Thanks for everything, my friends.
VI.
Arthur was walking in the village, unable to sleep.
He couldn't stop thinking about their talk.
But then he stopped.
He could have sworn that he saw someone a few steps ahead of him…
And he knew that figure.
Would recognize her anywhere.
"Guinevere." he whispered, feeling his heart stopped.
The night fell hours ago now, and she just got out of his house.
Had she really moved on?
No.
He had no right to assume such things.
Not from her.
Gwen had never been anything if not loyal to him.
Even ifit turned out later that she had found someone else, he would not make anything to change her mind.
She had every rights to move on.
Even if it was so soon after their breakup and even if he felt like he would be heartbroken all of his life.
They weren't together anymore, after all.
She had no obligations left to him.
She was a free woman.
A free spirit,
And he loved her for it.
Arthur resumed his walk, heart even heavier than earlier.
He didn't think he could one day be able to love someone else, or even like someone else.
He was walking, enjoying the fresh air and thinking things through.
Perhaps he should have stayed at Camelot after all.
He would not have realized he was no longer welcome by her sides if he had stayed there.
And then he remembered what Sophia had told...
She had clearly said that Gwen wanted to move on, without him.
And what if it was true?
Yet, something about her made him uncomfortable.
And Arthur was a great warrior, he trusted his instincts.
And he had a bad feeling about her.
A bad feeling he had to spoke about with one of the person he trusted more than anyone else, not that he was going to admit that out loud...
Merlin was little by little pulled out of his sleep by some loudknocks at his door.
"Coming!" he grunted, finally getting up and he actually restrained himself from throwing a spell in exasperation, seeing Arthur out there.
"Arthur... It's the middle of the night, normal people do sleep!"
Arthur then came in,
"I'm just going to pretend you said nothing of the sort to your King, Merlin." This one was about to argue, but Arthur cut him. "I need your advice."
"Since?"
Arthur glared at him and his young friend shut up.
"I have this... bad feeling about Sophia."
Right away, Merlin woke up.
Surely Arthur could not have felt her magic, could he?
"Arthur, I know you're trying to protect Gwen but..."
"I wanted to ask you if you had had one of your funny feelings?" asked the King, without listening to Merlin,
The young servant was ready to say that he didn't, but then thought about the feeling he had felt when shaking her hand, the feeling of being watched, the piece of cloth…
"I have nothing but suspicions." he only said and Arthur's eyes widened.
"But you felt something, didn't you?"
"I felt something wasn't right, yes."
"We must warn Guinevere." only said Arthur and walked to the door but Merlin stopped him.
"Arthur, whatever is happening we have to treat carefully."
"But Gwen is in danger!" screamed the King,
"Gwen is safe." answered Merlin,"If there is something wrong, I don't think her to be in danger. They will want to go after you. And as long as you're not with her, she's safe." Arthur seemed to think about it and sighed deeply,
"So what do we do? We can't stay here."
"We'll go tomorrow to ask her if nothing special happened to her lately." Merlin then saw the tiredness in the King's features and noticed he looked somehow older. "Go to sleep Arthur, you barely stay upright."
As to prove his words, the King wavered.
"I just want her to be safe."
"I know, but we can't just barge in without any kind of evidence. Gwen will never forgive you if you are wrong..."
The King knew he was right.
And then his proud shoulders fell.
"Do you think I'm right Merlin?"
"About?"
"Not giving up."
Merlin seemed to think about it for a moment.
"You love her, is what I think."
Arthur swallowed dryly,
"Is that a reason enough for me to prevent her from moving on?"
"Gwen loves you Arthur. She's just going through a... tough period."
Arthur sadly shook his head before reaching the door,
"Thanks Merlin, you're a true friend. But I wish I could believe these words."
He got out and once outside, he rubbed his eyes before walking away.
He didn't notice the black shadow slipping between the houses.
Morgaine was sneaking out between the houses, a delighted smile on her face.
All was going as planned.
They were all so predictable...
Arthur, Gwen, Merlin, Morgana.
The young woman thoughtof the day she finally found her, after searching for her for almost a year.
"Morgana opened her eyes, getting out of a particularly scary nightmare about Emrys.
She got up and laid a hand on her sweaty forehead, before looking around her, trying to comfort herself. She screamed when she saw her...
"Morgause?" she whispered, "No... no. You... you are..."
"Dead?" ended the woman, "I know. I'm not Morgause."
Morgana got up right away from her bed, ready to defend herself. But something in her caught her interest and she stopped,
"Who are you and what are you doing here? How did you find me?"
The young woman chuckled and walked closer to Morgana.
"So many questions..."
"And yet no answer."
A silence.
"I'm Morgaine. Her sister."
Morgana laughed.
"Well try, but Morgause didn't have any other sister than me."
"She was a very discreet person. And I did not say half sister," she glared at Morgana, "I said sister."
Morgana stared at her for a few seconds, before finally sit again.
"If you... if you're really her sister, what are you doing in here? Where have you been all this time?"
"I've been in some rustic cells in some Nordic countries. Morgause thought me dead, but I escaped."
"What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you Morgana."
"How do you know my name?"
"I've done my researches. I came home after my escape to find everything gone and nothing waiting for me but dust. I've investigated and found out about your existence."
"Morgause wouldn't have kept this from me."
Somewhere in the room something exploded. Morgaine shook her head, sorry.
"And yet, here we are. You, not knowing anything about me. And me, knowing absolutely everything about you."
"What do you want?" then breathed Morgana,
"Help you."
"What for?"
"Bring the Pendragons down."
Immediately, a smile spread on Morgana's lips,
"And why that?"
"They killed my sister." Shedid too. she added to no one but herself, "They must pay." So would she.
Morgana suddenly got up, smoothed her torn dress and held out a hand toward her,
"Welcome in my fight Morgaine,. You'll soon find out the rules are quite easy:anything to get rid of my dear little brother."
A 'crack' behind her made Morgaine jumped and left her thoughts.
She turned around, alert.
No one was there.
She walked forward, ready to strike, when that stupid dog came out.
"What are you doing here?" she went mad and the dog growled, "Go away. GO AWAY!"
She had said it so loudly she feared for a moment to have woken up some villagers.
Freaked out, she reached her house quickly and closed the door.
She then saw Gwen deeply asleep and with a disgusted face, went upstairs in her room.
Her sister was dead and the responsibles for it were sleeping, eating, drinking, breathing, living.
She was going to fix this.
The next morning, Gwen got up.
She rubbed her eyes and was surprised to see Sophia, in front of her.
She jumped and laid a hand in her heart,
"I think I'm never going to get used to this..." she breathed and the young woman in front of her laughed.
"Sorry dear, I was waiting for you to wake up."
"What for?" right away, Paul's words came back in her mind.
Surely she could still trust her sister, couldn't she?
She looked so much like her father…
And that couldn't be a trick.
"It seems Arthur's looking for you." she answered, shrugging and Gwen froze.
"What? How do you know?"
Sophia shrugged again,
"I've heard about it."
"Why does he want to see me?"
Sophia then got up, saying.
"I guess you will have to ask him."
And she left.
Gwen couldn't see the evil smile spreading through her lips.
Yes, she thought, all went decidedly as planned.
Gwen was still at home, hesitant, watching her wrist.
She couldn't talk about all of it to Arthur.
Not that she didn't trust him, she didn't trust herself in fact.
It was becoming harder and harder for Gwen to control herself, to look at him with those blue eyes without throwing herself in his arms, nuzzling her face in his neck, feeling his strong arms close around her, his lips so tender against hers, in her neck…
STOP.
Right away, Gwen opened eyes she didn't remember having closed.
It was getting hotter in here, wasn't it?
She laid a hand on her forehead, it was fresh.
And yet it felt like she was burning inside...
She then got up, trying to put her ideas into place.
She had to speak to someone about this burn and what Paul had said...
Merlin?
He was the person she trusted the most, with Arthur.
And as she was visibly unable to control herself when it came to the King, she would go see her loyal friend.
She reached the door, opened it and then came into contact with a warm and tough body.
She looked up and lost herself in an ocean of blue...
"Arthur..." she whispered,
It took Gwen a few more seconds to notice that Arthur's hands were still on her waist, preventing her from falling. Hers on his muscled chest and she saw the King's stare falling on her lips and again, something hot boiled her veins.
God, the effect he had on her.
It was even worse now that they had been separated for more than a week.
So close yet so far.
He looked up at her and Gwen could have sworn his eyes were a shade darker than the moment before...
Ah,
So she wasn't alone in her predicament.
Why did her heart beat so fast?
How did he do this to her?
What was happening to her?
Without any of them noticing, their faces were slowly getting closer and closer...
Until she felt his breath on her lips, and in a burst of lucidity the young woman managed to get away, with a ragged breath and a confused mind.
She came in, Arthur followed and she heard him clear his throat.
When she turned around, his eyes were bright blue again, but she saw the love and longing in there, and it hurt.
It was quite possibly worse.
It couldn't last.
It had to stop.
Merlin was ready to join Arthur at Gwen's house when suddenly, he glimpsed a dark cape.
Right away, he hid himself behind a house and frowned, seeing Sophia leaving town.
Arthur was right.
It took Merlin two seconds to decide what to do, but he quickly followed her.
Something wasn't right.
"What are you doing here Arthur?"
"I came to talk to you."
"Listen-" she started,
"No, Guinevere," he cut her off and she looked at him, puzzled, "I actually didn't come to talk to you about... us." he swallowed, "You have some more time to think about that, even if I do have to return to Camelot soon."
She nodded, getting lost in him again before she shook her head.
"So what are you here for?"
He took a deep breath.
"The reason I am here is… And you surely are going to find it weird..."
"Arthur?"
"I... I..." he let go a deep ragged breath and paced, running a hand through his hair," it sounded so much better in my head." he said, frustrated with himself.
"What's going on Arthur?"
She had said that in such a tender voice that Arthur's heart stopped and he looked at her.
He slowly got closer to her and took her hand before put it against his heart.
"You know I only have your best interests at heart, don't you?"
She smiled, trying to think about something other than the thumping of his heart against her hand.
God, this was complicated.
"I trust you. And more important, I trust your heart."
He chuckled sadly,
"Try to remember that in a few seconds..."
"Tell me."
"Guinevere, you will not like what I have to say. But you are in danger, here." he then breathed, looking cautious.
"What do you mean?" she asked, disturbed by that heart she felt beat at full speed against her hand, the warmth of those which held them...
God! She had to focus! Arthur was trying to speak.
"I have... that bad feeling about the people of this town, about..."
"About?" she asked, worried now, had he spoken to Paul?
Was it a bad joke to make her come back?
Had he somehow convinced Paul to lie for him?
The doctor couldn't have make up the fear in his eyes however...
"Of Sophia." ended the King,
Gwen then let go of his hand slowly, going away,
"Guinevere I..."
"Is this a bad joke? Have you spoken to Paul about this?"
"What? What are you talking about? Who is..."" he stopped right away and she saw his eyes become more sad, "Oh. it's him then."
"Excuse me?"
And the young King was on very little sleep, as incapacitated by her being so close as she was, and his mind closed off to another thought entirely.
He seemed to have forgotten why he came, his hurt suddenly taking all of the room in his mind.
"I saw you get out of his house yesterday night."
He looked down saying this and Gwen felt her blood freeze.
"Arthur, it's not at all what you think..."
"Why did you lie to me yesterday, when I asked you if you wanted to see someone else?"
He looked so hurt suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore.
She was so tired of fighting her feelings…
Her heart spoke before her mind.
It always did when he was concerned.
She walked forward quickly and faced him, before laying her hands on his cheeks.
This had lasted enough.
"Arthur," she breathed and he closed his eyes. "Look at me."
"I can't." he breathed,
"Look at me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Guinevere, I don't think you understand." he sounded desperate suddenly, despite him trying to sound stern. "I... I can't hear you tell me that..." his voice broke and Gwen didn't understand right away but when realization hit her, she felt tears pricked at her eyes as well, he took a deep breath and then;"I can't bear to hear you say you don't love me anymore. It's weak, and it's stupid. But it's the truth."
Her heart broke in her chest.
"Oh Arthur... I'm not going to. I can't."
He slowly opened his eyes and saw her so close to him, this closeness which he missed so much...
He only had one desire, lay his lips on hers and never take them back...
Instead, he asked her,
"Then come back to Camelot with me..."
A sob took her and she stroked his cheeks,
And she looked so honest,
So sad.
What was going on?
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Arthur, I have done things..."
"But I don't care Guinevere!" he screamed, making her jump, "I just want to be with you. I don't give a damn what you almost done, what you did or what you didn't do! I love you. I want you. You and only you. You've accepted me with my flaws, this is me doing the same."
"It's not that simple..." she whispered,
"What have you done so awful to push me away this way?" he asked in a sad voice,
He sincerely couldn't think of a reason.
"I..." she looked away, "I can't tell you."
"Say it Guinevere. If you're so afraid I won't forgive you for this, if it's what scared you, if it's what prevent you from giving me a second chance, then tell me so I can relieve your mind right now. There is nothing that I could not forgive you for, do you hear me? Nothing."
This was dangerous.
Because she was desperate and thus very, very close to believe him.
Very, very, veryclose to tell him everything.
"Arthur, I beg you, don't do this..."
But he didn't listen to her.
Arthur laid a finger under her chin and raised it for her to look at him.
He was a little scared seeing tears in her eyes but he wiped all of them tenderly before getting a little more closer and whispering,
"You know you can tell me anything… I know I can be hard to talk to sometimes, but I am here for you. Always."
She closed her eyes, she knew she fought for a battle she had already lost.
She couldn't resist him when he was so near, so clearly in love with her…
She was too tired for that...
She missed him too much.
She loved him too much.
Gwen got ready for the look he would have after her revelation, she had wanted to spare him the worst more than anything, but maybe, after having telling him, he would understand the best was for her to stay here.
She realized her leaving had been partly selfish,
Because she wanted to preserve the way Arthur was looking at her…
And now it was over.
She opened her eyes again and plunged into his.
"I'm so sorry Arthur..." she whispered.
Morgana was stirring in her sleep, it was a blur...
There was a raven, there was Emrys and there was a woman with blond hair by his side, and they were...
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" she screamed, waking up.
Morgana laid a hand on her damp forehead and tried to take her breath back, she was never feeling so alone that when she awoke from a nightmare...
Once, there would have been Gwen, there would have been Arthur, there would have been Morgause.
Now? This seemed like another life, and she was so alone.
"A nightmare maybe?"
The young woman jumped glimpsing Morgaine, she didn't answered but stroked her bracelet,
"Morgause had warned me once. Sometimes, visions are so strong, they can't be stopped, even by the bracelet..."
"And what was this dream about?"
Morgana suddenly froze. She remembered a young woman with golden hair beside Emrys...
She turned around and Morgaine saw her eyes freeze,
"Do you know Emrys?"
"Why?" he asked in the same voice,
He just wanted to know.
To prove her that whatever she had done, he couldn't care less.
"A couple of days before our wedding..." she hesitated, she wasn't quite sure she could do that.
"I'm here Guinevere, it's okay. You can say it..."
"I... I..."
"You?"
And he was talking to her with that genuine patience few knew he had.
Her heart broke.
"I can't do that."
"Listen" he said again, trying to comfort her, "Nothing in Earth could ever make you less precious to my heart. You have my word."
A sob took her and he stroked her chin tenderly, where his hand still were, before again, taking her hand in his.
Gwen had no choice.
She had to tell him.
And would have to live with the consequences...
"When Lancelot returned, I was insanely attracted to him." Arthur's eyes widened and he paled immediately. But she kept talking. It was too late. "I don't know why, I swear. I almost kiss him a few times but I love you. That never changed and that's also the reason why I cancelled the wedding. I love you so much and I didn't want to take the risk and be unfaithful to you in the future. I'm so sorry Arthur..."