the Bleeding Crown

Merlin

January 13th, 2014

Avalon

We dismounted our horses to water them as we waited for the return of the boat. They drank deeply from the water's depths, we had ridden through the night so that we could arrive at our destination as soon as we could. We would find, however, another had beat us to the Lady. The old hermit Merlin and what looked like a young girl with night black hair. The Lady was talking to her, oh to be a fly on the side of the boat for their conversation.

The Lady touched the girl on the forehead, and then soon she vanished from the boat. Curious, she did not look like she was from these lands. Another outsider perhaps? Morgause was digging through her pack, she pulled out two dried hunks of beef and tossed me one.

"Best take the time to replenish our energy, no telling when the old man will be done talking to the Lady." She ripped a piece of the tough meat off with her teeth and chewed. "Who was that girl with them? Did you see the clothes she wore? Odd."

I had seen one other who appeared similar to the girl in the boat, but to hope it was her was a foolish decision. I pulled my helmet from my head and strapped it to my side. The girl was of no consequence, and neither was the old man. What mattered was the questions I had, what mattered, was my destiny.

The lady descended into the water, the hermit yawned and then started to paddle back towards the dock. "That was quick, perhaps the lady isn't as talkative today as he would like." Morgause said. "Doesn't surprise me, seems her only interest was in the girl."

The boat rocked against the dock and the old man got out and stretched. He looked at us, and then bowed. "Fate has put me in the path of not one, but two mythicalities today" he said. The gray beard walked forward, his staff clapping like thunder against the wood of the dock as he moved towards us.

"Who was that girl?" Morgause asked.

The man looked perplexed. "What girl? The only girl I see here is you young lady." we would get no answers out of him about who she was. "Now, what does the new self proclaimed king of Camelot desire from the Lady?"

"Our business with the Lady is our own." Morgause said.

"Surely, the king can speak for himself." Merlin teetered on his staff.

I placed my hand on Morgause's shoulder. "Wait here with the wizard, I will be but a moment." I said, and walked past the wizard. He looked offended, and scoffed as I passed him by. I got into the boat and shoved off the dock and rowed out to the center.

***

I had been waiting for nearly two hours. Morgause and Merlin had made a camp by the lake as I bided my time, awaiting the lady. Deep in my thought's the visage of the girl would not leave my mind's eye. She was there, taunting me.

I did not feel the disturbance in the water or the presence of the Lady rising from the water. My teeth clenched as I thought of the one who would have been brought here to challenge my claim.

"Eden, it has been some time. Fifty years? The Lady asked.

My eyes opened and there she was, mysterious as the day I first laid eyes on her half a century ago. Her iridescent eyes holding me still. "The girl, who was she?"

"That is not the question you have come to ask me." the Ladies' voice echoed in my head.

"But it is a question that needs to be asked."

"Fear not Eden, for the both of you, in time will share the same goal."

That was what I was worried about. There was only one thing that I wanted, and if this girl, whoever she might be, threatened that. She would have to face me for it. "The throne?" I asked.

"Do you feel threatened by her? She is not your enemy." how could I not, the Lady had just blessed a would be adversary. "Her world is larger than yours, in the end, she will care little for ruling over your castles and lands."

"Then why bring her here? If not to show her a path to her birthright?"

The lady drew in close to me. "When the Seraphim regain their full power, they will be nigh unstoppable, more than Avalon will suffer."

"What game are you playing?"

"One that will not only save our world, but hers as well. She needs the Bleeding Crown, just as you need the Excalibur." She raised her hand and an image of the sword appeared.

"I am not strong enough to claim the sword from Arthur's tomb, how do I gain more power?"

She touched my forehead with her slick finger. "Five Seraphs lay dormant across the island, five artifacts you must reclaim from the wrong hands. Find these treasures and they will gift you strength enough to challenge your Grandfather and claim Arthur's sword."

"And when I have claimed the Excalibur? What then?" I asked.

"Then you rebuild, you wait for the day the Seraph return in force, you await the bearer of the Bleeding Crown." The Lady began her descent back into the water. "Be warned Eden, these foes will be like no other you have faced before, your journey will take much time, Just as it took Arthur time, and just as it will take her time." she said, disappearing into the depths.

***

The boat rocked against the wood of the dock. Morgause had been busy setting up our camp, while Merlin pestered her about Le Fay worship. She sparked a flame that set the campfire a flame. Like me, Morgause was pretty adept at using fire.

Ever since I found her, she's proved herself time and time again that she is worthy of being a Knight. The girl is a dear friend and my most trusted ally.

"For the last time old man, I don't worship the damn Witch Queen." she shouted.

"Yes, but your people do." he retorted.

"I was raised far away from any of them, my duty is to my King. speaking of whom, has returned." she said, turning to me. "What did the Lady have to say?"

I told them what the Lady had to say about the five Seraphs. Morgause in the meantime cooked a rabbit. She stoked the flames and then leaned in close to the fire. Her eyes danced with light and fear.

"What did the Lady say about the girl? Merlin still hasn't told me anything." Morgause said.

"I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about." the Wizard said.

"The girl is of no consequence right now, our focus should be on finding and defeating these five. Choosing to focus on something outside of our control is foolish."

Morgause bowed. "As you say you're majesty."

"Young man, I would like to accompany you." Merlin paused. "Just as I accompanied your great grandfather. "My skills would come quite handy when facing off against the Seraphs." He wasn't wrong, but Merlin wasn't exactly the most reliable company. It would still be mad to refuse his help.

"Fine." I said.

"Anybody actually know where to find one of these things?" She looked at both of us.

"The Seraphs the Lady refers to are five of the fallen Knights." Merlin began. "After the death of Arthur, Morgan Le Fay ruled over the land. She imprisoned Mordred until the Seraph came to the Island."

"We don't need a history lesson, old man. We just need to know where to find the first one." Morgause said.

"The first Knight we need to find is Ser Galahad." he said.

"We'll begin our search come morning. First, we need to get some much needed rest."

I dreamt of Camelot, burning to ash. an eclipsed sun above, and an angel with the Bleeding Crown high above. It was her, the Seraphim Gabriel. Queen of all her kind, risen from her prison of brine and fire. The only question that remained was when?