Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Two

02. No Use Crying Over Spilled Soup

~One Year Later~

Magdelena was currently trying to coerce the King into eating some soup that had been prepared specially for him by the kitchen. She grew more worried as the months passed, he ate less and less, was unable to sleep because of nightmares, he just sat in his chair looking out the window, "Please eat Uther," she begs holding the spoon out to him he doesn't react or open his mouth, "Damn it Uther! You have no idea what is happening outside of your stupid chambers!"

Uther moves his head so he was now staring at where she knelt on the floor hope filled her eyes before her face fell as he turned back to the window. She throws the full bowl of soup and spoons against the wall, the bowl breaks, and the spoon dents the wall. She falls onto her knees tears streaming down her face, she had spent a year trying to nurse Uther back to health but he refused anything and everything she tried.

The knights entered due to the noise then silence shocked to find Magdelena on her knees face in her hands as tears fell to the floor. The quickly closed the door once more there was no danger in the room, "Please Uther I need you to eat," she begs him quietly, "I fear for Camelot, and Prince Arthur. Don't those matter to you anymore?"

When all Magdelena got was silence she stands from her position on the floor and grabs a random shirt of Uther's throwing it over the spilled soup then grabbing the pieces of the bowl and the spoon before leaving the chambers heading to the kitchens to get another bowl of soup. It hadn't been her first time breaking a bowl much to the dismay of the chef.

Collecting the new bowl she headed back to the King smiling at Gaius who was giving him a check-up. There was a potion on the table probably to help him sleep, or force him to sleep she hoped, "Is there any change Gaius?" she asks though she figured the answer was the same, just like every time she asked him.

"No, I afraid not," Gaius says sadly, "This potion should put him to sleep, he needs some rest. You need a break, will you be joining us for the feast?"

"No, I am staying with the King I think unless I am ordered to sing at the feast or something," she says making Gaius smile, "Which I doubt, everyone is scared when I sing now, I feel terrible for what I did to those knights."

"Well perhaps it was for the best," Gaius says patting her shoulder before taking his leave he was planning to be at the feast he rarely had the chance to go to them so when he was free on nights with banquets or feasts he made sure to join.

She walks over to the King smiling softly, "Do you want to go to the feast tonight? I can prepare a bath and clothes for you if you want to make an appearance," she tries but Uther stays silent staring at the window making her sigh sadly, "I have some more soup, can you eat some please."

She holds the spoon up to his mouth and he opens his mouth just enough for her to slip the spoon into his mouth making her smile, as she feeds him a few spoonfuls before dabbing his mouth with a piece of cloth then repeating until the soup was finished. She smiled as she walked to the kitchen the empty bowl in her hands was a pleasant view to the kitchen. Her smile stayed on her face as she hurried back to the King's chambers, shocked as she was pulled into an alcove, "Prince you really must stop doing this."

"You won't let me send you things through Merlin or otherwise," he tells her smiling while she tries to get out of his hands but he holds her tight, "I have decided if I want to shower you with gifts or attention I have to kidnap you and hold you in secret."

"That won't work either," she says rubbing her temples with two fingers, "Prince Arthur I have already told you we can't be together no matter how many gifts you send, I don't want gifts anyways."

"Every girl wants gifts, I mean I know women who would kill for the jewelry I sent you," he says staring at her begging her with his eyes, "Come on Mags, it is killing me you confessing me and not letting me act on the feelings."

"I'm sorry Arthur," she whispers pushing him away from her, "Besides I'm not like every girl. I should return to your father."

Magdelena has to fight every fiber of herself to turn around as she walked as fast as she could without making it obvious she was running from something. She arrived back at the chambers to find Uther holding a now empty bottle of the sleeping potion Gaius had brought over, "That wasn't poison it was a sleeping draft," she says walking forward taking the bottle and helping him stand and together they stumble over to the bed, she throws his top half on before lifting his legs up.

She removes his shoes then covers him with the blanket, before sitting on the edge of the bed staring at him sadly, "Come on pull-through Uther Arthur needs you more than ever now," she whispers turning from Uther and heading to the table where she sat down wondering what would happen if Uther didn't get better, even wondering how everything would change if he did get better.

She hears the clicking of the guards moving but it was early for them to be changing shifts, there was a pounding at the door. She stands and opens the door shocked to find Arthur standing there with a large stack of wrapped parcels, "Uther just went to sleep," she says and he smiles pushing past her as he places them on the table while she closes the door, "Sire?"

"These are for you," he says smiling, "What you said got me thinking and you are right, you aren't like most girls you have no need for accessories," he says pushing the packages toward her, "These are books, you love reading you have shelves overthrowing with books back at Gaius's."

"You can't just give me things anymore Arth-Prince Arthur," she says making sure to add his title from now on, "You have to take these back."

"Please accept them, you lock yourself in here with my father waiting for him to get better," he says staring at her, "Read them to him if you wish but you must be bored in here. These are books I made sure you didn't have on your shelves."

"Thank you, Prince Arthur," she says smiling at him, "Now you better go prepare for the feast, I'm sure Merlin is in a panic looking for you."

Arthur smiles at her before taking his leave rushing from the room toward his chambers where he had Merlin wait until he returned from giving Magdelena the books. Magdelena looks at the wrapped books and quickly unwraps them seeing the four-book titles she had never read before, and she smiled at them.