserable, she proposed it again.
“I asked if you would like some. The stew is hot. You were out in the snow. It’s no wonder you’re shivering so much. And you said you are with child. You’ll need to eat then and keep your body warm I’d imagine.”
She couldn’t help but state coldly, “You see I wouldn’t know for certain as I’ve never had a man to share a child with. Arthur must be over the moon.”
Gwen shook her head, the bindings on her legs troublesome in that they hindered her from walking, but at least not painful. “He doesn’t know yet. I only found out today. Or what I think is today.”
Morgana laughed at Gwen’s last comment as she spooned out the stew now for them into two crude little iron bowls. “Yes, magic can make things confusing at times. So hard to rely on. Like handmaidens.” She dryly added. Then she brought the bowl to Gwen, shoving it against her hands without much friendliness. “Here. You’ll want to eat it while it’s hot, but be careful because as it’s still steaming it can burn your tongue. Give it a blow.”
Gwen lowered her eyes to the stew with a wary look. It smelled good and looked delicious, but…
Morgana gave a sneer, the scars making her face look ugly for a fast moment. She gestured towards herself with a laugh. “Ah, I remember the time I was the loveliest woman in Camelot.” She reacted to Gwen’s flinching look. “Not so much anymore am I. No matter. Ugliness has its merits, does a good job of scaring away potential enemies.”
Shaking her head, Gwen still did not eat the stew.
Morgana sat down in a chair far away from her former handmaiden, as distanced as she could get anyway in the confined environment of the cave. Taking her spoon, she lifted some of the stew to her mouth, giving it a good swallow after swishing around its heat with her tongue. “See, no poison. Just vegetables and broth. I promise you…there’s no ACID in it.”
That stung. Gwen frowned at her. “I never meant to push you into it. You wouldn’t get away from me. I had to defend myself!”
Morgana turned away from her, letting out angrily. “Eat if you want to or not. You shouldn’t waste good food though. It isn’t always so easy to come by in the mountains or forest. We don’t have a grouping of grand kitchens like you do at the castle, the one I should have been queen of.”
Gwen was hungry, her stomach rumbling now so angrily, but Morgana’s comments were upsetting. She kept jibing at her like she had that day. “What do you want with me?”
Morgana answered her offhandedly. “At the moment for you to eat the stew so it doesn’t go to waste. I spent hours cooking it.”
“And after that?” Gwen pointedly asked.
Morgana smiled malignly at her, but it didn’t come out quite as she had intended. She was still off-balanced by the fact her handmaiden was pregnant and obviously feeling poorly. “Eat the stew.” She told her only, turning away.
Gwen finally did, the strong heat gone, as now it just lukewarmly gave mild comfort to her shivering.
~*~
Arthur stood back, lowering his sword and grasping Valen’s arms, noticing the cuts in his tunic and the dirt upon his clothes, hands and face. “What happened?”
Shaking his head strongly, Valen told him with heavy breaths. “No time. Sire, he took Gwen.”
“Who?” Arthur asked strongly.
“The prisoner.” Valen stated and as everyone stared at him, he quickly filled them in on the details.
“I was riding away from Camelot, ready to go to Escetia to see my sister who has been ill. I got delayed by a group of troublesome bandits and then my horse stumbled on some loose rock. It was an eventful trip from the start. I was much behind on time. And that’s when I saw him, rushing through the forest, holding someone in his grasp. I used my horse to cut him off. We got into it. He nicked me good here on the shoulder.”
Valen showed him his worst injury, nothing fatal, but would need some care soon enough.
“I wanted to get Gwen away from him. I swear Sire, but he used that moment to get back on his horse and took her with him. I tried to chase after them, but with my horse’s earlier stumble he wasn’t running as fast and I-
Arthur cut the man off, putting his hand on his uninjured shoulder. “No Valen. You did well.”
Merlin peered at Valen curiously, noticing it as Arthur turned away to share some tense words with his knights and then afterward Gwaine rode seemingly in the direction back to Camelot. Valen kept gazing down at the ground almost like he was looking for something.
What?
As Arthur was still talking with the knights Valen interrupted importantly. “Sire, there’s more. I don’t know how I could not have seen it right away before. It kept nagging at me, but I couldn’t put the pieces together. And tonight I finally got it. The prisoner’s wanted for heinous crimes against three individuals in Escetia. One of them was a woman. I’ve heard rumors that he’s been living in this cabin on the outer borders.”
The response made Arthur blanch as it horrified him now what could happen to his wife. He caught Elyan’s expression, just as anxious. Arthur recalled it then, asking Valen, “Do you think he could be working with Morgana?”
Merlin swore he saw Valen flinch before he gave a tight scowl.
“The woman some call the witch? The one who tried to take Camelot? Oh no Sire. He’s no sorcerer.”
Arthur just nodded, Valen telling him apologetically, “I’m sorry Sire. I see so many faces on posters and all. I didn’t realize it was him until I had to fight him tonight. If there was any way I could have saved Gwen I would-
Arthur put his hand up, cutting the other man off. “No. It’s alright. Just…here I have a map. Do your best to show me where you think this cabin would be.”
“Of course Sire.”
Merlin noticed something else now with a touch of stark alarm. In the moon’s strongest light, parts of Valen’s hair looked near jet black and they had a whole different texture. Strange. It was still there too, every time Arthur was focused away from him. Valen’s eyes were indeed scrutinizing the forest floor.
Backing away, Merlin went over things. Even Valen didn’t believe that the prisoner knew magic, but the guards had been put under a strong spell. That meant someone else was involved. Backing up further, to where the trees foliage hid him, Merlin whispered a word, getting his eyes to magically focus with greater intensity.
As Arthur spoke with Elyan, Valen noticed that Merlin was standing much further away from all of them. He had the oddest feeling that Emrys was starting to put things together. That wouldn’t do well for their plan. Of course he had another slight issue. Morgana no longer wanted to be queen. Although Mordred was quite sure that he’d be able to convince her, especially when he helped her get rid of those ugly scars in the future. For now, they were useful, as they kept her vulnerable.
Meanwhile it delighted him that he would no longer have to play the part of the stupid brute Valen, a magic-less idiot. Hmmm, magic. What was Merlin picking up now? Oh fie. Mordred glared as he realized what the object was, thinking how Emrys would pay for his meddling later. Maybe he found that, but he wouldn’t be able to locate the body of the prisoner. He had dumped it into the lake earlier. Plus whatever Emrys was thinking, he would have a hard time convincing the others of it. Emrys had to know he would never be believed over a knight.
Feeling like someone was watching him for a moment, Merlin quickly picked up the piece he had found, pocketing it into his jacket for later perusal, glancing at his king’s distressed expression. This had to be so hard for him.
It most definitely pained Arthur greatly, but he knew they had to make camp as riding at night deeply into the forest would be too precarious. Valen stated that the prisoner rarely did any awful deeds right away and would hold out for gold if he could get it. It was that in part why Arthur sent Gwaine back to Camelot, to get some gold if needed for a ransom, and secondly to alert Percival of what was going on. Valen would camp with them too. Since his sister lived opposite to where they were going in Escetia, he’d then go his separate way in the morning. For now, Merlin would treat Valen’s injuries.
…
“You look troubled Merlin.” Cleaning off the last of Valen’s wounds, Merlin nodded. “There’s a lot going on. I just hope we find Gwen safe tomorrow.”
“Yes, I hope the same. I’m sorry I can’t ride out with you all.”
To that Merlin shook his head, carefully bandaging Valen’s shoulder. “You have your sister to think about.”
“Yes Em-
Merlin stared. Valen laughed, sounding nervous. Merlin gave an inquisitive shrug. “Were you just about to call me something else?”
Nodding his head, Valen admitted it. “Yeah, know this man named Emerich. Makes sense I nearly called you by his name. You both kind of look alike, but he doesn’t wear brightly colored scarves like you.” He laughed.
Merlin did too, for a short moment. Around them everyone was starting to go to sleep. He gestured, finished with Valen’s bandaging. “Well you’re probably tired. Best to get some sleep since we’ll be riding out early, you to see your sister, us to find Gwen.”
Merlin lay down on his blanket, closing his eyes, hoping Valen did the same.
~*~
Day Five/Day Six