Between the Storms

Chapter Forty-Six

The man let out a dark laugh, "I see why there are such destinies about you," the man chuckles darkly, "I think I like you, Prince Arthur, though you have nothing to be the Prince of. I shall allow you to speak to her. Just for a second." he snaps his fingers and Magdelena sits up abruptly gasping for air she goes to scramble away from the man but she is pulled back against the seat. 

"Maggie!" Merlin cries out while Arthur goes to move forward but is stopped by some unseen wall, "Maggie are you alright?"

"I am a puppet to a dark asshole how well do you think I can be?" she snaps at him rubbing her head earning a small dark and deep chuckle from the man, "I'm sorry Merlin. How is everyone? Has anyone been hurt?"

"Other than the knight's pride all is well," he says before sending a glare at the dark smirking man, "for now."

"Mags?" Arthur says making her turn to him looking at him curiously, "Do you know how to stop him?" 

"Gilthunder can take you to-" suddenly she fell limp again making both Merlin and Arthur lunge forward again only to be hit by the invisible forcefield he had up. 

"Can't have her tell my weakness now can we," he says but chuckles darkly, "I am rather bored how about this. You are both free to roam around my kingdom. You may come and go as you please. Try to figure out how to stop me but I highly doubt that you will."

Merlin grabbed Arthur's arm and dragged him from the room, not really wanting to leave Magdelena but knowing if they could find the one way to defeat him they could get Magdelena back. Merlin dragged him through the halls and toward the courtyard, "Where are we going Merlin?"

"Maggie said Gilthunder," Merlin says, Arthur gives him a look asking him the significance, "Gilthunder is her horse, I have a feeling he knows the answer or at least something about the answer. A clue perhaps." 

"He. Is. A. Horse. Merlin, he can't understand anything," Arthur says annoyed by his servant's antics, "I thought you wanted to save Mags, not waste time!"

"She is the one that said it Arthur, least we can do is check into it," Merlin says entering the stables and walking to the back where a black horse with silky smooth coat was standing looking like he was waiting for them, his black main and tail looked like spilt ink as he moved his head slightly to watched their approach, "Gilthunder, Maggie has been turned into a puppet from that darkness that was growing inside her, you were with her went she went to get the Eye."

"Wait a minute you knew that this darkness was inside her!?" Arthur snaps at the servant, "What you just decided to wait until it became powerful to try and stop it."

"Arthur there was more going on, besides she said she had someone trying to figure it out," Merlin says, "she was certain the person would be able to solve the puzzle." 

"I wouldn't count on their help," a deep, wise voice spoke shocking the both of them, "Morgause doesn't seem like she would be willing to help at the moment. Having disappeared and all."

"What do you mean Morgause?" Merlin asks staring at the horse curiously, not certain that was who had spoken.

"Every three nights Magdelena would go to her, learning swordplay or about the Old Religion, she is now technically a Priestess of the Old Religion," Gilthunder spoke shocking both males, "It was her side of the deal, that and a favor."

"What could have forced Mags to make a deal with such a horrid woman?" Arthur asks.

"You Prince Arthur," Gilthunder says as Merlin clicks the pieces together.

"When Arthur tried to kill Uther!" Merlin says looking rather proud of himself for figuring it out.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Arthur demands not liking it being brought up, "Morgause tricked me with magic to believe my father had killed my mother with magic."

Merlin and Gilthunder stare at each other for a few moments which concerns Arthur as he waits for them to agree with him since that was the only thing that happened, "That was not the first way it went down."

"What do you mean?"

"It is not important right now Arthur," Merlin says, "We have to figure out where we have to go to help Magdelena."

"The mermaids might be able to help," Gilthunder says making both of them stare at him in shock, "I can take you to them. You won't be able to go to their land but I should be able to summon them to the shore so you may speak."  

"Mermaids are real?" Arthur and Merlin ask at the same time, Arthur sounded shocked, flabbergasted by the news while Merlin sounded excited and overjoyed at the thought of real-life mermaids.

"I can take you to them," Gilthunder goes through the stall door shocking the two males, "Jump on my back."