A/N: There is a poll on my profile regarding to which 2 of my stories you would want me to continue the most. Come September I will be back at uni and very busy. So please go and vote so I know which ones to work hard on right now.
When we were back in the castle, I immediately broke away from Arthur. "I need to speak with Gaius, about my sleeping draught." I told him, giving him the most valid excuse I could to go down there.
"Of course, Isabella. Will I be seeing you any more today?" There was a glimmer of hope in the eyes of the prince.
"I believe I may be able to find the time to come and annoy you some more later, Prince Arthur. After all, I have made it my task to be as annoying and impossible as I can while I am here." I told him, a huge grin on my face.
"Well then, I look forward to it, my strange princess." Arthur replied, taking a hold of my hand and kissing the back of it lightly. I could feel the hotness spread up my neck and to my cheeks he continued to smile at me before letting go of my hand and walking away from me.
I admit, it took me a minute or so to compose myself and remember that I was going to go and visit Gaius, or actually Merlin, I had only used Gaius as an excuse. For some reason, there was a smile on my face as I hastily walked along the stone corridors of the castle where I eventually found myself standing outside of the physician's chamber.
"I just want Arthur to trust me." I hear Merlin say from the other side of the door. "And to see me for who I really am."
I decided to listen a little, before letting them know that I was there. Yes, I was eavesdropping, and yes, it is wrong, but I wanted to hear how Merlin really felt.
"One day he will." Gaius said, trying to assure him.
"When? Everything I do is for him and he just things I'm an idiot." I didn't like the way Merlin was talking about himself, and so I decided that I was going to just barge in there and tell him exactly what I thought of that.
The opening of the door made both the men look at me, but I didn't care. "Not everyone thinks you're an idiot, Merlin. I, for one, never have and never will think of you as an idiot, and neither will Gaius. Sometimes you may be clumsy, but never an idiot." I told him, making sure to keep my voice firm and strong.
"Princess Isabella is right. Now is not the time to be questioning these things, Merlin. I believe that you and Arthur are destined for greatness, and that your calling is to serve and protect him." Gaius told him after giving me a brief smile. I was glad that he had backed me up on that one, because it was true.
"It's hard." Merlin whined, like a little child.
"I know it's hard. But Camelot is in grave peril. I've translated the inscription." The old man said, taking a completely different turn with the conversation. "He who breaks my heart completes my work."
Both Merlin and I were a little confused at that. "What does it mean?"
Gaius looked from me and to Merlin. It was clear to me that he didn't really want me getting involved in it all. "Too late, Gaius, I'm already involved so you might as well just get on with it." I told him, sitting myself down and looking at him intensely, waiting for him to relent.
It didn't take long for that to happen. "Do you remember the stone in the tomb, how it glowed?" His question being directed at Merlin. I had never been in the tomb, but I had seen it in my dreams.
"Yeah. I've never seen a jewel like it." Merlin said. It much have been impressive, because I swear he was imagining it in his head.
"It's not a jewel…" I whispered, getting them to both look at me. "Sorry. I… I don't know why I said that. Sorry."
Gaius just looked a me, worry and concern etched on his face. "Isabella is right, that's because it's not a jewel, it's the soul of Cornelius Sigan." He said, making Merlin look at me with wide eyes as well.
"You think he's alive?" My warlock friend asked, pulling his eyes away from me and back onto Gaius.
"His soul is. But in order to truly live, a soul needs a body." Gaius told the pair of us.
"So, if the stone is removed from its setting, then the heart is broken and the soul is released?" Merlin asked, trying to get some clarification of what would happen and what he needed to be prepared for.
Gaius just nodded at him. "That's what I fear."
I cleared my throat, I had been silence for a few minutes, along with everyone else. "Gaius, my dreams…" He looked up at me, even more worry on his face. "You know who I saw, and what they were doing. Do you believe it to be coincidence?"
He let out a sigh before shaking his head at me. "No, I think there may be some truth to your dreams, Isabella." Straight away my eyes began filling with tears. There was no way I wanted there to be any truth in my dreams. None at all, not when people were going to be hurt, especially not when Arthur was going to get hurt.
"But I don't want them to be true, Gaius. I want them to be nothing more than simple dreams, or in most cases, nightmares." I said, trying to control my wavering voice. All the emotions were bubbling up inside of me now, knowing that it was possible that my dream could come true.
"Isabella, what else have you seen in your dreams?" Gaius asked me, taking a hold of one of my hands and trying to calm me.
I took a deep breath. "In one of them, Merlin was there, and he was standing in front of Cedric, that new servant that is trying to make Merlin look bad. Then there was this strange sort of mist, and then Merlin was on the ground, not moving." I had to whisper the last past, because I didn't want Merlin to worry, or to panic.
"But there have been more than one?" Gaius asked me, making me nod at him. "And were they different?" Again I nodded at him. "Tell me."
"The first time, Arthur was hurt, but not too badly. One of the stone gargoyles came to life, and it was attacking the city. Arthur and the knights were trying their best to destroy the beast, but it was conjured by strong magic. But then… the… there was another dream where Arthur was hurt more badly. He was lying on the ground, the blood pouring out." I said, chocking back a sob. "The gargoyle was about to deliver the fatal blow when I woke up."
I saw Gaius glance at Merlin, and they both shared a look. I was getting a little fed up with the pair of them trying to keep me out of the loop with all of this. I was just as worried and concerned as they were, but I was the one with the terrible nightmares, and I have every right to know what was going on.
"Gaius, you don't think…" Merlin said quietly, not even finishing his sentence.
The elderly man just nodded. "I fear so, Merlin."
"Can someone please, just tell me what is going on?" I asked them both, trying not to let that sob force its way up and out of my throat.
Gaius let out a sigh before turning to face me full on. "Isabella, it is highly possible that you are a seer." He told me, making me just looked at him blankly. "The things that you see in your dreams are flashes of the future. Many seers do not even realise that what they are seeing is the future." He explained to me.
"So, what you're saying, is that what I have dreamed, could be coming true?" The man nodded at me, and this time I couldn't hold it back anymore. I let the tears flow down my cheeks as I thought of everything that I had seen, and how much blood had been shed.
Merlin was quick to put an arm around me. "Isabella, I won't let anything happen to Arthur. We don't know if everything you saw is going to come true." He told me, trying to assure me.
I looked over at him, my vision blurring thanks to the water swimming in my eyes. "We both know that isn't true, Merlin. Please don't think that you can lie to me." I told him, taking a deep breath and wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "I only came here to let Merlin know that I believed him, to let him know that I know all these things have not been his fault."
Gaius looked at me grimly. Clearly he hadn't expected me to take it all so badly, but then he hadn't been the one to have the dreams. "Merlin, maybe you should escort Princess Isabella to her chamber." Merlin nodded at the man and held a hand out, waiting for me to take it.
After a moment of hesitation, I allowed him to help me up and lead me towards the door. I followed Merlin like a zombie towards my chamber. I was paying no attention to anything around me, I was just blindly following him through the castle.
"Everything will be fine, Isabella." Merlin said, making me look up at him. I had kept my gaze focused on the floor beneath my feet as we had been walking. "I promise you, everything will be fine."
I forced myself to smile at him. "Of course it will. You know me, I worry over the smallest of things." I told him, trying not to let him see how worried I was still. "You better get back to Gaius, before Arthur notices you and gives you an earful for wandering around the castle."
He managed to smile at me as well. "Are you going to be okay?" He was still worried, but there was nothing anyone could do to stop that.
"I'll be fine, Merlin. I know where you are, so if anything happens, then I will let you know." I told him, putting my hand on the door to my chamber. "Now, disappear, Merlin. I'll speak with you later." He nodded at me before turning around and walking down the corridor.
I stayed standing there until he was out of sight before I actually entered my chamber. Everything that Gaius had just said was still running around in my mind. How could I be a seer? That was stupid and impossible. I knew I had some form of magic, my brother had told me as much, but seeing the future in my dreams? No, I couldn't believe that, I didn't want to believe that.
I headed straight over to my bed and threw myself on it, gazing up at the canopy and trying not to keep thinking about it all. I closed my eyes, willing myself to think of anything but those stupid dreams. But all I could see was Arthur, lying there and bleeding.
Lucky for me, I was disturbed from my own thoughts when someone knocked on my door. "Who is it?" I called, not bothering to move from my bed. If it were anyone but Arthur or Merlin, then I would simply tell them to go away.
"Isabella, it's Arthur."
I let out a sigh of relief, glad that I was him. "Come on in, Arthur." I called to him, still refusing to move.
I didn't even look at the door opened and he stepped into the room. "Isabella, is everything all right?" He asked, walking over to the bed when I was lying and staring at the material above the bed.
"Everything is fine, Arthur. What have you been up to?" I asked him, doing my best not to look at him. I didn't want him to see that I had been crying, he would just worry even more and I couldn't be dealing with that. I felt guilty enough as it was with him always caring and worrying over me.
"I have been speaking with my father." He told me, sitting down on the bed. "Now, what's wrong?" He asked me, just a little more firmly. He could just read me too easily and I hated it.
I let out a sigh. "Nothing is wrong, Arthur."
But he just didn't believe me. "Isabella, look at me, and tell me that nothing is wrong." My eyes flickered in his direction, but I still refused to look. "Isabella, please."
Reluctantly I turned my head to the side and saw him sitting there. Straight away that stupid dream came straight back to me, and I felt my eyes filling up with tears once more. I blinked rapidly, trying to clearly them, willing them so hard not to fall. "Arthur…" I whispered, unable to really say anything else.
He didn't say anything, he just clambered onto the bed some more and wrapped his arms around me tightly. The moment he did, I broke down once more. I just couldn't stop it, no matter how much I tried to.
I don't think Arthur really knew what to do or say to me. And I couldn't believe how much I was crying and just losing it in front of him. I hated looking so weak, but with those dreams and then what Gaius had said, it just scared me.
"Come on, Isabella, everything is okay." He whispered to me, trying to calm me down.
"I'm sorry, Arthur." I mumbled, really trying to pull myself together and stop the tears. "God, I'm a right mess, aren't I?" I said, making him chuckle a little.
"You want to tell me what happened?" He asked me, pulling back a little and brushing my hair away from my face.
"It's nothing, just these stupid nightmares. They're starting to get to me, that's all." I told him, letting out a long breath.
"They are just nightmares, Isabella, that's all." Oh, if only they were. I used to think that they were, that it was just my overactive imagination, but no, Gaius had now planted it into my head that they could come true.
"Yeah, I know. It doesn't make them feel any less real and frightening." I knew that I couldn't tell him the truth, for a start, it would make him suspicious if what I told him did happen.
"Isabella, you have no need to be frightened. You know I would never let anything happen to you, I will not let anyone harm you." I could tell from the tone that he used that he was serious, but it wasn't me that I was worried about.
"And what about you, Arthur? What if I'm not worried about someone harming me, but harming you?" I asked him, finally managing to control my crying and finding it easier to speak.
His blue eyes met my amber ones. "Is that what you're dreams are about? Is that why you are so worried?" Arthur asked me. I simply bit my lip and nodded at him. "Isabella, you shouldn't worry about me. I know how to look after myself, nothing is going to happen."
"Say's you." I mumbled. "You're not indestructible, Arthur, you hurt and bleed just like everyone else." I told him, trying to get my point across at the fact that there is every chance that something could happen to him. "I… I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Isabella, you worry too much." He told me quietly, still holding me tightly.
"What, and you don't? I know you're always worrying about me, and you really shouldn't." I told him, still finding it strange how much he seemed to worry about me every day.
"I am allowed to worry about you, Isabella." Arthur told me. "You have an insane uncle who is out to kill you and your brothers so that he can claim the throne for himself. You have a strange obsession with being attacked by bandits, and you have a bond with a rather dangerous horse."
"It's not my fault that Nebula likes me over everyone else." I muttered, causing Arthur to laugh a little. "Don't laugh at me." I said, giving him a little shove.
"No, I'm not laughing at you, Isabella. I'm laugh because what you said is true, he does like you over everyone else. I've grown up with horses, and I have never known a more unruly and dangerous horse at him. And yet you come along and he takes to you in an instant."
I looked over at him. "If you knew he was so dangerous, why did you want me to ride him?" That was something I was curious about.
He frowned at me at he thought about it. "Honesty, I'm not sure. He was making a fuss that day, he didn't want to be left behind. I didn't plan on you riding him, but the pair of you bonded in an instant and it was decided." Arthur told me.
I couldn't stop myself from chuckling that time. "Sounds like he knew I was coming and wanted to meet me."
"You know, that really wouldn't surprise me. Although I was surprise when he didn't run off with the rest of the horses and decided to stop with you. It was like he was trying to protect you." I had to agree with him there, it did seem a little odd, and it did feel like he was there trying to protect me as well.
"Well, he just knows we make a good team."
I saw Arthur's face light up, and I just knew he had an idea just pop into that handsome head of his. "How about we go out for a ride tomorrow? See just how good a team you and Nebula really make?" He asked.
I looked at him, smirking a little. "Are you issuing me with a challenge, my dear Prince Arthur? Because if you are, then let me assure you, I will accept it." I told him, watching the glint in his blue eyes.
"You think you can take on me and one of the fastest, strongest horses in the kingdom?" It was clear that the prince was underestimating me.
"Arthur, I have been riding horses my entire life, and beating you in a race would be an absolute pleasure." Oh yes, I was going to enjoy this.
A smirk grew on his face as well. "You think you can beat me? Really?" I just shrugged at him, I didn't know, but I would sure as hell give it a damn good try. "Well then, tomorrow we shall ride out, and see which team is the best." He told me, before throwing me completely into confusion by leaning forward and pressing his lips against mine.
He seemed to be doing that a lot recently, and I admit, I was really starting to enjoy it. But there was still that part of me that was telling me it was wrong, no matter how much I liked it, kissing the Prince of Camelot was wrong in my mind.
"So, are you okay now?" Arthur asked me, gently running his hand through my messy hair.
I nodded at him. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks. I guess I'm just having an off day, much like Merlin is." Arthur let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, but you were rather harsh with him, you didn't even let him speak. And besides, he didn't fall asleep willingly." I told him, making him look at me curiously.
"And how could you know that?" He asked, entwining his fingers through mine, not that either of us were really that bothered by the action.
"Uh, well, when I was tying Nebula back up, he found something." Now Arthur looked even more confused than before. "He was kicking at something on the ground, it looked like it may have been some kind of… I don't know, I'm not very good with my knowledge of things like this."
"Okay, well describe it to me. What did it look like?" I was stunned that he had even asked me that, I thought he would have just dismissed it straight away.
"It was like a ball, something wrapped up in cloth. When Nebula kicked it, it was pretty firm, but there was something strange about it. I mean, what was it doing in the stables in the first place. And did you not notice that musky smell? You don't get that in stables either." I told him, trying to get him to think about it.
And he was thinking, I could see that he was. "Why didn't you say anything at the time?"
Ah, of course he was going to ask me that one. "Well, it's just… when I turned around to tell you about it, Cedric was looking at me, as if daring me to say something. I don't know, Arthur, I don't like him and I don't want to be anywhere near him." And that was true, I didn't like him and I wanted to be kept as far away from him as possible.
Arthur let out a sigh. "Isabella, what do you and Merlin have against the man? What has he ever done to you?" Apart from make my friend look like a fool? I couldn't really mention any of that to him.
"Arthur, there is something about him I simply do not trust. And the way he looked at me, I actually thought that if I did do something, he would want to come and harm me as well." I said. "I don't want him anywhere near me, Arthur. So do not expect me to be dining with you if he shall be there." I think that was a very valid warning to him. If he wanted me to eat properly, I would eat with him, and I wouldn't eat if he was there. So now, Arthur had a choice, me or Cedric.
"You really dislike the man that much?" He asked me, sounding a little surprised and disappointed at the same time.
"Yes, Arthur, I do. With everything that has happened to me, there are few people that I trust. Those that I trust the most here in Camelot are you and Merlin." I had to tell him that, because he needed to remember that there was still the threat of my uncle, even if no one had any updates on what he was doing or where he was. I still had to be careful about who I trusted.
The prince nodded at me. "I'm sorry, Isabella, I didn't think of it like that. You're right. Would it be acceptable for Cedric to serve dinner, and then leave? I shall come and collect you once he has left my chamber?" I could see that his eyes were pleading with me to accept this offer of his.
I smiled at him a little. "Of course, Arthur. I just do not want to be in the same room as him. I shall dine with you, but only if it's just us in the room."
A smile grew on his face. "Of course, just us, Isabella, I promise." I was happy with that, I could cope with that compromise.
"Then I accept and I shall join you for dinner. Now, do you not have things to be getting on with?" I asked him, wondering if I was keeping him from anything important. I seemed to be rather good at taking up his time and keeping him from his duties.
"No, I had planned on spending the day with you. So, is there anything you wish to do, my strange Princess?" He asked me, still holding onto my hand.
"Well, since I was rudely awoken this morning, I may just sleep the rest of the day away." I told him, trying not to let a smirk form on my face.
Arthur raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh? You were rudely awoken, were you?" He questioned. "And what is the most appropriate way to wake you that is not rude?"
"Not having someone to wake me up at all is preferable." I informed him quickly. There always seemed to be some reason why I woke in the mornings, whether it was Merlin making too much noise, a stupid dream, or occasionally Arthur.
"Isabella, if you sleep now, you will not sleep tonight." Arthur kindly decided to remind me.
But I was once again quick to reply. "I doubt I am going to sleep much tonight as it is."
Straight away his face fell as he realised what I meant by that. "I'm sorry, I didn't really think about that." He said, looking at me with a sad expression on his face.
All I could do was shrug my shoulders at him. "It doesn't matter. But honestly, an hour to two really would be nice right about now." I admitted to him.
"Okay, but only a two. Then you are going to get up, take a walk with me before we return for dinner. How does that sound?"
"Sounds like a good plan, Arthur. Are you going to be my giant teddy bear while I sleep again?" I asked him, before seeing the look of utter confusion on his face. "Uh, you know, where I grabbed onto your arm and hugged onto it for dear life?"
That time he chuckled. "You really do come up with the strangest things, Isabella. Do you want me to stay here?"
I thought about it for a moment, and yes, I did want him to stay. "Well, you don't have to. But who's to say I won't lock the door after you leave so that you can't wake me up again?" I asked him, a smirk on my face.
"That settles it then. I'm staying right here." He told me, before lying down and making himself more comfortable beside me. I found myself shifting on the bed, getting a little closer to him and he put his arm around me. Back in my time, the time I came from, this was nothing. But I know, that if we were caught, it would be a scandal, only I didn't care, because with Arthur there, maybe the nightmares would stop.
A/N: Well, another chapter done, I hope you all liked it and sorry for any missed spelling or grammar errors.
I really do appreciate reviews, it's always nice to know that people are reading my stories and enjoying them, otherwise I feel the need to give up (Another reason why there is a poll on my page). So please, feel free to leave a review, I do read them all.
I'm going to shut up now and let you go vote and possibly review. Remember, if you don't vote, then it could be the story you like the most that I don't update!
Pippa.