The Thief

8

I'd been in this small room for days now. My back was healing well; at least that's what I've been told. I still can't move or I would open the wounds as the physician said. So, here I sat in bed with a gazed look on my face. I was alone. The physician, Nicholas, left to grab more herbs. I stared at the floor waiting patiently. I wasn't expecting a girl around my age to walk in with a small smile. She shut the door and slowly walked over. Her light brown curls bounced over her shoulder with each step she took.

"Hello, I'm Aetheria, princess and daughter of Caerleon," she gave me a little bow before slowly looking up at me. She had something in her hand that I couldn't see. "I heard what my father did. I thought it wasn't right to do on your birthday. He wouldn't allow me to come see you as you recovered, but I had to come see the thief I've heard so much about. I hope you don't mind?" She asked with her dark blue eyes meeting mine.

"I-" I couched. "I don't mind." I smiled weakly. She looked down. "Really, you're doing me a favor by being here. It's kind of boring."

"I brought you something," she handed me a small, but decent sized box. "They're sweets from the kitchen. Best in all the kingdoms!" She smiled. Her smile was contagious.

"Thank you. That's really nice of you to do that for me." I said.

"It's to say happy birthday and I'm sorry for my fathers welcome." She stated with seriousness in her tone.

"It's fine, really. I'm healing and that's all that matters." I smiled at her. She looked at me. Just then, the door opened and in walked Nicholas the physician.

"My lady, what are you doing here?" He asked her.

"I came to see Myrddin and how he was feeling." She looked at him and back to me.

"He's doing better. You better leave now before your father finds out you were down here. He told you not to bother him." Nicholas grabbed Aetheria's arm and guided her towards the door. She looked like she wanted to stay by the look she gave me.

"She can stay. I don't mind." I stated exhausted. Nicholas shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but you need your rest and the princess must obey her fathers rule." Aetheria turned, but before she left, she muttered a goodbye to me. I waved at her as the door closed. For some reason, I wanted her to stay.

I stared at Elizabeth as I walked into the castles square. She was standing next to her mother and Leon as they all stood in front of a raging Arthur Pendragon. I saw a little bit of Aetheria in Elizabeth and I hate myself for feeling that way.

"What do you mean you lost him?" Arthur raged at Leon.

"He was right behind us." Leon looked around until his eyes landed on me. His face softened and so did Arthur's. Elizabeth ran up to me and engulfed me in a hug.

"Don't do that again, Myrddin. You scared us all," She mutter in my neck. I stood still, not moving. She pulled away. Her eyes weren't blue, but a bright green. This was not Aetheria. I will never see Aetheria again. "Myrddin, you're burning up." She said worried. Soon enough, I found it hard to breathe. I looked over to Arthur and Leon. Both of them looked worried. What for? I'm fine, right? Arthur began walking towards us.

"I think I just need a minute." I said before Arthur could reach us and dashed for the stairs to the physician chambers. I burst into the empty room and began panting and pacing the room. Leon walked in moments after. He shut the door behind him.

"Merlin, what's going on?" He asked.

"I don't know!" I yelled at him. "I don't understand what's happening to me!" I said in fear.

"First, you need to calm down. Pacing the room isn't going to help," I took his advice and sat down at the table. "Now, take deep breaths and try to slow your breathing." I did as told. "Good. Now, what happened after I left for Camelot?"

"I can't." I shook my head.

"Merlin, tell me!"

"It's complicated, Leon!" I shouted at him.

"Then, tell me what you only wish to tell me," he told me. I looked at him kneeling in front of me. "What happened after I left?" I sighed there was no getting out of this one.

"Before I could reach the border, I was tripped. This man I knew from my past. He always hated me since I came to the city. We were fighting and I won. I spared his life and ran back to Camelot and that's all." I said and walked away from him.

"That's not all. Why did you freak out like that?" With my back to him, I let a single tear fall and wiped my eye. I turned around to face him.

"Because it wasn't what happened in the woods that freaked me out. It's the way I saw Elizabeth." I said. He looked confused.

"What about Elizabeth?"

"I saw an old friend in her. An old friend who I lost because of my foolishness." I stated.

"I don't understand." He said.

"I told you it's complicated," I looked down. "I have a past, Leon. A past that I'm ashamed of. A past that I can't seem to escape and I'm terrified of what my future holds. I get flashbacks of my pain, nightmares during the night. I don't know why. I haven't thought about my past in years until suddenly they pop out of nowhere. I can't stop them. They just keep coming at me." I stated. "What do I do?"

"I don't know." Leon shook his head. "Try talking to Elizabeth. See what happens then." I nodded as he walked towards the door. "And I would also talk to Arthur if I were you." I nodded and he walked out leaving me to my thoughts.