Dark Times

Merlin

12:15pm

"Okay, fine, I'll do it."

Ben finally said, hanging up on Rashid.

After seeing Chad carrying the queen on his shoulders, the couple knew that something unusual was going on, so just before his fiancée made any impulse decisions, Ben called Rashid.

"What did he say?"

Mal asked, uneasy about the situation.

"You stay here and wait for Rashid to arrive. Jay and I are going to the castle to see what's going on."

"You what? Obviously not Ben! For all we know Agatha could be here."

"Listen, you need to find Merlin and we still don't know if she's really here."

"So, Chad now kidnaps queens as a hobby?"

He asked sarcastically.

"Mal, take it easy! The only thing we know is that you need to go to Merlin's hut, if there's anything going on, I'll let you know." She still looked angry, but Ben tried to calm her down. "Everything will work out, okay? I promise."

"You know you can't promise that."

"Rashid's on his way, will you be all right?"

"Yes, go ahead."

She took a long breath and let her husband go back to the kingdom to see what was going on.

"I love you."

He kissed her on the forehead and ran back to where he had left the horse.

(...)

12:17 pm

Less than two minutes later, Rashid appeared in a puff of smoke in front of Mal.

"Okay, I'm here.

He let out a long sigh, tired from the brief teleportation he had done; after all, it wasn't like being twenty years old was so easy anymore.

"Tired?"

Mal asked him with a sarcastic smile.

"When you're my age you'll understand."

"How are things? Have you discovered anything?"

"Agatha is or was controlling the king, Artie and some soldiers too."

"Perfect and the queen?"

"Another matter, I don't know anymore, but what I do know is that we have to go now, our time is running out."

(...)

12:10pm

A long time ago, when Ben called Rashid.

"Mom? Has anyone seen the queen? Has anyone in this damn castle seen the queen?"

The prince went screaming through the castle looking for his mother.

"Yeah, I think I got it." Rashid said to Ben on the phone, as he watched Artie running around. "Tell Mal to wait for me there and you'll come here." He left his room and headed towards the desperate boy. "Hey kid, what's up?"

"Who are you? Are you one of the servants?"

Artie looked nervous and scared, as if he'd woken up from a nightmare.

"Rashid, I came with King Ben."

He answered confusedly, but trying to understand the situation better.

"Has Ben arrived yet?"

"Just what I need, by the name of magic Jay! Jay!" He shouted for the man in the corridor who had appeared startled. "Agatha has bewitched the prince and his father."