Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 34

Miriam loved Morgana, she thought she was a generous and caring friend, but after what Merlin told her, she was growing distrustful of Uther's Ward.

Merlin had woken in the middle of the night to hear voices in his head. The voice of Mordred, a druid boy that Merlin, Arthur and Morgana had smuggled out of Camelot to prevent him from being executed. Merlin had heard the young boy guiding someone to Morgana's chambers, and soon after that, the royal vault was broken into and the crystal of Neahtid was stolen.

Merlin had then followed Morgana into the woods where he watched her hand the crystal over to Mordred and another sorcerer named Alvarr. The dragon had said that among other things, the crystal could be used to see the past, present and future. And Alvarr had vowed to use it to strike down Uther with Mordred's help.

And as Merlin told this to his sister and Gaius, there was only one course of action left. To tell Uther everything.

Well, almost everything.

"You know the whereabouts of the crystal?" Uther asked as he rose from his throne, Merlin standing a few paces behind Gaius and Miriam as Arthur and Morgana were either side of Uther.

"I believe so, sire."

"I see. How did you come by this information?" he questioned.

"In my capacity as physician, I have dealings with many people. They hear things, sire, and they see things. Last night my apprentice and I were confronted by one such man who told us that the crystal had been stolen by a band of renegades, led by a man called Alvarr," Gaius explained, Morgana's expression growing grim.

"Who exactly was this informant?"

"I think it'd only be fair to protect their identity. If news of their betrayal were to reach the renegades, it could indeed endanger their life."

"Very well."

"Where is this Alvarr hiding?" Arthur asked as he moved to stand next to his father.

"He was last seen in the Valley of Chemery, sire," Miriam answered.

"Summon the guards Arthur. I want this matter investigated without delay," Uther commanded.

"Yes father," Arthur obeyed as he began to walk out of the room.

"Forgive me, my lord," Miriam spoke up, Arthur stopping in his tracks as Miriam addressed the king. "But I was wondering if I could join the expedition? I can handle myself with a sword and my knowledge of healing could prove invaluable."

"A valid point," Uther considered. "Arthur, have Miriam fit for some armour. She is to accompany you on your journey at once."

"Of course, father," Arthur said as Miriam walked over to him, ready to go in her pants and one of the new shirts Arthur had made for her.

"Thank you, Gaius. I am once again in your debt," Uther said to his physician who bowed his head while Arthur was arguing with Miriam as they walked out.

"What on earth were you thinking?! This could be dangerous Mira!" he exclaimed.

"Oh because we haven't been in our fair share of dangerous situations before? It'll be fine Arthur. And at least I'll have armour this time. I may be a woman Arthur, but I'd be willing to wager that I'd be better than half the knights you command. I mean I'm certainly better than my brother with a sword."

Arthur chuckled. "You're right about that."

"Yep. Just like I'm right about going on this expedition with you."

Arthur didn't get a chance to reply as Morgana called his name, indicating that she wanted to talk to him.

"I'll be in the armoury and then at Gaius' to get some supplies. Come find me when you're done."

With a grim nod, Arthur watched as Miriam left.

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"I have a bad feeling about this," Miriam muttered as they stood in the empty campsite, Arthur crouching down to see how hot the ashes of a fire was, a gauge at how long gone the renegades were.

"Well, whoever was here, they're not here anymore," Arthur announced.

"Yes they are," Merlin said, and as if on cue, an arrow was fired past Arthur and into the knight standing next to him.

And the renegades attacked. It was an ambush.

"Take cover!" Arthur bellowed as Miriam drew her sword, along with the rest of the knights as they went to battle.

As Arthur fought, he found it hard not to glance in Miriam's direction every few seconds to make sure she was ok. And she was more than ok. The arm guards, gauntlets and chainmail corset may have been a little heavy but it made fighting a lot safer.

And as Merlin ducked behind a tree, he watched Alvarr strike down a knight before looking to the woman he loved as she struck down two. At least until Miriam's sword went through her stomach.

"NO!" he screamed as he ran at Miriam.

Their battle was agile but brutal.

Alvarr had strength but Miriam had speed and agility as she mostly ducked and dodged his advances, blocking the few that she couldn't.

But the biggest advantage that she had was that she wasn't blinded by emotion and Alvarr was.

So as the battle around them came to an end, the knights of Camelot emerging victorious, Miriam did as well as she kicked Alvarr's sword from his hand and aimed hers at his throat, two knights pressing theirs to his back.

"Where is the crystal?" Arthur demanded as he stalked over, forever impressed with Miriam's fighting skills.

"Why do you care?" Alvarr asked as the two knights held his arms while Arthur searched his pockets.

Eventually, as Alvarr kept going on a tangent about the lives lost and no one having the power to wield the crystal, Arthur recovered the paper-wrapped object as the guards dragged him away, preparing to transport him back to Camelot for sentencing while the others prepared to rest for the night, it being too dark to return to Camelot.

Miriam had also been right about her healing expertise being invaluable. As the knights broke off into different groups around separate fires, she made her way to each as she sewed, bandaged and cleaned all the injuries the men had acquired, the majority of them being superficial with only a few of the men having worse injuries.

Merlin, however, was entrusted to guard the crystal whilst everyone slept.

It was long after everyone had fallen asleep when the temptation became too much for him and he peered into the crystal.

But Merlin wasn't prepared for the images he saw.

He saw Camelot on fire, scores dead as Kilgharrah flew free in the sky.

He saw himself in tears but it was when he saw Miriam's face, crying and bloody did he drop it.

"Merlin? Merlin, are you ok?" Miriam asked as she stirred from her sleep to see the distraught look on his face. And then she saw the crystal on the floor, free of its wrappings. "Merlin. Merlin, it's ok," she said as she sat on the log next to him.

"No, it's not," he cried. "Mira I saw -"

"What you saw was only one vision, one possibility. The future is not set in stone and I doubt that even that crystal has the power to show you all of them. It will all be ok Merlin. I promise."

"I hope so," he cried as Miriam hugged him.

And he could only hope she was right.