Book 2
As a hand shook me awake, my hand instinctively closes tightly around the dagger hidden beneath pillow, ready to strike at whoever threatened me. Once I realized it was only Gwen, I released it and began to breath normally. I knew it was a bad habit, but I just couldn't sleep without it there, and even then it was only a small comfort. It didn't keep the nightmares away. It was the same one nearly every night. I just kept seeing her face, Kayla. Watching her die before my eyes repeatedly like it was a sports replay. Nothing Gaius gave me helped to chase the dream away. I suppose it would be something I would have to live with until the day I died. Some things you could never forget.
Reluctantly, I climbed out of bed and moved to the stool in front of my vanity, though I really could do with a few more hours of sleep. Dark circles had formed under my eyes the past few days, giving away my exhaustion due to lack of sleep. Gwen combed through my hair, helping me get ready for the day. After refusing her nearly every time, she had finally given up on trying to dress me up, allowing me to wear simpler things. It was no use trying to dress up anyways. All I had left was a title now that Tahara was overrun by Raul. Arthur tried arguing with me, promising we would reclaim it as soon as the threat against Camelot was dealt with. Though, that wouldn't be happening any time soon
Recently, I began spending most of my days alongside the knights. I was there whenever I could. Henry frowned upon me training with them, but I honestly couldn't care less about his opinion. He only cared about how my behavior reflected on him.
Most of the men treated me as a kid sister, especially Arthur. It was a comfort I wasn't willing to give up for the sake of propriety and expectations. I had gotten pretty good with a sword since I had first begun. I had even given Arthur a run for his money a few times, though I still haven't managed to best him. Not yet at least.
Luca, Riley, and Celso had also made their way to the safety of Camelot, reaching it just days before us. Riley had been trying teaching me to shoot a bow, but I was terribly clumsy with it. Though, since he wanted a way to thank me for helping them escape, I wouldn't deny his persistent attempts to make me at least decent archer. At any rate, it was a distraction from everything else. Just another way to keep myself busy. Beyond that, Riley was good company. A good and patient listener, but a great sense of humor and source of wisdom as well.
Luca was currently staying with Gaius, trying to recover from some internal injuries he sustained from Raul. But the worst had passed for him, and Gaius assured me he would live and in a matter of time be just as strong as before.
Many Taharan refugees had come to Camelot for protection as well. They revered me as their warrior queen, no longer a china doll of a princess, no matter how much I tried to discourage it. It wasn't uncommon to see young girls sparring with long sticks, pretending to be me. Whenever I went to visit among them, the children would flock around me, asking for stories of battles and adventures. It was quite flattering, but there really wasn't much to tell of my heroic deeds. Nothing I wished them to aspire to, at least. So instead I indulged them with the tale how we escaped the city, and my impending marriage. Though I tended to avoid telling many people about the marriage part, though. I hated thinking about it at all, much less talking about it.
Sadly, Elsa wasn't among the camp. Not a single person I asked knew of her. I was worried for her and the other stubborn people we left behind that had refused to evacuate. I knew that woman would rather die then abandon the castle. It was her home. I wish it was mine. Everyone else had magic induced memories of me growing up there, but they weren't real. I didn't have a place to truly call home.
When I found my way into the courtyard I caught a glimpse of a patrol leaving through the gates. Uther had doubled the numbers of patrols since the threat of invasion, not wanting to take any chances. He also insisted I stay within castle walls unless accompanied by Arthur or several of the knights, and even then I wasn't allowed to step foot out of the city. The old me probably wouldn't have listened, but now I did what I was told more often. This worried a few people, thinking my captivity had changed me, but they could think what they would. I choose my battles carefully lately. I rarely even fought with Arthur anymore, even for fun. Something about the threat war looming over you made you forget about silly squabbles. They weren't important, and were only immature.
From the courtyard, I made my way to the armory, taking my time. I never really could settle on a weapon to stick with. Since I lost the sword and daggers Kayla had given me, nothing else felt right in my hand. It was hard to explain, but that blade had felt like an extension of my own arm. It was a part of me. Anything else was too heavy or light. And no other blade seemed to be the same length for me. So I ended up with something different every time, unable to claim anything as my own.
Deciding to skip swordplay all together today, I picked up a belt and stocked it with throwing knives. Perhaps a bit of target practice would sooth my anxiety.
Out on the field, my first throw lodged just shy of the second ring, with not much better luck on my second try. I forced myself to calm down, slowing my heart rate. I took a breath, releasing it as I exhaled.
Bullseye.
I continued to throw until my supply runs out, then I go to retrieve them. A hand reaches over me, helping to remove them from the wood. "Given up on the arrows yet?"
I smile, not turning to face the person behind the voice. "Hello Gwaine." He dangles the knives he had plucked off in front of my face. I take them and place them back into the belt. "Thank you. Are you not on patrol today?"
"No, not today. Arthur thought I could use a break to rest."
I nod and back away from the target, a few yards farther away than before. Turning my attention back to the target, I bury another knife in the wood. Gwaine whistles loudly. "Quite impressive. When did you learn to throw like that?"
I had learned while in captivity. Raul didn't only give me instruction with the sword. He had wanted me to be a versatile fighter. A better, sharper weapon for his own use
Before I could answer, I'm knocked off my feet by a enormous mass of fur. I shriek in surprise, trapped beneath it. Something wet and slimey slides across my face. I try to shove away the beast, but it won't budge, not even an inch.
"Merlin, I thought I told you to hide him from her, not allow him to tackle her!", shouts Gwaine, though he sounded quite amused.
"I'm sorry, but that dog has a mind of it's own! You try keeping him tied up instead of having me mind him.", he says defensively, looking entirely exhausted and yet very comical. His hair was spiked at awkward angles and stayed there, cemented by the dogs' saliva. He looked as if he had been bathing in its slobber.
Merlin grabs the dogs' collar and drags it off of me. Laughing, Gwaine helps me to my feet. "Sorry. He was meant to be a surprise."
I giggled, crouching down to pet the large animal. He was a German Shepard, and a very friendly one at that. He licked my hand, trying to get at my face again. "Trust me, I was plenty surprised."
He grins, a little shyly. "He's yours. Meant to be for your birthday, but I suppose I can let you have him early."
My birthday? Had I really been so distracted I'd forgotten about it? But he was right, now that I thought of the date, tomorrow I would be seventeen. But how had he known that? I never told anybody my birth date, much less expected a gift.
"Mine? You honestly didn't have to do that."
"But I wanted to. His name is Kenji, but you can rename him if you want. Since you insist on putting yourself in danger constantly, I thought you might at least consider taking him along when I can't be there." At the mention of his name, the dog tilted his big, brown head at him curiously. He didn't look very vicious to me, but I loved that Gwaine had cared enough to do this for me.
Ecstatic, I threw my arms around Gwaine. I'd never had a pet before, thanks to my mothers allergies, but had always sworn to get a dog as soon as I had my own house. "I don't think I can thank you enough! He's perfect!"
As I practiced some more that afternoon with Gwaine, my new dog stayed loyally at my side. Wherever I was, Kenji would be. I knew that Gwaine had meant for him to be a guard dog, a way to protect me when he couldn't be there personally, but he was so sweet I couldn't see him hurting a fly. Though, then again, I wouldn't want to be attacked with his teeth instead of his drool. Not to mention he was massive.
I was enjoying spending time with Gwaine as well. We never really had just been able to do so when he wasn't on duty, unless you counted the time in Tahara when I had fallen asleep on the steps. I was disappointed when Riley and Celso came looking for me, out of breath and yelling me to come quickly.
I picked up my skirts and hurried after them, a thousand situations ran through my head of what could have happened. Gwaine hurried at my side, his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword.
When they duck into the tavern, I nearly wanted killed them. "You could have told me it wasn't anything bad.", I say irritably. Kenji, catching onto my mood, whines and pushes himself closer to my side, nuzzling into my skirts.
Riley shrugs. "That would depend on your definition of 'bad', highness."
"Then what's going on?"/
Without replying, they push farther into the room. I ignore the whistles and calls from drunken men, beckoning for me to join them. I shoot one of them a disgusted look as he tries to approach me, but that was nothing compared to the look he got from Gwaine. I clutched a knife hanging from my waist, but he was smart enough to back off, going back to his friends who were cackling at his rejection.
Shouts of a pack of men are deafening. I groan as Riley pushes his way through the tightly packed crowd, all circled around a fight. I follow, elbowing my way through drunken mob, keeping my hand on the hilt of a knife just in case. Much to my annoyance, at the middle of that fight was my dear Uncle Henry, drunk as a sailor and in a rage, ready to kill off anyone that came near him.
That took a bit longer than I expected. I didn't really have time to write much. So if that was confusing to you, that would be because this is a sequel. The original is 'When Camelot calls' which you can find on my profile. Speaking of, I'm working on revising the first several chapters. *cringe* I didn't realize how drastically terrible my writing used to be compared to now. And welcome back to my readers from my previous story! I hope you stick with me! (And I promise the chapters will get longer).
