Relics of Camelot

by L. H. Nicole

  “Galahad was furious,” the queen added. “He killed the man on the spot. Not that he didn’t deserve to die. He would have died anyway, by Camelot’s laws. Even Delphina looked ready to murder him.”

  Aliana’s eyes went wide. “He did?”

  “The man had drawn a weapon, Galahad acted in self-defense.” Dagg’s assurance calmed her a bit, but she still worried.

  “Wait, if you and the queen were there with Delphina and Galahad, were the others there? Do they…does he…did they see you?” Her guardian’s hesitation told her all she needed to know. “They did!” Her blood raced, her adrenaline spiking again as panic made it hard to breathe. Everything felt like it was spinning faster and faster out of her control.

  Dagg wheeled around, his eyes glowing. “There was no other choice. We had no other way of getting the knights to you in time. I had to reveal myself and tell him where you were.”

  “You were the one who was so gung-ho about not telling anyone in the first place!” Aliana clutched the sheet tighter to her chest. At least dealing with this news was making it easier to forget about Galahad’s amazing kiss a moment ago. “Turn back around!” she snapped.

  He did so with a low growl. “It was the only way to get to you in time.”

  “Your DragonLord is correct. I do not have the connection to you that he does. It was the only way to know where you were. If Merlin had been here, maybe it could have been done differently.”

  Aliana’s shoulders slumped. “But, what if all of them knowing about Dagg has changed the course of history?”

  The queen looked at her sharply, her hands pausing as she cleaned the long cut on her abdomen. “Time is one of the greatest mysteries of the realms. Many have fallen, even gone mad trying to outwit it.”

  Aliana said nothing. The fact was, not one of the guys remembered knowing her here in Camelot. What other explanation was there?

  As if reading her mind, Igraine spoke up. “I have walked the realms and this earth for centuries. There are many thoughts among magic kind about tampering with time. Most believe and accept time is largely unchangeable.”

  “If that’s the case, then why don’t I just tell the guys everything?”

  The queen’s pale gold eyes snapped up to hers. “Because even I do not know the answer to time, or know what danger such information may bring. You worry so about affecting the timeline, here in Camelot; telling them could do just that.” The corners of her mouth tightened, tiny wrinkles making the queen appear older than Aliana had ever seen her look. “Trust me when I say the consequences of meddling in the toils of time is not one you want to bear. Even if the future is set, knowing what is to come, knowing your own fate and that of your loved ones is a terrible burden to bear. Who wouldn’t be tempted to change fate if they thought it would be for the betterment of someone they loved?”

  Aliana closed her eyes as the queen rubbed a thick salve over her cut and wrapped it tightly with bandages. Soothing warmth flared around the cut and the pain lessened immediately. She relaxed just a little more, her heart rate returning to normal.

  Igraine opened another jar of floral smelling salve. She gently rubbed it on the bruises on her neck and around her mouth. “There are many ways to tamper with events, and people’s memories, without changing history.”

  Aliana pondered that wisdom until a sharp knock came from the door.

  “Dagg, hide!” Her guardian frowned but moved up to the rafters.

  Igraine shook her head. “I think it’s too late for that.” Dagg mumbled his agreement as the queen said, “Come in.”

  Vira opened the door at the queen’s permission. Aliana spread the cloth covering her naked chest a little more as she caught a glimpse of Arthur and Galahad. Guin and Delphina were next to them, both apparently doing as they were told and keeping them calm and outside. Igraine took the dress from Vira.

  The small girl smiled a wet, wobbly, relieved smile before closing the door.

  Dagg returned to her side. “Aliana, the queen is right. We…I have only been assuming that the king and his men do not need to know all about us.”

  The dark-haired girl sighed heavily. “Can we take that chance?”

  “I believe,” Igraine started, “that you would be wise to see how things proceed from now. They now know of your guardian. I would recommend revealing more of yourself to them. Your purpose here, at least.” The queen stepped back, offering her hand to Aliana so she could stand. Aliana looked pointedly at Dagg who turned his back and moved his wings to hide his eyes again.

  “We were already thinking about that. It’s why we were going to find you before…well, you know.” Aliana slid off the table, her legs wobbling, the long cut on her chest throbbing again.

  Aliana steadied herself, clutching what remained of her dress and the cloth that covered her chest. Igraine held up the mauve dress she had worn when she first arrived in Camelot. Blushing madly, Aliana let Igraine help her into it, only wincing a few times.

  “I still don’t get why the guys have no memory of me. If the queen’s right, they should have remembered me when Merlin restored their memories in London. I know Galahad would have remembered me, at least.”

  Dagg turned back as the queen tightened the strings to her dress. “I do think the queen may have given us a clue to that answer; we just need to figure it out.”

  Aliana ran her fingers through her hair as loud knocks sounded against the door.

  “Mother, what is happening in there?” Arthur’s worry tangled with his loud demanding question.

  The queen sighed, shaking her head. “I suppose we have tried their patience too long.”

  Aliana’s mouth turned up in a slow smile as Igraine slid back the bolt on the door.

  16

  Having that mortal king threaten me was the most fun I’d had in ages! I knew he would not hurt me, not even for the Destined One. He needs me too much, not that he’s realized it yet, none of them have. But that will change, and then I may really need protection from the king and his overbearing oaf of a knight, Galahad. I have not let myself underestimate anyone since that horrific incident in Camelot. My oversight taught me well, I have not and will not make such a mistake again. They will all thank me, when they finally realize all I have done for them. Especially Galahad, via my dear Sophvira’s wish. Now I need to see to the blond girl, Lacy. She’s fascinating.

  ~Puck

  EVERYONE SWARMED THE ROOM AT ONCE, Arthur and Galahad making it to her side first. Both knights seemed focused on the bruises on her throat. Arthur’s large hand came up, tracing the edges of the tender skin around her mouth.

  Aliana looked between the two brooding men battling for her attention.

  “You can both see she is well.” Igraine’s hands appeared on both guys’ shoulders, prying them back from Aliana. “Let the girl have some room to breathe.”

  Gawain came to her side when Galahad and Arthur stepped back. Aliana smiled at him, his concerned eyes so much like her best friend’s. She reached out and hugged him. He hesitantly hugged her back, his arm careful not to hold her too tight. “Not many women are able to keep themselves calm enough to do what you did. You were very brave.”

  “Lucky Galahad is such a good shot.”

  “Lucky you have a small Dragon to warn us of danger.”

  “About that…him…um.”

  Lancelot crossed his arms, “Yes, what about him?”

  Gawain snorted. “We all knew you were hiding something. Who would have guessed it was a DragonLord?”

  Arthur cleared his throat. “I’d like to know why you have a Dragon companion, as well as his name.”

  Dagg jumped from the table hovering beside his aching charge. “I am Daggerhorne, Aliana’s guardian.”

  “Why would you need a Dragon guardian, Aliana?” Guin asked, her brown eyes lit with curiosity.

  “That’s a very long story and one I think best left for when it doesn’t hurt to breathe.” There was no hiding her reason for being here n
ow, but she wanted to talk to Merlin about it first.

  Gawain raised a mocking brow. “Well, this was certainly one way to start Camelot’s anniversary celebrations.”

  Everyone laughed a little and the tension eased back. Aliana hugged the girls and Morgana, who had apparently come just after Guin had left the room. She didn’t miss the blond-haired Sorceress’s long pensive gaze at Dagg and her.

  Aliana again wished Lacy was here to get her opinion. Her half Fae sister was always so good with judging people. Thoughts of Lacy segued into thoughts of Dawn. God how Aliana missed her best friends and magical sisters!

  A knock on the open door drew their attention.

  A short soldier stood just outside the room. “Sire, forgive the interruption.” He bowed deeply.

  Arthur nodded. “What is it?”

  The soldier lowered his eyes, shifting from foot to foot with anxiousness. “Lord Merlin and the other knights have returned. They said they have urgent news.”

  Arthur dismissed the man with a nod of his head. He and the guys left the room, Morgana following.

  Guin spoke first. “I wonder what is wrong.”

  Aliana wanted to know too.

  “You need to rest,” Igraine implored.

  Aliana’s hand covered the cut below her chest. The aching wasn’t too bad now, but she was still having difficulty talking deep breaths. Vira and Delphina led her back to her room. She’d have to find out later what was happening.

  Aliana winced as she took a too-deep breath. Her wounds were healing remarkably fast, but the cut on her ribs still hurt. Aliana suspected the rapid healing was because of the queen’s salves. She needed to find Merlin and see what his urgent news was. She hadn’t gotten the chance last night. Instead she had been stuck in bed trying not to think about Galahad’s kiss and what she was going to say to all of them about herself and her quest.

  “Merlin,” she called out, knocking on the door to his room.

  The door creaked open. Merlin looked confused for a second then motioned for her to come in. The room was small, filled with wooden benches, colored jars and so many different kinds of hanging herbs and flowers it was like stepping into a potpourri factory.

  “What is this place?” She caught sight of several maps hanging on a far wall.

  “This is my workshop. Morgana and I do much of our research and magic in here.”

  Aliana turned back to him. “I don’t understand? Magic, your magic and mine, comes from inside us. We don’t need potions to use our powers.”

  Merlin shook his head. “True, but there are times that it is far wiser to have magical concoctions at your fingertips. Magic may be accepted in the kingdom, but there are still many who fear and hate it. Openly using magic in front of the populace is not wise. And a great wielder of magic knows that it takes more than just our own pure magic to defeat our enemies or heal people.”

  “Oh.” Aliana hadn’t even thought of that, but then, short of the day she was in the market, she hadn’t really interacted with too many people outside the knights and the girls. But why had Merlin never spoken to her of any of this? It was almost the opposite of what he had first taught her about magic.

  The Druid smiled ruefully. “I am sure you are grateful for the salves that have been using to treat your wounds.”

  “Yeah, I am, but Dagg could have healed me just as well. I’ve even healed myself in the past too.”

  “I have never met one who is able to heal themselves.” He shook his head, huffing a laugh. “I should not be surprised. How are you feeling? Everyone is talking about what happened.”

  Aliana’s hand went to the cut on her ribs that she had rebandaged this morning. “Better. I still can’t figure out what they wanted with me or how they even knew to find me here in Camelot.”

  Merlin leaned back against a table. “Could it be tied to your quest?”

  Aliana shrugged. “No one here knows about my quest but you. Delphina knows I was sent here, but I didn’t give her any specific details.” And the Fae girl didn’t seem the traitor kind. She clearly cared too much about the people here.

  But then again, so did Morgana.

  “Perhaps it is just a coincidence.” Merlin didn’t sound like he believed that any more than she did.

  Aliana shook her head. “There is a new problem. Dagg had to reveal himself to the others yesterday.”

  Merlin didn’t look surprised. “Yes. The topic has also been quite the source of debate.”

  Aliana twisted her fingers together. “Do they hate me for not telling them?”

  Merlin laughed. “No. They would never hate you. But you certainly surprised them. Galahad, however, spoke with me at length about it. He was very irritable when I wouldn’t give him all the information he wanted.” The Druid was grinning like he enjoyed annoying the white knight.

  “How do I handle this? What do I tell him?”

  Merlin stroked his chin again. “The queen told me of your conversation. I share her thoughts about the working of the timeline. But, I think you should listen to your instincts. One thing I have learned with magic is to trust what they tell you.”

  Aliana chewed her cheek. She needed to think about what her gut was telling her. “What was the news you brought yesterday?”

  Merlin straightened. “As we were returning to Camelot, we came upon a village that said they were being haunted by a dark spirit. We found no evidence of it, and I felt no trace of magic. But this is not the first report of a malevolent spirit in that area. Three other villages had reported the same sighting, and dozens of mysterious deaths. I fear if we do not figure this out soon, people will start to panic.”

  “Do you think it could all be connected to the Manticore being drawn from the Underworld?” Aliana remembered Galahad telling her once about the many strange and dangerous occurrences that had happened just before Mordrid and Morgana’s treachery was revealed.

  “I do not know. But we’ve sent patrols to scout the areas.”

  Aliana trampled down the desire to once again tell Merlin of Morgana’s coming betrayal, remembering her promise to the queen.

  “I’ve read through that book I got from the old woman.” She had, in fact, finished it last night, making use of the queen’s enforced bed rest. “The only thing that sticks out to me is the passages about the Underworld, but that might just be because of the Manticore.”

  “I know you fear telling me too much, but is there something in your time that you were searching for?”

  Aliana sighed. “What do you think, Dagg? I think it’s time I tell him about the Grail of Power?”

  She felt the Dragon’s approval. “I think it worth the risk. He did possess it, after all, when the queen’s prophecy was created.”

  Aliana looked back up at Merlin, her nerves spinning. “What do you know about the Grail of Power?”

  Merlin’s eyes nearly bugged out, his mouth dropping open for a brief second. “You search for the Grail of Power?”

  Aliana shrugged. “In a way. You know I’m from the future, and in my time, my friends and I need to find the Grail so we can stop this really bad evil from trying to take over the realms. But the Grail of Power has been lost for ages, and we have no way of finding it.”

  Merlin nodded slowly, still reeling from shock, his shoulders hunching forward just a little. “So you want to take the Grail from this time?”

  “No. That would mess up your timeline.” Aliana started pacing the room. “Titania was very clear when she said I need find an object that will lead me to the Grail.” Unfortunately, finding this artifact was only tied to what Titania wanted her to do here.

  “This is very disturbing.” Merlin’s eyes watched her as she wandered the room, her fingers skimming over table surfaces and colored bottles.

  “You don’t need to tell me that. All this mystery crap is really starting to annoy me!”

  Merlin’s mouth turned up in a sardonic smile.

  “So do you know of anything that would lead th
e way to the Grail?”

  Merlin scratched his stubbled chin. Apparently the Druid hadn’t bothered to shave today. “Give me a few days. I may be able to find some answers in the ancient scrolls and books that fill Camelot’s archives.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Merlin shook his head and came to Aliana’s side. “I will look for your answers; but it will take time. I suggest you take the next few days to recover and enjoy the celebrations. Or try to discover what your other purpose here is.”

  Aliana didn’t feel as sure as Merlin, but agreed. She opened the door to leave, but hesitated. She wondered again about the choice, even wisdom, of not telling the Druid of Morgana’s coming betrayal. He clearly loved her so much. It’s no wonder he was so closed off, angry, and mysterious in the future. Maybe she could just give him a hint. It wouldn’t hurt anything as long as she didn’t outright say anything, right?

  “Was there something else, Aliana?”

  Aliana swallowed the warning words on her tongue. “Just…thanks for the salves. They have really helped.”

  Merlin’s head tilted. “It is not I who makes them. My souls mate, Morgana, is the one gifted with such a connection the earth and the magic its herbs and flowers supply. She is the most talented I have ever known when it comes to such things. It is only because of her that I started to use them myself.”

  Aliana held back her shocked gasp. Morgana had been the one to create that healing magic? Could the differences in the Morgana of Camelot and the Morgana of her time get any crazier?

  Aliana found her way back to the rampart Guin and Vira had taken her to the first night she had arrived. Fortunately, she had avoided the others. She still needed to wrap her head around what she and Dagg had agreed to reveal to the guys. She looked out at the crashing ocean waves breaking against the cliff face below. It wasn’t her beach back home, but it felt very close. The sound of pounding, yelling men and moving wagons drew her attention to another side of the castle. She watched workers and servants scurry about, just outside the Castle walls, and through parts of the walled city, setting up an arena and dozens of tents.