Hello, and welcome back to Arthur. A day may come when this story gets to be super awesome...let's hope that day comes soon, yes?
So, last chapter involved Arthur being attacked by a group working for someone known as the Master, but who is he exactly? Of course, the bigger thing is that Arthur and "Emrys" finally meet face to face, even though Emrys has pretty much been around since the time of Arthur's birth.
Just keep this information in mind whilst reading this ;)
What else to say? I can't think of anything right now, but I will.
Music
-"Arthur's Final Battle" from Merlin
-"The Call of Destiny" from Merlin
Now that's settled...
Let's Go On An Adventure
Presence
A set of headlights shone in the driveway, then they dimmed to blackness. Arthur exited the vehicle silently, praying to God that he wouldn't be noticed. He did not desire a telling off by Ector.
But luck wasn't on his side. A very furious Ector was sitting in one of the cushioned kitchen chairs, drumming his spider-like fingers on the wooden table. He got one look of Arthur and predicted the worst.
"Where have you been, Arthur?" the surrogate father chastised.
Arthur glanced down at his muddy shoes, trying to find an excuse for as to why he was not home in bed. "Kay needed a ride. I obliged." The blond wasn't even lying. Kay did get him into this mess by asking for a ride. Arthur thought it best to omit the parts that happened afterward.
Ector narrowed his eyes. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he noticed something upon his younger son's shirt. "Is that blood?"
Arthur paled. The last thing he wanted to do was tell his father about the assault. Even if he had all the answers he wanted, he couldn't ever tell Ector. Who's to say that he wouldn't think him crazy and direct him to the asylum? That place was full of nutters.
"It's not…Look." Arthur lifted up the ruined shirt to reveal his completely intact skin. Thank goodness for Emrys.
Ector surveyed the bare skin, but his suspicion did not dissipate. "You've been fighting," he accused.
Arthur felt his stomach knot up as he prepared his lie. "Wh-what? No! I drove Kay out to the Dancing Dragon, an-and he wanted me to follow him in. Believe me, Father, I didn't want to, but Kay dragged me inside and introduced him to his friends. One of them...spilled red wine all over me. That is why I walked out. Kay can find his own ride back. If I had known that this was where he wanted to go, then I would not have agreed, I swear."
Arthur held his breath as Ector scrutinized the boy in front of him. "Why didn't he provide his own transportation?"
Arthur relaxed, relieved that Ector didn't question the story of the "red wine." "Kay didn't want me to say anything, but, truthfully, he lost his car keys a few weeks ago. He's been finding rides from all sorts of people lately. I was his unlucky target."
Ector puckered his lips and shook his head in a fashion that showed that he could see Kay doing that. "Well, that certainly sounds like Kay." Then he took both of Arthur's shoulders. "Did you drink any?"
"What?!" Arthur protested. He pulled away in outrage. "No! I wouldn't…Why would you think that of me, Father?" He self-consciously felt the bloodied area where, just an hour ago, there was a stab-wound.
Ector shrugged, but Arthur could see that he was consoled. Maybe, just maybe, he did care for him. "Just making sure. Are you certain that you are all right, Arthur?"
"Yes, father," Arthur hissed through his teeth. He yawned. "Now can I please go to bed before Kay gets back? He is not going to be very happy with me once he realizes that I abandoned him."
Ector laughed heartily and nodded. He believed Arthur. It sickened him at how easily he was able to lie to his father, but he did. Little did the young adult know that soon he would be doing it more often than he would like.
Arthur usually used the time for himself to sleep in as well. Still, one does not simply sleep in if they can't go to sleep in the first place. That is what Arthur done. He only pretended to be tired, but, in truth, he just wanted to get away from the questions.
What was going on? He is attacked by a group of outlaws who knew more about him than he did himself. Then he is saved by a Gandalf-wannabe who knew just as much as, if not more than, the criminals about Arthur. There was something distinctly familiar about the old man, but he couldn't place it.
No, the man's name was Emrys. At least, that is what the sorcerer claimed. Arthur didn't believe for one second that that was the real name of the old man. It just didn't feel right, and Arthur trusted his intuition.
Arthur was overthinking this. Whatever happened that night must have been exaggerated. He must have dreamed up the sorcery bit. Maybe it really was wine on the shirt. He was tired.
Arthur did not believe his feeble excuse, either.
The curtains were drawn closed, as they usually were. Arthur could pretend to be asleep for a little longer, but then what? He had to get rid of the bags forming under his eyes. Maybe another hour of real sleep might help.
Arthur yawned for real this time. He was eager for some real sleep. Nice...real...seellleeeeeppp.
Arthur was hanging for dear life. It was dark in the cave. Well, of course it was because the sorceress took the torch away, but a feeling of dread hung in the air and clogged up his lungs. Arthur's body was being weighed down by the heavy mail he was wearing. It done nothing to protect him from the sorceress. Really, it barely did anything this entire crusade.
All for what? A handful of flowers that could potentially save a servant boy? Everyone told him that he should not have gone on this journey. Arthur was beginning to think that they were right. Then he remembered his reason for going. He had to keep going...for him. He was the closest to a real friend that he ever had, even though Arthur had a funny way of showing it. He would never admit it, but it was the truth.
Yet, even now, Arthur was going to fail him the one time it mattered. This was, what, the second time the manservant saved his life? Maybe the third? Yet the prince couldn't save him.
A voice rang out in his head, distressed just like Arthur. "Arthur. It's too dark. Too dark." It sounded vaguely like his servant's.
Arthur felt an even stronger sense of despair. Of course the thoughts flowing inside his muddled head had to be obvious and pessimistic. However, Arthur knew that this was the truth. He would never be able to make it out of this cave with his life, much less save his manservant.
Arthur started heaving. He felt his grip on the damp rock starting to slip away. His face was drenched in a cold sweat, allowing the dusty dirt to turn to a sticky mud. He was losing his hold. Soon, he would let go and fall into oblivion. Maybe he should accept it now.
Then he felt something change in the air. Arthur gritted his teeth and looked down to his right. A ball of shimmering blue light floated up, lighting the cavern enough for Arthur to see. The blond, however, could not bring himself to trust it.
Still breathing heavily, he taunted the absent sorceress, "Come out then! What are you waiting for?! Finish me off!"
But there was no answer. She had left him to his fate a while ago. In fact, she was probably already celebrating his death.
Arthur watched the ball of light. It flew over his head, bringing him a wave of calm...and determination. With new-found strength, Arthur pulled himself onto the ledge. His chest-plate clattered against the stone as it tried to pull him down into the light-less depths beyond him. Arthur's face smudged into the rock from tiredness, but this was no time for resting.
He pushed himself to his feet. Arthur's hand reached for the sword and rearmed itself. Arthur stared at it once it hit him that he was alive. Then he re-sheathed the weapon.
His blue eyes trailed back to the bright orb. It started to rise upward, goading him to follow for safety. But Arthur was not yet successful in his quest. He looked upward in the opposite direction at the yellow blossoms that were native only to this cave. They were able to grow without sunlight and little water.
"Leave them, Arthur!" There was an ear-piercing screech. Arthur glanced down in horror at the hundreds of eight-legged spiders climbing towards him.
"Go. Save yourself." However, Arthur would never be able to live with himself if the servant died for him. He wasn't going to owe that boy anything. He recoiled away from the spiders, but he would not flee from them.
"Follow the light." Arthur ignored the guardian's voice and looked away from the eight-legged army towards the yellow flowers. He needed one, just one, to save a life that actually mattered.
The prince started to scale the cave wall. Climbing came naturally to Arthur. He was able to find the right crevices to place his fingers and his toes to keep him from falling to certain doom. Arthur climbed away from the light towards the plants.
He pulled himself up the wall, fueled by an internal fire that would not die out. He needed the flowers to save his friend. He reached for one of the golden blossoms. The leather glove on Arthur's hand slipped across the slippery surface of the stone. Arthur struggled to hold himself in place with one hand, so he ascended even more so that he was closer to the flowers.
This time, when he reached, he was able to pick one of the blossoms. He exhaled in relief and, after making sure his feet were well up to the challenge of holding him up, he put the flower safely into the pouch hanging at his belt.
The spiders were almost upon him. With their deadly bite, Arthur could potentially die. He tried to climb, but the dark gloves on his hands were making the attempts futile. He used his teeth to bite off the gloves and cast them into the darkness.
Then Arthur woke up, white as a ghost. It had been years since he had one of these dreams. The last one he had was when he was what, six, seven years old? Why was he having one now on the day after his eighteenth birthday?
The day after he was attacked by that group in the dark alley by the pub. The day after he was rescued by that sorcerer.
No, Arthur needed to stop having these foolish thoughts. It was coincidence. That was all what it was. Maybe his mind just made this up because he was sleep-deprived. Yeah, that had to be the reason. Arthur could not seem to find another explanation.
Christmas morning. It was highly unlikely that the Thomas household would do anything special. They might eat a nicer-than-usual dinner with chocolate cake. Presents were saved for after dinner because everyone slept in. Ector worked until late, and Kay usually didn't show up until around noon.
Arthur, with another yawn, tossed his blanket onto the floor in a senseless heap. Ector would have a real fit if he saw the state of Arthur's room. Arthur did not entirely care, but he was working on it. Kind of. Not really.
Christmas was pretty much a bank holiday, so it was not like there were going to be people cluttering the streets. Arthur fancied an early morning walk. He found a pencil and scribbled a quick note should Ector wake up before he returned. Then Arthur donned a light brown leather jacket, a black long-sleeve shirt, dark blue trousers, and bark-brown boots and went outside into the brisk winter air.
There was a certain holiday air around him. Arthur could feel it, and it was comforting. He padded down the deserted street, taking in the sights. He thought about the flea market in his family-atmospheric neighborhood of Camlann. It was complete with the hospital that he was born in, two petrol stations, a park, a theatre, a library, two cafes, a grocery store, and the flea market.
He wanted to go to the flea market. After all, he still has not gotten gifts for Ector and Kay.
He pulled out the watch Kay gave him. 10:32. Arthur had a good hour and a half before Kay got back.
Arthur sighed and closed the lid. It got dented last night after the attack. Still, the dragon was legible. He traced his finger on the image of the great serpent. Where did Kay get it from, anyway? He thought that the piece was magnificent, but it nearly got him killed, or...did it save him? They attacked him before seeing the watch and the driver's license with his incriminating name. They could have killed him, but then they chose not to.
They called him their prince. What the bloody hell was that supposed to mean? He almost certainly was not royalty. Arthur was sure that he would know. While he didn't know the identity of his father, he was sure that they did not know for certain. He was just an ordinary man.
However, Arthur knew that wasn't the case. They discreetly attacked him with a knife with a dragon identical to that on his watch. Even now, he followed the advice of the sorcerer and kept the blade on him. It was currently hidden in a secret pocket in his jacket. While he could hardly trust the sorcerer, no, Emrys, his survival was worth more to him than his pride.
Then Arthur came to the flea market. Almost no one was manning the street vendor booths. However, there were some that were open even for Christmas. They were run by those who had no family to visit for the holidays.***
He went to one booth ran by an old maid named Rebecca. She wasn't really that old, only forty-five, but she never married. Some say that yes, she had loved once, but the man in question was mysterious and was considered by some to be a nutter. They supposedly dated for a while, even though he was a couple decades older than her, then the affair stopped. The man disappeared off the face of the earth, and Rebecca's reputation was ruined.
Rebecca did not let this scandal ruin her passion for making clothes and selling it. She spent her days locked away in her flat, apparently huddled over a sewing machine. There were many things that she could make with her hands, including scarves.
Arthur took a neckerchief, a red one, and ran it through his fingers. Arthur suddenly felt like he was hit with stone. There was something oddly recognizable about the scarf. He squeezed it tightly in his hands reassuringly, then Arthur allowed his hand holding the piece to drop to his side.
"Is there something wrong, Arthur?" Rebecca asked urgently.
Arthur shook his head and waved his hand. Then he looked up and smiled boyishly. "How much?"
"£6.89," she answered curtly.
Arthur located the money in his wallet. Then it hit him. It was strange. All the money was still intact from last night, but he did notice that something was missing.
Ector's going to kill me. His driver's license was gone. Those bandits must have taken it.
Arthur had a spare at his house, but it still shook him how such a thing could have happened. It wasn't as though he needed a reminder of the events of last night. Whoever they worked for, they probably took it back to their hideout. What was it they called him? The Master? Arthur had a hunch that the "Master" was a male. For all he knew, they were someone that Arthur knew very well.
Arthur shivered, and it wasn't from the cold.
He was about to lay down the coins when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Arthur looked up tensely. He was being watched. He scanned the other early-morning shoppers and the vendors. No one looked suspicious. Then he noticed someone at a fruit stand inconspicuously pretending to be purchasing apples. Arthur stared at the man for a moment, and then he started to recognize the long silver beard.
Arthur's mouth started to hang open. For a moment, their eyes met, blue against blue. Then Emrys abandoned his charade of fruit-buying and started to hobble away with his fancy walking stick.
"Wait! Em-" Arthur closed his mouth, thinking it unwise to be blurting the name out in public for all to hear him.
Scarf in hand, he attempted to follow the sorcerer, demanding answers. However, an umbrella stand conveniently knocked over as if by magic, and Arthur tripped. When he stood up, a crowd of people formed seemingly out of nowhere, regardless of the day.
He tried to shove his way through. "Hey! I want to talk to you! Hold up!"
The sorcerer was unusually fast for someone his age. Then again, Arthur shouldn't be surprised as the elderly man had magic. He probably didn't feel the creaks in the bones that most old people seemed to feel when they aged. Emrys's back was most likely just fine.
When Arthur finally pushed his way through the mob, Emrys was gone. Sighing, Arthur turned around to face Rebecca, who had both her hands on her hips and a scowl.
"Are you going to pay for that, Arthur?"
He nodded distractedly, craning his neck to find the old man. As Rebecca snatched the money from his hands with a huff, Arthur sighed in determination. He will get answers from Emrys. One way or another.
Okay, recap. We have Ector who clearly has no faith that his sons can be law abiding citizens, we have Arthur having visions that are totally not from Season 1 Episode 4 The Poisoned Chalice, and we have Emrys buying apples before disappearing into thin air. Good talk!
Do you like the neighborhood name ;)? I was running out of options.
Does anyone have any theories?
Thanks for taking the time to read this story. Your support is very much appreciated :)
Thank you mersan123 and Kyromatronix for reviewing.
Thank you mersan123 and Walluruby for following.
~Lya200~
