Royalty's Heart

XIV. The Gates of Avalon (Part II)

PALACE, ARTHUR'S CHAMBERS

Sophia continued enchanting Arthur. "Our love is strong. You feel the same way, too. If we were ever to be parted...?"

"I'd never let that happen," Arthur told her.

"You may not have the choice. There are some here who don't want us to be together."

"I'll never let them come between us."

"Because we are in love."

"Because we're in love."

"You must seek permission for us to marry... so that we can be together."

"Till death do us part."

"Túce hwón frec'úre, artur." Sophia's eyes glowed red and she kissed Arthur. "Till death do us part."

Arthur's eyes glowed red and Sophia left.

CORRIDOR

Aulfric met Sophia outside Arthur's door.

"He's ready," Sophia said. "Tomorrow he'll do what we need him to."

"Good, you have done well," Aulfric told her. "I must go to the elders."

Merlin saw Aulfric as he turned the corner to Arthur's Chambers and followed him.

WOODS, LAKE OF AVALON

Merlin followed Aulfric into the woods. Aulfric reached the Lake. Merlin watched him from behind a tree. The wind started to blow.

Aulfric addressed the Lake. "I seek an audience with the Sidhe elders! Do:tiag-sa ar idbairt do denam!"

A blue haze and fairies appeared over the lake. The fairies flew faster than a human eye could see. Merlin adjusted his sight. He was amazed by what he saw and smiled.

Aulfric continued. "I come before you to plead for the chance to win passage back to Avalon and a life of immortality!" One of the fairies, the Sidhe Elder, came close to Aulfric. Merlin watched.

The Sidhe Elder said, "Your punishment for killing another Sidhe is a mortal body and a mortal life. You will never be able to return to Avalon."

"The crime was mine, not my daughter's."

"The gates of Avalon remain closed to your daughter. Unless the soul of a mortal prince be offered up to them."

"Thank you. An immortal life for my daughter is all that I desire, so I promise you the soul of the greatest prince of all. Arthur Pendragon!"

Merlin realised that Arthur's life was in great danger. The fairies disappeared into the Lake and Aulfric laughed.

PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS

"Avalon," Gaius said. "What you two saw at the lake, it's Avalon. It must be..."

"What's..." Merlin began.

"The land of eternal youth. Mortals are only supposed to glimpse it the moment before death."

"Well, I've seen it and I'm still here."

"Extraordinary. What did it look like?"

"Does it matter? They're going to sacrifice Arthur and we don't even know who "they" are yet."

"We do now." He sat by his desk. Merlin followed him. "I found writing like this on the top of Aulfric's staff. It's Ogham, an ancient script. Abas ocus bithe. Duthectad bithlane. "To hold life and death in your hands." From the writing on his staff and what you saw at the lake, I'm afraid I'm now certain. We're dealing with the Sidhe."