Percival
When they arrived at Camelot he knelt down before Drea again and explained that she needed to tell what had happened to Arthur. She seemed scared again at the thought of talking to the famous Prince, but she agreed anyway. He sensed that she did not want to let him down.
Sir Leon went to wake up Arthur. The others went to get the various council members. Percival lead Drea to the throne room where they all would gather. Arthur was the last one who arrived. Percival did not step away from Drea's side before the Prince came near. He could feel that she relied on him and he did not want to disappoint her trust.
During Arthur's careful interrogation, Percival let his eyes rest on the girl's face. There was something about her that reached in and touched him deeper than anything or anyone else had ever done before. Perhaps it was the look in those large, icy blue eyes, which were overflowing with a mix of confused and despaired emotions. Perhaps it was her frail voice that was like a beautiful musical instrument, even when it cracked and strained. Perhaps it was how her every feature; her hair, her skin, her lips, were so pale and delicate it made her seem like she was made of glass.
He sensed that so many wonderful things were hidden behind those eyes and within that slight form. Her heart was broken but all the beauty within it was shining through the cracks.
He realised that he really wanted to get to know Drea better.
Drea
The knights rode straight into the castle yard of Camelot. I had never been at a castle before. It was so big. Percival lifted me down from the horse's back and stable hands lead away the mounts. Then he knelt down in front of me and put his hand on my shoulder.
"Drea. I need you to tell my friend, Prince Arthur, about what happened in your village. He will want to know. And then he will find a way to stop the shadow beings, alright?"
Percival wanted me – me – to speak to the Prince of Camelot? I was about to object, tell him that I was too scared to talk to a royal. But I could not let him think I was a coward, or a baby.
"I'll tell him," I said, feeling so nervous that I was afraid I'd faint. Just don't leave me, Percival, I begged inside my head. I needed him there. None of the others seemed to understand me as he did.
A knight with curly hair said he would get Prince Arthur. The three others spread out to "gather the council". Percival took me to the throne room. It took a while before the council members began to turn up. I realised it was still so early that most of them would have been in bed. And it was my fault that they had to be woken. I really hoped they wouldn't be mad at me. A dozen or so council members, all men and most in very fine clothes, gathered in small semi-circles around me. Percival remained by my side up till the moment where the Prince stepped inside the room. He didn't wear a crown or anything else to mark him apart from the other knights, but I could tell it was him right away because of the way everyone else in the room seemed to sort of straighten in his presence. He also had a very noble countenance. I was so nervous that I was shaking. They might as well have asked me to speak to a god.
But Prince Arthur was really nice, and looked much younger when he came closer, than I'd thought he would. He asked my name and he only prodded me for the most important information. It was over within a couple of minutes, but he still took the time to look me in the eye and say thank you. I had not expected him to actually see me, but he did. I felt a little more confident afterwards.
They handed me over to an old, white-haired man.
"You are very brave, Drea," the old man said, eyeing me with one raised eyebrow. Then he smiled kindly. "My name is Gaius. I'm the court physician. Why don't you come with me. I'll fix you some breakfast and take a look at your feet."
"I'm not hungry," I said feebly.
"I understand that. But its best for you if you eat. Let's try, shan't we?"
When I walked out the door, not knowing if I would ever see Sir Percival again, I thought my heart would burst. But I told myself not to be silly. I'd known he would be out of my life sooner rather than later. I was just so afraid, for him and Prince Arthur and all the rest of them. The shadow beings were somewhere out there, and how would they hope to stop them? They could not be stopped. It was impossible. I was afraid they would ride to their deaths, all because of me.
I went with Gaius to his physician's quarters, which were nice and homely in a way, but it was also filled with books and lots of bottles and many other things I didn't know what was for. Gaius asked me to sit down on a bench by the table and from a cupboard he got an apple and some bread which he placed before me on a wooden plate together with a tankard of sweet elderflower lemonade.
"Try and see if you can eat a bit. It'll do you good," he said.
I ate a few bites, but it was like the food swelled up inside my mouth and almost stuck in my throat. After treating the sores on my feet, Gaius let me rest on a bunk in the room where he worked. I lay down and watched him go around his business. From time to time he talked to me, telling me about different things, like his apprentice Merlin, who was also Prince Arthur's manservant. I could hear he was very proud of him. Eventually I drifted off to sleep, finally finding a relief for my sorrow and anguish. I woke in the evening, feeling a little better.
