A/N: Very important that you read this! This is technically the second in a series, but only the first up on here (the other one, if you decide to find it, is on Wattpad because I just don't think it's of a good enough quality to be here with my other stuff). Usually I write Avengers or Lord of the Rings fanfiction, but many years ago, back in 2011, I started a Merlin fanfic. It's a decent premise, at least I think so. What pissed me off during the series was how the knights have NO ONE to look after them, and their deaths, or their actions when not themselves, threaten Albion's future. Arthur and Merlin are two sides of the same coin, why is there no one to protect the knights. But Arthur wouldn't just let any old sorcerer/person near his knights. It would have to so completely blindside him that he HAS to accept the help.

And so the original story came in. Fira, a sixteen year old druid girl, was captured by bandits and they rescue her (a very Lamia-esque vibe going on) but here's the catch. In a second fight she ends up using her inborn magic (she's basically a female Merlin only less powerful) to save Arthur, but is injured in the process. Placing our little King in a difficult bind. Kill her because magic, or let her run to Morgana perhaps, or take her back to Camelot for healing.

Then I invented a prophecy of sorts blah blah blah lots of Merlin stuff. She becomes Gaius' assistant, allowing her to travel with the Scooby Gang around Camelot. She becomes a sister of sorts to the knights who try to protect her when it's really she who protects them. It's kind of a funny story.

However, I was thirteen when I wrote Touch of Destiny (the first one) and it just isn't my regular quality standard anymore. So, I'm not uploading it here. SO!

TL;DR?

Thing's to know:

AU where Lancelot never returned as a shade in Series 4. That's for me to play with later.

Gwaine knows about Merlin's magic. I always preferred Gwaine to Lancelot, as Lancelot is way too perfect. Plus he's dead...

Fira is called Nyx by the druids, like Merlin being Emrys. Her "destiny" is to safeguard the knights like Merlin protects Arthur.

My stories are heavily influenced by Arthurian Legend, ESPECIALLY this one. So there will be changes to certain characters. Natural changes that fit with the current canon but well... just make more sense.

Gwaine and my OC may be the main characters, but they are not romantically involved. Ew. No. She's Seventeen at this point.

Galahad, a knight from Arthurian Legend, is her "romance" if there even is one. This really is just an adventure story.

Without further ado, I introduce to you Blood Bonds, a Merlin Fanfic inspired by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Les Merveilles de Rigomer

Blood Bonds

by Silmarilz1701

"Whether fate be foul or fair, Why falter I or fear? What should man do but dare?"

- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

It was a beautiful winter morning in Camelot. A light snow was on the ground, just a dusting. Fira was bustling around, taking medicines to various city residents. The knights were out training. Merlin was in his chambers polishing armor.

That was when a knock sounded at the door. Merlin got up and opened it. The servant Mark stood there with a letter in his hands.

"Hey Merlin, got this letter to deliver for you."

"Thanks!"

Merlin closed the door and went over to the fire. It was chilly in the citadel, but the fire gave off a nice warmth. Opening the letter he was pleasantly surprised to find it was from his mother.

My dear Merlin,

A few days ago I was in the house cooking when I heard a commotion outside. I went out to investigate only to find two young men, strangers, running through the village, fighting off some mercenaries. The fight lasted only a few minutes, but both of the men were injured.

I've let them recover in my home. They asked me if I'd ever heard of a man named Gwaine, but I wasn't sure if I had. I believe I recall you writing about a 'Sir Gwaine'. They seem to think it's urgent to locate this man.

I love you and miss you,

Mother

Merlin looked at the note thoughtfully. What would two strangers want with Gwaine? And who knew if it was even the Gwaine Merlin was best friends with? A knock at the door woke Merlin from his thoughts.

"Hey Merlin!" Fira said, "I just ran into Arthur. He wants you outside in armor for training."

She was wearing a pretty burgundy red dress with white trim. The sleeves were fur-tipped and a black cloak hung over her.

Merlin groaned but nodded. "Tell him I'll be right there."

She nodded and grabbed the last two packages that sat on the kitchen table. Who knew so many people could get sick in the winter time! Gaius was busy tending to a series of whooping cough victims in the lower town, so she was in charge everywhere else. On the bright side it was keeping her warm!

She looked in the satchel. It was two potions with a note labeled "Michael with extra for Mark." Towards the servant quarters she went.

Merlin had gotten dressed into some armor in the armory and grabbed a sword and shield on the way out. The light dusting of snow crunched under his feet and he was glad that the garments under the armor were so warm.

He was still thinking about the letter from his mother when he reached the others.

"Ah! There you are Merlin!" Arthur grinned, "Stand over there would you!"

Merlin grunted and trudged over to where Arthur had pointed. He stood at the ready, and Arthur had Elyan go first.

The dark skinned knight came at him fast, a signature of the man. Get as many hits in as fast as possible was his style. Elyan tried not to hit Merlin too hard because he knew that the servant would have to put up with the others.

"Stop!"

Elyan immediately halted and gave Merlin a half-smile before retreating back and letting Percival take a turn. The super strong knight used his brute strength wisely and took care not to harm Merlin.

Gwaine was next. He gave Merlin a smirk and the servant groaned, but heaved his shield up. Gwaine came fast and furious, his footwork fancy as always, careful to land the blows as light as possible.

Fira was walking across the field, a satchel in one hand and her other hand tucked inside her pocket. Her black hood was pulled up over her head for warmth. Arthur sent Leon over to see what she needed while he took a turn with Merlin.

Arthur, unlike the others, held nothing back. To be fair, he wasn't trying to hurt his manservant; he just didn't realize his own strength. Merlin crumpled back with each blow. At one point, Arthur hit the shield hard enough that it pierced his chainmail, slicing into his side. Merlin didn't want to say anything so he put up with the pain and hid the wound with the shield.

Fira gave Leon the satchel and told him it was for Percival. Apparently a cat had scratched him the day before and the wound had gotten infected. She decided to quickly hurry back inside because it was too cold to watch any training.

Leon chuckled as he handed Percival the medicine pouch and then he too took a turn. He could tell something was wrong with Merlin. Perhaps Arthur had caused him to pull a muscle. Whatever the case, Leon went easy on him and soon then training was over. Merlin hurried quickly inside, leaving the knights to finish a last exercise. His side hurt like hell. He needed to clean and wrap it before he lost much blood.

He was a bit disappointed to find Fira in their chambers when he got there. He'd hoped it would be empty. But no such luck of course.

"My goodness its cold out there!" Fira commented with a grin.

"Yeah," Merlin tried.

Fira looked at him in concern, "What's wrong?"

"I got injured during practice. Arthur made my shield cut me," Merlin took off his shirt and sat down while Fira got some towels and warm water.

"Nasty bit of business," was all she said as she looked at the laceration. It wasn't huge, but it was long and the blood had begun to stain his shirt.

She soaked a cloth in the water and wrung it out. Using it to clean the wound, Fira applied pressure with one hand and the towel while she used the other to get a clean, dry one. She replaced the wet towel quickly and dried the wound. Fira used some bandages to tightly wrap Merlin's midsection.

"Good as new. Well, sort of."

"Thanks," Merlin smiled, "I think I'll take a rest."

She nodded and pretended to read a book while Merlin made his way to the back room. When she was sure Merlin was asleep, she stood up and stormed out of their chambers and through the citadel halls.

"My lord," she angrily called out to the King, seeing him walking one of the hallways.

"Ah Fira! What's the matter?"

"How dare you hurt Merlin like this? You didn't even stop to make sure he was okay. Which he wasn't of course! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Fira forcefully reprimanded the King in a side hallway, away from traffic.

"What are talking about?"

"During training. Merlin got cut in the side from his shield. Which you smashed into him. I just finished cleaning the wound and Merlin's taking a nap. You better give him the day off, or he might get worse!"

To his credit, Arthur at least had the decency to look concerned. He nodded, "Alright very well. But tell that clot pole he still is on for tomorrow."

"He won't if it's still looking bad," she insisted stubbornly.

Arthur smiled, "Course not. And Fira," she turned around, stopping a few feet from him, "Thank you for telling me."

She smiled and bowed before heading back to check on Merlin.

"So you got this today?"

Fira was looking at the note Merlin had gotten from Ealdor. He had woken up a little while ago and the two warlocks were sitting by the fireplace, sipping hot herbal tea.

"Yes. Just this morning."

"Are you going to show this to Gwaine?"

"Yes, sometime. Hopefully today or tomorrow. I also think I'll tell Arthur. Maybe he would be willing to spare a few knights to check out the bandits near Ealdor."

Fira was about to say something when Gaius came in quickly, shuffling stiffly from the cold.

"It's cold out there!"

"Hello Gaius! I delivered all the packages you left for me."

"Thank you my dear. Merlin, what are you doing here?"

"I got injured during training so I get the day off."

Gaius looked concerned and walked over quickly. Fira laughed.

"I checked him over. He'll be fine."

Gaius shot her a look and nodded reluctantly.

"How are things in the Lower Town?" Merlin asked.

"Things are finally looking up. Little Anya didn't make it through last night though."

All three of them frowned. Anya had been born no more than two months ago. She had caught the cough despite the best efforts to keep her safe. She'd just been too young to fight it.

"Well I'm sure you did your best, Gaius," Fira comforted the old man.

She handed him a warm cup of tea and he took it gratefully.

"I got a note from my mother, Gaius," Merlin mentioned, holding out the message. Gaius took it quickly and read it.

"Interesting. Hunith always did care for the needy ones. Like your father."

"Well? We should tell Gwaine, right?"

"Yes, I think so. Perhaps he knows who might be looking for him."

A servant came to the door and told Gaius that two more children in the Lower Town had gotten sick. The old man excused himself. Merlin and Fira talked for a while longer before Gwaine himself knocked on the door.

"Arthur said you were injured," he explained.

"Don't worry, I patched him up good as new, Gwaine," Fira laughed.

"Hey Gwaine, now that your here, I wanted to show you something," Merlin quickly mentioned.

Gwaine nodded and Merlin handed him the letter.

"I got this note from my mum in Ealdor saying that two young guys were asking around for a man named Gwaine."

The knight's head snapped up when he heard this. Two young men? Asking for Gwaine? Could it... No it couldn't.

"How odd."

"That's it," Fira asked in confusion, "Have you any idea if it's you they're talking about?"

"Could be."

"You're not curious?" Merlin pressed.

Gwaine shrugged but both warlocks could tell he was very interested.

"Gwaine, would you ask Arthur to call the Round Table together?" Merlin asked his friend.

The knight agreed and left to fins the king. The two magicians changed into more suitable clothes (Fira had changed into a tunic and pants instead of a dress). Then together they made their way to the Round Table room. On the way they met up with Gaius.

"What's this about, Merlin?" Arthur asked, once everyone was assembled.

Merlin fished the letter out of his pocket and placed it in the middle of the table.

"My mother wrote to me about mercenaries attacking Ealdor. I was thinking about how many reports of mercenary activities have sprung up and I was hoping you would give me a leave of absence to return home," he frowned.

Fira stared at him. Home? Leave Arthur?

The king was also surprised, but Gwen beat him to the punch, "Hunith has helped us all before, we simply must send troops to protect them!"

"But it isn't on our land," Leon pointed out.

Elyan shook his head, "Gwen is right. We still owe Ealdor."

"But can we risk it while Morgana is out there somewhere?" Percival jumped to Leon's aid.

"Arthur?" Gwaine silenced them all.

The king gave a deep breath, "It's risky, but we need to lend Hunith and Ealdor our help."

"How?" Fira asked.

"Tomorrow we will go out as if on a long hunt. Not be expected back for a week or so. But instead we'll head for Ealdor and on the way, change into less recognizable attire. Once there, we call each other only by birth name, not title."

The knights nodded, some more hesitantly than others. Gaius and Gwen looked concerned but both gave the plan their approval.

"Take the rest of the day off. We ride hard tomorrow."