Kahlan rubbed at her eyes as she fought to keep them open, gazing over the slumbering group in front of her. Her lips twitched into a smile as she heard Arthur let out a loud snore in his sleep, rolling onto his side. Kahlan flinched when she heard a twig snap from nearby, her head snapping up to see Merlin's mother coming to sit beside her.
"My son didn't introduce us properly. I'm Hunith" The older woman greeted, in a gentle tone.
"Kahlan" She nodded, politely.
"Why have you joined us?" Hunith couldn't help but ask, curiously.
"The same reason as everyone else. To help Merlin" Kahlan informed her.
"You barely know him" Hunith frowned.
"He saved the life of someone I cared about not long ago. I'm returning the favour" Kahlan explained, turning to face the older woman.
"…And it's nice to be in the company of my own kind" Kahlan added, in a hushed voice, as Hunith's eyes almost popped out of her head.
"You have magic?" Hunith gaped, as Kahlan nodded slowly.
"Only Merlin and Morgana know of this. I trust that you are well versed in keeping secrets by now" Kahlan suggested, as Hunith let out a long sigh.
"I've spent many years knowing my neighbours would turn on me the moment they know what my son is. Lies are all I know" Hunith mumbled, as Kahlan gave her a look of sympathy.
"Things will change" Kahlan told her.
"You really believe that?" Hunith questioned.
"I have to" Kahlan stated, seeing Arthur stir in her peripheral vision.
"I am glad Merlin has a friend like you" Hunith smiled, before standing up and wandering over sit by her sleeping son.
Their conversation seemed to have disturbed Arthur, who pushed himself up into a sitting position, letting out a long yawn. He quickly spotted Kahlan sitting on a log by the fire and raised an eyebrow.
"You should get some rest. We still have a long journey ahead of us" Arthur informed her.
"Someone needs to keep watch. We are in Cendred's kingdom and your sword bears the crest of Camelot" Kahlan pointed out, gesturing to the sword by his side.
"…You may have a point" Arthur mumbled, as he pushed himself to his feet, stumbling towards her, still half asleep.
"In other words, I'm right about something?" Kahlan questioned, with a teasing grin.
"Now, now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves" Arthur exclaimed, as Kahlan laughing lightly.
"So, two moons have passed and you're still alive. I must say, I am impressed" Kahlan went on, as Arthur came to sit beside her, a smile spreading over his lips.
"I'm honoured…how did you find us out here?" Arthur inquired, the question having been on his mind most of the night.
"A girl has to have her secrets" Kahlan stated.
"And you certainly are the most mysterious girl I've ever met" Arthur scoffed.
"I'll take that as a compliment" Kahlan giggled.
"I'm guessing your father doesn't know your out here? A little too dangerous for the Crown Prince of Camelot, right?" Kahlan suggested, as Arthur nodded, looking down at his feet.
"I expect to be flogged when I return to the Palace" Arthur muttered, kicking at a rock by his feet.
"And yet you still came. I didn't realise Merlin meant so much to you" Kahlan said, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh, please. I am here for the good people of…uh, Elder…no, Endoor…" Arthur trailed off, his forehead wrinkled.
"Ealdor?" Kahlan laughed, as Arthur clicked his fingers.
"Exactly!" Arthur nodded, making Kahlan roll her eyes.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Arthur" Kahlan mumbled, fondly.
"I think we may have a problem" Merlin announced, as they began to pack up their makeshift camp at dawn.
"We have six people, but only five horses" Merlin pointed out, preparing Arthur's saddle.
"Excellent point, Merlin…I'm glad you have volunteered to walk" Arthur exclaimed, with a small grin.
"What—" Merlin began, as Arthur cut him off.
"Unless you'd like to ask one of the women in the group to trade places?" Arthur retorted.
"Are you including yourself in that group then?" Kahlan pointed out, making Arthur roll his eyes.
"A gentleman would offer up his horse gladly" Morgana smirked at Arthur.
"I'm a Prince" Arthur huffed.
"A selfish one" Kahlan mumbled, making Morgana snort.
"Fine! I'll walk!" Arthur cried, raising his hands out in exasperation.
"So nice of you" Kahlan grinned, her tone filled with sarcasm.
"Did she just manipulate me into giving up my horse?" Arthur frowned, turning to Merlin, who was having to bite his lip to stop his laughter.
"It would appear so, Sire" Merlin replied, teasingly.
"…I suppose we could share a horse" Kahlan exclaimed, with a half-shrug.
"Oh, feeling generous, are we?" Arthur scoffed, as Kahlan walked over to his horse, stroking the animal's face gently.
"Oh Arthur, so easy to rile up" Kahlan giggled, as Arthur came to stand beside her.
"I am not easy to…" Arthur trailed off, in a high-pitched voice, only proving her point.
"Are you waiting for me to help you up?" Kahlan teased, gesturing to the horse, as Arthur pursed his lips.
"I was wrong last night...I've realised your actually the most irritating woman I've ever met" Arthur grumbled, as he hauled himself up into the saddle.
"Ah, the most irritating woman you've met so far" Kahlan corrected, as she pulled herself up behind him, appearing stronger than she looked.
Despite himself, Arthur felt his lips twitching into a smile as he took hold of the reins and ushered the horse forward. The smile grew a little wider as the horse picked up its pace, and Kahlan was forced to grab a hold of his waist to stop herself from falling off the horse. She pulled herself closer to him, trying to ignore the blush that was slowly rising up on her cheeks. She heard a soft chuckle from behind her and turned to glare at Merlin, who quickly averted his eyes to the ground, looking far too amused with the situation.
Tension grew the closer they got to Ealdor, as they shared out the few weapons they had taken from Camelot. Kahlan kept a large sword clutched in one hand and the other around Arthur's waist as they finally reached the village, hearing shouts of terror from within. It appeared they were arriving just in time, as they watched a scarred man raise an axe above one of the villager's heads, who was whimpering on the floor. Suddenly, Arthur raised his sword in the air and threw it towards the man, missing his face by inches, as the sword crashed into a nearby post. The scarred man seemed taken aback, as Arthur rode closer, a determined look on his face. Kahlan's jaw had dropped open, impressed by Arthur's aim, as she was reminded what a good fighter he was.
"Arthur!" Kahlan exclaimed, as he jumped down from their horse.
He turned to her, as she threw her sword his way, which he caught effortlessly in his palm. Giving her a grateful nod, he immediately began to fight the nearest thug, their swords clashing together. Merlin was the next to jump from his horse, as a large man raced towards him, sending his sword flying towards him. Just as Kahlan was about to help the warlock, she spotted a masked bandit was attempting to pull Gwen from her horse, a dagger in their hand. In a split second, she was racing towards the other woman, grabbing a nearby pillar of wood, and slammed it into the back legs of the man. He howled out in pain, dropping to his knees as Kahlan swung the wood again, which shattered against his skull, knocking him to the ground.
"Thank you" Gwen nodded, a little breathless.
"You're welcome" Kahlan grinned.
A second later she felt something grab her ankle and looked down to see the man clawing at her leg, his dagger raised in the air. Without warning, Gwen jumped down from her saddle, her feet landing on the man's back, who let out a cry of pain.
"I'll be taking that" Kahlan muttered, reaching down to grab the dagger, and kicking the man in the face, rendering him unconscious.
Her eyes flickered back to Merlin, who had been cornered by the large man, who was clearly far stronger. Kahlan's eyes widened as she watched the man's sword turn a bright orange colour, causing him to instantly drop the burning metal from his hands. Seeing the opportunity, Kahlan sent the dagger flying through the air, hitting the man in the back, who flopped to the ground. Kahlan raised an eyebrow at Merlin, surprised he would use magic so obviously in public.
"Getting saved by a girl, can't feel too good, eh Merlin?" Arthur teased, having seen the fight from afar.
Suddenly, a raider snuck up behind Arthur, who whipped around a moment too late to dodge the blow. Kahlan held her breath as Morgana appeared out of nowhere, her sword clashing with the man's, throwing him off balance. She then expertly countered his attack and sliced his stomach open with her sword, killing her opponent.
"Tell me, how does it feel, Arthur?" Morgana smirked.
"I had him" Arthur grumbled, childishly.
"Mmm, it seemed like it" Kahlan called out, as the raiders began to run away, not having expected any resistance.
"You'll pay for this with your lives…all of you!" The scarred man cried, who Kahlan now assumed was Kanen, the leader.
She watched as he grabbed his horse roughly and pulled himself up, sending Arthur a look of hatred before riding off. The other raiders immediately followed, as some of the villagers began to cheer. If only it were that easy, Kahlan thought to herself.
"Do you want some help?" Kahlan offered, as she watched Morgana struggle to tie up the metal she had attached to the sleeves of her shirt.
It was the following morning, and they were preparing to start training the villagers for the war to come. They had been received well, apart from Merlin's friend, Will, who seemed to despise Arthur before he had even opened his mouth. Morgana nodded gratefully, as Kahlan approached and started to tie up the laces, noticing the dark bags under Morgana's eyes.
"You didn't sleep well last night?" Kahlan inquired, as Morgana let out a long sigh.
"No…but it had nothing to do with our sleeping quarters" Morgana mumbled, making Kahlan frown.
"You have trouble sleeping?" Kahlan asked, as Morgana nodded.
"Since I was a child" Morgana replied, as Kahlan finished up her handiwork.
"I'm the same. I suffer from nightmares…vivid nightmares" Kahlan admitted, with a small shake of her head.
"Is there anything you've found that has helped?" Morgana asked.
"Well, hitting myself over the head with a heavy object usually works" Kahlan shrugged, making Morgana laugh.
"I'm not sure that will work for me" Morgana chuckled, smoothing down the fur she was wearing over her shirt.
"…There are objects that I've heard of that can help aid a person to sleep" Kahlan told her, a few seconds later.
"Magical objects?" Morgana questioned, in an almost scandalised tone.
"Shockingly yes" Kahlan giggled, mockingly.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to someone speaking about magic so…openly" Morgana confessed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"I'm not used to someone being so accepting of magic" Kahlan pointed out, as the two shared a look.
"Then we are both very lucky to have this friendship" Morgana smiled, watching Kahlan's forehead wrinkle.
"What is it?" Morgana asked, noticing the conflict on Kahlan's features.
"I've just, uh…I've never had a friend outside of the camp" Kahlan replied, as Morgana's smile widened.
"…Even if she doesn't know how to dress herself" Kahlan grinned, making Morgana roll her eyes.
"Arthur was right. You are trouble" Morgana mumbled, fondly.
"When does Arthur talk about—" Kahlan began, a curious tone to her voice, but was cut off by a newcomer entering the farmhouse.
"He won't listen to reason" Gwen announced, crossing her arms.
"What's this about?" Kahlan frowned, confused.
"We don't have enough men to fight of Kanen's men…but with the women too, perhaps we stand a chance" Morgana explained.
"I agree" Kahlan nodded.
"If only Arthur did too" Gwen sighed, clearly irritated.
"He said no?" Morgana queried, already having expected the outcome.
"He believes it's too dangerous. Women have as much a right as men to fight" Gwen insisted.
"…Leave Arthur to me. I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be" Kahlan suggested, as Morgana's lips twitched into a smile.
"Oh?" Morgana exclaimed, teasingly.
"He's all yours" Gwen added, as she and Morgana shared a knowing look.
Kahlan grimaced as she watched Arthur spend the rest of the day training the men, none of whom appeared to have ever swung a sword in their lives. She was surprised they all had their fingers attached by the time the sun went down. She could see why Morgana and Gwen were so concerned. There was no way they could beat the raiders with the numbers they had. Grabbing a nearby sword, she approached Arthur, who was drinking from the village well, completely oblivious to her presence. He frowned when he saw a woman's glove was suddenly thrown in front of his face and turned around to see Kahlan leaning on her sword with a smirk.
"Go on…pick it up" Kahlan told him, as Arthur scoffed.
"Are you challenging me to a duel?" He questioned, in a tone of disbelief.
"What's wrong? Scared I might show you up?" Kahlan replied, as Arthur pursed his lips.
"Not possible" Arthur stated, as he picked up his sword, a small grin growing on his face.
"If I win our duel, you have to let the women fight, if you win the duel…well, your wish is my command, Sire" Kahlan explained, giving him a mocking curtsey.
"You really think you can beat me?" Arthur asked.
"Probably not, but it's worth a try" Kahlan shrugged, making him chuckle.
Her eyes widened as Arthur suddenly lunged forward, raising his sword in the air, but not striking her. Kahlan had instinctively taken a step to the side, as Arthur watched her footwork. Smart, Kahlan thought to herself. He was trying to figure out her fighting technique. Needing no further prompting, Kahlan thrust her sword forward, as Arthur quickly brought his blade up to parry the blow. She then kicked her leg out, hitting him in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards.
"You can't just—" Arthur began, but she cut him off.
"Do you think these raiders will play fair, Arthur? They'll find your weak spot and exploit it" Kahlan explained.
"And what is my weakness?" Arthur inquired.
"Your slow" Kahlan replied.
Arthur only had a second to react before Kahlan was raising her sword in the air, as their weapons clashed. Kahlan suddenly ducked down, twisting herself around so that she was to Arthur's side and kicked him in the back of the legs, pushing him forward. She then swung her sword forward, almost hitting him in the back, but stopping at the last moment.
"You'd be dead right now" Kahlan pointed out, as Arthur grit his teeth.
All of a sudden, he swung his sword backwards, forcing Kahlan to jump back. With a determined look in his eyes, he surged forward, his sword crashing against Kahlan's, who tried to push him off, but he was far stronger. He pushed his sword against hers harder until her own sword was almost cutting against her shoulder. Before she could stop him, he had swung his leg around, kicking her off her feet as she fell onto her back with a loud thump. Arthur raised his sword towards her, the tip almost touching her neck, as he raised an eyebrow.
"And now you're dead" Arthur exclaimed.
He was surprised as an amused grin spread over her lips, as she rolled to her side, before jumping back to her feet. Arthur understood what she was trying to teach him. This was real life. He was fighting in a duel with a man who'd fight by the knight's code.
"In that case, I'd say that was a tie" Kahlan suggested.
"Then we both win?" Arthur replied, as Kahlan nodded.
"Which means the women get to fight" Kahlan insisted, as Arthur let out a long sigh.
"They could die" Arthur told her, a worried look on his features.
"If Kanen's men win, they will anyway" Kahlan reasoned.
"…Fine. They can join us for training tomorrow. Only the young and abled!" Arthur stated, as Kahlan held her hands up in mock defence.
"And I get my wish?" Arthur asked, as Kahlan begrudgingly nodded.
"Tell me where a Druid learnt to fight with a sword" Arthur commanded, watching as her face fell.
"Cerdan. He taught me and Mordred to fight from a young age. He was worried that the Druid's would not always protect us…he worried too much…" Kahlan trailed off, with a sad smile.
"Worried?" Arthur questioned, noticing the past tense.
"…Your father executed him. He was the man Mordred was with when he was caught in Camelot" Kahlan explained, as Arthur's mouth went slack.
"I-I'm sorry, I wouldn't have asked if—" Arthur started, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.
"It's fine. I, uh…I should be going. Morgana will be needing help collecting the weapons" Kahlan mumbled, quickly turning on her heel, as Arthur cursed under his breath.
Kahlan was deep in thought the following morning, as she sat on a log, sharpening one of the swords. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she and Arthur should have been enemies. His family hated Druids, and the Druids…well, the Druids didn't hate anyone, but if they could, they would have hated Uther, she thought to herself. She was suddenly brought out of her thoughts by a piercing scream, as her head snapped up. She watched as a horse flew past her, a body attached to the saddle, an arrow through their back. She rushed forward to where a crowd had formed, as two men quickly pulled the man down from the horse. Kahlan couldn't even remember the man's name.
"What does it say?" Merlin questioned, as Arthur spotted a note that had been attached to the arrow in the man's back.
"Make the most of this day, it will be your last" Arthur muttered.
"Matthew! No! No!" A young woman screamed, racing over to the dead body, a horrified expression on her face.
Kahlan looked away as the woman dropped to her knees by the corpse of who Kahlan assumed was her husband. The woman sobbed uncontrollably, as she clutched Matthew's cold body.
"You did this! Look what you've done! You've killed him!" Will cried, pushing himself to the front of the crowd.
"It wasn't his fault" Merlin argued.
"If he hadn't been strutting around, treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened!" Will insisted, angrily.
"These men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in, even if you aren't!" Arthur exclaimed, but his tone betrayed him.
"You're sending them to their graves!" Will told him gesturing to Matthew's corpse, as Arthur hung his head in shame.
"You killed one man. How many more need to die before you realise this a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a chance. You're gonna be slaughtered" Will warned, with a shake of his head.
Arthur opened his mouth to argue, but the words died on his lips. Perhaps Will was right, was this a fight that couldn't be won? Was Matthew's dead his fault?
"No" Kahlan suddenly spoke up, as all eyes turned to her.
"This wasn't a warning. Kanen is trying to scare you. Because he knows we could beat him. He wants to throw you off balance, make us fight against each other! He's the enemy! If we fight together, all of us, the women included…that bastard doesn't stand a chance" Kahlan insisted, as silence rang out in the village.
She was surprised when a cheer started up, as some of the men raised their fists in the air. Will rushed away, his jaw tense, as he could tell his warning had fallen on deaf ears. Kahlan's eyes connected with Arthur's, as she spotted the strange look he was giving her. The guilt was still clearly eating him up inside.
"You've made them believe" Merlin smiled, as Kahlan looked back towards Arthur, noticing the conflict behind his eyes.
"And now it's your job to make him believe" Kahlan stated, ushering towards Arthur.
"Your better with your words than I am" Merlin mumbled, shyly.
"But you're the one Arthur completely trusts. If you tell him we can win, he'll believe you" Kahlan explained, as Merlin shook his head.
"I think you have too much faith in me" Merlin scoffed.
"Or maybe you don't have enough faith in yourself" Kahlan retorted, as Merlin turned towards the Prince, a determined look growing on his face.
Once dusk had fallen that night, Arthur had brought them all into the stables, where they gathered around a fire. Something was different about him. He stood taller, more sure of himself than Kahlan had seen since they had come to the village.
"This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honoured to stand alongside you. Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill, which is why he will never defeat us. Look around. In this circle, we're all equals. You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to, you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace. And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes: fighting for your very right to survive! And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day, and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight! For your family! For your friends! For Ealdor!" Arthur cried, raising his sword in the air.
The effect was immediate, as everyone was on their feet, holding their weapons high in the air, as they repeated the mantra. Arthur had what he needed. Hope. Kahlan turned to Merlin, quirking an eyebrow, an impressed look on her face. A grin broke out on Merlin's face, as he cheered loudly, knowing he had done his job.
Kahlan brought her blanket further over her shoulders as she looked up at the moon that night, pondering over whether it could be the last one she would see. She jumped when she heard a twig snap from nearby and turned to see a familiar blond approaching her, who appeared as tired as she was.
"Can't sleep?" Kahlan questioned, as Arthur came to stand beside her, looking up at the sky.
"You too?" He guessed, as she nodded.
"That was a very impressive speech you gave today" Kahlan stated.
"I was just following the lead of a friend" Arthur replied, as Kahlan's lips twitched into a smile.
"Oh, really? Have you thanked her yet?" Kahlan teased, as Arthur tilted his head.
"I was talking about Merlin" Arthur shrugged, as the two burst out laughing.
"…It's not too late to leave if you wanted. This isn't your fight" Arthur told her, as Kahlan shook her head.
"I'm happy to be here. To fight for something I believe in. And…" Kahlan trailed off, not sure if she should say what was on her mind.
"What?" Arthur frowned.
"Honestly? It feels good to be away from my camp, even if it's just for a little while. Sometimes it can be suffocating. I feel…trapped. I mean, I miss them all but…are you even listening to me?" Kahlan questioned, when she saw how Arthur's eyes had widened as if he had a sudden realisation.
"You're a genius!" Arthur cheered.
"Uh…thank you?" Kahlan murmured, confused.
"Trapped! We'll trap the raiders. We can use the fences…fire! We can create a ring of fire, startle their horses, force them where we want them…Merlin, wake up! We have work to do!" Arthur yelled, rushing back into Hunith's house.
"Glad I could help" Kahlan chuckled.
Her nerves only started to kick in the next morning, when they heard Kanen's men had crossed the nearest river. They would be there in a matter of minutes. All the men and women got into their positions, as Merlin and Kahlan crouched down near Arthur, hiding behind one of the houses. Merlin looked so small in the chainmail that appeared to swamp him, looking far younger than he was.
"Merlin, whatever happens today…you need to remember your destiny" Kahlan whispered, making him frown.
"What do you mean?" Merlin frowned.
"I know your thinking of revealing your magic. But you can't. It's too soon" Kahlan insisted, as Merlin shook his head.
"I can't let these people die when I know I could save them—" Merlin began, but she cut him off.
"If we need to use magic, I'll be the one to reveal my power. Not you" Kahlan told him.
"But if Arthur finds out…" Merlin trailed off, making her sigh.
"I'll never be allowed to come to Camelot again…and that's if he lets me off lightly" Kahlan mumbled.
"There must be—" Merlin started, but was cut off by Arthur's voice this time.
"Here they come!" Arthur hissed, gesturing for them all to duck down further.
Kahlan's heart beat faster as she watched Kanen's men enter the village, more than she had expected. Her eyes focused on the swords and axes many had, realising that not only were they outnumbered, but the raiders had more weapons too. On Arthur's signal, once enough of the men were inside the village, the makeshift fences they had made the night before were pulled up using rope, cutting off all but one exit.
"Now, Morgana. What are you waiting for?" Arthur hissed, as he saw the other exit was left open, no fire in sight.
"Something's gone wrong" Merlin realised, as he turned to race away, when Kahlan grabbed his arm.
"No. You're needed here. Do your job" Kahlan insisted, as Merlin reluctantly stayed in place.
Before anyone could stop her, Kahlan pushed herself to her feet and took off running towards the exit. She could hear Arthur shout her name, but she didn't stop. She felt rather than saw as an arrow whizzed past her, missing her face by mere inches. Her eyes flickered to her right, where she could see some of Kanen's men chasing after her. She ducked just in time to miss another arrow, almost tumbling over her own feet as she turned a corner and saw Morgana on the ground.
"I can't light the fire!" Morgana exclaimed, in a panic as she spotted the younger girl.
Without another word, Kahlan raised her hand out, her eyes burning a gold colour. A second later, a flame appeared in front of them, spreading out to completely block off the only exit left. The fire grew high, as one of Kanen's men was bucked off from his horse, and the others were forced to back away.
"You did it—" Morgana began, cutting herself off as an arrow suddenly pierced through Kahlan's shoulder, causing her to stumble forwards.
The brunette let out a cry of pain, as she all but fell into Morgana's arms, who quickly tried to drag her away. Morgana looked up to see Kanen racing towards them, a crossbow in his arms, and a smirk on his face.
"Kahlan!" They heard Arthur's cry, as Kanen closed in on the pair.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Some cute scenes between Kahlan and Arthur in this one, I wonder who will save Kahlan in the next chapter? Please leave a review:)