The Lost Princess of Grerin || A Merlin AU

XVIII. The Albatross

~~~

"You know, I could get kind of used to you and Alexander hanging around my place," Gwaine told Ryia, looking over at her slightly as she walked down the village market together.

"I'm not sure about it all still," Ryia says with a sigh as her eyes wonder over the booths as they walk past them, "Arthur seemed so upset after whatever happened with Morgana, I know he hurt me but I don't want to accidentally further upset him."

Gwaine's gaze softened as he nodded along to Ryia's words, "sometimes I think your heart is too gentle for your own good."

Ryia smiled as she looked at him, "you know, caring for people doesn't actually hurt you."

"I never said that, don't put words in my mouth," Gwaine says in mock offense, not being able to help the smile that was forming on his lips. "I just think maybe you shouldn't let people in who keep hurting you. I know Arthur isn't evil and means well, but, I just like don't like seeing you hurt."

Ryia scrunches her nose a bit as she smiles at him. Being completely distracted by his words until she feels an impact in the front. The girl takes a step back to see an older woman in a cloak stumble back. "I am so sorry," Ryia says as she and Gwaine both rush over to help steady the woman.

"Thank yo..." the woman starts to speak but trails off as she looks face to face with Ryia, her facial expressions putting on a look of fear, "you."

Ryia looks around for a second trying to see if maybe there is someone else she is referring to. She then points to herself as she looks at the woman, "me?"

"Yes, you," the woman says with venom on her tongue as she pushes both Ryia and Gwaine off. "Stay away, Albatross," the woman tells her in a warning tone before quickly walking away.

Ryia and Gwaine both straighten up as they share a look with each other. "What was that about?" Gwaine questioned as he pointed in the direction the woman had walked off in.

Ryia looked off in that direction, feeling a mix of confusion and concern left by the woman's words. "I'm not sure," her gaze stays in the direction of where the woman went.

Gwaine noticed her concerned and confused expression as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "she's just an old woman, she probably has no clue what she's saying," he told her sincerely, "just ignore it."

Ryia looked over at Gwaine with a nod, "yeah, you're right." She couldn't help but look back in the direction the woman left in, her mind full of wonder as to what she had called her Albatross and why she looked so scared.

~~~

"Sire," one of the knights said as he walked into the throne room, looking at Uther as he sat on the throne with Arthur sitting next to him in a chair.

"What do you want?" Uther asked gruffly as he looks at the knight with a quirked brow.

"A woman as requested to speak to you," the knight told him, getting straight to the point, "she claims it's urgent and cannot wait."

"So be it," Uther says as he lifts his head up even higher, "bring her in."

The knight nods before going out to the hallway, shortly returning with an older woman wearing a cloak. The woman stepped up as she dropped the hood of her cloak off her head. She gave a small bow with her head before speaking, "your majesty, I must inform you of how your son's life is in terrible danger."