Arthur's Sons (Book 1)

The Mark of Nimueh (Part 1)

In a dark cave located somewhere in Albion a beautiful sorceress approaches a stone basin filled with water, she stretches out a pale arm and trails her fingers through the water.

' Berbay odothay arisan yeldo' She mummers placing a small creature of clay inside an egg, the image in the water ripples and shows that of a man made cavern. The sorceress holds out the egg and drops it in the basin, she watches it travel through the man made cavern before waving her hand causing the image in the water to ripple and change to that of Camelot.

' Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, aliese hine, to Camelot he cymþ.' She trails her index finger through the water as she speaks the spell. Once the spell is complete the sorceress smiles cold and malicious before laughing shaking the earth around her.

Of the many things Merlyn thought she would be doing that day; standing in the lower town with Gaius looking at a dead body was not one of them. Gaius knelt beside the man with some difficulty and began inspecting the body.

" Aren't you scared?" Merlyn asked keeping a healthy distance from the pale corpse.

" Of what?" Gaius looked at Merlyn with a raised brow.

"That you might catch whatever it is." Merlyn replied eyeing the corpse warily.

" I'm the court physician, Merlyn. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of." Gaius turns over the corpse to reveal white skinned, white eyed face and looks to Merlyn in shock.

" You were saying?" Merlyn sassed with a grim smile on her lips.

" People mustn't see this. They will panic." Gaius looks around and motions for Merlyn to retrieve a sheet left on a nearby crate, Merlyn grabs it and quickly covers the body hiding it from curious villagers. They soon find a cart and begin the long journey back to the castle, Merlyn muttering and complaining the whole way of course. As they cross the draw bridge Gwen approaches carrying pretty purple and white flowers with a skip in her step as usual.

" What are you doing?" Gwen asks startling Merlyn.

" Er... just moving something." Merlyn lied.

" Looks heavy." Gwen commented trying to get a glimpse.

" Erm, it's nothing really. Erm... did someone got you flowers?" Merlyn pointed out the flowers distracting her and Gwen blushed.

" Oh! No. (giggle) Would you like one? A purple one. Purple suits you. Not that I'm saying red doesn't suit you." Gwen stutters trying to back peddle and Merlyn accepts the flower.

" Thanks. Well, er..." Merlyn looks for a place to put it when Gwen suddenly takes it back and with deft fingers braids it into her hair. Merlyn gives Gwen a beaming smile which she returns before suddenly remembering her task.

" Er, thanks... see you." Merlyn turns and lifts the cart pushing up to the castle with a wave to Gwen who returns it cheerily and goes on her way.

Once back Gaius's chambers Merlyn manages to lift the body on to the examination table, without throwing her back out, and Gaius begins his inspection. Gaius uses a magnifying glass to study the prominent blue veins of the corpses arm before sitting back and meeting Merlyn's curious gaze.

" I've never seen anything like this before." Gaius mused tapping his lip in thought.

" Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" Merlyn tried.

" No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?" Gaius's brow creased as he tried to find a plausible answer.