Chapter 13

                                    

                                          
"Why didn't you tell Arthur?" I asked him, causing him to shrug. "Why would I tell someone who believes that I am dead? He wouldn't believe me, even if I could make him see." He explained, shaking the cup in his hand. I was baffled, I couldn't believe that this, this ancient and fragile looking man was my own father. Could this mean that my mother was still alive as well?
                          
"I've been in hiding ever since Vortigern took the crown. I knew I would be on his list of people to either enslave or to kill." He shook his head sadly. "Your mother, Viviane, is still hidden away in her lake... For some years, might I say, no one can enter her castle regardless... That is... except you." I looked at him, "What?" 
                          
"Because you are a her daughter, it is believed that you can get to her castle." I sat there before my own father, apparently, with new knowledge that I could very well be able to meet my mother as well. I was speechless. "But, why now? Why have you not tried to seek me out before now? Why did you wait? Why did you give me up?" I began to rattle until I sobbed, "Why did you make me suffer?" I cried, his face fell and he embraced me. "It was to protect you. The moment your mother knew she was pregnant, you were in danger. Powerful warlocks and witches a like wanted you, to kill you, to steal you." He said, holding me. "We never wanted to hurt you, we wanted to keep you safe. If you think for a moment that we never kept tabs on you, you're wrong. We've been watching you all your life, but from a far." I sighed, the tears finally stopping as he spoke. 
                          
"After I realized that you had some sort of powers dormant within you, I had to do something. You were young, very young... I brought another young girl, a mage, to grow up with you. To help you disguise your powers," he said pulling away from me, "Olivia?" I said shocked, making him nod his head. "Along the way, something happened. Someone must of gotten to her... Now... she's got a hex upon her, a very strong one. I've tried to break it, or at least find the one responsible for putting it on her... But I am unable to locate the mage who did. Everything she's done as of late, is not her doing." My heart thumped. So, my friend isn't a traitor? She's been in the control of someone else. 
                          
We sat there in each others brace for some time, before my father pulled away. He looked tired, aged even, more so than before. "Are you feeling well father?" I asked, frowning. He sighed, "Well, my love, I am aging. My spell that I cast some years ago to disguise myself is fading, after all these years I will finally return to my natural self." I looked at him bewildered. "What are you talking about?" 
                          
"I cast a spell of disguise so that no one may know my true identity. It was to protect myself and of course you. It will only be a matter of time before I finally return back." 
                          
"What will happen?" I asked, frightened yet intrigued. "Well, the way you see me now, as an old man, will be gone. I will go back to my old self, to the way I used to look." He said, gesturing to himself. I looked him once over, "How odd," I breathed. "That is why we bare no resemblance. I understand now, why at first you must have thought I was crazy for claiming to be your father." He chuckled to himself. I laughed, nodding my head, "More than crazy..." I trailed off. 
                          
"Well, the food is almost done. We'll be able to eat soon." He said, changing the subject and patting his thighs. I rubbed my stomach, "Good, I'm starved." I chuckled. 
                          


                          
We spoke a little more after eating, then I retired to my tent. The days journey and the discovery of my father as all but taken my life. I decided to sleep and wake early so we can finish our route to where ever Merlin was heading tomorrow. 
                          
As I drifted off to sleep, I heard nothing but the peaceful silence of birds and other woodland creatures. I only slept a while before a strange dream startled my mind. 
                          
I was in a brightly lit field, alone, at first. I looked around, slightly alarmed, afraid of what was about to happen. But I felt peaceful, and happy. I looked around me, the scene changing before my eyes. The sky turned a strange blue, as if it were glowing. The ground was replaced by flat smooth rock, strange swirling patterns flowing over it. I stuck my hand out, the rays casting onto my hand. I realized that I was underwater, and the strange glowing sky was the surface. 
                          
I looked over my shoulder, seeing miles of empty space. I was confused, my hair should have been floating, my clothes should have been drifting off my body. But it was as if I was above water, but somehow underneath it. 
                          
I looked forward, seeing a woman dressed in white. She startled me at first, making me gasp. She was some distance off, so I could barely distinguish her features. Her blonde hair flowed down to her waist, her white dress flowing elegantly and loosely around her features. I watched in awe and waited to see what she was going to do before calling out to her. 
                          
After sometime, she didn't move. She stood still, in place. "Hello?" I called out to her, confused as to the entire situation that was going on. I didn't understand the physics of the water, how I wasn't drowning, why my hair wasn't floating around my head like a dark halo, and why there was a woman coming to me in my dreams. 
                          
I jumped in shock and alarm as she stepped toward me, it was almost like I was frozen in place. She slowly walked toward me, but it wasn't like she was walking normally. She almost seemed like she was floating, gliding to me, closing the space between us. I was frightened, but at the same time, not. It was almost as if I were anxious, excited even. 
                          
I heard a soft song being hummed, echoing around me as she drifted toward me. She was getting closer, the space closing more and more every second. Her hand was now outstretched to me, her mouth opened to say something. 
                          
But before the words could come out, I was awoken by a pair of arms on my waist. I woke up, shrieking in fear. I pounded at the arms, stopping when I realized why they were there in the first place. I was hip deep in the stream, just outside our encampment. I gasped, horrified by what had happened to me. 
                          
"I let you out of my sight for less than two days, and here you are, trying to drown yourself." I gasped, spinning around to see those blue eyes that I had come to miss. "And you hit like a man, I'll have bruises on me soon from your fists," he joked, a bright white smile appearing on his lips. I embraced him, "Oh Arthur! The things I have to tell you!" I began to rattle as I clung to his neck, "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he stopped me, pulling me away for a moment, "let's get you out of the cold stream, and why don't you start with explaining why you were sleep walking to your death first, hmm?" 
                          
"Sleep walking?" I echoed. I looked down at our legs, and then turned to look over my shoulder to the stream. "Is that how I got out here?" I whispered. "Arthur, I have to tell you something-" 
                          
"Well! Get that poor girl out of the stream Arthur! She'll freeze to death!" A man's voice shouted from the bank. Arthur rolled his eyes, "Later." We swept me off my feet and walked me toward the shore. 
                          
I looked over his shoulder back to the water I was standing in, "I walked out here?" I whispered to myself. Just as I spoke, a wisp of glowing blue flickered in the water. I understood what that meant. That woman in my dream, wasn't just a woman. 
                          
It was my mother, trying to contact me. I had a gut feeling that this stream had something to do with it.