The Golden Effect

Mark Of Nimeuh

EDITED.

CHAPTER 8 - THE MARK OF NIMUEH.

There were several reactions in the Council Chamber after her declaration, each one more similar than the last but for different reasons. Arthur had stopped talking, stopped moving all together, and he was staring at her with disbelieving, wide eyes the size of dinner plates; Uther had his cold eyes focused on her flushed face and his mouth had yet to close; and Gaius, he looked furious and horrified all at the same time.

"Are you mad?" he barked at her, as though he was not in the presence of the king. His eyes were blazing.

"I'm not letting her die because of me," she muttered to the physician, and slipped passed him. Merlynn set her chin defiantly and stared straight into the king's eyes; she was not scared now. She had to face her own consequences. "Sire, I place myself at your absolute mercy." Gaius cursed behind her. "Set Gwen free, it was not her doing. It was mine."

"And why would you be held accountable for the man's life?" he asked her, speculative.

"She's my friend - I felt the need to keep her father alive. He's all she has; I couldn't let her father die." She was completely honest with her statement, but Arthur seemed to think that she was putting herself on the line to keep her friend safe - it was both, but he would never know that she was telling the truth. Merlynn wasn't going to let Gwen die for something she hadn't even done.

Gaius spoke up behind her, his voice taking on a desperate note, "She doesn't know what she's talking about!"

"Yes," she declared, turning her head slightly toward him to direct the words at the physician, "I do."

"Arrest her, then," Uther said with a wave of his hand.

Arthur took a deep breath through his nose to calm the urge to strangle her. Why, oh why, would she do such a thing? Merlynn hadn't been in Camelot for a month yet and she was already sacrificing her life for people she barely knew. His servant was a complete idiot, lying about magic in order to save Gwen. "Father, please," he announced, making his way toward her. "I can not allow this. It's madness! Merlynn can't be a sorceress - it's completely impossible."

Imagine his surprise, she thought to herself as she clenched her jaw in irritation. Again, what she wanted, what she had planned was not going accordingly. If he hadn't been interrupted, Gwen would be free and she would be burned at the stake. All would be well.

"Did you not hear her?" King Uther retorted. She pointedly glared at the prince to agree with his statement.

"Yes," he replied.

"She admitted to it."

Arthur sighed; he hadn't thought of that, again. His father would believe a confession - his mind was warped with incessant hate and craving to destroy every magical being on earth. "She saved my life, father - remember?"

"Why would she fabricate such a story?" he inquired with a raised brow.

"Because I'm telling the truth," she insisted. "I placed the poultice underneath Gwen's father's pillow and then he got better."

Uther motioned toward her, eyes on his son, "How could she know this if she was not the sorceress?"He clenched his jaw; she certainly wasn't making it easy to rescue her, was she? "I told her earlier when she was begging me to release Gwen," he explained with a shrug, moving over to her and wrapping an arm over her shoulder. "She's only defending a friend to protect her. Obviously, Merlynn is a very loyal friend - like a dog." Uther snickered at that.

"Maybe she's enchanted you to set her free," the king suggested.

"Maybe. Besides, as Gaius said, she's got some sort of mental illness," he added, pleased by the court member's joining in on Uther's amusement. Merlynn flushed in embarrassment and anger - no!