The Golden Effect

teh nightmare begins

Part two of The Nightmare Begins. Enjoy!

oOo

The next morning, Merlynn awoke to the warning bells sounding throughout Camelot like a symphony. A small smirk made it's way to her lips, but she then frowned when she realised that Uther wouldn't just 'let this go'. He would not rest until Morgana was back in Camelot.

Merlynn hugged Morgana close and whispered in her ear, "The Forest of Essetir. It's where they rest. You do know how to get there?" Morgana nodded. "Good luck."

"And to you, Merlynn. Thank you. You are such a great friend," she replied with a small smile and kissed her cheek. "I am forever grateful. Hopefully I will see you soon."

"Goodbye, Morgana. Bid the druids well for me."

As she headed downstairs, Gaius quickly took her shoulder and held up the bottle of sleeping draught accusingly. "I didn't ask you to take this to Morgana's last night," he stated, tremendously annoyed at Merlynn for disobeying him. Again.

"I thought for myself for once," she replied simply. "I should've known better than to think you'd be proud. Morgana needed rest, so I helped her."

He raised the brow. The brow was the one look he gave her when he was about to point something out to her, a loophole in her lie, she supposed. She loathed the brow. "Those warning bells are ringing because Uther thinks that Morgana's been kidnapped." Gaius narrowed his eyes. "And you don't seem overly concerned."

"Of course not," she scoffed. "Morgana can look after herself. She is a strong, independent woman, just like I am." Merlynn added as an afterthought, "Well, like I try to be. It seems to be doing well for me."

Gaius now used the sigh on her. The disappointed, disapproving sigh he always emitted when she did something stupid. "Merlynn, whatever have you done? I told you not to meddle in Morgana's life."

"I only helped her. Isn't that my destiny? To help Arthur, and the the people I care about? I've helped everybody in Camelot, so helping Morgana is just a breeze compared to the other things I've done lately," she countered.

"This ends now," he said sternly. "I know you had the best intentions in mind, and I'm glad you have such compassion. But people's lives are at risk, Morgana's included. Now, where is she?"

Merlynn pursed her lips, but sighed in defeat anyhow. She couldn't hide many things from Gaius. "She's in the Forest of Essetir to find the druids. They can help her."

"I told you not to get involved," he repeated.

"You wouldn't even acknowledge her abilities," she snapped. "It's what I had to do, Gaius. But you wouldn't understand because you've never had to go through what it seems both Morgana and myself did." Merlynn relaxed. "I've had these powers since before I could walk or talk, I truly discovered them when I was eight. Eleven years I had to go through what Morgana is only going through now."

"Morgana is the King's ward," Gaius reminded. "Her situation is different from yours in many ways."

She nodded. "I've got you, she hasn't. I know."

"I've always taken good care of Morgana," he insisted.

"It's not the same," she retorted sadly. "I've learnt that magic is good and right from you. Morgana has learnt that magic is terrible and dangerous from Uther. I know that I'd be lost without you, Gaius, but she's lonely now."

"I understand. But that doesn't mean that I don't fear the consequences," he responded with a small sigh.

Merlynn rested her hand on his upper arm and squeezed it gently. "I'm sorry for disobeying you, Gaius. But I don't regret my decisions, and I promise that Morgana will be back very soon."