CHAPTER THREE
Aurora looked around her in fascination and Blair noted every gateway, alley, street, and possible escape roots.
They rode into the courtyard and Percival helped Aurora down gently as Blair and the knights slid off themselves.
They turned towards the grand staircase. Standing towards the bottom step, was Gwen dressed in a rich, purple velvet gown with an A-line skirt, long flared sleeves, and a V-neckline. It was beautiful, in Aurora's eyes, being a fashion designer herself.
Arthur came up beside her and she smiled up at him. They exchanged a long kiss, and Aurora and the knights averted their eyes while Blair examined every inch of the courtyard and the castle with army-trained eyes.
When Gwen and Aurora broke apart, he beckoned Aurora and Blair forward.
Gwen examined their strange clothing, but, to her credit, her smile didn't falter.
"Gwen, meet sisters Blair and Aurora, they somehow have found themselves transported from the future, and I have offered for them to stay here until we find a way from them to go back." Gwen nodded, smiling, as if it were common for her husband to do such things.
"Blair, Aurora, meet my wife, Guinevere, Queen of Camelot."
Aurora curtsied and then rose, squealing, "You two are such a cute couple!"
Arthur blushed and Gwen smiled, before looking to Blair. She didn't curtsy just stood there.
"While you are in our land, Blair, we would appreciate it if you obeyed our customs," Arthur said, gently.
Blair tilted her head in acknowledgement before giving a small bow in Gwen's direction.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Guinevere," she said.
"You may call me Gwen," she said.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Gwen," Blair amended.
"While you are here, you shall have rooms in the castle. We will have the best guest quarters prepared. Would the two of you like to room together or separately?" Gwen got right to business.
"Together, please," Blair answered.
"Very good," Arthur looked at Merlin, "Merlin, bring their bags to the room in the west wing; the one with the double bed. Girls, Gwen will show you around the castle and you will have until this evening to settle in and then you will be dining with us in the banquet hall."
But Blair, instead of going with her sister and Gwen, silently took one of her bags from him and followed him to the quarters that she and her sister would be occupying.
They arrived there and Blair walked around the room. It was probably one of the largest in the castle, besides the room Arthur and Gwen shared, of course, because of the double queen sized beds. The right and left sides were mirror images. The beds were in the center, nightstands beside them. There windows above both nightstands. At the end of each bed was a trunk and across the room, were two wardrobes, with dressing shades and mirrors on either side.
There was a dining table on the left side of the room, as well as a fireplace with a shield and sword above it.
Blair analyzed possible ways of escape, things that could be use to barricade the door, possible weapons (including the shield and sword on the wall), etc.
Finally, she sighed and collapsed into a chair at the dining table.
Merlin sat across from her. "Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine," she rubbed her forehead with her hand, "Just a little tired is all. This is hard. And you wont be able to find a way back."
"I wont?" Merlin asked, raising a brow, "And you know this how? Might I ask?"
"Because there are legends about Blair and Aurora. We're not leaving. It's not like I don't like it here, but its just going to be so different. Everything I believe in is not viable here. "
"Arthur values the guidance of his people and I think he will value yours especially. So if you want for him to accept the way you think, you should talk to him."
"You really think he'd listen?"
"Yes," Merlin replied, "Of that I am sure."
"Well then," she said, "I will speak with him."
Just then, Gwen and Aurora opened the doors and entered the room, laughing like they'd been best friends for forever. Blair felt a slight twinge in her heart when she saw that: it had been years since she had laughed like that with anyone, but she concealed her emotions within her mask of indifference.
Aurora turned in a circle, taking in the entire room.
"This is amazing!" she exclaimed.
"We do our best," Gwen replied, smiling. "I will leave you to get settled. If you need anything, feel free to ask Merlin. He will get some clothes for you for this evening. See you soon."
Gwen left the room gracefully, her skirt trailing behind her.
"I'm going to let you get settled and find some appropriate clothes for you."
Merlin left, too, leaving Aurora and Blair all alone.
"I get the left side of the room," Aurora said.
"You always do," Blair smiled.
They both sat down on the bed that was now Blair's.
"Are you going to be ok here?" Blair asked.
Aurora nodded. "How 'bout you?"
Blair nodded, too.
"I like it here," Aurora said suddenly.
"Me, too."
They were silent.
"We should unpack," Aurora said.
"That your favorite part of settling somewhere new," Blair smiled, "Unpacking."
Aurora smiled, "Yes it is."
They got off the bed and the each put their modern clothes in the trunk at the ends of their beds, since they probably weren't going to be able to wear them here.
"You don't think we're going to be able to leave, do you?" Aurora asked suddenly, turning to face her sister.
Blair regarded her sadly and calmly before slightly shaking her head. "I don't know."
"You don't want to leave." Aurora inflected.
"Not really," Blair said, "I like it here. Life would be so simple. But, if a way is found to go back home, and you want to leave, I will go with you."
"Dammit, Blair!" Aurora shouted.
Blair started. Her sister rarely shouted and almost never at her. Merlin walked in right then, and froze in the doorway, but neither of them noticed him.
"What?" Blair asked Aurora.
"Why do you have to be like this? All the time?!"
"Be like what?"
"All the time, it's whatever I want! All the time! You would sacrifice your happiness for me! Has it ever crossed your mind to let yourself be happy? Be vulnerable? Has it ever crossed your mind that I want to help you?"
"As he died in my arms, our father asked me to take care of you with everything I have. You're my little sister, Aura, I would sacrifice my life for you. You know that."
"Exactly my point!" Aurora looked both exasperated and on the verge of tears, "I want you to be happy, too! I don't want you to be unhappy because you think it'll get me what I want. I want you to be happy, too. I love, Blair, and it kills me when you put on your mask and hide your emotions from me. I'm your sister! I want you to trust me!"
"I do trust you, Aura." Blair whispered.
"No, you don't! After everything that happened, you haven't wanted to share anything! You haven't trusted anyone because you're afraid that they're going to leave you, like our parents did. I'm not going anywhere! And sadness is a part of life. You have to know sorrow to know happiness and love when it's staring you straight in the face. A life without love is a life unlived, Blair. And you wont let yourself feel love anymore because your afraid! And you cant keep living like this!"
Aurora burst into tears and Blair folded her sister into her arms.
When a single tear slipped down Blair's cheek, Merlin decided he should probably go.
He tried to quietly exit the room, but Blair, still holding her sister and her head turned in the opposite direction from the door, said, "Merlin, I know you're there. You can come in. But, if you even think about speaking of this to anyone, you're dead."
Merlin smiled as he realized how like Arthur that was.
Aurora pulled out of Blair's arms and dried her face.
"What have you got for us, Merlin?" Blair asked.
He looked down at the stack of clothes in his arms.
"They're just for tonight. I'll get you more for the rest of your stay later. But," he held up on dress in one hand and the other in his other hand. "This one is for you, Aurora." He gave her the green dress "and this one is for you, Blair." He gave Blair the blue one.
They both glanced down to the material in their hands. They were identical, except for the color. They were much like the dresses Morgana used to wear before she turned evil. They were both silk, with a square neckline and sheath skirts. The sleeves were long and flared. Though, they were not as elegant as Gwen's, they were quite beautiful.
"Its so pretty!" Aurora squealed and darted behind the changing curtain. She rapidly through all her modern clothes over the curtain and then emerged in the dress.
"You look beautiful!" Merlin said and Blair agreed.
She did look stunning. Merlin had managed to fins a dress that matched the exact color of her eyes.
"You're turn, Blair," Merlin said.
"Absolutely no chance in hell." Blair replied, "The dress is beautiful, Merlin, but I don't wear dresses."
"Why not?"
"They impede my ability to fight."
"Wear it tonight, for me?"
Blair raised a brow.
"For Arthur?"
"Sorry, there's no chance."
"Whatever you say," Merlin smiled.
"How much time do we have before the feast?" Blair asked suddenly.
"About three/four hours," he replied.
"Thank you," she replied, "Can I have some coins?"
"Um, sure," Merlin dug some gold coins out of his pocket and handed them to her.
"Thank again," she said before sweeping out of the room. She found her way down to the markets in the lower town.