Merthur - Love in the Time of War

Chapter 22 - The Court of the Disir

Arthur's POV

I watch the snow dance down onto the courtyard below from my chamber window. A thin layer of white now blankets the whole castle. I can see a merchant pull his cloak tighter around himself as he makes his way back down into the lower town. A few servants scurry into the citadel quickly, desperate to escape the cold. The sun was missing from the sky, obscured by a thick layer of clouds.

I let out a sigh and turn away from the window. A roaring fire burns in the hearth in my chambers. The crackling flame does little to soothe my racing mind. Ideas and plans circle around in my brain as I try to consider the best course of action. Should I continue trying to convince my father that I'm not enchanted? The attempts thus far have proved futile. It seems useless to try again.

I let out a deep sigh again. I rub at my forehead, trying to rid the headache that had decided to surface. A knock on the door irritates the throb of my head further. I groan, "enter," I call.

A servant, whom I had never seen before, enters my chambers. He's dressed in the typical attire for a servant of Camelot. His hair is short and brown. His eyes are the same colour and there seems to be a wise glint in them. I raise my eyebrow at the man who stands by the door. He has nothing in his hands, no dinner tray or laundry basket. If he's not here for chores then a message perhaps?

"Did you need something?" I question.

"Indeed I do, Arthur Pendragon. I need you," the man says.

I give him a strange look. "What do you mean?"

"The Disir are becoming impatient. They have waited long enough. They wish to see you by today."

"I currently have more pressing matters to attend to. These 'Disir' can wait."

The man shakes his head. "I warned you before did I not? This is your last chance to change your fate, my lord."

"Before? I don't believe I've ever met you. Besides, even if I wanted to go my father has me under lockdown. I can't exactly leave."

The man smirks. "But you have met me and escaping is no problem." The man lifts up his hand and a flame begins to burn on his palm. "Your father will never know you were gone."

"Magic..."

"Quite useful at times."

"This still doesn't mean that I should see these Disir."

The man sighs loudly, he snuffs the flame from his palm. "The king is planning an attack. An attack against the Resistance and you know full well what will happen if he goes through with this plan. The choice you make with the Disir can stop all this. That is, if you make the right choice."

Father's planning an attack?! The Resistance lands don't only consist of sorcerers! There are innocents there as well! Is he planning on letting them all die?! To kill all those people because I might be enchanted?! How does he even know they did it? I curse and kick the wall beside me. How can he hate magic so much to warrant an all out war.

"Alright, fine. I'll go."

The man smiles. He raises a hand and I can hear a door swinging open. I turn towards the sound in time to see my cloak fly out from my wardrobe and towards me. I catch it in my arms rather clumsily. "It's quite chilly out, sire, wouldn't want you to freeze," the man says.

He grabs my shoulder and shuts his eyes. He begins to mumble a spell under his breath. Suddenly, I feel a chill run down my spine. My hair stands on end and I can see swirls of dust spinning around me, getting closer and closer. My clothes ripple from the gusts of wind, a tingling sensation travels down my shoulder from the point that the man is touching. It spreads through my body until I can no longer feel the wind rippling around me. The scenery around me begins to melt away. I start to tremble as I watch my chambers dissolve into darkness. I'm about to change my mind, I want to scream at the man to stop, to shake him off and hide in my wardrobe, but before I can say anything the darkness disappears.