In the same thread but alternate universe with Change Means You Learn. This thread is where the DC-16 Justice Leagues, both Original and Young, have been set in the time of Merlin and Camelot. Of which I own neither the legend of Merlin, nor the show, nor do I have ANY hold with the DC universe's Young Justice. I don't own anything but the idea for this plot.
Enjoy!
JUST SOME BASIC BUT NECESSARY INFORMATION:
Bruce 'Wayne' is married to Selina 'Kyle' and they are the monarchs of Koumori Kingdom; they currently have one son: Richard. King Bruce prefers to be called High-Lord Bruce, and is a very affable and generous yet stern King; High-Lady Selina is more devious and quick-minded; their son Richard takes the traits of his parents and blends them into his own style, he is also days from turning fourteen.
The Kingdom of Koumori's crest is five Bats in a circle wings tip-to-tip. (A/N:I had to use the Bat somewhere in this thread!)
The male members of the League are the Knights of the Monarchs Bruce and Selina; Sir Kal'El, Sir Oliver, Sir Ketar'Hall, Sir J'onn, Sir Bartholomew, and Sir Arthur are King Bruce's first circle of Knights.
Lord Zatarra Fate and his daughter Zatanna are magic wielders and Zatarra is the advisor to the King while Zatanna is the Lady-in-Waiting under Queen Selina, though she is sent out quite frequently with Artemis and Conner. Zatanna is fifteen, and is Artemis' best friend.
Artemis and Conner had an arranged marriage as soon as Conner turned sixteen and are the Lord and Lady StellarHawk. Conner is the illegitimate son of Sir Kal'El, his mother now dead, when he revealed himself to Sir Kal'El, he was told his actual name is Kon'El; which he accepts, but still commonly goes by the name of Conner with his friends. Artemis is the niece of Sir Oliver, her father being thought dead and her mother crippled from a run-away horse, she just turned sixteen in this story, Conner is now almost seventeen. They are the best trackers/hunters in the Koumori Kingdom. While out tracking amongst the commoners they use the names Hawkeye and Stargazer. Conner is currently undergoing steward-come-squire to the King, and is in line to become a Knight of the Realm for Koumori.
Sir J'onn and his niece M'gann are shape-changing Fae that have found a place for themselves in the Koumori kingdom where Magic is not outlawed, but used with extreme discretion. M'gann is very naïve and has a deep affection bordering on love for Conner, who sees her affection for what Artemis calls 'puppy-love'; Artemis doesn't mind M'gann aiding them, but there are times when M'gann needs to remember that Conner is only human and she will by far outlive her friends. M'gann is centuries old, but her manner and general inexperience with the human race put most of her friends in the same ideal as Prince Richard towards her, especially as she has the ability to twist minds and thoughts not unlike the palace cook's famous braided sweet-rolls.
Prince Richard is in training to be a Knight of the realm with his best friends: Walter nephew of Sir Bartholomew; Walter is sixteen, whip-smart and annoyingly persistent, especially in his affections for M'gann, and Kaldur'ahm a distant cousin to Sir Arthur; Kaldur as he is called by his friends Conner, Walter, Prince Richard, Artemis, Zatanna and M'gann, is seventeen, same age as Conner and is closest to being knighted of the rest of his male friends.
"Come on Merlin! You could at least pick up your feet when you walk!"
"Why am I doing this again?" Merlin asked his friend/Prince in annoyance, as they (read he) cleared a small clearing for their camp.
"Because I'm the Prince and you're the servant. And we're envoys of Camelot to Koumori Kingdom."
Morgana, Gwen and some of the Knights that were following them on their way hid a smirk at the snark being exchanged between the two (friends). However, it was gaining dusk and the Camelot denizens had yet to set out camp. Thus the reason why Merlin was clearing the area for their tents and Guinevere was currently removing the cooking apparatus for their meal.
There was a short scream from somewhere nearby and the four 'friends' (I use this term loosely in regard to Morgana;) raced toward the sound leaving the Camelot Knights to either remain and set up camp, or follow at their leisure.
As they journeyed through the forest, they came across a clearing where a camp was made. In the midst of it was a young woman with long blond hair tied back in multiple braids, harshly questioning six people. There were others around her, but Morgana noted that she had the same air that her sister Morgause did.
One of the men she was questioning's eyes flared a muted gold and he began chanting, before she stuffed a piece of leather between his teeth and clouted him under the jaw.
The rest of the men she was questioning were stubbornly silent and she clenched her teeth in annoyance, turning to the men around the camp, she ordered several to bring the prisoners to the edge of camp behind the tents and separate them, tying them to trees.
She was obeyed without question.
"Hawkeye…" One of the men started, gesturing to the Camelot denizens.
She turned to face them and they took in her outfit. It was a moss-green and brown color, almost formfitting, she wore leather boots that clung to her calves in a supple way. She wore no jewelry, but a leather glove on her left arm which ended two-hands breadth below her shoulder and a band of braided leather secured on her right against the firelight they could just make out the darkened chainmail barely seen under her tunic. Bow and a quiver of arrows were secured across her back and a short-sword was tied across her hips. Across her forehead was a band of deep-forest-green fabric which was secured in her braided hair, her eyes were the color of tarnished silver in the fireside light.
A groan followed by a short scream was heard in her camp and instead of greeting the Camelot denizens, she allowed one of her men to greet them as she walked over and crouched tending to the wounded man sheltered beneath a canopy tied to three trees.
"He knows magic." Arthur said without preamble gesturing in the direction of their prisoners.
"He does, but Hawkeye took measures against it…" The man stated. "I'm Hal-Jordan of the King's Lantern Corp… Who are you?" The man had a tolerant look about him his outfit was echoed by the men around him, all were dressed in black leather with green undershirts, tunics, and/or trousers. He had brown hair that looked tousled, and bright green eyes; every one of his men seemed to share the same gaze.
Merlin noted that the man was abrupt, but friendly and well-traveled.
"I am Crown Prince Arthur of Camelot; this is Lady Morgana the King's ward, my manservant Merlin and her maid-servant Guinevere."
"A pleasure all…" Hal-Jordan said granting them a welcoming smile, though it was somewhat reserved towards Morgana. "We were about to sit down to supper; care to join us?"
Apparently, Arthur couldn't understand why this Hal-Jordan wasn't as concerned about the situation as he; "Why have they not been executed?! Magic is outlawed!" Arthur demanded, almost outraged. "It is evil!"
"Not here, magic is allowed and it isn't evil…" At Prince Arthur's look, Hal-Jordan sighed, beleaguered, and he pulled a coin out from his pocket; apparently supper would have to wait. He held it out to the Camelot Prince and showed him both sides, it was a double-headed coin, but one side had deep gouges in it, and he'd taken it from a man who was plagued by dark magic which warped his mind into two people; since he was the King's best friend, the King was devastated. "This coin represents magic; the clean head is good magic, the scarred head is bad magic. Both are part of the same coin…" He said explaining.
"And that has to do with what?" Arthur asked, still annoyed. Hal-Jordan rolled his eyes and pocketed the coin with a sigh, trying to find a better way to explain the difference between sorcery used for benevolence and sorcery that is used for malevolence.
"There is good magic and bad magic, just as there are good people and bad people… Magic is a tool that is not to be trifled with, just as your sword is not meant to be wielded by someone who does not know how to fight with it… You are a good person, who wields a sword; but say you lose your sword on the battlefield and a bad person takes it up to kill others. Does that mean that you who had to sword is evil or that the sword itself is evil? No, it is the person who changes the act which alters the effects of the act itself, not the tool."
"So, why was she questioning them?" Guinevere asked.
"Interrogating." Hal-Jordan corrected gently, "Hawkeye was interrogating them and you can't get answers from a dead man." He said answering Arthur's questioning demand about executing them.
He clearly gave Arthur something to think about when Hawkeye approached them. "Are any of you a wielder of magic?"
Merlin and Morgana stalled, unwilling to shed their secret in front of their fellow denizens.
"Why do you need to know who wields magic?" Guinevere asked.
"One of my men is dying from a curse." She said pushing fingers through her braided hair, she dragged them out when they got caught under one of the braids. "I am the only one who can approach without being affected by the curse myself."
Morgana caught sight of a glowing symbol on Hawkeye's bare forearm. "What is that?" She asked, gripping Hawkeye's arm and pulling it so that Arthur could see and repudiate this unknown woman.
"When I was born six druids and four Fae branded me thus…" Hawkeye said amenably. "It's a protection against malevolent magic that could be used against me, and those I serve."
"And just under whose reign do you serve?" Arthur asked, suspicion flavoring his words. Hal-Jordan shook his head, apparently Prince Arthur hadn't absorbed enough.
"She serves under me." Came a strong deep voice from behind them.
The denizens of Camelot turned and faced a man dressed in blackened armor and chainmail with the silver crest of Koumori emblazoned on his chest-piece. He was an intimidating man, with coal black hair, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see everything. Over his armor and chain-mail he wore a dark-blue cloak that seemed black in the shadows. None had heard him approach. Across his hips was a rather thick black leather belt on which his sword, short-sword and several other implements were attached, and it was apparent that this man knew how to use everything on his belt.
Merlin glanced behind him to note that the entire camp was prostrated, even Hawkeye had her head bowed, clearly this was a person of importance.
Merlin heard booted footsteps against the forest floor and then behind the man who earned the prostration were six men of intimidating stature with their family crest inside the silver jagged circle embossed on the blackened armor. All seven of them had their helmets held in their right arm at hip level, nearly all wore their sword on their left hip, and all of them wore the same blackened chainmail as the one who spoke. Arthur and the rest of the Camelot denizens hadn't even heard them approach.
"I am the High-Lord Bruce of Koumori, and Hawkeye, the Lady Artemis StellarHawk, is a most honorable woman of repute and respect." The first man said.
"King Bruce…" Was the mutter of Hal-Jordan, connecting the dots for the Camelot denizens.
Prince Arthur immediately bowed, as did Morgana. Merlin and Gwen quickly followed their example, as did the other Knights who'd eventually followed and caught up with them from the Camelot camp.
"These brave men are my knights: Sir Kal'El father of Stargazer, Sir Oliver uncle of Hawkeye, Sir Arthur, Sir Bartholomew, Sir Ketar'Hall, and Sir J'onn." All the knights inclined their heads at their introduction.
The Camelot denizens bowed back. Arthur spoke up, and reintroduced them.
"I am Crown Prince, Arthur Pendragon of Camelot; this is Lady Morgana the King's ward, my manservant Merlin and her maid-servant Guinevere. Camelot sends greetings and no ill will to Koumori's Sovereign or its people."
The Koumori denizens nodded and Lord Bruce clasped an arm with the Prince in welcome.
"Well met, Prince Arthur…" There was a false lightness about his voice meant to put others at ease, and it worked for Morgana and Guinevere, but both Arthur and Merlin noted it immediately.
One of the Knights with cleanly shorn head, Sir J'onn, stepped forward and addressed the Lanterns and Hawkeye. "You sent word that there are people with magic that you wish to interrogate?"
Hawkeye, the Lady StellarHawk nodded. "Indeed Sir J'onn; but first, I need your aid; one of my men was struck by a malevolent magic, and I daren't allow the men near to treat him as it is a quickly spreading curse."
"Then it is fortunate that you have the Fae protection branding…" J'onn said a smile quirking his lips. "M'gann touched your mind and is now with Stargazer to aid in tracking the men." Hawkeye nodded, understanding. He strode forward and focused on the man; "I am afraid I can do little but ease his pain. The curse hardens his blood, so he does not bleed from his dire wounds, but it also makes it so he will not live much longer. It is good that you tried to ease his pain, and that you were the only one to treat him as you bear the brand, for this curse is truly virulent."
"What curse was it?" Morgana asked eagerly, although she did try to disguise it, as it came out somewhat tremulously. Gwen placed a hand on Morgana's back thinking she needed comforting, and Arthur sent Morgana a gentle concerned look, well- as concerned as Arthur could get for Morgana. Merlin however gazed at her in wariness, she was too eager for something like that to take down King Uther; and the knowledge ached in his heart at the change in her.
Merlin noted that while his gaze was friendly with the rest of his friends, Sir J'onn and even Hal-Jordan had seemed to see something in Morgana that made them cautious of her; there was even something in King Bruce's gaze that made Merlin cautious, this King knew something, something in particular, but what Merlin didn't know.
On one hand Merlin was glad that someone else besides he and Gaius saw Morgana's new malevolence, but on the other hand, he was also concerned; how was it that these strangers could so easily see her for what she was and what she was a part of while those closest around him could not?
Sir J'onn's eyes cooled considerably towards Morgana, his features changing to reveal a green countenance but no ears and red eyes with no iris or pupil. "One that kills the caster within seconds of its placing."
"What…" Arthur asked, "What are you?" He and the other Camelot knights made no sudden moves but uneasily moved from side-to-side. This was against what King Uther had proclaimed those twenty-odd years ago, and still upheld in Camelot today. They looked to Arthur for guidance, but he made no move for his sword, especially in front of the Koumori Monarch, which Merlin was grateful for as it could have been taken as an act of war had he done so.
J'onn's red eyes changed to glow a calm gold as he focused on the dying man. "I am Fae, as is my niece M'gann," He answered simply, after placing a hand on the man's head. After a moment, he spoke turning slightly to face Artemis and the other Lantern Corp members; "I have eased his pain, what of it I could, and made it so the curse does not spread." Two of Hal-Jordan's men immediately approached the pain-filled man to offer him comfort.
It was Sir J'onn's preference to appear more human, with a darker complexion than that of his King; as it made speaking with outsiders easier, but in this instance it was no longer needed to retain his human complexion and appearance.
One of the Knights with a Hawks Head within the bat-circle turned to the Lady StellarHawk, and addressed her; "Where is your husband?" He was a broad man, not as broad as Sir Kal'El, but still broad across the chest. He had dark brown hair and fierce yet kind black eyes, and he had a rather large mace strapped to his belt opposite his sword.
"And what happened?" Sir Oliver asked striding forward toward his niece; Arthur noted the four arrows aligned within the circle so that the tips of the arrow-heads touched, the short sword that the Lady StellarHawk wore had the same emblem. He too was blonde, which included his mustache and short-beard around the chin and his eyes were green; he was thinner than all the knights save Sir Bartholomew. But across his back, he too carried a longbow and quiver much like his niece, but his sword, at a second glance, was secured upside down into the base of his quiver; which was odd, Arthur considered.
King Bruce looked expectantly towards Artemis StellarHawk and she immediately began her report:
"Stargazer and myself and the Lantern: Chaucer, were on reconnaissance when were attacked by thirty men." She answered readily. "We slew twenty, and captured six for interrogation, allowing only four to escape; Stargazer, my Lord StellarHawk, is following them now back to their stronghold. Unfortunately, Chaucer- the Lantern whose pain was eased by Sir J'onn, had been cursed during combat, and it did kill the caster…"
Hawkeye directed that towards Morgana, who looked chastened at the pointed mention. "Once my Lord StellarHawk went after the four, Hal-Jordan of the Lantern Corp arrived and approached lending he and his men's aid. Of the six we captured, two know magic, and one placed a compulsion on the other four when I tried to question them. That was when Prince Arthur, Lady Morgana, Merlin and Guinevere came across us…"
A merlin flew into the clearing then, and transformed into a young woman with green skin, freckles and auburn hair; she looked to be around Hawkeye's height, and after she was in her human form, she was dressed in a blue and black dress with red and white embroidery around the collar and hems. It was apparent that this was Sir J'onn's niece, although her appearance didn't startle the Camelot denizens as much as her uncle's did.
"Conner said that he's found the stronghold of these men, and after he went inside after the four he tracked there was nothing. I tried to use my powers to find them, but I couldn't find anything…"
Hawkeye turned to face her, "M'gann, did you have Conner leave the stronghold?" she asked her abruptly.
The Camelotians looked on in confusion; who was Conner and what had happened to Stargazer, or Lord StellarHawk for that matter?
"N-No…" The young woman stuttered. "W-why?"
One of the knights answered; "M'gann, because of the Sidhe curse placed on my father, those of my line cause the magic around us to echo… While remaining impenetrable as a consequence." This knight was Sir Kal'El and he had what looked like a stylized 'S' within the circle emblem. He was slightly taller and more broad than the High-Lord Bruce, and had black hair and blue eyes; but he had a different aura surrounding him, giving him an otherworldly feel: gentle strength and understanding coupled with fierce protection.
"S-so…"
"Go back and trace the magic once more. If Stargazer stays there any longer, all traces of the magic will dissipate." High-Lord Bruce told her.
"At once my Lord." M'gann said with a slight bow, and this time she formed herself into a dragon for speed and flew off.
"Did anyone think to cover the pot when M'gann arrived?" Hal-Jordan asked his men with tolerance as to the situation.
A stocky red-head nodded and raised a hand; "I did, sir."
"Good lad Jimmy!" Hal-Jordan cheered. "Now we don't have to worry about picking leaves and pebbles out of our stew like last time!"
The Knights of Koumori chuckled as two of Hal-Jordan's men escorted the six prisoners forward. One had a rather harsh looking bruise on the tip of his chin.
Hawkeye glared at the six men, four of them blanched and moved backwards to avoid her wrath, while the other two looked either petulant or obstinate as they glared at Hawkeye.
Lord Bruce chuckled darkly and the six men instantly started sweating.
"Hawkeye, there is no need for you to interrogate these sycophants, allow me…" Lord Bruce said ominously; his dark cloak drifted over his shoulders seemingly by itself and he stalked towards the men before looming over them.
Hawkeye merely bowed in the direction her sovereign and turned away to speak with one of the other Lanterns.
Sir Kal'El and the other knights of Koumori merely stood to the side as their King interrogated the men, Kal'El only stepped in once which seemed to work well as soon the men were broken and telling all.
Merlin's eyes turned toward Hawkeye, the Lady StellarHawk, and saw her approach the doomed man. He was silent now, and the other Lanterns looked somber. Hawkeye placed a hand on his chest and then after a moment placed her dagger across his mouth and beneath his nose. With a pained motion, she sheathed her dagger and closed the man's eyes and placed his hands across his chest in a resting position. "Be at peace dear friend, I thank you for your kind and generous service to myself and to the kingdom… May the gates of Avalon open to you Chaucer of the King's Lantern Corp.…" She said and then stood.
One of the Lanterns handed her a shovel, at which she moved a slight distance and began digging a grave. Sir Bartholomew approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She understood and handed him the shovel as Sir Ketar'Hall lent her a hand out. Sir Bartholomew had already handed his cloak to Ketar'Hall and was rapidly digging. As he did so, the Lanterns were readying the man for burial.
With the minions thoroughly interrogated, Lord Bruce turned from the men, allowing the other Lanterns to remove the men to the forest. He gestured for Hawkeye to approach him and leaned to give her the information she sought.
She nodded once she understood the information the her sovereign imparted to her and then she handed him a small scroll which he didn't read immediately and instead tucked inside one of the many compartments that were looped onto his belt but not limiting his movement nor the drawing of his sword.
It wasn't long after the interrogation made by the Koumori sovereign and his first knight, Sir Kal'El, that there was a change in the group dynamic.
Suddenly Hawkeye grasped her bow, notched an arrow and shot into the trees; a distinctive "OW!" was heard followed by a young groan.
"Hawkeye, I must ask you to not shoot at my son." Lord Bruce asked with forbearance.
Hawkeye merely nodded in understanding to her sovereign. He smiled slightly at her and approached his first circle of knights. Sir Bartholomew had finished digging the grave and was helped out by Sir Ketar'Hall and was busy dusting off his armor when he turned to the people emerging from the shadows of the woods.
"She…Um, wasn't aiming for me father…" said the voice of a boy, he had deep blue eyes and dark black hair cut cleanly lending his young looks a mature bearing; he came out from the shadows and beside him were two of his best friends: a lanky boy with red hair in a shaggy cut clutching the back of his head; and another, older than both- he had dark skin which complimented his bright blonde hair cut close to the skull and crystalline eyes; it was he who spoke next.
"She hit a rock outcropping and caused one stone and one stone only to clack loose and hit Walter on the back of the head." The Koumori knights shared a brief laugh at this, apparently it was a common occurrence for this type of thing to happen; and it caused Guinevere and Merlin to share a smile.
A small whirlwind appeared in their midst and a young woman was revealed. She was slightly younger than Lady Artemis and had mid-back-length black hair and piercing blue eyes; she was dressed in a pleasant yellow dress embellished with black, white and blue embroidery.
"Zatanna, what are you doing here?" Prince Richard asked startled. Merlin and Guinevere noted that there was a startled warmth in his eyes.
"I have a note for Artemis from the High-Lady Selina…" She said in explanation and she handed the scroll to her with a grin.
As she handed it to her, Zatanna whispered several words under her breath to Hawkeye, nodded and then quickly departed with a lowly spoken spell, leaving the area in a flash of light.
At her coming and going Prince Arthur had to restrain himself. This wasn't Camelot, magic was welcomed here and if he was to think as the Koumori denizens were implying, then magic itself was not the evil his father had denoted, rather the weapon that was chosen.
Hawkeye read the note and swore near-silently, before bidding her apologies to the King and his Knights, before leaping onto her horse and cantering off into the night.
"What was that about?" Merlin asked, not thinking that he would actually get an answer.
"Hawkeye and Stargazer are two of the Kingdom's best trackers…" King Bruce said, "It does not happen often, but occasionally she receives notice from one of her contacts and in order to save the Kingdom, she and Stargazer take action immediately."
"Stargazer is her husband?" Morgana asked.
"He is; and they are a formidable team…" Sir J'onn stated.
"But in this case," One of the other knights, Sir Ketar'Hall started, "I believe that Lady StellarHawk forgot something of extreme importance…"
"And what could that be?" Sir Oliver asked his friend.
It was 'Jimmy' who gestured to the Prince subtly, the Camelot denizens saw it and so did Sir Oliver. The young Prince was too busy avoiding a hair-ruffle from his friend Walter to notice the subtle gesture and went unawares.
Silently, the knights understood, the young Prince Richard would be turning fourteen in two days and Artemis StellarHawk had been coerced by the High-Lady to aid in planning the Prince's party. As well as Hawkeye performed her work in the field with her husband, her event-planning skills were unparalleled.
The Camelot natives were in the dark, but Jimmy whispered just loud enough for them to hear, "Prince Richard turns fourteen summers this anniversary of his birth two days hence." He cast a glance subtly toward the Prince, whom had been summoned to his father's side and was being spoken to in a low voice.
Minutes later M'gann showed up with a young man who was apparently Stargazer. He was tall, just under six feet, with black hair and blue eyes that matched that of his father. He was broad across the chest, but more compact muscle-wise. He wore the blackened armor and chainmail that all here seemed to wear, except his chain-mail had no 'sleeves' showing the shirt he had under it, his shirt was a deep blue-black which almost covered the whole of his arms; over the sleeves of the shirt, he wore blackened bracers, which were embossed with the stylized 'S' that his father had for his crest. His breeches seemed to be echoed by Merlin's, but in an umber shade which tucked into the legs of his boots. Across his back was a large circular shield with a blackened covering so it was hard to tell what it was decorated with; he had a sword strapped across his hip along with a short-sword and dagger.
Both Morgana and Guinevere looked on him appreciatively.
M'gann looked to him adoringly, but he approached the Koumori Sovereign. Whereupon Stargazer bowed to High-Lord Bruce, "Your Majesty…"
"Lord Kon'El StellarHawk, what is it you have to report?"
"Upon interrogation of those I followed, we determined that the leader of these rebels was a former Court Jester, known to most kingdoms in the Provence as Joker, and his wife Harlequin. They use magic to craft their woes for the people here, unfortunately, because he does use magic we were unable to trace his whereabouts, it is unlikely that he ever had face-to-face contact with these louts." Stargazer reported to the High-Lord.
Then Stargazer looked about; "Where is Hawkeye?"
Sir Oliver answered, "My Niece was summoned by the High-Lady, and left post haste."
Stargazer shared a quick glance with the young Prince Richard, and sighed. It was a well-known fact that Hawkeye was asked by the High-Lady Selina to plan Prince Richard's party; the High Lady and High Lord Bruce's knights were the only ones that didn't know that Prince Richard already knew.
()~()~()~()~()~()
I'm not sure if I should continue this or not; my muse was egging me on the entire time until I got to this point…
I hope you enjoyed this interim side-story/one-shot/idea!
JoWashington