His Guardian Angel (An Arthur Pendragon Love Story)

Chapter 9 - The Gates of Avalon

I sifted through Gaius's herbs, looking for something so I could make a tonic for one of Gaius's patients. "'Mara!" Someone shouted, and I jumped, turning to find my brother at the door. I sent him an accusing look before saying, "What?" He came over to me, looking annoyed. "I have to go on a hunt! A hunt! With Prince Prat." He complained, and I giggled. "He's not that bad Merlin, and I'm sure you won't have to kill anything on the hunt." I said, finally reached the herb I needed.

Merlin groaned and threw himself into a chair. "Merlin! Come on, it's time to go!" Arthur called from the corridor. Merlin reluctantly stood up and stomped out the door, I giggled under my breath, and went back to my work.

Later that day, Gaius was called to a meeting, so I opened a book that I'd got from Geoffrey and began reading. I was just about to finish it when the doors opened again. I looked up and saw that it was Gaius, Merlin, and Arthur along with two people I didn't know. "I'll leave the four of you here, Merlin, if you could show Sophia and her father where their rooms are after, then come back to my room." Arthur said, before turning around, and leaving, but not before catching my eye and smiling at me.

"Amara, can you help me, the king just wants us to look over these two, they were attacked by bandits on the way here, and we just need to check that they have no injuries." Gaius said, and I nodded to him. He went over to the man, so I went over to the woman who was already sitting down. I knelt down in front of her, and she looked down at me.

As soon as I looked in her eyes, I felt a small tingle in my back, but ignored it and began to check her over for any physical injuries. "Well, there's nothing physically wrong with you other than some tired feet, which should be okay by morning, just take it easy on them." I said, after I had looked her over. The girl nodded, and I sighed, knowing the next part was slightly awkward.

"If you don't mind, I just have to check that there are no internal injuries, and it may get slightly invasive, if you don't want me to do anything, just say and I will stop, I promise." I said, and the girl smiled at me warmly nodding her head. "That's alright." She said in a kind voice. However, I was slightly confused, as it made my back tingle stronger. She let me poke and prod her a little, before I gave her the all clear.

"Here is a sleeping draught, I don't know if you will need it, but it helps if you are restless, and after the day you've had it might come in useful, if you don't use it, just return it in the morning." I said, handing her a small bottle of the left over tonic we had from Morgana's batch this week.

"Thank you, you've been so kind, I'm Sophia, by the way, Sophia Tír-Mòr." She said, holding her hand out. I smiled at her. "I'm Amara." I said, before taking her hand. The moment my hand came in contact with hers, a pain shot straight through my back. I gasped loudly and retracted my hand away from her. Merlin was immediately at my side, and had his hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, are you alright?" Sophia asked, and I could hear the concern in her voice. "She'll be alright, she just has a back problem, and it flares up at the oddest of moments, but I think it's passed now, come, Gaius has finished with your father, so I'll take you both to your rooms now." Merlin said, mentally asking me if I was alright by looking at me.

I nodded my head, and he left the room with two visitors. I took a deep breath and told Gaius that I would be back in a minute. I went up to my room, and pulled a small notebook out of one of the draws, along with a quill. I noted down the date, where I was when I had the pain, and what I was doing. I had gotten into the habit of writing down when and where I had my pain everyday, in case there was any correlation between them, but so far there was nothing I could spot.

Gaius and I went about doing simple chores, and then he started making the fire so he could stock up on a very useful tonic, while I just cleaned up. I was thinking about the most recent book I had read, it was about a group of faes who disguised themselves as humans so they could do something, although I hadn't figured out what yet. Hopefully I would tonight when I finished the book.