We thought it was a good idea to follow Arthur to his chamber, knowing he still will be competing in the tournament against Valiant.
As Merlin and I entered his chamber I closed the door behind me, Merlin started to convince Arthur to believe what we said is true, at least tried to...
« Arthur-»
« I believed you. I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool. » Arthur interrupted
« I know it didn't go exactly to plan. » Merlin continued calmly
« Didn't go to plan? » Arthur said, turning to face us, anger starting to rise in his eyes. « My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward. You humiliate me! » The last bit was apparently directed to me as he faced me.
« We can still expose Valiant. » Merlin explained
« I no longer need your services. »
« What-Arthur » I started to protest
« You're sacking me? » Merlin interrupted me
« I need a servant I can trust. »
« You can trust us, you can trust me » Merlin replied
« And look where it got me this time. Get out of my sight. » Arthur exclaimed and Merlin executed, but I decided to stay.
« I thought I was clear, get out » Arthur said to me.
« You're being unfair » I said
« oh, and how I'm being unfair huh » he dryly chuckled
« We-He tried to save to your life- » how can someone be so stubborn it was becoming frustrating
« Save my life?, you mean ruin my life. I trusted you more than I trusted him, but I was wrong. »
« Arthur, how could you be so blind, you need to open your eyes, he's using magic, he's going to use the shield and kill you! »
« How dare you speak to me like this, I can't sack you, but I think the time of you disrespecting me has come to an end. You won't call me by my name ever again. » He exclaimed, the frustration was still here, but was now accompanied by hurt and sadness. But I wasn't done with him 'til I have said all I have to say.
« As a friend here's a little advice: if someone tried to save your life, just say thank you, it wouldn't kill you, but being stubborn as you are is going to kill you one day. I'll say it one last time, if you don't withdraw, he's going to kill you. »
« You're not my friend, and you never will be, you're only the physician apprentice as far as I'm concerned. And this right now makes me regret ever meeting you if it wasn't for you saving my life. »
Well this hurt, I never thought someone would tell me something this awful to me, I tried to breathe slowly to calm me down and stopped the tears from coming to my eyes.
« If that's what you want, I'll be on my way.... My lord » I said, swallowing the lump in my throat and bowing before leaving the room, and only after that I let the tears flow down.
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
He knew he went too far, sitting down on the table which was facing one of the windows, he regretted the words he said the second they came out of his mouth. He also knew that they wouldn't lie to him, or at least he knew she wouldn't lie to him. But what was more important than a man's ego?. As the sun entered the room lighting the Prince's face small tears were staining his face, he knew if he doesn't withdraw he would die and with that knowing he wasn't on a good term with one of the most important persons to him (even if still didn't admit it to himself) was already killing him. The choice wasn't easy, Withdrawing and living being a coward in the eyes of the court and his father or dying but making him the victim of magic, and making a new example of the dangerousity of its practice.
