The Destiny of Love

Chapter 26 ~ Arthur's Quest

I walk down the stairs toward the throne room. I see my brother sticking his head through the door. I knew there was this big thing going on with Arthur, something about him proving himself and the biggest day of his life. I walk up next to Merlin and put my head below Merlin's.

"So let me get this straight," I whisper. "He's in there trying to find a quest that will prove himself?"

"No, he's actually thinking," Merlin says.

"About what exactly?" I ask.

"Oh nothing, just you."

I hit Merlin in the back of his head. The door shook as Merlin duck.

"Shh," I hiss.

Merline closes the door and looks at me.

"Yes, he has to decide upon a quest," Merlin says.

"Great, but what will sitting on his knees all night do to help?" I ask.

"He has to transcend his body so that the quest is revealed to him in a vision," Merlin explains.

"Okay, makes sense," I say.

"Really?" Merlin asks.

"No," I say, shaking my head.

"Liv, this is the most important day in a prince's life," Merlin says.

"Are you going to stay here all night?" I ask.

Merlin nods.

"I'll stay with you."

Merlin smiles at me.

~.~.~.~

The next morning we wake up to Uther and a bunch of people from the court walking down the stairs into the throne room. Merlin stands and pulls me up with him. We walk into the room Arthur was now standing and turning to look at Uther.

"What is the quest you have chosen?" Uther asks.

"I can see but one path, Sire. I am to the realm of the fisher king and fine the golden trident spoken of in the legends of the fallen kings," Arthur says.

"You do understand that if you are to prove yourself worthy of the throne, you must complete this task alone and unaided?" Uther asks.

"I do," Arthur says.

Merlin and I were sitting with Gaius eating our breakfast. Merlin and I were both wolfing down our food. We hadn't eaten dinner the night before, so we were starving now.

"You'll get hiccups," Gaius says.

"Who's the fisher king?" Merlin asks with a mouth full of bread.

"He was a sorcerer who lived many hundreds of years ago," Gaius states.

"And?" I ask.

"Legend has it; he was wounded in battle." 

Merlin was now throwing blueberries into his mouth one after the other; I reached for some blueberries so I could have some before my brother ate them all. As I reached for them, he hit my hand away. 

"My blueberries," Merlin says, glaring at me.

Gaius continues, "The wound festered, and the infection spread not just through his body,  but through his lands as well. His mighty kingdom was reduced to a wasteland and has remained that way to this very day."

"But why is Uther so worried?"  I ask.

Merlin puts more blueberries in his mouth. I gave Merlin puppy eyes. I really wanted some blueberries. He rolls his eyes and holds the bowl out to me. I smile at him and grab a few.