Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 6

The kingdom was dying.

Overnight all the fields of grain and crops rotted, leaving nothing edible behind. And while people were having their food rationed, Uther and Arthur were assuming that disease had ravaged the kingdom hence why Gaius had been conducting tests on the soil and water as the only crops that could be eaten were killed.

Disease was a reasonable explanation, at least until Guinevere had discovered that all the water in the underground well reservoir had been turned to sand. And not even Merlin with all his powers could change it back. Now sorcery was to blame, and Camelot was under curfew.

Not that Miriam cared as she strolled across the courtyard, heading back to Gaius' chambers as she placed his medical supplies back into his satchel, night having fallen in Camelot hours ago.

"Miriam! You do realise there's a curfew?" called a voice and Miriam looked up to see Arthur approaching her, and instantly her mood grew sour.

"And you do realise that your own subjects are suffering from dehydration and starvation because of your rationing?" she fired back, arms crossed over her chest.

"First of all, you can't address me like that. And secondly, as much as I wish to help them, there is nothing that I can do to magically make the crop come back to life and the well full of water again, especially since magic is outlawed and the cause of this famine in the first place!"

Miriam dropped her hands as she took a step closer to the prince, looking up at him.

"Let's get one thing straight here. You want me to respect you, well respect is earned. And whatever respect I had for you after you helped save Ealdor vanished the moment we returned to Camelot and you returned to the stuck up, snobbish prat that expects everyone to bow down at his feet, my brother especially. You were better off a person I read about in Merlin's letters."

"I could have you thrown in the dungeons for this," Arthur threatened as he took a step forward, looking down at her with their slight height difference.

"Oh, please do. Then you can explain to your father why his people are suffering when I'm trying to help them and you keep getting in my way," Miriam challenged as she took a step forward, the two of them almost chest to chest before Arthur's focus shifted to something behind Miriam.

"What was that?" he asked, and Miriam turned around.

"What was what?" she asked, seeing nothing and no one in Arthur's eye line.

Arthur then took off running.

"You're not getting out of this that easily," she called before bolting after him, eternally grateful that she wore trousers to go and help the people of the lower kingdom that had come seeking medical help.

Their footsteps were loud in the empty stone corridors that Miriam followed Arthur down, her feet skilfully hitting every step of the stairs that Arthur jumped down before coming to a stop in front of a labyrinth of tunnels.

"There's no one here," Miriam said as she looked down the pathways to see nothing and no one, Arthur's head also swivelling.

"Go that way and cut him off," Arthur ordered and Miriam huffed before readjusting her satchel strap and complying, Arthur running in the other direction.

But as Miriam turned the corner, her pace having slowed to an almost leisurely jog, she was only met with the sight of Arthur coming towards her.

He had a look of confusion on his face before looking back the way he came and Miriam's eyes widened at the sight of the shadow that walked past them, a cloaked figure wielding a staff.

Ok, maybe Arthur wasn't so crazy after all.

Arthur then grabbed her arm gently gesturing for her to go back the other way and cut him off again.

"I'm getting really tired of following your orders," she muttered to him, the prince just giving her an annoyed look before pushing her into the direction she needed to go.

But as she returned to the stairs they'd started from, she was met with only Arthur once more.

"Where is he?" he asked.

"I didn't see anyone," she replied.

"He was right here. Don't tell me you let him get past you!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Maybe you let him get past because no one came past me, Arthur!"

"Are you blind?!" he yelled.

"Are you looking for me?" came a raspy voice and the duo turned to see said the cloaked elderly man holding a staff that appeared to be topped with an antler. "I am Anhora, Keeper of the unicorns."

"I told you there was a curse," Miriam said to Arthur who ignored her and addressed the man.

"Camelot is under curfew. What's your business here?"

"I have come to deliver a message," Anhora explained.

"And who is this message for?" Arthur asked.

"It is for you, Arthur Pendragon."

"Is it you who is responsible for killing our crops, turning our water into sand?" Arthur questioned as he moved closer to Anhora.

"You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Camelot," Anhora replied as Miriam gave Arthur's back a look of disbelief at the stupidity of his question.

"Me? You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?"

"Are you a complete buffoon?" Miriam piped up. "You're the one that slayed the unicorn and unleashed the curse."

"Miriam is correct," Anhora spoke. "And for this, Camelot will suffer greatly."

Arthur only grew tense with anger.

"If you have put a curse on Camelot you will lift it or you will pay with your life," Arthur threatened and Miriam only held her forehead in pain. Arthur really didn't listen unless it was what he wanted to hear. Anhora was the messenger as he said, he wasn't responsible for the curse.

"The curse was not my doing."

"Undo the curse or face execution," Arthur continued and Miriam merely sat down on the stairs, waiting for this to play out.

"Only you can do that. You will be tested."

"You're under arrest," Arthur said as he went to grab Anhora only for the man to disappear and Arthur to stumble as Miriam shot up to her feet.

"Until you have proven yourself, and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted," Anhora explained from where he stood on the stairs, looking down at the two. "If you fail any of these tests, Camelot will be damned, for all eternity."

And as Anhora disappeared Miriam only glanced at Arthur.

"We are truly doomed then," she concluded as she began to walk up the stairs.

"What happened to having faith in me?" Arthur called after her and she didn't even look back at him as she continued walking up the stairs.

"Bring back the unicorn and you'll bring back my faith in you."