Authors Note:
Sorry I did not update but if I didn't mention my computer troubles, I'll say it got a whole lot worse.
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ON WITH THE CHAPTER!
Chapter Three - The Trusting Game
Sometimes your memories can be your best dreams or your worst nightmares - Unknown
Distrust: the feeling that someone or something cannot be relied upon
A figure approached Camelot, clad in silver armour and a red cape bearing the crest of Camelot The knights horse galloped across the path to Camelot and steadied to a trot when they got to the walls surrounding Camelot. The man took off his helmet and shook his hair as he done so, he looked down to the knight that was standing guard outside the castle walls.
"Alright mate" The guard said as he nodded to two other knights, signalling them to open the gates to the kingdom. "Where's the rest of them?" The guard meant the rest of the knights that were patrolling the woods on the hunt for the Lady Morgana.
"I left them in Aage Hollow, they'll be here at mid-day, I was sent to give a message to the King" The knight on the horse replied, his breath coming out ragged from travelling at such a fast pace.
"Oh right, what was that then Eustace?" The guard asked. He had a grave expression on his face, the guard obviously thought that the patrol had been killed again, his brother was in that patrol...
"Oh nothing of that matter, your brother is fine, last I saw him, he was laughing with the others." Eustace picked up on the young guards worry and rushed to reassure him "But I do need to see the King, rather urgently"
The guard visibly relaxed, and nodded, choosing not to push the knight for an answer, however curious he may be.
The doors to the throne room opened, the guards holding it out so that the knight, Eustace could get to the King who had looked up from his position at the front of the Council meeting.
"Sire-"
"I told the guards to not let anyone disrupt this meeting, it is severely important, the outlying villages are refusing to import their goods to Camelot, and pretty soon, we'll be starving." The king waved a hand to the guards, a demand that was not obeyed.
The King peered over to the guards who stood still near their position by the door, they both looked like they wanted to say something, their mouths opening and closing repeatedly.
"I said, escort this knight out."
"Sire!" Eustace yelled frustrated.
The various people assembled round the table looked up from the various papers that were scrawled across the table and stopped their continued discussions. Gaius did nothing, only kept a small smile from showing on his face - after all, it was rare to see the King publicly shouted at by people other than the young Prince - and resumed his attention to the map of Camelot in front of him.
Before Uther sent him to the cells, Eustace quickly set out to say the message he had been ordered to deliver. "It's about the Lady Morgana.", and as an after-thought, he wisely spoke again "Apologies, Sire" He nodded curtly.
The King was too shocked to formulate a response, thoughts clouding his brain of what the Knight had just said. A father's curse to be worried and relieved about hearing his daughters name in such a way. Gaius quickly stepped in, his eyes finding Uther's dazed ones for a split second before turning to the young Knight, "What about her?"
"We found her, she's alive."
Morgana was set on her bed by Arthur, a worried Gwen beside him. Merlin had backed away and was now leaning on a wall, a safe distance from Morgana's bed.
"Did you need to hit her?" Gwen scolded, her eyes still on Morgana.
"Yes we did, I told you Guinevere" Arthur replied half-heartedly in mock endearment
"I'm sure there was no need to hit her so hard she'll lose her memory."
"Gwen, I did what I had to do to get her back to Camelot. Now If you'll excuse me, I'm going to sit by her bed until she wakes up."
"Why is that?" Gwen asked.
"Because I need to ask her some questions."
"Aaand?" Gwen teased.
"I missed her, I want to see her awake." Arthur gave in.
Merlin watched on, his heart thudding fast and loudly. Arthur would ask her questions, maybe Morgana would tell her brother that he poisoned her. He'd be dead-man walking if it escaped her lips and there was a good chance it would.
"So you're sure you didn't know where these bandits took you." Arthur repeated his question again.
"I'm sure, if I knew, I reckon I'd have been I Camelot a lot sooner, instead of wandering around like a lost dog." Morgana said.
"And your definitely sure it was bandits that attacked you?" Arthur couldn't help but notice how odd that was. Morgause had disappeared with her. Why had "bandits" attacked her in Camelot? Last time he checked, Morgause was not a bandit.
Morgana flashed her eyes around worriedly, like as if someone was watching what she said. Or acting like it Morgana thought wickedly.
"Anyone that looked like Merlin?" Arthur suggested.
"Why would you say that?" Morgana's tone was of panic.
"Just the whole...erm, crazy screaming and weird nonsense thing yesterday." Arthur rubbed the back of his neck, hoping she wouldn't shout at him for reminding her.
So he picked up on that.
Morgana looked pleadingly at Gwen, who nodded silently. Gwen pressed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, causing Arthur to look at her hand surprisingly and then look at Gwen with a smile. Of adoration? Of love?
"Arthur, she's very tired and needs her rest." Gwen attempted, hinting at him to leave. Fixing Arthur with a stern look.
"Oh, of course. Of course." Arthur stood up. and then realised his close proximity to Gwen, and stuttered his goodbyes. "Just to let you know Morgana, I'm very glad you're back." He hugged her, and saw that Morgana was close to tears.
"Don't cry on me, it's very uncomfortable to think you care." Arthur stated jokingly
Morgana let out a slight laugh, full of happiness. "Sorry, I just realised how much you mean to me. I promise you can deal with the painful comments tomorrow."
Arthur nodded slightly. Gwen walked with him outside Morgana's chambers. Merlin was walking towards them.
"Hi, I was just delivering some medicine for Morgana." Merlin held up a vial and rushed into Morgana's chambers, omitting the part that Morgana had called him there. Gwen nodded as he walked past her. As the door slammed shut, Gwen looked at Arthur.
"How do you feel?" She asked.
"I don't know. Relieved, I guess." Arthur replied.
"But...?" Gwen urged him on.
"I don't know. I feel like someone went to a lot of trouble to keep her hidden for it to be bandits. And you should have seen her face when she saw Merlin."
"Arthur, what are you suggesting?" Gwen looked worried, worried about where this was going.
"No, not that." Arthur quickly reassured her. "It's just... what if someone didn't want Morgana to find out who they were, so used Merlin's face." He explained.
"It's unlikely, I mean, why Merlin? Why not you, or her Father, or her Mother, or Uther. It's unlikely they even knew who Merlin was."
"Good point."
"That doesn't rule out it could have been someone who looked like Merlin." Gwen stated.
"I thought about that too but it's impossible." Arthur said confidently.
"Why?"
"Because who on earth has ears as big as Merlin's?" Arthur quickly broke out of his serious tone.
"Arthur!" Gwen laughed as she hit him on the arm for his rudeness.
"What? You're laughing!"
"So it's funny because I'm laughing?"
"No, I'm simply pointing out you're laughing." And my goodness what a laugh that is! Arthur thought.
"Arthur! You can't say that about your friend" Gwen quickly cut in when she saw Arthur take in a breath. "And he is your friend, don't even deny it."
"He started it." Arthur grumbled like a five year old boy caught fighting with his sibling.
"Oh did he?" Gwen put her arms across her chest, not impressed and trying not to laugh at his babyish tone. Trying so very hard to look serious.
"He called me, and I quote" Arthur paused for dramatic effect. "Dollop-head"
Merlin shuts the door behind him, Gwen and Arthur's voices quieting. He stuffs the vial in his pocket, knowing Morgana had not requested one. He scanned the room, looking for Morgana.
"Merlin." Morgana's voice is heard, she is sitting on her bed, refraining from looking at him.
Merlin takes a deep breath, ready to explain "Morgana"
"I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say to you, but I suppose, I can't really." Morgana cut him off. "I feel like you need to know a little about what you did."
Merlin kept silent, he didn't know what she would say to him. The agony she felt while it went down her throat? The hurt she felt when he nodded?
Morgana turned to look at him, green eyes meeting blue ones. "Nightmares"
"Nightmares?" Merlin repeated, confused.
I don't know where I am, it's just this dark abyss, like I'm in limbo. I don't know how long I've been there but the emptiness is making me go insane. It feels like weeks, and I just sit there and scream and cry and think. I want to be out.
"Morgana" Merlin is sitting next to me, he looks weird though. It's not a big difference, it's just that his eyes are different. Their a dark blue, like the bottomless pit of the sea. They look cold, cold as ice.
He smiles at me but it looks like a smirk. He pulls out something from his pocket and I can't help feel a slight fear coursing through me and I don't even know why.
"Here, you must be thirsty" He puts it in front of us, and I don't know why but I find myself analysing it. I take it somewhat hesitantly. I drink it, it's tastes normal. It feels different.
"Merlin this drink is a bit-" I turn to look at him but he is not there anymore.
"Merlin?" I shout, suddenly scared I lost my only real company here.
I here laughing and its warm and nice, Merlin is behind me and I look up at him, a smile on my face. But when I do, I feel a sharpness on my throat and it feels light. I bring my hand up to feel my throat and then to my line of vision so I can look at it.
Blood.
Merlin's standing in front of me. He smirks evilly. He kisses my head gently, his lips still poised in a smirk.
He's gone.
"I would never do that." Merlin says.
"Don't lie to me, you did as good as that." Her voice cracked at the end. Make him feel guilt.
"I..I didn't want to."
"Merlin, you don't need to explain, I just hope you can trust me, I don't know what I did to you but please, trust me." Morgana pleaded.
Merlin nodded, he couldn't be too happy. She seemed to be avoiding the "I forgive you." or "I won't tell anyone." part of the conversation.
Maybe she thinks she doesn't need to say it. It's obvious.
"It's good to have you back" Merlin said before he left. Morgana smiled at him warmly. It was gone when the door slammed shut.
"My lady?" Gwen asked as she opened the door to Morgana's chambers.
"Hmm?"
"The King has asked if you would like to meet him in the Great Hall." Gwen asked as she set about making the bed and clearing the table of Morgan's lunch.
No. Morgana thought coldly.
"If you are tired, it's quite alright, the King would understand, surely." Gwen waded in, concerned for her wellbeing.
"No, I would like to see him."
"We better get you cleaned up then." Gwen smiled.
Into battle, She thought.
Morgana pasted a smile on her face, she fixed her dress and walked into the Great Hall.
Authors Note
Please review and tell me what you think, I really want your advice, sometimes I think I'm being too dramatic, or I'm babbling and being cheesy! I do make names for various people that help to make the plot. I don't like calling people "guard" or "knight" or "maid", I have a little back-story but you otherwise wouldn't see them again. If you have any ideas for medieval names or in fact your name, then don't hesitate to put it into a review, and I can incorporate it into the chapter.
Also check out a Three-shot New years fanfiction I'm doing. It's got Merlin, Arthur, Gwen and Morgana as pirates. Arwen and Mergana, mainly Mergana.
It's called "Merry as the waves till we ain't"
Till the next time.