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Morgana paces the tiled floor of the Emergency Department, tense. Arms carelessly hanging loose da her side, lips mumbling to herself, eyes focused on the floor, she casts a sight of a forlorn figure. Gwen, who sits opposite her, looks worried watching her friend in such a state. She hates herself for what has happened. They wouldn’t be here, Morgana wouldn’t be in trouble, and Arthur wouldn’t have got knocked down if it wasn’t for her. If only she had kept her teasing until they have reached the restaurant. What was she thinking? Why did she do it? Gwen sighs and buries her face in her hands. Her own fingers were trembling and she tries hard to hide it da cupping her face. Ever since they got here, Morgana has cast an isolated figure and Gwen worries if this might leave a devastating trauma on her. She just Lost her father and she can’t lose her friend too. Despite the hatred in her heart, Gwen silently prays Arthur is all right.
The door to the ER opens and a doctor followed da a nurse walks out. The doctor removes his cappotto and flings it on his shoulder. Morgana almost pounces on him but Gwen quickly restrains her da the shoulder.
“Doctor?” Morgana questions, her eyes bulging out. She looks worried. Gwen holds on to her tightly, afraid what Morgana will do if she leaves her free.
The doctor instructs something to the nurse and returns back to the girls. The nurse walks past them. “Before I inform about the victim, I need to know what happened,” the doctor asks them.
Morgana swallows and looks at Gwen. Gwen knows what that look means. Gwen will have to explain it to the doctor because Morgana is far too horrified to tell him. Gwen licks her lips and takes a deep breath.
‘Which part should I tell?’ she thinks to herself. ‘Will he believe what we tell him?’ she thinks again. ‘Will he call the police?’ she panics silently at that thought. “We knocked him down when he was crossing the road.” she puts it as simple as she could, praying the doctor won’t ask further questions.
“The doctor looks confused. “He was crossing the road?” he asks them again. Morgana nods her head, agreeing with Gwen.
“He is blind! How could he attraversare, croce the road?” he asks again, not believing what Gwen tells him.
‘Oh dear!’ “We know that, doctor … he ran across our car!” Gwen presses.
“And te knocked him down? Even after realising he is a blind man?” the doctor is puzzled. But Gwen knows where is this heading to. And she didn’t like it on bit.
“We didn’t know he was blind at first, doctor, and we didn’t knock him down on purpose!” Gwen was irritated. “We were arguing in the car and he just ran in front of our car. We braked but not fast enough. We realised he was blind after I rolled him over”
“You know him?”
‘Great … now this? What else does the doctor wants to know successivo … how my father died in his hands?’ Gwen bites her inner cheek in irritation. “He was involved in an accident a couple of weeks fa where I Lost my father,” Gwen tries to explain as briefly as she could. She is trying to recover from the trauma and hates revisiting the same memory again.
“Hmmm,” the doctor thinks a while. “I recognised him as the patient of my friend, which is how I realised he was blind, but I had no idea of his involvement in another accident,” he adds.
‘Thank god’ Gwen prays. Beside her Morgana wriggles to be let free and Gwen releases her after realising Morgana is all calmed down.
“Sorry,” Gwen apologises to Morgana after the latter rubs her arms. Morgana smiles back and nods.
“So, how is he, doctor?” Gwen quickly diverts the doctor back to the domanda that has been troubling her mind since they arrived here.
“He’s good. Thank God te hit the brakes on time. Can’t imagine what would happened if te didn’t,” the doctor says.
For Gwen, this was Musica to her ears and beside her Morgana closes her eyes in deep prayer, thanking the Lord for saving all of them from trouble.
“But...”
Both Gwen and Morgana shoot up towards the doctor. ‘Oh no … what now!’ Gwen’s cuore races. Cold fear creeps up to her as she waits for the doctor’s further explanation. Beside her Morgana seems as if she had just seen the ghost.
“I wouldn’t say the same for his head. The knock aggravated his head injury and I am currently running some scans on his head to see if he’s suffering from internal wounds. I really hope he doesn’t. As te can see he has already had his fair share of surgeries from his precedente accident, so… let’s hope nothing is as bad as it seems.”
“Oh dear,” Morgana turns to look at Gwen, her eyes shooting warning signs.
“I hope so too, doctor,” Gwen says, genuinely, ignoring Morgana’s look. “But… apart from the head injuries, is there anything else we need to worry about?”
“Hmmm, no. Like I said, te hit the brakes in time so he was quite lucky with the injuries. But let’s hope he’s lucky with his head, too.”
Gwen sighs in relief.
“Can we see him, doctor?” Morgana asks. ‘What the…’ Gwen turns around with such speed that she cramped a muscle near her neck. ‘What the hell does Morgana want to see him for?’
“Hmm… usually no one is allowed into the emergency room but since you’ve saved his life, I guess a minuto o two wouldn’t hurt, but please make it fast and do not wake him up. He’s asleep… and I don’t think he can be discharged today. The scans will take some hours and I can only release him after assuring the injuries are not bad. Until then, he stays here.”
“Sure, doctor,” both the girls say in unison.
“And… do te know whom he lives with? Any family o friends? te may need to inform them.”
“Oh, we don’t actually know him well.” Morgana risposte quickly, her eyes darting at Gwen but her friend seems calm with her answer.
“That’s too bad… my friend isn’t here but I’ll check the records and see if he has anyone to contact.”
“Thank you, doctor.” Gwen says.
“You’re welcome. Make sure te don’t wake him up, and make it fast,” the doctor advises them and leaves.
As he disappears, Morgana drags Gwen to the room. Gwen peels off Morgana’s fingers from her own and glues herself to the ground. Her hands on her hips.
“I’m not coming,” Gwen says, determined.
“You are… at least after we did, we should at least pay him a visit.”
“Why?”
“Because we are the reason he is here!” Morgana says, pointing her thumb to the door. Gwen scoffs.
“Morgana, te know who is he, don’t you?” Gwen asks.
“I do, and that’s why I want te to tag along.”
“This is ridiculous… after all that I went through, you’re expecting me to meet him?” Gwen domande her friend. “You, te Morgana… of all people, know how I feel about him and te still want me to pay him a visit?”
“You make one half of the reason why he is back in the hospital, Gwen. Don’t forget that!” Morgana says abruptly. The words left her lips before she could hold them back.
“Thanks for reminding of my guilt, Morgana, you’ve been a great help!” Gwen is furious. She can’t believe her friend is turning her back against her too.
“I didn’t mean that, Gwen…” Morgana feels guilty.
“Look, Morgana, I can see what te mean, but… I just… can’t…” Gwen struggles with her words. Her memories of Arthur, of that unfortunate tragedy, still float vividly, as if it has just occurred a short time ago. She can never forget his face o what he did. Like Elyan said, it will take time, and she wants to forget him as soon as possible. She promised Elyan she will start her life all over again. No più revenge talk, no più hatred and no più misery. They all want the best for her and she wants to carry on with her life. And just when her life was beginning to look bright, she is facing him again! She hates this. Facing him would only mean one thing, trouble! It will bring back the memories, heartbreaks, and resurface the talk of revenge. She doesn’t want to hurt him but if she saw him again, she doesn’t know what will happen.
Morgana walks closer to Gwen and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I understand your problems, Gwen, but he’s asleep and he wouldn’t even know you. He’s blind, remember? We’ll just see him from far and leave.”
“I know that, but how am I to… look, Morgana, I’m just getting a grip on my life and trying to leave the traumatic nightmare behind. You’re not expecting me to travel through that path again, are you?”
“No, Gwen… I do not wish te that, but paying him a visit will at least rid us of the guilt. I know te feel guilty for this accident as I do, so let’s just pay him a visit and be gone. He won’t even know we were there. Please… please, Gwen.”
Gwen sighs and looks away.
“Please, Gwen… look, te don’t even have to come close. te can stand da the door and let me check on him. I’ll be fast, I promise. But just come along with me. But te don’t have to see him, please?” Morgana pleads.
Gwen listens without looking at Morgana. She thinks back and realises it was a good offer. She can wait da the door until Morgana is done with Arthur. And then they can leave. She didn’t have to see him at all. After a while, she turns back to Morgana and nods. “All right. But for you, not him, get it?”
“Crystal clear. Come on.” morgan grabs Gwen’s hand and pulls her inside.
Arthur is sleeping when they step in. Morgana leaves Gwen da the door and walks softly towards his bed. Gwen swallows and waits patiently, her fingers clasped tightly. Morgana walks towards him, stands da the letto and looks at him. He is asleep and she nods to herself in some sort of agreement within herself and turns back to Gwen. She gives her friend thumbs up, a huge smile emerging on her face as she does so. Gwen smiles back though she didn’t what that smile is for. Morgana turns back to Arthur, closes on him and reaches out for the blanket which covers his knee and pulls it up to his waist. Gwen’s mouth drops open. As Morgana covers Arthur, he stirs. She drops the blanket and steps back. Her face is shocked. Arthur groans and this time Gwen hears him as well. Morgana looks back at Gwen and seeks some sort of answers.
‘What the hell are te waiting there for… sposta it!!’ Gwen thinks to herself. Morgana hardly moved and Gwen steps up to her friend, planning to drag her away from there. As she did, Arthur’s groan grows louder.
Gwen ignores the groans and grabs Morgana’s hand, pulling her away but Arthur’s groan stops them both mid step.
“Arghh,” Arthur groans and stirs in his sleep.
“Should we help him?” Morgana whispers at Gwen, looking past her and at him.
“What?” Gwen looks stunned da the question. “What on earth are te talking about? Let’s get out of here!!” Gwen steps in between Morgana and the bed, grabs her da the shoulder, spins her around and prepares to push her out from the room.
“But he seems to be in pain!” Morgana whispers again and stays rooted on the spot. She holds to the side of Arthur’s letto tightly. Gwen cannot believe what she hears o sees. Morgana must be out of her mind.
“We’ll get the doctor… now come on!” Gwen peels Morgana’s hand from her clutches and pushes her away. Morgana flings inoltrare, avanti and as Gwen steps away, someone grabs her wrist from the back. She stops, her face overcomes with panic and she stares at Morgana who now has turned around. Morgana looks back at Gwen in surprise. Gwen knows who is holding her wrist but she is afraid to look.
“Gwen?” Morgana calls out softly. Behind Gwen, Arthur still groans.
Gwen’s eyes looks like it could drop off from the socket and she silently wish Morgana would come closer.
“Gwen?”
“Help me, Morgana” Gwen says softly, so soft that Morgana hardly heard anything.
“Arghhhh!!” Arthur groans again and Gwen turns around, slowly. He holds her wrist tightly in his and was still writhing in pain. Gwen shifts her position so that she faces him and stares back at the very face she loves to hate. Morgana comes to stand behind Gwen and looks across her Friends shoulder.
“He’s holding your wrist, Gwen!”
Gwen doesn’t answer her; instead she still stares at Arthur. Frustration and mountains of anger starts to erupt in her head. The word revenge blinks in her mind like a signboard, signaling her that she should get on with the revenge and ignore her conscience for a day. Bitterness in her cuore clouds her judgement and she simply wants to end his life, here and now.
‘How lucky have te been, twat? Killed a man yet walked free from the law, rammed the bacheca and still end up having your life saved, blinded but surely is curable and now, got knocked da our car and still didn’t end up losing your life. te are one lucky prick!!’ Gwen thinks to herself bitterly. Behind her Morgana was still calling her.
“Gwen!” Morgana rattles her friend, shaking Gwen from her thoughts.
“What!”
“He’s holding your wrist.”
“I can see that, Morgana… the domanda is how do I get myself out of his clutches?”
“Peel your wrist from him, try pulling it away.” Morgana suggests. Gwen tries to do as Morgana tells her but Arthur’s grip was as hard as steel.
“It’s locked… he’s holding too tight!” Gwen says, worriedly.
“Helllppp meee!” Arthur groans again and shifts his head from left to right, a number of times.
“He needs the doctor… Wait here and I’ll get him!!” Morgana sprints out before Gwen can stop her, leaving her all alone in the room with Arthur.
“Morgana… Morgana…” but she was out of the door da then.
“Great!” Gwen mutters to herself.
“Heellpppp!!” Arthur groans again, this time his head was beating against the pillow, slowly at first and then rapidly.
Gwen was getting furious watching him groan in agony. But she can’t remove her wrist from his hand, and like it o not, she has to stand where she is until Morgana arrives with the doctor. Gwen looks at him again. Crazy thoughts run across her mind and she liked each one of them. Every thought ends up with him being dead. Should she do it? A smug smile appears on her face. Suddenly Gwen groans, grabbing her arm. She yelps in pain as Arthur’s grip on her tightens around her wrist. Arthur’s groans too have increased and he is thrashing his head against the cuscino constantly now.
“Awww… let me go!! Let me… te prick!!” Gwen tries to wriggle, trying to pull and pry her wrist from him but he has glued his grip on her. “Let me go…” Gwen’s tears starts to roll down her cheek, in pain.
“Helllpppp m…”
“Shut up, shut up… arghhh!!!” Gwen shouts in pain, unable to tolerate the torture anymore. She bites back the pain and slides her free hand in between Arthur’s to loosen his grip but he was completely locked on her. Gwen gives up and waits for Morgana to return. If her friend does not return in another five minutes, Arthur will break her wrist.
“Gwen?” Morgana rushes towards Gwen and tries to help her friend as the doctor and a number of nurses round up Arthur’s letto and hold him down. Morgana tries to remove Arthur’s grip around Gwen’s wrist but he was like an iron man, completely locked on her. Morgana looks at Gwen sympathetically and shakes her head. The doctor notices the grip as well but he was più concerned on Arthur.
“Arghhhhhh!!!! Help!!!!” Arthur shouts and thrashes himself against their hold as if in a seizure, whacking his head against the cuscino rapidly.
As Arthur thrashes himself, he pulls Gwen’s wrist along with him and the pain it inflicts kills her. She holds her wrist tightly and keeps it from moving too much but he was far too strong for her, even for an injured man. Unable to contain the pain in her for much too long, she screams as well. “God!! Oh God!!!” she screams as Morgana tries to calm her from beside.
The doctor ignores Gwen’s cries for a while and inches closer to inspect Arthur. He pins him down da pressing his chest and checks Arthur’s pulse. Then nodding at one of the nurse, he instructs the rest to hold him down as tightly they could. The other nurses obey and do as they are told. The one whom he nodded a while fa comes back to him with gauze and a syringe. She gives the syringe to him and without wasting a moment; he pulls up Arthur’s sleeve and injects him with the sedative. Arthur’s seizure calms down, little da little. He stops his thrashing and releases Gwen’s hand. The moment his fingers slip from her wrist, Gwen steps back, wrapping her hand against her body and looks relieved from the mess. Morgana watches Arthur calms down and exchanges looks with the doctor. The nurses went on to examine Arthur’s head.
“What happened, doctor?” Morgana asks, looking bewildered.
“I don’t know… we had him sedated a while fa and… I don’t know how he could recover from the medicine!” the doctor seems surprised.
‘Sedated, my arse!’ Gwen mutters in frustration, massaging her wrist which da now has swelled up nastily.
“He was in pain, doctor… he was groaning when we came to visit him.”
“It must be his head… I am afraid it doesn’t sound too good, then. He shouldn’t thrash his head like he just did a while ago. It aggravates his injury.”
“Oh God!” Morgana clasps her mouth while Gwen rolls her eyes in frustration.
“Morgana? I could use a bit of attention, too!” Gwen tells her friend, her eyes stormy. Morgana turns around, immediately understands the look and hurries towards Gwen.
“Sorry Gwen. How is your wrist?”
“It didn’t break, that’s for sure!” Gwen risposte bitterly, flashes a quick look at Arthur and shows her wrist to Morgana. Her wrist now bears a red mark made da Arthur’s hand and has swollen all around it.
“Here, let me see” the doctor approaches, takes Gwen’s wrist and examines it. Using his finger, he carefully pokes the swollen area. Gwen grimaces each time the pain creeps up. The doctor looks at Gwen, smiles and turns back to one of the nurses. He instructs the nurse to take Gwen to the general ward and have her wound inspected and properly dressed. The nurse agrees and ushers Gwen out from the room. The other nurse covers Arthur and leaves as well.
Morgana looks at Arthur for a long time and sighs. He seems at peace but still cuts a sad forlorn figure. She turns back to the doctor. “Will he be all right?”
“That depends on the scans. It should be anytime later this evening and I really hope to get a good result”
“Did te contact anyone?”
“Yes. His father is on the way here as we speak. But if the scans aren’t good, he will not be discharged,” the doctor informs. Morgana nods and looks at her watch.
“We need to be going. Thank te for all the help, doctor.”
“Have te informed the police about the accident?”
“Huh!! The police!! Should we?” Morgana panics. No one told her about reporting to the police. It’s bad enough she sent a blind man back to the hospital he was discharged from now she has to segnala the accident to the police? Will she be behind bars then? What will happen to her? How will she bail herself out? And if Arthur dies… will she be put in prison?
“It is an accident, is it not?” the doctor breaks her thoughts abruptly. Morgana shudders and looks at him, in blur.
“Yes,” she risposte after a second.
“Then it’s best te segnala the accident yourself. te didn’t run away, did you? So why worry? It’s for your own safety. No one will try to turn the accident against te later on. Please segnala it as soon as possible. I’ll give my segnala to support yours,” the doctor explains.
‘Oh… thank heaven. Thank te father!’ Morgana prays in her heart, her smile slowly appearing on her face.
“Come… this way” the doctor invites and she follows him out from the room.
Gwen struggles with her keyboard. Lifting it up a giorno fa wouldn’t be so much of a burden but today, it feels like a rock in her hand. She bites her lips, carries the keyboard and shifts it aside on the tavolo beside her. But before she could put it down gently, the pain around her wrist triggers sharply, sending her keyboard flying off her hand.
“Oh crap!!” she tries to reach for it before it crashes but thankfully Lancelot catches it first. He places it back on the tavolo and she thanks him quickly.
“If your hand hurts very much, take a rest Gwen. te shouldn’t be straining the wound.”
“I’m fine… besides, we have much to do and I can’t be wasting the time resting.”
“Morgana has taken over your duties since te came back and she’s wonderful to work with. te have your rest and we’ll get the rest done,” Lancelot says and walks away. But he stops and turns around to look at her.
“I know this isn’t my business but … how did te inflict that injury?”
“I… ermmm… slipped at the restaurant we went. I tried to shield my fall and injured my hand.” Gwen lies in between her smiles.
“Really ?” he sounds surprised.
“Yeah… why?” now Gwen is really worried. She knows Lancelot was talking to Morgana and wonders what her friend has told him.
“Funny, because Morgana told me someone tried to snatch thief te and that’s how te got those hand marks around the wrist!”
‘Bloody hell … Morgana, if te plan to cook up a tale at least inform me first!’ Gwen smiles sheepishly at Lancelot, embarrassed at being caught lying.
“So… which is it?”
“Ermm… the secondo one.”
“Why lie to me, then?”
“I didn’t want te to think I’m weak. I am not!”
“I know… te don’t have to tell me you’re not, Gwen. te gave me that impression on our first meeting, remember?” Lancelot smiles, turns around and leaves the room, leaving Gwen admiring him. A smile escapes her lips and she shakes her head in disbelief that she is actually smiling after him. Wasn’t she swearing at him hours ago? Wasn’t she arguing with Morgana that she will not be able to work with Lancelot at all? And now she is smiling? What is going on, Gwen?
“I wonder how he is?” someone speaks from behind, almost startling her. Gwen flinches quickly, but calms down when she realises it is Morgana.
Morgana drop all the hand held scanners in her hand into the box, seals it with a brown tape and writes down the descrizione on superiore, in alto of it. She pushes the box aside and sits down, crossing her leg, looking at Gwen. “Do te think he has woken up?”
“Morgana!! This is the third time you’ve asked me that question!! How am I supposed to know that? And even if I do, should I care?”
“Come on, don’t be nasty, Gwen… he could’ve been in your bad libri all this while but he deserves some sympathy as well, at least for the condition he is in.”
“What about me? He almost broke my wrist, Morgana!”
“He was unconscious and in pain. te can’t blame him for what happened.”
“Why do te pity him, Morgana? I need to know… why?”
“Because he is blind! He looks… pitiful!”
“Pitiful?”
“Yeah, lying there on his own, without anyone and anything… he just seems pitiful to me.”
“Morgana!!” Gwen opens her mouth but stops halfway as her words disappear. She didn’t know what to tell Morgana o herself for that matter. “He isn’t alone. He has a father and some good Friends around him,” Gwen remembers the lads she met at the hospital a week ago. And she knew Arthur has a father because Percival told her.
“Yeah, but yet…”
“Morgana!!” Gwen stops her friend and looks at her narrowly. Whatever Morgana is planning to spit out will have to stop. At least for now. Gwen isn’t in any mood to listen about Arthur o anyone else. “I don’t care what happens to him, but I’m not stopping te from your feelings towards him. Care and cry for him as much te want, but do it after work and leave me out of it. Get the point? I have a career to concentrate on and can’t be dwelling on my past any more. That guy makes up most of my past and he’s done and dusted in my life, for all I care. te can have all the time in the world after work to worry about him but not now!” Gwen tells her friend in an icy tone.
Morgana sighs and nods like a child listening to her mother. “Good… now let’s get back to work!” Gwen instructs and moves away.
Arthur felt his head throb. It feels heavy, as if someone buried a heavy slab inside. He massages the sides of his forehead and tries recall what happened. Everything seems blurry. He hears noises, sounds like people talking and constant honks and blares of cars. He wrinkles his forehead and tries to open his lids. Not that it helps but he still prefers to keep it opened, regardless giorno o night. A sharp pain washes across his head as he tries to open his eyes. He groans and relaxes a while. No need to rush, he can’t use his eyes anyway. He relaxes and listens to the noises around him. Someone laughs in a distance, and then there were the honks again. Someone speaks in French and then laughter. Where is he exactly? He can never hear anything as clear like this from his apartment. He must be someplace else. But… and then he knew. An ambulanza arrives, with its siren blaring loudly. Arthur is in hospital, he guesses. Yes, that is the logical explanation he can think of. Where else could he be? But how did he end up here?
“Arthur?” he knows that voice well. What is he doing here?
“Arthur…” Uther calls again, this time touching Arthur on his shoulder. Arthur wriggles free, removing his father’s hand from his shoulder. Uther sighs and removes his hand.
“Are te all right?”
“Where am I?” Arthur asks icily.
“In the hospital”
“What?” ‘In the hospital?’ Arthur thinks to himself, not believing himself his father.
“You tried to attraversare, croce the road on your own and someone knocked te down. They brought te here.”
“I was… was knocked down?” Arthur is completely clueless as to what happened to him.
“Thank God te didn’t suffer anything serious. Apart from the gash on your temple, you’re injury free”
“Ohhh!” was all Arthur says. And the answer irks Uther.
“What is that supposed to mean Arthur?”
“Nothing, Father, it was a simple agreement, that’s all.”
“It sounded più like te were mocking me, Son.”
“Do te have to turn our every little conversation into some sort of bickering match, father? What do te want me to do? Tell me!! I got knocked down while trying to attraversare, croce the road, so WHAT? Shouldn’t I ever attraversare, croce the road at all!! Shouldn’t I do anything on my own?”
“I wouldn’t mind te crossing the road, Arthur but not unattended o unguided, get that!!! That is the point of our argument!”
“Really, Father?”
“Look, Arthur…” Uther nears his son, reaches down and clips Arthur’s chin. “When I got the call about te being hospitalized again, I knew something was wrong! I went over to your place and found it empty. EMPTY!!! There were no traces of te o the other lads. And then your neighbour saw te rushing down the elevator and when te got yourself onto the lower ground, te just ran out to the street!! People who saw and knew te were stunned and gobsmacked, Arthur!! And te just did that… what on earth were te thinking?” his father practically snarls into Arthur’s ears.
“Since te are such an investigator, Father, why don’t te figure it out yourself?”
“Arthur!!!”
“What… do te have me do, Father? I am asking you, all right. So tell me!”
“END THIS!!!” his father says, almost hissing at Arthur. “End this once and for all. Can’t te see you’re struggling with your incapability, Arthur? Can’t te find yourself thinking aloud how much te miss your old life? A life which allowed te to be the man te are. This is not the life te need… cast it away, and come with me. I can help you. I can help te with a just a word… it’s all ready and it needs te Arthur!! Come back, Son!”
“Why, Father? So that te can redeem yourself for what te did to me? What about my redemption? I killed a man, and how do I redeem that? Tell me and I’ll follow te this instant.”
“Don’t add your mistake with mine, Arthur! That man is dead because te were reckless and don’t blame it on me. I didn’t ask te to drink; te consumed booze on your own and knocked him down, ruthlessly!!”
“Ahhh!!!!” Arthur scoffs and throws his hand in the air. As his lips laughs loudly, his eyes sheds painful tears down his cheek. “So te never make a mistake, Father?” he says, scoffing again. “Bravo Uther Pendragon!! Bravo!!” he adds. Uther reaches down to grab Arthur’s flailing arms but his son brushes it away.
“It is never your fault, Father… never! How do te do that, huh? You… son of a…”
“ARTHUR PENDRAGON!!!” Uther’s voices echoes in the room, startling both of them. Arthur laughs.
“You are one gifted father, one no one would ever want to have. Unfortunately I am stuck with as te are with me. Now listen, Father! I will never buy your words, no matter what. Even if that’s the last thing in this world, I will always remain blind and your son. This is my punishment to you, and myself. I walked out a free man thanks to you, but I will not walk free from my conscience. I am always guilty in the eyes of the family whose member I murdered. I am not asking their forgiveness, but if anyone from that family could say they understand my penance, then I’d die happily.”
“Arthur… please consider…”
“I believe visiting time has passed, Father. Can te ask Merlin to come and take me back?”
“Why are you…”
“I don’t want to hear any more” Arthur says and rolls to his left, his eyes teary and cuore scorched.
Uther bites his lips in anger and hurries out from the room, pounding his fist against the bacheca as he walks out. As Uther steps out from the room, Gwen, who’s been sitting right beside the room, shields herself with the newspaper and pretends to be reading. Uther didn’t notice her presence and walks past her, down the corridor. Long after Uther has passed down the corridor, Gwen drops the newspaper and scans the area. Feeling sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza that her presence wasn’t realised, she tosses the paper aside and gets to her feet. She scans the perimeter again to make sure Uther is definitely gone for good and turns right into the room. As she enters she hears soft muffled cries coming from the letto where Arthur is lying down. He is still rolled onto his left, shielding himself from the door o whoever walks in. Gwen purses her lips and prepares herself. Should she continue o should she just turn around and sprint out from here? She thinks back how determined she had been, not wanting to visit Arthur at all, and even bickered with Morgana regarding the issue whole evening. She warned Morgana to drop the matter o she’d stop talking to her forever and managed to shut her friend after that. But soon after her work was done, she sneaked into a taxi quietly and headed to the hospital. Morgana didn’t know about this and Gwen isn’t planning on revealing it yet. It could wait. Gwen has reasons why she wanted to visit Arthur. It might sound stupid but ever since Arthur captured her wrist, she couldn’t stop thinking about him! Call it pity, gutted, annoyed o anything at all, but her mind and cuore seem to be united in asking her to pay him one last visit before heading back home. The plan was simple. Get here, visit him and find out if he is all right and if he’s awake just drop in few lines of well wishes and get out, back home. She hasn’t forgiven him yet but she feels guilty for landing him back in the hospital so the well wishes may well just make up for it. That’s all. Simple and constructive.
But the moment she got here, things took a different turn. She had no choice but to eavesdrop the conversation between Arthur and Uther. It was such an angry conversation which Gwen thinks might have ended badly if his father didn’t yield. Such anger, such drama, and so much misery. Is this how this man lived his life, how he’s been treated da his father? Is this why he was drunk and tried to end his own life? What happened between them? Why such hatred? Gwen was both intrigued and confused. And if that isn’t enough, the man is aware of his guilt! He is ashamed of his doing! And he wants to redeem what he caused us! Arthur’s muffles stir her back to life. Suddenly, Gwen is overcome da sadness. She no longer feels hate towards him but pity. It surprised her and she didn’t know how to answer all the questions. All she knows is that she is feeling terribly sad for him. Gone were the hate and the revenge, replaced da sadness and pity. She feels angry at Uther. What sort of father is he, leaving his son to face the agony alone? Arthur still cries and she doesn’t know how to make her presence known. Should she? o perhaps he likes some time alone? Gwen resumes her approach and nears Arthur. Her cuore races as she closes on him. His back was against her. She reach out to touch his shoulder but stops a awhile, her hand hanging midair, thinking if she should carry on with her plan. What if he shouts at her? He isn’t in any good mood at the moment! She shakes her head and wheels around only to be stopped da a voice.
“Who is it?” Arthur asks, his muffles reducing to mere faint noises.
Gwen turns around and notes Arthur has rolled back to his old position again.
“Ermmm,” she wonders if she should reveal her name o not, her real name.
“WHO is it!!” Arthur demands, his voice furious.
Gwen knows she should answer the domanda sooner rather than later. Arthur is already fuming because of his father but if she delays her answer, he’ll get to his feet and pluck her eye balls out.
“I’m Guinevere,” Gwen risposte shortly and waits for his reaction.
Morgana paces the tiled floor of the Emergency Department, tense. Arms carelessly hanging loose da her side, lips mumbling to herself, eyes focused on the floor, she casts a sight of a forlorn figure. Gwen, who sits opposite her, looks worried watching her friend in such a state. She hates herself for what has happened. They wouldn’t be here, Morgana wouldn’t be in trouble, and Arthur wouldn’t have got knocked down if it wasn’t for her. If only she had kept her teasing until they have reached the restaurant. What was she thinking? Why did she do it? Gwen sighs and buries her face in her hands. Her own fingers were trembling and she tries hard to hide it da cupping her face. Ever since they got here, Morgana has cast an isolated figure and Gwen worries if this might leave a devastating trauma on her. She just Lost her father and she can’t lose her friend too. Despite the hatred in her heart, Gwen silently prays Arthur is all right.
The door to the ER opens and a doctor followed da a nurse walks out. The doctor removes his cappotto and flings it on his shoulder. Morgana almost pounces on him but Gwen quickly restrains her da the shoulder.
“Doctor?” Morgana questions, her eyes bulging out. She looks worried. Gwen holds on to her tightly, afraid what Morgana will do if she leaves her free.
The doctor instructs something to the nurse and returns back to the girls. The nurse walks past them. “Before I inform about the victim, I need to know what happened,” the doctor asks them.
Morgana swallows and looks at Gwen. Gwen knows what that look means. Gwen will have to explain it to the doctor because Morgana is far too horrified to tell him. Gwen licks her lips and takes a deep breath.
‘Which part should I tell?’ she thinks to herself. ‘Will he believe what we tell him?’ she thinks again. ‘Will he call the police?’ she panics silently at that thought. “We knocked him down when he was crossing the road.” she puts it as simple as she could, praying the doctor won’t ask further questions.
“The doctor looks confused. “He was crossing the road?” he asks them again. Morgana nods her head, agreeing with Gwen.
“He is blind! How could he attraversare, croce the road?” he asks again, not believing what Gwen tells him.
‘Oh dear!’ “We know that, doctor … he ran across our car!” Gwen presses.
“And te knocked him down? Even after realising he is a blind man?” the doctor is puzzled. But Gwen knows where is this heading to. And she didn’t like it on bit.
“We didn’t know he was blind at first, doctor, and we didn’t knock him down on purpose!” Gwen was irritated. “We were arguing in the car and he just ran in front of our car. We braked but not fast enough. We realised he was blind after I rolled him over”
“You know him?”
‘Great … now this? What else does the doctor wants to know successivo … how my father died in his hands?’ Gwen bites her inner cheek in irritation. “He was involved in an accident a couple of weeks fa where I Lost my father,” Gwen tries to explain as briefly as she could. She is trying to recover from the trauma and hates revisiting the same memory again.
“Hmmm,” the doctor thinks a while. “I recognised him as the patient of my friend, which is how I realised he was blind, but I had no idea of his involvement in another accident,” he adds.
‘Thank god’ Gwen prays. Beside her Morgana wriggles to be let free and Gwen releases her after realising Morgana is all calmed down.
“Sorry,” Gwen apologises to Morgana after the latter rubs her arms. Morgana smiles back and nods.
“So, how is he, doctor?” Gwen quickly diverts the doctor back to the domanda that has been troubling her mind since they arrived here.
“He’s good. Thank God te hit the brakes on time. Can’t imagine what would happened if te didn’t,” the doctor says.
For Gwen, this was Musica to her ears and beside her Morgana closes her eyes in deep prayer, thanking the Lord for saving all of them from trouble.
“But...”
Both Gwen and Morgana shoot up towards the doctor. ‘Oh no … what now!’ Gwen’s cuore races. Cold fear creeps up to her as she waits for the doctor’s further explanation. Beside her Morgana seems as if she had just seen the ghost.
“I wouldn’t say the same for his head. The knock aggravated his head injury and I am currently running some scans on his head to see if he’s suffering from internal wounds. I really hope he doesn’t. As te can see he has already had his fair share of surgeries from his precedente accident, so… let’s hope nothing is as bad as it seems.”
“Oh dear,” Morgana turns to look at Gwen, her eyes shooting warning signs.
“I hope so too, doctor,” Gwen says, genuinely, ignoring Morgana’s look. “But… apart from the head injuries, is there anything else we need to worry about?”
“Hmmm, no. Like I said, te hit the brakes in time so he was quite lucky with the injuries. But let’s hope he’s lucky with his head, too.”
Gwen sighs in relief.
“Can we see him, doctor?” Morgana asks. ‘What the…’ Gwen turns around with such speed that she cramped a muscle near her neck. ‘What the hell does Morgana want to see him for?’
“Hmm… usually no one is allowed into the emergency room but since you’ve saved his life, I guess a minuto o two wouldn’t hurt, but please make it fast and do not wake him up. He’s asleep… and I don’t think he can be discharged today. The scans will take some hours and I can only release him after assuring the injuries are not bad. Until then, he stays here.”
“Sure, doctor,” both the girls say in unison.
“And… do te know whom he lives with? Any family o friends? te may need to inform them.”
“Oh, we don’t actually know him well.” Morgana risposte quickly, her eyes darting at Gwen but her friend seems calm with her answer.
“That’s too bad… my friend isn’t here but I’ll check the records and see if he has anyone to contact.”
“Thank you, doctor.” Gwen says.
“You’re welcome. Make sure te don’t wake him up, and make it fast,” the doctor advises them and leaves.
As he disappears, Morgana drags Gwen to the room. Gwen peels off Morgana’s fingers from her own and glues herself to the ground. Her hands on her hips.
“I’m not coming,” Gwen says, determined.
“You are… at least after we did, we should at least pay him a visit.”
“Why?”
“Because we are the reason he is here!” Morgana says, pointing her thumb to the door. Gwen scoffs.
“Morgana, te know who is he, don’t you?” Gwen asks.
“I do, and that’s why I want te to tag along.”
“This is ridiculous… after all that I went through, you’re expecting me to meet him?” Gwen domande her friend. “You, te Morgana… of all people, know how I feel about him and te still want me to pay him a visit?”
“You make one half of the reason why he is back in the hospital, Gwen. Don’t forget that!” Morgana says abruptly. The words left her lips before she could hold them back.
“Thanks for reminding of my guilt, Morgana, you’ve been a great help!” Gwen is furious. She can’t believe her friend is turning her back against her too.
“I didn’t mean that, Gwen…” Morgana feels guilty.
“Look, Morgana, I can see what te mean, but… I just… can’t…” Gwen struggles with her words. Her memories of Arthur, of that unfortunate tragedy, still float vividly, as if it has just occurred a short time ago. She can never forget his face o what he did. Like Elyan said, it will take time, and she wants to forget him as soon as possible. She promised Elyan she will start her life all over again. No più revenge talk, no più hatred and no più misery. They all want the best for her and she wants to carry on with her life. And just when her life was beginning to look bright, she is facing him again! She hates this. Facing him would only mean one thing, trouble! It will bring back the memories, heartbreaks, and resurface the talk of revenge. She doesn’t want to hurt him but if she saw him again, she doesn’t know what will happen.
Morgana walks closer to Gwen and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I understand your problems, Gwen, but he’s asleep and he wouldn’t even know you. He’s blind, remember? We’ll just see him from far and leave.”
“I know that, but how am I to… look, Morgana, I’m just getting a grip on my life and trying to leave the traumatic nightmare behind. You’re not expecting me to travel through that path again, are you?”
“No, Gwen… I do not wish te that, but paying him a visit will at least rid us of the guilt. I know te feel guilty for this accident as I do, so let’s just pay him a visit and be gone. He won’t even know we were there. Please… please, Gwen.”
Gwen sighs and looks away.
“Please, Gwen… look, te don’t even have to come close. te can stand da the door and let me check on him. I’ll be fast, I promise. But just come along with me. But te don’t have to see him, please?” Morgana pleads.
Gwen listens without looking at Morgana. She thinks back and realises it was a good offer. She can wait da the door until Morgana is done with Arthur. And then they can leave. She didn’t have to see him at all. After a while, she turns back to Morgana and nods. “All right. But for you, not him, get it?”
“Crystal clear. Come on.” morgan grabs Gwen’s hand and pulls her inside.
Arthur is sleeping when they step in. Morgana leaves Gwen da the door and walks softly towards his bed. Gwen swallows and waits patiently, her fingers clasped tightly. Morgana walks towards him, stands da the letto and looks at him. He is asleep and she nods to herself in some sort of agreement within herself and turns back to Gwen. She gives her friend thumbs up, a huge smile emerging on her face as she does so. Gwen smiles back though she didn’t what that smile is for. Morgana turns back to Arthur, closes on him and reaches out for the blanket which covers his knee and pulls it up to his waist. Gwen’s mouth drops open. As Morgana covers Arthur, he stirs. She drops the blanket and steps back. Her face is shocked. Arthur groans and this time Gwen hears him as well. Morgana looks back at Gwen and seeks some sort of answers.
‘What the hell are te waiting there for… sposta it!!’ Gwen thinks to herself. Morgana hardly moved and Gwen steps up to her friend, planning to drag her away from there. As she did, Arthur’s groan grows louder.
Gwen ignores the groans and grabs Morgana’s hand, pulling her away but Arthur’s groan stops them both mid step.
“Arghh,” Arthur groans and stirs in his sleep.
“Should we help him?” Morgana whispers at Gwen, looking past her and at him.
“What?” Gwen looks stunned da the question. “What on earth are te talking about? Let’s get out of here!!” Gwen steps in between Morgana and the bed, grabs her da the shoulder, spins her around and prepares to push her out from the room.
“But he seems to be in pain!” Morgana whispers again and stays rooted on the spot. She holds to the side of Arthur’s letto tightly. Gwen cannot believe what she hears o sees. Morgana must be out of her mind.
“We’ll get the doctor… now come on!” Gwen peels Morgana’s hand from her clutches and pushes her away. Morgana flings inoltrare, avanti and as Gwen steps away, someone grabs her wrist from the back. She stops, her face overcomes with panic and she stares at Morgana who now has turned around. Morgana looks back at Gwen in surprise. Gwen knows who is holding her wrist but she is afraid to look.
“Gwen?” Morgana calls out softly. Behind Gwen, Arthur still groans.
Gwen’s eyes looks like it could drop off from the socket and she silently wish Morgana would come closer.
“Gwen?”
“Help me, Morgana” Gwen says softly, so soft that Morgana hardly heard anything.
“Arghhhh!!” Arthur groans again and Gwen turns around, slowly. He holds her wrist tightly in his and was still writhing in pain. Gwen shifts her position so that she faces him and stares back at the very face she loves to hate. Morgana comes to stand behind Gwen and looks across her Friends shoulder.
“He’s holding your wrist, Gwen!”
Gwen doesn’t answer her; instead she still stares at Arthur. Frustration and mountains of anger starts to erupt in her head. The word revenge blinks in her mind like a signboard, signaling her that she should get on with the revenge and ignore her conscience for a day. Bitterness in her cuore clouds her judgement and she simply wants to end his life, here and now.
‘How lucky have te been, twat? Killed a man yet walked free from the law, rammed the bacheca and still end up having your life saved, blinded but surely is curable and now, got knocked da our car and still didn’t end up losing your life. te are one lucky prick!!’ Gwen thinks to herself bitterly. Behind her Morgana was still calling her.
“Gwen!” Morgana rattles her friend, shaking Gwen from her thoughts.
“What!”
“He’s holding your wrist.”
“I can see that, Morgana… the domanda is how do I get myself out of his clutches?”
“Peel your wrist from him, try pulling it away.” Morgana suggests. Gwen tries to do as Morgana tells her but Arthur’s grip was as hard as steel.
“It’s locked… he’s holding too tight!” Gwen says, worriedly.
“Helllppp meee!” Arthur groans again and shifts his head from left to right, a number of times.
“He needs the doctor… Wait here and I’ll get him!!” Morgana sprints out before Gwen can stop her, leaving her all alone in the room with Arthur.
“Morgana… Morgana…” but she was out of the door da then.
“Great!” Gwen mutters to herself.
“Heellpppp!!” Arthur groans again, this time his head was beating against the pillow, slowly at first and then rapidly.
Gwen was getting furious watching him groan in agony. But she can’t remove her wrist from his hand, and like it o not, she has to stand where she is until Morgana arrives with the doctor. Gwen looks at him again. Crazy thoughts run across her mind and she liked each one of them. Every thought ends up with him being dead. Should she do it? A smug smile appears on her face. Suddenly Gwen groans, grabbing her arm. She yelps in pain as Arthur’s grip on her tightens around her wrist. Arthur’s groans too have increased and he is thrashing his head against the cuscino constantly now.
“Awww… let me go!! Let me… te prick!!” Gwen tries to wriggle, trying to pull and pry her wrist from him but he has glued his grip on her. “Let me go…” Gwen’s tears starts to roll down her cheek, in pain.
“Helllpppp m…”
“Shut up, shut up… arghhh!!!” Gwen shouts in pain, unable to tolerate the torture anymore. She bites back the pain and slides her free hand in between Arthur’s to loosen his grip but he was completely locked on her. Gwen gives up and waits for Morgana to return. If her friend does not return in another five minutes, Arthur will break her wrist.
“Gwen?” Morgana rushes towards Gwen and tries to help her friend as the doctor and a number of nurses round up Arthur’s letto and hold him down. Morgana tries to remove Arthur’s grip around Gwen’s wrist but he was like an iron man, completely locked on her. Morgana looks at Gwen sympathetically and shakes her head. The doctor notices the grip as well but he was più concerned on Arthur.
“Arghhhhhh!!!! Help!!!!” Arthur shouts and thrashes himself against their hold as if in a seizure, whacking his head against the cuscino rapidly.
As Arthur thrashes himself, he pulls Gwen’s wrist along with him and the pain it inflicts kills her. She holds her wrist tightly and keeps it from moving too much but he was far too strong for her, even for an injured man. Unable to contain the pain in her for much too long, she screams as well. “God!! Oh God!!!” she screams as Morgana tries to calm her from beside.
The doctor ignores Gwen’s cries for a while and inches closer to inspect Arthur. He pins him down da pressing his chest and checks Arthur’s pulse. Then nodding at one of the nurse, he instructs the rest to hold him down as tightly they could. The other nurses obey and do as they are told. The one whom he nodded a while fa comes back to him with gauze and a syringe. She gives the syringe to him and without wasting a moment; he pulls up Arthur’s sleeve and injects him with the sedative. Arthur’s seizure calms down, little da little. He stops his thrashing and releases Gwen’s hand. The moment his fingers slip from her wrist, Gwen steps back, wrapping her hand against her body and looks relieved from the mess. Morgana watches Arthur calms down and exchanges looks with the doctor. The nurses went on to examine Arthur’s head.
“What happened, doctor?” Morgana asks, looking bewildered.
“I don’t know… we had him sedated a while fa and… I don’t know how he could recover from the medicine!” the doctor seems surprised.
‘Sedated, my arse!’ Gwen mutters in frustration, massaging her wrist which da now has swelled up nastily.
“He was in pain, doctor… he was groaning when we came to visit him.”
“It must be his head… I am afraid it doesn’t sound too good, then. He shouldn’t thrash his head like he just did a while ago. It aggravates his injury.”
“Oh God!” Morgana clasps her mouth while Gwen rolls her eyes in frustration.
“Morgana? I could use a bit of attention, too!” Gwen tells her friend, her eyes stormy. Morgana turns around, immediately understands the look and hurries towards Gwen.
“Sorry Gwen. How is your wrist?”
“It didn’t break, that’s for sure!” Gwen risposte bitterly, flashes a quick look at Arthur and shows her wrist to Morgana. Her wrist now bears a red mark made da Arthur’s hand and has swollen all around it.
“Here, let me see” the doctor approaches, takes Gwen’s wrist and examines it. Using his finger, he carefully pokes the swollen area. Gwen grimaces each time the pain creeps up. The doctor looks at Gwen, smiles and turns back to one of the nurses. He instructs the nurse to take Gwen to the general ward and have her wound inspected and properly dressed. The nurse agrees and ushers Gwen out from the room. The other nurse covers Arthur and leaves as well.
Morgana looks at Arthur for a long time and sighs. He seems at peace but still cuts a sad forlorn figure. She turns back to the doctor. “Will he be all right?”
“That depends on the scans. It should be anytime later this evening and I really hope to get a good result”
“Did te contact anyone?”
“Yes. His father is on the way here as we speak. But if the scans aren’t good, he will not be discharged,” the doctor informs. Morgana nods and looks at her watch.
“We need to be going. Thank te for all the help, doctor.”
“Have te informed the police about the accident?”
“Huh!! The police!! Should we?” Morgana panics. No one told her about reporting to the police. It’s bad enough she sent a blind man back to the hospital he was discharged from now she has to segnala the accident to the police? Will she be behind bars then? What will happen to her? How will she bail herself out? And if Arthur dies… will she be put in prison?
“It is an accident, is it not?” the doctor breaks her thoughts abruptly. Morgana shudders and looks at him, in blur.
“Yes,” she risposte after a second.
“Then it’s best te segnala the accident yourself. te didn’t run away, did you? So why worry? It’s for your own safety. No one will try to turn the accident against te later on. Please segnala it as soon as possible. I’ll give my segnala to support yours,” the doctor explains.
‘Oh… thank heaven. Thank te father!’ Morgana prays in her heart, her smile slowly appearing on her face.
“Come… this way” the doctor invites and she follows him out from the room.
Gwen struggles with her keyboard. Lifting it up a giorno fa wouldn’t be so much of a burden but today, it feels like a rock in her hand. She bites her lips, carries the keyboard and shifts it aside on the tavolo beside her. But before she could put it down gently, the pain around her wrist triggers sharply, sending her keyboard flying off her hand.
“Oh crap!!” she tries to reach for it before it crashes but thankfully Lancelot catches it first. He places it back on the tavolo and she thanks him quickly.
“If your hand hurts very much, take a rest Gwen. te shouldn’t be straining the wound.”
“I’m fine… besides, we have much to do and I can’t be wasting the time resting.”
“Morgana has taken over your duties since te came back and she’s wonderful to work with. te have your rest and we’ll get the rest done,” Lancelot says and walks away. But he stops and turns around to look at her.
“I know this isn’t my business but … how did te inflict that injury?”
“I… ermmm… slipped at the restaurant we went. I tried to shield my fall and injured my hand.” Gwen lies in between her smiles.
“Really ?” he sounds surprised.
“Yeah… why?” now Gwen is really worried. She knows Lancelot was talking to Morgana and wonders what her friend has told him.
“Funny, because Morgana told me someone tried to snatch thief te and that’s how te got those hand marks around the wrist!”
‘Bloody hell … Morgana, if te plan to cook up a tale at least inform me first!’ Gwen smiles sheepishly at Lancelot, embarrassed at being caught lying.
“So… which is it?”
“Ermm… the secondo one.”
“Why lie to me, then?”
“I didn’t want te to think I’m weak. I am not!”
“I know… te don’t have to tell me you’re not, Gwen. te gave me that impression on our first meeting, remember?” Lancelot smiles, turns around and leaves the room, leaving Gwen admiring him. A smile escapes her lips and she shakes her head in disbelief that she is actually smiling after him. Wasn’t she swearing at him hours ago? Wasn’t she arguing with Morgana that she will not be able to work with Lancelot at all? And now she is smiling? What is going on, Gwen?
“I wonder how he is?” someone speaks from behind, almost startling her. Gwen flinches quickly, but calms down when she realises it is Morgana.
Morgana drop all the hand held scanners in her hand into the box, seals it with a brown tape and writes down the descrizione on superiore, in alto of it. She pushes the box aside and sits down, crossing her leg, looking at Gwen. “Do te think he has woken up?”
“Morgana!! This is the third time you’ve asked me that question!! How am I supposed to know that? And even if I do, should I care?”
“Come on, don’t be nasty, Gwen… he could’ve been in your bad libri all this while but he deserves some sympathy as well, at least for the condition he is in.”
“What about me? He almost broke my wrist, Morgana!”
“He was unconscious and in pain. te can’t blame him for what happened.”
“Why do te pity him, Morgana? I need to know… why?”
“Because he is blind! He looks… pitiful!”
“Pitiful?”
“Yeah, lying there on his own, without anyone and anything… he just seems pitiful to me.”
“Morgana!!” Gwen opens her mouth but stops halfway as her words disappear. She didn’t know what to tell Morgana o herself for that matter. “He isn’t alone. He has a father and some good Friends around him,” Gwen remembers the lads she met at the hospital a week ago. And she knew Arthur has a father because Percival told her.
“Yeah, but yet…”
“Morgana!!” Gwen stops her friend and looks at her narrowly. Whatever Morgana is planning to spit out will have to stop. At least for now. Gwen isn’t in any mood to listen about Arthur o anyone else. “I don’t care what happens to him, but I’m not stopping te from your feelings towards him. Care and cry for him as much te want, but do it after work and leave me out of it. Get the point? I have a career to concentrate on and can’t be dwelling on my past any more. That guy makes up most of my past and he’s done and dusted in my life, for all I care. te can have all the time in the world after work to worry about him but not now!” Gwen tells her friend in an icy tone.
Morgana sighs and nods like a child listening to her mother. “Good… now let’s get back to work!” Gwen instructs and moves away.
Arthur felt his head throb. It feels heavy, as if someone buried a heavy slab inside. He massages the sides of his forehead and tries recall what happened. Everything seems blurry. He hears noises, sounds like people talking and constant honks and blares of cars. He wrinkles his forehead and tries to open his lids. Not that it helps but he still prefers to keep it opened, regardless giorno o night. A sharp pain washes across his head as he tries to open his eyes. He groans and relaxes a while. No need to rush, he can’t use his eyes anyway. He relaxes and listens to the noises around him. Someone laughs in a distance, and then there were the honks again. Someone speaks in French and then laughter. Where is he exactly? He can never hear anything as clear like this from his apartment. He must be someplace else. But… and then he knew. An ambulanza arrives, with its siren blaring loudly. Arthur is in hospital, he guesses. Yes, that is the logical explanation he can think of. Where else could he be? But how did he end up here?
“Arthur?” he knows that voice well. What is he doing here?
“Arthur…” Uther calls again, this time touching Arthur on his shoulder. Arthur wriggles free, removing his father’s hand from his shoulder. Uther sighs and removes his hand.
“Are te all right?”
“Where am I?” Arthur asks icily.
“In the hospital”
“What?” ‘In the hospital?’ Arthur thinks to himself, not believing himself his father.
“You tried to attraversare, croce the road on your own and someone knocked te down. They brought te here.”
“I was… was knocked down?” Arthur is completely clueless as to what happened to him.
“Thank God te didn’t suffer anything serious. Apart from the gash on your temple, you’re injury free”
“Ohhh!” was all Arthur says. And the answer irks Uther.
“What is that supposed to mean Arthur?”
“Nothing, Father, it was a simple agreement, that’s all.”
“It sounded più like te were mocking me, Son.”
“Do te have to turn our every little conversation into some sort of bickering match, father? What do te want me to do? Tell me!! I got knocked down while trying to attraversare, croce the road, so WHAT? Shouldn’t I ever attraversare, croce the road at all!! Shouldn’t I do anything on my own?”
“I wouldn’t mind te crossing the road, Arthur but not unattended o unguided, get that!!! That is the point of our argument!”
“Really, Father?”
“Look, Arthur…” Uther nears his son, reaches down and clips Arthur’s chin. “When I got the call about te being hospitalized again, I knew something was wrong! I went over to your place and found it empty. EMPTY!!! There were no traces of te o the other lads. And then your neighbour saw te rushing down the elevator and when te got yourself onto the lower ground, te just ran out to the street!! People who saw and knew te were stunned and gobsmacked, Arthur!! And te just did that… what on earth were te thinking?” his father practically snarls into Arthur’s ears.
“Since te are such an investigator, Father, why don’t te figure it out yourself?”
“Arthur!!!”
“What… do te have me do, Father? I am asking you, all right. So tell me!”
“END THIS!!!” his father says, almost hissing at Arthur. “End this once and for all. Can’t te see you’re struggling with your incapability, Arthur? Can’t te find yourself thinking aloud how much te miss your old life? A life which allowed te to be the man te are. This is not the life te need… cast it away, and come with me. I can help you. I can help te with a just a word… it’s all ready and it needs te Arthur!! Come back, Son!”
“Why, Father? So that te can redeem yourself for what te did to me? What about my redemption? I killed a man, and how do I redeem that? Tell me and I’ll follow te this instant.”
“Don’t add your mistake with mine, Arthur! That man is dead because te were reckless and don’t blame it on me. I didn’t ask te to drink; te consumed booze on your own and knocked him down, ruthlessly!!”
“Ahhh!!!!” Arthur scoffs and throws his hand in the air. As his lips laughs loudly, his eyes sheds painful tears down his cheek. “So te never make a mistake, Father?” he says, scoffing again. “Bravo Uther Pendragon!! Bravo!!” he adds. Uther reaches down to grab Arthur’s flailing arms but his son brushes it away.
“It is never your fault, Father… never! How do te do that, huh? You… son of a…”
“ARTHUR PENDRAGON!!!” Uther’s voices echoes in the room, startling both of them. Arthur laughs.
“You are one gifted father, one no one would ever want to have. Unfortunately I am stuck with as te are with me. Now listen, Father! I will never buy your words, no matter what. Even if that’s the last thing in this world, I will always remain blind and your son. This is my punishment to you, and myself. I walked out a free man thanks to you, but I will not walk free from my conscience. I am always guilty in the eyes of the family whose member I murdered. I am not asking their forgiveness, but if anyone from that family could say they understand my penance, then I’d die happily.”
“Arthur… please consider…”
“I believe visiting time has passed, Father. Can te ask Merlin to come and take me back?”
“Why are you…”
“I don’t want to hear any more” Arthur says and rolls to his left, his eyes teary and cuore scorched.
Uther bites his lips in anger and hurries out from the room, pounding his fist against the bacheca as he walks out. As Uther steps out from the room, Gwen, who’s been sitting right beside the room, shields herself with the newspaper and pretends to be reading. Uther didn’t notice her presence and walks past her, down the corridor. Long after Uther has passed down the corridor, Gwen drops the newspaper and scans the area. Feeling sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza that her presence wasn’t realised, she tosses the paper aside and gets to her feet. She scans the perimeter again to make sure Uther is definitely gone for good and turns right into the room. As she enters she hears soft muffled cries coming from the letto where Arthur is lying down. He is still rolled onto his left, shielding himself from the door o whoever walks in. Gwen purses her lips and prepares herself. Should she continue o should she just turn around and sprint out from here? She thinks back how determined she had been, not wanting to visit Arthur at all, and even bickered with Morgana regarding the issue whole evening. She warned Morgana to drop the matter o she’d stop talking to her forever and managed to shut her friend after that. But soon after her work was done, she sneaked into a taxi quietly and headed to the hospital. Morgana didn’t know about this and Gwen isn’t planning on revealing it yet. It could wait. Gwen has reasons why she wanted to visit Arthur. It might sound stupid but ever since Arthur captured her wrist, she couldn’t stop thinking about him! Call it pity, gutted, annoyed o anything at all, but her mind and cuore seem to be united in asking her to pay him one last visit before heading back home. The plan was simple. Get here, visit him and find out if he is all right and if he’s awake just drop in few lines of well wishes and get out, back home. She hasn’t forgiven him yet but she feels guilty for landing him back in the hospital so the well wishes may well just make up for it. That’s all. Simple and constructive.
But the moment she got here, things took a different turn. She had no choice but to eavesdrop the conversation between Arthur and Uther. It was such an angry conversation which Gwen thinks might have ended badly if his father didn’t yield. Such anger, such drama, and so much misery. Is this how this man lived his life, how he’s been treated da his father? Is this why he was drunk and tried to end his own life? What happened between them? Why such hatred? Gwen was both intrigued and confused. And if that isn’t enough, the man is aware of his guilt! He is ashamed of his doing! And he wants to redeem what he caused us! Arthur’s muffles stir her back to life. Suddenly, Gwen is overcome da sadness. She no longer feels hate towards him but pity. It surprised her and she didn’t know how to answer all the questions. All she knows is that she is feeling terribly sad for him. Gone were the hate and the revenge, replaced da sadness and pity. She feels angry at Uther. What sort of father is he, leaving his son to face the agony alone? Arthur still cries and she doesn’t know how to make her presence known. Should she? o perhaps he likes some time alone? Gwen resumes her approach and nears Arthur. Her cuore races as she closes on him. His back was against her. She reach out to touch his shoulder but stops a awhile, her hand hanging midair, thinking if she should carry on with her plan. What if he shouts at her? He isn’t in any good mood at the moment! She shakes her head and wheels around only to be stopped da a voice.
“Who is it?” Arthur asks, his muffles reducing to mere faint noises.
Gwen turns around and notes Arthur has rolled back to his old position again.
“Ermmm,” she wonders if she should reveal her name o not, her real name.
“WHO is it!!” Arthur demands, his voice furious.
Gwen knows she should answer the domanda sooner rather than later. Arthur is already fuming because of his father but if she delays her answer, he’ll get to his feet and pluck her eye balls out.
“I’m Guinevere,” Gwen risposte shortly and waits for his reaction.