Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 86

The guards forced Gwen to her knees as Arthur entered, still dressed in the clothes he wore when he fought Lancelot, his sword strapped to his side. He was barely able to stand, much less be able to get changed, even if Merlin helped him.

He still squeezed the bent ring in his hand as he faced Gwen, biting her lips.

"Did you know about Lancelot's plan to kill Miriam?"

"No," she answered, face stained with tears.

"Did you aid him in any way?"

Gwen hesitated.

"I-I unknowingly told him that Sir Leon often calls for a healer late at night so that he doesn't disrupt Miriam's usual visits to her other patients."

"Stand," Arthur commanded, and Guinevere pressed both hands to the floor as she pushed herself to her feet, the sleeves of her white and purple dress damp with her tears as she wiped her eyes.

The entire room was dead silent as they watched Arthur stand tall before Gwen, his right hand fidgeting with a piece of metal.

"You've always been loyal Guinevere, but so was Lancelot and it was your information that still has the possibility to lead to the death of the queen of Camelot and the woman I love. So, I'm going to give you a choice," Arthur said, and Gwen grew nervous, as did her brother.

"What kind of choice?" she asked.

"Whatever you chose will have consequences, but it is simple and more than fair. Me or Lancelot?"

Though it was an unfair choice, everyone in the room, even Elyan, could see where Arthur was coming from.

His wife-to-be had been attacked and almost killed under his roof in his kingdom by someone he called a friend. Anyone and everyone could be seen as a threat to him in his angered state, and he was sworn to protect his kingdom and the people he love, he would never risk their safety, Miriam's especially.

"Sire-"

"Choose, Guinevere."

Her eyes hit the floor as she floundered for an answer, Leon placing a hand on Elyan's shoulder in support.

And Gwen raised her head at last, lips in a straight line as her chest heaved and she came to a decision.

"This is my home, and you are my king, and I will always be loyal to you," Guinevere said, but you could tell she wasn't finished. "But like you, I have to stand with the man I love. I choose Lancelot."

Arthur's jaw tensed as Elyan's shoulders dropped, everyone sensing that she'd chosen wrong despite choosing love.

"Then you leave me with no choice. You are to leave Camelot at sundown. You return upon pain of death."

Guinevere's heart skipped a beat out of shock and Arthur couldn't meet Elyan's eyes.

"I'm sorry," were the last words the king spoke before leaving, Elyan moving to hug his sister before Arthur saw Merlin approaching him in the corridor, the king still reeling from his decision to banish Gwen.

"Sire, that request that you had, I have a solution."

Distracting himself with thoughts of Miriam, he shook off his earlier stupor.

"And?" Arthur asked eagerly.

"I've readied the horses."

Arthur turned to the two guards that had walked out of the hall with him.

"Tell Sir Leon that I'm leaving him in charge and that I've gone to look for something that could help save Miriam. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Yes, my lord," one said before they both left.

"Explain to me on the way."

And Arthur followed Merlin out of the castle.

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Merlin explained that the dragon could see great distances as well as possessing the gift of glimpsing the future, so Merlin's plan was to summon a pillar of fire in hopes that Kilgharrah would see their signal, and use the excuse of that being an ancient ritual Gaius found that would allow one to call a dragon but it was a coin toss if the dragon responded.

His plan was rendered useless, however, when they arrived at the clearing to find Kilgharrah already napping there, almost as if waiting for them.

"Kilgharrah!" Merlin called as he jumped off his horse, Arthur following suit but his sword still strapped to his horse. "We need your help," he said as the dragon stirred, his large eyes opening as he lifted his head up and observed the two humans.

"Ah, Merlin, Arthur. I saw that you would be needing my help. It is about time that you got here."

"Miriam's injured," Arthur said, and the dragon's wings seemed to tuck in tighter to his body as it tensed in anger and worry in the morning sun.

"I'm assuming it was grave if you would seek me out."

"Morgana tried to enchant her heart and when it didn't work Lancelot tried to beat her to death. And the enchanted object prevented everything we tried even after it was destroyed. She's not healing," Merlin explained, and Arthur turned to him in complete shock and terror.

"What?! Why the hell wouldn't you tell me that?!!" Arthur raged and Merlin only sighed as he turned to his king.

"Because I didn't find out until after she was injured and you were already tormenting yourself enough," Merlin reasoned, and Arthur seemed to understand as he comprehended his words. "But there's something else I have to tell you."

"If you tell me that Lancelot was also enchanted Merlin, so help you –"

"Not exactly," he interrupted with a nervous look.

"Then what?" Arthur asked, spitting as he enunciated each letter.

"He's called a Shade," Merlin said. "He's not himself, he's a shell of his former self. His mind's been moulded to Morgana's will because she used necromancy to bring him back from the dead. That is not Lancelot."

"Before you think to accuse him of lying, know that every word he said is the truth," Kilgharrah said, Merlin giving him a nod of thanks for his support.

Arthur was even more jarred and disoriented than before as he attempted to process the information.

"Can we get back on topic here?" Arthur exclaimed loudly, trying to stop his hands from shaking. "Miriam. Please, can you help her?"

"Did you know that the phoenix is descended from dragons?" Kilgharrah asked.

"How does that help us?" Merlin asked as he shook his head slightly.

"Well, the phoenix, Merlin, is a magical creature, whose tears can heal almost any wound. There are, however, no phoenixes left in this world."

"Again, how does that help us? There are no phoenixes left?" Merlin said.

"But there are dragons left," Arthur said in realisation as he seemed to put the pieces together.

"What are you talking about?" Merlin asked and Arthur gave him a weird look.

"Phoenixes are descended from dragons!" he exclaimed as he pointed at Kilgharrah. "And if their tears had healing powers then that means Kilgharrah's does too! Honestly, Merlin, can you put nothing together?"

"Oh."

Kilgharrah was a little impressed at him.

"You show promise, young king. However, the tears of a dragon are different to that of a phoenix. They can only work on those who are connected to us, that is why I offer this solution for Miriam's ailment."

"And you're willing to give us your tears to heal her?" Merlin questioned.

"I am."

And as Merlin rushed back to the horses to empty a water skin to collect the tears, Arthur couldn't help but drop to his knees in relief.

"Thank you," he said sincerely to Kilgharrah. "Truly, thank you."

"Treat the young lordess well, King Arthur."

"I will. I swear it."