Chapter 23
"Ugh!" I moan, throwing the sheets off my body. The sun hasn't even come up yet and I grumble, moving to the door as I remember my promise to Castor. I swing the door open, glaring at the man who smiles at me. "I hate you. Like, I will hire a mercenary to take you out, hate you."
His smile doesn't change. "But then who would you gossip with," he argues.
"I think you underestimate how much Gwen knows. And Merlin is the Prince's servant, he hears a lot."
"Please don't hire a mercenary," he begs.
"Only if this ride is worth it," I say, stretching my arms. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."
Clothed in my riding gear, we walk down to the main court, the stable boy holding two tacked up horses for us. Feeling sorry for him, I smile gently and make sure to thank him. We ride slowly out of Camelot, the colder mornings beginning to take hold as my breath is visible in front of me. I tug my cloak around me, riding with one hand. We don't talk much as we ride, confirming that Castor had much more on his mind then wanting to show me something. I don't push him to tell me, instead just riding beside him waiting for him to talk.
We push through some of the forest, in a direction I've never taken. It looks no different but we ride off the path so I take note of our surroundings in case we get lost.
"We're nearly there," he says, urging his horse into a trot. I do the same, matching his pace. The trees begin to clear up, the grass turning into a mix of sand and pebble. I see water, which becomes a lake once I get past all the trees. It isn't an overly large lake, I can see all the edges of it but it is beautiful, ducks paddling through it and flowers growing near its edge.
"It's so pretty," I say, dismounting. Tying the horse to the tree, I walk to the edge of the water but I don't dare get my clothes wet on such a cold morning. "But for some reason, I don't think you woke me up just to show me a pretty lake," I point out. Castor laughs, nodding and come to stand next to me.
"You've been in Camelot a while now, have you ever thought about leaving to go back home?" He asks, making me frown at the odd topic.
"Not for a long time, no," I reply honestly.
"What do you miss the most?"
"Why are you asking about my home?" I counter, curious at his sudden interest in the topic.
"I wasn't born in Camelot," he says, staring out onto the water. "I was born quite a fair bit away from here actually."
"Really? But you met Leon when you were so young."
"I was thirteen."
I breathe out slowly, trying to take in everything like he's giving me a secret message I have to decipher. "Where did you come from?" I eventually ask.
Castor shrugs, folding his arms. "Don't remember the name of the town. I miss it sometimes but I can't go back. You never told me, what do you miss?"
"I miss my father," I admit. "I don't know what's happened to him. If he's dead or alive."
"I miss my Gameboy," Castor says, his tone even. I remember my Gameboy, I used to put stickers on it and then I got a PlayStation and I never touched my Gameboy again. I had almost fo-
"What?" I ask, my voice quiet. My eyes burn into Castor's side but he doesn't look at me. A chill runs through me to the core. My eyes blink, trying to make sure I don't faint and my insides constrict as my breath is held in my throat. He gives a small huff that is almost a laugh.
"I loved Mario, but Luigi was my favourite," he adds, one side of his mouth drawn up in a smirk. "I was ten when it happened. I was outside, playing my Gameboy when this wind started creating a small tornado and sucked my Gameboy right from my hands. I tried to run but it caught up to me and next thing I know, I'm waking up in this weird world where everybody wears funny clothing. Let me tell you, you handled it much better than I did," he laughs, finally looking at me.
"But you're a knight. They have to be of noble blood."
"A noble family took me in and they were heading to Camelot at the time, and you know the story from there. They called me their own."
"How did you know?" I ask the question that had been bothering me.
"Know that you had the same experience?" I nod. "Well, for one thing, I had to watch you check your wrist and go to grab your non-existent phone for at least two months before you dropped that habit. It's been sixteen years and I may have liked my older technology but I will never forget having a phone."
"I'd never have guessed you are like me," I say. Never had anything he said or done hinted towards this.
"As I said, I've been living here for sixteen years. I've spent over half my life here."
"Why?" I cry out, scrunching my eyes. "Why were we taken? I don't get it. Have you told anyone about this?"
He shakes his head, "No, they'd probably think I was insane and take away my knighthood. What about you?"
"I've told…Merlin. And maybe Gaius knows but other than that just you."
"You told Merlin before me, Elena, I'm offended," he playfully jests, punching my shoulder. "But I understand, I told you about the feeling I get to him."
"Maybe it has something to do with that? I mean, we both feel drawn to him; we were both taken from our homes. I'm not saying Merlin is to blame – I trust him with my life but it's not a coincidence."
"No. It's not." My time here in Camelot just gets more confusing by the day. "Oh, and my actual name is James."
"James. Where did Castor come from then?"
"I was twelve," he shrugs. "It sounded cool."
My head falls into my hands, letting out a laugh from the bottom of my belly which is soon accompanied by Castor's laugh. "Kinda wish I came up with a cool name now. Esmerelda or something," I hum in thought.
"Princess Consuela," he muses. I gasp, knowing exactly where that name came from.
"You watched Friends? Man, I miss it so much." I cry, leaning against him dramatically. "And pizza."
"Oh god, pizza. Like a good chain pizza with grease," he moans, eyes closed and reminiscing. "I'm drooling. I haven't had a good pizza since I was ten."
"I know," I exclaim, throwing my hands up. "I've had pizza from that tavern and it was terrible."
"I remember that," he laughs, "I was watching you, knowing you would think it's terrible but you hid it well. I wish there was chocolate."
"Don't even get me started on chocolate! At least once a month I have sushi cravings."
"Ew," he gurgles, "Sushi was nasty. One benefit of living here though, I could drink from when I turned fourteen, didn't have to wait till I was twenty-one."
"You're American?"
"Sure was, you?"
"Australian."
Sitting on the sand we talk till the sun is high in the sky. I know I would be in trouble if someone needed me back at the castle and I wasn't there but I couldn't care less. For the first time since being here, I felt free to talk and not hold back. Sure, Merlin knew but he didn't understand it and I couldn't talk with him about it like I am with Castor. We found some differences, mostly due to our age difference when we left. He left in the year two thousand and twelves at ten, meaning he was born two years after me so I joked that technically he was younger than me even though he nearly has a decade on me here. The carefree feeling is intoxicating and I don't want to let it go.
"I saw you and Leon last night," he speculates.
I act indifferent. "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh please!" he scoffs. "I saw everything. You may have been trying to be subtle but the boy sure wasn't. He was letting everybody know."
I hide my face behind my hair, biting my lip. "He was just trying to warn that other guy away."
"He sure was. He basically told the whole tavern you were his. Glared at anybody looking your way," he reiterated. I don't reply, not wanting to humiliate myself further. "The first night after we saved you, he told me he thought you were gorgeous."
"Really?" I ask, not believing a word. He nods, pursing his lips. "Why did he never say anything then?"
"He was going to. But then Merlin came out of nowhere and you spent most of your time with him and Leon assumed that you weren't interested. I had to convince him otherwise which trust me – took a lot of work. The boy was jealousy ridden."
I hadn't even thought about Leon that way before last night, but I surprised myself, feeling a longing for it more. The emotions grew in me unconsciously. "How did you know that I like him? I didn't even know myself till last night."
"Seriously?" he huffs. "You may have hung around us a lot, trust me, we noticed that you never left us alone for the first year but there was Torj and me, and then there was Leon. You were by his side and listened to his every word."
"Wow, was I really that bad?" I laugh, grimacing at the thought.
"Oh yeah. But he loved it. And watching it was hilarious." He laughs, thinking for a moment. "Also, can you guys not kiss for another two months?" he says seriously.
"What?" I ask, perplexed.
"I have a bet with Torj going and he says you guys will within the next two months. I have twenty-five gold riding on it," he pleads.
"Give me ten of them and I'll make sure of it," I offer, hand held out. He shakes it, grinning like a madman.
"Deal."
I look up to the sun, letting out an unladylike groan. "I'm going to be thrown in the stocks if someone needed me, let's get going."
We mount back on our horses, letting them walk back at a leisurely pace, even if I should be in a rush. No point if I am going to be in trouble anyway. The forest is quite, the twitter of birds, wind and the horses' hoof hitting the ground are the only sources of sound. That is until a voice calls out.
"Wai…wait! Careful."
We halt our horses, glancing at each other as we recognise the voice.
"Don't worry. I will be," a feminine voice replies. Peeking through the trees, almost out of sight but enough to reveal themselves, Arthur and Sophia are frolicking in the woods.
"Isn't there a knighting today that he's supposed to be at?" I whisper to Castor who nods. We stay silent, listening in like high schoolers listening in for gossip.
"túce hwón frec 'úre, artur."
"What are you doing?"
"Þec nom feoh gyse. Cume morðor rice ær. Túce hwón frec úre, Arthur."
Even from our distance, we hear the words spoken and a red glow in both of their eyes. Sofia strokes the prince's face, who stares at her longingly. Her hand falls to his arm, leading him back into the forest, towards Camelot.
"Oh my god," I gape. "She-Arthur."
"We have to tell the King," Castor advises.
I shake my head, no we had to go about this smartly and letting them know we know isn't the best idea. Especially when she has magic and we do not. But I know someone who does. "No, he's enchanted. Arthur would vouch for her, we need solid proof."
"I'm a knight, I saw it with my own eyes. What more proof does the King need?" Castor implores, his grip on the reigns tightening.
"We need to get Arthur out of his enchantment." I look at him, pleading that he will listen to me. "Leave it to me, I have an idea."
I dig my heels into the horse's side, urging him into a gallop, the sound of Castor's not far behind as we charge head on back to Camelot, hoping that he would do as I say and let me handle it. He doesn't speak up the whole way so I assume he has enough faith in me not to get the Prince killed.
As we come into the court, he speaks for the first time since we left the lake. "I noticed you mounted the horse by yourself today," he mentions, nonchalant.
"I spent a whole night practising about a month ago," I inform, a light blush colouring my cheeks. "I think the stable hand hates me for it. Kicked him in the face once or twice"
"Look at you," he coos. "My little girl is growing up."
"Technically I was born before you," I brag, handing off the horse to a servant.
"Technically older since time is weird. Have you never watched Doctor Who?"
"Nope."
"Blasphemy!"
I put my hands up in mock surrender. "Don't tell the other two about what we heard. Promise me you'll let me handle it."
Castor hesitates but rolls his eyes and nods.
Racing away, I make my way down to Gaius' chambers. I let myself in as the door is open and greet Gaius who is fiddling around with his things. "Morning Gaius, how's your day been so far?"
"Elena, always a pleasure to see you. My morning has been fine but I fear Merlin's may not be."
"I was actually wondering if you know where he is."
"I'm afraid not," he replies looking exasperated at the constant trouble Merlin attracts.
"You look like you need a holiday," I tease.
"A holiday?" he scoffs. "I need retirement." I let out a bellow of laughter agreeing with him.
Sobering, I think about how I told Merlin I would trust Gaius with my secret and I wonder whether he has been told. "Gaius, has Merlin told you something about me?" I ask, trying to word it so it doesn't sound weird but I'm not sure if I succeeded.
Gaius looks perplexed shaking his head. "No my dear, is there something I should know?"
I gesture to the table, "I'd recommend you take a seat. I've got a bit of a story."
Gaius does as I say and I let my story spill for the third time. I figure that it would be useful for Gaius to know if I was to keep getting into trouble with Merlin, as I wouldn't need to keep everything a secret. I tell him of where I came from, what happened and the legend. I leave out Castor as it is not my place to reveal the life-long secret that could potentially strip him of his knighthood if someone found out. It feels good to confide in somebody.
"Well, that is quite the life story. Have you tried to see what brought you here? Or go home, I could do some research but I'm afraid I've never heard of this before," Gaius rambles. His quickness to offer his assistance warms my heart, glad to have befriended such a kind man over my time here. I take his hands in my own.
"Thank you, Gaius, but I have spent some time doing my own research and I'm past that stage now. I'm happy here in Camelot, I want to help Merlin. It sounds stupid but," I hesitate. "I feel like that's why I'm here. Like I'm supposed to be there when he's in danger, standing beside him."
"It doesn't sound stupid. It sounds like you have a purpose, just like Merlin has his," he tells me, his warm voice comforting me.
The door that I had closed before I started telling Gaius my story opens, a drained and dirty Merlin walking in, sitting beside me at the table. He is covered from the chest up in rotting food, the smell wafting through the room. I shift in my seat, putting more space between us.
"Again Merlin? You were in there yesterday," I chide. Searching around for a cloth, finding one folded on a bench.
"You would think that the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while, but, oh no," Merlin jeers, flicking fruit off his cheek. I pull the rag out, a wipe his cheek to get the stain marks off. He gives me side look but I reply with a stern one, telling him to let me do this.
"It's in your hair too," I argue pointedly.
"I heard Arthur wasn't at the knighting ceremony," Gaius remarks, tone casual but even I can hear the underlying accusation. I huff, realising that the rag alone isn't good enough. Grabbing a basin and a jug filled with water, I begin pouring it in.
"Yeah, he wanted to make the most of his time left with Sofia."
"So you helped him?" Gaius asks, bemused.
"I'm his servant, I had to," Merlin counters, proud of his work.
"I'm afraid Sofia is not all that she seems Merlin," I say, wiping the cloth against his face. "Castor and I saw Arthur and Sofia in the woods today. She was using magic, on Arthur. He's enchanted but I don't know how. Maybe a love spell or something."
"Morgana also saw Sofia, the night before she came to Camelot?"
"Wait, like she saw the future?" I ask, astounded. Gaius nods solemnly.
"I've been watching Morgana since she was very young. And though I tried to persuade myself otherwise, I realised that some of the things she said she'd dreamt came to pass. I kept it secret from Uther, of course. The gift of prophecy is too close to the work of magic."
"You think Morgana is a seer?"
"I don't think it. I fear it. Morgana said she dreamt that Sophia killed Arthur," Gaius informs in a grave tone.
"Couldn't that have just been a dream? Maybe the- the woman Morgana saw just looked like Sophia."
"That's what I hoped. But Aulfric caught me in Sophia's room, an, in a flash of anger, his eyes changed colours."
"Red, right?" Gaius nods. "I saw it too, in the forest."
"Who are they?"
"It's not who they are that worries me."
"-It's what they want with Arthur," I finish, dumping the cloth in the bowl unceremoniously. "Why does everybody want to kill Arthur? Seriously? One day, I want this deadly looking man to come up to Arthur and hand him flowers and say 'thanks for helping me,' but no," I rant, sitting back down and leaning on Merlin's shoulder dramatically.
"But Arthur would have to do something to earn that thanks first," Merlin retorts earning a snort from both Gaius and I. "We should follow them around."