CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
THE WITCH'S QUICKENING ( i. )

"He went that way! Get him!"

The thunder of hooves against dirt echoes through the forest around Calliope as she urges her horse to gallop faster. Behind her, Leon and a group of guards do the same.

"I'm going to cut him off!"

The road forks, and Calliope's horse goes left, diverging from the others. She knows these woods which stand as a border between Camelot and Mercia like the back of her hand. She and Leon have patrolled through these trees too many times to count, and this man won't be getting away. The path slopes upward, and the assassin grips the reins, glancing down to see her target coming into view.

The wind howls around her, causing her eyes to water, but her focus remains on the man below, who is still several paces ahead. They tracked him to a village on the outskirts of the kingdom, and he managed to get away before they could question him. He got a pretty decent head start on them, but Calliope is gaining on him.

She plants her feet firmly on the stirrups. The man is right below her now. There's at least an eight foot drop, but this is the only way to catch him. Once he makes it into Mercian territory, they'll have to stop the chase. This is mission is supposed to be secret after all. They can't have Sepharin's band of mercenaries finding out their plan. So, Calliope lets go of the reins. She steadies herself and brings her feet up so that she can plant them underneath her.

Without allowing time to talk herself out of it, Calliope jumps.

Her body falls and then collides with the man. The wind is knocked out of both of them as he hits the forest floor as her cushion. Calliope heaves as she unsheathes her sword and presses it to his neck. He looks at her in a daze, barely holding onto his consciousness.

"Got you."

She forces the man to his feet right as the others ride into her view.

Leon approaches with rope to tie the man's hands together, and Calliope grins.

"Nice of you boys to finally show up."

With the informant as their prisoner, Leon shoves him towards a horse and rolls his eyes, "You're such a show off, Cal."

"Well, we couldn't let him get away and warn the mercenaries that we're on their trail."

As the guards place a bag over his head and get him onto a horse, Leon glances to Calliope, "You really think he'll lead us to them?"

"Tenwick is a supplier in the Underground. Shady deals, slave trades, stolen gold, you name it, he gets it. If anyone knows about a group of mercenaries building up funds for an attack, it'll be him. Plus, Uther will be happy to have such a notorious criminal in Camelot's custody. He's wanted in all Five Kingdoms."

"Kind of like someone else I know," Leon responds quietly. She shoves him playfully as they walk back to their horses. "So, you've always known how to find him, and you're just now helping us catch him?"

She shrugs, "It wasn't necessary information until now. Besides, I made a deal with Tenwick once—masked of course. He's a real blabbermouth. That's why I stole from him and didn't hold up my end of the deal."

"Which was?"

Calliope mounts her horse, "I needed information, and he needed someone dead, but I don't kill for greedy men."

A light drizzle of rain patters onto the group of riders as they begin the trek back to the city. With the leaves changing, a slight chill has risen in the air. A refreshing break from the constant summer heat. To Calliope, this is the perfect weather, but it doesn't last long. Soon, winter will turn the air glacial and bitter. Her fingertips will feel raw, even underneath thick gloves.

When the path underneath the horses turns muddy, Camelot is in the near distance. Smoke rises into the sky beside the whistling red flags poking up from the towers of the castle. The mountains which loom around the city have a thin layer of fog drifting to the peaks of the evergreen trees creating a dream-like aura—that haze between waking and sleep, almost as if the land itself is tired.

Calliope's horse throws it's head back in a low neigh as they enter the low town. The rope which leads the prisoner's mount is in her hand, and every townsperson stops to whisper and stare at the mysterious man. Who's face is hidden by the brown sack? Perhaps they think he's some deserter, fleeing the army in a fit of cowardice, or maybe they assume it's just another sorcerer being brought to justice and led to a fiery end. Calliope doesn't acknowledge the curious gossip. Instead, her gaze remains forward until they reach the courtyard.

Servants await them to take the horses to the stables. Calliope and Leon force their prisoner from his horse, both of them ready for him to try and bolt for an escape, but he doesn't have anywhere to go. Tenwick accepts his fate and remains still. Calliope's hand stays on his upper back when the knight steps away, and she shoves the prisoner into a walk beside her.

Not many people are aware of this secret mission. Leon and three other knights were assigned to help her find informants, but no one else was told anything. All the guards and remaining knights have raised eyebrows and agape jaws at the scene before them, just as in the dark as the regular citizens. But they will also brush it off as another sorcerer captured, but seeing Calliope as the one leading him into the castle causes more of a commotion than normal. Even the servants seem kind of spooked as they stop their chores for a slight moment to watch the assassin pass with the knights following behind her.

The two men standing guard outside the council chamber pull the doors open without hesitation. Calliope steps into the threshold, not even giving Uther time to dismiss the court as she pushes Tenwick forward with a little too much strength. Dead silence flashes through the room as the man stumbles and falls before the King, right on his knees.

"Everyone is dismissed. Now."

The members of the court give a few lingering stares before excusing themselves. Uther sits above the prisoner as Calliope walks forward, her steps echoing off the walls. She stops by Tenwick, and pulls the sack off his face roughly. His eyes squint as they adjust to the light, his brown hair matted and frizzy, and his dark eyes wide with fear.

"This is Tenwick. The  most elusive supplier in the Underground."

The King nods, "I've heard of him. Many have tried to track him down throughout the years," his eyes move to the prisoner. "Now, he can finally face justice for his illegal activities."

"If anyone has heard whispers of the mercenary group, it'll be him, but he won't talk willingly."

"That won't be a problem."

"I would like to request to interrogate him personally."

The King raises an eyebrow, "You?"

There is information that Tenwick has about Sepharin that Calliope doesn't want anyone else hearing. She has to be the one to get him to talk.

Calliope steps forward, speaking in a quieter voice, "I believe the reason you assigned me this task is because you knew you'd have to break a few rules to accomplish it," his silence is enough of an answer. "I've just brought you someone no one else in all the Five Kingdoms has been able to capture. Haven't I proven my skills enough for this one request?"

Uther's face is pinched in contemplation for a few moments before he gives in, "Fine, but it will have to wait. Last night while you were away looking for leads, there was an intruder in Camelot, and I want your focus back on protecting this city for now. Once we get to the bottom of what happened, you can interrogate the prisoner." The assassin wants to object—to say that getting answers from Tenwick is far more important than finding this intruder, but she knows dealing with Uther is like trekking across a lake of thin ice. So, she simply nods as two knights come forward to escort the prisoner to the dungeons. "Oh, and Calliope?" She meets his eyes again. "This mission, it stays between us."

Right, another important detail. Arthur has no idea about this.

The King knows his son wants to see this group defeated, but an assassination mission to murder the leaders in cold blood? That's something Arthur wouldn't support, and in Uther's words, it must be done to ensure the safety of this kingdom. Plus, this mission is extremely dangerous, and he would probably hate the idea of Calliope doing it without him. They can't risk Arthur's life on this. That she and the King are in agreement on.

So, she bows her head in a solemn nod, "Of course, Sire."

♛ ♛ ♛

The next morning is an early one. Calliope is already almost done with her breakfast in Gaius's chambers when Merlin emerges from his room. His hair is sticking up in several different places, and there are heavy bags underneath his eyes. Calliope takes one last bite of her porridge, swinging her legs over the bench to address the young sorcerer.

"Well, you look like shit."

Merlin scoffs, "Thanks, Cal."

"Late night?" Gaius asks.

"You could say that."

"I hear there was a disturbance; an intruder in the city."

As Merlin sits across from Calliope, he stretches his arms into the air and cracks his neck, "Yeah, I heard talking..." he sighs, "in my head."

The physician stops mixing together his potions, turning to him with surprise lifting his face, "They had magic?"

"And I recognized the voice. It was Mordred."

"The druid boy?" Calliope questions. The same one she helped Arthur smuggle out of the city. "What's he doing here?"

If this has to do with Mordred, solving this problem is going to be a lot more complicated than she imagined and a lot more time consuming than she would like. With Tenwick like a sitting duck in the dungeon, ready to blab his mouth about Sepharin to whoever threatens him enough with a knife, she doesn't really need this right now.

"He was guiding someone to Morgana's chamber."

"You sure?"

"She and the boy had a kind of bond," Gaius says.

Merlin nods his head, "Yeah, but this is about more than that."

"What do you mean?"

Placing his hands on the table, he looks between Gaius and Calliope, "What if they'd been caught? Whatever they were doing, they were prepared to die for it."

Morgana has magic and a connection to Mordred. The druids could easily use her to get whatever they want from Camelot, and it wouldn't be too hard to convince her to join their cause.

"Do you think Morgana is helping them?" Calliope meets Merlin's eyes. "If she does have a strong bond with this boy, she'd do whatever the druids asked of her if she thought she was protecting him in the long run. Something like that is easy to manipulate."

"That's definitely a strong possibility."

"Then you should keep an eye on her. Poke around, see what you can find, and maybe we can stop this before it goes too far."

He nods, "Always up to us to fix things around here."

Calliope raises her glass, "Who else would get things done?" She takes one last big gulp of water before slamming the glass onto the table. "Now, I have to get to training, but we can meet up later and talk about what you find."

Her suspicions of Morgana are most likely true, but they can't exactly tell Uther that. In order to keep the peace in Camelot, they will have to come up with some type of solution on their own. Per usual.

Calliope excuses herself from the physician's chambers. She walks towards the practice field, the sounds of colliding metal already ricocheting through the damp, morning air. When the field comes into her view, Arthur is walking around, adjusting a few of the newer guards' forms as they parry their opponents' strikes.

Speckles of dawning sun still grace the autumn clouds as they reflect a fading vermillion. Even though Calliope is definitely not fond of mornings, she does find solace in the beautiful sunrises that come and go with each new day. It's like a promise of renewal or fresh beginnings. A chance to do something worthwhile. She used to dread the day and what it might hold. Now, she finds herself hopeful, even amongst the matters that still trouble her. When she was a girl, her father would watch the sunrise every morning. He would turn to her mother and kiss her cheek and tell her he was excited to spend another day on this earth with her. It was like a painting that would get hung in a royal palace—the perfect picture of happiness. It's what she longs for now—what she hopes to have for herself one day. The kind of love people paint and write and sing for.

Through most of her teenage years, she didn't have time to dwell on thoughts of love like she should've. She should have been worrying about what to wear to impress whoever caught her eye, not just surviving through the night. But now that she has the possibility of a future with someone she loves deeply, it doesn't hurt to entertain those thoughts.

Prince Arthur's face beams with a wide smile when he notices her approaching. She catches the sparring sword he tosses her.

"Another day in Camelot," he says as they turn to begin training.

Calliope grins, "Another day indeed."

♛ ♛ ♛

Late in the night, the warning bell tolls. The deep ringing escalates through palace grounds, awakening everyone from their slumber. Calliope shoots out of Arthur's bed. Her belt of weapons is strapped to her waist in an instant with the Prince throwing on his clothes in equal haste. They exchange a worried glance before running into the corridors to find out what's going on within the castle. The guards direct them to the vaults, and they run into Merlin on their descent to the locked treasures and dangerous magical artifacts tucked away underneath Camelot. Calliope locks eyes with the young sorcerer. They have the same thought—that this has something to do with Mordred and the druids, and possibly Morgana too.

Arthur holds the torch as they walk. The hallway leading to the gated expanse of treasures is cluttered and enveloped with sticky cobwebs. Calliope brushes a spider off her arm, her nose crinkling in disgust.

At the end of the hallway, the gate that is supposed to be locked tightly is wide open. On a pillar, a red pillow sits with a sharp indention from some sort of rectangular object that had been there quite a while from the looks of it. Calliope glances to the floor for any footprints amongst the dust. She squints to differentiate theirs from another pair that appear to be some form of slipper. The prints are light and hard to see, but someone was here not that long ago.

Calliope straightens her back. She turns to Arthur as he stares at the empty pillow, his face downcast.

"The Crystal Neahtid."

The assassin runs her fingers across the locks on the gate, "The locks aren't damaged."

"What does that tell you?" Merlin asks.

Arthur steps forward, anger overtaking his expression, "It tells me that somebody stole my keys."

Calliope and Merlin exchange a quick glance. It won't take too much of an investigation to figure that one out, "Was it precious? This crystal?"

"Of course it was precious. It wouldn't be down here otherwise, would it?"

"Right."

"Whoever it was knew exactly what they were looking for," Yeah, there's piles of vases and chests and other locked compartments down here. They knew right where to go to find this crystal, and they were in and out before anyone could see them.

"Apparently," Merlin says.

The Prince's displeasure and frustration hones on Merlin as he faces his servant, "Apparently? That's all you've got to say? Tell me, Merlin, who's job is it to ensure that my chambers are locked at all times? Whose job is it to ensure that something like this never happens?"

Calliope shoves his chest, "Don't yell at Merlin! Whoever did this had a calculated plan and breaking into someone's room to steal their keys is the easy part."

The Prince huffs and storms down the hall. He doesn't want to hear any more. He has to deliver the news to his father.

"Sorry!" Merlin exclaims as Arthur turns the corner and fades out of sight.

"He can still be such an ass sometimes," Calliope says through a sigh, "but right now it's because he knows how upset his father will be."

"Morgana stole the keys," Merlin answers, leaning closer to speak in a quiet tone so the passing guards won't hear. "I walked in on her in Arthur's room earlier today. She looked suspicious."

"So, she stole the crystal for the druids?" Calliope furrows her eyebrows. "But why?"

"No idea. I bet Gaius will know what this crystal is, and then maybe we can figure out why the druids wanted it so badly."

"Perhaps I should talk with Morgana," Calliope suggests. "Maybe I can get her to tell us more."

Merlin tilts his head, "Are you sure that's a good idea, Cal?"

"Don't you know, wizard boy?" Calliope grins. "I have a way with people."

So, the two of them part ways—Merlin going after Arthur to watch as he faces the wrath of the King—and Calliope going to see how much she can get the Lady Morgana to reveal of her dealing with druids. Since Calliope knows Morgana has magic, and since the assassin helped in their plan to get Mordred out of the city, she thinks it's not too crazy to think the King's ward will open up to her in some way.

Beams of white moonlight shine through the long windows in the corridor as Calliope climbs the staircase that leads to Morgana's chambers. Her shadow dances on the wall, flickering as servants pass by to finish up their nightly duties. Calliope expects Gwen to be attending to Morgana when she walks in, but after she knocks and is allowed entry, she is surprised to see Morgana sitting alone in front of her mirror. The raven-haired girl is taking off her jewelry. Her green eyes find Calliope in the doorway. There's something off within them. A guarded expression as she tries to exude normality.

Calliope shuts the door and leans against it, observing Morgana with meticulous detail. Her back is rigid, her muscles tense. There's obvious alarm in her eyes, and it would be easy to miss, but her hand is barely shaking as she sets down her pearl-colored earrings that match her beautiful gown.

A forced smile is offered to the assassin, "Cal, I wasn't expecting a visit from you tonight."

"Where's Gwen?"

"Oh, I let her go home early tonight. That girl is always overworking herself. I thought it would be nice for her to have some time off."

"Uh-huh," Calliope chews on her bottom lip. "Morgana, we trust each other, don't we?"

"Of course!" Morgana says, nodding with vigor. "I trust you with my life."

"And you know, that if you ever got yourself into a bad situation, I would help you, discreetly, and make sure you were safe, right?"

"I know that."

"Right," Calliope pushes herself off the door. "So, is there anything you want to tell me?"

It's easy to catch the second of contemplation in her eyes, but she shakes her head, "No."

"Nothing at all?" She crosses her arms over her chest. "Because I think there is something you want to share, but you're afraid to say it," Morgana rests her hands on the dresser to keep them from shaking. "And I will remind you again that I would never tell Uther or even Arthur something you wanted to keep between us."

That's it. Calliope has gotten through to her.

Morgana stands up and her wooden stool nearly falls over, "It's Mordred. He came back into the city with another druid the other night and asked for my help."

"With what?" She hesitates to answer. "Morgana, listen to me, I know you feel like you're obligated to help these people, but if you're in a dangerous situation I need to know."

"The danger isn't with the druids. It's with Uther—if he ever found out what I did..." Morgana trails off. "If he knew what I was, he'd have me executed." Calliope can't say for certain how Uther would react to finding out his beloved ward has magic, but she won't wager that he'd do the right thing. Morgana's expression has turned to malice when speaking of him, her eyes dancing on the line of hatred. "You have no idea how hard it is to have to hide who you really are because if the people around you knew, you'd be dead."

Well...Calliope chooses to move past it, "Your magic isn't a bad thing, Morgana. You were born with it, and it's part of who you are. I know being in this place is extremely difficult, but there are people who truly care about you here. Don't forget that."

Without warning, she wraps Calliope into a tight hug, "Thank you, Cal. You're a true friend."

When she pulls away, Calliope keeps her hands on her shoulders, "Now, tell me what you did, and I'll help you."

"I...stole something."

"The Crystal Neahtid?"

She nods, "The druids say it can help their people. They're tired of being slaughtered just for who they are, and I couldn't stand by and do nothing."

"And let me guess, you're meeting with the druids soon to give them the crystal?" Morgana nods. "Alright, well, I'm going with you."

"Cal—"

"No, no arguments. I helped Mordred too, and they know I'm no threat to their people. Besides, I just want to ensure your safety. That's all."

"Fine," Morgana answers, "but we leave before dawn."

♛ ♛ ♛

In Camelot, people are punished for things out of their control, like being born with magic, and that has never sat well with Calliope. However, this issue never has had much to do with her, so she hasn't got too involved with the fight against Uther's tyranny, but she does care about making sure Morgana is safe. While Calliope isn't one to step up and lead some kind of resistance, she does want to make sure to protect the people within her circle. If that means going with Morgana to deliver the crystal, then so be it. She isn't going to let her walk into this alone, especially if the druids are trying to manipulate her.

The world isn't black and white. There is good and bad on both sides. Everything is a mix of gray, and even though Calliope thinks most of the druids genuinely just want to live in peace, she won't trust them blindly. In Calliope's opinion, people can be all bad, but no one can truly be all good. But that's just her experience, and she hasn't been proven wrong yet.

There's no time to inform Merlin of what's going on, but knowing him, he has some plan of his own brewing to make sure the people in Camelot stay safe.

So, while the castle sleeps under the haze of early morning darkness, Calliope and Morgana ride out of the city. The sun hides behind the canopy of trees and mountains as they venture into the valley. Even the birds are still asleep, the creatures who prowl through the forests at night still peer through heavy thickets and hidden alcoves. Calliope keeps a watchful eye on her surroundings. Bandits are active at all hours, any passing traveler is fair game to them.

Their horses' hooves tread against soft earth. Trickling water from a nearby stream and rustling bushes from scattering rabbits is all Calliope can hear. She can smell fresh morning dew sticking to the grass and rust-colored leaves. It creates a serene atmosphere. The stillness of mornings can be alluring, but it hides the dangers of these woods. Calliope knows not to get too caught up in the peacefulness. It can change faster than the blink of an eye.

Not much is said until the sun begins to rise over the valley. They stop their horses at the top of a small hill overlooking a myriad of trees perfect to hide a large encampment.

"We're almost there," Morgana says. She urgers her horse forward again. "You might spook them at first."

"I can handle a few druids."

"I appreciate you coming along, Cal, I really do," she looks over her shoulder to smile lightly. "You and Merlin, you're the only people in Camelot who know the truth about me. It's refreshing not to have to hide it, or be ashamed of it."

"Never be ashamed of who you are," Calliope answers. "You especially."

"You know," Morgana grins to herself, "people in Camelot might think you're just cold and scary, but you can actually be very kind sometimes, Cal."

Not many people have thought of Calliope as 'kind', but she appreciates the compliment, "Thanks."

Once they make it down the hill, they're enveloped by trees. In the distance, Calliope can see a few tents appearing, as well as the smell of smoke and cooking meat drifting to her nostrils. She dismounts her horse, wrapping the reins around the closest tree. Leaves crunch under her riding boots as she approaches camp with Morgana at her side.

The druids spot them. Several rush into their tents while others stare with intense curiosity at the new arrivals in their camp. Calliope tries to get a headcount, noting how many women and children she sees. The camp is mostly filled with men, those able to fight against Uther's defenses, but there are a few families here. Women and their children standing by the man's side, ready to fight alongside him for their freedom.

The place chosen for the druid camp is isolated, but they're vulnerable on all sides. Surrounding this camp in the dead of night would be easy for Uther's men, and then everyone would be trapped and unable to run—forced to stand and fight and give up their lives. Calliope hopes it doesn't come to that.

She halts when a boy runs to them, crashing into Morgana's arms—Mordred.

"Morgana!" he exclaims.

Across from them, a man watches Calliope with careful eyes. He's tall with shaggy brown hair and scruff on his chin.

"I don't remember telling you to bring anyone along," the man says, stopping right in front of them.

"It's alright, Alvarr," Morgana pulls away from the boy. "Calliope is one of people who helped Mordred escape Camelot. You can trust her."

"I know who she is," the druid answers, "as well as her fondness for the young Pendragon."

Calliope takes a step forward, "Relax, I came here to ensure Morgana's safety, not meddle in the affairs of druids."

"Do you have it?" he turns to the King's ward, and she nods.

Morgana reaches into her satchel and pulls out a small, cloth bag. She hands it to Alvarr, and he carefully pulls out the mysterious crystal.

It's the color of the clouds, reflecting new sunlight and magic of its own. Calliope isn't even holding it, but she can feel the sheer power radiating off it. A small temptation tugs at her mind—telling her to hold it or take it.

She shoves the voice away, "So, this is the thing that's going to save your people?"

Alvarr holds it like he has the key to eternal salvation in his hands, "It may not look like much, but it holds the power of time itself," his eyes shift to the assassin. "Not really a believer in the divine ways, are you?"

Calliope shrugs, "I believe in things I can see for myself, and so far I've found that if there are forces controlling destiny, they really don't care if the world goes to shit."

The druid chuckles as he tucks away the crystal, "You both must be tired after your journey, Come and sit by the fire, and we can have breakfast." Mordred smiles, grabbing Morgana's hand to lead her to the nearest campfire. As Calliope steps to join them, Alvarr's hand reaches out to stop her. His hand wraps around her forearm. "You have a position in Camelot's court if the rumors I've heard of you are true."

"Once again, I am not a threat to your people—"

"You misunderstand," Alvarr says, letting go of her arm. "What I mean is that you have the trust of the King, don't you, Calliope?"

"You could say that," she says.

While she'll never be one of Uther's favorites, she has proven to him that she can be trusted. Enough to take on a secret mission from him anyway.

"You care for Morgana, and you also know what Uther would do to her should he find out about her magic," Calliope's eyes flicker to the forest floor. "So, why do you serve such an awful tyrant?"

Her gaze snaps up, "I don't serve him. I do what's necessary to protect the people I love."

"Then protect Morgana," Alvarr says. "You could be of use to our cause—"

The assassin cuts him off, "The only person I'm 'of use' to is myself," She won't get talked into joining some druid's lost cause to take down Uther. Even though he deserves it, she has to put everyone else first. "Let me show you something," Calliope reaches down to grab a long stick. She begins drawing a small circle in the dirt. "This is the circle of people who matter to me. This is where you have to be for me to care about your life," she moves the stick several feet away from the circle, looking back to Alvarr, "and I'm afraid you and your cause just don't make the cut."

"Someday, you'll have to choose a side. Everyone does at some point."

Calliope shakes her head. She sees right through Alvarr. His 'cause' is just a front to hide that all he really wants is power for himself.

"Well, then I guess you can just hope you're not on the wrong side when I do."

♛ ♛ ♛

guys, this book only has 7 more chapters left. i'm literally DYING to get to the original episode i have planned bc nothing can really prepare you guys for the ending of this book. because of things that happen in the original episode, it has to be after 2x13. there is so much that's still going to unfold, and i'm going to try to squeeze some of it into the canon episodes just so the last two chapters aren't too long. they will probably reach close to 8k words each. simply because they are going to be CRAZY. everything will be revealed: calliope's parentage, dealing with sepharin, bloody fights, suspense, angst, and so much more.

any last predictions before we get into the final stretch of chapters?

remember to vote and leave your thoughts in the comments :)