Merlin's Daughters Page 8

  Chapter 5

  As the years passed, the monarchs of the Nether Realms, who were acquainted with the Black Fairy and knew her capabilities, maintained their vigilance and stockpiled food, medicine and weapons. For most of the regular inhabitants of the Nether Realms, however, life went on as it always had.

  The Druids and the villagers on Avalon became complacent. The Druid decided that the Fairy Queen must have been either mistaken or she had been trying to trick him. The Human villagers were unaware of the warning because the abbot had not seen fit to bother to tell anyone.

  Virtually all of the residents of the Human Realm were oblivious to the approaching storm. Merlin and the Nether World spies were the only exceptions.

  Merlin did not know where the Black Fairy was hiding, but he knew that she was waiting and watching for an opening. As Arthur grew in wisdom and power, Merlin became certain that Arthur was the weapon the Black Fairy had chosen to use against her sister. She might use Human beings as her tools and their Realm as one of her battlefields, but the real object of her aggression had nothing to do with Humans. The Black Fairy's goal was nothing less than the throne of the Fairy Queen.

  Well before Merlin believed Arthur was ready, Uthur sent word to Merlin that he was dying and he wanted to recognize Arthur and designate him as heir.

  The time had come for Arthur to assume his birthright. Merlin spoke first to Sir Hector, explaining that Arthur was not a bastard, but was in fact the crown prince and rightful heir to the throne of the High King. Sir Hector was pleased to have been the chosen guardian for so precious a treasure, although he would have preferred to have been informed about it earlier, preferably by Uthur rather than a wizard whom he didn't really trust.

  Sir Hector and Merlin spoke with Arthur, together. They informed him that he was the son of Uthur Pendragon, and that he would be king. They also informed him that Uthur was dying and wanted to recognize Arthur to protect his claim to the throne. After an appropriate amount of humble protestations as to his unworthiness for the role, Arthur accepted its reality and asked Merlin to accompany him to Londanum. He was eager to meet his father before Uthur died.

  They left for Londanum the next day, escorted by Sir Hector and Arthur's foster brother, Kay. While they were still miles from Londanum, they received word that Uthur had already died. Arthur worried that no one would believe he was the rightful heir to the throne. Merlin told him not to worry about it. He said he was sure Uthur would have told someone to expect Arthur's arrival.

  Merlin was wrong about that. Whether due to the machinations of the Black Fairy or because Uthur was much sicker than he realized, Uthur died without mentioning to anyone the fact that he had a legitimate son and heir. He also failed to make any provisions for a Regent to rule until Arthur came of age.

  Arthur's entourage arrived in Londanum only hours after Uthur's burial. The city was in chaos. Bands of thugs roamed the streets stealing, raping and pillaging at will. Sir Hector's group came under attack near the center of the city. Kay and Sir Hector moved to Arthur's side in an effort to protect him. A melee broke out and someone knocked Kay's sword from his hand. It fell to the ground and a horse stepped on it, breaking it. Kay and Arthur looked at the broken sword in horror, paralyzed with fear. Merlin had moved in close to Arthur as well. He laughed silently and then yelled at Arthur, “Your brother needs a sword. Go fetch him that one,” pointing at a sword sheathed in a block of stone in the middle of the square. Without hesitating or thinking about the impossibility of pulling a sword out of a block of stone, Arthur whirled his horse and rushed to the stone, pushing aside would-be attackers. He jumped off the horse and vaulted up onto the block of stone, not hesitating so much as an instant to consider the impossibility of extracting a sword from a block of solid granite.

  Arthur grabbed the haft and pulled upwards. As if it were melting, the stone gave way. Arthur raised the sword above his head, shouting to Kay over the din of the fracas, “Brother, here, take this sword in place of the one that was lost!”

  The fight halted instantly as the combatants from both sides marveled at the sight of the gloriously handsome and powerful young man standing atop the stone, wielding what appeared to be the Pendragon sword over his head. Arthur was ignorant of the significance of the sword in the stone, but everyone else in the square that morning knew the story of the Pendragon sword that could only be freed by the rightful heir to the throne. Those present in the square knelt and did obeisance to their new king, and then they scattered to the four corners of the city to announce the news that the new King had revealed himself.

  Arthur's party moved on toward the palace, with the citizens of Londanum lining the streets bowing and cheering, and greeting King Arthur for the first time.

  With Merlin as his principal advisor, along with his foster brother Kay, whom he knighted within minutes of his own coronation, Arthur's rule began on an auspicious note.

  He did not like the cramped and dank castle in the city of Londanum, so he moved his court to the nearby village of Carleon where he built a castle he called Camelot and gathered around him a cohort of knights whose mission would be to recruit and train fighting forces. Uthur's kingdom had shrunk during the last years of his reign, as his strength had wained and the Saxons and other enemies took advantage. Arthur was determined to take back the lost territory, and, after that, to expand the Pendragon kingdom to include the whole of Britain.

  Arthur's knights were to be the key to his plans. His kingdom was under siege and Arthur planned to break the dual threats of Saxon invaders and Norse raiders by force of arms. In order to do that he had to overcome the fear and timidity of the Britons, turning thousands of otherwise meek peasants into warriors. He recruited knights from Britain as well as from across the seas. With Kay running the household and Lancelot, Gawain, Gaheris and others recruiting and training more knights, Arthur devoted himself to making alliances, and building up a war chest to fund the battles to come. It was a busy and heady time. It seemed to those around him that everything Arthur undertook succeeded beyond even Arthur's expectations. His successes bred confidence in his knights and subjects alike. The growing reputation of Arthur's army attracted more knights and strong young men who wanted to learn to be knights.

  Arthur's transformation of his kingdom from a sleepy land populated by peasants and the odd peddler into an armed camp got the attention of other kings in the land. Some sought to become his allies. Others – especially the Saxon invaders – prepared for war.

  Merlin knew he could not protect Arthur in battle. He sent a message to the Fairy Queen requesting a meeting in Avalon. She agreed and met him in the Boatman's cottage to avoid the prying eyes of the Druids. They talked for a few minutes and then argued for hours. When the shouting and swearing was over, Merlin left for the Human Realm and the Fairy Queen waited in the Boatman's cottage until she was sure he was far away. Hours later, she sent a Messenger to Gretel and then, under the cover of a moonless night, she, too, took the ferry toward the Human Realm.

  Disguised as a peddler she made her way to the hidden lake her Messengers had described. She hid in the trees for a long time, wrapping herself in an enchantment that rendered both her person and her magic invisible. Then she entered the icy waters and plunged to the depths. When she arrived at the Temple, she shook herself dry and touched the stone sarcophagus, saying, “The time has come, Milady. Arthur has need of strong protection in war.”

  The stone sarcophagus melted revealing Nimue, who greeted the Fairy Queen. They discussed the situation and Nimue agreed that it was time to put Excalibur in Arthur's hand. Nimue stood next to the altar and laid her hands on Excalibur with the gentleness and love of a mother toward her infant, “Are you sure Arthur is ready? Has Merlin prepared him well?”

  Gwyneth pursed her lips as though she'd tasted something sour, “Quite honestly, I doubt it. I don't know that Merlin himself even understands the power or significance of Excalibur. I don't. Do you?”
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br />   Nimue smiled, “Excalibur is almost as ancient as Merlin and me. Its significance is something none of us can fully comprehend with our minds. Excalibur's importance is in its power, not in its meaning. The important question for us now is whether or not Excalibur will choose Arthur.”

  “Do you think it will?”

  “I don't know, but there is only one way to find out. We have to put it in Arthur's hand and let Excalibur determine whether or not he is worthy. That will be dangerous, because if Excalibur does not choose Arthur as its Companion, Arthur will die when he touches the sword.” She hesitated and looked at the box in which Excalibur rested, adding, “The problem is that Excalibur will continue to be vulnerable until it finds a Companion of its choosing.”

  “How do you propose to protect it until we can get it to Court?”

  “I don't think we can risk moving it all the way to Camelot. Arthur will have to come here to fetch it.” Nimue paused, thinking for a long time, “Go to Merlin. Tell him to bring Arthur here. Excalibur trusts me. I will put it in Arthur's hand. Then we will just have to see what happens.”

  Gwyneth flew to Camelot, under the cloak of invisibility. Before exiting the forest, she assumed the form of a Wise Woman seeking an audience with Merlin. They met in his chamber, arguing and debating late into the night. Finally, Merlin agreed to the plan because he could think of no acceptable alternative. He admitted that he believed Arthur was as worthy to handle Excalibur as any Human could be, but he insisted he had always had the understanding that Excalibur was never to be wielded by a Human. Gwyneth suggested that he might be wrong, knowing she was perhaps the only creature in any of Earth's realms who could get away with saying that to Merlin. They argued and debated for a few more hours, until Merlin relented.

  He finally agreed that they had to take the chance. If Excalibur chose Arthur, the glorious future Merlin had invented in his head would surely come to pass. If Excalibur did not choose Arthur, he would die, but if Merlin refused to put Arthur to the test, he would very likely die anyway – at the hands of a bloody Saxon on some remote battlefield. With Gwyneth's urging and in the knowledge that the idea originated with Nimue, whose wisdom he trusted, Merlin finally agreed that it was worth the risk.

  Gwyneth returned to the lake to alert Nimue that Arthur would be coming shortly. Nimue released Excalibur from its sarcophagus. She held it up for Gwyneth to see, and its power and it pent up energy vibrated, emitting a low hum that sounded as though it came from deep in the earth. The shaft of the sword glowed with a bluish cast, like the surface of a lake at dawn on a windless day. It sang out joyously at its liberation. Nimue shushed it. Excalibur stopped singing, but continued to vibrate and shimmer.

  Gwyneth asked if she might touch it. Excalibur went silent and ceased to glow. Gwyneth chuckled and jerked her hand away. “I'll take that for a 'no'.”

  Nimue laughed, and Excalibur resumed its throbbing and humming, at a slightly higher pitch. Gwyneth thought the humming sounded like laughter, too. She gazed on the amazing sword in awe and gratitude for all the years it had protected her and her subjects. They all knew that difficult times lay ahead and they would face the trials together. Gwyneth bowed low before the sword and it accepted her obeisance with a happy hum.

  After a while, a change came over the sword, in both its appearance and the noise it made. Its color changed from bluish to a golden glow that was almost to bright to look at, and the noise it made was ecstasy that rose up from the Earth and reached the Heavens. Neither Gwyneth nor Nimue had any doubt that Excalibur had chosen its Companion, and Arthur was approaching.

  Nimue said, “Arthur is coming. I must take Excalibur to the surface.”

  Gwyneth asked if she might be allowed to watch. Excalibur did not protest, so Gwyneth hid in the trees opposite the place Arthur and Merlin would emerge from the forest. Nimue carried Excalibur to a place in the middle of the lake, and held it just beneath the surface.

  Merlin, who knew how to participate in theater even when he wasn't creating it, led Arthur to the edge of the water and ordered him to simply wait and watch. Arthur stood beside the still water that was so deep and murky it looked like melted chocolate. Not so much as a breath of wind disturbed the glassy surface of the lake. Nothing happened. Arthur turned to Merlin with a question on his face. Merlin motioned for Arthur to concentrate on the lake, making a rather impatient gesture.

  Hidden away in the trees, Gwyneth was amused at the silent tug-of-war going on between Merlin and Nimue. He irritably wanted her to get on with the presentation of Excalibur. She preferred to take her time. She supposedly wanted Excalibur to consider Arthur's merits. Merlin knew she was playing a game with him. Gwyneth wanted to laugh but was afraid that any sound or movement would break the tension. Excalibur's energy vibrated just under the surface of the water and tiny wavelets could soon be seen traveling outwards from the center. Arthur noticed, and stepped into the water itself in an effort to see beneath the dark surface. Excalibur responded by shooting up out of the water and cart-wheeling directly toward Arthur. As though he knew what was happening, Arthur raised his right hand. Excalibur flipped over, slowed down and slid its haft into Arthur's waiting hand. The sword glowed golden and emitted a high-pitched moan, quivering and throbbing in delight.

  Merlin looked terrified.

  Gwyneth could tell that beneath the lake, Nimue was laughing, laughter that could be seen as pulses on the surface of the water.

  Gwyneth had mixed feelings at seeing Excalibur so delighted to be in Human hands. She was thrilled to see the might and beauty of Excalibur raised high and ready for action, but she feared what might befall her and the Fairies if the Humans claimed Excalibur forever. In addition, she took a moment to enjoy Merlin's discomfiture. She shared Nimue's delight at the joke on Merlin. It was fun to trick the ultimate trickster, if only once.

  Up until that point, she had focused solely on Excalibur. When she happened to glance at Arthur, she was struck dumb with awe at the incredible sight of the young king standing ankle-deep in the dancing water, hoisting the joyous Excalibur over his head. Arthur was looking up at Excalibur with the kind of naked adoration Gwyneth felt when she looked at it. After the power in that bonding between man and weapon sunk in to Gwyneth, she joined in Merlin's terror: that a Human might wield such power was beyond her most horrific nightmares.

  To make matters worse, Gwyneth sensed that the Black Fairy was a witness to the event as well – and she was utterly delighted.

  Nimue and Merlin noticed the presence of the Black Fairy as well, and all three of them were petrified. They could feel the Black Fairy's laughter. Then her presence was gone.

  Arthur and Excalibur were oblivious to the danger. They were transported by feelings of power and love. Or the love of power. Or the power of love. Or some combination of all of those things.

  Soon Merlin suggested to Arthur that it was time to return to Camelot, where a new phase of his reign was about to begin.

  Gwyneth and Nimue met in the Temple at the bottom of the lake to consider what to do next. They decided they both needed to be at Camelot to do what they could to avert disaster. They didn't trust Merlin to be able to handle the situation on his own. Merlin loved Arthur with a zealot's single-minded devotion. They knew that Merlin's actions would be focused on advancing Arthur's cause. Nimue and Gwyneth were as impressed by Arthur as either of them ever had been by a Human, but their concern was for Excalibur and the well-being of all of Earth's Realms, not just Arthur and his tiny kingdom. They could not understand why Excalibur would be so joyful at being allied with a Human. (If they had spoken candidly, both of them would have admitted they were rather disgusted by that.) Regardless of their feelings on the subject, Excalibur had chosen Arthur as its Companion, and they would have to deal with whatever happened because of it.

  Nimue and Gwyneth knew the Black Fairy would make her move, probably very soon.

  They visited the Court under the cloak of invisibility and then m
et in the forest near Camelot. Nimue transformed herself into a lady-in-waiting who called herself Niniane and insinuated herself into Arthur's household. Arthur soon recognized a woman of ability and placed her in charge of his household.

  Arthur reigned in Britain. Sir Kay ruled in Camelot. The Lady Niniane was the boss in Arthur's apartments. Merlin, Sir Kay and Niniane were Arthur's most trusted (and trustworthy) advisors. Niniane never lost her doubts about Arthur's merits, but she had to give him credit for an uncanny ability to surround himself with at least some good advisors.

  Gwyneth posed as a kitchen maid, purportedly a widow in her late twenties, serving meals and drinks to Arthur's guests and observing the assembled Knights of the Round Table. She was modest and quiet, but her beauty and the the musical sound of her voice attracted more attention than she would have preferred. Many times she wished she had posed as an old woman, or at least someone plain and unremarkable.

  Lancelot was the favorite in Camelot. The women loved him for his good looks and reckless behavior. The knights loved him for his horsemanship and his astonishing abilities with the lance. Arthur in particular doted on him, almost like a lover or, perhaps, like the younger brother Arthur had never had. There was something about Lancelot Gwyneth found disturbing. He exhibited a slight petulance about the mouth and his arrogance went beyond the normal self-confidence of a battle-hardened knight, most of whom were rather humble people. Lancelot appeared to believe he deserved the accolades he received.

  On the other hand Gwyneth found herself drawn to the youngest and most gentle of the knights. Something told her that he might be the least vulnerable to the Black Fairy's powers. Gwyneth, the serving girl, gave him special attention and soon worked her way into a position as lady-in-waiting to Sir Galahad.

  Three years passed during which Arthur led his knights and their armies into battles against the Saxons and other enemies, always with spectacular success, thanks to the magical might of Excalibur – and sometimes with a little help from Merlin. “Camelot” became an almost magical word in Britain. Arthur's Court was renowned throughout the Human Realm (even beyond Britain) as a center of chivalry and culture. Arthur's armies, led by the High King and his amazing sword, were victorious in every battle they engaged, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.

  Following a series of particularly magnificent victories, Arthur returned to Camelot to prepare for the harvest festival. The first night of of the four-day feast, the entire Court was invited to a feast in the Great Hall of Camelot. Prior to the dinner, the guests gathered in the throne room for a formal audience. Arthur stood on the podium in front of the throne, with Excalibur gleaming at his left side, humming happily. Lancelot stood one step down, on Arthur's left, more arrogant and self-satisfied than ever after his glorious achievements in battle. Galahad stood on Arthur's right, having fought with valor in his first major campaign. Arthur recognized him, saying he had kept up with Lancelot and, even, with Arthur himself. Galahad was Arthur's guest of honor for the evening.

  Gwyneth looked upon the three of them and her heart beat madly. They were in many ways the very best of Humankind. The greatest of them was not Arthur, whose wisdom and goodness arose out of Merlin's teaching and whose power derived from the sword that hung at his side, nor was it Lancelot, the handsome and witty knight whose fearlessness and fury in battle were already legendary. Gwyneth knew that the finest Human among the throng gathered there, and perhaps one of the most perfect Humans ever born was Galahad. Her heart went out to him, filled with love and, for some reason she didn't understand, pity.

  Before she had time to wonder where that pity had come from, the atmosphere in the room darkened and an odor of death wafted through the hall. Gwyneth felt sick. The moment was over in a heartbeat and just for a second Gwyneth thought she might have imagined it, because none of the humans seemed to notice anything amiss. She looked at Nimue and she could tell that Nimue felt it, too. Merlin had not reacted, but Gwyneth knew him well enough to be able to tell he was suddenly on the alert.

  The next moment an entourage of knights and ladies-in-waiting walked into the room leading the most beautiful Human woman anyone had ever seen. Her hair, which hung loose and free signifying her virginity, fell almost to the floor in waves of golden splendor. Her gown was of the finest silk, cornflower blue, exactly matching her eyes. From the minute she walked through the entrance she locked eyes with Arthur, and he was smitten.

  Guenevere walked forward at an excruciatingly slow pace in order to allow the Court to appreciate her beauty and to torture Arthur as long as possible before she had to speak to him. Her allure was so powerful virtually every man and most women in the room fell in love with her before she uttered a sound.

  There were five exceptions. Merlin, who was standing behind Arthur, cast an enchantment around himself. It was almost too late: Merlin was always susceptible to the charms of beautiful females of any species, and he almost fell into her trap. Nimue cast an enchantment around Lancelot. She was too late: Lancelot, like Arthur, was lost to Guenevere's powerful charms. Excalibur vibrated and screamed in fear and rage, crying out its desire to cut her down (Arthur was oblivious to Excalibur's ranting). Gwyneth used her own powerful magic to force Galahad to make eye contact with her. She didn't waste time on mere protective enchantments: she employed serious magic to cast a spell on Galahad to keep him out of Guenevere's clutches.

  Guenevere did not look at Gwyneth, but Gwyneth knew her sister was aware of her presence – and her reason for being there.

  Gwyneth moved carefully around the room so she could position herself behind Galahad and beside Merlin. Nimue was standing to the side with Arthur's household, facing Gwyneth from the crowd, focusing her attention and magic so intently on trying to calm Excalibur that she was trembling and perspiring. Nimue reached out to Excalibur with her Soul and tried to help still its fear and anger.

  Arthur stepped down from the pedestal and greeted Guenevere with a courtly kiss on the back of her hand. Excalibur fell silent and ceased to glow with its previous radiance. It's sorrow was so intense both Nimue and Gwyneth were reduced to tears. They needn't have worried about being spectacles, however, because nearly everyone in the room had shed a few tears at the transcendent beauty of Arthur and Guenevere together, lost in one another's eyes. The darkly handsome and powerful High King and the tiny woman whose porcelain beauty, the like of which had not been seen in the Human Realm since the Trojan Wars, stood transfixed, basking in one another's gaze and oblivious to the presence of others around them.

  No one other than Nimue and Gwyneth (and, more than likely, Guenevere) noticed Lancelot's expression. Lancelot gazed at Guenevere for a moment with naked lust. Nimue's enchantment helped him gain sufficient control at least to look away until he could bring himself under control. When he looked back at Guenevere it was with the same look of rapture as Arthur.

  Nimue and Gwyneth looked at one another for a moment, their eyes reflecting a combination of matching fear and determination. Gwyneth raised her eyebrows slightly and Nimue nodded her head in the barest gesture of agreement: they were allies, joined in the greatest battle of their long lives. The Black Fairy had arrived, and the Trouble had begun.