Thaumaturgy

Chapter 31

After a few days a war council was planning. Arthur had menouvers in the morning so Merlin made his way to the druid camp by himself. He had been teaching the druid menthods to several villagers who has shown talent with magic – there powers were weak anyways and made weaker by the Demyting that was draining the lands.

Merlin walked across the frosted ground, the grass dusted with a light cover of snow that powdered across the earth like icing sugar spilled on the kitchen top. He shived against the chill that sat in

the air, blowing warm air from his cheeks over his frozen fingers - feeling the winter for the first time since he had learned to warm himself, amigcally, as a boy- he pulled aside tent flap, and ducking

his head down he walked in.

"Hail Emyrs. The Once and Futuer King" intoned the Druid council at them, regal in their floor length robes of scarlet and jet, and Mordred, appointed to join the council for the occasion in his role as emisary to the humans. They nodded. As he looked, Merlin noticed that Gaius too sat amongst their numbers, a dottering point in grey and blue amongst the uniform of the Druids, and Arthur, whom he sat next to.

"Cachamwri, Cwynyllyr, I am glad to see you again," Merlin murmered, "if only our circumstances were more auspicious."

"Merlin, my boy, take a seat. We are awaiting only one more!" he smiled dotily. Merlin sat by him with Arthur beside him.

"Who do we await?" he sasked, curious peaking. Just then Morgana walked in.

"Hello boys," she smiled, all confidence and kind glittering eyes, "thank you for awaiting me." She dipped her head to Cachamwri also before taking her place next to Mordred, who smiled his smile at the witch.

"Now" the cheif Druid began "we are assembled. I call this Council of War to order. With the visions of our Seer and Morgana here we should be able to propose a plan of attack on that will not fail." He said.

"We have much in progress to aid us" Harald, the village elder, said. "Scounts watch the western road for bandits and the druids are hard at work guarding our village with wards. Shaun and Andrew are stationed in Northumbra with swift horses to alert us to the armies advance."

"And Beanjimin?" He was aked.

"He arrived in Camelot a week ago. He ins our eyes and ears in the ciy, if anything happens he will let us know."

"Very good. How are prepareations for the garison at Northumbria?"

"Gwen has taken control of the forge, and her brother Elyan and Sir Percival of Northumbria are helping her to insure we have metal works. Sir Leon is training people to fight, His Majesty is training with him along with Gwaine, Will and many other villagers who wish to protect themselves, women and children are like. Merlin and Morgana are of course working withyourselves and any villagers with hidden magic abilities. Magic may be fading but as long as we have it we should use it. And lastly Lacelot is lerning medecine from Hunith and Gaius."

"Ok. We don't have many people but now we can make a plan of attack." he said. And so they planned.

After the plans were drawn up, and disimbursed amongst the few willagers who could read on vellum paper, Merlin was exhausted. The snow had fallen thickly throughout the meeting of council and as he sat alone in the house he share with Arthur, watching the fire flicker and dance like a siren calling him to comfortable rest, his thoughts turned to the future. The bright point that shimmered on the horizon, like a brilliant star in a distance galaxy. He smile, making his mind up, and a moment later when Arthur walked in sweating and exhilerated from a day of mace lessons Merlin smiled and stood.