Chapter 9; Hiding the Truth
"Merlin?" Gaius's voice brought the young wizard out of his thoughts.
"Yes, Gaius?"
"I was wondering if you knew what Rose was up to."
"She went to the library, I think, to see if she could find some books…" Merlin's sentence trailed into a low murmur and Gaius could tell that Merlin was somewhat editing the truth.
He pointed to the various shelves that covered the walls of his rooms "If it was book she was looking for then she did not need to look much further, Merlin"
"Ah, yes, that is true" Merlin blushed, trying to keep back the information that Gaius did not seem to have the particular book Rose was after.
"Merlin, for a boy who has to keep an extraordinary secret you are absolutely terrible at lying"
"Not lying, more…hiding the truth"
"Merlin…" Gaius tone was not angry, more persuasive; he spoke his name as an open invitation for the young adult to fill him in on the missing, but rather vital, piece of information.
"She was looking for a book on seers that might be able to tell her how she could tune teach her power to see a certain thing, focus on a certain theme or person" he blurted out, no longer able to contain the truth.
"I see" came back Gaius's response "I have heard of such seers who have been able to do that very thing, it is a rather special talent, it takes quite some patience and time though. No doubt she would be able to do it if she set her mind to it, pardon the pun."
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Arthur was not angry, more frustrated and annoyed and he walked round the corner with quick speed and determination, so it was no surprise that he should knock the person coming in the other direction flying. As he did so the two books she held tight against her chest fell to the floor and she speedily bent to pick them up. Arthur bent to help her, but she had gathered the pair of books up into her arms before he could even reach the one closest to him. He smiled and looked into the young woman's blue eyes.
"Rose"
"Good morning Arthur."
"An avid reader, I thought Gaius would have all the books you could possibly want"
"Ah, not these two" she surprised herself at how easily she could lie. She fought back the blush that would most certainly give her away.
"I see, and what might these two special books be about" Arthur enquired as he stepped forward, inviting Rose to join him for a walk; she fell into step next to him, her mind racing for a suitable answer.
"Scars" she said, the word fell out of her mouth before she had really thought about it, it was however a subject that she knew Arthur would not wish to talk about, and as she had hoped it threw him off course. He looked down at her left hand which swung at her side; her right being used to hold the books close to her chest.
He noted that the bandaging had been removed and there was a line that ran in a diagonal from the base of her little finger right across to her thumb, overnight it had formed a scab, but pieces had flaked away leaving the line a paler colour to the rest of her hand. It stood out; though perhaps he noticed it more than any other person would, knowing that he was the reason for it. He watched as the hand moved, swapping with her right to hold the books instead. He looked back up to her face and couldn't decide whether the movement had been sub-conscious or a deliberate manoeuvre to stop his looking.
"Sorry" he mumbled. Then instantly regretted it remembering how she had half taunted him for apologising yesterday. She smiled lightly at him and then changed the subject.
"I am surprised to see you aimlessly walking around the castle's corridors; I thought you would be out on some mission or errand"
He looked down at this as well and Rose realised she had clearly struck a bad chord here too. She had been up all night reading over the same pages countless times looking for new pieces of information – as if they would spring up with her constant searching – she had not dreamt or seen the rift that had been formed between Arthur and Uther.
"My father thinks that these storms are being caused by magic, I challenged his thoughts and he now believes I am trying to underestimate him. He thinks that I do not care for my people because I asked whether he would like me to check if they were alright."
"Arthur, no one can doubt that you care for your people, you have shown your loyalty to them on a number of occasions…without your father's encouragement."
Arthur smiled down at Rose and nodded ever so slightly.
"I still do not understand your father's fixation with magic. He fears it, I know that much. But why?" she looked into Arthur's eyes as if the answers may be hidden there.
"I don't know either" he admitted, holding her gaze. Slightly embarrassed, Rose broke the stare and looked forward on the path they were walking on.
"Do you think he is right?" Rose challenged "Do you believe that magic is behind everything?"
"No" Arthur said, after a pause "But we have fairly tried and tested magicians and proven their guilt"
The two young adults turned around the bend in the corridor and walked out onto the courtyard.
"That depends" Rose said quietly.
"On what?"
"Whether you think magic is a sin and whether you believe murder is a fair trial of a crime" Rose stared across the courtyard, to her destination. "Excuse me, sire" she murmured and strode off towards the rooms she now called 'home'.
Arthur looked at her as she left, and she felt his eyes bore into her back and she half marched away from him. The young prince was not used to having people challenging his thoughts and perceptions and he could not say he was entirely happy that this new young girl – friend, even…possibly of his – was starting to now. But then he looked at her and remembered the brilliant archer within her and set off to try and not only reconcile with his father, but to please his new friend and challenger.
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Morgana twiddled the pendant's cord in between her fingers and once more watched it spin, mesmerised by its endless rotations. She lifted one finger to gently touch the edge of the large sapphire, halting its turns. It had been her mothers and she had some idea – or a fixation, rather – that it held some cryptic message, a clue to her destiny or a warning. It was one a of the few things she had inherited, her mother wasn't one for material things and as a result Morgana had not received many items when her mother had passed away. Her father, similarly, had not left her anything other than a large sum of money and his love. It was this love that kept Morgana satisfied, she did not need jewellery, nor gowns or money if she had her parents love and Uther's protection.
However recently she had become fixated upon this pendant, it stood out from all her other pieces of jewellery and burned in her hand when she held it. She wasn't sure whether she half dreamed the importance of it, or whether it truly did hold some significance.
She had also begun to question her parent's choice in her guardian, Uther, if her parents had known of her gifts then surely they would not have placed her in this kingdom. And if that was the case then they did not know her, and would they still love her if they knew of her gifts; her powers?
Morgana thought over all those things, and being so deep in her thoughts did not hear Gwen enter the room.
"My lady?"
Morgana broke out of her thoughts and her head spun up to see Gwen's concerned face staring down at her.
"Gwen" Morgana whispered, she coughed lightly to clear her throat "I did not hear you come in"
"I came to get you; Arthur has called for an audience with his majesty King Uther"
"Why?"
"I'm sure he has his reasons" Gwen reassured her
"I'm sure he has a trick up his sleeve" Morgana retorted
Gwen scowled slightly, quickly trying to smooth out the frown lines along her forehead before Morgana could see her anger at her last comment.
"Do you wish to change your gown?" she asked politely
"No, I do not need to look nice to listen to Arthur's little story" she said rising from her chair and walking over to the door, turning right she half skipped to her jewellery box and slide her mother's pendant in the appropriate drawer.
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He had been waiting. Too long he had been waiting for. In the shadows of the forest, waiting for these events, waiting for what would unfold, and now the time was right. She was here, and he would unveil her for what she truly was. She had turned from him, and in that decision she had made the greatest mistake of her life, and now he would repay her for her ill judgment.
He had been waiting for this moment for years.
Waiting for her.
Rose.