A/N: So... hi there! I'm still alive. So, uhm... yeah, I haven't updated in... 8 months. And I feel terrible. I had actually planned on updating in August, and then September, but then I moved out of my parents' house, and there were a lot of changes in my life. The newest one is my new cat, who is adorable, but does tend to keep me up at night, because she's a rescue from Egypt and not entirely house-trained yet. Her name is Inaya, and she's my new profile picture :)

Anyway, I am really sorry you guys had to wait this long, but I do promise I won't abandon this, and that we're in the home stretch now! As thanks for your patience, here's a chapter that is once again, north of 3k words long. Enjoy!

C51:The Outcome

By the time the sun was setting, Merlynn had dried her tears, and sat leaning against the wall of her cell, waiting for Lancelot to bring her the keys.

A clang announced his arrival, and the Princess got up quickly to greet her friend. But it wasn't Lancelot who came out of the shadows.

"Aodh?" she asked incredulously, eyeing the Galdaran messenger. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm getting you out of here, Princess," he replied gruffly, approaching and studying the lock.

"Look, if you're doing this out of loyalty, please don't. I have it handled and I don't want you to-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Aodh's eyes glowed gold and the lock on the prison cell sprung open.

"Goddess…" Merlynn whispered, looking at the man with fresh eyes. He was a warlock!

She wanted to ask him a thousand questions, but there was no time. Lancelot ran into the dungeons, looking confused. Aodh immediately looked on his guard, and his hand was outstretched, ready to blast the other man away. "Stop!" Merlynn said, putting herself between the two men. "Aodh, this is my friend and protector, Lancelot. He was supposed to get me out so that there would be no sign of magic," she explained, a little exasperated. "Lancelot, this Aodh. He's like me."

Lancelot looked the other man over suspiciously, but nodded. He trusted her judgement. Aodh, on the other hand, didn't seem convinced. "He knows who you are?"

"He does. And I'd ask how you know, but we don't have time," Merlynn replied shortly. "Lancelot, do you have it?"

The knight reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. "Come on, she'll have left Camelot for this, and I don't want to risk staying here too long."

Both men silently agreed, though Aodh seemed a little confused. They accompanied her through the passages - Lancelot in front to distract any guards - all the way to a little guarded side-gate. It was impossible to open from the outside, so only 2 guards stood by it. Whispering a spell, Merlynn put them instantly to sleep. She hoped they wouldn't get in trouble, but there wasn't a lot she could do about that.

Merlynn nodded at Lancelot, who would be making his way to the tavern, and then turned to face Aodh. "You should stay here. I don't want anyone linked to my escape."

"I can help," he protested.

"Why?" Merlynn asked, a little annoyed, and more than a little suspicious. "Why would you help me? Getting me out of that cell, I understand. Magical folk should band together these days, but why would you help me beyond that?"

The man clenched his jaw. He looked like he wanted to say something, but was stopping himself from doing so. Merlynn felt a lot more on edge now. "Look, I appreciate the help, but I need to go and save Arthur, and I don't have time to worry about you, too. Goodbye, Aodh."

"You can't trust him," the man hissed, stepping closer.

Merlynn stepped back. "You don't even know him. And it's beside the point," she said resolutely. "I am leaving and you are staying here." Aodh made to protest again, holding out his hand, but Merlynn couldn't afford to waste more time. A whispered word and golden eyes and the man was on the ground, asleep. It wouldn't last long, but it would be plenty of time for her to get to where she was going.

Now all she had to do was cast the locating spell on Sophia's bracelet and that witch would get what was coming to her.

/*/

Balinor opened his eyes and cursed. His daughter was certainly as stubborn as her father. Luckily, her spell hadn't taken full effect due to his own magic protecting him. Scrambling to his feet, he took off after the princess, quickly retracing her path.

It didn't take him long to come across the dark-haired girl, crouching behind a tree. She was looking at a man, chanting on the banks of a lake, while a young woman waded in, staff in hand.

Then, without a word uttered, Merlynn extended her hand and the man's staff flew into her hand. She aimed it at the man - Sidhe, Balinor now realized, as he deciphered the chant - but hesitated.

She'd never killed anyone before, he realized.

With care, he crept forward, and put his hands over hers on the weapon. It thrummed, though not because of his touch, but hers. He would have to analyze this new information later. "Together," he whispered.

Her eyes bored into his, like she could see into the depths of his soul. She hadn't even flinched when he'd approached. Had she sensed him?

She nodded.

A powerful blast shot shot the staff, incinerating the Sidhe male instantly. The female screamed her outrage, but was met with the same fate moments later.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, Merlynn shot forward, faster than he would have thought possible. "Arthur!" she screamed, running headlessly into the water. "Arthur!"

"Merlynn! Wait!" Balinor called out, running after her. What was she doing? He grabbed her arm, intending to drag her to safety if he had to, but she pulled back.

"You don't understand, she was drowning him!" She barely spared him a glance before she went in deeper. Definitely as stubborn as he was.

He sighed in frustration and followed her, eventually even diving under to search for the prince he despised. He couldn't see a damn thing until he came back up, and Merlynn growled in frustration and held up her hands to the sky. A blinding light burst to life above them, illuminating even the murky water below. Merlynn's eyes glowed a brighter gold than Balinor had ever seen. She was far more powerful than he'd ever imagined.

Those golden eyes now settled on him. "Find him," she commanded. And Balinor obeyed his queen without question. For there was no doubt in his mind now that this was her title. Something deep inside him, some part he'd scarcely remembered still existed, had responded to her. Emrys.

He dove under the water and searched. He could barely see, but there was a glint of light reflecting off metal. He hauled it up, and up, until they breached the surface, gasping. Except the prince did no such thing. A force not his own pulled both men onto the banks, where a soaked Merlynn held out her arms. But her embrace was not for her father, but for the man who would no doubt kill her if he learned the truth.

"Arthur! Arthur, please, goddess, no," she whispered, one hand on his cheek the other on his heart. The golden light in her eyes flickered back to the surface as her magic reacted to her emotional state. Small waves lapping on the shore because bigger, the wind picked up, and there was a low rumble in the air.

"Merlynn," Balinor said, hoping to call her attention away. He had no idea how she was able to channel this much power, seemingly without being aware of it, but he did know that it was dangerous. "Merlynn, you need to stop."

Finally, she looked up, that golden gaze piercing him to his soul. "I am never going to give up on him." And then, as he watched, the hand that rested on the prince's chest started to glow the same shade of gold as her eyes. A breathless second later, the blond man coughed up water and sucked in air.

Arthur Pendragon was alive.

And Balinor's daughter was in love with him.

/*/

She wanted nothing more than to wallow in her bedroom. Instead, Morgana pulled her cloak closer as she looked around the forest clearing. she didn't even really know why she was here, other than that she felt betrayed and angry and scared. she was sick of feeling scared.

"I see you received my letter."

The Lady whirled around. A man stood at the edge of the clearing, his face just visible under his hood. "Who are you?" She asked, hoping her voice sounded more steady than she felt.

The man offered a half-bow. "The name is Tauren. I come on behalf of the High Priestess Nimueh and all the magical folk who live in exile."

"Priestess?" She asked, confused.

"The chosen one of the Goddess, Master of life and death," Tauren replied, though it didn't clear anything up.

Morgana took a step back. Perhaps this was a mistake. "I don't-"

"I am someone who can set you free," a feminine voice interrupted.

Morgana looked over to see a beautiful, almost ethereal woman step into the clearing. She was shorter than Morgana, but her presence filled the space around them. Magic, something inside her whispered, yearning for it.

"Too long have our people suffered, forced to hide for fear of being slaughtered like animals. Too many children have died screaming atop Uther's pyres… It is time for a new age to begin. The druids have long foretold a golden age, where magic will flourish and our kin will be free once more."

"Our kin?" Morgana asked, torn between hope and terror.

Nimueh smiled kindly at her. "I can sense the magic in you, my child. It sings just below the surface, always looking for a way out. I can teach you to hone your skill, to become powerful, so you need never be afraid again."

Morgana hesitated. She hated being afraid, and yearned to know more about the power within her, but… "You have a plan?" she asked.

"I do. One that will liberate us all," the woman replied softly. Her voice was so kind, and her magic sang out to Morgana.

"Will anyone get hurt?" She had to ask. If anything happened to Gwen, or…

"You mean your friend, the princess? She needn't be hurt. She has magic, after all, she's one of us. When I go to her, she'll listen, and she'll be on our side." It sounded almost too perfect.

"What about those without magic?"

Nimueh shrugged elegantly. "If they do not stand in our way, why would I hurt them? This new age will have room for all: a perfect balance."

Slowly, Morgana allowed herself to smile. She could barely imagine a world where she didn't have to hide, where she could dazzle Gwen's future children with magic without fear. A world where perhaps, she and Merlynn could be friends again. "What is it that you need?" she asked resolutely. She could help make this world into a reality.

Nimueh smiled.

/*/

She'd killed them. They were faeries of some kind - Uncle Gaius would know - and she'd killed them. Something inside her had warned of the danger, had rebelled against the portal they were opening, and had acted. She'd grabbed the discarded staff - Sophia's - and, with Aodh's help, had blasted Aulfric. She'd expected a body, but he'd just turned to dust. Possibly because of what he truly was.

Sophia's screams were entirely human, though.

But Arthur was nowhere in sight, and her magic was already protecting her against the rage Merlynn could feel radiating off the other woman - creature? The staff had come to light in her hands almost without thought.

And then Sophia was gone.

Pushing aside the thought of possibly having commited murder, Merlynn ran headlessly into the freezing lake. "Arthur!" she shouted, desperately searching the murky water for any sign of him. "Arthur!"

"Merlynn! Wait!" Aodh called out, running after her. He grabbed her arm, but she pulled back, still desperately scanning the water for any sign of him.

"You don't understand, she was drowning him!" she screamed, her panic almost tangible. She barely spared him a glance before she waded in deeper.

She was vaguely aware of the other man diving in and helping, but all her focus was on the water in front of her. She searched her mind for a spell, anything, but in the panic, it was impossible to remember if she'd ever known anything of use. She kept diving, searching with her hands and her feet, but all she found was mud and silt. Growling in impatience, she threw up her hands and pushed all her frustration into wordless magic.

A blinding light burst to life above her, illuminating even the murky water below. Could feel her magic coursing under her skin, and knew that the druids would warn her of losing control when she neglected to use a focus like this. But she didn't have time to be safe. Finally, she settled her gaze on Aodh. "Find him," she commanded, magic lacing her words. He didn't need to be told twice.

He dove under the water and searched. For a few breathless moments, nothing moved. Then, they breached the surface, gasping. Except that Arthur wasn't moving. Before she knew what she was doing, she'd thrown her arms forwards, and made a pulling motion, bringing both men onto the bank of the river. Merlynn immediately drew Arthur into her arms, but he still wasn't breathing

"Arthur! Arthur, please, goddess, no," she whispered, one hand on his cheek the other on his heart.

"Merlynn," Aodh said, sounding urgent. She ignored him "Merlynn, you need to stop."

Finally, she looked up, that golden gaze piercing him to his soul. "I am never going to give up on him." Her magic reacted to her sheer desperation. Instead of calming it, forcing it back down, she embraced it, letting pure emotion guide her, as opposed to ancient words, crystals or runes. The hand that rested on Arthur's chest was warm, warmer than the rest of her, but she paid it no mind. She pushed her will into her magic, or her magic into her will, it was hard to tell. She wasn't Merlynn any longer. She could feel the ground beneath her, feel the creatures moving in the forest around them, she could even feel the threads of the portal Sophia had been trying to create floating loose. She reached down, further than she thought possible, to the pulsing of the earth itself, used that power to strengthen her own, to make up for the lack of spell or focus. A breathless second later, her senses retreated from the world around her, all at once, as Arthur started coughing and sucking in air.

Merlynn sagged in relief, letting her forehead rest against Arthur's for a moment. She allowed herself only a second to rest, before she set to work. She had to get this armour off him and get a fire going, before he caught his death.

Mercifully, Arthur was only semi-conscious through it all, and barely noticed when she left his side to gather firewood, and to hide the faerie staff. He didn't even notice when she lit the fire with a wave of her hand. Aodh had vanished, but Merlynn couldn't bring it in herself to care too much. She was grateful for his help, and she definitely had some questions for him, but those could wait. Arthur was her priority.

He was still so cold. "Come on, Arthur, please wake up," she whispered to him, lifting his head onto her lap and brushing his wet hair from his eyes. It was getting too long. He should cut it soon. The random thought made her chuckle a little. Goddess, she was tired...

"What's… funny?" Arthur croaked, his eyes still struggling to open.

"Arthur!" she exclaimed, her hand cupping his cheek. "Are you alright? How do you feel?"

He groaned, which, she supposed, was an answer unto itself. "What happened?" he asked, finally able to properly open his eyes and focus on her face. "Why are you wet?"

Biting her lip, Merlynn hesitated. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Arthur's eyes wandered away from her face, to the canopy above them. "You were jealous… of Sophia…" he trailed off uncertainly, eyes fluttering closed. "Nothing to be… jealous of."

She smiled at him, despite her exhaustion. "I'm not so sure about that. You did just elope with her," she teased.

Arthur's eyes shot open. "What?!" He tried to sit up, but a coughing fit had him back on the ground.

"You also had me arrested," Merlynn went on. Now that it was over and Arthur was safe, she felt it wasn't too bad to joke about it. The sting was still there in the back of her mind, but she sheer relief and joy at having Arthur back was overwhelming it.

Arthur was looking at her with dread and guilt. "Merlynn-"

She brushed her fingers over his lips to silence him. "You were under a spell. Sophia and Aulfric weren't who they seemed," she said, moving her hand to his cheek. "They wanted to kill you," she added in a whisper, her heart constricting as she remembered how she'd felt when she couldn't find him under the water, when he wasn't breathing…

A touch to her own cheek brought her back to the present. "I'm here," Arthur whispered. "Not going anywhere."

Merlynn let out a shuddering breath. "Yeah, if you run off with another pretty girl, I might have to rethink our relationship," she joked weakly.

Arthur chuckled softly, his eyes drifting closed. For a moment, Merlynn feared that he'd drifted back into unconsciousness, but then he spoke again. "If I do… feel free to assume I'm under a spell." He opened his eyes. "You're the only one I want to marry."

"Arthur-" Merlynn started, feeling the now-familiar pain of their situation wash over her again.

"I'm serious, Merlynn. If I could marry you right now, waterlogged as we are, I would. I love you," he said, and there was no trace of humour in his eyes. Merlynn had no doubt that if a priest were to wander by, Arthur would marry her on the spot, betrothal contract be damned.

"Arthur," she whispered, pressing her lips to his again. "You know I love you, more than anything. But isn't it too soon to be talking about this?" Not to mention that he might have a fever or a concussion. And yet, his words sent a thrill through her. She wanted to marry Arthur, she wanted his to take her in his arms and make her forget the rest of the world. But one of them had to be the level-headed one, and Arthur seemed incapable of that at the moment.

"Is it?" he asked. His voice was stronger now, and Merlynn suspected he was throwing off the last vestiges of Sophia's spell. "We've known each other for years, and I've loved you for months. How is that too soon?"

That threw her. Months? She'd only come back into his life… Was it really only 3 months ago? So much had happened in the meantime… She smiled at him. "You always know how to put me off balance, Arthur Pendragon. Proposing marriage while still recovering from an attempt on your life, while we're both soaking wet… not the most romantic of situations, is it?" she teased.

"If you want flowers and a picnic, I'll give it to you. I want you to be my wife, Merlynn."

"I want that, too," she admitted softly. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. This was a happy moment, not a sad one.

Finally, Arthur sat up and cupped her face. "Then why not do it? You said you might have a way out of the betrothal contract?"

Now, she grinned at him, and pushed her wet, tangled hair out of her face. "I wasn't sure at first, but… you just gave it to me."

Arthur blinked at her. "What?"

"I couldn't break the marriage contract without finding a suitable replacement for both me and Arrin. Now, it seems Arrin has taken a shine to my cousin, Lady Ellyn. And here you are, offering me your hand in marriage." She couldn't seem to stop smiling. Whereas her heart had been breaking just moments ago, it was now bursting with happiness. It was dizzying, and exhausting, but she didn't care. Loving Arthur was worth it.

The man in question was starting to smile at her, too. "You knew about this? Why didn't you say anything before?"

Rolling her eyes, Merlynn stood, and offered her hand to help the weakened prince up. "Arthur, we've only admitted our feelings to one another a week ago, I didn't want you to agree to it out of some misplaced sense of duty or obligation. I wanted you to ask me because you love me."

Arthur pulled her closer, encircling her within his arms. Despite the cold, and both of them still being soaked, Merlynn felt comfortable, safe. "But I do love you, and I do want to marry you. And you still haven't given me an answer," he said, a teasing note in his voice.

Merlynn smiled. "Yes, obviously, I'll marry you, you prat."

/*/

A/N: Didn't see that one coming, did ya? But let's face it, these dorks were definitely heading in this direction, and the whole Arrin situation had been going on long enough. And you guys deserved all this fluff for putting up with my horrible updating schedule.

Next chapter might take a while (though hopefully not another 8 months this time), but I'll do my best. I'm in a better place in life right now, so I'm hoping that will help me write more. Anyway, please let me know your thoughts!