the swan princess, arthur pendragon

052. thawing a king's heart

"That I cannot answer," said the Great Dragon. "Uther's heart is cold as stone. He has never been sorry for anything."

"Thanks," muttered Merlin, turning on his heel to leave. He had come down here for answers, and always, he was left with nothing but questions. "I think..."

"Oh, and young warlock▬" at the dragon's words, Merlin stopped. He did not turn around, staring down the dark stairwell that led him away from the cavern. "It was some time ago you promised to set me free." Merlin set his jaw but did not say a word. "The help I give is not unconditional."

Merlin took a deep breath but did not turn around. He pushed onwards, leaving the Great Dragon alone in his cage.

When he returned to the physician's chambers, Gaius and Adelynn were already waiting for him. He went to burst into speech about what the Great Dragon said, only to falter as he noticed two others sitting at the table with them. Odette hovered at the edge of the seat, anxious and fiddling with her fingers. Though to Merlin's surprise, with her was Ronyn.

The young warlock stopped. "My Lord," he let out in his surprise.

Ronyn took a deep breath and sighed it out, shaking his head. "Of course, it is in your surprise to see me Merlin you use titles for once. I am here to help, I thought that would be obvious."

"You need all the help you can get," added Odette, glancing between Ronyn and Adelynn. "We have to work together to find a way to stop the Lady Catrina."

"I already know," Merlin announced, moving past his surprise quickly to tell a swift lie. He could not speak of the Great Dragon, not in front of Odette and Ronyn. "Uther is under an enchantment. The only way to break the enchantment is for the King to cry tears of true remorse."

Ronyn frowned, perplexed. "How on Earth did you find that out?"

Merlin paused. "I read a book."

Gaius sighed and leaned forward, clasping his hands together on his worktable. "Well, that is not going to be easy," he said before Ronyn could question Merlin further. "Uther's heart is closed to everyone."

Odette pursed her lips, thoughtful. "Not everyone," she murmured and they all glanced at her. "Catrina's enchantment has made the King blind, I am sure, but if there is one person he does open his heart to, it is Arthur."

Gaius considered her words. He frowned at the table, and then an idea struck him. He glanced up and met their anticipating stares. "Then there is only one course of action we can take."

"What is that?" asked Ronyn.

"Uther must see his son die."

Odette's stomach dropped. "What?"

There was no other choice they had. To thaw a King's frozen heart, they needed the only warmth close to it. Prince Arthur had to die, or they would have to somehow make it seem like he was dead for Uther to cry and the enchantment to break. The next problem was to somehow persuade Arthur to agree to risk his life in such a manner▬to trust Gaius's potion to do the trick, and to trust that everything would go according to plan.

The Prince himself prepared himself for bed that night alone, unbeknownst to the plan that was conspiring right under his nose. His mind still reeling from all that had happened today, he was at a loss for how to save his father, and Camelot from the beast's grip on the crown. Pulling the covers of his bed up to his shoulders and blowing out the candle, Arthur was not sure if he would be able to get any sleep.

But he tried. He would have to face this with the sunrise. He would have to find a way.

And so he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but grieve a helpless question into the silence▬What was he going to do?