Chapter eight.
"What do you mean you can't spare anyone?" Mordred asks following Arthur almost nipping at his heals "I'm sorry Mordred but we're on the brink of war sending knights bursting into Morgana's castle would be an act of war, it simply can't be done" he says. Mordred stops short looking over his king Arthur looks solemnly over the young knight who's eyes are watery he places his hand on his shoulder "I'm sorry Mordred, I truly am" Arthur goes to walk away but Mordred stops him. "I'll go then" he says remorsefully Arthur stops "you can't" he says turning towards him "I won't let you."
Mordred looks back at him "with all due respect my lord I am not asking your permission" he says softly before completely turning towards him "I can't leave her with Morgana" he trails off "not there." Mordred then turns and walks off down the hall with Arthur watching "it's a trap!" Arthur calls and the young knight stops "I know" he says before rounding the corner and disappearing from sight.
***
He leaves just after the sun has dipped behind the horizon and all the light of day is gone, replacing his cloak bearing the crest of Camelot for one the colour of dirt with a circular latch and he only carries his sword, a satchel, food and blankets all traces of him being a knight of Camelot are gone. He runs along the pavement as light on his feet as he possibly can go without attempting to fly blending into the pillars before he sprints to the stables untying the nearest horse mounting it before he speeds off. Mordred didn't understand it- well actually he did but then again he didn't, Arthur had risked his own live to save other servants such as Guinevere and her brother but refused to – or simply couldn't go and save Aislinn providing she was still alive.
However he couldn't afford to think like that her clinging onto life was better than her not being alive at all. Some part of him despised Arthur for his decision, he had saved Guinevere years ago and not given a second thought to it, was it different because it was the woman he loved? Would he forgive Mordred for doing the same thing? He hoped so but he wouldn't go back to Camelot seeking forgiveness for something he felt no need to forgive.
Betrayal is a horrible dagger to feel but and an even bigger dagger to wield.
Maybe he shouldn't have betrayed her and Aislinn wouldn't be where she is now, it's just another thing that he has caused to happen and another person would obtain the consequences. It was never him to bear the repercussions of what he's done it was always someone else but now it was her.
Mordred knew how dangerous this could be, the thought – among other things had crossed his mind while he was shoving blankets and other essentials into his satchel. There was a possibility he wouldn't come back and there was a possibility neither of them would come back. Even if he couldn't afford to think like that he still did, despite some form of imagination he held Mordred was a realist – he looked at things how they were and saw how they could be if nothing was done about it. Mordred pulls on the reigns guiding his horse to jump over the dry creek bed its back leg slipping a little bit but regains composure and continues galloping along the trail.
There are people that say when you kill a man something changes; she had killed men dozens of times but never like that. She had never heard them gasp for their last breath, felt their blood or watch the life drain from their eyes and it haunted her. Aislinn jumps slightly when the key to her cell door is thrust in the lock but it isn't a guard it's Morgana who is opening the cell door. Aislinn lifts her head up from her knees glaring at her Morgana looks around the cell before looking at her "dine with me" she says but it isn't a request it's an order.
The guard who stands watch outside Aislinn's cell comes in and unbinds the ropes around her wrist and Aislinn sighs in relief but soon the relief is gone and then there is only a searing pain and dry blood. The guard then pulls Aislinn to her feet pushing her towards Morgana once she is all the way up "appears you trust me enough" she hisses and Morgana smirks. "It's funny because I don't but even if you did escape there is no way you would get out of here alive" she says smiling before she turns and heads down the hall and up a flight of stairs.
All the way to the dining room Aislinn considers escape, which windows she would climb out which hallways she would go down and how she would defend herself. She always had a knack for escape plans, not so much when she was younger though because she had always had Mordred to get her out of trouble. This time it wasn't the case she didn't need his help – or maybe she did but she didn't want it. However despite her hopes and Morgana's warning she knew the possibility of making it out alive was slim. "Come, sit" Morgana instructs placing her hands on the back of the seat that she would like her to sit in Aislinn glances up at her before carefully taking her seat. Morgana then proceeds to take the seat next to her at the head of the table.
There is no one else in the room besides the two of them, save for the guard that is standing beside the door to make sure Aislinn doesn't try anything funny. It wouldn't be funny though, it would be deadly before she had considered using her magic but stopped when she remembered Morgana was a high priestess and from what Aislinn could remember about them it wasn't good. Morgana addresses her but she doesn't hear the entire sentence but she is pulled out of her thoughts in time to hear her repeat it again "you must eat" she says pushing Aislinn's plate towards her. Aislinn eyes her "I'm not hungry" Aislinn says.
Morgana raises her eyebrow and gives her a look which basically tells her to eat or she will shove it down her throat. Aislinn picks up a grape and rolls it around between her thumb and index finger before biting into it, there is a long awkward silence between Aislinn and Morgana until Morgana decides to break it. "How long have you known Mordred?" she glances up at Morgana and places her grape down before answering "quite a while actually" she says not wanting to reveal anything to Morgana.
She nods and then the silence is back again until Aislinn thinks of something to say "What makes you think Mordred will come for me?" she asks taking a sip of water while looking up at her dining companion. "Because" she begins scoffing a little "the knights of Camelot are all the same; threaten something they love and they will ignore their better instincts to try get it back." Aislinn eyes her "Mordred is no ordinary knight" she says and Morgana lets out a petty laugh "I know, he is a druid" she pauses "but yet so are you" Aislinn chokes on her water stunned that she could tell. "I'm flattered that you think so little of me but do you not think another magical being could sense another?" she asks leaning on her elbows "or do you not think Devon would have told me?" Aislinn glares at her.
"So I'll ask you again how long have you known him?"she asks again this time Aislinn knew she was fishing for information and why not give it to her? "eighteen – well almost nineteen years" she says simply, glaring at her captor. "You were born in the same camp as him?" Morgana asks "yes" Aislinn replies annoyed at the questions. "Devon informs" she pauses remembering Devon is dead "informed me" she corrects herself "that you came to his camp around the age of ten, is that correct?" she asks again.
"Yes, are we done playing twenty questions?" Aislinn asks impatiently and Morgana frowns clearly frustrated with her stubbornness "for now" Morgana says waving her hand forward before Aislinn is escorted back to her cell.
***
From what Mordred can remember Morgana's castle is within the next few kilometres but he isn't sure whether he should leave his horse here and travel on foot or try to blend in and get in that way. Either way Morgana will be waiting for him, she was no fool and she knew that he would be coming for Aislinn. Mordred covered his face with a cloth mainly to hide his face but to also to keep it warm and headed off over a hill covered in snow.
It takes about another hour but Morgana's castle comes into view and it would have taken him even longer to get to this point if he had chosen to walk. Once he enters the compound he dismounts tying his horse up and carefully looking around to make sure no one has recognized him. He was there and Aislinn was so close now he just needed to get in.
***
Aislinn's entire body is numb save for her fingers which she can still move without some form of pain. If she didn't know any better and if Morgana didn't need her then she could have swore she was dead, maybe for a few moments she was, maybe it would be better is she was. Aislinn tries to sit up but can't get halfway up without whimpering in pain, she can't remember what Morgana did to her and to be honest she didn't want to know. All she knew was that she was in a lot of pain, everything from her waist down was warm, and she was bleeding.
She hears the cell door open and without having to look up she knows it is Morgana "do you have nobody else to torture?" Aislinn asks mumbling into her arm and she hears Morgana laugh. "I have something for you but if you don't want it" Morgana turns and goes to head out but stops "even if you don't want it you're going to get it anyway" seconds after she hears her say that Aislinn's head is covered with a bag and a rope tied around her neck.
She is pulled down a series of hallways, her legs screaming and threatening to give way with every step, the trip to wherever they are going seems to take forever until she hears doors being pulled open and her knees slam against the concrete floor. After around half a minute of careful deliberation she comes to the conclusion she must be in the throne room and Morgana must be standing a few feet in front of her because she can hear her heels tapping against the floor as she moves around. The seam of the bag is rubbing against her neck and the rope holding it in place causes even further irritation.
"So what are you up to Morgana?" she asks her breath circulating around the bag and settling against her face "patients, patients" Morgana says "you will find out in due time." Something is nagging at Aislinn and she just knows that whatever Morgana has got planned it isn't going to be good. Not too long after Morgana falls silent the lock to the doors slides back the doors open and then there are footsteps but there isn't just one pair.
There is no sound after the footsteps stop next to her until Morgana gives a vindictive laugh "oh look Aislinn we have company" she says and Aislinn can swear there is a hint of joy in her tone. "You may remove the bags and their bindings" seconds later she can feel a pair of hands undoing the binding on her hand, then the same pair of hands are at the back of her neck undoing the rope and pulling the bag off. At first she is blinded but she doesn't know which is sweeter; the fresh air or being able to see five feet in front of her again. After her eyes adjust to the light she turns her head but as soon as her eyes land on the bloodied face she wishes Morgana hadn't taken off the blindfold.
"Mordred."