Hi – I'm back! Sorry about the late update, I was in the country part of Western Australia, where there was no internet connection (let's just say, it was a tough couple of days!). But I'm back now, so here's the next chapter. Merlin does not belong to me, although my OCs do. Please review and enjoy!
Chapter 2
I Deserve Revenge
"Elyan, please escort Guinevere, Morgana and Amity to my chambers. Get there as fast as possible and make sure guards are guarding the door. I want at least four men there, even more if possible." Arthur commanded, standing up as Merlin immediately went to his side and Elyan went to Gwen's. Esme stayed clutched to me and I could feel her breath against my neck. Whispers were starting to break out among the guests as they stared at the King for what to do. Arthur then turned to Sir Leon who was sitting a few seats away from him, further down the table. "Leon, with me. Bring the other knights too." Sir Leon nodded, as Elyan marched over to Esme and I. I shook my head at him as he headed over, as Esme started to rub my arm soothingly.
"Amity, we have to go get you somewhere safe." She said lowly to me, before coughing again – her lungs still recovering from the cold temperature. I could see she purposefully used me first name in an effort to sooth me even more. I just looked at her, distraught and tried to step away from her.
"I cannot just leave Arthur with this trouble which I caused. I have to help." I told her, before looking back where Arthur was, as he pulled Gwen into his arms and kissed her forehead. "I refuse to play some damsel in distress, while Prince Cary is out there, threatening those I love. You know how dangerous he is, I cannot let him hurt my only family left." I heard Esme sigh at my comment, when Sir Elyan reached us and stared down at us. Behind him was Morgana, who had a look of anxiety written on her face.
"Come along, milady." Sir Elyan said formally, his eyes darting around as he assessed the hall for danger. I saw Gwen whisper something to Arthur before she came and took my arm gently, starting to lead me away, but I pulled away. There was no way I'm going to leave Arthur with this mess when I am the cause for it.
"No, I cannot leave Arthur – this is my fault. I'll just go give myself to Prince Cary-" I told Gwen, who shook her head and shared an unreadable look with Morgana.
"Amity, that is the last thing we want to do. If Prince Cary gets you, marries you and takes over Lexador, then our situation would be a lot worse because he would have his army and your army under his control. There would be little we could do to stop him – he'd over power us." Gwen said softly, before attempting to pull me with her and Elyan again. "If there's anything we cannot do, it's give you to him. Now come along, we need to get you somewhere safe. Arthur will organize our men and decide the best way to respond to the threat, but all be can do now is follow his instructions."
"No, no, I cannot leave Arthur." I said, as Esme grabbed my free hand.
"Milady, please, I value your loyalty and can see your courage, but we have to hurry and get you to safety." Esme said quietly, but I shook my head.
"No, no, Arthur! Arthur!" I screamed out, when Sir Elyan suddenly grabbed my shoulders and was lifting me up and into his arms. Some of the guests stopped to stare at the scene in front of them, a few clicking their tongues disapprovingly at my behavior, whilst others seemed sympathetic and concerned. "Let go of me! I demand you let go of me! Arthur! Arthur!" I paused, kicking out at Sir Elyan who motioned over to Sir Gwaine to come and help him with me.
"Amity, Arthur will be fine. He will be a lot better though if he knows that you are safe – he won't have to worry about you when he's meant to be thinking about the best way to tackle the situation." Gwen spoke firmly, but not harshly, before Sir Elyan tried to get me to come with him again. "Careful Elyan, she's scared. Do not hurt her!" Gwen said worriedly, as she tried to calm me by stroking my hair.
"It's fine Gwen, I'm not going to hurt her." Sir Elyan uttered, but I just tried to get out of his grip again.
My eyes widened, begging, when Arthur turned to look at us after hearing me shriek his name. He replied to Sir Leon before he strode over swiftly and placed his calloused hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. Merlin trailed him, standing to the side, as Sir Leon stayed where he was while talking to guards who were helping lords, ladies and servants out of the hall. "Amity, calm down." Arthur said soothingly, as my breathing calmed down enough for me to listen to him. "Now, you've calmed down, just listen to me. I want you to go with Elyan and Gwaine. They'll take you to Gwen and mine's chambers until I decide it is save enough for you two to leave."
"Arthur, please, don't send me away. I can help you." I pleaded, as Arthur shook his head and took a deep breath. He opened his mouth to say something, but I continued to speak. "Just, just hand me over to Cary then, Arthur! It will save you a war."
Arthur's eyes hardened as his tone turned stubborn, but with a deadly undertone to it. "Never." He then turned to nod to Sir Elyan and Gwaine, before walking away, Merlin following behind him again.
"Please, Arthur!" I exclaimed, but Arthur kept walking on as Sir Gwaine came and seized me around my waist. "No, release me at once! Arthur! Please, Arthur!" I struggled against Gwaine's arms before he moved one arm behind my knees and knocking them from underneath me as I fell into his arms and he lifted me up. No way was I allowing this. In one last attempt to stop them from removing me, I yelled out louder than when I'd called out Arthur's name. "Merlin!"
Merlin stopped and considered at me over his shoulder, giving me a sympathetic glance. He frowned slightly, before starting to tread away again. "Please Merlin, don't do this. Help me Merlin, please!" I said, before letting out a cry when Sir Gwaine began hurriedly walking out of the hall, carrying me as I finally gave in and went flaccid in his grasp. Gwen, Morgana and Sir Elyan led the way with Esme succeeding us.
Sir Elyan opened the door to Arthur and Gwen's chamber, as they tramped in, Sir Gwaine carrying me before placing me gently down and helping me steady as I stood. "You alright?" he asked, his hands on my hips to help me in case I fell. "I'm sorry I had to do that, but Arthur was right. It was safer for you to be taken away where it's guarded."
I took a deep breath in as I stumbled unsteadily away from Sir Gwaine, crossing the room to the window where I leaned against its frame and glowered out. Arthur was at the front steps of the castle, Merlin by his side as he discussed something with Sir Leon and Sir Percival, serious expressions on their faces. "He better be safe, or I am going to be the most disrespectful princess Camelot has ever met." I murmured, as I heard a swoosh of a skirt and had thin arms covered in green lace wrapped around me, comfortingly. Morgana.
"It'll be alright, Amity." Morgana whispered into my ear, one hand coming up and smoothing my now mused hair. "Arthur will control everything. Everything will be fine, this isn't the first situation like this that Arthur has had to face and he always succeeds."
"But will he?" I questioned, leaning into her embrace. "Morgana, you haven't met Prince Cary. You haven't seen how bloodthirsty and merciless he is. He doesn't care for second chances, if you fail him once, you'll have to face the repercussions – usually death."
Morgana stiffened as Gwen slowly came towards us, leaning on the opposite side of the window frame. "Amity," Morgana said quietly, "how much have you meet of this Prince."
"Remember how he ordered the mass murder? Well, my family, including myself were in the same place when it happened at the same time. He…he spoke to me." I swallowed thickly and blinked repeatedly when I felt my eyes start to water. My eyes stayed on Arthur as I felt the eyes of the knights also on me, along with Esme who already knew about that night. "I cannot tell you much, it…it hurts to, but, he gave me a choice – marry him and my family would survive or death. I…I didn't think he'd actually kill – I thought it was an empty threat." I chuckled darkly.
I pulled myself out of Morgana's hold and clasped the window frame. "If there's one thing I learnt, it's that Prince Cary never breaks a promise…or a threat. And you don't understand, I made a vow to myself, my own promise. Prince Cary will regret what he did to my family. Let's see how he handles my threat." I looked away from Arthur and walked over to the seat beside the bed, sitting down gracefully and staring at the floor. I knew that Morgana and Gwen were giving each other looks, Esme would be blushing due to being around the knights and trying to stay out of the way by being in a corner and I could hear the soft whispers of the knights as I leaned back into the cushioned chair, shut my eyes and welcomed darkness.
I'm not sure how long I was asleep for before I felt someone grab my shoulders and softly shake me awake. "Amity, wake up." He whispered, as my eyes opened slowly and I blinked. In front of me, in all his armour and Camelot cloak, was Arthur.
Arthur helped me sit up and supported me while I properly woke up. "Arthur." I murmured. Great, Arthur's back. Thanks for leaving me here for however long – wait, Arthur's back! "Arthur, you're alive!" I screeched and threw myself at him, hugging him. He chuckled soundlessly and stood up, raising me with him until I was standing with my head around just above his elbow. He and Merlin are very similar in height, but Arthur's just a littler broader.
"Yes, still breathing." Arthur joked, but I just held on tighter. I felt him nod over my head, as I heard footsteps as I'm guessing he was saying the knights could leave the room now that he was here. "Come on, let us talk." Arthur stepped back from the hug and pulled me towards the table. I noted that no one else was in the room, suggesting it wasn't just the knights asked to leave.
"Where is everyone else?" I queried, as Arthur pulled my chair out for me and I sat down, as he sat down on the chair beside it, leaning against the table.
"I spoke to them while you were asleep. They went to get something to snack on." Arthur replied, which means in code that I told them all the details of what is happening and I'm going to tell you in simpler and less gory terms what I'm going to do while they gives us space and time. "Now, firstly, I just want you to know, you don't have to be so scared every time I go off to fight."
"So, you fought?" I inquired, horrified. Arthur replied in the negative.
"No, I just did perimeter checks of the castle with the knights and guards until we deemed that we were not going to be attacked during the night." Arthur informed me. "Now, I might as well start with what is going to happen – and no, we are not going to hand you over to that man, Amity, so do not even think that. Our plan is not set down, but we plan on just staying neutral for now, and then, we'll attack Prince Cary – if it comes to it."
"You're giving me a less detailed version." I complained, crossing my arms over my chest.
Arthur looked at me fondly. "I also want you to know that I wasn't trying to betray you or abandon you when we were in the hall, I just had to go discuss plans with Sir Leon."
"I understand, I was just…" I trailed off, biting my lip, but Arthur just stared at me understandingly.
"Do not fret, Amity, I know how it feels." He inhaled deeply, before continuing. "As you know, I lost my mother at birth and grew up swearing I'd never forget her, but when I got into my early twenties, right after Merlin arrived here in Camelot, I discovered that it was my father who was the cause for her death, along with magic and in a way – me. After finding this out, I got angry. Went into such a rage, with a thirst for revenge to avenge my mother, I went to question my father – violently. It was lucky Merlin was here."
"What did Merlin do?" Arthur started to take his leather gloves as he listened to my inquisition, before adding to his point.
"He talked me out of it. Calmed me down. Got me to lower my sword." Arthur stated, standing up to take off his belt which had his sword attached to it, along with his keys.
"And then what happened?" I rose up too, and took the belt from him, removing his sword and staring at it as the silver and gold gleamed brightly in the candlelight.
"I broke down. Cried like a baby. In front of my father and Merlin…now I think about it, I think Gaius was there too. I was mortified afterwards, but my father just sat and comforted me, reminding me that he loved me and my mother and he never wished for her death. I never understood just what it was like to love a person like my father loved my mother, but then I met Gwen. And let's just say, I love her more and more every day, despite our differences and the hard experiences we've had. If anything, I feel that we've come out stronger as a couple. However, I want you to know that I understand what it's like to want to avenge someone you love and the one that took them away from you is so close, yet so far."
"How did you know about…about my desire?" I staggered to beside Arthur's bed and placed his sword on the small table beside it, looking down so he couldn't see my red face.
Arthur stepped forward from the sound of it. "Amity, you had your family taken away from you by one man – I would've expected you to want revenge-"
"Then you'd understand why I need to be involved." I whirled round to face him, grasping one of the posts on his four poster bed.
Arthur was silent, before he said gradually and unsurely. "I understand why you feel you need to be-"
"No Arthur, I need to be involved." I argued.
"We shall speak about this in the morning, however, for now, it's time for bed." Arthur said, sluggishly pulling his boots off.
"I'm not tired." I stated, as he rolled his eyes.
"Well, not all of us slept for most of the night. Now, Amity, it's bed time. Go call Esme, she should be in the kitchen."
"You cannot just shut me out when you do not wish to discuss something, Arthur." I snapped, stubborn. "You act all strong and brave when it comes to battles, but when it's talking out about a serious situation to your ward, it's all 'oh no, I cannot speak'. Honestly Arthur, I am not five!"
"I realize that Amity, but you're not an adult either. You might have to act like one due to your status, but you grew up too fast. No one your age should have to of faced what you have. If I could, I'd take back all the pain you've felt. You should be having fun and no regrets, but instead, you're facing a war. And I know it's not fair – I realize that, but if I can hold off giving you too much responsibility before you should have it. Now, go to bed." Arthur said calmly, as I growled and twisted around before storming the door. My hand went on the handle when Arthur cleared his throat and I halted. "You, Amity, are so much like Morgana."
I flushed, if I'm half the woman Morgana is, then I'd be incredibly happy, because Morgana is a strong and courageous person for everything she's had to face. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yes, you see, you both were wards of Camelot after the last remaining members of your family were slain. You were the last of your family, had to grow up faster than one should. You're both stubborn, brave and strong-hearted. Any future husbands of yours should be wary, because one peek of that perfected pout you two have when things don't go your way – and they'll be doing whatever they can to please you." Arthur said, as I smiled softly. "Now, off to bed you monster. I need my beauty sleep." He kidded, before striding over and turning me around to hug me and kiss my forehead in a fatherly manner.
"Night father." I jested, but Arthur merely grinned affectionately as I opened the door and slid out, before Arthur called out behind me.
"Guards, escort the Princess back to her room." I heard him cackle when I halted and shrieked out loudly.
"Dammit Arthur!"
"Sire, we have the royal family." The man holding my father's chains said, as the doors to the Great Hall opened and we were dragged inside. Father, despite having his hands chained and a sword pressed warningly to his back, kept his head up high as his pride kept him seeming unaffected. Mother copied his actions, staying self-righteous while also manacled. My brothers were all shackled as well, however, I was the only one unrestrained, with just a sword following my back with each step I took. Apparently, Prince Cary felt he could not harm his future wife and bearer of his children.
"Come in." A soft voice called, as the doors were opened and his men brought us in. The hall was silent except for the sounds of crackling flames from the fire and candles. The sound of distance wind echoed as the candles flickered, but the wind had no effect on the hall once the doors were shut. Standing beside two very old and rusted thrones was a man with murky brown eyes, the colour of mud, with olive skin and curly dark brown hair which was messy. He had his back against the side of the throne on the left, his white poet shirt open at the front, showing the defined muscles of his chest, before hiding his stomach where it was tied up with red laces. His shirt was tucked into his leather pants, as I felt a flush rise. I was expecting a very old man, not one who appeared the same age as my eldest brother. "Ah, if it isn't the great royal family, the Fatherns of Lexador. Welcome to my humble abode, King Godric, Queen Eugenia, and all of your children – I do hope it's up to your standards."
"Release us." My father demanded, but Prince Cary merely rolled his eyes.
"You heard my father," my eldest brother, Marrick, said to Prince Cary, as he stared defiantly towards the power-driven man. "Release us."
"I'm sorry, Prince Marrick, but may I point out you have no authority over me, whatsoever, currently?" Prince Cary said, as his eyes wandered all over my family, until they landed onto me. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the beautiful Princess Amity Farthen of Lexador. How are you?" He sauntered forward, grabbing my hand and placing a kiss on it, ignoring my flinch and look of disgust. He may look like a dark angel, but his skin was ice cold and lips were chapped. I caught my father's eye, who tried to leap at Prince Cary, but was tugged back by the man holding the chains.
"Do not touch my daughter, boy." Father snarled, as my brothers glared at Prince Cary and my mother's lips went very thin from her pressing them together.
"Oh, do not worry, sire, I won't hurt her. How does a little kiss hurt?" Prince Cary looked back at me and leaned forward, as I tried to move back, but the sword at my back stopped me. That made Prince Cary glare at the man. "Do not hurt my Princess, am I understood?"
"Your Princess?" my third brother, Henry, repeated angrily.
"Oh yes, if she'd have me." Prince Cary then grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, leading us to where the thrones were. He placed his arm around my waist, as he stood next to me, nearly three heads taller than my small recently turned fourteen year old self. "What do you say, Princess, be my Queen?" I glared at him with deep hatred, but he merely laughed to himself, before pulling my hand and grasping them in his. "Just think about it, you and I, King and Queen of Lexador ruling side by side, having more power than anyone else in the world."
"I do not want world domination." I stated, trying to tug my hands out of his.
"But do you want your family to survive?" Prince Cary's eyes gleamed, as I started to see the maleficent look in his eyes that many had spoken about in whispers.
'"What are you saying?" I asked, my eyes widening, as Prince Cary leaned forward, close enough to kiss me on the lips. His eyes stayed connected with mine, as his breath brushed against my face.
"Marry me or watch them die and you'll still marry me." I gasped and my eyes narrowed as Prince Cary smirked smugly.
"I'll never marry you." I declared, as his eyes seemed to light up.
"Too bad," he said softly, before raising his voice. "Guards, deal with them." He directed, as I whirled around to see the guards raise their swords and heard my families' screams echo around the hall.
"No! Father! Mother! Henry! Rhys!" I screamed, trying to run to stop the men, but Prince Cary grabbed me. "Marrick! Please, stop! Stop! Please!"
"Milady, it's alright, I'm here. Milady, it's just a dream. Amity! Amity, wake up!" My eyes shot open as I sat up, nearly hitting my head against Esme's. I took a deep breath, before breaking down into heavy sobs. Esme's eyes widened and she leaned forward, wrapping me in her arms. "I'll take care of her."
"Alright, but if you need anything, just call us." A guard told Esme, as I continued to cry into Esme's shoulder. As they left the room, we stayed in the hold.
"Oh Esme, it was that night all over again. I could hear their screams. They were so loud. So full of pain. I couldn't do anything – Prince Cary stopped me from saving them." I wept as Esme moved to lie me back down again.
"It's alright, Amity, you're safe now." She soothed, rubbing my hair as I fell back into the pillows. "Just go back to sleep."
"Stay with me?" I begged, as Esme nodded and I moved over, making room for her on my bed. She lay down and pulled me into her arms as I fell asleep with her singing a lullaby softly into my ear and playing with my hair.
So that's all for this chapter! Yay, you've now heard of three of her brothers: Marrick, Henry and Rhys. You will hear about the other brothers later though! You've also met Cary (kind of) – so that's…good? In a weir way, I suppose. Ok, now for those who reviewed.
musicnlyrics – Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you're interested! I've been bored with the some of the fanfics so I decided to make a new approach! I'm happy I could sure! Once again, thanks for reviewing!
Guest – Thanks for loving it! That means a lot to me Now you can read more – hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Thank you for reviewing and loving it as well
So, there's all the reviews, please review, favourite and follow and READ! I love people reading my fanfics (although reviewing is pretty nice too *hint, hint*). Okay, bye then! Emily Grace