Chapter 41

“Why.” Morgause pondered.
“Why does Merlinnus bring me, the North Queen, to his kingdom to take down Arthur together and then not fulfill his word? Why?”

Morgause paced back and forth across the tower room wondering, pondering, asking herself the same reoccurring question: “Why am I not queen?”

Then the thoughts of the witch traveled to Hwyll, who would have done anything to please the bitter mage. Now the poor man was dead and it was her fault. The guilt of her actions was overwhelming. Even a supernatural woman cannot block out the uttermost feeling of guilt.

Pushing the thoughts of Hwyll out of her brain, she went back to the real problem at hand: Merlinnus. His legerdemain was so sly that even she did not percept his plan.
“Although, she thought, I should’ve known he was up to something the second he was at my kingdom telling me of his all conquering plan to demolish Arthur and make himself, and her if she would, the king and queen of all Britain. Merlinnus had to have planned and schemed this magnificent plot for years. Every action planned to the utmost degree of perfection so even one with powers, like me, could not detect the game going on around them.”
Morgause grimaced at her many mistakes and the idiosyncrasies that she had fallen for in the three days that she was in the presence of the King.
“If only, she spoke aloud to the ocean beyond the tower room’s walls, I had stayed in Cadbury and put up a fight. On the other hand, I could have accused Merlinnus of scheming against Arthur. Nevertheless, I flew home to sulk and be angry with myself for letting my life long ambition slip through my greedy lanky fingers.”
Morgause kept talking to the silently eerie ocean, and pacing around the spherical private tower room. But little did she know that she was just a pawn in the forever on going game of adroitness.

—

Merlinnus laughed into his scrying bowl. His plan for domination was just starting to unravel.

• Morgause
• Arthur

• Gwen
• Morgause’s boys
• The Companions
Only four more games to play until I am the High King of Britain.
Rapp Rapp.
“Who in the world could that be?” Merlinnus thought.
“Merlinnus I know that you’re in there open this door old man.” bellowed Arthur.
“How convenient.” Merlinnus muttered to himself.
“I’m coming, I’m coming you know how fragile my bones are getting these days.” Merlinnus rebuked.
Creak the door opened slowly but surely.
“oh good Arthur I need to tell you something.” Merlinnus stated.
“Well what is it?”
“I am afraid those sons of Morgause are becoming a problem.”
“How? What? They promised no issues or they will be no longer welcomed in my kingdom.” Arthur said as if he did not say it fast enough it would not mean anything.
“Why yes they did and I think the best thing for us to do in the present situation is to get them as faraway as possible from you and your building empire.”
“I agree. I will get Kay on it as soon as he gets back from hunting with his friends.” Arthur said decisively.
“Good, good I must get back to work.” Merlinnus said as he was pushing Arthur out of his study.
Swap. Click. Merlinnus checked and doubled checked that the door was closed and bolted.
• Morgause
• Arthur

• Gwen
• Morgause’s boys
• The Companions
Merlinnus walked toward his pallet and collapsed onto the soft furs and fleeces.
“So close I can almost taste it.” He whispered before he nodded off into a long deep sleep.

—

Gawaine awoke to the knocking more like beating against Mareil and his room. He got up and shuffled to the door. Right as he unlocked it, the door swung open and two hefty guards grabbed and hauled him out into the corridor and down the dark, cold, dreary hallway. He heard his wife’s voice carry down the hallway behind his own screams off terror.

—

Agravaine awoke quite like Gawaine but he refused to open the door, as any normal stubborn man would have done. The two guards, finally after quite a struggle, stumble into the disheveled room to find an open window and no Agravaine.
“Rrrruuunnnnnnn.” Was the only thing going through the escapee’s mind once he hit the woods outside the castles once magnificent walls. Agravaine got as far as he could but the guards were on a mission and they were not stopping any time soon. Agravaine heard the hoof beats and knew it was over. He let out a yelp and collapsed onto the forest floor in despair.

—

Merlinnus awoke from his sleep well rested and ready to take on the world on spell at a time.