CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


Summary: Finding herself one thousand years back in the past and in the legendary Kingdom of Camelot was something Hermione had never seen coming. But with no possible way back to the future and being stuck in the past, Hermione had no option but to form a new life for herself, and hopefully without changing the timeline. Unfortunately, matters of the heart cannot be controlled and she finds herself entwined in the lives of Prince Arthur and the great and powerful sorcerer, Merlin. Hermione x Arthur pairing.

Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and the creators of Merlin, and the BBC. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. I'm also making some big changes to the Merlin plotline so don't be surprised that nothing matches with canon. If I'm being honest, it's been years since I last saw the series, so I'm mostly going off what I remember and episode reviews and notes. And I've decided Arthur won't be dying.

AN

I've had the week from hell and we're only halfway bloody through it. Despite telling my supervisors I was away, they called me SIX bloody times, asking if I could cover other's shifts. Monday I was only supposed to be working until 8am-3pm, but ended up working till 10pm because everyone had called in 'sick.' In reality, they were all either drunk or hungover after the bank holiday weekend. Tuesday was meant to be my day off and I was going to spend the day relaxing and cranking out as many chapters as possible, but guess what?

That's right, I was called into work! And I have to work Saturday and Sunday, from 7am to 10pm. So, I've come to the decision that I'm quitting. I've had enough, and with that, I've gotten the rant out of the way and let out some steam and now I need sleep, because guess what? Tomorrow was supposed to be my day off and I have to bloody cover again. Oh, Did I forget to mention, I got into a minor car accident on Monday whilst I was working (I travel a lot) and once information had been exchanged and whatnot, I was back on the road working till 10pm, but I didn't actually finish until 11pm and didn't get home until 11.30pm. What is my bloody life! God seriously needs to give me the strength to get me through my notice period.

So, giving as I'm so busy and haven't had any time to write any more chapters, I will try my absolute hardest to get the next one to you as soon as possible. Witch's Oath!

Q&A

Most of your questions will be answered in the coming chapters, and yes, we will be seeing more of Merlin soon.

Guest – Maybe...

Brittani93 – Wow! That is some dedicated addiction, lol. Well, here's your next hit.


Page count: 9


There was nothing she could say or do to truly express her gratitude.

Seeing her tears, his smile fell from his face instantly and he looked concerned, saddened.

"Should I not have done that?" He frowned, looking more nervous than she'd ever seen him.

Hermione took a breath to calm herself and impropriety be damned, she closed the distance between them and took him by surprise when she reached up, looping her arms around his neck and pulling herself against him in a hug. It took him a moment to realise what she'd done but she soon felt his arms move to hold her against him, one wrapping around her shoulders and the other settling against the middle of her back.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Words cannot describe how thoughtful and considerate that was, and how thankful I am for what you've done."

"I made the right decision?" He asked quietly.

"You have done exceptionally, Arthur, truly, thank you," she muttered.

She knew she was later going to beat herself up about her actions but as she stood in Arthur's arms, held against him gently, in a way that had her feeling safe and cared for in as long as she could remember, she couldn't find it in herself to care, not even when she felt the stares of the guards and young boys.

She wasn't quite sure how long they stood holding one another in silence and she was soon pulling back from him, feeling his resistance as he obviously didn't wish to release her. She stepped back from him, their gazes locking instantly, his eyes intense but soft, it was enough to make any girl fall head over heels for him. He reached up, his hands resting against her cheeks and his thumbs wiping away her tears and a laugh left her.

"Right, I need to pull myself together and stop being so emotional," she laughed, stepping back from him, his hands falling from her face and she wiped at her eyes.

"No, you don't," he said. "It's one of the things I like most about you," he confessed. "You're not afraid to show your emotions no matter who may be present. I am used to others hiding their feelings from me; I am used to blank expressions and pretty smiles. You are not afraid to cry in front of me, to show annoyance or anger, whether it is at me or not. You shouldn't change who you are for anyone."

"The same can be said about you, Arthur," she replied. "You are kind and brave and caring, don't let anyone use that against you. I have often been told that showing emotions is a weakness, but it's not. It's a strength, one I've learned to use to my advantage. Those qualities are what makes you who you are, they are how I know you will someday be a King Camelot has never before seen and the people will love you dearly." The way he was looking at her had heat flooding her cheeks and her stomach filling with butterflies, and she cleared her throat. "So, how are we supposed to get those heavy pieces of furniture inside?" She questioned.

He frowned slightly in thought. "I was unsure of how much space you would have," he responded, his eyes darting between the furniture and the small hut, looking to be calculating whether or not it would all fit inside.

"It will be a bit of a squeeze, but they will fit. Once I have a larger premises, I can either transfer this furniture or use others."

"There are dozens more in storage at the castle," he informed her, his eyes darting between the furniture and hut once more. "There are five of us," he gestured to himself and the four guards. "I am sure we will be able to lift the heavier items between us," he said.

"Be careful, I'm here to treat the poor, not the Prince," she teased, seeing his playful scowl before she turned and headed towards the hut, peeking inside to see Ginevra scrubbing the floor.

"How are you fairing, Ginevra?" She asked.

The young girl squeaked in surprise at Hermione startling her and she jumped to her feet, her eyes immediately falling downcast.

"I am finished, Your Highness," she said quietly.

"Excellent," Hermione beamed. "If I were you, I'd come outside, Arthur and the guards are preparing to bring in furniture and they are going to need all the space they can get."

Ginevra picked up the brush and dropped it into one of the buckets before picking them both up and carrying them out of the hut, standing off to the side awkwardly. Hermione's attention moved to Arthur and the guards, seeing that they'd chosen to remove the cots, chairs and small table first as they were the lightest items, before they moved onto the cabinets, which took several of them and some manoeuvring to lift them from the cart and onto the ground.

"Why am I here?"

Hermione startled at the sound of the voice and she turned to see Charles stood beside her. When had he snuck up beside her?

"Excuse me?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Why am I here? I know it has nothing to do with you wanting to give me food. You wouldn't have wanted to meet my brothers otherwise, or you could've just given me some coins to buy my own food."

Hermione's mouth pulled into a smile. "You're very observant," she praised. "Can you read and write?"

He frowned. "Yes," he answered.

"And your brothers?"

"Harrow can, Farley struggles and I've been trying to teach Kenelm the best I can, but I don't have the resources to do so."

"Do you have somewhere to live? A roof over your head? Somewhere dry and warm?"

He eyed her warily. "We move around, never stay in the same place for longer than a night or two, it's dangerous. We sleep wherever we can. Why are you asking such questions?"

"Would you like a job?"

"What?" He spluttered, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Would you like a job?" She repeated.

"I don't understand," he frowned.

"Well, there are a lot of people that need my help and I am going to need someone I can trust to be by my side as I do. I may have one patient a day, I may have ten, in which, I cannot see to them all by myself and require a second pair of eyes, ears and hands. What I require is an apprentice." He stared in surprise. "Aside from the expected providing of clothing, food and boarding, I'll pay you five gold coins a week."

"Five?" He rasped, seeming to have a coughing fit and Hermione frowned in concern, reaching up to pat at his back.

"Yes, five."

"But that is more than most earn, and I will be just an apprentice."

She'd honestly never seen someone so surprised.

"An apprentice I believe will do exceptionally well. Once I've finished training you, you'll be a fully trained and experienced physician and you may do as you wish afterwards. You can stay and work with me, continuing to help those that need it, or you can leave and find somewhere else to work. Once I'm done with you, you'll be one of the best-educated citizens in Camelot. Once Harrow is older and should he wish it, I will train him, too. As for Farley and Kenelm, I will teach them both to read and write. Trust me, Charles, I am very good at what I do. Before my arrival in Camelot, I spent a year and a half in a poor village, where I taught the people to read and write and I trained two apprentices within two months before my leaving."

"But five coins a week?" He questioned, still looking as though he might faint.

"Yes, if you save up, one day you may be able to purchase your own property where you and your brothers can live. For the time being, you may stay here," she gestured to the hut behind her. "It may be a little cramped but it's the best I can offer at the moment until I find somewhere else for you. Each morning, I have to pass through the market place to get here and I will purchase fresh food or I may bring you hot meals from the kitchens at the castle and it will last you three meals a day. As for clothing, I have already purchased some this morning," she gestured to the second basket Ginevra had been carrying. "There wasn't much to choose from and I suspect they will have to be altered."

"You purchased them before? How did you know I'd come?"

"Yes, before. Before you'd even left I had already decided on making you, my apprentice."

"Why are you doing all of this for me, especially after what I did to you?" He asked quietly.

Her expression softened. "Believe it or not, you remind me of myself. You are fiercely protective of your brothers and you are willing to do anything to protect them, to ensure their health. I had two friends who were very much my family, my little brothers and I was just as protective over them as you are your brothers. I would move mountains to ensure their safety and I made it known that should anyone harm them, they would surely regret it. Your actions and behaviour are not out of selfishness or malice, or simply because you can. It is solely for the safety, health and well-being of your family. You are young, Charles, far too young to have such a responsibility on your shoulders and I wish to help ease that."

"I'll have to think about it," he said, watching as Arthur and the guards turned their attention to the second cabinet.

"Of course," she tipped her, a smile pulling at her mouth knowingly as he turned and walked back over to his brothers, Hermione chuckling when she saw that Kenelm was the only one that was still eating.

He'd barely been gone two minutes before he stood beside her once more, her eyes moving to his brothers and seeing the older two staring at her in surprise.

"Do I have to call you 'Your Highness'?"

She smiled, keeping her eyes on Arthur and the guards as they turned their attention to the final item, the heaviest, the large table.

"No, in fact, I would prefer it if you didn't. I don't care for such formalities, and I swear, if you ever bow to me, I will give you all of the disgusting patients."

For the first time since she'd met him, a smile pulled at his mouth.

"Disgusting?"

"Yes, maggot-infested wounds, uncontrollable bowel movements, projectile vomiting, pus-filled boils...I could go on forever."

He grimaced. "That sounds lovely," he said sarcastically.

"I am only informing you of what to expect," she replied amused. "Now, my apprentice, perhaps you should give them a hand with that table, they look to be struggling and I'm sure an extra pair of hands would make all the difference. Just be mindful that whilst I do not care for such formalities, that is Prince Arthur of Camelot and he was raised far differently than I was."

He nodded before leaving her side, crossing over to the group of four and it seemed his help was much appreciated as they were able to remove the table from the cart and rather than putting it down on the ground as she'd expected, they carried it straight to the hut. It was a struggle to fit it through the door but they managed to do so eventually and it was placed in the centre of the room. After that, they were able to bring the first cabinet in which she instructed to be placed on the back wall.

"Harrow, would you care to lend a hand?" She asked the second eldest, seeing that he was watching the men curiously.

Without a word, he stood from the ground and slowly approached the men lifting the second cabinet, and one of the guards directed him to the chairs. He picked them both up and carried them across to the hut, placing them against the right wall.

"I want to help, too," Kenelm called around a mouthful of cheese and he stood and ran to Hermione.

"Of course, little one, but you must eat what you have in your mouth first, we don't want you choking, now do we?"

He chewed his food and then swallowed, opening his mouth wide to show he'd eaten it all and she laughed before offering her hand, which he took and together they walked over to the carts, Hermione lifting a pillow and placing it in arms. He beamed and turned, running to the hut. Hermione chuckled and shook her head, collected the blankets and linens in one sweep and she headed inside the hut, moving aside as the cots were brought in and positioned on the left wall, side by side by with a small gap to allow for movement between them. Hermione quickly went about covering the cots with sheets, neatly laying the blankets over the top and then fluffing up the pillows once Kenelm passed them to her.

When she stepped back, the other cabinet had been brought in and the small table was against the right wall with the two chairs tucked beneath. She looked around, feeling quite pleased with the little space.

"I thank you all for your help this day," Hermione spoke. "Right, I believe everything is done here."

"You may return to the castle," Arthur said to the two guards, and they chorused a 'Sire' and 'Your Highness' before bowing, Hermione seeing Charles trying to hide his snigger at her less than pleased look at them doing so.

"Michel, Emerick, thank you for your help. I would excuse you but I know Arthur would have kittens," she said, seeing him sending her a scowl and she smiled at him innocently. "So, do as you wish, have a wander of the area, take a seat outdoors, I don't mind. Just take a moment to rest up."

"Your Highness," they both chorused with a bow and she scowled in annoyance, seeing Charles once again failing to hide a snigger and Arthur smiled. "Okay, Ginevra, would you please fetch the basket with clothing."

She nodded and curtsied before shuffling out of the hut and returning moments later, handing it to her.

"Right, boys, try these on. I'm not expecting them to fit but I need a visual to see how they need to be altered. We shall wait outside for you, when you are done, give me a call," she instructed, leaving the basket on the table and then stepping outside with Arthur and Ginevra to give them some privacy.

"Well, you have all the furniture you need, now you just need to stock your remedies cabinets," Arthur said.

She smiled at him. "I have everything I need with me."

He raised an eyebrow before a confused look crossed his face when she removed her beaded bag from her pocket, something she knew he'd never seen before.

"Do you remember when I explained I had a magic bag that allowed me to hide my valuables?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Well, don't faint," she said, before opening the bag and sticking her hand inside, his eyes widening and his mouth parting when her arm disappeared right down to her shoulder. "I did say that not all magic is evil," she said softly. "The majority is wonderful and fun and light." She pulled her hand back with a jar gripped between her fingers. "I have all of my remedies and ingredients in this bag, I just have to place them in the cabinets."

"I honestly don't know what to say," he said dumbfounded and she laughed, before a call was heard and Hermione stepped into the hut to see the boys all dressed in their boots, tunics and breeches.

Charles' looked to fit him quite well, Harrow's was too small, Farley's slightly too big and Kenelm's buried him with him being small for his age, but that didn't seem to bother him as he was grinning widely.

"I love them," he said, tugging on the tunic. "Blue's my favourite colour."

"I like red," she replied and he grinned.

"How do they fit?"

"The tunic and breeches are a little tight," Harrow said. "But the boots fit."

"Too big, but the boots are too small, they hurt my feet," Farley said.

"I love them, I don't want them changing," Kenelm said and Hermione chuckled.

"Sweetie, you need clothing that will fit you. Now, I can keep them a little bigger so you have room to grow into them and you'll be comfortable, but I can't leave them as they are, you'll trip and injure yourself. How are your boots?"

He frowned, not pleased with her words and her mouth pulled into a smile at his little pout. "They hurt my feet."

"Okay, we'll get the next size up. Charles?"

"Everything fits," he said, moving his arms and twisting his body, testing how much room he had when moving before nodding. "They're perfect."

"Wonderful, now if you get changed, I shall have them back to you by the end of the day. If you have any belongings you have hidden away, you should collect them now."

Hermione left the hut with Arthur until the boys had changed and once they left, she re-entered, collected the clothing and set them in the basket to be altered later, before turning her attention to pulling the ingredients and pre-made remedies from her beaded bag and putting them in the cabinets, more than aware of Arthur's gaze being on her as she did so.

"Ginevra, I'm excusing you for the rest of the day. Thank you for your help this morning, but before you leave, would you please take this to Kaelyn at Thorley Harte's previous residence? Instruct her to place it on and around the cut on her cheek, as well as the scold on her hand, and to do so twice a day for three days."

She nodded and curtsied before leaving out the door, leaving only her and Arthur inside the hut.

"I can't believe it's ready," she said, her eyes darting about in wonder. "And I never would've gotten it done so quickly if it weren't for you."

"You're welcome," he gave her that charming smile that had her stomach fluttering. "You're making that boy your apprentice, aren't you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"We may not have known each other very long, but I'm starting to understand you, the way you behave, the way you think. You wish to help him and his brothers, making him your apprentice would provide him not only with clothing, food and shelter, but a chance to learn a new craft, something that will change his life. Physicians are always in high demand no matter wealth or the Kingdom."

"Yes, I've made him my apprentice and I will also be teaching Kenelm and Farley to read and write. When Harrow is old enough, possibly Charles' age, and should he wish it, I will make him my apprentice, too."

Something inside the Prince sparked to life, she saw it his eyes, in the way he smiled.

"You believe you will be in Camelot for such a time?"

"I don't wish to overstay my welcome, but I don't plan on leaving Camelot until I know that I've helped as many people as I can. If that takes years, then so be it."

"Hermione, you will never outstay your welcome. Camelot is and will always be happy to have you. I wish for you to flourish and spread your kindness and compassion. I wish for Camelot to be a home for you."

"You know, Arthur, I wish for that, too. I truly do," she said quietly.

On that day, she realised that Arthur had wormed his way into her heart and she couldn't bear the thought of not being able to see his charming smile or hear his kind words or teasing comments. She knew, that no matter what the future held, she would make sure that Arthur would always know she was on his side.

"You will be spending all of your time here, won't you?"

"I imagine so," she nodded. "The quicker word spreads that I'm offering free health care and treatments, I believe I shall be kept rather busy, it being one of the reasons I've taken Charles on as my apprentice. I'm going to need an extra pair of hands."

"Well, I think I might join you."

"Meaning?" She asked confused.

"The boy will need a break from all of the learning he will be doing, and there's no harm in him learning to defend himself. It will be easy for me to bring swords, targets, arrows and practice dummies from the castle so I may teach him to do so, especially the younger boys who will have nothing to do whilst their brother is working. I started training as soon as I could hold a sword, so the youngest should be fine."

She stared at him. "You will give up your time to teach four orphan boys to fight?"

"The way I see it, I am helping these boys to defend themselves, I'm giving them something to occupy their time, it will teach them discipline and honour, it will keep them off the streets, and, I get to be right outside your door. It's a win-win," he smiled, the sun shining down on his face and his bright blue eyes reflecting like sapphires.

And there she goes again, falling a little deeper for him.