Chapter three.
Aislinn sighs to herself and begins to pull her hair from her bun but gets halfway before she gives up, leaving her hair in a knotted mess resting on her shoulders.
Idiot she thinks to herself as she crosses the room to the dining table and lights the three candles and the room bursts to life. Did you really think you could go back to being best friends after all this time? She asks herself and then blows out the small flame that has been lit on the end of the piece of wood "of course not Aislinn, he is a somebody and you're well still a nobody" she sighs to herself as she attempts to take out what is left of the bun.
"Does pretty boy not have time for you?" someone asks and Aislinn freezes as she begins to scan the room for the source of the voice. "I couldn't see why you're beautiful" the voice says again but this time with anger, Aislinn spots a shadow on the floor and her eyes lock onto it she goes to say something but a man steps out from behind the screen.
"Devon" she says speechless taking in the man before her "I...I thought you were dead." Devon laughs then brushes his hand over the wooden screen paying particular attention to the details then traces the carving of a rose. "No, appears not" his facial expression changes to reflect the anger in his voice "are you having fun here Aislinn?" he asks sniffing. Aislinn takes a step back feeling threatened, it was always this way between Devon and her, always at each other's throats.
"It's a lot better than having to see you everyday" she hisses and Devon laughs walking towards her "do you remember what we do to traitors?" he asks as he stops on the other side of the table. Aislinn looks around the room for her sword and he laughs again "is this what you're looking for princess?" he asks holding up her sword with a grin. Shit Aislinn thinks as her eyes land on the blade and realizes what is about to happen.
Devon jumps over the table and raises the sword about to strike Aislinn when she jumps out of the way, losing her footing and falling to the floor. She quickly jumps to her feet and reaches for a pot on one of the shelves but she is interrupted by a foot colliding with her rib cage "ah!" she exclaims as her hand flies to her side and she makes another attempt for the pot.
Devon goes to kick her again but her hands encircle the pot and she throws it towards his face, allowing her enough time to make it to her feet and kick him in the stomach. "You cow" he grows cradling his face as a few trickles of blood drop onto the wooden boards Devon lunges at her but she doesn't make it in time and they both crash to the ground. He brings the butt of the sword handle down on the side of her face and in retaliation Aislinn brings her hand up punching him square in the jaw then she flips on top of him and punches him again.
Almost too quickly, quickly enough not to give her enough time to move off of him Devon raises the blade and jabs it up into Aislinn's ribcage. There is this burning sensation in her rib and she gasps as Devon pulls the sword from her then kicks her onto the floor. His hands close around her throat and he leans in towards her "so much for being a great fighter" he hisses "open your mouth again and I will kill you, got it?." Devon flicks his hand from her throat causing her head to slam into the floorboards he kicks the sword away from her and then exits through the back door like nothing ever happened.
Aislinn lays on the floor staring up at the roof for longer than she would liked to just breathing and trying not to focus on the immense pain she feels in her left side. Slowly she lifts her hand from her side to see it covered in dark red blood and her hand begins to shake, breathing is even becoming an issue now and each breath causes shards of pain to ripple over her chest.
"Agieme mec" Aislinn whispers holding her hand over her wound in an attempt to heal it but nothing happens "agieme mec" she repeats but just like the first time nothing happens to her wound. Aislinn takes a deep breath wincing slightly "agieme mec" she whispers desperation in her voice and nothing happens you can't heal yourself idiot she reminds herself as she lays her head back down softly.
"Mordred help me" she calls out to him pressing her hand back on her side, kneading the gash "help, Mordred."
***
"Mordred help me."
Mordred stops dead in his tracks at the sound of his name, the sound of his feet against the pavement of the citadel stopping. "Aislinn what's wrong?" he asks turning in the direction of the lower town "Aislinn?" for a few seconds there is no reply.
Almost immediately Mordred begins running back towards the lower town "Aislinn, hang on I am on my way." Running as fast as he can down the stone path leading from the citadel and down into the lower town, heart beating in his ears, reaches the front door of Aislinn's home.
He pauses for a moment drawing his sword "Aislinn" and when there is no reply he opens the door throwing himself inside. At first nothing seems out of the ordinary but then he spots droplets of blood and his heart stops beating as soon as his eyes land on Aislinn who is lying almost unconscious on the floor. "Oh god Aislinn" he exclaims dropping to his knees beside her "what the hell happened?" Mordred rests her head on his knees "uh...Mor-" she says groggily before her eyes flutter shut and her head rolls to the side.
Mordred moves his eyes over her torso and is alerted to the blood stain under her left rib "oh crap" he says panicking slightly. "Come on, I've got to get you to Gaius" he whispers placing his arm under her knees and lifting her from the floor.
***
"Gaius!" Mordred shouts kicking open the door and it bangs against the wall.
Merlin and Gaius are sitting at the table eating some chicken and Gaius rises to his feet when he sees Aislinn. "What happened?" he asks walking over to her "I-I don't know, I found her like this" he says a little bit more frantically than he would like his eyes stinging with tears. Gaius moves Aislinn's hand and his eyes widen a little "okay, place her over there" he says gesturing towards the bed "and remove her top" he instructs and Mordred's insides freeze as he places her down.
Mordred hesitates for a moment listening to Gaius bustle about opening jars of herbs he slides his hand over the belt draped around her hips and removes it then starts on the buttons running down the middle of her leather vest. He quickly slides it off her and slips her white shirt over her head leaving her in nothing but her pants and a thing singlet. Gaius pops up next to him with a paste "let me work on her" he instructs which basically tells Mordred he should get out of his way. He stumbles back a little then finds Merlin a few feet from him.
"What happened?" Merlin questions looking suspiciously over him.
"I found her like this" he whispers and Merlin frowns "you think I did it?" Mordred asks in disbelief and Merlin doesn't reply. "Merlin I would never do that" he looks over at Aislinn whose hair is stuck to her neck and forehead with sweat "she is my best friend." Merlin nods "that is why you lied to Arthur" he says piecing together the puzzle "yes, we grew up together" Mordred says offering nothing more on the subject.
"Merlin fetch me some cloth and bandages" Gaius instructs as he places down the bowl and Merlin runs to one of the cupboard pulling out some bandages and a piece of cloth. "Here" Merlin says passing it to Gaius as he begins bandaging Aislinn's wound around a minute later Gaius stands up and that is when Mordred realizes something Aislinn's triskele tattoo is on her right ribcage. "We need to let her rest for awhile it's advisable that she doesn't work tomorrow either" he says "could you tell Guinevere that?" Mordred asks and Gaius nods "of course."
Mordred walks up to Aislinn and wipes the strands of hair from her face "if you don't get better I won't be to impressed matchstick" he whispers laughing a little then he straightens up and turns to Gaius "thank you Gaius" Mordred says. Gaius gives a curt nod "my pleasure" he replies as Mordred heads for the door and walks down the hall.
***
Aislinn's eyes flutter open when the daylight interferes with the darkness that her eyelids create. The surroundings however aren't her own and she flings herself up before a sharp pain tears over her ribs and she cries out then there are hurried footsteps and Merlin appears in the archway.
"You're awake" he smiles as she slumps back down on the bed "I feel like I've been run over by a horse" Aislinn remarks and Merlin laughs a little which causes her to laugh but she regrets it immediately when it causes her pain. "How did I get here? All I remember was Mordred and then nothing" she says and Merlin drags a chair over and sits beside the bed. "What happened?" he asks lifting up the sheet to check her bandages "I can't remember" she lies and Merlin's head snaps up "that isn't nothing" he points out and Aislinn frowns.
"Promise you can keep a secret?" she asks glancing over at the door.
"Anything" Merlin says "especially from Mordred?" she asks and he nods.
"You promise to keep what a secret?" a voice asks and Aislinn's head snaps towards the door. Mordred is leaning up against the door frame with his arms crossed and his eyebrow raised "please do enlighten me" he pushes himself off the door frame and sits on the edge of the bed waiting for her to explain.
Aislinn sighs glaring at him for a few seconds and then falls silent trying to recall what happened "after you walked me home I went inside and then you went back on duty." She trails off "one of the smugglers..Devon was in my house and he attacked me" Merlin's face drops and Mordred's contorts with anger "what happened to him?" Merlin asks "he left and don't know what happened to him, I did manage to tear up his face quite a bit" she says.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mordred snaps.
"Because it was nothing" she in forms him calmly and he looks a little hurt "so you call you almost dying nothing?" He asks shouting slightly "Mordred" Aislinn warns. "Do you know what it's like walking in and seeing your best friend pretty much dead on the floor?" She frowns "Mordred" Aislinn warns again but he keeps going. "I lost you once but seeing you like that was enough" she glares at him and they both say nothing "fine" he spits getting up from the edge of the bed and storming out.