(Please read the Author's Note at the end. Thanks and Enjoy!)
As Lucy began to wake in the early hours of the next morning, she snuggled in closer to the warmth of Arthur's body heat. Her hand trailed across the dips and crevices of his muscled abs and chest. She briefly thought about how she would never get tired of being close to him. While she wrapped her arms tighter around him, Arthur laid there unaffected. He made no movements or noise, just laid there peacefully. But Lucy thought nothing of it as she closed her eyes again to sleep just a little bit longer.
When she opened her eyes again she knew something was wrong. Arthur had yet to move or sway from his position. He seemed stiff and cemented to his spot. She sat up quickly in the bed and shook Arthur's shoulder trying to wake him, but he wasn't even bothered. A million things ran through Lucy's mind at once, and she all but panicked. Remembering the lessons Amora taught her, she took a moment to breathe and process the events logically.
The first thing she noted, which put her at ease, was that Arthur was still very much alive. He body breathed and held heat, but he wasn't conscious. It was as if his mind was trapped in another place. That made Lucy a bit worried. She thought about how Arthur described her time in the void, and how it was three days of her in a comatose state. But they couldn't have that right now, Arthur was supposed to lead an army into battle and he surely can't do that from his bed.
Lucy thought long and hard about what to do. She didn't know for sure what was going on, nor did she want to raise alarm. How could this have happened to him? What does the void want with him? How long will he be trapped there?
Lucy didn't have all day to figure this out, she needed a plan now. She scrambled to her feet with a new plan in mind. She tucked the sheets around Arthur, planted a quick kiss on his forehead, and then quickly got dressed. She knew she couldn't go to the void and find him because the void was ambiguous, it can do and be anything it wants. So if she can't go to him and save him, then she must do what she can to hold down the fort, as it were, in his absence.
With her mind made up, she left the darkened room with one last look at Arthur's sleeping form. She bestowed him with a quick kiss at the last second, with the whispered words, "I'll fix this."
She wished she could just stay by his side, in the comforts of their bed, until he is able to wake but she can't. This war, that which is all her fault, can't be fought without a brave and courageous leader. It needed someone to rise to the occasion and defend what is right. Arthur had gone above and beyond for Lucy, which was why it was now her turn to return the favor.
It was still quite early in the morning, as the castle was still quiet. Lucy quickly made her way up the stairs to the table room to find it bare and empty. Of course, she thought, because why would the knights just be hanging around the table.
At that moment Beatrice came into the room and startled Lucy.
"Oh, it's just you," Lucy sighed in relief.
"Morning Miss Lucy, the breakfast hall is downstairs." Beatrice pointed down the way.
"Yes, I am aware of that." Lucy nodded her head with a sarcastic tone. She knows that she has been gone a while but that didn't mean she forgot the layout of the castle.
"Then why are you up here?"Beatrice questioned. Lucy liked Beatrice, but she couldn't help but feel like the girl was getting on her nerves. She didn't want to answer curious questions right now, she needed to speak to the Knights.
"I was looking for the Knights of the Round Table," Lucy stated.
"Where is King Arthur?" Beatrice looked around for him as if he would pop out any second.
"He is still resting, he asked that nobody disturb him," Lucy answered.
"Oh, well the Knights are downstairs at the breakfast table." Beatrice gestured again to the hall that leads downstairs.
"Thank you, Bea." Lucy smiled forcefully. She knew is was very much unlike her to feel this way but she couldn't stop herself from feeling it. Her emotions had been running high since she discovered Arthur unconscious and the pressure weighed heavily on her shoulders.
"Lucy, do me a favor." Beatrice looked up at Lucy with her big brown doe eyes.
"Yeah?" Lucy inquired.
"Keep him safe." Lucy didn't have to ask what Bea meant by that, as it was quite obvious. Rumor had spread about her family lineage, and now it was up to her to make sure Arthur stayed safe.
"I will. I promise on my mother's grave."
Lucy then took off down the hall and stairs to get to the breakfast hall. Her heart hammered in her chest. What does she tell the Knights? Will they believe her? What happens after that? She could feel the stress getting to her and it only heightened her anxiety more.
"Hey guys, we got a problem," Perci said under his breath as Lucy came running into the hall, a bit out of breath.
"Miss Lucy, where is King Arthur?" Bedievere asked, he too was looking around as if Arthur would pop out behind the door at any moment.
"He is still resting. He said last night that he wasn't feeling very well."
"Oh, shall we send the mage to look at him and cure his ailment?" Sir Bedievere inquired. His worry for the king was more than natural instinct. He too had felt the darkness last night which left him unsettled.
"No, I'm sure he will be fine," Lucy shook her head, "He just needs some rest. Our trip must have taken more out of him than he realized. He told me that he wishes you that will carry on without him."
"Of course Miss Lucy." Bedievere nodded then returned to his meal. Percival never stopped watching her closely. The hair on the back of his arm stood up and his gut told him that Lucy was lying, if not, most definitely hiding something.
"Thank you Sir Bedievere." She curtsied. "I will be in the library."
Bedievere dismissed her with a wave and the moment she was gone Goosefat Bill spoke, "Um, Bedievere?"
"Yeah, like, what the hell?" Perci added.
"She is trying to protect him. Whatever is happening, only she can fix it now."
"Then what the hell do we do?" Goosefat asked.
"I'm going to check on Art. I need to know what that witch is hiding." Tristan stood.
"No!" Bedievere's deep baritone boomed.
"And tell me why not! He is my brother, the only family I have left. He is most likely in trouble and you want me to do nothing!" Tristan bellowed back.
"I want you to trust the woman that Arthur loves. When all of this is over, he will marry her. We must support her as we would him. I'm sorry but it has to be that way. You think he would ever forgive you otherwise," Bedievere explained rationally. The table looked at him stunned. They had fought monsters, tyrants, trained their whole lives, and seen men die; but this mystical woman had left them feeling helpless.
"That being said there is something we can do - distract the Vikings that are under the Black Witch's control."
"Finally! Something I can kill," Goosefat bill cheered. They all turned to look at him, then burst out laughing. They all needed to relieve some tension and distracting some Vikings was a sure way to do it.
"Okay then, let's get down to business," Perci said as his laughed died down.
...
In the library, Lucy felt her heart beating through her chest. She was sure at any moment the Knights would have called her bluff and forced her to tell them the truth, but she couldn't and thankfully they didn't. She knew that she had to do this on her own or her sister would never learn. As Lucy began to calm down she pulled out Merlin's journal and sat in front of the fireplace to read it. She knew so much more now but what she needed was a plan, and she hoped that she could find a weakness in her sister's powers that she could exploit.
She flipped through the book but nothing seemed to be helping her. Giving up, she shut the book with a heavy sigh. Why was fighting with family so hard? Why were they fighting at all? Those questions haunted Lucy every time she thought about her sister. They used to be best friends, spending all day together, then one day everything changed - their parents died. Lucy realized that is was when she grew up and Mary didn't that they started to become distant. Lucy thought that eventually Mary would catch up to her and understand, but it seems all that happened was Mary began to resent her.
Lucy wished she could just summon her sister and talk to her, face-to-face and in the flesh. They needed to have an open and honest dialogue about this issue and resolve it once and for all. What else could Lucy do without stooping to the lowest level and dissolving Mary permanently? Her stomach turned just thinking about it. She refused to let her story end that way.
Author's Note:
Hey guys! I'm Here!
First and foremost check out my new business! ! I am launching an editorial services business for new self-publishing authors! I currently am focusing on mastering proofreading, beta reading, light copy editing, and reviewing stories I've worked on! If you or anyone you know plan on publishing a book in the near future, please reach out or tell them about me.
I also started a blog that is just more about my general life! You find me at .com. (Both links can be found on my profile too!) This will slowly start to include stories about my adorable ferrets, my other hobbies, life events, and general interests.
Lastly, thank you all for your continuous and amazing support. I could never have imagined being apart of such an amazing community of people. I love that we get to share our ideas and stories with the world for free. I love that we can write fanfiction about movies and tv shows that have copyrights and not get sued out of our minds or have our work taken down. (Seriously, look into the history of fanfiction - we have come a long way from where we began.) Point is I am grateful for everyone who supports me and every other fanfiction writer out there. Working together and leaning on each other will get us ten times further than fighting and disagreeing. Support someone being creative and making it their own. - That being said if you ever find direct plagiarism of someone's work (mine or otherwise) please report it to the original author.
Life Lesson: Everyone starts from the bottom, like a snowman. Where you end is not where you start. Do one thing every day that will make you better tomorrow; learn something new, exercise for 15 minuted, save that dollar, and practice. Nothing comes easy. Rome wasn't built in a day. Know that even during long nights that tomorrow will be.
I love you guys,
Surviving 3
1/18/19