"Gwa-", I began, but was unable to finish uttering his name in shock before he has push his was inside and bolted the door shut behind him. He looked different. His hair was longer and tied back with a leather cord. Instead of the usual red tunic, armor, and cloak he donned a brown cotton shirt and plain pants. I probably wouldn't have been able to recognized him without being up close.
"We don't have much time.", he says as he checks behind curtains and under the bed. He notices us staring and shrugs. "Can't be too cautious."
I just stared at his stupidly, probably with my mouth open as well. I didn't know how to react. Part of me wanted to launch myself into his arms, ridiculously happy to see him. The other part wanted to demand he leave the castle and rejoin Arthur before he got hurt. I wasn't opposed to giving him a stern lecture either. But instead I just stood there, gaping at him.
"Sarah, are you alright?"
"No, I am not!", I burst, unable to help myself now that I had found the ability to speak again. Gwen and the other girls seemed to take this as their que to leave, slipping almost silently out the door. I noticed Illea blushing profusely, shifting her eyes between Gwaine and I as she left. "Of course I'm not! You aren't supposed to be here! You'll get yourself killed! Do you think I could live with myself if that happened? Because it would be my fault. None of this would have ever happened if I hadn't come to Camelot!"
He takes me into his arms then, but what was meant to be a comfort had the opposite effect on me. The things Raul would do to him if we were caught... I shuddered, not even wanting to think about it. It would be history repeating itself. Just like what happened to Julianna and her prince. This was such a mess.
"Listen to me", he says firmly, sliding his hand under my chin and tilting it up to make me look at him. "None of this is your fault. None of it. You need to trust me to take care of it. Everything will be fine. I promise."
"No it won't", I moaned. "This is worse than Taharah. And Taharah is already in shambles. You don't know what Raul is capable of. And if Arthur... is Arthur here? I'll kill him if he is."
Gwaine shakes his head. "He isn't that stupid. Morgana wants him dead almost more than Uther. And Uther won't let him near the palace at the moment." I relaxed a bit. That was one less person to worry about. He glances back at the door, a worried expression creeping onto his face.
"We need to hurry. Raul wants me to fetch you for him. If we take much longer he'll send someone looking. I don't have time to explain everything, but when we leave this room we need to act like we don't know each other. I don't want you doing anything reckless, stupid, or remotely dangerous. Be a good little hostage and wait for someone to come for you. And please, try not to make Morgana angry. She seems to have a special brand of hate for you."
"Gwaine, you can't expect me to just-"
He cuts me off by kissing me. I'm enveloped in a jumble of dizzying feelings. But what stood out the most was desperation. But I didn't need empathy to understand that. He kissed me with such ferocity, as if this would be the last one we shared. It scared me a little.
"We should go", he breathed, pulling away much too soon for me. But he still held onto me, making no attempt to let me go. I allowed myself, just for a moment, to forget what was outside this room, away from the protection of Gwaine's arms.
"He has my father.", I admitted, even though it required a lot of explaining that I couldn't do.
"I know."
I stare up at him, utterly confused. "How did you know that?"
"I saw.
"You saw? I didn't see you?"
"You weren't supposed to. I didn't know how you would react. Besides, you were pretty busy being torched." I flinch at the memory, still feeling slightly sick about it.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw him. I still don't believe it."
"That's only natural. You thought he was dead all this time. And yet Raul had him all the time. It's a wonder he hadn't used him against you before."
I tensed, but didn't correct him. How could I? The guilt was insufferable. I couldn't stand not being able to tell him the truth. But I didn't have much time to wallow in it, because we had to leave the room before Raul sent someone looking for me.
Once we had left my room, we walked silently to the hall. Pretending to sulk wasn't much of a task.
Outside of the doors, it wasn't easy to let Gwaine go. But I did, and he was gone, down the hall and out of my sight. Leaving me to deal with Raul. And far before I was ready, the door swung open.
"Ah, Sarah. There you are. Won't you join me?", he asks, as if this was the most normal situation there could be.
My attention turns to the room as I walked in, unable to stop myself from peering around. Any trace of Camelot was gone. The red banners and decorations had all been torn down. The only things remaining was the torches, the throne, and the table that sat in the center of it all. And of course, the horrid man sitting at it's head.
He motioned to the seat at the other end. Grudgingly, I sat down, but remained rigid. He raised his glass to me in a toast, smiling smugly. I didn't touch the goblet set in front of me. He didn't seem to notice.
"You do know", he continues, despite my glare. I contemplated throwing the butter knife at him. But I didn't want another repeat of earlier. I'd have to pick my battles carefully from now on. Despite what my impulses urged me to do. Now wasn't the best time to have a temper. "That I am having a difficult time figuring out what to do with you. I tried training you, but you only used it against me. Marrying you off obviously didn't work. And the groom even followed you after you left me." He chuckled, evidently finding this hilarious. "How is Alec, anyways?"
"I wouldn't know. Seeing as your men have taken to slaughtering anyone they can. I don't know where my friends are. Not even Meliorn.", I said with venom.
"Meliorn? You still call him that? I happen to know he's always hated that you call him that. It's so impersonal to call a person by their surname, don't you think? The poor man diluted himself thinking he could actually persuade you into loving him. But then again, you're much to stubborn to appreciate what has been given to you."
"What was given to me? Don't you mean what was forced upon me?"
He sighs, standing from his seat. "You need to stop fighting me, Sarah. Perhaps you need to be reminding of who I have downstairs..."
Frustrated I stood from my seat as well, done containing my anger. Even for Gwaine's sake. "Leave him out of this! You don't get it! Stop trying to make me like you, and be your perfect little grand daughter! I am not your second chance with Julianna!"
"Don't you dare say her name!", he yelled, crossing the space between us quicker than could be humanly possible. His hand closed around my throat, lifting my up to my tiptoes. I was too panicked to do anything to defend myself. I gasped for air, feeling his anger coursing through me. But at least I could keep it separate from my emotions. And I didn't pass out like I had with Henry.
He stared at me for a second, dazed. His eyes dilated, glossing over as they looked into mine. And suddenly I didn't seem to be in Camelot anymore.
The first thing I noticed was the crisp breeze against my face. It smelled of freshly fallen rain and earth. I was standing in a forest of sorts. But instead of tall, looming trees, I was surrounded by short, stocky trees that were covered in blossoms instead of leaves. They ranged in color, from deep purple to a light orange. But a bright, crisp pink seemed to be the most common. It was beautiful, but seemed as if it wasn't real. Like any moment it would be whisked away, leaving my with only a haunting memory of it.
"Father!", shrieks a giggling voice. I turn to see a young girl, probably about seven-years-old, running through the trees. Flowers fell from the tree, dancing in the air as the wind catch them. "Father look what I got!"
She moved closer to me, holding out a small frog in her small hands. She ran right to me, laughing as the frog tried to escape from her grasp. "Isn't it cute?", she asked me.
I heard myself chuckle, a deep throaty laugh that wasn't mine. "Not quite as cute as you.", I say, kneeling to her height.
"Father, don't be silly!", she giggles, setting the frog in the grass and watching it hop away. He eyes, bright with glee, turned back to look at me. The same eyes I saw every time I looked in the mirror. I finally realized who she was. A young Julianna.
The scene changed in blurs. I caught images of Julianna growing up. Then she disappeared from the pictures completely. The things I saw became increasingly grotesque. A burning village, it's people running every which way in a panic as their homes were destroyed. A crying father executed for a deed his son had done, to save him from suffering the same fate. Families being torn apart for various, ridiculous reasons. Massacres, blood, so much blood. I couldn't stand what I was seeing. But most of all, I felt the bitter rage in it all. And the shame of it all once it was over.
"Stop it!", Raul roars in outrage, his fist connecting with my nose. Dazed, I fell away from him and ended up on the floor. He panted, staring at me with a look of pure murder. I tensed, but stayed where I was, panting and staring in shock as blood dripped from my nose onto my hand.. "What did you do?", he demands, keeping his distance from me.
"I don-"
"Do not lie to me, Sarah. It would be most unwise." Without another word he grabbed my arm, pulling the sleeve off of my right shoulder to reveal the skin where the rune that had once stifled the magic in my blood. But now, all that was left of it was a faint scar. I could feel the confusion clearing from his emotions. He began to laugh as he let go of me, but avoided touching me anywhere that wasn't covered with fabric. "You have an interesting gift. I'm quite impressed. rare, but not unheard of. Don't try it on me again."
He called for a guard. "Shoot her if she tries anything. Somewhere she'll live through. The knee perhaps." The man drew his bow from his back uncertainly, but aimed for my knees as he was told. I knew what would happen if he did shoot me. With that large a bow at this range, my knee would shatter. I probably wouldn't be able to walk right again, if I even could walk once it healed.
I was still trying to understand what I had just seen. I wasn't his thoughts, that much was clear. A memory, perhaps? Or a desire? One thing was certain, I had unintentionally gotten inside his mind. And he wasn't happy about it, and I didn't like what had seen.
Sorry it isn't longer, but I was in a hurry to get it up. Especially since I've been a horrible updater lately :P I miss the days of being able to update every day. Thanks for all the kind works about my grandpa :) You guys are honestly the best!