Chapter 26

We wait for Morgause to finish preparing her spell, lighting candles on the altar-like table. I hold back my worries, not really wanting to see a dead person, fake or not but Arthur is determined to see it through and not even Merlin's pestering words get through to him.

"What if my father's attitude to magic is wrong?" Arthur asks, dragging my attention to their conversation.

"You really think that?"

My heart warms at the sight, an unaccepted boy gazing at what seems his only hope at a happy future.

"Perhaps it's not as simple as would have us believe. Morgause is a sorcerer, she has caused us no harm. Surely not everyone who practices magic can be evil," he speaks.

"I think you are brave to question his ways," I speak. "It shows that you are able to think for yourself and not blindly follow the words of others. A quality a King needs to have."

Maybe from now, we can grow this idea he has in his head, and by the time he becomes King, he will realise what his father could not.

"It is time. Close your eyes," Morgause instructs, bringing Arthur forward and Merlins and I watch on in anticipation. "Arásae mid min miclan mihte þín suna to helpe. Hider eft funde on þisse ne middangeard þín suna w'æs"

"Arthur?" a blonde woman says, suddenly appearing. Arthur's mother.

"Mother?"

"My son."

It would be a heart-warming reunion but all I can think about is that this woman is dead and I'm not sure if what I am seeing is real or not.

"When I last held you, you were a tiny baby. I remember your eyes. You were staring up at me. those few seconds I held you were the most precious of my life," she says, embracing her son. It's different to see Arthur like this, in the presence of an affectionate woman and not his father. I wonder how different he would've been if it had not ended in her death.

"I'm so sorry," Arthur whispers.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"It was my birth that caused you to die."

"No, you are not to blame."

"I cannot bear the thought that you died because of me."

"Do not think that. It is your father who should carry the guilt for what happened," she replies sternly.

Merlin and I share a look and I catch Morgause slight smirk as she watches from behind. This is not good. Whatever it is.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asks, just as confused as us.

"It is not important. What matters is that you lived," she assures.

"Why should my father feel guilty?" he presses.

"It is better left in the past," she says, still avoiding the answer.

"You cannot leave me with more questions. Please," he begs. Ygraine gives in to her son.

"You father, he was desperate for an heir. Without a son, the Pendragon dynasty would come to an end. But I could not conceive."

"But how was I born? Tell me."

"Your father betrayed me. He went to the sorceress Nimueh and asked for help in conceiving a child. You were born of magic."

"Oh…shit," I whisper, barely audible but Merlin's eyes glance down at me, giving me a look of agreement and concern.

"That's not true," he denies.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. Your father has deceived you as he deceived me."

"To create a life, a life must be taken," I recall as his mother does the same. The pieces click together finally. Uther's hatred for magic stems from his own ignorant actions.

"No," Arthur continues to deny.

"He sacrificed my life so the Pendragon dynasty could continue. It makes you no less my son, nor me any less proud of you. Now I see you, I would have given my life willingly. Do not let this knowledge change you."

She disappears just before Arthur looks back up and my heart officially melts into globs as his eyes panic, searching for his mother.

"No! Bring her back!" he cries.

"I cannot. Once the doorway is closed, it is closed forever. I am truly sorry that you learnt of your mother's fate in this way. I can only imagine how it must feel to discover your father is responsible for her death. It is an unforgivable betrayal," she says, moving past the Prince.

For the first time, I can see her true intention. Planting the seed of Arthur's mother in his mind before he even arrived, willingly leg him to see her and now Arthur is going to be questioning his father. Disrupt the leader, you can bring down the whole kingdom.

"Are you alright? Arthur?" Merlin calls but the Prince returns to his stoic self.

"Fetch the horses. We're returning to Camelot."

We ride in silence back to Camelot, Merlin quietly making some food while I tend to the fire and Arthur sits there quietly, thinking to himself. I wait until Merlin is fast asleep before sitting up on my bedroll, gazing at Arthur who is still staring into the fire's flames.

I get up, crawling over to sit next to him, taking his hand in my own.

"What are you doing?" he asks bluntly, still watching the fire.

"I'm going to give you a hug because you need one and I'm sure you don't want one from Merlin. I don't judge," I reply softly, moving to my knees to wrap my arms around the Prince. "You don't have to hold back around me."

For a while, he doesn't respond, and I almost let go but slowly his hands rise, encircling me and his head moves to rest on my shoulder. His grip starts off loose but tightens are every moment and I feel wetness on my shirt near his face.

We sit there, for longer than I anticipated as Arthur doesn't let go of the embrace and I don't want to be the one to let go when he needs it. It's not often that he has someone, a woman's affection where he can be himself. I can see that even more now after his interaction with his mother. The one thing he's lacked in his lavish life is that ability to have a woman to go to, and until he finds somebody to love, I intend to be that person for him.

We ride throughout the entirety of the next day with a much greater speed then we were coming with and we make it to Camelot in under three days. We ride into the Square, dismounting and guards take our horses.

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asks as Arthur walks past him, not receiving an answer.

I follow Merlin but we don't get very far when Gaius spots us.

"Merlin, Elena. I'm relieved to see you're both safe. Where's Arthur?" he asks. Merlin peers around, bringing us both to a wall that is out of earshot.

"Arthur was born of magic. Wasn't he? Uther used magic."

"Merlin…" he trails.

"All those people he's executed…he's a guilty as they are. He sacrificed Arthur's mother! He as good as murdered her! People should know the truth about what he's done. How could you not tell me?" he demands angrily, and rightfully so.

"I feared what Arthur would do if he ever found out," Gaius confesses.

"Oh, he's found out now," he snarls. He runs off onto the steps to the palace and I follow without a second thought. I chase him through the corridors, thanking that I don't have a dress on right now.

We reach the council chambers just as I come up behind Merlin who tries to run past but Leon is guarding the door. I watch as Merlin tries to push past him but Leon shoves him against the wall. I gasp, running forward to grab the knight's hand away from Merlin. Leon glances at me unsurely.

"The King has forbidden anyone to enter!"

"They're going to kill each other!" Merlin cries in response. Leon looks to me for my input and I nod.

"He's telling the truth!"

Leon swallows but opens the door for us and we run in just as Arthur is preparing to strike a final blow to Uther.

"Arthur!" I cry. "Just stop for a minute!"

"You don't want to do this," Merlin adds.

"My mother is dead because of him!" Arthur growls, holding the sword tightly.

"Killing your father won't bring her back. You've lost one parent. Do you really want to lose another?"

"Listen to him, Arthur," Uther pleas. Leon stands in the doorway, completely shocked and trying to comprehend the situation. I step forward cautiously to Arthur but he swings the sword around, pointing at my throat. I stiffen, stopping in my tracks. I hear footsteps behind me coming closer.

"Arthur, please, put the sword down," Merlin pleads.

"You heard what my mother said! After everything he has done, do you believe he deserves to live?! He executes those who use magic, and yet he has used it himself." His sword drops from my throat and points back at Uther. "You have caused so much suffering and pain! I will put an end to that!"

My heart shatters at the betrayal in his voice, a betrayal from the only family he has here with him. He's been living in a lie and only finding out after twenty years.

"Morgause is lying! She's an enchantress," Merlin pushes and my heart aches at what I know he is about to say. He wants Arthur to be so happy that he's willing to dig his own grave. "She tricked you. That was not your mother you saw. That was an illusion. Everything…everything your mother said to you…those were Morgause's words."

"You don't know that," he denies.

"Arthur this must have been her plan all along," I agree, although it kills me inside. "She wants you to turn against your father. A weak leader will lead to a weak kingdom. She an enchantress, she wants to see Camelot fall. She planted the idea of your mother before you even left. She anticipated this."

"They speak to truth," Uther says. Arthur's eyes are red and blotchy, a whirlpool of emotion must be going through him at this very moment.

"Swear to me it isn't true! You are not responsible for my mother's death! Give me your word," he demands.

"I swear of my life, I loved your mother. There isn't a day passes that I don't wish she were still alive. I could never have done anything to hurt her."

Arthur's sword drops from his hand and his knees give way, bending in front of his father who is breathing hard in his chair.

I pace backwards, grabbing Merlin's arm as I go.

"Let's give them some space," I murmur to him and Leon who closes the door as we leave.

I promise to Leon to come by his chamber's later tonight as I'm sure he has quite a few questions and he agrees quietly, wondering off with not much else to say. I frown as he walks away, unusual for him to do so in such a manner but I shake it off as having his head busy.

Merlin leaves to go back to his chores and I go up to Arthur's chambers after wandering around for a while, taking the events off the past few days in. To my surprise, Arthur is already in there, sitting at his table.

His eyes drift up from his paperwork as I walk in.

"I'm ok," he says before I can ask. I nod.

"Alright," I whisper. Arthur sighs, standing up from his desk and walks around it, bringing me into an unexpected hug. "What's this?" I laugh, reiterating his words from earlier.

"A hug," he says. "You look like you need one. And a thank you, for not judging me."

"I never have," I murmur. He pulls back, leaning against his desk.

"I think I need it sometimes," he admits, referring to the hug. "It's…nice to have someone like you around. Somebody that's not my father, the knights or people who don't actually care.

"Of course, you do. You're human. That's why I like hanging around you. You have sides to you and I like the one I get to see."

"Well thank you again, Lady Elena," he smirks.

"Arthur! Way to ruin the moment we were having!" I cry out, laughing as I lean against the desk next to him. "If you say that in front of anybody, I don't care if you're the Crown Prince, I will kick you up the arse!"

"Please, like you could," he scoffs.

"What, think a woman can't beat you?" I taunt. His glare settles on me and I laugh, dodging his leg which he sends out to kick me. "Sorry, I had to just that once."

"I'm also sorry for pointing a sword at you," he adds shamefully. "I wasn't in my right mind."

"I don't blame you. As I said, I'm not judging."

"That's why I like you more than Merlin."

"No, you don't," I chortle. "You love the boy. As much as a blithering idiot and terrible servant he is, he is your friend."

Arthur nods while sighing slowly.

"Unfortunately, I think you're right."

"Did someone say I'm not?" I ask with a fake offence.