The Daughters of Merlin

“Papa, do you have to go?” Grace asked, standing on the front steps of the palace, a bag of clothes and a few other belongings from the cottage scattered around her.

It had barely been a week since Grace woke up and Merlin was now leaving, taking Zana with him. They were going to visit an old friend of Merlin’s who would help him find out more about Morgana and where she was hiding. Merlin allowed Zana to come with, but not Grace due to the fact that she was still healing, though most of the wounds were now nothing but healing scars or scabs.

“We will be gone for two weeks at most.” Merlin said, hugging her close. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“You take good care of her, got it, Little Prince?” Zana said, looking at Virgil. She didn’t doubt that he would gladly give up his life to save her sister, but Zana still asked him to reassure Grace as well as to tease Virgil.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let her out of my sight.” Virgil assured her. Then he blushed slightly. “Well, except for special occasions.”

“Good. You got that, Snowflake?” Zana asked, looking at Grace. “You’re going to be safe here. And Spark will help keep you safe when Virgil isn’t there.”

Zana placed Spark on Grace’s shoulder before gently patting her head. Zana, Virgil, nor Spark had spoken to anyone, even each other, about what had happened that night, let alone told Grace. Virgil was half convinced it was a dream, but Grace’s condition was their proof that it hadn’t been.

“I know I’m safe. But please hurry back.” Grace said, wrapping her arms around her sister, inhaling her scent which Zana always smelt like burning wood.

“Don’t worry, we will. I love you, Snowflake.” Zana said, hugging her back and kissing the top of Grace’s head.

“I love you too, Zanie.” Grace replied.

Ignoring Grace’s protests, Virgil carried her stuff into the castle, leading her to where her room was.

“Your room is right next to mine, so if you ever need anything all you have to do is shout and I’ll be right over.” Virgil said, opening the door and entering the large room.

The bed was a queen-size, the room itself being about the same size as Merlin’s cottage alone. Grace couldn’t believe how big it was.

“There’s a reason you guys have servants you know.” Grace replied, glancing at him before continuing to marvel at the room.

“Yes, but I know you and you won’t ask them to do anything except where to find something and even then, you’ll only do that after you find yourself hopelessly lost.” Virgil shot back, smiling as he set her stuff down on the bed. “I had the sheets changed to silk so the blankets shouldn’t bug you too much enough that you’ll be able to get some sleep.”

“You really didn’t have to do this.” Grace said, setting Spark down on the bed before unpacking her bags.

The first thing Grace pulled out was Zana’s fire blanket which she carefully unfolded to reveal her music box.

“I’m surprised you brought that.” Virgil said, smiling when he saw it. “I was just as surprised that you actually kept it. I found it in your room while you were . . . gone.”

Grace blushed, her short hair falling in front of her eyepatch. “Ever since you first gave it to me I’ve played it before going to bed. Eventually I did it so much that without it I couldn’t fall asleep. And . . . when I was gone . . . though I couldn’t speak, I sang it in my head. It reminded me of you. You and Zana . . . That I wasn’t alone.”

Virgil’s expression softened and he placed his hands comfortingly on her shoulders, gently tucking her hair back behind her ear. “Angel, you don’t have to talk about that if you don’t want to.”

Grace sighed, sitting down on the bed, Virgil sitting down next to her. Grace cradled the music box in her hands, not looking at Virgil. “I haven’t told Papa or Zana. They blame themselves for what happened. Besides, there’s only one thing that happened there that you guys haven’t figured out yet, though Papa and Zana wouldn’t understand it as well as you.”

“What did she do?” Virgil asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"She didn’t do anything. . . When I first woke up . . . in that room . . .” Grace’s voice caught in her throat and frost began to form over the top of the box.

“Angel.” Virgil said worriedly.

Grace let go of the box, balling her hands into fists as she forced the lump in her throat to go away. She had to tell someone.

“Mordred was there. But he’s not who I thought he was. It wasn’t his true appearance. He’s . . . Morgana’s . . . son.” Grace closed her eyes, biting down on her lip to try and stop it from trembling.

Virgil’s eyes widened. “Wh-what?”

“He’s her son.” Grace nodded, her shoulders trembling as she began to cry. “I trusted him and he used me!”

Grace dug her short nails into the palm of her hands, trying to forget the memories that flooded her mind at the mere mention of Mordred’s name. She could still feel his hands on her, how she had just been frozen in place by fear.

Grace was brought out of those horrible memories by strong, more familiar and comforting arms wrapping themselves around her. Instead of chrysanthemums, Virgil smelt more like mimosa flowers, which Grace found herself preferring the scent of those flowers over the chrysanthemums.

“I kind of want to say I told you so, but I feel like now would be a bad time.” Virgil said, running his hand through her short hair.

This caused Grace to laugh which made Virgil smile. She laid against him, relaxing herself and finding comfort in his familiar embrace. She wiped away her tears. “You were just jealous.”

“Ok, fine, so I was a bit jealous, but I still got bad vibes from him. You know, when I first showed up, he actually glared at me? You had your back to him but he glared at me.” Virgil said, causing Grace to chuckle again.

“Sure he did.” She said sarcastically.

“He did!” Virgil insisted, looking down at her.