Right I felt guilty so I thought I'd post two chapters for being late with the first. This isn't my best, be warned 'cause I was kind of unsure how to write this with no medical knowledge. Again this is the excuse I'm sticking with even if it is slightly pathetic. Continue doing all the lovely stuff you've already done and thank you so much for all previous feedback and what not.
Cenred's POV
"You're late." I curled my lip as the witch entered the clearing I've been waiting in for nearly half an hour.
"I apologise Cenred, my companions insisted on waylaying me." She inclines her head and her blonde hair falls as curtains to frame that beautiful face of hers.
"It was you who sought an alliance with me not the other way round and therefore I expect you to be prompt."
"Again I apologise Cenred however it could not be helped if I was to keep my companions from getting suspicious." She's scowling and I hide my smirk at her anger. It lights her face perfectly and turns her into a true beauty.
"Well it cannot be helped but next time..." I left the threat in the air between us and then continued. "What has your brother got to say for himself?"
"My brother says as he always says: half of Camelot if you help him take it from the hands of Uthur Pendragon and put the rightful king upon the throne." I know she grows tired of this constant treaty making however she never gives me what I want.
"Sounds fair enough however I still do not get the prize I really want, Morgause."
She glares at me and her form becomes rigid. "Cenred I am not up for sale in this bargain. My brother's terms are more than fair and I am not some piece of meat in a market to be sold to the highest bidder."
"Come Morgause surly you would want to rule as queen over the greatest kingdom in Albion. The witch Queen of Essetir." I smirk knowingly. "You'd be married to a very handsome king as well if I may say."
"I shall not marry you for the sake of a treaty Cenred."
"So you might give the thought some time if it were not part of a treaty between your brother and I." Good, I seem to be making progress.
"Perhaps, however our possible union is not what's at question here. The treaty is." I like the sound of possible. I've been wanting to take Morgause as my queen and bed since I met her.
"Do you really think Arthur Pendragon will consent to this plan to dismantle his father and dissolve his kingdom?" I'm not worried about his happiness but I don't want him launching attacks at me every five minutes.
"Arthur Pendragon is currently enchanted by a druid girl and is putty in her hands. If I persuade that simpleton around to our way of thinking it will not be long before Arthur agrees."
"A druid girl, eh? A Pendragon in love with a druid?" The idea is inconceivable.
Morgause smirked. "I think if the girl's arrogant sister wasn't around they'd already be popping out babies."
Well that is an interesting development... Obviously Arthur Pendragon doesn't have the strength of Uthur or the resilience of a pretty face Uthur has. I wonder how a simple druid could catch a prince they all seem pretty plain modest creatures to me. Perhaps she is an oddity who actually looks something resembling handsome? But it is clear from Morgause's words that with this druid girl around there is no need to fear the prince's rage. O fools in love! "This is good a distracted lovesick Pendragon is better than an angry vengeful one"
"Indeed. So we have an agreement?" She is so blunt and unrefined.
"I think this can be beneficial for both of us Morgause." I held out my arm and she grasped it like a man would.
"Then an alliance has be formed. You would be wise not to break this oath Cenred."
I gesture for my men to bring forth my horse and as a way of parting I reply. "And you would be wise to consider my offer, Morgause."
With that I straddled my horse and left the Priestess alone in the clearing with the hope she will consent to make me a very happy man soon.
Morgana's POV
We heard the yells of spells and the flashes of fire and lights before we saw them and you can practically feel the magic reverberations. "Merlin!" I scream as fire streaks past her missing her narrowly.
"Morgana! Stay away! It's not-" But because she is screaming at me she loses concentration for a second and her body crashes against a rock with a sickening crunch.
"MERLIN!" I'm running towards her even though I know Balinor is still attacking."MERLIN! DON'T YOU DARE DIE!" I reach her and scoop her up onto my lap and clutch her to me and I try to find her pulse. It's there but faint. Dangerously faint.
She's not moving. Merlin my beautiful, kind, generous, clumsy sister is in my lap unmoving and hardly breathing. She can't die. Not now, she still has a destiny this isn't her time! She can't die! She hasn't- She isn't- IT'S NOT HER TIME! She is not going to die.
But her pulse is growing fainter and fainter. Her eyes still remain closed and her body still. I look up to Ambrosia who is just standing there. "HELP ME!"
Ambrosia shakes her head, wide eyes full of tears. "I can't. I don't have the power." The words are hollow and I feel my heart break with them.
"No there must be something we can do!" I'm still screaming but it's like one of my nightmares and I can't stop screaming in those either.
"Only the Triple Goddess can wake Merlin now. Only she can decide Merlin's fate." Ambrosia walks closer to me to try and touch Merlin but I bring Merlin closer to my chest and shy away from her.
"Merlin will wake up. She has to!" Then I try and scoop up her body in my arms and carry her but I fall beneath the weight of my sister. The dead weight of my sister. That's when I feel the tears fill my eyes and I'm not sure what happens next because the tears blur my vision but I feel Merlin's weight leave me and the murmur of Leon's voice and then somebody is helping me up and wrapping me in their arms. They're warm and I hear their soft whisperings in my ear but all I hear is one word. Merlin.
Arthur's POV
Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival and I are the successful hunters as we walk into camp and pack away our equipment and store the fruits of our labour so that no animals start nibbling at them. "So Arthur... You and Merlin not going to be a thing?" Surprisingly it was Lancelot not Gwaine who spoke.
"No can everybody stop speaking of bit now! Do I have to put out a royal proclamation about the fact?"
"Can't really do that at the moment, can you princess?" I really hate that nick name. And Gwaine knows it.
I scowl in response and all three men chortle then Percival speaks which is rare. "I think you should do what you want not what's expected of you Arthur Pendragon."
Another weird thing about Percival, he has taken to saying our full names instead of just our forenames. Why? I have absolutely no idea. "It's not that simple Percival and anyway now is hardly the time when we're on the run."
"Then when princess? Come on I can't wait to attend the wedding!" I hit Gwaine hard in the arm in response which leads to him shoving me back. So I shove back and it ultimately ends in the two of us wrestling on the floor with Lancelot and Percival chuckling at our antics. I know something is wrong when they abruptly stop. Gwaine notices to and we both turn look up to see what has drawn their attention.
My insides freeze as I see the bundle in Leon's arms. Merlin. Broken and silent. I break away from Gwaine and rush over to Leon not bothering to look at anybody else. I don't know what miracle of strength is keeping me standing but I just keep focused on her elfin face now with horrid red blood marring the intricate lines. The eyes are closed and her chest barely rising but the fact I see a few shallow breaths keep my feet walking towards Leon.
Without a word passing between us he hands her limp body to me and I cradle her thin frame in my arms. She so thin she's almost breakable and I hold her as gently as I can like I held my father's crown as a child- like a treasure. "Merlin." Is the only word I can utter as I look at her paler than normal face.
Somebody is standing at my side but I only have eyes for Merlin, trying to remember every feature of her face because I now that I might never have the chance to do so whilst there is at least some colour in her cheeks. "How the hell did this happen?"
Silence for a moment then. "I did it." My head snaps up at the proud voice of Balinor who looks almost happy at what he's done to Merlin. I feel myself shake with rage. "She is powerfully magic and she wished to harm Ambrosia . I couldn't allow that to happen."
The clearing is silent again as everybody absorbs what Balinor just said but then I manage to growl out. "Merlin would never have harmed Ambrosia."
"I know you fancy yourself in love with her Pendragon however she was going to turn on Ambrosia."
"She would not have turned on her own mother!" I find the words have fallen out of my mouth before I can stop them.
"Impossible! Ambrosia only has two children." Balinor dismisses it easily as if it's not even an option and I curse the man who can act so brazenly after hurting his own daughter. His own beautiful, wonderful, kind daughter. The girl who'd I'd rejected mere hours ago.
"Yeah. Well it's true." It's Percival's voice this time that replies and I'm glad because mine has faded. "Ambrosia Le Fay's daughter with the Dragonlord Balinor Calidonius! Congratulations Balinor you manage to kill your own daughter."
"No." The confidence in his voice has wavered. "No. Ambrosia would have told me."
A hoarse voice I barely recognised as Ambrosia's whispered. "Not if she begged me not to."
"But-" Then there was a silence and I knew I couldn't stay in the presence of the man who attacked Merlin much longer so I walked towards her tent the girl in question still cradled in my arms.
I haven't been in here much (well it's hardly proper) but I now realise there is barely any Merlin in this tent- no clutter, no magic books and no random projects that may or may not be dangerous- but there was still her scent which was a mixture of woodland, magic, flowers and bread. The Merlin in my arms only smells of blood her delicate smell extinguished by the metallic smell of the vivid red liquid.
I rest her down on the bed and then I grasp her small hand in mine and sit beside her. I feel as if I'm somehow willing her to live. Willing her to smile at me and tease me for thinking too hard. I'm trying to will Merlin back into existence as she fades and as desperately as I try to remember the positive beautiful things about Merlin the blood burns into my mind and feel warm, unfamiliar tears fill my eyes.
Merlin shouldn't be like this. I've seen my share of injuries in my life on the battlefield and in Camelot but Merlin should not be like this. Merlin should be unfailingly happy, full of life and trying to lighten everybody else's day just like she used to do.
Arthur OOC?