-Chapter Six-

Susanna lay in the cot mulling over a few things in her head. She remembered Gaius and Merlin talking about the area in which she was found and how the both of them believed she had come from the Isle of the Blessed.

"Maybe if I retrace my steps, get back there somehow I can go home." She muttered softly to herself. The second she thought that she shook her head. No, how could she leave Camelot, Arthur, Merlin and all the rest in the sort of trouble they were in now? She was weak and sick but she still had strength enough to fight.

Sitting up, Susanna weakly got up off of the cot. Her legs felt like jello and her stomach felt like the entrance to hell itself but she persevered. If Camelot fell that night then she would have no need to get back to the Isle of the Blessed.

"Just what do you think you are doing?"

Looking up Susanna saw Gaius giving her what she described as 'The Stink Eyebrow.'

"Gaius, Camelot is going to be attacked in four hours. I have to do something to help!" Susanna said, making her way towards the door.

However, Gaius stopped her and took hold of her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"In the state you are in you would never make it twenty feet. What you need right now is rest and plenty of it young lady." Gaius said, leading her back to her cot.

"But!" Susanna protested.

"Do I need to sedate you?" Gaius asked.

That shut her up. She shook her head no, relenting to Gaius' wisdom. Sitting back down she resisted the urge to glance towards the door. She had to get out of the infirmary, she just had to! But how?

MERLINMERLINMERLIN

When the attack was all but inevitable Gaius helped Susanna move to the make shift infirmary they had set up in the large dining room. The room wasn't as ornate as the dining room in which the King, Arthur and all of the other royals ate, no this dining room was plainer and something that saw daily usage.

They had just gotten everything and everyone settled when a knight came and informed them all that the battle had begun, with soldiers attacking Camelot's outer wall and front gate.

Within fifteen minutes wounded men started to pour in and soon enough Gaius had his hands full. So much so that Susanna managed to steal an old cloak, slip in to it and leave the room.

She had no idea where Arthur and Merlin would be and she was so weak that she didn't want to go out of her way to look for them. Slowly she made her way along the corridor, passing by soldiers and maids who thankfully paid no attention to her.

Reaching the door that led outside, Susanna took a deep breath and walked out. She could smell fires burning and smoke was everywhere. There were screams of anger, terror and pain that filled the air. Some were female screams and some were male.

Spying a sword that was near the door, she picked it up and held it tightly in her grasp.

She wasn't going to be caught unarmed! That was for sure!

Her first instinct was to run and jump in the middle of the battle but after a moment that feeling passed. Doing that would only get her hurt if not killed in a matter of moments. No, she had to think strategically. Her place was with Arthur and Merlin. Without the two of them she would have no chance of making it back to the Isle of the Blessed. Without them, Camelot would fall and Albion would never be.

"Sire!"

It was a voice on the wind. Glancing up on the castle wall Susanna could just barely make out Prince Arthur engaged in combat with what looked to be a burly man with huge, vein covered arms. The enemy was pouring over the wall and on to the castle roof. That was what they were doing; they were attacking Camelot on two fronts! One force was attacking the main gate while the other force was just going up and over!

Nodding her head Susanna turned to head back inside when she doubled over. She dropped the sword, wrapped her arms around her stomach and fell to her knees. Her stomach exploded with pain as if someone had smashed her gut with a sledgehammer.

She started to cough, bringing up specks of blood in the process.

["No, not now!"] Susanna thought to herself when she saw the blood on the ground. Biting back the pain, she gritted her teeth as she got hold of the sword once more and forced her way back on to her feet. This illness whatever the hell it was wasn't going to get the best of her!

With teeth gritted in pain and anger she made her way back inside and up the stone stairs. She heard the clank of swords coming down the main corridor and after glancing up at the top of the stairs she saw Merlin and Prince Arthur standing side-by-side, each deflecting blow after blow as an army of ten people pushed them backwards towards the throne room.

Staying hidden in the shadows she waited until they had passed before she climbed to the top of the stairs and stepped foot in to the hallway. Staying low and quiet she followed the men until they stepped foot in to the throne room. Since the room was bigger, Prince Arthur and Merlin were being ganged up on by eight of the ten men.

Since she was still crouched at the door, the other two men didn't see her. A grin came to her face when an idea came to mind.

Hiding behind the wall out of view, she stood up, took a deep breath and gave her best turkey call.

She heard the two men inside the throne room shift a little so she made the call again. When one of the men stuck his head out, Susanna grabbed the man's neck and threw him forward to smash against the far wall. The second man, seeing what happened to the first man came out of the throne room with his weapon at the ready.

Susanna who had literally climbed up on the throne room door launched herself down on the second man, bashing his head in to the ground. That was two down, eight to go!

Glancing in to the throne room she saw that Arthur and Merlin had taken care of four of the others that meant there was only four left…in that bunch at least.

Striding in to the room she walked right up to one of the men and tapped his arm. He turned around and that was all Susanna needed because one upper cut later and the man was lying on his back clutching his throat. Grinning, Susanna simply kicked the man in the head knocking him out.

By that time Merlin and Arthur had dispatched the other three.

"Not bad…for a girl." Arthur said, looking at the downed bodies of the enemy. Susanna sighed, shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Merlin on the other hand drew Susanna aside for a moment while Arthur was disarming the others.

"What are you doing here? You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Merlin said. He was hot, sweaty and tired already but the battle still wasn't over and while he still had breath in his body he had to help defend Camelot and defend Arthur.

"Arthur needs all the help he can get right now. I may be sick but I still have enough strength to fight. Besides…if Camelot falls I will never get back to the Isle of the Blessed." Susanna replied.

"Why would you want to go there?" Merlin asked.

"I heard you and Gaius talking a few days ago and I think you are right. That's where I went to. It was in that chamber that I got knocked in to this time in the first place. I think perhaps if I go back there might be a way for me to get home. In any case…we have more modern medicines. Maybe doctors over there can treat me. It's obvious that Gaius can't." Susanna said.

Merlin looked at her. In his heart he didn't want her to go but he knew she was right. If there was any chance of her being able to get back home where she belonged, they had to take it. He had to let her go.

"Okay. Once this army is defeated, I'll take you there." Merlin said.

Susanna smiled and nodded her head in thanks. She couldn't say the words because not two seconds later a tired and sweaty Sir Leon ran in to the room and his words sent a chill in to the air.

"They have broken through the main gate! The Lower Town is lost. They should reach the citadel in a matter of minutes!"

Arthur who had just finished disarming the men who had gotten inside, tightened his grip on his sword.

"They'll never take Camelot while I'm still alive!" he vowed.