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Gwen stares at Gwaine. She doesn’t know what to say ou what to think. How can he be in l’amour with me? How can he even have these feelings? We are friends. There is no way he can fall in l’amour with me. Gwen’s mind rakes through to find the possible solution to the madness Gwaine is uttering to her and yet she can’t come up with any. She is in a dilemma. Her jour just turned from bad to worse.
Peeling his hand from hers, she steps back and looks at Gwaine in shock, unable to commentaire anything. She just stares at him, dumbfounded.
Gwaine’s expression also changes. He notices the stunned features on Gwen’s face and his own smile fades. He doesn’t pursue her but stands, waiting for her response. And when he doesn’t get any, he decides to be the first to ask her.
“Gwen? What happened?”
“Gwaine … I … don’t … I …” Gwen struggles for words. She is really Lost for words.
“You don’t like me?”
“No, I mean, I do … I do, but …” Gwen sighs and looks away. She avoids Gwaine’s gaze as she is afraid of letting the cat out of the bag. How can she tell him?
“Then?”
“But it’s not the way you’re hoping, Gwaine … I don’t … l’amour you.” She tries to be honest. Gwaine deserves honesty above everything else. But she fears honesty will also crush him.
Gwaine’s cœur, coeur sinks. Her words shatter his confidence and break his heart. He had hopes coming here, thinking Gwen will reciprocate his feelings, but he was wrong. Perhaps he’d been too confident with himself. He looks away, dejected.
Gwen notices the hurt flashing across Gwaine’s face and it hurts her as well. But what else can she do? She has never loved him plus than as a friend and she has to be honest with him. She cannot pretend to l’amour him when in truth she doesn’t. She just hopes Gwaine will understand her. “Gwaine, I’m sorry …” Gwen nears him but refrains from touching him. “I like toi as my friend, but I don’t …”
“Don’t say it Gwen, please,” Gwaine stops her, holding out his palm. “I’m hurt enough, just not again …” his voice seems to be cracking and he clears his throat to hide his sadness.
“I am so sorry, Gwaine. I really didn’t know toi had … that toi …”
“Why, Gwen?” Gwaine cuts her short, looking at her with hurt. His lips quiver as he tries his best to control his anger and frustration.
“Sorry?”
“Why couldn’t toi l’amour me?”
“Because that’s not the way I see you, Gwaine. All these years, when we were growing up together, I saw toi as my best friend and nothing more. I thought … toi saw me as that, too … I am sorry if I’ve hurt you, but I really didn’t mean to. I’d never want to hurt you.”
“Couldn’t toi try?” he becomes agitated.
“Gwaine …” Gwen sighs and looks away. Why doesn’t he understanding her? This is not the Gwaine she knows. This is a different Gwaine, one who seems to be needling her frustration. She doesn’t want to hurt him anymore than she already has, but if he pushes her limits, especially today, she might end up being sarcastic and it’s going to hurt her plus than him. “I would if I could, but …”
“There’s someone else?”
“What? No … no, there’s no one else …” Gwen shakes her head.
“Then why couldn’t toi give me a chance?” Gwaine presses on.
“Gwaine, l’amour can’t be forced …”
“But it can blossom from unexpected events, Gwen. Give me a chance, please, is all I am asking you. I have loved toi all my life and I can’t ours to live without you. I want to marry toi and live a happy life with you. Don’t toi trust me? I give toi my word; I will take care of you. My parents l’amour toi …”
“Gwaine, stop please!” Gwen stops him. “You are making this worse for both of us!”
Gwaine stops and looks at her in shock. What did he do? What was he thinking? Gwaine presses the sides of his head and turns around in shame. He cannot bring himself to meet Gwen in the eye, not after what he has just done. Did he just force her to l’amour him? Goodness.
Gwen turns around herself, unable to meet Gwaine’s eye. “I am sorry Gwaine.”
Gwaine sighs, walks to the table, tableau and sits down. Burying his face in his hands, he remains silent and it worries Gwen. She turns around slowly and watches him sitting down. She places the gift Gwaine brought with him on the table, tableau and ponders if she should let him be ou comfort him. She didn’t have the slightest idea that Gwaine had been in l’amour with her all these years. Why didn’t her tell her before? She never loved Gwaine but if he had revealed his feelings for her sooner, she probably would have at least tried to evoke the same feelings for him. But it’s too late now. Even if she decides to give Gwaine a chance, she’s already been promised to another man. There is no way Gwaine can with the man destined to be her husband. She feels hurt and bad for Gwaine. She didn’t want him to suffer yet she knows he does. How can she correct this mess?
Gwaine lifts his face from his hands and turns to meet her. “Gwen,” he calls her softly.
“Gwaine, I am sorry … I didn’t …” she goes to sit beside him.
“No Gwen, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have been so hasty. I should have respected your wishes and decisions … I forced you, I pushed toi to decide. I am sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have jumped to the conclusion that toi felt the same. What will toi think of me now? I’m ashamed of what I’ve done. Please forgive me, Gwen … forgive me.”
“No, Gwaine … it’s not your fault at all. No one should be sorry for loving another. toi are just unfortunate that I am unable to l’amour toi back,” Gwen tells him, patting him on the shoulder. “I just wish there was plus I can do for toi to ease your pain than these words of comfort.”
“You can tell me why toi can’t give me a chance, for starters … at least it will make me feel better to know who I have Lost toi to,” Gwaine says, and when Gwen sighs in reluctance, he immediately continues, “I don’t mean it in a nasty way, Gwen. I’d just like to know, that’s all.”
Gwen realizes there is no way she can go on keeping this from Gwaine. He will find out sooner ou later and it’ll be better for him to learn the truth from her rather than from someone else. And he deserves the truth. But how will she tell him? Should she disclose all the information ou just the part of the proposal? Will Gwaine understand her? Will he remain palourde ou will he go after Arthur and attack him? Gwen is worried for both men. Why she is worried for Arthur baffles her, though. He is the cause of her misery and yet she still worries for him. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looks at Gwaine who is still watching her.
“Gwaine … there is something I need to tell you, but I want toi to promise me that no matter what toi hear from me, toi will not act hastily. toi will remain calm. Can toi promise me that?” she asks, taking his hand in hers. When Gwaine opens his mouth to disagree with her, she shakes his hand, cutting him short. “Please…”
“Fine, I will … promise.”
“You keep asking me why I can’t give toi a chance,” she begins. “Even if I wanted to, there is no way I will be allowed to do so, Gwaine.”
“I don’t get you, Gwen,” he tells her.
Gwen purses her lips and takes in a huge gulp of air. “I am not sure if you’ve heard anything at all about me, but … I am … getting … married.”
“WHAT!!!” Gwaine releases her hand. His eyes widen in shock.
“I’m to be married.”
“To whom?”
And this is the toughest part of all. She swallows. “To the prince … Arthur.”
Gwaine leaps to his feet, startling Gwen. His cœur, coeur shatters at the news and his pain is visible all over his face. ‘To Arthur?’ his mind is going berserk. ‘When did this happen? Why didn’t Gwen tell me sooner?’
“Gwaine, please sit down. toi are frightening me.”
“So it’s him, then … it’s the prince toi crave.” His anger is returning to his system. He tries to control his temper but the plus he thinks of Arthur, the angrier he becomes. ‘Arthur? Why him … what does Arthur has which I don't?’ he thinks again, anger and jealousy flaring.
Gwen knows where this is heading. “Gwaine, it’s not like that. It’s not what toi think …”
“How do toi expect me to think, Gwen?” Gwaine snaps. “When we spoke about him yesterday, I didn’t see any glimpses of l’amour on your face! How am I supposed to know about your real feelings when toi hardly spoke of him? And why didn’t toi tell me sooner? Did toi expect me to know par myself like what … probing the information magically from your mind, ou did toi think I’m an idiot and don’t need to be told about this?”
“Enough, Gwaine. toi are hurting me.”
“What about me, Gwen? I am hurt too! I have a cœur, coeur and it’s bleeding par this scornful information!!”
“I didn’t mean to …”
“Then why hide the truth, Gwen?” Gwaine snaps back at her angrily. His eyes turn red and he stands, staring at her. He is hurt and he has never felt such a pain in his life than he does right now. The pain, whatever it is, is killing him. If this is what rejection feels like, then he will never fall in l’amour again.
“Because I didn’t know about this until last night Gwaine!!!” Gwen shouts and gets up on her feet. “I nearly as clueless as toi are about this, too. I am angry, mad and raging about this marriage, just like toi … so, like it not, we are both in the same condition!”
“What do toi mean?”
“I mean I had no say in this marriage. It was decided between my father and the prince last night, through a game of checkers where the winner will decide my future. Yes, Gwaine … I am the wager and I have been won par the prince … won!! And today I know that I will be marrying the crown prince of Camelot … isn’t that great Gwaine?” she asks sarcastically. “The whole of Camelot is rejoicing with this news and preparations are underway … only the bride was the last to know! So like I a dit … I am clueless about this, like toi are.”
Gwaine sighs and closes his eye in frustration. How could he be such a fool? He jumped into another conclusion without giving a thought to Gwen. This is not him. He would never do this, especially to Gwen. What was he even thinking? He is riddled with shame and anger for his hasty decision to unleash his wrath at Gwen without considering that she had been in a tight situation herself. He reopens his eyes and notices Gwen is watching him, apparently waiting for his comments. His anger giving way to shame. “God … Gwen, I am … sorry.” He nears her and takes her in his arms. Gwen’s tears well up in her eyes. “I didn’t know, Gwen, I really didn’t know … I am sorry.” He hugs her warmly and Gwen starts to sob in his embrace. He curses himself silently.
“I am sorry too, Gwaine. What must toi think of me? What must everyone think? They probably think that I am … that I am cheap and easy and …”
“Shhh … hey, now look at me.” Gwaine pushes her back and tilts her chin. “You are not any of that, understand?” he tells her. “You are a person, respectable and with dignity. toi are not prey … and above all toi are not easy. You, my girl, are the most difficult girl I have ever tried to win over and …” he smiles at her, “you will remain the most difficult girl I have ever tried to win over,” he says. “You are just a victim of this unfortunate event, but never ever let yourself be told that toi are easy. toi are definitely not, and like me ou not for what I am about to tell you, but Arthur knows toi are not easy, too. That’s why he had to resort to such measures to get you. And toi will remind him of that so that he knows his mistakes. But don’t toi ever think lowly of yourself, dear … because toi are not low.”
“Gwaine …” Gwen cries as she hugs him again. Gwaine rakes her hair. “The whole village would have known this par now. How can I face them? What will I tell them?”
Gwaine pushes her back again and looks at her face, thumbing off her tears. “You owe no one any explanations, Gwen. toi don’t have to answer anyone. Those who have to answer this will be those who put toi in such a tight situation. Where’s your father, anyway? I need to talk to him.” His face darkens.
“Gwaine, please … toi promised.”
“What was he thinking, Gwen? I knew he has problem with gambling, but it was supposed to be in the past. I though he’d overcome it … but wagering his own daughter! This is atrocious, Gwen. I didn’t think … I just … I really have no words to describe my feelings for Tom right now.”
“He is a victim himself, Gwaine. He’d been tricked into the game and seems to be locked in a corner where he had no other choice but this to escape. He actually wants me to escape this marriage.”
“And what does he have in mind?”
“He wants me …” Gwen looks at Gwaine. Should she tell him? “He wants me to … marry you.”
“What?”
“He wants me to marry toi and elope from Camelot, with you. Never to come back again. He is willing to spend the rest of his life in the dungeons for this.”
Gwaine remains silent. He knows he wants to marry her and l’amour her but to marry Gwen for the sake of escaping from another marriage is … a little risky. But for Gwen he’d do anything even if it’s a risk.
Gwen knows what’s Gwaine is thinking and she doesn’t blame him. “Gwaine?”
“Look, Gwen … if this is the only way I can save you, then why not? I understand toi will never be able to l’amour me but I can at least save toi from this madness.”
“Gwaine … listen.”
“Your father’s right …”
“Listen, Gwaine … please.” She holds him tight. “I understand your concern and I appreciate your help but I can’t do this. Not to toi and father. This is Arthur we are talking about. The prince … the ruthless prince of Camelot who’d go to great lengths to get what he wants. If he decides to pursue us, he will go even to ends of the world to get me, Gwaine. And he would kill toi without a thought. And I don’t even know what he would do with Father. No, I don’t want anything to happen to either of you. I can’t allow that. No … I must marry him for the sake of everyone’s lives.”
“But Gwen … do toi l’amour him?”
“I don’t know that, Gwaine,” she tells him. “I have to be honest with you. I don’t know.”
“And how will toi be happy with this marriage, dear? How will toi survive?” Gwaine asks her, cupping her chin. He looks warmly into her eyes and sighs sadly. Very soon this woman will be the future Queen of Camelot and he will be her subject, nothing plus than that. Will she remember him? Will she still talk to him?
“I don’t know that, either …” a single streak of tear rolls down her cheek. He thumbs it off. “I am scared, Gwaine. I am terrified par all that’s happening. I don’t know if I have the strength to endure this marriage.”
“I wish I could say toi don’t have, to but toi won’t let me help you. So I will only say that toi will endure this marriage. toi are Rebelle and have the strength of a man in you. toi never let anything like this to dampen your spirits before, so don’t start now,” Gwaine tells her. He knows Gwen could use some advice, ou better still, some comfort before she heads into this disastrous marriage. She is already shaking with fear and if he probes her further she might just break. He understands he can’t undo what’s been done but he can make her feel better par giving her some insight on what to expect through this marriage. “Gwen?”
She looks at him. Smiling he leads her to the table, tableau and sits her down. He sits beside her. “I like to teach toi something before toi marry Arthur.”
“What is it?”
Gwaine smiles, lifts her hand to his lips and kisses it. “Marrying a royal can be very frightening, Gwen. toi will be entering a whole new world now. Everything will be new and a little intimidating but toi must learn to survive, sweetheart. If toi can’t survive, toi will be run over and ignored. And we can’t have that, can we? toi must be strong; both mentally and physically, especially with Arthur. Don’t let him to rule you, Gwen, because toi are not meant to be ruled but to be loved. Do not allow him to treat toi like a lesser person.”
“But I don’t know anything about being a royal. All my life … I’ve been like this …”
“I know. I understand, but this is something toi need to go through on your own, Gwen. You’ll need to find your own way. You’ll probably find help from unexpected sources, but until they present themselves, toi are on your own.”
“You’re leaving me alone, Gwaine?”
“Of course not. I will be there for toi when toi need me ou my help. toi are my best friend, Gwen, and I will lay my life down for you. But I can’t interfere in your marriage. That’s all I am saying.”
Gwen nods sadly. Gwaine caresses her cheek. He understands Gwen is worried and is looking to him for comfort. Comfort he can offer, but the rest will have to be par Gwen herself. How can he make her feel better without scaring the life out of her?
“I don’t know Arthur, sweetheart. I have never been his friend ou foe to understand him better. But from what I hear from you, it looks like he is determined to get toi no matter what. His determination can be understood in two ways. Either he wants toi badly ou loves toi deeply to go to such a length to win you.”
Gwen scoffs.
“I know what toi are thinking but I am speaking as a man here, remember?” Gwaine tells her. “When a man really wants something, they’ll do anything to win it. Anything. It’s something to do with pride and dignity. I believe Arthur has a great deal of both of those things. He feels his pride is at stake, and it can only be preserved par winning you. He has a point to prove to someone and toi are the prized item he is after. That must be why he is willing to stoop to such a level to get you. Or, he might be in l’amour with you, Gwen. His intentions could be genuinely honest and he probably didn’t know how to go about doing it properly. But either way, he has won. But toi don’t have to be afraid of him. Never be afraid of him. He is still a person, like toi and me. He might be the prince, so respect him for his title, but never be afraid of him, understand?”
Gwen nods again.
“And if he ever treats toi poorly …”
“I have toi to protect me, I know …” Gwen smiles, for the first time that afternoon.
“Good … that’s right. Let me know and I’ll teach that husband of yours some manners.” Gwaine laughs along with her.
“Thank you, Gwaine.”
“Don’t forget me, sweetheart. I know I’ll be nothing after toi get …”
“You’ll always be in my heart, Gwaine. toi are my friend and I l’amour toi for that. I am not a royalty par birth only par marriage so that means I’m still like you. Don’t toi dare put yourself beneath me … get it?”
“I do …” Gwaine tells her.
Gwen pushes him back a little and gives him back the bracelet he gave her. Gwaine pushes it back to her. “It’s yours … my wedding gift.” There was a slight sadness in his voice but he masks it well with a wink and a smile.
“Thanks, Gwaine. You’re a good friend. I pray one jour toi will meet your true love.”
Gwaine smiles but he doubts he ever will, because he already has, and she slipped through his fingers.
It was late evening when Arthur finds his mother in her chambers, working on her needlework. Arthur taps on the door and waits. Katrina looks up, her face smiling immediately.
“Come in, Arthur,” she sets the sewing aside and clasps her hands, waiting for the prince.
Arthur closes the door behind him and strides towards her, holding a box in his right hand. He nears her, sits down and nods to her.
Katrina eyes the box in Arthur’s hand. She knows what it could be but decides to wait until Arthur tells her. She averts her attention back to him. “What is it, dear?”
“I want to know how your jour went mother. Did toi meet her? How is she?”
Katrina’s smile fades. “Merlin was nowhere to be found, Arthur. He completed his training and went away early. I sent out the guards to look for him but they, too, had trouble scouting him. Without him, it was useless to set out on the journey, so I cancelled the trip.”
Arthur is surprised. ‘Merlin, unseen in Camelot? That’s strange’ he thinks. ‘Where would he go?’ Arthur thinks again and then he thinks of something. ‘Unless …’ he looks back at his mother. “Merlin is working for Gaius now, Mother. Didn’t anyone tell you? Did toi looked in Gaius’s chamber?”
Now it is Katrina’s turn to be surprised. “Gaius? Why would he want to work for him? I thought Merlin is educating himself to be a knight?”
“He is but he is also training with Gaius as his apprentice. He wants to learn about medicine and Gaius offered to teach him,” Arthur explains.
“Right …” Katrina nods slowly. “I didn’t know about this, Arthur. No one informed me. No wonder we couldn’t find him anywhere. We didn’t look in any of the chambers because it didn’t seem relevant then. Very well, then … toi can take me there tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Hmmm …” Arthur trails.
Katrina reaches out and clips Arthur’s chin. “Now, don’t toi dare tell me that you’re occupied with something else!” she warns him.
Arthur laughs. “No, Mother. I am not. Fine, I’ll take toi there,” Arthur promises and lifts the box he held in his hand. He hands it to Katrina.
“Is that it?” Katrina’s eye beams with excitement. Arthur nods and she gapes, taking the box from Arthur’s hand and lifting the lid open.
“Oh my … Arthur. This is gorgeous,” she says as she runs her finger smoothly over the collier residing inside the box. It is a beautifully handcrafted or collier with emeralds and topaz stones inserted in each of the fleurs design detailed on the necklace. “She will l’amour it.”
“You think so?”
“Arthur, this is an absolutely gorgeous. I have never seen anything like this at all. Whoever created ou crafted this, deserves plus than a hefty reward. It’s magnificent, I must say,” she says and pauses. After a while, with a mischievous smile, she resumes “Well, even if she doesn’t like you, she will definitely like this.”
“Ahhh … Mother. This is where toi are wrong about her,” Arthur wriggles his finger and shakes his head.
“How so?”
“She is not one who can be won over with gifts. I did tell toi she is hard to be charmed, didn’t I?”
“Yes, toi did, Arthur, but this is one beautiful piece of work. Women l’amour jewels, Arthur, and especially one like this. I am sure she will fall for this. I know, I am a woman and I know,” Katrina defends her opinion.
“Maybe, but this is my Guinevere we are talking about, and she is different, Mother. She will not just fall for anything … not even this.”
“You might be wrong.”
“No mother, I know I am right about this.” Arthur stresses. He rakes his hair and assures his mother with a wink. “Trust me … I know.”
“Hmm, defending your bride already, I see,” Katrina laughs and closes the lid of the box. “Seems like she is an open book ou toi wouldn’t have discovered so much about her. If she is so difficult, how is it toi know so much about her?” she hands it back to him.
“Been stalking her.”
“Arthur … seriously,” Katrina laughs.
“I am serious, Mother. I did, for almost a week.” Arthur scratches his jaw and straightens up.
“Arthur!” Katrina’s eyes widen in disbelief. “I don’t believe …”
“My intentions were good, Mother. She wouldn’t let me in so I decided to find out on my own. It wasn’t hard to stalk her. I had to … be a little less parsimony with my spending but nevertheless it bore fruit, because I learned a good deal about her,” he tells her and when his mother isn’t impressed, he nears Katrina and clasps her hand tightly. “Trust me, it may sound improper but my intentions were all good.”
“Well, Arthur … I won’t say I am impressed but at least toi are honest about it. And I can be proud of that,” Katrina comments. “Why didn’t toi meet this girl earlier so that we could have this changed way back, rather than …”
“Mother, please … not that word and not from you. I am trying to be a good man and I haven’t touched another woman since I met Guinevere. And I wish to remain that way.” Arthur cuts his mother as fast he can.
Katrina smiles proudly and pats Arthur’s hand. Whatever she wanted to say a while il y a disappeared and replaced par a sense of awe for Arthur. “I am very happy for you, Arthur. I really am. And your father will be very proud of you,” Katrina tells him.
“I know, I can see it on his face,” Arthur adds. Clutching the collier box with both hands, he purses his lips. He did notice the happiness on his father’s face ever since he announced about his intentions to marry Guinevere. The king is genuinely happy for his son, there is no question on that and despite his hatred for his father, Arthur is happy that the king is delighted with this marriage.
“Arthur?” Katrina touches him on the shoulder.
“Huh?”
“Something bothering you?” she asks.
“Why do toi think so?”
“Because your mind isn’t here, that’s why. Is something troubling you?” she asks again.
“It’s this …” he points at the box in his hand. “How to give this to her, Mother? She will not accept this, that is for sure, but … I want her to wear this on our wedding day,” he says sadly.
Katrina smiles and reaches out to touch Arthur’s cheek. “Don’t worry, dear. Give this to me and let me handle it. I will make sure she wears it,” Katrina takes the box from him. “Stop worrying and go and have your rest. toi look tired.”
“Thank toi so much … toi are my saviour. Thank you.” He kisses Katrina’s cheek. “I’ll rest later, Mother. I need to greet a friend of mine from Orion. He’s arriving with his wife in a short while.”
“From Orion? Is it the crown prince, Leon?” Katrina smiles. “With his wife, toi say?”
“Yes, Mother. He was recently married, remember? toi couldn’t go because Father had been ill but toi asked me to pass the gifts to his wife,” Arthur reminds Katrina.
“Ahh yes, a bracelet … I remember now. What was her name …”
“Mithian.”
“Yes, I remember now. I am fond of that boy. Still remember him playing with toi while I watched both of toi when his mother had left with her husband on official duties. He must have grown into a fine young man.”
“He has, and very tall too. It took a mois for us to persuade him to marry the princess. He was thinking of becoming a bachelor king, which almost gave his father an attack.”
“Good heavens,” Katrina cups her cheek.
“Thank God he didn’t, and now his parents sleep peacefully at night,” Arthur laughs, shaking his head. Katrina joins his laughter.
“But why is he arriving this evening?” she asks him.
“He had to pay a royal visit to Carleon on his way here mother. But he will be staying with us for some time, lengthy perhaps.”
“They can stay here as long as they want. I am just happy they decided to visit Camelot in time for your wedding. Can’t wait to meet both the prince and the princess.”
“Thank you, Mother. I’ll leave and be back later with them.” Arthur gets up on his feet.
“As soon as they arrive and not a minute spared. I just hope your father returns from his hunting trip par then.”
“He isn’t back yet?” Arthur seems surprised par the information. He knows his father been out all jour but to stay out this late isn’t quite in his character.
“No, and I am getting worried,” Katrina says.
Arthur nears his mother, plants an assuring Kiss on her temple and steps back. “Don’t worry, Mother. Uncle Tristan is with him. Nothing will harm them. Maybe they have found something interesting that has taken plus time than they expected. Father is fond of hunting and it’s not the first time he’ll have spent the entire jour in the forest. Rest, Mother, and I will be back later,” Arthur says but Katrina still looks worried. “Mother …”
“I’m sorry, Arthur, but I can never rest peacefully when your father doesn’t come home.”
“Fine, if it still worries toi … I’ll send out the guards to chercher for them,” Arthur assures his mother.
“Thank you, Arthur,” Katrina says, sighing in relief. Arthur nods and walks to the door.
“I’ll see toi later,” he tells her, opens the door, and leaves.
Katrina sighs, picks up her traverser, croix stitch and continues her work.
“Take the rose buds and crush them together with the lavender to create the fragrance, Merlin. And then use the stems from the rosemary … Merlin?” Gwaine stops working on his potion and nudges Merlin’s arm.
“Huh, yeah … oh, the stems …right.” He searches the table, tableau for the stems and picks a handful.
“That’s chamomile, Merlin,” Gaius corrects him.
“Really?” Merlin seems surprised and searches the table, tableau again. “I don’t think the stems are here.”
“Of course they are not there, because toi are holding them.”
Merlin looks at Gaius and then at his hand. Gaius is right. He is holding the stems in his left hand. “Ohh …” he looks at Gaius and smiles shyly. But the older man isn’t impressed.
“What is wrong with you, Merlin?”
“I’m sorry Gaius … I’ll get it right,” Merlin assures. He sets all the stems in his hand on the table, tableau and pulls the pestle stone closer to him.
“No, wait …” Gaius nears Merlin and stands watching the boy, traverser, croix armed. “There is no hurry to produce that fragrance. Set them aside and look at me. I want to know the truth and don’t think toi can lie to me, Merlin.”
Merlin hesitates. This is a tough decision … to talk to Gaius. He didn’t want to disclose anything personal to him yet but his stupidity gave him away. He avoids looking at Gaius but grips the pestle stone firmly in his hand, waiting.
Gaius notices how disturbed Merlin seems but he wants to help. There is no other way than to force him to talk. “Go ahead … leave them on the table, tableau and answer me,” Gaius adds.
Merlin does as he is told and turns back to meet Gaius.
“So, what happened to toi today?” Gaius begins again.
“I am fine, Gaius …” Merlin scrapes the edges of the table, tableau with his fingers.
“I did warn toi not to lie to me,” Gaius cuts him short.
Merlin sighs and scratches his head. How on earth is he going to confide to Gaius without revealing much of what happened last night? And even if he does, will Gaius believe him? He understands and realizes he hasn’t been the same person since that unfortunate event in the village yesterday but he didn’t expect Gaius to notice it too. Perhaps he had revealed way too much with his behaviour and attitude. But as far as he is concerned, he did try to mask his disappointment. Maybe he did let something out without his notice. Whatever it is, how will he tell Gaius everything?
“Merlin?” Gaius is getting impatient.
“Gaius … I am sorry,” Merlin says and drops his shoulders. “I understand I disappointed you.”
“No toi didn’t Merlin. I didn’t say toi disappointed me but I just want to know why toi are disturbed. Something is clearly not right with toi today and I’d just like to know what it is. And if I can help toi with that problem, I will. But before I do, I like to know what happened.”
Merlin knows Gaius is far too smart to be lied to and if he doesn’t tell him now, Merlin will never be able to confide his trouble to the old physician ever. Besides, the matter is eating him up and it’s causing him to lose sleep over it. He clears his throat. “It’s about Arthur.”
“What about him?”
“I am sure par now toi know about his marriage to the commoner?”
“Yes.”
“Do toi know anything else?” Merlin twirls his fingers. “Any other news about it?”
“Like what?” Gaius is confused. He learned the news of Arthur’s marriage from Uther and had been happy about it. But Uther didn’t disclose anything else to him. From the way Merlin is behaving today and the manner the question is put to him looks like there is something else at work behind the scene of the marriage.
“How the marriage came about?”
“No, nothing …” Gaius says. “There’s something wrong about it?”
“Actually …” Merlin clears his throat again. Looking away, he sighs. “Arthur cheated to marry the girl, Gaius.”
“What do toi mean?”
“He likes her, the daughter of the blacksmith Tom. But she doesn’t favour him. Knowing that he must get her par all means, he tricked her father to a game of checkers, tricked him into wagering his daughter and finally persuaded her father to agree with the decision. He tricked everyone into his game plan and manipulated everything in such a way where he ends up winning the bets.”
Gaius notices how troubled Merlin looks while he explains the situation to him. Whatever this problem is, it has affected the young boy to such an extent that it is eating him up. “And that upsets you…”
“Because he used me to get his plan working, Gaius!” Merlin turns back towards Gaius. “Of course it upsets me because I had promised that girl that I would not let anyone harm her!”
“Merlin … wait,” Gaius closes in on Merlin and grabs his shoulder. “I am not following toi here. What do toi mean par you’d promised her? Do toi know her? Had toi met her before?”
“Gaius, I didn’t know her before Arthur told me about her. He met her when he knocked her father down,” and Merlin revealed everything he knows about what happened. Right from the accident that brought Gwen’s attention to Arthur right up to the proposal at the tavern. Once finished, Merlin takes a deep breath while Gaius sits down, thinking deeply.
“Are toi all right, Gaius?”
“Yes …” he looks up at Merlin. “Is that why toi are disturbed? Because of your promise to Gwen?”
“She trusts me, Gaius. ou at least she did. I promised to keep her from Arthur’s harm and now … I’ve turned her in myself! Whether it’s right ou wrong, I did play a part in this treacherous plot. What will she think of me?” Merlin shakes his head and plays with the bottles arranged on the table. “She thinks I am her friend, and now … she will categorise me like Arthur.”
“I didn’t know, Arthur is …”
“Such an idiot? I know … I’m being reminded of that every jour now.”
“Does he really like her that much?” Gaius asks and when Merlin looks confused he reiterates, “I mean … he could have used a despicable act to get her but seems like he is really interested in her.”
Merlin scoffs.
“I really mean it, Merlin. It may seem wrong and I agree, the manner in which he approached the proposal was despicable, yes, but looks like his intentions were good. Perhaps being the spoiled prince deprived him the knowledge of a proper attitude in tackling such an issue. toi understand me?
“Are toi saying that what he did … last night was intentionally proper?”
“I am saying his intentions were good though his approach was not. He is the prince of Camelot, Merlin, and toi can’t expect him to be chivalrous in everything. No matter how kind and wise they are. Even Uther had problems with his attitude towards certain subjects in his younger days.”
“But why put others at stake too!! That’s what disturbs me the most.” Merlin pounds the table, rattling all the empty bottles. “What did I do to deserve this? I am his friend, Gaius … I have a pride and dignity, too … but he used me!! And I feel too ashamed to even look Gwen in the eye!! How will I see her when she comes here after marrying Arthur? I will need to confront her somehow, I can’t go on hiding from that … and when I do, what should I tell her? And when she questions me … ” Merlin whacks the rosemary bunch against the table, breaking the leaves. “It hurts, Gaius.”
“Perhaps if toi explain yourself to Gwen, she will understand.”
Merlin sighs, plucks the rosemary leaves one par one. “Morgana promised to meet her and explain the situation. I just hope Gwen is not upset ou thinks less of me. I promised that girl and I wish to help her par all means.”
“Do toi think Arthur will hurt her?”
“He loves her Gaius, but he’s just too proud to admit it. I don’t think he will hurt her but I doubt they will be happy, especially Gwen. And she is the one I am worried about, not him. Arthur will find a way to entertain himself, but Gwen is the one I am really worried for. This marriage will break her if she doesn’t find a way to l’amour him back.”
“Then make her l’amour him.”
Merlin spins around in such speed that he almost topples a bottle over. He catches it before it falls and sets it down on the table, tableau again. “I beg your pardon?”
“If it’s true Arthur loves her then she has to reciprocate his love. If she doesn’t, it will hurt her as much as it hurts him. And that will not be good for anyone especially if Arthur becomes the king and she, his queen,” Gaius suggests.
“And toi want me to make that happen?” Merlin asks. When Gaius nods, Merlin laughs. “Gaius … I am not a sorcerer. I can’t perform magic tricks to make this happen. l’amour is one of the powerful forces in the world and toi can’t just snap your fingers and make two people fall in love. It has to happen on its own. And I wouldn’t blame Gwen for not loving Arthur.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Merlin. Have toi asked her about Arthur?”
“Do I need to, Gaius? Arthur’s reputation is widely known in Camelot and needs no introduction. She would know everything about him par now … how do toi expect her to l’amour him?”
“She might have been influenced par her surroundings, but once she is married to Arthur, she will see a different side of the prince. And if he loves her like toi said, she will find herself loving him back. But for that to happen, toi must also play a part.” Gaius still wants Merlin to play a part in assuring Gwen loves Arthur back.
“No, no … not you, too, Gaius. I don’t want to be involved in another person’s marriage … especially Arthur’s. I am out of this mess … forever!”
“You are already in it, Merlin. toi promised that girl to protect her and toi are Arthur’s friend. He will be looking for toi to help him out, to confess, confide, for conseil and so on … If toi bail out, I am afraid they will end up hating each other. I would rather have toi helping them than anyone else, especially Katrina.”
Speaking of the Queen alerts Merlin and he straightens up. He sighs and looks at Gaius. “What do toi mean, Gaius?”
Gaius checks the door is tightly sealed to ensure no one is eavesdropping on their conversation. Then he turns back towards Merlin. “I am sorry, but I don’t trust her. If Arthur doesn’t get the response he expects from Gwen and he seeks Katrina’s counsel, I am afraid of the circumstances that counsel will bring. I’d rather have toi putting your nose in than her.”
“But she agreed with the marriage, Gaius. Why would toi be suspicious of her? I saw her reaction when Arthur informed his parents about his plans. She is genuinely happy for him and is keen on the prospect of having a commoner as her daughter-in-law. I don’t think she’d do anything to break up the marriage ou upset Arthur.”
“I hope toi are right, but from what I gather from your father, I’d rather keep an eye on her. I am saying her influence may allow Arthur to opt for a different solution should he not get back Gwen’s love. If it’s toi advising him, the results may change. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I really feel this marriage will change Arthur for good. I noted the difference in him just in these few days, so imagine what the rest of his life will be if Gwen is his loving wife?” Gaius confesses.
Merlin thinks a while. Gaius is right. Katrina looked pleased with the news but God knows what she really feels about it. Merlin doesn’t trust the Queen either and it’s always better to think ahead of the Queen than be caught not prepared with anything, just in case. And if Gwen can change Arthur for good, it will be good for Camelot. Gaius’s idea seems to be wise and can be the only thing to put things in order until Arthur is wise enough to think on his own. He purses his lips, nods and sighs. “Fine … I will help him but if things get out of control…”
“It won’t, Merlin. Trust me … Arthur listens to you, and Gwen likely will as well. So your counsel is heavily depended upon par the future king and Queen of Camelot. Just make sure toi advise them wisely,” Gaius says.
Just as Merlin opens his mouth to answer, the door of the chamber slams open and Arthur marches in, with Balinor and Uther right behind them. Arthur and Balinor are carrying an unconscious Tristan. There is an Arrow sticking out of his left shoulder. Uther strides in, carrying Tristan’s sword in his hand. There is blood on his sleeves. But he seems plus concerned for Tristan than him.
“What happened?” Gaius asks as he instructs them to lay Tristan on the treatment table.
“We’d been attacked and Tristan was wounded par one of the arrows meant for me,” Uther says as Arthur and Balinor lays Tristan down.
“Merlin, get me fresh water,” Gaius instructs and inspects the wound. “The Arrow missed the cœur, coeur par inches which is good. It’s below the shoulder blades so there is nothing serious to worry about,” he informs the group. Uther sighs in relief.
“Thank God,” Balinor says, wiping the sweat from his face.
“Are toi both all right?” Gaius asks and Balinor nods, assuring he and Uther are fine.
“Who attacked you?” Arthur asks, wiping his hand on his tunic. It was smeared with blood as well.
“We are as clueless about it as toi are, Arthur … but one thing is certain. Whoever they are, your father and uncle was their target,” Balinor tells Arthur.
Arthur looks at Uther and notices the king is saddened par the condition of his brother-in-law. Uther didn’t look at Arthur. He has his gaze fixed upon Tristan.
“Then they must be someone from within the château walls,” Merlin adds as he hands the bucket of fresh water to Gaius.
“Merlin’s right … it has to be an inside job. ou else, why would they want to attack my family? ou would know precisely where to do so? No one knew about your hunting today except for a select few, isn’t that so?” Arthur questions with curiosity. Gaius exchanges looks with Merlin.
“We don’t know anything for certain, Arthur, but I will start the investigation immediately. Good thing the Arrow missed its mark,” Balinor says.
“Gaius, please save him,” Uther tells the physician.
“I will do my best but right now I need all of toi to leave so that I can get to work. Uther, toi need to rest … Arthur, take your father to his chambers. And toi too, Balinor,” Gaius advises.
“I am fine,” Balinor adds but Merlin cuts him first.
“No toi are not, Father. Look at toi … please, go accueil and get some rest. I will inform toi about Tristan’s condition when I get back home,” Merlin says and when Balinor tries to argue, Merlin presses. “Please, Father …”
“Merlin’s right, Balinor. Come, Father … Balinor.” Arthur grabs both Balinor and his father par their arms and leads them out from the chamber. “Let me know as soon as toi can, Merlin,” he informs his friend.
“Sure,” Merlin promises as the trio leaves the chamber.
“Come, Merlin … we have a man to save here,” Gaius calls as Merlin goes to rejoindre him.
Gwen stares at Gwaine. She doesn’t know what to say ou what to think. How can he be in l’amour with me? How can he even have these feelings? We are friends. There is no way he can fall in l’amour with me. Gwen’s mind rakes through to find the possible solution to the madness Gwaine is uttering to her and yet she can’t come up with any. She is in a dilemma. Her jour just turned from bad to worse.
Peeling his hand from hers, she steps back and looks at Gwaine in shock, unable to commentaire anything. She just stares at him, dumbfounded.
Gwaine’s expression also changes. He notices the stunned features on Gwen’s face and his own smile fades. He doesn’t pursue her but stands, waiting for her response. And when he doesn’t get any, he decides to be the first to ask her.
“Gwen? What happened?”
“Gwaine … I … don’t … I …” Gwen struggles for words. She is really Lost for words.
“You don’t like me?”
“No, I mean, I do … I do, but …” Gwen sighs and looks away. She avoids Gwaine’s gaze as she is afraid of letting the cat out of the bag. How can she tell him?
“Then?”
“But it’s not the way you’re hoping, Gwaine … I don’t … l’amour you.” She tries to be honest. Gwaine deserves honesty above everything else. But she fears honesty will also crush him.
Gwaine’s cœur, coeur sinks. Her words shatter his confidence and break his heart. He had hopes coming here, thinking Gwen will reciprocate his feelings, but he was wrong. Perhaps he’d been too confident with himself. He looks away, dejected.
Gwen notices the hurt flashing across Gwaine’s face and it hurts her as well. But what else can she do? She has never loved him plus than as a friend and she has to be honest with him. She cannot pretend to l’amour him when in truth she doesn’t. She just hopes Gwaine will understand her. “Gwaine, I’m sorry …” Gwen nears him but refrains from touching him. “I like toi as my friend, but I don’t …”
“Don’t say it Gwen, please,” Gwaine stops her, holding out his palm. “I’m hurt enough, just not again …” his voice seems to be cracking and he clears his throat to hide his sadness.
“I am so sorry, Gwaine. I really didn’t know toi had … that toi …”
“Why, Gwen?” Gwaine cuts her short, looking at her with hurt. His lips quiver as he tries his best to control his anger and frustration.
“Sorry?”
“Why couldn’t toi l’amour me?”
“Because that’s not the way I see you, Gwaine. All these years, when we were growing up together, I saw toi as my best friend and nothing more. I thought … toi saw me as that, too … I am sorry if I’ve hurt you, but I really didn’t mean to. I’d never want to hurt you.”
“Couldn’t toi try?” he becomes agitated.
“Gwaine …” Gwen sighs and looks away. Why doesn’t he understanding her? This is not the Gwaine she knows. This is a different Gwaine, one who seems to be needling her frustration. She doesn’t want to hurt him anymore than she already has, but if he pushes her limits, especially today, she might end up being sarcastic and it’s going to hurt her plus than him. “I would if I could, but …”
“There’s someone else?”
“What? No … no, there’s no one else …” Gwen shakes her head.
“Then why couldn’t toi give me a chance?” Gwaine presses on.
“Gwaine, l’amour can’t be forced …”
“But it can blossom from unexpected events, Gwen. Give me a chance, please, is all I am asking you. I have loved toi all my life and I can’t ours to live without you. I want to marry toi and live a happy life with you. Don’t toi trust me? I give toi my word; I will take care of you. My parents l’amour toi …”
“Gwaine, stop please!” Gwen stops him. “You are making this worse for both of us!”
Gwaine stops and looks at her in shock. What did he do? What was he thinking? Gwaine presses the sides of his head and turns around in shame. He cannot bring himself to meet Gwen in the eye, not after what he has just done. Did he just force her to l’amour him? Goodness.
Gwen turns around herself, unable to meet Gwaine’s eye. “I am sorry Gwaine.”
Gwaine sighs, walks to the table, tableau and sits down. Burying his face in his hands, he remains silent and it worries Gwen. She turns around slowly and watches him sitting down. She places the gift Gwaine brought with him on the table, tableau and ponders if she should let him be ou comfort him. She didn’t have the slightest idea that Gwaine had been in l’amour with her all these years. Why didn’t her tell her before? She never loved Gwaine but if he had revealed his feelings for her sooner, she probably would have at least tried to evoke the same feelings for him. But it’s too late now. Even if she decides to give Gwaine a chance, she’s already been promised to another man. There is no way Gwaine can with the man destined to be her husband. She feels hurt and bad for Gwaine. She didn’t want him to suffer yet she knows he does. How can she correct this mess?
Gwaine lifts his face from his hands and turns to meet her. “Gwen,” he calls her softly.
“Gwaine, I am sorry … I didn’t …” she goes to sit beside him.
“No Gwen, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have been so hasty. I should have respected your wishes and decisions … I forced you, I pushed toi to decide. I am sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have jumped to the conclusion that toi felt the same. What will toi think of me now? I’m ashamed of what I’ve done. Please forgive me, Gwen … forgive me.”
“No, Gwaine … it’s not your fault at all. No one should be sorry for loving another. toi are just unfortunate that I am unable to l’amour toi back,” Gwen tells him, patting him on the shoulder. “I just wish there was plus I can do for toi to ease your pain than these words of comfort.”
“You can tell me why toi can’t give me a chance, for starters … at least it will make me feel better to know who I have Lost toi to,” Gwaine says, and when Gwen sighs in reluctance, he immediately continues, “I don’t mean it in a nasty way, Gwen. I’d just like to know, that’s all.”
Gwen realizes there is no way she can go on keeping this from Gwaine. He will find out sooner ou later and it’ll be better for him to learn the truth from her rather than from someone else. And he deserves the truth. But how will she tell him? Should she disclose all the information ou just the part of the proposal? Will Gwaine understand her? Will he remain palourde ou will he go after Arthur and attack him? Gwen is worried for both men. Why she is worried for Arthur baffles her, though. He is the cause of her misery and yet she still worries for him. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looks at Gwaine who is still watching her.
“Gwaine … there is something I need to tell you, but I want toi to promise me that no matter what toi hear from me, toi will not act hastily. toi will remain calm. Can toi promise me that?” she asks, taking his hand in hers. When Gwaine opens his mouth to disagree with her, she shakes his hand, cutting him short. “Please…”
“Fine, I will … promise.”
“You keep asking me why I can’t give toi a chance,” she begins. “Even if I wanted to, there is no way I will be allowed to do so, Gwaine.”
“I don’t get you, Gwen,” he tells her.
Gwen purses her lips and takes in a huge gulp of air. “I am not sure if you’ve heard anything at all about me, but … I am … getting … married.”
“WHAT!!!” Gwaine releases her hand. His eyes widen in shock.
“I’m to be married.”
“To whom?”
And this is the toughest part of all. She swallows. “To the prince … Arthur.”
Gwaine leaps to his feet, startling Gwen. His cœur, coeur shatters at the news and his pain is visible all over his face. ‘To Arthur?’ his mind is going berserk. ‘When did this happen? Why didn’t Gwen tell me sooner?’
“Gwaine, please sit down. toi are frightening me.”
“So it’s him, then … it’s the prince toi crave.” His anger is returning to his system. He tries to control his temper but the plus he thinks of Arthur, the angrier he becomes. ‘Arthur? Why him … what does Arthur has which I don't?’ he thinks again, anger and jealousy flaring.
Gwen knows where this is heading. “Gwaine, it’s not like that. It’s not what toi think …”
“How do toi expect me to think, Gwen?” Gwaine snaps. “When we spoke about him yesterday, I didn’t see any glimpses of l’amour on your face! How am I supposed to know about your real feelings when toi hardly spoke of him? And why didn’t toi tell me sooner? Did toi expect me to know par myself like what … probing the information magically from your mind, ou did toi think I’m an idiot and don’t need to be told about this?”
“Enough, Gwaine. toi are hurting me.”
“What about me, Gwen? I am hurt too! I have a cœur, coeur and it’s bleeding par this scornful information!!”
“I didn’t mean to …”
“Then why hide the truth, Gwen?” Gwaine snaps back at her angrily. His eyes turn red and he stands, staring at her. He is hurt and he has never felt such a pain in his life than he does right now. The pain, whatever it is, is killing him. If this is what rejection feels like, then he will never fall in l’amour again.
“Because I didn’t know about this until last night Gwaine!!!” Gwen shouts and gets up on her feet. “I nearly as clueless as toi are about this, too. I am angry, mad and raging about this marriage, just like toi … so, like it not, we are both in the same condition!”
“What do toi mean?”
“I mean I had no say in this marriage. It was decided between my father and the prince last night, through a game of checkers where the winner will decide my future. Yes, Gwaine … I am the wager and I have been won par the prince … won!! And today I know that I will be marrying the crown prince of Camelot … isn’t that great Gwaine?” she asks sarcastically. “The whole of Camelot is rejoicing with this news and preparations are underway … only the bride was the last to know! So like I a dit … I am clueless about this, like toi are.”
Gwaine sighs and closes his eye in frustration. How could he be such a fool? He jumped into another conclusion without giving a thought to Gwen. This is not him. He would never do this, especially to Gwen. What was he even thinking? He is riddled with shame and anger for his hasty decision to unleash his wrath at Gwen without considering that she had been in a tight situation herself. He reopens his eyes and notices Gwen is watching him, apparently waiting for his comments. His anger giving way to shame. “God … Gwen, I am … sorry.” He nears her and takes her in his arms. Gwen’s tears well up in her eyes. “I didn’t know, Gwen, I really didn’t know … I am sorry.” He hugs her warmly and Gwen starts to sob in his embrace. He curses himself silently.
“I am sorry too, Gwaine. What must toi think of me? What must everyone think? They probably think that I am … that I am cheap and easy and …”
“Shhh … hey, now look at me.” Gwaine pushes her back and tilts her chin. “You are not any of that, understand?” he tells her. “You are a person, respectable and with dignity. toi are not prey … and above all toi are not easy. You, my girl, are the most difficult girl I have ever tried to win over and …” he smiles at her, “you will remain the most difficult girl I have ever tried to win over,” he says. “You are just a victim of this unfortunate event, but never ever let yourself be told that toi are easy. toi are definitely not, and like me ou not for what I am about to tell you, but Arthur knows toi are not easy, too. That’s why he had to resort to such measures to get you. And toi will remind him of that so that he knows his mistakes. But don’t toi ever think lowly of yourself, dear … because toi are not low.”
“Gwaine …” Gwen cries as she hugs him again. Gwaine rakes her hair. “The whole village would have known this par now. How can I face them? What will I tell them?”
Gwaine pushes her back again and looks at her face, thumbing off her tears. “You owe no one any explanations, Gwen. toi don’t have to answer anyone. Those who have to answer this will be those who put toi in such a tight situation. Where’s your father, anyway? I need to talk to him.” His face darkens.
“Gwaine, please … toi promised.”
“What was he thinking, Gwen? I knew he has problem with gambling, but it was supposed to be in the past. I though he’d overcome it … but wagering his own daughter! This is atrocious, Gwen. I didn’t think … I just … I really have no words to describe my feelings for Tom right now.”
“He is a victim himself, Gwaine. He’d been tricked into the game and seems to be locked in a corner where he had no other choice but this to escape. He actually wants me to escape this marriage.”
“And what does he have in mind?”
“He wants me …” Gwen looks at Gwaine. Should she tell him? “He wants me to … marry you.”
“What?”
“He wants me to marry toi and elope from Camelot, with you. Never to come back again. He is willing to spend the rest of his life in the dungeons for this.”
Gwaine remains silent. He knows he wants to marry her and l’amour her but to marry Gwen for the sake of escaping from another marriage is … a little risky. But for Gwen he’d do anything even if it’s a risk.
Gwen knows what’s Gwaine is thinking and she doesn’t blame him. “Gwaine?”
“Look, Gwen … if this is the only way I can save you, then why not? I understand toi will never be able to l’amour me but I can at least save toi from this madness.”
“Gwaine … listen.”
“Your father’s right …”
“Listen, Gwaine … please.” She holds him tight. “I understand your concern and I appreciate your help but I can’t do this. Not to toi and father. This is Arthur we are talking about. The prince … the ruthless prince of Camelot who’d go to great lengths to get what he wants. If he decides to pursue us, he will go even to ends of the world to get me, Gwaine. And he would kill toi without a thought. And I don’t even know what he would do with Father. No, I don’t want anything to happen to either of you. I can’t allow that. No … I must marry him for the sake of everyone’s lives.”
“But Gwen … do toi l’amour him?”
“I don’t know that, Gwaine,” she tells him. “I have to be honest with you. I don’t know.”
“And how will toi be happy with this marriage, dear? How will toi survive?” Gwaine asks her, cupping her chin. He looks warmly into her eyes and sighs sadly. Very soon this woman will be the future Queen of Camelot and he will be her subject, nothing plus than that. Will she remember him? Will she still talk to him?
“I don’t know that, either …” a single streak of tear rolls down her cheek. He thumbs it off. “I am scared, Gwaine. I am terrified par all that’s happening. I don’t know if I have the strength to endure this marriage.”
“I wish I could say toi don’t have, to but toi won’t let me help you. So I will only say that toi will endure this marriage. toi are Rebelle and have the strength of a man in you. toi never let anything like this to dampen your spirits before, so don’t start now,” Gwaine tells her. He knows Gwen could use some advice, ou better still, some comfort before she heads into this disastrous marriage. She is already shaking with fear and if he probes her further she might just break. He understands he can’t undo what’s been done but he can make her feel better par giving her some insight on what to expect through this marriage. “Gwen?”
She looks at him. Smiling he leads her to the table, tableau and sits her down. He sits beside her. “I like to teach toi something before toi marry Arthur.”
“What is it?”
Gwaine smiles, lifts her hand to his lips and kisses it. “Marrying a royal can be very frightening, Gwen. toi will be entering a whole new world now. Everything will be new and a little intimidating but toi must learn to survive, sweetheart. If toi can’t survive, toi will be run over and ignored. And we can’t have that, can we? toi must be strong; both mentally and physically, especially with Arthur. Don’t let him to rule you, Gwen, because toi are not meant to be ruled but to be loved. Do not allow him to treat toi like a lesser person.”
“But I don’t know anything about being a royal. All my life … I’ve been like this …”
“I know. I understand, but this is something toi need to go through on your own, Gwen. You’ll need to find your own way. You’ll probably find help from unexpected sources, but until they present themselves, toi are on your own.”
“You’re leaving me alone, Gwaine?”
“Of course not. I will be there for toi when toi need me ou my help. toi are my best friend, Gwen, and I will lay my life down for you. But I can’t interfere in your marriage. That’s all I am saying.”
Gwen nods sadly. Gwaine caresses her cheek. He understands Gwen is worried and is looking to him for comfort. Comfort he can offer, but the rest will have to be par Gwen herself. How can he make her feel better without scaring the life out of her?
“I don’t know Arthur, sweetheart. I have never been his friend ou foe to understand him better. But from what I hear from you, it looks like he is determined to get toi no matter what. His determination can be understood in two ways. Either he wants toi badly ou loves toi deeply to go to such a length to win you.”
Gwen scoffs.
“I know what toi are thinking but I am speaking as a man here, remember?” Gwaine tells her. “When a man really wants something, they’ll do anything to win it. Anything. It’s something to do with pride and dignity. I believe Arthur has a great deal of both of those things. He feels his pride is at stake, and it can only be preserved par winning you. He has a point to prove to someone and toi are the prized item he is after. That must be why he is willing to stoop to such a level to get you. Or, he might be in l’amour with you, Gwen. His intentions could be genuinely honest and he probably didn’t know how to go about doing it properly. But either way, he has won. But toi don’t have to be afraid of him. Never be afraid of him. He is still a person, like toi and me. He might be the prince, so respect him for his title, but never be afraid of him, understand?”
Gwen nods again.
“And if he ever treats toi poorly …”
“I have toi to protect me, I know …” Gwen smiles, for the first time that afternoon.
“Good … that’s right. Let me know and I’ll teach that husband of yours some manners.” Gwaine laughs along with her.
“Thank you, Gwaine.”
“Don’t forget me, sweetheart. I know I’ll be nothing after toi get …”
“You’ll always be in my heart, Gwaine. toi are my friend and I l’amour toi for that. I am not a royalty par birth only par marriage so that means I’m still like you. Don’t toi dare put yourself beneath me … get it?”
“I do …” Gwaine tells her.
Gwen pushes him back a little and gives him back the bracelet he gave her. Gwaine pushes it back to her. “It’s yours … my wedding gift.” There was a slight sadness in his voice but he masks it well with a wink and a smile.
“Thanks, Gwaine. You’re a good friend. I pray one jour toi will meet your true love.”
Gwaine smiles but he doubts he ever will, because he already has, and she slipped through his fingers.
It was late evening when Arthur finds his mother in her chambers, working on her needlework. Arthur taps on the door and waits. Katrina looks up, her face smiling immediately.
“Come in, Arthur,” she sets the sewing aside and clasps her hands, waiting for the prince.
Arthur closes the door behind him and strides towards her, holding a box in his right hand. He nears her, sits down and nods to her.
Katrina eyes the box in Arthur’s hand. She knows what it could be but decides to wait until Arthur tells her. She averts her attention back to him. “What is it, dear?”
“I want to know how your jour went mother. Did toi meet her? How is she?”
Katrina’s smile fades. “Merlin was nowhere to be found, Arthur. He completed his training and went away early. I sent out the guards to look for him but they, too, had trouble scouting him. Without him, it was useless to set out on the journey, so I cancelled the trip.”
Arthur is surprised. ‘Merlin, unseen in Camelot? That’s strange’ he thinks. ‘Where would he go?’ Arthur thinks again and then he thinks of something. ‘Unless …’ he looks back at his mother. “Merlin is working for Gaius now, Mother. Didn’t anyone tell you? Did toi looked in Gaius’s chamber?”
Now it is Katrina’s turn to be surprised. “Gaius? Why would he want to work for him? I thought Merlin is educating himself to be a knight?”
“He is but he is also training with Gaius as his apprentice. He wants to learn about medicine and Gaius offered to teach him,” Arthur explains.
“Right …” Katrina nods slowly. “I didn’t know about this, Arthur. No one informed me. No wonder we couldn’t find him anywhere. We didn’t look in any of the chambers because it didn’t seem relevant then. Very well, then … toi can take me there tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Hmmm …” Arthur trails.
Katrina reaches out and clips Arthur’s chin. “Now, don’t toi dare tell me that you’re occupied with something else!” she warns him.
Arthur laughs. “No, Mother. I am not. Fine, I’ll take toi there,” Arthur promises and lifts the box he held in his hand. He hands it to Katrina.
“Is that it?” Katrina’s eye beams with excitement. Arthur nods and she gapes, taking the box from Arthur’s hand and lifting the lid open.
“Oh my … Arthur. This is gorgeous,” she says as she runs her finger smoothly over the collier residing inside the box. It is a beautifully handcrafted or collier with emeralds and topaz stones inserted in each of the fleurs design detailed on the necklace. “She will l’amour it.”
“You think so?”
“Arthur, this is an absolutely gorgeous. I have never seen anything like this at all. Whoever created ou crafted this, deserves plus than a hefty reward. It’s magnificent, I must say,” she says and pauses. After a while, with a mischievous smile, she resumes “Well, even if she doesn’t like you, she will definitely like this.”
“Ahhh … Mother. This is where toi are wrong about her,” Arthur wriggles his finger and shakes his head.
“How so?”
“She is not one who can be won over with gifts. I did tell toi she is hard to be charmed, didn’t I?”
“Yes, toi did, Arthur, but this is one beautiful piece of work. Women l’amour jewels, Arthur, and especially one like this. I am sure she will fall for this. I know, I am a woman and I know,” Katrina defends her opinion.
“Maybe, but this is my Guinevere we are talking about, and she is different, Mother. She will not just fall for anything … not even this.”
“You might be wrong.”
“No mother, I know I am right about this.” Arthur stresses. He rakes his hair and assures his mother with a wink. “Trust me … I know.”
“Hmm, defending your bride already, I see,” Katrina laughs and closes the lid of the box. “Seems like she is an open book ou toi wouldn’t have discovered so much about her. If she is so difficult, how is it toi know so much about her?” she hands it back to him.
“Been stalking her.”
“Arthur … seriously,” Katrina laughs.
“I am serious, Mother. I did, for almost a week.” Arthur scratches his jaw and straightens up.
“Arthur!” Katrina’s eyes widen in disbelief. “I don’t believe …”
“My intentions were good, Mother. She wouldn’t let me in so I decided to find out on my own. It wasn’t hard to stalk her. I had to … be a little less parsimony with my spending but nevertheless it bore fruit, because I learned a good deal about her,” he tells her and when his mother isn’t impressed, he nears Katrina and clasps her hand tightly. “Trust me, it may sound improper but my intentions were all good.”
“Well, Arthur … I won’t say I am impressed but at least toi are honest about it. And I can be proud of that,” Katrina comments. “Why didn’t toi meet this girl earlier so that we could have this changed way back, rather than …”
“Mother, please … not that word and not from you. I am trying to be a good man and I haven’t touched another woman since I met Guinevere. And I wish to remain that way.” Arthur cuts his mother as fast he can.
Katrina smiles proudly and pats Arthur’s hand. Whatever she wanted to say a while il y a disappeared and replaced par a sense of awe for Arthur. “I am very happy for you, Arthur. I really am. And your father will be very proud of you,” Katrina tells him.
“I know, I can see it on his face,” Arthur adds. Clutching the collier box with both hands, he purses his lips. He did notice the happiness on his father’s face ever since he announced about his intentions to marry Guinevere. The king is genuinely happy for his son, there is no question on that and despite his hatred for his father, Arthur is happy that the king is delighted with this marriage.
“Arthur?” Katrina touches him on the shoulder.
“Huh?”
“Something bothering you?” she asks.
“Why do toi think so?”
“Because your mind isn’t here, that’s why. Is something troubling you?” she asks again.
“It’s this …” he points at the box in his hand. “How to give this to her, Mother? She will not accept this, that is for sure, but … I want her to wear this on our wedding day,” he says sadly.
Katrina smiles and reaches out to touch Arthur’s cheek. “Don’t worry, dear. Give this to me and let me handle it. I will make sure she wears it,” Katrina takes the box from him. “Stop worrying and go and have your rest. toi look tired.”
“Thank toi so much … toi are my saviour. Thank you.” He kisses Katrina’s cheek. “I’ll rest later, Mother. I need to greet a friend of mine from Orion. He’s arriving with his wife in a short while.”
“From Orion? Is it the crown prince, Leon?” Katrina smiles. “With his wife, toi say?”
“Yes, Mother. He was recently married, remember? toi couldn’t go because Father had been ill but toi asked me to pass the gifts to his wife,” Arthur reminds Katrina.
“Ahh yes, a bracelet … I remember now. What was her name …”
“Mithian.”
“Yes, I remember now. I am fond of that boy. Still remember him playing with toi while I watched both of toi when his mother had left with her husband on official duties. He must have grown into a fine young man.”
“He has, and very tall too. It took a mois for us to persuade him to marry the princess. He was thinking of becoming a bachelor king, which almost gave his father an attack.”
“Good heavens,” Katrina cups her cheek.
“Thank God he didn’t, and now his parents sleep peacefully at night,” Arthur laughs, shaking his head. Katrina joins his laughter.
“But why is he arriving this evening?” she asks him.
“He had to pay a royal visit to Carleon on his way here mother. But he will be staying with us for some time, lengthy perhaps.”
“They can stay here as long as they want. I am just happy they decided to visit Camelot in time for your wedding. Can’t wait to meet both the prince and the princess.”
“Thank you, Mother. I’ll leave and be back later with them.” Arthur gets up on his feet.
“As soon as they arrive and not a minute spared. I just hope your father returns from his hunting trip par then.”
“He isn’t back yet?” Arthur seems surprised par the information. He knows his father been out all jour but to stay out this late isn’t quite in his character.
“No, and I am getting worried,” Katrina says.
Arthur nears his mother, plants an assuring Kiss on her temple and steps back. “Don’t worry, Mother. Uncle Tristan is with him. Nothing will harm them. Maybe they have found something interesting that has taken plus time than they expected. Father is fond of hunting and it’s not the first time he’ll have spent the entire jour in the forest. Rest, Mother, and I will be back later,” Arthur says but Katrina still looks worried. “Mother …”
“I’m sorry, Arthur, but I can never rest peacefully when your father doesn’t come home.”
“Fine, if it still worries toi … I’ll send out the guards to chercher for them,” Arthur assures his mother.
“Thank you, Arthur,” Katrina says, sighing in relief. Arthur nods and walks to the door.
“I’ll see toi later,” he tells her, opens the door, and leaves.
Katrina sighs, picks up her traverser, croix stitch and continues her work.
“Take the rose buds and crush them together with the lavender to create the fragrance, Merlin. And then use the stems from the rosemary … Merlin?” Gwaine stops working on his potion and nudges Merlin’s arm.
“Huh, yeah … oh, the stems …right.” He searches the table, tableau for the stems and picks a handful.
“That’s chamomile, Merlin,” Gaius corrects him.
“Really?” Merlin seems surprised and searches the table, tableau again. “I don’t think the stems are here.”
“Of course they are not there, because toi are holding them.”
Merlin looks at Gaius and then at his hand. Gaius is right. He is holding the stems in his left hand. “Ohh …” he looks at Gaius and smiles shyly. But the older man isn’t impressed.
“What is wrong with you, Merlin?”
“I’m sorry Gaius … I’ll get it right,” Merlin assures. He sets all the stems in his hand on the table, tableau and pulls the pestle stone closer to him.
“No, wait …” Gaius nears Merlin and stands watching the boy, traverser, croix armed. “There is no hurry to produce that fragrance. Set them aside and look at me. I want to know the truth and don’t think toi can lie to me, Merlin.”
Merlin hesitates. This is a tough decision … to talk to Gaius. He didn’t want to disclose anything personal to him yet but his stupidity gave him away. He avoids looking at Gaius but grips the pestle stone firmly in his hand, waiting.
Gaius notices how disturbed Merlin seems but he wants to help. There is no other way than to force him to talk. “Go ahead … leave them on the table, tableau and answer me,” Gaius adds.
Merlin does as he is told and turns back to meet Gaius.
“So, what happened to toi today?” Gaius begins again.
“I am fine, Gaius …” Merlin scrapes the edges of the table, tableau with his fingers.
“I did warn toi not to lie to me,” Gaius cuts him short.
Merlin sighs and scratches his head. How on earth is he going to confide to Gaius without revealing much of what happened last night? And even if he does, will Gaius believe him? He understands and realizes he hasn’t been the same person since that unfortunate event in the village yesterday but he didn’t expect Gaius to notice it too. Perhaps he had revealed way too much with his behaviour and attitude. But as far as he is concerned, he did try to mask his disappointment. Maybe he did let something out without his notice. Whatever it is, how will he tell Gaius everything?
“Merlin?” Gaius is getting impatient.
“Gaius … I am sorry,” Merlin says and drops his shoulders. “I understand I disappointed you.”
“No toi didn’t Merlin. I didn’t say toi disappointed me but I just want to know why toi are disturbed. Something is clearly not right with toi today and I’d just like to know what it is. And if I can help toi with that problem, I will. But before I do, I like to know what happened.”
Merlin knows Gaius is far too smart to be lied to and if he doesn’t tell him now, Merlin will never be able to confide his trouble to the old physician ever. Besides, the matter is eating him up and it’s causing him to lose sleep over it. He clears his throat. “It’s about Arthur.”
“What about him?”
“I am sure par now toi know about his marriage to the commoner?”
“Yes.”
“Do toi know anything else?” Merlin twirls his fingers. “Any other news about it?”
“Like what?” Gaius is confused. He learned the news of Arthur’s marriage from Uther and had been happy about it. But Uther didn’t disclose anything else to him. From the way Merlin is behaving today and the manner the question is put to him looks like there is something else at work behind the scene of the marriage.
“How the marriage came about?”
“No, nothing …” Gaius says. “There’s something wrong about it?”
“Actually …” Merlin clears his throat again. Looking away, he sighs. “Arthur cheated to marry the girl, Gaius.”
“What do toi mean?”
“He likes her, the daughter of the blacksmith Tom. But she doesn’t favour him. Knowing that he must get her par all means, he tricked her father to a game of checkers, tricked him into wagering his daughter and finally persuaded her father to agree with the decision. He tricked everyone into his game plan and manipulated everything in such a way where he ends up winning the bets.”
Gaius notices how troubled Merlin looks while he explains the situation to him. Whatever this problem is, it has affected the young boy to such an extent that it is eating him up. “And that upsets you…”
“Because he used me to get his plan working, Gaius!” Merlin turns back towards Gaius. “Of course it upsets me because I had promised that girl that I would not let anyone harm her!”
“Merlin … wait,” Gaius closes in on Merlin and grabs his shoulder. “I am not following toi here. What do toi mean par you’d promised her? Do toi know her? Had toi met her before?”
“Gaius, I didn’t know her before Arthur told me about her. He met her when he knocked her father down,” and Merlin revealed everything he knows about what happened. Right from the accident that brought Gwen’s attention to Arthur right up to the proposal at the tavern. Once finished, Merlin takes a deep breath while Gaius sits down, thinking deeply.
“Are toi all right, Gaius?”
“Yes …” he looks up at Merlin. “Is that why toi are disturbed? Because of your promise to Gwen?”
“She trusts me, Gaius. ou at least she did. I promised to keep her from Arthur’s harm and now … I’ve turned her in myself! Whether it’s right ou wrong, I did play a part in this treacherous plot. What will she think of me?” Merlin shakes his head and plays with the bottles arranged on the table. “She thinks I am her friend, and now … she will categorise me like Arthur.”
“I didn’t know, Arthur is …”
“Such an idiot? I know … I’m being reminded of that every jour now.”
“Does he really like her that much?” Gaius asks and when Merlin looks confused he reiterates, “I mean … he could have used a despicable act to get her but seems like he is really interested in her.”
Merlin scoffs.
“I really mean it, Merlin. It may seem wrong and I agree, the manner in which he approached the proposal was despicable, yes, but looks like his intentions were good. Perhaps being the spoiled prince deprived him the knowledge of a proper attitude in tackling such an issue. toi understand me?
“Are toi saying that what he did … last night was intentionally proper?”
“I am saying his intentions were good though his approach was not. He is the prince of Camelot, Merlin, and toi can’t expect him to be chivalrous in everything. No matter how kind and wise they are. Even Uther had problems with his attitude towards certain subjects in his younger days.”
“But why put others at stake too!! That’s what disturbs me the most.” Merlin pounds the table, rattling all the empty bottles. “What did I do to deserve this? I am his friend, Gaius … I have a pride and dignity, too … but he used me!! And I feel too ashamed to even look Gwen in the eye!! How will I see her when she comes here after marrying Arthur? I will need to confront her somehow, I can’t go on hiding from that … and when I do, what should I tell her? And when she questions me … ” Merlin whacks the rosemary bunch against the table, breaking the leaves. “It hurts, Gaius.”
“Perhaps if toi explain yourself to Gwen, she will understand.”
Merlin sighs, plucks the rosemary leaves one par one. “Morgana promised to meet her and explain the situation. I just hope Gwen is not upset ou thinks less of me. I promised that girl and I wish to help her par all means.”
“Do toi think Arthur will hurt her?”
“He loves her Gaius, but he’s just too proud to admit it. I don’t think he will hurt her but I doubt they will be happy, especially Gwen. And she is the one I am worried about, not him. Arthur will find a way to entertain himself, but Gwen is the one I am really worried for. This marriage will break her if she doesn’t find a way to l’amour him back.”
“Then make her l’amour him.”
Merlin spins around in such speed that he almost topples a bottle over. He catches it before it falls and sets it down on the table, tableau again. “I beg your pardon?”
“If it’s true Arthur loves her then she has to reciprocate his love. If she doesn’t, it will hurt her as much as it hurts him. And that will not be good for anyone especially if Arthur becomes the king and she, his queen,” Gaius suggests.
“And toi want me to make that happen?” Merlin asks. When Gaius nods, Merlin laughs. “Gaius … I am not a sorcerer. I can’t perform magic tricks to make this happen. l’amour is one of the powerful forces in the world and toi can’t just snap your fingers and make two people fall in love. It has to happen on its own. And I wouldn’t blame Gwen for not loving Arthur.”
“We don’t know that for sure, Merlin. Have toi asked her about Arthur?”
“Do I need to, Gaius? Arthur’s reputation is widely known in Camelot and needs no introduction. She would know everything about him par now … how do toi expect her to l’amour him?”
“She might have been influenced par her surroundings, but once she is married to Arthur, she will see a different side of the prince. And if he loves her like toi said, she will find herself loving him back. But for that to happen, toi must also play a part.” Gaius still wants Merlin to play a part in assuring Gwen loves Arthur back.
“No, no … not you, too, Gaius. I don’t want to be involved in another person’s marriage … especially Arthur’s. I am out of this mess … forever!”
“You are already in it, Merlin. toi promised that girl to protect her and toi are Arthur’s friend. He will be looking for toi to help him out, to confess, confide, for conseil and so on … If toi bail out, I am afraid they will end up hating each other. I would rather have toi helping them than anyone else, especially Katrina.”
Speaking of the Queen alerts Merlin and he straightens up. He sighs and looks at Gaius. “What do toi mean, Gaius?”
Gaius checks the door is tightly sealed to ensure no one is eavesdropping on their conversation. Then he turns back towards Merlin. “I am sorry, but I don’t trust her. If Arthur doesn’t get the response he expects from Gwen and he seeks Katrina’s counsel, I am afraid of the circumstances that counsel will bring. I’d rather have toi putting your nose in than her.”
“But she agreed with the marriage, Gaius. Why would toi be suspicious of her? I saw her reaction when Arthur informed his parents about his plans. She is genuinely happy for him and is keen on the prospect of having a commoner as her daughter-in-law. I don’t think she’d do anything to break up the marriage ou upset Arthur.”
“I hope toi are right, but from what I gather from your father, I’d rather keep an eye on her. I am saying her influence may allow Arthur to opt for a different solution should he not get back Gwen’s love. If it’s toi advising him, the results may change. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I really feel this marriage will change Arthur for good. I noted the difference in him just in these few days, so imagine what the rest of his life will be if Gwen is his loving wife?” Gaius confesses.
Merlin thinks a while. Gaius is right. Katrina looked pleased with the news but God knows what she really feels about it. Merlin doesn’t trust the Queen either and it’s always better to think ahead of the Queen than be caught not prepared with anything, just in case. And if Gwen can change Arthur for good, it will be good for Camelot. Gaius’s idea seems to be wise and can be the only thing to put things in order until Arthur is wise enough to think on his own. He purses his lips, nods and sighs. “Fine … I will help him but if things get out of control…”
“It won’t, Merlin. Trust me … Arthur listens to you, and Gwen likely will as well. So your counsel is heavily depended upon par the future king and Queen of Camelot. Just make sure toi advise them wisely,” Gaius says.
Just as Merlin opens his mouth to answer, the door of the chamber slams open and Arthur marches in, with Balinor and Uther right behind them. Arthur and Balinor are carrying an unconscious Tristan. There is an Arrow sticking out of his left shoulder. Uther strides in, carrying Tristan’s sword in his hand. There is blood on his sleeves. But he seems plus concerned for Tristan than him.
“What happened?” Gaius asks as he instructs them to lay Tristan on the treatment table.
“We’d been attacked and Tristan was wounded par one of the arrows meant for me,” Uther says as Arthur and Balinor lays Tristan down.
“Merlin, get me fresh water,” Gaius instructs and inspects the wound. “The Arrow missed the cœur, coeur par inches which is good. It’s below the shoulder blades so there is nothing serious to worry about,” he informs the group. Uther sighs in relief.
“Thank God,” Balinor says, wiping the sweat from his face.
“Are toi both all right?” Gaius asks and Balinor nods, assuring he and Uther are fine.
“Who attacked you?” Arthur asks, wiping his hand on his tunic. It was smeared with blood as well.
“We are as clueless about it as toi are, Arthur … but one thing is certain. Whoever they are, your father and uncle was their target,” Balinor tells Arthur.
Arthur looks at Uther and notices the king is saddened par the condition of his brother-in-law. Uther didn’t look at Arthur. He has his gaze fixed upon Tristan.
“Then they must be someone from within the château walls,” Merlin adds as he hands the bucket of fresh water to Gaius.
“Merlin’s right … it has to be an inside job. ou else, why would they want to attack my family? ou would know precisely where to do so? No one knew about your hunting today except for a select few, isn’t that so?” Arthur questions with curiosity. Gaius exchanges looks with Merlin.
“We don’t know anything for certain, Arthur, but I will start the investigation immediately. Good thing the Arrow missed its mark,” Balinor says.
“Gaius, please save him,” Uther tells the physician.
“I will do my best but right now I need all of toi to leave so that I can get to work. Uther, toi need to rest … Arthur, take your father to his chambers. And toi too, Balinor,” Gaius advises.
“I am fine,” Balinor adds but Merlin cuts him first.
“No toi are not, Father. Look at toi … please, go accueil and get some rest. I will inform toi about Tristan’s condition when I get back home,” Merlin says and when Balinor tries to argue, Merlin presses. “Please, Father …”
“Merlin’s right, Balinor. Come, Father … Balinor.” Arthur grabs both Balinor and his father par their arms and leads them out from the chamber. “Let me know as soon as toi can, Merlin,” he informs his friend.
“Sure,” Merlin promises as the trio leaves the chamber.
“Come, Merlin … we have a man to save here,” Gaius calls as Merlin goes to rejoindre him.
