Chapter 12

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Hunting. Everything I hate at the moment. The branches hitting me in the face, my dress getting caught in the thorn bushes. All I wanted to do right now was to drop everything and go back to Camelot away from this annoying activity. Merlin was annoyed for some other reasons. He never quite grasped the concept of hunting. Neither did I. I'm just saying that Merlin didn't see where the fun was in hunting innocent and defenseless creature. My brother has always been the most sensible one when it comes to this but I'll admit that I wasn't too thrilled about it either.

"Merlin, spear." Arthur demanded and opened his palm but instead of handing it to Arthur and ended up dropping it on the ground. "Do you have any natural gifts, Merlin?"

"No." Merlin answered quickly. "Well, let me think." After a short pause. "I'm not naturally rude or insensitive." I snorted in an unladylike manner earning a glare from Arthur.

"Just naturally irritating." Arthur grumbled.

"And naturally gifted." I whispered into Merlin's ear. "Not that he needs to know about it." I winked at him before following Arthur.

We moved forward but stopped short when we heard a growling noise. I'm not scared easily but I'm pretty sure there's not an animal big enough to make that kind of sound in those woods. So, I literally felt my stomach dropped, when whatever that thing was growled for a second time.

"It's probably more scared of you than you are of it." Arthur told me.

"Somehow, I doubt it." I replied.

Arthur instructed to his knights to surround the growling creatures…when a gigantic beast came out of nowhere and jumped at us. My jaw dropped open and all the things I was holding dropped on the ground. We started to run in the other direction.

"Nellie!" I heard Merlin called after I tripped down my dress. Why does this thing happen to me? Merlin and Sir Bedivere hissed me up, the latter moving behind us protecting us from the beast.

Merlin and I continued running, rushing after Arthur and his knights. When we realized we were not chased anymore we stopped.

"Did we lose it?" Merlin asked breathlessly to Arthur.

Arthur didn't answer immediately and looked around. "Who's missing?" He asked. I looked around at his words.

"Where's Sir Bedivere?" I frowned.

My blood turned to ice when in the distance we heard someone screamed.

Arthur reported to his father what we just lived in the woods. An audience has been summoned exceptionally. Gaius concluded that it was the Questing Beast, a creature that is a sign of bad omen. To which, Uther refused to believe, calling it an old wives' tale. Anyway, Uther ordered to his son to gather his knights and to ride at dawn to kill the beast.

Of course, Merlin and I are expected to go with him. So, we both went back to our chambers and readied ourselves for the hunt. This time I changed into a pair of trousers and a blue tunic. Don't want to fall again, now do I?

"This is no ordinary beast." Gaius said reading his book.

"Don't worry." Merlin told him.

"No, listen to me, you don't understand." I turned my gaze on him. "Uther may not respect the Old Region, but it is very real. To face a beast such as this, you must understand where it came from."

"And where does it come from?" I asked frowning.

"At the very heart of the Old Religion lies the magic of life and death itself. The Questing Beast carries that power. One bite, you die, and there is no cure."

"You've seen the foe we face. It's a creature of nightmare, but you are the best knights in the realm. We can, and we will, kill it before it harms another citizen of our kingdom." Arthur unsheathed his sword. "For the love of Camelot!"

The knights unsheathed theirs as well and bellowed in their turn. "For the love of Camelot!"

"Arthur!" Morgana called rushing down the stairs in her nightgown, agitated.

"Morgana what are you doing?" Arthur asked her confused.

She tried to grab him but Arthur gripped her hands instead. "You cannot face this."

"Morgana, go back to bed. There is nothing to be afraid of." Arthur tried to soothe her.

"Please, Arthur. I have seen terrible things! You cannot go!" Morgana pleaded him. Her little slip almost catching Arthur's attention, almost revealing anything about her having visions.

"She probably had a bad dream, Sire. I'll take her to see Gaius!" Merlin intervened before she could reveal more in her hysterical state.

"No! I will not let you go!" She writhed away from Merlin.

"Please, Merlin! Get her inside." Arthur handed her to Merlin who took her up the stairs.

Morgana's hysterical state did not settle well with me. If I wasn't afraid before well, now I am. Her bad dreams are known to come true. The most recent example is probably the Sophia Scandal. But I'll do everything I can to keep Arthur's safe and so will Merlin.

We trekked through the woods, Merlin and I behind Arthur. We found a gigantic paw print. "Let's follow the trail." Arthur suggested. There was a growling in the distance. Arthur glanced back at us. "Keep close."

We moved further into the woods until we reached a dark cave. We walked in, Arthur's knights going one way while Arthur, Merlin and I went the other. We walked along quietly until we heard hissing.

"What is it?" Merlin whispered.

"Shh." Arthur silenced him. But it was too late as the creature sneaked up on us and roared at us.

Arthur pushed Merlin and I out of the way and swung his sword at the beast. The beast swung its claws at Arthur, catching in the chest and throwing him to the wall. I gasped seeing this already scared for the Prince's life. The beast kept walking to Arthur. I yelled to catch the beast's attention, Merlin waving his torch at it.

"Merlin!" I pointed to Arthur's sword.

Merlin held out his hand. "Fléoge! Bregdan anwiele gefeluc!" He enchanted the sword that struck the Questing Beast in the neck, slaying it.

I jumped down immediately and ran to Arthur's side. I checked him over for any wound. "I'm sure it missed. It didn't bite you. It didn't…" I looked at my hand horrified to find blood; Arthur's blood. "Merlin!" I called helplessly, showing him my hand.

"Somebody help!" Merlin called out to the Knights in the cave and moved to my side.

We cleared the table in Gaius' chambers and the knights laid Arthur on it. "What's happened?" Gaius asked then looked at Arthur's wound. "He's been bitten."

"I tried to save him." Merlin replied.

"You must tell the king." Gaius said to the knights who left the chambers.

"Gaius, you are going to save him, right?" I asked him.

"I wish I could." Gaius answered sorry.

"I'll find a cure." Merlin disappeared in his chambers ignoring Gaius' calls.

"Can you hear me, Sire?" Merlin came back in the room with his magic book. "The King'll be here any moment."

"He can't die. It is my destiny to protect him. We haven't done all the things we're meant to do." Merlin told him. I was just staring down at Arthur my hand tightly gripping his, not wanting to let it go.

"That is a lament of all men." Gaius replied.

"Gaius, we have to try everything. He can't die, not here. Not like this." I told him, my voice only a whisper.

"Then save him." Was his only response.

I don't remember how many spells Merlin tried but they all failed. And then Uther arrived and begged Gaius to do something but there was nothing to be done. Uther decided to carry his son to his chambers while I went down to the cave to talk to Kilgarrah.

"Arthur's dying. He has been bitten by the Questing Beast. Tell me, is there anything I can do?" I asked him.

"I am sorry, young soul." Kilgarrah replied.

"But you said that I was here to save Arthur. So, of what use I am if I can even do that?" I yelled at him.

"You are here to stop Arthur's Bane. Saving the Young Pendragon from the Questing Beast is not your destiny." Kilgarrah answered.

"Then what is?" I questioned him angry and frustrated. "Watching Arthur died? Is that my destiny?"

"You, young soul, have been saved by the Old Religion. The High Priests have the power to mirror life and death." Kilgarrah explained. "There's a price to pay, a life has to be given in return."

"Does that mean that someone died in order for me to live?" I frowned.

"Your case is very special, Emma. No one's life has been taken but your own." Kilgarrah answered.

"I don't understand."

"You have been brought back to life and one day you will pay this price with your own life." Kilgarrah clarified. "But this day has not come yet."

"So, I've been brought here only for me to die?"

"Death is a part of life, Young Soul." Kilgarrah replied. "There is nothing you can do to save the Young Pendragon."

It's with a heavy heart that I joined Arthur's chambers. It seems that the least I could was to nurse him. It was the only thing I could do. So I tend to him, dabbing his forehead. Watching him laying in his bed, his slumber agitated. Arthur seemed so vulnerable, so different of the strong knight and arrogant Prince that I'm used to see. And that's what scared me the most.

Kilgarrah has made it pretty clear, I can't do anything to save Arthur not even sacrifice my own life. A life that turns out not to be mine anymore. But it didn't stop him to tell Merlin that my brother must save Arthur at any cost. Which literally means that if Merlin must give his life in return for Arthur's then he should. Can someone please tell me how is that fair? It's either Arthur died and Merlin live but there's no Albion? Or Merlin dies and Arthur lives and there's no Albion? Both cases no Albion and I lost someone I love. Life is a bitch, isn't it?

Merlin left the day after for the Isles of the Blessed to strike the deal that would save Arthur's life and seal Merlin's fate. I stayed behind promising to Merlin that I will do everything I can to keep Arthur's life. I kissed him on his forehead and made him promise to be safe.

Gaius and Gwen came twice to check up on Arthur and on me. Try to make me get some rest. But I refused each time. The only moment, I left the room was when the King came to visit his son. And even then I stayed at the door waiting for Uther to leave the chambers before going back inside. Arthur became agitated once more because of his fever. I sat on the edge of the bed and dabbed his forehead.

"Shh." I soothed him. "I'm here. It's alright." I dabbed his forehead. "You're not going to die, Arthur. I know you won't. You cannot die, not now. You have so much to live for, so much you need to do… You will be king. A greater and better king than your father. I know you will. I am sure you will." I exhaled deeply. "Would you believe me if I told you that I disliked you when we first met? You were this pigheaded and bully man. And then you helped me save my brother. Or it might be before this actually, I don't really remember when. But somewhere along the way, I started to like you. I do." I brushed some hair away from his face." So, you are going to live to be the man I've seen inside you. I can see a Camelot that is fair and just. I can see a king that the people will love and be proud to call their sovereign. You have to live for the love of Camelot. If a part of you truly cares about me as much as I do, you have to live."

I jerked awake when Merlin and Gaius burst into Arthur's chambers. I got up from my seat and my eyes fell on the small silver canteen.

"What is that?" I asked Gaius.

"Water from the cup of life. Arthur needs to drink from it and it will recover." Merlin answered for our Uncle.

"What was the prize for it, Merlin?" I questioned dreadfully. Merlin remained silent. "Merlin, I need to hear it."

"Nellie, help me!" Gaius drew my attention back to him. "Hold his head for me." I sat on the bed and held Arthur's head on my lap. Gaius brought the canteen to his lips and made him drink the water.

"What are you doing, physician? What are you giving him?" Uther questioned entering into his son's chambers. Our heads snapped up to the door.

"It's a…it's a tincture made from the lobelia plant, an ancient remedy for poisonous bites." Gaius said hesitantly.

"A cure?"

"We hope."

"Do you really think it will have some effect?" Uther questioned.

"It's our last resort, Sire. Perhaps you should allow him to rest." Gaius suggested to the king.

"I will not leave him." Uther sat by the bed and Gaius led Merlin and me out of the chambers. I glanced one last time at Arthur before exiting the room. Hoping for him to wake up soon.

I knew the prize Merlin had to pay for Arthur's life, I did not need to hear his answer to confirm what I already know. Arthur will live but I'll lose my brother. Have you ever feel happy and sad at the same time? Because right now, this is how I feel. And my first thought was for Hunith. How could I possibly face her and tell that her son sacrificed his life for the Prince? I don't think I will ever be able to face her again.

Gaius entered the chambers. Merlin stopped his pacing and I looked up at Gaius. "The Prince lives." Merlin breathed in relief and grinned. I glanced up at Gaius and then at Merlin. As I said before, I'm happy that the Prince lives but now I'm crying for my brother. Tears welled up in my eyes and Gaius stared at Merlin forlornly because we knew what was coming next.

I walked in Arthur's chambers as the King was leaving. I put the clean clothes I was carrying on a small table near the bed. I turned to Arthur who was awake and looking at me.

"It's a pleasure to see you awake, Sire." I said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I can remember you talking to me." Arthur answered.

"You can?" I blinked.

"You stroked my forehead." He continued.

"I was only tending to your fever." I replied.

"You never lost faith."

"I've told you, I will never lose faith."

"Tell me again what you said?" Arthur asked.

"I don't really remember." I answered.

Arthur laughed. "Yes, you do."

"No, really I don't."

"Come on." His hand encircled my forearm. "Something about 'the man I am inside.'" I blinked and looked at his hand on my arm.

"I…I was just saying the truth." I stammered timidly. I took in a deep breath. "You need to rest." I looked up at him. "I'll bring you something to eat later." I got up from the bed. Arthur gripped my hand and stopped me from walking away.

"Thank you, Emma. Thank you for looking after me." He squeezed my hand gently.

"You don't have to thank me, Arthur. It was my pleasure." I smiled stroking his knuckle.

I didn't sleep well that night. Actually, I didn't bother to stay in my bed that night. I walked around the Castle like a lost soul. Merlin has wished to tell me his last words and I refused to hear them. Instead I wished him a goodnight and promised to see him in the morning. We hugged each other tightly and he went to our chambers. Gaius went to bed a bit later and I stayed awake and walked.

I never expected to find my mother, Hunith in such a bad shape when I came to meet her in front of the physician chambers.

"Mother?" She turned around to face me. She was covered in sores. I gasped horrified.

"Nellie?" She reached out to me.

"What happened to you?" I put my arms on her shoulders, opened the door and led her inside. "Everything's gonna be alright." I led her to the small cot Gaius used for his patients. I helped her on the bed.

I lit up a candle and started to go through the book to find anything I could about her illness. But deep down, I knew it was no ordinary illness. She called my name and I sat by her bed. I held her hand in mine.

My head was resting on her hand when Gaius shook me awake in the morning. He started to tend to her.

"Gaius! Nellie! I'm alive!" Merlin beamed walking out of our chambers. Gaius and I didn't acknowledge him. "What is it? What's happened?"

"Merlin, stay there!" I stood in front of him.

"What's wrong?" He frowned at me. He walked past me.

"No, don't!" Gaius told him. Merlin kept walking to the bed.

"Mother!" Merlin gasped recognizing Hunith.

"Merlin!" Hunith reached to him, struggling to breathe.

"What's happened to her?" Merlin questioned.

"She's gravely ill." Gaius answered.

"Do something!" Merlin demanded.

"There's nothing we can do, Merlin." I said softly.

"Nellie!" Merlin begged looking over to me.

"Merlin, this is no ordinary illness." Gaius told him.

"This cannot happen." Merlin shook his head.

"Who did you meet at the Isles of the Blessed?" Gaius asked him.

"Nimueh."

"Nimueh?" I exclaimed.

"It was as you said, Gaius. She demanded a price, but I bargained my life, not my mother's."

"Merlin, I wish there was something I could do." Gaius said sorry.

"I will make you better. I will."

"Merlin trade his life for Arthur's but Hunith's has been taken, instead." I told calmly.

"It seemed you have already made your choice." Kilgarrah nodded.

"I know what you said that I'm here to stop Arthur's bane but…" I exhaled. "You'll have to find someone else. I'm sure there's a lot of candidates out there."

"I did not choose you." Kilgarrah revealed. "Your presence here is not my doing. A great and powerful magic brought you here."

"Why me? I'm not important. I'm no one." I replied.

"That I don't know, Young Soul."

I scoffed. "And we may never will." I smiled at the dragon. "I can let Merlin's mother die, I can let my mother die. I need to do something."

"I know."

"Promise me, you will look after Merlin. And that you will guide him as you always do." I asked Kilgarrah.

"I will, Young Soul."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Kilgarrah. You have been a great friend to me." I said fondly to the Dragon.

"I will miss you greatly, Emma."

"Emma!" Arthur acknowledged as I entered his chambers. He was up, his arm in a sling.

"How are you?" I asked him quietly.

"Good."

"Glad to hear it."

"Yes. I owe it all to Gaius."

I cleared my throat. "I need to talk to you."

"You still haven't got it yet, have you?" Arthur replied sipping from his goblet. "I decide when we need to talk."

"And I don't usually listen to you." I countered.

"I sometimes wonder if you know who I am."

"I know who you are."

"Good."

"You are a royal arrogant and pigheaded Prince." I smirked.

"Are you ever going to change, Emma." Arthur chuckled.

"You'd get bored too easily." I scoffed. "But promise me this; first treat my brother well. Always. Second, if you get a second servant, don't take a bootlicker."

"If this is you trying to leave your job…" Arthur frowned.

"No, no!" I shook my head. I walked closer to him. "I will never leave my job. I actually love working for you. I'll be happy to serve you until the day I die."

Arthur searched my face with his eyes. "Sometimes I think I know you, Emma. Other times…"

I risked brushing his hair away from his forehead. I think I have a thing for his blond hair. I'm going to miss them. "I know you. You are a great warrior and you'll make a wonderful King."

"That's very kind of you."

"I'm always kind to you." I shrugged. I pulled my hand away but Arthur caught it. His tumbs stroked my knuckle. I squeezed his hand gently. "Promise me one more thing. Listen as well as you fight."

"Any other pointers?"

"Nope, that's pretty much it. Just…don't be a prat to Merlin."

I gave some water to Hunith. She was sleeping in our chambers. I gave her my bed.

"You will be well in no time, mother." I said brushing some hair behind her ear. "I promise."

"You are a good daughter, Nellie." Hunith told me.

"I'm proud to be called your daughter." I paused. "I'm proud to have been your daughter. You must not worry. I will be alright."

"I will miss you."

"And I you."

I walked out of my room and found Gaius sitting at the table staring into space.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" I offered him. He just nodded smiling at me. I put the water on the fire. "You know I envy my brother. He's evolving in a world that I cannot completely comprehend. And he's leaving all these great and dangerous adventures. He is saving lives and has saved the Prince many times. More than I can count." I checked if the water was warm enough and poured it in the cups. "I said that you and I will have to guide Merlin and Arthur on their paths to become both the greatest Warlock and King of all time. You will have to do it alone." I placed the cup in front of him.

Gaius' eyes snapped up at me. "Nellie…"

"Merlin cannot die. We both know that he will do everything to save our mother." I continued. "I'm only doing what I have to." I sipped from my cup, inviting Gaius to do the same. And he did.

"Nellie, you are young and…" Gaius started but frowned at his drink.

"Merlin needs you more than he needs me." I said getting up and walking around the table to Gaius. I pushed his cup away.

"Nellie, what have you done?"

"Sleeping draught in your drink." I simply answered. "I'm very sorry, Gaius. But I think I know you a little. You'd rather die than let Merlin die or let me die. And I'd rather die than let you or Merlin die." Gaius' eyes fell shut and caught his head before it fell on the table. "It has been a pleasure for me to know you, Uncle and to call you Uncle. Being your apprentice has been the best thing that as ever happened to me. I wished I had more times with you, with Merlin, with Arthur, with everyone." I finished a tear streaming down my face.

I packed a bag and retrieved a horse from the stables. And I rode to the Isles of the Blessed. Leaving behind me, Arthur, Merlin and Camelot. I left behind me every single person that I cared about, every single person that I love.

I reached a lake, there was a boat waiting. I dismounted the horse and attached him to a tree nearby. I got in the boat but there was nothing to make it move. I got back on the river bank and searched for a long stick to use. I found one on the ground after a few minutes of research and on my way to Oz, well, to the Isles of the Blessed. Once the boat was moving I didn't need the stick anymore. The boat moved on its own and led me to the island in the middle of the lake.

The island was actually the ruins of an old castle. The boat stopped near a small entrance. What I saw was very mystic. A stele standing in the middle, big stones forming a circle around it. No one in sight. I looked around briefly when I turned back to the stele there she was. Nimueh standing proudly in her red dress.

"Hello, Emma." Nimueh smirked.

"Nimueh." I said coldly.

"The Young Soul in the flesh." She chuckled.

"I'm not here for your amusement. I came to ask for your help." I berated her.

"Arthur Pendragon will live. What more do you ask for?" She glared.

"Merlin offered his life for Arthur and you took our mother's. I'm here to offer mine in exchange for hers, for his." I replied.

She laughed. "Emmanuelle, the Great Hero. You are ready to sacrifice your life for Merlin and Arthur. Do you think they'll do the same for you when they'll know the truth?"

"What truth, uh?" I challenged her. "There's no truth to be known or secrets to be told. I am Emma and I am Nellie. I am Merlin's sister and Arthur's maidservant. That's all they need to know because this is who I am." She glared at me again. "You know what Merlin can do at Arthur's side. Together they will forge a new kingdom. A world of peace and beauty where magic won't be seen as a crime."

"Your life has already shifted the balance of this world. A price has yet to be taken for yours and you want to offer it for the future they will bring." She moved closer to me.

"I lived twice. You take my first life for this one and this one for Hunith's." I suggested. "What do you decide?"

Nimueh made the cup of life appeared and casted a spell. I walked slowly to the cup, my eyes never leaving Nimueh. I raised the cup to my lips and the liquid it contained go down my throat. And rapidly, I felt life leaving me and I fell on the ground. Darkness taking me.

"Nellie! Nellie!" I heard someone call. "No! No!" I recognized Merlin's voice. I heard him cry.

"Merlin?" My voice was hoarse as I said his name.

"Nellie. Nellie. Nellie! You're alive." Merlin beamed hugging me.

"Of course, I'm alive." I replied happy that I wasn't dead, again. "What did you do?"

"Nimueh's dead. The balance of the world has been restored." Merlin explained quickly.

"I'm sure she hasn't seen that one coming." I snorted.

Merlin and I shared a horse on the way back to Camelot. I fell asleep during the ride. I just didn't realise how much sleep I missed during these last few days. Anyway, Nimueh was gone, Arthur and Hunith were safe and I was still alive. It seemed that luck was on my side as I once again came back from the dead. I just hope that we will have peaceful days from now on. Well, until the next threat.