by Jana LaPelle
All of us follow Nimue into the majical prison to find the infamous Merlin or Myrddin engaged in the practice of yoga. His pose is a difficult one, the insane firefly pose. He is balancing all of his weight on his palms and forearms, and in a sitting position, his legs are ramrod straight pointing skyward. I thought he would be gray with a long Dumbledore style beard, but he looks to be in his mid-twenties and is very handsome. His tousled long dark brown hair is swept back away from his face and is pulled back into a topknot. He looks up and pins his dark, chocolate brown eyed gaze on Nimue. A genuine smile graces his lips, and he has eyes only for her. In a deep husky voice he says, “Good morning, beautiful, why have you brought me guests? What is the special occasion?” His voice is teasing and light as he breaks his pose and makes to stand. He is bare-chested. His drawstring pants sit low on his waist as he moves to grab a shirt. For an old man, he’s in amazing shape, I take note as Alaric clears his throat drawing my attention to him.
“What? A girl can look can’t she?” I say under my breath. “Besides, you have ruined me from any other male.” Alaric pulls me in possessively as he wraps his arms around me. I smile up at him and sink into his hold.
Nimue has been watching Myrddin as she announces, “These travelers seek the tomb of King Arthur Pendragon. They are under the assumption that The Stone of Fál can be found within his tomb. I have assured them that is not the case.”
“Ahhh, well then, they must have been talking with the Druids, only the Druids would have had any inkling as to its possible whereabouts. Why bring them to me?”
Nimue’s response is clipped, “Out of respect, Myrddin. Arthur was your dear friend. I would not allow anyone access to his place of rest without your consent.”
“I see, and this so called respect still does not see fit to allow me to walk free?”
Nimue’s face falters for an instant, and if I had not been watching her so closely, I would have missed the sheer panic that crossed her eyes before her mask slams back into place. “Enough, Myrddin. That discussion can be left for when we are alone. Does the Princess have permission to access Arthur’s tomb or not?”
“That will depend on the princess now, won’t it? I will not call off the dragon that guards his tomb. She will have to pass his test. There are four lovely ladies here, who might be the princess?”
I hear Morgwais snort, “Me thinks that I no longer be lovely.” She mutters to no one in particular.
I can’t help but laugh right along with several others in the room. Myrddin pipes up, “My apologies, my Lady, I mean no disrespect. I simply assumed that the princess would be a bit younger.” Morgwais waves him off.
Smiling, I move to step forward, and Alaric moves with me as I say, “I’m Ashlinn, daughter of Danu, it is nice to meet you Myrddin. I was brought up in The Mortal Realm. You are much different than I pictured from the tales and legends that I’m acquainted with, I expected an old gray-headed man with a long beard.”
Myrddin barks out as laughter rings out around the room, “Is that so? Tell me, child, what is The Mortal Realm like these days?”
“I’m afraid that you would not recognize The Realm these days. Things have changed a great deal. The humans have advanced their technology. They pollute the Earth in their advancements. They use mechanical means of travel making horses obsolete. They travel the air from continent to continent via metal contraptions called planes or jets. I’m sure you would find it curious but ultimately not to your liking. Although, I’m curious, what would you do if you had your freedom? Would you leave this place? Would you leave Avalon?” I ask boldly.
“Princess, I believe that is a discussion to be had between Nimue and myself. But no, I would not leave this place. As you have said, things have changed drastically while I have been locked away here. The Mortal Realm is no longer a Realm that I seek to visit. Now, let’s get back to the matter at hand. Do you strive to take the crown for yourself? If so, how do I know that it will be used in the matter of which it was intended? There have been others that have sought to crown those that were not worthy of being crowned,” Myrddin states.
Before I can speak Nimue asks, “So The Stone of Fál is here on Avalon? How was I not privy to this information Myrddin?”
Myrddin sighs before responding, “Nimue there was no point in letting you or anyone know about the crown that graces Arthur’s head in death. The crown would not reveal its identity when placed on his head after his internment. It will only sing for the rightful king or queen of the living. The Druids entrusted me with its safe keeping once the stone was fashioned into a crown. No one knew of its existence. Once you told me of Arthur’s death and I instructed you to bring him here, I knew that the crown must be hidden away. That is why I told you of its whereabouts and that it must be laid to rest with Arthur. Why do you think I had you bring me Drayiel to guard his tomb?”
“I thought you meant to keep Excalibur safe.”
“My dear, you are The Lady of the Lake, Excalibur has always been yours to keep safe. You only allowed it to be on loan to Arthur and only as long as he was worthy of wielding it, I had no idea that you allowed it to remain with Arthur. You forget, I have been imprisoned here and have not been allowed to visit my friend since his entombment.” Myrddin switches his focus back to me, “Princess, what are your intentions with the crown?”
“I merely seek to bring change to The Otherworld. The dark fae have had no one to stand for them, to give them a voice. I have seen a vision of the future where the dark fae become known as The Horde, and they are governed by their rightful king, The Horde King. He is here with us today. There has never before been a king or ruler for their faction, and I seek to crown him and solidify his right to rule by utilizing The Stone of Fál. Once that is done, then we gain a recognized ally in the war against The Morrígan.” I say.
Myrddin retorts, “The Morrígan? What is she up to now? That wench is nothing but bad news.”
Nimue gives an unladylike snort before saying, “You would know since you and she were lovers at one point in time.”
“Nimue, that is ancient history let Ashlinn continue.” Myrddin scolds.
“Well, she and her sisters have bound together evoking the power of three and are attempting to overtake The Realms by sacrificing The Tree of Life. I seek to protect The Tree and the circle of life. But before I can do that I need to find The Stone of Fál, solidifying Tarron’s reign as The Horde King…”
“And what makes you think that The Stone of Fál can be so easily acquired?” Myrddin asks.
I take Alaric’s hand in mine as I sigh heavily, “I never thought it would be easy, but I also know that I’m obviously running out of time. I’m not sure why but The Tree of Life made sure to bless Alaric and me with these two before the war in The Otherworld has even begun to heat up. All I know is that I have to crown a king and I have to get back to The Tree of Life. These two are eager to greet The Realms, and I need to complete the task set before me before they enter the world.” I sigh heavily as I take a seat. My back is aching as I stretch and arch my spine.
“I don’t feel comfortable sending you to the tomb of my dear friend. The dragon that guards the tomb may not allow you entrance. I fear what will become of you.” Myrddin says.
Sighing, I think over his words before saying, “I’m not sure what I expected, but a dragon guarding Arthur’s tomb was not it. It is poetic, though, a dragon to guard Arthur Pendragon’s tomb. Is there a test that I must complete? What should I expect?” I ask.
Myrddin directs his attention to Nimue and says, “I must accompany her. You need to set me free. I will not leave this Realm before we have had a chance to discuss my imprisonment and your hand in it. I have been more than patient with you all this time, and as much as I love you, I still have a bone to pick with you Nimue. It is time, well past time and you know it, that we bury the hatchet on what happened all those years ago.” He says wit
h finality.
“So, you will help us?” I ask.
“I will help you if Nimue will allow it. The decision, rest in her hands.”
We all look to Nimue, and she seems to cave under our scrutiny. I stand and walk up to her and say in a quiet whisper, “He loves you, he’s just angry. Think about it, wouldn’t you be?”
“How do you know?” She asks.
“Well, he just declared his love for you in front of all of us and… it’s written all over his handsome face. What do you say? It’s well past time that you both move on from, whatever this is.” I say, gesturing around the enclosure. As I do so, I see that everyone has been patiently waiting to see how all this is going to turn out when my eye lands on Khatar. “So…, I saw you eying Khatar earlier. He is rather exotic looking, don’t you think? I thought that you were rather attracted to the dark elf. Do you think Khatar is hot?” I say loud enough for everyone to hear.
Nimue looks confused, “What do you mean by hot?”
Lexie chimes in, “You know, he is seriously hot, I mean look at his piercings, and he’s totally ripped not to mention his exotic good looks.”
Nimue smiles and says, “So you see his unique charm? He is a beautiful male specimen.”
From behind us, I hear Myrddin stomp our way, “That is enough Nimue, you are mine. We belong together!”
I look at Nimue and mouth, “Told you so…” I look back at the handsome wizard and back toward The Lady of the Lake and say, “Seriously, you two need to work this out. I have a date with a dragon and a long dead king.”
Alaric comes up behind me and says in my twitchy little ear, “Mo grá, I go where you go. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Alaric, that may not be possible.”
The growl that issues forth from Alaric is intimidating, to say the least as he pulls me into him. Everyone steps back away from us as Alaric struggles to contain his panther and his instinct to protect. ”I will go with you.” His canines have lengthened, and his face has begun the change as I turn into his embrace.
I cup his face in my hands as I pull his attention to me. “Elf-Man, I know this is hard for you, but I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. Come back to me.” As he continues his internal battle, I hear the conversation continue behind me.
“Myrddin and I have much to discuss. As you have said, it is time that we move past all of what has happened. It is getting late in the day. Why don’t I show you all to the castle and to your rooms? You can continue your quest first thing in the morning. That way you will be well rested and receive nourishment. Once I get everyone settled, Myrddin, I will be back to set you free.” Nimue says before making for the door.
Chapter 27
(Ashlinn)
After Nimue escorts our party to her castle and she shows us to our rooms, I take a look around. As lush and beautiful as the island of Avalon is, I sense that Nimue and Myrddin may be its only occupants and that does not sit well with me. Something is amiss, and I can’t help but think about Morgwais and her warning this morning. I can’t imagine that Nimue has lived on Avalon with only Myrddin all this time, it just doesn’t make sense.
Nimue’s tour continues, and we are shown to the large, serviceable kitchen, once again, I don’t detect any wait staff within the castle. She assures us that we are welcome to anything in her home and shows us her majic cupboard in the kitchen. Each time she opens the door to the cabinet, different types of food appears. Evidently, she has enchanted the cabinet to anticipate the nourishment needs of any who may open it. I chuckle to myself as I remember all the old Star Trek TV shows where their food replicators, scientifically produce whatever the crew wants or needs. When she opens it, a small plate of food appears to sit idly by waiting for her to remove the offerings of the cupboard. Turning to me she invites me to try it out. I look around at my companions. Tolin and Torin are quietly making bets as to how much food will appear when I open the cupboard. Smiling, I walk over to Nimue and open the door to find that there appears to be enough food for a small army. Everyone gets a good laugh out of that, and they help me remove my meal so the next person can see what waits for them. At this point, I’m beyond weary and just want to finish my meal and lay down to get some rest. I know the others are eager to get on with this quest just as much as I am, but I for one, want to be well rested when I meet Drayiel the Dragon. So like a good girl I eat my meal. I have a lot on my mind and really don’t feel like talking to anyone so once I see that everyone is settled and I have finished my meal I stand to make my way to the room that has been set aside for us with Alaric by my side.
I’m quiet, reflective, and withdrawn. My Guard, family, and friends watch me go with concerned expressions. I’m not sure when it happened, but I’ve begun to shut everyone out other than Alaric as we make our way quietly to our room. Alaric is silently respecting my wishes for solitude. Twilight is upon The Realm of Avalon even though it only feels as if it should be mid-afternoon. It matters not. I know that I need to rest. I have no idea what waits for me, and all I can do is pace the room. Nimue was gracious enough to give us a room with a balcony, and in my distraction I find that I’m outside, watching the moon rise. I miss our suite at Glenndale Loch Keep. It feels as if I’ve been away for far too long.
Alaric breaks in on my brooding, “Ashlinn, I’ve allowed you to brood for long enough. What has you in such turmoil?”
“I don’t know. Something is not right here. Don’t you feel it? There is something very wrong about this vacant castle. I can’t help but think that Nimue would not isolate herself in her own realm. Nothing about that makes sense. Then I just have a feeling that something will be unveiled tomorrow, I’m just not sure what and it’s making me twitchy. Damn it! I wish my visions would kick in. Any day now will be good. Aghhh…”
“What else is bothering you, mo grá?”
“Seriously? Look at me. What do you see when you look at me?” I ask in exasperation.
“I see my strong, amazingly beautiful kindred, who just so happens to be carrying my offspring.” He says, pulling me into his arms.
“I’m supposed to be a warrior princess Alaric. How am I meant to accomplish the task set before me if I can’t even see past my belly to my boots? I know that I’m exaggerating a little, but it won’t be long now before that is a reality. I think that the whole prophecy thing is wrong. How can I be the one?” I ask as I voice my deepest fears.
“Ash, you are beautiful, and you are stronger than any female I know. You’re right, we’ve been hit with a miraculous curve ball with Lilly and Lachlan. No words can express how I feel about you giving me not one child but twins. I know you’re feeling vulnerable, but tomorrow, I go with you or you don’t go. Period. End of story. We do this together or not at all. Stuck like glue, remember? As for your suspicions about this castle, I agree, there is something not right here.”
My need to contradict my mate has all but vanished. I know that I need him, now more than ever as I turn into his embrace, wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest. “Okay, Elf-Man, we do this together, tomorrow morning. Thank you, for knowing exactly what I needed.” Alaric sweeps me up off my feet as if I weigh nothing and carries me inside. I slip out of my clothing to slide under the bedsheets before I drift off to sleep in his arms.
My dreams are plagued with loud menacing crows as they circle about me. Their constant caw, caw, caw, echo’s in my head. Their wings are beating frantically about as I’m caught up in the vortex they create around me. I spin around, desperate to find an exit or way to be rid of these disturbing winged creatures that are a representation of my enemy. Realization dawns on me, The Morrígan is gaining power, and as her strength continues to grow, she is able to break through my wards that Lexie and Morgwais have placed on me, and I feel myself begin to breathe heavily as fear blossoms in my chest.
Suddenly, as if having been transported from one location to anothe
r the scenery changes. Gone are the black as night crows. I look around at the next images my dreams present to me, to see a strange but fascinatingly beautiful twilight realm that I’m not familiar with, but feels like home. This place I have seen before in my dreams. It feels as if this realm is situated at the center of the universe. I look around to see the Tree of Life or what appears to be this realm’s representation of her and think, how odd. The sky is filled with an amazing array of celestial bodies, and in the distance, I see a castle like structure and start walking in that direction, and I take in everything around me. As I approach, I see that there is a table laden with food and I can’t help but think that evidently, I’m hungry at four in the morning. That thought is the catalyst to my waking from my dreamlike wanderings. As I fully wake up, I gently untangle myself from Alaric’s hold and the bedsheets, and I slip out of bed, I walk through the open doors of the balcony to stand under an enormous full moon high in the midnight sky. Here in Avalon, the moon is much larger than in The Mortal Realm, and I’m drawn to the balcony as I walk unabashed in my nakedness to stand under the rays of the magnificent celestial body. I feel the need to bask in the light of the moon as I stand bare before her. I greedily soak up the energy that she willingly gives. Since my awakening, I continue to be drawn to the twilight hours and the moon like never before, and I ponder why that could be. I feel more at peace during the twilight hours than any other time of the day.
I reflect on my dreams and wonder about the twilight realm and what it means before remembering my earlier mood and know that I’m stewing over what is to come. The burden of what has been placed on my shoulders at the tender age of eighteen has become a heavy weight to bear. My fears of the future are almost too much for me to handle. As if sensing my fear and unease the twins shift, and I can feel their fluttering movement within me as I place a calming hand on my children and gently rub my belly, pushing all my love to the two little ones that are quickly becoming my main priority. My need to protect them is strong and fierce, for a moment I feel my panther stir, I miss her as she remains dormant allowing the twins their time to grow and thrive. They will be vulnerable to anything that may stand in my path, vulnerable to my enemies, not just now, not just after they are born, but for a very long time to come and again I have to wonder what The Tree of Life was thinking when doling out this blessing.
