Chapter 7

Morgana had not seen Arthur in four days. She had rung him, went to his apartment, asked Merlin and his friends where he was, went to his office; but the harder she tried to reach him, the more invisible he seemed to become. There was no trace of him. Morgana grew worried and often waited helplessly in her store, hoping that his handsome figure would walk through the door along with the familiar ring of the bell.

What have I done? Morgana found herself asking in the emptiness of the last days. Was Arthur ignoring her because she refused to hear his explanation at the wedding? Was he embarrassed and thought that their relationship was so broken it was beyond repair? She constantly thought of different possibilities, only imagining the worst.

Morgana desperately wanted to find him and apologise for her quick judgement on the matter. She hadn't allowed Arthur to explain the situation before, and after realising that, plus hearing what Gwen had said that he had done, regretted everything and blamed herself.

Throughout the week, as it was drawing to an end, she did not give up her search to find Arthur. The flower he had put next to his note on the pillow had long withered, but she had kept the now scrunched note in her pocket, always on her person.

She longed for him to be with her. Her life had dulled, almost stopped, in his absence. Even though their romantic relationship was brief, she missed his touches, his soft tender kisses, his natural comforting smell; it was all gone.

The photographer from the wedding had kindly sent her a lot of pictures; one of her and Arthur walking down the aisle was her favourite. It had captured perfectly her reaction to Arthur's quick whisper of 'by the way, you look beautiful' into her ear. What she loved in particular was that she had the unusual opportunity to actually see what his face was like when he had said that to her. Morgana studied his expression endlessly. It held compassion, although slightly cheeky and flirtatious, but he seemed to have a slight peachy blush on his cheeks, almost like how a little school boy would act around his crush. Morgana smiled at his vulnerable state, sad that he would and could never feel the same way again towards her. She sighed, picking up her phone to ring Arthur's number for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Hi, you've reached Arthur Pendragon's phone. Sorry I can't take your call at the moment but if you'd like to leave a message, then I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks, beep," the voicemail sounded through the phone. Morgana hung up, not wanting to leave him yet another pathetic message. He surely was getting irritated by them, that was if he had actually listened to them. Just hearing his voice made Morgana upset, stinging her eyes with tears. She stood up, and walked through the door behind her desk which led to another room full of boxes of books, and then to an alleyway behind her shop. It wasn't a nice area, full rubbish bags left on the side against the wall, empty cardboard boxes, but it gave her some air at least, away from the books which just made her feel crowded.

She leant her back against the cool stone, a nice contrast to the summer heat. Her eyes closed, as she started to imagine the dream again that she had of her family with Arthur. It was perfect. A life she wanted to be reality, but she knew now it could never become that. It would always be a dream to her; a dream that could have been but one that she had also ruined.

Ding

Morgana's eyes cracked open.

"Arthur?" She said to herself. Morgana, unusually clumsily, stood up straight off the wall, trying to sprint back to the door that led back into her shop. A cardboard box, which she was convinced wasn't in that place when she first came out, stood in her path. Her foot kicked the box with its movement, slowing her down with an unsteady next few runs. After managing to get back inside, and foresting her way through the mounds of spare books, another ding was heard again. Either the person had left, or another had entered.

"Arthur?" She called again, breaking through to the other door and into the actual shop area.

It was empty.

She scanned the room for a trace, and after being unsuccessful of finding any life, dropped into her chair. She spun aimlessly around, and then suddenly, something caught her eye on the desk. How had she not noticed this before?

A single green flower lay on the wood with a small piece of paper wrapped carefully around its stem. Morgana delicately picked it up and read what was written on the paper. It was from Arthur. She immediately recognised the handwriting.

'Stone of friendship.'

But what does that mean? There was no stone. What on Earth was Arthur talking about?

Morgana jumped out of her seat, running to the entrance door and looked down the street to see if Arthur was still there, walking down. He wasn't.

She went back inside and dropped her body on the chair again. 'Stone of friendship.' Was that a way of saying that he only wanted to be friends now? What was this stone thing anyway?

Morgana put her head on the desk, trying to think of a million things at once.

The café.

The café down the street. It just seemed like a place to go. She had met Arthur nearly every day there when they were well…friends? She scowled herself for not thinking of it before, maybe he had gone there because he knew she would think to go there herself after leaving her this message and flower.

Morgana grabbed her coat from behind the chair, putting it on as she walked through the door after turning the sign to say 'closed'.

She almost sprinted down the road, trying not to get her hopes up too high.

She composed herself and straightened her coat before entering, just in case he was there.

Nope.

There was absolutely no sign of him.

A waitress smiled at Morgana from behind the counter. Great, now she can't leave without being utterly rude. She tried to give her the friendliest smile she could muster in return and sat down at a table. Morgana ordered a quick drink, the waitress coming back shortly after with a tray in her hands. Morgana was looking out the window as she put the coffee onto the table.

Morgana whipped her head round.

"Thanks," she said, and looking down at her beverage.

There was a purple flower on her saucer with another bit of paper wrapped around the stem.

She looked back over to the waitress who had her backed turned to her.

Morgana read the bit of paper that was in Arthur's handwriting, again. Arthur had been here before her? Was he leaving her trail or something?

'Stone of sincerity.'

What? What was with this stone of something thing?

She decided she would go back to her book store and check a book for stone meanings.

Morgana gulped down the boiling hot liquid, burning her mouth and throat with a reluctant swallow. She chucked a few coins onto the table and sped off back down the road.

She drove down the aisle she knew the book was, her eyes scanning for its spine. She found it, but on top of it was a blue flower with yet another note.

'Stone of courage. Park.

Park. He had not yet said anything else other than 'stone of …'. He wanted her to come to the park. Of course she would go! How could she not if he was possibly going to be there?

She went as fast as she had come from her shop to the park outside the busy area of the city. The day was darkening; the sun was being swallowed gradually by the industrial buildings that reflected the orange light.

Morgana rushed through the old gates into the green area, slowing to a walk as she looked around. Her heart began to slow like her pace as she couldn't see him anywhere. Despite the beautiful afternoon turning into evening, there was a small amount of people in the park. She turned her head back to the gates, hoping he would be magically standing behind her. Her soft curls blew into her face as she turned back around, the gentle breeze blowing her worries away as she saw him.

The light complimented his features, his hair literally shining golden. Morgana was so shocked and relieved to him. She had missed Arthur more than anyone could possibly imagine. He wore a soft smile to not seem intrusive but held his stance for Morgana to do as she pleased.

She wanted to cry. It was overwhelming. There were so many things she wanted to say, so many things she wanted to ask but how to approach him and initiate this was a whole new problem Morgana had to face. She started with a smile, mirroring his own.

"You came," he almost whispered.

"Of course I did, I've missed you," she said with a hint of bemusement.

"Morgana, I wanted to say-" but she interjected.

"No, I wanted to say sorry to you Arthur. I was the one who got angry at you whilst you were apologising and explaining yourself. Gwen told me what you said to your father…" She paused. He raised his head slightly and stiffened at the memory. "Why would you do that for me? I own a book shop, you're a multimillionaire with a family business you will inherit some day. You could have such an amazing life but why would you continue to want to stay and be with me? I'm nothing special." She gasped, holding back tears.

"Yes you are, you're the brilliant woman I met months and months back, who initially hated me because a bought your last copy of a book that you were reading. You've changed my life in more ways than one, you have taught me to be compassionate and forgiving, loving and caring," he started walking slowly towards her. "But most of all, most importantly of all, the fool who you hated, the fool who became friends with you, the fool who teased you endlessly…the fool who fell in love with an angel and became a man who is standing hopelessly before that angel with a flower and a note."

Morgana looked down from his enchanting eyes towards an orange flower with the familiar parchment curled around its green stem. Her breathing had stopped as he became sinfully close to her but now this just drew every breath out of her.

"Stone of healing," Arthur read.

"But..?" Morgana breathed, her teared soaked eyes looked confusedly into his.

"Four flowers to represent-"

"Four days…" she whispered. "The four days we missed together…" He smiled as she understood.

"Stone of friendship," he said.

"Peridot."

"We started out as friends," he continued. "Stone of sincerity."

"Amythest."
"My feelings were sincere – all of my feelings… Stone of courage."

"Aquamarine."

"Despite my foolish actions at the wedding, your courage to still be a better person inspired me. And finally, stone of healing."

"Amber."

"I hope that I can heal any wounds I may have caused and make you love me again?"

"I never stopped."

That was enough; the tears cascaded like a waterful down her pale cheeks. His lips crashed down onto hers, creating more energy than radioactive substances.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Arthur said, rummaging through his coat pocket. He pulled out a rectangular box and carefully passed it to Morgana's slim hands. She gazed at him, almost wanting permission to open it.

"Go on," he encouraged lightly. Her fingers traced the rim of the box to its opening side, the navy velvet feeling soft beneath her touch. Ever so slow she open it, making herself wait in anguish. What lay inside was breathtaking. It meant emotion. It meant beauty. There lay on a delecate silver chain was an infinty symbol made up of amythest, peridot, aquamarine and amber.