𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕿𝖜𝖔
𝔖𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: From trolls to dragons to foreign princesses, Astraea Aphelion grows stronger as she
continues to navigate medieval Britain using her wit and heart, standing unshaken beside Merlin and Arthur as they face every threa...
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📍 Camelot
⏳March, 506 AD
"Nothing here, either," I huffed as I closed the last bestiary that Gaius kept in his home. Merlin slammed his hands on the table and jumped to his feet, starting to pace. "What now?" he asked, face red with prominent veins that looked like they were about to burst. I sighed. "You should take a break, you're too stressed. I'll go to the library and see if I can find more books, and I'll meet you back here in an hour. Hopefully with an idea for the exorcism." He didn't seem at all thrilled with my suggestion.
"I cannot take a break! This is my fault, I should be the one to fix it!" he protested. "You won't fix anything if you have a mental breakdown. Seriously. Take a bath, get something to eat, have a nap... I'll find more information," I reassured him. He look at me with some doubt, but finally agreed.
"Okay, I suppose you are right," he mumbled and sighed. "Always am!" I replied, then skipped out of the room.
I'd never had much contact with Geoffrey of Monmouth before, as I spent most of my time outdoors or running around with Merlin. However, I found him to be a lovely man as he explained the layout of the library. It was easy to put off suspicion by telling him that I needed the bestiaries to settle a bet with Merlin. "He wrongly claimed that a Unicorn and a Pegasus are the same thing," I'd told the elder man, feigning offence. At that, he'd gasped and gotten up quickly, eager to help me find a book that proved the sorcerer wrong.
After the agreed-upon hour had passed I returned to Gaius's apartment empty-handed. Another half-hour passed as I skimmed through the physician's books once more, waiting for Merlin to show up at any moment. And, eventually, I grew impatient and went looking for him.
My room was the first place I checked, thinking that he could've gone there instead if he'd somehow been impeded from returning to the physician's quarters, but it was empty, too. I locked the door once more, still afraid that the goblin would go in, and continued searching for my friend. Next stop: Arthur's bedroom.
I knocked, heard footsteps, and then the door opened, revealing a troubled-looking Arthur.
"What's wrong?" I asked, his sad mood influencing mine as I didn't like seeing him unhappy. "Have you not heard?" he asked with a frown. "I hear many things every day, you'll have to be more specific," I replied, tilting my head in confusion. He let out a sigh and let me in the room, then closed the door.
"Astraea, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Merlin was arrested for using magic," the Prince informed me mournfully. My eyes widened in shock. "What? How? I'm sure it's just a big misunderstanding!" I certainly wasn't about to reveal I knew something. I didn't even know what they knew. The goblin could've framed him.
"Gaius found a book of spells and enchantments in his room," Arthur explained. I frowned, knowing very well that the only magic book that Merlin had was hidden in my room, inside a suitcase that had a built-in lock. "I am so sorry, Astra. I know how close you are to him." The Prince hugged me. I remained still as my thoughts spun at high speed.
