The Call of Camelot

Chapter 18 - The Soldier, The Queen and The Hybrid

Have you ever been in a situation, or been told something that has stunned you into silence? Before now it had never happened to me, and I'd been in plenty of situations during my 27 years that would've made a lot of people speechless, especially during my university days! But as I sat at the round table, staring at the King and Merlin in utter shock I felt like the cogs of my brain had screeched to a halt, or that the volume of my thoughts had all rushed to the forefront of my brain that it had caused a bottleneck effect and now nothing was getting through!

Even the two men sat before me were watching me warily, exchanging concerned looks as I stared beyond them and focused on a stray crow that had somehow squeezed through one of the small windows and was now making up a home on the rafters above our heads.

"Cara, do you understand what the King just said to you" Merlin eventually spoke, his words acting like a switch that made me spring back to life

"You want to steal my magic!" I screeched, all too aware that I sounded slightly unhinged "you told me I was brought here to protect me from just that! That Camelot would be in grave danger if anyone even dared to steal my power!"

"And that is true Cara, but I believe I have a way to take your magic and transfer it to myself without harming you"

"You lied to me"

"No we haven't, what the King has told you is true, if the Druids were to steal your magic, they'd do so by sacrificing your life and Camelot would be doomed. Transfer that power to me and it both saves your life and the lives of the people of this Kingdom. You could go home Cara"

Home.  To be able to return to my own time, to my old life was something I hadn't dared dwell on, no matter how many times the thought of it had come to mind.  I thought it impossible. And with that possibility now dangled in my face, it was enough to peak my interest

"But you have magic of your own Merlin, why do you need me to give you mine?"

"As I grow older my own magic dwindles, to travel through time and bring you back with me has depleted it so much that I can feel it fading into nothing. Without my magic to protect this kingdom we are defenceless against the Banduri, but if I were to have your magic, the magic of the fairies, I'd have the power to send you home and save this kingdom"

"So you see Lady Cara, everyone wins" the King interjected, sitting back in his chair with an eerie calmness, so assured in the assumption that I'd agree to his plan.  I'd be more likely to strip naked, paint myself in ketchup and dance in the centre of Parliament square than agree to this plan, but I needed to buy time

"May I have time to think? Or do I not have a choice"

"The choice is an obvious one, but I understand the mind of a woman is simpler than that of a mans, if you need time to agree than I will allow it"

That was my moment of realisation.  The myth of King Arthur was just that, a myth. The man who sat before me was nothing like the legendary stories, he was not gallant, brave or honourable.   I knew in my heart that what the Druids had told me was true, and Arthur had just proved it to me, he was the enemy and I was in a barrel of shit, now all I needed to do was fake my way through this long enough to get the hell out of here!

"Thank you my Lord, I apologise for my rashness, it was a shock and I am tired from a trying day. Can I retire to my chambers?"

Arthur seemed happy with my play acting, Merlin on the other hand didn't look nearly convinced.

"We'll talk about this again Cara" to which I nodded before leaving the Great Hall, not entirely convinced that the two men couldn't hear the deafening sound of my heart hammering in my chest.