Lam quickly adopted a more relaxed posture as Merlin turned. The glare from Ruwena told him that it would be a bad idea indeed to meet the man with naked hostility. He stood, hands on his hips, and as the wizard turned fully, Lam managed a passable bow.
"Lord Merlin, I'm honored," Lam said, trying to hide the fear and distaste in his voice. Formalities complete, Lamorak walked forward until he was standing well in front of Percy. It was obvious that his brother was uncomfortable, and from what Lam had heard, there was every reason to be afraid.
"You don't give yourself credit enough, Sir Lamorak." Merlin's voice was like the rustle of dead leaves. "Of course I would have interest in such a prominent family. My liege Sir Arthur has such great things to say of your father. The pinnacle of knighthood. Only a shame about his ongoing feud with King Lot."
Lamorak let the words settle between them. There was no mistaking the implication that Merlin was well aware of what had happened with Agravaine and Gaheris. That he had some part in it, perhaps, or just that he was hoping to use it now.
"Certainly nothing good has come of it," Lam said at last.
Merlin grinned. "No indeed. Why, it seems that even today, the young Sir Gaheris was thrashed to within an inch of his life. Messy business, really. The entire Queen's delegation is quite upset by it, though even with my magic, he has been unable to speak enough to name his attacker."
"Probably he picked a fight he found reason to regret," Lam said. If Merlin hoped to scare him with what happened between him and Gaheris, he was grasping at straws. Even if Gaheris and Agravaine twisted the narrative, made themselves into the injured parties, there was no rule against fighting. Indeed, any knight could challenge another at any time, and it was refusing that often carried a harsher penalty than losing.
"Perhaps," Merlin said. He licked his lips, and Lam felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The air seemed to drop in temperature a few degrees, and Lam felt a pressure on his mind, as if his head was suddenly a door that he was holding against another trying to force their way in.
"You know, Camelot is not the safest of places of late," Merlin said, betraying no effort on his part, no hint that he was doing anything other than having a conversation. "There are plots and plots. Against the Queen. Against the First Consort. Lines are being drawn. Sides chosen. And for those who stand aside, who represent unknowns and possible complications..."
The pressure in Lam's head increased, and he clenched his jaw. It felt like his entire body was being pulled slowly in opposite directions, whatever assailed him like being drawn and quartered. His hands balled into fists and his heart beat faster, his breathing strained as he tried to swallow, tried to clear the taste of sand and blood in his mouth. But he would not give in to this.
"Best to just fade away, really," Merlin said.
Behind him, Lam could feel Percy step forward and touch his arm.
"What's going on?" Percy whispered, but Lam couldn't answer, couldn't do anything but fight against the invisible force pressing against him, pulling at him, trying to pry open his mind like it was an oyster hiding a tantalizing pearl.
"Best to just give in to the sweep of events," Merlin said. "To the course of history. Things are changing, and for those who don't get with the program it will be... difficult. For them. For those they care about." Merlin's gaze flitted around Lam, toward Percy, and he licked his lips again.
Something surged in Lam. Anger first, white hot and sharp as steel. And focus with it, focus enough to beat back the assault on his mind, to take a step toward where Merlin stood, eyes suddenly widening with uncertainty. Fear.
"I've never been good with falling in line," Lam said, and his hand resolving into a fist. "And I've really never reacted well to threats." He'd weathered enough of them, after all, from Agravaine and his brothers. From Pellinore. From everyone who thought they knew his business better than he did. And he was still standing.
The grin was gone from Merlin's face, and Lam could see sweat beading on his brow. But the look of pure malice was unmistakable, and the pressure on Lam's mind shifted, became points of searing pain, as if whoever was trying to break in had decided to just light everything on fire instead. Lam cried out, dropped to his knees, but refused to fall entirely.
"Lam!" Percy was at his side, hands cradling his head, and Lam couldn't muster the strength to warn him away.
And then, as if a sudden gust had extinguished the flames assailing him, the pain was gone.
"I trust your investigation into Sir Gaheris's injuries has been fruitful, Merlin?" came a voice from the tent entrance.
Lam turned to see two people standing there, one in armor and the other in robes similar to the ones that Merlin wore, though more purple than blue. He recognized them, he realized, though it took a moment for his mind to recover from the assault enough to find names to go with faces. The woman in robes had light brown skin and was thin, though the robes she wore billowed around her as if being shifted by the wind. Dark hair fell well past her shoulders and seemed to dance to the same currents as her robes. The one in armor was tall, taller than Lamorak, and well muscled. Her skin was pale and her hair fair and cropped short.
"This is none of your concern, Nimue," Merlin said.
"As any attack on the knights of Camelot falls to the Queen's wizard to investigate, I think I have some concern in this matter." Nimue managed a faint smile, though it didn't touch her eyes. "Seeing as how I'm the Queen's wizard. But I'm sure your eagerness to see justice done won't have to be reported to the Queen, as you've agreed to back down and allow me to handle all aspects of the continued inquest."
Emotions warred on Merlin's face, from outrage to hate to humiliation, all of them edged, dangerous. It was never a good idea to piss off a wizard, but Lam figured maybe that didn't apply as strongly for other wizards. If even half the stories about the strain between Merlin and Nimue were correct, after all, they had long experience with pissing each other off.
"Of course," Merlin said. His grin reappeared. "Sending a whore to catch a whore makes perfect sense, after all."
The woman in armor took a step forward, and Lam's breath caught. For all that he had heard stories of Nimue, the Queen's wizard, he had heard even more about Pelleas, the captain of the Queen's Knights. It was said she had fought thirty knights all on her own, until the field was a sea of corpses and only she stood over them, blood turning her white livery red. Nimue reached out and put a hand on Pelleas's shoulder before the intent in Pelleas's eyes reached her sword.
"Sir Gaheris could use another dose of healing," Nimue said. "And you left before you could see to Sir Agravaine's injuries. He, at least, should be able to participate in the melee tomorrow. Sir Uwain will take Gaheris's place in the royal retinue."
Merlin straightened, pulled himself up to his full height. "Of course, my Lord," he said.
Pelleas tensed, hand twitching toward her blade, but Nimue just smiled sweetly.
"Good to hear you're adopting gender neutral titles," she said. "I can see that my lectures on the subject are having the desired results. I'll have to schedule more when we return to Camelot proper."
Merlin glared but said nothing as he strode from the tent with as much dignity as he could muster.
Lam let out a long breath and slumped forward, only not collapsing to the ground because of Percy's hold on him.
"What in the twelve fragrant hells was that about?" Ruwena asked, and Lam croaked a laugh at such blasphemy in front of the court wizard. For her part, though, Nimue only smiled and strode forward, arms reaching for Lamorak's head.
Without hesitation, Percy moved to intercept her, putting his body in the way just as Lam had done with Merlin before, and for once, Lam didn't feel annoyed at his little brother's over-protectiveness. Perhaps because this once it wasn't necessary.
"It's okay, Percy," he said, words difficult around the throbbing pain that had grown since Merlin's departure. "I think that if she wanted to kill me, she could have just let Me
rlin do... whatever that was."
Percy shot him a worried look but stepped to the side. Just. He did stay within reach, though Lam guessed that if he showed even the slightest hint of intending violence Pelleas would stop him before he had a chance to act.
"Now why exactly is the Queen's wizard gracing my humble tent?" Lam asked, wincing at the shooting pain.
"Saving your life, if you hadn't noticed," Pelleas said, breaking her silence. She had a reputation as silent, professional, but Lamorak had heard from Uwain that she was able to incapacitate with her wit almost as well as with her sword. "A word of thanks would not be inappropriate."
Nimue chuckled. "That's hardly necessary," she said. "Seeing Merlin have to swallow his pride and retreat is worth any adventure. And the young man is due some answers. I'm afraid that he's stepped right in the middle of it, and washing it off his boot will likely be quite difficult... and quite dangerous. But first, how about I see about that head?"
Lam nodded, and Nimue touched his forehead, her eyes closing and mouth drawing into a thin line. Lam gasped. It was like the needles driving into his brain had been pulled out all at once, the transition between pain and relief so fast it was a shock in itself. With a nod, Nimue pulled her hands away and Lam slumped, once more caught by Percy's small frame.
"You mentioned answers?" Percy asked, and if Lam weren't on the verge of passing out, he would have hugged him. His brother, fearless in the face of the most powerful mage in Camelot. Nimue gave him a warm smile.
"I fear that Merlin hopes to use you as a pawn to cause a spot of mischief," she said. "Seems he thinks that if he can start a civil war among the little kings and queens he can oust the Queen and move Arthur into power."
"Ridiculous." It was Ruwena who spoke, and Lam wondered how he got so lucky as to have such strong squires. Others might have considered it a failure on his part to treat them as proper servants, but at the moment, it felt good to have them on his side. "Any move to unseat the Queen would surely be met... harshly. If you know that he's acting to usurp the Queen, then surely you have the authority to stop him permanently."
Pelleas barked a laugh at that, and Lam could see her grip tighten on the hilt of her sword. But Nimue held a calming hand in her direction.
"Merlin is... Getting evidence of his actions is rather difficult," Nimue said. "Somehow key witnesses turn up dead and the truth tends to die with them. Which is why we decided to stop by tonight. I fear that the attack on you earlier was an attempt to frame you for the murder of Uwain."
Lam's heart skipped and he felt a tight pain in his head, the ghost of the pain from before, but it faded quickly.
"Uwain is safe, then?" he asked.
"He's fine, thanks to your survival," she said. "The plan hinged on you being 'caught' trying to flee so that there would be two sons of powerful nobles dead. Lot would have little trouble bullying Urien to go after Pellinore, would no doubt join him to exact retribution, and the conflict would certainly have escalated from there, especially once Morgan got involved. Nothing like war to create a perfect opportunity for regicide."
"But we stopped them," Percy said. "We got away. So it'll be okay now, right?"
The look in Nimue's eyes was all soft pity and profound weariness. Lamorak wondered how many of these plots Merlin had tried to pull off. How many had she thwarted, and how many had died in the process?
"He might back off, if he thinks he's too at risk acting now," she said. "But Merlin has his own pride. His own cruelty. You are not safe here. It might be best, and certainly safest, if you left now."
"I'm not leaving," Lam said, wincing even as he tried to stand on his own. With Percy's arms still supporting him, at least he didn't fall. "I... I can't leave." Not and pay off his debts. Not and stay free of his father. No, this tourney was his only chance.
"Then I urge you to be vigilant," Nimue said. "I will not always be able to save you."
"He doesn't need you to save him," Percy said, face grim. "He has us." Ruwena moved to stand beside them. Lam couldn't help but smile, a warmth spreading through him.
Nimue tilted her head to the side as if examining the words, then nodded. "I suppose he does," she said.
And with that, she turned and walked toward the exit, Pelleas watching them as if half-expecting one of them to attack.
Lam blinked, then called out. "Thank you," he said, "for your help. And for the information. I will try to be careful."
Nimue paused at the tent flap and, without turning back, gave a slight nod, then disappeared into the growing dark. Pelleas grunted and followed close behind. And, alone in his tent with only his squires, Lam finally collapsed entirely, let Percy and Ruwena take his armor off and lead him to his bed.
"I swear, if I thought the seal would have caused his much trouble, I would have just told you the suit was beyond fixing," Ruwena said. Lam could hear a certain nervous energy in her voice, though. An excitement. For all that she scowled at his misadventures, Lam suspected it was exactly what had drawn her to agreeing to be his squire.
"Never a dull moment," Lam managed to croak. His body felt like a boulder that had been tumbled down a mountain. The suit failing, the fun with Uwain, the fight, the flight, Merlin... Lam sighed. Perhaps he did court trouble a little too eagerly.
"After all this, the tourney itself should seem dull," Ruweana said, laughing as she retreated, no doubt back to the suit to make adjustments before it was ready.
"You could try to be more careful," Percy said when Ruwena was gone. Lam met his fierce gaze. He was too tired to argue, too tired for almost anything. Already he could feel sleep pulling him down into the dark.
But before he went, he smiled and reached out, put his hand on Percy's shoulder. "Thank you," he said with the last of his strength. "For today. For always. Thank you."
If Percy replied, Lam didn't hear him, and his arm fell back to his side as sleep took him.
*~*~*
The field was crowded with suits and teams of squires running about. Lam took a deep breath and willed his own suit on. He expected pain, expected the suit to be sluggish, heavy, uncooperative. Given everything that had happened, it would just figure that it was all for nothing. But when the suit came on, it was like taking a deep breath. He stood, the displays all flashing on his mind. He saw the field, saw the hands of his suit held before him, saw Percy and Ruwena beaming from the ground below.
"It worked!" Percy said through the communication crystal, voice cracking with excitement.
"Well of course it worked," Ruwena said. "I spent all night reintegrating the cognition seal. And tweaking the power converters. And reinforcing the interference filters. And partially recalibrating the ghost box."
Lam flexed, the suit reacting to his movements, mirroring his intent with a fluid grace. He grinned. Well, if Ruwena was so confident—he launched himself forward, his muscles pushing the suit easily into a run. It had been a while since he had the chance to just enjoy the freedom of moving in a suit, the power. The world seemed to pull away and it was just the sensation of running, the image of the world passing under him at incredible speeds. He had been raised to pilot a suit, knew what they were capable of. He leaped forward into a cartwheel, arm trembling only slightly as he came out of it and managed a back flip, using his momentum to turn, hand to earth, and race back to where Percy and Ruwena stood speechless.
"It handles like a dream," he said, stretching again, feeling for any abnormalities or ruptures in the power lines and finding none.
"It'll be more like a nightmare if you manage to break that suit just when I got it fixed," Ruwena said, "and before the melee even begins." Throwing her hands up, she turned and stomped back toward the tent, no doubt to grab some more tools and parts in case he needed them while the fight was on.
"Nimue said to be careful, Lam," Percy said once she was out of sight.
"I am being careful," Lam said, glad that his suit couldn't mimic the way he rolled his eyes. "I need to see that the suit is ready
. It's not all just showboating to impress the other knights."
Percy's mouth was a line of dubiousness, but he didn't say anything.
"Anyway, we should be talking strategy," Lam said. "Any ideas who I should fight for?"
"The Queen?" Percy asked. Lam snorted. "I guess it was too much to hope for. Certainly not Hessia, though."
"I'm not an idiot," Lam said. He tried to ignore the way Percy paused before speaking.
"Then I suggest the Queen with the Hundred Knights. She's of Camelot, but prefers to keep herself separate from Guinevere and, more specifically, from the First Consort. She's got a sizable party but really no one that stands out from his stable. And..."
"And...?" Lam asked. It sounded like a good match, and would give him a chance to fight against all sides.
"And a certain other knight perilous has already allied emself with her," Percy said.
Lam nodded, impressed. But then, Percy always had been better at politics and strategy. Lam was the fighter, the dancer, the lover. In the field, he knew he was someone to be reckoned with, but it certainly helped to have Percy there, pointing him in the right direction.
"Well then, I think this is going to be a tourney to remember," Lam said, and powered down the suit. Ruwena would make her last tweaks, and Lam would beseech the Queen with the Hundred Knights to fight for her.
It went smoothly, the Queen only too glad to have another knight on her side, though Lam was slightly disappointed he didn't see Safere among those already gathered at her camp. Ey had agreed to see him after the melee, but Lam had hoped they could have the chance to talk before everything became tearing metal and swords and blood. When he returned to his suit, Ruwena had been at it again, and the melee was about to begin.
"The suit should be fine for whatever you want," Ruwena said, "but that little stunt earlier weakened your shield arm a bit. Try not to overdo it, okay?"
"A wise knight always listens to his squires," Lam said, the best non-answer he could think of. Ruwena scoffed and retreated to the sidelines. She'd still be able to give advice through the communication crystal, but mostly he'd be on his own when the fighting started, when the press cut him off from all support but his own strength, skill, and steel.
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