Chapter 18 ~ Maurelle's Story.

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''Time to get up Karil, back to school today.'' Was Madam Pomfrey's morning greeting as she strode into the sick bay and opened the curtains with a quick flick of her wand. Karil pulled the covers over his eyes to shield himself from the light that was now flooding the room. Madam Pomfrey, however, ignored the fact the the light would probably blind him and dragged the covers off Karil. ''I said get up, Karil.'' 

Acknowledging the warning note in Madame Pomfrey's voice, he hastily got out of bed and rose groggily out of bed to pull the curtains around it. With a last look of longing at his bed, Karil retrieved his bundle of clothes and began to dress. 

As his mind regained clear thoughts, all he had read from Maurelle's book the previous evening, and his speed increased. He had to talk to Ly about it, they needed to start planning. At least Ly had just passed his apparition test, now they'd be able to get places faster. Still, no doubt that woman Mirror could apparate, and Maurelle could probably do something in the self-transportation department. He wondered if they'd met again. He'd have to follow her again, then they would-

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the echo of a cold, clear voice echo down the corridor outside the sick bay. He knew that voice. As he stood there, frozen with his trousers half on, he heard another tone. He knew that one as well.

Pulling on his trousers as fast as he could, he made sure he had all clothes on before tearing back the curtains to be greeted by a smiling Ly and a blushing Maurelle, who had just entered the room.

''We've come to take you back off to class. Bet you missed it.'' Ly came forward with a grin, Karil returning the expression, but his attention was mostly on Maurelle. After all he'd read the night before, it was hard not to stare. She looked so like that drawing that drawing of her Mother, and having read Morgana Le Fay's entire biography, he could now see how much she was like her. Both had been emotionally damaged, both had been betrayed, both had lost their parents. And Karil knew the next chapter Maurelle's life would take, like Morgana's, if he didn't intervene. Mirror would change Maurelle like Morgause had manipulated Morgana.

Ly broke the small silence that had occurred whilst his friend had been deep in thought. ''Ok mate, I'm off to Arithmancy and I believe you and Maurelle here are needed in Ancient Runes.'' 

Karil nodded and walked past his friend to the door, earning a whisper on the way; ''Tell me at break.'' Karil turned to Ly and nodded again to say. ''Yeah, see you then.'' And followed Maurelle out of the sick bay with her writings safely stashed away in his bag.

As soon as Ly had turned off to make his way to Arithmancy, Karil swerved to enter an unused classroom, holding open the door for his companion, who was staring at him with a puzzled expression.

''Karil, this isn't Ancient Runes, we need to go another floor up.'' Her Irish lilt rang through the corridor and irritated him slightly. 

''I know it isn't, but I need to talk.'' He pulled her in and shut the door behind him. She was still looking at him in bewilderment and strangely, fear. He made his way over to one of the tables and sat down, but Maurelle remained where she was.

''We have nothing to talk about, Karil.'' She made for the door but he was already up to stop her, brandishing the book at the same time. She gasped and froze as she caught sight of it. 

''I read it Maurelle. I know the true story of your mother, I know she isn't a villain.'' Karil watched her as she looked wildly from him to her writings. He let his arm fall and placed it on her arm. ''I understand. And I have to thank you.''

But the shock was over and the outer hardness was setting in again. She knew she'd shown weakness, now she needed to cover up what had happened.

''I don't care if you understand, and I have no idea what you wish to thank me about.''

Karil sighed. ''Maurelle don't do this again. First you save Ly's life and then Mine, but you never acknowledge it. Why do you hold this protective shell around you, of hardness and cold. I need to know who the real Maurelle is.''

He could see her waver in the demeanor but she still set her mouth firm and refused to speak.

Karil tried again. ''Do you really want to kill Merlin?''

That did it. She spun round, eyes full of fury. ''If you've read the book you should know, shouldn't you! If someone killed your Mother how would you feel!''

Karil felt sympathy for the girl once more, putting himself in her place. Yes, if someone killed his creative, erratic Mother of course he would want revenge. 

But Morgana had been killed because she had been a threat to Camelot, she had killed Arthur, she had almost destroyed the kingdom of Albion. Merlin had been her friend, he wouldn't just kill Morgana without reason. 

Karil walked over to sit on a desk once more. ''Maurelle, whether or not it comes down to Merlin, I want to know your story. I know your Mother's tale, of friendship, betrayal, loss. Now let me know yours. What happened to you after your Mother and Father died?''

She was breathing calmer now, and took a step towards, sitting on a desk near to him. 

''After the final battle of Camelot, my Uncle, Mordred's druid brother, found me in the camp nearby and managed to smuggle me away to live in a druid camp. It was there I grew up.'' She began. Karil listened intently, though slightly surprised she had consented to tell her tale. ''However, five years after I was taken to the camp, when I was eight years old, we were attacked by knights of Queen Guinevere, looking to assassinate me. It seems she knew of my existence and wished to kill me in a way of avenging Arthur further. My Uncle and I escaped, but the rest of our companions were killed. For the next three years we were constantly followed by various men sent by the queen. We seemed to be lucky though, for by the time I was eleven not one assassin, knight or sorcerer had managed to get their hands on me.'' She paused for a breath and Karil watched as he face became pained with memory. ''Luck never does last.'' She looked at him with tears in her eyes. ''My Uncle was poisoned like you were, but at that time I had no idea of how to cure it. He passed away.''

So she admits she cured me, Karil thought. Yet after this verification, more questions flooded his head. Why? She hated him, she could have just let him die. But no, she had saved him. He looked at her, but her eyes gave away nothing at this remark. He returned to the subject of her tale.

''What did you do?'' He asked quietly. She blinked slowly and returned to the story.

''I kept on running. A year later I found another druid camp, they let me stay, they taught me more. The leader had known my Uncle and Mordred, he agreed to help me. By the age of fifteen I had become I high priestess if the old religion, the most powerful sorceress of the time.'' She shook her head regretfully. ''I as powerful but I was hunted. No one knew of me. I wished to do something, to avenge my Uncle, my Father, my Mother. Yet I couldn't do anything to Guinevere, she had Merlin by her side, who, despite my power, could overcome me. So I began to investigate new kinds of spells, time spells, sending me through the ages to this time. I learnt through my dreams and my visions, I discovered what I needed to know. Then, with the help of the druid leader, I sent myself here.''

She looked at him. ''Merlin is old now, he is weaker. And through the process of the time jump, I have become stronger. I can kill him. I will kill him. I will avenge my Mother.'' 

He watched her as she uttered these words and once again the flicker of Morgana showed. Karil realized it wasn't only Mirror who was going to contribute to the darkening of Maurelle, it was the murder. How was she going to feel when she killed Merlin?

''But she's not.'' He reminded himself in thought. ''Me and Ly will stop her, we have to.''

But he couldn't hurt Maurelle to stop her. Alarmingly, he had begun to care for Maurelle, not in his observatory way, but in one of sympathy and, and something else. A whisper that lurked there. She had been through so much, she couldn't be hurt. Yet what if Ly and him stopped her from killing Merlin, would that turn her against him? Of course it would. So they needed to do it in secret. He would have to follow her in her meetings with Mirror, to find out what Mirror was planning. 

He and Ly were heading for Avalon.