Down...
Down...
Down.....
Down.
Anika's fear of the deep sea would have only increased after this experience. If she even made it out. Arthur was unconscious even with his strong, athletic build. What would it do to Anika?
Anika watched as Arthur's body reached the surface and saw when the knights bring him to shore. She smiled. She finally made someone's day. She saw the sharks surrounding her, she could even feel the water pushing her in every direction due to their fast movements. A gleam caught her eye. She covered her eye with her hand. But when she removed it it was still there.
There in the grime and dirt of the water, was a sword. It wasn't much but it could give her a little more time. She swam to it and picked it up. It had gold linings and was a beautiful piece, even it the water it felt even and light.
A shark came near her and she quickly jabbed at it with the sword. The instant it touched the sharks flesh, the shark tore into pieces and blood pooled all their vision as it's blood dyed it all red.
She stabbed another shark, then another, then another. One by one Anika was taking the predators down and even managed to get one megalodon.
She began to swim up, the sword in hand and glancing in every direction every 10 seconds.
Morgana panicked. "Nononono. She's a strong swimmer. How could she could have sunk just like that!" She exclaimed and Merlin held Morgana's shoulder. "It'll be fine. We know Anika." He looked around at the knights and they nodded. "She's feisty." Percival stated. "And stubborn." Elyan said. "She won't let some water kill her." Leon added. "Yeah she'll beat death." Lancelot bent down to were Merlin was. "And before you know it she'll be drinking too much and laughing again." Gawain added. "So don't worry Morgana." Merlin patted her back.
He knew Anika could survive. But he still worried. A ball grew in his throat and a pit formed in his stomach as time ticked by. He was scared. He was. No matter how many times he reassured himself that Anika would be fine, he still had that one thought that reminded him Anika was still human. She wasn't inevitable.
And just as that thought began to grow and take over his head, his best friend, his partner in crime, Anika threw herself into the shore. Everyone gasped and sighed at the same time. Both in relief and surprise.
She gasped and panted for air as she pulled herself up. Luckily she was in shorts and had a shirt covering her. One thing Merlin noticed was the sword in her hand. It was bloody and was undoubtedly the one he had thrown into the lake months prior. It was the excalibur. The one the dragon warned him mustn't be used by anyone but Arthur. The one he hoped would never be found. The one that was thrown into the once murky water that would have been impossible to find. It was now in her hands.
The knights helped pull her more onto shore and bombarded her with questions. She didn't answer any of them but instead asked one of her own. "Is he alive?" She had began to rip off a price if her shirt. "Who?" Lancelot asked. "Arthur." She groaned as she moved her wounded leg. It had deep bites made by large teeth. It made those looking at it FEEL the pain just with a glance.
"Oh Arthur's fine. But what happened?" Gawain asked but she ignored him focusing on herself.
She balled up a piece of her shirt and put it in her mouth. She bit down in it and took the ripped piece of cloth, wrapping it around her wounded leg. Her groans and moans in response to her tightening the cloth around her leg were muffled by the cloth in her mouth. She was applying pressure to the wound to stop the loss of too much blood. She rested her head on her knee. From where we sat we knew she wouldn't accept our help but watching her in pain made us feel worse. She was the toughest of us all and to see her look so vulnerable was very unusual. Imagine what it would have done if we were the ones who had gotten bit.
She tied it and spit the cloth out of her mouth. She laid down, her face red and tears running down her cheeks. She breathed heavily and after a while it calmed down.
She licked her lips. "Sharks... megalodons... pulled me down and bit... my leg." She took in a breath. "Arthur grabbed me... but... it didn't work. We went... down. Sharks... everywhere. I told him... go. He listened. Then sword. It... kill... everythi..." she trailed off and her eyes shut. Her chest went up in down as a sign she was still breathing.
Morgana and Lancelot went to her side and each if them grabbed a hand. I didn't know Anika knew Morgana. She never mentioned her. But Morgana did seem to care plenty about Anika.
The knights stood up. "I'll get the prince." Percivil said and patted the dirt away from his armor. He picked up the prince and looked at Lancelot. "You can get Anika. They need to rest well." Percivil and all the knights were way more serious than Merlin had ever seen them.
It was clear they cared deeply for their prince and their friend. Arthur was like a brother to them. And Anika... she was like a mother in a way. She took care of them putting their health before her own. Kept them well trained in the days she was a trainer. She made them laugh. Was there when they needed help and assisted in any way she could. It must've been that she didn't have anyone who was there for her much. She had no one to give her love to. And now that she does she doesn't think she needs for it to be returned. And though they may not act like it with the playful insults and pranks, they all deeply cared for Anika.
They forever would. But all they could do now was hope she lived for them to love her while she breathed.