Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Beginning of the End [3]

The plan failed. 

Morgana and the boy had been caught. 

All hope seemed to be lost. 

But Arwen was never one to just give up. Not without trying her best to make things right. And so she walked with Merlin through the halls silently. She knew Morgana had lost the power she had over Uther. There was nothing that the King's Ward could do to persuade him to show mercy to the boy. Not after her betrayal. But Arwen knew there may be one more chance. One more option they had to try. And Merlin agreed that they had nothing to lose. 

Walking towards Arthur's chambers, Arwen tried to come up with the best speech to give the Prince. Choosing her words carefully might be what helps them persuade him into talking to his father, try to make him spare the innocent boy. She was so stuck in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Merlin didn't knock when they came to Arthur's door, but instead just pushed it open. Were it any other situation, she would have scolded him for it. 

"Sorry. Were we interrupting something?" Merlin questioned quietly, both him and Arwen coming to a stop as they noticed Morgana and Arthur talking at his table, their faces full of concentration. 

"Nothing you need concern yourself with. Go make yourself useful, muck out my horses, and-" Arthur's tone was brisk as he barked instructions at Merlin, ready to find a way to make Arwen leave as well when Morgana suddenly interrupted him. 

"I trust Merlin. And Arwen-" Morgana went to speak on their behalf, stopping short as Arthur gave out a heavy sigh.

"Has been helping you for who knows how long. Yes, I'm aware." Arthur stated as he motioned to them to come inside, his eyes turning to Arwen to see whether she'd deny it, but she made no effort to do so. "You're lucky my father sees no reason to tend to the boy's wounds." 

"I don't regret what I did." Arwen said in a firm voice, and Arthur, of course, already knew that. So he didn't pressure it any further, instead, simply stating what they were doing here. 

"We're going to break the Druid boy out of the dungeons." 

"You can't do that!" 

Merlin's exclamation made all three turn to him with confused looks in their eyes. Arwen and Morgana more so than Arthur as they knew he had been all for saving the boy up until now. 

"We have to! Uther is going to execute him at dawn!" Morgana exclaimed impatiently. Less than an hour before Merlin had promised her he would help save the boy. 

"I mean..." Merlin hesitated as he searched for a way to explain his sudden change. It wasn't like he could tell them all that he knew about the boy now. "It's too dangerous. You've already been caught once, and if the King catches you a second time he'll never forgive you." He attempted to convince Morgana, but she wouldn't hear any of it. 

"I'm not worried for myself." She scoffed dismissively, but Arthur did not share that opinion. 

"Merlin's right. When my father finds out the boy's escaped, he will suspect you being involved." Arthur thought it over. They needed Morgana to seem as far away from this as possible; for her own safety. 

"It's suicide." Merlin added on. 

"They're right. The King must believe you had nothing to do with it. But how do we ensure that?" Arwen turned to Arthur. He would be the one to know the best way to convince the King surely. 

"You must go to my father and apologise. Dine with him, he cannot hold you responsible if you're with him when the boy escapes." Arthur quickly thought of a way. It would require Morgana to swallow her pride, but it was a small sacrifice to make.