Fireheart (A Merlin Love Story)

Chapter 14, Part 3

Ariella's P. O. V:

Sleep wouldn't come easily to me last night. I was too busy worrying about Merlin, and continuously praying to the gods to let him live.

By the time morning came, I jump out of bed and immediately throw on my off the shoulder pink dress and some heels, before I race down the corridor to the Physician Chambers, my heart pounding with anxiety.

Once I get there, I throw open the door and demand breathlessly, "Gaius! Is Merlin...?!" I trail off once I see the Physician leaning over a cloaked figure on the floor.

I tilt my head curiously as Gaius looks up at me. It was then that Merlin's door is thrown open and he comes running out, exclaiming, "Gaius! I'm alive!" He sees me standing in the Physician Quarters before we both look back at the two figures on the floor. "What is it?! What's happened?!"

"Merlin, Ariella, stay there!" Gays orders, as he appears to be trying to hide the wounded figure.

I ask, trying to see their face, "What's wrong?"

"No, don't—!" Gaius tries to warn us away, as Merlin and I come closer, but it was too late. Our eyes jerk wide with fear at the sight of Hunith, covered in what looks to be welts.

"Mother!" Merlin gasps, dropping to his knees beside Gaius, as I do the same.

"Merlin...!" Hunith moans in agony.

"What's happened to her?!" Merlin demands.

"She's gravely ill," Gaius explains.

"Do something!" Merlin yells desperately as he rests a hand on her shoulder.

"If I could—!"

"Please, Gaius!"

"Merlin, this is no ordinary illness," Gaius tells him.

Hunith trembles as Merlin breathes, "This cannot happen!"

I place a comforting hand on his shoulder as Gaius asks us, "Who did you meet at The Isle of the Blessed?"

I answer, glancing at him, "Nimueh."

"Nimueh?" Gaius reiterates in disbelief.

"It was as she said: she demanded a price. But I bargained my life; not my mother's!" Merlin says.

"Merlin! I wish there was something I could do," Gaius says solemnly.

Merlin promises his mother as he takes her hand in his, "I will make you better! I will!"

Merlin and I race down the steps to the dragon's cave, angry that he'd kept something like this from us.

As soon as we arrived, Merlin yells, "You knew this would happen!! You had me trade my mother's life for Arthur's!"

"Why would you keep this from us?!" I demand angrily.

Kilgarrah says, "You said you would do anything?"

"Did you know my mother would die?" Merlin asks.

"I knew the price would be a heavy one."

"But you sent us anyway?"

"We need Arthur to live!"

"I'm not one of you! And neither is Ariella!" Merlin shouts.

"We are all creatures of the Old Religion. It is the source of your power, and Ariella's birthright," Says Kilgarrah.

Merlin demands to know, shaking his head, "What's that supposed to mean?"