Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Last Dragonlord [1]

In the span of an afternoon, things had gone from bad to worse. The searches had been called off, all of the city needing as many men as it could spare. To fight. To defend their home. To face off against the dragon that had been freed and its wrath turned on all those within the city.

For days, his attacks came merciless and endless. For days, Arwen had been bound to the infirmary, barely sleeping as she tended to all the injured. Although they seemed to come more quickly than they left. From cuts and scrapes, to broken bones, Arwen had seen all kinds of injuries in the past three days. But most of all, she saw burns.

People lay on cots and beds, writhing in pain as the balm to ease it had long run out. She hated being unable to help. Being able only to do the bare minimum to treat people. But no one was able to leave the castle. No one was able to gather the supplies both she and Gaius would need to do proper work.

"We've run out of water." And Gaius' latest announcement made their situation seem even more bleak. It made Arwen give out a heavy sigh. She knew things could not go on like this. Without water they'd be rendered entirely useless. And so, with a determined move, she grabbed the bucket from his hands, already heading for the doors. "Arwen! You can't go out there!"

But she didn't listen to him. Pushing through the floods of people making their way into the citadel, she slipped past the guards manning the door and out into the streets. She knew she couldn't linger. Even if she'd been allies with Kilgharrah once before, it was clear that the dragon no longer cared for any of the prophecies or destinies he'd told them and helped maintain. And so, she knew she couldn't count on him showing her kindness if he spotted her.

That was why Arwen had to move quickly, had to make the most of the time she had. Running through the square, she was quick to reach the well and beginning to pull on its levers once the bucket was in place, she was relieved to see the water flow freely into the bucket. She could feel the heat of the fires burning around her, but paid it no mind. She didn't let her surroundings distract her.

At least not until she heard her name. A panicked call of a voice she knew so well had her turning, first to look at Arthur where he stood across the square. But as she found his worried eyes shifting between herself and the sky, Arwen soon looked up and spotted him. Kilgharrah flying through the clouds, descending down at a speed unlike which she'd ever seen. And he was flying right for her.

"No, no, no." She muttered out, panic flooding her own mind as she abandoned the well and the bucket, beginning to run as fast as her legs would carry her. She didn't dare look back, didn't dare to see whether she was making any advances in escaping the dragon's clutches. It was a dragon! Of course she wasn't! But still she ran.

She could feel a hand take hold of her arm, pushing her along to go quicker. But it didn't matter. The dragon was upon them by then, and with his claws, Kilgharrah slashed at Arthur's shoulder. The force sent them both flying to the ground, Arwen trying to break her fall with her hands but remaining unsuccessful. Not that it mattered, she could handle a few scrapes.

"You're hurt!" She was more worried about Arthur as she heard him groan out in pain when he tried to push himself back up to his feet. Glancing up to the sky, Arwen could see Kilgharrah who'd momentarily flew higher starting to turn back towards the. "Come on, we must get you inside."

Grabbing hold of the prince's arms, Arwen helped him to his feet. And once they were both capable of running again, Arthur did not let go of her hand as he pulled her towards one of the doors to the servant corridors of the palace. With one last glance back up to the sky, he watched the dragon fly overhead before closing the door shut again before it could attempt to get to them again.