Cortana screamed to alert their small army of knights and soldiers, along with a few servants, as they were ambushed by enemy soldiers. Arthur flung himself in front of her as a man double her size barreled at her, of course attacking the seemingly weakest link. Arthur chopped him down and prepared for the next attacker as Cortana composed herself and got into the right mindset, her head swiveling as she looked for Merlin who was holding her weapon for her on their journey.
"Cortana!" She heard Merlin call to her from nearby.
She looked over to see Merlin hurl her bow and her quiver of arrows to her. She caught them mid air and Merlin went back into battling his best with his limited sword experience. She slung the quiver across her body and pulled an arrow taught in her bow, joining the battle. By now, there were dark clouds above them in the woods off the beaten path. She heard Arthur yell for her to run and hide, but she didn't listen. Arrow after arrow, she managed to hit every soldier that tried to join the battle from the woods, she kept them from joining in. She would scramble to collect each arrow after the target was killed and fire again, choosing her next targets carefully.
Once she had taken care of the stragglers, she took to the higher grounds, climbing a medium sized tree so she was just above the mens' heads. She fired arrow after arrow into the crowd, aiming for those trying to attack her beloved friends. She took careful aim as she pointed an arrow at the back of a soldier attempting to engage Arthur and took a deep breath, hoping the man wouldn't suddenly move, causing her arrow to find Arthur instead of his back. She drew in a breath from where she was crouched, leaning on the tree trunk with feet carefully balanced on the brach and released the arrow.
The tension caused the string to hurl the arrow forward and in the blink of an eye, the man was falling forward, the arrow expertly piercing him. Arthur staggered back, looked confused for a moment, then looked up to see who it was that had helped him. He smiled a brilliant and loving smile at her when he saw her up in the tree, her bow already slinging another arrow. She smiled back at him and they both put their minds back into battle. It wasn't long after that Cortana had run out of arrows, choosing to do something very dangerous, she dropped from her tree, picking up a fallen sword and slung her bow across her shoulder, just like the quiver. She darted into battle, collecting whatever arrows she could and defending herself with the sword. She heard some shout her name and Gwaine was behind her, slicing down a man sneaking up behind her.
"Better watch your back, my sweet lady." Gwaine said with a dazzling smile and engaged another attacker. Gwaine and her were back to back, each attempting to defend one another to the best of their abilities. After much battle and effort, a man swung in with his sword, which she parried, but his other hand drew in before she could block it, grabbing the bow that was being carried around her body, pulling her from the safety of Gwaine's protection, snapping the bow and causing her to drop her sword. She screamed as he took a dagger from his belt and thrust it into her abdomen. She went wide eyed for a moment, looking up at the man with doe like eyes. She heard Gwaine shout for her, once he realized she was no longer there with him, it was only a matter of time before he would see her and realize what had happened.
"Cortana!" He shouted in anguish. There it was, he saw her. She couldn't see him, her back was to him, but she knew from his voice that he could see what had happened.
She opened her mouth to say something to her attacker, but she couldn't find the voice to do so. He sneered at her, a smile on his face and tossed her aside, pulling the dagger out of her in the process. She felt as if she was moving in slow motion, her vision blurring ever so slightly as her head hit the ground, bouncing a little bit. She wondered how long she'd been lying there because it felt like not much longer later, she was rolled onto her back and looking up at the sky. Her view was blocked by the face of Arthur, his face twisted with fear for her and pain but none less handsome.
"Cortana! Cortana!" Arthur shouted to her, shaking her a bit, his voice was slightly muffled but soon cleared. Merlin's face entered her view, and the Gwaine's. The other knights and survivors crowded around her, but they were the only 3 that mattered.
"Merlin! Do something!" She heard Gwaine bark.
"I can't!" Merlin shouted back, his face red and tears falling down his cheeks.
She lifted her head a little and raised her hand that laid on her stomach, it was drenched in blood. She expected to feel seering, white hot pain. Truth was, she felt like she had a stomach ache, like when she was a child. She let her hand drop, sliding off her now blood stained clothes to her side. Arthur tore off a good chunk of his cloak and wadded it up, applying it with pressure over her abdomen. He stripped her of the cracked quiver and splintered bow that still hung around her, so he could hold her better.
"Cortana..." He said through tears. "You're going to be alright."
"Once we get back to Camelot, Gaius will patch you right up and you'll be just fine, Correy." Merlin said, using his nickname for her with a tear filled smile. He shook off his jacket and covered her upper half with it, trying to protect her in her last moments. How sweet, they were trying to reassure her, but she knew as good as them, she was going to die. She shook her head and parted her lips to speak.
"I think we bot know what is going to happen to me." She said, her voice usually sweet and melodic, now cracked but none less beautiful.
"No, no, Cortana.." Arthur said shaking his head franticly, tears streaming freely. She shushed him lightly and raised a hand to his face, cupping his cheek, he leaned into her touch, covering her hand with his.
"Shh... Don't you fret, my Arthur, my love." She said with a smile gracing her lips. "I don't feel any pain."
Arthur looked up from his tears into her eyes and she heard his ragged, tear filled breaths. The sprinkle of rain soon soaked her from head to toe and everything around her. Arthur ordered for something to keep her dry, but she let out a small chuckle.
"A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now." She said softly, just wanting Arthur to hold her. "You're here, that's all I need to know."
Arthur parted his lips to speak, but Cortana laid a finger over his lips.
"You will keep me safe." She said, her voice cracking. "And you will keep me close." Her eyes left his as she looked up to the sky, gray clouds above her and rain falling. "And rain will make the flowers grow."
Arthur's hand found her cheek and moved her head so she looked at him once more. Sternly, he said, "But you will live, Cortana, my betrothed- dear Gods. If only I could heal your wounds with my words of love."
Cortana let out a series of strained and soft coughs, burying her face into Arthur's tunic, her hand scrunching a fistful of the fabric as she tried to surpass the pain.
"Just hold me now, let it be." She said into his shirt, just loud enough so that all four of them could hear. "Shelter me, comfort me... please."
Arthur wound his arms around her upper half tighter, pulling her so that she was cradled in his lap. Merlin and Gwaine both applied pressure to her wound.
"Cortana, listen to me. You're not going to die here, just hold on. We'll live a hundred years together, I'll find a way, I won't let you go now. I won't desert you." He said close to her face, using one hand to brush her wet hair that clung to her face. "Where's that rain cover?!" He called again angrily through his sobs, looking back into her eyes after he was was done yelling.
"The rain can't hurt me now." She said again with a chuckle. "It'll wash away what's past. Now I'm safe, now that I'm close to you, I'll be able to sleep in your embrace at last..."
She smiled a long, almost goofy grin and looked into Merlin's eyes, giving him a small, friendly wink. Then to Gwaine, who winked at her, flashing a handsome grin, trying to play off like nothing was wrong.
"The rain is blessed, it brings me closer to you. Once the skies begin to clear, I'll be at rest. I'll be a breath away from where you are, I've come home from so far- So don't you fret, my love, my Arthur."
She saw the others huddled around the edge of her vision, the few women in the group were crying and the men holding them, fighting their own tears. She smiled at the servants, soldiers, and knights in the group she knew so well. She'd always been kind to them, she had spent so much time with them after all, she raised her head a little.
"I don't feel any pain." She said again, reassuring those around her. "A little fall of rain, can hardly hurt me now."
"Hush-a-bye, dear Cortana, my love. You won't feel any pain, I guarantee. A little fall of rain, can hardly hurt you now." Arthur said in a low voice, repeating her words back to her. A small, sad smile graced his handsome face.
this display invoked a couple of sobs from the group as they looked on at her. She could feel the wetness of the blood spread from the pool on her stomach and she knew it was only a matter of time.
"I'm here." He said with a sob, holding her closer.
"That's all I need to know." Her voice cracking only a little. She used one hand to pull Arthur's head toward her gently and craned her neck to meet his lips, which he eagerly and tenderly did. The kiss lasted for a couple long moments. "You will keep me safe... and you will keep me close..."
"I'll stay with you until you fall fast asleep." He said, completely pulling all her wet hair from her face, planting a long kiss on her forehead. His body jolted slightly with each sob he fought hard to control.
"And rain.." She said in a breathy voice, trailing off.
"And rain..." Arthur said shortly after her, sobs wracking through his body.
"Will make the flowers..." they said together, he waited for her to finish the sentence. She squeezed his hand gently and then slowly went limp. His eyes widened, never leaving her face as her kind and sweet smile faded to a ghost of one and her eyes unfocused.
"...grow..." Arthur finished kissing her now cold lips gently and softly, his voice full of pain and anguish for his lost love. He buried his face into her shoulder, hugging her close. He sobbed her name, rocking her gently.
Gwaine sat back onto the dead and broken leaves surround them and covered his face with his hands, trying not to sob. Merlin laid a hand on Arthur's back and rested a hand on Cortana's lifeless body. If only there was something he could do.
"She was the only one of us to fall..." Merlin said in a crackled voice.
Gwaine stood up slowly and shakily, composing himself and turned to face the small group of people. He opened his mouth to address them, but closed it slightly, trying to find his voice and words. He soon found them.
"Her name was Cortana. Her life was cold and dark to begin, but she was unafraid." He cast a look down at Merlin, Arthur, and now lifeless Cortana. Her eyes were now closed and her head lulled back slightly, being supported by Arthur's hand.
"We will fight in her name!" A manservant she knew called from the crowd and held his sword skyward, invoking other swords to rise, agreeing shouts rose with them.
"She will not die in vain!" A knight who she had become friends with on the trip shouted and another sword rose up, many others rising with it. More shouts and hoots of agreement filled the forest.
"She will not be betrayed!" Her friend, Lancelot, shouted from the front line, pumping his sword into the air. Now everyone shouted in agreement and not a single person remained still. They were all riled up to avenge her and do what they all set out to- take back the lower territories of Camelot.