The Last Priestess
Chapter 1: Diamond in the Rough
It always felt odd and almost a violation of history for Anabelle to climb the steps, heading into Arthur's court. It was common every three years or so for Anabelle and her father to move through the barriers of the time loops, in order to visit the court of Uther Pendragon and his son. Anabelle had not visited in nearly five years due to her own schedule, so this time she was not expected. There was no fan-fair to greet her or notice of the rush of her appearance. Arthur of course would be happy to see her as always, but this was the only place her own royal council knew that she would be safe and protected from the dangers she faced in her own time.
"Halt!" She heard one of Arthur's knights demand of her. "Give your name!"
Arthur was bored. He was not an hour into his evening Council meeting and all he wanted to do was stand up, walk out of the room, and not return for a good long while. Leaning his head onto his palm, he and the other knights jumped as the doors to the room burst open without warning. The words spoken quietly in his ear were nothing less than a shock. She had returned to him after such a long time, returned to him when he needed her most. Arthur stood immediately.
"Here? She is here? Send her in immediately." He moved away from the large table, waiting anxiously for the woman he missed to enter his life again.
"Arthur!" She exclaimed as she finally saw his face, his arms open to her. Running to him, Anabelle threw herself into his waiting arms.
"Anabelle my dear, what are you doing here? Where is your father? Has something happened to him?"
"I am not here on an official stay. Are you not happy to see me?" She questioned, pulling away to look back at him.
"I am always happy to see you Anabelle." Arthur replied with a smile. "I am simply surprised by your visit. I was not expecting you for another year." He watched her smile disappear. The light of her eyes, the light he had come to necessary to him was not the same. Something was definitely wrong.
"A troubling set of circumstances has arisen in my time that threatens my sovereignty. She looked around the room at the men all staring back at her. "Can we talk privately?" She whispered to her friend. "I fear that what I have to say must stay between privy-council."
Arthur looked to his knights, the men he relied on and was always so forthcoming with, and then back to Anabelle. He knew without hesitation that if Anabelle requested private audience with him, it was mandatory that he comply. He took her hand in his, leading her out of the room, ignoring any protests, walking his friend away from any other eyes and ears.
An hour later, Anabelle was led back into the same room beside the King, feeling as though she were now on display. She had become accustom to this sort of attention and staring in her own realm, but in Arthur's court, it often felt uncomfortable and unnatural.
"Perhaps I should have found a cloak to cover up with before accompanying you back into a room full of men who do not yet understand the time period I've come from." She tried her best to keep her eyes forward, finding the task an extreme difficulty.
"Quite uneasy and unnerving being stared at so blatantly." Her comment made most of the knights look away.
One knight had not let his eyes drop from hers. He was familiar to her. The way he watched her made her feel as though they knew one another. She realized then that she did recognize him. They had indeed met before.
"Arthur, what is this about? Who is this strangely dressed, albeit lovely woman?" One of the knights was first to question.
Arthur had found it difficult and yet necessary after listening to all Anabelle had to say, to share the information with his knights. If she needed his protection, she needed theirs as well. He pulled out his chair for Anabelle, seeking her comfort before his own.
"This lovely woman Gwaine has come to me for help. She is a good friend of mine. Anabelle is from…" This was the hardest piece to both say and understand. Arthur paused, giving a hesitating look to Anabelle. She only smiled, squeezing his hand with hers, giving him every confidence he had lost.
"Anabelle is from a much different time of the future. She and her father have visited Camelot since our childhood." His words stopped as whispers started around the room. The only knight who did not whisper, the one who said nothing at all about the returning woman, was Sir Leon, who only continued to smile as he gained Anabelle's attention.
"It has been a long time from your last visit Princess." He spoke to her.
"It has indeed sir Knight." Anabelle slowly stood, shifting around Arthur, jumping to put her arms around Leon's neck.
He caught her in one jump, spinning her as they embraced.
"Is this not unbecoming behavior of a Princess?"
"It is not my court. I do not care."
Setting her feet back to the ground, the two then noticed that they were now the pair being stared at.
Anabelle found her ability to feign innocence. "I apologize." She turned to face Arthur. "That was quite an improper and discourteous display of affection. Please forgive my behavior." She held a hand out to Arthur, who took it, pulling her close to his side.
"I have missed you terribly Anabelle." He whispered.
The room grew silent, lasting only seconds. More explanations were due.
"As astounded as I am to learn that Leon knows what is going on while I do not," Gwaine spoke up once more, "I would like to return to the questions at hand. What is going on?"
"How did she come to be here?" Another knight offered inquiry, disgust clear in his tone. "Magic?"
"It is not magic." Both Leon and Arthur returned to the answers.
"Science." Leon replied. "Her time has great sciences and technologies."
"Anabelle is a Princess in her time, and will continue to be treated as such while here in Camelot."
"Yes Sire." All agreed.
"She is in danger." The King went on. "Her life and her Kingdom are both threatened. It is the urgent motivation that has brought her back to me so unexpectedly." Again Arthur put both arms around Anabelle as if protecting her personally.
"The man she is betrothed to means to marry her, kill her, and take her throne."
"What can we do?" Mordred spoke this time, meeting Anabelle's gaze.
"We can hide her in Camelot and keep her safe from harm." Leon stated.
The mood of the room had changed. Arthur nodded in agreement.
"I would like her to be guarded while she is here."
Anabelle turned her head swiftly to Arthur, her eyes daring him to look back. When he did, he was clearly not prepared for her to become so irrational.
"Anabelle, I cannot have you unprotected if you are to remain safe, even here."
"Arthur, I am not a child. I will not be followed as if I am."
"Anabelle my sweet, I would feel better if… Anabelle, I am not treating you as a child. I am treating you as my best friend, a friend I do not wish to see harmed in any way." Arthur hugged her close. "I cannot tell you what it would do if I failed to protect you from danger."
Anabelle closed her eyes. "Alright." She agreed, conceding their debate, knowing that he was right.
The two returned their attention calmly to the knights. Anabelle sat back down as Arthur continued to speak to his men.
"I fear that if anyone searching for Anabelle is able to discover the secrets of her travel and the breaching of our borders, they will not hesitate to harm her here."
"I will stay with her." Gwaine offered.
"As will I." Leon added without hesitation.
Mordred stepped forward, outspoken by Percival who offered his protection.
Anabelle laughed behind Arthur, who also enjoyed seeing the strongest of his men willing to fall to the feet of a Princess.
"You cannot all guard the pretty woman. What will I do?" Arthur continued to laugh. "Gwaine, Mordred and Leon, I will have you three take shifts guarding Anabelle."
All three agreed to split shifts as Arthur led Anabelle from the room.
"I was very sorry to hear about your father." Anabelle quietly spoke with mourning as Arthur led her through multiple corridors. "He was a good man."
"He was undeniably a good man."
"And he was a good King."
"He would have had you and I married if he were still with us."
Anabelle lifted her head as they reached a set of double doors. "What happened?" She changed the subject, looking away again when Arthur's eyes showed just how well he knew her, and her subtle ability to avoid the subject of marriage between them.
Opening the doors, he showed her into her chambers, the room she called her own each time she visited. "Do you not already know the answer to your question? Does history not tell of his death as well?"
Anabelle shrugged her shoulders as she walked around the room, trailing her fingers over the histories of time. "History lies and apparently changes."
"He died of a broken heart." Arthur answered, standing very still, staring out the nearby window. He did not have the heart to tell her the truth of Odin and his revenge.
"A broken heart." She mused. "Morgana?"
Arthur did not respond, but he never needed to with her. She often knew what he would say or think to say before he did.
"Alright. I will not question the subject any longer. Perhaps you would care to discuss your marriage to Guinevere. She is not at your side. Care to share the problems that lie down this road?" Anabelle sat on her bed, leaning back, waiting for his response.
Arthur turned, looking deep into her eyes for the first time since she had returned to his arms. "My father's one wish was to see my marriage serve purpose-to hold alliance with another strong Kingdom."
"You married for love Arthur. Couples should marry for love, not convenience or alliance."
He sighed, sitting beside his friend. "I married a woman who has made a mission to betray me more than once."
"Lancelot?"
"Followed by Morgana."
"What? Okay, that one you must go into detail about." Anabelle insisted.
"She has been corrupted by Morgana's magic and powerful influence. I tried to fix the problem, but Morgana is too strong a Priestess." Arthur then kissed her cheek, standing, allowing Anabelle to rest.
"If you need anything, it is yours to request. It will be given."
"Good night Arthur." She stood, kissing his cheek in return.
"Until the morning." Arthur walked to her door, opening it.
Anabelle paused before yelling towards her door. "Good night Leon!"
"Good night Princess."
The following morn would be Anabelle's first full day back in Camelot. After dressing in more appropriate clothes from the closet Arthur kept for her, she expected to start her day with her friend. She had not anticipated the unavoidable conversation waiting on the opposite side of her doors. Taking the earliest shift of Anabelle's guard, Mordred stood facing the emerging Princess.
"Good morning my lady." Was all the knight said before stepping to the side. He allowed her to lead the way to her destination.
Anabelle walked slowly in front of the dedicated protector at her back, considering the inescapable chat between them. She stopped momentarily at a stained glass window, not focusing on the window, but the man moving in closer to her.
"The King awaits you Princess." His hand touched briefly to her shoulder, sending a familiar chill to her spine.
She did not yet move, but spoke in a hushed tone. "I did not know that you would be here. I never expected that we would meet again. I did not know who you were then." Anabelle best explained as best she could.
Mordred stayed at her side, listening, waiting to speak. "That night was the best and the strangest night I have experienced. You disappeared before I could tell you…" He quieted as her head turned back to him.
"You did not say anything last night when I appeared with Arthur. You could have easily told him that we have met once before."
Mordred gave her a look of trepidation. "And how do you think that conversation might have gone? Yes Sire, I've met this exquisite woman. She was injured and as we were in mid conversation, she up and disappeared, frightening me to my core."
Anabelle now felt the darkening caution in him, worried she might be gone again in the next second. "I can't much argue with that logic."
"You didn't say anything either Princess." He countered.
"No, I did not." Anabelle then began to move down the cold corridor again.
Arriving to the King's chamber doors, Mordred knocked with Anabelle close by his side. It was Merlin who answered the door, opening it wide to allow Anabelle access to Arthur. She watched all three men nod to each other, going on with their duties directly after.
"Wait." Anabelle insisted, sliding back out the door momentarily. "Mordred." She spoke, walking to catch up to him.
Mordred halted, another look of hesitation crossing his face. They were watched and listened to he knew.
"Princess, I will return to you shortly. The King wishes for your time now."
"Arthur will be perfectly fine for ten more seconds. I want to apologize to you."
Resisting the urge to touch her in this moment, Mordred could only clasp his hands tightly together. "What should you have to apologize to me for?"
"I did not mean to frighten you when I disappeared. You may have very well saved my life that night."
"I am glad that you are safe my lady." He stated. "I will return." He needed to walk away from her before he crossed a line that would be his undoing.
Breakfast with Arthur was next on her agenda. Anabelle enjoyed any time she got with Arthur. It gave each a chance to speak without judgment or filter. Conversations were spoken with worry. Today though, her Arthur had no interest in talking about Guinevere when brought up. Anabelle had to wonder how a man she knew so well, a man who had more heart, morality, and kindness in him could so easily brush off the woman he had loved enough to marry. After breakfast, Arthur was set for another meeting with his Council, but Anabelle had no interest in joining him. Escorting him to the Throne room, she said a short hello to Leon, Gwaine, Mordred, and the other knights. Merlin was tasked to accompany the Princess to any destination she chose. The two ended up in Arthur's room, sat together on his small couch, talking, getting to know one another more.
Arthur was glad to eventually have his duties out of the way. He would attend a scheduled training with his knights later in the day, but now he had an opportunity to spend more quiet time with Anabelle. He most enjoyed when it was just the two of them together, able to just be. He was not always a Prince or a King when with her. He was just Arthur, just a man, nothing more. He did not have that feeling with anyone else. Even Guinevere had always seen some part of him as the royal figure he was held to. Approaching the doors to his own chamber he heard Anabelle's distinct laughter. Her laugh made him smile in a way he had not done in years. She was bringing back everything he had lost when he lost Guinevere. He knocked on his own door, feeling odd about doing so, but noticed that the laughter did not slow. Opening the door slowly, he found Merlin sitting with Anabelle, facing her on a small couch, both hysterical, and laughing as though they could not stop.
"You are joking. Please tell me that you are joking." Anabelle finally spoke, tears in her eyes from their laughter.
"I'm not." Merlin replied. "It happened. I saw it with my own eyes."
Anabelle tried her best not to laugh again, failing as Arthur approached her. Both she and Merlin broke into another fit of laughter.
"I see that I have intruded in on a very interesting conversation." Arthur said. "Merlin, do you not have responsibilities to tend to today?"
"Arthur dear," Anabelle sweetly took his hand. "Do not be cross with Merlin. It is my fault he has remained here. After he escorted me here to wait on you, I asked him to stay."
"I should be on my way Princess." Merlin rose from the couch.
"Of course Merlin. Thank you for keeping me company while Arthur has been busy."
Arthur looked from Anabelle to Merlin. "In that case, I will overlook your inability to tell time Merlin."
Anabelle gave Arthur a stern look before smiling to Merlin as he exited the room. "You should be kinder to him Arthur." She stated as he sat down beside her, pulling his arms around her as she relaxed into his chest.
"You two certainly seemed to be having a good time together."
Anabelle smirked. "We were actually talking about you. I asked Merlin to catch me up on everything you have done while I've been away."
Now Arthur looked worried. "You were laughing at me?"
"I told you, I wanted to know everything that I have so unfortunately missed."
Both Arthur and Anabelle stayed quiet for the next hour, breathing and resting calmly in the arms of one another before being surprised by the door bursting open.
"Sire, there is a problem." Leon rushed into the room.
Arthur stood, keeping Anabelle behind him. Both noticed Leon had a hand to his sword, worried about the danger they faced.
"The time barrier that Anabelle entered through has been breached again."
"Who was it Leon?" Anabelle questioned, insisting upon knowing all that Arthur and his knights knew.
"We do not yet know my lady." He told her, cautiously taking her from a tense defensive King. "We must lead you to safety until we are convinced there is no danger."
Anabelle nodded, taking Leon's hand, handed off instantly to Gwaine and Mordred who rushed her out of Arthur's room, to her own.
"Inside both of you." Gwaine instructed of Mordred and Anabelle, pushing both into her room.
Mordred did as he was told, ushering Anabelle inside, keeping the door locked as Gwaine stood guard outside.