𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 ( arthur pendragon ) ¹

005. to kill the king

𝔗𝔬 𝔎𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤

ALTHEA STRODE THROUGH THE HALLS with a basket of laundry propped up on her hip. The soft glow of the torches illuminated her path in the dead of night. Guards rarely passing her on her way to Victoria's separate chambers, except for the large party that had been lead by Prince Arthur about thirty minutes prior (when she was first taking the laundry to wash.)

The speedy thumping of shoes startled Althea due to the previous silence, and turned around to see Gwen (who she had grown close to during her time in Camelot, the two often doing their independent chores together) running towards her with a light trail tears streaming down her face; from shock or spur of the moment fear.

Althea frowned her brows and met her halfway. "Gwen, what's wrong?"

Gwen chocked on her words, blubbering out, "My father, he's been arrested for treason!"

Althea set down her basket, taking the other girl in a hug, Gwen hyperventilating into her shoulder.

"What did he do?"

Gwen pulled back, hiccuping in a few breaths. "I was told he was working with a sorcerer that is an enemy of the king."

Althea, understanding the gravity of the situation, gasped. "No. He wouldn't."

"I don't think he knew who he was really working for," Gwen admitted. "He's in the dungeons now."

"Do you want to go see him?"

Gwen shook her head, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her dress, saying, "Not right now. I want to tell Merlin, maybe he can try and convince Arthur to help him go free," she sniffed, "Morgana already knows, she's with the king now."

Althea nodded. "I'll go with you."

"Thank you."

Althea picked up her laundry basket, and the two hurried to the physician's chambers. Gwen threw open the door, startling Merlin and Gaius, who seemed to have been engaged in a semi-serious conversation.

"Gwen," Merlin asked, seeing her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong?"

"My father's been arrested."

"Arrested? What for?"

"They say he was making weapons for a sorcerer!" She exclaimed. "They're charging him with treason!"

♔◦☓◦♔◦☓◦♔

Althea stood with Merlin in the dungeons, back against the wall from where Gwen and her father were speaking in hushed tones. Gwen backed away from the bars and went to where they were standing, sighing shakily.

"What did he say?" Althea asked.

"He said Tauren came to him at the forge, offered to pay him a fortune for his help, not to make weapons, for an experiment or something," Gwen repeated to them.

"What kind of experiment?" Merlin inquired.

"Tauren didn't say. But he used some kind of stone...some kind of magic..."

Merlin and Althea glanced nervously at each other. Althea averted her gaze back to Gwen.

"Why don't you stay with me tonight?" She asked. "You don't need to be alone."

Gwen nodded, closing her eyes, the night quickly taking a toll on her emotionally and mentally.

"Yes, yes, that sounds good," she agreed.