Chapter 1:
Ashley awoke screaming for the third time that week. This time, it was Gwaine who burst through the door. He wrapped his arms around the quaking frame, "Hey, hey," Gwaine brushed a strand of hair from Ashley's face, "It's okay. She can't hurt you here. It's okay. You are safe." He rocked Ashley back and forth in his arms with her head against his chest. She clutched his nightshirt as if he could disappear.
"Don't let her take me. Please, Gwaine! I can't go back," she sobbed.
"We won't let her take you. You will not be harmed again. Now, you need to rest, I will stay with you. I promise." The last word tumbled out of Gwaine's mouth before he could stop it, and immediately he regretted it.
Ashley's head fell back against the pillow and she turned to the side murmuring, "Promised are always broken." Gwaine took a seat next to the bed. Many of the knights had done this before, watched over Ashley and made sure she was okay. They loved her like a younger sister.
After all, that was what she deserved. Ashley didn't like staying inside for too long, and no one other than Merlin understood why. Honestly, every time the knights looked at Ashley, they felt a pang of guilt. That… maybe if they had protected her better, she wouldn't have been taken. She wouldn't have been tortured. She wouldn't have been broken.
The knights didn't understand why Merlin was so distraught. They knew that Merlin was kind, but blaming himself for this was taking it too far.
Merlin awoke the next morning extremely early. When he went to get some breakfast, he was surprised to see that Gaius was awake. "Good Morning, Merlin. Why are you up so early?"
"Was about to ask you the same thing… What's going on? I was going to check on Ashley. We are still trying to keep the relationship a secret."
Gaius sighs, "Merlin, there can be no relationship…"
The warlock's eyes widen, "Why? Why wouldn't we be able to be in a relationship? We both love each other!"
"Merlin, I have done some research on Eden. It turns out that Ashley, called Eden in the prophecies, is Arthur's sister. Younger, of course. They don't say who the mother is. We have to tell them."
Merlin steps forward, "I'll explain it to Ashley. You can tell Arthur." Gaius nodded, and the servant all but sprinted down the hallway. Bursting through the doors of Ashley's chambers, he finds the girl asleep with Gwaine snoring in a chair next to the bed. Another nightmare. The knight wakes up, "What'd ya need, mate?"
"I need to talk to Ashley. Alone."
"Okay, mate. I'll leave you to it." Gwaine smirked a little when he closed the door, Ashley was vicious when woken up.
Hi! I'm baaack! I'm not dead! Okay, so I hope you liked the first chapter! The next one should be longer. I should be updating once or twice a week. See you next chapter!
~Lunatris262