With All My Heart || Arthur Pendragon

9

Mira sat at her window on the ledge looking out at Camelot, it was night but you could see all the twinkling lights from the houses and the torches in the streets. It was lovely, the cool breeze brushed against her cheeks but she didn't mind. Gwen was pottering around behind her, turning down the bed and clearing up the plates from dinner. Mira sighed happily and looked down below, her window was high up and sitting there you wouldn't want to be afraid of heights. Dinner with Gwaine had been nice a few nights before, they chatted and he told her about being a Knight.

There was a knock on the door and Mira heard Gwen answer, reluctantly she tore her eyes away from the view of Camelot and turned her head to see Prince Arthur's servant Merlin walking in. "Evening my Lady" he greeted with a small bow stopping slightly away from her.

"Hello Merlin" Mira smiled warmly.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but Gwaine asked me to see how you are" Merlin explained.

"You aren't disturbing me at all" she replied,"Is Gwaine going anywhere?".

"Yes, he couldn't come himself because he and the Knights are going to training".

"At night?" she asked confused.

"I think Arthur wanted them to work on their skills at night to see how they cope in the dark" Merlin couldn't help but laugh slightly at the thought of them running around at night. He saw Mira laugh a bit as well, obviously thinking the same thing.

"Thank you for coming Merlin, you can tell Gwaine that he doesn't need to worry because I'm absolutely fine" Mira informed him. He nodded with a smile. "Camelot's beautiful at night, don't you think?" she asked.

He had expected to be dismissed so it surprised him to be addressed so casually. "Eh...I guess" he replied awkwardly. She waved him over and he looked out of the window, he had to say she was right. It was beautiful, he'd always thought so. "Yes, it is" Merlin continued quietly,"On my first night in Camelot, this was what I saw".

"It must have been amazing" she looked up at him. He smiled and nodded. "Back at home, I had a view like this, it was of the countyside but it was as high as here, you could see over the tops of the trees and across the land" Mira smiled at the memory.

"Sounds lovely" he said. "It was..." she murmured.

"Was that at the convent?" asked Merlin.

"No, before that" Mira's smile faltered.

"Do you miss your home?" he questioned, noticing her eyes becoming troubled.

"Parts" she replied truthfully,"Do you miss yours? I remember you saying you came here a few years ago".

He nodded. "Sometimes, but to be honest I'd never leave Camelot".

Mira smiled. "I want to feel like that someday".

"You will" Merlin had said it without thinking. She was a Lady, what was he thinking?! He couldn't talk so casually like that. He expected her to tell him that he was dismissed and to remember who she was, but she didn't.

Instead Mira turned towards him. "I hope so".

"Oh, I must get back to the Prince!" He suddenly remembered Arthur,"I'll deliver your message to Gwaine".

"Of course! I'm sorry, tell them I kept you, its my fault" she replied with an apologising smile.

"Thank you my Lady" Merlin bowed and returned her smile before leaving to go to the Knights and Arthur, who would probably kill him for being late.

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"There's something about Mira, she's nice, treats me like a person" Merlin told Gaius later that night.

"Merlin, the last time you said something like that, the woman turned out to be a troll" Gaius laughed.

"Yes, well I doubt very much that she's a troll, she's nicer than Lady Catrina anyway".

"I'm glad you think so" replied the old man sitting down at the table opposite Merlin with his dinner.

"But there is something..." started Merlin. Gaius looked up.

"What do you mean?".

"Well, when I asked her did she miss her home she said "parts", and she seemed slightly troubled by it".

"Well, she could be homesick Merlin" Gaius replied.

"But why was she in a convent for three years? When we were on our way home, she was nervous" the young Warlock replied.

"Well, everyone is nervous sometimes Merlin, it doesn't mean anything".

"But this was really nervous, once there was a sound in the woods and she looked like she was about to die of fright, and then Gwaine said that no one was out there. Why would he say that?".

Gaius thought for a minute about what Merlin was saying, he was right, there was something strange about it. "You're right" but then Gaius added,"But Merlin, don't go tormenting her, sometimes people want to bury their past, they don't like it when people try to dig it up".

"I won't torment her" Merlin assured him,"But I need to know whether anything will put Arthur in danger".

Gaius nodded. Neither of them wanted another Morgana in Camelot. They knew they had to be wary, even if she was  Gwaine's Ward.

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A man rode through the iron gates nodding to different soldiers as he passed. When he got to the door of the castle he dismounted, handing his reins to a poor stable boy who's red hands shook with the bitter cold, his damaged clothes barely keeping any warmth. He walked into the castle, closing the heavy wooden door behind him and pulling off his leather gloves and hanging them on his belt before going down the large hall towards a room. His footsteps echoing loudly on the stone floor. He knocked twice and entered, making sure to shut the door. There was another man standing with his back to him facing the fireplace, arms outstretched on the mantlepiece. He didn't utter a word.

"I have news, my Lord" said the first man uncertainly, knowing of the second's short temper.

"News of what?".

"Well...Your niece, Sir Osric".

Osric looked up suddenly. "My Niece...".

"Yes, the Lady Mira" replied the man. "What about her, John?" asked Osric eagerly but keeping his back turned,"Do you know where she is?".

"Yes, my Lord" answered John nervously,"It appears that she is the Ward of a Knight, Sir Gwaine apparently".

Osric let out a cold, bitter laugh that made John shift uncomfortably.

"The boy? He's no more a Knight than my stable-hand outside!" his laugh died away,"But that doesn't answer my question. Where is she?".

"Camelot, my Lord. She arrived a few weeks ago".

"I think we should start making preparations to visit my beloved Mira, don't you?" Osric grinned wickedly and John, seeing his master's good mood smiled as well.

"Of course" John bowed and left.

"Three years you've hidden from me" he whispered,"I think its time you came home Mira. You won the first round. Now it's my turn".