Rise (Sir Gwaine Love Story)

Chapter One) Alone In The Forest

Leaves crunched beneath her feet as she ran.
Lungs burning.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Legs pumping. Twigs slashing her face.
Her ankle twisted in a divot, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Her head knocked into a rock, the pain shooting through her skull nearly outweighing the pain in her ankle.
Adrenaline forced her to stagger to her feet and limp on.
She had to reach Camelot.
She had to get help.
The taste of blood accompanied her shallow breaths, throat raw.
She stumbled again, landing hard on her hands and knees.
She lifted her hands to her face to look at them.
Blood and dirt covered them.
She couldn't remember for the life of her if it was someone else's or her own.
She looked around with ragged gasps, mind still muddled with panic.
The sound of approaching hoofbeats made her attempt to regain her feet.
At first, she failed.
She grabbed a fallen stick, using it to help herself stand.
Her eyes watched the red cloaks that entered her vision.
"Who are you?" A knight yelled, stopping a few yards infront of her.
She stared at the golden dragon emblazoned on his chest.
"Help me." Her voice was weak, vocal cords strained.
"Who are you?" The man repeated again.
The girl was dimly aware of the knights surrounding her as her vision blackened around the edges.
She took a single step forward before collapsing.
"Help." She pleaded, before dropping completely.
---
"Gaius!" Gwaine shouted as Elyan pushed open the door to the physician's chambers.
"What is it?" Gaius asked, eyes focusing on the woman in the knight's arms.
"Lay her on the bed! Merlin, fetch a rag and water. Who is this?" The old man barked quickly, grabbing a needle and thread.
"Don't know. Found her in the woods while on patrol. She asked for help and passed out." Gwaine explained, laying her gently on the bed.
"It looks as if she has a few wounds. I'll have to get her clean so I know just how many she has. Go, I need room." Gaius said, leaning over her body, inspecting the scrapes and bruises that he could clearly see.
"Alright. Let us know when she awakes." Elyan answered, grabbing Gwaine's arm as he gave Merlin a nod and exited.
Gaius took the rag from Merlin and began to gently wash the muck from the girl's face.
What appeared to be tear tracks were the only view to her skin.
"Who could she be?" Merlin asked, observing his mentor.
"I don't- dear god." Gaius's eyes widened as he took in her now clean face.
"What is it?" Merlin frowned.
"She's the Crown Princess of Maeril."
"What was she doing in the woods? Why does it look like she's been to hell and back?" Merlin pressed.
Gaius shook his head, continuing to clean her.
"We will have to ask when she wakes up. If she is here, in this condition, then I fear something dire has happened."
"Do you want me to use my magic to help?"
"Not until I've finished my examination."
Merlin grabbed a cloth as well, deciding to help wash the dirt and blood from her arms.
The tattered dress she wore looked like it might have once been a sky-blue silk.
Now it was mostly a muddy brown.
Once they had washed the dirt from her, Gaius gave Merlin a pointed look.
"I need to remove her dress in order to complete a full examination. You should turn around so we can save some of the poor girl's modesty."
"Right." Merlin said, ears turning pink as he faced the other direction.
He heard the snipping of shears.
He heard Gaius let out a low sigh as he studied the books that lined the shelves.
"Merlin."
"Yeah?"
"I think three of her ribs are broken. Could you mend them?" Gaius asked.
"Yeah. Do you want me to turn around?" The young man answered.
"Hold on." He heard shuffling and then "alright."
He turned.
Gaius had pulled a blanket over the woman's lower half.
Her torso was one dark bruise.
The mottled skin looked swollen, peppered with cuts that still oozed fresh blood.
"What happened?" Merlin asked in horror.
Moving quickly, he placed his hands over her ribcage.
With a muttered incantation, his eyes flashed gold and light flowed from his hands.
The pair heard bones snap back into place as the bruises faded from purple to brown and yellow.
Finally, the young warlock took his hands away.
Her breaths came more evenly.
"I also healed the internal damage that I could. Gaius, what do you think happened?"
"Considering this," he moved the blanket to expose part of her hip, "I would say she was tortured."
Merlin gasped in horror.
"Is that a brand?"
Gaius nodded solemnly.
"It is a symbol I have never seen. I feel that she has been through something terrible."
Merlin couldn't take his eyes from the blistered, red flesh of the brand.
Gaius stood, and gathered some herbs.
"See if you can find her new clothes."
"She can borrow some of mine for now. They'll be big enough that she they won't cause more discomfort."
Merlin said, heading to his room.
"Alright. When she awakes we will get her some proper clothes." Gaius told him, sitting by the body again and applying a poultice to the mark before wrapping a bandage around it.
He set to treating the other wounds.
Some required stitches- deep cuts along her legs and arms. One nasty gash on her stomach.
Once he was finished, he and Merlin clothed her.
"I must go inform Arthur of who she is. Keep an eye on her until I return. I have treated what I can, but the injuries she sustained might still be too much for her body to handle."
Gaius said.
"Alright. Will Arthur know her?" Merlin looked up at Gaius inquisitively.
"I would hope so. They spent much time together as children. At one point their fathers were talking of marriage."
With that, Gaius left.
Torches flickered in wall sconces as evening gave way to night.
A breeze swept through the corridors.
Thoughts chased eachother around in the old physician's head as he made his way to the prince's chamber.
Guards stood dutifully at their stations as he passed. Servants scuttled about, running their last errands before turning in for the night.
When he finally reached the heavy wooden door, he took a deep breath. His knock resounded.
"Enter." Came the prince's muffled voice.
Gaius did so, closing the doors behind him with an echoing thud.
"Gaius? What is it?" Arthur asked, setting down his quill.
"Sire, were you told of the girl in the woods?"
"The one that Gwaine and Elyan found? Yes, why?"
Gaius took another deep breath.
"It was Crown Princess Ivy, of Maeril."