Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Four

03. One Wrong Move

Uther walked with a skip in his step or so it seemed to Magdelena who couldn't help smiling as the King was walking in front of her. She watched him ready to catch him if he did too much for being sitting or laying down for almost a year, "Uther while I do enjoy seeing you like this I think you might want to take it slow," she says making him turn around stopping in his tracks as she raised an eyebrow at him curiously.

"You know the last time you sang at a feast was when Morgana returned after going missing," Uther says sound sad yet a smile was on his face, "It was nice to hear you sing again."

"You really should try to stop thinking about Morgana," Magdelena says softly, "Every time you mention her or think about her you go back into that dark pit. I think perhaps getting you back to your duties would be a good start."

"Why would you think that?" he asks confused staring at his servant who was standing in the hallway with her arms crossed as she looked at the King, "Maggie?"

"If you are busy you won't have time to think about what she did," she says straight to the point not bothering to sugar coat it, "I think tomorrow you should go to the council meeting I know they have planned. Just sit in and listen, add input if you feel the need, but at least sit in the meeting."

"I'm not sure I can, I barely can think about anything but her," Uther admits staring at his servant who smiled at him softly, "What?"

"You will always think about her, it is just what will happen, she hurt you deeply and she meant the world to you," Magdelena says staring at him straight in the eye, "But you are letting her win this war against magic that you have, prove that you can come back from this."

"No," Uther says making her eyes narrow at him, "I'm not ready to go back yet."

"Yes, you are Uther! You have been ready for a while you just don't want to because it means you have accepted her betrayal, you would rather sit in your darkroom staring out the window waiting for her return!" she snapped at him harshly glaring ice at him, "She won't be coming back Uther and if she ever did she would just betray you again. She doesn't care about you Uther!"

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me, I am your King!" he snapped stepping closer to her so he could tower over her, though she had never feared him and made direct eye contact with him.

"Don't claim to be King then act like some sniveling coward!" Magdelena snapped at him harshly, "You can't claim to be King yet you hide away in your chambers every day, letting your son do all the work and make the choices."

Uther's face falls as he looks at the floor, "Do you think Arthur is ready to be King?" he asks shocking her, not only was he asking if Arthur was ready but he was asking her what she thought.

"He's been ready for some time," she tells him, "I've seen him take the lead, the people love him, the knights he has chosen for his personal knights are all loyal to him with no doubt."

"Have the servant prepare a bath for me for tomorrow," he says and she smiles at him hopefully, "Can't go to a council meeting looking like a commoner."

"I take personal offense to that," she says nudging him toward the chamber doors which belonged to him, "You go get some rest you have had a busy day, the bath will be ready for you in the morning."

Uther nods heading into his chambers while she hurried to tell the servant the king was needing a bath ready for him in the morning. They hurried to collect the things he would need before handing the large basin filled with the things into her hands she quickly thanked them before heading back to the chambers. She opens the door shocked to find Uther unconscious, blood seeping his white shirt, while a drugged Arthur seems to be having a hard time processing what was happening.

She drops the basin making Arthur look over at her as she runs forward kneeling beside them, "What happened?"

"That man," Arthur says in a quiet voice and she looks to see the fallen Gleeman laying there bleeding from a wound probably caused by the sword that was near Uther with blood on it.

She stands but Arthur grabs her hand, "I am going to get Gaius so he can help okay?" she says though it was a question she was going to go get him anyways. Arthur nods and releases her hand while she quickly runs from the chambers glaring at the knights at the door for a moment before she raced to get Gaius.

"Magdelena what is wrong? You look panicked," Gaius says still up reading from some book she stares at him as she tries to keep the tears in her eyes, "Maggie?"

"Uther is wounded," she says Gaius needs to hear no more as he grabs his medicine bag and with the help of Maggie runs from their chambers to Uther's. Entering she was glad to see the knights had entered and helped get the King off the floor and on the bed, Arthur was slumped in one of the seats.

'Merlin come get Arthur he needs rest to get the drug out of his system,' Maggie says through telepathy, not long after Merlin runs into the room looking probably as panicked as she had looked to Gaius. She nods her head toward the Prince who Merlin walks over to.

"Come on Arthur, let's get you to bed, you will be no help in this state," Merlin says being his normal self Arthur struggled against him trying to fight him off but still weak from the drug, "Come on, Gaius and Maggie are both here."

"Go rest Arthur, there is nothing you can do," Maggie says softly placing a hand on his shoulder and he nods his head, sending a sad look over his shoulder as Merlin leads him from the chambers toward his own chambers, "Gaius do you think-"

"Don't think about that Maggie, that won't help him right now," Gaius says sternly staring at his niece who nods slowly, "Now help me clean his wound so I may inspect it better."