The Dark Tower

Chapter 21 - Traps and Captures

It was Sorvad and he had Merlin, Mordred and Katy bound with what looked, or rather didn’t look, like invisible bonds. They were struggling against whatever it was that was holding them, but were unable to free themselves.

‘Lady Beth,’ he said, blue eye glowing. ‘And Sir Gwaine?’

‘How did you get in?’ Gwaine asked. ‘The gates are secured.’

‘I did not completely waste my time while you held me captive in the basement here.’

‘Is that how you got back here? Is there a portal in the basement?’ I asked.

‘Of course there is, you stupid woman,’ Sorvad replied. Gwaine reached for his sword. ‘There’s no need for that, knight.’

‘What do you want?’ I asked.

‘Well, we’re nearly back to square one, aren’t we? So the same as what I wanted then.’

‘I’m not sure we quite established that last time,’ I said. ‘Or maybe I didn’t quite hear as you had us TIED TO A STAKE AND WERE GOING TO BURN US ALIVE!’

‘Ah yes,’ Sorvad said casually. ‘Yes, well, that didn’t quite work out as I’d planned. But don’t worry, the elves won’t be rescuing you this time.’

‘They won’t?’

‘I’ve set up a little trap for them on the way.’

‘Oh. So what was it you wanted? Other than notoriety?’

He looked hurt. ‘That was ALL I ever wanted, Beth. Just to be famous.’

‘And I thought I’d escaped the shallowness of celebrity,’ I muttered. ‘So why don’t you do something useful instead of capturing people and threatening to kill them?’

‘Useful,’ he scoffed, his blue eye sweeping the ceiling like a searchlight. ‘No one ever got notorious by doing something USEFUL. I don’t want an honourable mention, I want people to fear my name, quake at the very sound of it!’

‘Like your brother, you mean?’

‘How many more times do I have to tell you not to talk about my brother, you vile, hideous witch!’

Gwaine did not take this additional insult to me well. He looked directly at Sorvad and said. ‘Why don’t I just run you through with my sword?’

I expected Sorvad to laugh off this suggestion, but instead he looked slightly shaken. ‘That would be very unwise.’

‘Would it? Seems like a good solution to me,’ and he lifted his sword to shoulder height. Sorvad took a step backwards and then climbed up onto a table. Gwaine moved forward another pace and Sorvad flinched. As Gwaine approached he began to shuffle backwards along the table. I looked around and saw a large waste bin containing what looked like a plunger from where Mordred had been clearing the drains, and kicked it to the end of the table as Gwaine thrust his sword forward and Sorvad toppled off the end and into the bin. I closed the lid swiftly and sat on it heavily as Sorvad tried to force his way out.

He began to become hysterical in the bin. ‘Let me out!’ he screamed, his voice rising in panic. ‘We can communicate!’

‘No!’ I replied.

‘Let me go! We can negotiate!’

‘No! Never!’

‘Please! Before I suffocate! You’ll like my plan, we can collaborate!’

Something was starting to sound oddly familiar, but before I had time to think further, there was a rushing, wheezing, roaring sound and, in the corner of the room, a familiar object began to materialise in a cloud of white vapour.