The Adventures of Merlin: The Gypsy Warrior Princess
Merlin and Arthur were out in the forest hunting with Arthur's knights. Uther had started a hunting tournament and was determined that Arthur prove himself by hunting the best, fasted, smartest, and deadliest pray. Merlin was never comfortable with hunting for sport. If he and Arthur had to hunt for the palace dinner that evening, then fine, but this was just a ridiculous tournament. Arthur didn't see it that way though, Why should he, he IS Uther's son… Merlin thought as he tip-toed behind Arthur.
Arthur heard a snapping of a twig and motioned for his guards to stop. He motioned at them to surround the clearing ahead, it could be the winning game that Arthur was to hunt down. "Merlin!" Arthur whispered and motioned for Merlin to come to his side.
"What is it, Arthur?" he asked.
"I believe we may have the prize within shooting distance, my knights will wound it, then I will go in for the kill. I want you to distract it when I go in for the kill." Arthur ordered in a whisper.
"Of- of course, sire." Merlin stuttered.
"Oh, not NOW Merlin, I know you hate this idea but we are HUNTING, usually that implies KILLING something." Arthur sneered.
Merlin nodded, though he still found no comfort in Arthur's reasoning for killing for SPORT. Arthur pressed his back up against the stone that kept him out of his pray's sight and pushed Merlin against the stone too. The sound of metal deflecting an arrow sounded then a scream of pain. Arthur looked around the edge of the rock and saw someone taking down each of his knights, one by one. He pressed against the rock again. He couldn't believe it, someone had dared come into HIS land during a ROYAL tournament.
The sound of a sword being drawn sounded right next to Arthur's ear, and by the look on Merlin's face, Arthur guessed that he would be looking right into the blade when he turned around. Arthur swallowed then turned and was starring into a shinning blade without a single drop of blood on it.
"What are you doing in my woods?" the swordsman asked.
"It is Camelot's woods, no one else's, the correct question is, what are you doing in MY woods." Arthur said coldly.
Merlin shook his head in a tut, tut, tut manner, Even in the face of death, he's as arrogant as they come. He thought humorlessly to himself.
"that's where you're wrong, Arthur Pendragon." The swordsman took their helmet off. Long raven hair fell from under it, and wide brown eyes looked down at Arthur.
"A WOMAN!" Merlin breathed.
"You have something to say, servant?" the girl turned her sword on Merlin.
"No, no, leave him out of this, he's just as you said, a servant. A moronic servant. Pay him no mind." Arthur waved off the girls insulting comment. "and what do you mean that I'm wrong? I think I know what lands are mine and which aren't." Arthur snarled.
"You are sadly mistaken, young Pendragon." The girl lowered her sword but kept it in striking distance. "Just because your father CLAIMS a land as his own, doesn't make it his by right, only by law." The girl spit the words at Arthur's feet. "this is my people's forest. We've grown and lived here since before Uther was born. Just because he puts a circle of gold on his head and stamps a fancy design into some candle wax on piece of paper that says otherwise doesn't change anything." She smirked and put her sword away. She began to walk away when what sounded like a wind chime sounded from her ankle.
Merlin looked to her left foot and saw a silver chain with tiny bells hanging from them. "An Arente Gypsy!" he exclaimed. The girl turned around.
"how do you know that, servant?" she asked in a stone cold voice.
"the chain around your ankle, I've read that only the most fierce of the gypsy warriors receive them." Merlin smiled in wonderment.
"Don't be foolish, Merlin, she is a woman, there's no way she is a warrior of her… people." Arthur said. He said the last word as if it scorched his tongue to admit that gypsies were people too.
The girl drew her sword and pointed in the direction from which the sounds of arthur's men being defeated had come from. Arthur and Merlin looked around the rock and saw all 5 of their knights tied up and gaged. Merlin smiled expectantly at Arthur as if to say, 'I told you so…'
"if she was a TRUE warrior, she would have killed them." Arthur said.
"It is not the way of my people. We do not kill for sport, if the people we fight do not have to die, we do not kill them." She said. Merlin looked her over. He had never actually seen a gypsy before, but this girl had to be the most beautiful of them all. She had dark skin from training under direct sunlight and her hair was frizzy but fell in rich waves down to her middle back. Her eyes were wide and child-like, but there was a danger in them, and they were framed by think lashes that only made her even more beautiful. She was almost the same height as Arthur and Merlin, but somehow, she still looked delicate and lady like, even with the sword in her hand. Her voice was sharp when she spoke, but there was a beautiful undertone to it.
"Arthur Pendragon, I will let your men free, but only if you promise to meet with my king." The girl said.
"Your KING, is back at my palace, he is my FATHER." Arthur said each word as if it were a single sentence.
"That is your king, Pendragon. He is not mine, I do not follow his rules. We are our own people, we have been, since before the dawn of kings and knights." The girl said with a sort of story telling sound to her voice.
"I thought you said that you don't kill people unless you have VALID reason." Arthur crossed his arms and said the word "valid" like he had desided to use it in place of another word last minute.
"We don't." the girl shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, "But I never said anything about prisoners." She smiled and turned to walk away. Her hair swung behind her.
Now Merlin could see that her armor was made of leather rather than steal like Arthur's men. And he could see how they hugged her body closer than Arthur's. There was no chainmail under it, and she wore no shoes. Merlin looked at Arthur, "well, I suppose we are going to pay the gypsies a visit." He smiled.
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face, Merlin. We must be alert." Arthur said, spun his sword around then sheathed it.
The girl led Merlin and Arthur to the gypsy camp, but she had blind folded them and Arthur's guards. She'd left the guards where they were but also left a foul smelling powder behind so that no animals or men would find them and eat or bring them shame.
The girl pulled the cloth off Arthur's and Merlin's heads when they reached the camp. She held their hands behind their backs and called to a man who stood near by, "Call King Air-Heart, tell him he has… distinguished, guests." She said. The man ran off to find the man she had sent for.
"Air-Heart? What kind of name for a king is that?" Arthur smirked.
"It means that he considers himself one of the people, he will receive as well as carry messages. He did not want the title of king and has not acted as such, he is not the dictator that you are use to, Pendragon." The girl hissed at Arthur, "he is our father first, and our Lord second." She finished.
"Ah, Arthur Pendragon, and his loyal man-servant, Merlin." A man, no older than Uther, appeared before them.
"Arthur Pendragon, this is King Air-Heart, lord of the gypsies." The warrior girl announced.
"Please, just call me Air-Heart." The man smiled warmly at Arthur and Merlin.
"Good, because you are NOT my king." Arthur sneered.
The warrior girl made a move to strike Arthur but Air-Heart held up a hand, "Stand down Ceremony." he said with a smile. "Arthur, I'd like to speak to you in my tent." Air-Heart turned and began to walk back the way he had come. Arthur and Merlin began to follow. Without turning, Air-Heart said, "Not you, Master Merlin. Only Arthur is required to come, I have no words of enlightenment for you."
Arthur turned to smirk at Merlin, Only I may receive enlightenment. He mouthed teasingly.
"Merlin does not NEED them, Arthur, only you do. Merlin understands everything already, but your knowledge has something to be desired." Air-Heart said without turning again, and entered his tent. Arthur turned back to Merlin, Merlin laughed quietly then walked away.
"Come Merlin, sit by our fire." Ceremony smiled at him and led him to the hearth.
Arthur entered Air-Heart's tent and sat down. "Before you say anything," he said, "I want to know why your camp is set up in Camelot's woods." He sat strait as Air-Heart turned to him again.
"It is you who are in our woods, young Pendragon." Air-Heart said and set some water in front of Arthur. "My people have been here long before Camelot was even built." He said.
"Oh, and just who ARE your people?" Arthur leaned back and crossed his arms.
"We represent the past, Arthur. We live and rule as the men of old do. But of course, we have improved our armies, we allow women to fight, as I'm sure you noticed when you met my daughter, Ceremony, in the woods." Air-Heart motioned to Ceremony who stood in front of Merlin by the fire and danced. Arthur watched her sway her hips before Merlin's eyes. In his palace, a girl that beautiful would have dance for HIM, not his servant. "They are faster, more agile than men, and much more cunning. Ceremony embodies all these traits for her warriors as you do for your knights. Though, she doesn't take well to arrogance. She must not see any in young Merlin." Air-Heart smiled.
"Get on with it." Arthur snapped and turned back to the old man. "you said you represent old ruling. What does that mean?" he asked.
"Before Kings began to come to power, villages had councils and a head of the council. These men listened to their people, their problems. They WERE the people. Though they declared the laws and punishments, they were all farmers. The 'kings' of that time did not sit in their palaces while their warrior's did the fighting and their 'subjects' did the farming. They hunted, they grew their own crops, just like all the other people. The only time they were even remotely looked at as higher rank, was when the council met." Air-Heart said.
"One day, one of these council members decided to build himself a lavish house. He took a bride and never came out of the house unless someone called on him. The people couldn't understand it, what had become of their leader?" Air-Heart let pain slip into his voice now. "He had stumbled about the idea that a leader should be higher than those he led. That they should serve him, not the other way round. He had become the first king." Air-Heart looked at Arthur.
"Why are you telling me this." Arthur whispered
"I'm getting to my point." Air-Heart chuckled. "Soon, other clans started getting the same idea. They started to wage war on each other. Finally, the first king conquered all those around him. One day, a man came and knocked on his door. 'The crops are dying, please we need extra hands in the field.' They said to him. 'What would you have me do? Lower myself to working in the fields with commoners?' he replied. 'Sir, you have servants that could help, you once helped us yourself, if you recall.' The man pleaded. 'Not any more, I am your KING, I don't work for you, you work for ME!' the king thundered." Air-Heart trailed off.
"What happened to the people?" Arthur was captivated by the story.
"They died, what else. The King's pride didn't allow him to work his old job as a farmer, so his people died, and he along with them." Air-Heart said.
"How could anyone be so blind! Can't they see that without their people fed and healthy, they will fall in their turn!" Arthur stood and started pacing.
"Are you saying your father wouldn't have done the same?" Air-Heart asked. This stopped Arthur in his tracks. "Uther is the latest king to come to these lands. We gypsies have kept to the woods because we knew that we would be subjected to this kind of rule, I did not want that for my daughter, or the other children of my people. I took the job as 'King' and have kept them safe, healthy, and fed. You caught Ceremony as she was hunting, we are so skilled that one man or woman can do the same job as 20 of your men, and in half the time." Air-Heart smiled kindly at Arthur. "It all has to do with the politics with which they are raised with. If your king ruled as we do, just imagine how strong his people would be. If he plowed the fields with his subjects, if he taught them the way he teaches your knights. He would have loyal people and a strong kingdom. No treason would ever be punished with death, because there would be no cause for treason." Air-Heart looked past Arthur at Ceremony.
"I don't want my people to hide much longer, they deserve better. Arthur, I don't want you to tell your father about this, he will try to charge us with treason and have my people killed. I only ask that when you become king, that you keep some of these ideas in mind." Air-Heart said. Arthur turned and watched Ceremony, she now chased a child of about 3 years old around in fun, with Merlin close behind her.
"Your daughter, Ceremony, she is like a Princess in a way?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, though she refuses to be called 'my lady,' or 'your highness.'" Air-Heart smiled fondly at his daughter. "We don't like to use the titles that your people use, but we do for occasions such as these, when a young prince like you stumbles into us, so that they may understand how we 'rank' though we don't pay much attention to rank ourselves." Air-Heart said.
"Why do you tell me this?" Arthur asked.
"Because, we have seen how you treat your people, how you differ so greatly from your father. We see our old ways in you, and we wanted to tell you that it's alright to be like that. Despite what your father thinks, you can be the people's friend and ruler. It's just a matter of balance." Air-Heart explained.
"If my people were on the brink of starvation, and all it took was a matter of fetching more water, or helping in the fields, I would go to them. I would send my knights too. I would do anything for my people." Arthur nodded.
"You and Merlin share the same kind of heart." Air-Heart said.
"What do you mean?"
"You share the nobility of a knight, but the heart of a peasant." Air-Heart smiled. "And I mean that as a compliment, no matter how you chose to take it." He chuckled.
Arthur looked out again at Merlin and Ceremony. "You are welcome to stay with us for the night." Air-Heart said.
Arthur turned to look at the man, he saw ages of love and equality in his eyes. "Thank you my lord." Arthur nodded then looked back at Merlin.
That night, Merlin and Arthur were equals. They sat beside one another at the fire, each served their own plate and laughed with the other men. Arthur felt as if he were among friends and brothers. No one bowed or called him "my liege." He was just Arthur, not Prince Arthur, not Pendragon. It was a strange, but an amazing feeling.
"My people!" Air-Heart called and everyone became quiet. "We have been feasting and enjoying ourselves, but what celebration is complete without a dance?" he smiled.
The men and women alike cheered. Merlin and Arthur looked at each other with smiles. "I bet these gypsy dancers will blow ours away just as their warriors do." Merlin smiled. Arthur laughed and nodded.
A man picked up a loot, and another man picked up a type of bell-like instrument. Their music started out slowly and calm. A girl with a long wispy skirt and a veil covering her face came to the middle of the circle of people. Her shape was easily seen even under all the layers of cloth she wore. She wore bells on her wrists and waist. She danced ten times better than the women in Camelot. She had a fire in her motions that put the rest of the women to shame. Her hips swayed to the rhythm of the loot and tiny bells. At times, only her hips shook while her shoulders and legs stayed perfectly still. She spun around, her skirts flaring out. She fell to one knee with one leg stretched out in front of her and she reached to touch her toes. She stood again and spun until she was in front of Arthur. She locked eyes with him and shook her waist, making the bells ring louder and faster. She spun on one foot as the music creciendoed and pointed her other foot out to draw a circle in the dirt around them, one hand reached to the sky and the other out in front of her, curving as if holding a partner. Then she fell to one knee again with one leg in front of her and finished in a bow. Arthur watched her hands just reach her ankle. There, around her delicate ankle, was the anklet that Ceremony wore.
Everyone began to cheer for the dancer. "Who do you believe this dancer to be?" Air-Heart called to the people.
"CEREMONY!" they all chanted. The girl slowly pulled the veil away from her face. Ceremony smiled at the people around her.
"Is there anything she can't do?" Merlin breathed to Arthur. "She is their best huntress, I've heard so from the people, she is their best singer too. Now it appears that she is also their best dancer." He smiled at Arthur. The prince was in awe, utter shock and bewilderment. This girl who had shamed his knights by capturing and gagging them, was also the delicate flower that the women in Camelot were expected to be.
Arthur shook off his shock before answering Merlin, "I say Merlin, are you falling in love with the Gypsy Warrior Princess?" he chuckled.
"No, no of course not, it's just, she's amazing." Merlin sighed.
"Careful Merlin, I doubt the gypsies would appreciate you drooling in their dining area." Arthur clapped Merlin on the shoulder then finished his food.
Arthur was one of the last people awake that night. Merlin had gone to bed early and the rest of the people were in their own tents now. Arthur sharpened his sword by the extinguished fire, only the moon lit his work. He heard someone approaching and turned to see Ceremony beside him with a bouquet of Midnight Candy flowers. "I see that your arrogance has dimmed since you've been here." She smiled. "I assume that it's because of what my father told you." She was wearing leather hunting pants and a leather vest with wrist bands laced up to her elbow. Her hair flowed down her back with only two braids keeping the hair that would truly get in her way when hunting back.
"Your father is a wise man, Ceremony. I am truly sorry I didn't show him the respect he deserved from the beginning." He looked back at his sword.
"You know Arthur; I can see all that Guinevere sees in you. I see a great king just below the surface." Ceremony looked up at the moon.
"You know about Gwen?" Arthur almost dropped his sword.
"Oh yes. We have many people in the town that see all and report back to us." Ceremony looked at Arthur innocently. "That is how we knew that you have a heart that is older than the time we live in now." She said quietly.
"You are wise beyond your own years." Arthur resumed sharpening his blade.
"Thank you, Arthur. I will be accompanying you back to Camelot tomorrow. I fear that someone is planning to invade your city, and I wanted to offer my aid." Ceremony looked at Arthur.
"I've seen you in battle, I believe you could be a great ally to us. Why not stay in Camelot?" Arthur turned to Ceremony.
"Because, I refuse to live in a place where the king RULES over the people, rather than serves them as they serve him." Ceremony said quietly.
"Then why even help us if someone attacks?" Arthur asked.
"Because. I want to help hold the kingdom together, until you become the real king that this land needs." Ceremony looked into Arthur's blue eyes. "Merlin and I both know it and want that more than anything, and we can only hope that our efforts will not be in vain, and I doubt they will be." She smiled at Arthur and gave him a flower.
Arthur and Merlin returned to Camelot after the tournament was over. They claimed to have tried their hardest to win but they failed with honor. Uther was not pleased, but he hid it well. When they arrive with Ceremony in the town, every man turned to watch her pass. No woman in the city, not even the Lady Morgana could hold a candle to this stranger's beauty. Ceremony had tied a cloth around her anklet so that no one would realize who she was. Merlin offered her a place to sleep and insisted that he would sleep on the floor, "it would be an honor to give you my bed so that you may rest." He smiled at her.
"Thank you, Merlin. You truly are an amazing young man." She squeezed his hand, then wandered off on her own through the city.
Arthur told merlin that Ceremony had believed that someone was planning an attack on the city. "Who would do that when Uther hasn't even provoked anyone in at least two months?" Merlin asked.
"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me who she believed was behind it all." Arthur crossed his arms and leaned against his chamber walls.
"Well, I do hope that she is wrong." Merlin sighed, "I can't take repairing that armor much more, I mean there is only so much mending metal in this kingdom." He laughed.
Arthur laughed along with him and elbowed him in the ribs.
That night, Arthur lay in bed thinking of Ceremony. He'd only felt this way once before, that was when he looked at Gwen. There was something about her smile that made him weak, a feeling he didn't like but welcomed when it came from her. Ceremony on the other hand, made him intimidated. Another feeling he didn't feel comfortable with, but it also sent a warm shiver down his spine when it came from Ceremony. He turned to face his window and saw a silhouette there. He sat up and reached for his sword.
"Calm down, prince. It's just me." Ceremony dropped into his room
"How- How did you get UP here!" Arthur asked.
"I climbed the wall." Ceremony tilted her head as if asking, Is there any other way?
"CLIMBED THE WALL?!" Arthur gasped.
"I'm glad I still shock you." Ceremony chuckled. Arthur smiled at the way she laughed, it was childish and innocent.
So the warrior princess hasn't completely spread through her yet. She's much to young for that, even my knights at her age still haven't fully given in to their inner knight. He thought to himself.
"Arthur, I was right. Someone is going to attack, TONIGHT." Ceremony suddenly became serious and alert.
"Tonight! But who, and why?" Arthur gasped and started to pull on his armor. "MERLIN!" he called. Within moments, Merlin was panting at Arthur's door way.
"You rang, sire?" he said sarcastically.
"Ceremony has found who is trying to attack us." Arthur said and started running out of the room, still pulling on one of his boots.
"MY LORD!" Merlin called after him
"What IS it, Merlin?" Arthur stuck his head back into his room
"You may want to put some trousers on." Merlin pointed at Arthur's bare legs. It took everything in Ceremony to not start laughing.
"Ah yes, trousers." Arthur nodded and came back into his room.
"I suppose you'd like to know WHO is invading before running to Uther?" Ceremony called from the window where she stood.
"Yes, I do suppose that would help." Arthur said from behind his changing curtain.
"It is one of the gypsy clans. They do not rule the way my people do. They just believe that Uther has ruled this way for far too long. They wish to bring you to power. They are the bás an rí clan. The death of kings." Ceremony let a trace of fear creep into her voice.
"Well, that doesn't sound good." Merlin breathed.
"We shouldn't get the army involved, if we do, my father will also turn on the gypsies and your own people will not be safe." Arthur shook his head.
"It will take an army of your knights to stop them, like my father said, one of our warriors can do what twenty of yours can and in half the time." Ceremony starred out the window.
"But surely if I speak to them, they will see reason, they will wait until I become king." Arthur went to Ceremony and placed his hands on her shoulders
"My people are hard headed, they do not see reason. Once they have made up their mind, they will not be swayed. A lot like Uther, don't you think?" she smiled darkly.
Uther sent out his finest knights with Arthur to meet the on coming army. When the Gypsies reached the gates of Camelot, there were only 10 gypsies and 50 knights. The knights started snickering, thinking they'd already won the fight. The gypsies didn't even have horses, the knights dismounted to make the fight fare. Arthur looked at Ceremony, who hid in the shadows. Merlin watched Ceremony climb a tree as nimbly as a squirrel. She would wait for the gypsies to start advancing then drop down and start fighting them.
The knights started charging, war cries bounced off the walls and swords clashed. Ceremony dropped into the action as quickly as if she were a part of it from the beginning. Arthur, Merlin and Ceremony had each other's back through the whole fight. She killed the gypsy warriors before they even got within distance of Arthur's sword. Merlin cast spells left and right to save as many knights as he could. Arthur didn't notice, but Ceremony did.
Finally, the battle ended. Only two knights had been killed, and all but one gypsy had been killed. "Tell your king, that the Arente clan stands by Uther until Arthur is king. We will not tolerate any threats to kill Uther and we will not allow them to be seen through." Ceremony hissed at the soldier in the shadows. She slunk away so that the knights wouldn't notice her. The gypsy nodded then ran for his life. Arthur snuck into the woods to find Ceremony.
"I wanted to thank you for your help." Arthur said. Ceremony turned to look at him. "You are a brave woman, and a strong warrior." He looked deep into her eyes and felt the intimidation and the warm shiver. She was perfect for him in every way, why couldn't she see it too.
Ceremony smiled and removed her cloak, "One day, you will be married. I want you to give this to your wife. Tell her, it will always keep her brave and strong." She said and wrapped it around Arthur's shoulders. Arthur looked back at her. There, on her right shoulder, was a celtic knot symbol with two arrows in it. He touched it and traced the delicate design.
"It's beautiful." Arthur breathed.
"It's a sign of strength and loyalty." Ceremony watched Arthur trace her tattoo.
Merlin stumbled through the trees and found them. "Ceremony! That was fantastic the way you defeated those soldiers left and right." He laughed.
"And for you, Merlin. I have a gift for you." She smiled. Merlin's brow furrowed in confusion. "This necklace will keep you safe from all harm, you and those you love." Ceremony smiled then touched her forehead to his, "It is also enchanted to help you along your way to becoming a great wizard someday." She whispered then kissed his forehead. Then she walked back to Arthur and kissed him on the mouth. She didn't say another word, she just ran into the forest.
Two weeks later, Arthur retraced his steps with Merlin to find the gypsy camp. He had to find Ceremony again.
They reached a clearing and decided to rest. Merlin walked over to a tree to get some fire wood when he saw a paper nailed to the trunk. "Arthur!" he called. "It's a message!" he ripped the paper from the tree and read it when Arthur was beside him. "Merlin and Arthur, it was a great pleasure and honor to meet you before your destinies become reality. I hope that one day we will see each other again and our people can become one. Use the gifts I left you wisely, -Ceremony."
Arthur felt his heart shatter. She'd been here, walked on this dirt, breathed this air, and he had missed her. He and Merlin remounted their horses and rode back to Camelot. As they rode away, Ceremony came out from behind a near by tree and watched them leave.
20 Years had passed since Arthur and Merlin had last seen Ceremony, Arthur was now king of Camelot, Merlin was his trusted advisor and closest friend. A drought had hit the land and the people needed all the help they could get working the fields and retrieving fresh water. Merlin and Arthur, along with the knights lent their own hands to help with these requirements. The Lady Guinevere also helped the women of town with the animals and children.
Arthur was with Merlin in the fields closest to the forest and something struck Arthur, "Merlin, I've been king for 10 years now, why haven't Ceremony and her people come back? She said that she'd return when I was king." Arthur sighed.
"She said that she HOPED she would return when you were king, Arthur, she never said for sure that she would." Merlin answered.
"Excuse me, sire." A woman had come out of the forest, Arthur looked at her, her hair was long and wavy, pulled back to keep the bangs that would interfere with her vision out of her face, and her big brown eyes were framed with thick lashes. "I wanted to thank you for all you've done for your people. You have no idea how much this means to them." She smiled at Arthur.
"I do what I can, madam, and I just hope that it will be enough." Arthur smiled.
"It's more than enough, sire." She whispered. Just then the breeze picked up and blew her shawl from her shoulders. It landed at Arthur's feet, he bent to pick it up and saw that around the woman's ankle was a bracelet. It was silver and had tiny bells on it. Arthur straightened up and looked at the woman again. There, on her right shoulder, was the celtic knots with two arrows.
"Ceremony?" Arthur breathed.
"It's good to see you again, Arthur, and you too Merlin." She took both men into her arms in a hug.
"I never doubted for a second that we would see you again, Ceremony. I dreamt it often." Merlin smiled and returned the hug.
"You both have been in my dreams too." Ceremony looked at the two men before her. "My people are not yet ready to be part of your world, Arthur, but I do believe that they are coming around." She said.
"When will we see you again?" Arthur asked.
"Soon, my people are almost ready." She smiled and walked away. Just as she was disappearing into the forest, Guinevere stood next to Arthur.
"Who was that, my love?" She asked Arthur.
"An old friend who once meant a lot to me, who once taught me a great lesson." Arthur smiled as he watched Ceremony walk away. Ceremony turned to look back at them. Then she vanished into thin air.
"I knew it," Merlin smiled.
I will see you both again, some day. My people are almost ready. I'll see you soon, but know that you already belong in my dreams. Though I'm not here, I'm with you, in your dreams. I've never left your side. The thought was put into Merlin and Arthur's minds. Arthur never did see Ceremony again, but Merlin claimed to dream of her each night. And every morning, Arthur woke with a Midnight Candy flower on the window where ceremony had once visited him in the middle of the night.