Familiar

~The Very Same Sacrifice~

I don't own any of the characters, concepts or franchised that you may recognize. Thanks for reading!

"I first began noticing things were unusual when envoys from Cenred's kingdom began visiting the manor, not once or twice a month as expected with the peacekeeping, but almost once a week. And security began to be lessened, little by little the guards were let go. And then the manor started ignoring the messengers. The mail-carts were turned away with various excuses; fever, security threat, and so on. People from the outlying villages who came crying of attacks on their town, and theft were ignored. And then, when Lady Helena passed away… Everything stopped. Trade, mail, supplies- everything. We had enough stored so that no one went hungry or thirsty, but everyone wondered. No one was allowed in or out of the city, and there was a strict curfew."

This caused quite a few raised eyebrows, and Arthur muttered "Well, that's never a good sign."

"Then Cenred himself started coming. I'd never seen him, but I knew from the crest on his helm, and just from the air he had about him, that he was the dread king of the savage land across the border. He came every day to meet with Lord Eastwood, and since I knew I would soon be cast out, one night, I-I stood outside the door." She looked nervous, but unashamed. "And what I heard… I knew that I had to tell someone, someone who could do something about it. And… there was no place to go but here." Kate took a deep breath. "Here is their conversation word for word as I recall it."

Kate heard murmurs down the hall. She was numb with grief, dread, and sheer rage, and that made her impossibly daring. She crept over to the forbidden door at the end of the corridor. She knew that Cenred was not here about that one queer farm that had been an object of strife for years, as it was split in half along the border. No, this was something more-Something so secret that the two met alone, and everyone was barred from that wing of the castle.

She didn't know what she was hoping to hear- something to satisfy her curiosity before she was tossed out the door after all those years… All those times when she'd stood up to him, now he would make her life hell for the last time, then she'd be the kind of free that no one wants to be. The kind of free where she was free to die anywhere she wanted. The kind of free where there was nowhere to go. With that in mind, she figured, what's the worst that could happen? She put her ear to the door.

She was unprepared for what she heard. A low, gravelly voice said with finality "So we are agreed. My army will begin marching as soon as I return. The border will be unguarded?" Kate's eyebrows shot into her hairline, and her hands flew to her mouth.

A familiar, arrogant, booming voice answered smartly "You can be sure of that. The guards will not be a problem, they believe they're being replaced with a new detail."

"You've been careful, Magnus?" The sound of a scoff penetrated the door's thick wood, and the Cenred sighed, exasperated, and pressed "It is very important that King Arthur thinks all is well in the Eastern Borderlands"

The lord's voice answered smugly "Stop fussing, Cenred. The patrol scheduled to check the Border is being rerouted into the boglands-or away, as they believe. I've sent loyal men to make sure they don't return. You have a whole month before the boy king even shifts on his throne. The town knows nothing, and even if they did, they're not allowed to leave. I've been subtle, and besides, our fool of a king wouldn't notice if a hundred elephants marched in through the western gate. Camelot will burn, and we shall speak later of my reward, won't we Cenred?"

Cenred grunted, and then his voice changed to what could almost be perceived as gleeful "Yes, Camelot will burn. All the towns and villages will be reduced to ash, and their people will join us, or they will die. And..." He paused, and his voice sounded smug and cryptic "Everyone will receive their reward. There was a silence and the scraping of chairs, and Kate, in shock, turned and ran as quickly as she dared, painfully aware of her every step on the wooden floor. She thought hazily 'This is happening. And I'm the only one who knows. Cenred won't stop until he has everything-everyone under his control. And it's only just begun.'

Kate took a breath, and said "So I knew I had to come to Camelot, and when I was released, I got as far away from Eastwood as possible, and then I was careful because-I knew Cenred might not be happy with Lord Magnus for letting me leave, and they might be tracking me. When I knew I wasn't being followed, I stopped in towns when I could, but then I started seeing patrols, and I didn't have papers, and I didn't know who to trust, So I traveled off-road mostly. I was on the road for a week and a half. And here I am." she finished, looking around at the king, queen, knights and her brother. They all looked rather overwhelmed, and she swallowed.

Arthur shook himself "Quite a tale. Of course, we'll have to check the patrol notifications for verification, and send scouts to check it out, but it's not all that hard to believe, Cenred would likely try something like this. The only question is, what's our answering move?" The king motioned for his knights to come forward, and they formed a type of huddle, discussing strategy, and Kate was just standing there as if a whirlwind had swept her up, deposited her miles away, and the disappeared.

She looked at Merlin as if to say 'What do I do now?' He shrugged, and Gwen noticed Kate standing there, and motioned for her to come forward. Kate climbed the steps uncertainly, then knelt, and Gwen stood, putting her hands on her Kate's shoulders and said kindly "Thank you. Your bravery has prevented a major loss of life."

Kate glowed with pride, and said softly "Thank you, milady. I'm just glad I made it." She closed her eyes for a moment, relieved beyond measure.

She opened her eyes, then caught a flicker of motion in the reflection on the window. She focused on the reflection, and saw a figure on the balcony stand, and draw- Kate leapt to her feet, and turned around, crying a warning as the arrow was fired- just in time for the arrow meant for the queen's heart to sink into her shoulder.

With a cry, she collapsed, looking down at the arrow stuck in her chest. Gwen screamed, and Merlin leapt forward. As if in slow motion, Kate saw the queen's face looking down at her own, then it was replaced with her brother's. Then a flurry of voices "Get that man!" "Gwen, are you hurt?" "Just missed her heart. Lucky…" Then that man-Gwaine?-and the king, and then Merlin was back, and someone was telling him "Go, get her to Gaius." For a moment she wondered who was hurt, then she remembered.

She was conscious of being lifted up, and moving down stairs, up stairs, and into chambers- Gaius'. She felt herself relax as she was set on the bed, and Merlin immediately started pressing cloth into her wound. Her brother would take care of her. He came into focus just in time for her to hear him say "That was stupid Kate, really stupid." She choked out "I'll be alright-It's only my shoulder. I'd do it again- you'd have done the same Merlin, and you know it, so don't presume to lecture me." She laughed ruefully, every breath causing agony. Gaius burst in, saying "What happened?" Without looking up, Merlin answered "Someone tried to assassinate Gwen, and Kate got in the way. Gwen's fine, but…" Gaius sat down, examining the wound. "The tip is barbed, so it'll be tricky to get out, but we've got to-if it's left in, it'll certainly become infected. Gaius lifted Kate up gently, and peered at her back, saying "The tip went through- We don't have time to knock her out-it has to come out now."

Kate blanched, but seemed to steel herself. Merlin started to talk to her "Do you remember that time I had that splinter, and mum got out those huge metal tweezers and I was panicking, and you got so fed up you just put your hands over my eyes? And then after a second you pulled your hands back, and mum had already done it, and I didn't even feel it?" Kate nodded, smiling at the memory. "Close your eyes, Kate." As soon as she did, there was a tug, and she let loose a scream, clenching her fists as she felt more blood spill out of the wound, and a cloth pressed into it. A hand found hers, and she squeezed it as the world faded into darkness.

A/N: Hello! As promised, another chapter. A little background: My story takes place in that brief happy time between seasons when Arthur is King, Gwen is Queen, and all our knights are alive. Sniff.

Again, this is only a mirror-story, and I understand it couldn't really happen. But exploring our characters like this has been really eye-opening and Kate... I have no idea who she is. And the cool thing is that I'm finding out. You know what I mean, right? Or am I just crazy? :3

As always, thanks for reading!

Love, Leviosa