Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Trick To Catch A Witch

Merlyn was so angry with herself. It hadn't worked. Merlyn knew that the spell was powerful but she hadn't expected for it not to work; Merlyn felt her naivety when it came to magic, she was by no means at her full strength that her legends spoke off. And that was hard to accept and admit. As Gaius and Merlyn entered their chambers after the announcement in the Council Chambers, Merlyn began apologising profusely.

"I'm sorry. I tried. I gave it everything I had" Merlyn said, her hands flailing at her failure. Getting to a chair in the chambers, Merlyn threw herself into it, the wood creaking.

"It's not your fault, Merlyn. You did your best" Gaius reassured as he made his way to her side and squeezed her shoulder.

"It was working, she could feel it, I could see she could feel it ... but ... she fought it" Merlyn muttered in frustration. She had seen the spell working, seen Catrina's troll skin trying to poke through but she just didn't have the strength to force the troll free.

"Her magic must be strong" Gaius admitted nodding solemnly. However, Merlyn couldn't accept that that was it, that they were just going to roll over and allow Catrina's actions. With determination, Merlyn got to her feet and began to race out of the chambers. "Where are you going?"

"To see Arthur! He's our only hope!" Merlyn called back, her words reaching Gaius despite the distance she was putting between them. Of course, Gaius had oppositions to this plan but Merlyn barely heard is warning voice.

"Merlyn!"

~8~

His father was marrying the Lady Catrina. Arthur was stumped by it but he was also glad his father had found someone who made him happy. Knowing he had to get used to it, Arthur was in his chambers getting dressed for the day. Arthur pulled on his jacket and picked up his sword that was resting on his bed before he looked up and was pleasantly surprised to find Merlyn stood in his chambers anxiously looking at him. She clearly had something to say but wasn't saying it.

"Yes?" Arthur asked as he slipped his sword into the scabbard that sat on his hip.

"Arthur. I'm going to tell you something" Merlyn started, her eyes darting around the room. She just wasn't sure how to voice her words and Arthur noticed this. He began to become worried at her obviously jumpy demeanour. "It's not going to be easy."

"You know you can tell me anything" Arthur assured her as he began to close the distance between them. He put all his attention on her.

"It concerns the Lady Catrina" Merlyn admitted.

"You're not using my chambers to spy on her again" Arthur said smirking at his servant with humour in his eyes. At his words, Merlyn chuckled despite herself.

"I don't need to, I saw everything I needed to see" she answered but before Arthur could say anymore Merlyn spoke. "Arthur ... she's a troll." For a moment no sound was made but eventually Arthur was able to register Merlyn's obscene words. He couldn't help himself, he started to laugh.

"She's not that bad" he said through his short-lived laughter. However, Merlyn was not amused.

"I'm serious. She is. She's an actual troll" Merlyn said as she finally closed the space between them, standing just in front of him her eyes pleading with him to trust her. But Arthur just couldn't see her being serious about such a thing, he had never ever heard of trolls existing – they were creatures out of bedtime stories.

"Merlyn" he started, lifting his hand to cup her cheek and rub his thumb across her redden cheek. Since trolls didn't exist, Arthur could only see one option as to what Merlyn was doing – she knew him better than anyone and she knew he had apprehensions about Catrina and his father. "I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it. But it's not about whether I like her or not, it's about what makes my father happy. And when they announced the wedding today, I realised that Lady Catrina does just that. She makes him happy." And Arthur couldn't stand in the way of his father's happiness (despite the fact the king stood in the way of his own).