There was so much more conversation that Gwen didn’t totally get. All the time Arthur kept his hand wrapped around her until she asked him where the loo was. When Merlin went to show her, Gwen grasped his hand after they were out of earshot. “So that really was a chemical bomb?”
Merlin’s blue eyes scrutinized her for a moment. They were darker than Arthur’s, but still quite vibrant. “Yes.”
“And yet nothing happened with it?”
Merlin seemed reluctant to answer, but Gwen held her ground.
Finally, letting out a sigh, and rustling his hand through his already messy hair, Merlin told her, “We found a way to keep it from being detonated. You see Gwen, a nuclear bomb is very different from a chemical one.”
“Less dangerous then?” Gwen asked naively.
Merlin shook his head wryly. “Not in the least. It’s capable of destroying the world with enough of them in place. Even one can start off the destruction of a continent.”
Gwen swallowed hard before asking, “And uh…you and your mates said there’s still one left?”
Merlin shrugged. “One or two.”
“Blimey.”
“Yeah.”
Merlin left her then as Gwen entered the loo and shut it.
When she was done, after giving her hands a good wash and sprinkling some water on her warm face, she reentered the front room, seeing Arthur at something that looked like a laptop, but with more bells and whistles.
Her stomach let out another groan of complaint and she felt a wave of dizziness hit her. Arthur was up and on his feet rapidly, reaching around her waist to hold her still. “Steady.”
She looked up into his eyes, like shards of blue crystal all meshed together. “What happened to the others?”
“The knights and Merlin?” Arthur asked. “They’re taking care of things.”
Gwen nodded slowly, pushing her hand against Arthur’s shoulder, the jacket he was wearing gone, and so simply the material of his red shirt meeting her fingers. Enough time spent at Harrods, she could tell it was well tailored, probably privately just for him. “You’re not much of a poor man are you Arthur Pendragon? And yet this simple farm house?”
He shrugged. “It’s less conspicuous and has been in the family for years actually. My mother always preferred nature’s comfort and working the land. You know.”
Gwen nodded as his hand moved to her cheek. “You really should eat. If you didn’t like what I put there I can get you something else.”
“I’d like to go home.” Gwen whispered, wondering why she said such thing. After all, she may soon be evicted from it. Maybe the power was already off.
Arthur sighed, making his way to a table that was half built into the wall. “I can give you something stronger if you’d like.”
“Mr. Pendragon.”
“Alright.” He moved forward, clasping Gwen’s hands. “It’s my fault. You’re involved in this now Guinevere. I could send you home maybe with one of my knights, but honestly I don’t even trust that. Mordred thinks you have his bomb.”
“That didn’t work so what’s the big deal?” Gwen asked.
Arthur laughed quietly. “The big deal Guinevere is it’s all we need to implicate him. The problem is actually bringing him in.”
“Why?”
“He has another. At least one. We need to stop him before we can bring up charges. And that’s not going to be easy. We’ve been after Mordred for years. He’s tied into dirty dealings with parts of the Middle East. He’s a madman, kind of like Merlin, but Merlin uses his madness for good. Mordred is psychotic. My knights used to be a much bigger group. In just one year we lost five of our best, women and men alike. Mordred is a monster. We think, Merlin, the knights and me, that we’ve finally found a way to beat him at his own game, but that’s why they left. Everything’s being put into place for the morning. Early morning. It may be our last chance.”
“What happens if he sets off one of those bombs?” Gwen asked.
Arthur shook his head in a way that said that was not an option. “Anarchy. And total destruction…place by place.”
“Not good.” Gwen said with a trembling sigh. Arthur grasped her arm. “So is you not eating. Come on.”
Merlin’s blue eyes scrutinized her for a moment. They were darker than Arthur’s, but still quite vibrant. “Yes.”
“And yet nothing happened with it?”
Merlin seemed reluctant to answer, but Gwen held her ground.
Finally, letting out a sigh, and rustling his hand through his already messy hair, Merlin told her, “We found a way to keep it from being detonated. You see Gwen, a nuclear bomb is very different from a chemical one.”
“Less dangerous then?” Gwen asked naively.
Merlin shook his head wryly. “Not in the least. It’s capable of destroying the world with enough of them in place. Even one can start off the destruction of a continent.”
Gwen swallowed hard before asking, “And uh…you and your mates said there’s still one left?”
Merlin shrugged. “One or two.”
“Blimey.”
“Yeah.”
Merlin left her then as Gwen entered the loo and shut it.
When she was done, after giving her hands a good wash and sprinkling some water on her warm face, she reentered the front room, seeing Arthur at something that looked like a laptop, but with more bells and whistles.
Her stomach let out another groan of complaint and she felt a wave of dizziness hit her. Arthur was up and on his feet rapidly, reaching around her waist to hold her still. “Steady.”
She looked up into his eyes, like shards of blue crystal all meshed together. “What happened to the others?”
“The knights and Merlin?” Arthur asked. “They’re taking care of things.”
Gwen nodded slowly, pushing her hand against Arthur’s shoulder, the jacket he was wearing gone, and so simply the material of his red shirt meeting her fingers. Enough time spent at Harrods, she could tell it was well tailored, probably privately just for him. “You’re not much of a poor man are you Arthur Pendragon? And yet this simple farm house?”
He shrugged. “It’s less conspicuous and has been in the family for years actually. My mother always preferred nature’s comfort and working the land. You know.”
Gwen nodded as his hand moved to her cheek. “You really should eat. If you didn’t like what I put there I can get you something else.”
“I’d like to go home.” Gwen whispered, wondering why she said such thing. After all, she may soon be evicted from it. Maybe the power was already off.
Arthur sighed, making his way to a table that was half built into the wall. “I can give you something stronger if you’d like.”
“Mr. Pendragon.”
“Alright.” He moved forward, clasping Gwen’s hands. “It’s my fault. You’re involved in this now Guinevere. I could send you home maybe with one of my knights, but honestly I don’t even trust that. Mordred thinks you have his bomb.”
“That didn’t work so what’s the big deal?” Gwen asked.
Arthur laughed quietly. “The big deal Guinevere is it’s all we need to implicate him. The problem is actually bringing him in.”
“Why?”
“He has another. At least one. We need to stop him before we can bring up charges. And that’s not going to be easy. We’ve been after Mordred for years. He’s tied into dirty dealings with parts of the Middle East. He’s a madman, kind of like Merlin, but Merlin uses his madness for good. Mordred is psychotic. My knights used to be a much bigger group. In just one year we lost five of our best, women and men alike. Mordred is a monster. We think, Merlin, the knights and me, that we’ve finally found a way to beat him at his own game, but that’s why they left. Everything’s being put into place for the morning. Early morning. It may be our last chance.”
“What happens if he sets off one of those bombs?” Gwen asked.
Arthur shook his head in a way that said that was not an option. “Anarchy. And total destruction…place by place.”
“Not good.” Gwen said with a trembling sigh. Arthur grasped her arm. “So is you not eating. Come on.”
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