Chapter 34: Light in The Dark
It was nightfall and Arthur, Gwaine and Merlin were trying to enter the castle with difficulty.
"Merlin, can't we just use your magic?" Gwaine asked, getting frustrated.
Merlin frowned and shock his head. "No, Mordred could scene it. I don't want to risk it." He said.
"Not even a little?" Arthur asked, he too, was frustrated and eager to see Lyra again.
Merlin stared at Arthur, stunned; Arthur actually wanted to use magic?! Wow! "Arthur, we can't if Mordred finds out that we're here, he'll kill you."
"I need to know if Lyra's alright. If we can't use magic. We'll get in another way."
Gwaine and Merlin exchanged worried glances, and then they said together, "How?"
Arthur turned to them and grinned. "Theres only one way I can think of..."
"Where?"
"The sewers." Arthur said.
Gwaine shock his head and said "No way... No chance... Forget it!" and Merlin pulled at his hair and almost cried out in horror at the very idea.
"How else do you plan to get there then?" Arthur asked. Merlin and Gwaine didn't reply. "Come on then!"
Mordred and Lyra were in their chambers. Lyra was reading and Mordred was just lying there looking at the ceiling.
"Don't you have work to do... I mean, King duties and that...?" Lyra asked.
The two of them hadn't spoken properly to each other since the end of the picnic.
Mordred glanced at her then looked back at the ceiling. "No. I finished yesterday. I'll be free all week unless theres something important happening."
Lyra nodded and placed her book on her bedside table. "OK..." She got under the covers and was about to go to sleep when Mordred's voice stopped her.
"What are you doing?" he asked her.
Lyra turned to face him. "I'm going to sleep, what does it look like I'm doing?"
"It's a bit early, isn't it?" He asked.
"It's nightfall, Mordred." She said, looking out the window, which was pitch black.
Mordred followed her gaze. "OK, but lets at least have dinner first."
"I'm not really hungry."
Mordred rolled his eyes. "What the matter?"
"Nothing..." Lyra said.
"Don't lie, Lyra. You're terrible at it." Lyra sat up, her legs crossed under the covers.
She looked at Mordred. "...I'm fine..."
"You're worried about something, aren't you?" Mordred read her like a book sometimes. "Be honest."
"I can't tell you..." She said, gazing at her ring. "It's not just one thing..."
Mordred smiled and gently took her chin and she looked in his eyes and he looked in hers.
And before they knew it...They were kissing passionately.
It seemed as though all Lyra's problems had vanished.
Merlin and Gwaine were both holding their noses and crawled up the sewer, Arthur behind them.
"I can't believe you talked us into this!" Gwaine moaned.
Arthur laughed at his statement, he didn't know how he did either! "It's disgusting!" Merlin hissed.
There was a sound from above them and some rotten vegetables and other rubbish fell about an inch from Gwaine and as Merlin and Arthur burst out laughing, the same thing happened to Merlin.
"Merlin... You've got a bit of carrot in your hair..." Arthur said to Merlin. "At least, I hope it's carrot."
They had reached the weapons room about twenty minutes later. "What now?" Gwaine asked, brushing his clothes with his hands.
"We find Lyra!"
Mordred and Lyra were staring into each others eyes and stayed that way for ages.
"I love you." Mordred said. Lyra smiled.
"I love you more." Lyra replied.
Mordred smiled this time. "I love you most." Lyra was stunned, in a good way. Arthur never won the I love you battles... But Mordred... He did.