Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 29

Miriam was gone for three hours on a journey to gather some rare herbs that grew near the eastern borders of Camelot for Gaius and when she returned, naturally she returned to news of Arthur fighting a woman in a match to the death. A woman named Morgause ended up beating Arthur in single combat. But what would've been a fight to the death wasn't as Arthur gave his word that he would meet the woman in three days' time to undergo a challenge, a challenge he had no knowledge of what it would entail.

Uther threw a fit, naturally, and sequestered his son to his chambers only for Arthur to have Merlin break him out and not tell Miriam what they were doing because he knew that she would want to come.

It had been almost two days since the boys left and Miriam was preparing to go after them seeing as the search parties Uther sent out were useless, but she was stopped when she saw Merlin waiting at the front steps of the palace with two horses.

"Merlin!" she called as she ran over to hug her brother, dressed in her usual pants and boots with her sword at her hip. "Are you alright? Where's Arthur?"

"I don't know but you should probably go and talk to him," Merlin said as he spotted Gaius and went after him, Miriam confused but shrugging it off as she jogged up the stairs towards the banquet hall where she knew Uther was still coordinating groups to go look for his son, and where she assumed Arthur would be going.

She was surprised however to find Leon and another guard standing outside.

"Leon, what are you doing? Let me in," she said as she tried to enter only to have the knight move in her way.

"My apologies Mira, but the king has commanded that no one be let inside."

That couldn't be good under any circumstances, so rather than fight the guard, Miriam went around to the servant's entrance only to find Arthur pushing his father onto his throne with a sword at his neck.

Her footsteps were silent, Arthur was too concerned with the traitorous man in front of him to notice her until her sword knocked his out of the way and her foot hit his chest as she pushed him back.

"Stay out of this Miriam," he warned as he readied his weapon. "This doesn't concern you."

"I don't know what happened on your quest Arthur, but you don't want to do this," she said.

"Oh no, I really do."

And Arthur lunged.

Uther did nothing but watch as a physician's apprentice fought his most valiant knight with almost equal skill.

Miriam may have never fought Arthur before but she'd watched him fight many times, and so far it was enough to keep her alive as they duelled. At least until her back was pressed against the wall, their swords clashing in an X shape as it became a battle of strength rather than skill.

"You weren't there! And if you were then you would want him dead too!" Arthur spat, rage blinding him.

"You're right I wasn't there," she strained as she pushed back against Arthur's strength. "But I know you, Arthur. And you've already lost one parent, and you'd torment yourself if the other died at your hand. Killing Uther won't bring your mother back," she said as Arthur seemed to soften at her words before she was able to shove him off her.

But Miriam wasn't able to recover in time to block Arthur's sword as he drove it through her shoulder and she let out a pain-filled scream as she crumpled to the floor, blade still in her shoulder as Arthur picked up hers and turned on his father.

Uther was ready to give in before Merlin burst into the room.

But the pain in her left shoulder was so great, she barely heard the conversation Merlin had with Arthur despite how badly he wanted to help his sister.

"Gaius?" Miriam panted as the healer knelt next to her.

"Hang on my girl, it will be alright," he assured her as he checked her wound and Merlin ran over, hands gripping the hilt of the sword as Arthur cried on his father's lap.

"I'm sorry Mira. This is going to hurt," Merlin said and she only nodded her head despite the unconscious tears that dripped down her face.

"Do it," she said, as she squeezed Gaius' hand before letting out a pained sound as Merlin pulled out the sword, unwrapping his neckerchief and pressing it to her wound that began to gush blood.

"Is she alright?" Uther asked as Merlin lifted up his sister, Arthur's face displaying nothing but regret and guilt.

"She will be sire, as soon as I get the bleeding to stop. Excuse us. Let's go, Merlin," Gaius ordered as they rushed out of the room.

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Arthur was beyond horrified when he walked into Gaius' chambers.

Miriam sat with her back to him, cloth wrapped around her torso to cover her breasts as Gaius patched up her wound. And though the wound shocked him, what terrified him even further were the scars that marred her back.

They were healed yes, but Arthur was still surprised she had them, that he did not know about them.

"Sorry to intrude," he said as he knocked on the open door, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Not at all, sire. I shall give you two a moment," Gaius said as he draped Miriam's tunic over her shoulders before heading out the door past Arthur.

"Miriam -"

"Arthur, I don't blame you for it so you can save the apology," she interrupted as she stood to face him, left arm clutched to her chest, midriff bare.

"Miriam, I ran you through with a sword. The least I owe you is an apology. It's just I don't know how to apologise to you. I-I, I've had the royal tailor make you some shirts to replace the one I ruined. I gave Merlin the next few days off to help take care of you. I-I brought white orchids that I picked from the palace gardens. And I don't know what else I can do," he said, eyes lined with water in his distress and Miriam only gave him a small sympathetic smile.

"You could give me a hug?" she suggested, and Arthur's expression was almost broken as he set the flowers down and gently wrapped his arms around her, relieved she was okay as he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair.

"Those scars. How long have you had those scars?" he asked as they pulled away.

She squinted her eyes.

"About a few days before I met you. I killed a man for harming my mother and Kanen didn't take too kindly to it."

"Do they hurt?"

Her smile was genuine at his concern for her, even more so when it was unwarranted as her brother's magic was already healing her wound under the bandages.

"They haven't hurt since I arrived in Camelot. Arthur, you don't have to worry about me. I am fine."

"I am sorry."

She merely wrapped her good arm around him, her chin on his shoulder as she wished nothing more than to stay in that moment forevermore.

"I know."