My saviour

Extinguished fire

Kara's POV

The sound gets louder and louder as I approach the castle for the second time today. Except this time I'm not headed towards the kitchen but to some underground corridors that I have never seen before. I know I'm close so I slow down my pace and all I can hear is my soft, quick breathing and the bell of course. My head suddenly gets cloudy and I need to stop walking for a second. That stupid champagne.

I try to focus again and then I hear a voice. It's deep, a man's voice, but I can't make out any of the words. Then I realise it's a spell he is casting. I put my back against the cold, moist wall on the side of the chamber he must be in and squeeze my eyes together, trying to make sense of the enchantment.

'...inferno... Uther Pendragon...'

Well, this can't be good. I figure it's best to make my way to the king's chamber. I run, but cease that action as soon as I realise I could be heard. I mentally slap my forehead and force myself to focus again. I stumble a little, but then continue my pace. I look behind me to find that no one is following me. Once outside I move towards the main entrance.

Suddenly, I feel all weird about this. I am going to be stalking the king. The king! He doesn't even know who I am but he is in need of protection right? I can't just walk home now, knowing that I might have let someone murder the king. I shake my head, I would never forgive myself.

Without realising it, I'm within the castle's walls. Alcoholic beverages really do make me a lot braver. I let out a chuckle and then a yelp. A couple of metres in front of me, there's a guard. How could I forget about them? I quickly hide myself behind a curtain and I conclude from the approaching steps that he must've heard me just now. What do I do?

Surely, I am here with good intentions, but that guard would never let me near the king's chambers. He wouldn't even believe me if I said Uther is in danger. Alex would kill me if she could read my mind right now. But surely she isn't in the proper state to kill someone at the moment so I guess I can act on the illegal thing I'm thinking. I am going to knock him out with magic.

Before I know it, there lies a big fat guard at my feet. Feeling a little lightheaded, I vaguely look down at his face. His cheeks are chubby. I let out a snort and then mentally slap my forehead again. I need to get serious now. The king is about to get killed, stupid!

Stupid, that's what I am, for walking into the castle without having a plan or even having the slightest idea of where the king is at the moment. Then I see the back of a lady with shining black hair. She is a wearing a purple nightgown that subtly hugs her- oops. I catch myself staring a little. She turns around and looks around with a worried look on her face. Oh, it's the Lady Morgana!

Since I came here, I have seen her twice, I think. Once at some ceremony and then at that horrible execution of her maid. I will never forget the look on her face, so lost, like a fire had just been extinguished. It broke my heart. She turns her head away from my direction again to look at a little bottle she's holding in her hand. And, determined, she makes her way up some stairs.

I don't know where to go, so I guess I'll just follow her. Or is that exactly what a dumb plan would look like? I suppose, because most of the time when you don't want to be seen you should avoid people. But you know what, sometimes you just have to do what your gut tells you to do. Or it's the alcohol. Yeah, probably.

Everything after this is just so blurry. One moment I am following the woman hazily into the bedroom of the king and the other moment I feel an arm press my windpipe shut. I gasp for air, but nothing is entering my lungs. Through my tears, I see two green eyes staring dangerously into mine.

'What did you do?!' She screams at me.

Meanwhile, the king is screaming too. What on Earth is going on? What did I do? Suddenly, I smell burned flesh. And I remember. The king stops screaming and the ward lowers the pressure on my throat. Just as I wanted to go check on the king she grabs my arm and pins me to the wall again. She moves her face closer and closer to mine.

I am beyond confused. I thought she was screaming in anger at me just now and now she seems to hug me? Oh, never mind. She twists my wrist into a painful angle, making me whimper. She moves her lips to my ear and whispers; 'I will never forgive you for this.'

Her soft cheek brushes against mine as she pulls back and rushes towards the king, who is moaning in pain. I am simply baffled. I just saved the king's life. Although, it was by accident, because I tripped and bumped against the ward, making the potion spill onto the king. Which began to burn his skin. Better that than burned lungs. I suppose the Lady Morgana didn't know the potion would do this?

Stunned and a little sore-throated, I cling myself to the wall. It feels like everything around me is happening in a different dimension. A voice rings out. It's low and gentle. Like music, or-'

'Hey you!' The voice is a little less gentle now.

I look the king in the eye. I have difficulty focussing on anything. I see the ward sitting next the king, wrapping an awkward arm around him while looking at me like I'm a rotten egg. Uther's lips are moving, so I force myself to focus.

'... how to thank you.'

'I-I.'

Woah so much for focus. He wants to thank me? Okay.

'You could just say thank you then, right?'

He starts to laugh and then grabs his chest with a pained expression on his face.

'Oh, Milord, my sister is a physician, should I go get her? Oh wait except she may not be available right now because, well-' thank God he interrupts me.

'I am fine, thank you. You saved my life. How did you know that potion was cursed?'

Oh no. What do I say to that?

'I, uh, was walking and I saw a figure in a dark hood walk to some underground corridors and I just had a weird feeling, so I, uh, followed him and heard him chant something in a strange language. Then I heard your name, Milord, in the incantation, and knew I couldn't risk anything happening to you.'

I am actually impressed by myself, that went smooth. The king nods and says, 'well, then I am forever at your debt. But,' he turns to his ward,'how did you get ahold of this poison? Did the sorcerer threaten you?'

The Lady Morgana shuffles uncomfortably on the bed and avoids the king's gaze. I don't understand. Was she indeed threatened or do I have to go with my guts and believe she is an enemy of the king?

'Yes, my king, he told me if I did not give you the potion that he would kill the both of us. I was so scared, I'm sorry.'

The king pulls her into a tight embrace. The ward does not look at ease at all. When they break apart, the king turns to me again, saying, 'I just got an idea. As a reward for your noble deed, I want to offer you a job at the palace. You can be the Lady Morgana's personal maid.'

My eyes widen and so do hers.

'But surely she already has work.' The ward says while giving me a stare that could kill.

'I-I do, yes.' That's not true actually.

'Oh come on, I will pay you generously. I bet your work can't be as important as taking care of my beautiful ward.'

'O-okay.' I stutter.

Then, the lady jumps up and paces out of the room, but not after giving me a bump to the shoulder.

'Thank you for this opportunity, Milord.' I say, a little unconvinced.

This is going to be fun.