Written Destinies (Arthur Pendragon)

A Remedy to Cure All Ills 9: Where Are You?

Arthur's POV:

            Flames danced along the palms of her hands, anger and hurt radiating off her body. I could see emotions in her eyes, though the hazel orbs that I have grown to adore were masked by gold, I could still see the hurt and betrayal she felt. Tears slowly cascaded down her tan cheeks, her lip quivering with every shaky breath. I did this to her. All I wanted was to protect her, yet in the process of doing so, I hurt her myself. The way she looked at me now, like I had stabbed her in the heart and left her for dead. 

"You weren't scared of me dying," She spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "You were scared because you couldn't care for me if I had magic."

            My heart shattered at her words. I watched as the anger that radiated from her slowly died down. The burning flames that danced in her palms burned out into smoke. She looked at me with a broken expression, one of pain, pain that I caused her.

"Ellie, no..... no," I spoke, shaking my head. I took a step towards her, wanting to embrace her into my arms, but she stepped back.

"Yes," She whimpered, her golden eyes fading back to their original hazel. "You were raised to hate magic. So, therefore---- you were raised to hate me."

"Elizabeth," I breathed, my eyes glistening with tears. I extended my hand, reaching for hers, resulting in her backing further away from me. I looked at her with a sad expression, my soul being crushed with every step she took to get away from me. "Please...."

"You were raised to never care for a monster like me," She cried. Her words stung, for how could call herself a monster? How could she see herself as a monster, a beast? "You were raised to kill me yourself."

"Ellie, please," I pleaded, shaking my head at her words. "It's me, it's your Artie. I would never hurt you."

"No," She said, shaking her head. "If that was the truth, then you would never have lied to me in the first place."

            With that she took off, throwing the doors of her chambers open and escaping out of them, leaving me standing here in my own sadness. My mind was racing, my heart pounding wildly beneath my chest. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, for she was right. I was raised to hate her. I was raised to hate magic. I was raised to kill magical beings. Yet, I could never bring myself to harm her. For her to think that I could possibly hurt her, possibly kill her, broke my heart. I shook out of my daze, racing out of the room in hopes to catch her. 

"Ellie," I yelled as I ran through the halls of the castle, my heart hammering within me, my breath coming out in short breaths. "Elizabeth!"

            I raced through the castle, searching the throne room, the kitchen, the library, and the garden. Yet, no matter where I looked, Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. I raced to the physician's quarters, swinging the door wind open. Gaius and Merlin looked at me with bewildered faces, yet when they noticed the fear written across my own, their faces morphed into ones of concern.

"What's wrong, sire," Gaius asked.

"Has Elizabeth been here," I breathed, Merlin and Gaius shook their heads. I sighed, turning to race back out the door.

"Arthur, wait," Merlin yelled, stopping me in my tracks. He hurried over to my side, his eyes boring into mine.

"What's wrong," He asked, his voice full of concern.

"Her eyes were gold again," I stated. Merlin's eyes widened. 

"What happened," He asked. 

"She was angry--- she was mad at me for not telling her about her eyes glowing gold the night she fainted," I began, running through the argument in my mind. "There was fire."

"A fire," Merlin exclaimed. "Is she okay? Was she hurt?"

"She fine," I whispered, I meet Merlin's eyes which were full of concern. Concern for his sister. "The fire came from her."

"Arthur, what are you saying," Gaius asked, a puzzled expression overtaking his face.

"The flames were dancing in the palm of her hands. As her anger grew, the flames grew as well," I explained. "She was controlling it."

"That's not possible," Merlin stated, shaking his head. "Elizabeth does not have magic. If she did then that would mean that she----."

"She is in danger," I stated. "Merlin, you should have seen her. She was so scared." 

"Where is she now," Merlin asked.

"I don't know, she ran. I've searched the entire palace, I can't find her anywhere," I explained.

"Well, she couldn't have gone far," Gaius spoke. "We must keep looking."

            Merlin and I nodded, both of us rushing out the door in search of Elizabeth. Yet, just like before, there was no sight of her anywhere. After running for what felt like forever, we stopped to take a moment to breathe in the courtyard. That's when I saw it. For there, lying just beyond the kingdom walls were raging flames, growing rapidly with every passing second. The warning bell from the watch tower began to ring, followed by worried yells, ordering the knights of Camelot to wake.

"Arthur," Merlin breathed, pointing behind me. I turned, looking at where he was pointing. There, racing towards the palace gates was a saddled horse. One that belonged in the palace stables. His eyes were full of fear as he galloped passed us. "That's Elizabeth's horse."

"Dear God," I breathed out, panic overtaking my body. Soon the entire courtyard was filled with knights and servants, all of them racing around in panic. 

"The kingdom is under attack," One of the knights yelled, he came and stopped before me, gasping for air. "What do we do, sire."

"Saddle the horses," I ordered. "We must search the flames until she is found."

"Until who is found, sire," The night asked, a look of confusion written across his face.

"Lady Elizabeth," I breathed. I watched as the knight's eyes widened, yet he did as he was told. He began shouting orders, telling people where to go and what must be done.

"Arthur," Merlin spoke up, I turned to face the servant, finding his eyes full of fear. Fear for his sister.

"We will find her, Merlin," I assured.

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            We rode out of the walls of the kingdom, the sound of horse hooves pounding against the floor overtaking the silence of the night. Thunder could be heard in the distance. Rain begins to fall from the sky, pelting our bodies as we raced through the night. I rode at the front of the calvary, Merlin riding at my side, the nights of Camelot following behind us. We entered the forest, the heat of the flames crashing into us like a wave.

"Split up. Search everywhere," I ordered. I rode through the burning forest, the flames getting bigger and hotter the deeper I went into the woods. Everything was so bright, as though the night had turned into day. Yet the brightness of the forest didn't help the search. Elizabeth was nowhere to be found.

"Where are you," I whispered to myself. I could feel my heart breaking, she was lost in the woods and it was all my fault. 

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