Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin it and its characters rightfully belong to The British Broadcasting Corporation. (The BBC) I also do not own the song Never give up that is featured in this chapter, it rightfully belongs to Alexz Johnson and the owners of So Weird, the T.V show on which the song was originally featured. I am not making any profit from writing this story, it's just for fun. This story contains an original character of my own creation her name is Celeste. She is the only thing in this story I claim any right to!
Author's Note: In this story Arthur will have a twin sister, Celeste. I am aware that Arthur's mother lost her life so that Arthur could be born and that it shouldn't be possible for Celeste to exist but all will be explained throughout the course of the story. So please just give it a chance!
Chapter one: Brought Together by Destiny
Celeste Pendragon stood on the balcony of the castle she called home looking down at the crowd of people below. A man was about to executed and a whole host of people had gathered to watch- Celeste couldn't help but feel sickened, she couldn't understand how so many people could find watching someone die entertaining.
"That could be me" Celeste thought with a shudder as the executioner cut the man's head from his shoulders in one swift movement. "If my father ever finds out that I can do magic"
Celeste was brought out of her musings by a high-pitched heartbroken wail that sounded through-out the main square. An old woman stepped out of the crowd.
"No my son!" she yelled before turning accusing tear-filled eyes on Celeste's father. "You killed my son and you will know my pain by the end of these celebrations sire! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a son for a son"
Celeste stepped closer to her elder brother as if to shield him from the women's threatening words and seconds later her father called for the guards but it was all in vain for as soon as the command left her father's mouth the women began chanting and disappeared before the guards could do a thing. With a nod to her father and brother Celeste turned on her heel and walked back inside, trying to quell the feeling of dread that was sweeping over her.
Later that evening Celeste could be found lying on her bed staring at the ceiling unable to sleep. The feeling of dread which had appeared after the execution had not gone away, it had only gotten stronger.
"Something big is going to happen" Celeste thought as she rolled over and blew out the candle that was burning merrily by her bed. "I just hope I'm ready for it-whatever it is"
The next morning while she was dressing Celeste's attention was drawn to the window. Peering over the top of the screen she was dressing behind she saw her bother throwing daggers at a servant carrying a target.
"Oh Arthur you Prat, what are you up to now?" Celeste thought disappoint welling up inside her.
Dressing quickly Celeste headed down to the court yard to give her brother a piece of her mind. When she got there however she found the situation already somewhat in hand. A black haired boy (Celeste thought of everyone who wasn't at least thirty as a boy or girl) was telling her brother off! Intrigued, Celeste hid behind a nearby wall and decided to only intervene if she felt it was needed.
"Come on that's enough" the boy told her brother.
"Excuse me?" her brother said his voice taking on an incredulous tone.
"You've had your fun my friend" the boy said.
The servant who her brother had previously been using as a moving target took this as an opportunity to run away. Not that Celeste could blame the poor guy.
"Do I know you?" her brother asked taking a step closer to the black-haired boy.
"No I'm Merlin" the boy replied before he offered his hand to Arthur to shake.
"Merlin huh?" Celeste thought "Interesting"
"So I don't know you then?" Arthur asked ignoring the pre-offered hand.
Merlin shook his head.
"Yet you called me friend" Arthur said
"My mistake-sorry" Merlin said dropping his hand.
"Yes it was" Arthur agreed
"I'd never had a friend who could be such an ass" Merlin said a cheeky grin appearing on his face.
Celeste gasped and brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle the laughter that was threatening to burst forth.
"Nor I a friend that was such an idiot" Arthur retorted before looking around in search of the servant who had ran away a long time ago. "Well" he began as he turned his attention back to Merlin "It seems you've lost me my target boy Merlin, so you'll have to take his place" Arthur smiled and began to advance on Merlin.
"I wouldn't if I were you" Merlin warned as he backed away.
"Oh?" Arthur asked slightly intrigued. "Come on then Merlin let's see what you've got"
Merlin looked hesitant.
"Come on" Arthur jeered.
Merlin still didn't move.
"Come on" Arthur jeered again.
Still, Merlin didn't move.
"Come on"
Merlin threw a punch at Arthur's face, which Arthur easily blocked, before pulling Merlin's arms behind his back.
"I could have you thrown in jail for that" Arthur told Merlin his lips curling into a victorious smirk.
"Who do you think you are?" Merlin demanded struggling against Arthur "The King?"
"No" Arthur responded his smirk still in place "I'm his son, - Arthur"
"Time to intervene" Celeste thought "tormenting the innocent again big brother?" she enquired stepping out from behind the wall. "Really, as the future king of Camelot you should know better"
"He called me an ass" Arthur defended.
"And you were using poor Gregory as a moving target again!" Celeste said a note of anger creeping into her voice. "The servants are here to help you! - Not to be your amusements!"
"Oh spare me the lecture Celeste!" Arthur groaned
"I WOULDN'T HAVE TO LECTURE YOU IF YOU WOULD BEHAVE WITH SOME CLASS ARTHUR!" Celeste said hotly her temper raising.
"What do you mean by that?" Arthur demanded
"I mean that these people around you are your subjects, they are just as important as you are, without them there is no Camelot" Celeste replied. She then opened her mouth to continue only to have a wave of dizziness sweep over her.
She stumbled forward and Arthur caught her before she could fall, his expression changing from anger to worry in an instant.
"What's wrong Celeste?" Arthur asked a small amount of worry creeping into his tone.
"Dizzy" Celeste moaned out before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she lost consciousness.
Worried, (although if questioned upon it he would later deny it) Arthur gathered his sister in his arms and made a dash for Gaius the court physician's chambers. Merlin decided to follow for even though the guy was an ass, he obviously cared about his sister, and besides he wanted to thank to girl who had probably just saved him from a very long of sitting alone in the castle dungeons.
"Gaius!" Arthur yelled as the two boys entered the court physician's chambers "Celeste passed out!"
The elderly physician looked up from his work.
"Lay her down on the bed" he instructed before making his way over to them.
"Well?" Arthur demanded as Gaius stood up after examining his sister "What's wrong with her?"
"I cannot say sire" Gaius responded "there is no sign of fever and it can't be lack of food for you yourself had breakfast with her this morning did you not?"
"No I didn't" Arthur said "I was going to but then father called me away"
"Ah" Gaius nodded "then we have the answer, all we need to do is make saw she eats something when she wakes up"
"I'll go down to the kitchens" Merlin volunteered speaking for the first time since they entered the room.
"Thank you Merlin" Gaius said "That's very helpful"
"Yes" Arthur agreed "Thank you"
"No problem" Merlin said before darting out of the room "maybe he's not such an ass after all" he mused as he made the way down to the kitchens.
When Merlin returned ten minutes later with a tray holding a bowl of porridge and a goblet of milk Celeste was already awake, sitting up in bed, propped up with lots of pillows and squirming under her brother's accusing stare.
"How could you be so stupid?" Arthur asked angrily
"I wasn't thinking ok?" Celeste shot back folding her arms and glaring up at her brother.
"Food's here!" Merlin said figuring that he'd better interrupt before a fight broke out.
"Ah good" Arthur said taking the tray from Merlin and placing it on his sister's lap "Now eat!" he instructed
Celeste rolled her eyes before picking up a spoon and eating the porridge.
"Didn't know you cared so much" she muttered in-between bites.
"What was that?" Arthur asked lowly
"Nothing big brother" Celeste replied looking up at him innocently and then in order to change the subject she asked "Don't you have knights to train?"
Arthur sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yes" he replied before dropping a kiss on his sister's head "try and stay out of trouble while I'm gone"
"Of course Big Brother you know me" Celeste said
"Yes" Arthur replied as he made his way out the door "unfortunately I do"
Celeste threw a pillow at him but it only hit the door as Arthur closed it.
"Better luck next time Celeste!" Arthur yelled as he made his way down the corridor, having heard the soft thump of the pillow hitting the door.
Celeste's response was to childishly stick her tongue out at the door.
"You know" Merlin began twenty minutes later after Celeste had finished eating "you aren't like other princesses"
"Oh?" Celeste asked raising a delicate blonde eyebrow "And how many other Princesses have you met?"
"None" Merlin admitted "but I doubt any other Princesses would stand up for a commoner like me"
"What exactly did you do Merlin?" Gaius asked looking up from his work again briefly.
"Arthur was using Gregory as a moving target again, Merlin told Arthur to stop" Celeste answered "but then he bit off more the he could chew by calling Arthur an ass"
"Merlin!" Gaius scolded
"I didn't know he was the prince Gaius" Merlin defended
Gaius sighed.
"Well in any case we both owe you a debt my lady" he said.
Celeste waved a hand in dismissal.
"You owe me nothing Gaius" she said. "Nor you Merlin" she added when Merlin opened his mouth.
"Thank you anyway My Lady" Merlin said.
Celeste nodded, excepting Merlin's gratitude but then said,
"My name is Celeste Merlin, use it."
"Right" Merlin nodded. "Celeste"
Celeste then proceeded to get out of the bed, momentarily forgetting that she had a half full goblet of milk on her lap and as she moved the bed covers she tray tumbled to the floor taking the goblet with it. Without out even thinking about it Celeste reacted, her eyes flashed gold and the goblet stopped mid fall, its contents freezing in mid air.
Gaius gasped and Merlin gaped, realizing what she'd done Celeste forced herself to blink, effectively breaking her magic's hold on the objects and sending them crashing to the floor before turning wide, fearful, grey eyes on Gaius and Merlin.
"It's not what it looks like!" She exclaimed.
"How long have you been able to do that?" Gaius asked, shocked.
"I haven't!" Celeste denied, panicking. Then, seeing they weren't buying it, she sighed and flopped back on the bed.
"Ok go on, go tell my father" she said resigning herself to her fate.
"I won't do that" Merlin said finally snapping out of his shock.
"Why?" Celeste questioned puzzlement and fear lacing her voice.
Merlin grinned.
"Because that would make me a hypocrite" he replied.
"You mean you're like me, you can do...magic?" Celeste questioned the last word coming out in a squeak.
"Yes" Merlin replied grinning.
Celeste's eyes sparkled with hope. Maybe she wouldn't have to hide it so much anymore, maybe Merlin could help her learn to control it, maybe she and Merlin could became friends!
"Could you teach me?" she asked hopefully "could you teach me to control my magic?"
"Sure" Merlin agreed. Causing Celeste to squeal uncharacteristically and throw her arms around Merlin's neck whispering thank you over and over again."But remember I'm still learning myself"
"Then we'll learn together" Celeste said as she pulled back a beaming smile on her face. She then gave a wave to a bemused Gaius and left the room.
The next morning Celeste was strolling around the main square thinking about the strange ominous voice she heard calling to her last night. Her thoughts were interrupted however when she heard a crash. Eyes flying to the source Celeste saw Merlin and Arthur fighting with maces. [AN: they are also called fails]
"Not again" she thought as she made her way over to the scene.
Fortunately or unfortunately depending on whose point of view it was from Gaius arrived at the same time she did, distracting Merlin and giving her brother the opportunity he needed to end the fight.
"Do you ever learn?" Celeste asked her brother exasperatedly as they entered his chamber ten minutes later.
"Learn what?" Arthur asked his sister sullenly
Celeste sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Never mind" she said giving up. "Just think before you act next time will you big brother?" and then without waiting for an answer she opened the door and strode out letting it slam in a very unladylike way behind her.
Celeste made her way to the training yard where she proceeded to break a block of wood into smithereens by punching it repeatedly until she was left sweating and panting for breath. This was how the Lady Morgana found her a little while later.
"Arthur being an idiot again?" she asked as she handed Celeste a silken handkerchief to wipe her face with.
"Yes" Celeste replied as she wiped her face before handing the handkerchief back.
"Spar with me?" Morgana asked a smile forming on her lips.
Now, to anyone who didn't know the two royals this may have seemed an odd question to ask. Considering that they'd probably think that Morgana was being cold and insensitive but the smile that curled its way onto Celeste's lips would have told them otherwise.
"Sure 'Gana" she replied "That sounds good"
The two royals sparred until dinner when they went their separate ways. Morgana to her chambers and Celeste to get changed to join her father and Lady Helen for dinner; an event which both her brother and Morgana were refusing to attend, Morgana because she was protesting against the celebrations Lady Helen had been summoned to sing at, and Arthur because he was still sulking in his room.
Lady Helen was every bit as beautiful as Celeste had been told but something seemed off about her although Celeste didn't know what.
"You will sing for us" Celeste's father all but demanded
"I am saving myself for tomorrow" Lady Helen denied
"Well then perhaps Celeste would be so kind" her father suggested
"You sing?" Lady Helen asked looking surprised.
"A long time ago" Celeste replied
It was true; in her younger years Celeste would sing all the time and enthral both dignitary and commoner with her voice but one day she just stopped and no one knew why, not even her father. So Celeste recognised the prompt to get her to start singing again but she just couldn't.
"If you'll excuse me Sire, Lady Helen, I am suddenly feeling tired so I shall take my leave now" Celeste said standing up and exiting the room.
Celeste managed to make it back to her room before she broke down, sinking to the floor as sobs raked her body and tears soaked her cheeks turning the makeup she was wearing to turn into a splodgey mess.
Night had fallen by the time Celeste composed herself; and the voice was back.
"Celeste" it called "Celeste"
Against her better judgement Celeste decided to seek out the voice so she quickly changed into some less extravagant clothes and left her room. Imagine her surprise when she ran into Merlin on one of the lower stairwells!
"It call you too?" She asked
"If by 'It' you mean the invisible voice then yes it did" Merlin replied
"Shall we continue on together then?" Celeste asked "there's strength in numbers after all"
"Sure" Merlin agreed "I'd like that"
The voice led them deep into the bowls of the castle to a guarded doorway. Well the guards were currently playing a game with some dice but they would still stop them if they tried to just walk by.
"I could just order them to move" Celeste suggested in a whisper as they ducked down to avoid being seen.
"I have a better idea" Merlin grinned "Try using your magic"
Celeste frowned but peeked over the top of the stairwell they were hiding behind in order gain a clear view of the dice the guards were playing with, she them raised her hand slightly and willed the dice to move. The dice obediently rolled off the table. When the guards bent down to the dice up Celeste moved her hand slightly to the right and willed the dice to move again. She did it again, and again, and again until the dice (and the guards chasing them) were all the way down another corridor!
"That was fun" Celeste said as she and Merlin went through the now un-guarded door.
Merlin chuckled, his voice echoing down the hollow passage they were now walking down.
"I'm glad" he said.
The two stopped when they came to the entrance of a cave.
"Hello!" Merlin called "Is anybody here?"
"Yes" the voice that had called them here responded and much to their shock a dragon swopped down and settled on a rock opposite the cave entrance.
"Good Lord" Celeste gasped
"How small you to are, for people who carry such a great destinies" the dragon remarked.
"What do you mean?" Merlin asked Celeste nodding in agreement to the question at his side
"Your gifts were given to you for a reason young ones" the dragon replied.
"So there is a reason" Merlin breathed
"Your brother is the once and future king that will unite Albion" the dragon told Celeste.
"Right whatever you say" Celeste agreed her voice dripping with sarcasm
"But he faces many threats from both friend and foe" the dragon continued ignoring Celeste's last comment.
"And what does that have to do with us?" Merlin asked
"Everything" the dragon replied "You two are the ones the prophecy spoke of"
"And what exactly does this prophecy say?" Celeste asked not liking where this was going.
"Two soul mates shall be born, one a princess blessed with magic, the other the son a commoner who is destined to became the greatest warlock the world with ever known, together these two shall guide and protect the once and future king and one day magic shall be free once again" the dragon recited
"No you're wrong dragon" Celeste said
"There is no right and wrong young princess, only what is and what isn't" the dragon replied.
"Well this isn't" Celeste said coldly "Look dragon, I love my brother but he's too much of a Prat to be this great once and future king"
The dragon laughed.
"Perhaps it is your destiny to change that" it suggested before flying off.
"Wait!" Merlin called "We need to know more!"
But the dragon did not return.
"Stupid overgrown lizard" Celeste muttered as she turned to go "Good night Merlin, I shall see you at the celebrations tomorrow night"
"Err yes good night Celeste" Merlin responded as she walked away.
The following evening found Celeste in the banqueting hall in quiet conversation with her brother and Morgana. The sound of trumpets signalled her father's entrance and everyone took their seats. Arthur sat to the left of her father's chair, Celeste to the right with Morgana next to her. Celeste's father strode into the Hall and began to speak.
"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity; it has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare to the honour of introducing- Lady Helen, of Mora." The end of her father's speech was met with applause and all gazes turned to the stage.
When Lady Helen began to sing Celeste realized immediately that something was wrong. Everyone was falling asleep! Celeste clamped her hands over her ears in hopes that she wouldn't fall asleep also and when she looked to the end of the hall she saw that Merlin had done the same.
"You know what you need to do Celeste" said a voice in her head.
"I can't" Celeste whispered
"You can!" argued the voice
Hands still clamped over her ears, Celeste began to sing.
"There's a voice that I can't see" she began her voice soft barely audible "Sometimes in dreams, it calls to me" she held the note, an old fire beginning to light in her grey eyes. "I hear a voice, but no one's there, it says be strong, you'd best beware" she held the note again gaining her old confidence back. "It's up to you" she held the note and began to sing up. "You've got to choose, Are you gonna win, or are you gonna lose?" She stood up her held high and continued singing. "You've got to never give up, no, never give in, you've got to get back up again, You know, you've got to be a fighter, if you're ever gonna win" She held and raised the last note before letting go of her ears and punching the air before singing "Hey!" As Celeste continued singing she walked round the table to face Lady Helen. "You've got to never give up no, never give in!" Determined grey eyes locked with angry icy brown as Lady Helen also continued to sing, causing cobwebs to form on the sleeping people. Desperate to save her people and family Celeste started on the second verse of her song. "When something tries to pull me down, I'm feeling weak, I can't go on," the last note wobbled as Celeste felt the eerie magic Lady Helen seemed to suddenly presses crash over her, So she tried to fight back with her own, by pouring it into each note she was singing. "From way down deep comes something strong, I feel those words carry me along!" Celeste's eyes glowed gold as she fought the foreign magic of her. "It's up to you." She held the note as her voice went back to normal "You've got to choose, Are you gonna win? Or are you gonna lose?" Completely back to the way she used to be Celeste continued to sing, this time as a distraction to allow Merlin to end the spell. "You've got to never give up," she shook her finger playfully at Lady Helen "no, never give in and when you fall down you've got to get back up again, You know, you've got to be a fighter, if you're ever gonna win" Holding and raising the last note Celeste punched the air like before singing "Hey!" Magic was flowing off her in waves now slowing the eerie magic and making the cobwebs begin to disappear "You've got to never give up no, never give in!" she held the note a happy smile breaking out onto her face. "it says be strong, you'd best beware" as she continued singing a look of rage passed over Lady Helen's face as her cobwebs disappeared completely "It's up to you." She held the note once more; despite the situation she was having fun! "You've got to choose, Are you gonna win? Or are you gonna lose?" Celeste sang that line directly at Lady Helen as though she was asking the question to her. "You've got to never give up no, never give in!" she continued as Lady Helen grew angrier "and when you fall down you've got to get back up again, You know, you've got to be a fighter, if you're ever gonna win!" she held and raised the last note before punching the air and singing "Hey!" once again. "You've got to never give up, no, never give in when you fall down you've got to get back up again, You know, you've got to be a fighter, if you're ever gonna win" Celeste held and raised the last note before punching the air and singing "Hey!" one last time before finishing her song "You've got to never give up no, never give in!" the last note rang clear throughout the banquet hall and seconds later Merlin used his magic to bring the chandelier down on top of the now irate Lady Helen, effectively breaking what was left of the enchantment.
Celeste quickly ran back to her seat as everyone began to wake, shooting Merlin a smile as she did so. Merlin returned her smile with a grin of his own and a silent massage passed between them.
"We did it"
"What happened?" Arthur questioned his words slightly slurred.
Celeste was about to answer him but was distracted by Lady Helen's stirring figure. Looking over she saw that it wasn't Lady Helen at all, but the old woman who had promised to avenge the death of her son! Then Celeste's sharp grey the glint of a dagger but before she could act the woman hurled the dagger at her brother! A scream lodged in her throat, Celeste watched in horror as the dagger hurtled towards her brother! But then it froze and Merlin appeared at Arthur side tugging him to the floor before the now unfrozen dagger embedded itself the back of Arthur's chair.
Now able to move again Celeste flew to her brother's side and checked him for injuries, finding none she breathed a sigh of relief before peppering his face with sisterly kisses.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again Big Brother!" She scolded in between kisses.
Arthur, unused to this display of affection from his sister, sputtered and attempted to push her off him.
"Celeste stop it!" he complained "Celeste!"
"Not on your life you Prat" Celeste responded her voice shaking slightly "I thought I was going to lose you!"
Arthur snorted.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily" he said before reaching up from his position on the floor and kissing her head.
"Good" Celeste grinned getting up and dusting her dress off before pulling both of the boys to their feet.
"You saved my boy's life" Celeste's father murmured as he came out of his shocked stupor.
"It was nothing Sire" Merlin said "really"
"Nonsense" Celeste's father argued "You shall be rewarded"
"That's not necessary Sire" Merlin said but Celeste's father wasn't listening,
"From this day forth you shall be Prince Arthur's Manservant" he declared.
"Father!" Arthur cried in dismay as the people around them began to clap, causing Celeste to begin to chuckle.
"Oh be quiet Celeste" Arthur grumbled before heading off in the direction their father had gone presumably to try and persuade to un-appoint Merlin.
"Yes big brother" Celeste choked out before turning to Merlin and saying "Congratulations Manservant"
"Thanks" Merlin grinned "I think"
Celeste grinned back.
"You're welcome" she said "I'll see you later Merlin"
"Yeah" Merlin murmured as she turned away from him and began to mingle with the guests "Later"