Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters. I only own the ones that I've made up myself.
I've never had so many reviews before and I'm honestly overwhelmed by it! Thanks everyone who is reading this story and for the new reviewers!
EmilyGrace31: *Gives you a bag for your hyperventilating!* I'm so glad that you enjoyed their first kiss(ses). You can never say adorable enough though haha. And don't worry about reviewing, it already made my day that you did now :) I hope this chapter always makes you happy! And wow it means the world that you're staying that! THANK you so much for all of that!
Lbunny: Thank you for reviewing and I'm honestly flattered that my updates have that affect on you! Yes I really love the name Myanna as well :) Thanks for suggesting that.
KatieWatsonHolmes: I just totally pictured you shouting that. Oh my you poor landlady haha! It warms my heart to read that you were enjoying the last chapter so much ;) Your reviews always make me happy, so thank you. Your brother must've been terrified when you suddenly tackled him haha. Well I'm just going to say this kiss was the tip of the ice berg. There is much more to come *hint hint* but that's for another time haha. Please calm down ;) *Pulls you into a big hug* THANKS for ALWAYS reviewing! Lots of love back from me :)
MoonlightWolf16: Thanks for reviewing! And yes I also like Meranna or Lylalin ;) or even Myanna. There are so many choices haha.
Yellowroseofthenw: Might take them a while to realize what's really going on ;) but thanks for reviewing. I'm glad that you enjoyed their moments together haha.
Guest: I really like the shipnames that you've suggested! I think they're amazing! Thank you so much for suggesting them :)
Molly: Well I'm glad that you've found it :"D ah thank you for saying that that's very sweet.
g6: Freya is indeed a while away but I've already written down my plans with the lovely Druid girl and I cannot tell you much about that right now, so I guess that you'll just have to wait I'm afraid. I can assure you that it's going to be something completely different ;)
A/N- Alright I think this is the longest chapter that I've written!
Please enjoy this new chapter!
- x Milou Lilly
Chapter twelve: The Labyrint of Gedref
A strong eastern wind put a chill into Lyanna's skin. She was sitting in the saddle of Lumiere as her eyes scanned the scenery around them. This morning Arthur had stumbled into her chambers to ask her to join him on another hunting trip. The previous ones were still fresh in her mind, and she hoped that this was would be more successful.
"Over there," she instructed them, pointing between the trees. "I suggest that we try on foot."
Nobody argued with her, and they all did as she told. Arthur sent two of his knights around the other way as they made their way to the pass. She was carrying a crossbow as she leaded everyone into the direction of the sound.
"Merlin," Arthur whispered. His servant was standing behind him, carrying all his belongings. He hesitantly made his way over to him, clearly feeling out of his element. The warlock had complained several times about the dreadful hunting trips, and how badly he despised them.
"What is it?" Merlin asked doubtfully.
"I don't know," the Prince muttered. "We'll surround it. I want you to go in there and flush it out."
Lyanna abruptly turned around, facing her brother. "Are you serious?" she questioned in bewilderment. "You cannot send an unarmed man out there. We don't even know what it is and it could be dangerous. I'll go."
Before he could protest she was already heading towards the sound. She walked through the depth of the woods where sunlight crept through the roof of the trees. With every step that she took she felt more alive, as if something powerful was present.
As she reached a small clearing she witnessed the most beautiful creature that she had ever laid eyes upon. It was a unicorn with a bright white coat, and a white mane. On its forehead stood an impressive white horn. The creature was definitely enchanting.
Slowly, she took a few steps forwards until she stood still before it. The unicorn snorted quietly as she carefully extended her hand. As she stared at him she completely forgot the reason why she was here.
"Darya. Child of the Earth, your path as the Princess of Camelot is a long one."
Lyanna blinked confused. She was uncertain whether or not she had imagined that the unicorn was talking to her. Never before had an animal spoken to her like that. The memory of the wolf allowing her to pet her came back to her.
"What do you mean?" she asked quietly, stroking its pink muzzle. This had been the first time that she had ever seen a unicorn before, and she had never dared to dream that she would be touching it. She had only heard about these creatures from myths and people who had claimed they had seen one. It was truly remarkable that this was real.
An arrow was fired and pierced the unicorn into its chest. It let out a cry in pain as it stumbled on its side. Lyanna rushed to its side to see if there was something that she could do. While she stroked its head it let out a final breath and went silent.
Coldness washed through her as her entire body seemed to have frozen. She could only stare at the magnificent creature that was lying dead before her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling incredibly guilty. She had been the one that leaded them here in the first place. If she had guided them into an opposite direction none of this would've happened.
Arthur entered the clearing, laughing proudly. "A unicorn!" he exclaimed cheerfully, obviously impressed with the result of his shot.
"You killed it," Lyanna stated coldly. "You killed a unicorn."
"And what of it?" Arthur scoffed. "There is no need to cry for it."
Lyanna exhaled deeply. "You killed a creature that is pure of heart." According to the myths that she had read there was a terrible curse if someone would kill a unicorn. Whether it was true or not she did not know, but now they could only wait for what could happen.
A white cloaked man appeared behind her brother. It was an elder man with a large wooden staff. When he looked at her she felt something stirring inside her.
"What are you two looking at?" Arthur asked. He and the other two knights turned around, but the man was already gone.
Lyanna exchanged a look with Merlin who was looking just as bewildered as she did. Clearly he had seen the same thing.
During the ride back to Camelot Lyanna kept quiet. She was lost in her own thoughts as she tried to remember whatever she had read about the myth, but it was a big blur. She had to find out what is was.
Together with Arthur and the knights they entered the council chamber. Merlin carried the unicorn horn on a pillow. "Father," Arthur called. "A unicorn horn to grace the walls of Camelot."
Everyone looked at awe at the horn. "Magnificent," the King gaped, impressed with his son. "It's the first one I've ever seen." Uther took the horn from the pillow. "Gaius, look at this."
The court physician's face looked rather blank. "It's rather impressive, My Lord."
The King noticed Gaius' doubt. "What is it, Gaius? Speak your mind."
"Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures. There is a legend that says a bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one."
Arthur growled. "You sound exactly like Lyanna. She kept complaining that I had killed a creature that was pure of heart."
Everyone was now looking at the Princess who was looking irritated. "Of course I was complaining. What Gaius said is right. There is a myth."
The King scoffed at their theories. "Nonsense. We will be the envy of every kingdom." Uther patted his son proudly on the shoulder.
"I'm pleased you like it," the prince laughed.
Lyanna sighed out of frustration. "I can't believe you two," she snapped, storming out of the council chamber. For today she has had more than enough of the stubbornness of her family. She couldn't believe that they could be so foolish.
She spent a couple of hours in Morgana's chamber staring out of the window as she pretended to listen to everything that was being sad."Lyanna," Morgana called out loudly, blocking the view of the princess who broke out of her trance.
"Yes," she muttered, straightening herself. "What is it?"
"I don't think that she heard you," Gwen giggled. "We all know that she has the ability to suddenly drift to another world inside her mind."
Lyanna laughed sarcastically. "Very funny," she replied, fidgeting with her silver bracelet. "I was just thinking about the unicorn that Arthur killed this morning, and what can happen."
"And why are you thinking about such a thing?" Morgana wondered, assisting her servant with folding some clothes. "Nothing has happened."
"Not yet," she sighed. "I fear something terrible will."
Other than worrying about might happen, she was also wondering how it was possible that a unicorn was able to talk to her. Never before had an animal spoken to her and she didn't understand a single thing about it. Maybe it was because the unicorn was a creature of magic and not like ordinary animals.
There came a knock on the door and Arthur entered the chamber of the King's ward. "Lyanna," he started, eyeing his sibling. "Father requests your service as a matter of urgency."
She immediately rose from her armchair, patting the skirt of her burgundy dress before she followed her brother through the corridors of the castle. "What on earth is the matter?" Lyanna wondered confused.
"Father did not say. He wants to meet us at the fields," Arthur replied doubtfully. Neither one of them understood what was going on, and wanted to know what was troubling the King.
When they reached the fields they found Uther standing in the middle of a field. The normally beautiful crop had turned into dead wheat stalks. "Every single ear has died. We've received reports that it's the same throughout the entire kingdom," Uther informed his children, sounding grim.
"How odd," Lyanna muttered quizzed. "We rode through this valley only yesterday. The crop looked healthy enough then."
"It happened overnight. Farmers are at a lost to explain it."
Lyanna was perplexed. Never before had something like this happened throughout the entire kingdom. The entire situation gave her a heavy stone in her stomach, making her feel at unease.
"Is it a disease of some kind?" Arthur wondered, looking around him.
"Perhaps," Uther responded. "I've asked the court physician to conduct some tests. I expect that you shall help him." He looked at his daughter. "We must ration what little food we have left."
Lyanna nodded understandingly. "I will help him in every way that I can, Sire" she assured the King and started to make her way back to the castle. She entered the physician chambers where she found Gaius mixing some potions together.
"Lyanna," he greeted, sounding rather relieved. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Where else should I be?" she asked with a smirk. "I thought that I was your apprentice."
He chuckled. "Of course you are, dear. And a very good one at that. You sure have the potential to become a great physician one day. Then I'm not even talking about the power you possess and what you can do with it."
"Don't give me too many compliments, Gaius. I might blush," she joked, giving the physician a warm smile. "I came here because my father informed me that you were doing some tests to see what was causing this. Did you have any luck?"
"Not yet so far," he retorted sadly.
The door swung open and Merlin entered the physician chambers, looking rather out of his element. When he noticed the Princess standing at the table his eyes twinkled. "Oh, hi Lyanna. I had no idea that you would be here."
"Why does everyone keep thinking that?" Lyanna wondered, a smile touching her lips. "I've been spending more time in here than I have with my own family." They both laughed as she handed Gaius some ingredients. "Do you believe that it's a disease?"
He placed the bottles back on the table. "No disease I have heard of could spread through the entire kingdom in a single night."
"What could kill all the plants other than a disease?" Merlin wondered, making his way over to them.
"It is not killing all the plants. The trees and hedges around the crop fields are unarmed. Unfortunately, you can't eat trees and hedges."
The sound of potions boiling was the only sound being heard for a moment. "It doesn't make sense that only the plants that we can eat are dying," Lyanna said. "I fear it's not a disease."
The physician looked at her. "We can't assume that, Lyanna. Perhaps there is something in the soil and water that can explain it. I can't tell the King it's caused by sorcery until I'm completely certain."
Lyanna sighed, knowing that Gaius was right. Yet she couldn't help but think about the unicorn that her brother had killed this morning, as if it somehow was connected. She turned her head to watch the warlock. "Was Arthur still bragging about today's hunt?"
Merlin shrugged. "Not really. He obviously thinks that that the two of you are wrong about the myth. He was complaining that there was a rat in his chambers and has given me the order to find it."
"That does sound like my brother," she replied, giggling. "He's obviously too lazy to do it himself. Of course, that was before this happened. If you need any help you know where to find me." She smirked with mischief when she ruffled through his raven hair and made her way towards the door. "I'll go to the market to get some herbs."
She picked up an emerald green cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders as she exited the physician chambers. A chill autumn wind welcomed her when she stepped outside. She walked through the lower town of Camelot where she found her father and brother where they kept the grain. She peered through the window and watched to see what they were doing.
Arthur opened a small shaft in the grain store, which dumped out a small pile of grain. "This is all the grain we have?" Uther asked bewildered.
"The people are growing scared. There's been some loothing," Arthur announced sadly.
"We must maintain order at all costs. Panic will make the situation worse. I'll issue a decree that looters will be executed. From tonight, Camelot will be under curfew," Uther ordered.
Lyanna drew in a sharp breath. Whatever was going on it was working fast. She feared for the lives of innocent people now that food throughout the kingdom was growing scares.
The rest of the day Lyanna did whatever she could to assist Gaius in finding what had caused this sudden disease. The following morning she returned early to the physician chambers so that they could continue their search.
"Have you even slept at all last night?" Gaius asked quietly, noticing the bags underneath her eyes.
She exhaled deeply and placed the bottle back on the table. "I can't sleep while innocent people are dying, Gaius. There must be an explanation to why this is suddenly happening. It's almost as if the kingdom is cursed."
"Yes, but you won't be of use to the people if you collapse from exhaustion," the physician reasoned with her. Suddenly his eyes widened. "What did you just say? Curse?" he muttered to himself.
Both of them realized the exact same thing. "Do you mean that Arthur killing a unicorn has something to do with what's going on right now?" she wondered. It was possible because of the myth that was told.
"I'm afraid so," Gaius responded grimly. "Let us hope we're mistaking."
They continued to take some more tests before a guard entered the physician chamber. "My Lady, Gaius. Your presence if required by the King at the main square," he clarified and left again.
Lyanna and the physician looked at each other, both fearing what had happened now. Together they walked out of the chambers and made their way towards the main square where they found the king and Arthur standing at the well. Uther shifted sand through his fingers into a bucket from the well. "Sand. And you say the well is full of it?" Uther wanted to know.
"I send men down to the underground reservoir. There is no trace of water to be found," Arthur announced.
"First the crops, and now this."
Gaius and Lyanna exchanged another brief look. Their suspicion of the curse was only growing stronger of what they had just witnessed. They just weren't fully convinced yet. Now that they had seen this they were surely convinced that it was magic.
"It's the same throughout the kingdom," the Prince continued. "There's precious little water anywhere."
Lyanna's throat became dry. She thought about all those innocent people that were now suffering because there was no food and no water. She had to help them.
"Gaius. Lyanna. Can you offer any explanation for this?" Uther asked them.
"We cannot think of a scientific explanation. We can only conclude it's the result of sorcery," Gaius informed them.
"I believe you're right. It is the work of magic," the King agreed with him. He turned around to look through the square. "The kingdom is under attack."
Lyanna and Gaius made their way back to the physician chambers where they found Merlin sitting with a bucket of sand and his magic book opened in front of him. "Gréot gecymen, lecan. Gecymen gé drýe wæter," he chanted.
The two physicians approached. "I was… I was just, er…" Merlin stammered.
"There is no need to worry," Lyanna assured him kindly.
"I was hoping you might be trying to turn it back into water. I know I've cautioned against using magic, but if ever there was a time to use your talents, it's now," Gaius told them while he sat down.
Merlin slumped his shoulders. "Well, I wish I knew how. I've tried everything. If it's magic, it's more powerful magic than I possess."
Lyanna exhaled. "I'm afraid that our magic doesn't stand a chance against the curse that's been cast over Camelot. We need to find a way to break it or everyone will perish."
After hours of trying to come up with a solution to break the curse Gaius eventually announced that it was time for them to rest and to continue their search in the morning. Lyanna knew that she was of more use when she was fully rested.
Together with Merlin she walked over the square while a dim light hung over Camelot. "Lyanna. Merlin. You two do realize there's a curfew?" Arthur asked as he approached them.
"Yeah, I was in your chambers, hunting for that rat," Merlin quickly lied.
"Did you find it?"
"No."
Arthur stood still before them and looked at his servant. "So you have been outwitted by a rat?"
"They do say rats are very intelligent creatures," Lyanna chimed in, trying to save Merlin's honor a bit.
"More intelligent than my servant it would seem. Go home. It would be embarrassing if I have to lock up my own sister and servant for breaking the curfew," Arthur said. Arthur spotted a white cloaked man walking through the courtyard corridor and into the palace. "What was that?" the Prince asked puzzled.
Both Lyanna and Merlin looked around doubtfully because they hadn't seen what he had seen. "What was what?" Lyanna replied.
The three of them run after the man. Arthur jumped over the ledge of the corridor. They chased the man down the upper corridor, down some stairs, and down the Wrought Iron Stairway to the Burial Vaults where they lost him. Arthur signed to Merlin who nodded understandingly and then followed Arthur and his sister.
"That means you go the other way and cut him off," Arthur clarified irritated. Lyanna had to do her best to hold in her laughter before she followed her brother.
They went in opposite directions and ended up back at the stairway without seeing anyone. The cloaked men's silhouette appeared when he briefly rounded the corner. They split up again, but once more they return to the stairway without seeing anyone.
"Where is he?" Arthur complained.
"It's almost as if he's vanished," Lyanna muttered to herself.
"I didn't see anyone," Merlin responded.
"He was right here! Don't tell me you let him get past you," Arthur roared irritated.
"Arthur, no one passed me."
"Are you blind?"
"Are you looking for me?" another voice said. Before them stood the cloaked man both Merlin and Lyanna had seen earlier in the forest when Arthur had killed the unicorn. "I'm Anhora, Keeper of the Unicorns." That surely took Lyanna's breath away for a second. The curse was real!
"Camelot is under curfew. What's your business here?" Arthur demanded to know, not believing what this man claimed to be.
"I've come to deliver a message and it's for you, Arthur Pendragon."
Arthur tensed. "Is it you who's responsible for killing our crops, tuning our water into sand?" Lyanna thought it was best not to interfere with their conversation, but to listen to what was being said.
"You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Camelot," Anhora said.
"Me?! You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?" Arthur asked outraged.
Lyanna bit her bottom lip. "I'm afraid when you killed the unicorn, Arthur, you unleashed a curse. For this, Camelot will suffer greatly," she said quietly. Arthur looked at his sister for a brief second, before turning to Anhora.
"If you have put a curse on Camelot, you will lift it, or you will pay with your life," Arthur threatened the man.
"The curse was not my doing," Anhora clarified, but Arthur didn't believe him.
"Undo the curse or face execution."
"Only you can do that. You will be tested," Anhora warned him seriously.
Arthur had gotten tired of the whole ordeal. "You're under arrest." He reached out for Anhora, but the man had disappeared and Arthur stumbled. He reappeared on the stairway.
"Until you have proven yourself, and made amends for killing the unicorn, the curse will not be lifted. If you fail any of these tests, Camelot will be damned for all eternity," Anhora made clear before he disappeared again.
There fell a silence into the room. Arthur stormed off before saying another word, clearly thinking of what Anhora had said to him. Merlin escorted Lyanna safely back to her chamber before returning to Gaius. That night Lyanna didn't sleep. Anhora's words kept repeating themselves inside her head and she wondered what kind of tests he was referring to.
She had just gotten dressed the next morning when Gwen entered her chamber, carrying a tray filled with breakfast. It wasn't as full as it normally was. "Good morning, Milady. I'm sorry, but this is all that I could find and –'
"It's enough, Gwen," she assured her maidservant placidly. "Thank you. Have you eaten enough yourself?"
Gwen went to place the tray upon the table but somehow managed to trip over her own feet. Before the servant would hit the floor Lyanna used an incantation spell to prevent her from further falling down. She remained hovering above the ground until Lyanna slowly put Gwen back onto her feet.
The servant could only look at her mistress with widened eyes. "You – you have magic," she concluded quietly, obviously surprised by what she had witnessed. Lyanna felt foolish that she been found out, but she only wanted to help Gwen.
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner," Lyanna apologized honestly. "You must hate me –"
Gwen slowly approached her. "I don't hate you, Lyanna. I understand why you didn't tell me. It must've been a hard burden to keep. I cannot image what it was like. I'm grateful for what you did for me."
This reaction was surely not what Lyanna expected if she would ever be discovered. She surprised her friend by pulling her into a tight embrace. "You have no idea how pleased I am to hear that you're not disgusted by me after finding this out."
She returned the embrace. "How can you possibly think that of me? Uther is so wrong about magic. It's what inside your heart that matters. This doesn't change anything for me, Lyanna. You're still the same person as always. You're a wonderful Princess, someone who is adored by all the people of Camelot and someone who puts other people before herself. I'm grateful to be your friend, Milady."
The speech of her servant brought tears into Lyanna's eyes. She knew that she valued Gwen's friendship more than that of Morgana, who she felt more distant with. Slowly she pulled away and met Gwen's gaze. "I'm glad to have you on my side, Gwen. Over these lasts months you've truly showed what it's like to have a friend and I cannot thank you enough for being there. But please, can you keep this secret between us?" she begged desperately.
Gwen was also crying and nodded before hugging her once more. "Sure I will. Your secret is safe with me." After a minute she let go off her again. "Does anyone else know about this?"
"Only Merlin and Gaius," Lyanna admitted. "Merlin also has magic." As soon as she had said that she regretted it. She knew that Merlin would probably be angry at her for spilling his secret, but she had no other choice. She trusted Gwen with all her heart and was willing to risk her life for her friend. "He'll hate me for saying that."
"Don't worry too much," Gwen assured her. "I won't tell another soul."
"Thank you, Gwen," she replied gratefully, smiling brightly at her friend. "I should get going towards Gaius. You can have my breakfast."
Once she reached the physician chambers she saw Gaius in the kitchen preparing breakfast while Merlin sat at the table. As she saw the warlock looking at her she couldn't help but feel guilty. She hoped that this wouldn't ruin things between them.
"Good morning," she greeted them, and closed the door.
"Good morning, dear," Gaius greeted cheerfully. "Have you already eaten breakfast?"
She shook her head. "No, I gave it to Gwen," she replied. "But I'm not hungry so –"
"Nonsense," the physician cut her off. "Sit down." She did as he told her and sat down beside Merlin who didn't say anything. Lyanna nervously fidgeted with her necklace while Gaius placed three rather empty bowls on the table. "Not much for breakfast, I'm afraid. We're down to our last scraps of food."
Merlin grabbed a cup. "Where did you get the water to make the tea?" he wondered and took a sip from the tea.
"Fortunately, for us, you forgot to empty your bath yesterday," Gaius clarified.
Lyanna scrunched her nose while Merlin slowly spit out his tea back into the cup. "You're making tea from my bath water?" he asked bewildered.
"It's not so bad. Perhaps a little… soapy," Gaius responded. Merlin sighed. "What does Arthur think about the curse?"
Merlin scoffed. "He doesn't believe it's his fault. He's convinced Anhora's responsible for it."
"If you do not wish to drink bath water, you better make sure Arthur sees sense."
Lyanna remained quiet as she took small bites of the breakfast, feeling rather guilty for eating while her people were starving.
"Is something troubling you?" Merlin asked quietly once Gaius had left the physician chambers to speak to the King. "You haven't said much since you came here."
She was surprised by his observation and that he had noticed that. "I'm afraid that you'll be angry with me," she said quietly, not daring to meet his gaze.
"And why would I possibly be angry at you?" he asked, not understanding what she was referring to.
"Because I did something foolish."
This was driving Merlin crazy and he wanted to know what she meant with that. He tried to reassure her by grabbing her hands, and drew circles on the back of her hands with his thumbs. "You can tell me anything," he encouraged her.
"I told Gwen that we have magic," Lyanna flapped out before bursting into tears. She couldn't bear the thought of Merlin hating her. She looked down at her hands while tears roamed freely down her cheek. "It wasn't my intention. I – Gwen tripped over her feet and I used magic to prevent her from falling. Gwen wasn't disgusted with me, but understood why I had kept it a secret and promised not to tell anyone. Then she asked me who also knew about this, and I told her you also had magic. Merlin, I'm so sorry. It didn't mean to tell her, but it happened. I feel so stupid. I completely understand if you hate me and want to break all contact with me and –"
"Look at me," Merlin ordered, his voice surprisingly calm. She didn't obey him, so he put his finger under her chin so that she was looking at him. His eyes weren't filled with hatred, but looked sad. "I'm not angry at you, Lyanna. You shouldn't feel sorry. It's alright."
She pressed her lips together. "You're not angry? I just spilled your biggest secret to someone and you –" her voice trailed off because of the emotions inside of her.
"Lyanna, take a deep breath," he insisted gently. She did what he asked of her. "I know that you didn't do it on purpose. Besides I trust Gwen. Everything is fine."
Merlin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. His hand ran through her golden hair while she buried her head into the nuzzle of his neck. "I'm not worthy of your friendship," she murmured quietly.
"Don't say that," he shushed here. "Just let your emotions go. I'm here."
That was all that Lyanna needed for her tears to roam freely. Merlin continued to comfort her while she cried and let all of her emotions go. Lyanna rarely cried but it was becoming some sort of a habit to cry in front of him. Maybe it was because she felt safest in his arms.
For a long while the two of them sat there like that and Lyanna never felt more at ease. Slowly she felt exhaustion washing over her and her breathing became steadier. "I love you, Merlin," she whispered quietly.
The warlock felt his entire body stiffen at hearing those three words coming from out of her mouth. Have I imagined it? Unsure how to react he slowly looked down only to see that she had fallen asleep against his chest. Merlin knew that she hadn't slept for two days so it was only logical that she would pass out sooner or later. He was convinced that she had only uttered those words in her sleep.
He carefully picked her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to his room where he placed her in his bed. She smacked softly with her lips when he tugged her underneath the covers. As he headed towards the door he noticed how beautiful she was. He hadn't met anyone that came close to her beauty. And because she was so down to earth and kind, it only made her more beautiful to him. He knew all too well that he liked her as more than just friends, but he was well are that nothing could ever happen because he was just a mere servant. She was destined for someone greater than he was. Someone who was born into a noble family. Merlin walked out of the room and made his way towards Arthur's chambers to help the prat with preparing him for the day.
Lyanna slowly stirred inside her sleep and opened her eyes. As she looked around she noticed that she wasn't lying in her own bed, but in Merlin's. Panic immediately rushed through body and she worried that something must've happened before she ended up here. She started to make the bed so that it looked decent before she walked out of the bedroom and found Gaius standing at the table.
"What am I doing here?" Lyanna asked unsure, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"You passed out from exhaustion this morning," Gaius explained friendly. "Merlin was kind enough to put you in his bed so that you could sleep before he left for work. At the memory of Merlin reassuring her like that her cheeks grew warm and Lyanna bit her lip to shake it off a bit, in the hope that the physician didn't notice. "Everything alright, Lyanna?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm fine," she quickly replied, making her way over to him. "What time is it?"
"It's just past noon, dear," he told her. Lyanna sighed. She had at least slept for four hours. "Would you care for a lunch? I've got some stew left, but it isn't much."
She shook her head. Gaius couldn't give all of his food to her. "It's alright. I'm not that hungry."
The physician sighed at that. "My dear, when are you finally going to see that you're not a burden to anyone? You think that by not eating you'll be helping out others. You already refused to sleep because of that. Please, it would make me a very happy man if you would eat lunch with me."
Gaius never asked much of her, and she could see the truth in what he said. She had given up her food and sleep in the hope of helping innocent people of Camelot, but it wasn't working. It would only be a matter of time before she would pass out again.
"Thank you, Gaius. For looking after me," she said gratefully. She thought of her father who barely asked how she had been doing for weeks. Even though Uther was truly her father, she felt closer to Gaius than she would ever would with her own father. "Why are you always so kind to me?"
Gaius handed her a bowl of stew. "Because I care about you as if you're my own daughter, even when you're not. I never thought that I would be blessed this late at life with you and Merlin. For that I am grateful."
She smiled brightly at the physician while they started to eat the small amount of food that they had for lunch. By the time they had finished eating their lunch they went to look for some information to break the curse that was corrupting Camelot. For many hours they fluttered through thick books about myths and legend but didn't come to a conclusion. Eventually Lyanna let out a growl of frustration and slammed her head in the book.
It was already late in the afternoon when she left the physician chambers and returned to check in on her brother who she found in his chamber together with Merlin. The warlock noticed her presence and his cheeks reddened.
"Lyanna. Can I help you?" Arthur asked, slightly irritated.
She stepped further inside his chamber, her hands folded in front of her. "I was just checking in on you to see how you were doing after the events of last night," she clarified.
Arthur folded his hands underneath his chin as he watched her. "I'm alright. We have to stop that sorcerer because he's causing too much harm to this kingdom," he replied. Lyanna was quizzed to hear that her brother still didn't want to hear anything about a curse, and believed that he had made no mistake by killing the unicorn. "We have a plan."
"A plan?" she repeated with knitted eyebrows. "How on earth do you plan to stop a sorcerer?" She spoke the word to let him know that she wasn't fully convinced about the man's true nature. Sure Anhora possessed magic, but he didn't use it to cast the curse. She thought that Arthur knew better than that.
"Yes!" Arthur almost shouted. "I think I've figured out what Anhora's next move is going to be, and when he makes it, we're going to be waiting."
Lyanna exchanged a side-glance with Merlin who was just as confused as she was. "What on earth do you plan to do? Guard the grain store until Anhora shows up?"
Arthur smirked. "We will indeed."
There wasn't exactly much food for Lyanna to eat during dinner, and she chose to eat an apple before she made her way to the grain store together with Merlin to keep guard. They sat down against a pillar, their bodies pressed together in the hope to keep warm in this chilly room.
"Did you know that you proclaimed your love for me this morning?" Merlin asked out of nowhere to break the comfortable silence between them.
Lyanna's eyes nearly popped out of their socket in utter shock. "I did what?" she almost shouted, but Merlin quickly covered her mouth by putting his hand on it.
"Before you fell asleep you whispered that you loved me," he clarified. Lyanna was perplexed. She couldn't believe that she had actually admitted something like that to him.
He pulled back his hand. "Are you sure that I addressed it to you because maybe it was addressed to someone else?"
Merlin smiled faintly. "I'm quite sure. You even mentioned my name." He noticed how her body immediately tensed and how she started to panic. "It's alright, Lyanna. I know that you must've said it because you hadn't slept in days."
At that moment Lyanna knew that she never met someone who was as wonderful and endearing as Merlin. She even noticed how his eyes grew darker for a brief second, before changing back to their normal sky blue color. "I'm sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable because I uttered something like that," she apologized, not knowing what else to say to him.
"I didn't make me feel uncomfortable, but I was confused at first because I wasn't aware that you had fallen asleep. It's all good," he assured her, being the kind person that he always was. That was what she admired about him. He always put other's happiness before others.
"I haven't been a good friend for you today, have I? First I spill your secret and then that happened –"
He grabbed her hands. "Can you please stop worrying so much about every little thing? It's not worth all the energy. I cannot be mad at you."
His words caused her to calm down and she smiled warmly at him. "I'm sure there must be something I can do which will make you get mad at me."
Merlin flashed her his trademark smile. "Only if you make sure that Arthur doesn't give me a day off now and then," he replied playfully. She joined his laughter.
"Trust me when I say I will try to kidnap you from Arthur whenever you deserve some time for yourself. You have my word for that. Didn't I steal you from Arthur last week?" she asked puzzled.
"You did and you took me to a mountain."
"Ah yes, that was quite lovely," she said when she remembered their afternoon in the middle of the woods next to a gigantic mountain. It had been a beautiful day and they spent hours just sitting there and talking with each other. Lyanna let out a soft yawn. She was still quite tired from the events of the last days.
"Why don't you sleep for a while? I can keep watch," Merlin offered.
She turned her head to him. "Are you sure you won't mind?"
He shook his head. "Just sleep, Lyanna."
A small smile touched her lips and she murmured a thank you before she made herself more comfortable and closed her eyes. It took a while for Lyanna to block out the sounds from outside, but she eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep. Apparently Merlin was more tired than he thought from running around after Arthur all day and he also fell asleep not long after her.
For a while the two of them lay there together until Arthur stormed into the room and found his sister and his servant in that position. In her sleep Lyanna had nudged closer to Merlin and her head was resting on Merlin's shoulders and the servant had wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her close. Surely the current situation gave Arthur a wrong impression, but else could he think when he saw them like that? He had to admit that they looked peaceful like that and a part of him didn't want to wake them up, but they had some things to do.
Arthur chose to hit Merlin with a broom which caused his servant to wake up right away. Lyanna stirred restlessly in his arms and slowly opened her eyes to see the commotion around her. Once she caught sight of her brother she immediately leaped onto her feet. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair in many different directions.
"Don't you two worry about keeping watch. I see that you've made yourself comfortable," Arthur said, visibly irritated. Merlin sighed next to her and smacked his lips. "Stop smacking your lips," Arthur ordered, and strode off. "It's annoying."
"I'm thirsty," Merlin said slowly.
"We're all thirsty, Merlin."
The warlock sighed tiresome. Meanwhile Lyanna helped him onto his feet. "We better go help him because he's already in a bad mood," she suggested wisely. They followed the Prince. Lyanna tensed when she heard footsteps that didn't come from them. "Someone is coming!"
Arthur drew his sword and they head towards the grain store. Here they saw the intruder's silhouette. Arthur motioned to Merlin. "You go over there and come in," he mouthed to his servant.
Lyanna was about to protest because this had turned into a disaster the other day, but Arthur pulled her along with him by the wrist. "Show yourself, before I run you through," Arthur commanded, aiming his sword. At first they saw a shovel edging around the corner before a man stepped out, carrying a shovel and a sack of grain in his hands. "Who are you?" Arthur demanded to know.
"My name is…. My name is…" the man stammered, clearly nervous because he got caught.
"Speak up!"
"Arthur," Lyanna tried to reason. "Calm down."
"My name is Evan, My Lord."
Merlin came out of his hiding place and stood still beside the Princess, watching the looter curiously. "I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves. My father has ordered that looters be executed," Arthur supplied with a lone tone in his voice.
"Please, My Lord. My Lady," he pleaded desperately. "I—I do not steal for myself. I have three children they have not eaten for two days. They are hungry," Evan explained, trying to win sympathy. Lyanna couldn't help but pity the poor man and his children, who only wanted something to eat. She did not see any harm in what the man had done to feed his family.
"It's the same for everyone," Arthur said, not impressed. Lyanna knew her brother was right. Everyone in Camelot had to manage without food or water. So that didn't mean that this man was allowed to steal grain.
The man straightened himself. "I—I know that it's wrong to steal. I couldn't bear to see them starve."
"And could you bear for your children to see you executed?" the Prince asked blankly. Evan shook his head, close to tears now. Lyanna bit her bottom lip as she waited for Arthur's reaction. "Then you should go home. If you're caught stealing again, I will not spare you."
That was the last thing Lyanna expected, and apparently neither did Merlin and Evan. She picked up the sack of grain and handed it to Evan. "Go now," she said with a faint smile.
Evan smiled and bowed before her. "I will, My Lady. Thank you, My Lord," he uttered gratefully.
"Use it sparingly. It might be the last food you and your family get for some time," Arthur said to him.
"You have shown yourself to be merciful and kind, My Lord. This will bring its own reward," Ewan said before he strode off. Lyanna watched him walk away as she wondered what his words meant. Was this a test?
That night Lyanna slept well. "Good morning, Milady," a cheerful voice said as the curtains were being pulled open. Bright morning light entered the room while Lyanna slowly opened her eyes and saw Gwen walking through her chamber. She sat up straight.
"Good morning, Gwen. What has put you in such a good mood?" she asked before jumping out of the bed.
Gwen handed her a mug. "The reservoir is once again filled with water," the servant announced happily, a warm smile plastered on her lips.
That surely surprised Lyanna. She wondered how the water could've possibly have returned out of nowhere. For days she had barely drank anything and her throat was becoming rather dry she feared that she might lose her voice.
"Just like that?" Lyanna asked perplexed and quickly gulped down the large mug of water. She never thought that water could taste so good.
Gwen nodded. "Yes, I was in the lower town by the well and I noticed a drop of water on the sprout. I put a bucket underneath it and pushed the pump and water gushed out! It's was incredible," she nearly squealed and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Lyanna refilled the mug and handed one to Gwen, who only smiled gratefully at her. It was already a big relieve to see that the water had returned. If only there was a way to lift the rest of the curse. Lyanna was convinced that the man looting yesterday night had been a test. Arthur must've passed the test by sparing the man's life. She wondered what the next test could be and what the whole purpose was of it.
When the Lyanna looked out of the window she noticed that more villagers from outlying villages had traveled to Camelot in the hope to find some food here. With more people inside the walls the amount of food was shrinking.
The rest of the day Lyanna spent together with Morgana and Gwen as they tried to hand out small amounts of food to some of the villagers. It was all that they could do to help out the people and it made Lyanna feel slightly better to do so.
Around nightfall Lyanna wandered through the palace corridors, unsure where she was heading. There wasn't anything to eat, so she didn't have to sit with her father at a table to eat dinner which meant she had more time for herself. Her stomach grumbled loudly as she kept walking. She hadn't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon with Gaius, and she could tell that she was losing strength. But she didn't want to think about food when there were people starving. There had to be something that she could do to help out.
Lyanna chose to check up on Arthur to see if he knew more and knocked on the door of her brother. "Enter," she heard him say and slowly opened the door. He was seated at the table while Merlin placed a pan filled with food before him.
"Oh, I had no idea you were about to eat dinner. I will leave you to it," Lyanna apologized, already turning around.
"Please stay, Lee," Arthur ordered, sounding concerned. "I'm well aware that you haven't eaten anything all day. You look like a ghost." This was the second time in two days that someone had ordered her to eat something. Lyanna never had been someone who ate much, but now it was getting worse.
The scent of food caused Lyanna's legs go to wobbly and she nearly fell over as she walked towards the table. Merlin could only just catch her before she would fall and carefully assisted her into a chair. She noticed the disapproval in his eyes. He also thought that she was making a mistake by starving herself.
"We're going to the forest, first thing in the morning. Maybe we can pick up Anhora's trail," Arthur announced. "Whatever it takes."
Lyanna remained quiet, but only nodded. "Okay, but you two have to eat. You won't be able to help anyone if you're too weak to pass the test," Merlin tried to convince them.
Arthur took a bite from the stew, looking oddly surprised because of the strange taste. "What kind of meat is this? It has a very strange texture."
Merlin placed a bowl before Lyanna who immediately recognized the meat by its scent, but chose not to say what it was. She was certain that Arthur would lose his appetite if he knew what he was eating.
"It's pork," Merlin lied and stood next to the rest of the pot.
"This isn't pork. It's far too stringy. What is it? It's, erm…" he stopped in the middle of his sentence as he put the pieces together. Meanwhile Lyanna took a bite from the stew. It was rather tasteless, but she couldn't care about it. Arthur put down his spoon. "It's rat, isn't it?"
Merlin slowly nodded. "Try not to think about it," he suggested.
While Lyanna kept eating to still her hunger, Arthur had clearly lost his appetite. "Look at me. I'm being rude. Here I am, stuffing my face with this delicious stew when you're hungry too," the Prince said, pretending to be generous, only to get his servant back. Arthur stood up and patted on his chair. "Come on. Take a seat." He forced Merlin down into the chair. "Eat," he ordered.
"Arthur, is this really necessary?" Lyanna tried to reason with her brother.
Arthur practically guided the spoon into Merlin's mouth who chewed on the though meat. "It's actually pretty tasty," Merlin said as he tried to swallow it.
"Well, I'm glad you like it. Because…" Arthur fetched the pot of stew and placed it on the table. "… there's plenty more." There came a knock on the door. "Enter." Morgana entered the chamber. "Morgana?"
"I hate to ask, but I was wondering if you had anything to eat," the King's ward said sadly.
Arthur paused and looked at his servant, who smiled in return. "Sure, here," he replied and handed the rest of the pot to Morgana. She smiled gratefully before leaving again.
Lyanna had finished her bowl of stew in the meantime and exhaled deeply. Merlin had left the room to take away all the eating supplies, leaving Lyanna alone with her brother. "What is happening between you and my servant?" Arthur asked after a moment of silence. He was seated opposite from her, and looked at her intently.
"What do you mean?" Lyanna asked doubtfully, not understanding what he was referring to.
Arthur smiled faintly. "Because the two of you looked kind of intimate when you were supposed to be keeping guard yesterday evening."
Lyanna scoffed and tried to hide her blushing face. "Surely, is that what this is about? We had both barely slept in days and were exhausted, Arthur. We just fell asleep. What's the problem with that?"
He wasn't fully convinced. "I hope it's only that. If anyone else would've found you yesterday can you imagine the rumors that would spread through Camelot. A Princess and servant cannot be together. Do you like him, Lyanna?"
It felt as if all the air was being pushed out of her lungs. She fidgeted with her fingers. She had put quite a lot of thought into the last month and she knew she cared deeply about Merlin, but did she really see him like that? After their kiss she had surely begun to see him differently, but was it more than friendship? She didn't dare to say. "So what if I do. It's not like anything can ever come of it."
Arthur startled her by grabbing her hand. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lee. I wish that there was something I could to change our father's rules, but for now it is not permitted for you to wed Merlin."
"Wed Merlin?" she repeated ecstatic. She had kind of admitted her feelings for her brother's servant, and he was already talking about marriage. That was something she hadn't thought about at all. It already made her anxious and nervous and she felt panic rushing through her. "I—I uhm –"
"That's not how I meant it," Arthur tried to assure her placidly. "Let me rephrase that. It's just not allowed for a lady to be with a commoner," he cleared out.
Lyanna took in a deep breath. "I'm fully aware of that," she sighed slowly. "That's why nothing can ever come of it. I need to ignore my feelings. It's for the best. He's my friend and that's what he will be."
Arthur paused for a moment, looking into her eyes. "But can you?"
That was the most difficult question that Lyanna had. She cared greatly for Merlin. Often she caught herself thinking about him or meeting his gaze. Whenever she was around him she felt save, and cared for. Also warmth spread through her whenever she looked into his eyes. She knew that Merlin would risk his own life to save hers, and she would risk hers for him.
"You don't have to say anything. I can already tell by the look in your eyes that you like him a lot," Arthur said to interrupt her thoughts. "That's not something to be ashamed about. Look, you mustn't let father know about these feelings. It could put Merlin's life in danger."
Lyanna swallowed as her eyes got watery. Before she could respond Arthur pulled her into a tight embrace to comfort her, being the wonderful older brother that he was. It felt good to have someone like him on her side. "Can you not tell Merlin that you know about this?" Lyanna asked with a faint voice, muttering against his chest.
Arthur rubbed her back. "I thought it would be fun to tease him about it," he replied, hearing Lyanna chuckle in his arms. "I will not tell a soul," he promised her and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
The door opened and Merlin reentered the room, looking slightly shocked to see the Princess crying in Arthur's arms. "What happened? Is everything alright?" he asked worried for her well-being. He feared that something had happened which had made her so upset.
"Lyanna just got a bit overwhelmed by the current events," Arthur lied to cover up for her. Lyanna sat up straight and rubbed the dried up tears away so that she looked decent again. Only her reddened cheeks refused to go to their normal state.
"I'm fine," she assured Merlin. "Can I come with you tomorrow morning to look for Anhora?" she asked her brother to change the subject before the warlock would suspect anything.
"Sure," Arthur assured her with a warm smile. "Get some rest."
Lyanna nodded and slowly stood up. Her body still felt kind of drained and it cost her effort to stay on her feet. "Merlin, please escort Lyanna to her chambers because she can barely stand."
Merlin was already at her side and placed his arm around her shoulder so that she was leaning on to him with her weight. Her cheeks flushed at that. "Lyanna, if you haven't regained your strength in the morning I think it would be better for you to stay here and rest some more," Arthur called after them as they walked out of the door.
They were both quiet as they made their way towards Lyanna's chambers and Merlin gently put her on the edge of the bed. He sat down beside her, his hands folded in his lap. "What happened back there?" he asked concerned after a moment of silence. "Something is troubling you."
She licked her lips, thinking about what to say next. Of course he was able to see straight through her because he knew her better than anyone else, but she couldn't possibly tell him that Arthur was aware of her confused feelings. It was already bad that she had told him that she loved him in her sleep. She didn't even know what love was.
"It's nothing. I'm just overwhelmed by all that is going on," she lied, hoping to sound convincing. But she didn't.
Merlin turned his head towards her and looked directly into her hazel eyes, which always reminded him at the green hills back at Ealdor. "Can you please tell me the truth this time? I just want to make sure that you're doing alright."
Lyanna didn't know what to do. Her emotions were driving her insane and before she knew it she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. She looked into his eyes when she pulled back her head. "I'm alright," she assured him softly. Damnit Lyanna!
She cursed inwardly, shocked by her own actions. Why on earth did I kiss the guy that I could never be together with? This would only make the situation more uncomfortable. She was more confused now than she was before. He should hate her right now and she expected that he would flee from her as fast as he could.
But instead of running away, Merlin cupped her face and his lips tenderly claimed Lyanna's. She froze at first, but kissed him back gently, and ignored her thoughts. Their kiss began slow but became more passionate with every passing second. Merlin's hands were on her hips, while Lyanna's hands roamed through his dark hair. Just like their first kiss they both felt their magic swirling around them, keeping them both close. His hands went to her waist as the kissed deepened. A hunger took over Lyanna. Both of them had secretly desired another kiss like this for quite some time.
They went on like this, swaying and kissing on her bed, for what seemed like hours. It was hours for them, but only minutes in reality. When they finally parted for air, Lyanna closed her eyes and melted into her favorite place against his chest. His scent had become so familiar to her, and it reminded her that she was safe. Merlin moved his head until their foreheads were pressed together, eyes locked with shadowed faces glowing in the most magical of ways.
"We shouldn't have done that," Lyanna said quietly once she had found her voice. "It's not right. It was a mistake."
Merlin tenderly caressed her cheek. "But it did feel right," he said to her, trying to convince her that they hadn't made a mistake. "Didn't you feel it?"
Lyanna pulled away, seeing the shock in his eyes. Her lips were swollen and her heart was racing insanely. "And that's why it can't happen again," she said flushed, climbing out of bed. "You should go." Even though it saddened her greatly they couldn't answer their feelings again. It was wrong.
The warlock slowly stood from the bed and headed to the door. He gave Lyanna a faint smile before he closed the door behind him, leaving the Princess alone with her thoughts. Silence found its way back into the room and Lyanna let herself fall back onto her bed, and buried her head underneath the pillow, trying to forget what just had happened. Even though it was wrong what they had done, there was a part of her that wanted to scream. There was a grin on her lips that she couldn't shake off and she felt kind of giddy. At that moment Lyanna knew for certain that she was developing feelings for him. And that was the problem.
The following morning she woke up around dawn after only a few hours of sleep. She felt better than she had the previous day and changed into her favorite armour, with brown breeches. The sword that Arthur had given her for her birthday was sheathed in her scabbard. Once she was about to leave, Gwen entered her chambers. "Good morning," she greeted in her usual cheerful manner, which always brightened up Lyanna's mood, no matter what she was going through. "Where are you going if I may ask?"
"To seek the sorcerer that has casted this curse of Camelot," Lyanna informed her while she placed some extra daggers in her leather boots. Gwen smiled faintly as she observed her. "I'm just glad that thing between us are still the same."
"So am I," Gwen agreed warmly. "So if there are any other secrets that you want to share, I am perfectly able to keep my mouth shut." At that Lyanna giggled shyly. "There is something else, isn't there?" the servant assumed, noticing the hint of trouble in the princess eyes. "Please, it's not in my place to ask such things of you, My Lady."
Lyanna wondered if she should tell her friend what had happened last night, but she chose not. Her feelings needed to be kept secret in order to keep Merlin safe in case the truth would be revealed. "It's nothing, Gwen. But I thank you for your kindness," Lyanna said gratefully. "I shouldn't let Arthur waiting."
An hour later Lyanna was standing in the middle of the woods together with her brother and Merlin. They were looking closely in the forest for any sign of Anhora at the place where Arthur had killed the unicorn. Lyanna searched through thickets in the hope to find any tracks, but there weren't any.
"I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for," Merlin said doubtful as he walked around a bit.
"You're looking for footprints or broken branches. Anything that would indicate someone passed that…" Arthur tried to explain, but stopped in the middle of his sentence when he caught sight of Anhora. "Merlin! Lyanna! He's here!" He started to run in the direction where he had seen the cloaked man, leaving Lyanna and Merlin behind.
Without any hesitation the two sorcerers started to run after him, but Arthur had a head start. They didn't see which way the prince had ran off to, and they apparently ran in the wrong direction. They ended up deeper into the forest and Lyanna stopped running.
"We're going the wrong way," Lyanna stated, trying to catch her breath. She took in a deep breath. The only thing that she could think of was going back to the place where they had started so that they could start again. "We have to go back." She spun around, bumping into Merlin. Her eyebrows knitted together and she quickly walked past him.
He remained silent, but followed her nonetheless. They both felt the tension between them which needed to be resolved, but both chose to ignore it.
After a couple of minutes they found Arthur lying on the ground, panting. "What happened?" Lyanna asked concerned, kneeling beside him.
"I failed the second test."
By the time the three of them returned to Camelot they had found out that the remaining grain that they had stocked, had rotten. There was no food left thorough the whole of Camelot. If they didn't find a solution soon they would all starve to death. The next day Lyanna stood on the balcony of Arthur's chambers because they had to think of a solution to solve all this.
"They do not know yet there is worse to come," Arthur said worried as he leaned over the edge of the balcony.
"What do you mean?" Merlin asked curiously.
"Our father is going to stop distributing food to the people. They are to be left to starve. I had a chance to lift the curse. And I failed them," he said grim.
"You weren't to know you were being tested," Merlin tried to assure him.
His words had no effect on Arthur who continued to look down at the people bellow in the courtyard who was standing in a line to collect some food. "My people are starving. Camelot is on the verge of collapse. And it is all my doing."
Lyanna felt sad about her brother. She could tell how much this was hurting him and that he felt guilty for the downfall of the entire kingdom and would do anything in his powers to prevent that. There had to be something that they could do.
Arthur retreated back into his chambers, leaving the two sorcerers behind. "Maybe we can go back to the forest again to find Anhora," Lyanna suggested softly.
"We could ask him to test Arthur again so that he can prove himself a worthy Prince," Merlin agreed with her. "We should go now before it's too late."
They didn't waste any time and hurried out of the castle. It was past noon when they were standing in the middle of the forest where they had been looking for the cloaked man the previous day. Lyanna was looking around for tracks again in the hope to find him. "Anhora!" Merlin shouted, clearly not in the mood to look for tracks. "Show yourself! Anhora!"
"Well, that's one way to look for him," Lyanna muttered, mostly to herself.
"You wanted to talk to me?" a voice asked.
Anhora had appeared and was standing in front of him. Lyanna exchanged a brief look with Merlin. "We've come to seek your help. The people of Camelot are starving. It won't be long before they will be dead," she said, trying to control her emotion.
"You must believe me when I say it gives me no pleasure to see your people suffering, Lady Lyanna," Anhora responded emotionless.
"If it pains you, put an end to it," Merlin suggested.
Anhora's face went blank. "It is not in my power to lift the curse."
Lyanna bit her bottom lip. "Perhaps it is possible to give Arthur another chance. He has accepted it his responsibility, and he prove himself worthy to lift the curse if you can give him once more chance," she pleased desperately.
"You two have faith in Arthur?" Anhora asked slightly shocked.
Both Merlin and Lyanna nodded in union. "I trust him with my life," Merlin clarified. That was something that surprised Lyanna as much as Anhora. She knew that the warlock saw Arthur as a friend, but had no idea that he trusted him like that. Of course she should've known because he had saved his life a couple of times.
"Arthur must go to the Labyrinth of Gedref. There, he will face a final test. If he fails, there is no hope. The curse will destroy Camelot," Anhora announced while he kept teleporting to different places around them.
He then disappeared completely. "Wait! What kind of test will he face?" Merlin asked what they both wanted to know.
"That is for Arthur alone to discover," they heard Anhora say clearly inside their minds. Silence found its way back to the forest and they both were in lighter spirits than before. There was still a chance to stop the curse.
"We have to tell, Arthur, come on," Lyanna said and grabbed Merlin's wrist to pull him along with her as the two of them ran back to Camelot. They found Arthur pacing in his chamber, looking for an answer to solve all this. "We spoke to Anhora. He is willing to give you another test. You have to travel to the Labyrinth of Gedref."
Arthur's face lightened up and he lifted his sister up from the ground and twirled her around, before putting her back on the ground again while he kept laughing. "How did you two manage that?" he wanted to know.
She was a bit flushed from that sudden action. "We thought it was for the best to ask Anhora to give you another chance," Merlin said in her place. Arthur immediately started to pack for his upcoming travel so that he could leave at once. Once he was finished Merlin helped him into his armour. "Let us come with you. You don't know what form of test you will take. We may be able to help." Lyanna shot a side-glance to Merlin who remained silence.
"You two are not coming. I brought this curse upon Camelot. I'm gonna be the one to lift it, or die trying," Arthur responded, putting on his gloves.
"Alright, how does you dying help anyone?" Lyanna asked from the other side of the room. "You're the future King of Camelot!"
"I'll die knowing I did everything I can," Arthur said, heading towards the door. He grabbed his belongings as he did.
"We're coming with you," Merlin said. He was determined to help out and walked after him.
Arthur halted and turned around. "Merlin, you are to stay here with Lyanna, and help the people as best you can. Is that understood?"
They knew that it was for the best not to argue with Arthur any further. He was determined to solve this problem alone because it was his fault that the people are suffering. They watched through the window and saw Arthur riding across the courtyard.
"We have to follow him," Lyanna said after a moment. "I know the way to the Labyrinth of Gedref. It shouldn't take us long to get there. Can you fetch the horses while I gather some supplies?"
Merlin nodded gratefully. "You have no idea how pleased I am to hear you say that." His eyes twinkled brightly as he said that and he stormed out of the chamber. Lyanna went to her own chamber to change her riding dress into some armour and then hurried to the kitchen where she put some loafs of bread into a small satchel. She even gathered some water skins before hurried towards the courtyard where Merlin was already waiting for her.
She quickly mounted Lumiere, who shorted softly as she held onto the reigns. They both galloped out of the courtyard, leaving Camelot behind them. "Why on earth have you ever been to the labyrinth before?" Merlin wondered as they rode through the forest.
"I've never been inside the labyrinth," Lyanna clarified in a friendly manner. "I came across it during a few hunting trips a few years pass. There aren't many stories known about the maze. I have no idea what the last test can possibly be. Maybe he's going to let Arthur wander across the maze until he finds his way out of it. We will find out soon enough."
It didn't take long until they caught up with Arthur when they left the forest behind. They had to keep a safe distance from him so that the prince wouldn't be aware that they were following him. They had to slow down their pace. After a few hours they had found the labyrinth which was established on the foot of two mountains. A few branches hung over the labyrinth, making everything look grimmer.
Lyanna and Merlin dismounted their horses and tied them to a nearby tree while they saw that Arthur had already entered the labyrinth. They hastily followed him. Lyanna unsheathed her sword and drew in a deep breath. None of them had any idea what they could run into. Anything was possible in here.
"Let's try this way," Merlin suggested. They walked straight when they had reached a crossing. Lyanna didn't doubt Merlin at all and she followed the warlock without question, surely because she would've chosen the same route herself. The two of them were more alike than she thought.
This place made Lyanna anxious who hated not being able which way to turn. She desperately wanted to get out of this maze and hoped that they were close to the end after a while of wandering in silence.
"I can hear footsteps," Lyanna said after a while. Merlin hadn't heard anything. "Arthur is nearby." That sure gave them the hope to keep going. Maybe Arthur was close to the exit.
Lyanna kept following Merlin the whole time, not arguing with him once. A part of her felt as if he was angry at her for what had happened the other day, and she didn't want to upset him anymore. The tension between them still hadn't disappeared.
They quickened up their pace in the hope to catch up with Arthur. Unfortunately they went the wrong way a couple of times, which only slowed them down. They kept on going for another moment until they found Anhora in the labyrinth. "You said Arthur would face a test," Merlin started, visibly irritated. "And here you are, preparing a trap for him."
Was this really his plan all along? Lyanna covered her mouth underneath her hands as she looked at the cloaked man in shock. "This trap isn't for Arthur. It's for you," Anhora explained calmly. "Tilnávis," he chanted and Lyanna lost her consciousness and fell limp in Merlin's arms.
"Stop this nonsense!" Merlin cried out, trying to contain his emotions. He couldn't let Lyanna get hurt. "Take me. But please. Don't hurt her. I beg you."
A brief smile touched Anhora's lips. "You care for the Princess," he assumed dryly. "Don't worry. You will join her. Gehæftan." Vines appeared out of nowhere and trapped Merlin who couldn't escape from its grip. He was stuck.
Anhora used a spell to lift Lyanna in the air so that she was levitating after him as he pulled Merlin after him and out of the labyrinth. They had reached a beach. Here stood a small table with two chairs. On the table stood two goblets filled with liquid.
The vines disappeared and Merlin had to sit at the table while Lyanna was now trapped in vines. Her mouth was covered by some fabric which made it impossible for her to speak. Slowly she regained consciousness and took in her surroundings, wondering where she was and what was going on.
"Don't worry," Anhora assured her.
Lyanna could only watch at Merlin who also looked out of his element like she did. They all feared a trap for Arthur and feared for his live. There was simply nothing that they could do to prevent that.
After a few minutes Arthur walked out of the labyrinth and headed over to them. He was shocked to found his servant there at the table. "Merlin?" he asked perplexed.
"I'm sorry," Merlin apologized.
As Arthur turned to look at Anhora he got aware of his sister's presence who was wrapped in vines beside the cloaked man. She wiggled a bit, trying to free herself from the vines, but it was impossible. He heard her muffled voice, but couldn't hear what she was saying. "Let them go! I'll take your test, but not till they are released," Arthur offered honorably. Lyanna could only smile at that. That sounded like her brother all over.
"That is not possible. Merlin and the Lady Lyanna are part of the test. Please sit. If you refuse the test, you will have failed and Camelot will be destroyed," Anhora explained to him as if it was the most normal case in the world.
Arthur hesitated for a second before he sat down at the table, placing his sword before him. "I thought I told you two to stay at home," he said, eyeing his servant for a brief second before looking at Anhora. "Let's get on with it."
"There are two goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other goblet a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet," Anhora informed them.
The Prince looked irritated. "What kind of ridiculous test is that? What does that prove?"
"What it proves is for you to decide. If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted. If not, the Princess will die." Lyanna's eyes widened at that, but it didn't matter. If the curse didn't lift she would die anyway. There was nothing that she could do to help them. It was up to them. She could only sit back and she distasted it. She had never felt so useless before since her hands were literally bound together.
"Let's think about this," Merlin said once they started to think of an idea to solve this problem.
"If it's poisoned, you'll die," Arthur remembered him.
"And if it's not, then you'll have to drink from yours, and you'll die. There must be a way around it."
They both looked intently at the goblets before them. "It is perfectly simple. One of us has to die. We have to find a way to determine which goblet has the poison. And then I'll drink it," Arthur said.
"I'll be the one to drink it," Merlin offered.
Lyanna watched them curiously. They were both willing to give their lives to help others, which made her kind of emotional. She could only think of them as brave men. She didn't want to see any of them die. They were far too important to her. This was too dreadful to watch. A part of her though of closing her eyes until this entire ordeal was over, but she wanted to see what choice they would make and if they would survive.
"This is my doing. I'm drinking it," Arthur objected calmly.
"It's more important that you live. You're the future King. I'm just a servant," the warlock cleared up.
"There is no time to be a hero, Merlin. It really doesn't suit you. Besides Lyanna is going to hurt me if something happens to you." Arthur looked at his younger sister for a brief second and tensed up.
Merlin ignored the last comment and sighed. "What if I drink from mine first, and if that's not poisoned, I will drink yours?" he suggested wisely.
"He said each of us is only allowed to drink from one single goblet. I had no idea you were so keen to die for me," Arthur said slightly shocked.
Merlin folded his hands before his chin as he thought hardly. "Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself."
Arthur snorted. "I'm glad you are here, Merlin." He then looked at his sister who looked hopefully at him and sighed. "I will get you out of here," he promised.
Merlin's face brightened. "I've got it," he said relieved. "Right, we pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it is poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet."
Lyanna was impressed that Merlin had come up with that idea. "You never cease to surprise me. You're a lot smarter than you look," Arthur said proudly.
"Is that actually a compliment?" Merlin asked playfully. Lyanna noticed the hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Look out!" Arthur yelled and pointed to something behind his servant, who turned his head to look around. Meanwhile Arthur took two goblets and poured all of the liquid into one of them, holding it to drink.
"No! I will drink it!" Merlin objected heavily..
"As if I'd let you," the Prince muttered.
Merlin shot a brief glance at Lyanna who had tears stinging in her eyes. "You can't die. This isn't your destiny."
"It seems you're wrong again."
"Listen to me!" Merlin pleaded desperately.
"You know me, Merlin. I never listen to you." He toasted to Merlin before drinking the goblet. Lyanna screamed her brother's name in pure fear and angst. He couldn't die! She wriggled restlessly, trying to free herself in the hope that she could save him. But she still wasn't able to free herself from the vines. They were holding her into her place too strongly.
"No!" Merlin cried out. "What have you done?" Arthur fell off his chair as he lost his consciousness. A feeling of anger and emptiness washed through Lyanna who could only look at her brother while tears streamed freely down her cheek. Arthur had sacrificed his own life to save that of his people! If she wasn't tied up she would've taken the goblet herself, but it was too late now. He was gone. Her brother was dead.
Merlin rushed to Arthur and tried to shake the Prince awake. "Arthur. Arthur. Come on," he begged. It was incredibly painful for Lyanna to watch the two of them like that. "Come on. No… Come on." He turned to Anhora. "Please. Please! Just… let me take his place!"
"This was Arthur's test, not yours," Anhora responded incredibly calm.
"You've killed him!" Merlin shouted angrily. "I was meant to protect him!"
"He is not dead," Anhora cleared up. Lyanna looked at the man in utter shock, wondering if he was pulling a joke on her. "He's merely consumed on a sleeping draft. He will come round shortly."
Anhora lifted the spell which caused the vines to disappear which freed Lyanna. "You did what? Was this all a joke?" she asked visibly upset.
"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you are also pure of heart. Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save yours. He had proven what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted."
Lyanna needed a moment to let all this information sink. The curse had lifted! That meant that the people of Camelot would survive. And her brother would live! Lyanna felt an enormous weight fall from her shoulders as she scrambled onto her feet and pulled Merlin into a tight embrace.
"Everything is alright now. It's okay," he kept repeating for a couple of minutes as he held her closely. Her head was buried in the nuzzle of his neck as his hands were wrapped around her waist. There wasn't a place in the world where she felt safer than in his arms. It was something that she couldn't explain, but it felt nice.
Slowly she pulled back after a moment and placed a chaste kiss to his cheeks. "Thank you. We should get Arthur back to his horse," she suggested.
Once Arthur had regained his consciousness they had left the coast. Hours had gone by until the three of them ride into Camelot and dismounted their horses. They had informed Arthur what had happened and he was over the moon, especially now that he saw townsfolk carrying around platters joyously.
"Merlin, Arthur, Lyanna, there is good news!" Gaius said ecstatic. He was carrying an eggplant in his arms. "The crops are growing once again! They are bringing in the harvest!"
Lyanna felt warm spreading inside her chest. Her brother had done it. The curse had been lifted and everything was looking positive again for the people of Camelot.
Uther approached his children. "Is this your doing? Is the sorcerer dead?"
"He won't be troubling us anymore," Lyanna assured him.
"Good." Uther patted his son on his shoulder. "Make sure the grain reserves are re-stoked."
"I'll see to it. There's something we must do first," Arthur assured their father.
Lyanna tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, turning to her brother. She didn't have to ask him what his plan was because she already knew.
Another hour had gone by and the three of them were in the forest once more.
Arthur placed the unicorn's horn in a burial mound of stones, which Merlin had built. "I should never have ended your life. I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely.
They began laying stones over the grave to cover it up. Merlin looked up and spotted something. "Look!" he pointed with a trembling finger.
The Pendragon twins turned around and saw a unicorn in the middle of the clearing. It truly was a sight to behold. "When he who kills a unicorn proves himself to be pure of heart, the unicorn will live again," Lyanna spoke in awe.
And in that moment they all believed that there was still good left in this world and that they had to fight to see it. But it was definitely worth it.
And that's the end of this chapter! I wanted to let you know that this kiss was another spur of the moment. So far Merlin already knows that he sees Lyanna as more than a friend, while Lyanna herself is just confused by her feelings because he is her best friend and she's scared that she's so attracted to him. I cannot say much about this, but I can say that's it's going to take a bit before they figure out what's really going on between them.