Queens

Anastasia

Anastasia could feel and hear everything around her, she just couldn't do anything about it. Merlin, Ros, Gaius, Gwen, and the knight that rescued her all came to visit her. Merlin had to go work with Arthur though, but she was thankful that Lancelot told Merlin not to tell Arthur about what had happened. He must have overheard her before she fainted. Ros came to visit her, as well. She was caring for her throughout the day, and she was extremely grateful.

She considered Ros to be her friend, and she had only hoped that the princess had felt the same about the lowly servant girl. Ros had always been nice to her, and she had given her advice as well.

At the end of the day, she could hear Ros falling asleep, letting out a quiet snore, then waking up again. She wanted to tell her to go home, but she couldn't.

Ana's chest felt tight, and she had felt extremely cold as well. She could feel herself sweating, and her veins hurt, as well as her heart. She was dying, she could feel it. But she couldn't say a thing.

Gaius had arrived and told the princess to go and get some rest. Merlin must have still been working, who knows what Arthur had him doing so late.

"Don't worry, dear. I told your mother I would keep you and your brother safe and healthy, and I'm planning to keep that promise." He told her, rubbing cold water on her forehead. It didn't help much.

Hours passed like days, and days passed like weeks. She was sure Arthur must have learned something by now, there was no way that she would have been missing from work for days and Arthur not realizing it. Of course, that was unless he had already moved on from her. In reality, he hadn't exactly courted her, it was just one kiss. They didn't even speak after that other than a few 'get this' and 'yes sir's. Perhaps Arthur really did not care, perhaps it was just a stupid kiss, that had meant nothing to him, and everything to her.

Even in her state, that was most of what she thought of. She supposed it must have distracted her from the physical pain she was feeling.

She hadn't known how many days had passed, when she heard a door open without knocking, at first she had thought it was Merlin or Gaius, but she had remembered that Gaius was in the room, looking for the cure of the venom she had, and Merlin was serving Ros today.

"Gaius, where is she? Why did nobody tell me what had happened?" Arthurs voice rang through the room.

"She had told Lancelot not to tell you. I suppose she didn't want to worry you. If you are looking for her, she's in the bedroom. Don't distract me, I'm looking for something to heal her." Gaius replied in a flat voice. Footsteps rushed over, and stopped at the side of her bed. He had actually come. Perhaps he did care for her. Perhaps the kiss did mean something.

She felt his hand hold a tight grip on hers.

"Damn it, Anastasia. Did you believe I didn't care? Is that why you decided not to tell me? I do care, but, my duties as a prince are certain. I couldn't have possibly been with you especially wh-" He stopped here. "I see." He said quietly, realizing what he had said. "I apologize if I had hurt you, I just wished to do the opposite. You were just as annoying as your brother when you first came here." He laughed softly, pulling back the hair from her face. "But I grew attached. I knew that if someone, especially my father, knew about what we had, you would be hanged. I couldn't have that. You were... I fell too hard for you. I didn't want to lose you." He sighed, kissing her forehead.

"Arthur!" Gaius voice called out from the larger room, making Arthur run over to where he was. Ana was overwhelmed with emotions, had Arthur really said that, or was she finally dying, and her mind playing tricks on her? Anastasia could barely make out what they were saying.

".... Flower..... Dangerous..... Retrieve..." Gaius must have tasked him with getting the ingredient for the cure.

"I will." Arthur made his way back over to her. "I promise I'll be back, with the cure for that venom. I promise." He told her, before leaving.

"Arthur..." Her voice finally let out.