Wide awake in a Nightmare (Arthur)

[Brynn Reade]

Something was wrong. Utterly wrong. At first Brynn hadn’t been able to put her finger on it, but the nearer she came to the gates of Camelot, the more apparent it became. It was quiet. Too quiet! Where was the usual bustling of people, guards yelling commands, people talking and laughing, children squealing or crying? Where was the banging of metal from the smithy, all the familiar background noises of everyday life that wove into an intricate symphony no one hardly noticed? Its absence was more frightening than anything Brynn had ever experienced.

Keeping the obliviously chattering geese at bay with her whip, Brynn hestitantly approached the gate, furrowing her brows as she noticed two guards leisurely leaning against the stone frame, head lowered on the chest. Where they sleeping on duty? What madness was this?! If her father saw that, he would give them a good piece of his mind!
Not even the noisy geese seemed to have any effect on the guards, and an ice cold shower ran down the girl’s spine. Were they maybe…?
Her thoughts were cut short as she proceeded through the gate and was greeted with a truly horrifying picture: Bodies lied everywhere, stretched out on the ground or leaned against carts and sacks, and even if there was no blood visible, they looked terrible un-alive!

Brynn stopped dead, unable to take in the eerie scenario and make any sense of it. What had happened in the short hours she had been gone? It looked like an army of whatever creatures had fallen down on earth, smiting everyone on the spot!
But no, that couldn’t be! There had to be someone left alive! She couldn’t be the only one left!
The girl’s eyes settled on a guard’s figure in the corner of the courtyard to which she just had proceeded. This body she knew too well to mistake it for anyone else’s.
“FATHER!” the protesting cry echoed around the silent coutyard although it hadn’t be that loud.

Forgetting the geese all at once Brynn fell on her knees beside her father, shaking him violently. He didn’t move a limb, but at the same time she suddenly realised with great relief that he was breathing. So he was asleep. But why didn’t he wake up?
Mother and the little ones! The thought hit her with a gut wrenching feeling. She had to go look for them and better now than later.
Suddenly the dull thudding of horse hooves could be heard from the lower town and what Brynn saw through the open gate made her first freeze in shock and then stumbling to her feet and run!

Eight riders, seven of them black as night thundered over the drawbridge like the riders of the apocalypse. With a heart beating rapidly against her ribs Brynn ran for cover inside the vast castle, skidding around corners and hasting through hallways she never had been in before. Soon she was more than lost, but for the moment that was the least important thing on earth!
After some while she thought herself safe enough to try and find her way back into the kitchens, but just as she rounded a corner, she literally bumped into one of these black riders. With a gaze unseen behind his eerie metal mask he examined the terrified girl for a second, then he slowly, deliberately raised his sword.

Brynn did what every girl in her situation would have done. She screamed at the top of her lungs.


Tag: Arthur
Timeline: s2, episode "The Fires of Idirholas"
Time of day: afternoon?

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[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was a mix of emotions. From fearful, to confused, to worried . . . to exhausted. Whatever this strange spell was, it was starting to affect him and they still had no luck finding the potion that Gaius had given to Morgana. Well, at least so far. Arthur was hoping that what had been taking Merlin so long to return, was the fact that he had found the ingredients and was trying to quickly make it so that they could have something to counter the magic spell that the entire city was under. It really was their last hope, especially with those robed knights now in the castle. How were they to fight a being when it was already dead? How would they supposed to be even try to defend themselves when they could barley keep their eyes open? They had no choice. Arthur would not let this kingdom fall. He would find a way to break this curse and wake up his father.

He told Morgana that he was going to find a place to put his father while they waited for Merlin. He passed her a sword and told her to protect the king with her life. He trusted her, and he did not plan on being gone for that long. She also seemed to be the only one unaffected by the spell so may be of more use than he was! Arthur slowly opened the door, creeping his way through the halls. They were no where close, and that provided him with further comfort in leaving Morgana by herself. At the same time, it worried him for he did not know where they were. He was not sure which option he preferred, but for now, would just remain with the task he had at hand: find a safe hiding spot for the king.

As he made his way through the halls, he heard a scream, enough to alert him and force himself to follow the general direction of it. The strangest thing about it, was how unfamiliar it was. It certainly was not Morgana, and while Merlin did sound like a girl sometimes he doubted it was him either. Then who else could it be? Was there someone other than the three of them who were conscious?! This immediately gave Arthur a bit of hope, and he hurriedly followed the source of the scream. It did not take long for him to find it, as he had been close enough to hear it -- though considering how quiet the castle was to begin with, it was a fair assumption to make that he would have heard it even if he had been on the other side of the castle. When the situation came in sight, Arthur paused for a brief moment.

It was one of the knights, and a girl. Someone he did not recognize upon first glance, but one who he would risk saving without a moment's hesitation. He could not kill these knights, but if he could have the slightest bit of the element of surprise on his side, then it would be enough to distract them. So with that thought in mind, he slowly began to creep towards the knight, as his back was faced towards the Prince. He noticed the creature raise its sword against the girl, and before he had the opportunity to lower it on the woman, Arthur slid in between them -- just able to make it through, and with all his strength, held his sword up to block the strike. He was now standing between the girl and the knight, holding his sword up, trying to raise it while the knight was using his own strength to pressure it down.

Eventually, Arthur broke this collision of their swords and took a few steps back. He kept his gaze intently on the robed figure, one hand firmly grasping his sword in a defensive position, while the other hand, pushed the girl behind him, shielding her from whatever this magical being could be called. "Get back!" He exclaimed. He would have told her to run, but there could be another one of these things on the other side of the hallway, and he was not about to send her off to her death like that. He would have to help her get out of the castle, since ironically enough, outside of it seemed to be the safest place right now.

[Brynn Reade]

I’m going to die… I’m going to die… this – monster is going to kill me! These were all the thoughts currently present in Brynn’s panic-stricken mind. She still couldn’t believe this was actually happening. This had to be some sort of nightmare, but she needn’t the actual proof of this creature lashing out at her to know she was wide awake. So this was actually worse than a nightmare. From a dream you could wake up. In a dream you could not die!

Although she could see no real face, Brynn was sure that knight had to smile with some sort of sick satisfaction behind his mask. He seemed to be sure that she couldn’t escape, that her life was his to take, and that he therefore could make her suffer as long as he wanted to, drawing it out. Her eyes opened wide, Brynn fixated the shimmering blade that hovered over her head. Was it sharp enough so she wouldn’t feel any pain? Or would she die slowly and painfully, from a deep gash like her father once had suffered from? But unlike for him for her there would be no retrieving. She was alone in a castle of sleeping people, and should they ever wake up again it would be too late for her.

What oddly enough bugged her the most was that she still hadn’t checked on her mother and her little siblings. She felt… unaccomplished. Now she would die not knowing whether they were all alright, just sleeping peacefully like her father. The thought made her want to cry out again, this time in protest, but when she opened her mouth, her throat was too tight to let any sound escape. It didn’t even occur to her that she could have used her power of wind to save herself. She was inside a castle, so it probably wouldn’t have worked anyway.

Then the man or whatever it was seemed to have waited long enough. With a wooshing sound the blade started to come down. Had she been mortified by fear just a second ago, now something almost close to calm settled on Brynn’s mind. So she would die… she closed her eyes, not actually wanting to see her end coming, but beyond trying to escape, even if she had been able to move a single limb. She was also beyond screaming. It was done, this was how her life was supposed to end.

But just as her mind had settled on this inevitable fact, she heard the loud banging of clashing metal and as her eyes snapped open, she suddenly saw a figure having moved between her and the black knight, holding his sword at bay with one of his own. It was a man… and a man she didn’t know personally but had seen countless times from afar. Even with his back turned towards her there was no mistaking him – “Your Highness!” Her incredulous exclamation surprised herself. She wouldn’t have thought to be able to speak, but the turn of events had been to outrageous. Prince Arthur himself coming to her rescue? Where on earth had he hailed from? And why wasn’t he asleep like all the others?

She did as he said, moving against the wall, pressing herself to the rough stone, her finger scraping across cracks as if she wanted to melt into it.
Her heart pounding heavily in her chest she watched Camelot’s finest warrior taking up the fight for her life and his own. This was nothing like a harmless training fight, like those she had secretly watched so often.
The knight took up the challenge readily and without a word, which just added to his eerie appearance. He lashed out at the Prince once, twice, swiftly and like in a trance, as if this fight was nothing to him. Arthur on the other hand seemed slightly unfocused to Brynn’s eyes, and as the knight was dekeing a blow to the Prince’s head, the goosemaiden couldn’t help but cry: “Watch out!!!”

[Arthur Pendragon]

He glanced at her, seeing that she obliged and wasn't in the immediate direct line of danger. With that being said, Arthur was not sure how much use he would be. He felt the wave of exhaustion consuming him and the adrenaline that he usually had when in combat was non existent. He stepped back as the figure swung at him a few addition times. He was swift in movement, but Arthur's reflexes had not yet failed him and he managed to avoid the enemy's blade. He glanced back at her again, trying to make sure she was alright while trying to fight this creature that was impossible to kill. Really though; how did one kill an immortal being?! There was no way, and this thought alone terrified Arthur, making him fear for the fate of the kingdom.

One blow he managed to avoid, but another he had to hold up his sword to block yet again. He could feel himself weakening and the knight was clearly going to use this to his advantage. Arthur wondered if they would be able to use speed to their advantage. Surely this thing would not chase them down the hall; for some reason, he could not see it running frantically after them. And this thought allowed a plan -- as vague as it may be -- to formulate in the Prince's mind. He would lead this woman to safety and then get back to the others.

Arthur pulled back his sword, still trying to hold it defensively as the robed being was on the offensive. He was getting ready to strike again but the strength of the last attempt had tired the Prince. He felt himself starting to slip. His eyes became a bit hazy, as he was trying to blink to keep them open, but it was getting to be too great . . . to strong . . . he was already feeling his stance becoming one that showed less preparation for battle, and one of a man who was ready to collapse. His knees were weakening and his body was shutting down. His vision blurred and black spots began to surround him.

“Watch out!!!”

The voice had been desperate and loud enough to suddenly jolt the Prince awake. He quickly fixed his posture, standing up straight again and it seemed in perfect timing. The blade had just been inches away from striking the Arthur's head but the woman's warning voice had spoken just in time. He held up his sword, drawing energy from god knows where. All he did know was that he used every ounce of it within him to hold his own. And it worked! He stopped the mortal blow and Arthur knew he had to use this opportunity to get her, and himself, away from this . . . thing! When their swords were no longer touching, he moved back, still keeping his eye on the knight, but grabbing the girl's arm with his free hand and pulling her away, further behind him."Come on!" He spoke as he took a few more steps backwards, expecting the woman to start running down the hall as Arthur quickly turned to do the same.

[Brynn Reade]

Whatever her intentions for crying out had been, at least they seemed to have the desired effect. Prince Arthur, acting like distracted just a second ago, now bolted away and saved himself just in time from being beheaded. Brynn winced and sighed in relief as the blow was blocked, but the battle was far from over.
What had just happened? The answer came to her in a way she hadn’t expected it. She stiffled a yawn and suddenly felt very sleepy. Maybe she should close her eyes for a bit and… no!! That was what was happening! Whatever had put all the citizens of Camelot asleep, was now taking effect on her as well – and Prince Arthur who was fighting for both their lives. Another fact was that the ominous knight didn’t seem to be affected by this at all!

Cursing inwardly, Brynn willed herself to stay focused and for a while it worked. If only she could send her saviour some of that determination. If he failed – and heaven prevent she even thought about that possibility, because what would happen to Camelot if the Crown Prince died! – they were both doomed!
How come he was awake still anyway? Not that she would complain, but it was unusual in the circumstances. Unless… hadn’t he been away as well? Yes, now that she thought of it, hadn’t she witnessed him riding off with Merlin to some unknown destination this early morning, just as she was about to take out the geese? That would explain a great deal!

Then suddenly Arthur backed away from the knight, not dealing out blows any longer, and instead commanded her to run. For a moment Brynn was confused. What good would running do? Did he think them faster than the knight, was there any chance of outrunning it, even in their weakened state. Oh well, better not think too long about that particular fact, she had to stiffle a yawn again already.
But then she obliged, turning and starting out into the fastest run she could possibly manage, lifting her skirts a little to not stumble over them. That would be the last thing she needed, tripping and falling to the ground. Even Arthur wouldn’t be able to help her then!

She cast a look over her shoulder, wanting to know if he was following, and was reassured. Quickly she tried to orientate herself, scanning her brain for possible escape routes. This part of the castle she knew, because the kitchen was close. And also…
“This way!” she commanded, in a maybe not very appropriate voice speaking to a Prince, but for the moment she couldn’t care less. She had a hard enough time to stay awake and running already, she couldn’t focus on manners!
Sliding across the slippery marble floor she rounded a corner and dashed onwards. Right at the end of this corridor there was a secret passageway, a shortcut for the servant’s of the kitchen. If they could reach that in time and unseen…

[Arthur Pendragon]

For once, Arthur was not focused on the tone of which she was addressing him. This was a desperate situation, a matter of life and death, and he was not about to stop and tell her that he was a Prince. The thought had not even occurred to him. So when she demanded the direction that they should go on, he silently complied, running behind her. He kept glancing behind him every so often, eventually realizing that the robed figure was out of sight. This was both good and bad. Good, because he was no longer an immediate threat. But bad, because now they had no idea where he was. He could have joined up with the rest of his small group and together . . . they were even more powerful than just the one.

One thing at a time; this woman was the primary focus right now. Although, at the same time, Arthur knew he could be trying to pick out a good hiding place for his father. She was leading him to the unfamiliar areas of the castle. As the Prince, he did not go through servant hallways or secret shortcuts, but he knew they existed. It was perfect that she seemed to know exactly where to go, which led him to believe that she was a servant here in the castle. No wonder he somewhat recognized her. She could have been a citizen from the city, only here in the castle because it always seemed to be the safest place whenever Camelot was under attack. But in this case, it was the prime place of target. But no; she was here because she must have worked within the walls.

He remained close to her, for her protection, to make sure they did not get separated. He still had his sword out, ready to swing if he need be, or hold them off just long enough for her to get out of the castle. It was clear what these things wanted . . . so even the city itself would be far more safe than where she was right now. If the King was killed though, and Arthur too . . . no. He could not think like this. He would not yet give up hope! For all they knew, Merlin could have found the potion. That was the main thing keeping Arthur going right now. And it was what gave him the motivation to try so hard to stay awake. "You need to get out of the castle," he said as they made their way down the corridor. He was not sure where exactly she was leading them, but just hoped it was somewhere that granted easy access outside so that she could get out of the city for a little while.

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn’s lungs started to sting and her breath came only in short gasps. Running had never been so painful and hard for her before, and now of all times, when she needed to be swift most! Hadn’t she been too afraid of the outcome she would have been tempted to finally do what she sometimes did when she wanted to be fast: Trying to call on the wind to aid her. But no, this was totally out of question! Dying from the hands of a horrifying knight was a possibility, even with Prince Arthur around, but dying because she had used magic was a certainty BECAUSE of Prince Arthur around! If it was magic at all, and not just some weird figment of her imagination. But she clearly was in no mood to ponder over that now.

Every now and again while running down the long corridor she glanced back over her shoulder, to check if either Arthur or the knight was still following. She was deeply relieved every time the first was the case and the latter not. Still, she had counted eight of this deadly creatures when she had first run from them, so another one could turn up at any given time. That was also why she quickly returned her gaze forward every time she had checked on Arthur. It would be just her luck to literally run into one again, maybe even one with his sword already drawn so she would be pierced like a pig on a pole! No… better not dwell on that thought.

Their destination came closer, horribly slow as if it wanted to mock their petty attempts to escape. Had this corridor been this long before? Of course it had to be, but ways just had to seem twice as long when you were running for your life. An interesting revellation, but also not one Brynn liked to dwell on any longer.
Finally they reached her goal, a tapestry on the wall to her right, very old from the bleached out looks of it, bright colors long faded and some parts even showing tiny moth holes. It showed events equally long gone, fights against evil and foreign invaders. In general it depicted the Pendragon’s rise to power, this her father had told Brynn when she had been a little child. She remembered the day, securely exploring the castle holding the strong hand of her father, as he proudly spoke of the house he was serving.

Father… No! No distraction now! Quickly Brynn forced herself to wake from her reverie, lifted the tapestry a little from the wall and ushered: “Inside,quick!” Behind that tapestry was a narrow passage, dimly lit with only one oil lamp secured to the wall. Brynn squeezed through the gap herself and adjusted the fabric again, holding her breath.
Then what the Prince had said fully entered her mind, and she turned to him, her eyes gleaming stubbornly in the dim light. “No I don’t!” she whispered harshly. “I have to look after my mother and my little siblings. As I am the only one awake here – apart from you – I have to make sure they are alright and stay that way! Who knows what these … creatures are up to?”
The defiant speech had exhausted her, breathing heavily and blinking rapidly to keep her eyes open, she leaned against the damp cold wall.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur continued to follow her lead. Usually he preferred to be the one to lead others to safety -- as he liked to think himself capable -- but considering the dire circumstnaces right now, he would not let pride get in the way of what was clearly a life and death situation. He had to trust her to get them to a safe location as it was her life at stake as well. He did not doubt the capabilities of servants -- despite the way he verbally and sometimes physically abused his personal servant -- and so it did not come as a surprise when they had finally reached their intended destination, and she lifted the tapestry, hurrying him through it.

Unlike her, Arthur did not admire the historical depiction of his family name. He had turned and paused, looking down the hallway and waiting a couple of moments to be certain they were not followed. When no one appeared, Arthur quickly forced himself through, having to squeeze himself through this VERY narrow passage even more than she did. Considering he was clad in all of his armor, he feared getting stuck. Perfect. That was all that he needed right now. That was how these creatures would kill him after everything . . . because he got wedged between a passage. Well luckily for him this was not the case. He managed to pull through and turned to make sure she could do the same -- slightly embarrassed at how much harder it was for him. Not very suave of a prince but again, this was not the time for such thoughts!

And then she began to argue with him. Arthur resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He figured it was just the fact that he was fighting extreme exhaustion, which was making him easily agitated. But really. She was one of those more protective people, not wanting to leave her family, willing to sacrifice her life for them. Hmm. That sounded familiar. Arthur looked at her with a serious expression as he wiped his forehead with his gloved hand trying to think of what to do next. "They'll be fine," Arthur said, really, only using logic to make this assessment. The main person they wanted dead was the king, and perhaps his heir, but it would be a wasted effort to go around and kill the citizens. Besides, there was no trail of bodies left behind the creatures. They had come to the castle with one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the king.

"These creatures are here to kill the king," he revealed, trying to get to the point of everything in their limited time. "I doubt they'll target your family," he added, in a slightly sarcastic voice, though it was actually true. He needed to control his irritation for it was unfair to take it out on her. That was what Merlin was for. "You need to get out of here though. We're under attack, and unless you want your family to wake up only to see you dead, then I suggest you leave." Arthur did not want to waste time arguing, so he was trying to get everything out as quickly as possible. Something in his gut told him that she was not going to be so ready to oblige though, so the Prince braced himself for what he was sure, was more defiance.

[Brynn Reade]

Prince Arthur squeezed past her into the passageway and the way he moved, trying desperately not to scrape over the wall with his armour was almost enough to make her laugh despite the tense situation – hadn’t this very fact reminded her again how very narrow the corridor actually was. The walls suddenly seemed very close, she imagined to feel the very weight of the whole castle resting on these two walls. It was like her surroundings were very three-dimensional all of a sudden, Brynn was brutally aware of how the walls enclosured her and the Prince. Didn’t he feel that too? That queasy feeling in the stomach? He seemed very unfazed by it all, just slightly annoyed. But there was not much time for the girl to ponder over Prince Arthur’s reactions, she was far too busy with her own.

Didn’t the walls start to move in? Hadn’t there be more space just a second ago? Cold sweat started to form on Brynn’s forehead and she could feel her hands trembling. To support herself she pressed them against the clammy stones, but that turned out to be not such a good idea. Now she also imagined to feel the pressure against her hands as the walls squeezed together in her mind. Her breath accelerated audibly and also grew heavier with every second, and there was a voice inside her head, screaming desperately: Get out, get out! It will crush you if you don’t, get out NOW!!!
The goosemaiden almost obliged, turning to the life-saving exit just the second she heard a noise from outside, muffled heavy footsteps, and she stopped dead, snapping out of her claustrophibic fit just enough to form a few reasonal thoughts. No, she couldn’t get out now, there were still those creepy murderous knights on the run. She needed to stay here for the time being – and deal with her fear!

But how she would manage that, Brynn didn’t know in the slightest. The walls might have stopped moving in for now, but she still was very aware of their presence.
Just then, Prince Arthur spoke up in a hushed voice, trying to convincer her to flee again. As much as the panic-stricken part of her mind would have welcomed the idea, as much the caring part did dislike it. And the way he spoke about her family, almost disdainful in a way, as if her parents were not important enough to be the victims of those monsters, enraged the girl as well. How dare he?! She needed to correct this view of the world and fast! Anger, she realised, anger and spite was good! It occupied her mind, steered it away from her current situation!
“What an interesting thought!” she snorted, rolling her eyes. “So that’s why this knight nearly killed me, right? Because I resemble the king? No offense, Sire, but I think you might have to do better than that if you want to convince me to turn my back! I’ll stay here and... watch...over them!”

How longe she could keep this up, Brynn didn’t know. Already she had had to stiffle two yawns in one sentence and her almost-panic had weakened her even more. Claustrophobia and massive exhaustion didn’t mix well at all.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Something was wrong. Well, besides the army of already dead knights that were chasing them and the fact that everyone -- including their family -- was under the influence of some spell. Could it be that Brynn was having increasing difficulty staying awake? Arthur was feeling the effect of the spell, but it seemed to be worse for her. Maybe she had been in the city longer than him. Whatever it was, Arthur was not that oblivious to not notice that something seemed to be wrong with her. And that was when she started arguing with him.

Really. This was not what Arthur needed right now and yet, it was precisely what he needed. It was enough to keep him awake, keep him distracted from his heavy eye lids and unnatural exhaustion. Had his mind not been so preoccupied, he would have reminded her that she was referring to a Prince right now . . . but he did not even consider saying that. She was fighting the spell as was he, and it was enough to justify any short tempered remarks. "The knight nearly killed you because you were in his way," Arthur answered bluntly. They were clearly being controlled by someone -- who that person was they had yet to determine -- but it was clear that a sorcerer was behind this entire thing.

They were interferences. Anyone who was still awake was an interference. They did not care who they were, for it was very obvious that they intended to kill anyone who got in their way. Their main purpose was to kill the king, but they would eliminate any sort of obstacles between them and their goal . . . including those who were still awake. "Really. And what do you intend to do, kill knights who are already dead?" He asked, a bit sarcastically. What sort of skill set did she have that would make her successful in protecting them. "They are going to kill those who are alive, not those who fell under the spell," he informed once again, trying to convince her why it would be useless to stay here and try to protect her family when really, she was the one in the most danger.

[Brynn Reade]

A part of Brynn’s mind, the reasonable part possibly, chided her for speaking so very unseemly to a noble, nay, even a member of the royal family, Prince Arthur himself. Under normal circumstances such behaviour would have ended her in the stocks, if not even in the dungeons. But, well, under normal circumstances Brynn would have never spoken up like that. She might have her moments, but she was well used to be the invisible servant around those of higher birth. It didn’t even vex her, this was just like things ought to be, she was born a servant and she liked her life. Just maybe not in moments like this… where she had to hide out in a passageway with an infuriatimg prince that had saved her life from undead knights. Maybe it would be better to be one of the sleeping bodies right now, not knowing, not fearing, just sleeping…. Yes, sleeping… what a very good idea…

NO! Brynn actually bashed her head against the stone wall to snap out of the sleepiness that had crept onto her. She could not afford to give in to it now!
At the same time she realised she maybe should have chosen different means to keep herself awake. Now the wall had brutally forced itself back into the forefront of her mind… the dreaded closeness of the two walls, the weight she imagined to feel on her shoulder, accerlerating her breath like she was suffocating… distract yourself, before you faint or something similarly stupid!
Gladly enough Arthur had no intentions to let her remarks go uncommented, he provided her with ample means to steer her thoughts away from it all. The way he threw her reasoning back in her faxe was truly infuriating. As if he was the only one knowing anything while in fact he appeared rather clueless to the goosemaiden in the little time she had spent with him!

“Oh, and because you are such an expert in fighting them is why you hide out with me right?” she hurled at him, but still keeping her voice down. “Fact is you don’t have a clue how to save the king, but you rather keep it all to yourself instead of accepting possible help, right? But that’s oh so very typical of you, isn’t it? It shows in many other things!”
Alright, he had been personal in his insults, now she would be too! That she couldn’t think straight right now didn’t help with the plausibility of it all, but that couldn’t be changed as of yet.
“And anyway, you cannot be sure of that! It’s not like they actually have told you their plans, right? You’re just assuming and even a prince can be wrong!”
That was maybe crossing the final line but Brynn was desperate. The distraction part was slowly ceasing to be a novelty, her phobia had found away around it. “Relax, relax!” she muttered under her breath, clinging to sanity. “It’s just your imagination, you’re okay… the walls aren’t moving…”

[Arthur Pendragon]

Why was she hitting her had against the wall?! But before he had the chance to ask, she was mouthing off and this time, she had crossed a line. Hiding. HIDING?! He wasn't hiding because he was afraid, he was hiding to bloody protect her and make sure she got out safe! So much for trying to help. But that was not angered him the most. Her remarks about him not knowing how to save his father. While it may be true, he did not want to hear it, especially from her. He was not going to let his father die and to be reminding of such things as his helplessness, and lectured, from someone who had no idea what it was like, made him extremely irritated and mad. He was tempted just to leave this area, prove a point by letting her fend for herself. But even in his state of anger, he could not do that. He had learned in the past how his pride could get in the way, and he was not about to let it in this case.

"Very well. If you feel you can do a fine job of protecting yourself and your family, then go." He was not sure if she would or not, but if thats what she truly wanted . . . well, he could not force her to stay in his company. "Don't let me stop you." He even held the tapestry up for her, motioning with his hand for her to feel free to walk through it. He didn't need to stay here. He needed to get back to the king. He only stayed because he had wanted to help her, but if he was being called a coward for it, and being insulted for his inability to do anything to better this situation, then so be it. She could do whatever she needed to, and ignore his warnings if that was what she so wished. He was not just going to stand here and be insulted, when he had enough to deal with.

And that was when she started to speak in a very bizarre manner . . . well, more bizarre than how she had already been acting. He looked at her a bit curiously, though a stern expression still in place. "Are you . . . alright?" What was going on here. Was the spell making her insane? Or was she possibly already insane to begin with? It may give a more reasonable explanation for her outburst. "Have you some sort of mental affliction?" He asked, actually asking her in all seriousness, rather than sounding mocking or sarcastic. He had to at least know this much if he was going to continue to help her . . . or if she would let him help her since she seemed to be rather opposed to the idea, according to him anyway.

[Brynn Reade]

It did help to some extent that Prince Arthur was talking back, keeping her mind off walls and narrowness and all that, even though his actual words could have been some other, some not coaxing her to leave this scene. Did he really have to pour salt into that open wound? How could she possibly withstand the temptation and pull up the guts to fight her phobia if he was practically pushing her to leave? But … maybe that was the trick? Contradicting him, forcing herself to stay, wasn’t that one and the same thing? Maybe it even helped, in a way?
“Yeah, you’d like to see that, don’t you?” she scoffed. “Just so you can say ‘I told you so’! But no, I will stay here as long as I like, nevermind!”
Alright, she was clearly going to far now, she realised it with a gut-wrenching sting in her stomach that had nothing to do with her phobia. How long until she would receive severe punishment regardless the circumstances? It could only be seconds now, and some really unpleasant pictures already started running through her mind.

Of course he would realise her odd behaviour and though his comment enraged her again, she could not deny he had quite the point there. What would she think if she stumbled upon someone hitting his head against walls, muttering gibberish about stone coming alive? Exactly! Though when you were in that position it was never quite as funny!
“Mental affliction? Gee, thanks!” she muttered, closing her eyes for a second. Just imagine you are on a vast meadow with tons of flowers all around you. The space is so vast you only can see the blueish outline of a forest in the distance… That image helped a bit and after a few seconds she found herself strong enough to open her eyes again, face the harsh and cramped reality.
“It’s called claustrophobia, your Highness!” The way she entitled him sounded more like she was rather saying ‘you idiot’. Hopefully he would overlook that particular fact.

To distract him further she raised one brow quizically and decided to find out a bit more about the situation she was in. Anything to keep her distracted.
“So, do you know if these creeps will search for the king systematically? Like, do they know what he looks like or just assume? Can they actually see?” She shuddered at the memory of the metal mask staring her down before the sword had been raised against her.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur wanted to roll his eyes and let out a very loud, very obvious frustrated groan. But he held himself back. He just stood there. He was not sure what he had said to make her so . . . agitated. Well, perhaps it was the spell threatening to consume them, but still! Here he was, offering to help her. And she seemed so against it, striking back at everything he said and did. He did not appreciate this. While it was a natural instinct for him to protect his people -- even ones as argumentative and outspoken as Brynn -- it was far easier when the person was more willing to listen to reason, and not reject everything he said.

"This is not about proving someone right," he said in a rather composed voice. "If you want to stay here, then you're better off leaving the castle. If you want to risk your life and keep watch over your family, then go to them and stop wasting time hiding." If she thought she was so brave, so tough, so easy to elude these bizarre immortal knights . . . then let her go! Well, Arthur would follow but he did not need to vocalize this. He did know though that if she left, and died because he had allowed her to wander the halls without protection . . he would take the full guilt over that, and never forgive himself for letting his frustration getting in the way. He would not jeopardize the life of someone like that . . . even hers.

When he had asked about her mental affliction, he had not done so mockingly. He was actually serious. But judging from her reaction, it was a lot worse than he thought . . . or it was not the case. He wanted to believe the first, but he had a feeling the second possibility was the truthful one. Oh. Ohhh. Well how the hell was he supposed to know that! Besides, he could not do anything about it. She had led him to this particular hiding spot. He had no problem with it -- other than actually getting into it since that proved to be a bit difficult -- but if she was, then they may have to find another location.

He did not miss the sarcasm in her comment either. He had to suppress a bit of a glare and decided to ignore it completely, just growing more and more aggravated. Well. If she was going to be sarcastic with him, then he would return the favor when she asked him a question. "No. They can not see," he began, acting as if he was serious. "That is why they know exactly where they are going, and are able to engage in combat. Oh, and that is why we are not hiding from them right now." Yes. An overwhelming amount of sarcasm.

After a moment, he regretted it. Damn it. He immediately changed his tone. "We are planning to hide the king and disguise him. I believe they know exactly what they are doing for they are being led by someone." That someone had yet to be determined. He then looked at Brynn, noticing that her condition really should not be taken too lightly. He did not step closer towards her, knowing that would only cramp her space even more. But he began to speak in a more calm, more soothing voice than he had ever addressed her with during the entirety of their time together. "Take deep, slow breathes," he told her, trying to provide some comfort. They may be bickering, and he may feel like it was getting impossible to keep his eyes open . . . but her claustrophobia was only making it worse for her, and Arthur really did not like seeing anyone suffer.

[Brynn Reade]

It didn’t really help Brynn’s mood that Prince Arthur was not far from having an actual point there. Staying here in the narrow passageway was actually the silliest and at the same time least useful thing she could probably been doing right now. And his tone was also telling her that the figurative ice between her feet was getting thinner. Not that he would have yelled or something, but Brynn had enough experience with such kind of things to know that some men became more quiet the angrier they were. Her own father was one of that sort. He had never raised his voice in an argument or in anger in all those years Brynn had known him. But you knew you were in trouble when his voice put on this calm yet distant tone…

“May I remind you this was my intention in the first place?” she replied with an also too composed tone to pass as genuine. “It’s not my fault these eerie knights came here to kill the king and send everyone into a stupor-like sleep. But, fine! I’ll go down there, this passageway is a shortcut to the kitchen anyway. So, goodbye!” Once again her words sounded different from what they said on the outside. The farewell wish resembled more something close to: ‘drop dead!’ and that might not be her best shot for winning his goodwill and keeping him from punishing her later once things had calmed down, but Brynn was far too occupied with herself and the worry for her family to actually care.

What he said next though held her back. Hadn’t the situation been one so severe Brynn would now have broke out into a highly amused laugh. Prince Arthur actually had quite the way with words if he wanted to! The sarcasm was right to the point to send Brynn almost blushing for her stupidity. Of course, someone wanting to fight and kill would have to be able to see, and hiding from someone without eyesight was equally pointless. Still, she couldn’t just let him taunt her that way!
“Well, excuse me how could I have known!” she snapped angrily. “It’s not like I’m an expert on magical means. Whoever sent them might have given them some surplus powers and all!”

It was actually intriguing how someone could change from sarcastic to reasonable in a heartbeat, Brynn observed. Not so sure she would be able to do the same, she just listened and then kept silent for a little while, to give way to some sort of untainted reason as well.
“So what you say is you still haven’t found the right place to hide him? What about the kitchens themselves? I mean, disguised as a servant and hidden down there he would hardly stick out… or so I think!” she added hastily, not wanting to make him believe she wanted to insult the king in any way. Some people could stand being teased for hours, but as soon as someone they held in high regards was the target, they went wild.

Of course this suggestion had not been made without hidden thoughts. That way she could show Arthur the way down there and look after her family, protected by the best warrior of Camelot.
His soothing tone surprised her, and it made her think back to the very first time her phobia had shown, when she had been still very little. Her father had been with her then and he had also used the very same words to calm her down.
She did as he said and it had the desired effect. The panic was still there but bearable. If she concentrated enough, she might make it.
“Thank you… I think I am ready for take off now!”

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur just looked at her when she bid him farewell. He did not move to stop her -- not that he could move a great deal right now anyway. She did not leave though . . . and quite honestly, that relieved Arthur. He did not want to argue with her -- though in the back of his mind, he recognized that their short replies to each other was perhaps what was helping them stay awake. An unspoken gratitude he would always have towards her. "They were summoned by a powerful sorcerer indeed. I have not yet determined who it is." Instead of arguing, he would try to be more informative. Offer information to one of the few people who had not yet fully fallen victim to this spell.

He listened to her suggestion and it was a fairly reasonable one. The kitchens could be a good place. Then again, what if they were too narrow? They needed to have enough space to keep an eye on all their surroundings and have room to fight against the knights. Or well, Arthur did . . . since neither Morgana nor Merlin could fight them. And he doubted Brynn had the ability to either. Besides, he would not ask them to fight the undead . . . he would prefer they get themselves to safety.

"He is dressed as a servant right now," he began to tell her. "Show me exactly where you have in mind." He had two reasons for wanting to see. The first was for the very obvious one that perhaps there would in fact be a place down there that would provide the king with the perfect concealment. The second, was so that maybe he could convince Brynn to finally leave the castle and put herself out of harms way.

When she said she was ready, Arthur gave a short nod and made his way back into the out. He had his sword out in a defensive stance, prepared to fight off any of the knights who they may come across yet again. When the coast seemed somewhat clear, he held the tapestry to the side so that she could exit with ease. "Stay very close," he told her in a low, serious voice, not wanting her to run off ahead of him. While that may have worked before . . . it may not this time around. They were not technically running from anything. They needed to be more cautious.

[Brynn Reade]

An unknown sorceror, now that was a first… Brynn actually had lost count how many times Camelot had been attacked by some nameless power creating havoc and causing trouble wherever they struck. And that would never end as long as King Uther banished magic from Camelot. Not that she wanted to wave the flag of sorcery, far be it from her, but she still couldn’t agree wholeheartedly with it being a profoundly bad thing. Take her connection to the wind – that was far from being a natural thing as she had learned during the recent years, but was it bad hence? She had never used it to harm anyone after all – well, discounting that minor incident where she had made the wind steal Gyrth’s hat, but she had vowed to never do it again. Still, should she been found out even the suspicion of sorcery could get her enchained or killed, and possibly her family with her. That was what Brynn feared most, not her own wellbeing, but imagining her little siblings being dragged to the stake – oh dear God, never to think about that!

“Well then, good hunting!” was all Brynn said, and her voice was only very little tainted with sarcasm. Not that she not would think him able of capturing a sorceror… rumors just had it that they tended to just vanish frequently from the dungeons once they were thought safely arrested and waiting for their trial. Brynn’s father could tell one or two very weird stories about such things. If they all made it out of this nightmare, she highly doubted there would be a culprit still hanging around just to get himself arrested.
“Whoever it is, I might have a bone to pick with him or her when this is over!” Of course the sheer thought of Brynn talking to a sorceror and expecting to get away with her life was more than ridiculous, but she just had to state it, no matter what Prince Arthur thought of it.

The thought of the mighty King Uther dressed up as a servant would have sent Brynn smiling or even laughing in any other circumstances. For example with Alex… that was the kind of joke he would crack, not wanting to be disrespectful, just funny in his own kind of way…
Now though she only lifted an eyebrow in mild surprise and nodded.
“Let’s go then! Quite a few settings would work. Like somewhere in the main kitchen to make them think he’s working there, or in the storage rooms.” After brief consideration she added. “I would even offer my own room, we could put him on the bed and make it look like he was taking a nap… just a suggestion though, Sire!”

She followed Prince Arthur without a word down the passageway which she knew led to a spiral staircase down to the base kitchen area. She would have liked to take the lead as it might be easier that way, but it was one: impossible to squeeze past and get ahead of the Prince without dying from a sudden heartattack and two: however much she disliked it, Brynn was taking a great risk, being so completely without weapons.
As she realised though her thoughts were drifting again, she hastened to come up with some words to speak. “I...” she yawned so intensely she could hear her jaw creak. “I can’t believe I’m doing this, actually!”

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur held back a smirk when she spoke about how she had a bone to pick with this person. The entire kingdom was no match for her . . . and yet she was? Arthur said nothing for the moment though. While sarcasm and arguing seemed to be the most effective way to stay awake and beat this spell, it was also provoking the two of them. Right now, they had another goal in mind and that should be enough to keep them conscious. To keep them fighting this spell for the time being . . . until they could figure out how to get rid of this spell. "Well then good luck to the sorcerer," he said . . . yes, sarcastically. So much for not wanting to provoke one another. He just could not let a comment like that slide without commenting on it. It was made in a more teasing way . . . this time, not trying to genuinely offend her remark.

"We need to find a place where it will be easy to protect him. Somewhere not too congested or narrow." He listened to her offer of her own room, and was a bit surprised by it. It was a good suggestion . . . maybe. He would have to possibly see her chambers before making that sort of decision. But no. He could not do that. "While I appreciate your offer, it would probably be best if we not give the enemies a reason to go to your chambers." He was not sure why. Maybe if they needed to move her family somewhere, they could move them there. All he knew was that he did not want to put his father in someone else's room.

They began to make their way down the stairs, he heard her state her own disbelief in her actions. "What else would you be doing right now?" He asked her, this time it was not intended in a rude way . . . but rather a curious one. She seemed eager to help, and intent to stay . . . would she just be remaining with her family, on guard for them in case any of the knights crossed her path? He still stayed firm on what he said before though, in that he believed they did not plan to kill anyone but the king, and probably him to ensure there was no legitimate leader for Camelot. "Where did you say your family was right now?" He asked her suddenly, unsure if she had already mentioned their location to him. If she had, then he was having trouble remembering. Damn this blasted spell!

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn was highly tempted to just stick her tongue out at Arthur, for this immature remark he really didn’t deserve anything else. "Well then good luck to the sorcerer," that sounded so very aloof, as if he thought himself the only one ever able to fight a sorceror – and yet he was running as well! But oddly enough, this time she wasn’t so much angry as only annoyed. The goosemaiden never had had an elder brother to compare the feeling she had right now to that of a younger sister. Only when her cousin Godric came over for one of his rare visits did she remember to feel in such a way, but the connection was a hard one to make. How could she ever possibly think Prince Arthur evoking similar feelings in her like a relative would? The sheer thought was ridiculous!
“Well, what’s the saying: small but powerful!” she retaliated and raised her chin. “Sometimes brains are more needed that fighting skills, you know?”

Not too congested or narrow... well THAT surely would discount her chamber. Of course due to her phobia it wasn't exactly an alchove, but still... What was Prince Arthur thinking, that every servant possessed a room as big as his own? Well, Brynn had only heard of it, of course she’d never been there, but she could imagine her tiny room would fit into it thrice and possibly more! Though she was highly fortunate to even call a room all her own. As soon as Elinor would have grown old enough, the two would have to share, but for now Brynn enjoyed her little freedom of space. However, it was by no means fit for a king.
“If it was only for that, I wouldn’t mind!” she claimed and shrugged. “I mean, there’s not much they could break or steal anyway. But the protection thing might be an issue, I agree. But maybe we can come up with something once we’re there.”
Odd, how it had somehow suddenly turned from an ‘I’ and ‘you’ into a ‘we’, at least on her side. But some things just worked out like that, Brynn supposed.

Prince Arthur’s question surprised her not just a little, even more as it seemed to be born out of some kind of genuine interest. Well, she had heard before that the Crown Prince took a closer interest into the affairs of his subjects than his father did, but this?
Descending the last few steps and moving into the corridor that lead directly towards the kitchen door, Brynn pondered on what to say.
“I would be heading into the very same direction, looking after my mother and my siblings. I know there is not much I can do, but I rather stay where I can watch over them.”
The kitchen door creaked in ist hinged as Brynn pushed against one of the large wings and peeked inside, then turning back to Arthur, whispering: “My father is out in the courtyard as he is a guard, I passed him by on my way inside, fast asleep like the others. But the rest of my family...” she turned again to take another look inside, and then sighed. “Is here for all I can tell, thank goodness!”

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was not going to argue with her about that. For once he was going to let it go. He found himself getting more easily agitated -- more so than usual -- and once again, blamed the spell. Which was precisely why he was not going to comment on her and say something along the lines of how she would be no match for this sorcerer no matter how much brain or combat skills she had. Hell, this sorcerer managed to put the whole kingdom under a spell . . . even Camelot did not seem to be a match for it! But he held his tongue and just continued to walk, trying to be as aware of his surroundings as he possibly could, and finding it increasingly difficult to fight the inevitable effect of the draining spell.

Arthur was rather glad he had not spoken against it, for now she seemed to be more ready and willing to work together . . . to be cooperative with one another so that they could do whatever needed to be done. "That is probably best," he said, only speaking these words to ensure her that he was on the same page . . . that he too was willing to work together. They were both extremely vulnerable right now. Oh how he really hoped Merlin and Morgana had worked out the potion to prevent them from falling asleep.

When they entered the kitchen, Arthur quickly scanned the area to make sure no one was there. These knights were not exactly the subtle type. They would not be hiding around the corner . . . lurking yes, but not hiding. Besides, what did the immortal have to fear? The ultimate fear for many was death. And these soulless knights did not have to concern themselves with defeat. When the coast seemed clear, Arthur put his sword back in its sheath and looked around, deciding that this was not the best place to hide his father. But still, it was a good thing he had at least come down here to check.

He instead listened to Brynn, finding her devotion to her family rather admirable. Where he once was frustrated by it, unable to comprehend why she would not just leave the castle . . . he now fully understood. For if he was in her position, he would have done the very same. "Do you want to move them somewhere else, your chambers perhaps?" He suddenly asked her, fully prepared to help move them to a more convenient location where she could watch over them in comfort, and perhaps away from the knights as Arthur was still sticking to his initial assumption that they were only here to kill the king, and probably him. "I will help you, but we must decide and move quickly." It would be more difficult to move her father, but with her family here, he would do what he could to help.