a/n: I don't know where the chapter that I downloaded earlier in the morning went but it shows that it is still here. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something. Even so; I still do not have a claim to Merlin or the Brothers Grimm's Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Chapter 6

The people of Camelot lived in fear every single day. It was stressful time. With the magic purge; anyone even hinting at anything magical was being executed. And men were constantly being executed because they couldn't figure out in three days what King Uther couldn't figure out in three years; how do the princesses get out of their tower chambers every single night? Who could live with any peace? War was expected to break out every day because the people felt Camelot's king had gone mad.

Contrary to popular belief; the princesses did feel guilt over all the executions. But every night they felt compelled to dance. There was a destiny awaiting each and every one of them and the pull to meet that destiny was too strong to ignore. Isolde and Kara tried the hardest to fight the urge but in the end they just succumbed to the pull of dancing along with their sisters.

Uther still complained about the cost of new shoes and the lack of progress of finding out how his daughters could escape from the castle. Ygraine was secretly planning on how to escape herself with Arthur and Guinevere and their children. Guinevere was ready to give birth to her fourth child and she did not want to be around Uther's reign of terror anymore.

It has been four years now since Uther locked his princesses up in the tower chambers at night and four years since they started to escape. On this particular night, after the landed and the twelve princesses got out for dancing, Morgause started feeling a little melancholy. She looked at the spirit of her husband and asked him if he was going to be there the next evening. Even as he answered yes his eyes looked downward and he cleared his throat.

"Morgause," he began solemnly, "I time is nearly at an end." He put a hand up at her gasp. "We knew this time was coming. Your soul-mate is coming. Just remember to follow Esmeralda's instructions." They danced for several more minutes and Ghost Bryan said, "One more thing…Isolde and Kara are both about to do something stupid. It must not happen."

Morgause kept thinking over this statement all the way back to the castle. Isolde was naturally very secretive. She'd had plans to run away with a visiting knight when the war was going on. Uther had planned to betroth her to the king of a kingdom near Cornwall but before all the arrangements could be made Esmeralda had been murdered by her husband; the Crown Prince of Trigore, Prince Valiant. The Knight from Cornwall caught Isolde's eye and they had plans to run away. Isolde went about her daily routine secretly making plans to escape. She was hiding food, clothing and water in a chest that held sparse blankets and a couple of changes of clothes. A servant discovered her stash when they were sent to get a travel trunk for a long journey for a noble family; she grabbed the first trunk she seen but didn't really look at who it actually belonged to. The Servant was dismissed for incompetence and Isolde had an extra guard placed on her security detail to watch over her.

Morgause was lost in thought when she heard Kara's sharp voice. "I can't stand this anymore. I will kill that tyrant if this madness doesn't come to an end. He has no right to keep us like prisoners."

"Kara!" Morgause said sharply, "Bryan told me that you need to be patient and not do anything rash."

The ever quiet Helen spoke up too, "and you, Isolde, please no more trying to escape. Erling said that your decision could cost us all our freedom."

"Why is it that only you two can see your princes?" Kara asked hotly. "I grow tired of this life. My prince had better show himself to me and let me know that all of this is worth it; or else I will put a stop to Uther's terror myself and I don't care if Uther buries me in the dungeons for stating this."

"Your princes will be revealed in good time." Morgana said joining the conversation. "Please, sisters, we are all in this together and we need to support each other or all will be lost."

The next morning at breakfast a harried and lethargic looking Arthur walk up to his mother and gave her a kiss and a hug and congratulated her on her new granddaughter. Everyone cried out in delight but Uther. He wasn't displeased; he was so far removed from his feelings that he didn't see the point of caring if Arthur had a girl or a boy.

"Father," Arthur prompted, "Didn't you hear what I said? You have a new granddaughter. Mother and daughter are just doing fine, thank you"

"That's nice, Son" he answered absently. "You already have an heir and a spare son just in case something happens to the oldest."

"Father!" "Uther!" Outraged cries rang out.

"I'm just saying too many males can cause strife…" Uther went on to say.

Arthur interrupted him, "We love all of our children very much, Father. I cannot help it if you do not feel the same." He held his hand up to staff off any protests. "Bryan is not a 'spare'. If you recall, I named him after my good friend and brother-in-law. You know the one who died while avenging my older sister?"

"Arthur, I didn't mean…"

"What, exactly? You even said it was an honorable thing to do; naming my child after a 'fallen' brother." Arthur stormed out of the dining hall ignoring the protests as he went.

The rest of the day everyone scattered just to stay away from Uther. But just before supper time all were told to join the king in the throne room. There was another fool- oops, challenger- to find out the secret of the dancing princesses.

In the throne room Uther met the man who would try to find the secret of his daughters'. He gave the same speech and the same warning that he gave every other single man that tried to accomplish this task. Uther didn't bother with entertainment or banquets anymore. It was just wasting precious money. He also didn't attend the executions any more. They bored him, they took time out of his busy schedule and most importantly; being at the execution didn't solve the mystery.

Morgause looked at this man and felt an instant pull. He had long dark wavy hair, nicely tanned skin and beautiful dark brown eyes. Those eyes spoke of power and commanded someone's attention when he talked to them. Glancing over to Morgause and giving her a small smile; he continued to speak to Uther and told about himself; his name was Cenred and he was from the Kingdom of Glevin.

Later, after the meal, Morgause was permitted to walk with their 'guest' around the small garden in the back of the kitchens She, of course, had her legion of bodyguards to watch over her. She was feeling that connection that Ghost Bryan had told her about. She was going to feel guilty if another man died because of them and their kingdom.

"Please, I beg of you," she pleaded to Cenred. "Back out before it's too late. Uther has gone mad in his grief and I'm sure that by now you know he will execute you."

Cenred grabbed her right hand and lifted up to his lips and gave it a small kiss. He went on to reassure her, "Never fear M'Lady. Something will work out."

A couple of hours later, Morgause left the chamber that she shared with her sisters and visited Cenred in the ante-chamber. She brought along a small goblet of wine – with sleeping draught of course- and gave it to him.

Cenred smiled his thanks, gave her a knowing look and drank it up. "Good night, My Lady. I hope you sleep well."

As they had done so many nights before, the princess went dancing. When their evening was ending and they were setting about boarding their own boats; Morgause thought that something was different. She gave Helen a quizzical look; yes Helen felt it, too."

She held back to talk to Ghost Bryan. "What is it my love? I can tell something troubles you."

"I'm not sure," she started. "But it's almost like I can see them." Her hands swept towards the boats and the princes inside. They had always been shrouded in mist and shimmer but now she not only sees their shape, she is beginning to see their faces and the definition of their bodies.

"You're correct." Ghost Bryan confirmed, "Events are unfolding to a point that when you meet your soul-mate everyone's princes will start to become visible to you. As it is for every prince revealed." He looked to Kara, "I'm afraid that we may have to let Kara know sooner. I'm afraid we'll lose her otherwise."Morgause nodded her understanding and promised him that she will deal with Kara.

It was the same thing the following night. Morgause gave Cenred the drugged wine and they went to meet their princes for a long night of dancing.

On her small boat to the island where they dance, Kara was startled when she heard her name and turn around to find a beautiful young man starring at her. He had dark curly hair that lay against a pale porcelain like skin. His pale features brought out ice blue color of his eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously. He only gave her a small smile that hid many secrets. When he spoke, his voice was deep and resonated quietly within her.

"Kara, I need you to listen to me." He spoke without answering her, "You cannot do what you are planning." He stopped her when she tried to protest. "Killing Uther will not solve your problem, it will only make it worse. And not just for you; for your whole family."

"I can't stand it anymore. It's like being in prison and no hope for release. I only have a couple of hours a day for pleasure and even now Uther is trying to take that from us. I do feel guilty about all those men dying but I can't live like this anymore." She confessed. "If it wasn't for whatever enchantment that keeps bringing us here, I'm sure that I would have taken my life long ago."

"And that would be tragic." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips and gave it a small kiss. He didn't let go when it went back to her sides. "Emrys is coming," Her prince confided, "and it will all change. Things will get better. Uther may even be saved from his madness."

"Emrys?" She asked and her prince just pointed to her sister's boat. Kara could not see the prince because he was still shrouded in mist.

"Emrys will help bring about change." He said.

"And just who," she looked to her sister's boat, "or what is Emrys"

"Think of Emrys as that large oak over there." Her prince pointed to the island that they were headed to. "Looks fragile but is able to withstand any storm, many branches but powerful enough to block the sun."

Kara was not impressed, "and you?"

"I'm a leaf hanging on for dear life," he answered. "And when it is time to let go, Emrys is the wind who gently guides me to my destination."

With that, they landed at the island; Kara's prince became lost in the mist and she was once again enchanted to dance along her sisters.

~0o0~

That evening, Cenred's third and final try, all the princesses were going to their chamber and retire when Morgause said she need to see Gaius. When she reached his chambers she went inside and told her guards to stay put in the hallway.

"Your Highness," one begged, "The king gave us strict orders to not let you out of our sight."

"This is a personal -female- business." She stated coyly. The guards blushed at her meaning and let her into Gaius' chambers all by herself.

They were standing quiet and erect for several minutes when one guard broke protocol and started speaking.

"Wow, she will make one formidable queen one day."

The other guard nodded, "But don't say it too loudly because Uther might think she will want to over throw his kingdom." Both were chuckling when she came back out of the chambers and gave them a sly smile.

"Come along, boys," she called as she sauntered off towards her Tower/Chamber/Prison. "Night is a wasting."

The next day, with only a few of Camelot's people and of course the princesses watching (as a punishment), the executioner carried out Uther's wishes on the hooded figure of Cenred. The executioner decided that he needed to change the rope before the next challenger came.

TBC