Caught in the Storm

Chapter Fifteen

15. A Tale As Old As Time

Magdelena barely saw Uther, not that she was complaining, but she still feared what Catrina and Jonas were here for and what they really were. She was sitting on her bed, with a washbasin in front of her, while beside her was a large pile of Uther's dirty clothes, "How does one man dirty so many clothes in a week." She mutters to herself while she goes about her chore.

Merlin barges into the chambers, "I think the Lady Catrina is a troll!" he says making Magdelena pause as she looks at Gaius, "I saw her in a large pile of filth feasting on filth!"

"What you saw is seldom seen, Merlin. Trolls despise all other living things, especially humans. They prefer to lurk in the darkness of their nests, feasting on rotten filth," Gaius says staring at Magdelena who was doing her best to just listen.

"And Jonas? Is he a troll too?" Merlin asks.

"Who can tell what manner of creature he is," Gaius tells him Magdelena watches the two interact thinking through things she had seen and heard from Uther.

"It makes no sense. If trolls like to lurk in their caves so much, what's this one doing in Camelot?" Magdelena asks joining the conversation, as she continues to clean the clothes.

"Trolls are greedy. Lady Catrina's like the rest of her kind; she lusts after wealth and power," Gaius explains Magdelena nods her head slowly.

"Uther's wealth and power," Merlin says. 

"We've reached the point of no return. Uther has to be told."

"You're going to tell Uther that his lady friend's a troll?" Magdelena couldn't hold back her laughter as the words fell together perfectly, Gaius and Merlin were shocked as she fell on to the bed sideways laughing the entire time.

"Good luck," Merlin says as Gaius gets ready to leave.

"Oh boy are you gunna need it Gaius!" she calls out to him as he sends Merlin a 'thank you' and gave Magdelena a warning glance that made her double over in laughter again.

 Magdelena suddenly felt magic, 'c nemne þá grædige, yfele, formolsnung. mé getryme. Nu meaht þú began. Nu meaht þú begalan.'  She followed the pull of the magic, allowing her feet to guide her until she arrived at the chambers she had led Jonas and the Lady Catrina to when they had first arrived. 

Magdelena runs back to her chambers where Gaius and Merlin were asleep, she was in a panic she had no idea what to do. She knew what that spell was for, she knew what would happen, she began to pace thinking of all the things she could do to stop it from happening, but she had to take a chance. She ran through the halls racing to get to the dining hall, she threw open the door Catrina held the enchanted necklace, "Uther do not accept the gift she has enchanted it!" 

"That is a very serious accusation Magdelena," Uther tells his servant staring at her as she walked in closer.

"You dare let a servant make such an accusation of a Lady?" Catrina says sending a glare at the serving girl, "Please, Uther why would I enchant you? How would I know such magic? My father has helped in the fight against magic."

"Magdelena, I want to know why you make such accusations against her? What gives you cause?" he asks, Catrina more enraged that he was taking the servant's words seriously.

"I refuse to be treated like this, by a servant no less," Catrina says, "Here take my gift and see for yourself that there is no enchantment." Catrina holds out the necklace.

"Uther I beg you please don't!" she says but he looks at Catrina who puts on the best puppy dog eyes, "I, Magdelena, order you not to-" but her words were cut off as he slips it over his neck and the magic begins to take effect. Doing the final part of the spell, it is intact and Magdelena stares at the troll.

"I have won this round," Catrina says, Magdelena squares her shoulders and stares at the woman.

"You may have won a battle troll, but there is still a war to be won," Magdelena says, going to leave the room but from nowhere Jonas appeared his tail stabbing her in the stomach. She cried out in pain but didn't fall as she grabbed her bleeding stomach, "You stupid beast! I shall bathe in the blood of you and your pet!" she snaps Jonas and Catrina looking at her in fear as her true self appeared.

She walked from the hall growling to herself that she hadn't felt his presence, as she pressed against the wound as she walked, her hand was wet with the sticky red substance, "Mags is my father still having dinner with Lady Catrina?" she hears the Prince from behind her.

"Yes, m'lord, he is," she says pausing only for a moment before continuing on to get to Gaius who was still no doubt asleep.

"Are you alright? You sound in pain!?" she waves him off but he rushes forward to stand in front of her, the red from her dress, and the blood on her hand made his eyes go wide as he panicked at the sight, "Mags, what happened? Who did this?"

"Sire," she tries between his rabbling, questions, and threats as she continued to call him by different titles, "M'lord. Your Highness. My grace. Prince Arthur," he continued to ramble on, "Arthur!" she snaps the sound of his name and only his name made him stop mid-sentence.

"Yes, Mags?"

"Me standing in a hallway bleeding is not helping," she says, "I would appreciate it if I can get past you to get to Gaius." 

"Allow me to help," he says but she shakes her head, "Mags I am going to help you."

"You were looking for your father," she points out as she remembers the question he asked when he first saw her, "You go find him."

"Magdelena I am helping you get to Gaius," he says wrapping her arm which wasn't pressed to her wound around his shoulders his right hand wrapped around her waist and his other held her left hand. She could feel his toned body against her's as they walked through the halls. 

She opens the door, "Gaius!" she calls making the old man jump with a start as he turned to see Arthur carrying Magdelena who was bleeding in the stomach, "I will tell you what happened later, right now I need medical attention." Gaius instantly stands lighting a few candles as he had the Prince place her on a table laying down.

"Thank Prince Arthur I can take it from here," he says as he begins to grab a few things from various shelves and tables, "Magdelena I need you to remove your dress." Merlin wakes up coming from his room looking rather tired.

"Why are you making so much noise?" Merlin asks but doesn't answer as he sees the bleeding Magdelena, "Maggie!" he cries rushing forwards to stand next to her. 

"Can you help me remove my dress, Merlin?" Magdelena asks, Prince Arthur goes to leave slowly as she removed the outer layer of blue leaving her in her underdress, which had a large amount of blood staining the front, as it grew more and more. The Prince finally leaves but no less worried about what had happened to the women and trying to figure out who stabbed her.