Cursed 2

FORTY

Under the cold starry night, they successfully managed to get out of Pendragon and came face to face with a familiar man.

“Merlin?” Nimue said in surprise.

She ran toward him melting into a warm and comforting hug. The last time they met, their hands parted, plunging Nimue into a deep and pure lake.

“Heard you were in Pendragon. I'm glad I found you” he replied between sobs as he held her daughter's face in his hands.

A few meters behind, Squirrel and the Weeping Monk were watching without interrupting that scene.

“Merlin the Magician?” the monk asked the boy confused.

“That's right, he's her father.”

Merlin's eyes fell briefly on the Weeping Monk before looking back at his daughter.

“We'd better get away from this place” the wizard commented grabbing Nimue's hand and guiding her into the dark forest while the others followed them.

They mingled among the trees and, despite the nonexistent light, the young woman could not hide her sad and disappointed face at not getting the pact and having fallen into the plot of King Uther.

“I wanted to make a deal with King Uther, but he tricked me” she whispered.

Hearing her and without stopping on the way, Merlin moved to her side and put his arm around her shoulders, allowing him to get closer to her ear.

“Warriors are not those who never fail, Nimue, but those who never quit. And you will never abandon your people, I know that” he spoke proudly with a smile on his face.

“I'm glad to see you again, father.”

It was not the first time that Merlin heard from her mouth call him that, but that simple word could make his skin crawl.

“I had to make sure, I had to see that you were okay. Besides, I had to give you this back” said the magician unfastening his belt and handing the Sword of the First Kings to her daughter, “I would ask you what the hell that monk is doing with you, but you seem to trust him.”

“Since he was a child, the church put dark things into his head to the point of despising his own race and himself. He was lost and I think I have been very hard on him.”

Merlin looks at her with intrigue and interest as she speaks, without being able to avoid feeling identified with that man.

“I know what it feels like to be despised by your people.”

“Thank you” the young woman said suddenly.

“Why?”

“For looking for me.”

The surprised wizard could not contain a smile of pure happiness.