A/N: Hello. This is a story that I have come up with and I hope you like it and stuff. This prologue is mostly just for me to get a feel for the writing style and whatnot. Anyways... This is my depiction of what happened at Arthur's birth. It might not be accurate, but it's what I've come up with, so whatever.
Prologue
A man stands at the center of an elaborate room, a slightly concerned expression on his face. In front of him, a woman with dark hair is standing over a large stone basin. The basin has intricate patterns carved into the sides and a strange glow is coming from the basin. The man looks around the elaborate room, taking in the random artifacts that line the walls and examining the curtains that hang from the stone walls of the room. The dark-haired woman turns to face the man, blue eyes shining with fierce determination. She opens her mouth and, when she speaks, her voice echos around the large room.
"You have come to me for a favor." The woman's voice clearly indicates that it is not a question, but rather a statement of facts. "What could it possibly be that your loyal Gaius could not accomplish?"
"It is about Ygraine." The man folds his hands in front of him, taking on a slightly more authoritative stance. "I am certain you know what I am here to ask."
"Of course." She gives a slow nod, brushing a dark curl off of her shoulder before she looks back at the man. Her next statement is said with a slightly amused tone. "She is unable to have children, and a king cannot rule without an heir."
"Are you able to assist me?" He gets out through gritted teeth, an expression of clear annoyance on his face. "I am not amused by your jokes."
"Yes. I can do what you request. Simply take me to Ygraine."
"If you do not fulfill what you have said..." He trails off, threat hanging clearly in the air. The woman glances at him for a moment before nodding.
"I swear to you that you will have an heir. Now, take me to her so that I can do what you have requested."
Uther gives an annoyed mumble before he nods and heads towards the door. He pushes it open and then steps back to let the sorceress through. She looks at him with an unimpressed frown before pushing past him and heading in the direction of the palace.
Inside the Palace
A woman is sitting at a dresser, looking into her small hand mirror as she brushes her small blonde curls out of her face. She sighs, setting the mirror down with a bit more force than necessary. The dresser rattles slightly as she slams the mirror down and the woman doesn't even notice as the door to her chambers is thrown open. She only notices as she looks up and sees two figures out of the corner of her eye.
"Uther, you should have sent word that you were bringing a guest."
"My apologies. But, Ygraine, it is simply Nimueh." Uther steps up to the blonde woman, placing a soft hand on her shoulder. "She believes that she can assist us."
The woman turns, greeting the sorceress with a slow nod. She then looks up at Uther with a slightly questioning expression. He looks down at her and gives a small shrug, a slightly apologetic look on his face.
"Of course." She stands from the dresser and takes Uther's hand. "What... What do you require me to do?"
Uther looks over at Nimueh, eyebrow lifted in question. The sorceress shakes her head and gestures at the bed. Ygraine blinks slowly, slightly confused about what the sorceress is directing her to do. Nimueh gives a slightly exasperated sigh and takes Ygraine's arm, leading her over to the bed.
"What are you doing?" Uther follows the two women, arms crossed across his chest.
"Do you wish for me to help? Or not?" The sorceress snaps at the king as she directs Ygraine to sit down on the bed.
Ygraine lifts an eyebrow but she doesn't question the sorceress aloud. She sits down on the bed before adjusting her dress slightly. She purses her lips in thought as she waits for the sorceress to give her next set of instructions.
Nimueh pulls a glass bottle from the small satchel at her side. She then pulls out a small goblet, pouring some of the swirling liquid into it. Handing the goblet to Ygraine, she gestures for the woman to drink the substance. Ygraine gives it a moment's thought before tipping the substance into her mouth.
Uther steps closer, a slightly nervous expression on his face. He quickly wipes it off his face as Nimueh turns her gaze towards him, one eyebrow lifted. She then turns back towards Ygraine, and Uther is certain he sees her eyes flashing a different color. The sorceress begins to mutter a spell in a strange language and Uther has to turn away as a strange glow begins to surround Ygraine.
Uther isn't certain how long he had been standing with his gaze resting on the wall, but he whips around as Nimueh places a hand on his shoulder. The sorceress gives a small nod and then heads towards the door, pushing it open slowly. As soon as the door is shut behind her, Uther hurries to the bed where Ygraine lays with her eyes shut.
"Ygraine? Are you well?" He leans forwards, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Ygraine."
She blinks her eyes open slowly, looking up at Uther. She gives a small nod and then sits up slowly, pushing herself up with a hand on Uther's shoulder. She looks at him and gives him a small, reassuring smile.
Several Months Later
Uther storms out of Ygraine's chambers, a furious expression on his face. He pushes past everyone in the corridor as he shouts in anger. Gaius rushes after him, wringing his hands nervously as he attempts to chase after the king. The physician hurries down the corridor and he only manages to catch up with Uther as he comes to a stop at the gates of the palace. Gaius stops him by stepping in front of him and holding out both hands.
"Sire! This is no way to go about doing things." Gaius lowers his hands as he realizes that he has the king's attention.
"She is dead, Gaius, and that witch killed her!" Uther shouts angrily at the physician, hands thrown up in annoyance. "You will not stop me from finding her."
Gaius shakes his head, panting slightly from the run through the castle. He waits for a moment, gauging the king's reactions before he continues speaking in a low voice. The king watches him with an angry glare.
"What of your children, Sire? You must first think of them before you arrest Nimueh."
"Arrest?" Uther spits the word out as if it were painful to speak. "I will not simply arrest her. She must pay for what she's done. Most grievously."
"Sire..." A servant steps into the king's line of sight and he saves himself from the man's wrath by speaking again quickly. "One of your knights, Sir Augustin, was suddenly struck by a mysterious malady. He's dead."
The king roars in rage and he pushes past the servant. He pays no notice to Gaius shouting and chasing after him as he continues on his angry rampage. His path of destruction stops abruptly as he arrives at the witch's home. He pounds on the door and, when he receives no answer, he breaks the door open. The king begins pushing over tables lined with glass bottles and ancient books as he steps further into the large house.
"Sire! Nimueh is not here." Gaius rushes into the room, attempting to stop the king from destroying anything else for fear of the magic turning against him. "See what she has left."
Uther whips around to face the physician, his face bright red in anger as he pounds over to him. He holds out a hand and then rips the small piece of parchment from his grasp. He reads the long letter, written in the neat and looping handwriting of the enchantress.
My apologies for your loss, but it really is the rules of magic. A life must be given in exchange for another. I never realized that it would be the Queen that would die. Oh, and that knight of yours, head of the army, was he? It seems that I gave you one too many heirs. A simple slip of the tongue when reciting the spell, perhaps.
I am certain that you will be looking for me, so I decided to leave. Tell the people that you banished me of your own accord. It shall make you seem like a strong king. Enjoy your heirs, and I do hope that you like the surprise that I have left for you. It is truly a special thing.
Uther growls, crumpling the letter up and then kicking over another table of supplies. He jumps slightly as Gaius appears at his shoulder, crumpled paper in hand. The physician sighs and then speaks to the king quietly.
"We should return to the palace. Your children need names, and an announcement must be given to the people."
Uther reluctantly agrees, following Gaius out the door and in the direction of the palace. The two arrive at the palace just as the knights are moving Sir Augustin's body. The knight's face is covered in ugly boils and his limbs are twisted at awkward angles. The king watches the knights go past before he enters the palace, followed closely by Gaius.
As they return to the chambers, Uther pauses for a moment at the door before shaking his head and entering. Ygraine's body had been moved from the bed, but at the moment Uther did not wish to know where she has been taken. He sighs and then turns, noticing the two small bassinets that had been set down on a long table in the center of the room. The servants swarming the table quickly disperse as they see the king approaching.
Uther looks down at the baby, a thin mop of blond hair atop his head, that had been rested in one of the bassinets. He had been wrapped in a red cloth and his blue eyes blink up lazily from within the folds of fabric. The baby makes soft cooing noises as Uther stoops down, lightly grasping one of his small hands. After a moment, Uther looks up as the sound of crying breaks into his thoughts. He walks around to the other bassinet and glances down at the baby girl. Her brown eyes are opened widely and a thick mess of brown hair is plastered around her face. Her mouth is opened wide as she continues to cry loudly and Uther frowns.
"Gaius. What is wrong with the girl?" Uther lazily waves a hand in her direction before walking over to the other bassinet. The fond expression that had fallen over his face as he glanced down at the baby boy quickly morphs into one of fear as he too begins to cry. "Gaius!"
The physician sighs, looking up from where he had been leaning over the bassinet of the baby. He quickly straightens out, the girl held in his arms and wrapped in a deep purple cloth. He crosses over to where Uther stands, still slightly panicked.
"It is quite normal for babies to cry, Sire." Gaius rocks the baby back and forth slowly, smiling slightly as she stops crying. As soon as the baby girl stops crying, the baby boy slowly becomes silent as well.
"Of course. Now, I must name the children." Uther gives a slow nod, glancing down at the little blond boy. "His name shall be Arthur."
"And the..." Gaius trails off as he realizes that the king had already headed for the door. He calls something out about making a declaration to the people and banishing the witch before he is too far away for his voice to be heard. Gaius shakes his head and looks down at the baby swaddled in purple.
"It does seem he is not trying to hide who his favorite is, now is he?"
