"where have you been." The king demanded.
Elaina slipped into her chair and tried to do so secretly, but regrettably she missed the start of the tournament while with Gwaine, as she would have liked to have been there to show support for Leon. she did give him her favour after all. It seemed the king had noticed and when targetting her with one of his quizzical glare's Elaina couldn't answer him honestly and a reply was failing her, until she arrived at an idea that would silence him from prodding and she very bluntly announced, "peeing."
It worked, because the king's disgust warped his features removing all traces of the joy he felt from the whole melee, due to her vulgarity. It was a normal function all humans go through of course, but no one liked to hear about it aloud, especially a monarch. it was also an excuse she had gotten from merlin to shut Arthur up when he wondered where his manservant was.
"Elaina!" he warned, finishing the discussion there, which she was happy about and had intended, shrugging his tone off as she always did.
on her return, the match was in full swing and she tried to catch up to make sense of what going on while away. they moved so quickly and with the sun glinting off their armour to blind her momentarily, the scene would change completely with more men on the floor, limping away or gathering strength for another run at it. it was stupid to use horses in such close combat as well, as the beasts were getting confused and dashed around everywhere becoming obstacles to those on the ground. Elaina knew this would be a nightmare for Sam and was glad he decided not to come, for all the coward people claimed him to be, he would in fact charge right for the centre of the arena if it meant gathering his precious animals away from this madness.
Suddenly the crowd gasped in witness of a rider going limp on his steed, injured to be sure judging by the trickling of blood following behind him, but with just that one hit it took people by surprise, since a blunt sword would not be expected to do that. Finally, Elaina knew she had one criminal in sight, though what could she do with that information; yell at Arthur to kill him before they did him? Again, Elaina felt helpless, wondering what could be taking Gwaine so long…
She licked her lips, her mouth dry in worry and gasping at every cheap shot the criminals were taking to eliminate their opponents, to lessen the numbers down to the prince. Elaina debated even faking an illness, or actually by some miracle convince the king to stop the melee, as she began to creep forwards to Uther's ear to make one of those last-ditch efforts, thankfully she was stopped as a new rider joined among what men were left. Which was a good thing too, because those men, remained to be Arthur, Oswald and Ethan.
Relief washed over Elaina, making her settle better in her chair for Arthur's chances had increased in coming out of this alive, though they weren't entirely safe yet.
"who is this newcomer?" Uther asked. Morgana just ignored him without being able to guess, as up until his appearance she must have been enjoying watching Arthur squirm.
But Elaina refused to let him go without credit and she clapped for Gwaine as he skilfully outmanoeuvred his enemies, keeping his back locked on Arthur's.
"a friend my lord!" she shouted above the cheers, but as she said that Gwaine took his fatal blow at his opponent, which for everyone who weren't aware of the full story were aghast at, making the king raise to his feet in anger.
"a friend!" he snapped back at his ward.
Elaina's lips thinned into a grim line, "yes and all will be revealed!"
Arthur and the last thug were struggling, passing the point of near exhaustion now under this heat, making their steps sluggish. His enemy took advantage before Arthur could and kicked the prince down to hover above him, his blade at the ready. He swung it in the air, only Gwaine stepped in to block his shot and deliver his own.
Elaina sighed with happiness, relieved Gwaine had done it again and saved Arthur for the final time from those thugs. Their determination and will will amounted to nothing, they failed with Arthur now safe to continue on not just in this melee, but life…
With only two left, being Arthur and Gwaine, people clapped in anticipation for the end to see who will win, which took longer as the men seemed to be speaking among themselves. Elaina smiled proudly, Arthur was clearly in no shape to carry on and he removed his helm releasing his soaked head, dripping in sweat. The people cheered for their prince, but he could hardly keep standing and he yielded the field to Gwaine, though he did not know it was him.
Not until he removed his own helmet that is, to shake out his lustrous mane making the moment bittersweet. Elaina had the thought occurred to her in the tent, would not have advised Gwaine to reveal his identity at all. To sneak away as he had entered, without detection, because now all that people saw was a man who had disobeyed a king, an act of treason…
Guards immediately rushed in by order of the king, bewildered that someone would defy him as Gwaine just had, sending the crowd into a hush. Elaina was afraid at first that the monarch would stay true to nature and act rashly, demanding him slain on the spot, however, aware that his ward had known who the man was beforehand, he simply cut her with his gaze and lowered his back.
"he will not walk freely this time my girl!"
His icy words froze her, since by any right nor would he allow any man to go after killing men during a melee like Gwaine had. Elaina just hoped Gaius could find some way to break the enchantment they used to conceal themselves, as that will be all the proof they needed, with Uther's banishment unwarranted.
After being dismissed from the stands, Elaina had gone against what was wise and headed straight for the throne room. She knew this was where Uther would be making up his mind on what to do with Gwaine and this time she would have her say and not remain quietly hiding in the drapes. Nervously she bit her fingernails, praying that the deception made by those pair of crooks had been revealed as that would work in their favour in making this outcome more positive.
She heard their muffled voices first and straightened her back to appear more composed and determined in her argument to set Gwaine free, especially if the intention was to punish him as sir Oswald had wanted and that was with his innocent blood spilt. She stood at the centre of the room watching for those doors opening then when they did Arthur's eyes narrowed to see Elaina standing there, disrupting what would have been a private meeting. One he was going to plead their case in, without need of her being there, which he knew was only going to cause more upset.
Uther's advisors circled in like vultures, already not her greatest of fans, when all she seemed to do was accuse them of injustice, ignorance and greed when she brought up the issues that the commoners had been enduring under their care.
Old ghastly men, who needed refreshening with a much younger company to bring in the more modern ideas needed so that Camelot could move forwards, because as of now with them in charge feeding off of Uther, they were stuck in a very dark past.
"I thought I told you to go to your room!"
The booming voice made the advisors smile with glee to see Elaina be put in her place as they had not had the authority to do the same whenever she had burst onto their council meetings in the past.
Her shoulders squared, that order he had barked has never worked not even when she was a girl and she never quite understood what it was meant to achieve. Her father had never made her do so, preferring instead to talk matters through if he did not agree with her actions. Uther refused such a show of equality, since by title and age he was Elaina's better and she should submit to that authority.
"yes, but I am not a child who when does something you do not agree with, can be contained until I submit from boredom and fear."
Arthur flinched, he had been a spectator to one of his father and Elaina's fights before and they never ended well, which is what he had feared would happen when he saw her in the room. It was like no one else existed as they were absorbed in the battle, like ferocious beast's and they held nothing back to injure the other. It was the side of Elaina that Arthur worried about, because she wasn't herself in these moments. She was cold and driven by bitterness, hatred…
She actually reminded him to some degree of Morgause, ruthless in what she believed.
Little did Arthur know that his father saw similarities in Elaina as well, but it wasn't with Morgause. It was her mother, Vivienne. In looks Morgana was most alike to the woman, but all her daughters carried that essence of rage in being excluded in the world affairs due to her gender. There was ambition to amount to more than what expectation would have them settle for, a low cunning and resentment that made them dangerous to themselves and others for if they would only accept their roles, their path would have been so much easier. It is what morgana has learnt, though it had been too late for Vivienne, becoming her own demise and with Morgause possessing magic, those attributes made her dangerous. Uther was undecided in Elaina's fate, for the sake of her father he pushed her to become obedient as morgana has become, though it came with difficulty each time she exuded that she-wolf within. More and more his regard lessened, for all he expected from Elaina was that one day she would leave this kingdom and join Morgause's to both revel and rise against him in bitterness.
"I see you could not hold up to your end of the bargain then. For a lady you are not, for who in her right mind with noble blood would scandalously frolic around with a fiend such as the one, I am being told to spare the life of. he may have saved Arthur from those criminals, but my word has proven to mean nothing to him. I must say you both suit, his insolence is a match for yours Elaina!"
With all the evidence supporting Gwaine's innocence, Elaina was astonished that Uther would in his arrogance parade himself around as an ignorant fool, just to prove a point to her. a spiteful man she was losing patience with and it was clear that although he knew the two men to be criminals, he still held Gwaine in disdain for acting by his own conscious and accord.
If he was going to behave like a fool, Elaina would play along, "what is his crime my lord? I suppose yes, you are exactly right; how dare Gwaine save your only heir, TWICE! Yes, we are alike there, for I have done the same for his sake and for me you also show no respect for that!"
Her tone rose to match his and with the throne room doors open, Elaina knew that her voice would carry and many coming back to the castle from the melee would hear her and the king fighting. Their truce really was at an end, for she had sworn not to be an embarrassment and be the topic of gossip to shame Camelot with, but since that line had been crossed, there wasn't a point in holding back anymore.
With a pause, Elaina then added, "is it mere jealousy that provokes you to attack those who defend your son, since none would do the same for you out of love, friendship and admiration?"
Even for her, Uther could not believe how low she was willing to go, having an image of him in her head as some monster, that had been there since she was a girl. In their meetings when Gorlois had been alive, at first Uther had been amused at how spirited she was, but as he tried to interact with her there came a maturity about Elaina at such a tender age, that refused to acknowledge him unless her father insisted on it.
she had shaken him to his core, for the look she drew was always judging, like she had read into his soul for all the deeds he had done, to whom only god would know of and she brought dread to him, for it was as if he was brought to trial before the almighty each time she was near him to account for every sin. If he were weaker and allowed elaina to plant seeds of moral doubt into his mind, she would have driven him to the point of insanity because he would have grabbed the girl by the shoulders and demand she tell him all that she knew and anticipated for him. Like she were some messenger from above sent to taunt him, making Uther question whether she was a girl of flesh and blood at all, or some demon. From that moment onwards…Uther has feared Elaina and has lashed out at her as his only attempt of gaining back power and control, he believed she had taken from him.
"silence girl…I have lost friends; family…comrades."
Did he not mark the losses he had been dealt with days of mourning? Ensuring that all his men as much as he could, had a grave for their bodies in order to return to the soil in dignity and respect. His dreams they too were haunted by his wife and her brother who he had killed…his blood marring Uther's hands as the man had blamed his king for the death of Igraine, so it was his right to seek justice for that crime, which Uther had committed.
The monster she saw him as, Uther was never always like this…it was what others had done to him that created the darkness within him. Yet it was a necessary thing, for he had brought about a great kingdom as sometimes darkness was required if only for some light to shine again, brighter than before. He did what he did, so that Arthur would be secure on his throne and the pendragon lineage would live on for thousands of years. no one had promised him it was an easy road, nor of the sacrifices he would have to make along the way; but he would do it all again knowing this was where he would be standing at the end.
Uther's voice quivered, though he could not tell from what as his resolve was as hard as stone and did not waver under Elaina's provoking, though he had enough of her trying to break him, "you know nothing, nothing of what it means to rule a kingdom, to be a king!"
Dangerously, Elaina stepped forwards and could not stop herself as a last effort to hurt him and she wanted him to hurt, as he had caused so much of her own pain, she needed to see some of it in his eyes, to remind him that she has not forgotten his follies. She leaned in and deliberately whispered, "Nor do you."
She hadn't braced herself for it, but she should have done as it didn't take her by surprise while many others gasped at her expense.
Her face forced in another direction, Elaina could feel the stinging heating her cheek from the hit Uther had delivered, a mighty smack.
Arthur wanted to comfort her, but in the same instant he had seen it coming and if she had wanted to avoid it, then she should have walked away from the beginning. Instead, she had pressed his father further and further, wanting to get a reaction out of him and now this was the result.
He felt ashamed, ashamed of them both.
Slowly Elaina turned her head back at the king, a welt rising upon her perfect skin but it was the only thing that told of what he had done to her, for her features did not contort in any show of pain or sorrow.
"forgive me my lord. But I remain unshaken. A hit? I have been stabbed, poisoned betrayed, my heart smashed…this is nothing to me and you may try to beat me bloody to try and make it worth something; but I would forever keep my head held high. What I shall ask, is that you let this be your release of rage and that you spare Gwaine. Bold he may be, but it is one of his virtues for without it and the good intent he uses such bravery for, then Arthur would be dead."