Caught in the Storm

Chapter Nineteen

19. Comfort From A Friend

Magdelena knocks on the wooden doors waiting for permission from the Prince to enter, "Come in," comes his sulking reply, she opens the door and walks in closing the door when he sees who it was, "Mags!?" It sounded like a question but he also sounded shocked.

"I saw what you did earlier, in the town," she says, "The people owe you a debt of gratitude."

"The people owe me nothing," he says going back to sulking, "My father's still going to impose the tax."

She bites her lip thinking about her next words, "I heard what you said to him in the throne room," she says smiling as she walks further into the room, he slumps down on the bed watching her, "You will make a great King one day, your father would be proud of you-"

"He can't stand the sight of me," the Prince slightly snaps at her

"You know that is not true," Magdelena says, "Uther loves you, he is just lost at the moment." 

"You heard the way he spoke to me," the Prince says his voice growing sadder as he spoke, and thought about it.

"Sire, please listen to me," she says bringing his gaze toward her as she looked at him with a serious look, "Uther is lost, he has been entrapped by Catrina and I fear that it will only get worse the longer she is by his side."

"How can you be so sure?" he asks looking at her as she walks forward to stand in front of him looking down at him, he looks away unable to hold her gaze, "Besides the people will still have to pay the tax or be arrested."

"They know you tried, and they won't forget that," she says he looks up to see her back over by his desk, "People never forget when a royal goes out of their way for them." The two stay silent as she walks around his room looking at things as she walks.

"Maybe he's right," her head snaps toward him, "One day I will be the King of Camelot, and I cannot be a friend to the people as well as their ruler."

"That's not true," she says shaking her head as she walks over to him bending to kneel at his feet, "You have a kind heart, Arthur. Don't ever change. Not for anyone." Magdelena stares into his blue eyes, while he stares into her eyes which always looked like embers but at the moment they looked like they had been sparked and were a fire.

A knock at the door breaks them apart as Magdelena stands and takes a few large steps away as Sir Leon enters looking a little worried, "The King has sent for you." Magdelena watches as the Prince stands from his bed and follows Leon, she quickly apparates to her bedroom, where she lays down and enters the other realm, heading to the throne room.

The throne room stands full of the council who all seem a little uneasy about something, "Father?" the Prince says as he enters a little confused by the council being there.

"I'm relaxing your duties, revoking your title," Uther informs him in a stern voice, Magdelena's jaw clenched and her hands curled into fists.

"What?" 

"We live in dangerous times, I cannot allow you to undermine my authority," Uther says, the council seemed to be trying to collect their thoughts as this happened.

"You've always welcomed my counsel in the past," the Prince says trying not to show all the emotions he was feeling.

"You stood against me for all the people to see."

"I'm sorry," Arthur says, "Any future grievance I have will be held in private."

"No, it's too late for that."