Anybody like the cliffhanger?

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin

Gwaine tried to comfort his lover, but she knocked away his touches. "Sweetheart, calm down."

"No!" she scrambled to get out of bed. "I can't, Gwaine, something's happened, Ellie, she..." Jen clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob. "I can't sense her in the castle, she isn't here, and I have to go find her!"

"My darling, please!" Gwaine insisted, trying to reign her in. He stood from the bed as well, pulling her to him. "Jen, please take a breath."

"Something dreadful has happened," she cried into his chest. Her hands clutched at him desperately. "I wasn't taking care of her, like it was my destiny too, and something happened! I have to find her, Gwaine."

"It's not going to help if you're hysterical now is it?" Gwaine asked, cupping her face with his hands. He wiped away her tears. "Deep breaths, my love."

Jen sighed. Gwaine's affection brought her back down to earth, so she used his voice as something to focus on. His hands on her face calmed her somehow. Jen controlled her breathing and straightened her spine. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." he kissed her forehead. "Go change and I'll wake Merlin, then see if Arthur knows where she is."

"They're together, you fool," she giggled through her tears. "Why else would she have left the castle?" She hurried to put on leggings. Gwaine shook his head at himself before putting on his own clothes and heading out the door. Jen continued to control her breathing as she tied her hair back. The pain in her side had increased, which made her know that Arthur was moving Ellie somehow, most likely unaware that he was making whatever happened worse.

Thinking on this, she hurried to Ellie's room and found a tunic. Jen murmured a tracking spell, letting the magic flow from within her. She set the fabric aside. She felt tired and anxious, knowing that it was her magical connection to Ellie weakening her. She needed to find her and get her to safety. Rushing from the castle, she headed to the stables and got her horse.

Jen didn't go far. She had her horse galloping through the woods when she felt Ellie's presence grow strongly. Relief flooded through her as she slowed, hearing horses hooves in front of her. Arthur came from the shadows, sword pointed at her threateningly. When he saw it was Jen, he sagged in relief. "Jen, she was bitten..."

"Tell me everything." Jen hopped from the horse. Arthur gently eased Ellie off his and propped against a large, smooth rock. It was dark, but Jen summoned small balls of light to float around them. She pulled up the hem of Ellie's tunic, finding a large snake bite. The skin around it was yellowing, the veins turning black.

"We heard rustling in the bushes near us," Arthur said, voice full of dread. "But it moved too fast. She pushed me out of the way and next thing I know, she was bitten in the side by a giant servant. I cut off the head and it died, but I think it was venomous. And magical."

Jen nibbled her lip, ignoring the blatantly obvious facts about a giant serpent. "It's spreading too quickly to her heart and I don't know healing magic very well. I need to get her back to Gaius to see if the venom will need a special remedy. Make sure you keep her upright on the horse so the venom won't get to her heart as quickly."

"I had her hanging over the horse," Arthur gulped. "Her heart was lower than the bite. Did I make it worse?"

"You were trying to help her, it doesn't matter."

Arthur cursed, easing his fiancée on his horse. He held her closely and upright, guilt on his face. Jen got back on her horse as well. "Don't you dare think about blaming yourself, Arthur. We don't have time for it."

The king nodded and spurred his horse on, following Jen. The blonde woman attempted to control the panic swelling in her heart again, finding Gwaine as her focal point. She imagined his hands stroking her cheek and his voice calling her sweet names. It helped keep her head clear and her gaze forward steady. It hurt to think that after all the attacks on Ellie, a possibly magical serpent could hurt her.

But the dragon said Ellie's destiny was to be the queen of Albion. That meant something, did it not? Could you have a destiny...but not fulfill it?

She wanted so badly for that to not be true.

When they arrived in the physicians chambers, Arthur carried Ellie to the cot. He explained the serpent to Gaius, who immediately turned pale. Jen stepped forward. "Gaius, what is it?"

"There is a cure for the poison," he said gravely. "But it is too far away and there isn't enough time to get it. Magic can cure her, but it must be with a flower from the Isle of the Blessed and an enchantment said over it."

"Can't I retract the poison?" Jen asked worriedly. "If I do that, what will happen?"

"It could hurt her," Gaius answered. "The pain would be terrible, and it's almost impossible to remove it from the heart once it's reached there."

Jen looked down at her friend as Merlin rushed in, asking for the explanation. As Ellie prepared herself to perform the spell, Merlin helped look for a cure that could heal the princess' heart after the poison was removed. Jen knew Ellie could die from the spell, but she would also die without it, and it was a chance she was willing to take.

Holding her hand on Ellie's side, Jen searched deep within herself. Removing poison was a surprisingly difficult spell. If something was said incorrectly, the poison could either be pushed further along or the rapid backtracking of it could damage her internally. She had to do this perfectly. Focusing on that and the soft flame that she found in her soul (the Druids taught her that it represented her magic) and made it flare. The words flew from her mouth in the language of the old religion, calling upon the goddesses of healing for help.

Ellie's body rose in pain. Arthur held her hand and stroked her cheek while Jen continued, putting all her power into it. Small cries of anguish rose from Ellie's mouth, but Jen could not focus on the pain it was causing he friend's heart, or her own for that matter. She continued until all of the magical venom had been retracted from the young brunette's body. When it was done, Ellie whimpered slightly before going limp.

Jen's heart stopped. Her lip trembled and tears welled into her eyes. "No, Ellie, please…no."

"Ellie, darling, please wake up," Arthur patted her cheek and squeezed her hand. "Please love, don't leave me, I've only just got you."

"Ellie," Jen held back a sob, shaking her cousin and best friend. "Don't you dare leave me! Come back, please." she clutched the princess, head on Ellie's chest. It couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. Ellie and Jen were one. As children, as young ladies, and as grown women, they were partners…friends…sisters. Jen couldn't possibly live without Ellie, the druids had said their souls were more intertwined than any two before them, due to their magical connection. It was impossible.

It wasn't until then, her head on Ellie's chest and small sobs escaping, that Jen heard it.

Very faint, and only to where Jen could hear it. Though it was fading, that didn't matter; Ellie was alive, if barely, and Jen could handle that.

"There must be something!" Jen insisted, frantically stood and began looking for books. "I can mend her heart, I have to! It's beating, so there's still a chance."

"Here!" Merlin said. He came down from the steps where he held an open book and eyes red from unshed tears. "It's the only thing I can find, and I'm not sure it will work."

"True loves kiss?" Gaius read. "The true love of the dying must be given magic with this spell, and the true love must bestow a kiss upon the dying. It is said to be the most powerful magic of all."

"Then let's do it," Jen said without hesitation. "Arthur, come here please."

"W-what if I'm not her true love?" Arthur said in a panic. He looked clearly distraught, tear stains on his cheeks. "What if it's wrong?"

"Then she dies," Merlin answered. "But, she dies without you trying! Would you like to try and save your fiancée or would you like to wait out the last few minutes of her health?"

Arthur seemed baffled, but his choice was obvious. He left Ellie's side for the moment to let Jen say the incantation from the book. They clasped hands, both of their eyes closed. Jen looked at the king seriously. "Imagine the magic flowing from you, to your lips, and to Ellie."

He nodded, then waited. As the words flooded from the witch's mouth, Arthur felt the warmth running up his arms. It was almost pleasant, like a sense of power rushing through him. When Jen stopped, he didn't hesitate in making his way to his love, stroking her cheek gently. Her breath was so shallow, her eyes not fluttering, making her appear dead. The pain he felt at the thought urged him to lean forward and press his lips to hers softly, tears stinging is eyes. The tingling warmth of Jen's magic left him, flowing into Ellie.

When Arthur pulled away, nothing happened.

And then Ellie breathed deeply, eyes open. She groaned, clutching her side and sitting up on an elbow weakly. The wound still bled but that was easy for Merlin to heal (Jen didn't have enough energy left in her to perform another spell).

"Arthur, are you crying?" Ellie said hoarsely. Then she looked around. "Why do you all look like I died? My lord, cheer up."

Jen barked out a half-sob/half-laugh and collapsed into a chair.

:)

I just love Jen and Ellie. Arthur and Ellie also make me happy, and now he knows for sure that they're it for each other. Yay for true love!

Yes, I am a cheeseball.