A Tale of Ealdor (Excerpt)

Author's note: Aye yai yai, well just unearthed this old story that I found deep in my portfolio.... it is from my early writing days so don't judge! Please enjoy!

 I must pack quickly. Aurellia thought, as she threw food, water, and other essentials into a bag, and threw it over her shoulder. Aurellia grabbed a pen and paper to leave a note to her friends, saying she had gone on a short adventure. Just as she was about to rush out her door, she bumped into Merlin, spilling all of her maps, food, and clothes on the floor.

“Sorry," Merlin said, bending down to help her clean up her mess.

“It’s fine,” Aurellia said as she repacked her bag and stood up. 

“Where are you going?” He asked curiously, noting that she had maps, food, and water in her bag.

“Just on a small adventure.” She said as she tried to dart around Merlin, and continue on her trip to find Cohen.

“Might I join you?” Merlin asked, knowing the answer. He and Arthur had planned the night before, to follow her on her adventure. They too had packed food, clothes, and water.

“Sorry, I am taking this one alone!” Aurellia ran around him and headed towards the castle stables. She mounted her white horse and raced into the forest that surrounded Camelot, with Arthur and Merlin close behind.

Aurellia jumped off of her horse when she found where she and Cohen had first met, by the creek. She smiled when she saw a friar leaning against a tree asleep. She walked up to the friar and threw off his cloak to reveal an old balding man. Startled awake he said,

“OY, what do you think your doin?!” He waved a half-eaten turkey leg in Aurellia’s face. She stepped back and replied,

“I am terribly sorry! There must be some mistake!” Aurellia stopped when she heard something like hysterical laughter coming from the forest. Did someone follow me? She thought as she again apologized to the very confused friar, remounted her horse, and continued to search for her knight in shining armour.

Arthur and Merlin were very busy trying to stay quiet, for there were many close calls. For example, when Merlin was making a campfire, it spread onto a tree and almost burnt down the entire forest. They had to be very careful and make sure Aurellia didn’t know she was being followed. 

It was dark when Aurellia finally stopped to rest for the day. She lit a fire and began cooking a bird she shot when a twig cracked, not too far from her campsite. She stood up and was about to unsheathe her sword when Arthur and Merlin walked out of the forest.

“Dum Dum here stepped on a twig, and ruined our cover of secrecy,” Arthur said to Aurellia as he sat beside her campfire and tried a bit of her bird.

“Hey! I didn’t mean to, I tripped over your enormous feet!” Merlin too sat by her campfire and tried some of her dinner. Completely and utterly astonished, Aurellia tried to sort out what was happening, how long had they followed her? Or was it just a coincidence they met?

“What are you doing here? “She asked, demanding an answer.

“We are follo-” Merlin began before Arthur cut in,

“We are on a hunting trip. We saw your campfire and decided to join you.” Arthur elbowed Merlin in the chest and smiled at Aurellia. 

“What are you doing in the forest?” Merlin asked as she took the bird off of the campfire, and divided it into thirds. It wasn't the best dinner, but at least they had food.

“I am on a trip.” Aurellia finished as she began to eat her crispy third of a bird.

“Where are you headed?” Arthur asked, pushing for more

information. He wanted to see if she would tell them she was searching for Cohen.

“It doesn’t matter, what I want to know is why you are hunting so deep in the forest.” She was suspicious of Merlin and Arthur, she thought they might be following her.

Arthur was at a loss for words, but Merlin saved the day by answering, “ Bigger game is found more abundantly deeper in forests, we wanted to have a very plentiful hunt.”

“Yes, that is exactly what we are doing,” Arthur added.

“I expect you will be headed back towards Camelot tomorrow?” Aurellia asked as she laid her sleeping bag out onto the dirty forest floor.

“We thought we might join you on your little trip,” Arthur replied, as he too laid out his sleeping bag.

“No, you will not join me, I am to do this myself.” She climbed into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. In her opinion the matter was closed, they would not follow her tomorrow, they would leave. But to Arthur and Merlin, their adventure had just begun. 

Just when Merlin was about to fall asleep, Arthur said, “And Merlin, my feet are not enormous.”

~~~~~

“Merlin!” Arthur yelled as he kicked Merlin in the head.

“Ouch!” Merlin jumped out of his sleeping bag rubbing his head. “

What is the matter?” 

“Aurellia is gone.” Arthur was quickly packing up his sleeping bag. Aurellia was completely gone, she left no trace of her leaving except for a note. Arthur grabbed the note and read ;

Have fun on your hunting trip, I will be back in Camelot soon. Do not worry.

-Aurellia

Arthur angrily crumpled up the note and mounted his horse. Merlin too packed up his items and mounted his horse. Picking up Aurellia’s trail was not too difficult, they could easily pick up her horse’s tracks on the wet forest floor. They followed her trail until they heard voices not too far ahead of them.

Arthur motioned for Merlin to dismount his horse and follow him. They quickly snuck up on the source of the sound but were disappointed when they found that it was Sirs Gawain, Percival, and Leon.

“Arthur! What are you doing here?” Sir Leon asked in surprise as all three knights jumped to their feet and bowed before their prince.

“We are tracking Aurellia, we believe she might be in grave danger,”

Arthur said as he filled his fellow knights in on Cohen, and how she knew him.

“gulp, sew fis Coheen cuddle bees eveen?” Said Gawain while stuffing his face with porridge. Only Merlin could decipher what

Gawain said, “ He says ‘ So this Cohen could be evil?’ “

“ There is no question whether he is evil or not. It is what he wants with Aurellia.” Sir Percival replied as he and Sir Leon packed up their camp, and prepared to join Arthur and Merlin’s “Hunting Trip”

The group had now grown to five, and keeping five men quiet was quite a challenge. It was almost nightfall before the knights heard hushed whispers up ahead of them. Arthur quietly jumped off of his white horse and motioned for the other four to follow him. 

They came upon a scene that surprised them all, Aurellia was talking to a handsome young man with hair as black as a raven’s wing They seemed very friendly with each other. 

“ Merlin, create a distraction,” Arthur ordered Merlin. Merlin rolled his eyes and walked right into the clearing where Aurellia and Cohen stood.

“Merlin?” Aurellia exclaimed as she whipped around and saw her friend just casually walking through the clearing.

“Yep, that's me!” Merlin said as he smiled and waved at both of them. Cohen jumped at Merlin and unsheathed his sword. 

“You know this man?” Cohen asked standing in front of Aurellia as if he was protecting her. 

“Yes, he is my friend, though I thought I told him not to follow me! Did you bring Arthur with you?” Aurellia said frustrated that her plans for a secret trip had been foiled.

“Arthur?!” Cohen said fearfully. When suddenly Arthur and his band of knights jumped out of the woods and tackled Cohen to the ground. Arthur unsheathed his sword and held it to Cohen’s neck. 

“Who are you?” He yelled at Cohen.

“I- I am Cohen of Northumbria.” Arthur was right, but what did Cohen want with Aurellia?

“What do you want with Aurellia? Did you know that she was a knight of Camelot?” Arthur asked Cohen again.

“ I merely wanted to get to know her! Nothing more! Am I to be arrested for associating with a knight of Camelot?” Cohen admitted.

“ It is your ulterior motive that has me worried,” Arthur said under his breath as he helped Cohen to his feet and said,

“Aurellia, you are to come with us to Camelot and never seek out Cohen again.” Aurellia agreed unwillingly and mounted her horse along with all the other knights.

“You are never to enter the borders of Camelot again. Under penalty of death.” Arthur said as he and his knights and Merlin rode away into the forest towards Camelot. 

~~~~

“Why must you be so arrogant Arthur?” Aurellia said as she and all of the other knights dismounted their horses and prepared to make camp for the night.

“I was trying to save you,” Arthur replied frustrated.

“As you could probably tell, I did not, nor will I ever need saving.” She stated as she built up a fire. The midnight sky was illuminated by millions of fireflies. It was beautiful. 

“Dinner’s ready,” Merlin announced as everyone rushed over to the pot that hung over the roaring fire. Merlin filled each of the knight’s bowls with hot stew.

“This is delicious! What is it?” Gawain asked as all of the knight’s chowed down on the delicious meal.

“Um, it is rat stew,” Merlin said rather quietly. Each of the knights spit out what they were eating and glared at Merlin.

“There was nothing else!” Merlin said as an excuse, he did not want to get tackled by all of the knights.

“ At least warn us next time!” Arthur said. After lots of chatter, the group finally settled in for the knight. They needed good sleep if they were ever going to reach Camelot the following morning. Before Merlin turned in for the night, Arthur pulled him aside.

“Merlin, keep an eye on Aurellia will you?” Arthur made sure she wasn’t listening, “I feel she might leave during the night.” 

“ Will do sire! What do I do if she starts to leave?” Merlin asked.

“Follow her, and bring her back,” Arthur said. “I am probably asking too much of my servant.”

“No, no I can do it,” Merlin replied boldly.

“Why am I even doubting you? You have followed me plenty of times.” Arthur slapped Merlin on the back and slid into his sleeping bag. Merlin didn’t sleep that night. His thoughts were full of Cohen, and who he was, and what he wanted. 

He started to drift off to sleep when suddenly the sound of clothes rustling jerked him awake. He saw a shadowy figure walking toward where Aurellia was sleeping. The shadowy figure slipped a silver bracelet onto her wrist and then left.

Not sure what to do, Merlin walked to where Lady Aurellia was sleeping and shook her awake. 

“Merlin? What are you doing?” Aurellia said as she sat up and yawned. 

“Someone just slipped a bracelet onto your wrist!” Merlin pointed to the bracelet on her arm, but it was gone.

“I think you were dreaming Merlin, go back to sleep.” Aurellia rolled over and began to snore. Very confused, Merlin tried to sleep but was unable.

~~~~

“Alright, time to go! We haven’t got all day!” Arthur said as he shook everyone awake. It took them a bit, but soon everyone was up and ready to head back to Camelot.

Arthur guided his horse over to Merlin’s.

“Well, how was last night?” 

“It was fine, well, except for one thing,” Merlin said nervously.

“Spit it out, Merlin!” Arthur pressured.

“Well, a figure came out of the forest and slipped a silver bracelet onto Aurellia’s wrist.” Merlin added, “Then when I went over to examine it, it was gone.”

“I ask you to do one thing, and you completely fail.” Arthur closed his eyes, shook his head, and tried to take a deep breath. Merlin cringed and replied,

“You asked me to make sure she didn’t leave. Not to watch out for shadowy figures who slip silver bracelets onto people’s arms!” Merlin was exasperated. He was worried about Aurellia, and what purpose the bracelet would play, in that mystery figure’s plan.

“We will look into this later, once we reach Camelot,” Arthur responded coolly. They reached Camelot at dusk. The whole kingdom was happy at the return of Lady Aurellia, and Prince Arthur. As soon as they dismounted their horses, Merlin and Arthur raced to Gaius.

“ It seems to me that sorcery is at work.” Gaius replied after Merlin and Arthur told him about the silver bracelet mishap.

“You are saying Aurellia is enchanted?” Arthur asked as he examined Gaius’s many potions with curiosity. Gaius was the court physician and had solved many magical, and medical problems in the past.

“Let us keep a close watch. But for now, I think you should all get some fresh air, it is good for the lungs.” Gaius advised them not to seek out Aurellia, but to just watch and wait for any sign of enchantment.

Meanwhile, the crimson sun was just beginning to fall behind the nearby forest as Aurellia took a walk outside the castle. While walking towards the stables to check on her horse, her wrist began to burn horribly. She examined her wrist and saw a silver bracelet shine just underneath her skin and then disappear. 

Suddenly her ears began to wring, then, a voice echoed throughout her mind.

“Aurellia, I am in the forest. Come here.” 

Aurellia did her best to resist the order, but her body seemed to move by its own will. She struggled and tried to break free of this invisible power that was controlling her until her legs brought her to the middle of a clearing in the forest.

The forest was quiet and calm, except for the distant sounds of birds chattering excitedly. Distracted by the sounds and sights of the beautiful forest, Aurellia didn’t notice the figure approaching her from behind. 

Aurellia whipped around when she felt someone brush past her. It was Cohen.

“Cohen! You must help me! I must be enchanted, please, you must help!” Aurellia pleaded to her friend when she realized it was him.

“Oh Aurellia, I would, but you must do something for me first.” Cohen grinned slyly awaiting her reply.

“Cohen, what are you saying? I thought we were friends.” She looked searchingly into the now cold eyes of her once friend. Would he help her?

“I am the one that enchanted you. They would never suspect a fellow knight of Camelot to betray them. Soon your friends will regret the day they were born.” Cohen said as he grabbed Aurellia’s wrist, and spoke in a tongue she could not understand. 

Aurellia screamed as excruciating pain rocketed up from her wrist to her head, causing her ears to ring. The last thing she heard before she fell was cold, dark laughter. Then everything went dark.