Chapter six.
Aislinn is walking through the lower town carrying a basket of washing for the Queen that is to be returned the next day washed and cleaned. The market is bustling with people buying for their daily wares like food and clothing items, the fabric lined on various tables are bright and exotic colours with shades of pink and purple she has never seen in her life. It kind of reminded her of the market places she had visited on her travels in Mercia, the colours, the smells, the sight, the sounds her eye is caught by a necklace on a stall and she wonders over to is in no particular rush to get home.
She holds the pendant of the necklace in the palm of her hand observing the twisted metal before her eyes land on a wind chime nailed to the wooden post with cut amethyst gems and feathers hanging from it. Aislinn holds her hand up so the tip of the amethyst is lying in her palm as she examines the gem "excuse me sir how much is that?" she asks the man alerting him to the fact that he has a customer. "Oh sorry love, that there is two gold pieces" he says taking it down and passing it to her for her to admire "it's lovely" she says moving to observe the feathers.
"Thank you" she says passing it back to the man and he smiles at her then places it back on the nail Aislinn shifts the basket in her grip and heads back off towards her house. "Like anything?" she hears someone ask as a hand is placed on the small of her back and she swings around "are you following me?" she asks as her eyes land on Mordred. "Or do you have nothing better to do than run around after me?" Mordred gives some sort of smirk "truthfully, if you require an answer it is a little bit of both" he says looking around at the market "got to make up for lost time" he tells her.
"You're going home early" he remarks as Aislinn wonders over to a stall that has assortments of flowers out the front and he follows "Guinevere let me go home early" she says picking up a purple flower and sniffing it. "Well aren't you lucky" he says picking up some flower and looking over its orange leaves Mordred picks up a bunch of purple, red and blue flowers observing them just as he did the last one. "I like those" Aislinn says running her finger over the petal of one of the red roses "so do I" he says glancing at her then glancing at the man "just this thanks" Mordred says to the man as he hands over two gold pieces.
"Thank you sir knight" the man says grinning like Mordred has just done him a great justice Aislinn is still clutching the basket studying a daisy when a bunch of flowers is shoved in her face "what are they for?" she asks taking the bouquet with a smile on her face. "For you, to brighten up your kitchen it is a bit dull" he informs her and Aislinn laughs "thank you" she says leaning up and kissing him on the cheek "you're too good to me" Aislinn swears she sees Mordred blush a little. "Well I just want to help you get on your feet" he says "come on" Mordred grabs her arm and leads her down the street to her house.
"Don't you have work to be doing?" she asks as he opens the door for her and guides her inside "no not tonight I am on night duty every second night or when they need someone" Aislinn nods not really understand a word of what he just said. "So you decide to spend every free moment cluttering up my kitchen?" Mordred laughs "it is because I love you so much I never want to be away from you." He says and she rolls her eyes not realizing that there was truth behind his words "I'm sure you do Mordred" Mordred goes and sits at the table "so what are we having for dinner?" he asks tapping his fingers on the table.
"Oh you think we are having dinner together?" she asks pulling out a vase from under the sink and placing the flowers in it "yes" he pauses "for a matter of fact I do" Aislinn places the vase down in the middle of the table and scoffs at him "there is some left over stew in the pot". Her eyes motioning over to the cauldron in the fireplace Mordred unbuckles his cloak and draper it next to him as Aislinn lights the candles on the table. "There is a place for that" she says sitting across from him "I think I will just keep it there thanks" he says smiling up at her and she frowns at him and he smiles back at her.
"So what is in the stew?" he asks "carrots, beef, potatoes and peas" she says leaning on her hand "sounds lovely" he says eying her face "if you want you can go back to the palace" Aislinn suggests and he shakes his head.
"Do you remember that time we got lost in the forest of Ascetir during winter?" she asks suddenly running her hands through her hair "yes, you thought you knew your way around then you got us lost". Mordred laughs "you also caught a cold and neither of us thought to light a fire using our magic" Aislinn makes a clicking noise with her tongue "it wasn't my fault" Mordred glances up at her. "Okay if that helps you sleep at night" Mordred laughs a little at his own joke "oh it does" she says smirking "so you are saying you dream about me?" Mordred asks and she scoffs.
"Don't put words in my mouth Sir Mordred" she smirks placing emphasis on the sir "anyway they would be more like nightmares" Mordred squint at her "I'm sure my gorgeous face could provide some relief" he jokes. "You are such an idiot" she says shaking her head at him "sometimes I wonder how you became a knight" Aislinn says getting up from her seat. "My wit, charm and amazing fighting skills" he says proudly watching her as she grabs two bowls and walks to the pot "you could do with a lesson on foot work" she taunts pouring food into the bowls. "There is nothing wrong with my footwork" he says getting to his feet "it is your imagination" Aislinn grins "or you're just a crap fighter."
Mordred reaches for a bowl but she pulls it away from him and sets it down on the table placing hers down seconds later. "So you think I am a crap fighter?" he asks stepping towards her "you shouldn't take everything so literally" Mordred grabs her wrist and twists her arm behind her back. Aislinn grunts "it's been a long time since you've done that" she laughs and he lets go of her wrist "just wanted to see if I could do it again" he says "I didn't mean to hurt you". Her heart returns to its normal pace and she calms down "that is alright, just eat your dinner and shut up".
Mordred is dragging the spoon through his stew looking down at the contents while running through the meaning of his existence in his head, not just the meaning of his existence there is a lot of other things stewing around in his mind.
"Is something bothering you?" Aislinn asks her spoon dangling just over her stew and Mordred raises his gaze "no why?" he asks his facial expression turning blank and she sighs resting her spoon against the side of the bowl. "Mordred I know you better than that, don't lie to me" she says softly and he sighs dropping his spoon into the bowl "just stuff" he says running his hands through his hair. "Well want to tell me about this stuff?" Mordred frowns how can he possibly tell her that his problems are all because of her and they always have been ever since they were kids, everything he did. Trying to keep her out of trouble, always looking out for her, it was her it was always for her.
"No it's just this girl" he says glancing quickly down at the table "a girl" Aislinn says nodding biting her bottom lip "and who is this girl?" she asks surveying him "you wouldn't know her" he lies "it's just nothing" Mordred trails off. Aislinn raises her eyebrow "Mordred it isn't just nothing" she pauses "you were joking around a few minutes ago and now you are acting like it is the end of the world".
Mordred sighs and runs his hand through his hair again tossing up between telling her he's loved her since they were children or completely lying to her. She will know you're lying, she always knows he thinks to himself and he sighs again "you can't hate me for this" he begins "promise me you won't hate me". Aislinn examines his face "what have you done?" she asks worry lines forming in her brow "it's nothing bad calm down" he bites his lip his palms slippery with sweat.
***
"I love you" he says.
Aislinn frowns a little not sure she heard his words properly "you what?" she asks just for clarity and he rolls his eyes as if asking him to repeat his last words were like asking him to slay a dragon and bring her it's heart. "I-I love you" he says again stuttering as he says it and Aislinn leans back in the chair sighing "Mordred" she begins and then suddenly gets angry "you can't just spring that on someone". There is hurt in Mordred's eyes but he doesn't say anything for a long time and there is a tense silence Aislinn pulls out her chair grabbing both her and Mordred's bowls and drops them into the sink.
"Now you're angry at me" he says softly getting up and following her "I'm not angry at you Mordred" she says rubbing her forehead "yes you are" he says placing his hand on her arm."No one has ever said that to me you know? I've never been special to anyone" she says her voice dropping down to a whisper and her sentence barely audible "you've always been special to me" he says and she turns towards him "you could do so much better than me" she whispers. Mordred's expression turns to a mixture of anger and hurt "I don't think you get it Aislinn" he says "I-" he goes to say something but becomes angry "you know what never mind" he growls grabbing his cloak.
"Just forget about it" he says angrily before he heads out the door slamming it as he leaves "no, I don't think you get it" she whispers before she places her hand over her mouths and sinks to the floor her eyes burning with tears.
***
An hour later Aislinn is still curled up on the floor her head hidden in her knees while she runs through a thousand and one "what ifs?" in her head, what if she just lost her best friend? What if that was the wrong thing to say to him? What if she just missed her chance at telling him that she kind of felt the same way about him? It was just what if after what if. Aislinn lifts her head up momentarily glancing around the room when she noticed a person standing in the doorway causing her to blink twice to make sure he is really there.
"Who are you?" she asks scrambling to her feet going to back away but she finds the kitchen counter blocking her path "calm down m'lady" he says smirking "I'm not going to hurt you...much" he says the smile returning to his lips. Aislinn goes to run for the back door only to be stopped by a man twice her size "where do you think you are going sweetheart?" he asks pushing her back. Aislinn takes a few steps back then goes to take a swing at him but the man catches her fist in his hand twisting her arm behind her back before he pushes her towards the table sending her toppling over it breaking the vase.
She goes to get up but stops when she feet the tip of a blade against her neck "I was hoping for more of a challenge really" the first man says "we were told you were a great fighter" he pauses bringing his fist up "maybe it just isn't your day" he says bringing his fist down on her face.
When Aislinn comes to she is lying on a stone floor in a small pool of her own blood bound at the wrists and dazed with a pair of feet in front of her "ugh, this has to stop happening" she groans trying to lift herself up off the floor. "Good morning" she hears a woman's voice say and Aislinn's eyes land on the source of the voice, a woman dressed in black with raven coloured hair and skin almost as pale as snow. Around her neck hangs a silver triskele necklace and Aislinn glances her up and down taking her in to make sure she is actually real. She can't help but thinking she needs a physician the pale colour of her skin making her looks sickly, almost like she is dying.
"Who are you?" she asks groggily pulling herself to her knees and the woman smiles then laughs "I'm a bit hurt that you don't know who I am Aislinn" Aislinn squints at her "well I see we are at a disadvantage" Aislinn says "you know who I am but I don't know who you are." The woman smirks then turns on her heal taking a few steps towards the throne behind her before she turns again and neatly seats herself on the throne.
"I am the lady Morgana."