20 year old Ariella Morgenstern lost her mother to an evil sorcerer when she was just seven years old, and has had some pain in her heart since, though her father, King Oberon, hates magic, but not nearly as much as King Uther, because of it. Ever s...
I sit on the chair beside Uther's bed, Mira in my lap. I'm wearing my purple dress outfit with the drop necklace, and Mira is wearing her green dress.
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I gaze down at the king's ashen, still face, his grey hair. I'd always seen Uther as a strong king, but now, he's just an old man.
An old, broken man with a shattered soul.
I look up when there's a knock on the door and Merlin enters, approaching me.
"Daddy's back!" Mira exclaims happily. She jumps off my lap and runs up to her father. He grins and picks her up, holding Mira against his right hip.
"How are my girls?"
"We've been good, daddy!"
He chuckles before turning serious again, gazing at me. "I was starting to get worried. How did it go?" I ask.
"Well, apart from Arthur thinking there's something very wrong with my bladder, everything went to plan!"
Mira giggles at that, causing him to grin at her. "Daddy's funny!"
"I take it that means you're going through with it?" I ask.
Merlin steps closer to me as says, "If I can heal Uther, Arthur has given me his word that, when he is king, magic will no longer be outlawed! This could change everything!"
"That's amazing! I hope everything goes smoothly," I say.
"So do I," He says.
"I know youcan do it, daddy!" Mira tells him truthfully.
"Awe, thank you, darling."
"I've told my father about Uther's condition," I say. "He'll be devastated, but hopefully you can succeed in this. I don't think daddy can bear to lose another dear friend, after what'd happened with mother..."
Merlin cups my right cheek and caresses it as he tells me, voice firm, "I will save Uther, for both Arthur and Oberon."
He leans in as I smile appreciatively, and kisses my forehead. "Now, I have to get going to prepare for tonight—I have to meet Arthur at the gate to the lower town by nightfall."
Merlin kisses Mira's cheek softly before he hands her back to me.
"In the meantime, I have to give this little one a riding lesson," I say, smiling at my daughter.
"Oh, well, good luck!" Merlin says.
"Same to you, dear," I reply, watching as my warlock turns and leaves. I spare Uther a grim glance, before I leave his chambers and help Mira change into some more suitable clothes for her riding lesson.
On my way out, Naomi with me, I was met with Gwaine, Percival and Leon, who'd offered to accompany us to the arena once I'd told them Mira was having her riding lesson. I agree, and soon stand in the middle of the arena, turning in circles as my daughter trots around me in her chestnut Shetland pony mare, Sparkles' ears flickering back and forth as she listens to her rider.
