Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Darkest Hour [2]

Come morning, Arwen's worries were quick to come to fruition. It was a young girl who'd brough them to the gates of Camelot with her. And while she was first brough to the physicians so that they may tend to her, it wasn't long after hearing her story that Gaius and Arwen were quick to summon the council and their Prince for the urgent matter.

It was in its centre that Arwen now stood as the Prince arrived to the council chambers, holding on to the girl who struggled to stop her crying as thoughts of what had happened in the night still plagued her. Not that Arwen could blame her. If anything, she felt sorry that Drea had to continuously repeat the story of what she'd endured so shortly after it all.

"What's happened to her?" Arthur's voice, despite his attempts to keep it quiet, still reached everyone's ears in the otherwise silent chambers as he spoke to his uncle.

"Her village was attacked." Agravaine said simply.

"By who?"

"Not entirely clear, sir." Agravaine explained as best as he could, although thus far, not many were able to completely make sense of the girl's story. Still, with all the information he could obtain thus far, Arthur now stepped through the circle of council members and up to the weeping girl.

"What's your name?" He questioned in a gentle tone, listening as she gave it before he tried to step closer to the girl only for her to tense, pushing herself further into Arwen's comforting arms while the prince and physician shared a worried look between themselves. "Drea, I'm Arthur. Don't be frightened. Tell me what happened." The blonde spoke in a soft voice, placing a tender and comforting hand on the girl's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.

"My mother, my father, my litter sister, they're-" Just the thought of it had the girl's words interrupted by a new series of sobs and cries.

"It's alright. It's alright." Arthur said gently as he leaned down in front of her. "Someone attacked them. Who?"

"There was no one. Just... shapes." Even though she'd heard the story before, Arwen still found herself somewhat confused at the description of the attacker, wondering just what it might mean.

"You didn't see their faces?" Arthur questioned, his own confusion starting to shine through just a little.

"They had no faces." Drea's answer had Arthur sharing a look of uncertainty with a few of the people around him, something Drea caught, making her own eyes look up to Arwen nervously only for the redhead to give her an encouraging nod to go on. "I... I keep telling you. They were there, but... they weren't there." She started to give the details of the experience again. "They moved so quickly. It was as if they weren't real, but... They must've been. I could hear the people screaming. And then... silence. They were all dead."

And once again, she began crying, Arwen turning her around and pulling her into a comforting hug now that the story was over for one last time and she no longer had to continue repeating it.

"Thank you, Drea." Arthur said gently, giving her shoulder one last squeeze before leaving her in Arwen's arms, the two sharing a worried look between themselves, not only over the distraught girl, but the news she'd brought them as well. "Where is this village?" The prince questioned, eyes looking to the surrounding council members as he awaited an answer.

"Howden." Agravaine said. "It's to the east of the White Mountains, no more than half a day's hard ride."

The information was enough to have Arthur turn to Leon with a determined look in his eyes. "Ready the men." He announced before dismissing the rest of the council which began to leave before him with final bows and goodbyes.

Holding on to Drea, Arwen began to make her way out into the halls, eyes catching sight of Edmund waiting off to the side. It was what made her let go of the crying girl, passing her along into Gaius' arms to take her to the physicians' chambers where she'd hopefully get some rest. Arwen herself, made her way over to the Warren.