Clear As Mud

Merlin’s sanctuary smelled of candle wax and old books. It had always comforted Morganna in the past, but now the knowledge of what the books contained failed to soothe her. She knew that among the volumes was one which held untold secrets of the destiny of her charges. She scanned the dim chamber and spied Merlin at the far end of the room sliding a book back onto an overloaded shelf she hadn’t ever noticed before. Could it be that this was the book that would give her the answers she sought? She memorized its location, but watched in horror, as with a wave of his hand, the shelf disappeared, and a familiar stone wall was once again in place.

Without turning toward her, Merlin spoke. “Yes, Morganna, you have something more you wish to discuss?”

“You know what it is I wish to speak of,” Morganna answered. It had taken her all of three heartbeats to decipher the riddle, and she wanted – no needed – another option.

Merlin sighed. “I have helped all that I can, giving you a riddle that I knew you could solve easily. The rest is now up to your sister’s charges. They must do what is to be done.”

Morganna was beginning to have some inkling of why Fiona got so frustrated at her mentor. “I won’t allow it. Not again.”

Merlin crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently for her to continue.

“I couldn’t save him when I was human,” she barked, “but I can now. I will not lose him again. I just can’t.”

“This is not about you or what you can or can not do,” Merlin responded, patiently. “Do you truly believe that you are ready to face your brother alone? Do you not think it would be better to have a warrior, one destined for this role, to take him on?”

“We have a warrior,” Morganna argued. “Excalibur has awoken and chosen Jon to wield her. Surely that is enough.”

Merlin’s color rose with his own frustration. “If it were enough, do you not think that past generations would have succeeded? The bond these brothers by choice share is – ” he broke off, reining in his temper and continuing calmly. “Have you not watched them? Have you not seen the magic of their selfless devotion to each other? Do you not know that it is THAT magic, their bond, not the magic of Excalibur alone that is needed for this battle?”

Morganna stared at him, speechless. This was the first time in her memory that Merlin had spoken so plainly to her, and with such vehement emotion. “But why then, is another artifact needed? Why is Excalibur and their bond not enough?”

Merlin approached Morganna and put his hand on her shoulder. “Do you really wish for your charge to face your brother’s minions unprotected?” He searched his protégée’s face for a moment. “I thought not.”


“Fuck! Will you just admit that you don’t know something, Jon!” Richie’s frustration was plainly etched on his face. “Get on the damned computer and Google ‘city of gold’.”

“Oh come on,” Jon said, unbothered by Richie’s outburst. “You know I know this. It’s right on the tip of my tongue.” He was pacing back and forth, Excalibur gripped firmly in his hand. Every few steps, Jon would tap the flat of the blade against his other hand.

Richie stormed across the room, shooting daggers at his best friend. “Fine, I’ll do it myself.” He slid the mouse around to wake the screen and swore. “Fuck, Jon, what’s your password again?”

“I said, it’s right on the tip of my tongue,” Jon repeated. “Give me a minute.”

“Kryptonite,” Fiona said softly.

Richie looked over at the fey, having almost forgotten she was in the room. “What?”

Fiona shrugged and offered a little smile. “It’s ‘kryptonite’. All big letters.” Richie started typing.

“Do you watch every fucking thing I’ve ever done?” Jon asked.

“Well, it is my job,” Fiona answered. “And we have to get this riddle solved.”

“Got it!” Richie called. “God bless Wikipedia.”

Unwilling to give up, Jon just raised an eyebrow at his friend. “You know that shit can’t be trusted.”

“Yeah yeah,” Richie said. “Whatever. Listen to this: El Dorado (Spanish for "the golden one") is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into the lake Guatavita. Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated - and so far eluded - explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors.”

He looked triumphantly at Jon. “City of Gold. El Dorado. Suck it.”

Jon flipped Richie off. “Bite my ass, you piece of fuck. You wouldn’t have gotten jack shit without my fairy helping you.”

“I am not your anything,” Fiona said menacingly. “And we are called – oh!”

“What?” Jon and Richie demanded at the same time.

“Espada de Dorado,” she whispered.

Jon and Richie looked at each other. “What?” they asked again. “I thought you were ‘fey’,” Jon added.

“The Sword of Dorado.” Morganna said, as she blinked into the room.

Fiona shook her head. “No. This cannot be. I forbid it.”

“Sister,” Morganna answered. “It must be. I have spoken with Merlin at length, and he has convinced me that it must be so.”

“No!” Fiona yelled, stepping up close to her sister’s face.

“He must have protection from our brother’s minions,” Morganna said.

Fiona stomped her foot in a fit of pique. “I have been his protection since he first drew breath. Tha’ shouldna change now!”

Richie approached the two women. “What are you talking about?”

Morganna turned to Richie. “The riddle states that you must retrieve the Sword of Dorado, no matter what it costs you. That could mean you give your life, and Fiona won’t allow it.”

“Fuck Fiona, I won’t allow that!” Jon bellowed.

Richie turned and raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you already done that?”

“Rich, man, this is serious,” Jon said.

“I agree,” Morganna answered, ignoring the blush creeping over her sister’s face as she turned away, and what that coloring surely meant. “This is the most serious decision of your life.”

“’Tis no’ his choice, ‘tis mine!” Fiona shouted.

“What happened to free will,” Richie demanded.

“You’re not seriously considering this,” Jon said, steel creeping into his voice.

Richie raised his hands mimicking a scale. “End of the world as we know it,” he said, bouncing his left hand. “Pick up a sharp stick,” he said, shaking the right. Ummmm, lemme think. World goes to shit,” he raised his left hand again. “Or stick.” He raised his right hand. “This is a no-brainer. I’m getting the damned stick.”

Jon looked at Fiona. “Dammit, do something, Fee.” He became exasperated when Fiona simply stood there, staring at Richie. “For fuck’s sake, you pinned me against the wall with a blink of an eye. DO SOMETHING!”

“That was different,” Fiona answered. “I was mad at you. Him, I’m just proud of.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Jon yelled.

“That means,” Fiona answered softly, as she approached Jon, “that he has not only accepted his destiny, he’s made me realize my duty.”

Jon said, “Your duty is to protect him.”

“Aye, and I shall. I will protect him with my life, as he fulfills his destiny, as I have done for you.”

“So, Mom, Dad,” Richie said, coming up to them and looping his arms around their shoulders. “Why aren’t we already gone?”

Morganna answered. “Because the place we need to go is currently occupied.”

Jon frowned. “Occupied? We’re going to someone’s house?”

“No,” Morganna said. “The place we need to go is not too far from a historical park, and the park is overrun with families. We cannot materialize in full view of these people. We must wait.”

“How long?” Richie asked.

“Not long,” Morganna answered. “A few hours at most.”

“Good,” Fiona said. “Then there is time to get the warrior more acquainted with the tool.”

Jon smirked and hefted Excalibur into the air. “I think I’m doing pretty good with this tool,” he said smugly.

Fiona smiled sweetly. “I was talking about Excalibur, not you.”

“What?”

“Excalibur is the warrior,” Fiona explained. “You are simply the tool.”

Richie burst into laughter. “I am right! I TOLD you that you were a tool!”

“Shut up,” Jon grumbled.

Fiona snapped her fingers, and a sword appeared in her hand. “C’mon,” she said to Jon. “Spar with me. I might even let you best me.”

Jon nodded. “There’s no MIGHT about it, fairy. Your ass is mine.”

Richie laughed. “Again, I say, ‘haven’t you done that already?’”

“You’re just jealous, fuckwad,” Jon threw over his shoulder as he followed Fiona from the room.

Morganna frowned. “Why is it you insist on, what is the phrase, pushing his buttons?”

“Because I can,” Richie said with a wide smile. “No, really, we’re brothers, it’s what we do. Don’t you and Fee get into it sometimes? Doesn’t she say things just to irritate you?”

“At times, I believe she does,” Morganna answered with a smile.

“I have a serious question,” Richie started. “What should I expect? I mean, what is it exactly that I have to do?”

Morganna thought a moment, wondering just how much to reveal to her charge. “There will be a cave, hidden by a copse of trees a short distance from The Ring. Within this cave is a tomb. From that tomb, you must retrieve something that will help you fight.”

“The Sword of Dorado,” Richie said. “Then what?”

Morganna shook her head. “Then you must not linger. That is the most important thing to remember. No matter what you may see, you must not linger. Not if you want to live.”

Richie saw the tenderness in Morganna’s eyes, and his expression softened. He reached out to stroke the side of Morganna’s face. “I do want to live,” he said. “Truly.”

She smiled at him. “Come, let’s go see how your brother is faring against my sister.”

Richie laughed. “If I know Jon, he’s pissed off that your sister is kicking his ass.”

Morganna smiled. “Perhaps, but as sure as my sister is in her abilities, they pale when compared to those of Excalibur.”

“You know, of course, if the sword helps Jon beat your sister, there will be NO living with him. You think his ego is big now? He is insufferable when he wins.”





As the voices moved deeper into the house, a shadow moved under the front windows. Alec had been on the verge of ringing the doorbell when he overheard the conversation between Richie and the woman. “Dorado,” he murmured. “This will get me my Lance in no time. The poor bastards won’t have a chance.”