Profound Bond

Chapter 7-Is this War (Part 1)

Uther sat just sat there in his throne staring at them. Both Arthur and Bella were starting to feel uncomfortable.

“Some of Anir’s men attacked you," he stated. "Why didn’t you tell me?!" Arthur flinched at his father's sudden change in tone. Uther stood up from his throne and walked over to a table to get a goblet of water. He seemed to be under a lot of stress.

“I thought it would be irrelevant at the time, father," Arthur said, his arms placed respectfully behind his back. "Why does it matter? Bella and I solved the problem. Is every thing okay?” Arthur continued, looking a little worried about the king. Uther looked over to the guards, who got the message, and left immediately.

“Anir has threatened to attack Camelot," said Uther. Arthur looked over to Bella, and Bella looked over to Arthur. They shared the same worried glance.

"But why would Anir do that?" Arthur questioned.

"Anir is a ruthless and power-crazy man," Uther told him. "He is always hungry for war. But he rarely has a justifiable reason to attack another kingdom. So if you have given him one..."

"But they were just thieves, father," Arthur argued, "Surely they do not matter to Anir."

"It does not matter whether he cared for them or not," Uther snapped, "But because you fought with them, Anir sees this as a way to ignite a war."

"Father, I didn't know... I--" Arthur had begun to apologise, but right at that same moment Sir Leon pushed through the big oak doors.

“I'm sorry to interrupt, sire," he said with a bow. "News just came in. Anir’s men crossed into Camelot's borders at first light this morning.”

"How many men?" Uther asked.

"I could not say, milord," Leon said, shaking his head, "It was not told to me how many they were."

Arthur gulped. There was going to be a war. And more than that, they had no idea how many men they would be up against.

“I will tell my knights to start training immediately," Arthur said, bowing and then sprinting out of the Throne Room. Bella was in deep thought, when Uther came up to her.

“Bella, I need you to tell Gaius I want to speak to him," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Bella nodded, curtseyed and then left the room. She walked down the corridors and down the stairs. She walked through Gaius's door.

“Gaius, sorry for this, but Uther wants to talk to you," Bella said not entirely listening to what she was saying. Gaius nodded and walked out.

"Merlin," Bella said, going over to where he was lying. he still looked awfully sick. "Merlin," she said again. Merlin groaned, mumbled something, then opened his eyes.

"Bella?" He said, raising an eyebrow up at her. Since Bella had moved out of Gaius's chambers and into some servant's quarters, Merlin had barely seen her. Which is why it was so curious she was paying him a visit now. "What are you doing here?"

"Camelot is under attack," she said.

"What?!" Merlin snapped, jumping up from his bed. He swayed slightly and Bella put an hand on his chest to steady him. "Under attack? How? When?"

"The thieves we fought with in the woods," Bella explained, "They told Anir about it. He has threatened Camelot."

"I have to find Gaius," Merlin declared, rushing for the door. "Arthur will need my help."

"Merlin, I know that Arthur does need your help - considering he's pretty useless and all," Bella said, grabbing Merlin's arm. "But remember that you are sick. Try not to get in over your head."

"I'll be fine," Merlin said, detaching himself from Bella's grip and running away.

"Gauis is in the Throne Room," Bella called out to him as she ran outside also, but in the opposite direction to Merlin. She had decided that if Camelot was going to be attacked, she would at least help to defend it.

She ran up to her room and grabbed her crossbow and arrows. Once she had it, she ran down to the training field. When she got there, Bella saw Arthur and the knights were already training. But as they weren’t using the archery range, she walked over to it. Just as she was readying her aim, Arthur came over.

“Bella," he said. Bella turned around to look at him. "What are you doing here? You should be inside." Once her head was turned towards him she let the arrow go. It hit the target right on the bulls-eye. The look on Arthur’s face was priceless. He had his mouth wide open, as did the knights behind him.

The king also stood outside and saw what Bella did. And when he saw the look on his son’s face it brought he chuckled. Bella shot a few more arrows only missing the bulls-eye once. Arthur and the knights were impressed.

“Wait until you see her sword work," Uther said. The knights bowed down low, while Arthur and Bella bowed their heads.

“Well, Arthur, how about it?” Bella said, picking up a sword.

“Sure, why not?"  He said, taking a sword that one of his knights handed him. They both walked over to the fighting area. Arthur was stretching, while Bella just stood there waiting.

"I'll go easy on her," Bella heard Arthur whisper to his father, whom merely chuckled again. When Arthur was ready, Bella continued to stand still. Arthur swung his sword towards Bella’s chest. Bella dogged it with ease.

This went on, until Uther said, “Now, Bella, stop this,"

“Stop what?” Bella said innocently.

“I want you to try," he said with a smile on his face, "Show my son what you're really made of."

“Oh, if you say so," Bella said with an evil smile upon her face.

When Arthur went to attack her again, Bella dodged it, turned and hit Arthur in the back. Arthur was quite surprised and wasn’t expecting her next move. Once Arthur had recovered from her last blow, she attacked once again.

She aimed for his chest, then his shoulders and then the back of his knees. Bella preformed these moves very fast and Arthur couldn’t keep up with her. He dodged a few of her hits, but was affected by a majority of them.

After Bella performed the moves, Arthur was lying on the floor with a sword aimed at his heart.

“I guess I won, then," Bella said with a smile upon her face.

“How the hell can you fight like that?" Arthur said, while getting off of the floor. In the background, Uther and the knights were laughing.

“That is for me to know and for you to find out," Bella said with a giggle.

~~~~

"What are we going to do, Gauis?" Merlin asked the physician as he looked down at Bella and Arthur fighting from the window of a corridor.

"We sit and wait, Merlin," Gaius said. "That is all we can do until Anir's army arrives."

"How am I supposed to protect Arthur when the time comes? We don't even know how many men there are," Merlin grumbled. "The Dragon said it was my destiny to protect him, but every few weeks, something new threatens his safety."

"That is why you must continue to look out for him, Merlin," Gaius said wisely, "Because he is always under threat."

Merlin bit his lip and nodded, still gazing upon the prince, who had just been beaten by Bella. He needed to think of a way to help Arthur in the battle. Being sick had weakened him and his powers... but he supposed using his magic was the only way he could save Arthur if the time when he needed him...