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Chapter 9
"Where the hell have you been" Arthur demanded as Merlin entered Gaius' chambers.
He (Arthur) was sitting on Gaius' table while the physician bandaged up his arm. Lord Orion and Gwain were also in the room, standing across from Arthur, arms folded, looking in opposite directions. None of the men so much as looked at Merlin as he entered the room.
"What happened?" Merlin asked, momentarily distracted.
"Combat training. Lord Orion and I got a bit too violent with each other and when Arthur tried to intervene, Orion broke through Arthur's armour." Gwain explained bitterly.
"It's only a flesh wound." Gaius consoled.
"Thank you Gaius," Arthur nodded appreciatively. "Now Merlin, where were y-?"
Arthur turned to look at his servant and blanched. In Merlin's arms Annabeth lay limp and still dripping wet.
"What the hell happened?" He asked panicking and jumping off the table.
"Don't worry, she's still breathing. I checked. Arthur, she tried to drown herself." Merlin looked at him meaningfully.
"Why would she try and drown herself?" Gaius frowned.
"I don't know." Merlin lied, feigning distress. He looked over at Lord Orion who was frowning however there was no trace of concern about him.
"Does it matter why she tried to do it? The poor girl's just half drowned and you're doing nothing to help her." Lord Orion spoke up. He had quite a gruff voice (that both Merlin and Arthur recognised from the previous when they'd followed Annabeth into the wood) for a man that round, who many would gladly mistake for jolly if it weren't for the evil glint in his eyes. Looking at him, Merlin would never have guessed he was only 25 years old; the bushy blonde moustache and thinning straw-like hair on top of his head paired with his excess fat aged him about 10 years.
"Yes Peter, you are right. My arm can wait Gaius; it's only a flesh wound after all. Tend to Annabeth." Arthur nodded, moving out of Merlin's way.
"Through here Merlin. We're going to have to put her on your bed I'm afraid. Gwain, if you could take off the bed cover and help get her on the bed, she needs to be laid on her stomach with her head to the side so she can breathe." Gaius instructed.
"Of course Gaius," Gwain nodded, following Merlin and the old man up to Merlin's room.
"So you know Annabeth then?" Lord Orion asked, confronting Arthur.
Lie. A small voice in Arthur's head (that sounded a lot like Annabeth) ordered him.
"Merlin told me about her. She's a friend of his and the bubbling fool doesn't shut up in the mornings so consequentially I've heard a bit about her. I also had to raid her house the other day when she was suspected of being a witch." Arthur didn't exactly lie but he didn't tell the whole truth either. He didn't have to really anyway if he thought about it. The only person he really had to answer to was his father, the king.
"A witch you say?" Orion asked, intrigued.
"It turns out that she was only a story-teller. A honest mistake." Arthur shrugged.
"How… fortunate indeed." Orion slimed, grinning disturbingly.
"So how do you know Annabeth then?" Arthur asked, quickly turning the conversation around and hoping he'd catch Orion out.
"I knew her a few years back. I met her in an orchard one day and fell in love with her at first sight. I wanted to make her my wife but my father disapproved of the match. Annabeth accepted this out of respect for my father she left the town and came to Camelot. I'd not seen her since until today." Orion lied smoothly.
"What a shame. Why did your father disapprove of her?" Arthur inquired.
"He had no noble blood or family and barely a penny to her name," Orion sighed. "If she'd have let me I would have married her anyway."
Arthur opened his mouth to respond when the door burst open and a short, plump woman with fly-away blonde hair and flour-covered clothes bustled in, carrying a heavily packed basket.
"Where is she? Where's Annabeth? What have you done with the poor girl?" She demanded, her voice tainted with a faint Scottish accent.
"And who are you?" Arthur demanded, angry that his conversation had been interrupted.
"May Miller, the royal miller's wife and good friend of Annabeth's so where is she? I saw the boy carry her up here so don't hide her from me." she napped.
"How dare you speak to me in that way? Do you know who I am?" Arthur's voice rose.
The insolence of this woman!
"You are the crowned prince Arthur and your companion here is Lord Orion and I know I'm speaking out of term but those men are going to have to strip off poor Annabeth's clothes and I won't allow it!" She shrilled.
"What's going on?" Gwain asked, emerging from Merlin's room. "May, what are you doing here?"
"You know this woman?" Arthur asked incredulously.
"Of course I do. She's the miller's wife. I talk to her husband sometimes," Gwain laughed. "What brings you here May?"
"Annabeth. I was on my way to visit her when I saw that boy bring her half-drowned body up to the castle. I have some fry clothes for her here but I don't want the boy to undress her." She explained impatiently.
"Then by all means then, come right through."Gaius appeared next to Gwain. "Merlin shall be out shortly to finish bandaging your arm sire if you do not mind." He added.
"Of course not. Do what you can for Annabeth as she is more important right now." Arthur nodded.
Mrs Miller swept past them both and whispered something in Gwain's ear before entering the room with Gaius.
"Right, Lord Orion, would you care to join myself and some of the other knights at the tavern?" Gwain asked, bounding down the steps.
"I would be delighted. If you give me a few minutes to change out of my armour in order to have it cleaned, I shall join you in the courtyard." Orion grinned and strode out of the room, causing some of Gaius' jars and vials to fall over due to his heavy footfalls.
"What did she say to you?" Arthur asked Gwain the moment Lord Orion was out of earshot.
"Get him out of here." He replied mysteriously before leaving Arthur in the room on his own.
Inside the room, Annabeth still hadn't woken up. Merlin had moved all her hair up onto the pillow and off her neck and was now attempting to dry the last of the water out of it. Gaius was creating a healing compress to go on her forehead and Mrs Miller was laying out some clothes on a chair.
"You know why she tried to drown herself I take it?" She looked straight at Merlin, breaking the silence.
"No, not really." Merlin frowned.
"She's been sold to be Lord Orion's wife," she revealed to them with disgust. "By her own servants too."
"That's a pretty dangerous accusation to make, especially of a Lord of Camelot." Gaius warned.
"But it's true." she told him.
"Annabeth told me about that too." Arthur said from the doorway.
No one had heard him coming but they weren't fazed in the slightest by his presence.
"Yes, well she isn't lying and I can prove it." Mrs Miller smiled confidently.
"You can?" Arthur asked eagerly.
"She told me about the contract between Lord Orion and her old servants. Find it and she's not only right, but she's free as well."
"But the contract could be anywhere!" Merlin reminded them.
"I don't think so. Orion is bound to keep it close if it could get him arrested." May shook her head.
"Well I'm sorry to interrupt but Prince Arthur, Merlin, I must ask you to leave now whilst Mrs Miller and I change Annabeth into some dry clothes."
"Of course. We'll leave you to it." Arthur gave Annabeth one long last look before heading out of the door. "Come on Merlin."
Merlin folded up the towel and handed it to Mr Miller before following Arthur out into the main chamber.
"Do you think we should go look for the contract?" Merlin asked, picking up the bandage.
"I think… we should wait for Annabeth to wake up and tell us what she wants us to do." Arthur decided.
Save me, the small Annabeth-sounding voice in Arthur's head whispered.
I will, Arthur thought back.
PLEASE review! I got three for the last chapter, could I get 4 for this one? I'll give you virtual cookies and a Thursday update J
Well now I've posted this I'm off to visit my little brother, Arthur! :D
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