Caught in the Storm

Chapter Twenty

20. One Down One To Go

Gaius looked at his niece who had been crying until him and Merlin entered where she immediately stopped and acted as if nothing had happened, but the redness of her eyes and her raw voice was a dead give away, "Everyone now knows that Catrina is a troll." Merlin says as he enters the chambers, "Uther seems oblivious to it though."

"Well he is a man," Magdelena says with very little humor, "He is under an enchantment, I am unsure how to break it," Magdelena stands suddenly, "Uther summons me." 

Gaius and Merlin watch her leave very curious as to why she had been crying, both wondered if it had to do with the knight William but something told Merlin that it had something to do with the blonde haired Prince.

Magdelena met Uther in the council chambers, "What is it Uther?" she asks staring at the man, who seemed to notice her red puffy eyes but cared little about them, "Do you have more chores for me to do? A pile of dung for me to fetch for your wife?"

"I have heard her be insulted enough," Uther snaps, "I will not have you - a mere servant - do the same."

"Oh please, Uther, tis an honor to call your troll wife such horrid names," Magdelena says completely done with the Pendragon men, "Now why did you call me here-" she turns right as the doors open revealing Gaius, Leon and three other members of Uther's council.

"I wasn't aware we were due to convene the council. What's this about?" Uther asks staring at them as the enter the room more, "Come on. Someone speak up."

"I'm afraid it's your wife, Sire," Gaius says after a moments pause, Magdelena snorted at the comment earning a warning glare from Uther.

"Yes, what about her?" Uther asks sounding dazed probably from the enchantment.

"It's a rather delicate matter, Sire," Gaius pressed the man while taking a small step forward and the King looks at them in a rather joyous mood.

"Gaius, you've been my trusted advisor for many years," Uther assures the physician, "You can speak as you will."

"I don't suppose it's escaped your notice, Sire, but we just...just wanted to make absolutely certain," Gaius says looking to his sides of the rest of the council, "You do realise your wife is a troll, Sire."

"I beg your pardon?"

"At least that's the way she looks to us. What with the warts," Gaius says before motioning to his nose, "and the nose..." he trails off slightly possibly trying to see if Uther understood what was happening.

"And the smell," Leon adds making Gaius nod, Magdelean smiles trying to hold in a laugh.

"The smell? What?" Uther asks still dazed but rather confused by the concerns of his council.

"She also has, what appears to be, a set of fangs," Gaius tells him trying to be gentle but there was no real way to tell someone they married a troll.

"What?" the ever confused Uther asks the group.

Magdelena walks in front of the council and grabs Uther and turns him to look at her straight in the eyes, "Uther Pendragon, you married a giant, stinky, grey, ugly troll with warts and tusks," Magdelena says, "I swear on everything that you have married a troll."

"Not that we're saying that's necessarily a bad thing. I just thought I ought to point it out to you in case it had passed you by." Gaius says as the council looks at Uther who was glaring at Magdelena.

"The next person to insult Queen Catrina will be charged with treason and beheaded according to the laws of the land." 

"In that case-" Magdelena is pulled back with her mouth covered by Leon whose smile had fallen due to the king's threat. Gaius grabs the girl from Leon once they had left the council room and he headed straight for his chambers where Merlin sat looking through his magic book and even had grabbed some of Magdelena's, "Did you take my books?" 

"No is not the time to be possessive," Merlin says making her cross her arms over her chest as she pouts at him, "I will put them back exactly how I found them, I promise."

"You won't find anything in your magic books," Gaius tells him ignoring their small conversation, "Troll enchantments are too strong."

"Then what are we going to do?" Merlin asks staring up from the book to look at the only father figure in either of the two siblings life.

"You must speak to the dragon. If there's a way to break Catrina's hold on Uther, he'll know it," Gaius tells the young warlock, "But be careful, dragons and trolls have been close allies in the past."

Magdelena smiled, "I want to come!" she says grabbing Merlin's arm and apparating them to the dungeons. They snuck their way into the door that leads to the large cave in which the dragon sat chained, "Kilgarrah!" she calls out and the dragon flies from his perch high in the cave, he lands on the small area before the two siblings, Merlin who holds a torch and a smiling Magdelena.

"Young warlock, Death," he greets, "You have not visited me for some time." He says to Magdelena who grins widely.

"Wait till you hear why we came," she says, the dragon doesn't speak so she just tells him, "Uther is under an enchantment by his wife," Kilgarrah looks less than amused, "Did I mention his wife is a troll?" with a moment of silence the dragon begins to laugh, and Magdelena can't help but laugh along with him.

"This isn't funny," Merlin tells the two as Magdelena leans on him as she laughs clutching her stomach.

"Oh, it is, it is," the dragon says laughing a bit more, "The thought of Uther marrying a troll! Was it a very public affair?"

"Public enough." Kilgarrah continues to laugh as does Magdelena, "Don't laugh! If she can't be stopped, Arthur won't become King. Albion will never be born." The mention of Arthur makes Magdelena stop laughing as she looks at the floor remembering what had happened.

"I'm sorry. You are right, of course," Kilgarrah says his laughter stops as he stares down at the two siblings.

"How can we break the enchantment?" Merlin asks the dragon.

"These are not trifling tricks. Troll magic is very powerful." the dragon replies staring at the two of them from his perch on the formation of rocks.

"There has to be a way."

"The only way you could break this enchantment is if Uther were to cry tears of true remorse," Kilgarrah tells the warlock who looks more worried than confused.

"How do we make him do that?" Magdelena asks, trying to hide the fact she wanted to start crying once again.

"That I can't answer," Kilgarrah tells the siblings, "Uther's heart is cold as stone. He's never been sorry for anything."

"Thanks, I think," Merlin says going to walk away from the dragon back into the dark tunnel.

"Young warlock, it was some time ago you promised to set me free," the dragon informs the raven-haired man who had paused at the sound of the powerful voice, "The help I give is not unconditional." Magdelena grabs Merlin's arms and apparates back to Gaius' chambers, she goes to speak but feels the summon of Uther.

"Pardon me duty calls," she says before walking from the chambers heading to the council room.