Chapter 15 ~ After Dark.

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It was cold, with a biting wind, and Karil began to wish he'd put on a warmer cloak. He didn't know how Maurelle was coping, she was in a white nightdress, very old fashioned with a bodice and very impractical. Her wand shed light, making her look like she was glowing. It sent shivers down his spine as he watched her vanish into the forest. He felt like he was following a ghost. 

He quickened his pace to a brisk jog, at the same time trying to be silent, a hard thing to accomplish. Luckily she didn't seem to hear him as she stood alone in the woodland clearing, Karil himself hidden behind a large tree. It felt like years were passing as the minutes dragged on. She had put out her wand light and Karil was struggling to keep awake, despite the circumstances. Twenty minutes went by, half an hour, but still Maurelle stood there. Karil had began to wonder whether she'd come out here for different reasons when the spoken of light came and he lent forward to watch the meeting.

Sure enough, the woman appeared out of the trees. Karil stopped himself from gasping just in time, but he was entitled to. She was so like Maurelle it was haunting. The face especially, the way she moved. However, as he watched the woman's eyes he realized they were more cold and sly, like a snake's, unlike Maurelle's hard and determined, but not necessarily spiteful look. 

''Who are you?''

''I am Mirror. The last living descendant of Morgause Gorlois. And I need your help.''

Karil shifted so he could see Maurelle's face. She was wearing her usual emotional armour, hard, cold.

''And why would you need my help?'' Her voice rang pure and clear across the glade. 

The woman who had named herself Mirror stepped forward and took Maurelle's hands, Karil could see Maurelle was taken aback by the gesture. Mirror, however, spoke earnestly. ''You are my only relative, however distant. I have long yearned to meet you, it has been my greatest wish since I discovered the information of your journey here.''

''What?'' Maurelle took her hands away in denial. ''What journey? I-''

''Maurelle, I know all about your quest to avenge Morgana. I found records in my family's antiques of it all, that's how I knew you'd be here.'' Mirror cut in. Maurelle opened her mouth again, but Mirror simply halted her once more  ''Do not bother denying it, I am not your enemy here.'' 

To Karil's alarm, Maurelle's face was relaxing, considering. There was something about Mirror Karil didn't like. He knew couldn't be all she seemed. But here was Maurelle letting down her guard for some claimed relative.

''Maurelle, we also share another thing.'' Mirror was speaking again, taking a step towards Maurelle once more. Maurelle raised her head.

''And what is that?'' Karil noticed the distinct change in tone. It was soft, warm. At ease.

Mirror smiled a cruel smile. ''We both wish Merlin to be dead.''

Karil watched as Maurelle to strong interest.

''Is that what you need my help with?''

''I will help you kill him, but there is also another favor I dare to ask you.'' Mirror replied. Karil could hear the slight unease in her tone, but Maurelle didn't seem to notice. Despite technically being older than the woman she spoke with, Karil got the feeling Maurelle was beginning to look up to Mirror.

''And what is that favor?''

'I want everyone to pay for their tales of ''The Great King Arthur.'' I want to make the world  understand.'' Mirror spoke ambitiously, the cruel air returning.

Maurelle, however, looked doubtful. ''I regret to inform you that myself and a wand-witch, however great, could not defeat the vast wizarding population by ourselves.''

Mirror smiled, ignoring the insult Maurelle had just thrown at her. ''Ah, but we won't be by ourselves. I have a huge number of talented witches waiting to fight for me.'' 

Maurelle raised her eyebrows. ''What about you? How well do you fight?'' 

Another proud but cruel smile dawned upon Mirror's face. ''Lord Voldermort would have been proud of me.'' She answered, casually tossing in the name of the once most feared wizard of all time. Karil could see Maurelle's eyes flicker with recognition. He himself shuddered and blinked two or three times. His Mother had been deeply involved the war against the dark wizard and his brother had attended school with the children of Harry Potter. He knew it all.

''And with you by our side, my army of noble witches can defeat the wizarding population fairly quickly. I have it all planned.'' Mirror continued. Maurelle was still looking slightly unsure, but Mirror came forward and put her arm round her.

''Please Maurelle. I need someone with your talent, and I need someone who knew of my ancestor. I need someone whom I can trust.''

And just like that, Maurelle snapped and gave Mirror a hug. Mirror was smiling a caring smile with her eyes closed and Karil knew it was sincere. She really did care about Maurelle in the sisterly way. 

Karil didn't see Mirror open her eyes and smile a different smile, a pleased, twisted smile. He strode through the woods, mind whirling, thoughts racing. How on earth were he and Ly meant to stop an army of mad witches? He had to tell someone else - but who would believe him? He caught a glimpse of glowing orange through the trees and realised who he could confide in.

Rolf, he had to see Rolf. Rolf was older, more experienced, he could help. Karil's bewildered mind thought only of his brother as he stumbled though the trees towards the friendly glow. It wasn't far, it wasn't far. But despite the distance, Karil never reached the safety of his brother's hut. Something stood in his path.

A wolf, black with yellow eyes alight with pleasure and satisfaction, stared up at the boy. Karil reached for his wand, but the animal was to fast. Leaping at him, it sunk it's teeth into his leg. Karil yelled in pain, the cry echoing through the dark trees. Then, as he fell against the tree, his world sunk into deeper black as his head hit the hard wood and he fell unconcious.

''Karil!'' Maurelle sunk to her knees, bending over him and looking wildly around. The wolf had disappeared into the night, all was silent except for her rasping breath as she panted after the distressed sprint she had just ran. Karil looked pale and almost dead in the white moonlight, but she could see his chest still rising. Her eyes fell upon the blood that was running in rivers down his forehead where his head had hit the tree, and then they flickered to see the dark red pool dripping on the earth, the damp patch of black surrounding his leg. He was hurt, he was losing blood. 

There was a rasping cough and she turned her eyes back to his face. 

''Karil!'' She cried. He flickered his eyes open and they grew wide as he felt the pain, then his arms came up as he clutched his throat. Maurelle followed his fingers and took them off his throat to reveal dark veins of violet creeping up his neck. She looked wildly at him, but he was unconcious once more, choking desperately. Maurelle held his head in her lap.

''No, Karil.'' She bent over him, the purple veins climbing slowly upwards. She was crying, tears falling onto his pale face, she let all the emotion out, she took down her barrier. It didn't matter if he'd come after her, nothing mattered any more. He couldn't see her anyway, and she let herself cry away. Sometimes all we need to do it cry.

Images of her mother came swimming before her, hazy and unclear, but there. Then Morgause, then her father, her Uncle. Her Uncle, her closest companion, writhing in her arms, coughing, choking, dying-

She gasped. How could she forget? She knew these symptons. She had seen a man die from the poison. But now she could heal them.

Sitting upright, she no longer stared at his neck, she held a shaking hand above it. Clearing her voice as much as she could,a sentence in gaelic ceased the choking from her patient. His body stopped quivering, the veins withdrew. She herself relaxed. He was unconcious, he was bleeding, but he was saved.