Cured
By TheAlmightySun
Chapter seven
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"My god," Lora breathed, gaping at the gates of Camelot.
Lancelot urged Brown into a stop next to her. "It didn't look so large from the mountain, did it?" He noted, gazing at the familiar gates. Atora was already off her horse, gazing through the bars into the white city.
"I thought we'd never get here," She said, more to herself then anyone. Gaius waved at the guard in the watchtower, and they waved back, opening the beautiful doors.
"We should go in," the old man said, leading the way. "I think your father would be delighted to see you, Atora."
"You've met my father?" the girl asked, surprised.
"Once." Lancelot chuckled. As if there was a man in the kingdom Gaius had not encountered. "Many years ago."
Atora nodded. "I should go see him immediately, I suppose." She didn't seem too eager at the prospect. "We've taken longer then I expected."
Lancelot glanced at Gaius, who seemed troubled. "Are you going to the king?"
"I think I'll go home first," The old man said quietly. Lancelot noticed the worry in his voice. "Only to check up on things."
"I'll join you," Lancelot said. Lora eyed him, her gaze dismayed.
"I will see you in the celebrations," he promised, smiling. She glanced at Atora, who was still gazing at the gates.
"Let's go, then," The lady said, urging her horse forward, into the city. "We've got a party to get to."
Day nine:
"Open up!"
Gwen jumped, blinking against the morning light. Winter sun streamed in through the window, its rays caressing and hardly warm.
Gwen pushed off the covers, sitting up. Arthur was still asleep on the sofa, feet hanging off the edge. She was on Gaius's bed wearing the green dress she'd worn last night, the sleeves bloody from when she'd tried to tend to Merlin's injured hands. She glanced briefly at Merlin's room. He was still there, sitting, huddled near the wall, hands over his head.
"Open the door! We come by the order of the king!"
Someone was banging loudly on the door, and it shook unstably in it hinges. Gwen got to her feet, maneuvering between the overturned furniture to Arthur's side.
"My lord?"
Arthur granted in his sleep, turning away from her. She dropped to her knee, touching his shoulder lightly. The men outside continued with their earth-shuttering knocks, nonstop.
"Sire!" He blinked sleepily, and then closed his eyes. Gwen nudged him harder, annoyed. "Arthur, get up!"
"…What?"
"Now!"
He shut his eyes tightly, opened them, and sat up. "What time is it?"
"Someone get a locksmith," A voice came from outside. Arthur blinked, his memories catching up. "What…"
The pounding continued. Gwen looked at the door, confused. What now?
Arthur grabbed his shirt off the floor, pulling it over his head. He stepped toward the door, turning the key in the lock.
The door opened creakingly. Three knights stood before their prince, their faces blank.
"Gor," Arthur addressed the leader, a large, black haired man of around thirty. "What are you doing?"
"We have orders from the king, sire." Gor said solemnly. "To collect the sorcerer residing here. "
Arthur paused, stock still, gazing at the man. "There is no sorcerer residing here," He said slowly, and Gwen heard the uncertainty in his voice. Gor's face remained passive.
"These are my orders, sire. To collect the boy Merlin at all cost."
Gwen glanced at Merlin. He wasn't shaking anymore, and his eyes no longer searched around wildly. He stared at the floor blindly, lost.
"We need to come in, Sire," Gor said after awhile, as Arthur remains silent, blocking the door.
"No," He said quietly. "You don't."
Gwen came forward, standing at his side. The men paid her no notice. Behind them, on the street, people stared out their windows and doors, frightened. Gwen swallowed hard. On the road, connected to a pair of giant, black horses, was a carriage, Amaroe by its side, and behind it a large iron cage with chains inside it. Amaroe leaned on the cage, grinning, and his eyes wide and excited as he looked at the prince with interest.
Gor lowered his gaze, for the first time seeming uncomfortable. "Sire…"
"I'll speak to my father," Arthur cut in, once again the diplomatic prince. "There's been some sort of mistake."
"We were told to collect-"
"Well I am telling you to go back to the castle, Gor," Arthur said, and the men looked at each other unhappily. Arthur stood before them, wearing his night cloths, and to Gwen he still seemed the one in power against the larger, fully dressed trio.
"King Uther commanded that you will not get involved, my lord," The man to Gor's left muttered apologetically. Arthur's gaze grew furious.
" 'Not get involved,' " He repeated, his teeth clutched.
Gor drew his sword, not meeting Arthur's gaze. The two others followed. All three men were older then the prince, larger, and properly armored. Amaroe's men, who had been tending the horses, reached for their belts. Gwen saw a woman gathering her children into the house.
"I'm sorry, sire," Gor said sincerely, and moved to go inside. Arthur, eyes seething, moved to block him.
Gor paused. "Sire-"
"Not a step forward, Gor."
The men looked at each other. Gwen glanced fearfully between Arthur and the rest.
Amaroe motioned for his men, and as one they strolled over to the others. Gwen gasped as one of them grabbed her forearm, pulling her toward him. Arthur sprung after her. He had no weapon, his sword resting motionlessly on the kitchen table. The man placed his large hand over her mouth. He smelled like sweat and horse dung.
"Let go of her," Arthur said dangerously. The man looked at him expressionlessly.
Arthur froze, eyes darting from Gwen to Merlin's room, breathing hard.
Gor and his companions, eyeing Amaroe's man with pure hatred, stepped into the shade of the house. Arthur didn't stop them. Gwen struggled against the man's iron grip, but he only tightened his hold, restricting her air supply.
She couldn't see what they were doing inside. Arthur stared at the floor, his expression frozen, overwhelmed. She wanted to tell him that Merlin was sick, that he couldn't protect himself. That whatever Amaroe wanted to do with her would never be as terrible as what he could ever do to him.
She didn't hear a struggle. When the men appeared again, Merlin was held tightly between them, his hands tide in front of him with thick, rough ropes. They looked straight ahead, grimly. She could tell that if it were up to them, they'd have arrested Amaroe's bullies, instead.
The man let go of her, and she dropped to the floor. Arthur was staring behind her at the street, his face grave and solemn. He could do nothing. It was five to one, and more knights stood at the end of the street, unhappily ready to step in if necessary. Gwen turned, still on the floor, as Amaroe's men shoved her friend into the cage, securing the chain around his hands and feet. Her heart pounded. Amaroe was smirking victoriously. She got to her feet.
"Stop!" She called, and the entire street turned to face her. Merlin stared at the chains, emotionless. She couldn't tell if there was enough of her friend left within him to know what was going on. "You can't," She said, and did not know what else to say.
The men turned away from her, locking the cage. Gor and the two other knights stood motionlessly, gazing at Amaroe with disgust.
Finally, Arthur woke up, stepping forward.
"If you do this, you will never again be welcome in Camelot," He said to Amaroe. The man's joyous expression did not change. "And when I become king, I will execute you for murder," The prince continued passionately, unable to look in the cage where Merlin was forced to his knees, oblivious and forlorn. "Of all the sorcerers in Camelot, by poison."
Amaroe got up on the carriage, sitting comfortably in the velvety sit. "I doubt that, Arthur Pendragon," He whispered, gazing at Arthur with his peculiar voracity. "I doubt that very much."
His two men sat at the driver's bench, and snapped the reins. The horses began walking away, almost running over the few people still standing, shocked, in the street.
As the carriage moved Gwen could see behind it at the crowd that had gathered. At its front, mounted on a horse with a rucksack at his back was Gaius, his face ashen.
This is a very short chapter, but it was just such n excellent spot to stop. I promise the next one would be up in a couple of days to make up for it.