Week 11 Story Planning: Nimue Takes Excalibur

A story about the Lady of the Lake's plot to kill Merlin, but even as the antagonist, she is still clever, strong-willed, and sympathetic. Also, she should wield Excalibur at least once.

From The Sword Excalibur

In a little while they came to a large lake, and in the midst of the lake Arthur beheld an arm rising out of the water, holding up a sword.

"Look!" said Merlin, "that is the sword I spoke of." And the King looked again, and a maiden stood upon the water.

"That is the Lady of the Lake," said Merlin, "and she is coming to you, and if you ask her courteously she will give you the sword."

So when the maiden drew near Arthur saluted her and said, "Maiden, I pray you tell me whose sword is that which an arm is holding out of the water? I wish it were mine, for I have lost my sword."

"That sword is mine, King Arthur," answered she, "and I will give it to you, if you in return will give me a gift when I ask you."

"By my faith," said the King, "I will give you whatever gift you ask."

"Well," said the maiden, "get into the barge yonder, and row yourself to the sword, and take it and the scabbard with you." For this was the sword Excalibur. "As for my gift, I will ask it in my own time."

From The Passing of Merlin

[A knight] brought a damsel of the lake to Arthur's Court, and when Merlin saw her he fell in love with her, so that he desired to be always in her company.

The damsel laughed in secret at Merlin but made use of him to tell her all she would know, and the wizard had no strength to say her nay, though he knew what would come of it. For he told King Arthur that before long he should be put into the earth alive, for all his cunning. He likewise told the King many things that should befall him, and warned him always to keep the scabbard as well as the sword Excalibur, and foretold that both sword and scabbard should be stolen from him by a woman whom he most trusted.

"You will miss my counsel sorely," added Merlin, "and would give all your lands to have me back again."

"But since you know what will happen," said the King, "you may surely guard against it."

"No," answered Merlin, "that will not be." So he departed from the King, and the maiden followed him, whom some call Nimue and others Vivien, and wherever she went, Merlin went also.

They journeyed together to many places, both at home and across the seas, and the damsel was wearied of him, and sought by every means to be rid of him, but he would not be shaken off.

At last these two wandered back to Cornwall, and one day Merlin showed Vivien a rock under which he said great marvels were hidden. Then Vivien put forth all her Powers and told Merlin how she longed to see the wonders beneath the stone, and, in spite of all his wisdom, Merlin listened to her and crept under the rock to bring forth the strange things that lay there. And when he was under the stone, she used the magic he had taught her, and the rock rolled over him and buried him alive, as he had told King Arthur.

But the damsel departed with joy, and thought no more of him — now that she knew all the magic he could teach her. 

From Idylls of the King:

One of the most famous and important men in Camelot was Merlin, the great magician, astronomer, engineer, architect, and bard, whose friendship and wise advice were valuable assets to Arthur. Vivien made a concerted effort to gain the old man's favor. She eventually succeeded, for though he did not like her, he was amused by her feline mannerisms and complimented by her attentions. Vivien even claimed to be in love with him. Merlin was too wise to believe her, but he was old and lonely and sometimes his certainty would weaken.
 
A time came when Merlin fell into a state of deep depression. He wandered alone on the beach and then drifted off in a small boat that he found, but Vivien followed and joined him. At first he was unaware of her presence; then he pretended to ignore her. Finally they came ashore in Brittany and continued to wander until they reached the forest of Broceliande. Vivien had gone to all this effort because she recalled that Merlin had once mentioned a potent magic charm he knew. Through this spell a man could be made as if imprisoned in an impregnable tower and would be invisible to all the world except the one who worked the charm. Vivien now sought to learn this secret and use it on Merlin, which is how the two came to be resting together in the forest.

As they recline beneath the tree, Vivien caresses and kisses Merlin's feet and beard and chatters to him of her love and devotion. Merlin is delighted by her talk, but does not believe even a part of it. Nonetheless, since he owes her a boon, he promises to grant her wish. Vivien asks to be taught the secret charm as an expression of his trust in her and proof that he returns her love, but Merlin refuses. In addition, he berates himself for ever having revealed the existence of the secret to her. He justifies his refusal by his fears that she would misuse the charm and offers her anything else she desires.

Then, in one moment, she put forth the charm
Of woven paces and of waving hands,
And in the hollow oak he lay as dead,
And lost to life and use and name and fame.
Then crying, "I have made his glory mine,"
And shrieking out, "O fool!" the harlot leapt
Adown the forest, and the thicket closed
Behind her, and the forest echo'd "fool."

From Wikipedia:

Lady of the Lake is the name of the ruler of Avalon in the Arthurian legend. She plays a pivotal role in many stories, including giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur [and] enchanting Merlin.

The Lancelot-Grail Cycle provides a backstory for the Lady of the Lake, Viviane, in the prose Merlin section, which takes place before the Lancelot Proper, though it was written later. She refuses to give him her love until he has taught her all his secrets, after which she uses her power to trap him either in the trunk of a tree or beneath a stone, depending on the story and author. Though Merlin, through his power of foresight knows beforehand that this will happen, he is unable to counteract Viviane because of the "truth" this ability of foresight holds. He decides to do nothing for his situation other than to continue to teach her his secrets until she takes the opportunity to entrap and entomb him in a tree, a stone or a cave.

Crack from Max Pixel

Scene progression:

1. Merlin foresees his own death and the person who will kill him: Nimue, future Lady of the Lake, and a woman he's close with. To keep himself alive, he seals her under a lake with a magic sword.
2. Years later, Merlin and Arthur appear at the Lady's now-frozen lake. By taking Excalibur, the magic sword, she is unsealed. She gives up Excalibur, to Merlin's surprise and asks Arthur for a favor in return.
3. Nimue seeks out Merlin's approval and makes him believe she forgives and still loves him, but ultimately tricks him and seals him back into the lake with Excalibur, which she got back from Arthur via the favor.

Sources:
Andrew Lang: The Sword Excalibur
Andrew Lang: The Passing of Merlin
Cliffsnotes: Merlin and Vivien
Wikipedia: The Lady of the Lake