His Guardian Angel (An Arthur Pendragon Love Story)

Interlude - Geoffrey and Aria

I sat on my bed, looking through one of Gaius's books, learning as much as I could. Merlin wasn't in bed when I awoke this morning, so I presumed he was off with Arthur, or doing chores somewhere in the castle. Gaius had been in this morning, but had gone to see all his patients in the lower town. So I was left by myself to look through a few simple things, so I could try and help Gaius make his simpler remedies, that way he could focus on harder things, and I could restock all the things he always wanted to have in stock.

I began to feel myself grow tired at just reading the book, so I closed it and placed it on the table beside my bed. It wasn't that it was boring, because it wasn't, it was that I'd been reading medical books for the past few weeks, and I was starting to get bored of them. I wanted to read about adventure stories, and about times when Camelot was full of magic and life. A book that told stories of daring knights, like the ones mother used to talk about in our bedtime stories. That would be so much better, and a nice change from the medical books.

I knew that there was probably a library somewhere in the castle, but hadn't the nerve to ask Gaius yet in fear he'd think that his books were boring me, and there was no way I would go looking for it myself, I only really knew my way from Gaius's chambers to either Morgana's room, Arthur's room, or the Main Hall. And I had always been very prone to getting lost, even in Ealdor, and I'd lived there for years.

I then decided that I would go into Gaius's chambers to see if he was out of any herbs that I could easily get to to restock them, but when I went in there I saw that Gaius had returned. He smiled at me, and said he was just grabbing something for a patient. I knew he would be leaving soon, and I really didn't want to sit around here reading about plants until he got back.

"Gaius, does the castle have a library?" I asked quietly. He looked up and nodded to me. "Yes it does, I'll give you directions to it from here if you want, and when you get there just tell the man in there that I told you where to go and you're my apprentice, he should help you, he's one of my old friends." He replied and I smiled as he told me where to go.

I followed Gaius's directions, and ended up in a large library. I gasped at the sight of it all looking at the long rows of books covering the room. I saw that there was a desk off to my left, but no-one sat at it. I didn't know the name of the person who worked here, so I just waited patiently, and soon an old man, about Gaius's age came around the corner.

"Ah, hello there, how may I help you?" He said kindly, sitting down on his chair. "Um, Gaius sent me, I'm Amara, his apprentice, I was just going to look for some stories to read." I said, shyly, slightly cautious of the new man. "Ah, yes, Gaius told me he had a young man and lady coming to stay with him. I'm Geoffrey of Monmouth, and you may look around anywhere you please, but if you want to take anything out of the room, just make sure you tell me." I nodded and began to venture through the different aisles, looking at all the books.

Soon I found one that sounded interesting, I pulled it off the shelf and opened the first page. I found one of the seats in the room, and sat down, beginning to read. I was really excited about the book after the first couple of pages. It was about a love story between a princess called Aria and a knight, as I continued to read I got even more invested in the story, and the outcome of the characters.

Aria was going to be forced into a marriage with a very rich and pompous prince, because her kingdom was running out of money after a recent war, and she really didn't want to go through with it, because of her unknown love with her knight. She had to agree with her father though, because it was for her kingdom, and that was her duty. On the way to her new marriage, she spent as much time as possible with her love, and they savoured their last moments together. Then she decided as she was marrying a man she didn't love that as much as her duty was to her kingdom, it was also to her heart, and she should listen to it, her kingdom wouldn't prosper if it's queen was unhappy.

I smiled to myself as I read the last page. It had a very happy ending with Aria marrying her knight and them living happily ever after. I closed the book and tried to imagine myself having an ending like that, I'd always wished to be in a fairytale, and find love, but it never came along, and I was learning to live with the idea that love was something that didn't find everyone.

I smiled as I placed the book back on the shelf. I looked out the window, and saw that the sun was just starting to set, letting its colours blend with the sky, turning it a beautiful pink shade. I sighed and looked for a few more interesting books. I picked out a couple and went over to Geoffrey and gave them to him. He smiled at me and noted them down, before handing them back and bidding me goodbye. I left and went straight to Gaius's chambers. I went in and saw that Merlin was also in there.

I put my books back in my room and we all ate dinner together. I was happy that I could read something other than medical or magical books, it would help me escape to a place that was kind and beautiful and wonderful, which I had a feeling might come in useful in the days to come.