Merlin - The Legacy #1 (Rise of the Dark)

Chapter 2

  As he reached closer to home, Merlin kept thinking about the look of fear in Darius' eyes, what could have been so distressing to a knight that had seen blood and death, he wondered. Reaching the first of the rough dwellings, he was almost stopped in his tracks by the sight of Carmane, the taverners' daughter. Her long blond hair blew slightly in the wind, as she carried a jug close to her breast, her long green flowing dress blowing the same way. He straightened his body, more straight than he ever did around anyone else, and tried to puff-out what little chest he had.

  She saw him ahead of her and gave him a polite yet not warm smile. In all the village, Merlin was considered to be the poorest and lowest. Not rich, not strong, not tall, and unlikely to ever become anything other than the serf that he was born as.

  As if emboldened by his meeting the knight, Merlin took a chance to speak to Carmane. Controlling the nerves in his stomach, he stepped in front of her, giving her a start.

  “Why boy, why ever do you startle me so?” Carmane said, really looking at Merlin for the first time again in many years.

  “Carmane, if I might be so bold, can I ask you which type of man you would marry?”

  Carmane was all Merlin would think about sometimes. There was something almost ethereal in her eyes, and Merlin would spend hours and hours imagining just walking hand-in-hand with her. But since childhood, he'd barely said a word to her. They had played together when very young, before her father had dragged her off, telling her she should play with boys of a higher birth, “Not boys who's mother's are... “ and the taverner hadn't finished his sentence, he'd just looked at Merlin in his worn out clothes, as if he was carrying some kind of malady that could rub off on him at any moment should the boy get close enough.

  Carmane looked at him curiously. Her age for marriage was still a few years away.

  “Why ever do you ask?” She shifted on her feet, readjusting the earthenware jar cradled in her arm.

  Merlin started fidgeting with his fingers, not so sure of himself anymore.

  “I, I just want to know what a girl like you looks for in a boy, I mean man.”

  Carmane titled her head to the side, and decided to humor him,

  “Strong and tall, and my father says he must be a man of high birth, or at least a higher status than me.”

  Merlin's shoulders sank.

  Suddenly Carmane realized what this was all about, and gave a slight giggle.

  “Why do you laugh!” Merlin said, suddenly getting defensive.

  “Oh Merlin... it could never be.”

  But in Merlins' mind, it could be, would be and should be. He had, had dreams for many years of being with Carmane in a cherry grove, her top down and her warm breasts pressed up against his chest as the larks chirped, and the Summer sun beat down upon them. The dream had always been so vivid, and it was always the same dream. The look of passion in her eyes for Merlin was what had made him so obsessed with her in the first place. But the way she was looking at him now was not the same, it was a look of pity, which even he had to admit, was better than the look of contempt most people gave him as the son of a whore.

  The nervous feeling welled-up inside him stronger, but he forced himself to ask her one more question, and it stuttered out,

  “If I were to make something of myself, w... w... would you consider me?”

  Carmane had to admire the boy's determination, and looking into his eyes, she decided any man with a dream was better than one without one. What could it hurt, she thought. He'd unlikely make something of himself anyway. Looking around, making sure no one could see or hear her, she leaned forward and whispered in his ear,

  “Maybe... “ and then sauntered off, her hips swaying slightly more than usual as Merlin watched her, and she then turned back briefly to look at him, the sun appearing through the passing clouds and making her face glow with a hint of a smile.

  Merlin had never felt so good in all his life, at least not that he could remember, and he practically ran back home, almost knocking over the bread stall. In the commotion he picked one of the loafs up off the floor and slipped it into his tunic, as the seller cursed him and tried to pick the others up.

  “Sorry, sorry!” Merlin shouted, sprinting off.

  Entering his home, he could smell the lingering sweat of a man, but he didn't care. The door slammed open against the wall, and his mother berated him

  “You stupid boy! You'll be the death of me!”

  But Merlin was almost oblivious to her, and lay down on his bed with his hands behind his head, thinking about how to win Carmane.

  ...

  Dawn came, and Merlin traced his way along the forest paths to meet Darius. He liked this time of day; not light, not dark, but somewhere in-between. The vegetation gave off a slight glow, showing him where the path lay. Passing some belladonna, he saw it's dangerous hue. Poisonous plants always glowed differently to the others, he noticed. He'd also always thought it so strange when girls would wear dead rings of daisies around their heads. The beauty had all but disappeared when they'd been plucked, only a vague aura that would be gone within minutes being all that remained.

  Reaching the river, he crept up towards the semi-circle of tree's, hoping to surprise Darius with his stealth, but as he appeared, Darius was gone. Just the empty clump of grass and an empty jug. He realized all his hopes were dashed.

  But just then, felt the cold metal of a sword against his neck,

  “Trying to catch me unawares 'eh boy!”

  It was Darius behind him, and Merlin turned around slowly in awe of him, wondering how he'd been able to do it.

  “How did you know I was coming? How could you arrive behind me?”

  Darius sniggered,

  “I was emptying my bladder back there and saw you coming.”

  “Oh.” Merlin was slightly disappointed.

  “So what do you have for me, I'm half starved and could eat a horse.”

  Merlin unwrapped the cloth he had brought the food in. He'd also managed to also get a ham. All the stealing he'd recently done, he had to admit was exciting. Creeping around trying to find food was something he'd not even ever done for himself, but doing it to help someone else, seemed quite different.

  “Good lad!” Said Darius, patting Merlin on the back and picking up the ham and pulling off a hunk of bread from the stolen loaf, “get some for yourself boy, you look like you need it.”

  Merlin did likewise, watching how the knight placed the meat on the bread and tried to mimic him. Sitting beside the knight as they watched the dawn sunrise and its reflection off the river, and Merlin felt like a void within himself was being filled. They both drank the water Merlin had brought from the well, and although Darius complained a little about it not being ale, he smacked his lips as he quenched his thirst.

  Darius wiped his arm across his mouth,

  “So young Merlin, where were we with our story?”

  “Dark times. You said we are living in dark times and you had seen something.”

  “I was hoping you'd forget that part.”

  Merlin hadn't forgot, it was the only other thing he'd been able to think about the previous day, apart from Carmane.

  “I had been fighting for Rakellian against King Arons' forces. Rakellian then allied with Taranis, and that's when things got bad.”

  Darius lay his hand on the dent in his breast plate, as if remembering a particular battle,

  “Why is Rakellian fighting the northern king?”

  “Why do Kings ever fight? Land, power? You name it. I often think they are just bored. In any case, I get paid.”

  “But what of honor, don't you believe in their cause? Isn't King Aron a bad King?”

  “So young, so naive,” Darius shook his head, “I was once like you. Believing that every battle had to be about good or evil. But the truth is Merlin, wars are about greed. Pure greed.”

  “So you got injured when you were fighting against King Aron's men?”

  “No, that's the
stupid thing, I got injured when fighting one of Taranis' men!”

  “But I thought you are all on the same side?”

  “Hmmm,” nodded Darius, “looking off into the distance, “but they would go too far. We had to move through a village South of here, and one of Taranis' men took it upon himself to force himself upon a young girl. The others were standing around cheering when I came upon them. I had been scouting forward. I had a choice, there and then. Either do what was right, or do what was wrong and be damned.”

  “So you did what was right?” Asked Merlin.

  “You can see my leg can't you boy?” Darius pointed.

  Merlin nodded.

  “There were too many of them, I killed one, his head coming clean off, then another, and another... it seemed endless. I finally managed to get on my horse and pull the girl up with me, that's when one of them threw a spear that pierced my leg. I took her to another nearby village where she said she had relatives, but I had to go, I couldn't stay there, they'd be searching for me. There's no possibility I could return either, I'd be slaughtered for what I'd done.”

  “But you did the right thing. They wouldn't punish you for that.”

  “Oh they would boy, they don't care about right or wrong, and to be honest, I thought I didn't either. I just cared that they were paying me handsomely,” Darius sipped some water from the jug, “but I guess there are just some things I can't stomach.”

  Merlin suddenly realized that if King Rakellians' hordes were traveling northwards, then they'd arrive at his village at some point, and the thought of Carmane being taken by them began to make a rage grow in him; it was unlike him. Merlin had always been clear in his thoughts, logical beyond his years, but now, another feeling was overtaking him that made it hard to think straight. Merlin got up and began to pace.

  “What's got into you?” Darius asked, seeing Merlin agitated.

  “They will come to my village won't they?”

  Darius nodded,

  “Most likely boy, their goal seems to be to take over the whole land.”

  “What can we do?”

  “We? I don't know about you, but I'm on my way to offer my services to King Aron, Perhaps he is more sane,” Darius' eyes narrowed, “and hopefully they pay no mind to all this infernal sorcery.”

  Merlin suddenly stopped pacing,

  “Sorcery? They use sorcery?”

  Darius heaved a sigh and looked seriously at Merlin.

  “Oh it's no matter I tell you anyway,” he shrugged, “one evening I had call to go to King Rakellians' main encampment, I wasn't supposed to be there, but Astid, a fellow knight, told me to take a message. I had just come through some trees and over a ridge on my horse, when below me I saw a most strange scene.”

  “What, what?”

  Darius looked up at the boy,

  “It was probably just my imagination anyway.” He dismissed, seeming to contemplate it more.

  Merlin knelt down in front of Darius, his arms wrapping themselves around his own knees,

  “What did you see?”

  “There were a group of of robed men in a circle, including King Rakellian and King Taranis, and one priestess in the center of another. One of those females you hear about from time-to-time.”

  “Witches?”

  Darius rolled his eyes,

  “No one really calls them that, who knows what they are... but they do command fear in some.”

  “But not you?”

  “Not until that night they didn't,” Darius began stroking his finger along the flat side of his blade, “there was a raging fire in the center, and on the command of the priestess, something was thrown into it.”

  “Something?” Merlin leaned closer.

  “I couldn't see clearly, but I thought I heard screams. It could have been a deer, I'm not sure. I got off my horse and hid him behind the trees and went back to watch. The priestess began incanting something... strange foreign words, over and over again. Then it appeared.”

  Darius gripped the hilt of his sword, as if in instinct,

  “I'm still not sure what it was, or if the glow of the flames and the dark was playing tricks with me. But between the priestess in the circle and the others, appeared something.... a beast, a man... or some kind of infernal combination of both. I don't know, there was smoke, I couldn't see clearly.”

  Darius broke off his description, wanting to try to forget that which he couldn't understand, and looking back at Merlin, saw the boy deep in thought.

  Ever since his childhood, Merlin had had a strange dream, many strange dreams. He'd tried describing them to his mother but she'd “shushed” him, telling him to say no more about them, lest he brought evil to their home, which she already believed he had through his birth alone. In the dream a n ethereal beast had spread out like a black cloud all over the land, consuming and turning the hearts of men to cruelty and avarice, until there was no more of the Kingdom, or people, free of its grip. Almost every night he had the same dream and would awake when it tried to finally consume him.

  Merlin didn't want to tell Darius about his dreams. No one wanted to hear about his dreams. It was as if when ever he mentioned them, people would then avoid him, thinking that the boy was strange, and not to be associated with.

  Merlin looked at Darius, his eyes filled with determination,

  “Take me with you.”

  “What?”

  “Take me with you to the north, I will fight with you.”

  Darius laughed hard, and it seemed to go on forever to Merlin, making him feel stupid again.

  “You are too young to fight Merlin, and what fighting skills do you have anyway,” Darius asked, but noticed the boy was deathly serious, “do you know what it's like to see your knights in arms fall beside you, spears impaled in their chests?”

  Merlin didn't, but all he could think about was making something of himself and protecting Carmane.

  Darius looked at Merlin closer,

  “Why would you want to fight? What has anyone ever done for you? Look at you, your body looks as if the wind could blow it away at any minute. I don't believe you just want to fight for the sake of it, so what is it?”

  Merlin had always believed in destiny, there was something he was supposed to do. He vaguely intuited it. It was something connected to his dreams, but he had never known what until that moment. Carmane wouldn't come away with him, but he could come back for her in time.

  “How long do you think it will be before King Rakellians' men arrive here?”

  “As far as I know, probably several years. They are to the south-west trying to subdue the Fastians, but it's proving harder that they expected. Brave fighters the Fastians are.”

  Darius was sizing Merlin up and suddenly realized,

  “It's a girl isn't it!”

  Merlin turned away from Darius wanting to hide his shame.

  Darius clapped his hands together,

  “A girl! I knew it! It's always a girl. Honestly, I don't think men would ever do anything if there wasn't a girl involved.”

  Merlin turned around back to face Darius,

  “Will you take me?”

  Darius had to admit, he liked the boys spirit, and his heart was in the right place.

  He leaned back on his elbows the grass still damp, and raised an eyebrow,

  “Oh what the hell, why not,” Darius decided, “you can be my squire, and who knows, maybe you'll learn something.”

  Darius stood up, slightly wobbly on his leg,

  “Right then, get on your knees, we have to officially make you a squire.”

  Merlin got on his knees before Darius, his face solemn and respectful. Darius raised his sword and touched it on each of Merlin's shoulders,

  “Arise Sir squire, you now have the right to serve me and not annoy me too much.” Darius' laugh bellowed out, before the morning air was punctuated with his coughing.

  Merlins' face fell, and he got up.

  “Oh come on boy! Hasn't anyone ever told
you that you have no sense of humor?”

  Darius placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder,

  “You never know, maybe in a few years if you actually listen to me, maybe King Aron will make you a knight.”

  Merlin brightened. Carmane would surely be impressed, and he tried to imagine the look on her face when he would ride back into the village transformed. Her father probably wouldn't even recognize him. No more insults, no more people looking down on him.

  “When do we leave?”

  “Don't you have anyone you wish to say goodbye to? Your mother?” Darius asked, his tone softening.

  Merlin looked off in the direction of his village, but his mother wasn't who he was thinking of, it was Carmane. Just Carmane. He nodded.

  “Well, my leg is much better. We can leave tomorrow. But only on one condition.”

  “What's that?”

  “That you steal some ale. It's a long journey North!”

  ...

  Merlin found Carman in her fathers barn. She was milking their cow and he suddenly spoke up,

  “Carmane, I am here to say goodbye.”

  It made Carmane jump as she hadn't seen him, and she turned around suddenly,

  “For the sake of the ever loving spirit! Would you stop doing that! Always sneaking up on people!”

  “Sorry. I just came to say goodbye.” Merlin held his palms up, as if to apologize.

  Carmane stood up and walked over to him, and Merlin felt his nerves grow stronger as her graceful gait drew ever closer.

  “What ever are you talking about Merlin.”

  “I will leave, and one day become a knight.”

  Carmane giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, but seeing Merlin was serious, she stopped,

  “You're not joking! You're serious?”

  “Yes. But I will come back for you.”

  She shook her head and sighed. Not believing Merlin could be a knight, much less that he could find a way to become so. But there was something so pure in his eyes, a longing she couldn't fail to be affected by.

  “Merlin,” Carmane said, “what do you want me to say? I don't know what you expect.”

  “Can I have something of yours, something I can take with me.”

  Carmane looked around, but all she could find was an old piece of pewter that had once been the base of a cup she once used, that was lying in among some hay on the barn floor,

  “Here, take this,” she said, handing it to him “it's not very special, but I don't have anything to hand at the moment.”

  Merlin looked at it, turning it over in his hand, most would have been disappointed, but not Merlin, to him it was a symbol of promise. A promise he would fulfill.

  “I suppose you'll be wanting to kiss my cheek too?”

  Merlin blushed, he wanted to, but just couldn't bring himself to do it.

  “Suit yourself.” Carmane said, shrugging and turning back to milking the cows.

  “Goodbye Camane, until we meet again.”

  “Yes, yes,” she said, concentrating on the milk flowing from the cow into the bucket, “I'll see you tomorrow no doubt, when you'll most likely scare me half to death again.”

  But she wouldn't see him the next day, nor the one after that, and neither the one after.

  Merlin didn't respond, and he turned and walked away, grasping the valueless piece of metal in his hands.