Chapter 8
Arthur
'What do you mean? What reason could call for such actions?' I demanded, shaking in my anger.
Beside me, Gwen cried as she hid her face in my shoulder, looking away from Aria. But I just couldn't, her scars glinted silver-ish, a ghost of their crimson past. No man would have done this to a woman under any circumstances.
'I trusted him too much. I believed he would help me find Merlin. I told him a great deal. Not everything but more than I should have. He knew I was a star.' Aria answered, hanging her head down in shame that she had so easily trusted.
'That does not explain why he would take your blood.' I said in a softer tone after Gwen squeezed my arm tightly.
'Despite being tied to Freya, my blood carries amazingly strong amounts of stardust.' She muttered and I noticed Merlin anger obvious now.
'I didn't understand at first. I thought it was a new form of punishment he was trying out on me. I was wondering what I did to make him angry. I thought he could have been torturing me for the fun of it. Later, I knew I was an experiment. When he drank it.'
I heard the tone of her voice, how painful and confusing it must have been for her. Gods, I thought to myself as I ran my fingers through my hair roughly, she's just a girl. They were happy to slice her up and take her blood. Then the monster even drank it right in front of her.
'We have to kill him.' Merlin said, voice loud in the silence of the forest.
He looked like he just might explode. The look on his face was… scary. He was beyond furious. But worse still, he didn't shout or scream. He looked placid and calm. He was holding back, bottling his anger and when he reached his limit… The future didn't look so bright for Baruch.
'Merlin, I know you're angry…' Leon began.
'Yes, I am.'
'But we can't just…'
'You don't understand. We won't have a choice. He will never stop until he gets her. If he drinks anymore of her blood…' Merlin said, low and dangerous.
'What happens then?' Elyan asks.
'It boosts up his magic. By a lot.'
'Stardust was used many years ago, a young witch managed to communicate with one of us. She didn't understand its power. She used a spell to destroy her enemies but it destroyed much more than just that.' Aria said, grimacing. 'Adding it with spells is fine if you know how. But drinking it as it is… Bad idea. For him and everybody else. There's no way he can control it, it will override him and consume him.'
'Then he's doomed to die, isn't he? Problem solved.' Gwaine said.
'He won't die. Unfortunately. He'll become dangerously insane with power. The magic will control him. We can't let him get to that state.' Aria continued.
'If he's so powerful, why does he need me?' Merlin asked, now less angry but his position showing protectiveness towards her.
'What happens when you combine the most powerful warlock ever born with a boost of elemental magic? He wants the power.' She said darkly.
'Well, he's not going to get it. We won't let him take either of you.' I said, smirking.
'We can protect her easily. But Merlin tends to find trouble and toss himself into it.' Gwaine said, grinning funnily.
'You mean like how you do when you're in the tavern?' Merlin shot back. I sighed; no matter whom it was or what ranking they held Merlin would always find some sort of retort.
'Her wings still need to be hidden for all of this to work. How did the training go?' Elyan pointed out.
'Awful.' Aria moaned.
'Excellent.' Merlin chirped.
I laughed at them, noticing that Gwen was giggling and our entire camp was ringing with the sound of laughter. Even though I'd never admit it to anyone(with the exception of Gwen), I could see Merlin with Aria, happier than he had ever been in the entire time that I've known him and I was glad that my best friend finally got what he deserved for so long.
Aria
I laughed freely with everyone else. I breathed easier than ever before. For once I could forget without any effort that I was being hunted, that I was in constant danger. I owed all that to the knights of Camelot. They were so different from other swordsmen. They felt for people they didn't even know. They offered comfort. I watched how they behaved carefully, they bickered more like brothers than friends. Even Arthur. He was their Prince and no matter how proud he pretended to be, I could see that he treated all of them like equals. It was much easier to see how much he loved Gwen.
Gwen, she hardly knew me for a day and yet I've felt more kindness from her than everyone else I've met put together. She didn't distrust me at all and she even worried about me. It was obvious she cared; she seemed to care for everybody. I could hardly believe she cared about me. But she did, almost as if it was natural for her.
And then there was Merlin. I smiled as stole a glance at the man beside me. He was fiercely loyal to his friends, understanding and would do absolutely anything to protect the people he cared about. He was Emrys, the one who would bring magic back to the land and protect the Once and Future King. He had a great destiny and a huge responsibility but he smiles and laughs like nothing could go wrong. He understands me better than I do myself and believes in me when I do not.
I am meant to protect him, keep him on the right path but I can't imagine him straying from it. He's the one protecting me. I feel safe whenever he's around me. I feel his warmth with me always, keeping me from the cold uncertainty I have in myself.
When we kissed it was like our magic connected, his lips were so soft and he made me forget everything. He was all I could think about, I could feel him, his soul, his magic, everything. That one moment, I knew falling was worth it. The pain, the sacrifice, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wonder if this is what it's like to feel loved. I wish I knew. I've never felt anything like it. The look he gave me when he heard the name Freya… he loved her, he still does… but can he love me?
