A/N - Thanks to everyone whose reviewed, followed and favourited :).. I hope you enjoy the first chapter!..
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Chapter 1 – Sleeping Sun
Sun beamed over the city of Camelot. The markets were being prepared for a profitable day as stalls were being set out in the town, goods being placed on tables and deliveries being delivered and sent. The guards were changing on their posts, allowing for the guards on the night shift to get some rest before they returned to duty that next night as the castle staff made their preparations for the new day.
The Knights emerged from their homes, shuffling their way to the practice fields for their usual training session. They wiped sleep from their eyes as they waited for their Commander to arrive. Merlyn sat on the top of a fence that surrounded the area while Lance leant back against it. Some of the knights began to talk to one another while others started to stretch before the upcoming workout.
"How is it that you get out here much earlier than he does?" Lance questioned, both his elbows taking his body weight as it pressed against the fence. His question brought Merlyn out of her thoughts as she turned to look at him.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Merlyn denied. She knew what he was getting at, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction to know that he was right. "He probably overslept."
"And you couldn't have given him a nudge before you snuck out?" He smirked, to which Merlyn rolled her eyes. It was true that there were a few nights that she stayed with Arthur. Despite how the two of them acted around each other, very few people knew the true relationship between the two of them.
They were exactly the same as they had always been in public, and anyone who had seen the slightly longer gazes or the subtle touches had just put it down to their status as best friends. Merlyn herself quickly put any knights who used to think that she was an easy target, received special treatment because she was a girl in their place. She still refused to let Arthur defend her despite their change in relationship.
The Warriors all knew of the relationship between the two, as did Gaius, Morgana and Gwen, but everyone else was oblivious. The Warriors sometimes liked to tease them about it, but it was all done in good humor. They would usually receive a punch to the shoulder from Merlyn or a stern glare from Arthur.
Lance's teasing was interrupted when Arthur made his appearance, with Leon by his side. The Knights all began to get to their feet or push themselves up from whatever they were leaning against. "Morning men." Arthur greeted them before looking over to Merlyn. ".. and Merlyn." She rolled her eyes as he smirked before hopping down from the fence, picking up the two swords that were sticking up in the ground where she had left them before leaning back against the fence. "Alright, I want everyone to pair up. We are going to have a short sparring session with weapons of your choice before target practice with bows." The Knights grumbled before they all paired off with one another and headed further out into the grounds.
Arthur walked over to her when she hadn't moved from the fence. "Is everything okay?" He asked her concerned. She seemed to be off in space for a while before he brought back to reality. He looked over to make sure that no one could hear them knowing that Merlyn didn't want people knowing about the two of them, even if he wanted to shout it from the rooftop. He respected her decision though he thought her worries were unfounded. She didn't want people to treat her differently and after spending so much time building her reputation, she didn't want it destroyed by the fact that she was with the King. "You weren't there when I woke up this morning."
"Yeah, I just didn't sleep well, that's all. I didn't want to disturb you." She admitted. She looked up into his clear blue eyes that showed concern, trying to determine if she was telling him the whole truth.
"You sure that's all it is?" He questioned, knowing if there were something troubling her she probably wouldn't tell him about it unless it was really important. He wanted to protect her, or at least share the burden. She nodded, offering him a smile before pushing herself off the fence.
"Come on." She headed over to where the Knights were now all exchanging blows with one another. He watched her walk away for a moment then following her, before they began their well practiced dance.
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Morgana searched through the castle looking for Merlyn. She had already been to Arthur's room, Gaius' quarters and even down to the library, but couldn't find her anywhere. She knew that she had training early this morning, but that would have been over for a while. She needed to tell her of her dream last night before it drove her completely crazy.
She eventually spotted her as she stepped down the stairs leading into the courtyard. Merlyn was stood in the center of the courtyard speaking with Lance and Leon. She was listening carefully to something that Leon was telling her before she looked back towards the gates and nodded. Morgana headed over, attempting to pull Merlyn away from them.
"Merlyn? Can I talk to you?" She asked, glancing at both Lance and Leon as they glanced at her questioningly. Her voice was higher pitched than normal, her tell-tell sign that something was bothering her.
Merlyn looked at the two Knights beside her. "Anything else?" She asked. They shook their heads before she followed Morgana back inside the castle, leaving the men alone who just watch on as they disappeared from sight.
They continued to walk in silence, until they came to the great hall, knowing that they had complete privacy. Merlyn's fears were confirmed if Morgana had chased her down. "They are back aren't they?" Merlyn began. "The dreams?" Morgana nodded sadly, sighing. "Last night's one was different." Morgana looked up in surprise at the other woman. "I was woken up by a magic force." Merlyn explained. "Something's happened."
"Mordred." Morgana whispered. "It was Mordred. He killed a unicorn. That's what I saw." She explained. "It was like I was watching it all go down. He crept through the undergrowth before killing it. The Unicorn stood no chance, and then he hacked off the poor creature's horn."
Merlyn sat in one of the chairs that was surrounding the large table, putting her elbows on it before her head rested in her hands. "I'd hoped we had seen the last of him." Morgana sat down beside her. "Is there anything else you can remember?"
Morgana shook her head. "What are we going to do?" She asked. "What does it mean?" Merlyn sighed as she rested her elbows on the table, thinking over everything. "Perhaps we can ask Gaius? He may know." Morgana suggested. "Or maybe the Dragon?"
"I haven't seen Kilgharrah in months." Merlyn admitted. "He's been enjoying his freedom. Would you be able to find where Mordred killed the unicorn in your dream? I can only follow the magic scent so far. We have to know if that is what happened last night."
"I can try."
"I will go and tell Arthur. If there's something I've learnt from Mordred over the years it is that he doesn't do something without reason. We are at an advantage with you being able to see what he did otherwise we could have been caught by surprise." Merlyn stood as the two of them separated to prepare for their departure.
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"What are we looking for again?" Arthur asked. They had been riding for the best part of the day, searching out the meadow from Morgana's dream. When Merlyn had told him of Morgana's dream and that it also woke her up he insisted on accompanying them. She had at first wanted to dismiss his concerns, but knew that he would follow her whether she wanted it or not.
"Arthur.." Merlyn sighed as he asked the same question he had not ten minutes ago asked again. "No one said you had to come." They had been trying to follow clues that Morgana could remember from her dream as well as Merlyn's magic but were coming up with a loss.
"What and let you and my sister ride around in the forests alone?" He countered. Morgana rode ahead of them with Leon while Gwaine and Lance bringing up the rear, each looking out for anything out of the ordinary.
"Do I need to remind you of lethal I can be?" She retorted. The banter between the two of them had never changed even if their relationship had. "It's always you that needs saving."
"In your dreams." He smirked, as a chuckle from the two knights behind them could be heard. "As a matter of fact, that's what you said last night." She lent closer to his side, and punched him hard on the arm. "Ouch!" He looked up and saw her smile as she looked ahead. He smiled softly, seeing the smile on her face that had been absent for most of the day.
"Hey guys?" Morgana spoke up from the front. "I think I've found it." She pointed ahead, and their eyes followed in the direction to see a small clearing.
The six of them slowed to a stop before both Merlyn and Morgana dismounted. They both stepped towards the open meadow. Merlyn's eyes swept the area for danger before Morgana started to head over to where she had seen the unicorn in her dream. Arthur dismounted, handing the horses reins over to Lance before heading towards the scene.
"Poor thing." Morgana bent down to the deceased animal. "Why would he do this?" Arthur watched quietly, trying to find reason for why someone would kill such a creature.
Merlyn was searching the area, looking around in the forest for any sign that someone was watching them. She felt a chill overcome her. Something wasn't right, something or someone was out there. "I don't know. It makes no sense." She concluded that the whole thing was just getting to her, and headed back toward Morgana. "We can't leave her here."
"Where do you suggest?" Arthur asked, taking in everything around them.
"Avalon." Morgana spoke up. "The Lake of Avalon. Let her rest in peace."
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Darkness had fallen over the kingdom, and everyone had retired for the evening. They had arrived back in the city after managing to take the body of the unicorn to the Lake of Avalon and it returned to the water.
The fire in Arthur's chambers was flickering as the wood burnt keeping the occupants in the room warm. "So Gwaine was chatting up the new chambermaid yesterday. Last week it was the serving girl at the tavern and the week before that it was the dressmaker in town." Arthur laughed as he lounged on his bed, resting against the pillows with one arm behind his head.
"Mhmm.." Was the only response he received. Turning his head to the side to look at her, he saw she was staring off into the fire completely off in her thoughts.
"I was thinking that Elyan was getting much better at his footwork. I might even suggest that he tries to take on both Percy and Lance at the same time."
"Mhmm.."
Smirking a little, he continued. "I also decided that I was going to turn the north tower into a brothel. I mean having to venture into town is becoming such a waste of time." He sounded as if it was the most usual conversation that they were having, watching her reactions.
"Mhmm.." He watched as he didn't even register what he was saying so he decided to continue until she would.
"I'm also getting married to the Princess of Neria. You can still stay as my mistress but there would be certain duties that I would have to perform, you know creating heirs and such. I wouldn't want to worry you with such things."
"Mhmm.. What?!" She snapped out of her thoughts, hearing the last part of what he'd said.
He started to chuckle, shaking his head a little. "Where's you head at?" He asked, dropping his arm that was around his head, wrapping it around her shoulder pulling her to him.
She sighed, pressing her nose into his chest taking a deep breath. He kissed the top of her head as he waited for her to speak. "It doesn't add up. Mordred hasn't been seen or heard from in months and the first thing he does when he reappears is kill a unicorn? None of this makes any sense."
"Did Gaius say anything when you asked him about it?" He asked.
"Nothing. He didn't know anything." She sat up, pulling away from him before turning slightly towards him. "I knew he wasn't going to go away, but why this, why now? Maybe I missed something in the meadow. We've just about got everything back to normal after the attack from Cenred. The city has finally finished rebuilding and we're strong again. If he wanted to attack he would have done it while we were at our most vulnerable. So why now? What does he hope to accomplish?"
Arthur sat up before taking her face in his hands. "You're overthinking this." He told her. "Maybe it wasn't him. Maybe it was just a coincidence that Morgana had that dream or maybe it wasn't even him." She gave him a look that told him that she didn't believe a word that he was saying. "Okay, so maybe I don't even believe that but you have to stop worrying about this. Whatever he is up to we will deal with it. Together."
She nodded as he released her face. "Together." She agreed, leaning forward to kiss him. She pulled away a little, looking him in the eye. "But if you think I'm sharing you with anyone then you're more stupid than you look." Referring to his comments when she wasn't listening. "And if I find out you've been anywhere near a brothel.." He just laughed, catching her lips with his before leaning her backwards down towards the mattress.
"Never.." He muttered against her lips. She smirked at the hold that she had over the King. She had never thought about her life after she had gotten revenge against the people responsible for her parent's death, but if someone had told her, even as an innocent child, that she would be in love with a King and have that love returned, she would never have believe it. Circumstances had lead her to where she was, and there was no where else she would rather be.
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Morning sun shone through the window directly onto Arthur's face, waking the slumbering King. He groaned as he buried his head further into the pillow trying to hide from its rays. Reaching his arm out, he searched for the other body in the bed, only to find that the sheets were cold. Lifting his head up, he looked around and saw that the room was empty. Rolling onto his back he sighed. He had a feeling that he knew exactly where she had gone. There was a knock at the door before Morris walked in with his breakfast.
"Morning sire." He bowed a little.
"Morning Morris. Have you seen Merlyn this morning?" He questioned. Despite his Knights and friends knowing about his relationship with Merlyn, they had tried to keep it quiet, but they trusted the King's servant. Every time Merlyn stayed with him, she always tried to be gone before Morris arrived with his breakfast. Normally she woke him before she left, but not today. The first time that Morris had seen the two of them when he entered the chambers quietly in the morning, he had dropped the tray, waking both the King and the Warrior up making the two shoot up in bed at the disturbance, with weapons drawn.
"She and the Lady Morgana left early this morning on horseback. Is there a problem Sire?" Morris asked, standing up straight in the proper position of a servant. Merlyn had told him several times to loosen up, but even she was thankful that it was not George who attended to Arthur. He would have been a nightmare with all of his propriety.
"No, no problem. Can you send for Sir Leon after I have breakfast?" Morris nodded, bowing before he exited the room, leaving the young King alone to ready himself for the day.
Dressing for the day, he grabbed his breakfast before heading over to the desk in his chambers. He'd never really wanted to use the office that his father had, or move chambers so he just had the documents moved to his rooms. He settled in sorting out paperwork before he had a council meeting at midday. He really did hate those things.
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"Arthur, you wanted to see me?" Leon asked as he walked into the room a time later.
"Do you know where Merlyn and Morgana have gone off to?" He asked, dropping his quill.
"Back to the meadow. I asked if they wanted me to go along but they both said no." He sat on the other seat in his office area. "What's going on with that? Why've they gone back?"
Arthur shook his head. "Merlyn thinks they missed something, that it doesn't add up." He sighed. "Something about this really has messed with Merlyn's head. She thinks he's up to something, which I don't doubt but.." Leon nodded, understanding him. "Remember the council meeting later."
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"We must get to the bottom of what happened in the attack!" One of the council members announced. "Magic was used and no punishment has ever been given."
"It was that magic that saved us." Another argued back.
"And we just let whoever just get away with it?! It is against the law, punishable by death!" The first retorted.
"Sire.." The second turned to the King who had avoided this for the past few months. The Knights that were on the battlefield that day knew about both Merlyn and Morgana. When Merlyn had come back from the dead, they had tried to avoid giving an explanation to what had happened, but Arthur eventually relented telling them that the sorcerer that had saved her life by just keeping her from death until she healed.
"Those who were responsible for the use of magic during the battle have been pardoned and that will be the end of it. They are under my protection." He said, trying to move on.
"Sire, we, as the council, should be made aware of these people and they should be banished. Just because they helped this time doesn't mean that they won't turn on us the next time." They had been pestering him for months about revealing the identities of the sorcerers, but yet again he refused. Merlyn and Morgana were no danger to them, but if the council or the public found out about it, it could put them both in danger.
"Their identities are known to me and believe me when I say that they will not turn against us." He said. "I said after I was crowned King that I would not be my father. Whether you agree or not, it was my decision to reduce the punishment of the use of magic according to what I deem fit. The punishment will fit the crime."
"But Sire.."
"That is final." He slammed his fist down on the table. "Is there anything else any of the council members would like to bring up?" He demanded to know.
Each other them looked to one another as Leon sat in the chair beside the King, wishing that he was anywhere else but here, but as his role as the most senior Knight, he had to be there. He just envied Merlyn who'd managed to get out of it. "There has been talk about uniting the Kingdoms." Arthur internalised a groan. He knew exactly where this was going. "The Princess of.."
"Stop before you say anything else. I will decide when and who I marry. I appreciate your concern on the matter, but marrying so soon after my coronation would be unwise and seen as being weak. So if there isn't anything else.."
The doors to the great hall slammed open as Lance rushed in, breathing heavily. Arthur's head snapped up as everyone turned to face the interruption. Lance knew not to interrupt a council meeting unless it was an urgent matter. "Arthur.. Taika's returned.. alone." His heart stopped as he saw the panic evident as he saw the look in the warrior's eyes.
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Rushing down the steps of the courtyard, he heard the terrified sounds of Taika as she pulled against the stable boys who were trying to restrain her. He quickly grabbed the reins of her, and started to brush her nose, whispering words of comfort trying to calm the distressed horse down. Merlyn was usually the only one who could calm her, but he had to do something.
She stopped struggling after not too long and it was the first time Arthur could truly take in the state of the horse. There was an arrow sticking out of the saddle, which hadn't pierced through to injure the horse. He saw smudges of blood on the creature's neck.
He looked over to Leon and Lance who were stood looking worried behind him. "Ready the Warriors." He ordered. Both nodded, heading off in different directions.
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