Standard Disclaimer here.
Merilyn woke to the incessant pounding that was making itself ever apparent in her head. A groan that mimicked her own came from her right, where Lancelot lay on a cot nearby. Merilyn was out of practice, having not partaken in such tendencies since she had left Ealdor. Then, that amount of alcohol would have been trivial, but the night prior had been about celebration, and in part, showing Arthur that she wasn't by any means a normal woman.
Slowly, Lancelot rose from the cot near her bed, his expression indicating that he heard the same relentless pounding in his head as she did hers.
"Why is the morning never as fun as the previous night when alcohol is involved?" he groaned, glancing in Merilyn's direction. She could see bags under his eyes. "Why'd you come in so late last night?" Lancelot gave her a very knowing look.
She avoided his gaze. "Wouldn't the better question be why didn't you come in so late? What happened with Gwen?"
He shrugged, chuckling as moved to a chair, adjusting his clothes as he went. "I walked her home is all." It was now his turn to avoid her eyes. "She is a very lovely woman.""
Merilyn shook her head. "No need to be worried, Lancelot. I'll get it out of Gwen soon enough." He looked up at her sharply, his cheeks turning pink.
"And I'll be able to get news of your whereabouts last night from Arthur soon enough as well." His retort made it Merilyn's turn to turn a shade of red.
"How do you…." She began, shocked at what Lancelot had somehow known. He stopped her.
"It was something about what the prince said to me last night," Lancelot explained. What on earth did he say to you? He shrugged as he continued. "Plus, after the bit you and Gwen pulled, I would have been surprised if he hadn't forced you to leave, much as I had to do with Gwen." He shook his head disapprovingly. "She proved rather difficult when I escorted her home."
Merilyn frowned at this, she had been certain that at least something, even it had been just a kiss, would have happened between the two.
"I walked her home, she kissed me, and then I returned here. That is all that happened, and all that I would have allowed to happen, considering how much she was uninhibited."
"Quite the gentleman aren't you?" Merilyn through him a grin, re-braiding her hair while she spoke, not seeing the pointed look the man gave her as she secured her hair in a braided knot on her head.
Lancelot sighed after a few moments of silence. "Well?"
"Well, what?" Merilyn snapped, motioning for him to turn so that she could change into her normal garb.
He gave a noise of obvious exasperation. "I told you of my whereabouts, Merilyn. What of yours?"
"Well Arthur did walk me back from the celebration," Merilyn started, lowering her voice to a whisper, as if to impart a secret, as she tucked her tunic into her breeches, and then worked her corset onto her torso.
"And?"
She shrugged. "We talked."
"Oh, come on, Merilyn." Annoyance leaked into the man's tone from behind her.
"Fine. We came to a realization last night that we'd had enough of silly games, that enough was enough. The longing for each other was just too great that we just couldn't wait any more. He took me so hard and fast against the chamber door that by the end I could see stars where there were none. I'm fairly certain I've got splinters on my arse. Care to check for me? I won't be sitting right for a week."
Bright splotches of pink were present on Lancelot's cheeks as she turned to face him, causing a bark of laughter to escape her lips. "Merilyn!"
She only laughed harder. "That's what he was moaning last night!" A frustrated groan came from the other side of the room. "Really. We just talked as he walked me back. We're friends, Lancelot. Not lovers. Seriously." Merilyn took a glimpse of the daylight peaking through the window. "Speaking of the royal prat, don't you have somewhere to be today, Sir Lancelot?" He beamed at the title, nodding in answer to her query. They both stood, albeit with some difficulty, and strode to the door of her chamber.
"Good morning, you two," Gaius greeted them as he carried two mugs over to them. Merilyn crinkled her nose at the stench that came from them. He noticed her disgust as he handed them each a mug. "Don't look at it, don't smell it. Just down it in one go." Merilyn watched as Lancelot downed the contents of his own mug, while she hesitated, having already unwillingly sniffed at the cup. She cringed as whatever vile liquid this was went down her throat.
"Bloody hell, Gaius," she commented as Lancelot groaned beside her.
Gaius chortled. "Better? Good." His glance shifted to Lancelot. "Can't have you nodding off first day on the job, Lancelot."
Both Lancelot and Merilyn grinned. "That's Sir Lancelot, if you don't mind," Merilyn added. The three of them laughed, but their small jovial moment was interrupted as guards burst through the entrance to the chamber.
"What are you doing?" Merilyn asked, confused.
The guards passed her and grabbed Lancelot. "King's orders," one of them answered gruffly as they began to escort Lancelot from the room. Her friend look back at her worriedly.
"Stop!" Merilyn exclaimed, not that it did much use. The guards continued out the door, leaving her and Gaius to themselves. The glance Gaius gave her was one that would have typically come with a "I told you so, Merilyn," although he said nothing. Somehow Lancelot had been found out.
Arthur stood by as Lancelot was brought in to the court and thrown to his knees before Uther. Arthur felt at a loss, somehow his new knight was not even of noble blood, and he couldn't help but feel anger slowly rise in his chest. His father would never allow such a man, despite his skill, to function as a knight of Camelot. Had Merilyn known? He would find out later.
Uther rose, nodding to Geoffrey who stood behind him. "Tell him what you told me."
Geoffrey held the seal of nobility Lancelot had given Arthur in his hands. "These credentials are faked." Arthur sighed. "The seal itself is faultless, forgery of the highest possible standard. But a forgery it must be." Arthur silently cursed his father for having the records checked, he would now be out one extremely talented fighter. Geoffrey continued. "There is no record of a fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria. There for he…"
Uther broke into Geoffrey's statement. "…Lied. Do you deny it?" he asked of the man knelt before him. Lancelot painfully shook his head as he answered with a soft ""No, Sire." At least he's honest.
"You have broken the First Code of Camelot." Uther's voice was hard. "You've brought shame upon yourself and upon us. You are not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you. You never were." Arthur watched, unable to do anything for his new found friend, as his father motioned to the guards. "Get him out of my sight."
Lancelot was escorted out of the room, being led as Arthur assumed to the dungeon, where he would await further judgment from the king. Chewing on his lip, Arthur strode in front of his father. "Sire."
Uther looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. "Do you contest my judgment?"
Arthur shook his head, mustered up the courage to say what he thought he must. "No, father. His deception was inexcusable, but he meant no harm , Sire, I'm sure of it. He only wished to serve." He felt a small shred of hope as he spoke, hoping that his father would suddenly see what he had seen in the man.
But Uther shook his head and began to step towards his throne. "The First Code is a sacred bond of trust. It is what binds the knights together. How can you trust anyone who has lied to you?"
Arthur felt that shred of hope disappear, now beginning to worry about how he would ready his knights for the inevitable attack that would be sure to come.
As soon as Merilyn heard that Lancelot's papers had been found to be false, and that he had been arrested, she rushed to the dungeons. The guards nodded to her as she passed them. She could see her friend sitting dejectedly in the very same cell that Gwen had been thrown in when she had been accused of sorcery. Are all of my friends destined to grace this cell with their presence at one point or another? Her stomach churned with the guilt she felt as she approached the loathsome iron bars that separated her from Lancelot.
He glanced up at her as her fingers wrapped around the iron bars. She sighed. "I don't know what to say to you, Lancelot. It should be me in there, not you."
Lancelot gave her a small smile that she did not feel worthy of. "You're not to blame, Merilyn."
She quickly shook her head. "But I am. I made you take the papers, I pushed you. I made you lie, Lancelot. And now you are here."
"The choice was mine," he said solemnly. "I am the one that acted upon this decision, that strode to Arthur to take his test, that lied before everyone. The lie came from my mouth not yours. My punishment is mine to bear, and mine to bear alone."
A single tear fell from Merilyn's eye. She was determined to find some way to stall Uther's judgment, to get Lancelot from this cell, if not for her, then for Gwen. "I wish there was something I could do."
"There is. You can stop blaming yourself, Merilyn."
A weak attempt of a smile graced her mouth. "It's Lyn. My friends call my Lyn."
Merilyn rushed off, willing tears to not come to her eyes, as she went to see Arthur, who had summoned her.
As she returned to Gaius' chambers, she had been lost to her own thoughts, trying to figure out how to help her friend. She didn't even hear as Gaius called to her from across the chamber.
"Merilyn?" This time she heard, and glanced over to the old man.
"Whatever you do, Gaius, don't say I told you so." Her voice was soft, and worrisome.
Gaius turned a concerned eye towards her. "I have no wish to gloat, Merilyn. What's done is done." He paused, looking down at the book that lay open before him, motioning to her to come to him. "Here. Come and take a look at this." Merilyn strode over to Gaius' side, and looked down at a page that he covered with his hand, regarding him with uncertainty.
"I realized my mistake," the physician continued. "I've been looking for the creature in the wrong places, in the records of all known living creatures in the kingdom. And then I thought, but what of the creatures only recorded in legend? In myth?" He withdrew his hand, allowing her to see the page. "Then I discovered this.
Merilyn gasped as she saw an intricate drawing of a beast with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle. "That's it! That's the monster.""
As if her words had summoned a reaction, the warning bells began to toll, and she could hear screeches coming from the air. People screamed outside as Merilyn and Gaius looked down upon the courtyard, watching with wide eyes as the griffin swooped about threatening. Arthur and his knights began to cluster in the courtyard below. Without a further thought, Merilyn rushed to her room, sliding to a stop before the chest the lay open in the corner. Rules be damned.
Arthur watched as people frantically ran about, searching for some kind of shelter to protect them from the winged beast that flew above the courtyard. He silently thanked Merilyn for having the unknown foresight to have helped him into his armor after Lancelot had been taken to the dungeon. Arthur had felt relief when she had assured him that she had not known of Lancelot's transgression. Now, those thoughts were swept away from his mind as each screech came down to him as the monster flew about.
Arthur rushed to the middle of the courtyard. "On me! On me!" In moments, he was surrounded by knights as they joined him, shields, swords, and spears in hand. From the corner of his eye he could see guards ushering courtiers and townspeople from the area.
The knights flanked him on all sides, standing in the formation he had instructed them to do during training. All eyes were on the beast as he issued the next order. "Defense!"
All of the knights, himself included, knelt down, placing their black shields with the Pendragon crest emblazoned upon them protectively before their bodies, with their swords and spears readied at their sides. The beast hovered above them, offering an occasional screech, it's wings stirring the air as a great wind formed with each flap.
In an instant, the beast swooped, its target centered on the formation of knights. Arthur felt himself tense up, readying himself for whatever the beast had in store. Everyone tumbled to the pavement of the courtyard as the beast knocked them down, arching back up to hover above them, screeching in a taunting manner. The fall had knocked the spear from Arthur's hand, and he scrambled for it as he made it back to his feet. The knights around him seemed to be doing the same with their own weapons.
With a great thud, the beast landed before the group, a terrifying shriek coming from its beak as it began to pace before them, eyeing them hungrily. It certainly seems larger once it's on the ground, Arthur thought. The knights flanked to Arthur once more, and they steadily began to approach the beast, waiting upon Arthur's word before they began their attack. He glanced to them before yelling "Charge!"
The knights rushed forward, circling the beast as they slowly cornered it in the courtyard. Its shrieks were deafening as it lunged about, causing knights on either side of Arthur to fall back from its reach as it snapped at them. Arthur took point, thrusting his spear at the neck of the beast, do his best to avoid its talons and beak. After a few thrusts, he finally found an opportunity to bring the creature down, its neck open to attack. As the spear thrust forward and hit the flesh of the creature's skin, it burst, and Arthur found himself looking down shocked at what remained of it in his hands.
In his moment of surprise, the creature lunged at him, sending him backwards onto the courtyard ground. Arthur slowly began to inch backwards, searching for any means to prevent the beast from finding a means to kill him. A nearby guard threw him a torch, and Arthur hoped that it would be enough. Torch in hand, he made it to his feet once more, and began swinging the flames towards the monster, hoping they would frighten it into leaving. The fire only seemed to enrage it, to Arthur's disappointment, and he found himself wondering what his life had come to as the beast reared on its hind legs, readying itself to send a deadly lunge in his direction.
Arthur just stood there, stunned, hardly hearing the shouts of his men. A swift whir of wind flew by his ear, and woke him from his trance. What was that? Whatever it was, it had only missed his head by mere inches.
This time he heard the twang of a bow, and whir of an arrow through the air, and he looked on in awe as the arrow bounced off the space between the beasts eyes. The shot in any other instance would have been one to kill, but now it only annoyed the beast. Three more shots rang out in succession, each hitting the same area with such accurate precision, forcing the beast to begin to back away, each arrow clattering to the ground as it bounced from its target. One last shot, louder than the others, brought one last arrow to the beast as Arthur and his knights merely watched in awe as it splintered against the beast's brow, spooking it. With one last shriek, the winged creature took flight. Arthur turned to see who had saved him, and was pleasantly surprised by who he saw.
Merilyn had rushed to put the gear on, finding it easy to do so under the pressure she was under. She didn't think twice as she entwined her arms through the harness, securing it, and sheathing the two large blades as she went. The only thing she did not don was the helm, as she knew if the beast were to come for her, there was no use for it. A quick inspection informed her that everything was in its place and fastened securely, so she made a bolt for the door, securing the cord of her bow to the wood as she went, passing a shocked Gaius as she ran by him.
She saw Arthur and the knights charge the beast as she ran from the stair well, saw it lunge, bite, and swipe at any of those that neared it. Merilyn saw the wood of the spear in Arthur's hands shatter as he sent a thrust at the griffin's neck. A worried gasp escaped her as saw Arthur fall back, and then get up after a guard threw him a torch. What good it did, she didn't know, but she readied her bow, knowing that if the creature were to lunge at the prince, she would be too far away to do anything with her blades.
The fire only served to upset the creature, and as it reared back, she watched as Arthur just stood there. Move damn you. Merilyn loosed her first volley, immediately reaching to her quiver for another in a quick movement. Her aim was true, but to her dismay, the arrow only clattered to the ground, only serving as a distraction for the creature. She let loose four arrows as speedily as her body would allow, each one hitting its mark with astounding accuracy, but each one falling to the ground to meet the one that had fallen before. The creature slowly backed from the group of knights, much to Merilyn's pleasure.
She hooked one last arrow into her bow, murmuring softly under her breath to bring her power forth, losing the bow with more force than with her other shots. The arrow met the brow of the griffin and instead of bouncing off, it shattered from the force, breaking into splinters. The force of it must have startled the creature because at that moment, it gave one last screech, and then took flight. Keeping her eye on the beast as it flew away, Merilyn didn't see Arthur glance back at her, a small smile on his face.
"Merilyn?" Arthur's tone was somewhat shocked, but not in a bad sense. She looked down at him from where she stood on the steps as she undocked the cord from her bow and then placed it in her quiver. He and the knights said nothing as she walked down and past them, retrieving the arrows that had fallen. Not a mark was apparent on the ones that were salvageable, those were returned to the quiver. She picked up a few shards of the broken arrow and spear and turned to look back at Arthur.
"Merilyn," this time he said her name more firmly, giving her a once over. It was the first time she had worn her armor, and she wasn't quite sure what he made of it, but in any case he seemed uncomfortable. "While I appreciate your help, we had this under control." He gestured to the knights around him. "Only the knights of Camelot may defend the walls of this city. By law, what you just did is punishable by a few nights in the dungeon, but since you saved our lives, I'll let it go just this once." The was a trace of a grin on his face, and she could see Sir Leon behind him smiling even wider; those words were just for appearances.
"Excuse me, sire, but it looked like you were about to meet your end. I'm sorry if my help has inconvenienced you in any way."" She gave him a pointed look, she had saved him and he knew it. Merilyn handed over the slivers of wood and metal. "In any case, I don't think your weapons proved to be of any use, but I'm honestly not surprised."
"What do you mean by that?" Arthur asked, as he looked at the shards in his hands.
Merilyn turned as they began to walk to the castle; Arthur would have to update his father on what had just happened. She continued as they walked together. "When Lancelot saved me in the forest, his sword broke upon contact with the creature's skin."
"That's what Lancelot saved you from? Honestly, Merilyn, you need to be better about telling me these things." Arthur chided as his father approached them. She backed off towards Gaius as they all entered the court.
"You said your knights were the best in the land. You proved that today." Uther strode into the court with his son.
Merilyn watched as Arthur shook his head. "All I know is it's still out there."
Uther nodded. "Then let's not wait for it. The kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. We finish this now."
Gaius stepped forward hesitantly. "Sire, if I may."
The king turned towards the physician. "Yes, Gaius?"
"I've been researching this creature, Sire. I believe it to be a griffin." Gaius seemed nervous as he spoke.
Uther looked absolutely confused. "A griffin? What's in a name?"
Gaius sighed, obviously unwilling to continue further, but he did so anyways. "The griffin is a creature of magic."
The king's expression immediately turned cold. "I don't have time for this, physician."
Gaius shook his head. "It is born of magic, Sire, and it can only be killed by magic."
"You are obviously mistaken." Uther's voice shook with anger. "It's a creature of flesh and blood like any other. Arthur proved that today." Arthur glanced at her, as if he expected her to say something, and she shook her head. He could have the credit, he was the prince after all.
He strode closer to his father. "I'm not so sure, Father. I think there may be some truth in what he ways."
Uther quickly turned to his son; Merilyn noticed Arthur flinch slightly. "What truth?"
Arthur nodded. "The griffin was unharmed, Sire. Our weapons seemed useless against it." It may have proven useful to have told your father that they broke against its flesh, not just that they were useless, Merilyn thought, knowing the king would reject the notion.
Uther scoffed. "Useless? I think not. No, it's tasted out steel once, the next time will be its last. When will your knights be ready to ride?"
Arthur looked dejected. "An hour, maybe two."
The king looked confident. "Good. We finish this tonight, then."
"Is it true?" Merilyn asked as she and Gaius strode into the chamber. "The griffin can only by killed by magic?" She unfastened her harness, not needing her swords and quiver to get in the way of her sitting. Merilyn had no intention of removing her armor, despite Arthur's truth that helping him could land her in serious trouble. She was lucky enough that the king had not sent her to the stocks for being dressed in armor and being so armed in the court.
Gaius nodded. "Yes, Merilyn, I'm certain of it. If Arthur rides out against it, he'll die." She chewed her lip, knowing that he would ride out regardless.
"Then he must be stopped. Uther must see reason, especially if his son is involved." Merilyn resumed to chewing her lip, worry gripping her.
Gaius scoffed, "Where magic is concerned, our King is blind to such reason. And yes…" he looked at her purposely, "…magic is our only hope."
Is he suggesting…. "You're not suggesting that I…"
The physician broke into her words. "It's your destiny, Merilyn. The true purpose of your magic." Of course, my magic is meant to save that pain in my backside.
She frowned. "But you saw that beast, Gaius. How can I go up against that thing?" Merilyn began to pace, a sore becoming evident on the inside of her lip.
"If you do not, Arthur will surely perish." His words struck true, but she became even more frantic.
"There's no sodding way, Gaius. My magic is not that powerful." She shook her head. "There must be some other way."
Gaius held her firmly by the shoulders. "This is the only way." His voice was so confident, he trusted her strength, and she felt her resolve grow within her as she looked up at this man, this father figure.
"Then we have two hours to find a means of killing it," Merilyn said determinedly.
Arthur felt beyond frustrated, he needed more men, and he knew he had one, one with great skill, but one that lay just beyond his reach. He had to express that frustration, in one way or another, either by yelling at the man who had lied, or by helping him in some fashion. Or both.
He burst through the cell door and approached Lancelot. "I should have known," Arthur seethed. "How could I have been so bloody stupid? You don't sound like a knight, you don't even look like a knight!"
Lancelot's head hung with dejection. "I'm sorry, sire."
Arthur softened a bit. "I'm sorry, too. Because damn it, Lancelot, you fight like a knight. And I need…" he paused, "…Camelot needs…"
Lancelot looked up at the prince. "The creature?"
Arthur shook his head. "We could not kill it. I've never faced its like."
"I faced it myself." Lancelot nodded in understanding. "Some days past, I struck it full on, but my sword shattered. I had wondered how it endured.""
"Merilyn told me as much." Arthur sighed. "There are those that believe that this creature, this griffin, is a creature of magic, and that only with magic can it be destroyed."
An eye brow rose. "Do you believe this, sire?" Lancelot asked.
His shoulders rose in a shrug as he answered. "It doesn't matter what I believe. The use of magic is utterly prohibited. The knights and I must prevail with steel and sinew alone." Arthur's voice had turned forlorn, though he had not intended it to. He only knew that going out to face that monster would mean nothing good for him and his men. Arthur turned back to Lancelot. "There is a horse waiting outside.""
Lancelot's face brightened as he misinterpreted the prince's words. "Thank you, sire," he replied, bowing his head respectfully.
Arthur gave him a sympathetic look, the sight of which caused Lancelot's new mood to falter. "Take it, and never return to this place."
Lancelot shook his head frantically. "No, sire. Please! It's not my freedom that I seek, I only wish to serve you with honour."
Arthur's head lowered, "I know."
Lancelot strode forward. "Then let me ride with you, Sire," he pleaded.
Arthur sighed as he sadly looked upon his friend. "I cannot. My father knows nothing of this. I am releasing you myself, but I can do no more. No go, please, before I change my mind." Arthur stepped aside, willing Lancelot to pass him and leave, and after a brief glance, Lancelot followed his order.
Merilyn and Gaius leafed through page upon page in her book, searching for something that would allow her to kill the creature. Finally, Gaius paused on a page, inspecting the information therein.
"There," Gaius pointed at the page. "You must do this for Arthur."
Merilyn frowned, unsure of whether it was possible for her to do. "I've never cast a spell of enchantment this powerful before."
Gaius looked on with understanding. "Nothing less will kill the creature. Here." The old man handed her an old rusty dagger. "You must try. You have the power within you. I know you do."
Merilyn held the rusty dagger in her hands, her confidence ebbing regardless of Gaius' words. The physician gave her a reassuring nod as she checked the page again for the incantation. She drew a quick breath and focused on the dagger in her hand.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec."
Merilyn and Gaius looked to the blade expectantly, but nothing occurred. Her expression fell in disappointment.
Gaius reassured her. "Don't worry, Merilyn, we have plenty of time." No, we have an hour. That's less than plenty of time.
Merilyn muttered the incantation again, but to no effect. She continued repeating the process until frustration began to overwhelm her. She couldn't fail now, it wasn't acceptable, and yet here she couldn't even do this simple, albeit powerful, enchantment. Merilyn collapsed on the stairs to her chamber, her head falling in her hands with exasperation.
Gaius watched as each attempt failed. "Don't worry, Merilyn, I know you're trying."
Merilyn glanced up at him in dismay. "And I'm failing! If Arthur dies because I'm not good enough…"
"Merilyn!" Gaius scolded.
His scold was echoed as her name was shouted as the door swept open to allow Gwen entry.
"Merilyn! Lancelot is riding out to kill the griffin!"Her friend look terrified and frantic. Oh, bloody hell!
Merilyn shot to her feet, immediately grabbing for her harness. "He's what?!" Merilyn exclaimed. Gwen instantly made to help her fasten it to her. As soon as it was done, Merilyn fled to the stables as fast as her two feet could take her.
She skidded to a halt beside Lancelot, who was readying a horse to ride out after Arthur. "I'm going with you."
Lancelot looked up, obviously shocked to see her there. A small look of awe spread over his face as he noticed her attire, but it quickly disappeared. "No, Merilyn, you're not."
She huffed, her voice challenging. "Just you try and frelling stop me."
Lancelot turned to her, crossing his arm. "Merilyn, you're not a soldier."
She shook away his words. No, I'm much more than that. "You said it yourself, Lancelot. Arthur needs all the help he can get. Now let's go!"
Lancelot must have been able to tell that she was set in her resolve, because he only nodded. Merilyn let out a sharp whistle, and Eldane, a mare who had taken a liken to her when she was there to care for the horses, trotted over. There was not time to saddle her up, so Merilyn swiftly jumped up upon the horse's bare back. She felt Eldane's presence on the edge of her consciousness, something she was noting occurred only with animals she bonded with, and felt the horse acknowledge her. Merilyn looked back to Lancelot, who was now astride his horse holding his lance, and they set off to ride after Arthur.
Arthur's knights followed him loyally into the dark, into the unknown, despite the ever present knowledge that death could soon follow. As they rode along the lane, Arthur's horse gave a protestant whinny, and stopped. Noting the attitude, Arthur motioned for the knights to stop. Silence followed, only interrupted by the small snorts as the horses breathed in the night.
In a moment, Arthur could hear the small thuds as taloned feet hit the earth, and sure enough, when he looked up, the griffin was on the hill opposite of his group. The griffin reared, sending a shriek their way, a sound that unsettled Arthur's nerves. He tentatively raised his sword, and with what courage he had left, he bellowed "For Camelot!" The yell marked a charge, and he and his knights rushed forward.
As Merilyn and Lancelot rode along the lane the guards had indicated Arthur had ridden down, they heard men screaming and shouting off in the distance. A quick glance between the two friends indicated they knew exactly what the cause was. Lancelot rushed forward in a gallop, with Merilyn following soon after as she pushed Eldane forward with her mind, despite the horse's fear at the sounds.
When they reached the men, Merilyn could only see blood and armor strewn about. She immediately dismounted, giving approval for Eldane to gallop off towards the city once she did so. Lancelot glanced about as she checked the bodies; half of the men were dead, the rest unconscious. Luckily for her, Arthur was one of the unconscious. Lancelot and Merilyn both looked up as they heard a shriek. The griffin strode along the top of a nearby hill, looking down at them menacingly. Lancelot ran for his horse as the beast strode onto the lane nearby.
Merilyn watched as Lancelot galloped to the opposing end of the lane, lance in hand, and then he turned to face the griffin. It's now or never, Merilyn thought hastily as Lancelot began to gallop towards the griffin.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." Nothing happened, and her friend was still riding head on towards the beast.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." Still nothing. Lancelot was almost upon it.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." Finally, what looked like a bright blue flame lined Lancelot's lance and Merilyn drew a sigh of relief as she saw its light. That relief quickly disappeared though.
As Lancelot rode to the beast, the griffin swiped at him. The man managed to dodge the swipe, but the talons tore into the lance shredding it into pieces. Merilyn's heart fell at the sight, and she was suddenly afraid for her friend as he sat in the saddle, defenseless. The creature began to advance upon her friend, and she then felt that she was nothing else that she could do.
Merilyn ran forward, withdrawing her scimitars as she advanced upon the beast. In an instant the griffin's eyes were upon her, and she could only hope that Lancelot had miraculously passed out, because if he were to see, she didn't know what would happen.
Only a few yards separated her from the griffin, and it now advanced upon her as well. She muttered as she leapt towards the beast, "Bregdan anweald gafeluec." From the corner of her eye, she could see that both of her blades had turned a bright, fiery blue. As the creature lunged to snap at her, she managed a roll under its head, sliding under it and striking out as she did so. Her blades me the flesh of the griffins neck and she felt the warm flood of blood leak down upon her. Merilyn inched out from under the dying beast just before it collapsed under its own weight, the light of life dimming in its eyes.
She panted as she tried to catch her breath up to with the adrenaline she was feeling. A quick wipe of her bloodied blades on a nearby cloak and Merilyn returned her scimitars home to their sheaths on her back. As she backed away from the body, she noticed Lancelot sit up in his saddle, and she heard the men around her begin to stir. She glanced up at Lancelot, not knowing what he saw, save for her bloodied appearance, but knowing at least that he should get the credit for this. Merilyn nodded to him, and then ran off into the night.
Arthur struggled to rouse himself. He could hear the screeching of the creature, the hooves of a horse as it galloped, he heard a surge of static energy and then the splintering of something. Moments later he heard a great thud and finally awoke. He stumbled to his feet and tried to gather what he could from his surroundings. Bodies were strewn everywhere, it was likely that some of his men were dead. Some of the live ones began to rouse as he had just done.
The prince looked to the lane, and shock overcame him as he saw the griffin's body collapsed on the ground, a puddle of blood forming around it. He glanced around quickly to find who had done this and he saw a knight on a horse nearby. Arthur squinted, and as the knight raised his visor, he realized that it was not one of his knights—although he wished it was. It was Lancelot. Lancelot had killed the griffin.
"Lancelot?"
Lancelot nodded to him. "Sire."
Arthur was jubilant. "You did it! You killed the griffin!"
Lancelot seemed a tad bit uncomfortable and Arthur and some of the other knights rushed to him, readying him to see the king. Maybe now he can be a knight. He has more than proved himself.
How she had gotten past the guards in such a bloodied state, Merilyn didn't know. Perhaps they knew she was going straight to the physicians and saw no need to stop her. She was glad for that though, as she had no readied explanation for her appearance if someone asked. Merilyn couldn't help but chuckle at the look of absolute horror that spread across Gaius' face when she reached the chamber.
"Holy fuck, Merilyn! Are you okay?" The physician made to rush for her, but she held a hand up to stop him, humored by the language that had just escaped his lips.
"I'm fine, Gaius." Merilyn motioned to her body. "This is not my blood, it's the griffin's."
Gaius' look of horror switched to one that mixed between shock and happiness. "You killed it? The beast is dead?" She nodded a reply as he began to frown. "Merilyn? How do you plan on cleaning yourself up? That…" Gaius gestured to the blood that dripped from her armor and hair. "…will take forever to clean up.""
Merilyn rose an eyebrow, amused as she was already a step ahead of him. A quick mutter of spell was all she needed, and in a mere second, all traces of blood disappeared. "That takes care of that," she said, as she quickly began to unfasten her armor. "I'll wager Arthur will be back soon, along with Lancelot. I can't be seen in this armor." She would have no reasoning behind it if she kept it on.
Arthur strode into the court, where he saw his father pacing anxiously. As soon as the king saw his son, he rushed him into a hug. "You did it, my son, you did it!" his father exclaimed.
"Not I, Father," Arthur shook his head, the small glimmer of a smile upon his face, wondering how his father would react. "It was Lancelot." Arthur turned to watch as Lancelot entered the court, as he had instructed him to do, removing the gloves from his hands and offering a respectful bow to the king.
Uther's voice turned cold. "What is he doing here?" Oh hell.
"Father, I can explain," Arthur urged.
"You! Wait outside!" Uther yelled, and then his father turned to him, and Arthur tensed himself up for the oral onslaught he was about to see. He watched Lancelot rush from the room wistfully, half wishing he could leave with him, but this was something he would have to endure if he were to ensure Lancelot's position as a knight.
Merilyn rounded the corner, now in her typical garb, as she watched Lancelot leave the court nervously. She eyed the giant wooden doors, hearing the shouts of a heated argument between Arthur and his father.
Lancelot glanced up at the sound of her footsteps. "Out of your armor so soon?"
Her eyes looked back to the door. "I would have no explanation if I was seen in it at this time of night. And I would likely end up in the stocks for defying Camelot's laws. Only a knight may defend these walls." Merilyn rolled her eyes, gesturing towards the door. "What are they doing?"
Lancelot gave her a knowing look. "They're deciding my fate."
Merilyn heard Arthur arguing as she pressed her ear to the door, despite the warning glance the nearby guard gave her.
"I confess it, father. I released him and I'll take the consequences. But surely Lancelot's actions change things?" Arthur was defending Lancelot, she realized. She gave a soft smile to her friend as he paced anxiously.
Uther's voice responded. "His actions change nothing. He broke the code!" Merilyn sighed. To hell with your code, Uther.
Arthur persisted. "He laid down his life for me! He served with honour."
"I see you feel strongly about this, Arthur." Uther's voice softened slightly. "Under the circumstances? A pardon perhaps."
"No, not good enough, Father." Merilyn couldn't help but feel proud as Arthur stood up for Lancelot. "You must restore Lancelot to his rightful place, as a knight of Camelot."
Uther was adamant. "Never. The law is the law. The code bends for no man." This frustrated Merilyn to no end. Nor will it bend for any woman, she thought to herself.
"Then the code is wrong!" Arthur's voice was strong as he argued with his father. Merilyn shook her head as she withdrew from the door to face Lancelot.
She stilled his pacing. "They'll restore your knighthood, they have to. You've done a great deed, you killed the griffin.""
Lancelot rose an eyebrow. "But it wasn't I who killed it, Merilyn." He grabbed her arm, leading her away from the guards. "It was you," he whispered as soon as they out of earshot.
"That's bloody ridiculous, Lancelot," Merilyn glanced nervously about. He had seen what she had done, but she persisted. "Your lance hit the griffin, it must have."
"Don't be silly, Merilyn. You saw the lance shatter just as I did, despite the enchantment you must have put on it." He crossed his arms across his chest. Is he grinning? It wasn't the reaction she had been expecting.
She faked a scoff. "What enchantment? You know just as I do that magic isn't permitted here."
Lancelot drew closer, his voice lowering. " 'Bregdan anweald' … I heard you, Merilyn. I saw you. Your blades, they glowed." He shook his head. "And all of that blood. I'm amazed you're clean of it."
He seemed so casual. Merilyn thought her heart had stopped, her face began to tingle, and then she realized she had been holding her breath. Lancelot noticed her panicked look.
"It's okay Merilyn. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. But I cannot take credit for what I did not do. There'll be no more lies, no more deceit."
Merilyn felt relief at his promise to her. Someone knew her secret, and that someone happened to be her friend. It was calming to know that, but she felt anxiety build up at his words that he would not take credit for it. "What are you going to do?"
"The only thing I can," he replied, turning to the doors of the court and forcing them open.
Arthur spun around at the sound of the doors being forced open as the guards protested. Lancelot rushed through them, only to be held still by the guards that had accidentally let him by. The interruption was welcome in Arthur's eyes; he was tired trying to make his father see reason.
"What is this?" Uther asked sternly.
Lancelot struggled in the hands of the guards. "Let me speak!" The guards began to drag the man from the court before the king paused their actions.
"Wait! I'll hear him." Arthur looked back to his father in surprise as the guards released Lancelot.
"Forgive me, sire," Lancelot began, giving both Arthur and his father respectful nods. "I've come to bid you farewell." Arthur frowned upon this decision.
His confusion was apparent on his face as he asked, "What is this, Lancelot?"
"I lied to you both and now there is conflict between you. I cannot bear that burden. As you should not bear mine." Lancelot paused, drawing a quick breath. "I must start again, far from here. Then, maybe one day, fate shall grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot."
Arthur felt flustered. "But, Lancelot…you've…already proved that to us."
"Then I must prove it to myself, sire," Lancelot replied. He bowed to each in turn, "Your highness, Prince Arthur," and then Arthur watched as Lancelot left the room, unsure of what had just occurred.
After morning had broke, Lancelot had made his goodbyes, and now Gaius and Merilyn watched as he galloped off from the city. Merilyn leaned against the stone of the battlements, sorry to see her new friend, the only other who knew of her magic apart from Gaius and Tom, leaving.
She sighed, "Perhaps, I should never have got involved."
Gaius shook his head in reply. "No, Merilyn. I was wrong. Lancelot needed you and you needed him. It seems your destinies were entwined."
"Perhaps," she commented. "Do you think he will ever return?"
"When the time is right, he might, but that I cannot say for sure."
"Until next time," she murmured as Lancelot faded into the trees. Gaius left her to herself and she did not hear the guard approach her.
"Miss?" the guard asked tentatively. It caught her off guard. Since she had helped in the courtyard, it seemed everyone from the guards to the knights were beginning to address her differently. Merilyn wasn't sure how to deal with it.
"Yes?" she replied, turning to the guard as he approached her.
"Prince Arthur requests your presence on the training field." He nodded to her.
"I shall go right away, then. Thank you." She made to pass him, to reach the stairs that led down to the ground.
"Miss? He requested you bring your …armor, …and weapons." At this she paused, looking back to the guard.
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure, miss."
As she donned her gear, Gaius stepped into her chamber, giving her a puzzled frown. "Is something happening that I'm not aware of?"
She glanced at him as she fastened a gauntlet to her arm. "For some reason, Arthur has requested my presence at the training grounds, with my armor."
"I thought you had the day off," Gaius commented, now helping her fasten her harness.
"As did I," she replied, somewhat worriedly. "I'm not sure what he wants." Merilyn quickly withdrew her daggers and scimitars from their respective boxes. Today she decided on actually wearing the belt Elsi had made for her, and placed her daggers in their sheaths at her hip. Double checking everything, she grinned at Gaius nervously as she placed her quiver in its place and walked out the door.
Helm in the crook of her arm, she walked as quickly as her legs would take her as she made her way through the city. She kept her head lowered, aware of the glances that many of the courtiers and town's folk threw her way. Merilyn didn't notice the small gathering of people that began to follow her until she made it to the city gates. She looked back warily, unsure of what was going on.
As she looked to the training field, Merilyn saw knights and guards alike lining the fence that surrounded it. Arthur stood in the middle, a mischievous grin on his face, wearing his chain-mail, his armor off to the side.
"Took you long enough, Merilyn," he chided.
"I came as soon as I could, Sire." Merilyn looked about awkwardly. "What's going on?"
Arthur lowered his voice. "Well, despite us having had our…talk," he began. Merilyn simply rolled her eyes. "I decided to still hold you true to your bet, so I've made a game of it." Merilyn looked at him quickly, shock spreading across her face. How had she forgotten about the bet?
"You can't be serious, Arthur."
"I'm afraid he is, Merilyn." Sir Leon approached, a humored smirk on his face. He raised his voice so all could hear. "If Prince Arthur wins this bet, Merilyn will be taking on more chores for a week, not just those that she does for the prince. She'll be responsible for the upkeep of the armory, cleaning in the paddocks, and making sure we're all very well fed. If she wins, however, she'll get a few days off, and we get to lord it over the lovely prince here." Everyone laughed in good humor.
"In front of all of these people though?" Merilyn was still unsure.
"Are you afraid I'll win, Lyn?" Arthur laughed.
She scoffed. "No, m'lord, I'm just wary about kicking your royal ass." Jovial laughter filled the crowd as she smirked at Arthur.
Sir Leon piped up again. "The contest will be comprised of three stages. The first is accuracy. You'll be tested on your accuracy with a bow and with your throws with both daggers and spears. The second stage will be agility." Sir Leon gestured toward a line of obstacles on the side of the field. "There we will gauge how quickly you work the course and how you react. The last stage, is one on one combat. That one, I think will be pretty obvious." The knight chuckled. "The winner will be indicated on skill, but also on our vote." He motioned to the knights and the crowd. "I'll give you a moment to ready your bows."
Merilyn expertly withdrew her own bow from her quiver as Arthur went to a rack nearby to retrieve his own. Hers was already tied and in her hands before he returned. Merilyn felt a small spark of excitement at the prospect of this fight. "I had actually forgotten about this, you know," she commented as they both waited for Sir Leon to return.
"I had figured that," Arthur chuckled, and then he turned suddenly serious. "Now, Merilyn, if I find that you hold back on any of this, it will be two weeks of extra chores, not just one. I want you to give your all."
She smiled. "I had no intention of holding back, sire. None at all."
"Good."
Sir Leon returned, a servant at his side, holding a quiver of arrows. "You will use these, to be fair. The order will be alternated, starting with Arthur. Three shots each."
Merilyn watched as the prince strode to the designated spot, and docked his own bow with one of the arrows provided. He aimed towards the target on the opposite side of the field and made his shot. The arrow struck close to the center of the target. He seemed pleased, the crowd applauded him, and Merilyn hid a smirk; one thing she had perfected over time was definitely archery. Hunting for yourself had a habit of doing that.
She deftly lifted an arrow from the quiver the servant held, offering him a smile. It was the same servant she had saved when Merilyn had first met Arthur. As she turned to take Arthur's spot, she heard a low "good luck." Merilyn didn't take as long to aim as Arthur had. Her motion was fluid as she quickly drew the cord of her bow, and volleyed the arrow towards the target. The arrow hit the target dead center, and she heard gasps of surprise from all around her.
Merilyn turned and grinned at Arthur. "Don't hold back, prince."
Their next shots both met the center of the target, and in the third set, she had split his own arrow. Here she had won, and Arthur's competitive nature sent a frown in her direction. Now it was time for daggers, but that contest happened just as the one before had, each making their targets. Here, it was agreed that they were matched. The obstacle course proved to be similar, each finishing in similar times, much to the shock of the crowd.
Now it was down to combat, and Arthur stood to the side as he was helped with his armor. All Merilyn had to do while she waited was gather her helm and reattach her harness from where she had set them aside. She heard shouts from the knights as they cheered her on, a fact that truly surprised her to no end.
Sir Leon stepped forward. "So it comes to this, the winner of this fight wins the challenge. Rules? There is but one. Anything goes, but no deathly blows. We don't need either of you dead." Merilyn and Arthur nodded in agreement.
They both stepped back and donned their helms. Merilyn was sure she looked a sight, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment as she stood before the crowd. She took a deep breath, and looked at Arthur, seeing the glimmer of a excitement in his eyes through his helm before he brought his visor down. He picked up his shield and withdrew his sword while Merilyn mimicked his movements, removing the two scimitars from her back. She flourished them playfully, much to the appreciation of their audience.
Merilyn waited, moving slowly, knowing that he would be the first to attack, and sure enough, as he had done when they had fought with maces, he was the first to charge. She deftly dodged to the side, blocking his blows with her swords, her movements fluid as the blades blocked from over her shoulder. Merilyn spun, her blades darting out to make blows of her own, one bled met his sword while he ducked the other. They pushed at each other, blow after blow meeting steel and armor, cheers going up as each advanced on the other.
In one moment, she had disarmed him of his shield, but in return he had disarmed her of her swords in one quick motion. Her eyes darted as they clashed to the ground and she backed slowly away as he pointed his sword at her. Merilyn's hands darted to her sides as he made what would have been a killing blow under normal circumstances and before he paused his blow, both of her daggers crossed before her to block the blow. The crowd cheered as she pushed him from her and spun low to kick his legs out from under him, kneeling over him, triumphant with both of her daggers paused.
"Do you yield?"
"Do I have to?" Arthur grumbled. "Is everyone trying to knock me on my back on this sodding field?"
Sir Leon stepped forward, applauding her as she sheathed her blades, "It seems that the prince gets some harassment," he stated as they both helped Arthur to his feet. He pulled his helm from his face, and instead of being utterly pissed, as she had expected him to, he was grinning from ear to ear. Arthur strode over and raised her arm to the crowd, raising another chorus of cheers.
"Well done, Merilyn. You were bloody brilliant," he said to her. "It's a shame you aren't a man, or a noble for that matter."
Merilyn frowned at him. "What does that have anything to with this?"
He shrugged playfully. "You've got the skill of a knight, Merilyn. It's a pleasant surprise." He paused. "If I had my way, I'd at the very least make it legal for you to fight at my side."
"That can be arranged," both spun at the sound of the voice as Uther strode forward from the crowd, their cheers instantly silenced as the crowd bowed as the recognized the man. Merilyn didn't see him stop in front of her as her head was bowed.
"Merilyn," the king brought her attention to him. "I am not sure what started this game, but you have shown impressive skill. I am pleased to know that such an impressive fighter is also such a loyal servant." Uther smiled at her and Merilyn felt shock course through her as he did so. "Effective immediately, you are hereby allowed to fight by my son's side, whenever the need presents itself. You are not a knight of the realm, nor do you have the rights they hold, but you can help defend this land at the very least."
She couldn't help but gape at the king. "T – Thank you, your highness. It's…It's an honor."
Uther looked over to his son, and gave him a humorous slap to the shoulder. "Now then, you might want to hone your skill if such a woman can defeat you." He laughed.
"Of course, father," Arthur replied through a tight-lipped smile.
The king turned to everyone at that. "Now that this is done, I do believe we all have our own things to do." The crowd began to disperse, and servants began to deconstruct the obstacle course as the king turned to leave. Once he was gone, Merilyn found herself surrounded by knights, being overwhelmed with congratulatory slaps and jokes, before Arthur pulled her from them.
"Please leave my servant alone, men. Merilyn has a few tasks to attend to before she gets her time off." The men laughed and began to head to the castle. "Do what you need with your weapons and armor," he ordered to Merilyn, "And then see to bringing dinner to my chambers." She nodded dutifully and began to follow the knights back into the city.
"Oh, and Merilyn?" She turned back to see a smile on his face. "Don't forget your goblet." Merilyn couldn't help but smile as she knew exactly what he meant by that. It would be another night of just him and her.