The Glass Princess (Merlin FanFic) (Book 2)

Chapter 14 - Blood Red Fruit

Chapter 14 – Blood Red Fruit

Merlin stood stunned. Why had Gwaine never told him any of this? And how could he have done such a thing? Merlin looked down at his friend, unconscious on the ground, his thoughts confused. Suddenly the sound of a groan made his eyes snap over to Morgana who was waking. Before Merlin could react he felt an invisible hand grip his neck, squeezing the life out of him. Merlin fell to the ground, his hands pulling at the invisible force around his throat. He could see it in Morgana’s hand, the doll with a lock of raven black hair wrapped around the top. How did she get it? Merlin wondered and a horrible thought came to him, Cally. Cally said she would deal with the guards, she didn’t, how did Morgana know to come here? How did Morgana get a lock of his hair? To his horror it all fitted, she had been leading him along the hold time. Merlin felt tears prick his eyes and desperately fought them back as he continued to battle for breath. “I’m afraid, you can’t be allowed to interferer any longer, goodbye, Merlin.” She spat her hand gripping tighter around the dolls neck slowly squeezing the life from Merlin’s body. 

Lila left Eirawen’s room with a worried expression, she had only just managed to calm her mistress and help her drift into sleep and she was worried about what the morning would bring. She also felt responsible for what had happened, if only she hadn’t have walked in none of this would have happened. Suddenly she saw Cally walking towards her. “How is she?” Cally asked in a hushed voice. Lila shrugged. “Not brilliant.” Lila muttered and Cally smiled grimly.
“Here, give her this from me will you?” Cally says slipping a rosy red apple out from the folds of her dress. Lila smiled slightly. “I will.” She said and Cally smiled back. “Night.” She said before continuing down the corridor. Lila smiled as she left before slipping back into Eirawen’s room and placing the apple on the dresser ready for her to find in the morning.

The three knights walked slowly up the spiral staircase just in case they ran into more guards. "Hold on, how are we going to break open the cell?" Elyan whispered.
"Humm well, we will work something out." Leon mumbled. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks as he reached the top of the staircase causing the others to crash into him. "Why'd you stop?" Elyan whispered. Leon turn back to look at them,
"Morgana." He said and before the others could react Leon had moved forward into the room. He saw Morgana, a doll gripped tightly in her hand, standing over Merlin who was clutching at his throat. Morgana was so busy watching the life drain from Merlin she didn’t notice the knights as they all slowly crept in behind her. Leon stood just out of view on her right, Elyan just behind her and Percival out of view on her left. The knights nodded to each other and Elyan lent forward. “Hello Morgana.” He whispered into her ear. Morgana suddenly spun to the left and saw Leon who smiled and before she could react he pushed her backwards where she crashed into Percival who raised a fist and collided it with her temple causing her to fall to the floor. Merlin took a huge breath in and relaxed. “Are you alright?” Leon asked as Merlin lay there, breathing deeply. Merlin nodded slightly. Just then Percival caught sight of Gwaine and hurried to his side. He saw the whip lashes over his bare skin and felt the heat of his forehead. “What happened to him?” Percival asked but Merlin couldn’t answer, he was slowly drifting out of consciousness. “Umm guys?” Elyan said. “How are we going to get out again? Past the guards?” They all looked at each other,
“Oh.” Leon said quietly.
“I told you a Gwaine plan wouldn’t work.” Percival muttered and Leon glared at him as the clock chimed two, “Go and have a quick look, see if they are there.” Leon said and Elyan nodded before going down the stairs to the door at the bottom only to find it locked and impenetrable. He came back up and reported his discovery to the others, Percival looked at Leon. “Ummm, wait till we think of a plan?” Leon suggested a little sheepishly, he hadn’t really thought the plan though this far.

At about 4am Gwaine awoke feeling very dizzy and disorientated. He immediately had three very concerned people gathering around him which made him even more confused. “What happened?” He asked.
“We were about to ask you the same question.” Percival said.
“Morgana, a whip, Sophia, pain. That’s all I remember.” Gwaine said resting his head in his hands.  Percival was about to press the matter of who Sophie was but Gwaine didn’t give him time. “So what’s going on?” He asked.
“Well, umm, we came to break you out of the cells.” Leon said.
“Right…so why are we still in here then?” Gwaine asked.  
“They sort of…locked the door…” Leon said.
“Some rescue plan.” Gwaine muttered and Elyan and Percival looked at Leon.
“Will you all please stop looking at me?!” Leon cried and Gwaine grinned,
“Aww, they ganging up on you?” He said in a teasing voice and Leon turned his back to sulk.

Eirawen forced her eyes open and found them wet from tears. She lay in her bed to scared to move, the coronation was today. She looked around her for Lila but she was nowhere to be found. Slowly, she forced herself to slide out from the safety of the bed clothes and over to the dresser where she picked up her hair brush and began to brush her long black hair. When she had finished she placed the brush back down and that was when she saw it, the blood red apple. She picked it up confused; she walked back over to the bed examining it. Nobody but Lila could have come in last night. Then she thought, maybe it was from Lila, a present of the day of the coronation? Cautiously she raised it to her lips and let her teeth sank into the smooth red skin. After a moment’s hesitation she began to chew and swallow but she never finished it, half way through she felt something inside her, in her veins and she knew she had made a grave mistake but it was too late. She fell back onto the bed, the half-eaten apple rolling from her hand.

As soon as she entered the room Lila knew something was wrong, she ran to Eirawen’s side and when she could not wake her she ran for help not seeing the apple on the floor.

Eldred had to try hard to hid a smile as news of Eirawen’s ‘illness’ reached him. “We have delayed the coronation long enough; it will go ahead first thing today as planned.” Eldred said and after a few mumbling in the court it was agreed, the coronation would go ahead with Eirawen.

The clock chimed seven and the doors swung open, Eldred stepped through them and saw the row of people standing as he walked down them. He smiled as he saw the crown on the red cushion, soon it would be his. He glanced sidewise at Arthur and noticed his knights and servant were missing, for a moment he panicked but then remembered Cally’s words, Morgana had gone to the tower. No doubt she had dealt with them all and as soon as he had that crown he could deal with Arthur.

He knelt down on the steps in front of the thrown and said his vows, “I now crown you, King Eldred, king of Nilemah.” The old man said and Eldred felt the cold metal of the crown come to rest on his head. He turned to the crowd smiling as they chanted, “Long live the king!” Eldred smiled; finally, the plan could be completed.

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Hiya! So sorry for the late update! Been so busy revising! Umm ok so....this was really rushed....probs the fasted i have ever written a chapter! I came back to the whole Snow White thing because i realised i never did the apple in Reflections In Ice! So yeh....ummm and Eldred has been crowned!....something tells me he wont be a great king......lol but um thanks so much for reading! I really hope u liked it even if it was rushed! :) Thanks! Please do vote and comment! It would mean so much and really cheer me up from exams! :) Thanks your all amazing! :)

                      HazelJ :)

P.S. I will try and update again before next sunday but no promises, the week after that i have all my main exams so i wont update that week. :) So yeh...bare with my slow updates just for two more weeks! :) Thanks! :)