This chapter references Episodes 12 and 13 of Series 4

Chapter 22

"Sire!" Gwaine appeared in the doorway to the hall, "We're under attack! They're within the city walls!"

Rowen couldn't help but feel that Arthur didn't really have to jump over the table as he leapt to go and help.

"Gwaine, secure the armoury. Percival, Rowen with me."

"You're letting me fight?" she shouted as they ran.

"You'd argue with me if I didn't," he shrugged, "We don't have time for that. Just don't die."

She grinned and, grabbing a sword from a nearby fallen shoulder and ripping the skirt of the dress so with it was more practical to move in, she ran with Arthur and his knights. They were attacked not too long after. She lost sight of Percival and everyone else fell, either injured or dead. She and Arthur were the only two left standing and they nodded briefly at each other before continuing. Arthur was limping and just as she was about to tell him to stop, Merlin appeared, looking slightly terrified. He grabbed Arthur and pulled him behind a pillar desperately. Rowen followed them and Merlin wrapped his free arm around her.

Arthur cried out in pain, "Been hiding in the broom cupboard as usual, Merlin?"

"How many servants do you usually make fight in deadly battles?" Rowen snapped immediately.

Merlin ignored them both, "We need to get out of here." He pushed them both away and then they all continued to run.

"Are you alright?" Merlin called to Arthur as they moved, noticing how the king was clearly in pain.

"I'm fine. Maybe a broken rib or two."

They stopped again, leaning against another pillar which overlooked the square. They hid and watched Morgana lead part of her army past them followed by…

Merlin and Rowen shared a look and Arthur's face fell.

"Agravaine," he breathed before his shock turned to fury and he roared.

Merlin caught his arm, "It's no good. Arthur! There are too many of them. You can deal with your uncle later, alright?"

"He's right, Arthur," Rowen said, "You're no good dead."

"Let's go," Merlin pushed Arthur away, forcing the king's eyes away from his traitorous uncle. They escorted him to the makeshift infirmary which had already been set up and was filled with miserable looking knights.

"I can bind the ribcage but even then, we run the risk of puncturing a lung," Gaius explained.

"Do whatever it takes, Gaius, just so long as I can swing a sword."

Rowen met eyes with Merlin and they shared an exasperated look just as Gwaine and Percival slipped into the room, barricading the door behind them. Gaius hurried over, "How do we stand?"

"The citadel is overrun," Percival said, "We can't hold out much longer."

"How long before they reach us?" Rowen asked.

"Minutes at best."

"They're coming for Arthur," Merlin said, "If they find him, they'll kill him."

"We must get him to safety while we still can," Percival said.

"Arthur will never abandon his people," Gwaine pointed out, "He'd rather die."

"Barricade the door," Merlin commanded, "Give us as much time as you can."

Rowen raised her eyebrows at Gwaine and they smiled at each other briefly before she followed Merlin and Gaius back to Arthur.

"I don't have anything strong enough to knock him out," Gaius was saying when she joined them.

"There must be something."

"I'm sorry Merlin."

"Maybe there's something you can do," Rowen said pointedly, looking at the servant.

"Arthur won't go willingly," Gaius agreed, "But what if he was to lose his will?"

"Are you suggesting magic?"

"Can you do it?" Rowen asked.

"I can try."

She watched in amusement as Merlin bewitched the king and Gwaine and Percival joined them again, looking confused at Arthur's loopy state.

"Let's go," Percival said authoritatively.

"I'll keep them off your back as long as I can," Gwaine offered and the two knights nodded.

"I'll stay with you," Rowen told him.

"Morgana will kill you."

"She won't. It's Arthur she's after. Besides, I might be a good enough distraction to give them more time."

Together, Rowen, Gwaine and Gaius stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the doors, trying to hide their nerves as Morgana's men tried to break in. The wood splintered and eventually broke, revealing hordes of soldiers surrounding Morgana.

"What was that about holding them off?" Rowen muttered to Gwaine as she tried to count the men before her.

Morgana looked around furiously, clearly trying to find Arthur.

"It seems your victory is short-lived, Morgana," Gaius said.

With a horrible glare to her sister, Morgana turned and stormed out, "Prepare the horses! We're going on a hunt."

Her soldiers grabbed Rowen, Gwaine and Gaius and forced them to the floor before tying them up unnecessarily tightly and kicking them so that they were laying on their sides. The whole time, Rowen and Gwaine shouted and yelled that they should treat Gaius with more respect. The old man spluttered, but never complained. The three struggled for breath, glaring at their captors.

A short while later, Gwaine and Gaius were taken out of the room, and someone else heaved Rowen to her feet. She was dragged, kicking and screaming, in the opposite direction. Morgana's guards bought her to the throne room and shoved her to the floor in front of Morgana. As she was bought into the room, Elyan was forced out but he looked completely broken and sad.

"Good morning, little sister," she mocked.

"Morgana."

"Oh, we're not in a good mood, are we?"

"I've been better."

"Not happy that your sister's on the throne again?"

"I can't say I am, really, considering what happened last time you ruled."

Morgana frowned and then said in a voice colder than ice and harder than stones, "You really have turned against me, haven't you?"

"No, Morgana. You turned against us. It is not I who changed."

"You used to love me."

"I love the person you used to be. I don't love who you are now."

"How can you side with them? You protected me when you knew about my magic."

"Things are different now, Morgana. Arthur is King, not Uther. And he doesn't kill innocent people for no reason. Arthur is good and just and he will make Camelot the strongest-"

"You're wrong," Morgana snapped, "Arthur is no longer king. I rule Camelot now. As I rightfully should."

"Why, Morgana? If you realised what you are doing is wrong and came back to us, we would still forgive you. Arthur is the best leader this kingdom has ever had. You can still be a part of it."

Morgana slapped her across the face sharply and kicked her in the stomach. The heel of her boot dug straight into Rowen's gut and she wretched dryly.

"It's a shame you will not live to see the great kingdom I will create, sister. Take her to the dungeons and leave her for a while. Give her no food or water," Morgana scowled, "Let her know what it's like to be abandoned by your own sister."

Rowen struggled as she was dragged off. She shouted insults and threats the entire way to the cells. She was dragged past the one where Gwaine, Gaius and Elyan were being kept and she looked at them desperately, concerned to see how ill Elyan looked. She was shoved into a cell in the deepest part of the dungeons, far away from any other of Morgana's prisoners. She wasn't scared. Rowen knew she was very close to her secret escape route which she had used last time Morgana invaded.

Leaving it a few hours just to be safe, she then magically unlocked both the chains around her wrists and the door before sneaking out. She was almost grateful to Morgana for sentencing her to be left alone, because she could be sure her cell wouldn't be found empty for a long time. She snuck back to the cell she had seen Gwaine in and knelt by the door, "Gwaine."

Hearing her whisper, the knight turned away from his friend and sat opposite her. Gaius glanced over briefly before returning to tending to Elyan.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, "Did you escape? How?"

"Doesn't matter," she brushed him off, "Do you know where Arthur is?"

"Elyan knows, but-" Gwaine looked to his friend and trailed off.

"He keeps muttering about Ealdor," Gaius informed them, "You could try there."

"It makes sense," Rowen whispered, "It's not in Camelot. Merlin would take him there for safety."

"Go," Gwaine told her, "Find Arthur."

"I can get you out," she said.

"No. We're in no state. We'll slow you down. And they'll discover us missing before you. You have a better chance. Just go."

She looked at him longingly and he reached through the bars to stroke her hair gently, "We'll be alright. You have to help Arthur."

Rowen nodded emotionally and left, "Look after them."

It was surprisingly easy to get out of the castle. Apparently, Morgana was cocky in her glory. Getting through the forest was more difficult. She was wary that she wouldn't be the only one looking for Arthur. Morgana would have hordes of men out searching and Arthur had half a day's head-start on them. She didn't stop to sleep, no matter how dark it got and trekked the path she thankfully had managed to remember from last time.

She continued tirelessly through the next day, trying to ignore how hungry and exhausted she was. Rowen guessed it was around mid-day when she crouched by a river to wash her face and take a drink. She'd been on edge all morning when she heard movement in the forest around her and seem glimpses of armour. But as she got further away from Camelot, the noises died down and she was able to cover more ground.

When night fell, she was quite close to Ealdor, but her heart sank at the sight of Agravaine's men surrounding the village on hilltops. She didn't know what to do. She would never be able to sneak into the village with Morgana's army watching from all sides. She could only guess which way Arthur would make an escape from and try to meet them. Rowen tried to think like Merlin. He knew the area best so it would probably be him guiding them away. She remembered vaguely how he'd told her about a cave system not too far away which he and Will used to play and hide in as children. It would be a good place to hide considering that he knew the caves and Agravaine wouldn't. Desperately, she tried to recall where he had said the caves were. She didn't have time to circle the whole area and find them- Ealdor was surrounded by mountains.

North of Ealdor. She finally decided. Quickly orientating herself using the stars, she ran in what she could only hope would be where she would find her friends. She could be totally wrong. Merlin might have led them somewhere else to escape the village. She could have remembered their location wrongly. They might not have even been in Ealdor to begin with! But it was Rowen's only option. So she ran. And she kept running until she saw the light of torches in the distance. There were too many to be Merlin and Arthur and probably too close for her to get away unseen.

But when a dragon swopped down from above and began torching the soldiers, Rowen smiled. Only one person could have summoned a dragon. She kept going, hoping that the dragon wouldn't want to barbeque her. Rowen could have cried in relief when she saw the entrance to a cave and a dim light inside it. Rowen didn't know her pace could have quickened. She had been running at what she thought was full speed for ages. But the chance of finding Arthur and Merlin sent fresh adrenaline coursing through her and within seconds she was inside the cave.

"Merlin?" she called softly, peering around to try and spot some light, "Merlin!" she yelled, "Arthur!"

She heard whispered voices ahead of her and then froze when the sounds of kicking stones echoed from behind. Apparently, some of Morgana's men survived the dragon attack. She cursed under her breath and persevered onwards until Merlin literally ran into her and they both tumbled to the ground.

"Ow," she groaned and Merlin jumped off her.

"You're not Agravaine," he said.

"Well noticed. He's coming though, we have to keep going."

"No, we have to stop him," Merlin said.

"How?"

Merlin shrugged and pulled her along until they saw Agravaine and a small group of men in the tunnel not too far away.

"Run," Merlin muttered to Rowen before yelling, "Oh! Hello!"

They sprinted through the tunnels until they came to a dead end which looked like it had been caved in. Whether Merlin had intended to lead them there or not, Rowen couldn't tell, but she just had time to whisper, "What now?" before Agravaine called, "Merlin."

They turned around slowly to face Agravaine.

"Where's Arthur?"

"Be careful," Merlin replied.

"What are you talking about? Where's Arthur? Tell me. Now! Or I'll have to kill you. Both of you."

"I don't think so," Merlin shook his head and took Rowen's hand. His eyes flashed gold and Agravaine and his men all flew backwards. Every one of their heads collided with stone and they lay limp on the ground.

Merlin started to lead her away when Agravaine coughed and sat up, looking horrified.

"You have magic!"

"I was born with it."

"So it's you," Agravaine breathed getting to his feet, "You're Emrys."

"Merlin," Rowen mumbled, squeezing his hand while Agravaine proceeded to step towards them.

"That is what the druids call me."

"And you've been at court all this time, eh? At Arthur's side. How you've managed to deceive him."

"Merlin," Rowen said again, moving so that she was partially hidden behind him, terrified.

"I am impressed, Merlin" Agravaine continued, "Perhaps we are more alike than you think."

A few seconds later, the man was flying through the air once more and this time, he stayed down.

"Let's go," Merlin told Rowen, "We need to catch up with Arthur."

They had only been walking a few minutes when Merlin stopped abruptly, pulling Rowen's back by the hand which he still held. When Arthur jumped out at them, all three sighed in relief.

"Merlin! Where've you been?"

"Were you worried about me?"

"No," Arthur said immediately, and Rowen rolled her eyes, "I was making sure we weren't being followed."

"You came back to look for me."

"Rowen!" Arthur cried happily, "Where did you come from?"

Rowen laughed, "Long story, no time to explain. We need to move."

Rowen was overjoyed to see Guinevere amongst the company Arthur was travelling with. The girls burst into grins and embraced while Arthur, Merlin and Tristan discussed where to go next.

"Are you alright?" Rowen asked.

"I'm fine," Gwen smiled and hugged her friend again, "It's so good to see you."

They were in fairly good spirits. For a while. Until they made camp and it seemed like Arthur had an argument with everyone individually. Gwen was upset. Tristan hated Arthur. Even Merlin seemed a bit lost. In the evening when Arthur was at his lowest, Merlin tried to encourage him and make him see sense, but Arthur was having none of it and even went so far as to storm away.

Rowen got to her feet begrudgingly and chased after him, "Arthur."

"What?" he snapped, "Are you going to shout at me for being stupid? Because I know! Alright? I know. I'm not good enough."

"Arthur, you're more than good enough. There's a reason your people would do anything for you. There's a reason you have a group of loyal knights who would run in to battle and fight for you no matter how many times you asked. There's a reason you're destined to be the greatest king Camelot has ever seen. There's a reason you have a servant who would die a thousand deaths before ever betraying you. You're good and fair and just and honest and so much more, Arthur. Everyone believes in you. Everyone but you."

Arthur just shook his head sadly and walked to the edge of the clearing, sitting alone by himself. When Rowen returned to Gwen, Merlin had vanished too. Arthur didn't return to the fireside until after everyone else had fallen asleep, and when they woke up the next morning, the king and his servant were missing.

"Should we look for them?" Gwen sounded very concerned.

Tristan scoffed and shook his head with a disgusted look on his face,

"I'm sure they're fine," Rowen said, "At least they're together."

"They're with a few more people too," Gwen said pointing to the tree line.

Arthur and Merlin were walking towards them leading half of Camelot's army and hordes of citizens. Merlin looked very proud of himself and Arthur definitely had more confidence than he had last night. Rowen grinned and everyone shot to their feet. Amongst the crowds, she spotted Leon, Percival and Lancelot which was good because she hadn't seen them in the dungeons in Camelot and had worried that they might not have survived the battle.

Everyone was busy. There were soldiers and peasants alike sharpening weapons and sparring.

"Do you think they'll fight?" Isolde asked.

"They'll fight for Arthur," Leon said confidently.

"It's not me they have to fight for. It's for Camelot."

"No, Arthur," Leon said, "It is you the people love, and you that they will lay down their lives for."

Rowen look at Arthur triumphantly.

"I know that I would ride into the mouth of hell for you," Leon continued.

"And I," agreed Percival whole-heartedly.

"And I," Lancelot nodded.

"And I," Merlin said.

"And I," Rowen said, "Every day for the rest of my life if I had to."

Arthur drew his sword, "Then to the mouth of hell it is."

The next morning, everyone seemed to be very emotional. Merlin looked completely shattered. Probably because he hadn't slept properly for three or four nights in a row. Gwen had plucked up the courage to speak to Arthur. Tristan and Isolde had offered to fight with them. Arthur himself was a wreck of every emotion imaginable. Rowen decided he's probably had enough emotive pep-talks that morning and left him be.

She snuck in with Arthur's team. Leon, Percival and Lancelot went to break everyone out of the dungeons. They took down everyone in their path until, surprisingly quickly and easily they were in front of the throne room.

Together, the all screamed, "For the love of Camelot!" and Arthur broke the door open. Only Morgana and her associate Helios were there.

"Welcome, dear brother. It's been far too long," Morgana stood, "I apologise if you had a difficult reception. It's hard to know who to trust these days."

Arthur walked forward to meet her and sheathed his sword, "What happened to you, Morgana? I thought we were friends."

"As did I. But alas, we were both wrong."

"You can't blame me for my father's sins."

"It's a little late for that. You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about me and my kind."

Rowen looked at Merlin awkwardly.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you, Arthur Pendragon. Not even Emrys can save you now."

Arthur drew his sword again and everyone rushed forward to stand by his side. Morgana tried to cast a spell, but nothing happened and Rowen saw Merlin try to hide a smile. Morgana looked furious as she tried again and again, yet still nothing happened and she was forced backwards. Morgana ran. Gwen and Merlin chased her instantly and Rowen was torn on who to follow. When more of Morgana's men flooded the room, Rowen didn't have the chance to choose. She couldn't have got out if she wanted to. They were forced into a square, all back to back as the fight continued. Arthur was still favouring his right side from his broken ribs and the wound Rowen had sustained when Morgana dug her heel into her sister's stomach was suddenly starting to ache again after days of not even being noticeable. In fact, the only person on their side who wasn't disadvantaged was Tristan.

But that didn't stop them trying. Every man that came in, they killed while Arthur was engaged with Helios. When Arthur was floored and his opponent stood over him victoriously. Rowen and Isolde moved at the same time to help. When Isolde stabbed Helios through the gut from behind, it just took a quick flash of Rowen's eyes to get him to drop his sword, even as he turned to attack. But she had been too slow. Even as Helios dropped his sword, it flew into her side in what was probably a fatal wound.

"No."

Isolde turned to Tristan and fell to her knees. Rowen helped Arthur up and they watched sadly. They all had tears streaming down their faces when Merlin and Gwen returned. The moment Isolde took her last breath became too much for Rowen she left the way Merlin had entered, running through the corridors until…

She came face to face with Morgana.