The smaller children all danced around the forest clearing in a loud frenzy.
'I'm being a knight!'
'So am I!'
'Me too!'
'I'm going to be the great dragon! Rawwwwwwwwwwwwrrr!'
'I'm going to be the lady.'
'Evaline! Evaline! You need to be the Queen!'
'Yes, pllllleeeeeeeeeeeeease, Evaline,' they all began to plead with their sitter for the day.
The young woman, recently seeing 20 summers, smiled through long blonde hair, her green eyes twinkling with joy at that children's smiling faces, 'Oh, I couldn't possibly. I thought you like to be the Queen, Lucia?' he directed at the smaller, authoritive girl.
'Nuh-uh,' the brown haired child says, 'You have to be the queen. You're the prettiest one! Queens are always pretty.'
Evaline laughed softly before glancing around. She had volunteered to take the children out of Camelot, away from the present terror of the Lady, no, Queen Morgana and Morgause, them and that unkillable army that scared everyone so.
Way out here, the children could play their games without their parents fearing that something could be taken the wrong way by a passing guard, the last time they'd said that one of them was the Queen, the door was broken down by a guard thinking there was a plot to dethrone the usurper queen.
'No, I couldn't possibly be Queen, I don't have a crown or a pretty dress,' Evaline explained to the children, 'Lucia has a beautiful dress today, she'd make a wonderful queen.'
'Nope,' said the child, popping her p, 'You are Queen Evaline,' she curtseyed, grinning at her triumph.
Evaline let out a sigh, 'Ok, but you said we need to make a crown?'
'Yes, we'll help you, won't we Anne, Christina?'
'Yes!'
'It will be so much fun!'
Evaline resigned herself before standing, 'Well we can't go too far...you boys promise you won't move? Stay here and do your...knightly training.'
'Yes, Evaline,' the boys responded as they moved into their 'formation'.
Evaline sighed as she allowed the girls to pull her into the trees. With practiced hands, the small children picked out small bits of twig and vine, weaving them together with flowers to make a beautiful crown.
They looked at it nervously before handing it to Eva, who smiled gently.
'It is truly fit for a queen, girls. I am honoured,' she grinned as she placed to upon her brow. 'Now, let's go see how the boys are going, shall we?'
She was dragged into the centre of the clearing by the giggling children and gave 'orders', was 'kidnapped by a dragon' who was 'slain' by the 'noble knights' of Camelot.
'What shall we do now?' John, a 'knight' called as he lay on the ground next to the other tired children.
Evaline smiled gently, 'Well, it's probably time we get back,' she responded, glancing at the dimming sky.
The chorus of groans and sighs had her laughing lightly as she stood from where she had been seating on the ground with Anne's head in her lap.
'But we have to finish the story!' Lucia said smartly, stamping her foot down.
'Lucia, we already had a magnificent story. After all, even knights have to sleep at some point.' She gestured at the tired boys, one whom had fallen asleep in some soft moss.
'But, but…' the girl's eyes watered as she looked up at Evaline, 'the Castle always has a party when the knights come back after winning!'
A chorus of yeas came from the other girls, who quickly got the boys up. 'You have to dance with us,' Christina whispered to John.
A shocked look came across his face. 'No! Girls have cooties!' The other boys nodded in agreement, horror all over their faces.
Evaline smiled, oh to be that innocent. 'Boys! Over here!' they gathered quietly around her. 'I'll let you in on a secret, girls don't really have cooties. That only exists in the mean girls. Now, Christina, Anne and Lucia aren't mean, are they?' The boys shook their heads slowly. 'So, they'll be fine to dance with! It will be good practice, you can impress your parents later.'
The boys shyly made their way over to the other girls and bowed, like they had been instructed by their parents. The girls giggled and whispered to each other as they curtsied as well and they began to dance cutely with concentration written all over their faces.
Evaline looked over into the darkness around the trees, and saw eyes glinting back. A shocked gasp came from her lips as men, dressed in the knightly garb of Camelot and the dust-caked garb of travellers made their way from the trees. The children screamed and ran to Evaline, grasping at her skirts as she moved between the men and the children.
'Please, they were only playing. Please don't hurt them,' she whispered as one came closer.
'Sir Leon, move back,' came an authoritive voice from her left-side as she flicked her head around.
The Prince Arthur.
Evaline's eyes widened and she gave a deep curtsey, 'Your highness.'
The children looked at him in shock before remembering themselves and quickly doing the same.
'Please, I do not deserve such honours at present. Do you reside in Camelot?' he asked.
'Y-yes, milord. The children are...frightened of the armies of the La- the Q-…' she paused nervously and licked her lips, not knowing what to say.
'I understand,' Arthur whispered, moving out of the shadow of the trees and smiling as he addressed the children.
'And what are you playing?'
'We were playing Knights and Ladies!'
'Yea! We beat a dragon!'
'RAAWWWRRR!'
'And Evaline was kidnapped by bandits!'
'But we saved her! Cos we're really strong!'
'We helped too!'
Arthur laughed as he picked up Anne, 'And what were you doing before we so rudely interrupted?'
'We were dancing!'
'Because you always have big feasts when you win things!'
'And you always dance at them!'
'I do suppose we do.' Arthur grinned before setting the children down. 'Why don't you go show some of my men how to dance, girls. I know they could do with the instruction. And I'm sure Sir Leon wouldn't mind talking to such noble, young lads as yourself about his knightly duties.'
'Really? Wow, thank you, Prince Arthur!'
The girls were approached by three men, 'Percival, Elyan and Gwaine,' Arthur murmured to her softly. 'Don't worry, they are harmless.' He smiled gently at the children as the, quite bossy, girls told the men how to dance, the men allowing them to stand on their feet so they could dance them around the clearing. Leon was almost over his head as he responded the rapid fire questions of the inquisitive boys, letting them look at the coat of arms and his sword, even drowning one of them in the bright red cloak.
A tanned, dark haired man walked over to the prince, 'Milord? Shall I return to the others?'
'No, my friend. I do believe that the Queen needs a dance partner for this evening's festivities.' He winked at Evaline as she paled with fright, reaching to take off the makeshift crown before Arthur's gentle hand pressed it back on. 'Do not fear. Anyone can be a King or Queen if they truly wish it. This is Lancelot. A fantastic dance, I assure you.'
Evaline let out a small giggle as she curtsied deeply to the man, 'My lord, Lancelot.'
'I am no lord,' he spoke softly, bowing back and reaching to take her hand, beginning to lead them around in a slow Waltz. He spun and dipped her and she couldn't help but laugh merrily.
'Queen for a day. This is quite magical,' she smiled as she curtsied to Lancelot. 'Thank you for the dance, milord.'
'It was my pleasure, milady.' He dropped a kiss to her hand and she blushed gently, gathering the children and beginning to herd them towards the road to Camelot.
'Hurry, the gates will be closing soon,' she whispered to them as she turned to the men that had joined them. She gave a deep curtsey, 'Thank you, milords. A splendid evening to a perfect day.' She turned to the Prince and gave a small smile, 'Not one of us follows Morgana. We are your subjects through and through, milord. If you need anything for whatever plot you are attempting to hatch, anyone of us will be more than happy to provide it.'
And with that, she flew with the children towards the gate.
We can be the Kings and Queens of Anything if we believe.
It's written in the stars that shine above.
A world where you and I belong, where faith and love will keep us strong.
Exactly where we are is just enough.
There's a place for us.
END.
Not much, but meh. Not too horrid I guess. Just a bit of word vomit. I had the first bit of it just sitting there for AGES before I just bloody finished it. It was going to be much different and reflect a bit more on the song but, hey. It didn't turn out to bad despite the fact.
Featuring OCC characters. I know that ;P My excuse was, Morgana's usurping rocked him and he was pleased to see such happiness in trying times. Roll with it.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of BBC's Merlin. I wish I did. There's a Place for Us ~ Carrie Underwood. It's gorgeous. Listen to it.