Merlin: Stories from the Citadel (one shots)

The Völva (Part Two)

"So," Merlin said, mouth full of food, as he and Gaius had dinner in their chambers. Merlin had not eaten properly for the better part of two days and felt positively ravenous. "How much do you about these northmen, I wonder?"

Gaius, who was chewing on a piece of bread with his nose was buried in several old and musty-smelling books, gave Merlin a sharp look. "Merlin, I am a man, not an encyclopedia, no matter how much I may wish it was otherwise," the physician replied. Noticing the anticipation in Merlin's eyes, he sighed. "No no one knows much about them. They first appeared at our coastline several years ago and with an army ships. More than you estimate they have brought this time. They came when I was a young man. They were reputed to be great sea-farers and dangerous warriors, men and women alike. Some even say the women were much fiercer than the men. Their leader was said to have fought a dragon with nothing but his sword. Sigurd, I believe his name was. Him and his people once ruled over most of the known land to the west of this kingdom. And it is said that Sigurd always brought along a witch to guide him on his raids."

"A witch?" Merlin repeated and stopped eating. He could see the images of this Sigurd, his people, and of course, his witch.

Gaius nodded. "Yes. A dark woman, supposedly. One with great power. Much like the woman you've told me of. I've never seen such a woman myself, but she is said to be the link between the northmen and their gods. They have several, I'm told." The old man turned his book to show Merlin the drawing of a ship with shields along its sides and the head of a dragon carved at its front.

Merlin let his fingers run over the illustration, running over everything he had seen in the northmen's camp in his mind. "Why have they come here, do you think?" he asked.

Gaius shrugged. "Difficult to say, my boy. Perhaps to seek treasure. That is how they were convinced to leave last time; when they were offered a large sum of money... or so Uther wants it told."

The vagueness of that comment made Merlin frown apprehensively.

"But I believe," Gaius continued. "The reason for their disappearance should be found in the crushing waves rather than in Uther's treasure. A great storm came upon us that year and took many lives, both of their men and ours, in a battle at sea. As I understand, Uther's chest of coins suffered little loss that year."

Merlin knew this information must be kept quiet. He thought again of the völva's words. Was she talking about the end of the northmen? Or was she talking about the end of Camelot? Merlin was unsure. But if her intent was a malicious one, why would she release Arthur and Merlin from captivity? Especially her words had made a considerable impression on Merlin. What kind of woman or witch could be behind them? Who could carry the weight of such knowledge? Merlin had sensed something ancient and cold about her. He had sensed the aura of death around her. Merlin found he was beginning to feel sorry for her and these foreigners. If the völva meant no harm to Camelot - which Merlin had a feeling was the case - then her role as seer could not be easy; if she was foretelling that these northmen were some of the last of their kind, then it was a sorrowful thing. Merlin knew what it felt like to be the last of a kind. The last dragonlord. The loneliness of this truth was what the völva reminded him of.

Merlin swallowed the rest of his food, suddenly without appetite. It was in these very moments, Arthur was planning his attack on the northmen. An attack he would come to regret if he went through with it. Merlin was sure of that. He couldn't kill those young children in the camp. The völva. The young Halvor. The leader. No. Merlin had to act. The slaughter of these people could not take place here. The völva had spared Arthur and Merlin's lives and perhaps she was hoping for the same favor in return. If only there was a way Merlin could convince the northmen to leave before Uther had their heads cut off... Trying to think of a solution, Merlin consulted Gaius, who looked bewildered. He was not sure there was much Merlin could do. The fate of the northmen lay in Arthur's hands.