And here's second post of the week! Hope you enjoy! We celebrate 37k! Thank you all! Feedback continuously appreciated! Cookies for everyone! And cheers~ We have just reached 300 reviews! Cake goes to LFB72 for posting it :D
On with the fic!
.*.
He glared at the wooden door and he told himself he was being irrational.
They were back in Camelot. They were home. They were safe. They were okay. - Well.. relatively okay; but if something would have happened he was sure they would have notified him. Gaius may hide things, Arthur knew as much, but he was certain the physician was aware that the prince does care about the old man's ward; it was now more then just a royal and a servant.
He let his hand fall from the doorknob that he'd been clenching for a couple of minutes now, as he fought his inner battle to open the door or not; to rush to Gaius or not. Arthur ran his hand across his face, rubbing his eyes and temples then running his fingers through his hair. He tugged his blonde scalp to have the slight pain force him to focus and anchor himself in reality. - Not that his wounds weren't causing him enough pain, but those were rather bitter reminders, then anchors.
He let out a dejected sigh and tried to ignore the wetness in his eyes and the trembling that resided in his body.
He turned around and leaned his back against the wall. He took deep steady breaths, trying to calm himself.
This will take time to get over. The prince came to the conclusion. It was inevitable. It will all catch up to him; bit by bit; and eat him, and consume him and it will take precious time to have the events put behind him. And no doubt there will be changes; for some things will never be the same.
After a few minutes of musing over the images that have haunted his sleep, he let them slip lost in the back of his mind. He pushed himself away and walked back to his bed.
He jumped out of it not even a minute ago, having been woken up in panic, short of breath and drenched in sweat; and he was pretty sure with a scream leaving his lips as well. – It was a wonder no servant had run to check on him. - Then he had bolted towards the door to head to the physician's chamber and it was only thanks to some higher power that stopped him from tossing the door open and marching through the halls in his nightwear.
It was irrational. Understandable. Yet irrational. If that made any sense.
Pulling at a curtain he peered outside and realized the morning hasn't even arrived yet, more so, it was not far away. He will have a long day, when it gets here, he sighed. And he will have a lot of talking and explaining to do.
Arthur let the curtains fall back and walked to his bed, and sat on the side.
Gods.. the things they lived through. He knew his father will expect him to 'get back in line' and 'show an example to the knights', but at that moment he couldn't be bothered with it. He just loathed it.
He still hasn't talked to his father. He intended to; he really did. but excuses came easy and he had to admit that he was afraid. Arthur Pendragon was afraid to talk to King Uther. Afraid of his father's uncaring and judging words; afraid of his own anger getting out of control; and beware the words, said anger would have escape his mouth.
Oh, but there will be changes.
He peeled the soaked nightshirt off of him and tossed it to the ground, then turned and flipped his pillows over. Shivers ran up his back, so he strutted to the cupboard and dug out a shirt and clumsily pulled it on himself. It felt warm and protective on his skin.
Merlin washed these with his own hands.. – he thought all of a sudden and he picked up the front of it and sniffed the fabric. He felt a little confused why he did that. There was nothing out of ordinary about the shirt.
He closed the cupboard and headed back to his bed, stopping by the table as he spotted the vial Gaius gave him. He picked it up and looked at it. Better keep it close, Arthur thought and set it down on the small table beside his bed then kept an eye on it once he settled in.
It's not morning yet, but maybe he can still get some sleep done before the door will bang open and have Mer.. no. Merlin wont be coming to rouse him. Not for a while. He sighed and turned to his other side.
He knew there will be nightmares. He knew it. It will catch up to him, after all, stress or not this had to do with magic, but above all, he was just worried about Merlin. Sickeningly so. Of what he saw and what had happened to the young man he was surprised the raven-hair was able to stand and smile at the knights when they came to their rescue.
.*.
To Irene: 8D Tell your mom it's for studying purposes? Like.. improving your language and vocabulary?... (orotherexcusesIcan'tthinkofrightnow) (lol)
Lol at that childhood dream, though considering at some point I thought I'll grow up to be an alien.. (so, yea, let's not get into that).. what's my excuse anyway.. xD
To the point: yes, Gwen practically became a puppet of all good and kind and occasional cleverness (like suggesting Ismere's approach from Caerleon's lands, instead of heading straight north).. but overall pretty dull. and evil!Gwen? Cannot be taken seriously.
xD hehe yea.. "Go to bed, Arthur!" - said Gaius.