Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Thirteen

13. What Is This Feeling

Magdelena ignores their calls, Cailleach nods her head finishing the spell before she plunges her hand into Magdelena's stomach. Magdelena yelps out in pain, as the now ex-gate keeper pulls her hand out holding a black ball of power. She turns throwing it into the veil, the swirling power  disappears and she watches the veil close smiling, before her world began to grow fuzzy and she falls backward. 

When she comes to they were still on the Isle of the Blessed, the sun was high and she blinked until her eyes were adjusted to the brightness. She sat up slowly and she was soon surrounded by Leon, Arthur, Gwaine, Lancelot and Merlin who was glaring at her, "What they hell did you think you were doing?" Merlin snapped at her harshly. 

"The Vilia told me another way that I could close the veil without the use of human life," she says softly there was a pain in her stomach and it grumbled. Merlin look at her in shock as if realizing what she had done, "Can we go back to Camelot now?" 

"What was the price?" Arthur asks staring at the girl who smiled softly at him but shook her head, "Magdelena what did you give up?"

"Nothing important Arthur," she says, allowing Merlin to help her up as she walked over to Gilthunder who nudged her, "Do you have to leave me now that I am no longer Death?" Her voice was as quiet as she could get it making sure no one around her could hear her speaking to her horse.

'I will stay until I am called away to go serve the next Death,' he says making her smile gently at him petting his snout, 'If you will have me.'

When they arrived back to Camelot, Magdelena was yawning every other minute and was barely staying on her horse. Gilthunder used his wings as best he could to keep her from falling off of him. They all stop in the Courtyard Merlin helps his sister off the horse she was wobbling and kept falling asleep jolting awake every time her head fell, "We should get you to Gaius." 

She nods allowing him to help her, until she was swept off her feet and Merlin turned to see Leon, "Let me carry her," he says and Merlin nods, Arthur watching the two males walk off with Magdelena who was acting rather strange since she woke up from what ever the Cailleach had done to her. 

Gaius was shocked as the three of them entered his chambers, he smiled until he saw the half-asleep Magdelena in the knights arms. Gaius leads him to the bed and Leon gently places her down before turning to Merlin, "May I ask what she gave to close the veil?"

Merlin opened and closed his mouth in a panic, looking at Gaius who was slightly confused as he looked at Merlin waiting for his answer. 

"Was it her magic?" both turned to the ever loyal knight of Camelot, knights raised to hate magic, "On our mission, I learned she had magic you see. I promise to never betray her." 

"Yes, she gave up her magic to close the veil," Merlin says, "Now she is going to be experiencing hunger, thirst, tried, exhausted, and other things her magic never allowed her to feel before."

Leon nodded, "Please let me know if I can be of help to her. I will do what I can to help her," Leon says before taking his leave, allowing the two males who were still in shock from learning Leon knew she had magic and never told anyone; but Gaius learning that she had given up her powers to close the veil.

Magdelena woke up the next morning, the pain in her stomach was even worse than the day before. Her mouth was dry as she tried everything she could to wet her mouth but nothing was working. Suddenly a cup was thrusted in front of her face, "Here you look thirsty," Magdelena took the water and quickly sipped at it, while it didn't get ride of the thirst it helped her for the moment, "I also have breakfast for you and Merlin. Could you wake him up?"

Magdelena went to the back room throwing the blankets on the floor as she pulled them off Merlin who was up now glaring at her. Gaius smiled as the two siblings took their seats and Gaius served them the plain porridge, Merlin seemed keen to complain while Magdelena ate in silence. 

"You are rather quiet Maggie are you alright?" Gaius asks staring at his niece concern evident in his tone and the way his eyebrows were furrowed. 

"I will go look for a paying job today," she says making Gaius look at her confused now, "I now will have to eat. That adds onto your costs of food and I will not make you pay for me after many years of you need having to worry about me in that way."

"Maggie, I am your guardian," Gaius says placing a hand over the one she had resting on the table by her breakfast, "It is my job to care for you and pay for food." 

"But-"

"No arguing, now eat your food so you can go gather some herbs for me," Gaius says before pausing to think about something, "If you feel up to it. I understand that everything you will be feeling and doing may be different now that you have lost your powers." 

"I should be okay, I can always pick berries and drink from a stream should I need the energy or whatever it is that food does for a person," she says with a bright smile on her face, "If you could just make a list of the herbs you need." 

She finished her meal and waited for Gaius to write down the herbs he needed. She grabbed her basket before hurrying out of the chambers heading out to go through the Courtyard, through the lower town and into the forrest where the herbs were normally located. 

She smiled at Leon as she passed him, but he whirled and walked around her to stand in her way making her confused, "Should you really be out and about Maggie?" 

"I am just going to collect some herbs for Gaius," she says smiling at him but it did little to change his worried face, "I did this all the time. It is nothing new or hard to do Leon." 

"But you are going to the forrest, by yourself," he says staring at the girl who was no longer Abe to use magic, "I was actually on my way to train by myself. Would you allow me to accompany you?" 

"If you feel the need to Leon," she says smiling at him with a grateful smile, "I would hate to keep you from your training."