Watching the Future: Merlin

The Poisoned Chalice

Nimueh stood over her stone basin in her cave, dropping some of her blood from her hand into the water of the basin.

"We Gar-Dena in geardagum theodcyninga thrym gefrunon hut tha aethelingas Ellen fremedom! Sythan aerest wearth feasceaft funden. Hyran scold thara, ofer hronrade Camelot, hyran scold. Hyran scolde thara, ofer hronrade Camelot, hyran scolde..." She chanted.

"I'm guessing she's using dark magic?" Lancelot asked.

Merlin nodded. "Very dark magic."

"What did she say?" Percival questioned.

"We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes, of the kings of the people, in the days of yore, and how those princes did deeds of glory. First he was found helpless. Obedience is owed, over the Camelot sea, obedience is owed. Obedience is owed, over the Camelot sea, obedience is owed." Merlin translated.

Mordred shuddered. "Such dark magic."

Nimueh then ran her fingers through the water of her basin. She began to chant, "Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, þa tacnian me yst þonne ieceþ sicle. Swilte ar ond calan, drædan morðor, to Camelot he cymþ!"

Merlin began translating before anyone could ask. "Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, mark the water when the pain is increased. Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, mark the water when the pain is increased. Kill the servant and may he become cold, fear the death, he comes to Camelot."

Arthur visibly flinched at "kill the servant," knowing all too well what happened in this memory.

"She is definitely using dark magic." The king said with a shudder.

An image of Merlin cleaning some of Arthur's armor appeared in Nimueh's basin, and then the water cleared. Nimueh picked something up out of the water, sticking it on the inside of a silver goblet. She then held it up — as if proposing a toast — and said darkly, "Merlin."

"You have terrible luck with sorcerers, Merlin." Arthur commented.

Merlin snorted. "Me?! You're the one with a sign above your head that says 'please attack me' to every sorcerer and magical creature within 150 miles!"

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Name one."

"Mary Collins, Valiant, Nimueh, Aulfric and Sophia, Questing Beast, Morgause, Morgana, Lady Catrina, Tristan de Bois, Knights of Medhir, The Cailleach, the Dorocha, Kilgharrah..." Merlin listed off instantly.

Arthur blushed. He didn't say anything, because he knew Merlin was inevitably right.

Merlin smirked in satisfactory. "Clotpole."

In Camelot, Lord Bayard of Mercia and his party arrive. Uther, Arthur, and the knights of Camelot meet with Bayard and his knights in the throne room. The tension was very thick between Uther and Bayard was unbearable.

"That was intense," Gwen reminisced.

Arthur nodded. "Not nearly as tense as the banquet," he murmured.

Uther and Bayard looked at each other for a moment before Uther began, "Camelot welcomes you, Lord Bayard of Mercia. The treaty we sign today marks an end to war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people."

Nimueh was spotted in the background as a serving girl in Bayard's party, while in the forefront, Bayard and Uther grasped arms. Both parties applauded while Nimueh stared down Merlin, who was in the background close to Arthur.