Chapter 5:Solitude
It was the morning of the third day and Gwen was up and about sweeping the floor when Aya walked into the room, he watched her for a moment before carefully taking the broom from her hands,
"You don't have to do that you know", said Aya as he stared intently into her eyes
" no I must, both you and….Kai have not only watched over, but also took care of me these last five days…I wouldn't feel right if I didn't repay your kindness…..I mean you even spared someone I cared about from death..without ever knowing the relationship between he and I, for that I thank you" He smiled deeply with gratification
"I'm happy to help….. and today I shall make a way for you to return home..You've already lost much time here….Time that can't be returned to you…."
Gwen shook her head, " you can't…I mean… you'll be exposed….."
"You needn't worry about that, everything will be just fine and you needn't worry about your life …Kai and I will protect you until your back into the arms of your friends and family"
"But I can't leave yet!"
"and why's that?"
"because….because ..you need me to help you break the curse…, After all, I know the area much better than you'
"but not long ago you said you've never been outside of Camelot's walls and it was all that you knew"
" you must be mistaken …I said I've never lived outside of Camelot's walls, but as a commoner I'm very familiar with the towns and it's people… Please don't shut me out I'm begging you" Gwen bowed and Aya slowly walked toward her grasping her face within his hands forcing her to stare at him
"my lady….you must bow to no one…"
"and I told you ….I'm no LADY!"
"but you are to me…and a lady should not endure what Kai and I have and will possibly yet again go through…You can not protect us and I won't allow you to risk your life doing so… right now we can't continue our quest, and protect you both…The danger is just far tooo great and I will never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you… please Gwen trust me..this is for the best"
She violent shook her head and backed away
" No…. I won't leave you like this…never knowing what became of you, or.. him…I owe you my life and I intend to repay the debt"
"In that case…I'll do my best to see you home safely for that is payment enough…..You will leave today ….please…forgive me" Aya then walked out of the door and Gwen fell to her knee's
Elsewhere,
Merlin was reporting to Arthur's room as he had done so many times before with his breakfast only to discover that his bed had not been slept in.. He decided to check the place where Arthur was last seen the night before which was the highest tower within the castle. Once inside the foyer doors he slowly gazed up to the top of the tower's atrium in distaste
"My God! What the hell was he thinking!" annoyed he climb to the very top of the tower until he reached the end of the stairway and then a very exhausted and frustrated Merlin flung open the door and collapsed to his knees
"What are you huffing and puffing about, it wasn't that bad of a climb" Merlin turned around to see Arthur sitting well relaxed and peaceful against the wall taking in the morning air.
"You have some nerve you know that..Camelot could be on the verge of war, not to mention your father has just recently awaken and all you can do is sit and mope around without a care in the world. I don't get what your problem is..? " Arthur stared blindly into Merlin's eyes
" My problem is I... want ..to be.. left.. alone, I can't very well run the kingdom if my hearts not in it, and as far as my father is concerned it's great news that he's come around, but now that he's awake he can look after things, because I want to be left alone" Merlin walked over and stared at Arthur sitting down with sore eyes as if he's been up all night crying
"This is about Gwen isn't it?"
"What's it matter if it is or isn't?..She's gone now and it's time we accept that …I think…I should leave Camelot" Merlin grabbed Arthur by his shirt and pushed him into a wall as he tried to leave.
"You know what your problem is?"
" NOoooo Merlin what is my problem…"
"Your..a self- centered …pompous ...P..I…G that's what.."
"you know I ought to have you put in the stocks for that!"
" Go ahead and try it no one's listening and they way I see it.. It'll be welcomed once I finished with what I've got to say to you….."
" I think I've heard enough" Arthur tried to walk away and Merlin pushed him back into the wall
"Ohhhh…..you haven't heard nearly enough…..You act like you are the only one whose loss someone and the only one who cared….Well I've got news for you…we all loved her…each and every one of us loss something that day but none of us are ready to pack up and run ….because to do so would dishonor her memory or have you forgot what she did it for …or shall I say whom…. "
"That's not fair! And you have no rightttttttt!"
"And why not!"
"Because no one loved her like I did!..." Arthur broke free of merlin's grasp he walked away as if to catch his breath before facing him again and pointed his finger at him as if to make a point, Her last words to me were ," Protecting you, is protecting Camelot and all of those who follow you" now tell me how am I suppose to protect an entire realm of people when I can't even protect the one person that I love"
"It's simple Arthur….. it's for the well-being of the many ….Don't you understand….She gave her life so that you may live and protect the many…she did what so many of us would of done…, and you shouldn't be ashamed of it…It doesn't make you a weak …prince…, but a stronger one …that is if you're willing to endure It as so many of us have…bare the pain Arthur and I'll bare it with you and…I'll also protect you …"
"You! What can you do ? and I don't know if I want you baring anything..."
merlin rolled his eyes and let out a breath of air " The same as Gwen …of course...ensure that you full fill your destiny…."
"..Sorry Merlin …,but I think I'll have a better chance If I look after myself….After all Gwen may of taken an arrow for me.., but with your clumsiness …..I'm positive it would of missed and we wouldn't be having this conversation..right now"
"ahha ..if only you knew"
"knew what..?"
"Knnnneww…how glad we all are that your alive"
"sometimes you surprise me merlin.."
"We'll if I didn't do that, things could become quite boring…"
"Let's say we go see father…"
"No…you go ..on ahead….If you don't mind I have to go to the forest…and…ah"
"Never mind merlin…I think I'm perfectly capable of visiting father on my own… Now get going will you…I'm sure you'll want to get back before dark.
"Right…uhhh why before dark"
"becuase...my armor needs cleaning..my boots need ...well you know what to do with those and let's not forget my dinner" Arthur slapped merlin on the back before leaving first
and merlin whisperd behind his back " Well I guess he's feeling better already..."
Meanwhile,
Gwen had found that she had fallen asleep on the floor, as she awoke she had realized that no one had come to wake her, and thought that perhaps Aya had changed his mind and allowed her to stay, however, her excitement was to be short lived as she noticed him sleeping peacefully in the chair with his legs crossed. She thought that if she made him comfortable he would sleep for a while and not take her home, but she didn't want her fate to rest on that alone, so she decided to leave the cottage. She thought that if she hid in the woods until nightfall that he would rethink his decision, listen to reason and allow her to stay longer.
Once outside she saw wisdom's tree and began to remember that fateful night long ago. The memories played out in her head as she slowly walked towards the tree, reached within the hallow and was stunned to feel it there, the sword that her father had fashioned long ago still tied with a red string. She grabbed it and ran into the woods hoping to elude Aya for a time, and before she knew it dusk quickly approached, and moments there after darkness, then she heard it …the snap of a twig….As She slowly turned around she found herself face to face with a face of a man from the past… her mother's killer.
"Your that bandit who stabbed my mother while she was picking wild berries.. I swore to myself that day I would never forget your face"
"I can't rightly say …I've killed so many …she must not of been a beauty or I would of remembered her face…"
Gwen raised her hand and slapped the bandit, before she could go for an encore he grabbed her hand, threw her to the ground and held a knife to her neck
She fought than forcefully spoke," Is that it…! Does holding a knife to a woman's neck make you feel like a man, because you're no gentleman!"
He straddled her between his legs threw away the knife and grabbed her neck with his left hand, allowing her just enough air to breath but not speak, he then licked her cheek and Gwen let out a small whimper
" Aren't you a pretty…..I may not remember her, ….that mother of yours you claimed I killed , but I definitely won't forget you!" He then ripped open her bodice, struggling for air she said in a faint whisper
"What do you want from me?"
"Your tears…..and something more.."
She thought of Arthur, she didn't cry when Uther slapped her, she didn't even scream when she was hit by the arrow meant for arthur …
"You're not worth my tears…I'll see you in hell first…!" And with every ounce of strength she slapped him again scratching his face and in turn he punched her expelling blood from her lips and still she did not cry, so he backed slapped her scratching her flesh with his ring. A ring she recognized belonging to one of the knights of Camelot. Her eyes grew wide with amazement and then he noticed that she recognized him and decide that she could not live.
"You know who I am don't you girl! This is really quite unfortunate, either way I'm afraid the outcome would have been the same"
"Then why don't we change her fate", said a voice in the distance
Confident that Gwen wouldn't be able to move in her shaken state, Lord Robert left her lying on the ground as he stood to his feet, unsheathed his blade and stood before a man in a black cloak,
"I've killed many a man in my day and you won't be the last, but I'll let you live if you'll keep walking, mind your own business, and leave the winch to me, unless you desire the same fate as she."
Lord Robert snickered and then cocked his head to the side before rushing for the man in the black cloak whom appeared to be unarmed. Then without revealing his identity the hooded man brought forth his sheathed sword and clunked him on the head forcing him to the ground.
"Have these been normal time's I would of killed you, but I take no pleasure in killing a drunken man who can't properly defend himself"
He then rushed to gwenevier's side as she struggled to her feet, unknowing whom he was she ran but only a few feet before tripping over the sword that lord Robert threw away. He ran to help her up and she fought, in the tussle she slapped the cloak from his head revealing his blue eyes that illuminated in the moonlight
"Oh my god, Kai…I'm so sorry ….forgive me ..I'm so sorry…."
"There's nothing to forgive let's get you back , lean on my shoulder I'll help you"
"No…NO ..I don't want to go back!"
"Gwen you must …I wasn't here to protect you, now what makes you think that you will be so lucky in the future!"
She fell to her knees picked up the sword that she tripped over, which was still bound by the red string, "I don't need you to protect me if you'll please just teach me how to use this…"She then prostrated herself from a knee position and lifted up the sword, presenting it to him as if he were a god.
Kai knelt down to her level and lifted her chin, "Gwen I'm but a man, not a god, but a man and you bow to no one"
"~But how else would you know my intentions are noble if I don't ask in this way?"
"By looking into my eyes…and I will see the truth…You have suffered much loss and great sadness, but if I do this you must promise me…..that you'll return to your home…"
"~but… I want …to …help…" Kai put his finger between her lips as if to shush her "No if's, ands or buts'…It's either this way or not at all…,because I assure you …Aya will not help you…"
"And why is that brother?"
Kai's eyes glowed vibrantly as he heard the voice within his head…he turned around and saw Aya perched upon the shoulder of a man ….then Gwen turned and her eyes were met face to face with those of Merlin, and three large trees behind him …making sure not to make his presence known… was Gawain..watching ..as everyone stood silently …
"Gwen" was all Merlin could say quietly as his eyes met with hers, and Gwen was all Gawain thought as his eyes were captivated by both her appearance and posture,…..and without knowing the matter…he clenched tightly his sword as if someone were going to have hell to pay