Through the Eyes of a Friend.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
It's like an entire story in one, don't know if it works or not.
She didn't like it when the boys teased her.
They said girls couldn't fight, not with their fists and certainly not with a sword. As retaliation she punched one of them in the nose. She really didn't like it when the girls teased her for acting like a boy. She really couldn't help it with all brothers in her family. She didn't care what they said, she would train and practice and one day she would fight beside Prince Arthur himself in Camelot.
As she got older, she forgot about her dream of fighting beside the prince and the knight but she kept practicing. At the age of eighteen she could beat anyone with a sword in her village. At this age, her father demanded that she marry the son of a neighbour, the same boy she had punched all those years ago. He still deserved a punch.
So that night she ran.
She ran away until she reached the gates of Camelot that morning. The place was huge. The lower town was filled with people, more people then she had ever seen in one place and the castle was as majestic as it sounded in the stories she had been told.
She didn't have any where to stay but she was the kind of person who could work with what she had.
She had been minding her own business when her shoulder collided with that of a boy around her age. To this day she is adamant that it was his fault. He was the one who told her to watch where she was going. He had arrogance about him, maybe it was well earned from the way the other boys with him treated him. He was their leader, that much was clear, but at that moment, to her, he was an annoying fly who was trying his best to piss her off.
She can't remember what she said to him; something about sticking his head in manure, but it caused him to pull his sword from his belt. He says now that he only meant to scare her; he did not expect her to take out her own sword and proceed to fight him.
Half way through the fight she felt someone pull her back by her shirt. She turned looking around to see a man in a knight's uniform, his brown hair flying in the breeze and a cheeky smile on his face. She looked to see that the boy had been pulled back too...by the Prince. Arthur was scolding him, almost like a brother tells off a younger sibling. She found out later that this boy was a squire to Arthur himself and was one of the best sword fighters in the kingdom.
The knight, who Arthur had called Gwain, escorted her to the court physician's quarters where she met an elderly man who bandaged her arm from the cut she had received. The man frowned at her and rambled on about how people were just fling swords about these days with no sense.
She didn't know how to respond to that.
Although she had no trouble arguing her opinion, the man seemed to show some care for her. Even Gwain had stayed, leaning against a table nearby. She heard the door open behind her and she turned to see a skinny, blue eyed man walk into the room.
Merlin, he was called.
Gwain told him in earnest about how this girl-yes a girl! - had nearly beaten a future knight of Camelot. Merlin grinned at her and she found herself smiling back. He congratulated her and asked her what she was doing in Camelot. Without meaning to, she spilled out her whole story to them and when she was finished, they stared at her for a moment. Then Gaius had suggested that she help Merlin with his duties. He was always complaining that he had too many anyway. Merlin looked ecstatic at this idea and she found herself quite happy with it as well.
So it was that she found herself, months later, staying with Merlin and Gauis, helping Arthur and his knights. She had made a home for herself in Camelot. She started her day in the kitchens, mostly helping Gwen with food and washing. The afternoon was spent with Merlin and Arthur, helping with the knights. She was even aloud to wear a shirt and trousers that were tailored to her size.
She found herself spending more time in the company of the infuriating squire she had fought before. He argued with her and she argued with him until Arthur made them apologise. The squire was angry that this girl had become as close to Arthur and Merlin as he was and she just found him arrogant.
Yet, when Arthur and Merlin were away on their many quests and gone for days, he would sit on the steps of castle with her looking out at the courtyard, waiting for their mentors to come home safe.
It was when they were gone on theses quests that she noticed Gwen's worry for Arthur. She had heard rumours that they were together but you couldn't always trust them. One day, one quest, she found Gwen sobbing in her house. She was startled because Gwen one of the strongest woman she knew. But she sat beside her and put and arm around her until she stopped and smiled her thanks.
She was there also at their wedding; she remembered having to help Merlin home because he had had too much to drink. She was standing in the hall a few weeks later when Arther was crowned King and named Gwen as his Queen. Uther was far too weak to be King and he just waved his hand at them, letting them be.
She had been in Camelot for about a year when she realized that Merlin had magic. She caught him levitating some books back onto the high shelf in his quarters. The books fell to the ground with loud thuds while the two people stared at each other. Merlin looked like he wanted to say something but she could only concentrate on the one thought in her head.
If he was caught, he would leave her.
Merlin was her best friend, her older brother. He had so many people to help, he couldn't be caught. So she just smiled and shrugged and Merlin, getting the message, relaxed and smiled.
Finding out the secret set her catapulting into many adventures. Instead of staying away from the quest she went with them, under the disguise that Merlin needed help and she was a genius with a sword. The squire was then added to their party at Arthur's request. Arthur said another sword man was needed yet he mumbled something about how now they wouldn't sulk on the steps.
She had been told stories about Morgana. She was a powerful sorceress, who would stop at nothing to see Uther and Camelot fall. She first met Morgana in a forest with Merlin.
A dangerous beast had been attacking Camelot and Merlin had brought her with him to track down the one controlling him. Morgana was standing in front of a small river, her magic allowing her to see Camelot in its reflection. Morgana looked at them when she heard Merlin call her name, the picture disappearing. Morgana smirked at him but then caught sight of her. Morgana frowned and looked at Merlin in question.
She was used to those looks. She was younger then Merlin but not that much, people used to think she was near for another purpose. But those looks had stopped long ago, when people knew that Merlin was her family, nothing more.
But Morgana looked at her with a dangerous look in her eye, a look that had her putting her hand on her sword. Then Morgana looked at Merlin with something strange on her face. Something that looked like betrayal.
At that moment she didn't know why Morgana would look at her friend like that. She was the dark to his light, as Merlin had put it one day earlier. Merlin looked back at Morgana and said she was a friend, a sister figure. She saw Morgana relax just slightly and then Merlin asked her to call off the beast. Morgana smirked again and refused.
Merlin sighed, as if he was tiered, and replied in the most cryptic way. She can't remember all his words but it was along the lines of him asking her if she was tiered too and if so couldn't she just stop. Morgana's face fell in that moment and she was surprised when the sorceress mumbled out that she wished she could. And if she could, would he be there for her?
She looked between them in confusion, realizing that there was more to their past then she was told. Merlin smiled at Morgana and replied that he would always be there for her.
Then they heard a rustling and a blonde woman stepped out from the shadows. Morgana's mask slipped on and the blonde woman walked to her side, calling her sister. Merlin swore quietly and the blonde woman turned to him, making some quip about servants sticking their noses into important business.
She and Merlin barely made it to safety.
The beast was killed and as she stood once again on the steps of Camelot, she realised that Morgana may had controlled the monster but her sister controlled her.
Weeks passed and Merlin didn't know that she knew where he sneaked out to at night. She had followed him the first time and had seen him. She saw him meet Morgana. She heard him beg her to get away from Morgause. And just when she thought to leave this private conversation between two enemies that weren't really enemies, she saw them kiss.
It was a kiss that bled desperation and love at the same time.
So she left and didn't mention it to him.
Just two years after she had arrived at Camelot, she was walking home late from a training session with Arthur's squire. She was teasing him, reminding him that he was just a squire still while he retorted that at least he was going to be a knight someday. They reached to door of her and Merlin's quarters-Gauis had retired months ago and got his own room-when they heard urgent whispers.
They stopped at the top of the hallway, the torches flickering on the wall. Merlin and Morgana were standing in the doorway, Morgana's red cloak wrapped around a small bundle that she was trying to put into Merlin's arms. They stood there in silence and caught small sentences about keeping someone safe and not telling anyone. Merlin sighed, knowing he wouldn't convince her of anything and he cradled the bundle in his arms. Morgana looked down at it in adoration, as if its contents were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She looked at Merlin one more time before tearing herself away from him and hurrying down the hall. Merlin let the tears fall down his cheeks and he stepped into his quarters and shut the door.
She pulled the squire around and, balling her fists into his shirt, she ordered him not to say a word, or she would finish what she started the day they met. The squire looked at her and took her hands in his. She started to squirm under his gaze, and he smiled softly and told her to be careful. Then he let her go and walked down the way he came.
She only realized then that he quarters were on the other side of the castle but he still walked her all the way there.
Shaking her head, she walked quietly to her quarters and opened the door. Shutting it behind her, she saw Merlin quickly look from the bundle, which was lying on the bed, to her at the door. She smiled at him and shrugged, giving him the same message she had before.
She walked forward and saw that the bundle held a little boy, barely older then one. He was awake and looking at her with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Well no she had seen eyes like his before, as had she seen his jet black hair.
Merlin sighed and explained.
His name was Michael and if Morgause was around him anymore, she would have him turned evil. And Morgana wouldn't let that happen to her son. So she gave him to his father and broke her heart in the process.
She didn't know how they would hide a toddler but they managed it for a few days. She suspected that Arthur, Gwen and the knights knew. All of them were looking at Merlin with different looks on their faces; how they all found out she didn't know. Maybe it was intuition on some part; Gwen and Arthur's daughter was born shortly after Michael.
But Camelot was facing Morgause's threat. You could feel it in the air, the tension crackled at every moment. Mordred had joined forces with Morgause and the crazy boy-she would call him a boy, he was much younger then her- wanted Camelot as much as she did.
A battle was called, both sides getting ready for war. Her squire was going into battle beside Arthur and his knights the next day.
She cried for so long at this, cried like she hadn't in years.
She distracted herself all day helping with the preparations. They wouldn't allow her to fight but she knew she could still help.
It was late that night when she returned to her quarters to find Merlin with a bag packed and her squire by his side. She questioned them and Merlin asked her for something for the first time since she had seen him walk through the door nearly three years ago.
He begged her to take Michael and the Princess Catherine and run. He wanted her run away from Camelot and hide. Her squire would go with her and protect his and his friends' most precious loves.
She agreed.
The four of them were gone by morning.
For days afterwards she remembers the faces' of three distraught parents and the way Merlin held onto Michael until the last second while Gwen and Arthur had repeatedly hugged and kissed their little girl.
They never stayed in one place for too long, just enough to hear news about the war. Arthur had been losing until Merlin had revealed his powers.
Right in the middle of the battle field, he just took out an entire chuck of the clay army Morgause had summoned. Morgause looked like someone had slapped her, according to reports, while apparently Arthur had muttered something about knowing it all along.
The battle waged on and she and her squire kept moving on. She kept thinking that he really should be a knight by now if he had not gone with them.
The children were four now and people always gave the two of them funny looks. None of them even looked the same though, Michael's black hair and pale skin contrasting with Catherine's golden locks and tanned complexion.
The story was that they were all siblings, avoiding the war but not many believed that she and her squire were related.
It was a few months after the children turned five that news of the war had ended. She told her squire to stay with Michael and Catherine while she went to the castle. He looked at her but nodded. He had humbled over the years while she had also learned to control her temper.
Nearly the same day, seven years after she had first stepped foot in Camelot, she walked through the now ruined gates.
There was no one around.
When she reached the courtyard she stopped. Her chest tightened and tears sprung to her eyes.
The showdown had happened here.
She hurried to one body after another, checking for a pulse but found none. First Arthur, then Gwen, Gwain, Lancelot, all of the knights. Tears blurred her vision and she nearly collapsed to her knees when she saw Morgause and Mordred. She walked over to their still figures and did nothing. What had they brought all this on Camelot for? For nothing.
She was about to just sit on the ground when she heard her name. She turned to see her friend, her family, lying against the side of the steps.
She hurried to Merlin, to see Morgana still by his side. Merlin was covered in blood and dirt but he still smiled and told her Morgana had fought for good in the end. She sobbed but Merlin just shushed her gently.
Then he told her she had to change it.
She listened as he told her where to find a crystal in his quarters and what it would do. She said that she had no magic but Merlin just told her to let the crystal work.
She needed to go back, back long before she had first arrived at Camelot, before Arthur loved Gwen, before the famous knight were knights. She needed to go back and tell a young sorcerer that he needed to help the terrified King's ward.
She nodded and promised she would and she stayed with him until he went, telling him that his son looked just like him.
When he was gone, she swallowed the lump in her throat and hurried to his quarters, her footsteps echoing around the ruined castle. She needed to go the long way as doors were blocked off and stair cases were crumbling.
Finally she reached the room she had once called her own and sprinted to Merlin's room. She hit the floor and began to rip up the rotting floorboards with her hands. Finally she saw the blue pouch that was concealed there and she opened it with splintered hands to find a glowing crystal.
There was a flash and when she opened her eyes she saw that she was still sitting on the floor of Merlin's room. Except that it was in good shape. She could hear the sounds of a busy market place outside his window yet she dared not look out.
Then she heard that sounds of a man outside the door grumbling about leech tanks and polished armour. A short laugh was heard and suddenly the door was opened by a young Merlin. He stopped when he saw her and she just got up off the floor.
He was so young. Younger then when she met him for the first time.
He opened her mouth to say something but she told him to be quiet. Gauis appeared in the doorway, looking shocked but she continued.
She told Merlin that Morgana would need his help one day and he would help her. She told him that he could trust Morgana, that he needed her to trust him for the sake of Camelot, his friends and a little boy. Merlin just nodded, not really understanding but knowing she was serious. She sighed and looked at the crystal which was glowing again.
Merlin, seeing this as well, asked would he ever see her again.
She smiled and responded that he would, the day a girl nearly beats one of Arthur's best swords men in a duel.
With a flash she was gone again but when she felt the ground beneath her feet she was afraid to open her eyes. But when she felt a bag on her back and a sword at her side, her eyes snapped open.
She was standing at the gates of Camelot, with no crystal in her hand. She looked at the gates, now intact and then looked at the amount of people around the castle. She quickly made her way to the courtyard, where she had last seen the ruins of a legend.
But this time, the people in the courtyard were alive and hurrying around about their day. A smile appeared on her face and she laughed out loud.
She stopped when she saw Merlin walking through the courtyard with Arthur, both alive and well. She leaned against the wall for support as she saw the rest of the knights join the two men in what seemed like a discussion of training. She saw Arthur stop and look at a maid who was walking through the gates. He was looking at Gwen, who returned with a shy smile and then Arthur received a quick punch in the arm from Merlin and she laughed when he quickly stepped behind Gwain to avoid Arthur's swing.
As he did, Merlin saw Morgana standing at the door to the castle. She looked at her as well and saw the two of them share a smile. At least he had taken her advice.
She laughed again, happy tears in her eyes that she quickly whipped away. She got away from the wall and turned around the walk back to the lower town.
As she did someone hit her shoulder and exclaimed that she should watch she was going. She grinned and turned to see her squire, so young and arrogant.
She smiled and this caused him to think she was laughing at him. He pulled out his sword from his side and she dropped her bag and took out her sword. He paused and she smiled again.
Once again, their fight was stopped by Arthur and Gwain and she was sent to Gauis to be patched up. As she sat on the table again and Gauis grumbled and Gwain laughed, she waited for him to walk in the door.
Merlin was there a few minutes later, seeming to have run this time around. Gwain told him that she had nearly beaten the future knight and he looked at her. Once again, this time after a pause, he congratulated her and asked her what she was doing in Camelot.
She smiled and told him her name and her story once again, leaving out the part where she had already lived through this. Gauis offered her the job and she accepted. Gwain laughed and said things were getting interesting.
Merlin looked at her and smiled. "You will find Kate that Camelot is a very different city then you think."
With the images of a ruined castle, absent friends and a little boy who could move things with his mind, Kate smiled and replied, "I really hope so."