Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Sixty-Six: Camelot's Sleeping

With Brutus and Major running full speed, Arthur and Merlyn had arrived back in Camelot within several hours, the evening having come and settled. But the Camelot they arrived in was much different to the one they had left.

It was silent. Lifeless.

As they slowly encroached on the Lower Town (knowing something was up) they were used to hearing talking and shouting, selling, and mingling of various people but there was none. Only silence ... and bodies.

Merlyn and Arthur both gasped at the sight of everyone in the Lower Town lying on the ground or up against objects. Quickly, the pair jumped down from their horses and ran to the people.

Arthur came to a young blonde woman who had been carrying a small bag that contained bread and a small pouch of money hung from her hip. Her hair was kept back with the use of a headkerchief which allowed Arthur to see her pale neck. Taking off his glove, Arthur quickly pushed his first two fingers against her neck, searching for her pulse. Thankfully, he began to feel the steady thump against his fingertips. Arthur could only frown as he retracted his hands. He looked the woman over but could find no signs of injury or attack. No one had robbed her for her small money pouch still had a few coins inside. She was breathing but completely still and no matter how many times he shook her shoulder she would not open her eyes.

Looking over his shoulder, he found Merlyn moving between a father and his children. Again, they showed no signs of injury or upset. Their dark skin was unblemished and their eyes remained shut. The children had toys in their grasps but they slept soundly leaning against each other whilst the young girl held onto her father's hand. No man, woman or child were moving; they all lay completely unharmed but not awake.

Eventually Merlyn looked up and connected eyes with Arthur. She could only shrug her shoulders at him in confusion.

"They're breathing" Arthur said rather than asked.

"They're sleeping" Merlyn corrected as she pushed herself to her full height, Arthur following suit.

"And not waking up" Arthur commented as he moved over to Merlyn as he pulled his glove back on. He would certainly be lying if he said that this sight was not at all disturbing. Why on earth was his subjects all asleep?

With a silent agreement, the pair of them began to guide their horses through the Lower Town scanning the area constantly looking for anyone who was not asleep.

They could find no one.

Every once and a while one of them stopped on their travels and moved to check one of the fallen to see if they were alive or not but each time it was the same. The people were all asleep.

Soon enough they were walking into the square only to find all the knights and guards equally asleep. The only things that were not asleep were the horses which Merlyn and Arthur discovered when they spotted a horse and carriage in the square with the horse looking around whilst its rider slept in the cart.

"What's going on?" Arthur muttered as he scanned the silent, eerie square. Merlyn had no answer she merely shrugged her shoulders as she looked around wide-eyed at everything. Though she had had warning to such a sight she wasn't prepared for it.

"I'll get Gaius" Merlyn mumbled as she began to move towards the castle leaving Major with Arthur, Brutus, and the silence of the square. Her shoes hitting the stone was the only sound that echoed around. Arthur had no idea what to think or do, all he knew was that this was dangerous especially with the Knights of Medhir being on their tails. Suddenly, Arthur's heart began pounding faster as he heard Merlyn's call of distress from inside the castle.