Chapter 27
Righting the Wrongs
After the wounded had been cared for and the dead laid to rest, the army returned from Camlann. Gwen sent out more search parties to find their missing king, but there was no sign of either Arthur or Gaius. Marian tried to comfort the queen as best she could. She was just telling Gwen to have faith when the queen heard hoofbeats and ran to the window. When she saw Gaius riding up to the stone courtyard, she and Marian fled the chamber to go meet him.
Gaius made his way inside, running into Gwaine on his way to the queen. The physician was wild-eyed and anxious; he had news of Arthur. The two men rushed up the stairs and met the queen and Marian in the corridor.
"Gaius," Gwen greeted anxiously.
"My lady."
"Tell me," she implored. If it was bad news, it would be best to get it over with.
"He's alive," Gaius replied.
Gwen and Gwaine let out sighs of relief. Marian waited, knowing that there would be bad news coming.
"Then why isn't he with you?" Gwaine asked the physician.
Gaius grasped Gwen's hand to deliver the bad news.
"He's wounded," he said as he reached inside his robes. He pulled out the royal seal and placed it in Gwen's hand. "He wanted me to give you this, my lady."
"Where is he?" she asked desperately.
"There is a place where he may be saved. Merlin is taking him there as we speak," he explained.
"Avalon," Marian said. "He's taking him to Avalon, isn't he, Gaius?"
The physician nodded. Avalon was home to the Sidhe, faeries that possessed powerful magic. It sounded as if Merlin was going to ask them to heal the king.
Avalon was also one of the many rumored resting places of King Arthur in the legends. Marian was afraid that this news didn't bode well for the king.
"Then, we must send the knights." Gwen turned to Gwaine. "Ready as many men as you can—"
"No, my lady," Gaius interrupted, "Merlin can cope by himself."
"Merlin?" the queen asked incredulously.
"You must trust him."
"How can one man be as strong as an army?" Gwen asked in a panic.
"Morgana's forces are still searching for Arthur. Two men traveling alone stand a much better chance of evading her, especially if she has no idea where they're heading," Gaius said as he looked at Gwaine.
The knight shifted under the physician's look. Something felt off to him. "What is it, Gaius?" he asked.
"Gwaine, you won't want to hear this, but Eira is working for Morgana."
Gwaine barked out a laugh. "Eira? No, you're wrong. Morgana's men killed her family."
Gaius gave him a look of pity. "And you have only her word?"
"Eira isn't… she can't have… she loves…" he stammered. He couldn't believe it, it wasn't right. Eira loved him, didn't she? Surely he hadn't been deceived by another woman. Not again.
Marian placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Gwaine, you barely know her. Are you sure she can be trusted?"
He angrily shrugged her hand off and opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Gwen cut in.
"This is easily resolved. Tell her that Arthur is alive and is headed in the opposite direction. To Brineved," the queen suggested. "Then, we will watch her to see if she sends a message to Morgana."
Gwaine reluctantly agreed. It felt dishonest, and he worried that he was risking his new relationship, but he had to know the truth. As they were leaving to put the plan in action, Gwaine turned to Marian and pointed his finger at her.
"You're wrong. You'll see," he said, though he wasn't entirely confident. He stormed off toward his chambers, leaving Marian alone in the corridor.
000
That night, Marian and Gaius stayed up late in the physician's chambers. They were trying to make a potion that might help to heal Arthur but weren't having any luck.
"Gaius, this isn't working!" Marian cried as she slammed her book down. "None of these potions will reverse the magic that's killing him."
Gaius had told her that a piece of Mordred's sword had broken off inside of Arthur and was burrowing its way to the king's heart. Only a sword forged with magic could do such a thing.
"We must keep searching, Marian. The king must live. Whatever enchantment Morgana used on Mordred's sword is strong, I'm afraid," Gaius said calmly. He understood her frustration as he was becoming increasingly agitated himself.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Elyan entered the chambers with more bad news. Eira had been caught sending a message to Morgana. She was arrested as a traitor, and the queen set her execution for dawn.
If Marian hadn't been such a good person, she would have rejoiced in the woman's death and good riddance! But Marian wasn't that way. Instead, her heart ached for Gwaine. He would be devastated that his new lover was a traitor, and she didn't want to see him in pain.
"At least we know that Arthur and Merlin will be safe for now," Gaius consoled.
"Yes," Marian agreed, looking out of the window at the Moon. "But for how long?" She turned to Elyan and Gaius. "How far is Avalon from here?" she asked them.
"Maybe a day's hard ride," Elyan replied. "Surely, you aren't going after the king?" he scoffed.
"Remember the Dark Tower?" she asked the knight, reminding him that she had magic.
"I do…" he trailed off. How could he ever forget? He had been stabbed by Morgana's magical sword and was supposed to die. Except that Marian intervened and saved his life, nearly killing herself in the process. The guilt was always in the back of his mind.
"I'm going," she stated.
"Won't that kill you?" Elyan asked her, concerned. He looked to Gaius, who nodded sadly.
Marian sighed. "You know this has to happen, right?"
"Absolutely not," Gaius said matter-of-factly. "You will not use your magic, Marian, that will kill you!"
"I have to, Gaius! It's the only way, and you know it."
The older man walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked her in the eyes. "Marian, you are a daughter to me. I will not have you sacrifice yourself."
She smiled softly at him. "And you are a father to me, Gaius. But you have to understand, this is why I'm here. This is my purpose. Why else would Fate give me magic? And not just any magic, either. Healing magic. This is what I'm here for. The prophecy said it, remember? The Wanderer will walk and heal the slain. What else could that mean?"
Gaius sighed sadly. "I'm not going to change your mind, am I?"
Marian shook her head. Gaius pulled her to him and hugged her affectionately.
When they parted, Marian went over to Elyan. "Thank you for keeping my secret, Elyan. Please, don't tell anyone where I'm going, especially not Gwaine. Not yet. He'll try to stop me. He doesn't know I have magic, and it'll hurt him that I never told him. I'll leave at dawn and go after Arthur."
She stuck her hand out, waiting for him to agree.
Elyan grasped her arm, silently promising to keep her secret a while longer.
000
Eira had been executed for treason at first light. Gwaine watched from the castle window as the executioner pulled the lever, and she had been hanged. He tried to feel something other than anger, the loss of life was never something to celebrate, but he was too hurt to care that she was gone. He was angry at Eira for lying to him, for using him. He was angry at himself for falling for it and for falling for her in the first place.
Did he love her? No, it wasn't love, but he had definitely felt something. Given time, he believed he could've learned to love her. It had been a long time since he'd felt the thrill of someone being interested in him. It made him feel loved and special. It made him feel like he had when he thought he had a chance with Marian.
He became more cross as his thoughts trailed off. If it hadn't been for Marian, he might never have felt the need to seek comfort in the traitorous woman. If she hadn't pushed him away, he wouldn't have given Eira a second thought.
Instead, they had been arguing so much that neither could stand to be near each other. Even the day before yesterday, before he had left with Merlin, they had fought, and she had slapped him. Though he conceded that he'd deserved it. And they had almost done so much more, too. He was ashamed at how little control he had around her.
No, whatever friendship or affection they once had was now gone. Marian would never be with him, though she would always hold a piece of his heart.
Gwaine had turned to Percival when Marian walked up to him, a grave look on her face. He expected her to say something like I told you so or to start nagging him about how dense and naïve he had been.
"Did you come here to gloat?" he asked her.
Marian looked as if she had been slapped. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," he said as he turned back to the window.
The executioner was removing Eira's body from the gallows. He placed her on a cart and covered her completely with a blanket.
Marian took a calming breath. "No, I didn't come here to gloat. I came here to say goodbye, Gwaine," she said shortly.
Soon she would go after Merlin and Arthur. She was ready to die to save the king… to save Camelot… to save the future. She knew Gwaine would try to stop her, not understanding her place in history. But as Merlin had once said, what is the life of a servant to that of a king?
Marian looked out of the window to see what Gwaine had been watching. She winced when she realized that it had been his lover's execution, and her heart ached for him.
Gwaine turned back to her and saw that she was dressed in her riding tunic and trousers. She was serious.
"You're leaving Camelot then?" he asked flatly.
"I am, but it's not—" she started.
Gwaine interrupted her. "As soon as it gets hard, you leave. Well, so long, sweetheart."
He turned away from her, ready to leave. He needed to get out of the castle. He needed to go kill the witch that started it all.
"No, you idiot!" she yelled, exasperated.
"No? I'm the idiot?" Gwaine asked angrily as he turned back to face her.
Percival looked between the two in confusion. Should he step in and say something? Tempers were flaring, neither of them was cool-headed. He knew their raw emotions were making them both lash out at each other, and he wasn't so sure that there was anything to be done about it.
"Yes, you are! This is just like you, Gwaine! I'm trying to make amends, and you just make snide remarks!"
"Why would you want to make amends? You seem perfectly happy with the way things are," he mocked.
"I wanted to ride to my death without a completely broken heart, but I guess that's not going to be possible!" she shouted at him. She hadn't planned on telling him anything other than her goodbyes, but her tongue got away from her. She started to turn to leave when she felt him grab her arm.
Gwaine panicked and turned her around roughly, taken aback at her revelation. Surely he hadn't heard her correctly. "Wait, Marian, ride to your—"
"My death, yes. I wanted, before I die, to at least be forgiven by the only man that I have ever actually loved, but instead, you accuse me of being happy that you're mourning your… your… traitorous lover!" she yelled.
Gwaine looked at her anguished face in surprise. Fearful and wide-eyed, he opened his mouth to tell her not to go, but she wouldn't let him speak.
"Well, guess what, your heart isn't the only one that's broken beyond repair, Gwaine. I've not only lost the man I love but my best friend as well! I wish to God I'd never come to Camelot! Damn Camelot! Damn Morgana! And damn you!"
Marian tore her arm from his grasp and stormed off, leaving Gwaine and Percival in shock. He had lost her. He hadn't even known that she still loved him, and now he lost every chance to be with her.
Gwaine's rage grew. He had already lost one person he cared for, and now the woman who held his heart was going to sacrifice her life for God only knows what. All of this, every argument, every death, was the fault of the witch, Morgana. Gwaine wanted to make her pay for all of the evil that she had done. He frowned as he turned to his friend.
"You know what you said you'd do if you ever found Morgana?" he asked. Percival nodded. "Well, we've got a good idea where she'll be heading."
They walked off toward the stables. They would confront Morgana and make her suffer.
000
Marian was in the stables, readying her horse for her journey when she heard heavy footsteps. She quickly hid behind a pillar and watched as two men entered the stalls next to her. The horses whinnied as the saddles were strapped on their backs.
"If we hurry, we can catch Morgana before she figures out the king isn't in Brineved," Gwaine said to Percival.
"You know this is suicide, don't you?" Percival asked.
Gwaine laughed bitterly. "You can stay if you want, but I have nothing to lose anymore."
Marian peered around the pillar and saw Percival place a heavy hand on Gwaine's shoulder.
"You still have Marian. We can go after her," the large man offered.
Gwaine shook his head sadly. "No, I lost her a long time ago, it seems. It's time we give Morgana what she deserves, a painful death. Let's put an end to this once and for all."
They mounted their horses and rode off after the witch.
Marian quickly finished preparing her horse and jumped into the saddle. Learning that Gwaine was going after Morgana changed everything. Fearful that her nightmares were coming true, Marian rushed off to follow Gwaine and Percival. She couldn't let Gwaine die. Arthur, she prayed, could wait just a little longer.
000
Gwaine awoke, kneeling on the ground, his arms tied between two trees. The Lady Morgana stood before him, an evil smile plastered on her face. She held a small wooden box in front of her.
"Tell me where the king is," Morgana demanded.
He laughed. Did she think that would work? He would never tell her. "I'd rather die," he said.
And he meant it. Gwaine had nothing else to live for. The only person he ever loved was on her way to her death, if not dead already. The only things left for him in Camelot were bitter memories, and he could never go back to his old ways of gambling and drinking his way across the kingdoms. Marian had made sure of that. She had changed him, giving him a reason for being, a purpose. He was noble and loyal to his king. And there was no way he would betray Arthur.
"Then you shall have your wish… once you've told me," Morgana threatened. "Not even you, Sir Knight, can resist the charms of the Nathair."
"We'll just have to see about that," Gwaine said cockily.
"Oh, don't worry. It won't be a quick death. I'll draw this out as long as needed because after you tell me where Arthur is, you'll get to watch your Lady Fair die by my hands," she sneered.
Gwaine's smirk faltered. He looked around the witch. "I don't see anyone else here, Morgana. You must have gotten that part wrong," he said, smirk returning.
"Marian will be along shortly. She'll not be able to resist healing her knight in shining armor," Morgana said. At Gwaine's confused look, she continued. "Oh, do you not know?" she laughed cruelly. "She has magic, Gwaine. And to think this whole time, she's been keeping it a secret from you. Tsk, tsk." Morgana opened the wooden box, and the Nathair slithered up to her hand. At Gwaine's stricken face, she leaned in close to his ear. "Yes, I'm sure it was true love, then," she mocked him.
"Marian doesn't even know where I am, Morgana," he said, unsure. He squirmed as she held the Nathair out toward him. "You've failed."
"Have I? I think not," she laughed. As the Nathair slithered up to Gwaine's neck, she continued, "My spies have seen her riding this way, Gwaine. And when she gets here…" The Nathair bit Gwaine's neck, and he screamed. "I will finally spill her blood as you watch!"
Tears spilled from Gwaine's eyes as he screamed. The white-hot pain of the Nathair bite was enough to bring him to the point of blacking out, but knowing that he would be the cause of Marian's death was too much to bear.
000
Marian had followed Gwaine and Percival as carefully as she could, and figured that she was only about twenty minutes behind them. Thankfully, she already knew the way to Brineved.
She slowed her horse as screams of pain rang out across the forest. She'd bet anything that the knights had found Morgana, and by the sound of it, things hadn't gone well. The cry rang out louder this time, and she recognized the voice. It was Gwaine. Marian quickly spurred her horse onward.
000
"AVALON!" Gwaine screamed. The pain had been too much. He could endure no more. "Arthur's gone to Avalon."
This was worse news than Morgana had hoped for. Not only was Avalon in the opposite direction, it meant only one thing. Arthur intended to ask the Sidhe to heal him. Morgana would need to hurry if she were to catch up to him.
That also meant there was no more time for games. She tucked the Nathair safely into its box and rose. She could no longer wait for Marian to arrive; instead, she had to hope that finding her love dead would be enough to torture the healer for now. She would go after Marian later and kill her, but now she needed to make haste. Morgana whistled for her horse, and upon its arrival, she mounted the steed and took off at a lightning's pace.
Gwaine's head dropped as he let out the breath he had been holding. He had betrayed his king after all. Ashamed, all he could hope for now was that his death would be swift.
000
When she heard a horse quickly charging toward her, Marian rode off of the path for cover. She sat there, undetected, as Morgana furiously rushed past her. When she no longer saw the witch, Marian went back up to the path and kicked her horse into a gallop.
She reached the small clearing and saw Gwaine tied between two trees. Marian jumped down from her horse and rushed over, kneeling on the ground in front of him. He was limp but conscious, his breathing shallow as he looked at her with heavy-lidded eyes.
"Marian…" he gasped for air. "She's riding to Avalon…"
She held his face in her hands and lifted his head. "Shh, Gwaine, save your strength," she hushed him.
"Too… late… I've failed… I'm sorry…" he whispered. I love you.
"No, no, no, no! Please don't leave me! Please!" she cried. Tears fell from her eyes as her chin trembled. "I love you," she whispered.
She leaned in, kissed his lips softly, and then placed her brow against his, muttering the ancient incantation. "Buthed gwared. Hrag pob ailed. Hrag pob evnis. Boyd un thilis."
Marian knew that the cost of saving Gwaine's life could very well be her own, but she no longer cared. She loved him, and she couldn't live in a world without him.
Gwaine's skin warmed at her touch, and a golden light shone around them. She continued to say the spell to save his life. "Ic pe purhhaele pinu licsar mid pam sundorcraeft paere ealdan ae!"
As the light spread around them, Marian leaned forward and kissed Gwaine thoroughly, her hands still cradling his face. Her lips moved against his lovingly as she felt Gwaine's body getting stronger, while hers grew weaker.
A white-hot pain shot through her head. Marian recognized it; Morgana had used the Nathair on Gwaine. She concentrated on healing him, ignoring the agonizing sting that coursed through her body.
Percival, having broken free from his restraints, came to the clearing and gasped at the scene before him. The golden light around Marian and Gwaine was getting brighter and brighter until it was nearly blinding.
Marian released Gwaine's lips and raised her head toward the sky, screaming in pain. In a flash, the light was gone, and Marian fell to the ground, unconscious. Gwaine pulled against his restraints, desperate to get to her.
Percival knelt down to check her pulse.
"Is she…?" Gwaine swallowed hard, unable to finish the question.
"She's alive," Percival answered. "What was that?" he asked, untying Gwaine's hands.
Gwaine shook his head; he didn't know what to say. He felt both thankful and betrayed by the woman in front of him. He was no longer on the brink of death; instead, he was fine. No, better than fine. He was strong and vigorous. But he felt betrayed because she had never told him about her magic.
They had known each other for years, he had fallen in love with her, and he didn't even know she had magic; she had never said. He wondered at what else she might've kept from him. Maybe that was the reason she held herself back from him for so long. If only he had known…
Marian's small, raw voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Magic," she said as she struggled to sit up. "I have magic." She grabbed her head and winced in pain.
Gwaine and Percival helped her sit up, both staring at her in silence, neither knowing what to say.
Anxious about their reaction, she said nothing else. This would be hard enough to explain without the knights fearing her or worse, hating her. Marian tried to stand but fell back down. "I'm still weak, so do you think either of you could help me up? We need to find Arthur and Merlin."
"You should rest," Percival insisted.
Gwaine shook his head. "No, I told Morgana where they were going. We must go find the king," he admitted. He turned to Marian. "This is what you had intended to do, wasn't it? Riding to your death meant healing Arthur? But instead, you followed me?" he asked her.
She cast her eyes downward as she nodded.
"And if you heal Arthur, you will die?" he asked.
"It's likely," she replied, her voice was strong, but her eyes were wide with fear. "Don't try to stop me, Gwaine. It's my destiny to save the king."
Gwaine looked at the woman before him and marveled at her. It was apparent that she was afraid, but she still insisted on going. She was braver than any knight he knew. He had failed to protect his king, and the guilt was nearly as painful as the Nathair had been. He wasn't going to fail her too.
"Well then, we need to get there as quick as we can," he said as he smiled sadly at her.
Gwaine stood and helped Marian off the ground. She leaned heavily on him as they went to the horses. Lifting her foot into the stirrup, he helped push her up as she climbed into the saddle. "You'll be alright?" he asked.
She nodded as she grabbed the reins. Percival and Gwaine mounted their horses, and they set off at a fast pace, desperate to reach their injured king in time.
It took several hours to get close to Avalon, darkness closely pursuing them like a predator after its prey. The journey wore Marian out to near-exhaustion. She had rarely been able to use her magic, so she wasn't used to how it drained her, especially if she were saving a life.
Percival stopped, motioning for them to follow suit. "There's someone just over there," he whispered, pointing to a small clearing.
He dismounted his horse and slowly approached. His heart pounded in his chest when he recognized the person. Morgana was lying on the ground before him, still as death itself, eyes glassy and unseeing. He cautiously crouched down next to her and felt her neck for a pulse. Her skin was as cold as ice.
He turned back toward Gwaine and Marian. "It's Morgana. She's dead," he said simply.
Marian's hand flew to her mouth. Relief flooded over her as she cried. It was over. Mordred and Morgana were both dead and no longer a threat to the kingdom. She was surprised by her profuse tears. She mourned them, the very people who had threatened her friends and family. She grieved for who they had been long ago, who they could have been, the loss of the allies they were meant to be. She wept for the great things they could have done had Morgana's heart not turned cold.
Gwaine looked over at her as she shed tears for the dead witch. Her heart was still so innocent, so caring that she even grieved for her enemies. He smiled softly at his Marian.
"We need to go," Percival said as he climbed back onto his horse.
Riding into the night, they finally reached a clearing in the forest and saw Merlin on the ground, cradling the king. Arthur was trying to say his goodbyes as he reached up and touched Merlin's face. Were they too late?
Marian jumped down from her horse, and gathering what little strength she had left, she rushed over to them. She fell to the ground and placed her hands on Arthur's chest.
"No, Marian, it will kill you!" Merlin protested through tears.
"Merlin," she soothed, "the king is dying. Let me try."
By the time Gwaine and Percival made it over to them, the warmth and the light around Marian grew. Gwaine watched her in awe, his mouth hanging open. He had seen his fair share of magic, but never anything like this.
Marian muttered her incantation as sweat beaded on her brow, and her eyebrows knitted together. It was taking a more considerable effort to heal Arthur. She looked at Merlin, worried that she was failing.
He placed his hands on hers and said the spell along with her. "Buthed gwared. Hrag pob ailed. Hrag pob evnis. Boyd un thilis. Ic pe purhhaele pinu licsar mid pam sundorcraeft paere ealdan ae!" they chanted in unison.
The glow of light grew as bright as the sun before it flashed into nothing, and Arthur's eyes opened. A small piece of a sword's blade sat on his chest. Their magic had drawn the cursed blade from Arthur's body like poison from a wound.
Adjusting his eyes to the darkness, Gwaine watched as Marian grunted and doubled over, hands grasping at her side. Concerned, he knelt beside her, pulling her hands away and was shocked when he saw that they were covered in blood.
"No, no, no, no! Marian!" he cried as she fell over. He looked around for another blade or whatever had pierced her but didn't see anything. Grabbing at the belt around her tunic, he quickly removed it and lifted her blood-soaked shirt to see her wound. Gwaine gasped when he saw that there was no wound; instead, there was a tiny scar.
"I… I don't understand." He looked to Merlin for an explanation.
"She took Arthur's injury," Merlin explained as he helped the king sit up. "She has healing magic. As far as we can tell, the spell shares her life force while taking the injury or illness into her own body to heal."
"Marian healed me with magic?" Arthur asked, confused. Merlin nodded at him. "Is there anyone else who's a secret sorcerer? Gwaine? Percival?" he asked, a little irritated. The knights shook their heads in reply.
Gwaine stroked Marian's face trying to wake her, but she remained unconscious. "Wake up, Marian. Come on, love, wake up." He turned to Merlin and the others in a panic. "I can't wake her!"
Merlin crawled over to her side. "She usually wakes up quickly," he said, worried. He held his hands over her head and muttered a spell. "Purhhaele dolgbenn!"
Nothing happened. He tried again, and when nothing happened that time, he looked to Arthur. "We need to get her to Gaius."
"Camelot is at least a day away by horse, Merlin. Will she live that long?" Arthur asked as Percival helped him stand.
"I don't know. This has happened only once before. At the Dark Tower," he told the king.
Gwaine bristled at the mention of it. He had been convinced that Marian was dying when they had left the Tower. It was one of the most harrowing experiences of his life. He hoped that this would be nothing like the Tower. Gwaine didn't think his heart could take it if she died.
"Can't you heal her with your… your magic? Or something?" Arthur asked uncomfortably. He was still not used to his servant— no, his friend— being one of the most powerful sorcerers the world has ever known.
Percival and Gwaine shared a shocked look. So, Merlin had magic as well. Gwaine had his suspicions about the young servant, but never pursued it. He was pleased that there were at least two sorcerers in Camelot with kind hearts.
"No, I can't." Merlin looked at Arthur thoughtfully. "There may be another way, but you're not going to like it," Merlin answered the king.
Arthur gave Merlin a sharp look. He hadn't been too thrilled about anything he had learned so far, but they had to try. He still trusted Merlin despite the secret he had kept. Arthur recognized that he and Marian had used their gifts for Camelot, not against it. "She saved my life, Merlin."
"And mine. Please, help her. I can't lose her, Merlin. Not again," Gwaine cut in as he stood.
"We owe it to her to at least try," Arthur all but gave his permission.
Merlin lifted his head to the sky and called out. "O drakon! E male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!"
A distant roar in the sky startled them. The Great Dragon swooped down and landed in the clearing. Fearful, Arthur reached to draw his sword, finding the sheath empty. Percival and Gwaine both pulled their swords, but Merlin waved them back, silently telling them to put their swords away.
"Kilgharrah. I would not have summoned you if there was any other choice. I have one last favor to ask," Merlin said.
He walked toward the dragon and gestured to the unconscious woman behind him. "Marian saved Arthur and Gwaine with her magic, and now she lies dying. I've tried to heal her, but it wouldn't work. Can you use your magic to save her?"
"Let me see the wandering witch," Kilgharrah replied.
Hesitantly, Gwaine lifted Marian into his arms and brought her closer to the dragon.
The Great Dragon bent low to examine her. "Yes, the witch's magic is great indeed, but it is not of this world, Merlin. What is done cannot be undone. Her fate is no longer tied to the Once and Future King," Kilgharrah told his friend sadly. He was fond of the witch, she had admired him, after all. Her death would be a great loss.
"You must be able to do something, or what's the point of you?" Gwaine bit out angrily.
Arthur sent Gwaine a look of warning. The last thing they needed was for him to upset the beast.
Rather than with fury, Kilgharrah regarded the knight with pity. "Calm yourself, young rogue. Your heart is ill, but your love is strong. It does you both credit. If the witch is to heal, she must do it in her own time. My magic is of no use to a wanderer such as she."
"What does that even mean?" Gwaine asked, his voice cracking.
"It means that you, young rogue, must give her a reason to live. It is your destiny, Son of Lot of Lothian," Kilgharrah said.
Gwaine startled as the dragon invoked the name of his father. No one but Merlin and Marian knew that Gwaine was of noble blood. Until now. Arthur and Percival looked at Gwaine, their mouths ajar. Sir Lot of Lothian had been famous throughout the five kingdoms and had tragically died in battle long ago.
"There is nothing either of us can do, then?" Merlin asked sadly.
"I am sorry, old friend, but her fate rests with her heart," Kilgharrah said, shaking his head as he watched Gwaine hold Marian a little closer.
The dragon turned to Merlin. "My time on this earth is nearly over, though it gladdens my heart to see it left in capable hands. It has been a privilege to have known you, young warlock. The story we have been a part of will live long in the minds of men."
Merlin thanked Kilgharrah and bid him farewell. The dragon took off with a flourish and left as quickly as he had arrived.
"You're a dragonlord," Arthur stated.
"I am."
Arthur's eyes widened as he remembered events from many years ago. "Balinor, the dragonlord from before, he was your father, wasn't he?" he asked the young warlock.
It was all starting to make sense now. Arthur hadn't understood at the time why the man's death had affected Merlin so much.
"Yes," Merlin answered hesitantly.
He had expected Arthur to yell at him for keeping that a secret. Instead, the king merely nodded his head and walked over to the horses. Merlin had revealed so much to him that he was having a difficult time taking it all in.
"Well, we'd better get going if we're to save the life of our healer," the king told them.
They climbed onto the horses, Merlin sharing with Arthur and Gwaine cradling Marian in front of him, and set out on their way back to Camelot.
000
Marian slipped in and out of consciousness for what felt like days. Gwaine took her to her chamber and laid her on her own bed. Gaius believed that she had a fever caused by the magical wound deep inside of her. Her face was sweaty, but she shivered from underneath several blankets.
She felt like she was being stabbed over and over in her chest. Arthur's injury had been like no other she had ever felt. Neither Elyan's injury, caused by a poisoned magical sword, nor Gwaine's magical ax injury from before were like this. The brief moments she was conscious were filled with intense pain.
Marian opened her eyes for a second but was unable to focus. The light in the room was too bright, and she winced in pain before she closed them again. She felt strong hands wipe the sweat from her face and heard a low voice soothe her as she fell back into a fitful sleep.
"Do you remember when we first met? I had been injured protecting Arthur in a tavern brawl, and he and Merlin brought me to Camelot to heal." Gwaine took the cloth and dipped it back into a bowl of water. He wrung the excess liquid out and placed it across Marian's brow.
"The next morning, I was getting dressed when this feisty blonde force of nature burst through the door and called me an arrogant prick," he laughed. "I didn't know what I'd be in for, did I? Or how quickly I'd lose my heart to you."
Gwaine reached over and held her hand in his. "Please, wake up, beautiful." He bent down to her and placed his lips on hers, kissing her softly. "I love you, Marian, with all of my heart." His tears rolled down his cheeks and fell, dampening Marian's face. Gwaine tenderly wiped them away. "Please live, my love. For me."
She wasn't aware of how time passed as she tumbled back into the darkness. It could have been hours or weeks. At times she heard different voices of friends coming in to check on her. Sometimes it was Gaius or Merlin, and sometimes it was Gwen or one of the knights. But there was one presence she always felt. Gwaine stayed by her side, never leaving her alone. He slept by her bedside, and his meals were brought to the chamber, though he ate very little. Even when others came in, Gwaine stayed beside Marian.
She had been dreaming for some time; usually, the dreams made little sense or were of her old life. A few times, Marian dreamt of Gwaine and the life she wished they could've had together. It had been a long time since she'd had one of her reoccurring dreams, but right now, she felt comfort in the familiar landscape of the same dream she'd had since childhood.
She was walking in a field, with the bright sun and the strong wind blowing. She wore a lavender dress with bell sleeves and embroidered flowers. As she walked through the field, the tips of her fingers lightly grazed the tops of the amber wheat. It was peaceful. It was silent.
As she heard a horse galloping toward her, Marian turned toward the sound, the wind blowing errant strands of her hair into her face. She held her hand up to shade her eyes against the sun and watched as the horse and rider came nearer.
It was a beautiful horse, white with a long mane. In the saddle sat her knight in shining armor. His red cloak, adorned with a yellow dragon, drifted in the wind behind him. Tall, dark, and handsome, his dark brown hair whipped around his face in the wind. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his smile was wide and bright. His chocolate eyes sparkled at her.
"Hello, beautiful," he greeted with a slight Irish accent.
Usually, the dream ended there, but not this time. Marian gasped as she watched the knight— as she watched Gwaine dismount. He smiled brightly at her, moving closer and cupping her cheek.
"Is this the place?" he asked her.
Marian nodded, unable to look away from his handsome face.
Gwaine reached behind her and undid the ribbon that held her hair in its braid. He ran his fingers through her golden locks until her hair flowed loosely in the wind. Gwaine brought the ribbon up to his lips and gently kissed it. He took her hand in his and wrapped the ribbon around them both. He spoke to her, but she no longer heard his voice. Everything around her was becoming dim and faded into nothingness. She was waking…
Suddenly, floating in the darkness between sleep and consciousness, she heard the muffled voices of the king, Merlin, and Gaius. She tried to open her eyes, wanting to tell them she was awake, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate. She felt the bed dip as Gwaine sat next to her and held her hand. She couldn't do anything but lie there and listen.
"Gaius, explain it to me again. How was she able to heal us? From what I've heard, Gwaine and I were both about to die," the king asked.
"She has ancient magic, sire," Gaius replied. "There have been some accounts of High Priestesses who were said to take on the burden of an injury or illness with a single spell. She could give them her life, sire."
"But she would be injured or fall ill in the process?" Arthur asked.
"Indeed. For instance, Marian would have felt the sword piercing your side when she healed you, or the pain of torture from the Nathair when she healed Gwaine."
Arthur winced at the memory. The pain from Mordred's sword was the worst agony he had ever felt in his life. He was sorry that she had to feel it as well.
Gwaine brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. It amazed him that even after enduring the torment of his torture, she selflessly rode to the king, knowing she would face his pain as well.
"It is very dangerous magic, but only to the sorcerer. She risked her life to save you both." Gaius said as he fixed Gwaine and Arthur with a grave stare, willing them to understand the importance of her sacrifice.
Gwaine could no longer keep quiet. "She's done this before, though, hasn't she?" he asked.
Merlin nodded. "Yes, she's healed before. You, Elyan, and Arthur, you were all healed by her magic," he said to Gwaine. "We only discovered her talent by accident when I had cut my arm, and she healed it without trying."
"Wait, when did she heal me before?" Gwaine asked. "I would have remembered…"
Merlin grinned at him. "You were unconscious, I think. I wasn't there, but do you remember when you were injured by the Green Knight and were lying on your death bed?" Gwaine nodded at him. "Didn't you wonder how you got well so quickly?"
Gwaine had wondered about that. He had awoken to Marian lying on the bed beside him, asleep. He had thought at the time that it was her presence that had urged him to get better. He guessed that in a way, he was right.
"And me?" Arthur asked.
"The Fisher King's trident. Morgana had given you an enchanted bracelet to drain your life force, and you fell and hit your head," Merlin told the king.
Both Arthur and Gwaine remembered that well. Not only was Marian unusually quiet on the return home, but she had also scraped her arm, which had miraculously healed. In fact, Gwaine had noticed several of her cuts and scrapes had healed rather quickly. How many times had she used her magic and he not know?
"You said the Dark Tower before. That was Elyan?" Gwaine asked.
Merlin nodded solemnly.
"I… I thought she had been stabbed by Morgana's sword, not Elyan. She almost died that day," Gwaine said softly.
"The effort of saving Elyan's life was almost too great. She swore to me that she'd never try it again," Gaius said to the room. "But I guess she felt that this time the risk was worth it." At the king's quiet look, Gaius explained how her magic worked. "She has to love the person for the spell to take effect," he said. "Otherwise, she would have been able to heal anyone, even Uther."
"Love?" Arthur said uncomfortably. He cared for Marian, but not romantically, as she was a good friend to both him and his wife.
"Yes, Arthur," Gaius replied. "She loves her sovereign as much as the rest of us do. She loves her friends enough that her magic will work. And I suspect she loves you, Gwaine, most of all."
"What makes you say that?" Gwaine asked.
"What else would you call it when you're hurt and angry with someone, but still risk your life to save them? What else could it be other than an act of love?" Gaius said knowingly.
He may be old, but he wasn't blind. He knew of the turmoil Gwaine and Marian found themselves in. "If anything, Gwaine, this is proof of how much she really does care for you. She was willing to not only risk her own life but risk dying before she could heal the king as well. All to save you."
Gwaine watched Marian as she slept. He didn't know what to say to that. His feelings of betrayal fizzled out as he realized how much Marian had given up protecting and saving him. It still hurt to think that she didn't trust him with her secret, but he understood why she had kept it. He admitted to himself that he was a little jealous that Merlin, Gaius, and apparently Elyan had known, and not him.
"All this time… Camelot's had two guardians. With sorcery, no less," Arthur said as he shook his head. He owed more than his life to Merlin and Marian. "Let me know when she wakes up?" Arthur asked.
When Gaius nodded at him, Arthur left the room. The physician stood and watched as Gwaine gazed down at Marian. He felt for the brave knight. Though Gwaine now knew of her magic, the obstacles keeping them apart still existed. He hoped that Marian would follow her heart and let the devoted knight in.
Gaius looked pointedly at Merlin, silently suggesting that they leave Gwaine alone with Marian, and left as Merlin turned to follow.
"Merlin, wait," Gwaine called out. He stood and went over to the warlock, placing his hand on Merlin's shoulder.
Merlin looked at the knight curiously.
"I never got to thank you," Gwaine said, smiling at his friend.
Merlin tilted his head. "What for?" he asked.
"I realize now that a lot of our good luck was down to you. You and your magic."
Merlin smiled shyly. He had never thought he would be thanked for just being himself. He never sought praise, but he rather liked it when it came from a friend. "My magic and your skill, Gwaine. You are the fiercest fighter I've ever seen," Merlin said.
"No, my friend. It was you and you alone," Gwaine grinned at him. "I've never met a braver or humbler man."
"I wouldn't be half the person I am without Gaius and Marian, though," Merlin chuckled.
They both looked over at the sleeping woman.
"What will you do now? When she wakes?" he asked Gwaine.
The knight sighed. "Love her for the rest of my life, if she'll let me."
"Good," Merlin said.
Gwaine turned to Merlin, eyebrows raised.
Merlin laughed. "You deserve to be happy, Gwaine. You both do," he explained.
"As do you, my friend," Gwaine said, clapping Merlin on the back hard enough to make the warlock step forward.
Merlin shrugged. "Arthur's safe, Morgana's gone, and I don't have to hide anymore. I'm happy. Truly, I am." He smiled brightly and turned to go. "Let me or Gaius know when she wakes up, will you?"
Gwaine nodded, and Merlin left, walking with a little bounce in his step. He was relieved and happy that his magic was not only out in the open but accepted by those he cared for most.
Alone, Gwaine sat on the bed next to Marian holding her hand. He began thinking of their past together and smiled wistfully. Marian had captured his eye and his heart from the very beginning. Gwaine could no longer remember a time where she wasn't in his very soul.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Gently placing it back onto the bed, he stood, walking to the window and watching as the sun went down. He didn't hear when the maid came in to light the fire and the candles, and he didn't notice the supper that was laid out for him.
Gwaine was lost in his memories when he heard the smallest change in the rhythm of Marian's breath. He glanced at her as her eyelids fluttered briefly and opened. Her eyes focused and looked around the room. When she didn't immediately fall back asleep, he rushed to her, sitting beside her on the bed. He was relieved to see her finally awake, and he grinned brightly at her.
"Marian!" He grabbed her hand in both of his and brought it to his lips.
"Gwaine, you're alive," she whispered, lightly stroking his face with her fingers. I love you.
He reached over and gently brushed her hair from her brow. "I'm here, beautiful. You're safe," he assured her.
"And Arthur?" she asked.
"Alive and well. We both are, thanks to you," he said.
"My dear Gwaine," she whispered. With a pleased smile, her eyes drooped. Though she had slept for days, she was still drained.
"I'll go get Gaius and Merlin," Gwaine said as he bent down and kissed her brow, and he left the room to fetch the physician and the warlock.
When they came back to Marian's chamber, Gwaine stayed just outside the door to allow them to work. Gaius returned from inside and clapped the knight on the back.
"She's out of danger now. She just needs rest."
Gwaine released an anxious breath. "Thank you, Gaius, for everything."
The wise old man looked Gwaine in the eye and spoke gravely to him. "She's like a daughter to me, Gwaine. If you hurt her, they will find pieces of you scattered throughout the five kingdoms," he threatened.
Taken aback, Gwaine started, "I—"
"There's a good man," Gaius said before clapping him hard on the shoulder.
Gwaine swallowed hard as he watched the elderly, and sometimes frightening, physician walk away.
000
The next day moved at a snail's pace. With Marian alive and recovering, Gwaine felt free to attend to his duties before going to her that evening. Thankfully he wasn't on guard duty, so he didn't have to wear his heavy chainmail. He hadn't put it back on since he'd returned with the king from Avalon. Somehow, it felt like it was weighed down with the memories and regrets of the past few weeks.
He attended the council meeting, watched over the new knights training on the field, and advised Arthur about the remaining Saxon forces. All of this, he did while his mind was elsewhere. Finally, the evening came, and he could go see how Marian was recovering.
Gwaine didn't bother to change or even to drop his sword off in his chambers. He went straight from the council chamber to find her. There was so much that he wanted to talk to her about. So many questions he needed to ask.
When he went to Marian's chamber, he found the room empty. Panicked and fearing the worst, he rushed to Gaius to see if she was alright. The physician advised him to calm himself, Marian had been feeling better and went for a walk. She had been told to stay near the castle, so she couldn't have gone far.
Relieved, Gwaine went looking for her outside of the castle, near the herb garden. He often observed her going down there to find medicinal herbs or to just be among the flowers. It was endearing to see how comfortable she was tending the gardens. It was domestic, which brought many feelings he had about he and Marian living a simple life to the surface.
He was also desperate to make amends with the healer. So much had passed between the two and they hadn't had the chance to talk about anything. He was sorry for how they had grown apart and for everything that happened in the weeks leading up to the battle at Camlann.
First, though, he needed to know the answer to a question that had plagued him for nearly a week. Why hadn't she told him that she had magic? They'd been friends for a long time, so why didn't she trust him? He wasn't like Uther; he judged a sorcerer on the merits of their actions, just like he would any man. Or, in this case, woman.
When he got to the gardens, he saw Marian picking flowers. She looked lovely in the sunlight, with windblown hair and rosy cheeks. She gathered a few flowers and brought them to her nose, inhaling their scent. Heart beating wildly in his chest, Gwaine walked over to her.
She smiled sweetly at him as he approached. "Hi," she said shyly.
Gwaine chuckled. "Hello, beautiful. How are you feeling?"
"Better. Much better, actually. I don't feel like I'm constantly being stabbed," she told him truthfully. "How are you?"
Gwaine looked around the garden. They were hardly alone, and what he wanted to talk about wasn't for nosy ears. "Can I speak with you in private somewhere?"
She gathered the bouquet she had picked and nodded her head, ready to follow him. She chuckled inwardly at how apt that had been. She was literally prepared to follow him anywhere, to the ends of the Earth, if it meant she could be with him. Too much time had been wasted on fear and regret.
They made their way to the small grassy courtyard that overlooked the front gate in silence. Their place, she realized. They had spent so much time there together that it felt like the small courtyard belonged to just the two of them.
Marian leaned back on the battlements and waited for Gwaine to say something. Instead, he reached over to the bouquet she was holding and removed a small purple flower from the bunch, tucking it in her hair just over her ear. She felt a childlike sense of peace in the world. Since she'd expected to die after the battle, the warm sunlight and beautiful flowers were a welcome sight for her. As was the man standing next to her.
Marian's heart began to pound in her chest. She hoped they could reconcile, but she was cautious, not really knowing if that was what he wanted. Unable to bear the silence any longer, she turned to Gwaine. "What is it you wanted to talk about?" she asked.
"Why didn't you tell me? You could have trusted me. I had to find out from Morgana of all people," he said pitifully.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment. It was about her magic. She had dreaded this conversation, knowing it would hurt him. Their reconciliation depended on complete honesty, though, so she was resigned to get over her discomfort and tell him everything.
"I do trust you, Gwaine. But I didn't want you to split your loyalties. You're a Knight of Camelot. You would have felt obligated to tell Arthur. I didn't want you to have to make that choice. I wanted to tell you. So many times, I thought I could. I thought that I would," she said.
She had missed him these last months. She missed the banter and the laughs, she missed his flirting and rebuffing his advances, while secretly enjoying them. Slowly, he had been tearing down the walls she had built around her heart. But she had left him without hope.
"We were so close once. I had thought we… Well, that wasn't meant to be, was it?" she trailed off sadly.
"What wasn't?" he asked.
She looked him squarely in the eye. "Us. The timing was never right. I thought that you…" she swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought. "Then you found Eira."
He bristled at his former lover's name. Gwaine looked away in shame. Not only had he fallen for a traitor who had broken his heart, but he had also hurt Marian. He had been so rash! So stupid!
"I—" he said as he cleared his throat and tried again. "I thought I had no chance. I thought…" he sighed. "I thought you'd never have me. I just needed to move on. To feel loved."
"I'm so sorry," she apologized, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. I never meant to hurt you, Gwaine."
She turned around to keep him from seeing her cry. He reached out, his hand on her arm, and turned her to face him. Gwaine lovingly cupped her face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumb. She closed her eyes at his touch.
"I missed you," she whispered.
Gwaine sighed, pulling her close and holding her, the wind blowing her hair across his face. The floral scent of her soap was pleasant, but there was an underlying scent that was uniquely just Marian. He inhaled deeply, taking it all in. Why had it taken so long for either of them to admit how they felt? Why had they both been so stubborn and so stupid?
He had waited years for some sign from her that she felt the same way he did. And just when he thought he had a chance, she pulled the rug out from under him. He felt foolish for waiting, but even more so for letting his temper and impatience get the better of him. He should have talked to her about it. Maybe then she would have felt like she could have confided in him. He had let her down after promising her that he'd always be there for her.
No more regret, Gwaine thought. He was going to right the wrongs that had been done. Gwaine decided to throw caution to the wind and try to win her over one more time. He released her from his embrace and backed away slightly.
"Marian," he started with no idea of what he should say.
She looked at him curiously as he stared lovingly at her. All of the regret and pain that she felt toward Gwaine melted away. She closed the space between him and reached up to brush the hair off his brow. Her hand trailed lightly down his face and neck, finally resting on his chest. Marian rose and pressed her lips to his.
Gwaine smiled against her mouth and reached around her waist, pulling her closer. Their kiss was soft at first, both shy and trying to protect their own hearts. When he didn't pull away, Marian deepened the kiss. She reached behind his head and ran her fingers through his hair.
This was different than the last time they passionately kissed each other. There was longing and desire, but also love and forgiveness. Gwaine held her body against his. He licked her bottom lip, asking for permission to taste her. She opened herself to him, and he plunged his tongue inside.
Kissing her thoroughly, years of pent up emotion came barreling out of him. He pushed her back against the battlement, kissing her hard. Marian moaned into his mouth, her own desire reaching a level of intensity she had never felt before.
She had never been kissed as passionately as Gwaine was kissing her now. She held onto him, trying to keep her balance while his hands roamed her body, caressing and pulling her closer. He had no idea what his strength and intensity were doing to her. She practically melted in his hands.
Marian tried to catch her breath but was unable as Gwaine kissed her hard. The things he was causing her to feel were brand new and achingly desperate. He moved to her neck and kissed back to find her ear, lightly nibbling. She moaned as he trailed kisses across her jaw and captured her lips once more.
"Gwaine, wait," she said against his mouth.
He kept kissing her, afraid that she was going to put a stop to this and break his heart, like the last time. She tried to speak between kisses, only getting a word or two out at a time.
"We need… Gwaine… if… oh God…"
As much as Marian wanted to continue, to go further, she had promised herself to be honest with him, to tell him everything. It took all of her willpower to gently push him away, breaking their kiss. She smiled softly at his hurt look. "Gwaine, if we're going to do what I think we're about to do, I need to show you something first."
That certainly wasn't what he had expected her to say. He grinned at her and pulled her close for another kiss. She moaned at the contact but pulled back. "Please. It won't take long," she pleaded breathlessly.
Gwaine nodded and let go of her. He stepped back, willing his body to calm. Marian adjusted her dress and ran her hand over her hair. She was blushing from her head to her toes. Gwaine smirked as she tried to make herself presentable.
Marian grabbed his hand, leading him inside the castle and up the stairs toward her chamber. When she opened the door and invited him inside, Gwaine quickly approached her and wrapped his arms around her. He lowered his head and kissed her passionately.
"Not yet," she grinned as she broke the kiss, and groaning in frustration, he released her.
Closing the door after him, she walked around the room, lighting candles in the waning sunlight. Following her, Gwaine stood behind her, reaching around her waist to pull her back against him. He pressed his arousal into the flesh of her backside as he bent his head down and kissed the exposed skin of her shoulder.
He ran his hands up her torso and cupped her breasts, massaging gently. She covered his hands with hers, urging him to hold her tighter. She rubbed her backside against his arousal, causing him to buck his hips and moan against her skin. Marian closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh. She realized that it wasn't just love for him that she felt, nor just desire. She felt safe.
Suddenly remembering what they were there for, she pulled his hands from her bosom and turned to face him. "Gwaine, God, I want you so much," she said as she held his face with both hands. "But I can only be with you if I can tell you the whole truth. I need to tell you everything first. And if you still want me after that… I'm yours."
"What can be so terrible?" he asked huskily as he held her hands. He couldn't stop touching her. Gwaine didn't care what terrible things she had to tell him, he loved her dearly. He would never let her go again.
She looked away, her heart beating hard. This was it, the moment she had been scared of for five long years. This was when Marian would be more honest with him than she had ever been. He would either accept her truth or think her insane.
"Marian, there isn't anything that you can say that will change how I feel," he said softly as he bent his head down and placed soft kisses on her neck.
Sighing in pleasure at his attentions, she let go of him and backed across the room. Marian opened the chest at the end of her bed and reached inside, moving several items carefully to get to the bottom. Curious, Gwaine peered over her to see inside. She lifted a piece of the false bottom and pulled out a rectangular piece of glass.
"Gwaine, I need to tell you something fantastic, something unbelievable. You are going to be skeptical and have questions, but I need you to let me finish. I need you to listen with an open mind. Will you do that for me?"
He nodded silently, waiting for her to continue.
"I'm not from Camelot, as you well know. My home is even further away than the Great Seas," she paused, wary of how insane she was about to sound. "I'm from the future."
Gwaine looked at her as if she had grown a second head. That was certainly not what he had expected.
"I was born almost 1500 years from now and was pulled back into history by a High Priestess, Nimueh. I… I fell through time." She paused to make sure he understood. When he said nothing, she continued, "I've been living here, in Camelot, for the last nine years or so, but I belong in the year 2018. You, Arthur, Merlin? You are the heroes of ancient legend in my time. Heroes that I studied when I was a child. I didn't even know if you were real or a myth until I came here."
Gwaine looked like he was bordering between disbelief and amusement. He couldn't tell if she was lying to him or not. What she was saying sounded too absurd to be true. He was about to say so when she held up the glass rectangle and showed it to him.
"This is called a phone. It's primarily a communication device. I don't know if it will have enough power after all of these years, but I'm going to try to turn it on and show you that I'm not crazy, and I'm not lying."
She pressed the on-button, but nothing happened.
Gwaine found his voice. "I—I don't understand, Marian. What power does a piece of glass have? Is it enchanted?" This would make more sense to him. She had magic, after all.
"No, it…" she was at a loss of how to explain it to him. There were no common points of reference. "You know how a horse can pull a plow? The strength of the horse makes the plow move?"
He nodded, not understanding where she was going with this.
"Well, in the future, we can… harness lightning instead of horses. We capture it, and it makes things work," she said.
Just then, her phone turned on, blinking with the effort, and the familiar apple lit then faded away as the screen came up.
"This can also… create pictures, like a painting or a drawing in a book, and it will show them to us. It reflects an image back to us, like a mirror, except that it's forever and never changes."
At Gwaine's skeptical look, she opened the camera app and set it to selfie. She stood beside him, holding her phone in front of them, and leaned in, kissing his cheek as she clicked the shutter button on the phone. She turned the device toward him and showed him the picture.
Gwaine took the glass piece and stared into his own face. It was as she said. There was an image of him, with a surprised look on his face as she kissed him. He had never even imagined anything like this before.
"Magic?" he whispered. "Is this a spell or a hallucination?" he asked, gazing at the phone.
She shook her head and smiled at him. "Neither. It's called technology. It's common where I'm from."
She watched as he turned the phone in every direction. He brought it up close to his face and then held it out far. Gwaine smiled. He could look at this image for eternity.
Just then, the phone buzzed, and a soft tuned played from the speaker before it was silenced, and the screen went black. Gwaine dropped it to the floor and stepped back.
"Sorry," Marian said as she bent to pick it up, "that was my alarm. I had forgotten that it was set."
"Alarm?" Gwaine asked, looking around. "Are there intruders?"
Laughing, she examined the phone. "No, it was to wake me up in the mornings." It looked as if the phone had used the last of its battery power. She smiled sadly at the loss of the last piece of her life from before. "The power is gone. It's dead."
She tucked it into the pocket in her dress and approached Gwaine. He had a strange look on his face like he was trying to decide whether or not he could trust her. Marian bit her lip and furrowed her brow.
"Is there anything you want to know?" she asked him, afraid.
Gwaine's look softened, and he reached out to her, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear before laying his hand on her cheek. He was overwhelmed, but he could tell she was afraid. "I don't know. I knew you were strange, Marian, but I'd never have guessed why," he smirked.
"Funny," she said dryly but managed to grin back at him. Sobering, she continued. "This is why I ran away from you for so long. It's why I'm still cautious. I never know when I'll be sent back. I couldn't fall in love with you only to be torn away." She looked away from him, tears in her eyes. It's already too late for that, she thought.
He dropped his hand and pulled her into his arms. Gwaine still didn't quite understand all of this, but at least now he knew why she had pushed him away. Loss, Merlin had told him. The only thing she had feared was loss. And now it all made sense. She was afraid of losing him and tried to protect him from losing her. He kissed the top of her head and tightened his hold on her.
Marian sighed and returned the embrace. She nuzzled her face into his neck. "Do you believe me, then?" she asked.
"I think so. I'm just waiting until I wake up from this dream to decide," he chuckled.
He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her soundly. Crazy, lying, or whatever this turned out to be, Gwaine still loved her and meant to show her just how much.
Suddenly, Marian felt a painful tug on her body, disrupting their solace. It pulled at her again. She had felt this only once before years ago when she was yanked from her own time. She backed away from Gwaine. In the soft candlelight, he could see her face stricken with grief.
"Are you alright?" he asked her.
She was being pulled back to her own time, she was sure of it. She felt the static electricity crackle around her, and the hair on her neck rose.
"No, no, no! Don't do this! Not now!" she cried.
Gwaine stepped forward, concerned.
"No, stay back!" she warned as more electricity crackled. She screamed and doubled over, falling to her knees.
Worried that she was injured, Gwaine knelt by her side. As soon as he put his arm around her, he too felt a sharp pull.
"Marian, what—"
Before he could finish, they were ripped from time.
They were engulfed in darkness, knowing all and knowing nothing at once. Marian's head felt as if it split in two. She heard her voice, distant and soft, intertwined with Gwaine's, speaking things from the past as well as words that had not yet been spoken.
"Good morning, beautiful! Nice of you to join the living!"
"You are truly a good man. There weren't enough good men in my life before,"
"Gentlemen. It seems whatever it is that you're after, you could use a little help."
"I couldn't leave you, Gwaine. I love you."
"Nobility is defined by what you do, and not by who you are."
"Oh, by the way, my name is Marian, and you, sir, are an arrogant prick!"
"Your chances looked between slim and none. I, er… I guess I just kind of liked the look of those odds."
"Of course I don't like him, Arthur! He's rude and full of himself!"
"Hello, beautiful!"
"Sir Gwaine, meet your son."
"Marian, I've always loved you."
Their bodies were tossed around like ragdolls in the darkness. She couldn't see Gwaine, only knowing he was there by the sound of his voice calling out. She needed to touch him, to make sure that she didn't imagine him there with her, so she reached out and brushed his hand with her own.
Suddenly, their faces were lit by bright and colorful lights. She blinked and was able to see Gwaine beside her. They had landed in a forest, panting, both on their hands and knees. Marian let out a blood-curdling scream of pain as Gwaine emptied the contents of his stomach on the forest floor. They fell over and let the darkness consume them.
The blaring of a car horn awoke Marian. She opened her eyes and saw an empty plastic soda bottle, crushed and mangled. That's not supposed to be here, she thought. She quickly sat up and rubbed her temples. From behind her, she heard Gwaine moaning as he awoke.
"Where are we?" he asked her, sitting up.
"My home, I think," she replied, bewildered.
It came as a shock to hear cars driving past after so many years of living in the past.
"Oh my God, I'm back," she said breathlessly as she quickly stood and went to help Gwaine up.
"Your home beyond the Great Seas of Meredor? Or your home in the future?" he asked, confused at the sounds around him.
Marian reached out and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Both. My home in the future is far beyond the Great Seas. We're over 1500 years in the future, give or take."
Gwaine just stared at her, confused. It didn't feel any different. Shouldn't he feel different if he was so far into the future?
Laughter bubbled in her chest as she looked at him. They looked ridiculous, him in his tunic and her in her serving dress as if they had just escaped a renaissance fair.
"This is funny?" he asked, unamused.
"Sorry, it's just… this," she lifted her skirt. "And your tunic and your sword," she quickly sobered. "Oh, fuck, your sword," her eyes widened with realization. "You can't go around carrying a weapon!"
"What, you don't have weapons in the future?" he asked, still not wholly convinced that's where they were.
She shook her head. "Not that you can just carry around without permission and definitely not swords," she said. "Here, give me your hand."
She took his hand and pulled him past the tree line. There was a paved road with little traffic just beyond the grass shoulder. It looked odd to Gwaine, but he supposed the roads here were built with a different material than in Camelot. He believed that it would depend on what type of quarry was nearby.
The roaring plane in the sky above startled him. Afraid at first that a dragon had found them, he grabbed ahold of Marian's arm and went to draw his sword, ready to protect her.
"What the hell was that?" he asked, panicked.
"That's a plane," she told him. At his bewildered look, she smiled and explained. "It's a transportation device, like a carriage. It carries people inside of it over long distances. Even across seas."
She heard the engine of a truck crest the hill behind them. Marian stuck out her thumb, hoping that it would stop, and they could catch a ride. She wasn't sure how far away from a town they were, but it would be getting dark soon. And by the chill already in the air, they must be approaching winter. The truck slowed as it neared the wandering couple.
"And that?" Gwaine asked, pointing as the truck stopped in front of them.
Marian turned to Gwaine. "This is a truck. Sort of a… horseless carriage. I'm going to see if he can give us a ride into the nearest town."
"Need a ride, sweetheart?" the older man driving the truck asked. Gwaine bristled at the man's familiarity with Marian.
"Please," she replied.
"Hop on in!"
She led Gwaine over to the passenger side door and opened it.
Gwaine climbed in the cab and scooted over to make room for Marian.
"Where're you two headed?" the driver asked.
"Nearest town," Marian told him as she hopped in the truck and closed the door.
As the truck took off, Gwaine reached out and braced himself on the dashboard in front of him. He had never traveled so fast, especially without any horses. The scenery outside sped past them in a green blur.
"So," the driver began, watching Gwaine's strange behavior, "you headed to a ren fair or something dressed like that?"
"Just came from one," Marian lied.
"What're you supposed to be, a hero and his damsel in distress?" the driver laughed.
Marian chuckled. "Something like that."
000
Author's Note:
Spells (a rough translation from the Merlin Wiki at merlin dot fandom dot com):
Buthed gwared. Hrag pob ailed. Hrag pob evnis. Boyd un thilis. – Out of a violent death. Quickly make it no longer useless. Quickly breathe now. Help him and cure him.
Ic pe purhhaele pinu licsar mid pam sundorcraeft paere ealdan ae! – I heal you thoroughly from your mortal wound with those special powers that are ancient! Oh!
Purhhaele dolgbenn! – Heal thoroughly the wound!
O drakon! E male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes! – O dragon, permit the appeal for an audience to speak here, fierce, wise-minded one.