A/N: NEW STORY! I found this in my notebook from nearly three years ago! Obviously I have seriously edited this to make it better and I really hope you guys like it! I cannot guarantee another new story for a while - I am going to be very busy in March with many different things. This will be more than one chapter but unsure about exactly how many! :)
Enjoy the chapter!
Arwen4eva xxx
She is falling.
The blackness surrounds her.
Long, dark fingertips consume her vision until she can see no more.
She is blind.
...
The day had started off as it usually had. Gwen had woken when the light of dawn graced the land. She washed, dressed in the new dress she had finished off the night before, and then exited her modest home. Her regular walk to the castle had been undisturbed - just the way she liked it - as owners set up their stalls in the market for the business ahead.
Within the castle, nothing seemed amiss. Guards were at their stations. The servants were gradually increasing as it would soon be time for the nobles to wake up.
With a detour to the kitchens, Gwen went to the King's chambers as she does every morning as his personal carer. She woke, washed, dressed and attempted to feed the King once he was in his chair positioned in front of the window overlooking the courtyard.
As lunch passed, Gwen was headed to the kitchens to fetch both herself and the King some food when she appeared.
The darkness.
The evil.
The killer.
The thorn in Arthur's side.
Morgana.
...
As Gwen wakes, she is terrified. The darkness scares her but what is worse is the sight of rusted metal bars before her and the instant knowledge that Morgana has taken her prisoner. She hears footsteps approach and it is as if the Devil himself appears. Morgana smiles viciously.
"Well, it is lovely to see you again Gwen. It has been a while." the High-Priestess says, tapping the bars of the cell entrance.
Gwen just stares at her former friend. It has been four months since Morgana left and still Camelot is not the same. She left an imprint of terror that cannot be removed.
"I bet you are wondering why you are here, aren't you?" Morgana asks.
Silence.
"Well then, let's just say this is revenge for betraying me to be with your precious Arthur Pendragon."
"I betrayed you?" Gwen asks coldly, finally speaking up. "You betrayed all of us Morgana. All of Camelot! When you were Queen, you destroyed the kingdom. Everyone lived in pure terror and wanted to either live or die because they could not stand you as a ruler." Gwen can see Morgana's anger growing but she refuses to stop. She takes a step forward as much as she can with the chains around her wrists.
"When you first became Queen, I stood by your side because I feared that you would probably kill me if I were not loyal to you. I knew you had magic long before you became Queen Morgana, yet I did not turn you in. I did not mention it to anyone because even though I did not know who you were anymore, I still viewed you as my friend. I used to think of you as a sister, Morgana; that is how close we were. Where has the Morgana gone that I used to know?"
Morgana stares blankly at Gwen, unmoving.
"Morgana, you claim that you wish to destroy all Pendragons. Yet you use that name. In Camelot, we listen out for the rumours of Morgana Pendragon; where she is so we know whether we have to be prepared. Anxiety and fear live in us now, because of you. You are Pendragon. By wanting to destroy them, you want to destroy yourself!"
"Enough!" Morgana snaps, fed up of listening to her former friend. Because deep down, she knows that she is right. "Dear, sweet Gwen. I am going to deeply enjoy this. When your precious Arthur comes, he will be able to see you, but you won't be able to see him."
Agonizing pain suddenly rips through Gwen's head as Morgana's eyes flash gold.
She is falling.
The blackness surrounds her.
Long, dark fingertips consume her vision until she can see no more.
She is blind.
...
Arthur walks into his father's room at lunchtime wishing to see his beloved. They had decided the previous day that the afternoon would be spent together for a change as they have been busy over the past few days. But as he enters the room he instantly knows something is amiss.
His father is slowly walking in circles, mumbling to himself. Episodes like this have only happened once or twice but Gwen had always been there to help soothe the ailing King.
Arthur walks further into the room and slowly approaches his father.
"Father?" Arthur asks, trying not to startle his father. Uther slowly turns round and faces Arthur, panic spread across his features.
"Where is she?" Uther croaks.
"Who, Father?" Arthur cautiously asks.
"Gwen. Morgana was here, I know it. I could feel her and then... then Gwen wasn't. Where is she? Where is Gwen?"
Arthur quickly walks to his Father and guides him to his chair. He helps Uther sit back down and places the fallen blanket across his legs to prevent him gaining a chill.
"I will go and find out, Father. Do not worry."
After seeing Uther nod, Arthur runs out through the servants passage, down into the kitchen where he spots his manservant.
"Merlin!" he calls and Merlin walks up to him, a frown lining his brow.
"What's wrong? You look very pale, Arthur. Are you well?" Merlin says.
"I went into my father's chambers to see him walking in circles. He kept asking for Guinevere and mentioned Morgana. He said that Morgana took her, Merlin. I want you to ready the horses and gather supplies. I will meet you in the courtyard in ten minutes, you got that?"
Merlin quickly nods and Arthur runs out the kitchens and back up towards his chambers.
...
No more than ten minutes later, Arthur emerges in his chainmail and sword around his waist, his bag of supplies from his room swinging from his arm.
"Are we ready to go Merlin?" Arthur asks as he attaches his bag to his saddle.
"Yes, I also have medical supplies just in case and extra blankets. Where are we actually going?"
"I thought we would try the Castle of Fyrien first because that is where Morgause hid before. Perhaps that is where Morgana has taken her."
Merlin nods.
"We should hurry there Arthur. We have no way of knowing what Morgana will do with Gwen; evidently there is a lot of hate aimed towards all of us."
Arthur takes in a deep breath, calming himself before he panics greatly.
They both mount their horses and leave the courtyard with many confused faces following them.
...
When Gwen wakes the next day, she hears a laugh. She goes to rub her eyes with her hands but withdraws them quickly due to the burning sensation both around her eyes and her wrists from where the rusted chains have deliberately dug in; tightened by Morgana's magic and added spikes caused instant discomfort and lasting agony. She is shaking due to the cold in the cell thanks to the lack of blanket or extra scrap of fabric. Her new dress is dirty and ripped in many places - Morgana's work whilst Gwen was sleeping.
"What do you want Morgana?" Gwen asks, her throat dry due to screaming and lack of water; dehydration, spurred along by magic, makes her head spin.
"My sister and I are leaving now so I thought I would come and say goodbye. Arthur will be here in less than an hour to rescue you. He is clever, I will give him that. I hope you enjoy your new life, dear Gwen. I shall see you soon enough, but you won't see me." Morgana laughs at her own words before blowing an audible kiss towards her prisoner.
Gwen's brows furrow as she hears the strange noise and she curls up in the very corner of her small cell. She bows her head, covering her face, as Morgana's footsteps fade.
'Come soon Arthur. Please...'
...
"Be on guard Merlin. Morgana could be here." Arthur says as they enter the castle. They tied up the horses beside a small stream under half a mile away to avoid their transport being spooked away by Morgana's magic.
"Should we try the dungeons first, do you think?" Merlin suggests as they approach the main entrance.
Arthur nods and leads the way. They navigate through the abandoned corridors, down towards the place where they hope to find the one they search for. They come across a thin staircase that winds downwards towards the cells beneath the castle.
"Gwen?" Merlin calls out into the gloom of the dungeons when they reach the bottom.
Gwen hears his voice from her cell and swallows thickly.
'I have to be rescued. They will find out eventually.'
"Merlin?" she calls out, her voice croaky.
"Guinevere? Where are you?" Arthur shouts, sounding frantic.
'Thank goodness they are both here.'
"I'm in here, Arthur." she calls out. She bows her head and opens her eyes.
Nothingness greets her. Nothing other than the dark.
She hears a set of footsteps run towards her and the door opening, accompanied by a sigh of relief.
"Guinevere, thank goodness!" Arthur says as he wraps his arms around her, kissing her dirt stricken and burning forehead. Gwen hisses in pain and Arthur quickly withdraws.
"What is it?" he asks.
Gwen doesn't look up but presents her shackled wrists. "My wrists."
Arthur gently grabs her hands and looks at her wrists. The cuts he can see are deep and clearly infected.
"I'm sorry, Guinevere." Arthur says and moves slightly so Merlin can look at her wrists.
"It is not your fault, Arthur." Gwen says, still not looking up which worries both Arthur and Merlin. "This is Morgana's doing."
"Gwen, can you look at me?" Merlin asks, wanting to check Gwen over before moving her anywhere.
Gwen shakes her head and leans down towards the floor attempting not to cry. Her movements are restricted by the hold Merlin has on her wrists.
Arthur grabs her shoulders, pulling her up gently.
"What is wrong, Guinevere?" he whispers. Gwen shakes her head.
"You cannot see me like this." Tears fill Arthur's eyes and he kisses the top of Gwen's head, brushing his lips against her hair.
"Merlin, can you help me get these chains off please?" Arthur asks and carefully begins removing the chain on her right wrist. Gwen hisses multiple times as the small spikes dig further into her skin. After a few minutes, the chains are removed and Arthur gasps when he sees the metal spikes that are now covered in blood. Merlin begins treating the left wrist despite Gwen's protests.
"Gwen, I have to clean these cuts. They are already infected and we cannot have these getting worse; especially since Morgana could have put anything on them."
"It hurts." Gwen whimpers, pulling her hands back and putting them behind her.
"How about, we go back to the horses and we can treat you there? In fresh air and then we will have light." Merlin says, seeing the distress in his best friend.
Gwen hesitantly nods and Arthur helps her up. He places his arm around her waist and helps her walk. When they reach the steps, Arthur picks Gwen up, worried about her strength. He continues to hold her until they reach the horses where he sets her down.
Gwen stumbles slightly when Arthur places her on the ground and she makes sure to keep her head bowed and face difficult to see.
"Guinevere, please look at me." Arthur says, his hands on the side of her face, trying to see her.
"Arthur, please don't." Gwen protests but Arthur lifts her head. When he sees her eyes, he gasps loudly attracting Merlin's attention from where he is tying his bag to his saddle.
"What did she do to you?" Arthur whispers as he looks at Gwen's eyes. The chocolate colour has disappeared, replaced with a white-gray and the pupil had dulled and seems glazed over.
"I'm so sorry." Gwen whimpers, pulling her face away from Arthur's hands and turning around.
"No. No, Guinevere it is not your fault." Arthur assures, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"It is. I was a threat to Morgana and in return she made me blind! WHAT DID I EVER DO TO HER?!" Gwen screams, bending over slightly. Arthur gathers his beloved into his arms with her still facing away from him.
"I don't know, Guinevere. I don't know." Arthur mumbles, unable to do anything other than hold her. He turns her around and hold her to him tightly against his chest.
Merlin looks at the couple with concern then his eyes flash gold when Arthur isn't looking. Gwen slumps in his arms.
"Guinevere?" Arthur asks, panic in his tone.
"She's fainted, Arthur." Merlin says simply as he goes up to his friends. He assists Arthur in putting Gwen on his horse and the prince swings up behind her.
"We should travel back to that clearing we found on the way here that isn't far from home and camp there for the rest of the night." Merlin says as he unties his horse and mounts. "We'll be safe there and I will be able to treat her wrists better and have a look at her eyes. There is a chance it was magic that caused this, but we cannot know for certain. Morgana could have easily poured something into her eyes to make them the way they are."
"Merlin, there was no colour in them. This was magic, I can feel it."
...
"Careful Merlin." Arthur says as they lower Gwen to the ground. Arthur laid down some blankets against a tree so Gwen will be supported until she wakes.
"Can you go and get my medicine bag from my saddle please, Arthur? Her wrists need treating straight away."
"Of course." Arthur says, looking down at Gwen before going to the horses. Merlin picks up Gwen's wrists and mumbles a small incantation; this causes Gwen's wrists to glow golden for a moment before fading.
Merlin breathes again, safe in the knowledge that there is no magic or poison in her wounds. Arthur returns with the bag and hands it Merlin. He goes to the fire to check on how much wood is catching before turning back. He kneels down beside Gwen, stroking her cheek.
"What do we do, Merlin?" Arthur asks, his voice small. "She cannot see anything so is going to struggle a lot."
"We will find something, Arthur." Merlin says, not convinced by his words.
"Can we? This is magic, Merlin."
"We do not know that." Merlin says, pulling out a small bottle from the bag and removing the cork. "Can you hold her wrist please?"
Arthur reaches over and holds Gwen's left wrist in his hands. Merlin pours a few drops over the wounds on the wrist before using a small piece of cloth to help rub it across the broken skin.
Gwen starts moving slightly as Merlin rubs another layer of ointment in.
"Arthur, talk to her. She cannot see so will rely on her hearing when she wakes." Merlin says, going to his bag to extract the bandages.
Arthur kneels closer to his love and strokes the hair away from her face.
"Guinevere. Remain as still as you can. You are safe and will not be hurt anymore. I will protect you; something I should have done before." He leans down and places a tender kiss on Gwen's forehead and when he withdraws, sees her eyes open. They remain open for a moment, moving around before closing again and a tear falling out of the corner. Arthur notices this and wipes it away with the pad of his thumb.
"I'm frightened, Arthur." Gwen whispers, hissing in pain suddenly when Merlin begins to tightly wrap up her left wrist.
"Why, Guinevere?" Arthur asks, partially knowing the answer already but wanting her view. He places his hand comfortingly on her cheek.
"I am never going to be able to see again. I cannot manage as it is and it has only just happened. How am I going to live?" Gwen then breaks down, turning her face away from Arthur and allow tears to burn their way through her ruined eyes.
"Guinevere." Arthur says, trying to draw her back but failing. He stands and walks away, trying to temper the anger bubbling within for what his half-sister has done and how it has made Gwen feel.
Merlin looks up to Arthur to see if he is alright and seeing that he isn't, he leaves him to cool off.
"Gwen." Merlin says, tying up the bandage on her left wrist and placing it down in her lap. "I know everything seems hopeless right now but we will find a way to cure you."
Gwen sniffles and shakes her head.
"I cannot even look at you to tell whether you are saying the truth or not because of what Morgana has done. She used her repulsive magic to take away my eyesight so I could never see Arthur again. Why would she do something that? What did I ever do to her?" Gwen breaths a few times, taming her tears. "I cannot cry without my eyes burning as if pokers are being shoved in them, Merlin. How can I live like this?"
"I will be here every step of the way, so will Gaius. You know for sure that Arthur will not leave you." Merlin says, standing and moving over so he can do Gwen's other wrist.
Gwen turns slowly and looks to where she hopes Merlin will be. Instead, she is about a foot to the left of where Merlin is.
"Merlin, he cannot be with me when I am like this. No one will accept their Prince with a blinded commoner. I could never help the Kingdom if I became his Queen." Gwen says, bunching up her tattered skirts in her left hand; a coping mechanism.
"Do not say that Gwen." Merlin says, applying the ointment to the wounds and apologises when Gwen gasps in pain. "Arthur will do everything in his power to help you get better; just like Gaius and I will. We will find a way of reversing this, I promise."
Gwen and Merlin are silent for some time after whilst Merlin treats Gwen's wrists. Arthur remains away from Gwen, instead focussing on cooking supper for them all.
"Merlin," Gwen mumbles when she feels him tying the second bandage. "where is Arthur?"
Merlin turns around and sees Arthur with his back to them, stirring that contents in the pot over the fire.
"He is about 10 paces away at the fire." Merlin says, turning back and finishes his job. "There, all done."
"Why is he over there?"
Merlin sighs quietly.
"I heard that, Merlin." Gwen comments and Merlin immediately looks guilty despite Gwen not being able to see him.
"Sorry, Gwen. Arthur just is not taking it well. He feels like he should have protected you better."
"He could not have prevented this." Gwen says, closing her eyes and bowing her head. She shivers slightly and places her hands on her upper arms. She raises her knees so they are against her chest.
"Do you want another blanket, Gwen?" Merlin asks, placing a hand on Gwen's knee. She nods.
"Yes please."
Merlin turns around and sees Arthur sitting with his head in his hands.
"Arthur, could you get Gwen another blanket please?"
Arthur stands and goes to the pile of bags on the other side of the fire. He picks up his blanket and walks over to Merlin. He throws it when he is three or four paces away and then goes back to the fire.
Merlin tuts and unravels the blanket. He drapes it over Gwen's body loosely for now.
"I just need to do some more checks. Gaius will look you over thoroughly tomorrow morning back home but I need to make sure nothing will happen tonight."
Gwen nods and allows Merlin to do what he needs to; temperature, pulse, throat and her eyes. She winces and moves away when he touches the raw skin around her eyes.
"Gwen, I need to check them." Merlin says, waiting for Gwen to relax. But Gwen continues to scamper backwards. Her back hits the tree hard but she pays no heed to the pain, instead changing direction and going back a few paces. "Gwen, it is alright."
"I do not know whether you are actually Merlin or if you are actually helping me." Gwen says, hiding her face to prevent him touching it again.
"It is me, Gwen." Merlin says, moving very slightly closer to his best friend. "Trust me, I am trying to help you."
Arthur hears the exchange from his place by the fire and stands, turning to watch them.
"Gwen, please. I need to make sure no more harm can come to your eyes." Merlin says. Gwen violently shakes her head.
Arthur walks over and places his hand on Merlin's shoulder as if to assure him that he will help.
"Guinevere, let us help you." he says, softly.
"There is no point: this cannot be changed."
"It can, Guinevere." Arthur says, moving closer and placing his hand on hers. "Let us help you now so Gaius will be able to help you progress and get better."
"Stop being nice to me when you know nothing can help me. Morgana used her magic to do this for a reason." Gwen says, miserably.
"A reason that has no justification other than the fact she is illegitimate for the throne she wants." Arthur places his hand on Gwen's cheek, forcing her to lift her face. "Let me help you, Guinevere. I love you far too much to let you suffer."
Gwen slowly opens her eyes and looks in front of her; into Arthur's eyes.
"I love you so much, Guinevere. Let us help you get better." Arthur whispers. Gwen moves her eyes back and forth in the hope that there is a chance her sight will suddenly return but nothing happens. She takes in a deep breath and bows her head slightly, colliding her forehead gently against Arthur's.
"Help me." Gwen mumbles, pain in her tone of voice. Arthur gathers Gwen to him and holds her tight.
"I will help you every step of the way."
End note: Please review! :)