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On the way back from their latest chore on Merlin's list, the duo ran into a lone figure wandering in the eternal forest. Judging by the look she gave them in return, both parties could immediately tell that the other was just as confused to see someone else in these woods as they were.
She had big brown hair and wore simple teal dress with a brown apron. What really stuck out about her were her eyes that were bluer than the sky on its best day, and for a moment, Douxie could only stare at them and blink before finally the young lady decided to break the awkward silence between them.
“Good day?” she said, uncertainly.
“Uh... umm... g-good day!” he stammered, trying to remember how to form words into sentences. “You’re an awfully far distance from the nearest kingdom, milady.”
“I could say the same of you,” she retorted, eyes going a bit sharp. “What exactly are you doing all the way out here on your own?”
“Oh, well I was just—”
Archie, riding on his shoulders, nudged him hard against the back of his head and the young wizard straightened up.
“Ow! What?” he whispered.
“Maybe it would be better not to spread the word of Camelot’s instability and Merlin’s slumber to complete strangers?”
“It’s been almost a whole year, what’s the harm? It's not like she could make things any worse, right?”
Archie sighed.
“If you say so, Douxie.”
Satisfied, he turned back to the woman who was watching their private conversation with a brow lifted in their direction.
“Sorry about that! So, I'm actually out here finishing up a task from my master, Merlin.”
“Merlin… Ambrosius?” She replied slowly.
“Greatest wizard who ever lived!” He smiled and offered her a proud little bow. “Yes, I was— I mean— I am his apprentice! I am Hisirdoux Casperan, at your service!”
“How interesting…” She muttered, a devious glint in her eye that neither Douxie nor Archie had caught.
“And you?” Douxie stared down at her basket and pointed. “Going for a picnic in the middle of the enchanted forest are we?”
“Right!” She nodded. “A picnic with my mother actually. She lives just beyond these woods, though it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen her.”
"Your mother lives just beyond the forbidden, enchanted forest?" Archie glared, a particular emphasis on a few key words in his accusation.
Now Douxie nudged him.
"Don't be rude, Arch! A lot of people had to relocate after Camelot. Maybe this was all they could find?"
The familiar only rolled his eyes at how completely unlikely that probably was in comparison to how potentially shady this woman they knew nothing about could truly be. If he had to bet on either possibility, his choice would be more for the latter, as this woman clearly wasn't revealing the whole truth as to why she was out here all alone. Unfortunately, his starstruck little wizard was too much in his own head right now to notice this as well.
“Rough travels is it?” Douxie called louder, turning back from yet another private conversation with his cat.
She tried not to let all their hushed whispers get to her and instead nodded, her face seemingly getting an idea before she started sniffling and in one swift motion, brought up her hands to cover her face as a loud, dramatic wail escaped her lips, frightening off a few nearby birds in the tree nearest to them in the process.
“Whoa!” He jumped back at the sudden shift in emotion. “Are you alright?!”
“It’s been so long and I’m quite nervous to see my mother, but alas in all my years away, I find myself absolutely terrified to go another step forward in this forest. Perhaps I should just turn back and wander home? A fair young maiden is in no place to be wandering through such dangers and hardships alone.”
“Well now h-hold on!” Douxie stammered. “No need to be hasty milady, maybe— well maybe I could help escort you to your mother’s house? Just until you feel safe and confident enough to finish your task, that is. How does that sound?”
“Brave wizard! You mean, you would guide me on my quest?” She gasped, a tad over dramatically as she really milked the whole "helpless maiden" act.
Archie nudged him again, but Douxie only shrugged him off.
“Of course! I have all the time in the world and can think of nothing better to do with my afternoon than helping a damsel in distress reconnect with her estranged family.”
“And they say chivalry is dying..." She smiled and hummed to herself, pleased by his answer. "I thank you Hisirdoux Casperan, for your assistance.”
“You can call me Douxie.” He bowed. “And what may I call you?”
“Ummm…” She pondered for a moment and turned back with another winning smile aimed in his direction. “Zoella!” she said abruptly. “Zoella Lake. You may call me Zoe.”
A lie, but something in her gut told her this young apprentice wouldn’t be able to figure that much out. Sure enough, he offered out his hand and kissed hers before repeating it out loud in a wispy sigh.
“A lovely name. Oh! And this is Archie, he’s my familiar.”
“A familiar?” She tilted her head. “You don’t see too many of those around these days.”
“Yes, well, we are a rare breed.” Archie replied, shifting into that of a dragon and giving her a distrusting side eye. “Now let’s be off. Despite what he might say otherwise, we do in fact have other tasks that need getting done in this century.”
She chuckled.
“I’m not sure your dragon likes me very much.”
“Oh, Arch is just being stubborn. He’ll warm up to you in no time, I’m sure of it. Now—” He offered out his arm. “Shall we go fair lady Zoe?”
She took his arm with a satisfactory smirk.
“Let's.”
Douxie did his utmost to be charming and polite, both because that lesson had been ground into him by Merlin after moving to Camelot, but also because the good-natured boy genuinely did go out of his way to help people, even total strangers.
Archie still didn’t trust this woman, but kept a vigil eye out nonetheless as his wizard escorted her through the woods.
At the very least this entire ordeal might be over soon... Archie thought. There isn’t much wood left to traverse through. Certainly their destination would be just ahead soon, right?
It was not.
The trip took longer than either expected, especially when this “Zoe” brought them to the edge of the coast and revealed the rickety old paddle boat half covered in marsh and sand.
“Where in the realms are you leading us to?” Archie grumbled.
Douxie pulled out the boat, his youthful optimism showing on his face despite being up to his knees in murky water.
“It’s not so bad,” he said, a hard swallow stuck in his throat. “Though I have to agree Miss Zoe, I didn’t expect there to be such a sudden change in scenery. Your mother still lives in these woods, right?”
She nodded quickly in reassurance.
“Oh yes, still in the woods! We could go the long way around on foot to get there, but cutting through the water has always been faster.”
Douxie grinned. “There, see Arch? We’ll be there and back before you know it. Now everyone stand back a moment.”
He splayed out his hand, the singular strand of runes on his bracelet spinning as a blue light washed over the boat and his clothes. In an instant, both were dry and remarkably clean as the prestidigitation spell wore off and he let out a relived sigh.
Zoe made a face that could almost be described as impressed as she let out a few slow, accommodating claps in his direction.
“Not bad, wizard.”
“Thanks!” He blushed, his head ducking into his shoulders a little. “Sure beats scrubbing it back to normal by hand. I only wish the spell worked on floors!”
Both she and Archie let out a chuckle, silencing quickly as they realized it in unison and split apart to enter the boat.
“Anyway…” she continued. “The next landmass is just ahead. I know it is a large lake, but I appreciate your help in this.”
“Of course.”
“Yes,” Archie’s voice sounded more hesitant. “Of course…”
And taking up the paddles, the trio started off the shore and into the open waters of the grand lake, unsure of exactly where it was that this strange girl might be taking them.
Eventually they made it to a small area of land within a cave that rested within the lake.
If Archie wasn’t skeptical about it before, he certainly was now, and he remained close to Douxie’s side as he looked around at the black rocks and shadows. There was something beginning to feel oddly familiar about the location, but the dragon hoped that he was just overthinking things due to his caution.
“Here we are!” She said with a skip in her step as she hopped back onto dry land.
“Here?” Douxie looked around, his hand rubbing along the back of his neck as he muttered. “Bit of a fixer upper isn’t it?”
“This way boys!”
They followed after sharing a look at one another.
"As the lady wishes?"
Now even Douxie's optimism was starting to question itself as they wandered in further.
All the while, Zoe walked, seeming pleased with herself until she stopped dead in her tracks and froze there when they came upon an open area noticeably blocked off by a cliffside and rocks.
“Th-that’s not right,” she said, looking around as her motions began to hasten.
“Is there something the matter?”
She hurried up to the rocks, her hands outstretched as she ran them along the cracks. It was almost as though she was looking for something, but after a moment all she could do was stand back and shake her head at the wall.
“I don’t understand? There’s supposed to be—” She broke off.
There was no sign of anything different in the clearing, just some rocks moved around, but nothing to signify anyone had been around in months.
“Supposed to be what?” Douxie asked.
She looked at him and then back at the two blank rocks, reaching her hands into the cracks and trying to forcefully push them apart before giving up and banging her fist against the stone.
"Hey! Open up, it's me! You remember Merlin's deal! I get to visit once a year, so let me in!"
“Wait a moment!” Archie exclaimed, squinting through his glasses as suddenly he realized why this spot looked so familiar. “I know this place. This is the location of Nimue’s cave!”
“Nimue?” Douxie repeated. “As in the Lady of the Lake? The one Merlin told us never to cross?”
“Exactly! It would appear that once Merlin fell, his enchantments guarding the cave must have vanished as well?”
“Well then, how do we get in?” Zoe asked frantically.
“The better question is, why are you trying to get in? I thought you were looking for your mother, so what does Nimue and Merlin have to do with—” He paused and his eyes went wide with sudden realization. “Oh!”
Archie caught on as well and looked the young maiden over with a confused expression.
“You said "Lake". Zoe, is the Lady of the Lake your—”
“My mother?” Zoe shot them both a glare. “Not by blood, but in every other sense of the word at least. She was my mentor, my friend, she looked after me when I didn’t have anybody else, and when I was still just a kid. Merlin tricked her and trapped her in there after he got his hands on Excalibur! I need to get her out of there! I owe her that much!”
She dropped her basket, and from it tumbled out runestones, potions, magical ingredients, and other tinkering machinery the likes of which neither had ever seen before. She began rummaging through all of it, searching frantically for something powerful enough to break the rocks open.
“What is all of that?” Douxie pondered. “Potions? Hold on, are you a wizard?”
She ignored him, her hand pausing just a moment before continuing through her items.
“You—” Archie started. “You weren’t coming for a picnic at all. You were coming to break Nimue out of Merlin’s trap!”
“And I’m going to succeed this time, with this!” She held a bottle over her head and readied to throw it. “Stand back!”
“Whoa there!”
Douxie snatched it just as her arm shot down, the liquid inside making a soft hissing sound that caused him to panic and toss it back into her arms, alarming all three of them as Zoe caught it with wide eyes and a glare to follow after the vial settled down.
“Are you crazy!?”
“Now, now… before we start blowing holes in the cliffside, maybe someone here can start giving me a few answers.” He continued, pointing back at the rocks. “Like “Merlin’s trap” here. Now, why would Merlin trap the lady who made him Excalibur in a cave out in the middle of nowhere? It makes no sense!”
“Maybe not to you!” Zoe scowled, gently setting down her explosive and folding both arms impatiently at them. “He wanted to be able to find her in case he ever needed her again. It was a dirty trick, and one that cost Nimue her freedom.”
“That and she had a habit of eating the people she disagreed with,” Archie mumbled.
Zoe was about to unleash a series of words Douxie had probably never heard before, but he held out a finger and cut her off and turned back towards his familiar.
“So you did meet her? Wait, does this have something to do with that time-paradox stuff you helped with Archie? What exactly happened last year? I can hardly remember. Merlin took you to this cave to fix something, didn’t he?”
“The less you know about those days the better, but I can tell you it’s pointless trying to get inside this cave, especially considering Nimue isn’t even in there.”
"Not in there?” Zoe looked up. “Where else would she be!?"
“Gone. She’s been free of this prison for months now. D—” He paused and made a gesture with his head to rephrase his statement. “A few friends of ours saw to that personally.”
“She’s free?” Zoe gasped, a smile forming. “Truly?”
“Truly.” Archie grinned back.
“Now wait just a minute, I am extremely confused here!” Douxie shouted. “Merlin trapped the Lady of the Lake—” He pointed at Zoe. “Your mentor? You’re a wizard, and you came here to free her, but you—” He pointed to Archie. “Already set her free before the Battle of Killahead with the time travelers?”
“Time travelers?”
“Long story.” Archie comforted.
“Did I leave anything out?”
The apprentice huffed, his arms splayed.
Zoe seemed amused by that and tossed her things back into the basket before rising with a chuckle.
“Well you’re almost right,” she said. “But I’m no wizard. You could call me a hedge witch.”
“A hedge—” he started. “But I thought they were all in hiding after the purge?”
“In hiding,” she rolled her eyes. “Not dead. And I’ve spent the last few years trying to conjure together something that could free Nimue from this cave, but it took a lot of travelling and hiding to get back here. Once I heard that Camelot was basically history, I thought I’d be able to sneak back here without Merlin noticing, but then I ran into you.”
“And I told you I worked with Merlin. Then why bring me with you? Surely you must hate him for what he’d done.”
"I only brought you here to use as leverage against Merlin so he might come free my mentor, if I failed. But if Merlin is gone like you’ve said, and if Nimue is free then it would appear I no longer have any use for you two. "
He tried not to be insulted by that and shook it off.
“Well, what will you do now?” He asked instead.
“Go and find her, I suppose? She’ll probably be near one of the lakes in the region, if not the coast? It would be nice to see her again after all this time.”
“Well let me make it up to you! Let me help you find Nimue so the two of you can reconnect!”
“What?!” Both Archie and Zoe exclaimed in unison.
“If this was something my master did to your master, then it only seems like fate led us together so I could make amends, yeah? Apprentices should stick together. I think maybe our two paths were meant to cross for a reason.”
“Do you now?” She put her hands on her hips. “That isn’t some divine fate, that’s just coincidence? Rumors and accusations? An accident! A mistake on my part in thinking I could deceive you into getting what I wanted. Don’t you get it? I used you! That’s all there is to it.”
“Wizards don’t make mistakes.” He smirked. “They make unexpected possibilities.”
“And what about our errands, Douxie? The list isn’t going to finish itself.”
“We’ve been working all year on that, Arch.” He argued. “This will be just a bit of a side quest. Besides, it’s the least we can do for Lady Lake here.”
“Yeah, that’s not really my name you know? I kind of made that up.”
“Well, maybe you’d reveal your real name after we find Nimue? A young maiden shouldn't be travelling all alone, like you said. Even if she is a powerful hedge wizard.”
She smirked and tilted her chin, swayed by his persistent optimism.
“Alright then. I suppose I could always use you as bait should we run into any nefarious creatures along the way.”
“But the trolls shouldn’t eat people out in these woods?” He contested.
“Oh, not the trolls, I meant the wolves.” She smirked, walking away with her basket held behind her back and a small skip in her step.
“Are we really doing this?” Archie groaned.
He smiled.
“Yeah. I’ve got a good feeling about this! About her.”
He rolled his eyes at the wizard.
“Fine, but if your heart gets us killed, then I swear I will never let you live it down.”
“Duly noted.”
“Not that I care one way or the other!” Zoe called. “But are you coming or staying? I won’t wait on you if you start slowing me down.”
“Coming!” Douxie hollered back, shooting once last grin over to his familiar as the dragon rolled his eyes a final time and watched as he rushed off to her side.
An unexpected trio, but maybe this was another gateway to some unexpected possibilities like Douxie was hoping? Archie would just have to wait and find out, but he would never understand humans and their thought processes, especially not Douxie’s. He’d given up trying to understand that boy years ago. That was alright though, he didn’t have to understand him to support him, and if chasing after this odd maiden and Nimue was something that he thought was right, well… the least he could do is make sure the boy didn’t get hurt along the way.
"Wait for me you two!"