Camelot
May, 507 AD
Almost two whole days have passed since the last time I heard from my brother and I was starting to feel the agitation in my bones. I could barely take spoonfuls from the bowl of soup in front of me as my twisted intestines protested against it, and my hands shook slightly to make the task more difficult.
I felt as if I was tied above a blazing fire and now I'm just waiting for the inevitable burning anguish that is slowly but surely coming.
I jumped when something soft brushed against my cheek, but eased up when I realised that it was only Arthur reaching to touch it. He placed his hand fully on the side of my face and rubbed gentle circles with his thumb. His eyes were full of concern as they scanned me, and it caused me to gulp.
"Are you all right?" he asked, almost whispering.
I let out a shaky sigh and leaned into his touch for a second before I remembered that Agravaine, Gaius, George and my cousin are also in the room; so I grabbed his hand off my face and intertwined our fingers under the table instead, ignoring the sudden rush of coldness I felt at the loss of contact. "Yeah, why?"
"You zoned out, Star," Oliver piped in, his tone casual as he chewed on the bits of carrot from the soup.
Oops.
"I'm just worried about the guys, that's all," I mumbled.
To my surprise (and horror), Arthur nodded in agreement. "It has been two days. They should be back by now."
"There must be some delay at Longstead, Sire," Agravaine stated, appearing unconcerned.
Oh, no! What if he and the witches have another trick up their sleeves!? What if the mystery illness was a trap?! I know that they're seeking to get rid of Merlin and I, judging by recent events, so why wouldn't the conspiracy extend to the rest of the team!?
"If there was a delay, they would have sent word," Arthur countered while giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
"Then it must be the bridge is down at Brekfer River," the snake bastard suggested with a shrug, then he took a sip from his cup of wine.
"No, I already checked. A patrol passed through there yesterday," the King responded.
He has already checked?! So he has been worried about the guys for at least a couple of hours! I could've saved myself some inner torment if I'd gone to him sooner! What an interesting discovery...
Agravaine puffed. "Well, should I send some scouts out to search for them?"
Arthur sighed and turned to Gaius; who also seemed worried. "Gaius – is your work done here?"
"Yes, Sire, I am satisfied the sweating sickness is all but passed."
"Then we leave for Longstead at first light," the King decided.
I let out a relieved sigh and leaned against the back of my chair, finally relaxing a little after having been an anxious wreck the whole day. Arthur squeezed my hand again and I gave him a little grin.
Agravaine nodded, stood up, and left the dining room. Possibly to make preparations. Or maybe to inform Morgana that whatever they are planning is about to go sideways. Perhaps I should follow him...
Gaius got up shortly after as well and said a gentle 'goodnight' to the remaining three of us before moving towards the door. I chuckled when the man froze as Oliver stopped him to give him a 'bro-hug'.
Then my heart stopped for a second.
Oliver!
With widening eyes, I turned to address Arthur again, "Are we bringing Olly!?"
My cousin, looking intrigued, moved to stand between our chairs and glanced between us carefully.
Arthur sighed, "Well, I would suggest that you stay behind with him..." I narrowed my eyes at him. "…but I know that you will not agree to it." I grinned. "So, yes, I suppose we are bringing him."
Oliver clapped three times, a joyous expression forming on his face. "Sounds fun! I'll get to packin'!"
"You don't have anything to pack," I reminded him with a snort.
He gasped in mock offence. "Excuse me? You bought me two whole outfits, remember?"
I giggled this time. "Right. Go ahead, then."
With a wink and a smirk, Oliver practically skipped out of the room. I made a mental note to get him some bodily protection tomorrow. And a crossbow. It is close enough to a handgun that I believe he could shoot it without much struggle in case of an emergency. I don't wanna send him back home in a body bag, you see.
Arthur slid out of his chair and offered me a hand. I grabbed it with a small grin and he gallantly pulled me to my feet. I wrapped my arms around his waist and nuzzled into his chest. He sighed and I felt his body release some tension as he returned the hug, his chin resting on top of my head.
"I want you to stay with me tonight," he whispered.
I pulled back slightly so that I could look at his face and raised an eyebrow. I mean, not that I'm against spending the night with him. Quite the contrary. It's just unusual that he's asking (or more like demanding – he didn't pose it like a question), considering that it's not really considered proper even if all we do is sleep.
"You have a tendency to leave in the middle of the night when you think that Merlin's life is in danger, my love," Arthur said softly while reaching up to swipe away a rebellious lock of hair from my face.
I huffed, feeling slightly offended. Though I guess he's right. But I'm not planning on doing that this time! Well, I didn't plan it last time, either... It just sorta happened... All right, I see his point.
"Okay."
"Why d'ya dress kinda like Merls?" I asked George, who was helping me to tack up the horses in my brother's absence. His fashion choices were making me slightly anxious as they amplified my worry for Merlin.
"Agravaine instructed me to do so when Merlin went missing," George answered.
I frowned. Was the snake bastard trying to get my best friend replaced in Arthur's mind when that happened? 'Cause surely he knows that their relationship runs much deeper than that of a master and his servant.
"Well, maybe you should drop it. I don't think it fits ya'," I said.
George responded with a nod and didn't say anything else as he moved to thoroughly clean Arthur's saddle, which had been carefully placed on Tequila's well-muscled back. I grinned at his actions, feeling amused by his close attention to detail, and I finished tying my duffel bag behind my own saddle.
I could've died laughing when Oliver showed up on the scene, wearing a full body of armour. Had the visor of his helmet not been up, I wouldn't have been able to tell it was him.
"Did you go raidin' the armoury?" I asked in between giggles.
My cousin's proud smile faltered. "Sir Carwyn gave this to me," he stated while placing his hands on his hips.
I doubled over laughing.
Arthur showed up and patted Oliver's shoulder, eyeing him up and down as he passed by him, heading towards me. He greeted me with a quick kiss to the cheek and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Then he frowned down at me. Probably because I was still cackling like a hyena.
"She's makin' fun of me for choosing to make a fashion statement," Oliver complained.
"A fashion statement?!" I had to lean all of my weight on Arthur so that I wouldn't fall to the ground. "You look like the Tin Man!" I clutched my abdomen, which was beginning to hurt from all the laughter.
"I'd say I look more like Iron-Man," my cousin countered.
"You wish!" I shot back.
Arthur squeezed me to his side while releasing a breathy chuckle. "Armour is for tournaments or battle. We normally only wear chainmail when we go out," he courteously explained to Oliver, using his free arm to motion towards himself.
"It's super uncomfy, though," I noted when I was able to stop laughing, gently poking Arthur's chest as I gestured towards the thin metal that would be digging into my body were I not wearing my riding safety vest. "And useless. Weapons break it easily."
Arthur gave me a disapproving look.
My cousin looked around at the knights that were bringing their horses into the barn so they could be saddled and he grinned. "Where can I get some chainmail?" he asked the King, making me frown.
Arthur snorted. "There might be something in the armoury", he replied, then he turned to George. "George – can you help Oliver find some chainmail?"
"Certainly, Sire," the servant responded with a slight bow before motioning for Oliver to follow him. He did so happily.
"I can't wait 'til he starts whining and I get to rub my words in his face," I stated as a smirk formed on my lips.
About twenty minutes later, the party was off towards Longstead; with Dallas and I blazing ahead of everyone.
Once I got the need to run partly out of my system, I slowed my horse into a walk and was content to ride beside Arthur, who was having a blast while bragging to Oliver about all of the great hunting 'prizes' that he's been able to rack up over the years.
"My dad tried to take Sage n' I huntin' once, but she bursted out crying at the thought of havin' to shoot Bambi or Thumper and we ended up returnin' home with a pet bunny," my cousin told a tale of his own in return – once Arthur finally stopped babbling and allowed him to speak.
"Really?" I asked as I tilted my head. "I don't remember any pet bunnies."
"This was way before you were even born, Star. I must've been around six," Oliver responded. I nodded in understanding.
Suddenly, the pretty smile that had been playing on Arthur's lips for a few hours faded as he stopped his horse, holding up a hand for the rest of us to do the same. He gestured for Sir Rhys to scout ahead and then he dismounted Tequila. I frowned down at him as he gazed around with an analytical look.
Gaius approached him on his mule. "Is anything wrong, Sire?" he asked in a whisper.
"Listen," Arthur whispered back. The physician and I shared a confused look. Did he suddenly develop super-hearing or something? "No birdsong. Nothing."
My eyes widened in realisation and I gulped. The last time he stopped us for that reason, he got an arrow to the leg.
Rhys returned some seconds later and he motioned for the party to follow him.
With a shaky exhale, I climbed off Dallas and instructed him to stay put. Then I helped Gaius to get off his mule. I returned to my horse and pulled my bow and quiver from my duffel bag. I loaded the former and kept it in my left hand, while I attached the latter to one of the belt loops on my riding leggings.
A few knights volunteered to stay behind to take care of the horses – and Oliver – while the rest of us followed Rhys.
He led us to a campsite that was littered with the bodies of men. The only telling sign that they were dead was the nauseating smell that hit me – because otherwise, I would've thought that they were simply napping. I pulled my sweatshirt over my nose and gripped my bow tighter as I moved closer to Arthur, who was once again analysing the scene.
Arthur crouched beside a dead man who was propped up against a tree and he inspected him. I hung back slightly, not wanting to be too close to the corpse.
For all I know, it could revive as a zombie.
"Does anything strike you as odd about these bodies?" Arthur asked, still whispering, as his eyes darted between Gaius and I.
"Yes, Sire," Gaius responded. "There is not a mark on them."
"Not so much as a scratch," the King agreed.
"So, what? They all got sick from somethin'?" I questioned the physician.
"It is possible," he replied while his eyes scanned the dead man's face.
"Jinkies," I mumbled as I backed away slightly. It could be contagious!
I started when Agravaine suddenly called Arthur over. I looked up to find him standing beside a black wooden container that had a small barred window. I frowned at the sight, wondering what the purpose of it is. A moveable toilet?
"Southron slave traders by the looks of it," the King mumbled as he inspected the container. I winced at his words.
"What were they transporting? Some kind of an animal?" Agravaine wondered.
Gaius tilted his head and stepped closer, carefully eyeing the scratch marks that littered the walls as he responded, "No, these marks were made by humans." Arthur traced the marks with his gloved hand. My eyes widened as my heart blasted off. "And whoever they were, they did anything they had to to get out."
I gulped and moved closer to Arthur once more. He reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
I started at the sound of someone moaning.
Arthur darted towards one of the traders, who was apparently still alive. I followed him and felt my stomach churn at the sight. The survivor's face was very pale and he was obviously in a lot of pain as he continued to complain while his features contorted in anguish. Gaius crouched beside him and inspected him for a moment.
"Can he be treated?" the King inquired.
"I could try, Sire, but I will need time and somewhere to work," the physician responded in a grave tone.
Arthur nodded and looked towards Sir Howell and Sir Carwyn – who were poking at something in a pot that had been left over an extinguished campfire – as he called out, "He comes with us!" The knights started at the sudden command, then they quickly composed themselves and nodded in understanding. Their silliness made me grin a little.
"We will make Longstead in a matter of hours," Arthur assured Gaius and I.
Howell and Carwyn promptly moved to carry the sick man and the rest of us began to make our way back to the horses.
Arthur wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I put one around his waist, feeling grateful for the comforting gesture.
As promised, we made it to Longstead by sunset. The village isn't anything impressive. It's comprised of the usual stone, wood and straw homes, lots of farmland, and a couple of animals. It is somewhat larger than Ealdor, though not nearly as big as Branmoor.
Arthur paid a man to let us put the horses in one of his paddocks, and Oliver and I hung back for a few minutes to ensure they had enough water and food while the rest of the party went ahead to start looking for answers regarding the team. I was pleased to find an abundance of grass and a large water trough filled to the top.
"I'm sorry 'bout all this," I mumbled to my cousin while I was untacking Dallas.
"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown as he untacked Cinderella.
"Well, accident or not, you're here visiting me," I replied with a shrug. "I wish It'd been a normal week with no crazy quests."
Oliver chuckled. "Star, I feel like I'm livin' in a fantasy movie. I love it!"
I snorted and chirped, "Welcome to my life!"
"You're one lucky duck," he said as he nudged my side and he went to leave the equipment in a storage shed we were lent.
I let out a sigh. I know that I'm unbelievably lucky in some ways, but he doesn't have the whole perspective. It's all fun and games until the people you love are close to dying violently at the hand of an evil witch and there's nothing you can do about it. I can only pray that isn't the current case with Merlin, Gwen and the knights…
After another quick round to ensure that all the horses were in good shape, I kissed Dallas's shoulder and ran off to find Arthur again, with Oliver following behind me.
The King stood pensively near a well and Agravaine was walking away from him. I sent the latter a glare before speeding up towards Arthur.
"What's up?" I asked as I reached him.
He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side before responding, "Merlin and the knights left yesterday morning. They were headed back to Camelot."
I nibbled on my bottom lip for a moment. "Maybe we crossed them on the way here," I suggested while trying my best not to let the infinite 'what if' scenarios flood my mind with catastrophic images. "I mean, there's more than one path, right?"
Arthur sighed and he kissed my forehead. "We will know tomorrow. We are going after them," he assured me. I nodded and rested my head against his chest, hoping that his peace-inducing presence would quiet the voices in my head that swore to me that all my friends are dead because something went terribly wrong.
"They'll be fine, Star. I mean, Merlin is strong, right?" Oliver spoke up, raising his eyebrows suggestively. I let out a shaky breath and nodded.
He's right. Merlin is super strong, with his magic powers and stuff. And he's incredibly smart. They'll be fine. All of them.
Since there was nothing else to do for the time being, other than wait for whatever conclusions Gaius could draw from examining the sick people, the rest of us went to an Inn and the party paired up for rooms. I was grateful when Oliver told me that he'd stay with the physician, allowing me to be with Arthur.
"Are you sure that this is appropriate, My Lord?" Agravaine asked as he turned to his nephew with a raised eyebrow. I instantly felt my cheeks get warm and I dropped my head. I mean, Merlin and the team tease us mercilessly when we share a room, or a sleeping bag; but they're our friends. This is different. The man is entirely judgemental and it has been clear to me for a while that he doesn't approve of our relationship.
I mentally slapped myself. Who cares what Aggravate thinks? He's Morgana's minion!
"We are only going to sleep, uncle," Arthur assured the snake bastard with a pointed look.
Agravaine huffed in return, but he didn't argue further. The King's gaze followed his uncle as he disappeared up the stairs and then he gently grabbed my hand again, intertwining our fingers, before leading me towards our room.
"I am sorry about him, my love. I do not know why he acted like that," Arthur said as we entered the small chamber.
A lone twin-sized bed stood in the middle, made of old wood and covered with a rough-looking dark green duvet that wasn't at all inviting. Lucky for me, I brought my blanket. A rocking chair was placed near a small window towards the back of the room, and there was a rugged brown rug between that and the bed.
"He doesn't like me," I responded with a nonchalant shrug.
"That is not true. How could he not like you?" Arthur argued.
I snorted in amusement. 'Well, 'cause your evil half-sister told him not to,' I wanted to say. But I couldn't. So instead, I settled for a (kind of) joke, "I hardly like myself on a good day."
He narrowed his eyes at me, but didn't say anything else as he began to take off his chainmail.
Grateful that the conversation was over, I pulled my PJs out of my duffel bag, which I'd set down on my side of the bed, and then I gave Arthur a quick kiss before going into the bathroom, where I was only too eager to have a quick bath. I was surprised and proud to find that my plumbing system has found its way to Longstead, too.
Doing my best not to take too long, I washed off all the dirt and sweat that had accumulated during the long day spent in the forest and then I dried myself off with a towel I brought from home – actually, from Texas – since I don't trust the ones that the Inn provides. Then I put my PJs on, combed my hair, brushed my teeth, and finally returned to the room.
Arthur sat on the rocking chair while looking out the window. His jaw was clenched and his eyes slightly clouded – I assume because he's worried about our team. I moved to stand beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled up at me and pulled me sideways onto his lap. My eyes widened in momentary surprise, but I got over it quickly and grabbed his hand, playing with his fingers as I curled up.
I noticed that there was not a single cloud in sight, which allowed the stars to shine decisively. One of the things I love most about life in medieval Britain is the lack of light pollution. Modern urban areas will never be able to witness the vast cosmic expanse above them as clearly as I can here. The sight is not something I ever want to take for granted.
My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. I groaned and went to stand up so I could open it, but Arthur stopped that action when he strengthened his hold around me.
"Yes?" he called out, sounding slightly annoyed.
"It is Gaius, Sire."
Annoyance faded. "Ah. Come in."
So in Gaius came and he froze for a moment when his eyes landed on us.
"'Sup, Pops," I greeted with a little wave of my hand.
"Any luck with the Southron?" Arthur inquired.
"I have done my best, Sire," Gaius responded. "His condition is perilous, but he lives."
I'm not sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed at the news. The sick man supposedly dealt slaves, after all. I seriously doubt he's an honourable person. But I know that Arthur has hope that he might be able to shed some light on what might've happened to our team.
"Was he able to tell us anything?" Arthur questioned.
"He is a slave trader, as you suspected. They were travelling south with a girl," Gaius replied.
I winced at the horrors that flashed through my mind. I hope that she managed to escape unharmed.
"Did he say what happened to them?" the King asked.
"He claims they fell under some kind of spell," the physician's voice turned grave. "Quarrels and fights broke out among them. They began to suspect the girl of bewitching them... seems they were right."
"Why? What happened?"
"The girl escaped and killed them all but him."
"Can't blame 'er," I mumbled, earning a gentle squeeze from Arthur.
"How is that possible? She is just one girl," he wondered.
"Not a girl, Sire," Gaius responded. "A lamia."
"What's that?" I asked with a slight tilt of my head.
"A creature of magic."
I snorted humourlessly. "When is it not?"
Gaius gave me a pointed look before explaining further, "In their wars with the ancient kings, the High Priestesses of the Old Religion took the blood from a girl and mingled it with that of a serpent. The creatures they created had ferocious powers. They could control the mind of a man, suck the life from him with a single embrace."
My intestines twisted and I raised my eyebrows while looking up at Arthur. "Well, that's it. You're not leaving my sight ever again," I whispered.
He gave a small smile in response and kissed the side of my head before returning his attention to Gaius. "Which is why none of the traders had a mark on them," he deduced.
"But the lamia proved more deadly than their makers had ever imagined," the physician continued. "They could transform at will and become hideous monsters."
"So this girl, this creature, is still out there somewhere," Arthur stated.
Gaius nodded. "I am afraid so, Sire."
My breath suddenly hitched and my heart blasted off. What if the guys found her and rescued her without knowing what she is? What if they're dead by now?! Can Merlin fend her off?! What might she do to Gwen?!
"Oh, crap, we need to find them!" I exclaimed as I jumped out of my seat while starting to hyperventilate and I dashed towards my duffel bag.
Arthur was behind me in a flash and he gently grabbed my upper arms, stopping me when I tried to pull out a change of clothes. "We will," he stated. I tried to fight his hold, but he wouldn't budge. "We will, Astra. We are leaving at first light tomorrow. I promise," he said softly.
"Tomorrow could be too late!" I argued.
"It would be useless to go out now, my love. We need light, and we need rest."
He's right, obviously. But I hate it. However, I stopped fighting him and I turned to face him, dropping my head to lean it against his chest. He let go of my arms to wrap his around me.
I bit my lip when Gaius addressed me (I forgot he was here) in a soft voice, "I... I will get you a calming tea, my child. How does that sound?"
Letting out a shaky breath, I turned my head away from Arthur so that I could look at the physician and I attempted a small smile as I replied, "That'd be great. Thanks, Pops." Gaius returned the gesture and nodded, then he shared a look with the King before leaving.
I nuzzled into Arthur's chest again and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to get so worked up," I mumbled.
He kissed the top of my head and rested his chin on it. "I know, darling. You care a lot about them," he acknowledged softly. "Especially Merlin, for some reason," he added in a mutter, but I could tell he was being playful.
I snorted. "Watch it, Prince Charming. You wouldn't even know me if it wasn't for Merls."
Arthur chuckled and he kissed my head again.
Gaius returned shortly after with the tea and I thanked him for it before he left – stating that Oliver was calling for help. Something about heating a bath, which made me giggle. Of course my cousin is having trouble with that again!
I cuddled up in bed with my Avengers blanket – and my King – and I took small sips from the mug until I dozed off. Then I woke up with a gasp when I accidentally spilled the remainder of the drink on myself.