Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Legend of Idirsholas

Seven knights around a cold fire stood still, frozen in waiting for a sorceress Queen, their sovereign, their leader. Cobwebs danced around the cold moon lit room and over their old armour that was still as tough as stone. Masks of equally cold and lifeless form hid their faces beneath. Men of no names, no identities, no life. Centuries old, they waited for life but only when the fires of Idirsholas burned would they move.

In the dead of night, with a chant of a spell and a curse upon the King of Camelot, the fires burned ... and the knights moved.

~8~

Unaware of the danger that had formed only three nights before Merlyn had gone about her daily life, as everyone had. However, this morning whilst Arthur had been at practice, they had received word to meet in the council chamber for a citizen's audience with the king - Arthur was instructed to be at every audience no exceptions. A citizen had desperate and worrying news for the kingdom.

As usual the council members had gathered. Uther sat on his throne, Arthur stood off to his left with his knights, whom had been training with him (Leon included), stood behind him and the council members filled the rest of the room leaving a space in the centre before the king for the citizen. Merlyn was stood with Gaius waiting for the meeting to begin. She wondered what had caused such an audience to be formed.

It wasn't long before a man with skin dusted with sweat and dirt appeared before the king, in clothing of a farmer. His short black hair was ruffled and his eyes were wide with fear and worry. Merlyn hated it when citizens entered the chamber in such a fashion. It usually meant something was wrong. The man bowed to his king and awaited Uther's order to speak. The king lazily waved his hand.

"I am a herder from the northern plains sire" Joseph explained, ringing his hat in-between his hands. The action worrying and telling. "Three nights back we were camped beneath the walls of Idirsholas." Merlyn frowned at the name she had never heard of the castle.

"Not sure I would've chosen such a place" Uther commented, glancing towards his council chambers gaining smirks from his men.

"Good pasture is scarce this time of year sire-" Joseph tried to explain, not wanting to seem foolish to the people around him. No one liked being mocked. Though his peaceful and shaking demeanour allowed the man to go unpunished by the king but not un-mocked.

"What is it you have to tell me?" Uther interrupted, uninterested in his subject's words. His attitude irritated Merlyn to no end. Those were his subjects and he just did not care for them as a king should.

"While we were there, we saw ... smoke ... rising from the citadel" Joseph stressed with great fear in his countenance. Though as to why someone would fear smoke from a citadel flummoxed Merlyn. She felt like there was something she was missing, something that was not being said.

"And did you see anything else?" Gaius asked from beside her, his words coming after he had locked eyes with his king. A moment of silent speech, silent concern moved between the two older men.

"No" Joseph said with a shake of his head as he looked towards Gaius, preferring the friendlier face of the physician over the king.

"Did you go inside?" Uther asked, his attention firmly on the herder as concern began to creep into his eyes though the rest of his face stayed neutral.

"No" gawked Joseph. He acted as they the suggestion was ludicrous and outright dangerous, something he clearly believed though as to why was not clear to the young witch but it seemed others knew from the fidgeting that was beginning to occur around the room. "Nobody has stepped over that threshold for three hundred years. You must know the legend sire." Joseph spoke softly but clearly and his words had impact. Upon his words, Merlyn noticed a range of people in the room growing stiff, taking in gasps of almost silent air ... even the king and Gaius stiffened at the news. What was this legend and why was it so damning?