I awoke to a dull rapping on my door.
"Go away," I moaned. "It's too bloody early."
More rapping, though much louder. "Too early?" Came Alex's friendly growl. "It's past noon―oh never mind. Just open the door. We need to talk."
I pointed to the door and the lock unlatched. Alex marched in, irritation and anger distorting his features. He wore similar clothes to the previous day minus the fancy hoodless cloak, and I assumed he had been up for quite a while because his hair was combed and his eyes were wide and alert.
He pulled over a wooden chair and sat at my bedside. He looked me over and frowned. A little disgruntled, I looked over at the mirror on the far wall and realized why. My face was bloodless and my hair was even more tousled than it had been in my dream. What startled me though were my eyes. They were no longer a dark blue nor a bright green. They were a mixture of both, creating the oddest color I had ever seen.
"Jake...are you all right?" Alex asked carefully.
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I admit, I answered that question a bit too quickly.
"No reason...it's just Lord Peter ran into me earlier and warned Lancelot, Ben, and I to let you rest a while longer. He said you might have lost some sleep because of some decision you were pondering last night. He wouldn't tell us anything else. Care to enlighten me?"
I sat up and twiddled my thumbs nervously. "Arthur...I told him everything. About my magic, about you, and how we got here."
Alex had already jumped when I addressed him as Arthur, but now he looked completely shell-shocked. "You told him?" he exclaimed.
"Yes, I'm glad you're following so nicely."
Alex's cheeks turned bright red for a moment, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "How did he react?"
"See, that's the funny thing. He took it rather well...a little too well. He already knew I was a sorcerer...and he said he knew my father."
"Well, I should hope so," he muttered.
"What?"
Alex shook his head quickly. "It's nothing. So we can trust him, then?"
"I think so. He helped me last night. I made an important decision, like he said, and I suppose I should tell you it now." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "I believe completely and wholly that I am Merlin. And I believe you are Arthur."
I opened my eyes to see Alex staring at me incredulously. "Jake, are you feeling all right?" He mockingly reached up to feel my head, but I slapped his hand away.
A white-hot lump of anger expanded across my chest. He thought I was joking.
Alex stared at me in amazement, and then it suddenly dawned on him that I was serious. "No, you're not Merlin," he said fiercely. "You're Jake Williams from the twenty-first century. Did Peter put this mad idea into your head?"
"No," I said defensively. "And I know you believe it too. You're just scared."
"Yeah, scared for your sanity! We're only here to help them get rid of the attackers. Then we're going home. That was the deal. We are only playing the roles of Merlin and Arthur for that purpose."
I looked away from him and said nothing.
"And what about Audri? Would you just leave her?"
I winced. I'd almost forgotten about her. How could I have forgotten?
Alex gazed at the pained look on my face and nodded smugly. "See, that's what I thought. Now, Ben told us if we don't start remembering our so-called life here in Camelot, we could leave no questions asked. Well, we haven't, so please drop it."
"No," I growled. "I'm not going to drop it. And if you really must know, I did remember something. Last night in a dream, very much like the one I had in the future."
"That can't be possible. If you did, why didn't I?"
"Because I know who I am. I truly believe I am Merlin, and I think that is why the memories are returning to me. You are still in denial. If you would just―"
"No." Alex slowly rose from his chair, his voice suddenly loud. "If you're going to allow yourself to be pulled into this madness, so be it. But don't try to pull me into it, too." His tone was defiant and angry, and I realized I would never convince him.
My gaze burned into Alex's, and the intensity of it made him grow rigid. In the mirror on the back wall, I noticed my irises turn a dangerous shade of blue. Far darker than usual. "I know you remember something," I said quietly. "Something Peter told you, and you seem to be trying really hard to forget it."
My voice was smooth but unnatural. It was dangerously calm. I saw a flicker of uneasiness cross Alex's face and he took a small step back.
"Remember what Ben told us about your sword, Excalibur, and of Avalon?" I continued. "That was my dream. I saw myself journey there and meet Niamh, who assisted me to forge it. Does this spark any memory?" I purposely refrained from telling him the details, keeping Niamh's warnings in mind.
He shook his head, still regarding me warily.
I sighed and changed my tone, forcing it to sound softer and kinder. "Alex, you can believe what you want to believe. Peter said something last night that helped me, and now I will repeat it to you—you have a choice. You can leave in a couple days and go back to being Alex Smith. Or, you can be Arthur Pendragon, the king of Camelot that I know you are. No one can make that decision for you. But it doesn't really matter who you think you are—it is who you want to be, and that ultimately is your true identity."
Alex stared at me, open mouthed. He started to say something, but right then the door on the far side of the room swung open, revealing Ben and Lancelot. I swear, the two of them were inseparable. They were both panting. "Arthur, Merlin? What the hell is going on? I heard someone yell," gasped Lancelot.
I pointed at Alex. "His fault, not mine."
They must have felt the tension in the air, because they immediately dropped it. Ben exchanged a look with Lancelot, and he nodded, closing the door behind him and latching it shut. They walked over to Alex's side. Lancelot cleared his throat nervously. "So...have you told him, then?"
Alex frowned. "Told him what?"
"The plan, of course."
Alex's eyes widened. "Oh, right! I forgot the whole reason I came in here...Jake and I got a little...sidetracked." He glared at me pointedly. "We have decided to go forth with our plan to wait out the attackers. We will have to hope that we can overcome them, then let one survive to lead us to their base, and to their leader. Ben claims no more than fifty have attacked at a time, and if that remains true for this time around, I think we have a good chance of winning. Peter agrees with us."
I sat forward and rested my forehead upon my fingertips, scrutinizing Alex carefully through them. "But like I said before, it'll is risky," I warned.
Alex ground his teeth together. "Yes, Jake, I know. But it's our only chance. Peter has sent out many sentries to search for their base, but the forest is vast. They've had no luck. Unless you can remember more of your dream and can tell us their exact location, this is the plan we will act upon."
I closed my eyes and rubbed the tips of my fingers over my temples. There was something tugging at my brain, some vague idea that I knew would help me. What was it? Something, some name I had heard Shortt say on numerous occasions... "Hey, Alex, Do you remember the names Shortt listed off in class? On the first day of school?" I asked him.
I opened my eyes to see his brows furrowed in concentration. "Uh...a little. It feels like it was so long ago. I'm having trouble remembering anything from before we landed in Camelot, but I do remember him mentioning the knights, Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and―and―"
"And Morgana le Fey," I finished quietly. Ben and Alex both stared at me blankly. But Lancelot looked more confused than anything. "Morgana le Fey...no, it can't be..."
But I ignored in him. I was too excited. "Alex, don't you get it?" I said eagerly. "Shortt said in the clearing, and I quote: I am certain the Lady Morgana will be very eager to meet you. And in my dream, one of the attackers said, We cannot have you blabbing to the king our plans, now can we? The Lady Morgana would be most displeased with us. Don't you understand?" I cried when my friends failed to give a reaction. "Morgana le Fey is the one behind these attacks! All we need to do now is―"
Ben held up his hands. "Wait, Merlin! Do you actually know who Morgana le Fey is?"
"Well―"
"Do you know the reason behind her contempt toward Camelot?"
"No," I admitted.
"Do you even know what she looks like?"
I sighed. "No."
"Well than how do you expect the Royal Council to back up our accusation? We have no proof, and despite the fact we know who she is, we still do not know where she is. And we won't know until you remember, so we still do not have that much of a lead."
"But we still have to inform the Royal Council, they need to know we have a lead at all, so they believe Arthur is making some progress," I argued.
Ben crossed his arms defiantly, his face set. "What sense is there to badger them with a lead that we cannot support? If anything, they will most likely think Arthur is making this up to gain their trust."
Alex was looking back and forth between us with each argument like it was a tennis match. Lancelot however only stared at the ground, his face turning quite pale.
Finally, after Ben and I glared at one another for a few more moments, we both looked to Alex to make the decision. He shifted his feet uncomfortably and looked between us nervously. "Well...," he said slowly, "I know the Royal Council will probably not give us the benefit of the doubt, but I think we should still warn them, or at least Peter."
Ben ground his teeth together, and I couldn't help but let a smug smirk play across my lips. I could tell Ben absolutely despised it when someone didn't agree with him. I realized I had been right about him. He always had to have the answers, which I would normally be all right with, but at this point I found it rather annoying.
Ben exchanged a glance with Lancelot, but he only shrugged. Ben's shoulders sagged, and he gave Alex a reluctant nod. "Fine," he said, "But if the Royal Council asks how you achieved this information, don't look at me to help you. I think they might have a bit of trouble believing what you say if you tell them this Morgana is behind the attacks because of a dream Merlin had and because of what a seven foot tall man from the future told you." And with that last reassuring note, Ben motioned for Lancelot to follow him as he walked out my chamber doors. Lancelot shuffled after him, still looking dazed. I was beginning to ponder his odd behavior, but my thoughts ceased when Alex turned and fixed me with a cold stare. "Jake, get dressed. We'll wait outside. But in those few minutes I hope you come to your senses. For Audri's sake, at least." Then he was gone.
As I was getting dressed, my hand happened to brush against something hard against my chest when I was pulling on my shirt. I looked down to see the key hanging down from my neck. I had almost forgotten about that, too. I remembered how back in the future I would place that key in the lock of my wooden chest and bring out my soft, midnight-blue cloak. I used to look at that key as the key to my past because I had viewed my cloak as part of my forgotten former life.
Now that I was back in Camelot, the key didn't feel so warm and friendly anymore. It felt colder against my bare skin than it had ever been. At that very moment, the key was just an unfriendly reminder of the home I had left behind in the future. It reminded me of Audri and how much I missed her.
I suddenly felt a pang of guilt and overwhelming sadness. I swallowed it down and continued to dress.
After I locked my chamber doors, the four of us made our long trek to the Great Hall. When we reached the massive doors, Lancelot knocked loudly and entered.
The Royal Council looked the very same, with the old men in robes sitting around a table, Lord Elberny at the head, and with their thin bodies leaning forward with purpose. Their thick eyebrows were furrowed and their frowning mouths moved with quiet conversation.
The only difference from the last time I had stood in the Hall was Lord Peter. He wore no robes and he did not sit at the table, but stood a little off to the side gazing out the glass window overlooking the kingdom. When he noticed us, he smiled warmly, but he seemed a little distracted.
We did not receive such kind welcome from the rest Royal Council, though. When Elberny caught sight of us he rose to his feet, giving us a hard cold stare. He turned to Alex. "Is there a reason for this interruption, sire?" I detected a small hint of mockery in his voice, and his lips twisted with a slight sneer.
"Yes, my lord," Alex answered calmly. "We believe we know who the leader behind the attacks is."
Elberny's eyes gleamed wickedly. "Do you, now?"
I could tell Alex was straining to ignore Elberny's rudeness. "Yes, Morgana le Fey."
Shock crossed Elberny's face for a moment, but then I blinked and his expression returned to its foul sneer. "May I ask how you received this information?"
Alex hesitated and glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "We...would prefer to keep that information classified." Peter did not miss Alex's eyes dart in my direction, and he raised his eyebrows at me. I gave him a small shake of the head, warning him to keep quiet until I could explain later.
Elberny smiled in triumph. "If you have no proof, sire, then why are you here? Lord Peter has been graciously relaying our plan for the attackers. You have had your chance to prove yourself and stop these attacks and you have failed. We do not need you anymore, so why don't you take your little friends and frolic elsewhere?"
Alex quivered in rage and his face flushed scarlet. Peter stared daggers at Elberny from behind him, but the remaining Royal Council members stayed oddly quiet, keeping their eyes trained on the table surface. Ben shot me a, I told you so look that I wanted to slap off his face. I glanced over to Lancelot to find his head down. He appeared to be thinking very hard about something, but I had a suspicious feeling it had nothing to do with our present conversation. I don't even think he was listening.
Peter stepped forward. "Elberny, you go too far." His tone was quite frightening. If I had been Elberny I would've shrunk back and run away in terror, but he stood his ground. He held an air of confidence, though I interpreted it as more impertinence.
"Lord Peter, forgive me," he said coldly, "but if I remember correctly, Uther selected me as Head of the Royal Council. Not you. It is not your place to tell me when I go too far. Now, if you value your position within this humble court, you will stand down."
Peter clenched his jaw, but he bowed and took a step back. There was no visible expression on his face but his eyes looked simply murderous.
Elberny seemed to find this amusing. He smirked then redirected his attention to Alex. He attempted to look sympathetic, but truly his features seemed to grow all the more scornful. "Arthur, I see you are trying to be a decent ruler, but some people are not meant to be one. You obviously lack the skills your father had, which is a pity. You could have had true potential."
Elberny was intentionally trying to discourage Alex, and he knew just how to do it. He sensed his lack of confidence and was using it against him.
It was working. Alex's shoulders slumped and he grimaced, defeat clearly written across his face. "Quite frankly," Elberny continued, "You are making our kingdom appear vulnerable and weak, and in doing so you are causing the Royal Council to appear as a joke."
I admit it. I snapped. Red-hot rage boiled inside me like a volcano, and before I knew it I was standing face to face with Elberny. I vaguely saw Peter shake his head violently but I ignored him. The volcano was already erupting.
"You do that on your own."
Everyone in the room was dead silent, staring at me open mouthed in complete shock. Peter buried his face in his hands and from behind me I heard Ben let out a soft groan. Elberny's eyes flashed. "Be careful, boy. You do not want to say anything you will re―"
"You are the joke, my lord." I knew I should have kept quiet, but my mind was fuzzy. I wasn't thinking clearly. "I don't recall seeing you risk your life fighting the attackers or taking the initiative to venture into the Great Forest to find the leader behind these attacks. That was Arthur, and he is the king last I remembered, not you. So if you value your position within this 'humble court,' you will stand down."
Elberny stayed quite still for a moment, but then he calmly reached into the folds of his robes and brought out a gleaming dagger. He closed the distance between us in one quick stride and then slowly pressed it to my throat.
Peter cried out and surged forward, but a Royal Council member hurried out of his seat to move in front of him. Ben, Lancelot, and Alex stood a few yards away, shell shocked, watching the two of us in horror. I didn't move a muscle. I knew better. But the reckless part of me thought savagely, I could destroy you, here and now. I could blast you to smithereens. I could watch you flail hopelessly as my flames envelope you.
Yes, I was that angry.
Elberny twisted the blade tauntingly. "You insolent little urchin," he murmured. "You should know the way the royal court works by now. After Uther died it was decided the Royal Council would make the decisions until Arthur comes of age. We are able to take away the king's throne if majority of the Royal Council deem him unsuitable. We decide who leaves the ranks of the royal court, not the king. Arthur's main duty at this time is to be aware of the comings and goings in other kingdoms of Britain and organize battle tactics and strategies if the Royal Council decides to declare war or to defend Camelot if we are attacked. We have been attacked. It was Arthur's duty to solve this. He failed and managed to get himself lost in the forest for two weeks, so now the burden falls upon the shoulders of the Royal Council. Have I eased your ignorance, boy?"
I glared at him and said nothing. "You have insulted me for the last time," he continued. "Next time I will cut out your tongue to ensure it. If not for Arthur's and Lord Peter's persistent excuses for you, I would have ordered your execution by now. But I suppose a brief time in the dungeons will have to suffice." He turned to the old man who had blocked Peter. "Lord Erivan, will you please escort the parasite to the dungeons―" Elberny halted when his gaze drifted over to Peter. His eyes suddenly gleamed maliciously. "Actually, Lord Peter, you take him. And the guards will inform me if you did."
Elberny watched Peter carefully for any flicker of anger or defiance, but Peter showed none. However, I could sense his disgust and outrage without an expression. He walked stiffly over to me and grabbed hold of my elbow, steering me out of the Great Hall. His grip was so tight my arm began to feel numb.
Before Peter closed the doors behind us, I heard Elberny say, "Arthur, I believe we are finished here. Please try and refrain from bothering us again with nonsense so we may run your kingdom in peace."