Fireheart (A Merlin Love Story)

Chapter 26, Part 2

Ariella's P. O. V:

Mira is back in my arms as Merlin helps Arthur put Uther on his bed, and I gently bounce my daughter up and down, letting her rest her head on my shoulder as my hand cups the back of her head, in an effort to calm her.

Morgana says, "Careful!" She pulls the blankets up to his shoulders as she asks  in concern, "Is he going to be alright?"

Gaius tells her, "He should sleep til morning." Morgana nods her head in understanding as she fixes the blankets up. Gaius glances at me and Merlin pointedly on his way to the door. Merlin wraps an arm around my waist as we follow Gaius out. After a moment, Arthur joins us.

Gaius, Merlin and I had rounded the corner to head back to our chambers, when Arthur catches up to us. He demands to know, "What could've made him like this?"

Gaius meets my gaze as he responds, "I've no idea."

"Gaius! He was lying on the ground, crying!"

We pause and turn to the Prince as Gaius states vaguely, "Exhaustion."

"Gaius." Arthur walks up to us. "What aren't you telling me? What's wrong with him?" He then glances to me as he demands, "Tell me."

I hesitate a moment, before answering, "When I found him, he was mumbling. Most of it was incoherent, but..."

Arthur's bright blue eyes narrow when I trail off. "What?" He prompts.

I heave a sigh as I say, "He kept mentioning your mother's name." Arthur leans back out of surprise at this.

"He never talks about her," The Prince murmurs, furrowing his brows.

"He claimed that he saw her....." There's a pause as everyone stares at me in shock, their eyes wide. "..... in the well..."

Arthur gets right in my face as he hisses, "Did the guards see him in this state?"

I tell him in a whisper, "I think you're worrying too much."

"If the people were to know about this...!"

Gaius cuts in before I could respond, his voice steady, "We say that he was ill, but now he's recovered."

Arthur falls silent as he swallows thickly, glancing over at me as I continue to bounce Mira up and down gently. Arthur still doesn't say anything as he accepts Gaius's response before he turns on his heel and stalks back down the corridor, to his father's bed chambers.

Merlin, Gaius and I exchange weary glances before we, too, head back to our chambers.

                       🗡🗡🗡

The next three days just fly by. We hear rumours that Cenred is amassing an army, the severe deterioration of Uther's mind, leaving the kingdom weak and without a leader had taken their toll on everyone in Camelot. Gaius had become irritable and grumpy, Arthur had fallen into silence, now remaining locked up in his chambers to be apart from everyone, and Merlin had become jumpy and nervous. I was tense and had my guard up in order to keep our daughter safe, and even Merlin was on high alert whenever he was around her. Only Morgana remains unchanged, keeping calm and resolute, a steady presence for those around her.

On the fourth night, as I was eating dinner, I heard Merlin's voice in my head, warning me about Morgana, that he'd followed her to The Darkling Woods and overheard her talking to Morgause about having allied with King Cenred. Apparently, Morgause has formed an alliance with him and they plan to march on Camelot soon, under the High Priestess's commands. Morgana has betrayed us, and she's now allies with Morgause.