Equality || Arthur
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
-Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Arthur jumped up immediately at Leon's words. "Run!" Elsa took her sister's hand and ran in the direction directed by Leon as Arthur turned to Merlin. "Get Gaius. We need to get out of here."
Gaius poked his head out of the cave. "Sire. I'll only slow you down. You're the one that needs to reach safety."
"There's no time for this, Gaius." Arthur grabbed one of the physician's arms while Merlin grabbed the other and they walked as fast as they could after the others. "Camelot needs all of us if it is to survive this."
The land around the cave was rocky and filled with narrow crevices and passageways. It was lucky they had seen the direction of those ahead of them, or they could have gotten lost. Getting lost may not have been an issue, but with Gaius with them, Arthur knew there was no way of outrunning the immortal soldiers. And while they were immortal, there was no way of defeating them in combat either.
Running between to rock sides, Arthur heard someone else shout.
"Look out!"
An avalanche of boulders fell from above, effectively cutting their path off from their pursuers. Arthur looked up to see an unfamiliar squared face. The man stood looking over them, broad shoulders uncovered by a ripped shirt.
"Who's that?" Arthur asked.
Gwaine, who had slowed down along with everyone after hearing the tumult of falling rock, answered him. "Don't know, but I'm liking him already."
"Lancelot!"
Guinevere's proclamation issued another turning of heads, and sure enough, the man Arthur had once seen knighted appeared behind their new nameless friend. For once, the jealousy Arthur sometimes found in himself when he thought of Lancelot was pushed back. He was glad to have another person he could trust.
"We need to hurry," Lancelot said, ignoring the idea of any formal greeting.
Arthur looked from Lancelot to the rockfall. "I take it that rockfall wasn't an accident."
"This is Percival. It was his strength that brought them down."
Percival nodded to Arthur. "Your Highness."
"Arthur," Arthur corrected.
"Arthur it is."
"Well, Percival, I don't know what Merlin or Lancelot said to convince you to join us, but we owe you our lives. Thank you."
0o0o0o0
The castle was old and dusty, and quite a few bits were falling apart, but it was abandoned and not an expected hideout. That was what was important.
Gaius looked uneasily around the entrance. "Are you sure we'll be safe in here?" He asked. Arthur was unsure if he was asking about the castle's stability or the possibility of being followed, the first of which he could guess would be fine. The second possibility Arthur knew nothing about. The laws against magic had not only blocked possible abusers from getting their hands on information but Arthur from knowing anything to protect himself from it.
"This castle belonged to the ancient kings," he said in response to Gaius' question. "It'll do for a while." Maybe the ancient kings had put magic protection around their castles or something.
"Can't be worse than that cave," Elyan muttered, poking at a piece of wood with his shoe.
"Search the place," Arthur ordered. "See what you can find."
Most of the rooms were empty and Arthur agreed with Gwaine's statement that whatever weapons had been left were probably from whatever bandits had passed through. The one good find, though, was the room with the round table. Arthur had never imagined he would actually find one. They were a story - a nice story that he could hold in his memory as a model for his future kingdom - but a story still.
"Here!" Arthur called to the others, pulling off the cover and revealing the wooden table underneath. "Come and join me."
Everyone looked up from what they were doing. Leon approached the table without question, followed by Elyan, Percival, and Gwaine as soon as he had confirmed Merlin was following. Gaius stayed in the seat at the table he had already taken.
It took a moment longer for those from Arendelle to respond, but they did. Anna was brought to the table by Gwen. Elsa walked gracefully forwards after Lancelot bowed slightly and held out a hand, gesturing that she should go ahead of him through the doorway they were standing in. Kristoff, always loyal, followed, hovering between the two royal sisters.
"This table belonged to the ancient kings of Camelot. A round table afforded no one man more important than any other. They believed in equality in all things. So, it seems fitting that we revive this tradition now. Without each of you, we would not be here." Arthur met the eyes of as many as he could. Most returned his gaze with hope or at least the will and courage to continue. "My father has languished in prison for too long. Tomorrow, I make my bid to rescue him. Are there any around this table who will join me?"
Lancelot made his speech first, surprising Arthur when he rose from his seat to match Arthur in height.
"You taught me the values of being a knight, the code by which a man should live his life. To fight with honour for justice, freedom, and all that's good. I believe in the world that you will build."
Gwen's brother, Elyan, who Arthur had scarcely spoken to before their escape from Camelot went next. "Even though I was a commoner, a nobody, you were willing to lay down your life for me, Arthur. It is now my turn to repay you."
"I have fought alongside you many times." Leon spoke with a solemn and familiar strength. "There is no one that I would rather die for."
Gwaine stood right after. "I think we've no chance. But I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Even Percival smiled at that. Arthur wasn't expecting anything from the man. He knew only of his physical strength and that he had followed Lancelot. He had no reason to die for Arthur's cause.
"Your enemies are my enemies," he said, despite all the reasons not to.
Gaius then stepped forwards, assuring his support. Guinevere insisted that she shouldn't have to say anything - he should already know the answer - which made Arthur wish there weren't so many people around the two of them even if the people were friends.
And then there was Merlin.
"Merlin?"
"No, don't really fancy it."
"You don't have a choice, Merlin." Merlin did have a choice. Arthur knew that. Merlin knew that Arthur knew that. Merlin could leave, go back to the village in Essetir, live on a farm with his mother. Or, with Merlin's experience, he could probably find a job elsewhere.
But Merlin responded with his usual grin and said "Okay," which made Arthur release the tension he didn't know he had felt.
No one from Arendelle had moved to speak. Arthur supposed he had, on some level, been afraid that Merlin's loyalties had shifted from Arthur to Elsa.
Anna and Kristoff looked to Elsa. As was right for them to do, Arthur had to remind himself. Elsa was their queen, even if she did have magic. The thought of ice blasting from her palms still put Arthur on the defensive but he resisted the urge to reach for anything to defend himself. Whether he liked it or not, depending on Elsa was the best chance he had to at least retrieve his father.
"I came to Camelot looking to receive help, not to give it," Elsa began.
Arthur's heart sunk.
"But maybe it's more equal than that. We all have enemies. None of us wants war or death for our people. Especially the two of us, Arthur." Elsa's blue eyes met his. "I know you don't trust me, but I will not stand by while Hans helps to tear down another kingdom. He'd come back for Arendelle anyway, once he had Camelot. I will stand with you."
"As will I," Kristoff said without hesitation.
"As will I," said Princess Anna.
Elsa glared at her, breaking the seriousness of the occasion. "You will not stand with anyone! Sit down."
"I can stand," Anna protested weakly, but she sat anyway when Kristoff pulled out a chair for her.
"Your efforts are appreciated." Arthur smiled at Anna before addressing the men of his group. "I want to thank you all for staying loyal to me in Camelot's hour of need. I'll do something that my father won't approve of."
His father would be even more disapproving if he knew Arthur had done this of his own accord without a prompt or bargain from any of those he was about to make knights. Arthur didn't care.
He had done far too much that his father would disapprove of to let that stop him.
"Arise, Sir Lancelot, Knight of Camelot. Arise, Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot. Arise, Sir Percival, Knight of Camelot. Arise, Sir Elyan, Knight of Camelot," he performed the ceremony as he had seen his father do it dozens of times. "Tomorrow, when you fight, you can stand proud knowing you are members of the most noble army the world has ever known."
Arthur let everyone rest after that. After their swift migration from the cave to the castle, everyone was tired, and no one knew how long it would take for Morgause's men to find them using some other magical means.
Part of leading an army was understanding how your troops operated together. In this tiny castle, Arthur watched the small group of people he would have to lead the next morning. Some wouldn't be coming with them of course.
Gaius sat next to the table making notes on Anna's condition. The two of them, and hopefully Gwen, would stay behind. Kristoff sat next to Anna, holding her hand as if it were the most precious thing in the world and making Anna laugh whenever Gaius said something melancholy.
The others sat or lay in the open areas of the room. Gwen, her eyes closed, leaned on her brother Elyan's shoulder while he talked softly to Leon and Percival. A little ways away, the remainder of the group sat together, also whispering.
It was the first time Arthur had seen Merlin and Elsa in close contact with each other since the first time. After seeing her sister under Hans' spell, Elsa had become more distant, at least when Arthur was around. But now, she sat side by side with Merlin, their shoulders not a hair's width apart. Every once in a while, her hand went to his or they seemed to share some secret joke or knowledge with each other.
Lancelot had seen it too. He had always been observant in that way. He tipped his head in Elsa and Merlin's direction and raised an eyebrow as if to ask "really?" Then he was brought back into the conversation with the two of them and Gwaine.
Arthur didn't much feel like interrupting. So he went to sleep.
0o0o0o0
"There is a tunnel under the northern ramparts that brings us only a few paces from the entrance to the dungeons. It will be well guarded. So, if we're going to break everyone out, we must remain unobserved. We cannot let them raise the alarm." Arthur knew it would be difficult for any number of them to go unseen, but if word got to Morgause or Hans (or even Morgana, but Arthur didn't like thinking about her) that they were there, the mission would be over in a few minutes.
"We need to take out the warning bell," Lancelot said. "That way the warriors have no means of communication."
"Good idea." It would divide the group somewhat, and benefit the whole if it worked.
Lancelot looked around. "I'll need someone with me who knows the castle."
"I'll go," Merlin said.
"Alright." If anyone knew the best routes to sneak around the castle, it was Merlin. It might even be safer for the servant to be away from the attacking part of the group.
"I'll go too," said Gwaine.
"Me too," added Kristoff.
Something about their voices was off. Merlin and Lancelot exchanged a look but didn't say anything in protest.
"I think that's too many people to get in without being noticed," Arthur said slowly. "Lancelot and Merlin should go alone."
Gwaine shook his head. "But what if they fail? With two groups of two, we could take different routes and assure the warning is prevented."
"Under normal circumstances," by normal Arthur meant with an army, "I would agree, but we need as many people as possible to help with the breakout."
"Look, Princess," Gwaine sat up taller and faced Arthur. "We've got a good plan going, don't ruin it."
"I'll do as I see fit, Sir Gwaine. And right now, I can't afford to send four people to guard the warning bell."
"Arthur." Everyone's eyes turned to Merlin. Merlin, not normally one to be shy, looked like he would rather muck the stables every day for a month than say whatever he had meant to.
"Two of us wouldn't actually be going to the warning bell."
"What?"
"I… I know a way to take away the soldier's immortality."
That was terrific news. Or it should be. If Merlin was hiding it from him something must be bad about it. "Okay, so why not tell me that in the first place? Two of you go up to the warning bells, and the other two would do what exactly?"
"We would go to the throne room. It might involve some magic, or at least using a magical object," Merlin said quickly. "I didn't want to worry you."
Arthur automatically turned to look at Elsa when he heard Merlin say magic. They hadn't asked to take her with them, but it was still her fault. It had to be. Merlin had always gone all twitchy and nervous when magic was brought up before. Elsa having magic was making him reckless. Merlin wasn't even the one in possession of magic and it was already changing him. Uther was right. But so was Merlin: Arthur had no choice but to trust her.
"Lancelot, you and Leon lead the breakout. I'll go with Merlin."
"No!" Merlin said. "I mean, there's no need. You're the best fighter we have. They need you more than I do."
"And what if you run into one of our enemies? Morgause would blast you apart in seconds, and if we lost you to Hans' control, who else would know what to do?"
"I can protect Merlin just as well as you can, Arthur. Merlin already explained what he needs to do when you were asleep. There's not enough time to repeat everything he said, so it would be better if I went."
"I…" Arthur paused. "Fine." They would talk about it after they had won. Assuming they all made it out alive, and they would. "Prepare to leave."
As those going to fight strapped their swords to their belts and tucked the small amount of food they had away in a corner, Arthur turned to Gwen.
"Stay here with Gaius. I want you to gather firewood and make bandages. There'll be casualties."
Guinevere nodded. "Alright."
"Guinevere." Arthur took a step closer to her, knowing that it could be the last time the would see each other.
She tipped her face up to look into his. "They'll see." She didn't point or look in the direction of the others, but Arthur knew what she meant.
He kissed her anyway.
"I don't care about them. I want you to know… if I never see you again…"
"You will. You will see me. I watched you last night. You gave us hope, something to believe in. I saw the king you will become. I'm so proud of you Arthur."