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VIVIANE wrapped herself in fog as she eed froic, her power carried her across the water to the lush green island the curtain of raceful stone tower that was the only structure on the little isle the locals had long ago naic, she hardly needed the concealoddess automatically called it to her For what she was about to do, she wanted there to be no chance of prying eyes
She didn't enter the cream-colored tower as she usually did, but instead paced back and forth along the gentle bank, letting her white sah the wildflowers that carpeted this special island Poirled around her, causing the birds, neakened by dawn, to squawk in alarrove She breathed in the scent of ent odor of wild thyme that surrounded her as she disturbed the softness of it beneath her feet
How could she have allowed this to happen? She'd recognized that Merlin had been daed by the world from the moment she'd met hientleness and such a tender heart that even the wild creatures of the forest could be lured to eat froh her tears He'd lured her, drawn her from her lonely isle in the ly beco able to heal that which the world had broken inside him
"I could have healed him, had it not been for that wretched Arthur!" she cried Her angry words in to roil, and their cool blue depths darkened oht beca her teers out at the lake and coer is stirred or not, you are not welcome in my realm!"
Instantly the waters obeyed her They quieted and the darkness that had begun to stain them dissipated like dew in the noonday sun Viviane stared out at the familiar waters, disturbed more than she liked to admit by the swiftness hich the depths had reacted to her temper Darkness had actually touched her lake - that was alar
"Balance of light and dark? Bah!" Viviane hurled the word into the mist, but this time the reaction to her outburst was under her control, and the water-thickened air around her swirled and shioddess's power "There is no balance when one mortal can draw so much darkness that my realm is even tainted"
I should be honest withthe er on the king of the Britons Guinevere plays a role in this tragedy As does the all-too-perfect knight, Lancelot The goddess grimaced
Merlin hadn't shared many of Camelot's secrets with her He'd said she was his escape, his respite fros, but the Lady of the Lake had eyes and ears everywhere there ater, and she had certainly seen and heard enough to know that Merlin's direful predictions were going to come true
"And that truth broke your heart, my love," she whispered to the mist
No! She wouldn't allow it She was a goddess She had powers in to comprehend, not even a mortal as spectacular as her Merlin
Viviane stopped pacing and stared out at the familiar waters of her home "I need someone not of this ti people and situations, who eht instead of darkness and ill also not be awed by the beauty of Camelot, nor too dazzled to consider " Consider what? What was it she needed to do to change the future enough to save Arthur froic fate and thus free her lover?
Her loverViviane felt her shoulders slump and she pressed her face in her hands and wept bitterly She le with herself not to rush back to the crystal cave and sit beside his still foroddess, but she was also a woman, and a brokenhearted one at the loss of her Merlin Even her realh pleasure for eons - see meant as much without -
Viviane's head ca, but if he still has his love, his Guinevere, then his heart will not be broken and his fate will change" Excitedly, the goddess began to pace again "That is what I must do I must find a woman - a spectacular wo her here to seduce Lancelot from Guinevere so that Guinevere returns to Arthur and is balm to his wounded soul!" All would be well Merlin would awake and, she decided, would make love to her as he'd never done before Oh, how she already ician in truth Merlin was, in more ways than any of those dolts at Caine
Resolutely Viviane e of the water, so that her bare feet were caressed by the kiss of the wavesthe bank She raised her arically around her as if anticipating the spell
From the depths I call my power,
lake, sea, rain, mist, dew - hear me at this hour
My will is to find a unique soul;
an outlander is oal
The goddess paused, re that a life cannot be displaced fro her lover's words and dealing with the consequences later But no The drawing spell et only one chance Already events were spiraling out of control in Camelot - soon it would be too late to affect the future, if it wasn't already
No! She wouldn't think like that She was a goddess, and through the e Arthur's fate and save her lover
Viviane refocused, pulling her power frolass at her feet
Bring me a mortal
through my divine portal
Her fate must mean she is free,
her life thread broken so she may come to me
The goddess closed her eyes, concentrating so hard that beads of sweat broke out over her smooth brow
Her eyes should be able to see
her heart's desire - love it should be
Her mind sharp and true,
willing to see the world anew
Encroaching darkness she'll cure;
life and love are her allure
It is her soul my thread will find,
ater and sight I bind
Lake, sea, rain, mist, dew - search and discover
the h which Arthur's heart will recover!
Tossing the ball of light that had been building between her hands as she created the spell, Viviane threw her aric out and into the lake Instantly the waters changed color froht that had a limpse the transformation, he would have been forever blinded by its brilliance
She ht
She ht
She must be happy, she must be smart
And 'twould help a great deal if she's a bit of a tart
Now go! Do my will!
My command you must fulfill!
The glowing surface of the lake swirled around Viviane, and then tendrils of light began to lift Fingers of radiance snaked over the water, thin and searching
"Go!" the Goddess iht lifted, lifted, liftedand then shot off into thesky to disappear from this reality to times unseen - places unknown
Viviane stared into the sky long after her h, she walked forward, letting the co water enfold her while she floated down to her palace made of pearl that rested deep beneath the waves Now shespell lured the perfect mortal fish into her divine net
If only I can discover the right wooddess mused as she entered her palace and impatiently brushed away the naiad hand- their desire to serve her every need And isn't that always the way of the world - the right woods-be-damned Fates