Hey Guys

Back from Exams.

So glad to not be revising and to finally get this story out.

I have put a lot of research into this and I hope it shows.

This is similar to Gwaine and the Green Knight but I have put my own little twist on it to allow it to fit into the Changes timeline.

This was going to be a one shot but then I had too many ideas so it is now 4 chapters long.

I hope you enjoy :)


Gorlois – 15
Clarine – 14
Gareth – 12
Lynette – 10
Amhar – 9
Maldue – 8
Isobel – 8


The Challenge

Arthur looked out to the hall.

The spring and summer had been good, leading to a good harvest.

The hunt had managed to catch a variety of different meats for their guests.

He hoped that the New Year would be the same as the one about to end.

Arthur watched as Gaius and Gilli tried to control Amhar, Maldue and Isobel. They were still too young at the moment to join the top table.

Gilli had joined them not long after they found Gorlois and had quickly taken up the role of Gaius' apprentice. Merlin couldn't help Gaius as much and the man wasn't getting any younger. Gilli had a certain knack when it came to medicine and preparing the herbs. Arthur believed he had picked most of it up while being with the druids.

Arthur looked to his right.

Gwen was talking to their eldest while Gareth was laughing at a story Leon was telling him.

Arthur sighed and hoped it wasn't the one when he was braying. All his children had heard it at different occasions. Clarine had even asked both Merlin and Morgana if they could make it happen again. Merlin had refused but Morgana was happy to do it.

He turned to his left.

Merlin and Morgana were whispering about something, probably not something that Arthur wanted to know, and Gorlois was trying to entertain his sister.

It was Lynette's first time at the top table. After years of moaning about not being there, Arthur believed that she didn't find it as exciting as it looked. He had to admit, he had thought exactly the same at her age.

Arthur must admit he was hoping for some excitement but he never would have expected the event that followed.

The doors of the hall opened, slamming heavily into the wall.

A man strode in on a horse, causing the hall to fall into silence.

The man was easily the tallest man they had ever seen, a head taller than Percival. Broad shoulders didn't help make him look any smaller.

Arthur was sure he would be a giant if they existed.

It was not only his sheer size that shocked the hall.

His armour was an impressive shade of green as was his hair and beard. Even his eyes were green.

They all had a hard time working out whether the small amount of skin he was showing was green as well or if it was just the reflection of the armour.

His horse was also covered head to hoof in green armour.

At this point, everyone wished that he had a shield or a cloak just to see where he was from.

All the top table was stunned as the man left his horse, walking up to the dais, an axe handle coming out from his shoulder.

"Which one of you is King Arthur?" The man said, his voice booming around the quiet hall.

"That would be me." Arthur said, standing up.

The knight studied Arthur for a while.

"Why don't you join us?" Arthur suggested, anything to have the strangers piercing gaze move from him. "I am sure there is plenty to go around. No one should be alone to see in the New Year."

"I am not here to bring in the New Year. I hear that Camelot's knights are the most valiant in the realm, particularly the ones of the round table." The man said eventually.

Arthur couldn't help but feel pride. "My men uphold the knight's code as any knight should." He paused for a moment. "May I enquire to why you have interrupted these celebrations?"

"I am not here for a fight, if that is what you are insinuating. I wish to set a challenge for one of your knights. A blow for a blow. This axe will be my gift to him." The man said, gesturing towards it. "I will sit, unarmed, as he gives me the blow. Yet in a year and a day, I will have the right to deal him one."

Arthur turned to look at his knights, every single one of them trying to avoid his eye.

This wasn't the time for them to forget themselves. This was the time to prove what Arthur had tried to build Camelot into.

He would have dealt the blow himself but he knew Gwen would scold him for it later.

The knight opened his mouth to speak.

"I'll do it." Gwaine said, leaning on the top table for support.

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other.

"Gwaine are you sure you are in the right frame of mind to be accepting a challenge like that?" Merlin said, leaning over the table to try and talk some sense into his friend.

"He has already accepted." The knight said.

"Yes but he is the only man I know that can get drunk before the tables are cleaned." Merlin argued. "He is in no fit state to stand let alone to be thinking straight to think over the challenge properly."

"Stop being a girl's petticoat." Gwaine said, patting Merlin's cheek. "I have this under control." He said pushing himself off the table.

Gwaine winked towards his king before stumbling towards the knight.

"Can't you stop this father?" Gorlois said, leaning over his mother.

"No, for once I don't think I can." Merlin said, eyes not leaving Gwaine.

The stranger put his hand over his shoulder and produced the most magnificent axe any of the court had seen.

The detail was so particular. The handle was covered in little emeralds, save for two places to put your hands. The head of the axe glistened in the candle light, managing to reflect every single flame.

"It is a good weight" The knight said, letting it roll out of his hands into Gwaine's waiting ones.

Merlin dragged his hand over his face as Gwaine fell over, the weight of the axe pulling him down.

"That is mighty heavy." Gwaine said after he got up, leaning on the axe for support.

The knight knelt down and leant forward. He moved his hair out of the way, exposing his neck.

Gwaine looked up at his oldest friends. The look he gave them was one of realisation of what he had accepted.

It took Gwaine a while to actually lift the axe high enough.

He took a deep breath as he brought the axe down, allowing gravity and the weight of the axe to do the task.

Everyone gasped as the head came off in one fluid movement.

Everyone expected the blood to pour from the body. Everyone expected the head to roll. Everyone expected the body to slump and fall over.

Most people gasped and the top table and Gwaine all had their mouths open as the knight's hand reached out, catching the head by his hair before it reached the floor.

The knight stood up. His armour turning a darker shade of green as the blood oozed out.

"By Goddess, how is that possible?" Gwaine whispered.

The knight repositioned his head to be under his arm. He quickly mounted before turning to Gwaine.

"I trust I have your word that you will come to find me in a year and a day."

Gwaine nodded. "Where shall I meet you?"

The knight chuckled as if Gwaine was supposed to know.

"There is a place, a few leagues away, called the Green Chapel. You shall find me there."

The stranger then turned his horse around and left as quickly as he entered.

Gwaine slowly turned to the top table.

"What have I done wrong?" He said once he saw four glares.


"What the hell were you thinking?" Arthur said, trying not to pace or shout.

"I wasn't. I was drunk."

"We did tell you that." Merlin said.

"I cannot believe you could be this stupid." The king shouted, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You aren't the ones with only a year and a day to live." Gwaine argued. "I didn't realise he would get back up again."

"Next time think before you accept any challenge." Merlin suggested.

"I don't think we should be dwelling on what trouble Gwaine has got himself in to." Morgana mentioned. "I don't know how many times I have gotten him out of trouble. I believe the main thing to focus on is where the Green Chapel is. It may give us some indication to who is behind this and how the hell he survived."

"I agree." Merlin said.

"You would now, wouldn't you?" Arthur spat.

"Look I don't understand why you have such a problem with this." Morgana said, hoping to understand her brother's attitude. "If there is one person we should always put a wager on for getting into trouble, it is Gwaine. Just because it isn't you being the heroic one and offering up your life, doesn't mean you can throw a tantrum."

Arthur didn't humour her with a reply, instead he turned his back to them and looked out of the window, watching over the city.

"We will start first thing in the morning. There is no point starting to look now."