[Fic] The Pentagram Sacrifices [Part 5]
| Masterpost | Part Four | Part Six |
:::::
Ceirydwen Rhees close mate was a Lizzie Kinnaird, a short brunette who still had all the signs of someone intensely grieving.
“Miss Kinnaird?” Arthur asked, standing up as she approached them. He immediately mourned the loss of Merlin’s body heat along his side which caught him completely off guard. Merlin stood next him and Arthur forced his attention back to the brunette as she answered.
“Yes. Headmistress Ames said you wanted to speak with me.”
“We do, we have some questions about your friend Miss Ceirydwen Rhys,” Arthur said gently.
“I thought they had finished asking all the questions months ago.”
“We have some follow up questions.”
“What’s the point? You haven’t been able to catch him. DI Muirden said that there was no hope of finding who the murderer was.” Her voice was sharp, accusing.
“We think her murder might be link to a recent murder. And I believe DI Muirden was incorrect when he made that statement,” Arthur said wishing for the hundredth time that The Met would just fire that arrogant, useless idiot.
“Is this about them Pentagram Sacrifices?”
“Yes.”
In the end, they weren’t able to find out anything new. Though Merlin had lingered on a picture of Miss Kinnaird and the murder victim, his eyes focused on a necklace the vic was wearing. If Arthur remembered correctly it was the pendant that had been found at the site of the murder. Arthur had asked if it was anything important, knowing that while DI Muirden had released most of the evidence back to the family, if they needed to they might be able to obtain the pendant.
But Merlin had looked at him and Arthur had been taken aback by the sadness he saw, “No need. I don’t think it will really help us.”
He had brought up his hand but caught himself before he could do anything stupid. The young professor had gotten under his skin and Arthur couldn’t remember the last time anyone had.
The easy way he could tell Merlin about trouble sleeping and why usually would have made him paranoid, but with Merlin he couldn’t understand why it felt so easy to trust the man.
Which was why the next day Arthur found himself at the scene of the second murder with Merlin in tow.
“What are you expecting to find here?” Arthur asked.
“I don’t know,” Merlin had replied irritably as he pulled out pictures taken from evidence earlier that morning and started looking for something.
Arthur had wanted to ask “What’s wrong”, but Merlin had immediately wandered off checking the photographs every few seconds.
He had been distracting talking to a constable who was in charge of keeping an eye on the area while it was interest when he heard, a loud, pained “Fuck.”
Arthur did not to think about the irrational fear and worry that had swamped him and the way his heart was beating rapidly, thump-thump at the sound of hearing Merlin in pain before he could get his feet moving to see what was wrong.
When he had reached Merlin, he caught a faint sheen of gold in Merlin’s eyes but was distracted by the fact that Merlin was shaking and his face was pale as if he had seen a ghost.
Propriety be damned, Arthur grabbed a hold of Merlin, “Are you okay? What happened?” h asked his eyes frantically looking over, checking to see where he was hurt.
“I’m fine Arthur,” and for a brief moment Merlin leaned against him, a part of him want to give in and wrap his arms around Merlin, to give him his strength, but Merlin pulled away with a sigh.
“I stumbled and hit something hard,” Merlin said evasively a moment later when it seemed he realize that Arthur was waiting for an answer but Arthur knew he wasn’t telling all of the truth.
On the drive back to Scotland Yard, Merlin was noticeably quiet. Every few minutes he would look at him and pause as if he was about to say something before glancing away. These happened several times, before Arthur finally grew frustrated.
“Out with it.”
“It’s nothing.”
Arthur paused glancing at Merlin before back at the road. His color had slowly come back, but Merlin still looked like as if he had seen a ghost of some sort. His face was conflicted as he looked at Arthur. And Arthur realized then that he wanted to be someone Merlin could trust, to be someone Merlin could turn to.
“You know, you can tell me anything. I won’t judge.”
There was no response to that and for some reason that hurt more than he would’ve ever thought.
::::
Merlin had known he would need to go see the Druid Council ever since he had touched the pentagram at the crime scene of the second murder. Even now, he could feel the dark taint of the magic crawling against his skin. Merlin had never encountered death magic before. And with each clue the case was becoming more complicated than what he thought. Just some Celtic translations, he scoffed as he got onto the platform. He was going to have some words with his uncle later about withholding information.
As he got off at Charring Cross Station, he shivered despite his pullover and heavy coat. He didn't need to ask for directions, he could just use his magic to get to the place he wanted to go since the pull of the magic was too strong here. Merlin could feel the anxious swirl of his magic low in his gut as he hurriedly followed the pull, avoiding eyes and ducking through the evening crowd. Charring Cross has always been known to bring in strange types due to the strength of the magic here and it was best he avoided anything that might cause trouble or reveal his presence to something that shouldn't be aware of him.
The building he was looking for was centuries old, built sometime in the late 18th century. One of London's strongest ley lines ran through here and the sorcerers of that time had co-opted to build their central headquarters there instead of elsewhere. Personally, Merlin had always thought it was a strange location but Gaius had just patiently explained that the magical residue that had built over the years prevented any sort of move. Merlin thought that was hogwash and knew it was because the Council was too entrenched in their ways to be willing to move somewhere else.
His pace slowed as he approached the modest brick and mortar building. There was a front entrance, but very few people used it. Anyone from the community always went around the back to the smaller door with a plaque simply labeled "The Council." Below that was a knocker made of brass, though more copper than zinc, shaped in a form of a sleeping sylph. Merlin reached for it letting his magic briefly touch it and it warm beneath his fingertips as he slowly pulled away.
"Emrys," it breathed in recognition, the sylph eyes opened and glowed a shimmering gold before the door swung open quietly.
It had been years since he had been here. The last time Gaius and his mentor had dragged him here to get initiated. Merlin hadn't wanted to come, but Gaius insisted, arguing that he ever planned to live in London or ever needed help that it would be better to do it then. But Merlin had never planned to come to London and he didn't see any reason to interact with The Council.
As he entered the large foyer, he still could remember the dark looks some of the members had given him when he had been here last. And when he had asked Gaius what that was about, Gaius had looked sad and said, "Some of them still are angry at your father for not joining the Council." Merlin had wanted to ask, "Then why are you making me do this?" but the way Gaius grew quiet stopped him. Balinor’s death had been hard on everyone who knew him. His da was a force of nature and his absence always lingered in the shadows of his mother’s eyes or the way she would still after saying, “You are so much like your father.” Her eyes would drift away for a moment as if she was remembering something before turning back to smile at Merlin.
The loud clatter of footsteps brought him back to his immediate surroundings and he grinned as he recognized the old man approaching him. The man's face was craggy, dark eyes set under bushy eyebrows, and wisps of white hair haphazardly falling around his face as he slowly made his way over. The frown lines of the man's face eased into a smile as he recognized Merlin.
"Tally," Merlin said grinning as the elderly man pulled him into a hug.
"Merlin, my boy! It's so very good to see you!," Talhearn "Tally" Rhees said as he looked over Merlin before pulling him to another hug.
Merlin laughed as Tally pulled him across to foyer into a long cavernous hallway, "Come along, I bet you could use a cuppa. The wind has been quite horrid today."
As he gestured Merlin to the couch in one of the sitting rooms they passed by, he yelled out, "Nancy, my dear! Two for tea and if you have those custard cream biscuits bring those as well."
"Are you sure you should be eating sweets with your diabetes?" Merlin asked frowning as Tally settled across from him in a cushioned maroon chair.
"A few biscuits won't affect my diabetes. Besides these days I eat them only when I have visitors, and I hardly have visitors, my boy," Tally said, no reproach in his voice, but Merlin felt guilty anyway.
"Tally, I--" Merlin started.
"I understand why you didn’t come earlier Merlin. You don't need to explain it to me," Tally replied fondly. "Besides this place isn’t what it used to be."
"Then why did you return to London? I thought you enjoyed teaching at Oxford. Young minds and all," Merlin said frowning at his mentor.
Tally had been his mentor while at Oxford overseeing his magical training. Before then, most of Merlin's training had been with Uncle Gaius whenever he was in Ealdor during the holidays or young Mrs. Erwood who tried to help Merlin control his magical abilities, but after that fire incident had wisely told him that he needed more training . Tally had been one of the few sorcerers willing to take on a student. Oxford hadn’t been his first choice for uni, but the school was renowned among certain circles for it’s magical training.
"Sometimes you have to go where you're needed," Tally said cryptically, but before Merlin could ask what he meant, Nancy had come in with the tea. She was in her early forties with a kind smile and soft brown eyes.
The housekeeper smiled warmly at Merlin as Tally introduced her.
“This lovely lady is the keeper of all here at The Caerns House. We all would fall apart without her. Nancy, dear this is my young apprentice I told you about.’ Frowning he said, “Well I guess not an apprentice any longer.”
“It is wonderful to finally meet you Merlin. I’ve heard so much about you from Professor Rhees.”
Merlin flushed laughing., “All good things I hope.”
Tally mock glared “Of course my boy, what do you take me for?”
Nancy gave Merlin another warm smile, “Only good things dear. He boasts about your academic accomplishments quite frequently.”
Merlin blushed at the praise, “It’s not much.”
“Don’t be silly dear. The professor does not give compliments lightly.”
“That I don’t,” Tally agreed, picking up his cup.
She poured tea and fussed over Tally fondly admonishing him not to eat too many biscuits, before leaving them two alone.
“So what really brings you here Merlin?” Tally asked after a minute, turning to Merlin. “Though I have a feeling I know what brings you here,” he added as he set down his cup back on the saucer.
"Have you warded this room," Merlin asked quietly as he took a sip of his tea.
"Yes."
"What does the Council think of these murders?"
"They don't think it's anything magically related."
"Even though one of the victims was a Protector?" Merlin asked frowning. He had been shocked when he had recognized the girl’s pendant in the photos. Most sorcerers had one, usually a family heirloom and in most cases it told the people who knew the magic the wearer practiced.
"There was no magical residue when Ceirydwen was killed," Tally said slowly,grief flashing across his face.
"You knew her."
Tally nodded, "Yes, briefly. I know her family quite well and Ceirydwen was a bright, young lady with astute sense of observation. She wasn't very powerful, but she came from a family with a long history of sorcerers which made her an ideal candidate as a Protector.”
Merlin leaned forward, his face earnest, “Tally, I touched the pentagram at the scene of the second murder and it was tainted with dark magic.”
Tally didn’t say anything and Merlin frowned, “You knew that already?”
“No, but I knew something was up when Gaius showed up the next day after the young lad was found to talk to the Council,” Tally admitted.
“There’s too much of a coincidence for there to be magical residue at the crime scene of the second murder and the first victim being a Protector.”
“You’re right of course, but there isn’t much the Council can do that you aren’t already doing Merlin,” Tally looked at Merlin, “And then there is Arthur Pendragon.”
Merlin looked sharply at Tally, unsettled at how defensive he felt about the arrogant DI, “He’s not his father.”
“You’ve only known him a couple of weeks.” For some reason, Tally’s mild tone irritated Merlin. It reminded him too much of Uncle Gaius’s “I told you so,” look, the one Merlin knew his uncle was barely refraining from giving him everytime he saw him at Scotland Yard.
“Look I felt the same way as everyone else at first, but Arthur’s nothing like Uther Pendragon.”
“I can see that. Gaius did say the younger Pendragon is more like Ygraine than Uther.”
Merlin looked at him not sure why he had brought up Arthur’s mother.
“Ygraine DuBois as she was known before her marriage was a powerful sorceress,” Tally added to clarify.
“Wait, what?” Merlin tried to think back to remember if Arthur had any magic. Maybe that’s why his magic reacted so strongly.
“The younger Pendragon doesn’t have magic.” Which made Merlin look sharply up.
But Tally just looked at him bemusedly, “Why else would Uther have known about magic? He blamed her death on magic which was why all those cases happened.
“She was also best friends with a Nimueh Terfal,” Tally said after taking another sip of his tea, clearly amused
“What?” Merlin eyes widen, “ Arthur’s mother was best mates with the head of the Druid Council.”
“Quite so, they grew up together both being from Cornwall.”
Merlin leaned back, his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of everything. Seriously the next time he saw his uncle he was going to get a earful. Of all the things he should've told him, Arthur's mother having magic being the first. “And Arthur. He doesn’t know about magic?”
“Based on Uther’s feelings toward magic, I would say most likely not.”
He slumped against the cushions. Merlin had hoped that maybe if Arthur knew that he could tell him about his magic. But if Arthur felt the same way his father did. Merlin knew that he didn’t want to lose the fragile trust that somehow the young inspector had given him. But he might either way.
But before he could ask, there was a knock, and a woman dressed in dark robes and long flowing hair stepped in with a man similarly dressed behind her.
She glanced at Merlin and then at Tally, “Am I interrupting something?”
“No not at all Nimueh. We were almost done with our tea.” Merlin’s looked at her in surprise. He had heard about the Head Sorceress, but had never met her. It was a strange coincidence that she appeared just as they were talking about her.
“Lady Nimueh,” Merlin said starting to stand.
“Emrys," she said greeting him, " no need to get up."
Frowning at him, "I never expected to see you in London of all places.”
“Well,” Merlin said, “Sometimes you have to go where you are needed.” Merlin ignored Tally's beaming smile.
“Indeed. I’ve heard that you are working on--what were they called? Oh yes, The Pentagram Sacrifices.” Her eyes sharpened, “Working with Arthur Pendragon." There was amusement in her voice.
“Yes,” Merlin could feel his hackles rise and he let out a breath, “Yes, I’m working with DI Pendragon.” He still couldn’t figure out where this strange defensiveness on Arthur’s behalf was coming from.
“Well, hopefully you’ll find the culprit.”
“Thank you.”
She turned back to Tally, who had been busy making himself another cup of tea, “I came to remind you about the meeting with the McDuggert Clan.”
“I will be there.” She turned and the man followed her out.
Merlin gave a loud exhale once they had left the room.
“Is she always so imposing.” And arrogant, he wanted to add but wisely chose not to.
“Usually,” Tally said.
“Who was that man with her?”
“Ruadan, another member of the council and I suppose her second-in-command.”
“She doesn’t like that I’m helping the Scotland Yard?”
“She has rather strong feelings where the Pendragons are concerned.”
“Yes I noticed that,” Merlin said wryly scrubbing his face, “So that means I’m on my own?”
“No, but if you don’t want Arthur to become an accidental causality then it might be best not to have the Council involve.”
“They can try to hurt him, but they’ll fail,” Merlin said angry, thinking how petty grudges could extend to the point where someone could get hurt. He ignored the voice that was saying, it’s because Arthur was being threatened that he was reacting this way.
“I know,” Tally said amused and Merlin flushed under his mentor’s all too knowing smile.
After promising to keep him updated and warning him not to indulge in too many sweets, Merlin left hoping he would make it to the Underground before the last train left.
He had left with more questions than answers and he was starting to think that might be a good thing.
:::::
“You didn’t tell him everything,” Nancy said as she settled in the same chair Merlin had been occupying.
“He already has too much on his shoulders. He’ll know when he’s ready.”
“Do you think he ever will be?”
“I have faith in him.”
“Iseldir has seen--” she starts, but stops at the frown he’s giving her.
“Iseldir is senile with too much time on his hands,” Tally scoffed.
“You can’t deny his seer abilities though.”
“While that may be the case, sometimes it’s reckless to want to know the future.”
“Maybe,” Nancy mused, “So Pendragon and Emrys?”
“So it seems.”
:::::
| Masterpost | Part Four | Part Six |
:::::
Ceirydwen Rhees close mate was a Lizzie Kinnaird, a short brunette who still had all the signs of someone intensely grieving.
“Miss Kinnaird?” Arthur asked, standing up as she approached them. He immediately mourned the loss of Merlin’s body heat along his side which caught him completely off guard. Merlin stood next him and Arthur forced his attention back to the brunette as she answered.
“Yes. Headmistress Ames said you wanted to speak with me.”
“We do, we have some questions about your friend Miss Ceirydwen Rhys,” Arthur said gently.
“I thought they had finished asking all the questions months ago.”
“We have some follow up questions.”
“What’s the point? You haven’t been able to catch him. DI Muirden said that there was no hope of finding who the murderer was.” Her voice was sharp, accusing.
“We think her murder might be link to a recent murder. And I believe DI Muirden was incorrect when he made that statement,” Arthur said wishing for the hundredth time that The Met would just fire that arrogant, useless idiot.
“Is this about them Pentagram Sacrifices?”
“Yes.”
In the end, they weren’t able to find out anything new. Though Merlin had lingered on a picture of Miss Kinnaird and the murder victim, his eyes focused on a necklace the vic was wearing. If Arthur remembered correctly it was the pendant that had been found at the site of the murder. Arthur had asked if it was anything important, knowing that while DI Muirden had released most of the evidence back to the family, if they needed to they might be able to obtain the pendant.
But Merlin had looked at him and Arthur had been taken aback by the sadness he saw, “No need. I don’t think it will really help us.”
He had brought up his hand but caught himself before he could do anything stupid. The young professor had gotten under his skin and Arthur couldn’t remember the last time anyone had.
The easy way he could tell Merlin about trouble sleeping and why usually would have made him paranoid, but with Merlin he couldn’t understand why it felt so easy to trust the man.
Which was why the next day Arthur found himself at the scene of the second murder with Merlin in tow.
“What are you expecting to find here?” Arthur asked.
“I don’t know,” Merlin had replied irritably as he pulled out pictures taken from evidence earlier that morning and started looking for something.
Arthur had wanted to ask “What’s wrong”, but Merlin had immediately wandered off checking the photographs every few seconds.
He had been distracting talking to a constable who was in charge of keeping an eye on the area while it was interest when he heard, a loud, pained “Fuck.”
Arthur did not to think about the irrational fear and worry that had swamped him and the way his heart was beating rapidly, thump-thump at the sound of hearing Merlin in pain before he could get his feet moving to see what was wrong.
When he had reached Merlin, he caught a faint sheen of gold in Merlin’s eyes but was distracted by the fact that Merlin was shaking and his face was pale as if he had seen a ghost.
Propriety be damned, Arthur grabbed a hold of Merlin, “Are you okay? What happened?” h asked his eyes frantically looking over, checking to see where he was hurt.
“I’m fine Arthur,” and for a brief moment Merlin leaned against him, a part of him want to give in and wrap his arms around Merlin, to give him his strength, but Merlin pulled away with a sigh.
“I stumbled and hit something hard,” Merlin said evasively a moment later when it seemed he realize that Arthur was waiting for an answer but Arthur knew he wasn’t telling all of the truth.
On the drive back to Scotland Yard, Merlin was noticeably quiet. Every few minutes he would look at him and pause as if he was about to say something before glancing away. These happened several times, before Arthur finally grew frustrated.
“Out with it.”
“It’s nothing.”
Arthur paused glancing at Merlin before back at the road. His color had slowly come back, but Merlin still looked like as if he had seen a ghost of some sort. His face was conflicted as he looked at Arthur. And Arthur realized then that he wanted to be someone Merlin could trust, to be someone Merlin could turn to.
“You know, you can tell me anything. I won’t judge.”
There was no response to that and for some reason that hurt more than he would’ve ever thought.
::::
Merlin had known he would need to go see the Druid Council ever since he had touched the pentagram at the crime scene of the second murder. Even now, he could feel the dark taint of the magic crawling against his skin. Merlin had never encountered death magic before. And with each clue the case was becoming more complicated than what he thought. Just some Celtic translations, he scoffed as he got onto the platform. He was going to have some words with his uncle later about withholding information.
As he got off at Charring Cross Station, he shivered despite his pullover and heavy coat. He didn't need to ask for directions, he could just use his magic to get to the place he wanted to go since the pull of the magic was too strong here. Merlin could feel the anxious swirl of his magic low in his gut as he hurriedly followed the pull, avoiding eyes and ducking through the evening crowd. Charring Cross has always been known to bring in strange types due to the strength of the magic here and it was best he avoided anything that might cause trouble or reveal his presence to something that shouldn't be aware of him.
The building he was looking for was centuries old, built sometime in the late 18th century. One of London's strongest ley lines ran through here and the sorcerers of that time had co-opted to build their central headquarters there instead of elsewhere. Personally, Merlin had always thought it was a strange location but Gaius had just patiently explained that the magical residue that had built over the years prevented any sort of move. Merlin thought that was hogwash and knew it was because the Council was too entrenched in their ways to be willing to move somewhere else.
His pace slowed as he approached the modest brick and mortar building. There was a front entrance, but very few people used it. Anyone from the community always went around the back to the smaller door with a plaque simply labeled "The Council." Below that was a knocker made of brass, though more copper than zinc, shaped in a form of a sleeping sylph. Merlin reached for it letting his magic briefly touch it and it warm beneath his fingertips as he slowly pulled away.
"Emrys," it breathed in recognition, the sylph eyes opened and glowed a shimmering gold before the door swung open quietly.
It had been years since he had been here. The last time Gaius and his mentor had dragged him here to get initiated. Merlin hadn't wanted to come, but Gaius insisted, arguing that he ever planned to live in London or ever needed help that it would be better to do it then. But Merlin had never planned to come to London and he didn't see any reason to interact with The Council.
As he entered the large foyer, he still could remember the dark looks some of the members had given him when he had been here last. And when he had asked Gaius what that was about, Gaius had looked sad and said, "Some of them still are angry at your father for not joining the Council." Merlin had wanted to ask, "Then why are you making me do this?" but the way Gaius grew quiet stopped him. Balinor’s death had been hard on everyone who knew him. His da was a force of nature and his absence always lingered in the shadows of his mother’s eyes or the way she would still after saying, “You are so much like your father.” Her eyes would drift away for a moment as if she was remembering something before turning back to smile at Merlin.
The loud clatter of footsteps brought him back to his immediate surroundings and he grinned as he recognized the old man approaching him. The man's face was craggy, dark eyes set under bushy eyebrows, and wisps of white hair haphazardly falling around his face as he slowly made his way over. The frown lines of the man's face eased into a smile as he recognized Merlin.
"Tally," Merlin said grinning as the elderly man pulled him into a hug.
"Merlin, my boy! It's so very good to see you!," Talhearn "Tally" Rhees said as he looked over Merlin before pulling him to another hug.
Merlin laughed as Tally pulled him across to foyer into a long cavernous hallway, "Come along, I bet you could use a cuppa. The wind has been quite horrid today."
As he gestured Merlin to the couch in one of the sitting rooms they passed by, he yelled out, "Nancy, my dear! Two for tea and if you have those custard cream biscuits bring those as well."
"Are you sure you should be eating sweets with your diabetes?" Merlin asked frowning as Tally settled across from him in a cushioned maroon chair.
"A few biscuits won't affect my diabetes. Besides these days I eat them only when I have visitors, and I hardly have visitors, my boy," Tally said, no reproach in his voice, but Merlin felt guilty anyway.
"Tally, I--" Merlin started.
"I understand why you didn’t come earlier Merlin. You don't need to explain it to me," Tally replied fondly. "Besides this place isn’t what it used to be."
"Then why did you return to London? I thought you enjoyed teaching at Oxford. Young minds and all," Merlin said frowning at his mentor.
Tally had been his mentor while at Oxford overseeing his magical training. Before then, most of Merlin's training had been with Uncle Gaius whenever he was in Ealdor during the holidays or young Mrs. Erwood who tried to help Merlin control his magical abilities, but after that fire incident had wisely told him that he needed more training . Tally had been one of the few sorcerers willing to take on a student. Oxford hadn’t been his first choice for uni, but the school was renowned among certain circles for it’s magical training.
"Sometimes you have to go where you're needed," Tally said cryptically, but before Merlin could ask what he meant, Nancy had come in with the tea. She was in her early forties with a kind smile and soft brown eyes.
The housekeeper smiled warmly at Merlin as Tally introduced her.
“This lovely lady is the keeper of all here at The Caerns House. We all would fall apart without her. Nancy, dear this is my young apprentice I told you about.’ Frowning he said, “Well I guess not an apprentice any longer.”
“It is wonderful to finally meet you Merlin. I’ve heard so much about you from Professor Rhees.”
Merlin flushed laughing., “All good things I hope.”
Tally mock glared “Of course my boy, what do you take me for?”
Nancy gave Merlin another warm smile, “Only good things dear. He boasts about your academic accomplishments quite frequently.”
Merlin blushed at the praise, “It’s not much.”
“Don’t be silly dear. The professor does not give compliments lightly.”
“That I don’t,” Tally agreed, picking up his cup.
She poured tea and fussed over Tally fondly admonishing him not to eat too many biscuits, before leaving them two alone.
“So what really brings you here Merlin?” Tally asked after a minute, turning to Merlin. “Though I have a feeling I know what brings you here,” he added as he set down his cup back on the saucer.
"Have you warded this room," Merlin asked quietly as he took a sip of his tea.
"Yes."
"What does the Council think of these murders?"
"They don't think it's anything magically related."
"Even though one of the victims was a Protector?" Merlin asked frowning. He had been shocked when he had recognized the girl’s pendant in the photos. Most sorcerers had one, usually a family heirloom and in most cases it told the people who knew the magic the wearer practiced.
"There was no magical residue when Ceirydwen was killed," Tally said slowly,grief flashing across his face.
"You knew her."
Tally nodded, "Yes, briefly. I know her family quite well and Ceirydwen was a bright, young lady with astute sense of observation. She wasn't very powerful, but she came from a family with a long history of sorcerers which made her an ideal candidate as a Protector.”
Merlin leaned forward, his face earnest, “Tally, I touched the pentagram at the scene of the second murder and it was tainted with dark magic.”
Tally didn’t say anything and Merlin frowned, “You knew that already?”
“No, but I knew something was up when Gaius showed up the next day after the young lad was found to talk to the Council,” Tally admitted.
“There’s too much of a coincidence for there to be magical residue at the crime scene of the second murder and the first victim being a Protector.”
“You’re right of course, but there isn’t much the Council can do that you aren’t already doing Merlin,” Tally looked at Merlin, “And then there is Arthur Pendragon.”
Merlin looked sharply at Tally, unsettled at how defensive he felt about the arrogant DI, “He’s not his father.”
“You’ve only known him a couple of weeks.” For some reason, Tally’s mild tone irritated Merlin. It reminded him too much of Uncle Gaius’s “I told you so,” look, the one Merlin knew his uncle was barely refraining from giving him everytime he saw him at Scotland Yard.
“Look I felt the same way as everyone else at first, but Arthur’s nothing like Uther Pendragon.”
“I can see that. Gaius did say the younger Pendragon is more like Ygraine than Uther.”
Merlin looked at him not sure why he had brought up Arthur’s mother.
“Ygraine DuBois as she was known before her marriage was a powerful sorceress,” Tally added to clarify.
“Wait, what?” Merlin tried to think back to remember if Arthur had any magic. Maybe that’s why his magic reacted so strongly.
“The younger Pendragon doesn’t have magic.” Which made Merlin look sharply up.
But Tally just looked at him bemusedly, “Why else would Uther have known about magic? He blamed her death on magic which was why all those cases happened.
“She was also best friends with a Nimueh Terfal,” Tally said after taking another sip of his tea, clearly amused
“What?” Merlin eyes widen, “ Arthur’s mother was best mates with the head of the Druid Council.”
“Quite so, they grew up together both being from Cornwall.”
Merlin leaned back, his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of everything. Seriously the next time he saw his uncle he was going to get a earful. Of all the things he should've told him, Arthur's mother having magic being the first. “And Arthur. He doesn’t know about magic?”
“Based on Uther’s feelings toward magic, I would say most likely not.”
He slumped against the cushions. Merlin had hoped that maybe if Arthur knew that he could tell him about his magic. But if Arthur felt the same way his father did. Merlin knew that he didn’t want to lose the fragile trust that somehow the young inspector had given him. But he might either way.
But before he could ask, there was a knock, and a woman dressed in dark robes and long flowing hair stepped in with a man similarly dressed behind her.
She glanced at Merlin and then at Tally, “Am I interrupting something?”
“No not at all Nimueh. We were almost done with our tea.” Merlin’s looked at her in surprise. He had heard about the Head Sorceress, but had never met her. It was a strange coincidence that she appeared just as they were talking about her.
“Lady Nimueh,” Merlin said starting to stand.
“Emrys," she said greeting him, " no need to get up."
Frowning at him, "I never expected to see you in London of all places.”
“Well,” Merlin said, “Sometimes you have to go where you are needed.” Merlin ignored Tally's beaming smile.
“Indeed. I’ve heard that you are working on--what were they called? Oh yes, The Pentagram Sacrifices.” Her eyes sharpened, “Working with Arthur Pendragon." There was amusement in her voice.
“Yes,” Merlin could feel his hackles rise and he let out a breath, “Yes, I’m working with DI Pendragon.” He still couldn’t figure out where this strange defensiveness on Arthur’s behalf was coming from.
“Well, hopefully you’ll find the culprit.”
“Thank you.”
She turned back to Tally, who had been busy making himself another cup of tea, “I came to remind you about the meeting with the McDuggert Clan.”
“I will be there.” She turned and the man followed her out.
Merlin gave a loud exhale once they had left the room.
“Is she always so imposing.” And arrogant, he wanted to add but wisely chose not to.
“Usually,” Tally said.
“Who was that man with her?”
“Ruadan, another member of the council and I suppose her second-in-command.”
“She doesn’t like that I’m helping the Scotland Yard?”
“She has rather strong feelings where the Pendragons are concerned.”
“Yes I noticed that,” Merlin said wryly scrubbing his face, “So that means I’m on my own?”
“No, but if you don’t want Arthur to become an accidental causality then it might be best not to have the Council involve.”
“They can try to hurt him, but they’ll fail,” Merlin said angry, thinking how petty grudges could extend to the point where someone could get hurt. He ignored the voice that was saying, it’s because Arthur was being threatened that he was reacting this way.
“I know,” Tally said amused and Merlin flushed under his mentor’s all too knowing smile.
After promising to keep him updated and warning him not to indulge in too many sweets, Merlin left hoping he would make it to the Underground before the last train left.
He had left with more questions than answers and he was starting to think that might be a good thing.
:::::
“You didn’t tell him everything,” Nancy said as she settled in the same chair Merlin had been occupying.
“He already has too much on his shoulders. He’ll know when he’s ready.”
“Do you think he ever will be?”
“I have faith in him.”
“Iseldir has seen--” she starts, but stops at the frown he’s giving her.
“Iseldir is senile with too much time on his hands,” Tally scoffed.
“You can’t deny his seer abilities though.”
“While that may be the case, sometimes it’s reckless to want to know the future.”
“Maybe,” Nancy mused, “So Pendragon and Emrys?”
“So it seems.”
:::::
| Masterpost | Part Four | Part Six |