Chapter Ten: A Threatened Life
"Sophia, have you seen Merlin yet this morning? I need to speak with him." Claudia's eyes danced dangerously.
"No." Sophia answered slowly. "He dropped off my morning meal and then went down to the tournament grounds to get ready for the day. I'll let him know that you need him. What for if I may ask?" Claudia had never given two hoots about Merlin before, so why now?
Claudia heaved a sigh in retaliation. "That won't be necessary." She wanted to catch the man off guard, she needed to get that piece of parchment back before it was shared with anyone in the court. Claudia was actually a bit surprised that it hadn't gotten out yet, something was thankfully distracting Merlin.
"Okay then." Sophia seemed a bit taken back by her sister's shrewd response. Her eyebrows furrowed together and thin creases bunched on her forehead. "What's wrong Claudia? You seem. . . ." Sophia struggled to find the right word. "Different."
"Just missing home, that's all." Claudia covered quickly, scoffing to herself about her sister's ignorance. "I'm going to go for a walk." Before waiting for a farewell from Sophia, Claudia sulked off, new plots began turning the wheels in her head.
"Since when do you go for walks?" Sophia grumbled under her breath before proceeding to the tournaments grounds. Today instead of sitting in the box with the rest of the nobility, she figured she would stand along with Merlin, it couldn't possibly take that long to complete one match.
Inside the tent Arthur was easing into his armor with the help of his faithful servant. "I see you're alive and well." Sophia joked, only to hide her relief that Arthur hadn't been harmed while she slept the previous night.
"Scarcely, Merlin forgot to bring me my meal this morning." Arthur chastised the servant indirectly.
"I offered to get you something." Merlin protested, placing the helmet on the Prince, mindlessly adjusting it for him. "But you didn't want anything after that because it was too late. You just wanted to be able to hold it over my head for later."
Arthur chuckled and pulled back the tent flap. "Maybe you aren't such an idiot after all."
"Good luck." Sophia spoke up while petting the mane of the horse Merlin was helping Arthur mount. In response the knight nodded and rode the horse to the starting position. Sophia bit her lip and leaned toward Merlin. "Claudia was looking for you this morning."
Merlin nervously shifted weight from his left foot to his right, he had been too preoccupied last night to give the letter he found a look and no doubt that was what she wanted to speak with him about. He knew Claudia wasn't that daft. "What about?"
"She didn't say." Sophia wrapped an arm around her stomach, attempting to calm down the nervous churning. "Claudia won't tell me much anymore, she's been quite secretive lately." The last few words trickled off into a whisper as both knights charged at each other, lances at the ready.
A surprising crashing of metal on metal startled the crowd, sending a wave of gasps throughout. It did not end as Sophia had pictured it would, Arthur was almost knocked off of his horse and now held his chest. Even from a distance Sophia could see the blood seeping through the cracks of his fingers.
Sophia remained paralyzed, frozen in place, while Merlin rushed to the Prince's aid, guiding him back into the tent after getting him off of the spooked horse. "His lance pierced my armor." Arthur explained between staggered breaths.
"I'll be right back." Merlin ran out passed Sophia who was just entering the tent.
"You took quite a hit." Sophia took a deep breath and composed herself while searching for articles of cloth she could use to press against the gushing wound. "You're losing too much blood, even I can tell that."
"Do what you can." Arthur applied pressure to the injured area. "I have to be back on the course within five minutes otherwise I will forfeit the match. And I have never withdrawn from a match before." he felt compelled to add.
Sophia shook her head. "Are you mad, you can't joust."
"Help me up." Arthur commanded. "Please."
"You're being stupid." Sophia lashed out, not so much in anger, but because she feared for his well being. Reluctantly she helped him to his feet and kept the tent flaps pulled back. "You don't have to do this."
"Oh yes I do." Arthur struggled onto his horse and smiled reassuringly down at Sophia even though she couldn't see it behind the helmet. "Don't worry about me. Can you hand me my lance?" He gestured with his head to the elongated piece of wood.
"Since there is no stopping you." Sophia heaved the heavy object into Arthur's hand.
The horse with Arthur on its back trotted off back to the starting line as Merlin ran back. "What is he doing? He's jousting against the assassin." Before Sophia could get a word out, Merlin was running along side the outside of the course.
Sophia turned her back to the joust, refusing to watch as Arthur faced off against the very person who was trying to kill him. She winced when the clash of metal rang through the silent stands. Sophia peered curiously over her shoulders when the cloud erupted in applause.
The knight riding against the prince now lay motionless on the dirt. Arthur waved at his adoring fans before staggering off of his horse with Merlin's assistance. A wide grin spread across her lips as she watched the scene unfold, scurrying back to the tent.
"I guess it's time to collect your trophy." Sophia suggested, sitting down next to Arthur on the thin cot.
"You must go collect your trophy." Arthur nodded at William absently while shrugging off the platted armor and chain mail. He waved at the farmer when he had yet to move. "Go on, it's yours." William smiled thankfully and rushed out of the tent.
"What did you do that for?" Sophia dabbed at the fresh wound with a damp cloth from a bowl that Merlin had brought in.
"I already proved to myself that I could win the tournament." Arthur sheepishly smiled. "Perhaps now is a good time to show some humility. To prove that I can be a good king." Sophia smiled secretively to herself; I could have told you that much.
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Merlin excused himself on the basis that he had to go get something to show Sophia. The written parchment he had swiped from Claudia was tucked safely away in the spell book he had hidden under his bed. Merlin ducked into the physician's room inconspicuously before slipping into his own room, closing the door behind him softly.
"I was wondering when you would show up. It was only a matter of time." Claudia dauntingly spoke, paging through the hidden book before slamming it close. Her emerald eyes locked with his almost immediately.
"Lady Claudia." Merlin cleared his throat and reached for the book slowly.
"Tsk. Tsk." Claudia grinned mischievously. "So tell me, Merlin, does Uther know about your magic? Or does someone need to inform him that a witch is residing right under his nose. Shall I shed some light on the issue?"
Merlin swallowed nervously in response. "No. That's not necessary."
"We have ourselves a bit of a dilemma then. Now, I do not know what you have done with that piece of parchment you stole from my quarters. I have searched your chamber thoroughly." Claudia gestured around his bedroom; clothing was strewn about and papers littered the floor. "If you breathe a word of its contents to anyone. . . . so help me, I'll see you dead." Claudia threatened dangerously, showing the book into Merlin's torso.
"You. . . You tried to kill your own sister?" Merlin inhered, assuming the worst.
"My, my aren't we a bright one." Claudia snickered. "Think about what I said."
Merlin's hand subconsciously rubbed his throat, moving out of Claudia's way as she shoved past him. He thumbed through the book until finding the letter. Merlin quickly read the few lines before dropping it in shock.