Ferry Between Two Worlds

Morgan and Kano appeared in the courtyard of a vast palace, where they usually had afternoon tea.

Morgan raised her wand and cast defensive spells one after another. A translucent veil of light spread from the sky, eventually closing around the palace to form a huge transparent hemisphere.

Kano watched Morgan cast everything from Repello Muggletum to Super Protego. He couldn't even recognize the last few spells of Ancient Magic.

Morgan had practically peeled the palace away from Fairyland and made it into a semi-independent world.

The little goblin maids in the palace flew around anxiously. A few even fluttered up to Kano's ears, chattering questions about what was happening.

But Kano was just as confused, and could only scratch his head along with the little goblins.

After a long while, once she had confirmed that nothing—living or dead, visible or invisible, human or beast—could get in, Morgan lowered her wand and sat in a chair beside Kano.

She snapped her fingers, and a goblin maid immediately brought her a glass of red wine. She picked up the stemmed glass, took a sip, and slowly let out a breath.

"Aren't you going to explain?"

"Which part do you want to hear?" Morgan asked, swirling the wine in her glass as she gazed at its dark red contents.

"How about starting with Mordred?"

Morgan chuckled softly and began telling her story.

Morgan le Fay was King Arthur's eldest half-sister. Her mother, Igraine, had three daughters with her first husband, the Duke of Cornwall: Morgause, the eldest; Elaine, the second; and Morgan le Fay, the youngest.

King Uther fell in love with Igraine at first sight and went to war to claim her. Merlin helped Uther take on the Duke of Cornwall's appearance, and Uther spent a night with Igraine. That was how King Arthur was conceived.

In the end, the Duke of Cornwall was killed by Uther, and Igraine became queen, half willingly. The three sisters were sent away to marry, and their happy girlhood came to an end.

Kano nodded. All of this matched the legends he had heard.

"But in Celtic tradition, a king must unite with the goddess who embodies the land to gain divine kingship and ensure the land's prosperity and its people's flourishing."

Morgan pointed to her chest. "I was the incarnation of Britain in that era. In essence, I was a lake fairy."

"So you were King Arthur's destined queen?"

Kano stared at her, dumbfounded. The tradition seemed to have given no thought at all to the new king and the goddess being related.

"Exactly. By fate, I should have married Arthur and borne the future heir to the kingdom." Morgan's smile turned mocking.

"Who cares about being related? Children born of noble blood and incest often become powerful heroes."

Indeed, many heroes in Celtic Mythology had shameful origins that could scarcely be spoken of.

Take Lleu Llaw Gyffes, for example. His mother had a child with her own uncle. Cú Chulainn's father was generally believed to be Lugh, the god of light and craftsmanship, but some versions said his real father was his mother's own brother, King Conchobar.

In his previous life, all Kano could do was lament that the noble circles were a mess. But now, with all this laid out before him, he couldn't hide his horrified expression.

"But I wasn't willing, and neither was Arthur." Morgan shook her head.

She later married King Uriens and took lovers frequently, a thorough hedonist. Arthur fell in love with Guinevere at first sight and married her as his queen.

"I thought fate had finally let me go," Morgan said wistfully. "But one day, my foolish sister Morgause, unaware of Arthur's true parentage, used a potion to seduce him into sleeping with her."

"Three is a magical number in our culture. The fates of us three sisters have always been bound together."

"That day, my divine essence passed to my sister Morgause, and Mordred was conceived."

Kano understood. That was why Morgan called Mordred her child. In a sense, she was right.

"But isn't Mordred in Fairyland now?" Kano couldn't help asking.

"He is the child of the land goddess and the destined king, the rightful heir to the throne."

"Guinevere and Arthur never had children, but how could Mordred, an illegitimate son, have any claim to the throne?"

"His long wait finally drove him mad. He took advantage of Arthur's campaign to launch a rebellion in his absence. He even tried to marry Guinevere by force to give himself a legitimate claim."

Morgan took a long drink of wine and slumped over the table.

"My child... died by his father's spear at Camlann, condemned to Hell for all eternity."

A storm of magic erupted, howling wildly around Morgan.

The wineglass was shattered by the storm, and dark red wine splashed everywhere like blood.

"Bastard! Damn this fate!"

"My whole life, I've never been able to escape it!"

Morgan shrieked hysterically, her long, smooth hair floating in the air.

"Fate said I had to marry Arthur? Fine, then I'd kill him!"

"Scheming, sowing discord, ambushing him—I tried everything."

"It was useless!"

"I didn't want to bear him a child, so you bewitched my sister instead!"

"Bastard!"

She brandished her wand in a frenzy, threatening the unseen and intangible force of fate.

"And now you're telling me this child has to fight my son?"

"What are you trying to do? Those who go to Hell never come back. You might as well let him die!"

Morgan raged until she caught sight of the number in Kano's palm.

"Big sister Morgan, I think... I have to go."

The number suddenly appeared in Kano's palm. It meant he had to leave Fairyland soon and head to the mortal world to embrace his fate.

Morgan stared at Kano, dazed. At last, she crumpled to the ground, wrapped her arms around herself, and wept silently.

The witch's outer shell had fallen away. Now she was simply a grieving sister—or mother.

Yet no one could comfort her, because fate could not be defied.

Morgan flung Kano out of the palace. Merlin was waiting outside, his eyes red-rimmed.

"Mordred is trapped in Hell now. To defeat him, you'll have to descend into Hell yourself," Merlin said with a sigh, stroking Kano's head. "Use your wits and find a way back."

"Though fate cannot be defied, we still have a chance to fight it."

Kano nodded, and walked with Merlin toward the lake.

Nothing from Fairyland could be taken out, so he had nothing to prepare.

As the old man and the boy walked along the shore, a small pier appeared in the fog.

Eight lake fairies wearing veils and long dresses were waiting for him.

"Kano, come."

The leader beckoned to Kano. He walked over, and she led him to a little wooden boat.

Kano lay down in the boat. It felt a little too big for him.

"This was the boat Arthur rode when he entered Fairyland. I hope that one day you'll be able to ride it back here."

The lake fairy saw that he was puzzled and gently explained.

"Has Morgan not come yet? Isn't she going to see him off?"

"Who knows? Even I found it hard to bear when I heard what happened. She may still be grieving."

The fairies chatted for a little while, then sighed in unison.

The eight fairies held the sides of the boat, their lower bodies submerged in the water, and began to sing an ancient farewell song.

Kano waved goodbye to Merlin on the shore, feeling his eyelids grow heavier and heavier.

In a haze, he saw a woman's figure hurrying through the water. At last, she reached the boat and clutched its side.

Her eyes were still a little swollen, and her voice trembled.

"Canopus, you must come back."

"Ah, big sister Morgan. We have a deal."

The nine fairies sang together, and thick fog completely blocked Kano's view.