Merlin shrugged and lay back again, breathing out the energy that had animated him. “Even should you find someone who might help you, you cannot simply displace a life. You know that. Souls cannot be yanked about without any care for lives lost and futures broken. Balance and reason must be maintained.”

Viviane leaned forward and took Merlin in her arms. “But if, by some wondrous twist of fate, I do succeed, will you swear to come back to me?”

He looked long into her eyes and Viviane watched compassion and love war with weariness and heartache. Finally he raised one hand and began swirling it in the air.

I leave a part of me

tied, Arthur, to thee.

My future to thine,

our fates here combine.

Survive and you shall give

me reason, once again, to live.

The power that had been building around Merlin’s hand was visible, a shining glow in the air. With a gesture more resigned than hopeful, he threw the glistening power out at the walls of his entombing crystal. They shivered as they absorbed the spell.

“There. It is done. Save Arthur and you save me.” Merlin bent and kissed his goddess, sharing his last waking breath with her.

Weeping, Viviane pulled away from her lover, who was now silent, completely under the spell of eternal sleep that hid him from the misery of this life so thoroughly that he had even managed to escape the Underworld, where memory would torment his soul.

Slowly, the goddess stood and covered him lovingly with a thick pelt. She kissed him once on his cool forehead and then turned and resolutely walked from the entombing crystal cave. Forget me? Blame Merlin? I think not. Arthur, gird those damn loins.

VIVIANE wrapped herself in fog as she emerged from the cave that overlooked her mystical lake.