Revenge Revisited

Chapter 1—Prime

Arthur stalks seriously down the corridor with Sir Leon at his right and Gaius at his left, both speaking to him fervently about two separate issues.

"Lady Helene is complaining of all the symptoms, Sire," Gaius says rapidly. "An epidemic may be futile, but it would not be good for the workers in the lower town—"

"There has been no sign of Kellan anywhere, Sire," Leon says. "It's as if he didn't exist at all. But regardless, there have been reports of—"

"Arthur!"

Arthur shudders and stops midstride at the shrill sound of Merlin from down the corridor.

"Arthur!" Merlin cries again, grinning as he nearly skips toward his king. "Arthur—I found it!"

Arthur turns to face Merlin who skids to a stop before him. "I found it Arthur," Merlin says grinning and holding out a wrapped up belt before him. "I found it just in between your wardrobe and your bed."

Arthur looks from Merlin's face to the belt. Merlin has been looking for that belt for over a week—Arthur's favorite sword belt.

"You interrupted me," Arthur says slowly with his arms crossed over his chest. "Interrupted information about the trouble in the kingdom…to tell me you found my belt."

Merlin blinks and nods several times. "Yeah," he says simply. "You see, I thought we had left it in your saddle bag when we went on that hunting trip a while back, but when I checked all the bags it wasn't there. So I went to the…throne room…"
Merlin pauses and stops when he sees Arthur's seething look. He closes his lips and blinks.

"I'll just, set it in your chambers," Merlin says backing away.

"Good plan," Arthur hisses.

Merlin turns on his heel and stalks in the other direction. Arthur smiles a little.

"If you need to appease Lady Helene and keep all away from her to prevent it from spreading to the lower town," Arthur says quickly to Gaius. "In regards to the sorcerer, I'm not surprised he hasn't shown up, but if it means he's in danger, then he should stay hidden. Also, Leon, send some of the new knights to the outside edge of the Darkling Woods and report back to you."

Leon and Gaius nod, smiling. "Yes, sire."

"Now if you'll excuse me," Arthur says as he begins to walk away. "I have to see a man about a belt."

—Lara reaches the end of the empty room with a basket to bring more sheets to the ill Lady Helene. She looks slowly up to the top cabinets where the proper sheets were. Lara sighs and drops the basket.

"Of course, the Lady Helene needs special sheets," she grumbles to herself as she takes a chair from the other side of the room and sets it before the window sill. "It would be tragic if the well-born, prissy, ill-natured Lady Helene were to have normal sheets. That's just too easy."

Lara kicks her shoes off and stands on the back of the chair. She tilts it so she lands on the windowsill with her fingers latched onto the side of a brick. She kicks off of the side of the cabinets and grabs the sheets. She falls to the ground before it, landing on her feet like a cat.

The laundry door opens and Merlin appears. He frowns when he looks at her.

"Lara?" he says seeing her crouched on the ground with sheets in her hand. "Why are you on the floor?"

Lara stands quickly and Merlin sees she's not wearing shoes. "I had to get the sheets from the top cabinet," she says putting the sheets into her basket. "It was very difficult."

Merlin laughs. "You got all the way up there?"

"I am a very determined person, Merlin," she says tartly putting her shoes back on. She picks up the basket and turns to leave.

"You could have called someone to help you," Merlin suggests getting a brush and tub from the shelves.

"I'm used to doing things on my own," she says. "I'll see you, Merlin."

She leaves before anymore questions are asked and stalks down the corridor towards Lady Helene's chambers. The Lady is sleeping with her puffy face red at the cheeks and sweating. Lara truly does feel bad she is so sick—but even happier that she's asleep rather than giving her orders.

Lara soaks a cloth into a basin of water and lays it on the Lady's forehead.

"You have clammy fingers."

Lara looks at the Lady's half-open eyes. "I was just dabbing your forehead, milady," Lara says quietly.

"I am thirsty," Lady Helene says. "Get me some water."

"Yes, milady," Lara says standing. "I'll get you something for your throat."

"Haven't you got a remedy from the court physician?" Lady Helen croaks.

"You have a common cold," Lara says as she pours water into a goblet. "It can only be fixed with rest, milady."

"There is nothing common about me, child" The Lady Helene replies incredulously. "It would bode well for you not to associate the name with me, even if it is an illness."
Lara sighs and grinds her teeth as she holds the Lady's head up to give her water. There is a soft, gentle knock on the door.

"Do not let anyone in," Lady Helene says darkly, spitting the water back into the goblet.

Lara goes to the door and peeks through the crack.

"Hello, Arthur," she says as she sees the king.

"Lara," Arthur says regarding her with a smile. "How is the Lady Helene?"

Lara makes a face. "She is very ill," Lara says.

"So I've heard," Arthur says with a smile, knowing of Lady Helene's vanity and lack of amiability. His voice goes to a hushed whisper. "I've actually come to speak to you, though."

"Who is it, girl?" Lady Helene screeches with a hoarse voice.

"It is the King, milady," Lara calls back.

"The King?" Lady Helene cries. Arthur's eyes widen at Lara and he shakes his head. "Well, by God's name—let him in!"

Lara smiles and opens the door to allow Arthur to come in. Arthur sighs and plasters on a smile with his hands folded behind his back.

"Lady Helene," Arthur says pleasantly. "I heard you were ill."

"Yes, Sire," Lady Helene says dramatically. "A mere cold, is all."

Lara fights rolling her eyes. "Well, I hope you will be better," he says.

Lady Helene smiles. "Thank you, your majesty," she says.

"Now, if I may take your maidservant from you," Arthur says. "The physician has some medicine to help your cold that he wishes her to deliver."

"Of course," the lady says smiling pleasantly.

Lara nods to her and walks with Arthur out of her chambers. Once the door is shut, Lara sighs.

"Sure, she smiles for you," Lara says dryly.

"How can you tolerate it?" Arthur asks with a smile. "You've been raised so nobly then you have to follow the orders of arrogant nobles."
Lara looks at Arthur. "There is nothing noble about the way I was raised," she says darkly. Arthur is always surprised when a hint of her dangerous nature appears—especially when she's been so normal for the majority of the time.

"What I mean is," Arthur says slowly, meticulously. "that you could do more than many people here ever could yet you still follow orders."

"I have followed orders my entire life," Lara says darkly. "None of the orders Lady Helene can bestow upon me can be as horrible as the ones I've been given."

Arthur blinks rapidly and looks at her solemnly.

"What did you need to speak to me about?" Lara asks, trying to hide her dark discomfort.

"Several of the new knights are being sent to the Darkling Forest to investigate some strange reports by travelers," Arthur says.

"What kind of reports?"

Arthur makes a face. "Ghosts haunting the woods," he says. He shakes his head. "It's probably just a ruse by bandits, but then…" Arthur looks over his shoulder at Lady Helene's chambers. "Sir Warren and all the men with him went missing. His squire came back and told us that ghosts stole him in the dead of night."

"Then why are you sending new knights to investigate?" she asks uncertainly.

"Because I don't want to raise alarm," Arthur says uncomfortably. "Especially when the issue can be dealt with quietly."

Lara sighs. "I will go as myself to see if any of this is true about ghosts," she says seriously, beginning to turn away. Arthur grabs her arm and once he sees her expression, he regrets it immediately.

"Why aren't you going as Mortis?" he asks. "Surely that would be the best thing to do."

"No," Lara says in a patronizing way. She pulls her arm away from Arthur. "If they truly are bandits then they are more likely to attack a woman with knights than a masked assassin riding with knights. Tell your knights you are escorting me—Lara—to the edge of the Darkling Woods so I may travel safely toward Realydon. They'll attack, capture me, most likely, and I'll see if I can find your Sir Warren alive."

Arthur frowns. "That's so dangerous," he says shaking his head. "It would much safer for you to lead them as Mortis."

"How can your knights be led by a Gorinian assassin who cannot give them any orders?" she says rhetorically. Arthur sighs in defeat.

"Do you ever lose?" he says with a smile.

Lara pats his shoulder. "No, never," she says simply as she walks down the hall to get and orange whose juice she will call "medication".