Hello!! This Chp is not as long as I wanted it but I wanted to get it up. Please review, it would make me feel a lot better. Anything you want to see in the story or something you think should be changed. PM me or leave it in a Review.
They reached Camelot, rushing the horses faster and faster. Arthur rode up to the front of the castle, gently bringing Arabella down into his arms. He looked at the guard "Tell my father there has been an attack; I will be with the court physician."
Merlin ran ahead to Gaius, telling him the bloody scene and the girl. Arthur brought her in and laid her gently on the cot. "Well, she's bruised up, badly. Many of these are not new." Said Gaius, studying the girl's arms, "Merlin get a cloth with cold water, and my box of ointments."
Arthur sat in a chair next to the cot. Arabella stirred, opening her eyes and looking around. She shrunk back into the cot, her eyes full of fear. "Arabella," Arthur looked into the girl's frightened eyes "Everything's fine, you're with friends now." He smiled, his blue eyes shining. She took a deep breath and relaxed a little.
"Is she awake?" Gaius called from across the room "Keep her up and talking. We need to know where she might be injured."
"How old are you?" He asked her. She opened her mouth then shut it again. Arthur smiled. "Now I know you can talk. I heard you before" He looked into her eyes. There was so much pain, and sadness. He could help but wonder what else she had gone through. Where had she gotten the other bruises? Maybe she suffered a blow to the head? "Arabella do you remember my name?"
She took a deep breath "Arthur. Your name is Arthur. I'm 17" Her voice was soft. Arthur wished she would speak again. He noticed her moving her hands, hiding them with the blanket Gaius covered her with. Arthur uncovered her hands and held them in his own. They were scared and bruised. Her wrists looked as if she had been confined. He felt a rush of anger he couldn't explain. How could anyone do something like this to her?
"Who did this?" He looked up to meet her eyes but she turned her head, not answering him. He decided it would be best to leave it there, and looked down at his feet. Gaius retuned and started tending to her bruises.
Arthur walked over to Merlin. "Merlin, go to Gwen and ask her for a dress and night clothes. I will talk to my father about securing her a room in the castle."
"Why do you want night clothes?" Merlin raised an eyebrow.
Arthur sighed "For Arabella…idiot."
"Yes Sire." Merlin left, followed by Arthur.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Arthur sat with his father, who was deep in thought, his hand covering his eyes. "This girl was the only survivor?"
"Yes, her name is…"
"I don't care what her name is. What of Sr. Key?" Uther asked, looking into the fire.
"He to is dead." Arther watched his father. Sadness overtook the room.
"We must plane a funeral." He said sadly "our families were very close. You're mother," He smiled "She loved Sr. Key's daughter. You wouldn't remember, you were very young. Sr. Key's wife died in childbirth with there 2nd child. Just a month after you were born. Little Arabella…I didn't know her as well as her sister but she was a very happy child, incredibly quiet…"
"What?" Arthur stopped
"I didn't get to know Arabella very well. Her father became sad after her mother's passing, did invite company."
"Arabella?"
"Are you ok son?"
"No! Arabella is alive! That's the name of the girl we found." Arthur's heart was pounding. Why would a noble have those scares?
Uther stood up and walked to the door, pushing it open himself. Arthur followed, guessing he was on his way to the court physician.
Thank you for reading! Please leave a review or PM. Im happy to answe anything ^_^
