Chapter 24: Loyalty
Morgana led Lyra back to her chambers, both unwilling.
Morgana left her at the door and wished the princess luck. As Lyra closed the door and turned around, she was surprised to see Mordred sitting on a chair with a half eaten apple in his hand. "Where were you?" He asked her, and eyebrow raised. His voice was calm, but his eyes were full of anger.
Lyra hadn't moved since she saw Mordred sitting there... She knew to well that if she did tell him the truth Arthur, Morgana and Merlin would be in danger. And if she lied...Mordred would do something horrible.
"I was...I was..." Mordred was becoming impatient, and Lyra could see that. "I went to the village..." She lied.
Mordred threw the apple on the floor. "In your wedding dress? How odd..." He stood up and advanced on her. "I also recall locking the door." He reminded her. "You had help." Lyra stared at a crack on the floor and tried to ignore Mordred's piercing glare.
"No...I-I-" Mordred cut her of.
"Silence. You will regret this." He told her gripping hardly on her chin and forced her pale eyes to meet his. "If anything goes wrong today, you'll be locked in the dungeons until you show some loyalty." He spat.
Lyra didn't cry, she was used to his threats. She just looked up into his eyes and shuddered.
Mordred was right. Gwen was dying and there was nothing Gaius could do.
He estimated she had two days left. She hadn't spoken for a while and she was sweating all over.
There was an unexpected knock on the door and Gaius went to open it. "Who is-? Merlin?" It was. Merlin had decided to see him before the wedding and tell him the plan.
"Gaius, I have no time to explain. Arthur wants to rescue Lyra. Morgana is helping us and- Who is that?" He said so fast Gaius took a moment to come around.
"Merlin...I need your help...'Tis Gwen. A ruby cursed her." Merlin remembered Morgana telling Arthur and him about a ruby...
Arthur and Morgana waited awkwardly and quietly together, waiting for Merlin to return.
"How long now?" Arthur asked her.
Morgana glanced at him. "I don't know... Soon." She answered.