Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Witch Must Die

"You keep tearing the blanket up. I'll make some rope" Merlyn ordered calmly, her words not sounding anything like her. Morgana however did not notice. The Lady just nodded and walked off to do as she was told leaving Merlyn to watch her. Merlyn's hands crept up to the piece of string that hung over her body, the water skin hanging from the end. She pulled it off her head and popped out the cork before she grabbed the small bottle of poison she had hidden in her pocket. Merlyn didn't even watch what she was doing as she popped open the small bottle of deadly green liquid and poured it all into the waterskin, ensuring that the poison was lethal. She heard it glug into the skin, the sound forever burned into memory.

Once the bottle was empty, Merlyn re-corked the poison bottle and put it back into her pocket all the while she watched Morgana, upon her knees tearing the blanket. Merlyn felt tears gathering in her eyes as she studied the woman from behind. Morgana was good. She was a kind person, only a couple of times had Merlyn ever seen the dark heart that Morgana would gain. But Merlyn had to protect everyone else. If Morgana didn't fall, everyone in Camelot would die. One life for hundreds of others...

If Morgause got to the king, got the throne Camelot was ruined. Everyone Merlyn loved would die, her destiny would fall and so would she. She had no choice, the vessel had to be destroyed.

Walking forward, Merlyn stood beside Morgana and offered the waterskin.

"Here, have a drink while you can" Merlyn said, keeping her voice as neutral as possible. Once Morgana had taken the skin, Merlyn immediately knelt down beside Morgana and picked up some of the pieces of blanket the Lady had already torn. As she tied the pieces together furiously, she felt tears beginning to fall. The sound of Morgana taking a gulp of the poisoned liquid echoed around. It was done.

Merlyn couldn't stop the tears as Morgana suddenly coughed beside her, seconds before the Lady began to gasp as something was robbing her of breath. Morgana reached up for her throat whilst Merlyn stopped what she was doing and looked towards the Lady.

Morgana locked eyes with Merlyn. The betrayal ran deep in the Lady's eyes as she stared at Merlyn with confusion, all the while gasps echoed through her body.

"I'm sorry. The vessel has to die ... I can't let Camelot fall" Merlyn whispered as she sobbed at the sight of her once friend struggling to breathe. Unable to leave her on her own, Merlyn moved to hold Morgana. At first the Lady struggled but she soon stopped and instead clung onto Merlyn's body. Morgana didn't want to die. Merlyn held Morgana against her body, keeping her tucked into the crux of her arm. "I'm s-sorry."

Morgana struggled for breath as her lungs were attacked by the hemlock all the while, she clung onto Merlyn seeking comfort where she could. Merlyn lowered her head to rest against Morgana's as she rocked the pair of them. She didn't want this.

Suddenly, the council chamber doors were blown off, wood splintered everywhere. Merlyn knew who that was. Lifting her head, the servant saw the knight dressed in silver standing in the doorway ... the sorceress who had caused all of this. It was Morgause.

Merlyn watched as Morgause ran into the chamber, her eyes locked upon the dark-haired beauty in Merlyn's arms. The sorceress dropped to the floor and pulled Morgana out of Merlyn's eyes whilst Merlyn pushed herself away. She didn't want to stay sitting on the floor beside the powerful witch.

"What has she done to you?" Morgause asked as she studied Morgana's face. Merlyn, however, got to her feet and wiped her cheeks clean, removing the lines of tears that ran down her face. She didn't need to be showing any weaknesses if she could avoid it.

"What you made me do" Merlyn said from her position above the sorceress.

"You poisoned her!" Morgause snapped looking at Merlyn with utter shock and horror.

"You poisoned her first" Merlyn replied. "Using her as the vessel to your magic was your choice." The pain Merlyn was feeling was clear in her voice and something Morgause preyed on for the sake of her sister.

"Tell me what you used and I can save her" Morgause said, her gaze flickering back to her sister who lay in her arms completely still. Merlyn suddenly saw an opportunity, a plan where they both benefited. Morgause would clearly do as much as she could to save her sister perhaps even stop the attack upon Camelot to do so.

"First stop the attack" Merlyn demanded strongly which surprised Morgause, her long blonde tresses snapped around her head at her sudden look towards the servant.

"You're nothing but a servant, you don't tell me what to do" Morgause replied with a fire in her eyes but in that moment, it was Merlyn who had the upper hand.

"If you want to know what poison ails Morgana, you must first undo the magic that drives the Knights and wake all those from their sleep" Merlyn repeated, her words calm and strong.

"Tell me the poison or you'll die" Morgause returned.

"And I'll take her with me." Merlyn's words were simple but brutally honest. And Morgause knew that; she knew that Merlyn had her over a barrel, if she wanted to save her sister, she would have to give up this perfectly made opportunity to kill Uther Pendragon and the throne of Camelot. Morgause lowered her head to rest against Morgana's as tears gathered in her eyes. It was clear to see the pain in her eyes. "She's your sister Morgause, the decisions you make will save her or end her." Merlyn knew if she kept pushing, Morgause would give in, she could already see her starting too. Morgause's placed her head against Morgana's and screwed her eyes up tight - she knew she had lost. "Stop the Knights, wake the sleeping and you can save her."

That was the last straw. Morgause had no option. The witch lifted her head revealing her tear-filled eyes to Merlyn. Morgause hated Merlyn for her part to play both in hurting Morgana and stopping her flawless plan.

Holding Morgana tightly, Morgause began chanting ancient words, commands to be free from the curse of a sorceress.

Understanding the spell Merlyn knew it had done what she had wanted. The attack on Camelot was over. From her position on the floor Morgause lifted her gaze expectedly at Merlyn. The young witch held out the empty bottle of hemlock to Morgause. A deal was a deal and Morgause was likely one of the only people who could save Morgana from the poison - it required magic that Merlyn was not permitted to use and did not understand yet.

Morgause reached out and took the vile from Merlyn's hand, studying the words on the bottle before wrapping her arms around Morgana once more. However, as Morgause studied Morgana once more the woman became furious by Morgana's state. The quiet silence that radiated from Morgause warned Merlyn of the pending attack ... an attack Merlyn was not going to stop.

Just as a calliope of footsteps came from Arthur and some knights, who had woken up, storming in, Morgause snapped her head up to look at Merlyn. With an angry snarl, she muttered a spell, her eyes glowed golden and Merlyn barely had time to gasp as she was suddenly lifted off her feet and thrown backwards, colliding into a stone pillar. The last thing Merlyn heard as she slammed against the wall was her prince's utter cry of distress.

"Merlyn!"