The Glass Princess (Merlin FanFic) (Book 2)

Chapter 5- chop chop chop

Chapter 5- chop chop chop

They rose out of the water, thousands of them, soaked to the skin, dripping wet, boys, girls, lost children all rising out of the water their eerie song filling the air as the clock struck the first chime of midnight.

‘Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clements.’

‘Bull's eyes and targets,
Say the bells of St. Margret's’. They sang as the second chime rang out.

‘Brickbats and tiles,
Say the bells of St. Giles'.’ They sung as the third chime rang and they began to skip towards the castle.

‘Halfpence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's’. By the fourth chime they were skipping merrily through the gates, guards falling to the ground as they passed.

‘Two sticks and an apple,
Say the bells of Whitechapel.’ They sang as the fifth rang out and they ascended the steps. 

‘Kettles and pans,
Say the bells of St. Ann's.’ They skipped through the corridors as the sixth chimed out.

‘Old Father Baldpate,
Say the slow bells of Aldgate.’ They sang passing room after room, the seventh chime the only other sound.

‘You owe me ten shillings,
Say the bells of St. Helen's.’ They sang as they climb yet more and more steps with the eight chime growing louder as they climbed.

‘When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.’  They sang passing the prince and Eirawen’s chamber with the ninth chime.

‘When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.’ They passed Adeline’s chamber, the tenth chime molding with their song.

‘Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.’ They sang on the eleventh chime, as the neared the doors at the end of the corridor.

‘I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.’ On the twelfth chime the crowd of children silently entered the king’s chambers and stopped to stare at the sleeping king.

‘Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.’  They sang advancing slowly towards the bed.

‘Chop, chop, chop, chop
The last man's dead!’ And the deed was done.

Arthur was awoken by a piercing scream that stabbed at the inside of his skull. Its took him a moment to registered what the sound was but as soon as his brain processed the noise he shot out of bed, hurriedly throwing on some clothes, and grabbing his sword before he ran from the room.

He followed the sound to the end of the corridor and into the king’s chambers and there he found Adeline, still in her night clothes, pointing with a quivering hand towards the bed, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Arthur turned to stare at the bed, at the body of the king in it and his jaw dropped. At that moment the prince and Eirawen hurried into the room. “Farther!” The prince cried hurrying to the bed and taking his father’s cold hand. “No, it can’t be.” He murmured, “What happened to him?” The prince asked, his eyes glinting with tears. Eirawen hurried to his side, wrapping a comforting arm around him and pulling him gently away. Just then Merlin and Cally appeared in the door way and soon wore the same shocked expression as the rest. “Merlin, wake the knights then come back and see what that idiot brain of yours can remember about what Gaius attempts to teach you.” Arthur whispered and Merlin nodded before hurrying from the room.