Chapter 43
The sun was just starting to appear over the towers of Camelot castle, casting everything in a golden light, Kara looked out at everything. Her head leant against the frame of the window, eyes heavy from tiredness, she hadn't slept, her mind fighting with itself.
She had laid there most of the night staring up at the ceiling of the room she was staying in, normally she would go flying or even walking, but she was restricted to this room, so instead she gazed out of the window at the night sky.
A sudden whinnying brought her mind down to the courtyard, a horse galloped into view, a rider slumped on it's back, the stirrups the only thing keeping him in place. The guards rushed to the man's side, bringing him down and carrying him off and into the castle.
If Kara's eyes didn't deceive her then the man who was taken inside had two arrows in the back
The blonde bolted towards the door, yanking it open, seeing a sleepy looking guard, he straightened when he saw her
"What are you doing?" he asked, shaking the grogginess from his mind
"Something's happened, I need to speak to Arthur" she didn't wait for his reply before bolting off down the corridor
"HEY!" she heard him yell out, but she was faster without a bunch of metal armour weighing her down
She took turns at high speeds, almost barrelling into people, who were starting their day, she got turned around a couple of times, she couldn't remember how to get to Arthur's room
"Kara?"
She whirled around to see Gwen standing there with armfuls of cloths
"Gwen" she rushed towards the woman "I need to find Arthur"
Gwen took a moment to figure out Kara's run of words "Why? What's wrong?" she asked
"I saw someone in the courtyard, they had been injured" she looked into Gwen's worried brown eyes "I need to know if it is related to Helios"
Gwen looked around before dumping the cloths to one side
"Follow me" she had to hold the hem of her dress so she wouldn't trip over it while she hurried along with Kara in tow
They could hear voices up ahead, they rounded the corner to see Arthur pulling a shirt on, two guards stood either side of him, his eyes caught sight of the two women
"Gwen?" he exclaimed, making sure his shirt was covering him before donning on his jacket, he walking towards the two ladies "What are you two doing here at this hour?"
Gwen went to speak but she seemed flustered
Kara took over "I saw the man in the courtyard"
Arthur sighed "I was hoping to deal with this privately" he looked to Kara "But seen as you are here"
He gestured for the women to follow him
"Hey!"
The three turned to see an out of breath guard skidding to a halt, straightening when he saw his King
"Sire" he bowed "My apologises, the prisoner escaped me momentarily" he moved to take Kara's arm
"That's not necessary Jonathan" Arthur stepped in "She is no longer a prisoner of Camelot, she may roam freely" he commanded with authority
The guard nodded and seemed a little lost
"Go get some rest" Arthur patted his shoulder before turning again and walking off with the two guards and ladies
"We do not know anything yet Kara, it could just be bandits" the king explained, doors opened in front of him and revealed a man on the table, he was on his front, the arrow shafts protruding from his back
"Sire, Gaius has been summoned"
Arthur nodded and went to kneel down in front of the wounded man so he could look him in the eye, the man groaned
"Tell me what happened" Arthur's voice was soft, comforting
The man mumbled something but it was unintelligible, the king leaned in further to try and hear him but still couldn't tell, he looked up to Kara and Gwen and shook his head
Kara glanced to the man's back, blood pooling on the table, his shirt soaked
The doors opened behind the and Gaius was lead in, closely followed by Merlin, he didn't meet anyone's gaze, the tension in the room mounted
Kara's fists clenched, she was angry at him, she had no right to be but she couldn't help the feeling
Gaius greeted the king then got straight to work on the injured man
The man made a noise again, like he was trying to say something
"Ack"
"What is he trying to say" Arthur asked,
Merlin walked round to the man's head, he knelt down, he bent lower, so he could look up at the man, he noticed the blood coming from his mouth, the young guy lit a candle so he could see
"He cannot say anything" he said in a quiet voice, he looked up to Arthur "His tongue has been torn out"
The room fell silent
"That's not all Sire" Gaius's steady gaze found Arthur's "He has brought us a message"
Arthur frowned but stepped forward, he looked down at the man's now exposed back, his anger bubbling, stomach turning at the sight
Carved into the man's back were the words
I am coming
Gwen gasped and turned away, but Kara stared at the tortured words before looking back up to Arthur, his eyes stony
"Double the guards on the defences" he addressed the guards "Get every guard to the armoury, evacuate the citizens into the castle, they can stay in the great hall, make sure they have food and water"
He turned to another guard "Get barrels of water to every station, he may use fire"
Next he spoke to Gaius and Merlin "I will send any wounded here, collect anything you may need now"
"Gwen I want you to take care of everyone in the great hall"
She nodded and left
Lastly he faced Kara "Go to Morgana, stay with her there, Helios won't rest until she has been punished for her betrayal" he handed her his dagger, the emblem of Pendragon on it
Kara nodded "Good luck Arthur"
