by T J Mayhew
Cai stared down at the magnificent cloak laid out before him; he now saw, it was held together by a silver brooch in the shape of a dragon, a brilliant ruby-red eye catching the light. He smiled, as he touched the cloth; it was heavy but he didn’t care. He would wear it with pride. He turned back to his mother. “Thank you. Of course I will,” he said, his voice catching on the words.
Guinevere smiled sadly, her mind elsewhere. “I only wish he could be here to share this great event himself; it would have meant so much to him.”
Cai returned her smile, wishing the same, although, acknowledging to himself that, if that were the case, none of this would be happening.
Pacing the antechamber outside the Great Hall, Cai felt his stomach turn as he tried to convince himself he could handle this. The truth was he was scared, he knew it was stupid to feel this way, but he couldn’t help it. He had achieved so much since being here, changed in so many ways but, right now, he felt like the same terrified teenager that had arrived in Camelot months earlier.
He stopped pacing for a moment, becoming even more aware of the hum of the crowd coming from inside the hall, but made no attempt to enter; Lancelot had given him explicit instructions to wait for him here.
Glancing down at the bracelet on his wrist he tried to draw strength from it, and found himself wondering if his father had stood here before his first introduction to his people and whether he had been just as nervous. He shook his head; he couldn’t imagine his father being nervous about anything.
“Cai.”
Cai turned to find Merlin standing in the doorway, watching him carefully. As usual, he was dressed in black but he looked smarter now; the cloak he wore was of a much better quality and was edged with silver thread. His dragon broach was pinned at his left shoulder, an ever-present reminder of his loyalty. Cai couldn’t help noticing the pride with which he bore himself; obviously this sort of thing didn’t faze him in the slightest.
Merlin smiled thinly, taking in Cai’s appearance. “You have the bearing of a true king.”
Cai shifted self-consciously, unable to see what Merlin saw. He wore a white tunic with the red Pendragon coat of arms emblazoned across it, black trousers and boots; his father’s cloak, fastened with the brooch, was draped around his shoulders and Excalibur hung at his side. He had tried to flatten his hair but, with no comb to hand, had soon given up. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so out-of-his-depth; for most of his life he had stayed under the radar but, now, he was being thrust directly into the spotlight and he hated it.
Merlin stepped forward and, placing his hands on Cai’s shoulders, met his gaze. “You came here a boy but have since grown into a worthy young man.”
Cai was about to reply when Nimue appeared at Merlin’s side; instantly Cai felt himself tense. This was the first time he had been in her presence since returning to Camelot and he shuddered at the memory of their last meeting. He still recalled how she had dropped from the walls, had used magic to make herself and Merlin disappear and how she had tried to bar him from Merlin’s room; he recalled the intensity of her voice and the empty, blackness of her eyes…
He didn’t like her then, and he didn’t like her now.
Looking up, he met her cold gaze with one of his own but said nothing; he would not allow her to see his discomfort.
Thankfully, he was spared any further awkwardness by the arrival of his mother who beamed happily at the sight of him. “My son,” she whispered proudly, offering her hands as she approached.
Cai smiled taking in the very welcome sight of his mother. Her long, dark brown hair fell around her shoulders and she was wearing a deep red dress that flowed to the floor and trailed behind her. She stepped forward and embraced him.
As he released her, Cai took a deep breath and, glancing behind her, saw his knights waiting patiently for him, Logan with them; as one, they bowed. Cai felt a thrill of pride at the sight and, he had to admit, they looked very different dressed in something other than their worn and dirty training clothes; for the first time in days, he found himself relaxing and began to feel more at ease.
Lancelot approached Guinevere and smiled. “Shall we enter?” he asked.
Guinevere nodded her consent and the group started to arrange themselves, with each knight taking his allotted place behind his King. Although he had practised this many times in the last few days, Cai found his nerves taking over, making him forget all he had learnt, and he found himself standing to one side like a spare part.
Lancelot turned to him expectantly. “Come; take your place beside your mother.”
As directed, Cai moved to stand beside Guinevere as Lancelot joined the rest of the knights; Merlin and Nimue, he noticed, took their place behind them, last in line.
Guinevere glanced at him. “Ready?” she prompted, squeezing his hand supportively.
Cai nodded, very aware of how dry his mouth had become.
Smiling, Guinevere stepped forward, Cai taking her lead. As they approached, the guards opened the iron-studded doors, revealing a crowd of expectant faces inside. The voices of those gathered fell silent; they stood as one, bowing their heads as the procession passed by.
Wooden tables and benches had been set up around the sides of the hall to ensure everyone had a good view of the top table on the dais at the front. Dogs milled around, ready to beg for scraps of food. Every eye in the room followed the entourage as they slowly made their way down the centre of the hall.
As he walked, Cai allowed his gaze to wander over those gathered until it rested upon the object of his search.
Aelwen stood between Badden and Owain in the middle of the hall; she was almost completely obscured but, somehow, Cai had found her and, as their eyes met, he felt himself blush. She was wearing a simple shirt and dark trousers and her hair fell loosely around her shoulders. She offered him a small smile of encouragement, her eyes softening momentarily, before her attention was drawn to the procession behind him; he frowned as he saw her expression turn to a look of horror.
Refocusing his thoughts, Cai became aware of murmurings around the room growing louder and more urgent by the second. Noticing a few guests pointing behind him, he turned to look.
What he saw filled him with dread.
Merlin was violently gripping his head, his face contorted in agony. He fell to his knees and began clawing desperately at Nimue’s robes, his mouth open in a silent scream…
17
Cai ran to Merlin, gripping the older man’s shoulder, fighting the overwhelming sense of déjà-vu; Merlin’s eyes had rolled back into his head so only the whites showed. He watched helplessly as Merlin groaned and lurched forward onto the stone floor; dropping to his knees, beside Merlin’s head, Cai ignored the chaos surrounding them as people clambered to get a better look.
Merlin now lay eerily silent, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow, his skin was pale and sweat covered his forehead.
Cai reached out to shake him but Nimue slapped his hands away.
“Don’t touch him!” she hissed, kneeling opposite Cai, scowling at him.
Cai was yanked backwards as Lancelot pulled him away. Now standing, he found himself beside Logan and Guinevere, feeling numb. Kay and the other knights had surrounded them and were shouting orders at the men and women in the hall, trying to redirect their attention; a few other men, Owain and Badden amongst them, had joined the knights, putting themselves between the crowd and the small group surrounding Merlin.
He watched as Aelwen pushed her way to the front of the crowd and made her way towards Cai but her path was blocked as Badden and Owain intercepted her, closing ranks. She glared up at them but they remained steadfast and would not let her pass.
Cai’s attention soon shifted from Aelwen as Guinevere placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and he smiled at her gratefully.
“We need to get him away from here,” Nimue was saying her eyes fixed on Merlin.
“I know,” Lancelot acknowledged, nodding gravely.
He stood up and turned to Kay, who had been joined by Gawain. Lancelot whispered urgently to them as they nodded their agreement; all three sets of eyes fixed on Merlin, still lying motionless on the floor.
Unable to hear their conversation Cai’s gaze fell to Merlin again; Nimue was still kneeling beside her mentor, holding his hand in hers and whispering something in a language he didn’t recognise.
Just as on the hillside…
As he watched, a sudden, strong gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, blowing Nimue’s hair about her face and causing him to turn away. Pulling his cloak around himself, he found himself waiting in anticipation, although he had no idea of what.
Suddenly, Merlin sat bolt upright, as if a puppet, pulled by some invisible string. He gasped. His eyes snapped open; still only the whites of his eyes showed. The room fell silent.
“The betrayal is almost complete,” Merlin declared to the hall; as before, his voice raspy, as though he hadn’t spoken in years. “One amongst us will soon reveal their true allegiance in this war…”
Cai dropped his gaze, the memory of Merlin’s first prophecy still haunting him. You shall be betrayed… One you trust has darkness in their soul… A heart buried beneath secrets and lies.
He hadn’t thought about that prophecy in so long…
“The darkness pursuing you comes closer with each moment; you cannot escape it… it must be confronted…” Merlin continued, oblivious to those around him. “But there is hope… Seek out the one who served with you before, seek out the hermit…”
Eyes transfixed, Cai leant towards Guinevere and Logan. “What is he talking about?” he whispered.
Logan shrugged. “No idea,” he admitted quickly, watching Merlin warily.
Merlin’s voice rang out in the hall, gaining strength as he continued. “Only when the Knights are united once more, can you hope to bring an end to the darkness; only then, will you triumph.”
Silence reigned for a few moments before the hall erupted with excited chatter, dragging Cai back to reality.
Nimue’s gaze darted warily around the hall, distrustful of everyone: a trapped animal, seeking a means of escape from its tormentor. “We must get him out of here,” she hissed, the desperation in her voice evident.
Cai found himself nodding in agreement with the sorceress; the last thing he wanted was for Merlin to be seen like this.
Lancelot nodded to Kay and Gawain who, together, lifted Merlin and carried him towards the doors, Nimue following closely. As if by some unspoken agreement, the crowd parted, eyeing them carefully, afraid that whatever had afflicted Merlin would taint them if they got too near.
Cai watched them go, wondering why Nimue hadn’t used her powers this time. As the doors crashed shut, an uneasy feeling forming in the pit of his stomach; he wanted to run after them, to see for himself if Merlin was OK but, as he stepped forward, Logan grabbed his wrist.
“Let them go,” he said. “It’s not like you can do anything; Nimue’s got this.”
Cai frowned; Logan sounded far too trusting of Nimue for his liking. “But…”
Guinevere appeared to read his mind. “Do not worry, Cai; Nimue cares deeply for Merlin. She will not let any harm befall him. She is used to dealing with him at times like this.”
Cai couldn’t bring himself to voice his concerns; he knew they were unfounded. He had already seen her caring for Merlin, first hand, but… there was a voice in his head telling him to be wary of her. He looked up and found Logan watching him. Unable to shake the feeling that he could read his mind, he braced himself for the expected onslaught of questions but, thankfully, Lancelot spoke.
“The celebrations this evening are over,” he declared, raising his voice to be heard above the people’s protestations. “We will gather again soon,” he promised. “Too much has happened this night to make celebration possible.”
Cai couldn’t have agreed more; it had been bad enough before but there was no way he’d be able to sit down to a meal now and pretend nothing had happened. He glanced down at his hands and realised, with a jolt, they were shaking. Clenching them into fists he looked up and watched as some of the guests began filing out; others, however, lingered, only moving when the remaining knights ushered them out. As he watched them move slowly towards the door, Cai realised with some dismay that Aelwen was amongst those leaving; he wanted to ask her to stay but she was gone before he had the chance.
Once they had left, Lancelot ordered the doors closed and made his way back towards Cai and Guinevere. Lost in his own thoughts, no attempt was made to speak to him and Cai noticed the looks of unease on Bedivere and Galahad’s faces. This did nothing to lessen his concerns.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Kay and Gawain strode into the hall.
“Merlin is safely in his quarters,” Kay announced. “Nimue is with him.”
Lancelot nodded curtly. “Good.” He turned to the boys. “What you witnessed was a prophecy,” he explained.
Cai waited for him to continue, happy to let Lancelot believe he had no idea what had happened to Merlin.
“A prophecy?” Logan echoed, trying to get his head round the idea.
Galahad glanced at him, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “It is a foretelling of things to come,” he explained.
Logan scowled as if offended that Galahad had assumed his ignorance on the subject. “I know what a prophecy is,” he muttered. He looked at each knight in turn. “But what, exactly, does that mean for us?” he demanded. Turning to Cai, he asked, “Is that what you saw before?”
Cai glared at him, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut, as every eye turned to him.
“Saw what before?” Kay questioned.
Cai looked at Kay, determined not to look away under the knight’s intense scrutiny. “Before… When Merlin was ill…” he began quietly. “He said I would be betrayed.”
Kay frowned. “And you didn’t see fit to tell anyone?” he demanded furiously.
“Well… there was a lot going on!” Cai retorted defensively. “I didn’t think…”
“No, you didn’t think,” Kay spat.
“That’s enough, Kay,” Lancelot interrupted. “What’s done is done; we have enough to deal with without fighting amongst ourselves.”
Kay glared at Cai but said no more.
“We might not be able to avoid that for long,” Gawain pointed out. “If Merlin is to be believed, there is a traitor amongst us.” He looked accusingly at his fellow knights.
Instantly alert, the knights shot suspicious glances at each other, suddenly doubtful of the man standing beside him. It didn’t matter that they were friends; this was war and everyone was a suspect.
Cai glanced at Lancelot who, in turn, was watching him knowingly. He quickly looked away, ashamed of his previous accusations.
“It may not be someone here,” Lancelot reasoned, sensing the tension between the men. “Merlin said ‘one amongst you will reveal their true allegiance’. At the time, the room was filled with people from all over the kingdom; who’s to say that the traitor is not one of our servants or even a Lord?”
The knights remained silent as they considered his words.
“I am, for my part, inclined to agree with you,” Galahad announced. “Some of the Lords have already proven they are weak, greedy.”
“Particularly those in the north,” Kay agreed darkly.
There was a murmur of agreement as the knights considered this possibility.
“And the darkness?” Logan asked, changing everyone’s train of thought. “What does that mean?”
Cai glanced at him, aware of the fear in Logan’s voice; he had no doubt Logan knew exactly to whom the darkness referred. He had a feeling they all did.
“That can only mean one thing,” Bedivere murmured, looking expectantly at his comrades.
“Morgan and Mordred,” Gawain concluded.
Cai felt the same terror that had gripped him at the lake return tenfold; the darkness was coming…
/>
They were coming.
“Exactly,” Bedivere agreed gravely. “They are dark souls indeed. We know they covet the throne; that they want to rule this land...” He looked at those gathered. “We are the only ones standing between them and Camelot.”
Cai remained silent, unnerved by all that had happened, his mind working overtime as he tried to make sense of it all; the traitor, whomever he was, was still at large, a fact Cai hadn’t given any thought to in so long.
“Then we’d better put up a bloody good fight, eh?” Kay growled.
In that moment, Cai saw something in his eyes that he hadn’t seen before: determination. His previous encounters with Kay had taught him that the man could be petty and jealous, eager to set others up for a fall, but now... he seemed to come alive at the thought of a battle, his chance of vengeance, finally, upon him.
Before more could be said, a crash echoed around the room as the doors of the Great Hall burst open and a man covered in blood staggered in, collapsing in Gawain’s arms.
18
Gawain gently lowered the man onto the floor, careful to avoid causing him more pain. He dropped to his knees, concern etched on his face as his eyes fell upon the man’s bloodstained tunic.
Lancelot crossed the room quickly and knelt beside the injured man as everyone drew near. Cai and Logan stood behind, hardly daring to breathe as they watched him assess the man’s injuries.
“He’s trying to say something,” Gawain announced.
Lancelot lowered his head. “What is it, my friend?”
“They... they...” Reaching up, the man grabbed Lancelot’s tunic, dragging the knight towards him and, with his last dying breath, whispered, “They are coming!”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than he released his grip on Lancelot’s shirt and his head fell to one side. Sightless eyes stared up at Cai; he knew he would see those eyes until the day he died.
“Is he alright?” Logan asked fearfully.
Lancelot slowly closed the man’s eyes and sat back on his haunches, shaking his head. “His wounds were too great; he didn’t stand a chance. It’s a miracle he made it here at all.”