CHAPTER 8
Hey guys,
So I have a little dare for you. Because I'm Aussie and very proud to be I would love it if you guys to try vegemite and tell me what you think. Now I apologise to those reading if you've done this and what I'm about to say. Guys if you be brave and try it please don't be silly and eat it straight out of the jar we don't do that believe me, put it on some toast or in a sandwich with BUTTER or whatever you use because it makes it yummy. It's also really good with cheese and as a toasted sandwich. PLEASE TRY
ARTHUR POV
I hold her silently in my arms, none one even Merlin has said anything for hours. I feel Guinevere's breathing even out and I look down at her. She is asleep peacefully she isn't moving, talking, not sleeping. She's just sleeping.
"Elyan we must go." I tell him. "Why," his voice confused. "I instructed Leon to make a start on the battle plan. Morgana is coming and we must be ready. Merlin will you be alright to look after her." I look to who now I will actually call my friend. "Yes, I will watch her until your return Elyan."
I can see Elyan debating in his head whether he should leave Gwen. "Alright, let's go. The sooner we go the sooner I can return here." I slowly move away and lay Guinevere down with no fuss.
The walk back to the castle was quiet, neither of us said a word. As we approach the stairs Elyan stops me. "Arthur, I should apologise…" I stop him because I know he should have to say anything. "Elyan you had every right and I had it coming. I know that you do it to protect Guinevere and I fully respect that. I don't want her hurt and you punching me in the face and then taking it out to the street says to me that you won't let anything happen to her which is all I want for her." I hold my hand out to him. He takes it and shakes it. "Now let's see what plan Leon and the others have come up with," I suggest and god only knows what we will see.
GWEN POV
As I wake to find myself lying down I'm confused. I don't remember falling asleep although I last thing I do remember was being in Arthur's arms. But knowing me I could fall fast asleep in his arms no matter what.
"How are you feeling?" I look over to see Merlin looking at me. "I feel ok, have you been here the whole time?" I ask even though I know the answer. "Yes I have, Arthur requested it." I nod and sigh. "Of course he did, Merlin I appreciate you being here but Arthur should learn that I don't need a babysitter." I sit up in my bed.
"Believe me Gwen I'm sure he's well aware of that but you were asleep and it didn't seem right to leave you alone." I nod in agreement. Suddenly the door bursts open and there stands Elyan with a awful look on his face. "Elyan what is it?" Merlin asks before I can. "Gwen get changed, Morgana's army is upon us and I don't think you want to be fighting in a dress."
My reaction time amazed me as well as my reflexes. How fast I managed to change out of my dress and into a tunic and pants I reckon was my fastest yet. I grabbed my sword and met the boys outside. "Let's go, there's no doubt that Morgana's army could start attacking at any moment." Merlin says.
ARTHUR POV
EARLIER
"Leon, what plans have you made?" I ask him as Elyan and I approach the Council Chambers. "We made several My Lord. One being that we send men to the borders of Camelot and wait until Morgana is close enough for them to fight. Two is to evacuate the city and leave with them. Three is to evacuate the people and us stay and fight and four is that we wait for Morgana to come and go from there." All of Leon's plans make sense but we must consider all of the factors that come with it.
"Leon I like your plans and I want to evacuate the people but Morgana has magic she could do something to stop the people from escaping but you know what I suggest we open up passages under the castle to help the people escape. We can try and get as many out as we can…" Before I could continue to make a plan a guard bursts in.
"My King I apologise for the intrusion but I thought you should know Morgana's army have reached the outskirts of Camelot and are making their way hastily to the lower town." I nod towards him. "Thank you, go and prepare the other men," I instruct him and he quickly departs from the room as I turn to Elyan. "Go get Gwen and Merlin, I don't want them in more danger." He leaves before I could even finish.
I turn back to the knights, "Gwaine and Percival go and start evacuating as much of the town as you can. Gather other knights to help you, leave Camelot, find a safe place and stay until we can join you." I command. "Yes sire," they both and say leave, their cloaks swinging widely behind them. All that's left in the room is myself, Sir Leon and Gaius. "My lord is it wise to try and evacuate the town? I'm in agreement for you getting the people to safety but dozens could be killed in the process." Gaius asks. "Gaius I'm well aware but we can't take any chances. We should at least try and get them to safety or more of them could die, I can't have all of their blood on my hands knowing that I could've done something." I look at my friend and he nods. "Arthur."
I turn around and see Merlin, Guinevere and Elyan in the doorway looking prepared to fight. "What plan have you made?" Guinevere asks, approaching the table next to me. "I've sent Gwaine and Percival to start evacuating the town through the underground tunnels as Morgana's army has reached the lower part of the city." I explain.
It was moments later when Gwaine comes back in with sweat on his face as he must have been running. "Arthur, we've managed to get quite a few dozens of people through the tunnels. We're guiding them to refuge but Morgana's army will be upon the castle soon enough."
"Gaius, you should go with them in case any are injured." Guinevere's voice pipes up. "I will Gwen and I shall see you all when you're reunited with us." He says, his old face giving a soft smile. I watch as he hugs Merlin, Gwen and then stands in front of me. "Arthur, I've watched over you since you were born and I'm happy to say I'm proud of the man I've seen you become. Lead these people into battle with all you've got, save out kingdom and I have no doubt that you'll all re-join us soon." His words are comforting and give me strength. "Thank you Gaius, now go the people need you."
I bid him goodbye and he goes with Gwaine disappearing from sight. It was only moments later when loud noises and voices coming from lower in the castle. "Let's go win back the kingdom." I say and march out the door with Merlin, Gwen, Elyan and Leon in tow.
GWEN POV
Before I can follow Arthur down the hall at his feet and hand stops on my shoulder. I turn around and see Leon standing there. "Is everything ok because we have a battle to win?" I ask him. "Yes everything considering the circumstances. I just wanted to say Gwen that I'm sorry. Arthur told in not the best way possibly about the baby, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. As a friend not someone who is sad over the loss of Camelot's heir." I look at the floor and then back at him with a weak, forced smile.
"Thank you Leon, I've always considered you a friend before you being a knight. Now let's win our kingdom back." I take a deep breath preparing to fight.
NO ONE POV OR MINE
It was chaos in the kingdom of Camelot. There was yelling in the streets, some people had already been killed just for being in the way of Morgana's path to the castle. Fires had been started on some house and most of the people of Camelot had been evacuated from the kingdom but some didn't get out as Morgana's guards had blocked off the escape path for anyone who didn't get out earlier.
All of the remaining knights, Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Elyan and Leon were all fighting. Fighting to the best of their abilities to help save their home. Morgana prowled the halls like a big cat lurking around waiting for it's pray to come into sight.
She walk down the halls and as she did she could hear the loud clanging of metal blades hitting each other. As she entered the council chambers the scene almost astounded her. Brother and sister fighting side by side taking down all of her men that were coming at them, by the time the last man in the room was down they were both panting out of exhaustion but not enough to make them stop. Morgana claps her hands loudly together.
"My, my brother and sister fighting side by side. What a sight." A wicked smile spreads across Morgana's face like a wild fire. "Careful Elyan she has magic," Gwen's voice was dripping with anger as she and her brother both had their swords in Morgana's direction. "She right Elyan, you shouldn't underestimate me." Morgana says.
Within moments and a flick of Morgana's hand both Gwen and Elyan were thrown to the ground with nothing but the contact of magic. She rushed over picking up Gwen and her sword, pressing it against Gwen's neck. "Let her go Morgana!" Elyan yells. "Now, now Elyan we both know that I don't work that way. Now go get my dear brother and bring him here or I kill your sister here and now in front of you. GO!" Elyan looks at Gwen with longing. "I'll be back I promise." He tells her and runs out of the room.
ARTHUR POV
I fight side by side with Merlin and Leon, all of us using swords but I think that Merlin is using magic when Leon isn't looking but if we live through this I plan on Merlin telling Leon, Percival and Gwaine about it. "ARTHUR!" I turn to see Elyan running towards me in a haze.
"Elyan what's going on, where's Gwen?" I instantly becoming filled with worry. "That's why I'm here, Morgana has Gwen. We need to go." Those words made me go ridged in the inside but somehow I was still able to move. "Let's go."
As we reach the council chambers I'm scared of what I'm going to see. I open the door and there I see Morgana standing behind the chair that all the rulers of Camelot have sat in. Gwen sitting there unable to move. "Hello dear brother, it's been far to long." Morgana's wicked voice dripping with venom is ringing in my ears.
GWEN POV
As Elyan rushes away I just pray that nothing will happy. "Stop shaking Gwen, we're not strangers after all. Now sit." She instructs me.
I sit in Arthur's chair and suddenly invisible straps come around my wrists and ankles making me unable to get up. "What do you want from me Morgana?" I ask her, "I have nothing to offer you." I tell her. "Oh my dear Gwen I have some news that you'll be quite interested in but we should wait for Arthur to get here." As soon as she says that Arthur walks in.
"Hello dear brother, it's been far too long." Morgana says. "Let her go Morgana." He demands but all she does is lay her sword flat across my chest. "Now where's the fun in that? Now Guinevere are you ready to hear the news. I told you we'd wait until Arthur got here and here he is." I start to tremble a little. "What could you possibly have to tell us Morgana?" Arthur spits at her. She comes closer and whispers to me but I know that it's loud enough for Arthur and the others to hear.
"I'm responsible for the death of your baby, that not only brought back your feelings for Lancelot but killed your baby too." I let out a gasp and I start to cry. "No!" I cry out through my tears, this woman who I used to call my friend killed my baby. "YOU WITCH!" Arthur screams and starts to lurch forward but Morgana's blade comes up against my neck roughly. "Ah ah, one false move and she gets it." Morgana says and Arthur's takes a few steps back.
"There's one more thing you should know, it was a girl." That's when my tears really start to flow. I can see Arthur beginning to cry but trying to hold it back, Elyan welling up and Merlin and Leon looking sad and trying to contain the hurt that they're feeling. That's when Arthur starts up again. "YOU KILLED ME DAUGHTER!" And Morgana presses harder against my neck.
"Let her go Morgana, your fight is with me not with her." He says. "I know that but she's my leverage against you." Of course I am she knows that Arthur wouldn't see me hurt. "Let her go Morgana." Arthur demands again.
"Give me your kingdom and I will." She says. "No Arthur don't do it, my life isn't worth as much as the people." I beg him. He looks away from me and then looks back. "You can have the kingdom Morgana, let Guinevere go." I don't even have to see Morgana to know there's a smile on her face. "Perfect, just what I want to hear."
I feel the straps disappear from my wrists and ankles. She yanks me up roughly and presses the sword to me neck once more. "Arthur are you this is what you want?" Morgana asks. "Yes it is." He replies.
"Arthur as much as I love Gwen think about what you're doing. If we leave the people will have no one to fight for them. No hope, nothing." Merlin says and I agree with him silently. "She won't hurt the people Merlin, if she does she'll have no one to rule." Arthur says.
Suddenly I'm thrown roughly to the ground and a few seconds later I hear a door slam. I feel hands grab my by the arms and help me up. When I look up I'm gazing into Arthur's deep blue eyes.
"Why would you do that for me, give your entire kingdom when the people need you most?" I ask him. "Because I love you Guinevere and that will never change so long as I'm alive." I kiss him softly and I don't know why. I don't know if it's because he chose me over Camelot, if I'm just happy to be alive or if it's because we found out our lost baby was a daughter. Than the answer hits me and it dawned on me so brightly that I can't deny it.
I think I'm ready to let myself love Arthur Pendragon all over again.
Hi guys,
So sorry for taking ages. I've had writers block, I've not been feeling the best and I've started back at school. Please give me reviews and tell me what you think. I have a question for any American readers, I'm curious about your school system. I know you get the entire summer off so do you get the entire winter off too for Christmas, I don't know why I'm wondering I just am.
Xoxo.
