Lot

Lot touched the wax ring, tracing the outline of an animal on the seal. The seal was of a griffin holding a sword in its claws. But as he tried to make out the letters, they blurred and ran. He felt rage flood his mind as he realized that this was the news he'd been waiting for.

"Damn it," he muttered.

He turned the letter over in his hands and then he went back to the table. He glanced at the other letter that had just arrived, and then he set it aside. It was from the Caradoc the Elder in Lastcairn, vital link to various kingdoms in the alliance of The Eleven. Caradoc was one of its strongest and most loyal supporters, and this letter was the one that had finally made up Lot's mind.

"Damn it," he said again. He rubbed his forehead when the iron crown was biting into the skin again. "Damn it all to the Abyss."

It had been nearly a year since Morgana had been exiled for her plot to overthrow Arthur, and there had been little word from or about her since. Not that he hadn't tried to reach out to her. He sent letters and messengers, attempting to broach the topic of her alignment with the alliance of Northern lords and kings known as The Eleven. No response had ever come.

He started at the sound of heavy knock at his door. The sound echoed from the stones of his private chambers and disturbed a crow that had been perched near the window. It cawed, a mocking sound, Lot thought, and then took to the air, leaving behind a black feather that slowly floated downward on the wind.

He sighed and prepared himself. This could only be be his recently arrived guest, King Urien Grimm. A servant would never had interrupted him so boldly. Morgause would just have walked straight in without the knock. 

He shook his head and tried to dismiss the feeling of annoyance. Urien Grimm was a friend and a fellow rebel against Arthur. He had been a help to Lot in the past. Urien was one of the most powerful and influential men in the whole of the North, and his armies were only growing. His pride had also grown in proportion. Lot would have to play this carefully to maintain his good will and keep him in the alliance.

He threw open the door and stepped aside to allow his guest entry. Grimm was a tall man and  had once been powerfully built in his youth. Now his hair had turned to a fine white, though it was still thick and swept back from his forehead. His eyes were sunken and somber and his face bore the scars of many old battles. He wore a fur cloak and a tunic of some fine linen. His boots were of thick leather and looked freshly shined.

"Lot," Grimm said, and he smiled. But there was unease in his voice.

"Hello, Urien," Lot said, and he tried to keep his voice steady. There was no denying the unease he'd sensed in Grimm. He thought he could see a muddy smudge on Grimm's boot, but he couldn't be certain.

"I have been expecting you," Lot said.

Grimm smiled. "And rightly so."

Lot nodded and then turned and walked back into his room. Grimm followed and closed the door behind him.

"A glass of wine?" Lot asked.

 The crow's feather fell from the air and landed at Grimm's feet.

Lot felt his heart begin to quicken as he watched the feather. It was impossible. An old memory of a woman in a hooded cloak and a full moon came to him, and then he saw himself as he was then, just approaching manhood. It was a dark night and there was a young girl before him, crying. And then the woman appeared, her eyes were shining like two moons in the dark.

"Lot," she said. "My son, my little lion." And then she reached out and touched him with her hand. Her touch burned, and he could feel it on his face. He could still feel it. He watched as the feather turned black, then disintegrated into little flakes of ash.

He turned away from Grimm, and the man looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Lot said.

"Well then a knock at the door made both men start.

"Lot," a woman's voice called out. "I need to speak with you."

It was Morgause! He could hear the worry in her voice. Damn the woman! He was about to give her a piece of his mind. She was always putting her nose in places it didn't belong! But then he heard another voice, weak and sounding  like it was far away.

"Lot!" He could barely make out the voice. What was happening?

"I'm fine," Lot said, more to himself than to Grimm. "It's nothing." He composed himself and then he remembered his guest. He turned back to him as the voices called out again, but this time he ignored them.

"I've been expecting you," he said to Grimm. "There is a matter of some urgency that we must discuss."

"Of course," Grimm said. "But first we must attend to your lady wife. She seems quite anxious to see you."

Lot nodded and then he turned to the door.

"My lady," he said to the closed door. "Is there something I can do for you?"

There was no answer, and Lot felt a coldness creep up his spine. He grabbed the door handle and threw it open, and then he nearly fell to his knees.

There was no one there! The hall was empty. There was some old straw on the floor, but no one else was anywhere to be seen.

"Morgause?" He called out her name and then he heard his voice echo down the hall.

"Morgause?" he called again. He turned back to Grimm and saw the man's long face as he shook his head. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Grimm said.

A heavy hand reached out and landed on Lot's shoulder. Lot felt the strength in the man's grip. It was palpable and real. 

"Now, what is so urgent we must discuss?" Grimm looked back down the hall, as if he were expecting Morgause to come running back.

"I need to know how you're going to respond to this," Lot said, tossing the letter into the man's hands. He smiled when he saw Grimm's face register the surprise.

Grimm turned the letter over in his hand and then he began to read it. Lot watched the man's face for signs of his reaction. A frown crept across Grimm's face as he read, and then he shook his head.

"Caradoc tells us that Morgana is returning to Camelot?" he said and he looked up from the letter. "What was her response to your letters?"

Lot shrugged. "I never heard from her."

"But you think she's returning?" Grimm said, a hard edge creeping into his voice.

"I think she is going to try and take the throne from Arthur," Lot said. "She wants to set him up for assassination."

"Was the traitorous bitch alone?" Grimm asked.

"No," Lot said.

"So who was with her?" Grimm asked.

"It doesn't say," Lot said. "But there is one thing I know for certain, Urien, Morgana is dangerous. She is cunning and manipulative. And if she is with others and they have any kind of support of the people, they can cause Arthur a great deal of trouble. And that may well be an opportunity for us."

"Us?" Grimm said, raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think this isn't just a ruse to draw you out and expose you so she can take your head?"

Lot didn't smile. "Because if that was her plan, I would already be dead."