The Emerald Thief - Merlin BBC [1]

Chapter 32: This is My Home

A thousand soldiers pound inside my skull, my body aching against the warm covers. The soft fabric only seems to burn through me. I groan, my eyes refusing to open, demanding that I get more sleep. Yet my aching body screams for me to wake. The sound of shuffling around me gives more motivation to stir from slumber, my mind absent, unsure where I am.

The first crack of my eyelids is painful. The first light finding my iris proves only to make the thudding pain in my head worse. It's now that I notice how dry my throat is, tongue like a hard desert. As if on cue, my stomach groans loudly, the absence of food giving me my last encouragement to force my eyes open.

At first, I'm expectant to see the forest, the flickering of hummingbirds flying through the green branches. Instead, I'm met with a wooden roof and the glimmer of dust particles in the pale orange morning sunlight. My eyes flicker over the roof, following the dancing orbs.

A rumble enters my ears, definitely a voice, but it seems distant. This confuses me. Sounds seem muffled to my ears. I tilt my head, eyes still sore and squinted as I try to get my bearings. I see a silhouette of a woman, the sunlight hitting her beautiful dark skin. Long brown locks of curled hair hang over her shoulders, sculpting her face and beaming smile.

My mind slowly begins to come back to me, all senses starting to function normally as I focus on her face. I know her face.

"Gwen?"

"Hello, Edythe."

Her presence confuses my already confused thoughts, trying to recollect what had happened before waking. Slowly memories come back. The first is Gwen's exile from Camelot, followed then by Morgana taking Camelot. Everything else is hazier.

"What happened?" I ask, eyes once again wandering the room.

I can tell that we're in my room in Camelot, many features familiar to what I've become accustomed to. Only half of the room is organised, as I remember. To my right, the mirror is still in place between the two large windows. The wardrobe is still across from my bed by the door, clothes neatly displayed with one of its doors open. The other half of the room is chaos. The table is flipped against the wall, Pendragon crest no longer over the fireplace but in splinters on the floor along with the other crests.

"You are safe now", Gwen reassures, taking my hand in hers. "Arthur has taken back Camelot; Morgana has fled. No need to worry yourself."

Finally, my mind clears completely, and I remember the weeks in full detail.

"Oh...right", I mumble, my aching and hungry body reminding me of the cell.

At that thought, I reach from my arm to find the wound bandaged up and clean. I'm dressed in a clean nightgown, and my hair has been brushed and combed.

"I haven't had much time to clean your room. I'm sorry", Gwen apologises, glancing over at the destroyed side of my room. "It's been...a big clean up around Camelot."

"Wait...you're in Camelot", I state, having only just fully realised that Gwen is back. She's dressed as if it were any other day, and she was a servant here.

Gwen smiles. "Yes. Arthur has allowed me to stay."

Although I have had much run through my mind when it comes to thinking of Gwen, I have never been able to hate her. I've never been able to recover from her absence fully. A smile reaches my lips despite all that has happened, joyed that she is home and will stay here. I pull her into a hug, unable to stop myself. I have missed Gwen so much, so many things I have wished to discuss with her, so many nights I wished for her. My friend.

Pulling back from our hug, she smiles once more. "Here", Gwen offers, handing me a cup of water ", you need to regain your strength."

I don't protest, pulling myself into a proper seated position despite my limbs arguing. Gwen helps me up into a comfortable position, handing over the cold metal cup. I take small sips, not wanting to make myself feel sick, my dry lips and tongue joyfully taking the water.