Major apologies for the long delay. To everyone who stuck with this little fic that grew into a substantially larger story that I wanted to start, I say many thanks. Here's the last chapter and I hope you enjoy.


"Do you think she will be able to convince Leofrick that she intends to marry him?" Merlin asked.

The Commander of the Bernician knights nodded in a distracted rhythm, twisting his features while in deep contemplation. "Yes Merlin, I think that she might. Even if he does not believe her, he will need her by his side for a time," he said looking at the man crouched next to him with their back against the tunnel wall.

Merlin hesitated before asking his next question. "Did you think she meant what she said about you?"

"What do you think?" he asked rather curious to hear the servant's answer.

"I can't imagine that she could do such a thing," he replied firm and believing. Arthur and Gawain looked on in silence.

A faint chuckle escaped Sir Richard's lips. "There are definitely parts of me that hope you are right."

There was a clanging sound on the other side of the metal door. The mechanisms inside the lock turned and the door opened.

"I'm sorry. I was delayed," the thin red head girl told one of the Queen's men who had led them through the dark, narrow passageway.

"It is all right. They are here just as Her Majesty ordered." He stepped aside and a dozen men spilled into the narthex of the chapel with swords in hand.

"We must hurry. The ceremony will begin shortly."

"Where is the Queen?" Sir Richard asked her.

"She is still being attended to in her chambers."

"Arthur, go with her to the Queen and get her out of the city. Tell the others that they must not attempt an attack or they will die. Wait for us in the forest. If you do not receive word from us by this evening then you must take the Queen to Camelot."

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked before Arthur could.

"We will do what we can."

"Sir Richard, I understand what you are trying to do but you will only succeed in surrendering your life," Arthur said.

The foreign knight stared back at him with all conviction. "I do not believe my men will not betray me. I know they are just following orders. I have to believe that they are just following orders, but if I am wrong Arthur, the Queen must not be allowed to marry this man, whatever the cost."

The two men stood for a moment looking back at the other with Merlin, Gawain, the maid and the other knights stared on. Arthur searched his thoughts for something that might change the direction of this debate.

"I'm sorry but we must go now," the maid interrupted him.

He looked at her and then back at Sir Richard.

"Please," he begged him.

He shook his hand in agreement and took a last glance at the other knights in the room. To a man, they did not show any trepidation in their hardened faces, if they had any.

"We will give you enough time to get her out," Sir Richard told him.

Arthur could only nod again. He didn't know what to say as he turned and left following behind the maid. It was only a short distance up to the Queen's chambers. The maid assured them the knights outside of the doors would not put up much of a fight but that did not stop them from pummeling them for safety's sake.

The loud thuds against the door must have alerted Queen Phillippa. When the doors of her quarters flew open she already had her sword in hand. She was quite the sight in her wedding dress brandishing the heavy blade.

"Prince Arthur," she said.

"Your Majesty," he managed trying to think what to say next. He knew she would not be too happy with Sir Richard's deviation from the plan. He was struggling to come up with something that would convince such an equally stubborn opponent.

"We need to go now," Merlin ordered her. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the room. Arthur wished he had thought of that but to see such thing accomplished by his manservant was something else indeed.

They were down the hall before he heard her finally ask where Sir Richard was and then where were they taking her. To his credit though, Merlin did not answer the woman. They were back inside the chapel when she no longer felt like obliging him.

"Take your hands off me," she ordered him. He let her go and she turned to direct all her fury at a slightly nonplussed Prince.

"We need to get you out of the city," Arthur explained.

"This was not what we discussed. Where is Sir Richard?"

"We don't have time for this now," he said and tried to replicate Merlin's bold move from earlier but this time she lifted her sword to his chest and repeated her question. He gave her the answer.

"We can't just leave them," she said. "They'll be slaughtered." Arthur agreed with her. He sighed and tried to think.

"You cannot marry Leofrick," Merlin said, to which the Queen's face shifted into a strange sort delight at his declaration. Arthur tried not to concentrate too much on the bizarre connection developing between his servant and the Queen.

"I cannot leave him Merlin."

"Alright then," he heard Merlin replied.

Arthur only had a moment to respond. "We cannot do whatever you two are thinking of doing."

"Well what then?" she asked.

The horns blew from the hall outside.

"That's Leofrick," she stated. "He's entering the hall as we speak."

She looked up at him showing every bit of desperation and pleading that he'd ever seen from a woman of her position. "Alright then, let's go," he replied.

They went back out of the chapel. Another blast from the horns could be heard. They didn't stop or take notice of its meaning. Sneaking their way down the corridors towards to ceremonial hall, they ducked out of sight of the stray servant busily taking trays of food and jugs of ale from the kitchen to various parts within the deserted castle – mostly deserted.

A large set of arms pulled Merlin and then the others into a narrow corridor.

"What are you still doing here?" Sir Richard whispered staring at the Queen and then accusingly up at Arthur. His anger towards them was palpable.

"I could not leave you here to die, Richard," she said. Her words reclaimed his attentions.

He looked at her and then again at each of the men. He shook his head and walked towards an alcove behind a large blue tapestry. "Come on then," he motioned pulling back the material to reveal a small doorway.

They went in after a few of the knights.

With nothing but questions, Arthur went to open his mouth but Sir Richard silenced him at the end of the darken tunnel. He pulled a key from his belt and unlocked the door that opened into a bed chamber with an adjoining anteroom where a desk was planted in the middle. An old man stood next to it.

"What took you so long?" he asked them before realizing all who was in their company. He bowed. "Your Majesty," he said and then added, "you cannot be here for this?"

"For what exactly?" she asked.

Sir Richard didn't answer. "Stay here and be absolutely quiet, all of you," he ordered. Confused, they obeyed and he pulled back the heavy woven cloths that separated the rooms. They sat or stood as Sir Richard and his knights were presumably executing their plan on the other side of the fabric wall.

After a long while where no one spoke, they heard the doors open and then slam shut again. There was an angry scream and the sound of metal hitting against the walls and then falling to the ground. Then there was a gasp and then no sound at all until Sir Richard's voice spoke calmly.

"You should sit," he said.

"I should have known. You, the both of you planned this," another voice said. From the Queen's reaction Arthur concluded that the other man was indeed the usurper Leofrick.

There was a knock outside the chamber door. The would-be-King said: enter, in response. There was a brief scuffle and then no noise again.

"I am arresting you, by order of the Queen. Do you submit?"

They heard no answer from the dead King's advisor. They looked at each other wondering and waiting, and after another moment the cloth wall opened again.

"Your Majesty," Sir Richard said. "Your kingdom is yours again."

There were a few of the disloyal knights knelt on the ground being restrained and Leofrick sat defeated in the King's chair with a piece of parchment on the table before him. The traitor signed his name to the bottom of his death warrant and he and the others were led out of the room by the contingent of knights and taken to the dungeons.

The battle for Bernicia was over without bloodshed.

"You must address the people right away Your Majesty," the old man instructed.

She nodded and he moved towards the door.

"A moment William," she said. The Queen looked around the room at Sir Richard, Prince Arthur, his servant Merlin and their companion Gawain before continuing, "I owe you all an apology," she began. "I behaved irrationally and impulsive. In addition, I did not seek counsel from those I should have trusted. Prince Arthur, you have had little time to rest from what was surely a long journey. You are welcomed to say within my grateful kingdom for as long as you and your men need. You are our honored guests and our friend."

"Thank you, Queen Phillippa," he replied.

"Your Majesty," William prodded softly.

The Queen extended her hand to Sir Richard. "It would be my honor if you were to stand by my side while I speak to our people."

He bowed and took her hand.


"Your Majesty, Prince Arthur," William announced to the woman looking down at all the activity in the courtyard below.

"Arthur," she said holding both of his hands. "I shall miss your company."

"As will we," he answered.

"You will come back to visit us soon?" she asked wrapping her arm into one of his and then walking back towards to the corridor leading out of the castle.

"Only if you promise to warn me of any looming conspiracies before I leave Camelot."

"I promise my next invitation will be a less dangerous affair," she said giggling.

They laughed.

"You'll make a great Queen," he told her as they paused at the top of the stone entrance of the castle.

"As I know you will make a great King. Please give me best to your father."

"I will," he said and they started down the steps.

"Oh and I should hope that you will bring your Guinevere on your visit. I think I would enjoy meeting the woman who has captured your heart."

Arthur smiled and nodded.

They walked over to where Camelot's knights, along with Gawain, Merlin and Sir Richard had gathered to wait for them. Queen Phillippa untwined her arm from Arthur's and then took two confident strides in the direction of his servant. She placed her hand behind his head and pulled his lips towards hers for a deep and lengthy kiss.

"You are always welcomed here Merlin," she said to him as the other men glared at them both.

She shrugged her shoulders and asked, "What?"

Arthur tried to stifle a laugh as Merlin looked on flummoxed though he smiled broadly while Gawain and Sir Richard sent him daggers with their eyes.

"Time to go," Arthur said. Bowing he added, "Your Majesty," and then stepped between Sir Richard and Merlin.

"It was my honor Prince Arthur," he said not really taking his eyes away from the servant until Arthur patted his shoulder and shook his outstretched hand.

They left the happy, waving Queen and her slightly more relaxed Commander of the Bernician army standing outside of the large wooden doors that opened to the castle. Their horses trotted down the narrow streets as the citizen of the kingdom showered them with flowers and praise. They filtered out of the city underneath the large gates and over the massive drawbridge.

"So when are coming back?" Merlin asked.

"We haven't even left yet," Arthur replied.

"I know. I was just planning ahead."

"You really like her, don't you?" Gawain asked next.

"Oh, what? that? That was nothing. We're friends, besides she Queen and I'm just a servant," he answered looking at Arthur.

Arthur just matched his smile.


A/N: My little Arthur/Merlin non-slash adventure really turned into a story about Arthur learning a few things about being King and love and friendship. I'll probably make another, hopefully more successful attempt at a true buddy fic at some point. On to my other fics...tata for now.