Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 32

"What on earth is going on out there?" Miriam asked as she walked into Morgana's chambers the next day with a laundry basket and a plate of food for lunch, the ward admiring the view from the windows.

"Haven't you heard?" Morgana asked as she sipped water from a crystal goblet. "Arthur was discovered in Lady Vivian's chambers."

Her chest felt hollow.

She didn't know it was possible to feel this way, as if someone had ripped out her heart.

It was one thing not to show up, it was another thing entirely because he was with another woman.

"What?" was the only word she could muster.

"King Olaf has demanded recompense. They are to fight to the death. All for the love of a woman. And Lady Vivian, at that. Mira, you look more shocked than I did," Morgana noted and Miriam shook herself out of it.

"Sorry, it just took a moment to sink in. It's very surprising news," she said before heading over to fill the laundry basket with Morgana's nightclothes and outfits from yesterday.

"I don't know why he couldn't control his feelings," Morgana commented.

"It is strange. And if you don't mind Morgana, I have to miss the tourney, Gaius needs help concocting 80 vials of a headache potion for the departing kings. We are only halfway as of now and Uther is insistent that we complete the order before they leave."

"But of course," Morgana said simply and Miriam gave her a small smile before carrying the washing basket out only to come face to face with Merlin and Arthur, both of whom she didn't want to see right now. Anything Arthur did, Merlin would have knowledge of which meant that he would've known that Arthur would've gone to see Vivian last night and didn't say a word to her about it.

"Ah, Miriam, you will wish me luck?" Arthur asked.

"Will I now?" she scoffed, not even bothering to turn around.

"You haven't heard?" Arthur questioned, and then she turned, hurt glistening in her eyes that were surprisingly dry of tears no matter how bad it was tearing her up on the inside.

"Oh, I heard. Though sadly not from your lips. Or yours. I'm disappointed that you both didn't have any respect or decency to be honest with me."

And Miriam was gone.

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"This is magic indeed," Kilgharrah laughed.

"Everything I've tried has failed," Merlin explained.

"From what you tell me, the spell had captured his heart."

"And his heart is controlling his brain."

"There is no magic you or I possess that can break this enchantment," the dragon informed him.

"So then there's someone? There has to be someone who can break the spell, I cannot let Arthur die!"

"The solution lies closer than you think."

"Just tell me!" Merlin exclaimed and the dragon laughed.

"Just because you were born with magic Merlin, does not mean that your sister was born powerless."

Merlin's brows furrowed.

"A spell like this can only be broken by the greatest force of all, a force more powerful than any in existence."

"What is it?"

"Love."

"Love?" Merlin questioned.

"You must find the person Arthur truly loves. One kiss from her and Arthur will desire Vivian no longer."

But as Merlin ran, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of power his sister possessed.

Right now though, it was a problem for a different day.

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Miriam could hardly swallow air as her hands worked.

Gaius' presence had been required at the tourney as it was an event that would not be without injury, so that left Miriam to brew the next batches of the potion for the kings by herself.

It was good though. It kept her busy enough that she was never fully able to dwell on the fact that her heart was in pieces.

At least until Merlin walked in.

"Mira -"

"What do you want, Merlin? I'm busy. I have to finish these potions before the kings leave tomorrow morning," she interrupted.

"Mira, I need your help."

She laughed, eyes still on her task as she worked almost robotically.

"So now you want to talk to me when you need my help? You couldn't talk to me yesterday to tell me that Arthur was in love with Vivian this whole time?"

"He's not in love with Vivian, he's in love with you!" Merlin persisted but Miriam still refused to look at him.

"So that explains why he's in a fight to the death for Lady Vivian's hand."

"Mira, please. If you don't trust my word, trust your feelings, trust your heart, it's never steered you wrong before."

She looked up at him this time.

"That's funny, because my heart is currently in pieces. I wouldn't trust any part of it again," she spat before returning to her task.

Merlin couldn't take it anymore as he grabbed his sister's wrists, forcing her to stop working.

"Mira, Arthur's enchanted!"

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"A spell has been placed on Vivian and Arthur. None of their feelings are genuine. And I didn't want to tell you about it until I had a solution and I have a solution. You just have to kiss him."

She sighed.

"Merlin -"

"Please, Mira. you know who he loves. And if you don't do it then Arthur will die."

Arthur never lost anything, it had become natural to believe he'd win so Miriam never once considered it.

In that moment it wasn't Olaf who held Arthur's life in his hands, it was Miriam.

Snuffing out the flame she had heating a small cauldron of boiling water, Miriam let go of Merlin's hands as she walked out, and he could only hope that she went through with it.