The Knight In The Bottle Short Story
The messenger arrives on the first warm day of spring, exhausted from riding all night. Merlin receives the queen's message and bustles the young man off with a servant for a bite of food and a clean bunk in the servant's quarters to rest.
Merlin hurries up to the royal chambers, debating with himself the entire way about whether or not he should knock if the door is not unlocked.
He has an inkling about what the message from Cameliard may contain, so urgency wins out over decorum.
He quietly but deliberately knocks, knowing that Arthur is a heavy sleeper but Guinevere is not. He feels terrible hoping to wake his queen instead of his king, but she is much less cranky if she is woken. Plus the message is for her.
Sefa silently steps up beside …show more content…
"I can do it."
"It's all right if you are nervous," he says, sitting up and moving to her side.
"I know," she whispers. Then she breaks the seal and unrolls the parchment.
Her father is still alive. But he is declining quickly and is not expected to live through another night.
"We must go," Arthur says, reading the message beside his wife. "As soon as possible."
"Thank you, Arthur," Guinevere replies, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. They sit together for another minute, then she sighs and gets back out of bed to go open the door and begin preparations for departure.
xXx
They reach Cameliard just before dinner, traveling at a fast pace and eating on horseback. Accompanied by Gwaine and Morgana, they stopped only once to give their horses a drink and relieve themselves, and are all quite tired when they arrive.
"Gwen!" A very tired-looking Elyan comes running out of the castle when the party arrives. "Gwen…" he sighs, slumping over her in a sloppy, bone-weary hug.
"Elyan," she replies, clinging to her brother. "How is Father? Please, I'd like to see—" Her words stop short when Elyan pulls away and she sees his face. "He's gone, isn't he?" she whispers, and Arthur is immediately right behind
Merlin hurries up to the royal chambers, debating with himself the entire way about whether or not he should knock if the door is not unlocked.
He has an inkling about what the message from Cameliard may contain, so urgency wins out over decorum.
He quietly but deliberately knocks, knowing that Arthur is a heavy sleeper but Guinevere is not. He feels terrible hoping to wake his queen instead of his king, but she is much less cranky if she is woken. Plus the message is for her.
Sefa silently steps up beside …show more content…
"I can do it."
"It's all right if you are nervous," he says, sitting up and moving to her side.
"I know," she whispers. Then she breaks the seal and unrolls the parchment.
Her father is still alive. But he is declining quickly and is not expected to live through another night.
"We must go," Arthur says, reading the message beside his wife. "As soon as possible."
"Thank you, Arthur," Guinevere replies, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. They sit together for another minute, then she sighs and gets back out of bed to go open the door and begin preparations for departure.
xXx
They reach Cameliard just before dinner, traveling at a fast pace and eating on horseback. Accompanied by Gwaine and Morgana, they stopped only once to give their horses a drink and relieve themselves, and are all quite tired when they arrive.
"Gwen!" A very tired-looking Elyan comes running out of the castle when the party arrives. "Gwen…" he sighs, slumping over her in a sloppy, bone-weary hug.
"Elyan," she replies, clinging to her brother. "How is Father? Please, I'd like to see—" Her words stop short when Elyan pulls away and she sees his face. "He's gone, isn't he?" she whispers, and Arthur is immediately right behind