Genre (s): Fanfiction/Fantasy

Written When? Junior Year of College

 

“In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name: Merlin.”

 

Prologue

 

        Deep in the forest, crows cawed from their perches, but they were not the only ones who lived there. There was also a hut, which was home to Morgana Pendragon, a powerful enchantress.

        For two weeks, Camelot had been at peace, but that was because Morgana was preparing for her most deadly plan yet. Inside the hut, she and her minion, Agravaine de Bois, stood over a bubbling cauldron. An evil look on her face, Morgana stirred the potion with a huge, wooden spoon. A green and purple glow showered on hers and Agravaine’s faces.

        Agravaine glanced at Morgana and asked, “So, this is what you’ve been working on for the past two weeks, My Lady?”

        “Patience, Agravaine. A potion takes time to perfect,” Morgana said.

        “What exactly is your plan?” Agravaine wanted to know.

        Morgana smirked. She picked up a glass vial from her work bench and brought it between her and her minion. She dipped her spoon into the potion and poured it inside. “Give this to the king before the banquet,” she explained. “I know he has been stressed lately. Tell him this is a potion that Gaius prescribed for him. When he takes it, he will slowly become drunk from its magic. Tomorrow, his mind should be focused only on our pet, and we shall lure him here.” Morgana put the cap on the vial and held it out to Agravaine.

        Chuckling evilly, he accepted it. “I’m sure it will enjoy a juicy king for breakfast. What do you think it’ll like most: his heart, liver, or stomach?”

        “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Morgana said. “Do not fail me this time, Agravaine.”

        “Right, My Lady.” Agravaine bowed to her. He tucked the vial into his cape and headed over to the hut’s door, opening it.

        Once he was outside, a growl came from the hut’s furthermost, darkest corner.

        Morgana went over there, so she could comfort whatever it was that hid. “Not now, my pet,” she snickered. “We need to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.”

        The growling continued. A pair of red eyes appeared in the shadows, as well as a faint set of fangs.

        “You’re growing,” Morgana added. “This is just what we want.” She peered over her shoulder to the now closed front door and talked to herself: “You can try all you want to stop me, Emrys, but you won’t be able to. Your magic is useless.” Morgana was confident that this time for sure, she would succeed. The fall of Camelot was imminent, and the throne was just as good as hers. The reign of the Death Lion had begun.

 

Chapter 1

Agravaine’s Plot

 

        “You seriously want to hold a banquet tonight?” Merlin, King Arthur’s manservant, asked in the morning hours of Camelot. The two friends were in Arthur’s chambers.

        Merlin made up his bed, while Arthur sat at his desk.

        He held his quill pen in his hand and explained, “Merlin, Camelot has been at peace for two weeks now. Don’t you think this is a cause for celebration?” The young king was in his early twenties. He had blonde hair and blue eyes.

        Merlin was about his age, maybe a little bit younger. He had black hair. He was a powerful sorcerer, but Arthur didn’t know. After all, magic was outlawed in Camelot.

        At Arthur’s question, Merlin shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, but–”

        “I’m the king of Camelot. I can do whatever I want,” Arthur argued.

        “I am aware of that, but perhaps we should think this over?” Merlin questioned. He forced a nervous smile.

        “I can have as many banquets and ladies as I want,” continued Arthur.

        “Ooh, is that what being a king looks like to you?” said Merlin.

        Arthur rolled his eyes. He was lucky Merlin was his friend. Anyone else who talked to him like that would probably get flogged. Clearing his throat, he said, “Besides, I think a banquet is the perfect way to get you away from the tavern.”

        Merlin let out a sarcastic scoff. “Trust me, sire, I do not think about the tavern every day.”

        “Really? Then how come I always hear you’re in it?”

        Merlin scoffed again, finishing with Arthur’s bed. He turned and faced him, expecting him to throw something.

        Arthur didn’t. He merely rose from his chair and gave his orders. “We don’t have time for this. I need you to polish my armor, muck out my stalls, and wash my clothes. After that, I want you to put together the largest feast Camelot has ever seen. I’m going to call it the Feast of Peace.”

        “Yes, sire.” Bowing, Merlin turned on his heel. He picked up his dirty clothes and left Arthur’s chambers. He didn’t even get halfway down the hallway before Arthur called for him.

        “Merlin!”

        “Oh boy.” Merlin turned around to see him coming in his direction.

        “I didn’t give you permission to leave,” Arthur complained.

        “Oh, I’m sorry. Do you want me to tie a rope to us?” Merlin joked. “You just told me to get ready for the feast.”

        “That’s Feast of Peace to you! Here, you forgot these.” Arthur tossed his old bedsheets into Merlin’s already full arms. “I want them thoroughly scrubbed. All right, now you have my permission to start your chores.”

        Merlin gagged when he smelled Arthur’s sheets.

        Smirking, his friend gave him a pat on the shoulder.

***

        Merlin first polished Arthur’s armor, but he worked on it at Gaius’s place.

        Gaius was the court physician of Camelot. He had brilliant knowledge about science and magic and was Merlin’s father-like figure. Since Merlin was going to be busy that day, he used magic so the armor could polish itself.

        Unfortunately, Gaius caught him. After finishing his daily round of delivering medicine to citizens, he stepped into the room. Gaius was an old man who had long, white hair. To Merlin, he asked, “Just what on Earth are you doing?”

        Merlin was so shocked that he jumped. He quickly ordered for the armor to stop polishing itself.

        It fell to the ground with a loud clang.

        Gaius crossed his arms, anxiously waiting for Merlin’s excuse.

        The young man said, “I have to, Gaius. I am going to be extremely busy today. Arthur expects me to finish my chores and get ready for the banquet tonight.”

        “So he’s following through with it?” Gaius wanted to know.

        Merlin chuckled. “Well, considering how much of a dollop head and clotpole he is, I’m not surprised.” He lost his smile. “Don’t you find it strange, Gaius, that Morgana hasn’t attacked for two weeks?”

        Shrugging, Gaius set his medicine bag down on a table and admitted, “Maybe a little bit, but we both know how good a king Arthur is. Perhaps Morgana has given up?”

        “Oh, she never gives up,” Merlin said. “There’s something fishy going on. I need to find a way to stop Arthur from throwing the feast.”

        “And how exactly are you planning on doing that?” asked Gaius. “Merlin, maybe you should give Arthur a chance. He’s finally settling in as king, and he needs to be rewarded for it.”

        “Not if a sinister plot is going on,” Merlin argued. “The Great Dragon said it is my destiny to protect him, and I intend to do just that.”

***

        “So, your excuse for not throwing the banquet is the tavern?” Arthur asked Merlin a little later. He and Merlin stood in the castle’s throne room. Behind them was a stained-glass window, and a table with a few goblets on it was next to them.

        Merlin sarcastically chuckled. “Uh, I think you heard me wrong. I said I think you’re walking into a trap.”

        “Really?” Arthur clearly didn’t believe him. “A feast that I ask for myself is considered a trap?”

        Merlin tried to reason with him. “What if Morgana wants this? Think about it, Arthur. She never gives up, yet she has not attacked in two weeks. She’s planning something. I know she is. If she’s going to attack, she’ll do it tonight.”

        Arthur crossed his arms and lowered his head. “And this, Merlin, is exactly why we don’t spend so much time in the tavern. Your brain turns all foggy.” He picked up a goblet, threatening Merlin with it. “As king of Camelot, I want the feast to happen tonight. No exceptions.” To get Merlin moving, he bopped his head with the goblet.

        “Ow!” he complained. Rubbing his head, Merlin added, “Yes, sire.” He gave him a quick bow before he hustled out of the throne room. He bumped into Guinevere when he did.

        A pretty, young woman, she had long brown hair and deep brown eyes. She was another servant in the castle. Gwen held a bundle of sheets in her arms. She noticed Merlin’s upset face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

        “Arthur, that’s what’s wrong,” Merlin told her.

        “Maybe you should let him throw the banquet,” Guinevere said. “Please, Merlin, this is the first time in months I’ve seen him so confident about being king.”

        Merlin considered her words. A thoughtful look on his face, he crossed his arms.

***

        Arthur thought he was alone in the throne room, but he really wasn’t.

        Agravaine spied on him from behind a wall. An evil smile broke across his face. He was Arthur’s uncle, so he knew he trusted him.

        Arthur adjusted a few goblets on the table. He didn’t notice Agravaine sneaking up on him. That was until he heard his footsteps. Startled, the young king whirled around. In the process, he knocked down at least three goblets. They crashed into the floor and rolled away from him.

        “Oh, did I scare you, My Lord?” Agravaine asked.

        “Uncle Agravaine.” Seeing him, Arthur calmed down. He cleared his throat and stood tall, like a king should. “What do you want?” he questioned.

        “I just can’t help but notice you look stressed,” Agravaine said. “Tell me, my boy, what is it that’s bothering you?”

        Sighing, Arthur admitted, “I am the king of Camelot. I have the right to make whatever decisions I want. I don’t think Merlin knows that yet.”

        “All men get jealous,” Agravaine said. “Merlin just wishes he was you. You don’t need him to boss you around, sire. After all, he is just a servant.”

        “You have a point.” Arthur nodded his head, to show he understood.

        Agravaine kept the conversation moving. “Anyway, I told Gaius I was concerned about you.”

        “Really?” Arthur gave him a funny look.

        “You’re the only family I have, My Lord,” Agravaine continued. “I don’t want you to feel stressed. Gaius asked me to give you something that would hopefully bring your stress level down.”

        “What is it?” Arthur questioned.

        “A potion.” At those words, Agravaine reached into his cape, pulling out the vial Morgana gave him. “It’s made from a special type of herb and berry, giving it the appearance of wine. Gaius said it will calm you right down.” He held the vial out to Arthur.

        He studied it for a few minutes, with a thoughtful look on his face. Did he need a stress potion? Yeah, he did. Smiling, he reached forward and took the vial out of Agravaine’s hand. “Thank you.”

        “My Lord.” Agravaine bowed. “Gaius said not to take it all at once. We want to keep you de-stressed for the rest of the day.”

        “Gaius really has his ways, doesn’t he?” Arthur asked.

        “Indeed,” Agravaine said in between clenched teeth. He watched as the young king popped up the potion’s top.

        Arthur sniffed it before shrugging. He took a sip from the vial.

        While he drank, Agravaine smiled evilly. He quickly lost it when Arthur finished drinking.

        “Wow,” he said. “Out of all the potions I’ve taken, that one actually tastes really good.”

        Smirking, Agravaine said, “Wonderful. Already, your stress is improving. You need to remember to keep taking it.”

        “Hey, if it will help me prepare for tonight, it’s all mine.” Arthur laughed. “Thank you again, Agravaine.” With that, he started towards the room’s exit, but he tripped over his own feet. Arthur quickly caught himself by holding out his arms. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Agravaine, who smiled back.

        Once Arthur was out of the room, Agravaine chuckled menacingly. “Everything is going according to plan,” he whispered to himself. “Soon, Camelot will not have a king, but a drunk peasant who spent the whole day in the tavern.”

 

Chapter 2

The Feast of Peace

 

        Merlin took Arthur’s clothes and sheets to the castle’s bathhouse to wash them. It was privately owned and had a number of bathing buckets up and down the hall. Just as Merlin was finishing up, he received a surprise.

        Arthur stumbled into the bathhouse. At the sight of Merlin, he grinned a stupid grin. “Merlin!”

        A question mark seemed to appear above Merlin’s head. “Arthur?” he asked. He peered over his shoulder to Arthur, who continued to grin. “I’ve missed you!” Before Merlin could fight him, Arthur pulled him into a tight hug. “I looked all over the castle!”

        “Arthur!” Merlin felt like his spine was going to break. He quickly pulled away from his friend so he could breathe.

        “You work so hard!” It was weird hearing a compliment coming from Arthur’s lips.

        “Thanks?” Merlin questioned.

        Arthur held up his index finger. “You know what? I’ve decided. When you’re done with my laundry, you can have the rest of the day off.”

        “What?” Merlin never got a day off. What on Earth was going on with Arthur? “What about the Feast of Peace?” he wanted to know.

        Arthur sniggered. “Poppycock. I’ll have the cooks prepare. Why don’t you spend the rest of the day in the tavern?” With that, he patted Merlin’s shoulder. He stumbled out of the bathhouse, leaving Merlin to merely stare.

        Okay, that was literally the weirdest encounter he’d ever had with Arthur Pendragon. Nevertheless, he finished with his laundry and delivered his clean clothes and sheets to his room. On his way to Gaius’s, he found Arthur in the throne room with the Knights of the Round Table, particularly Sir Leon, Sir Elyan, Sir Gwaine, and Sir Percival.

        They listened to a speech.

        A young woman stood in front of the throne, giving a monologue about how Camelot changed her and her family when they moved there. It actually wasn’t a bad speech.

        In fact, the knights were interested.

        Arthur, though... Merlin noticed he struggled to stay awake. His eyes kept drooping, and he had to constantly shake out his head.

        Merlin doubted he was even paying attention. He prepared to step inside, so he could check on him, but then the speech ended.

        Arthur snapped awake. He and the knights clapped their hands, congratulating the woman.

        She blushed and gave them a quick curtsy.

        From where he hid, Merlin muttered, “Hm,” under his breath.

***

        “Uh oh, what’s bothering you now?” Gaius asked Merlin when he came home. He was working on making another potion from some herbs he picked up that morning.

        “Arthur gave me the day off,” Merlin explained.

        “Did he now?” said Gaius. “Well, perfect. That means you can finish the herb gathering for me today.”

        “He complimented my service,” Merlin added.

        “Really? Well, that certainly is new,” Gaius admitted.

        “He never compliments me!” Merlin said. He tried to get it through his thick skull what may have happened to Arthur between the time he was in his chambers and when he met him in the bathhouse.

        Gaius tried to make him feel better. “I’m sure the king meant nothing he said.”

        Merlin rolled his eyes. “Geez, thanks.”

        “Now, I didn’t mean it like that.”

        “I know. Excuse me, Gaius, I just need to think.” Merlin gave Gaius a quick head bow before he slipped into his room. Closing his door, he plopped down on his bed.

        Back in the main room, Gaius chuckled. Kids. He would never understand them.

***

        The Feast of Peace was held that night at 6:30.

        Before it started, Merlin headed into Arthur’s room. He usually had to help him with his armor before a special occasion. He tried to hold back a laugh when he saw Arthur struggling to put on his chainmail. It kept on dropping from his hands, and it took the king with it.

        Arthur constantly said, “Ow, ow, ow.”

        Finally, Merlin spoke up. “Do you want me to help you, sire?”

        “Merlin!” It was strange. Arthur may had been proud of his servant earlier, but he certainly wasn’t proud of him now. “Where have you been? What happened to mucking out my horses and polishing my boots?”

        “Um, you gave me the day off,” Merlin explained.

        “I did what?” Arthur’s voice cracked. It sounded absolutely hilarious. “Oh, I see how it is. You’re using this as an excuse to say you had a good time with your friends in the tavern.”

        “You literally said I could have the day off,” Merlin argued.

        “I would never do such a thing. That’s preposterous.” Arthur kept on struggling with his chainmail. “Ow.” He clenched his teeth, but the armor once again dropped him onto the floor.

        Merlin crossed his arms and chuckled. “You look stressed, sire.”

        “I am not stressed!” However, Arthur ended up chucking his belt over Merlin’s head. It smashed into the wall.

        “Let me help you,” Merlin continued. A sudden voice behind the two boys caused him to leap out of his skin.

        “Allow me, Merlin. After all, you technically do have the day off.” It was Agravaine. He literally just appeared from out of nowhere.

        “Ah, Uncle. Come on in,” Arthur said.

        “Thank you, My Lord.” At his command, Agravaine came into the room. “Leave us,” he said to Merlin.

        Merlin tried to protest. “But–”

        Arthur interrupted him. “You heard the man. Don’t worry, you’ll be extra busy tomorrow.”

        “Yes, sire,” Merlin said in between clenched teeth. He headed out and whispered under his breath, “Yep, there is definitely something fishy going on.”

***

        “Can you believe I gave him the day off? Ridiculous,” Arthur said to Agravaine.

        Agravaine shrugged. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to, My Lord.” He picked up Arthur’s belt, helping him with his chainmail instead. “You do look a little stressed, though. Maybe you should take another sip from that potion.”

        Arthur nodded. He went over to his nightstand next to his bed and picked up the vial. It was almost empty. Arthur finished it off. He twisted the potion’s top back on before he set it back down on his nightstand.

        Agravaine turned away from him so Arthur couldn’t see him smiling. Now it was time for the fun part. The Feast of Peace.

***

        Things only got weirder from there. The next time Merlin saw Arthur was in the banquet hall. Even though he sacked him for the day, he remained in his presence. That was just in case something happened and he needed to use magic to save him.

        The feast was very festive. Commoners were allowed to attend it–not just the royal court. There was music, dancing, laughing, and playing. Members of the royal court wore red capes that had Camelot’s symbol on them.

        King Arthur sported his crown. As he made his way over to the banquet table, his eyes landed on Merlin. “Merlin! There you are!” He did not look mad that time around.

        Merlin gave him a quick nod. “Sire.”

        Like what he did in the bathhouse, Arthur gave him a tight hug. Letting go, he clutched his shoulder and said, “You know what I love the most about you, Merlin? The fact that you’re such an idiot.”

        “I thought you were mad at me,” said Merlin.

        “Mad? How can I be mad when I have the best servant in the world? Man, I’ll tell you, Merlin, that potion Gaius prescribed for me is working wonders.”

        “Potion? What potion?” Another question mark seemed to appear above Merlin’s head. He didn’t recall Gaius giving Arthur a potion. If he did, he would’ve told him.

        “I feel terrific! Come on! You need to join us for the feast!” Arthur said. He let Merlin’s shoulder go and stumbled back in the direction of the banquet table. He was very unsteady on his feet.

        A lady stopped him and asked, “Sire, how much have you had to drink today?”

        Arthur again smiled stupidly. “I’ve had nothing.” Which was true.

        “Are you sure about that?” said the lady.

        “I feel terrific!” Finally, Arthur joined the Knights of the Round Table at the banquet table.

        Merlin paced back and forth on the outside of it, observing the king’s behavior.

        “Hello, Percival!” Arthur told Sir Percival. He smacked him in the back of the head for his greeting.

        Percival was taken by such surprise that he spilled his wine all over his chainmail. He gave Arthur a funny look.

        The young king plopped down in his chair and did something Arthur in his right mind would never do. He picked up his wine goblet and put his boots on the table.

        The knights gagged.

        The commoners in the crowd stared.

        “Isn’t this fantastic?” Arthur asked. “This is what I call a true feast of peace.”

        Merlin moved quickly. He approached Arthur’s back and leaned into his ear. “Sire, maybe you should take your feet off the table. It’s not exactly… kingly.”

        “Not now, Merlin. Who knew being a king would be this luxurious?” Arthur said. He took a sip from his wine goblet. Lowering it, he burped loudly.

        That got the guests’ attention. Movement in the banquet hall stopped. Commoners, even servants of the castle, stared at the king.

        The knights were absolutely humiliated. Their faces turned a bright shade of red.

        Agravaine had the best time of his life. He sat on the other side of Sir Leon and hid behind his hand so nobody would see him laughing.

        Poor Arthur. It wasn’t his fault he was acting this way. To Merlin, he asked, “Do you think you can get me a pillow, Merlin?”

        It did not take long for Merlin to realize he was slipping into sleep, just like what happened with the speech earlier. “Sire,” he said. He shook Arthur’s shoulder, but it was already too late.

        Arthur fell fast asleep. Before the guests and knights knew it, he snored as loudly as he burped. Drool ran down the sides of his mouth.

        Gaius and Gwen, who were present during the incident, exchanged weird looks with one another.

        Some of the guests were so embarrassed by Arthur’s behavior that they left early. It just wasn’t often that the king spent the entire day in the tavern.

        Merlin tried to wake Arthur up. “Arthur. Arthur!” He slapped his face, shook his shoulders, and bopped him on the head. He also picked up a napkin and rubbed the drool from his lips.

        Arthur kept on snoring.

        Merlin chuckled nervously. “Sorry, gentlemen,” he said to the knights. “He’s just unwell. I think he needs to go to bed.”

        “Yes, maybe he should,” big man Percival growled. He was still upset that he had wine on his chainmail.

        Merlin took Arthur’s feet off the table and pulled him out of his seat. His crown ended up falling from his head, but Sir Elyan caught it. People merely stared, as Merlin put Arthur’s arm over his shoulders. He dragged him out of the banquet hall, followed closely by Gaius and Guinevere.

***

        Merlin, Gaius, and Gwen took Arthur to his chambers. They worked together to pull off his armor and push him down on his bed.

        Since he was the king, Merlin put two pillows under his head.

        Since leaving the banquet hall, Arthur had not woken up, but at least he was no longer snoring.

        Gaius examined him and pulled up his eyelids, admitting, “Hm, just as I feared. Somebody’s drugged him.”

        “Drugged him?” Guinevere frightfully asked. “But who would do such a thing?”

        Merlin crossed his arms. He tapped his foot to think before asking Gaius, “Gaius, did you prescribe him something to take for his stress?”

        “What are you talking about, Merlin?” Gaius removed his hand from Arthur’s eyes and turned to face him.

        “Well,–” Merlin kept his arms crossed, “he told me in the banquet hall that the potion you gave him has been working wonders.”

        “But I never gave him a potion,” Gaius argued.

        “Then who did?” asked Guinevere.

        “We won’t be able to ask him until morning,” Gaius explained. “Right now, he needs to rest.” At that sentence, he picked up his medicine bag and left the room.

        Merlin and Gwen exchanged curious looks with one another, as they tried to figure out what on Earth happened to Arthur during the Feast of Peace.

***

        Halfway through the banquet, Agravaine snuck out so he could speak with Morgana. He rode his horse to her hut, meeting her in the front yard.

        She just returned from a hunting expedition for her pet. She gathered up some rabbits and deer and was cutting out their innards. After all, her pet loved the innards of prey. The heart and liver were particularly tasty. “Ah, Agravaine,” Morgana said.

        Agravaine tied his horse up to a tree and approached her. “My Lady.”

        “I trust you bring good news?” Morgana asked. She held the heart of a deer in her hand.

        “I do,” Agravaine said. “Everybody thinks their wonderful king spent the whole day in the tavern. It was literally the best thing I’ve ever seen. The potion worked like a charm.”

        Morgana smirked. “Perfect. That means Step One of our plan is complete. Now it’s time to move on to Step Two. We need to lure him to the Death Lion.”

 

Chapter 3

The Death Lion

 

        Merlin was confident everything would be back to normal in the morning. After all, drugs never lasted forever. In fact, he was excited to have old Arthur back. He was so excited that he scarfed down his breakfast. He and Gaius usually shared a table in the living room.

        Seeing Merlin’s excited attitude, Gaius said, “Well, you sure are excited today, Merlin.”

        “I just can’t wait to see the old Arthur again,” Merlin admitted.

        “Don’t forget to ask him about who it was that gave him the potion yesterday,” Gaius reminded him.

        Chuckling, Merlin said, “Trust me, Gaius, I don’t forget anything.”

        Gaius gave him a funny look. Even though he didn’t say it out loud, Merlin knew he was mentally asking him, “Are you sure about that?”

        Merlin put together a nice breakfast for Arthur: scones, fruit, and oatmeal. He bumped into Gwen on his way to his room. Startled, the young man almost dropped the breakfast tray, but he caught it. Good thing, too, or else the oatmeal would have spilled all over Gwen’s head. Embarrassed, Merlin blushed. “Gwen.” He met Gwen’s eyes, but his smile quickly faded.

        Gwen sobbed. Tears fell down her cheeks like a fountain.

        “What’s wrong?” Merlin asked her.

        “He hit me!” Gwen said.

        “Who?”

        “Arthur!”

        “No, Gwen, you must be mistaken.” Merlin shook his head. “Arthur would never do that.”

        Gwen continued to sob. Rubbing her eyes, she pushed by Merlin.

        Confused, he watched her leave.

***

        Merlin was surprised to find Arthur already awake when he reached his chambers. Not only that, but he was dressed. He didn’t even look like he was paying attention to Merlin. The young king hovered over his desk, looking over his schedule for the day.

        Merlin forced a smile. “You’re awake.” He set the breakfast tray down on Arthur’s nightstand.

        “Of course, I am!” Arthur snapped at him. “Who do you think I am–a peasant?”

        “Well, excuse me,” Merlin said. “You sure are grumpy. Is it because you haven’t eaten for twelve hours?” While Arthur was distracted, he took some time to search his bed area for whatever potion he took the day before. Merlin felt around in his bedsheets and poked around his bed stand. He fell to his knees and looked under his bed.

        Everything was going according to plan, until Arthur shouted at him from behind: “What are you doing?”

        “Yikes!” Merlin ended up banging his head on the bed’s underbody.

        Before he could come up with an excuse, Arthur grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him to his feet.

        Merlin had never seen him so upset before.

        Arthur grabbed Merlin’s shirt collar. Shaking it, he added, “Poking through a king’s belongings is treason! If I ever catch you doing it again, you will be flogged!” At those words, he tossed Merlin across the room.

        Merlin landed on his front. Quickly sitting up, he peered over his shoulder to Arthur. “Ow! What was that for? I’m your servant, Arthur.”

        “So, you shall be treated like one!” Arthur snapped. He picked up the breakfast tray Merlin put on his bed stand. “You call this breakfast? It’s like you pulled it out of a pile of horse dung!” He chucked the tray at Merlin. It smashed into the ground, causing oatmeal to splash all over Merlin’s face. “Ridiculous,” the king mumbled. “I wish to be left alone. Get out!”

        Merlin did not have to be asked twice. He picked up the tray and hurried out of Arthur’s chambers. In the hallway, he rubbed oatmeal from his face and tried to figure out what on Earth was going on. That was not the Arthur he was used to. He was never so harsh towards his servants. Merlin himself was his best friend. He thought he had the old Arthur back. Guess he was wrong.

        Arthur’s hostile behavior did not improve throughout the rest of the day. He called his cooks a bunch of useless toads and fired a handful of them. He kept gaining up on Gwen and asking her why a servant girl liked a member of the royal court. He even got on the knights’ cases. That was especially prevalent during a training session later in the day.

        Sir Gwaine was the first knight scheduled to practice against Arthur. Smiling at his king, he asked him, “So, what are we going to work on today, My Lord?” He was always super excited for training.

        “Wipe that stupid smile off your face,” Arthur said. Without warning, he lunged his sword at Sir Gwaine.

        Surprised, his first instinct was to block the blow with his shield.

        The training grounds today were full of knights and aspiring knights–all who wished to one day have a friendly sword fight against the King of Camelot.

        Arthur always fought fair, but he didn’t that day. He didn’t give Gwaine any time to strike back. He kept on hitting his shield with his sword, and he only grew more violent as the session progressed. “Put your back into it! You’re a disgrace to the Knight’s Code!” Arthur knocked Gwaine to the ground.

        He landed in a puddle of mud.

        One by one, the rest of the knights leaned to him and asked, “How ya doing, Gwaine?”

        Gwaine forced a smile. “Never better. This is literally the best moment of my life.”

        Again, Arthur yelled, “You’re a disgrace! Fight me like a man!”

        When he said that, Merlin noticed something.

        Arthur’s eyes flashed red. It ended just as fast as it began.

        Merlin knew it. The king was under a spell. It must have been in the so-called potion he took the day before.

        Arthur prepared to finish off Gwaine, but before he could, Merlin’s eyes glowed golden-yellow. At his command, Arthur’s sword flew from his hand. It stabbed the training ground’s grass.

        A confused look flashed across Arthur’s face. He started to make his way to his sword, but Merlin didn’t let him get far.

        He pulled Gwaine’s shield off his arm and smashed it across Arthur’s head.

        For a second, Arthur didn’t move nor blink. Then he fell to the ground on his front. Merlin had knocked him out.

        The knights stared. They said not a word. Finally, after about two minutes, they lifted their hands and clapped.

        “Well done, Merlin!” Sir Leon said, while Sir Percival helped Gwaine to his feet.

        “Oh, it’s a gift,” Merlin joked. “I’m naturally talented with knocking people out.”

***

        Merlin and the knights took Arthur to Gaius’s chambers. Guinevere came with them. They helped the king down on Gaius’s patient table so he could thoroughly examine him.

        “So, you think he’s under a spell?” Gaius asked Merlin.

        “Oh, I don’t think so. I know so,” Merlin said. “Arthur has never acted this hostile towards any of us. When he knocked Gwaine down during the training session, I saw his eyes glow red.”

        “He did not knock me down. I tripped,” Gwaine argued.

        Next to him, Sir Leon, Sir Percival, and Sir Elyan choked on their own spit as they tried not to laugh.

        A thoughtful look on his face, Gaius rubbed his chin. “If we’re going to figure out what the spell is, then we need to find that potion he took.”

        Smiling, Merlin took Gwen’s hand. “We’ll go right now.”

        At the sight of him comforting her, Gwen blushed.

        “What about us?” Sir Elyan asked.

        “How about you guys stay here?” said Gaius. “Arthur may need somebody else to beat up when he wakes.”

        At the same time, the knights nervously chuckled.

***

        Gwen and Merlin returned to Arthur’s chambers. If they were going to find the potion, then it would most likely be in there. At least that time, Arthur wasn’t there to yell at Merlin.

        The two friends rummaged around in the room, hoping they would at least find something. Merlin went through Arthur’s drawers, while Guinevere went through his desk.

        “Find anything?” Merlin asked Guinevere.

        She shook her head. “No.” She held a stack of parchment in her hands. “Just all this parchment that says he wants to change how he rules the kingdom. It looks like he wants to run it like Uther.”

        “Oh yeah, he is definitely under a spell,” Merlin said. He remembered Arthur telling him that he did not want to rule like his father, so that was proof something was going on with him.

        He and Gwen kept on looking, but they found no potion. That was because Agravaine had the vial. He snatched it from Arthur’s room when he left to meet Morgana during the feast. He wanted it to make it look like Arthur was slowly turning into his late father, Uther.

        Overnight, Morgana casted a spell that freed the Death Lion’s spirit. She broke it into two halves. One half stayed with the actual Death Lion itself. The other half flew to the castle and possessed Arthur. Point being, a piece of the Death Lion itself lived inside him. Eventually, his half of the beast would want to find the other half. That was Morgana’s plan.

***

        “Well?” Gaius asked Gwen and Merlin when they returned to his chambers.

        They hated to bring bad news, but that was all they had.

        Merlin shook his head. “We couldn’t find anything.”

        As soon as he said that, Arthur woke up. His eyes once again glowed red. He shot to his knees on the table and glared at his so-called friends.

        Sobbing, Guinevere asked, “Arthur, what’s wrong?”

        The knights drew their swords and threatened the king with them.

        He did nothing to them. Instead, he looked at Merlin.

        Their eyes met. Instantly, Merlin felt weak. Yelling, he fell to his knees. His face turned white. Arthur... no... the Death Lion, stripped him of his magic.

        “Merlin!” Gaius quickly caught the young man before he could fall.

        Sir Percival acted fast. He picked up a chair, whacked it across Arthur’s head, and knocked him out again.

 

Chapter 4

The Secret Room

 

        Merlin woke up soon after Percival knocked Arthur out. Momentarily, his vision was blurry, but it cleared up. The color in his face also returned. “What happened?” he asked Gaius.

        “You just collapsed,” Gaius explained. “Are you all right?”

        Guinevere appeared next to the two men. She held a cup of water in her hand. Kneeling, she handed it to Merlin.

        “Thank you,” he said. He chugged the water in one gulp. Why did he feel so thirsty all of a sudden? “It was weird,” Merlin admitted. “I suddenly felt drained. Where’s Arthur?”

        “Percival gave him another bop on the head,” said Guinevere.

        Gaius clutched Merlin’s shoulder. He placed his other hand to his forehead, to check for a fever, but Merlin didn’t have one. “Interesting. You don’t have a fever.”

        “I feel fine now. Honestly,” Merlin said with a smile. He rose to his feet, glancing from Gwen and Gaius to the knights.

        Gaius sighed. Crossing his arms, he said, “Merlin, I think for the safety of you, Gwen, the knights, and the rest of the royal court, we should lock Arthur up in his room for the day. At least until we can figure out the spell. You took one look at him and fell.”

        Lock Arthur up? He definitely would not approve of that. Then again, Gaius did have a point. It wasn’t safe if he stayed out in public.

        With that in mind, Merlin tossed Arthur’s arm over his shoulders and escorted him to his chambers.

        Guinevere wanted to follow, but Gaius didn’t let her. It was too risky to send more than one person to the king’s chambers currently. Besides, Merlin was Arthur’s best friend.

        He tossed him onto his bed. Gaius gave Arthur a sleeping draft before Merlin left so he wouldn’t wake up any time soon. He tried to hold back a laugh when the king snored just like he did during the feast.

        Once he made sure Arthur was nice and comfortable, Merlin stepped outside. He closed the door behind him and locked it. Sighing, he leaned his back up against it. Merlin started to feel drained again. Why, though? He couldn’t be getting sick, could he?

        With his thoughts all scrambled inside his head, Merlin started down the hallway. He felt a presence. It was eerie and cold, like a ghost was in the hall with him.

        Merlin froze on his tracks. He was in the far west wing of the castle. It was dark there, with few torches and windows. How did Merlin wind up there? He thought he was going back to Gaius’s. Something must have led him there. The presence only increased the further down the hall he wandered. Merlin picked a torch off the wall, to help light his way. Where was he? He didn’t recognize this section of the palace.

        There was a single, wooden door at the end of the hallway. Wood peeled from its frame. Yet, the presence was coming from the other side of it. With Merlin being Merlin, he was curious.

        He stopped behind the door and lifted his fists, giving it a gentle knock. Nobody answered. Eventually, Merlin opened the door. He poked his head inside to a dark room and whispered, “Hello?”

        It was cold in there. Merlin could barely make out the forms of torn curtains. Wherever he was, it was disgustingly messy.

        Slowly and carefully, Merlin stumbled into the room. He ended up knocking over tables and books, because he couldn’t see where he was going.

        Startled, the young man froze. He waited for something to ambush him, but nothing did. The room was extremely cluttered, so it was hard to find his way through it. The closer Merlin approached a corner, the more drained he felt. He rubbed sweat from his forehead and asked, “Who’s there?” when something shuffled. He held his torch higher above his head while he went to investigate. Once he felt ready, he leaped into the corner where the shuffling came from. “Got ya!” However, there was nothing there.

***

        “Merlin, can you do me a favor and use magic to pull a few books off my bookshelf?” Gaius asked Merlin when he returned from the secret room.

        “Magic?” Merlin asked. “But why? You’re always so strict about when I should and should not use it.”

        Gaius, who held a book in his hand, nodded. “I know, but this is crucial to my research. You’re my guinea pig. Come now. We’ve not a minute to lose.”

        Inhaling, Merlin puffed out his cheeks. He headed to Gaius’s bookshelf and soon stood under it. His eyes scanned it up and down.

        Behind, Gaius curiously scratched his chin.

        For a bit longer, Merlin did nothing. He was nervous. Finally, he said an enchantment under his breath. His eyes again glowed golden-yellow. He managed to use his magic to pull a few books off the shelf, but he could not hold them for long. Only a minute later, they fell to the floor (one or two of them hit Merlin on his head). The impact knocked him onto his backside. He took deep breaths and sweated up a storm. Using magic never took that much out of him.

        “Hm, I thought so,” Gaius said. He flipped through his book.

        “What?” Merlin questioned. He and the alchemist met eyes.

        “There is a Death Lion loose in Camelot,” Gaius explained.

***

        “The Death Lion is a creature of magic that is conjured from the Old Religion,” Gaius told Merlin a little later. “It hails from the Other World.” He paced back and forth behind his apprentice, who sat at his table.

        He had another cup of water in his hand.

        “It takes a very skilled sorcerer to tame one,” Gaius continued. He set his book down in front of Merlin so he could examine it. He turned to a page that showed a scary-looking, yet beautiful beast. The upper half of its body was covered in lion fur, and its lower half had rough, scaly skin. Its face was lion-like, with incredibly powerful fangs, and it also had a lion tail. Behind its ears and mane, it sported a huge array of sharp antlers. Two more pairs of antlers grew out each side of its cheeks.

        Just looking at it, Merlin shivered. “That’s a Death Lion?” And he thought the Lamia was scary. The Death Lion looked like it came straight out of Hell.

        “Yes,” Gaius said. “They’re related to the Gryphon, but they’re not the same species. For example, Death Lions don’t have wings. They feed on organs. When it catches its prey, it rips its innards out. They are extremely resilient and violent.”

        “What does this have to do with Arthur and I?” Merlin wanted to know.

        Gaius sat across from him so it could be easier to explain such a creature. “Since the Death Lion is a Spirit Creature, it can possess its host. It lures them to its den and kills them. As soon as it does, it feasts. However, it also has the power to rid anyone who practices magic of their abilities. The only way for it to succeed is if a magical being has an encounter with the Death Lion itself.”

        “So, let me get this straight,” Merlin said. “The Death Lion is stripping me of my magic?”

        “It seems that way, yes,” Gaius admitted. “What happened with the books proved it.”

        “But how?” Merlin asked. “I’ve never had an encounter with one!”

        “I beg to differ.”

        Merlin gave Gaius a funny look, but then his mind returned to the secret room. He remembered hearing something in there. Could that have been the Death Lion’s spirit?

        Gaius continued his explanation: “Merlin, you said that since this morning, Arthur’s been acting extremely hostile. He threw you across his room, hit Gwen, and almost killed Gwaine. You also mentioned that his eyes glowed red before you knocked him out. My point is, I believe the Death Lion has possessed him. He’s trying to lure him to his doom.”

        “Which is most likely Morgana,” Merlin added. “I told you, Gaius! I told you I found it odd that she hasn’t attacked in two weeks! She was planning this all along! But did you listen to me? No!”

        “I was wrong to doubt you. I’m sorry,” Gaius apologized.

        Merlin sarcastically scoffed. He shook out his head. “Whatever. How does one defeat a Death Lion?”

        “See, that’s just it,” Gaius said. “It can’t be defeated by magic.”

        Merlin lifted his eyebrows and tried to let the message sink in. “But it’s a magical being.”

        Gaius nodded. “True, but it’s a different kind of magical being. There is only one way to defeat it.”

        “Which is?”

        Gaius went completely silent.

        That did not help Merlin’s anxiety. “Which is?” he asked again. “Do I have to kill Arthur?”

        Shaking his head, Gaius answered, “Not exactly, but you do need to free the monster’s spirit from his body.”

        “How do I do that?”

        Again, Gaius said nothing. This was something he wanted Merlin to figure out himself. He was young and intelligent. It wouldn’t take him long.

        Merlin was certain another adventure was just around the corner. He’d always wanted to return to the Perilous Lands. Nevertheless, whatever happened, Merlin knew the quest would change him and Arthur Pendragon forever.

 

Chapter 5

The Siren

 

        The night was silent. For the most part, everybody, including the guards, were asleep. The ones who were awake tried batting their friends, but to no avail. It was so peaceful in the palace; it was suspicious.

        Unfortunately, the peace was interrupted when, from out of nowhere, King Arthur broke down the door to his chambers. No, not Arthur but the Death Lion. He appeared in the doorway, fully dressed in his armor. A voice in his head told him to follow it, and he intended to do just that.

        A few guards, who were woken by all the racket, appeared at the end of the hallway. “Sire, what’s wrong?” they asked.

        Arthur said not a word. Instead, he glared at the guards. His eyes glowed red.

        The Death Lion, who was also known to have psychic powers, picked up the guards and chucked them into the wall. It knocked them out.

        Arthur was definitely not in his right mind. The spell was too powerful. He stepped over the guards’ motionless bodies and sauntered on down to the castle’s stables. He picked out a huge, brown horse and tacked him up. Arthur soon appeared in the castle’s courtyard. Eyes still glowing, he kicked his horse’s sides. The king took off at a full gallop.

        Behind him, Lord Agravaine peeked out from a pillar he hid behind. At the sight of Arthur galloping into the moonlight, he cracked an evil smile. That was just what he and Morgana wanted. For once, one of their plans had succeeded. King Arthur was as good as dead.

***

        “So, they don’t remember anything?” asked Merlin the next morning.

        Gaius treated the injured guards in his chambers. They managed to wake up, but only briefly. The Death Lion really smacked them.

        “Gwen found them barely conscious just outside Arthur’s chambers,” Gaius explained. “All they told her was ‘Evil’. Not only that, but she also said somebody broke Arthur’s door down overnight.”

        “Somebody or something?” Merlin said.

        “And now the king is missing,” finished Gaius. “Gwen seems to think somebody’s kidnapped him.”

        “Come on, Gaius, you really don’t really believe this nonsense, right?” asked Merlin. “Nobody’s kidnapped him. The Death Lion has escaped. It’s luring Arthur into a trap.” He turned on his heel and rushed out of Gaius’s chambers.

        Gaius would have followed him, but he had to treat his patients.

        Merlin hurried to Arthur’s room, where he found Gwen sobbing next to his bed.

        “I just don’t understand,” she choked out. “Who would kidnap Arthur?”

        Merlin considered telling her about the Death Lion, but he wasn’t able to because Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Gwaine, and Sir Elyan rushed into the room.

        Gwaine was the only knight who still wore his night clothes: a white shirt with some brown pants. He was also barefoot. Sword drawn, he asked, “I heard the king’s been kidnapped. Where’s the kidnapper?” He held the tip of his sword under Merlin’s nose.

        “How am I supposed to know?” Merlin asked. “He’s a kidnapper, not a partygoer. He didn’t celebrate kidnapping the king in the tavern.”

        “We can’t waste any time,” Sir Elyan said. “Knights, mount up!”

        Sir Percival grabbed Merlin and pulled him close. “You’re coming with us.”

        “I was planning to, anyway,” Merlin stated.

        “I want to go, too,” said Gwen.

        Sir Percival burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right? It’s too dangerous for...” He cut off.

        “For what?” asked Gwen. “For a girl? Arthur is my friend, too!”

        The knights glanced at Merlin for backup.

        He shrugged. “It’s true.”

        The knights observed Guinevere. They couldn’t convince her to not come. Therefore, they ended up letting her. That was to Gwen’s excitement.

        Lord Agravaine paid the knights, Merlin, and Gwen a visit while they were getting their horses ready. “Let me come, too,” he begged. “I have a feeling I know where the kidnapper took the king. To the Perilous Lands.”

        “How can you be so sure, Agravaine?” Merlin asked.

        “A feeling,” was all Agravaine said.

        Even though Merlin was a bit hesitant about letting Agravaine join the search party, Sir Elyan told him, “We need all the help we can get, Merlin. This is the king we’re talking about.”

        “Fine,” Merlin said in between clenched teeth. He let Agravaine tag along.

        It wasn’t long until all the horses were tacked up and ready to go. One by one, the knights, Guinevere, Merlin, and Lord Agravaine mounted.

        Merlin’s horse was a black stallion who had four white socks and a white mark on his forehead. His name was Dynard. While Merlin adjusted his stirrups, Gaius came out of the castle and bid him farewell.

        “Merlin,” he whispered, “remember what I told you yesterday. You can’t beat the Death Lion with wits alone. Also, keep an eye on Lord Agravaine. I don’t trust him.”

        “Believe me. Nor do I,” Merlin whispered back.

        “The Death Lion is powerful,” Gaius added. “Look out for your magic.”

        “I will,” Merlin said with a nod. “Thank you, Gaius.”

        Gaius smiled. Grabbing hold of Merlin’s hand, he gave it a gentle shake. “Be careful. Make sure you bring Arthur back safe and sound.”

        “I will. I promise,” Merlin said. He noticed that Gwen, the knights, and Lord Agravaine were already starting to trot out of the courtyard.

        “Off you go,” Gaius told his apprentice. He let Merlin’s hand go so he could grab the right rein.

        The young sorcerer kicked Dynard’s sides. “Hyah!”

        Dynard whinnied. He jumped into a trot.

        Merlin posted with each beat. He waved goodbye to Gaius.

        Gaius waved back.

        Merlin joined the others, unaware that Arthur had gone in the complete opposite direction of the Perilous Lands.

***

        Arthur, who rode all night, was already way ahead of the search party. He made it to a deep, dark forest that had mountains in the distance. At the foot of the mountains and surrounded by the forest was a large, clear lake. It was one of the most beautiful lakes Arthur had ever seen in his life. Just looking at it, he was drawn towards its sparkly, blue water.

        Arthur urged his horse down the hill they stood on. Getting to the lake was quite a trek. They had to push through overgrown trees, vines, and bushes. Multiple times, Arthur had to draw his sword and cut away vines that blocked the path. His horse, Sola, kept getting caught in them. Eventually, they made it to the lake. It was even more beautiful up close than it was on the hill. Arthur never realized how clear it was. He dismounted Sola and tied him up to a tree, which was next to a rock.

        The young king followed the voice in his head. It told him to approach the lake’s side. He hopped over a few stepping stones that rested in a small stream and followed them to the main lake. Wow, what a beautiful place. The sight of the mountains in the background and the rays of the sun shining on the lake’s surface made it even more breathtaking.

        Just when Arthur thought things couldn’t get any better, he heard a woman singing. She had the voice of an angel. Arthur was mesmerized by it. Curious, he searched the lake. It sounded like the singing was coming from a line of rocks further from shore but in front of a cove.

        Arthur headed over to the cove. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the lake. Green trees and breathtaking flowers swayed in the breeze. The singing grew louder and louder until finally, Arthur saw her. A mermaid.

        She was literally the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She sat on a rock and brushed out her long, golden-blonde hair. It went all the way down to her backside. She sported a flower behind her right ear but no top. Her tail was grayish-orange. A few fins grew out from her hips and from the back of the tail itself. While she sang, she batted it on the water.

        Arthur did not feel like an enemy around her, but a friend. The Death Lion escaped from his mind. All he could think about now was the beautiful mermaid.

        The mermaid sensed he was behind her. Therefore, she stopped her song but continued to brush her hair.

        Arthur stumbled towards her, still under her spell. He sighed dreamily. It looked like he was half asleep.

        The mermaid pretended to be nervous around him. She stopped brushing her hair and started to twist it around her fingers. When she opened her mouth to speak, this was what she said:

        “Welcome to the Lake of Peace.”

 

Chapter 6

Long Live the King

 

        “Seriously, Merlin? We’ve only been riding for ten minutes. I told you to go before we left.” Sir Elyan peeked over his shoulder to Merlin riding Dynard.

        The young sorcerer shuffled uncomfortably in his saddle. “Well, you haven’t been chugging cups of water in the past few days. It’s summertime! It’s hot!”

        Sir Elyan rolled his eyes. “Fine. We’ll take a ten-minute break, but only ten minutes.”

        “Thank you.” Merlin brought Dynard to a halt. He hopped off him and hurried into the woods.

        Sir Elyan, Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival, Sir Leon, and Gwen waited for him, but Agravaine snuck away. He had to run a little errand.

        He met Morgana deeper in the woods, under a cluster of shady trees.

        She held a new vial of the potion Arthur took in her hands. “Well?” she asked.

        “Everything’s going according to plan,” Agravaine whispered. “I’m leading the knights and servants to the Perilous Lands. When they get lost, they’re not going to know what hit them.”

        “I’m assuming Merlin’s with them?” Morgana questioned.

        “He is,” Agravaine said with a nod. “After all, he’s not going to leave his best friend all alone, right? What do you want me to do next?”

        In an evil voice, Morgana said, “We can’t let Merlin ruin our plan. Here.” She took the empty vial out of Agravaine’s hand and handed him the new one. “If the Death Lion possesses him, too, then there is no hope Arthur will survive. They’ll both be lured to its den. I’m sure two meals are better than one. When Merlin’s not looking, pour the potion into his water pouch. Do you understand?”

        “Yes, My Lady.” Agravaine gave Morgana a quick bow. “I will not fail you.”

        “I know you won’t,” Morgana said with a smirk. “Now get back out there. The knights need you.”

        Agravaine bowed again. He slipped the vial into his cape and left Morgana, rejoining the search party.

***

        “Merlin, what’s taking you so long?” Elyan called into the woods where Merlin vanished.

        “You haven’t been chugging cups of water in the past few days!” Merlin shouted from behind some ferns. “I am King Arthur’s servant! I could use some time to myself!”

        Elyan took that the wrong way.

        As did Sir Leon, Sir Percival, and Sir Gwaine. They exchanged funny looks with one another.

        Guinevere merely smirked.

        While they were distracted, Agravaine tiptoed to Dynard. He pulled Merlin’s water pouch off the horse and unscrewed its top. Quickly and carefully, he poured the potion into it. Finally, he and Morgana were going to win. Merlin was going to be completely useless after that day.

        Once he was finished, Agravaine tucked the rest of the potion away. He screwed the water pouch’s cap and put it back where he found it. He stepped away from the horse. Good thing, too, because Merlin came sauntering out from the woods.

        At the sight of him, Gwaine cheered. “Merlin! You’re not dead!”

        Merlin knew he was joking, but he still said, “Of course, I’m not.” He and Gwaine shared a quick hug.

        Elyan rolled his eyes. “All right, all right. You two lovebirds have had your fun. Now let’s get moving.”

        Next to him, Guinevere chuckled. Her brother always had an interesting sense of humor. He was always the boss.

        Agravaine carefully watched Merlin, who came within reach of Dynard. Before everybody could mount, he asked, “How about we all have some water before we leave? We need to stay hydrated if we’re going to find Arthur.”

        “There’s no time,” Elyan said. “We’re not going to have a water break until we absolutely have to. Besides, Merlin has a fragile, little bladder. One sip of water, and we’ll have to stop every five minutes.”

        Agravaine forced a smile, even though he screamed on the inside. “Of course, sir,” he said through clenched teeth. Frustrated, he climbed aboard his horse.

        Merlin noticed his unease. “Is everything all right, Agravaine?”

        “I’ve never been better,” he argued. He gave his horse a quick kick and jumped into a trot.

        Suspicious, Merlin pranced after him.

***

        “The Lake of Peace?” King Arthur asked the mermaid.

        She nodded. “Yes. I’m Esmerelda. What’s your name?”

        Arthur bowed to her. “Arthur. King Arthur.”

        “Ooh, ‘King’ huh?” Esmerelda slipped off her rock so she could get closer to him. She swam to the lake’s edge, staring into Arthur’s blue eyes. “And where do you hail from, my love?”

        “Camelot.”

        “Camelot, huh? What’s it like there?”

        Arthur scoffed, still under the Death Lion’s spell. “Very loud. I’ve never seen a place so disgusting. Nobody washes, and everybody walks around with flies in their hair. I swear, I never want to see that place again.”

        “Why don’t you stay here with me?” Esmerelda asked. She reached her hand out to Arthur.

        He took it and fell to his knees in front of her. “I’d love to, but there’s somewhere I need to be.” His eyes glowed red, indicating it wasn’t Arthur saying that, but the Death Lion.

        Esmerelda rubbed her thumb across the top of his hand. “Your hand is cold. Are you scared of me?”

        “How can I be scared of such a beautiful creature?” asked Arthur.

        “I can give you a wonderful home. You can be king of the Lake of Peace,” said Esmerelda. “That will help you take your mind off Camelot.”

        “Trust me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Arthur admitted.

        “Then why don’t you?” Esmerelda lifted her other hand. She gripped Arthur’s cheeks and pulled his head close to hers. Without warning, she kissed him. Her nails glowed a light shade of blue. She casted a spell of some sort.

        The siren and king kissed for a long time. When they let go, something strange happened.

        Arthur’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. Within seconds, he collapsed onto his front next to Esmerelda.

        She picked up his hands, whispering under her breath. Like whenever Merlin casted a spell, her eyes glowed golden-yellow. She started to drag the unconscious Arthur into the lake. He didn’t stir. What did the mermaid do to him? It couldn’t be good whatever it was, right? After all, she was a siren.

***

        The knights, Guinevere, Merlin, and Agravaine rode until sunset. Tummies rumbling, they stopped to set up camp for the night and have some dinner. Well, Merlin and Gwen cooked. The others sat around a roaring fire and waited.

        Gwaine pulled off his stinky boots and socks, causing Elyan to gag.

        “Do you ever wash your feet?” he asked his friend.

        “Only when I feel like it,” said Gwaine.

        “You’re disgusting,” Elyan admitted.

        Gwaine took that as a compliment. “Aw, thank you.”

        Elyan’s had enough Gwaine for one day. He rose to his feet and headed over to Merlin and Gwen. “Do you guys need help with dinner?”

        “No, I think we’ve got it. Thanks, Elyan,” said Gwen. “Why don’t you get some water? You look thirsty.”

        Elyan smacked his lips together. Wow, he didn’t realize how dry they were. He stretched his arms over his head and approached a log. It was behind the fire. The log had everybody’s water pouches propped up in a line. Elyan couldn’t remember which one was his. All the pouches looked the same. He did a quick game of “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe” and eventually set his mind on the water pouch that was at the very end of the log. Elyan picked it up and unscrewed its top.

        Right as he was bringing it to his lips, Agravaine got up from the fire. He was also a little thirsty. However, at the sight of Elyan, his entire face turned white. “Elyan!” he shouted.

        Too late. Elyan gulped down the water.

        “Who’s there?” Sir Leon quickly asked. He, Gwaine, and Percival leaped up from where they sat.

        “What’s happened to Elyan?” Leon asked.

        Nothing. Elyan finished off the water pouch and dropped it to his side. He burped loudly.

        For a second, Agravaine didn’t know what to say. A thought came to mind, and he yelled, “Elyan just finished off that whole water pouch! Before he knows it, his bladder is going to be just as fragile as Merlin’s!”

        The knights sighed. Relaxing, they plopped back down on the ground.

        “You know what this means?” asked Gwaine.

        “What?” said Percival.

        Gwaine laughed. “Instead of stopping five times a day, we’re going to have to stop ten times!”

        “Hee, right,” Agravaine sarcastically said. He was obviously upset about something. “Speaking of which, I think I need to use the bathroom myself.”

        A look of suspicion flashed across Merlin’s face. Why was Agravaine so against Elyan drinking that water pouch? Something was out of place. He tapped Gwen on the shoulder and said, “I’ll be right back, Gwen.”

        “Where are you going?” she asked.

        Merlin said not a word. He puffed out his cheeks and gave her a desperate look.

        “Oh.” Gwen laughed. “You never change, do you, Merlin?”

        “That’s why I’m Arthur’s servant,” Merlin joked. He gave Gwen’s shoulder a pat before he slipped into the forest after Lord Agravaine.

        Elyan tossed the water pouch onto the ground. He was a little unsteady on his feet. Despite that, he cracked a stupid grin and said, “Wow. That’s the best water I’ve ever had in my life. I feel terrific!” With those words, he stumbled back in the direction of the roaring fire. The water pouch remained on the ground. Only a few drops of water spilled out from it. There was nothing else.

***

        Esmerelda dragged Arthur to the bottom of the Lake of Peace. Green weeds and grass swayed with the gentle current down there. The setting sun’s rays caused a whole sandy section of the lake to sparkle. That was where Esmerelda took Arthur. She pushed him into the sun’s rays and let him float with her.

        The young king was on his back, with his arms held out to his sides.

        Esmerelda stayed out of the sunlight. The rays hit Arthur, causing his skin to sparkle like the sand. Using a little bit of magic, Esmerelda took off his chainmail so he could float a bit easier. It was quite hard to stay in that position if someone wore twenty pounds of armor.

        During the phenomenon, a few more mermaids joined Esmerelda. Their hair colors ranged from blonde, black, brown, and auburn, but each mermaid had the same color tail as Esmerelda–orangish-gray.

        She nodded at her people.

        The mermaids hooked hands. They flapped their tails and circled Arthur. Their eyes glowed, as they spoke an enchantment. “Fomeeah-dala-comeelah!”

        “Long live the king!” Esmerelda shouted.

        “Long live the king!” the rest of the mermaids repeated after her.

        The sparkles on Arthur’s body glowed brighter and brighter, larger and larger, until finally–!

***

        Merlin followed Lord Agravaine to a rushing stream in an open area of the woods. He kept a safe distance from him. He ducked behind trees, logs, and bushes. He ended up behind a large rock that was right at the line of the woods and open area. Merlin held his breath.

        Morgana waited for Lord Agravaine. He was out of breath by the time he reached her. “I trust you bring good news, Agravaine?” she asked.

        Agravaine quickly lost his words. By the time he spoke, his voice trembled. “Well, he-here’s the thing, My-My Lady. We have a bit of a dilemma.”

        “Agravaine?” Morgana did not like where this was going. She placed her hands on her hips, looking Agravaine straight in the eye.

        Agravaine let out a nervous chuckle. “Uh, well.” He rubbed his hands together. They sweated just as much as him. “So-Somebody else drank the potion,” he explained. “And that someone is, well, Sir Elyan.”