Stand Tall

Part Seven: Monsters

A door slammed a ways down the corridor, and Merlin followed the noise. He listened outside the door, hearing nothing but angry muttering, and then silence. Little did he know, Braith was listening too. It was flung open, and she yanked him inside by the scarf, shoving his back against the cold stone wall. Her eyes softened and she let go when she saw who it was. Groaning in annoyance, she crossed to the other side of the room and sat down on her bed.

"What," Merlin spluttered "was that about?"

"Thought you'd been sent to spy on me. It seems there aren't many people I can trust anymore," she said and ran a hand through her night-colored hair.

"You can trust me," he said, sitting down next to her.

She flashed a quick smile. "I know."

A minute of thoughts and silence followed before Merlin broke it. "So what did Unferth say to you? What was so bad he couldn't have said it in plain English?" When he said this, Braith stiffened, sitting straight and away from him.

"He made true my suspicions."

"Which were..."

"The She creature wants Arthur's life." Braith said exasperatedly.

"...What?" The servant's mind was reeling - so this is what Kilgharrah had meant about Braith being a danger to his destiny.

"Grendel's mother, the creature from the fen. She's coming, to Camelot, and She's going to kill the young Pendragon! Pay attention." It was obvious that she was irritable, and even sleep deprived for the darker skin beneath her eyes. Merlin felt a tiny bit hurt, but mostly worried. Braith's annoyance peaked as she clenched her eyelids shut, and sighed through her nose in despair. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I don't know what to do."

"I-it's not your fault."

The young Dane began to protest, but she let herself be consoled. Even though she was a princess, and even a pagan, she was a human being. Both of them were. "But it is my fault, Merlin. I drew Her attention to Arthur, and now She's marked him as Her next victim. And better yet, I haven't the smallest idea how to stop this."

"But you didn't know you were drawing her attention. Not really your fault then, is it?"

She gave him a look. "You're being very kind, but that cannot replace the truth. If I hadn't come - nor would the problems. It's that simple." Merlin looked back at her and sighed. He wanted to reach out and comfort her in a hug, but didn't dare. What he felt towards her was wrong.

"I've been Arthur's servant for... something like three or four years now. Ever since I got here. And I've saved his life against everything from fatal love spells, to spirits of the dead. Not to mention you actually know what we're up against. I'm sure we can figure something out," he assured her. She rubbed her eyes and regarded him for a moment.

"You're very strange, you know. Briton or Northerner, you're the first one I've met like you."

For a moment his brows drew together and the corners of his mouth turned up - conflicting signals of pain and amusement. "Is that a compliment?" he asked halfheartedly without looking at her.

Quick as a cat's paw, her hand reached up and pulled his head down towards her. Before he knew it, her arms were tight around his torso, his chin was over her shoulder, and his nose was buried in her hair. They stayed like that for only seconds, before Braith drew away, laughing. Her face fell, however, when she saw his suddenly pallid expression. "What? Do you not hug people in Britain?"

The warlock's voice was soft when he found it. "No, we do. But... not often."

The Dane stood, eyeing him a once-over. Now he was just acting odd. "Thank you for coming to find me up here. I won't forget your kindness. But now, I must go find my betrothed to sort out the wedding plans."

She exited the room. Merlin sat there in confused silence.

What was all of that supposed to mean?

---

"Oh, wonderful," sighed the serving girl. "Now both of us are doomed to loose our sweethearts."

"She isn't my sweetheart!" Merlin protested as the two of them walked past the great hall, where the wedding plans were being discussed. Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Merlin, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You love her, she loves you - that's all that matters." When she said this, Merlin's face changed.

"She..." A shard of hope grew inside his heart, as he remembered the warm strength of the lady's embrace. Gwen smiled.

"Maybe she does. It's impossible to tell with someone so different from us. But it's plain as day that you do," she said, and walked into the kitchens. An opinion began to bud in his mind: Girls can certainly be sneaky.

---

The day's last ration of sunlight turned Merlin's room to the colors of autumn. Almost a whole day had been wasted, and they only had six until Braith and Arthur tied the knot. The spell book lay open at his feet as he tried to think of some way to save Arthur's life. Again. And stop the marriage, of course, but surviving was a tad more important. There was nothing like Grendel written about in the book, which dampened his spirits. Braith had said the She thing preyed on men, like a siren, but could shape shift as well. A thought struck him and he rifled through the pages, finally finding what he was looking for.

"There," he whispered aloud. There were many creatures like the She thing, but they all worked by similar rules: ensnare men and drink their blood, or make them do Her bidding. But as for how to stop one... that was a different matter. Despite that, he ripped out the page and stuffed it into his jacket. He hid the book under a floorboard, and ran to find Braith.

---

"Open up, it's important!" Merlin called from outside the Dane girl's room. She opened the door, and he stepped in excitedly.

"What is it? I was about to go to bed," Braith asked, leaning on the edge of the vanity.

"The She creature that you told me about - I know what she is, and might even have a way to kill her," the young man said, and handed over the page. "It was in an old Greek text. Translated, of course."

Braith read with one eyebrow raised, taking a long pause before she spoke. "I think you're right about her being a kind of... a Lamiae, but it doesn't say anything about how to stop one."

"Yes, but this way we'll know how to protect ourselves from Her until we can find out more," Merlin said. A wry smile played with Braith's features.

"I've got a plan."

"Oh no..."

"We go to Dane. You and I, disguised as travelers. That way we can see her lair in the fen, and it might give us a better idea of how to stop Her."

"It sounds risky."

"Risks are to life as grapes are to wine. They are how we begin," she said, smirking impishly.

Maybe there was a faint glimmer of hope after all.

_____________________________________________________

A/N: The She creature is not very like the "Lamia" that does appear in Merlin, but rather a combination of others.