CHAPTER SIX

The doors opened of the Great Hall and Gaius and Merlin stepped in. At their arrival many turned around to face them, including Arthur. Gaius scrutinized their faces with his old eyes; he had hoped that there would not be an audience. Merlin had hoped for the same and the two of them ventured closer to the young king.

Arthur gave them a heart warming smile.

'Gaius, Merlin,' he addressed them still smiling. 'What brings you here?'

Gaius and Merlin exchanged looks before replying.

'We have an important matter to discuss with you, my Lord,' replied Gaius and Arthur nodded. His eyes scanned the two of them curiously.

'In private,' added Merlin and Arthur's eyes turned to the people around him.

'Very well,' he said and slowly the people left the hall through the open doors. They closed behind them and Gaius felt more comfortable.

'We have recently discovered something, my Lord,' Gaius said after he had heard the loud noise of the doors clashing together as they closed.

'Feel free to share your knowledge with me,' Arthur replied calmly.

Gaius reached into his pocket and took out the silver bracelet which made the king's eyes slightly widen.

'It was Guin-' began Merlin.

'I know,' Arthur interrupted him with his gaze fixed on the bracelet in Gaius' hands. 'Why do you bring this to me?'

'We found this in her prison cell,' Gaius began to explain. 'It may have fallen off her wrist or she may have taken it off on purpose. I've examined this bracelet very closely and...there are symbols of the old religion on the side.'

Arthur's eyes slightly widened and he strolled over to the old man before taking it from him. The symbols shone brightly and it was clear that they were magical.

'What are you suggesting?' The young king asked, horrified. 'That Guinevere was practising sorcery?'

'No, no,' Gaius said twice while shaking his head. 'Lancelot had given this to Gwen as a gift. Ever since she first put it on she become attracted to him. I think this was the work of Morgana.'

'Lancelot wasn't really alive?'

'No, my Lord. Morgana made his body but the body did not have Lancelot's soul. She gave him this to put on Gwen so she would fall in love with him.'

'But why?'

'I suppose she didn't want Gwen sitting on her throne.'

Arthur looked like he was going to faint, he stumbled back onto the table.

'What have I done?' He asked himself while shaking his head. 'Guinevere was innocent...and I killed her.'

'Arthur, you did not know,' Merlin reminded him as he ran to his side. 'You were only doing what you thought was right.'

'She was innocent...'

Arthur's eyes began to water and he tried to avoid eye contact with Merlin and Gaius.

'My Lord-' Gaius tried to comfort him.

'Go, please. Both of you!' Cried the young king as tears began to escape from his eyes. Gaius and Merlin did not question what Arthur had asked. They looked at each other and left the hall silently.

Two guards were about to go in but Gaius stopped them.

'The king needs to be alone right now,' he told them and they nods. Both of them turned to look at the closed doors leading to the hall when they heard quiet sobs coming from behind them.

Arthur wiped his eyes but the tears wouldn't stop coming. He murmured Guinevere's name again and again before collapsing to the floor. His hands covered his head and he carried on crying.

In a flash, Guinevere appeared before him. Her soft hair flowing down her back and her brown eyes full of enough love to melt a dragon's heart. At the sight of her love spread about the floor, she tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes confusingly.

'My love, what is wrong?' She finally asked him and Arthur looked up from the floor when he heard her voice. She looked like an angel from above; the sunlight shining through the glass windows and peering over her shoulders and head. Arthur's sobs died down but his tears did not stop flowing.

'I'm so sorry,' he managed through his tears. 'You are innocent.'

'Innocent? No! I committed a terrible crime and I deserved to have lost my life.'

'No, you didn't. You were under Morgana's spell to fall in love with Lancelot.'

Guinevere's gaze dropped to the floor beneath her feet and she shook her head softly.

'You are wrong!' She cried, refusing to believe it.

'The bracelet,' sobbed Arthur quietly but loud enough for her to hear, 'Lancelot gave it to you but Morgana had put a spell on it. He wasn't the real Lancelot, he was working for Morgana!'

'That's a lie, Lancelot gave me that bracelet which he got from the tribe who rescued him.'

'He lied, he lied to us all.'

Guinevere dropped to the floor and began to cry. Arthur reached out his hand towards her but she refused to take it.

'He tricked us all,' Arthur tried to tell her but she slowly slid away from him. At the sight of this he began to shake his head and more tears began to slip down his red cheeks. 'Please, don't do this, my love...'

'I am not your love!' She spat with tears rolling down her face like a waterfall. 'I am nothing but a servant girl who was executed for something she had no control over. How could you!'

With that, she began to disappear while weeping to herself. Soon she was gone and Arthur was left alone in the hall.

'Guinevere...no...please!' He cried, his sobs echoing around the hall. 'Guinevere! Come back! Guinevere!'

But she did not come to Arthur, she did not come to him when he needed her the most.