Caught in the Storm

Chapter Twenty-Five

25. A Deal Is A Deal

Aredian dragged her into the throne room, she caught sight of Merlin - who looked angry - who stood next to Gaius. At the front was Uther, the Lady Morgana and the Prince sat watching as Aredian threw her onto the floor in front of them, "Confess!" he snaps but she says nothing, he grips her hair as if trying to hurt her, "Confess!"

"I am a sorcerer, Uther," she says looking at the King with humor in her eyes, "I am responsible for conjuring the smoke. I'm guilty of practicing magic in Camelot, the goblin, the faces in the well. I am the sorcerer who conjured the toad from their mouth."

Uther looks at her unsure how he is meant to go about this, he knows she can't die, "Then as stated in the laws of Camelot you are to be put to death."

"The sorcerer will be purged of her magic by means of fire! She shall be burnt at the stake tomorrow at dawn! Bear witness and heed this lesson!" Aredian calls out, guards grab Magdelena who holds eye contact with Uther a smirk on her lips as she is dragged back to her cell. 

Once again she was sitting on the bed when the gate opens and she smiles, "I can only give you a few minutes," the voice of the Prince says as he goes to leave as Magdelena stands only to be pulled into a large hug by her brother.

"They wouldn't let me see you," Merlin says and Magdelena smiles at her brother as she pulls away from him.

"I know Merlin," she says with a soft smile.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe Uther would do this to you," Merlin says lowering his voice as he says, "You two are bonded."

"He doesn't have a choice, he can't let a confessed sorcerer live free," Magdelena says, "I am excited to see Aredian's face when fire does little to kill me."

"I didn't even know you had such a thing," Merlin says referring to the bracelet that was found.

"It is not mine. Gaius was going to claim it as his and I couldn't let him do that," Magdelena says, "Is it neither of yours?"

"No, we really thought it was your bracelet, Maggie," he says his face changes and she shakes her head at him.

"No Merlin, that is risking and dangerous," she says shaking her head at him but he leaves the cell running past Arthur who walked up, "Greetings your highness."

"Aredian asked me questions about you," he says and she looks at him curiously.

"I assume he questioned many people," she says staring at him but he doesn't say anything, "I am a convicted sorcerer no one will believe what I say, m'lord, might as well speak your mind."

"He asked if you were in an affair with my father," he says and she looks at him shrugging her shoulder, "When I answered with no, he asked if I was in an affair with you. I called you Mags, you see. I told him no again, but he seemed very adamant as he asked more questions about you."

"Yes, he was trying to find facts to prove my guilt," she says, "What else did you want to say? Go on, I die at dawn might as well."

"You can't die Mags!" he says glaring at her, "I saw our future. You are to be my wife. We are meant to have twins."

"Sire, those were just a trick of sorcery," she says, "I don't think you should take them too seriously, a Prince - let alone a king - cannot marry a servant. You best get going, people may get suspicious." She walks to her bed and lays down closing her eyes waiting for him to leave which he does after staring at her for a moment. 

Later that day Aredian enters her cell but she just ignores him, "Well, I hope you've found some relief now that your ordeal is over," he says calmly and she just stretches.

"What are you here? You could care less about how I feel," she says, "Now leave me alone."

"Of course," he says making her smile at the thought of him just leave, "I just thought you'd want to hear the news, that's all."

"There it is," she says turning to look at him, "Go on tell me this news that you traveled all the way down to my cell to inform me."

"My investigations have begun."

"How exciting, you are going to show yourself as a fraud," she says, "Can't wait to watch."

"Watch? You will be dead soon," Aredian says with a small smile, "The investigation is on Merlin and the Lady Morgana."

"I think you forgot we struck a bargain," she says staring at him with narrow eyes, "Are you going back on it?"

"Oh, I don't bargain with sorcerers," he goes to leave but finds the door sealed and locked, he turns to her to demand to be released but was shocked to no longer find the servant with the blue and white dress. 

She sat there her hair was now had hints of red like dried blood running through her hair, her face was was like porcelain her eyes were black lined with wings coming from both ends and on the bottom with white on the inner corner of her eyes. His eyes traveled to her torso which was a halter top which was covered in holes minus a strip of white around her neck, under which she wore a black piece of cloth around her breasts. Right under her belly button, her black pants began going down her legs hugging them as they disappeared into high black laced up boots.

"Now you see me for my true colors," she stands from her seat walking elegantly as if she wasn't touching the ground, "I am sure you like the other me better. You will keep the bargain we struck, by the way." 

Her voice sent shivers down his spine as he stared in slight shock, "What are you? No magician can do this!"

"Look at you, smarter than you look," she says smiling at him which only brought a surge of fear, "Who - or what- I am is not important what is important, what is, is that you keep your side of the deal."

"I don't make deals with-" her eyes flashed like a fire bringing out of him a whimper as she steps forward threatening.

"You made a deal Aredian and you will keep it," she says her voice low, "After all only a fool tries to cheat death."

"D-death?" Aredian asks looking at her. 

"Yes," she says, "Now you leave my brother and the lady Morgana alone or I am going to kill you." She says glaring at him coldly, he was frozen in her stare, "Now leave me alone." She opens the cell door and he runs out, and she falls back into her servant clothes sitting on the bed a smile creeping on her face as the cell door closes.