At a young age, Nimueh
was destined to become a High Priestess, due to her potent magical powers. She
was one of nine women, trained to serve the Triple Goddess: Maiden, Mother, and
Crone. Her parents in the country sent her off to the Isle of the Blessed,
where she would live and train for the rest of her childhood and teen years.
She cried as she was led away, but her parents believed this path to be the
best for her.
Of course, Nimueh had
gotten used to the routines. She first learned the basics of the Old Religion:
the Wheel of the Year, the eight Sabbats, Druid culture, deities from different
cultures, and how to properly channel magic.
She learned 13 strict
rules that all priestesses had to follow.
1.
Priestesses are not permitted to marry.
2.
Priestesses are not permitted to have
sexual intercourse.
3.
Priestesses cannot bear children.
4.
Do no harm to yourself nor to others.
5.
Honor nature and help preserve the balance
of life.
6.
Honor the God and Goddess.
7.
Necromancy and dark magic are not to be
used without proper supervision.
8.
All Priestesses must devote themselves to
the Craft for the rest of their lives.
9.
Whatever energy you send forth will return
to you threefold.
10.
Honor equally the four elements: Fire
Earth, Air, and Water.
11.
The knowledge you gain must be kept secret
from non-initiates.
12.
Summoning ancestors may occur at Beltane,
but one must not look back at the spirit when leaving the Spirit World.
13.
Blood sacrifices to open the Veil may only
occur on Samhain.
Nimueh learned other
things as well:
The Fomorroh, a Hydra
like monster with seven snake heads was a revered creature which allowed a user
to control the minds of their enemies.
The Cup of life was a
sacred object which healed near death individuals who drank from the water
inside of it.
The Rowan Staff was
another sacred object that had the power to bring back the dead.
The immortal Cailleach
was the gatekeeper to the Spirit World, who demanded payment where it was due.
The Horn of Cathbhadth
was another object kept by the High Priestesses which allowed the user to
summon spirits of the dead.
The Crystal of Neathid
could show images of possible futures.
The Benduri were a group
of Priestesses who trained to become High Priestesses but did not meet the high
standards.
There was so much to
remember, yet Nimueh was dedicated in her studies. After years and a day of
study, she was finally ready for the ceremony that would initiate her into
Priestesshood. Morgana and Morgause, two of her fellow witches, had completed
their training around the same time. The three women were dressed in pure white
ritual robes. Morgana led the way in the center, followed by Morgause to her
right and Nimueh to her left.
The Druids bowed
respectfully as they entered the circle of stones, similar to Stonehenge. The
circle was cast, the four elements evoked and the Triple Goddess was summoned.
One by one, the minister Druid man placed a silver crescent moon crown on each
of the witch’s heads. Nimueh was assigned the Maiden aspect, Morgana the Mother
aspect and Morgause the Crone aspect. Then Nimueh was recognized for
hydromancy, Morgause for using crystals to see the future and Morgana using
dreams to foresee the future. Thus, Nimueh, Morgause, and Morgana became
associated with the elements of Water, Earth, and Air, respectively. A relaxed
meal of cakes, mead, and wine followed after the ceremony. Nimueh would go on
her own path, never seeing Morgana and Morgause again.
On an ancient scroll, the
names of High Priestesses, a High Priest, and other figures were written:
Alator – High Priest
Morgause – High Priestess
Morgana – High Priestess
Nimueh – High Priestess
Finna – Priestess
Vivienne (Morgana’s
mother) – High Priestess
Elaine – High Priestess
Alice – Healer
Jaden Muirden – High Priestess
Mary Collins – High
Priestess
At first, Nimueh lived a
wonderful life in the days of the Old Religion. Nimueh soon became a trusted
member of Uther’s court, after her progress with magic brought dozens of
citizens to her, who sought her healing, advice and prophecies. (Though
foretelling the future was something that she was not always the best at. She
could only see recent events or predict the thoughts of others.) Nimueh enjoyed
a lavish life in the castle, eating great food and possessing elaborate dresses
and gowns. Her favorite gowns were cherry red, midnight black, and pearly
white…the three colors associated with the Triple Goddess aspects of birth,
motherhood, and death. In court, she was the only woman member, and she made
the most important decisions. In that sense, she was seen by many to be Uther’s
equal. Uther was proud of her accomplishments and work. Nimueh was also good
friends with Gaius, the physician, and Uther’s beautiful blonde-haired wife,
Ygraine. Gaius would always respectfully bow to Nimueh, saying “My Lady,” as
she smiled. They practiced magic together and Gaius told her all he knew about
herbs, anatomy, and healing. In return, she described the ways of the Old
Religion and the practices of the High Priestesses. Nimueh was one of Ygraine’s
bridesmaids on Ygraine’s wedding day. Nimueh knew that Ygraine would make a
great queen and a wonderful mother.
But soon, Nimueh’s world
was abruptly thrown upside down. Uther wanted to have a son as an heir to rule
his kingdom someday. As Ygraine was infertile, he asked Nimueh to help her give
birth. Ninueh using magic resulted in the draining of Ygraine’s life force. The
energy was used to create Uther’s newborn son, Prince Arthur. Neither Nimueh
nor Uther could predict that Uther’s wife would die giving birth. Uther held
Ygraine’s cold hands and sobbed out loud. Her kind eyes stared blankly at the
ceiling. The king barely noticed one of the nurses caring for his son toward
the other side of the room.
“What have you done?”
Uther shouted at her.
Nimueh stared sadly at
Ygraine’s still body. The young Arthur was being cared for by a nurse.
“I’ve tried every spell I
could…”
“Try harder!”
“I-I can’t,” she
stuttered.
“Your magic did this,”
spat Uther. “You knew that my wife would die!”
“I knew nothing!” she
argued back. “When one life is to be created, a death of someone close to that
person must also occur. Balance must be restored in the world…it is the only
natural way.”
Uther barred his teeth
and marched toward her, even as his eyes grew red from tears. “There was
nothing natural about what you did.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean
to…”
“Nimueh, you leave me no
choice. As king, I hereby banish you from my court and Camelot on pain of
death. You have until sunset to leave.”
Nimueh had no choice but
to run to her room and pack the remainder of her belongings. All her jewelry,
brushes, and gowns were taken away from her before she even got to her room.
Wiping away fresh tears, she made haste on horseback and rode out of Camelot,
just as the sun turned the sky blood red. Formerly a loved woman by those in
Camelot, she now found the eyes of the townspeople searing into her soul. They
believed that she had killed the queen out of jealousy to gain Uther’s
affections, or at least that was how the rumor spread. The king always had the
final say, especially against a woman who wasn’t royalty, despite being a
sorceress and former court member. As the years passed, one of Nimueh’s
remaining gowns had worn down from below, the once bright red, faded to maroon,
the sequins falling off. The worn dress, along with high heels, became her
typical outfit as an outcast.
Nimueh’s life only became
worse when Uther declared war on those who practiced magic. Vowed to get rid of
the art forever, Uther led his army to raid villages, trash Old Religion
shrines, and to tear down the once mighty castle on the Isle of the Blessed.
Hundreds of innocent witches were burned at the stake, men, children and their
families killed on sight. Nimueh had to watch her parents and her best friends
die at the hands of the Camelot guards. Despite possessing magic, she was
thankful to escape with her life.
With nothing else for her
to do, Nimueh made plans for revenge on Camelot until her last days.
Of course, this resulted
in her creating the Afanc monster out of clay and water to try and poison
Camelot’s water supply to bring about its downfall. Arthur and Merlin defeated
the creature using a combination of fire and wind. Angry at Merlin for ruining
her plan, she then created a poison using a Morteaus flower. Disguised as a
servant girl, she switched the goblets used for the peace ceremony between
Uther and Bayard. Thanks to her acting and creating up a story, Merlin was
convinced that Bayard was trying to poison Arthur and take Camelot for himself.
Merlin was then ordered to drink it, to prove he was telling the truth. Having
been successful in that part of her mission, the witch escaped on horseback in
the dead of night.
Of course, Arthur
Pendragon traveled to the cave to find the flower and use it to cure Merlin.
Pretending to be a damsel in distress, Nimueh pretended to cry on a log, hoping
that Arthur would be killed by the cockatrice monster. Fortunately, Arthur had
defeated the monster, only to be led into a trap by Nimueh. Arthur managed to
escape with the flower petal, thanks to Merlin’s orb of light leading the way.
Nimueh then decided that
both Arthur and Uther must be rid of once and for all. Using her magic, she
brought a dark knight back to life, which was actually a wraith creature. Nimueh
spoke to Uther from a distance, chastising him for his actions of betrayal.
Uther blamed his wife’s death on magic, though Nimueh claimed that she could
not foretell Ygraine’s death. She explained the balance needed for life and
death, but Uther refused to see her perspective. Just when she thought victory
was hers, Uther managed to kill the wraith using the Excaliber sword, forged in
a dragon’s breath.
Her three big plans had
failed. Nimueh had paced around at the Isle of the blessed, the only home she
had left. She didn’t expect Merlin to arrive, seeking her help in saving
Arthur’s life. Nimueh filled the Cup of Life with rain water and then sending
Merlin on his way. Of course, she could not foretell that Merlin’s mother would
then get sick.
Worried that Merlin would
exchange his life for his mother’s Gaius traveled to the Isle of the Blessed
and asked Nimueh to take his life instead. Pleased to be rid of her former
friend, who she now viewed as a traitor, Nimueh happily cast the spell, raising
the cup in the air.
Obviously, this did not
suit well for the angry warlock, who arrived on the scene. In an attempt to get
Merlin to her side, she suggested that Merlin join her in fighting against
Camelot. Merlin refused, stating that her magic was “selfish and cruel.” Nimueh
threw a fire ball at Merlin, seemingly killing him. She walked back toward the
still form of Gaius, sure of her victory. Then from behind her, she could here
Merlin in a low cold voice, “You should not have killed my friend.”
Merlin called upon the
powers of life and death. Nimueh was stunned that he could survive such a blow.
Her powers would have killed anyone else. Nimueh conjured a shield above her,
but it was no match for Merlin’s superior power. The blue energy shield broke
and lightning struck her body. A look of shock and fear appeared on the witch’s
face before her body exploded in a flash of light.
The
Mark of Nimueh
Standing in a hidden
cave, was a dark haired woman with striking blue eyes, wearing a worn red
dress. She was standing next to a high bowl of water, the stone sides decorated
with centaurs and other mythological creatures. Using her hands, she sculpted a
small creature made from clay. She used her wet fingers to keep the clay moist
and better shape it. From the front, the clay figure had a long head and small
legs curled inward. She placed the figure inside a large white egg, latching
the lid closed. The egg had red designs of a snake and diamond rune marks with
a dot in the center. She held the egg and spoke an incantation:
“Bebiede pe arisan ealdu (Command thee arise, ancient one,
come forth)”
The sorceress placed her
hand on top of the egg and closed her eyes in concentration. Energy pulsed from
her hand and inside the egg, creating a golden orange glow from within. The
clay figure rapidly grew organs, sharp teeth, claws, and scaly skin. The witch
smiled as she heard the heartbeat of the creature. She placed the egg into the
water and let go. The egg traveled down the watery passageway, avoiding the
rocky walls. With a splash, the egg emerged to the surface of a pool of water
in the tunnels of Camelot. The floating egg began to crack and the creature
clawed its way out.
From the pool of water,
the woman observed a man drinking water from a faucet from a stone well. She
gently swiped the image of Camelot with her hand and spoke an incantation.
“Diegol cnytte, gewitte
me yst, aliese hine, to Camelot he cymp
(Illuminate the darkness, let me see through the rough water, deliver him, he
comes to Camelot.)”
Later on, Nimueh smiled
sinisterly as the creature roared and the people of Camelot began to die by the
numbers. When she saw Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana go down toward the tunnels,
she thought, ‘This is going to be
interesting.’ She didn’t expect Merlin to cause a wind to blow and the fire
from Arthur’s torch to kill her creation.
“Merlin!” she spat,
splashing the water from her pool in frustration. She saw Merlin talking to
Gaius from the water. “Merlin you will pay for this!” she seethed.
The
Poisoned Chalice
Merlin had to die. It was
plain and simple. His magic could not get in Nimueh’s way of enacting revenge
on those who had wronged her. She knew that she could easily turn herself
invisible and kill him that way…but no, that won’t work. Judging by Merlin’s
keen senses, he could figure out anything that was amiss. If she were caught
doing magic, she would surely be killed.
Creating another Afanc
would be a waste of time. Merlin would just use his magic to kill it again.
Maybe…she could disguise
herself as a servant…maybe not in Camelot…that would be too risky. She could
enter a neighboring kingdom…one which was not too far away from Camelot. Then
she had an idea. She heard that the Kingdom of Mercia, led by Lord Bayard was
going to travel to Camelot to sign a peace treaty there. All she had to do was
make up a story at the gates.
Getting there was no
problem, thanks to a teleportation spell she had learned during her time as
High Priestess.
She spotted two men
wearing blue uniforms with a gray castle tower on the front; the symbol of
Mercia.
“Who goes there?” asked
one of them.
Nimueh walked over and
put on her best scared face.
“I was running from a
bear in the woods and I got lost. I have nowhere else to go.”
Nimueh’s eyes flashed
yellow and she muttered something in another language.
The two guards
immediately became concerned for the seemingly poor helpless maiden.
“Are you alright, now,
Miss?”
“Y-es, I think so…”
The metal gate rose up
from the ground. “Well walk toward your right and you will meet the servants
and chefs. We are heading to Camelot in a few hours, best be ready by then.”
Nimueh gave a bow and
hurried off toward another door.
After she had left, the
guards shook their heads and stared at the open gate in confusion.
“Why is the gate open?”
one of the guards asked.
“Well, don’t just stand
there, close it!” called the other guard.
Nimueh wondered toward
the laundry room and quickly used her magic to cause a group of hand maidens to
fall asleep. She spotted some colorful clothes in a basket and hurried to
change. Half an hour later, she was wearing a blue and red cotton dress and a
light blue turban over her dark hair. Her head was covered save for a few
strings of hair hanging from either side. The sleeves were red and the front of
the corset was blue, with brown flowers curling up toward the top. Now, no one
would be able to recognize her. Blending in with the servants and the guard,
she followed the group, led by Bayard out of the castle and toward Camelot.
The red robes of Camelot
and the blue robes of Mercia clashed together as the two groups marched toward
one another down the vast chamber. Nimueh took her position beside two other
women dressed in white.
“Camelot welcomes you,
Lord Bayard of Mercia,” said Uther. “The treaty we sign today marks an end to
war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people.”
Uther held out his hand and Bayard shook it.
This action was followed by polite clapping on both sides. Nimueh caught sight
of Merlin and glared. He was the black haired boy dressed in a brown jacket, a
red shirt, and a blue cloth around his neck. After the meet and greet, Nimueh
hurried off with the other Mercia servants. In the laundry chamber, she folded
a pile of cloths and carried them in her arms. Afterward, she walked down the
hall in search of Merlin.
Finally, she found him
talking to an elderly man, Gaius. Pain stabbed at her chest the moment she saw
his face. It wasn’t that long ago that she and him were laughing and discussing
the Old Religion in the very hall she was in. Yet, he chose to side with the
tyrant Uther and did nothing to help her during the Great Purge. He didn’t even
use magic to save her people. He just stood there, watched, and left.
Nimueh pushed her
feelings aside and focused on the warlock boy. It was best if he trusted her
right away, seeing as how he could be suspicious of anyone easily. She calmly
walked over to the duo and pretended to stumble.
“Sorry,” she breathed as
she started to pick up the clothes.
“That’s all right,” said
Merlin.
“Excuse me.”
“Let me give you a hand
with that,” said Merlin.
Both of them stared at
each other in the eyes. Merlin’s eyes grew wide and red crept up to his cheeks.
Nimueh could tell that he thought she was attractive. Both of them slowly stood
up at the same time.
“Hi,” Merlin whispered
with a smile.
Nimueh smiled back.
“I’m Merlin,” he said,
holding out his hand.
“Kara,” she said, shaking
his. “You’re Arthur’s servant. That must be such an honor.”
“Uh, yeah, it is,” Merlin
replied, unsure of what to say. Gaius eyed him suspiciously.
“Well, someone’s got to
keep the place running,” Merlin added.
Gaius crossed his arms.
“Thank you, Merlin,” said
Nimueh.
She briefly looked down
at her pile of clothes, noticing one of them missing.
“Hmm?” Merlin asked. Then
he got the message.
“Oh! Here.” he said with
a laugh.” “Uh, no problem.” Merlin placed a red pillow on top of the pile.
“It was nice meeting
you,” said Nimueh. Merlin nodded and Nimueh continued down the hall. Merlin
watched her as she left, a goofy grin on his face.
“She should be busy
running the place,” Gaius mentioned to Merlin as he chuckled.
Nimueh placed the pile of
clothes on a ledge as she neared the room where the goblets were being kept.
She saw a Camelot guard walk down some steps and she hid behind a corner. She
rummaged through the clothes pile until she found the box where her own silver
goblet lay concealed. Covering it with several red cloths, she looked around
once more and walked ahead. She held the covered box in her left hand. She
pulled at the black door handle, but it wouldn’t budge. Nimueh looked behind
her and when the cost was clear, whispered a spell:
“Aliese
duru ryne (loosen still door)”
The lock unlatched and
she pushed open the wooden door. A shield with the gray tower against a black
and yellow background, was propped on a red cushion with a sword behind it. A
Mercia banner hung on the wall nearby. Nimueh quietly shut the door and strode
over toward the wooden table in the center of the room. The dark chest holding
the goblets was positioned next to a bowl of strawberries, oranges, and apples.
Nimueh lifted open the lid of the box, revealing two silver goblets inside: a
large triangular one for Uther, and a smaller rounded shaped one for Arthur.
The rim of Uther’s goblet was encrusted with small diamonds, while the bottom
of Arthur’s had round amber colored gems set inside.
Nimueh took out Arthur’s
goblet and set it on the table. She lifted the cloth, and placed her identical
one in the place of the original one. She soon closed the box lid back into
place. The witch smirked and hid the original goblet back in her own box. She
then quickly left the room and walked back toward the other side of the castle.
Walking with her
entourage of Mercia servants, the disguised Nimueh made her way down to the
peace treaty festival. She saw Merlin in a ridiculous outfit, wearing red
feathered hat with peacock feathers included. His friend, Gwen, giggled and
whispered, “Nice hat.” Nimueh was standing arrogantly between two women dressed
in white dresses. Merlin caught sight of Nimueh glaring at him and he took off
the hat, smoothing out his black hair.
“She’s pretty isn’t she…”
asked Gwen to Merlin. “…for a handmaiden?”
“She’s pretty for a
princess, let alone a handmaiden,” Merlin replied, with his goofy smile again.
Nimueh tilted her head
slightly upward in pride.
“Mmm,” Gwen agreed.
Bayard and Uther both
signed a scroll with a white feather pen and shook hands again, the crowd applauding
and standing up respectfully. Camelot’s knights sat at one side of the table
while Mercia’s knights sat on the other.
Uther sat on his throne.
“People of Camelot,”
announced Bayard walking to the center of the room. “For a great many years, we
have been mortal enemies. The blood of our men stains the ground from the walls
of Camelot to the gates of Mercia.”
Nimueh grinned as she
noticed a serving lady carry the box of goblets to the front. She held the box
in front of Bayard. Bayard continued his speech. “And though we remember those
who have died, we must not allow any more to join them. As a symbol of our
goodwill, and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets,
to you, Uther, and to your son, Arthur, in the hope that our friendship may
last.” He held out each goblet in front of him. “Tonight we toast a new
beginning for our peoples. We look toward a future, free from the toils of
war…”
“Merlin?” asked Nimueh
who had walked over to him. “I need to speak to you.”
“What is it?” Merlin
asked.
“Not here, please,” she
replied. Then she added a whimper to her voice, “I don’t know who else to
tell.”
Gauis turned his head and
looked toward the leaving duo suspiciously.
Nimueh led Merlin out of
the room and by a quiet space next to a glass window. She stopped and turned
toward him, speaking in a rushed tone: “It wasn’t until I saw him give the
goblet to Arthur that I realized…”
Merlin held up his hand.
“Whoa, whoa, slow down start from the beginning.”
Nimueh told her story to
Merlin that she made up on the spot. “Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his
evening meal. I was supposed to knock. He didn’t expect me to walk in…”
“So what are you trying
to say?” asked Merlin.
“If he knows I said
anything, he will kill me.”
“I will not let that
happen to you; I promise,” replied Merlin. “Please tell me what you saw.”
“Bayard is no friend of
Camelot. He craves the kingdom for himself.”
“Kara…” began Merlin,
looking behind at a passing Camelot server.
Merlin turned back to her
and spoke in a low voice. “Tell me, what has Bayard done with the goblet?”
“He believes that if he
kills Arthur, Uther’s spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall.”
“What has he done with
the goblet?” Merlin asked again.
“I saw him put something
in it.”
“What?”
“I shouldn’t.” He’ll kill
me,” she said, shaking her head.
“Please tell me!” urged
Merlin.
Nimueh went silent.
“Is it poison?”
Nimueh nodded sadly.
It was only when Merlin
ran off in a panic that her smirk appeared back on her face.
Bayard continued, “…and
may the differences from our past remain there. To your health, Uther…”
The crowd stood up.
“Arthur…”
Arthur raised his goblet
and prepared to take a sip.
“The Lady Morgana…”
Morgana smiled.
“The people of Camelot,”
Bayard finished, turning around to the side to face the Camelot knights.
“And to fallen warriors,
on both sides,” added Uther. Bayard lowered his head slightly in a bow.
“Stop!” Merlin yelled,
racing into the room. “It’s poison, don’t drink it!” Merlin took the goblet
from Arthur’s hand. Arthur stared at Merlin in confusion.
“What?” asked Uther.
“Merlin, what are you
doing?” asked Arthur.
“Bayard laced Arthur’s
goblet with poison,” Merlin claimed.
“This is an outrage!”
Bayard stated, unsheathing his sword. All the knights in the room did the same.
A herd of guards ran into the room, holding their spears toward Bayard and his
men.
“Order your men to put
down their swords You’re outnumbered,” Uther stated.
“I will not allow this
insult to go unchallenged!” Bayard responded.
“On what grounds do you
base this accusation?” Uther asked Merlin.
“I’ll handle this,” said
Arthur with a sigh. “Merlin, you idiot. We’ve been at the sloe gin again?” He
pushed him toward Uther.
“Unless you want to be
strung up,” ordered Uther, “You’ll tell me, why you think it’s poisoned, now.”
“He was seem lacing it.”
“By whom?”
“I cannot say,” Merlin
answered after glancing at Nimueh.
“I won’t listen to this
anymore,” said Bayard.
“Pass me the goblet,”
said Uther, walking over to Bayard. Arthur handed the goblet to Uther.
“If you’re telling the
truth…” Uther started.
“I am,” said Bayard.
“Then you have nothing to
fear, do you?”
Bayard put his sword back
in the sheath and made a “come here” hand gesture, indicating that he wanted
the goblet.
“No.” said Uther. “If
this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself.”
Uther stared at Merlin
and brought the goblet toward him. “He’ll drink it.”
Nimueh smiled. Her plan
was working.
“But if it’s poisoned,
he’ll die,” said Arthur, concerned.
“Then we’ll know he was
telling the truth,” Uther responded.
‘And what if he lives?”
asked Bayard.
“Then you’ll have my
apologies and you can do with him as you will.”
Merlin took the goblet
and stared inside the cup with concern.
“Uther please, he’s just
a boy; he doesn’t know what he’s saying,” called Gaius.
“Then you should have
schooled him better,” said Uther.
“Merlin, apologize,” said
Arthur. “This is a mistake! I’ll drink it!”
“No no no no,” said
merlin, moving the goblet from Arthur’s reach. “It’s alright.”
Merlin nodded at the
smiling Nimueh and took several big gulps of the drink.
“It’s fine,” he said.
“He’s all yours,” said
Uther to Bayard. Gwen sighed in relief.
Just then Merlin clutched
at his throat, coughing and gasping for breath. He was soon on the floor,
unconscious. The goblet clattered to the ground.
“It’s poisoned,” said
Uther. “Guards, seize them!” The Camelot guards surrounded Bayard and his men
and took them away.
Gaius took Merlin back to
his chambers while a satisfied Nimueh moved away. Pleased that her plan worked,
she walked down the dark empty hallway and escaped Camelot on a white horse. She
teleported herself back to her cave, thankful to change out of the tight corset
and back into her maroon dress.
Nimueh watched from her
pool once again and saw Arthur riding away from Camelot’s gates in the dark.
Apparently, he and Gaius had figured out about the poison and the importance of
getting a Morteaus flower petal. She watched Arthur ride on his horse and
pulled a blue hood over her head, making her way outside.
She walked through the
woods and spotted the cave where the Morteaus flower grew. She had been there
once before to make the poison. She heard a growling from nearby and smiled.
The cockatrice monster was hiding under a rock.
Arthur maneuvered his
brown horse forward through the fog in the forest. He and the horse carefully
stepped down a hill, the autumn leaves crunching underneath them. He wore his
usual chain-link armor, protective pants and boots.
Nimueh whispered another
spell, causing a fake bruise and two scratches to appear on her right exposed
arm. She sat on a log, playing the damsel in distress. Arthur walked over, and
heard her fake sobs. He tied his horse to a branch and walked over to her.
“Hello?” he asked softly.
He got down on one knee. “Are you all right?”
A loud roar sounded from
nearby and Nimueh yelled.
The cockatrice roared,
stomping forward on four thick legs. Two yellow spines protruded from its sides
and it also had a tail. It looked like a gray dinosaur.
“Stay back,” said Arthur
to Nimueh.
Arthur pulled out his
sword with his black gloved hands and sliced it through the air.
Both of them stepped
forward and back, anticipating each other’s movements. Nimueh smiled at the
sight. At once, the cockatrice went on its hind legs and leaped at Arthur.
Arthur somersaulted underneath it and rolled safely away. He stood up and faced
the monster again.
Arthur threw his sword
like a knife and the blade penetrated the monster’s heart. The beast shrieked
in pain, and fell to the ground with a thud, letting out one last garbled roar.
Nimueh scowled with
disappointment.
Arthur walked over to
Nimueh, who stepped back in pretend fear.
“It’s alright. I’m not
going to hurt you,” Arthur reassured her. He looked at her arm and briefly
pointed at it with his hand. “Who did that to you?”
“My master,” she lied in
a quivering voice. “I ran away from him, but then I got lost. Please don’t
leave me.”
“I won’t. I’m not going
to.”
“You can take me away
from here?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he
answered. “There’s something I have to
do first.”
Nimueh stared back at the
cave. Now was her chance to lure him in.
“Why have you come to the
caves?”
“I’m looking for
something,” Arthur said. “It can only be found here.”
“What is it?”
Arthur untied his horse.
“I know this place. I
could help you,” Nimueh added.
Arthur walked forward
with his horse. “It’s a type of flower that only grows inside the cave. It’s
very rare.”
Nimueh smiled. “The
Mortaeus Flower? I know where they are. I’ll show you.”
Nimueh led Arthur to the
cave and the prince tied up the reins on his horse to another branch. Nimueh pulled
on her light blue cloak and her hood over her head. Arthur found sticks to be
used as torches and Nimueh led the way. The cave was small and dark. Arthur
looked around but saw no signs of any flowers.
Nimueh walked ahead and
smiled. Her plan was working perfectly.
The two of then came
around a bend.
”There they are,” Nimueh
pointed at a group of three yellow flowers growing from green stems on the face
of a rock wall.
Arthur stepped in front
of her and looked down at a rocky ledge. It was a small natural bridge to the
flowers. The both looked down at the long drop below.
“Keep away from the
edge,” said Arthur. “Don’t worry. We’ll be out of here soon.”
Arthur slowly walked
forward. Nimueh whispered an incantation:
Eorthe,
lyft, fyr, waeter, hiersumeie me
(Earth,
air, fire, water, obey me.)
(Erothe ac stanas hiersumeie me) (Earth, stones, obey me).
She spoke louder.
Ic
can stanas tobrytan. (I have knowledge to break stones)
“What are you doing?!” Arthur asked.
Hiersumeie
me (Obey
me!)
The rocky bridge crumbled
beneath his feet. Arthur dropped his torch down below, leaped, and managed to
grab onto the ledge as the rest of the rock fell.
“I expected so much
more,” she mentioned.
“Who are you?” he
demanded.
Nimueh removed her hood.
“The last face you’ll ever see.
Arthur stared in
disbelief. A black spider with red eyes approached him.
“Seems we have a
visitor,” said Nimueh.
Arthur reached for his
sword with effort and wiped at the spider. The spider jumped and Arthur swatted
away with his sword down into the dark depth.
“Very good,” said Nimueh.
“But he won’t be the last. I’ll let his friends finish you off, Arthur
Pendragon. It’s not your destiny to die at my hand.” Nimueh smiled and left.
“Who are you?!” Arthur
screamed in the dark.
By the time Nimueh got
back to her scrying font, she was met with disappointment. Arthur had survived
the ordeal and had gotten the petal back to Gaius. Merlin was now cured of the
poison. Nimueh looked on in anger as she stared at a healed Merlin through the
water.
Excalibur
Nimueh had plotted
revenge first against Camelot, then against Merlin and Arthur. Now it was time
to set her sights on King Uther, the one who destroyed her life. In the dead of
night, when everyone was busy at a ceremony, Nimueh snuck into the castle
cemetery. Rows of caskets showed statues of the formerly great knights and
kings who now lay rotten beneath. Spider wens lined the walls. Nimueh stopped
by a casket labeled Tristen de Bois, brother of Ygraine, Uther’s late wife. He
was one of the few people who had blamed Uther for her death and had challenged
Uther in a duel. Uther won and landed a fatal blow to him.
Nimueh moved her hand in
the air over the stone casket and incanted a resurrection spell:
“Gehyre
me, wan chilht, awac! Beo strangra ond steacra, forbrec tha wane. U paris;
Awrec Uther Pendragon (I
judge. Absent knight, arise! I am powerful and unbending, for lamenting grief,
raise up; anguish to Uther Pendragon.)”
A large crack appeared in
the casket and an armored hand shot out. Nimueh grinned widely as the undead
black knight arose from his grave. He examined his surroundings, his rotten
wraith face obscured by a helmet.
“Kill Uther Pendragon,”
Nimueh commanded. “And challenge anyone who dares to face you.”
The knight got on a black
horse and raced toward Arthur’s crowning ceremony.
Back at her cave, a day
later, Nimueh teleported herself into Uther’s room. Uther turned around and
gasped when he saw her. It was like looking at a ghost.
“I should’ve known.” He
was aware of her plan to kill him.
“It is more than I hoped
for, Uther,” said Nimueh. “Soon, Arthur will be slain. You will have sent him
to his death.”
Uther sighed. “Haven’t
you tired of revenge?”
“Haven’t you?” she asked
back. “You began this war when you threw me from the court and slaughtered all
of my kind.” Venom and hurt laced her voice.
“You brought it on
yourselves. You practiced evil,” he stated.
“I was your friend,
Uther. You welcomed me here,” she said.
“You betrayed that
friendship,” said Uther.
“I did as you asked!”
Uther wen silent for a
moment.
Nimueh continued. “I used
the magic you so despised to give your barren wife the son you craved.”
Anger flashed in the
king’s eyes. “Don’t you ever, speak of her in that way. She was my heart, my
soul, and you took her from me.” This time his voice betrayed his sorrow and
the loss he felt.
“She died giving birth to
your son. It was not my choice. That is the law of magic. To create a life,
there had to be a death. The balance of the world had to be repaid,” she
explained.
“You knew it would kill
her,”
“No, you’re wrong,”
argued Nimueh. “If I had foreseen her death and the terrible retribution you
would seek, I would never have granted your wish.”
“I wish I hadn’t,” Uther
said, eyes downcast.
“You wish you didn’t have
a son?” she asked in disbelief. ‘How
cruel and thoughtless of you! It’s far too late to change that.’
“Well, you wish will come
true, tomorrow,” she said.
Uther stepped forward,
fists clenched. “I will not let you take him.”
Nimueh stood up for her
claim. “I have watched so many people I love die at your hands, Uther
Pendragon. Now it is your turn.”
Uther looked back up, but
Nimueh had vanished.
It was easy to sneak into
the courtyard and blend in with the crowd the next day. Nimueh found herself a
seat and watched the tournament.
Nimueh blended in with
the crowd, wearing a red dress and a purple hood. She smiled when it seemed
like the wraith dealt the final blow. But Uther had blocked it and plunged the
sword into the chest of the undead warrior. The wraith shrieked in pain and
exploded in a flaming heap. A grumpy look appeared on Nimueh’s face as she left
the area, back to her cave to lick her mental wounds.
Le
Morte de Arthur
“Hello?” Merlin asked,
looking around the ruined Isle of the Blessed. Upright stones encircled a white
marble pedestal in the center. Fog hovered over the green grass and an overcast
sky was exposed above.
“Hello, Merlin,” said a
voice.
Merlin turned around and
saw a woman with dark hair, wearing a tattered maroon dress and high heels.
Nimueh had known that Merlin would come seek her for help.
“You.” He said,
recognizing the one who tried to kill him.
“Do you know who I am?”
she asked.
“Nimueh.” Merlin
answered. Nimueh smiled.
“You can’t be who the
dragon meant.”
“And why is that?” she
asked.
“You tried to kill me,”
said Merlin.
“Before I understood your
importance.”
“…And Arthur…”
“Arthur was never
destined to die at my hand. And now it seems I will be his salvation.”
“So you know what I’ve
come to ask?” asked Merlin.
“Yes.”
“Will you do it?”
“I do not have the power
to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return,” Nimueh explained.
“I know that a price will
be asked,” stated Merlin. He was prepared to take the risk…any risk.
Nimueh explained the
power over life and death, “To save a life, there must be a death. The balance
of the world must be restored.”
‘Well, in that case…’ thought Merlin.
“I willingly give my life
for Arthur’s.”
Nimueh smiled like she
knew something the young warlock did not. “How brave you are, Merlin. If only
it were that simple.”
“What do you mean?” he
asked.
“Once you enter into this
bargain, it cannot be undone.”
“Whatever I have to do, I
will do,” stated Merlin. ‘His life is worth 100 of mine.”
Nimueh reached over to
the pedestal and held a golden goblet in front of her.
“The Cup of Life. Blessed
by centuries of powerful sorcery so that it contains the very secret of life
itself. If Arthur drinks water from the cup, he will live.”
Merlin slowly walked over
to the cup and hesitantly took hold of it.
Nimueh raised her arms in
front of her.
“Tidrenas!” (Timely rains!)
Dark storm clouds merged together
and rumbled. A sheet of rain poured down, soaking both individuals and rapidly
filling the cup with water. Just as quickly as it came, the rain stopped. Nimueh
took the cup from Merlin. She carefully poured the water into a metal
horn-shaped flask.
“A bargain is struck,”
she stated. Merlin took it before she briefly grabbed hold of his arm. “I hope
it pleases you.” She smiled as Merlin walked away. She had a great feeling that
a close loved one of Merlin’s would die soon.
Nimueh didn’t expect a familiar
physician to show up on the Isle of the Blessed several days later. Hatred
flared in her eyes as she saw Gaius wearing blue. He was seeking her help…when
he didn’t even help her and her people in desperate event. Why should she help
him?
“I never thought I’d see you here again,” said Nimueh as she
walked forward.
“My lady,” said Gaius.
“It’s a long time since
you called me that.”
“I come to ask for your
help,” he said in a low soft voice.
“As you did once before
for Uther. You did not like the outcome.”
“I offer a chance for you
to atone for the death of his wife.”
Thoughts raced through
Nimueh’s head. ‘I did nothing wrong! It
was all Uther’s fault and his allies. Why should I be blamed for that? I wanted
Ygraine to survive as much as Uther did.’
Nimueh paced around the
stone circle. “I have saved the life of her son. What more do you ask for?”
“That this time you take
a just price,” Gaius answered. “Merlin intends to offer his life for his mother’s.
I want you to take mine in his place.”
Nimueh laughed out loud. “With
all my powers of prediction, I could never have foretold this. Gaius the hero.”
Nimueh continued to speak
as Merlin rode closer and closer to the island. “Why could I grant your wish? You
stood and watched while our friends burned in the Great Purge. You are nothing
but a traitor.”
Gaius folded his hands in
front of him. “Merlin is the one man who can bring magic back to this land. At
Arthur’s side, he can help forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty
that we can only dream of.”
Nimueh was intrigued at
the thought of living in a peaceful time, just like she had before Uther’s
decision. She figured that Merlin and Arthur weren’t her enemies after all…or
at least they shouldn’t be. With them working together, magic would return and
they would all be free.
“And you’re willing to
give your life, Gaius, for the future they will bring?” she asked.
Gaius wen silent in fear
and thought.
“I’m waiting,” she said
with a sinister grin. “Are you ready to die, Gaius?”
Gaius?” she urged.
Gaius took a deep breath
and stated, “For Merlin, I will give my life.”
Nimueh held the Cup of
Life over her head and said a spell.
Ic, seo heahsacered, the
acwelle, strengthe ealdan aewfaestnesse! (I, the High Priestess, you die, by the
power of the Old Religion!)
Gaius’s life left him and
he went still, his body resting against the pedestal.
Merlin rowed to the Isle
of the Blessed, but he had arrived too late. He reached the top of the hill
just as Nimueh finished her spell.
“Stop!” he yelled.
Nimueh stared at Merlin
and placed the cup on the pedestal. “Back again so soon, warlock? She walked
over to him.
“What have you done?” Merlin
gasped.
“Your mother is safe,” she
said. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Have you killed him?” he
asked sadly, looking at Gaius.
“It was his wish,” she
stated calmly.
Merlin groaned in frustration
and yelled, “I bid my life for Arthur’s, not my mother’s, not Gaius’s!”
Nimueh fired back. “The
Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies, only that the balance of the
world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this.”
“It is not the Old
Religion that has done this, it is you,” Merlin argued.
“Come now,” Nimueh said
in a soothing voice. “We’re too valuable to each other to be enemies.”
“No, I share nothing with
you!” yelled Merlin.
“With my help, Arthur
will become king.”
“I will make Arthur king,
but you will never see that day. Astrice! (I strike!)”
A beam of light shot from
merlin’s hand, but Nimueh blocked it with the front of her hand.
“Your childish tricks are
useless against me, Merlin. I’m a Priestess of the Old Religion.”
She moved her hand in a
circle and flames appeared.
“Forbearne! (Burn
up!)”
Nimueh fired a flaming
ball at Merlin who dodged it. The blast hit a stone wall, blasting it apart.
Merlin stood up as Nimueh walked slower. She conjured another fireball in her
hands and smiled.
“You too are a creature
of the Old Religion. You should join me.”
Merlin glared at her in a
defensive position. “You’d think, I would join forces with such selfish and
cruel magic? Never.”
“So be it. Akwele! (Destroy!)”
This time, the fireball
hit Merlin square in the chest. He fell down hard on his back with a scream He
groaned in pain as a hole from his blue shirt was sizzling with smoke.
“Pity,” said Nimueh. “Together,
we could have ruled the world.”
Confident of her victory,
Nimueh walked back toward Gaius. She didn’t notice Merlin’s eyes abruptly
opening. Merlin stood up and said in a cold voice, “You should not have killed
my friend.”
Nimueh turned around in
shock. The blow she had just dealt should have killed him. It would have killed
anyone else for sure.
Ninueh didn’t have time
to think about it, because Merlin held out his palm and lightning flashed in
the sky. He was possessing the power over life and death. Nimueh conjured a
blue energy shield around her, but her power was not match for Merlin’s
superior magic. With a loud bang, the shield broke and lightning struck Nimueh’s
body. Shock, terror, and disbelief appeared on Nimueh’s face and the shocking
pain was all she could feel. Seconds later, her body exploded in a flash of
light.
What
if Nimueh survived?
Nimueh didn’t expect a
familiar physician to show up on the Isle of the Blessed several days later.
Hatred flared in her eyes as she saw Gaius wearing blue. He was seeking her
help…when he didn’t even help her and her people in desperate event. Why should
she help him?
“I never thought I’d see you here again,” said Nimueh as she
walked forward.
“My lady,” said Gaius.
“It’s a long time since
you called me that.”
“I come to ask for your
help,” he said in a low soft voice.
“As you did once before
for Uther. You did not like the outcome.”
“I offer a chance for you
to atone for the death of his wife.”
Thoughts raced through
Nimueh’s head. ‘I did nothing wrong! It
was all Uther’s fault and his allies. Why should I be blamed for that? I wanted
Ygraine to survive as much as Uther did.’
Nimueh paced around the
stone circle. “I have saved the life of her son. What more do you ask for?”
“That this time you take
a just price,” Gaius answered. “Merlin intends to offer his life for his
mother’s. I want you to take mine in his place.”
Nimueh laughed out loud.
“With all my powers of prediction, I could never have foretold this. Gaius the
hero.”
Nimueh continued to speak
as Merlin rode closer and closer to the island. “Why could I grant your wish?
You stood and watched while our friends burned in the Great Purge. You are
nothing but a traitor.”
Gaius folded his hands in
front of him. “Merlin is the one man who can bring magic back to this land. At
Arthur’s side, he can help forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty
that we can only dream of.”
Nimueh was intrigued at
the thought of living in a peaceful time, just like she had before Uther’s
decision. She figured that Merlin and Arthur weren’t her enemies after all…or
at least they shouldn’t be. With them working together, magic would return and
they would all be free.
“And you’re willing to
give your life, Gaius, for the future they will bring?” she asked.
“Stop!” Merlin shouted.
Both of them turned at
the sound of Merlin’s yell. Gaius stared at Merlin flabbergasted.
“What are you doing
here?”
Nimueh also looked
surprised. “Back again so soon, warlock?”
“Gaius, you’re alive?”
asked Merlin.
“Yes, for now,” he
answered.
Merlin marched toward
Nimueh. “I won’t let you harm him!”
Gaius held Merlin back.
“Listen, Merlin, I came here by choice. I’m sacrificing my life to protect you.
Nimueh is not a person to trifle with.”
“Why?” asked Merlin,
clearly disturbed.
“You wanted to give up
your life to save your mother’s,” Gaius responded.
“Let me help fulfil his
wish,” Nimueh added.
“No! I won’t let you!”
“If you want your mother
to survive, a life must be taken in exchange,” she explained. “After all, what
good is it for a traitor of the Old Religion to live?” She glared at Gaius.
“I only did what I
thought was right,” said Gaius. “Uther was the one to send me to you to ask
about helping Igraine to conceive Arthur. I helped in any way I could.”
“Yet you stood and
watched as my kind were destroyed and massacred by Uther’s men!” she argued. “I
have no reason to trust you, only to kill you since that’s what you want.”
Merlin yelled again. “I
bid my life for Arthur’s, not my mother’s, not Gaius’s!”
Gaius turned to Merlin.
“You do realize that your mother’s illness gets worse every minute. If we don’t
act now, then it will certainly be too late.”
“Oh, believe me,” replied
Merlin. “I will act very soon: I’m going to kill this vengeful witch once and
for all!”
Nimueh scoffed. “You
seriously want to try and kill a High Priestess? You must have a death wish as
much as Gaius.”
Merlin growled and
conjured a beam of light that Nimueh easily blocked with her hand. Nimueh
conjured a fireball in her hand and it sailed toward Merlin. Merlin was barely
able to dodge it before the ball exploded against a stone wall. Stone slabs and
pieces landed on the grass.
Nimueh was about to fire
another ball of fire at Merlin, but Gaius knocked her down, using magic of his
own. Nimueh stood up.
“You traitorous fools!
Going against the Old Religion! You’re only wasting your time, dealing with
me.”
Merlin fired back, “It is
not the Old Religion that has done this. It is you.”
“Come now, Merlin,” said
Nimueh, trying to get him to her side. “We’re too valuable to each other to be
enemies.”
“No, I share nothing with
you!”
“With my help, Arthur
will become king.”
“I will make Arthur king.
But you will never see that day.”
“You misunderstand your
great power and potential, Merlin. You too are a creature of the Old Religion.
Join me, and together we could rule the world.”
“You think I would join
forces with such selfish and cruel magic? Never.”
“So be it.”
“You should not have
killed my mother, nor tried to kill Gaius!” Merlin roared. Truthfully, Merlin
didn’t know whether Hunith was still alive or not, but due to the situation, he
dared to think the worst.
Instead of using fire,
Nimueh conjured up a whip of ice cold water and splashed it in Merlin’s face.
Merlin ducked to the ground, avoiding protecting icicles from Nimueh’s hands.
She reached toward the pedestal and grabbed the Cup of Life. Merlin fired more
blasts at Nimueh, which she easily dodged and blocked. Nimueh fired another
blast that knocked Gaius backwards, slamming him against the pedestal.
“No!” cried Merlin.
She strode toward Gaius,
rising the cup in the air. She began to chant. At the same time, Merlin held
out his hand as lightning flashed in the sky. Nimueh briefly conjured a shield
to protect her from the lightning strikes. But Merlin knew that she couldn’t do
multiple spells at once. She lowered her hand and held the cup, focusing on the
spell of death. Just before she finished…
Wham!
Merlin’s conjured
lightning bolt struck the cup from above, knocking Nimueh down to the ground
with a yelp. Her body twitched as some of the lightning flowed through her. Her
red dress was tattered and burned form the strikes. Seizing his chance, Merlin
walked over to her and held his hand forward. He suddenly found himself being
held back by Gaius.
“What’re you doing?” he
yelled, struggling to break free.
Gaius spoke a spell out
loud, causing Merlin to briefly fall asleep.
He made his way to the
cup on the ground and picked it up. Some of the water had spilled out of it,
but there was a small bit left. He walked toward Nimueh, and carefully lowered
the cup to her lips. The remaining water poured between her lips and she
swallowed with effort.
Several minutes later,
she took a breath and opened her eyes, wondering where she was. Then she looked
at the one who saved her and glared. “Why did you…”
“Because I know that you
can still make amends,” said Gaius. “I don’t expect you to side with me or
Uther. You’ll fare much better in Camelot.”
“I’m not welcomed back at
that place,” she replied. “I’ll never set foot there again.”
“You can be disguised and
no one would recognize you.”
“Yeah, sure,” she
muttered. “I’ll be killed on sight. I’d would be better to see Camelot fall and
Uther to die with it.”
“I’m giving you one last
chance,” said Gaius.
Nimueh held out her
shaking hand, to find only sparks coming out of it. Her magic had been screwed
up due to the lightning strike.
“You better hurry and
make your decision before Merlin wakes up. Agree to follow our terms and you
might be able to live the life you once did.”
“What do you want,
exactly?” she asked, wincing in pain at the impact of the strike. “Why save my
life?”
“Because you might be
able to save Hunith’s life.”
“You realize that even if
I were to save her, someone else close to Merlin would die?”
Gaius stared at her.
“What do you mean by that? Are you saying you won’t save her?”
Nimueh looked downcast.
“She’s already gone.”
Merlin stood up and shook
himself awake. He walked slowly over to the two individuals.
“Gaius?” he asked. “Why
did you save her?”
“I wanted to give her a
second chance.”
“She doesn’t deserve one!
She tried to kill me and Arthur. Who knows how many more people will die
because of her.”
“Like Hunith?” she asked.
She briefly gained some pleasure at seeing Merlin’s heart-broken face. Then she
saw Merlin’s teary eyes narrow in anger.
“You killed her?”
“I sensed her energy
fade.”
Merlin shook his head in
denial. “You’re lying! You’re just trying to make me feel horrible.”
Gaius put his hand on
Merlin’s shoulders. “We don’t know that.”
Merlin pulled himself
away from his mentor. “Use the Cup of Life to heal my mother, or I’ll kill
you!”
Nimueh crossed her arms.
“Haven’t you forgotten that your lightning magic has messed up my powers?”
“You still have knowledge
over life and death,” Merlin mentioned. “Do it, now!”
Nimueh slowly stood up,
adjusting to her legs. “Very well.” She knew that it was far too late, but if
this would get them to leave her be, then that is what she would do.
She took the cup, filled
it with water and held it up in the air.
“I,
the High Priestess, hereby use the power of the Old Religion, to save her from
her illness.”
A rumble of thunder
vibrated in the dark clouds above. Nimueh lowered the cup and looked downcast.
“What happened?” asked
Merlin.
“I don’t know,” said
Nimueh. Her convincing voice was enough to make Merlin believe her. Nimueh
focused on her hand, but still she couldn’t create anything.
“You need healing,” said
Gaius. “I need to take you back to Camelot.”
“Just let me die here
instead,” the sorceress seethed.
“I know this is hard you
for, Merlin,” said Gaius. “But she could be a great ally to us in the future.”
Merlin glared and shook
his head. “She’s a trickster and evil! She could be up to no good on the
journey there. Just because you knew her in the past, doesn’t mean she can be
trusted!”
Nimueh gave Merlin a
deadly stare, hiding the fact that Merlin’s comment actually stung a bit. Deep
down, she wanted Gaius to trust her again. But then again, he did nothing to
save her people and no amount of magic could heal the traumatic damage that the
Great Purge had caused. Maybe, she could use this new situation to her
advantage. Time to play the damsel in distress again.
Nimueh started to cry.
“I’m sorry…for what I did. You can take me back to Camelot and do what you
will.”
“Good choice,” said
Gaius. “There’s a rowboat down the way.”
As Gaius led the way and
guided Nimueh, Merlin spoke to him in a low voice.
“You know she’s trying to
trick us, right?”
Gaius nodded. “Both of us
will keep an eye on her.”
The three individuals
made it back to Camelot. They had managed to disguise Nimueh in a handmaiden’s
dress, this time in light blue. Much to her distaste, her hair was cut short.
To Merlin’s horror, he
saw his mother in bed, her skin pale and cold. He leaned close to his mother’s
body and sobbed. Gaius came over and wrapped his arm comfortably around Merlin.
“For once, Nimueh was
right. She’s gone.”
“I’m sorry, Merlin.”
“No. Nimueh’s the one who
should be sorry. She knew that my mother would die!”
“Yet, she still tried to
help.”
“No! She only did that to
mock us.”
“Did you see the sad look
on her face after her spell?”
“She was only pretending
to be sad.”
“I’m not so sure.”
Merlin stomped toward
Nimueh, who was lying down on a bed nearby.
“Merlin, I’m not done
with my patient, yet.”
“There’s something I have
to do,” he said coldly. “She took away the person I loved the most. Now it’s
time for her to know what loss is like.”
Gaius got chills from
this new side of Merlin. “You’re not seriously going to kill her now?”
Merlin shook his head. “Now
that I think about it, death isn’t good enough for her. So I’ve decided to try
this instead.”
Merlin held his hand over
her and chanted another spell.
“Release
the magic energy from this maiden’s soul. Her power shall not be returned,
until she is ready to use it.”
Nimueh felt her very
energy ripped away from her. The humming in her veins, that had been second
nature to her, suddenly stopped. The spell must have been powerful, because,
moments later, Merlin collapsed in a heap on the floor.
Gaius carried him to the
bedroom. “He’ll be up the next day.”
“What have you done?!”
she shrieked.
‘Keep your voice down,”
said Gaius. “If you’re found out, Uther will have you burned at the stake.”
“I’ll just escape,” she
replied.
“How?” asked Gaius.
“Without magic?”
Nimueh held out her hand
at Gaius, and uttered a spell. Nothing happened. Empty air stood in place of
where a fireball should’ve been in her hand.
“I’ll kill you…I’ll kill
both of you! I cannot live without my magic.”
“There are plenty of
people who do,” said Gaius.
“Give it back!” she
cried.
“Only Merlin can.”
“Then I’ll torture him
until he does!”
“With what, exactly?”
Once again, Nimueh
realized her helplessness in the situation.
“You know I could just
march down and confront Uther, right?” she said.
Gaius shook his head. “Both
of us know that he wouldn’t listen. You would be thrown in jail and burned the
next day.”
“There are hardly any of
us left,” said Nimueh. “With Uther and my enemies alive, me powerless, and all
my family gone, what else do I have to live for?”
Gaius drew in a breath at
his former friend’s distress. He gave her a hug, before Nimueh could react. She
stayed still, crying briefly. Then she pushed him away. “Go away, old traitor!”
Gaius sighed. “I’ll fetch
you some food, water, and new clothes. Stay here and don’t cause any trouble.”
“Why are you doing this?!
Why be so nice now?”
“Sometimes, that’s all
one can do,” he replied. “Just be aware, Merlin still has his magic, so if you
plan to attack him, then you’ll have a hard time doing so.”
Gaius opened the wooden
door, went out and closed it.
Merlin was awake the next
day, he and Nimueh didn’t speak for the entire day. Nimueh tried to devise a
way to escape. She didn’t know why she was willing to follow Gaius in the first
place. She knew she had needed to heal from the damage of the lightning; she
didn’t expect them to trick her and steal her magic! She was surprised that
Merlin hadn’t tried to kill her already. Maybe Gaius’s words could hold him
back…barely.
Nimueh searched book
after book, trying to find a spell to restore her magic. Then she realized that
she couldn’t do magic and screamed in frustration. The next best thing she
could do, already feeling like a prisoner, was to pray to the Triple Goddess.
The
Curse of Cornelius Sigan
Nimueh tells Merlin about
the curse and pressures him to restore her magic. Still not trusting her, Merlin
refuses to do so. Nimueh watches the possessed Cedric try and destroy Camelot,
but is disappointed when she learns that Merlin trapped the spirit back inside.
She laughs when Cedric gets praise from Arthur, not bothering to tell Merlin of
his true intentions.
The
Nightmare Begins
In secret, Nimueh tells
Morgana what it’s like to have magic, despite having lost it. She receives the
same recognition and understanding that she had wanted from Merlin. Merlin
arrives and blasts her to the side, to Morgana’s shock. Morgana doesn’t listen
to Merlin until he suggests that she go to the Druids for more info. Nimueh
wakes up from Merlin’s attack, almost being caught. Knowing that the Druids
could be put in danger by Uther and his men searching for Morgana, Nimueh tries
to persuade Merlin to leave Morgana be, but he doesn’t listen. In the
meanwhile, Morgana forms a bond with Nimueh, the Druids and Mordred.
The
Sins of the Father
Like Morgause, Nimueh
tries to persuade Arthur to kill Uther, but Merlin stops him and tells him the
truth about Ygraine being an illusion created by Morgause.
The
Witch’s Quickening
Nimueh aids Morgana into
stealing the crystal for the Druids. She decides to be brave and stand up
against Uther along with Morgana. Nimueh is sent to prison but not before
Morgana helps Alvarr and Nimueh escape.
The
Fires of Idrisholas
Nimueh allies with
Morgause on the run and prepares to attack Camelot with the evil knights. Morgause
restores Nimueh’s magic but uses her at the same time. She sends Nimueh ahead
to discover Merlin’s location and kill Uther. She finds him, but Merlin knocks
her out before Morgause can find them. Morgause takes Morgana and Nimueh away.
The
Tears of Uther Pendragon
Nimueh works with Morgana
and Morgause in creating a mandrake to cause nightmares and visions to Uther. Nimueh
joins the fight with Cenred against Camelot but is forced to retreat.
The
Coming of Arthur
Nimueh witnesses Morgana
being crowned queen and she stands by Morgause. Uther looks at her in fury and
she smiles when Uther is led to prison.
The
Darkest Hour
Nimueh, Morgana, and Morgause
head to the Isle of the Blessed to release the evil spirits into the world of
the living.
The
Wicked Day
Nimueh helps Morgana kill
Uther. When Arthur is crowned king, he banishes Nimueh.
The
Sword in the Stone
Arthur’s
Bane
Having changed and tired
of Morgana’s ever increasing cruelty, Nimueh decides to forgive Arthur and warn
him of Mordred. Arthur allows Nimueh back into Camelot under supervision. Only
Merlin and Nimueh are suspicious of Sefa as a spy.
The
Death Song of Uther Pendragon
Nimueh warns Arthur not
to look back at Uther in the spirit world, but he forgets her advice.
Another’s
sorrow
Nimueh warns Arthur of
Odin’s trap but he doesn’t listen.
The
Disir
Nimueh pressures Arthur
to bow to the Triple Goddess and embrace the Old Religion, but he refuses.
The
Dark Tower
Nimueh tries to rescue
Gwen from Morgana but suffers visions herself. She is temporarily back in
Morgana’s control, but eventually resists her hold.
The
Kindness of strangers
Nimueh reluctantly hides
Merlin’s identity.
Finale
Nimueh mourns Arthur and
becomes the second lady of the lake.
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