The Dreamweaver

by Nancy Joseph Peterson

  “Yes, dear sister, I shall have him in place within the hour.” Nivane ended the session and the steam dissipated along with Mab’s tiny, smiling face.

  Checking her hourglass, Nivane realised the time had finally arrived! She nearly jumped up and down with joy as she stuck the small gong to summon Acclon.

  Her face caught in a maniacal grin, Nivane quickly gathered the things she would need to transport Anna to the fairy ring altar. Into another bag, she carefully placed the beautiful silks and satin slippers she would wear after her restoration as Morgan Le Fay.

  As she turned towards the door, she was shocked to see Acclon, but not dressed in his scarlet robe and cloak as she’d expected, instead he was wearing his old armour.

  He stood silent in the doorway, calmly regarding her.

  Nivane laughed derisively, “What do you think you’re doing! You don’t have time for playing knight, and where have been hiding that ridiculous costume?” Nivane’s face twisted with annoyance, “The time is upon us, you must go immediately and prepare for the rite, go! … GO NOW!” Nivane imperiously waved her bony hand at the door behind him as she turned away, tiring of his silliness.

  But Acclon remained where he was, slowly taking Excaliber from his scabbard as he spoke.

  “For all these many years, Nivane, or should I call you Viviane? I have followed you dutifully.” Acclon stepped closer, “I have listened to your bilious hatred and cruel comments of all that I held dear and sacred. Waiting for you … my Morgan Le Fay, and believing that my love was pure. I now know the truth of your enchantment of me, and of your true form. I have come to end it … and you.”

  Nivane turned back towards him, her eyes wide feigning innocence, “Acclon…you have been mislead! I love you, as you love me. I am your Morgan Le Fay, soon to return to you forever!” She reached out entreatingly to him, as she slowly lifted the dagger from the table behind her. Pulling her arm back swiftly, she released the enchanted blade, as it imbedded itself in Acclon’s shoulder, he plunged Excaliber through her blackened heart.

  Nivane’s eyes grew wide in shock and realisation as she saw the jewelled sword, “Excaliber! You…you traitor! You’ve had it all this time?…” Dying, her face began to morph as her true Naiad form shimmered beneath the wasted skin of Nivane, the sagging flesh falling away to reveal glossy blue-green scales and golden reptilian eyes beneath. Blackened blood flowed from her heart and onto the cave floor, seeping into the sand and drying to form sparkling dark crystals.

  Viviane, Lady of the Lake, Niviane, Morgan Le Fay, Morgana, and a host of other human personas, expended one final breath in her true form, before dying both in body and spirit for all eternity.

  Acclon staggered, not from his wound but from the enchantment it had delivered, which was moving quickly throughout his bloodstream. Knowing he didn’t have much time, he moved with haste to Merlin’s cell.

  Everything Emrys had tried had failed. Anna’s fitful sleep paid truth to the poison that was killing her with each passing moment, and worse, he knew Nivane would be coming for her soon.

  He positioned himself beside the door, prepared to die to prevent Nivane from taking Anna. As the door began to open, Emrys readied himself, holding an improvised weapon in his fist.

  But it was not Nivane that came through the door and into the shadowy cell, but a knight in dull armour, bleeding from a wound.

  “Merlin?” The knight rasped out, “Are you here?”

  Acclon’s words were halted as Emrys pushed him roughly against the wall, “Nivane. Where is she, Acclon? I need the name of the poison she gave Anna, there is no time, if you want to live tell me now!” Emrys held Acclon by his throat, a sharpened rock pressed firmly against his neck.

  “Poison? Surely not, Emrys, she’d intended to use Anna in the transference rite, she wouldn’t have risked it.” Acclon’s skin was dripping with perspiration, “I, however, have been poisoned with something…I don’t have much time. I have come to repay you…for the dream. I … am sorry, for everything, I was a fool. I need to take you to Nivane’s casting urn, it is the best I can do.”

  Emrys dropped his hand from his throat, “Where?” Emrys strode across the cell to gather Anna into his arms, “Take me there now.”

  Leading the way, Acclon walked slowly down the tunnel, turning and bending to move under an overhanging ledge, they entered Nivane’s chamber.

  Upon the floor, where Acclon had left her, little remained of Nivane; her silk dress crumpled, black crystals outlining the shape of her Naiad body.

  Emrys paused, with a sickening realisation, “Nivane is dead … I don’t know what poison she used on Anna. Tell me you know, Acclon.”

  Acclon sorrowfully shook his head, “No, I am sorry Merlin, I knew nothing of a poison to be given to Anna, only of the rite. I am sorry.”

  Acclon waved his hand, which oddly, was slowly becoming transparent, towards Nivane’s casting urn, “I doubt you’ll find any clues here in time to save her, Nivane was not one to keep records of her dark deeds. Perhaps you will be able to find a remedy from your dimension, it is probably your best chance.”

  Without any other choices available to him, Emrys strode to the urn and began to cast. Turning towards Acclon before the transportation took hold, he said, “Thank you for your help, Acclon. I forgive you, it was not you, but Morgan Le Fay’s enchantment that caused your misdeeds. I hope you can now find peace.”

  Acclon nodded, as the transparency of his own body became complete and his form blinked into nothingness, Merlin’s forgiveness was a greater gift than he could have ever expected.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Anna's Poison

  Cradling Anna tenderly, Emrys materialised directly into his workroom. He listened carefully for a moment; his crannog was empty. Correctly assuming that Blaise had gone in his stead to negotiate with Queen Aine, he laid Anna carefully down on his bed, and set about to diagnose and find an antidote to whatever form of poison or enchantment Nivane had used.

  First Emrys needed to release her from the sleeping spell he’d used to ease her pain, he whispered, “Wake up, honey. We’ve returned to my crannog, you’re safe.” Emrys gently daubed at her brow with a damp cloth.

  Anna’s eyes fluttered and opened slowly. Her voice was weak, “Emrys, it hurts.” She rolled onto her side, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

  “I know, honey, hang on. I need to ask you a few questions and take a blood sample, then I’m going to find an antidote and make the pain go away.”

  She nodded, her brow creased in agony. Anna submitted patiently to every test Emrys tried and answered each question as fully as she could. But even all his best efforts, combined with what he’d learned from her blood tests, got him no closer to understanding what was slowly killing her.

  Emrys was running out of time, he knew it as his gut twisted with fear. Anna’s blood pressure was dropping and her lips were now completely white.

  In desperation he’d tried hit or miss antidotes to various poisons, as well a few incantations to druid and Naiad curses.

  Nothing had worked.

  “Anna, I love you.” Emrys eyes were desperate.

  “I love you too, so much. I am sorry, I know how hard you’ve tried to help me. If…if something happens…don’t forget to help my family.” Anna’s voice was barely a whisper.

  He sighed, placing his forehead against her’s momentarily, “I. Am. Not. Giving. Up. I just need a little more time, there are still some resource books I haven’t checked” Emrys was desperate, “Anna, will you let me put you into a light coma? It will take away your pain and allow me to continue to search for an antidote while you sleep, it will buy us a bit more time.” He brushed the hair back from her pale face, “I will find a way, I am not giving up.”

  Anna nodded weakly, “Yes…make it go way…and I know, I know you’re trying.”

  Emrys waved a hand over her brow, whispering quietly. As her eyes closed, he kissed her brow, “We’re not done yet, stay w
ith me my love.” Emrys murmured, his eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

  Climbing to retrieve yet another set of resource books from an upper shelf, Emrys began to read, the pages turning rapidly as he sped through book after book.

  A noise from the great room below him alerted him to someone’s arrival. Not wanting to leave Anna even for a moment, he stood at the top of the stairs and bade whomever it was to come to him.

  Emrys went immediately back to his research, every second now precious, he continued his search.

  The door to his workroom opened, and Cath walked in followed by Blaise and … Queen Aine. Her face passive as she took in the scene before them.

  “He does not look to be in any great need, Blaisbheum.” Queen Aine stated with an edge in her voice noting the book opened on Merlins lap.

  The Sidhe Queen stood regally in the doorway, her long blue-black hair pulled back into a single thick plait that was wrapped with stands of gold, and around her head, a golden band set with a single emerald paid homage to her station.

  Emrys jumped up, bowing briefly before the Queen, “I am honoured by your presence, Queen Aine, and please forgive me, but I have an emergency and must continue searching.” Emrys eyes were wild as he sat back down, directing his attention again to the open book.

  Blaise stepped forward, stunned by Emrys seemingly dismissive reception of the Queen, but upon seeing Anna prone on Emrys bed, he rushed to her side. Lifting her limp wrist, and checking her pulse, he turned to Emrys, “What happened?”

  “Nivane. Poison.” Emrys continued his frantic page turning.

  Queen Aine walked to stand behind Blaise, “Would you allow me?” She asked, addressing both Blaise and Emrys, who’d looked up from his book.

  “Yes.” They both said in unison, knowing her Sidhe powers and knowledge far surpassed anything either of them possessed.

  Blaise stood back as Queen Aine sat down carefully on the bed beside Anna, taking her hand she rubbed her thumb over Anna’s racing pulse, and closing her eyes, Aine began to hum softly.

  Emrys moved to stand at Anna’s head, hoping against hope that Aine could help or offer some advice or direction as to an antidote.

  Opening her eyes, Queen Aine turned to look up at Emrys, “Merlin. This woman is important to you?” She asked it as a question but it came out as a statement.

  “Yes, she is, my Queen. Anna is my life, I cannot envision living on without her beside me.” Emrys spoke truthfully, his red-rimmed eyes focused on Anna’s tormented face.

  Queen Aine nodded, “She has been given deadly Sidhe Mandrake. I suspect it was administered through the scratches on her cheek.” Aine’s gentle fingers brushed over Anna’s enflamed skin, calming the infection a little with her cool touch.

  “There is no antidote to be found in your library.” She waved dismissively in the direction of the pile of books Emrys had been reading, “Or indeed anywhere within this dimension. There is a cure, Merlin, but it comes at a price, for it is Sidhe.”

  “I will do anything, Queen Aine, tell me what you would have me do, just save her.” Emrys eyes shone with hope for the first time in many hours.

  “You are not able to pay the price of the cure, Merlin, Anna will. Can you speak for her?” Aine regarded him quietly.

  “Yes, save her, please. It doesn't matter the cost, she wants to live, she must live.” Emrys stated flatly, remembering Anna’s comments about her family as well as those about him.

  Aine motioned to Cath, “Return to Sidhe and bring me the tincture of Tuatha de Danaan, you’ll find a small green vial in the golden vault in my throne room. Take my Royal Seal and return to me quickly.”

  Cath accepted the token from Aine, nodded once, and disappeared to do her Queens’s bidding.

  “Once I administer the tincture, your Anna will recover completely. I shall explain the details of her cure to both of you when she awakens.”

  Cath returned moments later, and kneeling before her Queen, handed her a small velvet pouch. Aine pulled the slender, glowing vial from the bag and pulled the cork.

  Placing the vial to Anna’s closed lips, she allowed just a drop, the tiniest of amounts, to seep onto her lips. The tip of Anna’s pink tongue appeared after a moment, collecting the droplet.

  Anna groaned, and her eyelids slowly blinked open, searching for, and finding Emrys as he kneeled beside her, “Emrys, did you find it? I…feel better, different, but better…the pain is gone.” Her soft voice hesitant, almost as if she was afraid to believe she’d been saved.

  Emrys voice cracked with emotion, “Yes, my love, you are going to be okay…” He gathered her trembling hands to his lips, kissing her fingertips.

  He nodded gratefully at Queen Aine, who’d moved to stand a few feet away, allowing them a moment before she spoke, “How do you feel, Anna?” Queen Aine moved to stand over Emrys, looking down upon Anna.

  Anna’s eyes widened, “Umm, yes…I feel much better, thank you. The pain is gone. But…I feel a little…umm different. I don’t know how to describe it.” Anna again looked at Emrys, this time for help as she tried to sit up.

  He supported her shoulders as she scooted back to lean against his chest.

  Queen Aine looked meaningfully at a nearby chair, and Cath hurried to bring it to her so she could sit at Anna’s bedside.

  Sitting, the Queen looked even more regal, and a bit out of place in Emrys crowded workroom.

  Now upright, Anna reached to smooth her hair, feeling somewhat ill at ease in the company of what was obviously royalty, she looked up, raising a meaningful eyebrow to Emrys.

  Realising his lapse in protocol he quickly made an introduction, “Oh, Anna forgive me, allow me to introduce Queen Aine of the Sidhe Fairy realm.” He whispered under his breath to Anna, “It was she who was able to counteract Nivane’s poison, not I.”

  To Queen Aine, he quickly added, “My Queen, may I present Miss Anna Lynn Stewart of New York, America, from the year 2013.”

  Anna’s eyes opened wide in amazement, a Fairy Queen! Anna swung her legs over the side of the bed, and holding onto Emrys arm, she stood unsteadily. Curtsying awkwardly, she said in her most formal voice, “It is an honour, I am grateful to you, thank you for…saving me.” Her eyes downcast, she blinked back her tears.

  “Rise young lady, after all you’ve been through I hardly think we need to stand on ceremony. But thank you for your attempt.” Aines voice lilted with suppressed amusement.

  Reaching out to touch Anna’s cheek, Aine spoke quietly, “Nivane raked you with her nails here?”

  “Yes, she held my chin and when she let go, her nails scratched me.” Anna confirmed.

  Aine nodded to Emrys briefly, turning back to Anna she continued, “Just as I suspected, Nivane’s nails must have been contaminated with Sidhe Mandrake, a deadly poison. To save your life in this dimension, I had to administer a tincture from Sidhe; the Tuatha de Danaan. But, as I explained to Merlin, there are…ramifications to humans after administering the tincture.” Aine waited for what she’d said to sink in a bit before continuing.

  Asking the obvious question, Anna responded, “I see…I think. So, I guess I need to know what ‘ramifications’?”

  “The coded substance of your body, I think it is called DNA in your dimension and time?” She looked at Emrys, who nodded. Aine continued, “Your DNA, upon taking the tincture, became…altered. Making you not entirely human, and not entirely fairy, but rather a mutated form of both.”

  Anna’s eyes darted between Queen Aine and Emrys, looking for help, “Umm, did you just call me a mutant?”

  Aine smiled, “Yes, I did, but it’s not as unpleasant as it sounds. Put simply, you are now a ‘better human’ than before; stronger, healthier and in all likelihood…brighter.” She patted Anna’s hand in an almost motherly fashion, “The only difficult part for you may be your need to occasionally return to my land for…nourishment of sorts.”

  Anna’s head was still reeling from Aine’s revelations, she tried t
o form the questions that she knew would come the instant Aine left.

  “Okay, and I am grateful for what you’ve done for me…but I am having a hard time understanding this, are you saying I need to live in…umm…fairyland?”

  With a barely restrained, and uncharacteristic giggle, Aine responded, “No. In fact full-time life in ‘fairyland’ would be difficult for you as a mutant fairy-human, you’ll need to return to Fairy maybe once every hundred or so years to…absorb the atmosphere, doing so will nourish the part of you that is now Sidhe and then you can return to your own dimension for another hundred or so years.”