𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 ( arthur pendragon ) ¹

003. the moment of truth

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔐𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥

ALTHEA STOOD BY THE water spout with Merlin at her side, giggling into her hand with a bucket of water hanging at her side. Merlin grinned, ear-to-ear as he chuckled along with her, retrieving his own water.

"He put you in the stocks?" She asked, small laughs still escaping her after Merlin recounted his and Arthur's first meeting.

"The towns folk were very eager to throw their rotten food at me," he added.

Althea burst into laughter, throwing her head back. She nearly dropped the water pale she was holding. "Oh!" She shouted.

"What is it with you and dropping things?" Merlin asked, laughing, handing over the caught water pale back to Althea.

Althea shrugged, lips pursed, presenting the chortles that were sure to escape. "I laugh so much and—and my arms just grow weak!"

Merlin beamed at Althea, walking away from the spigot with Althea still laughing behind him.

Suddenly he stopped, brows raising as he saw a woman walking through the crowd. Althea followed his eyes to the woman with her hair pinned up and a black eye.

"Mother!" Merlin exclaimed, rushing to her after setting down his bucket of water.

He hugged the woman, Althea picked up his water in her other hand and walked over to him.

"Merlin," said Althea, coming up to him as he cupped his mother's face with concern in his eyes; she saw the real damage on the woman's face. "Gods, who did this to you?"

"I will explain later," the woman said. "Merlin, dear, who is this?"

"Oh," Althea exclaimed, handing Merlin his bucket. "I'm Althea. It's nice to meet you."

"Princess Victoria's handmaiden," Merlin elaborated.

Hunith nodded in greeting. "I'm Hunith, good to meet you as well."

"Mother, what are you doing here?"

Hunith sighed, expression turning solemn. "I need an audience with the king."

Victoria stood next to Arthur, hands clasped in front of her, watching as a woman begged King Uther for help with bandits stealing their food at threat to their lives.

"The winters are harsh in Ealdor, and there are many children. Some of them just won't be strong enough to survive," she explained. "We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help."

"Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility," Uther told her.

"We've appealed to our King," Hunith tried to reason. "But he cares little for the outlying regions. You're our only hope."

Her eyes were pleading as much as her words were and Victoria's heart twitched in sympathy. She pursed her lips.

"I have the deepest sympathy for you," Uther said after a beat of silence, "and would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the earth."

"You'll help us?" She asked, voice hopeful and posture straighter than previously.

"I wish I could," he sighed.