Chapter 13

It was a far off sound that Elaina recognized first. It started out as a low hum, but it steadily became louder and more distinctive. There were two people standing near her talking. Unfortunately Elaina wasn't entirely sure where she was.

She swallowed hard and cracked one eye open. Her entire body ached and her shoulder was the most persistent pain. Elaina recognized her room and slid her eye shut again. The voices were still indistinct, neither person was standing within view.

Elaina opened both her eyes and glanced toward the window. It was dark outside, she hoped she had only been out for a few hours but there was no way to tell. She wiggled her body about on the bed to make sure she still had use of her limbs.

Slowly, Elaina sat up in the bed and looked around. She groaned in pain as she put pressure on her shoulder. The groan alerted whoever was standing nearby that she was awake. Two sets of footsteps approached the bed.

Elaina grimaced at Arthur and Gaius as they arrived at the foot of her bed. "How long was I out?"

"Two days," Gaius said firmly as he came around the bed. "Don't move around too much."

Elaina had already swung her feet out of the bed and was preparing to stand up. A wave of nausea swept over her, causing her to freeze. Gaius set a bucket in front of her and waved Arthur away from the bed.

Elaina doubled over and vomited into the bucket. She groaned when she finished and set it back on the floor. She leaned back against the bed and stared up at the canopy.

"Did you tell him," Elaina asked. She remembered what had happened. The argument with Gaius and him trying to tell Arthur about her condition.

"No, I didn't tell him and he has been worried sick."

"I'll tell him Gaius," Elaina said softly.

"When? He's been demanding answers, he could have us both thrown in the stocks for this young lady."

Elaina lifted her head off the bed and stared at Gaius. "Now," she said hesitantly.

Gaius went over to the table and picked up and small bottle. "Drink this it will help with the nausea. I will be back to check on you in a little while," Gaius said as he handed her the bottle.

Elaina sat up and took the bottle from Gaius. Whatever he had given her worked much better than anything in Heideen. Last time she'd had an episode she was out for a week. Two days wasn't so bad in comparison.

"Thank you Gaius," she said softly before drinking the contents of the bottle.

Gaius nodded once before collecting his supplies and heading out the door. Arthur reentered before the door had a chance to close. He kept his distance though, stopping at the foot of the bed.

"I was worried…," Arthur started to say. He trailed off not wanting to give words to his fear.

"You were worried I wouldn't wake up."

Arthur met her gaze and nodded slowly. He shifted his weight and looked away from her. "Gwen told you about us."

Elaina's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She didn't understand what that had to do with her condition. "Yes, she told me that she is in love with you. That doesn't have anything to do with this though Arthur."

"No," Arthur asked clearly not believing her.

"Are you trying to take the blame for this?" Elaina studied Arthur as she spoke. She could see that he was, even though he would never admit it. "Arthur if there is anyone to blame it is me, I knew what the risk was and yet I pushed myself. Did the arguments add to my stress? Of course, but it is still my fault."

Arthur nodded again and met her gaze. "What is your condition?" He crossed his arms as he spoke, clearly uncomfortable with discussing the matter.

"My condition has no name Arthur. It's a blood disorder that affects energy and strength. Without treatment it causes me a great deal of pain. The physician in Heideen believed that I would never be able to have children, even if I were there is the risk that my children could inherit the disease. I don't know that I would want to do that to my child."

"That's part of the reason I work so hard to overcome it. People in Heideen treated me differently because I was a princess, when they found out about the disorder it was even worse. I had to prove that I could beat it, that I was stronger than whatever is wrong with me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Blood disorders are seen as a result of magic Arthur, if your father knew about this he could have me killed."

"Are you a witch?" Arthur leveled an angry gaze on Elaina as he spoke. "The way you fought and the pain you experienced afterward, it makes me think perhaps you enchanted yourself to hide the pain."

"Or maybe I'm strong," Elaina snapped. "Do you really think I am a witch?"

"I don't know what to think anymore! You've been lying to me!"

"To protect my life! How can I prove I am not a witch? I don't know any words of the old religion! I can't create fire or make things move without touching them! What do you want from me?"

"The truth," Arthur roared. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed loudly. "I want the truth. That's all I've ever wanted from you."

"I'm not a witch." Elaina swallowed hard and stared at Arthur. She knew she had to tell him the truth but it was going to be incredibly hard. "My mother couldn't have children… she was barren. For a man like my father it was unacceptable. He had to have an heir, so he took a mistress and she got pregnant. My mother loved my father more than anything in this world and she refused to lose him to another woman. So she went to a sorceress for help, she begged that she be able to have a child."

"The sorceress agreed," Elaina continued. Her face glazed over as she spoke. She had never told another soul this story. "Before the end of the year my father had a son and a daughter. The catch was that the old religion required a sacrifice, to make a life another must be taken. His son died the same night I was born. It was some years later that my mother admitted to my father what had happened. He had her executed, by then my condition had become obvious. I was touched by magic, my blood forever tainted by the deal my mother had made."

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she looked up at Arthur. "I'm not a witch Arthur. I lost my mother to magic. It ruined any chance I ever had of having a normal, healthy life. Because of the deal my mother made I will forever have a target on my back. My father hates magic as much as yours, if I hadn't been his only heir he would have had me executed along with my mother," Elaina finished. "I'll never answer that question again Arthur Pendragon, now get out."

"Elaina," Arthur started to say.

"No, get out Arthur."

Arthur slowly made his way to the door. He glanced back over his shoulder in time to see Elaina bury her head in her hands. Granting her request though he kept walking and made his way back to his chambers. He grabbed a vase from the table and threw it at the wall in anger. As the pieces fell to the floor and broke into more pieces he realized that things were never going to be the same with Elaina.