Merlyn - Arthur x Female Merlin [1]

Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Life For A Life

Merlyn had Kilgharrah's instructions to the Isle of the Blessed imprinted on her mind: "Beyond the White Mountains, through the Valley of the Fallen Kings, to the north of the Great Seas of Meredor, you will find a lake where, at the centre, the Isle of the Blessed can be found". Determinedly, Merlyn had set out for the Isle and had been pushing poor Major to his limit though the horse didn't seem to mind - it was as if Major knew that Merlyn was doing this for Arthur.

Soon enough Merlyn had made the journey to the lake where one small boat was waiting on the shore. It was the only boat around, the only way over to the Isle. Quickly, Merlyn tied up Major before she clambered aboard the boat and used her magic to move it out to the Isle. It wasn't long before Merlyn was docking at the Isle. The dilapidated remains of a fortress sat in the centre of the Isle.

The Isle was surrounded by a mysterious fog that clearly protected the place. As Merlyn walked further into the ruins she came across a circular grass courtyard that held multiple stone monoliths that ran in a circle whilst a stone ritual table stood in the centre of it all. This was clearly the heart of the Old Religion, where the focus of the power was centred. Merlyn could feel the magic everywhere; it ran across her skin telling her of its presence. Yet no one was around.

"Hello?" Merlyn called out.

"Hello, Merlyn" a new voice answered echoing as all voices did at the Isle. Merlyn span around to find a face she recognised - it was Cara or as she was better known as Nimueh. However, she was dressed very different to what Merlyn was used to, her red dress ran from her shoulders to her feet though the bottom part of the dress was torn into shredded strips whilst her long dark hair was partly plaited, partly left loose.

"Nimueh. You can't be who the dragon meant" Merlyn said a frown placed on her face.

"And why is that?" Nimueh asked intrigued by the legendary Emrys.

"You tried to kill me! You tried to kill Arthur!" Merlyn exclaimed. It didn't make any sense. However, the High Priestess of the Old Religion had been hunted to extinction so maybe she had been sent to Nimueh as she was the last one. That had to be it, right?

"You're right I did" Nimueh admitted with a smirk. "I was the one who told Mary Collins to impersonate Lady Helen, who told Sir Valiant about the sorcerer with a shield of snakes, who sent the Afanc, who poisoned you, who brought Tristan de Bois back to life."

"You did it all" Merlyn gasped in shock. The majority of the things that Arthur and herself had faced over the last year were down to Nimueh. Merlyn so wanted to grab her sai and run Nimueh through but she was aware that Nimueh was Arthur's last chance.

"Yes ... yet Camelot still stands as do you and Arthur, though Arthur was never destined to die at my hand so I never tried too hard" Nimueh explained with a shrug of her shoulders, "I was merely testing you."

"Why?" Merlyn asked, what purpose did the priestess have for testing her?

"I'll let you figure that one out" she replied with a smile, she enjoyed mocking Merlyn and that fact grated on Merlyn but the young witch had to hold her tongue if she wanted Nimueh's help. "Now you came here on a time-sensitive mission so let's get to it."

"So you know what I've come to ask?" Merlyn questioned.

"Yes. It seems I will be Arthur's salvation" Nimueh said simply.

"Will you do it?" Merlyn asked, she didn't want to waste anymore time.

"I do not have the power to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return" Nimueh explained. Merlyn knew this was coming, knew that the price would be discussed.