CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
THE SINS OF THE FATHER ( i. )

CONTENT WARNING: sexual content

The halls of the castle are shrouded in delicate moonlight.

Quiet steps pad against the floors, and Calliope glances over her shoulder at the sound of a late-night patrol flanking down the other end of the hall. The guards nod at her, disappearing into another corridor. The aftermath of the Witchfinder's accusation was suspicion from Uther, resulting in the assassin getting the absolute worst patrol assignments and limiting her sleep. Since Aredian was proven to be a fraud, his claims lost all weight, but there's still a spark of question in the King's eye when he looks at Calliope.

So, here she is once again, in the early morning hours before the moon has even fell behind the mountains, patrolling empty hallways. A loud yawn escapes her lips, and she leans against the wall, cursing under her breath. Calliope's eyelids droop, but she shakes her head and blinks several times. Her hand falls to rest on the sheath of her sword. Perhaps she should just go down to the training grounds to wake herself up. They just built some new practice dummies, but Calliope isn't allowed to mess with them until the new knights have had their turn. Something about her dismembering all their good ones...

When she feels another yawn building in her throat, Calliope struggles to stand up straight. Not only has her sleep schedule been ruined, but when she actually does get a chance to rest, all she can picture is that dream hellscape she went to last week, along with the weird axe lady. Seeing the crescent moon symbol burned into the floor freaked her out, and then that weird riddle hasn't left her mind. Calliope has no idea what it means, and she even has spent some time going through the oldest books in the castle, and in Gaius's collection, but there's absolutely nothing about the symbol, or the Wolf, or anything at all that could help her figure this out.

Calliope steps into another hallway, still lost in thought, but her eyes widen and her dagger is in her hand in less than a second when a figure grabs her from behind.

With a quick maneuver and a jab to the ribs, her sharp blade is angled against her assailant's throat as she tries to pin him to the wall, but he flips their bodies and presses both of her hands above her head, trapping her.

"Looks like I know your moves all too well."

The familiar voice causes her muscles to relax, and she makes out Arthur's features against the soft moonlight just enough to see his wide smirk.

"Arthur," Calliope says with an annoyed breath, "what are you even doing out here?"

His grip on her hands doesn't falter. She can feel the heat from his body, and his breath fanning against her face in the dark.

"I went to your room, and you weren't there. I've been looking for you."

She quirks an eyebrow, "And what could you possibly want at this late hour?"

They're so close—close enough for his chest to brush hers, his hips leaning against her to keep her trapped against the wall. She dares a look into his eyes, blue like crashing ocean waves, and is too enticed to look away. It's as if when he gets this close, stepping over lines she never thought she'd allow him to cross, Calliope loses all ability to think clearly. Like the fact anyone could walk into the small alcove he pulled her to, or that his wedding is less than two months away, or that they really shouldn't be doing this at all. For both of their sakes.

His lips ghost hers as he answers, and a shiver runs down her entire body, "Do you know how difficult it is for me to have to watch you walk around all day in those leather outfits of yours?" Calliope feels as if she can't move, or at least, that she doesn't want to. His voice grows even quieter as he places a kiss against her jaw. "It's absolutely maddening."

The sarcastic reply dies in her throat when his lips connect with hers.

He lets go of her hands, and her dagger clatters to the floor. He grabs her hips, pressing her harder against the wall, and her own tangle in his soft hair. Calliope's head spins—she feels wide awake now as her heart races in her chest.

Arthur bites down on her lower lip, and Calliope has to work extra hard not to let herself make any noise as she parts her lips and feels his tongue fighting for dominance with her own. She is completely caught up in this frenzy of desire, coursing through her every vein. Arthur Pendragon is her biggest weakness—one small touch and she loses all sense of reason or logic. She was trained to be lethal and cold, but he makes her feel soft; warm, ethereal, but most importantly, wanted.

When his hand slips underneath the material of her tunic, she gasps, but he only kisses her harder. Calliope leans her head back, and his lips move to her neck as his fingertips trail lightly over her stomach, near the waistband of her pants. Intense need pools between her legs, and she bites on her cheek to stifle the moan building in her throat as his other hand hooks behind one of her knees to pull their bodies even closer.

The friction against her most intimate region drives her wild, and a small moan escapes her lips, echoing off the walls. Arthur's hand drops her knee, moving up to cover her mouth. He leans his lips to her ear, tickling her skin.

"You have to be quiet," he says, one finger flicking open the button of her trousers. "Unless you want the entire castle to know about this."

Calliope catches the amusement in his voice. He enjoys this—enjoys these few moments when she lets him take control. When she can barely form an answer due to the sheer want taking over her body.

The assassin only breathes in, and tries to keep her lips sealed shut underneath his hand. He's teasing her, playfulness in his eyes as he feels the fabric of her undergarments. Calliope's restraint grows thinner and thinner. His fingers brush against her skin, everywhere except where she wants him the most, and she grows frustrated with all the teasing, moving the hand he has over her mouth.

"If you're only going to be a tease—"

"Maybe you should learn some patience," he retorts, right before moving her undergarment aside and pressing his fingers against her. Calliope wants to send a few more fiery words at him, but she has to bury her head into his shoulder, biting down hard on her bottom lip. "What was that you wanted to say, Cal?"

She lifts her head to look at him, narrowing her eyes, only managing a strained, "Fuck you."

As he brings her closer to the edge, he leans in, "If you wanted me so badly, all you had to do was ask."

Calliope doesn't care to retort. She just kisses him fiercely, toppling over the edge underneath his fingers, and before he even has a chance to speak again, she tugs him down the hall to her chambers. Payback, it's all she can think as she pushes him down onto the bed.

She grins wickedly above him, "Now what was that you said about patience?"

♛ ♛ ♛

Something warm is pressed against Calliope's back. She sighs in content, nuzzling further into the comforting sensation. She is halfway between dreams and reality as the late morning rays trickle into her room. The sheets pool around her, a safe haven she isn't ready to leave. Her eyes remain closed as a strong arm tugs her midsection, wrapping her even tighter into a steady embrace. Sleepy mumbles drift towards her ear, finally pulling her out of a long slumber.

Calliope's eyes snap open. She turns her head quickly, reality setting in. Shit, they fell asleep. In her room.

And by the looks of the position of the sun, they haven't exactly beaten the castle's morning activity. In fact, it might even be mid day. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. This isn't good.

"Stop moving so much," Arthur mumbles, trying to pull her tighter against him. Calliope slaps his shoulder, jerking him awake. "Ow! What the bloody hell was that for?"

"We fell asleep!" She exclaims, jumping out of bed.

The Prince's eyes widen, "Oh, no," he runs his hands through his hair. "Oh, no." Calliope throws Arthur's shirt at his head. "I'm supposed to be helping prepare for the knighting ceremony tonight."

"Then, hurry up!" Calliope tugs on a pair of trousers. "Before the King orders a city wide search for you."

A knock on the servant's entrance makes them both freeze. They exchange a quick, horrified glance, "Um, now's not a good time!" Calliope yells. "I'm..." she throws up her hands. "feeling really, really sick. Probably extremely contagious."

"Well, then Arthur probably has it too," Merlin's voice says from the other side of the door. "Also, if he's in there, tell him that Uther is sending guards to his chamber to check on him."

"Shit," Calliope rushes over and pulls open the door as Arthur almost falls over putting on his pants. Merlin observes the scene without much surprise. "Can you get him there unseen?"

"Why do you ever doubt me, Cal?" She opens her mouth, and he holds up a finger. "Don't answer that."

Arthur marches over, "Merlin, if you say a word about this—"

"Relax. My lips are sealed. Besides, I've been keeping your feelings for Cal secret for quite a long time. I think I'm an expert at it by now."

Calliope quirks an eyebrow, "How long exactly?"

Arthur grabs Merlin's shirt, pulling him into the hallway, "Don't answer that, Merlin."

"See you later, Cal!" Merlin exclaims over his shoulder.

When the door slams shut, Calliope collapses back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. She laces her fingers together over her stomach, replaying the events of last night in her head over and over. In the moment, she let all inhibitions go, only guided by the addicting desire Arthur evokes within her. It's almost too much sometimes. In fact, it's a dangerous sensation, leading her places she knows she shouldn't go. And she knows he feels the same. There's something connecting them—like an invisible thread of light—that keeps them coming back for more, even when it can only crash and burn. She can't explain it, or put it into words. Only that she's never felt anything like this before. She never knew she could drown in someone. In their touch, their scent, their lips. With Arthur, she's deep beneath the waves, and she can't make herself come up for air, even when the outcome could be fatal.

But how much longer can they keep delaying the inevitable? Playing the game of delusion and false hopes? Calliope doesn't want to be Arthur's mistress one day. The woman whose bed he stumbles to when he grows bored of his wife. Watching him and Victoria raise children together. The thought makes her nauseous.

Calliope lets her chest rise and fall slowly. Parts of her still feel tempted to do whatever she has to in order to take what she wants, but she won't this time. No matter how painful it is, she'll try to take the high road.

However, she's never been very good at playing fair.

♛ ♛ ♛

"You have been accorded a great honor, but with that honor comes great responsibility," Calliope stifles a yawn as Uther's speech drones on during the knighting ceremony. "From this day forth, you are sworn to live by the knight's code. You have pledged to conduct yourselves with nobility, honor, and respect. Your word is your sacred bond," Calliope meets Arthur's eyes as he stands behind his father, his crown adorning his head. The Prince's lips turn up, and he sends her a subtle wink. Calliope rolls her eyes, but the amusement on Arthur's face turns back to seriousness as his father looks to him. "You will find no one who better embodies these values than my son, Arthur. Follow his example, and you will prove yourselves worthy of your title—"

Sounds of shouts and clanging metal echo from the hallway. Calliope doesn't hesitate to unsheathe her sword, stepping towards the knights who do the same. Arthur pushes through the crowd to stand at the front, ready to face whoever is revealed.

Footsteps click against the floor until a figure clad in silver armor walks into the council chambers, a helmet hiding their face. Their attention is solely on Prince Arthur, and he walks forward to meet the challenge. Calliope is ready to jump in as soon as the intruder makes one wrong move.

A tense silence fills the room. The mysterious man says nothing as he stares at the Prince through his thick helmet. Calliope grips the handle of her sword with a tight grip as she watches the intruder take off their right gauntlet. Its echo resounds deep throughout the room as it hits the floor, right at Arthur's feet. It isn't uncommon for knights to journey to Camelot to try and prove themselves against a worthy opponent, but something about this feels different.

Arthur glances to the gauntlet. Calliope doesn't have to question whether or not he'll pick it up. The Prince never backs down from a challenge.

And just as she predicts, the Prince leans down, wrapping his fingers around the gauntlet. When he faces the knight again, he nods.

"I accept your challenge. If I'm to face you in combat, do me the courtesy of revealing your identity."

The knight reaches to his helmet, pulling it off to reveal that this man is indeed not a man at all. The knight is a woman with golden blonde locks and fierce brown eyes drilling into the Prince, mysteries hidden within them that set Calliope on edge. The crowd around them gasps in shock at this revelation, and Arthur himself has a look of utter disbelief on his face.

"My name is Morgause."

No one seems to know how to proceed, Arthur most of all.

Before anything else can be said, Morgause turns and walks out of the room, and Uther quickly dismisses the crowd in a commanding voice. Calliope's eyes are still on the door, eyebrows pinched together in thought. Why would she come here to challenge Arthur? Does she just want to prove that she can fight as well as any man—as well as the Prince of Camelot? No, Calliope's instincts tell her there's something deeper. She just doesn't know what it is yet.

She starts off after the woman, determined to figure it out, stepping over the fallen guards unlucky enough to be in her path to the council chambers. Calliope moves quickly through the halls until she steps into the courtyard, finding Morgause staring up at the pale moon with her sword resting at her side. The woman glances over her shoulder, locking eyes with the assassin.

"Why did you come here?" Calliope asks as she walks closer. "Though I applaud all efforts to prove women can fight just as well as men, this seems strange. Has Arthur wronged you in some way?"

"It is not the young Prince who has wronged me."

Calliope nods, "Right, Uther then? Killing his son to get your revenge? Kind of predictable if you ask me."

The woman returns her eyes to the moon, "It will be be made clear soon enough," Morgause looks to the assassin. "I suspect you confronted me to try and protect your Prince, but you have nothing to fear from me, Calliope."

"I never told you my name."

"Didn't you?" Her lips quirk and she moves around the assassin. "If you'll excuse me, I have a duel to prepare for." She stops, just before she walks away. "I think you and I both know, that out of everyone in this city, the one Prince Arthur should really fear is you."

Her hand flashes to her necklace as Morgause's eyes focus on it before she leaves Calliope alone in the courtyard.

Calliope feels her heart beating fast. Flashes of her dream threatening to take over. She shakes her head, letting go of her necklace and storming into the palace. She won't let Morgause get to her, and she won't let this mysterious woman hurt Arthur, no matter the cost.

♛ ♛ ♛

"Who is she?"

Calliope twiddles with one of her smaller daggers as she sits on Morgana's bed while Gwen finishes her nightly duties. The raven-haired witch is staring out the window, almost looking as if she's in a trance. Calliope hops up to wander over and see what has her so tense.

In the courtyard below, Morgause is practicing for the duel, swinging her sword and honing her footwork.

Gwen walks around the bed, "Why would she challenge Arthur? It seems no one's ever heard of her."

"I feel as if I've met her somewhere before," Morgana says.

"Really? Where could you know her from?"

Morgana shakes her head, "I don't know." Gwen shrugs her shoulders, holding a laundry basket against her hip as the King's ward turns to Calliope. "What about you, Cal?"

"Me?"

"You always seem to have this... instinct when it comes to people," her eyes search the assassin's, unsure why she is so desperate for an answer. "Why do you think she's really here?"

Leaning against the wall with her gaze on the mysterious arrival, Calliope sighs, "I can't say for certain, just that whatever it is, it can't be good for Arthur."

"Do you think he can convince her to withdraw?"

"No, she's here to achieve something. She wouldn't come all the way here just to back out."

Calliope thinks back to her conversation with Morgause in the courtyard. There was something in her eyes that set the assassin on edge. I think you and I both know, that out of everyone in this city, the one Prince Arthur should really fear is you.

The words make her chest clench and her palms sweaty. It makes her remember her dream—the ruined castle, the half moon symbol burned into the floor, and that woman enclosed in a void darkness. What if there is something inside her far more dangerous than her past? What if the the worst is only beginning? Calliope tries to shake herself out of these thoughts, but she can't stop the nagging in her brain that tells her to put her guard up, and that she needs to figure out what the moon symbol means as soon as possible.

Calliope glances to Gwen and Morgana, standing up before they can finish their conversation, "I better get going."

Her footsteps quicken as she walks into the corridor, brushing passed whispering servants and guards, the rumors of the woman who has come to duel Prince Arthur bouncing off the worn stones. Calliope ducks into the skinny hallway which leads into the palace library, holding records going back a millennia. The books are dusty, spiders twirling silver patterns against unopened and forgotten words. The only other person ever in this murky hideaway is the court genealogist, who Calliope has grilled several times about the crescent moon symbol. He claims to have no knowledge of such things, but there are certain bookshelves in the back which he doesn't let anyone but the King have access to.

Calliope has studied his habits. He leaves the library for short periods of time, and he always locks the small gate which leads to court secrets. He retires for supper for exactly twenty minutes. His quarters are attached to the library, a small room with a perfect view to the locked gate. He's not a heavy sleeper, and he always keeps a candle burning beside his bed.

She has her hair pin enclosed in her palm as she watches him head towards the kitchens, ducking in reaching shadows until the old man is out of sight. She darts to the back of the library, jangling the sharp point of the pin in the lock. She twists and twists until she hears it click. The gate creaks loudly on rusted hinges, but Calliope is on a mission. She scans the bindings of each book. There are only five shelves. All of the books look like they could crumble to dust if someone turned a page too quickly. She only has eighteen more minutes.

Her eyes scan book after book, finding nothing of interest. Fifteen minutes left.

Finally, something catches her eye. Her hand wraps around a black book with a red gem symbol in the middle. She squints as she tries to read the fading title: The Fall of Sheolta.

Calliope sinks to the floor, careful with the delicate pages. It seems to be some kind of ancient war history; a civil war between warlocks of the old religion.

She skims the long paragraphs. Some words are in a language she doesn't recognize, but her breathing hitches when she lands on the next page, finding a crescent moon symbol sketched onto the top right corner of the paper. Her fingers trace the symbol, and she reads the contents of the page.

And in the twentieth year of war, desperate to gain the upper hand in battle, the priestesses opened a doorway to the Underworld, unleashing forms of the darkest magic from the darkest realm.

Calliope hears footsteps coming. She shuts the book and jumps to her feet, closing the gate behind her and hiding in the shadows as the genealogist comes back from supper. She hides in the dark until his back is turned, and then, she exits the library, as if she had never even been there at all.

Her next destination is the physician's chambers, and when she storms inside, Calliope bangs the book down on his workbench. Gaius's eyes widen slightly, and Calliope's gaze drills into him.

"I think it's time you finally gave me some answers, Gaius."

♛ ♛ ♛

hey everyone! i finished the semester, so now i have more time to write! i'm going to finish this story this summer (fingers crossed). honestly, i feel like i have to stall cal's story to include everything from s2 and it's honestly kinda annoying. the hardest part about writing this story has always been getting through all the dialogue and scenes from the canon episodes. i just want to get to the good parts!

a lot of what's left for cal's character has to wait until i write out the rest of the episodes, unfortunately, just because of the ending. so if it feels like i'm dragging the mystery out, it's because i literally have to, lol. i'm trying to give you guys as many crumbs as possible before the chaos begins haha

i will, however, give you guys some hints in the form of songs:
the fruits (paris paloma), daylight (david kushner), abraham's daughter (arcade fire), slow life (of monsters and men), howl (florence & the machine).