The Lady Of The Lake and The Impossible Child

The Lady Of The Lake

In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name? Merlin.

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Spring

As the sun, set behind the white mountains after a long day of travels, Arthur and Merlin start to feel their eyelids getting heavier as they find a small clearing by a lake. They had been on their way back to Camelot with about a day's worth left when they decided to rest for the night.

"It's getting too dark, let's set up camp and we'll set off at dawn."

Arthur jumped off his horse and strapped his reins to a nearby branch. Merlin did the same and began gathering wood for the fire. As he gathered the dried twigs he heard a branch snap behind him, he looked back but no one was there, nevertheless, he could feel a presence somewhere close. From his left, behind a tree hid a young woman, observing him from the distance. Her hair brown and her face pale, her skin fair covered in freckles, she looked on with bright green eyes as the young man walked back to the middle of their campgrounds, he set the sticks down in a pyramid-like shape and began hitting two stones together with vigor. After a couple of tries, he stopped and looked up at Arthur who was standing by the lake, out of earshot. Merlin brought one of his hands closer to the sticks and whispered.

"Forbearnan."

His eyes glowed gold and a flame grew within the sticks. The young lady, intrigued, stayed in the shadows of the woods watching the two men until they both fell asleep. In the cold air of the night, she wandered around their sleeping forms, she crouched next to Merlin and studied his face carefully. She caressed his cheek and leaned over his face as if to kiss him when he moved, startling her.

"Emrys..."

She whispered the name lustfully and vanished, Merlin, opened his eyes, again, having felt the presence close to him. Seeing no one he went back to sleep.

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Once the sun rose Merlin and Arthur began getting ready, they had already packed their belonging and Merlin walked over to the lake to fill up their waterskins. Arthur crouched by the water, took off his leather gloves and cupped his hands together, he reached down to clean his face and sipped some of the water that had gathered in his palms.

"Can't wait to get back to Camelot and have some water from the well."

"What's wrong with this one?" Merlin had finished filling up their vessels.

"It just doesn't taste right you know? In Camelot, it tastes like home."

Arthur stood up and suddenly the clouds gathered above them, the previously beautiful spring morning had turned into a grey curtain of ash and thunder rumbled. The young raven-haired boy rose to his feet looking around, unsure of the situation, he could feel the presence of magic.

"Arthur, what did you do?"

"Wha-, Me?!"

As the skies darkened and the thunder rumbled, the young woman who had been observing them the previous night appeared in front of them, floating above the water. 

Both Arthur and Merlin looked her way, surprised.

"Who are you?"

Arthur had his hand ready on the pommel of his sword.

"My name is Viviane, The Lady Of The Lake and your puny little sword can't do anything against me so don't even bother."

Merlin hadn't said a word, he just stood about dazzled by the woman's beauty.

"What do you want from us?"

"These are my lands young King, I have allowed you to stay here for the night, I allowed you to drink from my lake and yet you have the audacity to disgrace me this way? You drink from my home with your filthy bloodied hands and you show such disrespect."

The blond looked to Merlin for some support but neither of them knew what to say.

"It's not like your kind has ever been respectful anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You and your Knights are a disgrace to this kingdom, Arthur."

"My kights are the most loyal and righteous men I know and they would give up their lives for Camelot-"

"SILENCE!"

The winds intensified with her anger, she walked closer to them and stepped on the ground.

"If they're so good to you then why are you traveling with a lonely servant boy?"

She circled around Merlin and walked back in Arthur's direction.

"They were not needed... and Merlin travels with me everywhere, he's just as loyal as my Knights."

"Is that so?"

She circled around Arthur and then faced him again.

"You will suffer for your actions, not only for today but for all your past and future mistakes. Your most precious desire will be your downfall, Arthur Pendragon."

With these last words, she stepped closer to him, the young king tried to defend himself but the woman froze him still. She brought her hand up to the man's stomach. Merlin finally snapping out of his trans rushed to help but with one swift movement of her hand she sent him flying back, his back hit a tree and he fell to the ground, faint with no strength but still conscious. He looked on as he heard the woman whisper a spell he had never heard before.

"Ic abanne þú cume a gast ond bræc."

Her eyes glowed yellow as she looked right into Arthurs' eyes, he could not move but as the woman chanted he could feel a fire burn in the pit of his stomach. Once done she stepped back and disappeared. Arthur fell to the ground feeling movement slowly come back to him. As if nothing had happened the skies were clear again and birds chirped loudly in the trees. Gathering some strength, Merlin rushed to Arthur's side to make sure he's okay.

"You alright? What did she do?"

He helped him sit up.

"Yeah, I'm fine, whatever she did must have not worked."

Arthur stood up with Merlin's help, stumbling a little.

"Are you okay, Merlin? I saw how you hit that tree."

"I'm alright, just knocked the wind out of me for a moment that's all."

They mounted their horses and headed back to Camelot, every now and then Merlin would ask Arthur if he was okay only to be told he was a big girl and to stop worrying about him because he's fine. But the young warlock was apprehensive, what happened back there was no accident so how come nothing's happened yet? This didn't seem right to him. Why cause all this huff and cast a spell that does nothing? Merlin will have to keep an eye on Arthur to see if anything changes.