Chapter Six: The Sorceress' Spell

For all Nimue had always dreamed of being a knight, had always dreamed of the glory, it was not such a wonderful thing. True, it had been an astonishing ceremony, with the king and his knights turned out in full regalia. The king had been resplendent in white, trimmed with silver embroidery, and Merlin.ah, now that had been a sight. He'd been the antithesis of Arthur, in black from head to toe, with eagle feathers tied into his hair like the first few times she'd seen him. Side by side the two of them were by far more regal than anyone had any right to be.

Nimue had felt small and raggedy, kneeling before them. She had not liked the thought of wearing a dress one bit, but in the end she'd had little choice. Although she was not fond of Guinevere, knowing what she knew of the woman, the queen had good taste. So Nimue had found herself in a dress of simple cut, soft dove gray in color, without the long train so popular at court these days. The only reason she hadn't minded so much, in the end, was because Merlin had smiled when he'd seen her.

If she had thought that, because she was one of them, the common folk would turn out to cheer, she'd been wrong. Oh, they'd made a good deal of noise, no doubt about it. But Nimue had seen the way they'd looked at her, as if she was something to be scorned. A few of the women had seemed inspired, and a few of the men had looked at her in ways that gave her chills, but most looked upon her with distaste. Merlin had told her not to worry; no man or woman was so foolish as to anger a wizard.

I don't want them to be afraid of me, though, Nimue thought, sinking down into the hot water. The tub was a great bronze monstrosity, with elaborately clawed feet. Merlin had done some spell to keep the water hot, and it was truly a pleasure. I wonder if the people are afraid of Merlin, she thought, wiggling her toes in the water. He's a wizard, but he's also a knight. But then, not all knights were good, either. Nimue didn't trust some of them; Bryant, for example, didn't seem like the sort of man who should be a knight.

"So.a woman. I should have realized."

Water sloshed over the edges of the tub as Nimue flailed, startled. Some brave knight I make, she thought, swallowing hard around her pounding heart. She turned her head and saw Sebille standing in the doorway. Even dressed in simple clothing, a blouse and bodice, and long twill skirt, Sebille made her feel like an ugly duck. All the pretty clothes in the world, Nimue thought, can't make me look like that. She huddled down in the tub as the woman came closer. There was no teasing smile on Sebille's face today.

"Only a woman could see through this spell," Sebille went on. She paused beside the tub, running her fingertips along the bronze edge. "A man could never detect it."

"So it is a spell!" Nimue glowered at the other woman. "When I tell Merlin."

Sebille laughed. "Don't be foolish, child," she said, her lips curving in a smug smile. "He didn't believe you before, and he won't believe you now. Do you think I'm so slowwitted as to reveal something I knew you could use against me?"

Nimue slumped. It's true, she thought, he didn't believe me before, so why should that change? Although.well, Merlin was much more attentive to Nimue than he'd been to Nim, even with Sebille around. And that certainly seemed to irritate the other woman. Maybe Merlin would believe her this time. No doubt Sebille was trying to frighten her, to make her believe she was helpless. What could she possibly want with Merlin, anyway? Nimue wondered. I thought she was trying to seduce him, but for some reason, I'm no longer certain of that.

"Whatever it takes to keep you from hurting him," Nimue said, "I'll do it."

"I doubt you could, child," Sebille said, chuckling softly. "A sweet, innocent little common girl like yourself? You can't win, Nimue, so I advise that you don't challenge me."

Sebille leaned over the tub. She pushed up the sleeve of her blouse and dangled her fingers above the water. Frowning, Nimue flattened herself against the hard metal of the tub. She did not like the look on the other woman's face at all. Sebille lowered her hand beneath the water and leaned closer, until her face was mere inches from Nimue. What the hell is she doing? Nimue wondered, trying not to panic. It had been frightening enough when Sebille had looked at Nim in that way.

"I love strong women," Sebille purred.

At first, when the other woman's mouth touched hers, Nimue could do nothing more than sit in the tub, stunned. Sebille had a grip on her shoulder, and it was surprisingly strong. But she regained her senses quickly and pulled back, trying to shrug off the hand clenching at her shoulder. Nimue gave Sebille a hard shove and she stumbled back. Rather than backing off, though, she came on, her pretty features twisted with ugly rage.

Water splashed everywhere as Nimue tried to get up out of the tub. She struck out wildly, fending off those nails of Sebille's, which had already proven wickedly sharp. This seemed to enrage the other woman even more. Nimue cried out as nails bit into her arm like daggers. She slipped on the wet bronze of the tub and fell, dragging Sebille with them. They must have been making an awful lot of noise, because a moment later the bathroom door flew open. Merlin stormed in and the two of them broke apart, both of them scrambling to get out of the tub.

"What is going on here?" Merlin demanded. Without stopping to think, he retrieved a heavy towel from the shelves near the door and threw it around Nimue's shoulders. "Why are you two fighting now?"

"I.I d-don't know." Sebille stammered, adopting a most perplexed and innocent expression. "I was only trying to help."

Merlin looked down at Nimue, his dark eyes taking on a familiar disapproving expression. Hmmph! she thought, glaring over her shoulder look at Sebille. I can play the helpless female routine, too! She swayed on her feet, letting herself lean heavily against Merlin. Despite the fact that she was soaking wet, he didn't push her away. Nimue curled her fingers around the shirt he was wearing and gazed up at him. Her eyes filled with tears; not a difficult thing, with her arm on fire from those scratches.

"I don't feel good," she said quietly, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

His expression softened. Nimue clung to him as he lifted her up, cradling her carefully in his arms. Only she saw the infuriated expression on Sebille's face. So there is a way to get around her spell, Nimue thought, turning her head and pressing her face against Merlin's chest. Ah, he smells nice. Sandalwood and myrrh, like always, and maybe a hint of cinnamon, too. As if Sebille was not even there, he carried her away into her room.

"Did you have another vision?" Merlin asked, as he set her down on the bed.

Nimue shook her head. "No, I.I'm just so overwhelmed."

It was true; so much had happened over the last couple of weeks. Merlin had barely had time to explain to her that she, like him, had a great deal of power as a wizard. The wound on her shoulder was healing fast and as soon as she was able, he'd said, she would start training. Not to mention continuing her training as a knight. Just thinking about it made Nimue feel exhausted, and now she had to figure out how to stop Sebille. Although, leaning against Merlin as he sat down on the bed next to her, she had a feeling she knew how to do that.

"You need to get some rest," Merlin said quietly. His lips brushed her forehead, making her shiver. "I have to attend a council meeting during the day tomorrow, but if you're up for it, we can begin your training in the evening."

"I'm ready," Nimue assured him earnestly, sitting up straighter. "Really, I feel just fine."

Merlin chuckled. "That's good to hear," he said, "but I still want you to get some rest."

He leaned his head down and suddenly his face was a lot closer to hers than it had been before. Suddenly Nimue was glad that he hadn't had time to light a lamp, because her cheeks were turning the same shade as her hair. She'd never thought of herself as being so shy until she'd come to Camelot. Nimue had been used to changing, bathing, and sleeping with other people around, but it was different here. Especially around Merlin. At first it had come from not wanting to make a fool of herself around so many beautiful, grand people, but now as she adjusted to living in Camelot, it was only people like Merlin who made her blush, these days.

The next moment passed in a blur. She felt his breath warm against her skin, sending a tingling sensation along her nerves. Merlin gently kissed the side of her neck. The moment was intimate, almost too intimate, and Nimue was both relieved and disappointed when he rose from the bed. I thought all I wanted was to be a knight, she thought, watching him. But now, I'm really not so sure.

"Goodnight, Nimue," Merlin said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

She sat in the dark for awhile after he left, then finally rose and closed the door. Nimue changed into a thin linen nightshirt, quickly brushed her short hair, and climbed into bed. How am I supposed to sleep after that? she wondered, curling up in a tight ball beneath the covers. It's amazing I've slept at all lately, what with everything that's happened. But she had slept and, despite the way her mind was buzzing, she slept that night, as well.



"Is there anything more tiring than a council meeting?"

Merlin looked up at Arthur and smiled, chagrined. He knew he'd not been as attentive as he'd needed to be today, but he was having trouble staying awake. Amazing, really, considering at night he could hardly get to sleep. Before, when his mind had been convinced that Nimue was male, it had been simple to ignore. Now her presence was an even more tangible thing and it kept him awake at night. It would have anyway, Merlin knew; adjusting to another magic user, a powerful one, was not really an easy thing.

"Forgive me, my liege," Merlin said, as he rose from his seat. "A good deal has gone on, of late."

Arthur chuckled. "That is a mild way of putting it," he said. "How is your young pupil, hmm? Recovering quickly, I understand."

"She heals faster than you," Merlin told him, grinning. "I promised I'd start her training tonight, now that she's well enough."

"Then get going," Arthur said, his pale eyes twinkling in good humor. "It's never wise to keep a woman waiting. And certainly not a woman with hair like fire."

Chuckling softly, Merlin left the audience chamber. He made his way quickly back to his rooms, stopping only long enough to find out if Nimue had already requested dinner. Now that she was both his apprentice, and a knight, she did not serve at table for the noble ladies. And although Merlin ate with Arthur often enough, he'd been taking his meals in his rooms with Nimue the last couple of weeks, while she recovered. What could possibly be more pleasant than a quiet meal, anyway? he thought.

Nimue was sitting by the empty hearth, scowling at a small hand loom that the queen had given her. She sat up straight and set it aside when he came in. Merlin glanced at the loom, with its mess of tangled threads, and he couldn't help but smile. He sat down next to her and picked up the loom, tugging a thread free. All it took was a quick, nimble twist of the thread, and the mess on the loom came undone, smoothing itself out. Nimue's eyes widened in delight.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" she asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"That would be cheating," Merlin reminded her, reaching down and tapping the tip of her upturned nose with his finger. "Besides which, we need to start with basic exercises. Like meditating."

Nimue wrinkled her nose. "Sounds.exciting."

"You need discipline, Nimue," Merlin told her. "There are all kinds of magic. A wizard can handle many of them. But still, it requires discipline."

"All right, all right," Nimue conceded, a bit grumpily. "Let's get to it, then."

He'd had a feeling right along that it would be tough to teach Nimue meditation. She didn't like to sit still or to be kept indoors. It was slow and frustrating for the both of them, but when Merlin finally did get her to concentrate, she found the rhythm of it easily. He found himself watching her, listening to her soft, deep breaths. For about fifteen minutes he thought she had it; then Nimue shifted, trying to get more comfortable. She opened her eyes and let out a sigh.

"I can't do this," Nimue grumbled. "It's boring just sitting here."

Merlin chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it. Obviously this method is not going to work for you. Tell me, is there anything in particular you find helps you focus? Something that relaxes you?"

"Um." Nimue pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I like when I'm sitting in the window. That relaxes me. If I can't be inside, that is."

"Well, that isn't going to work," Merlin said wryly. "But I think I know what will. Come with me."

The last thing he needed was for his pupil to take a tumble out the window. Still, it was with some trepidation that he let her up to his room. He didn't like people who couldn't use magic invading his private sanctuary; they could never resist the urge to poke around. Nimue, however, was like a very shy, very polite little mouse. She looked around curiously, occasionally turning in this direction or that, but she never touched anything.

No doubt his room was fascinating. There were shelves overflowing with leather-bound books of all sizes, and scrolls, some in protective tubes and other strewn carelessly, as if they were unimportant. There were several work tables with all manner of items strange and intriguing upon them; gems, herbs, open journals with writing scrawled across the pages, bones from God only knew what, and so on. Merlin swallowed as Nimue glanced, once, at the large bed tucked into the corner.

"Out here," Merlin said, indicating the double doors leading onto the balcony. "A little safer than the windowsill, I'd wager."

"What do you want me to do?" Nimue asked, as she stepped outside.

"Just relax." Merlin placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her as she leaned against the balcony railing. "There's a rhythm to this, Nimue. You'll find it quite simple, once you've got it figured out."

She settled some with the sky bright and open around her. Keeping his hands on her shoulders, Merlin concentrated on her while she breathed in the steady rhythm he had demonstrated for her. Nimue had power, a good deal of it, and at the moment it flowed from her, expanding each time she breathed. So he would begin with teaching her how to ground all that power, something meditating would help with quite a bit. For now, though, Merlin was confident he could keep her from accidentally hurting anyone or anything.

When he felt her body tremor beneath his hands he grew worried. The power that hovered around her like an aura pulsed. Merlin turned her to face him, his hands catching her wrists and giving them a gentle squeeze. Nimue's eyelids fluttered open. For a moment she was disoriented, her expression bemused; then it changed to one of dawning realization, and then determination.

"Merlin, you have to listen to me," Nimue said, gripping at the front of his tunic. "Sebille.she's got something planned, I know it!"

"Nimue, calm down," Merlin soothed. "You've only just begun to have visions, they can't possibly be that clear yet."

"It isn't just the visions," Nimue said insistently. "It's that necklace I told you about, too!"

"I didn't see—" Merlin began.

"Because you can't!" Nimue cut him off, pulling away from him. "It has some sort of spell on it, only women can see it!"

Merlin frowned. Now that he knew about Nimue, that did make some sense. Still, I should have realized, he thought, as she began tugging him back into the room. If Sebille had magic, I would have sensed it. Wouldn't he? If the spell was meant to cloud his vision, both physical and magical, he might not have. Regaining his composure, Merlin tried to stop Nimue as she dragged him down the stairs. He finally dug his heels in and managed to stop her when they'd reached the common room.

"Nimue, we can't just confront her unprepared," Merlin said, pulling her around to face him. "We don't even know how to defend our.defend me from this spell. Assuming there really is one."

"There it is again!" Nimue exclaimed. "You keep denying it, even though deep down you know you shouldn't!"

She was right. Merlin was reminded of those times, weeks ago, when he'd felt uneasy. Whatever this spell was, it was hard to shake, because it continued to creep into his mind, trying to convince him that Nimue was overreacting. I need to clear my head, he thought, but how? Her stared down into Nimue's clear, pale eyes and willed himself to believe her, fighting past a force that had become almost tangible around him.

"I know how to break it," Nimue said quietly.

He made a muffled, startled noise, low in his throat, when she pulled his mouth down to hers. For the briefest second Merlin thought to push her away, but he'd forgotten what it felt like to kiss a woman with her kind of power. And she had such a soft, sweet mouth that he found himself drawing her nearer. Her power, female in its original and therefore its feel, flooded through him. At first he didn't understand what she was doing, but when he did, he kissed her all the harder for it.

What forced the door to their rooms open, it shattered the wood. Merlin grabbed Nimue and pushed her down, shielding her physically and magically from the shards and splinters that flew across the room. He looked up and saw Sebille standing in the doorway. Nimue's power was already exceeding, flowing away from him as a wave retreats from the shore, but it was there long enough for him to see the small hourglass hanging around Sebille's neck.

The next moments passed in a blur. Both he and Nimue went for Sebille at the same time. Since she wasn't trying to use magic, Nimue got there first, and made a grab for the other woman. She got her hand around the hourglass before Sebille shoved her backwards, using the same sort of magic she'd used on the door. Damnit, Merlin thought, grabbing hold of Nimue as she stumbled back. There was nothing he could do as Sebille raced to the window and, much to his shock and dismay, leapt out it.

She didn't fall, however. Instead she turned into a small gray hawk. Tristan! Merlin thought, turning his head in the direction of the mews. Come! Despite being more intelligent and sophisticated than other birds like him, Tristan didn't mind the mews. He felt a response from the bird, but he didn't think he would get free in time to catch Sebille. Damn, Merlin thought, looking down at Nimue. Now what do we do? She gave him a dazed smile and opened her hand, revealing the little green hourglass.

"I can see it," Merlin told her.

"I'm not trying to stop you," Nimue said, shrugging. "At least, I think that's how it works. Is there any way we can find out?"

She pulled away from him and he noticed that her cheeks were red. This has proven to be an interesting evening, Merlin thought, watching her. He'd down transfers of power like that before, and while they generally required physically contact, a kiss was not usually necessary. That wasn't to say that there was no magic centered around sex; quite the contrary, in fact. Now is not that time to be thinking about that, Merlin thought, groaning inwardly. I've got enough problems without adding lust onto the list.

"We can," Merlin said. "But we need to track her down, as well. And quickly."

"If we know what this is," Nimue said, holding up the hourglass, "mightn't we be able to find a way to use it to track her?"

Merlin smiled. "Perhaps we could at that."

He was beginning to feel a little nauseated, now that the spell was broken. Powerful he might be, but infallible he was not, and that spell had gotten him good. Merlin sank down on the couch near the hearth, trying to clear his buzzing head as he watch Nimue start a kettle full of water for tea. She looked just as shaken as he was. It was hard to say which was more frightening: that Sebille was a sorceress, no doubt working with the barbarians and their Shamans, or the sudden attraction between himself and Nimue.