CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
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
We all know these last couple of weeks have been stressful and rubbish for me, what with my accident and now my job, well, they say these things come in threes and it has. I've got a family situation going on right now and it needs my attention. So, as much as I hate to do this, I'm going to be taking a hiatus from writing/posting of 1–2 weeks. 1 week minimum but definitely no longer than 2, it would kill me to be away from this for so long. I'll be spending the time with my family whilst trying to crank out a few chapters for not only this but some of my other WIPs, and if I'm lucky, I might get this one finished.
I always read over my reviews as they keep me motivated and I came across one than that, I'm not going to lie, did upset me a little bit. I like to think I take criticism very well and I've been called many offensive things over the years and they honestly have never affected me as much as this one did. They said I was a "lazy writer" because they didn't agree with the way I didn't have Hermione using her magic to defend herself in Ealdor when she was almost executed (publicly, I might add) and then later again when she was attacked in the woods by multiple attackers, muggles or not.
Anyway, given how hard I've been working on these chapters to get them out to you all so quickly and these last couple of weeks which have been awful, plus this family thing I have going on, I've decided it best to take a short break. I don't want the quality of my writing to suffer because of my circumstances and it wouldn't be fair to give you anything less than my best, so I'm hoping this short hiatus will allow me to improve and hopefully get this one finished for you all.
Right, rant over. Enjoy, and I shall be back soon.
Side note: Has anyone seen Izombie? I was scrolling through my suggestions on youtube and a video on Izombie popped up with a character I recognised. Long story short, I've just realised that Bradley James (Arthur) is the actor who plays Lowell, Liv's zombie boyfriend! How I never noticed it before I don't know and now I just can't stop thinking about it. Tell me I'm not the only one who didn't notice! I feel ashamed of myself.
Q&A
We'll be seeing the outcome of the riders sent with the missive soon, other than that, I'm not giving anything else away. There are several ways it might end but you'll have to wait and see to find out, and I'm not revealing anything about the discovery of Hermione's / Merlin's magic as I wish for it to be a surprise.
Mistra Rose – Welcome and I'm glad you took the chance and have found yourself enjoying this one.
Aiyaiy13 – I do!
KateKat1992 – Arthur is a Prince, he would never skip down the halls! But walking with a spring in his step is a strong possibility.
Riversgirl75 – I did promise it would happen eventually and now that it's started, it can't be stopped.
ChipzGrMione – I enjoyed the game of thrones series but I have no clue and get confused about the characters – who's who, who's related, who dies, what city is which, who's allied to who, that kind of thing. I was working on a collaboration with another author but I think that might have been put on hold indefinitely due to crazy schedules, real-life and my current WIPs and future planned fics.
Theother1gater– Whilst I do have the majority of the plot planned to happen a certain way, there are a couple of things I'm still on the fence about, and Hermione meeting the dragon is one of them. I know Merlin and he no longer see eye to eye and I imagine Merlin will find out should Hermione visit him –and she doesn't know about him, no one does, really,- and he'd warn her not to go. So, I've still got to make a decision.
Page count: 9
It was three weeks after her birthday bringing it up to a total of five weeks since she'd arrived in Camelot, and Hermione found herself sitting on a chair outside the medical hut with Kenelm perched in her lap and a handful of parchment paper held in her hand. As she did her best to teach the young child to read, every so often she would look up at the three older boys, seeing them laughing and play fighting with the wooden swords Arthur had left behind earlier in the day.
Now that she'd seen to the majority of the citizens of the lower city and she only saw to a couple of patients a day, Hermione found herself with more free time and she had been using that to make a start on teaching Harrow about his magic and to teach Farley and Kenelm how to read. Farley had already had someone teach him the basics before his parents had died and therefore he was picking things up quite quickly, Kenelm, on the other hand, was much younger and finding it a little more difficult but bless his little heart, Hermione knew he was trying his best.
Her original plan had been to gather a group of adults and teach them to read so they could teach the children in the city, but Gwen had offered to take over and she'd been able to convince some of her neighbours to be the ones to teach others how to read and write. Hermione couldn't complain, it not only gave them a purpose, but it allowed her more time to spend on other things whilst the children were still being taught, there was no loser in the situation.
And now that it had quieted down, Hermione was able to spend more time teaching Charles about the lesser-known illnesses and showing him how to make the cures, remedies and tonics. He was an incredibly fast learner and he had more than earned her trust and his wage of five gold coins a week with the effort he'd been putting in. In a few weeks, Hermione had every intention of stepping down and putting Charles in charge of running the medical hut. She would give him free rein whilst being sure to be close should he ever need her advice or help and once he'd settled in and had learned how to run the practice, she would name him a fully qualified physician and pass over the mantle of lower city physician to him for good. And the best part, Charles had no idea what she had planned and she couldn't wait to see the look on his face when they reached that point.
As Hermione lifted her gaze to quickly glance at the three boys and make sure they were fine, she caught sight of Gwen approaching.
"Okay, I think that is enough for now. You're doing really well and we'll have you reading in no time," Hermione said to the child on her lap.
"Can I play with the others?" Kenelm asked with a wide grin due to her praise.
"Of course, little one, but be careful and remember what Prince Arthur said about the swords. They may not be sharp, but they can still hurt you."
Hermione lifted him off her lap and to the ground and he darted over to the patch of grass where his brothers were playing, though it seemed Charles was taking it more seriously than the others. Hermione set the parchment down and stood from her chair, smoothing down her dress and she quickly glanced around her, seeing no sign of Akela. He'd disappeared several hours ago, likely to have gone hunting and she'd sent Michel and Emerick off for a little break not too long ago, the only reason they'd agreed to leave being no threats had been made against Hermione and everyone that resided in the lower city seemed to love and respect her after everything she'd done for them. She wasn't alone as she had the four boys with her and she knew they wouldn't have gone too far either and they'd be within hearing distance so she could call for them if she needed them.
"Gwen," Hermione greeted with a smile as the other woman came to a stop before her, her eyes darting to the four boys and a laugh leaving her before she turned back to Hermione. "Did you leave something behind?" Hermione asked.
Gwen had been spending several days a week at the medical hut, not wanting to be a physician in the way Charles did but rather she wished to know more about basic first aid and how to wrap or change bandages and things of that sort. During those times the future Queen always made it a point to talk about Arthur and Hermione wasn't stupid. She knew she was up to something, especially since Merlin had been doing the same when they went into the woods to train his magic.
"No, I was returning home when I crossed paths with Arthur. He has asked that I give you a message."
"And that is?" Hermione questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"He wishes for you to meet him by the entrance gates of the city later this evening. He said not to worry about changing your clothing but he advises that you bring your cloak."
"Do you know why?"
"I only know that he wishes for you to meet him by the gates," Gwen smiled innocently.
Hermione eyed her suspiciously but otherwise nodded. "Very well, thank you for coming all this way to speak with me."
"It wasn't a problem and I hope you enjoy your time with Arthur," Gwen smiled before she turned and walked away.
Hermione watched until she was no longer in view. She wasn't all that surprised that Arthur wished to meet with her; he'd been spending more time with her recently, especially since the evening of her birthday. Most of the time he took her back to the stream where they'd converse comfortably, cloud watched or he'd allow her to read one of the books he'd gifted her in silence, sometimes evening asking if she'd read aloud to him. Sometimes he'd accompany her on walks through the castle and around the grounds depending on the weather and other times he'd take a walk through the market place with her, and that was all as well as him not being far from the medical hut as she worked and he taught the children how to fight and defend themselves.
She supposed she should probably be a little suspicious of his intentions but she couldn't bring herself to be. She enjoyed his company, she enjoyed conversing with him, learning more about the person he was and the person he wished to be. It was nice having someone who cared for your opinions and who genuinely wished to spend time with you without wishing for something in return or having an ulterior motive. Hermione knew that in the long run, she would probably regret all the time she was spending with Arthur because each conversation and interaction had her falling a little deeper for him, but at this point, there was nothing she could do to stop it. She'd tried and had now resigned herself to her fate of being cursed to love a man that could never be with her.
Sighing, she turned back to the four boys, frowning slightly when she only counted three and realised Kenelm was missing.
"Kenelm!" She called, her eyes darting about in search of him. "Kenelm!"
"Up here!"
Hermione followed the sound of his voice until her eyes landed on the small child and her eyes widened in horror, a gasp of terror left her and her hands came up to press against her stomach, as if that would quell the instant nausea that caused her stomach to roll.
"Kenelm! Get down!" She commanded.
"Look how high I am! I can see everyone!" He called through a laugh.
To Hermione, it was no laughing matter. The young child was currently stood on a very high tree branch, the only thing keeping him from falling was his grip on the branch beside him and with the height he stood above the ground and his smaller size and weaker body, she was certain the fall would kill him.
How the hell had he even managed to climb so high? She had to lift her head and squint her eyes just to see him through the thick leaves on the branches above him which almost hid him from view.
"Kenelm, get down!" She shouted.
Her voice drew the attention of the other boys and she heard their noises of surprise and horror but didn't dare turn her eyes from him. Everything after that happened so quickly.
There was a chorus of voices as both Harrow and Farley shouted for their brother to stay where he was and a blur of fabric rushed past her and to the tree, Hermione blinking until she realised that it was Charles and the moment he reached the far too large tree, he began to climb it as quickly as he could to reach the little boy.
"Charles, it's so fun up here!" Kenelm laughed as he bent over to look down at his older brother and that was when he lost his balance, his foot slipped as he tried to right himself, his hand missed the branch he grabbed for and he toppled backwards, heading straight for the ground.
A noise of terror was caught in the back of her throat and in a motion she hadn't realised she'd done, she threw her arm out and a pulse of magic burst within her and shot out of the tip of her fingers like a ripple in the water.
She chocked on her sob of relief and stumbled, almost collapsing to the ground when Kenelm was suddenly caught in mid-air, his screams of terror tapering off and his eyes slowly opening to see that he was bobbing gently in the air. Hermione had never been more grateful of the fact magic was instinctual, especially hers after all that she'd been forced to do over the years, and she'd never been more grateful that she'd decided to practice wandless and non-verbal magic. Although it was difficult, it was becoming like second nature to her now.
Hermione released a slow breath before she slowly lowered her hand to her side, Kenelm's form lowering to the ground as she did so until his feet gently touched the floor and she dropped her hand completely, her body sagging in relief that the little boy was safe.
Harrow and Farley were soon surrounding the young child and Charles jumped from the tree and back to the ground, pulling Kenelm into a hug before he kneeled down to berate him for what he'd done. Hermione, suddenly realising that she'd performed magic in a public setting, her eyes widened in alarm and she spun around quickly, her eyes darting about her surroundings in search of any who may have witnessed the incident. Seeing no Akela, Michel, Emerick and not a single other person in sight except for the four boys, she released a slow breath, before startling when she felt something collide with her, arms wrapping around her waist.
Looking down, she saw Kenelm's tear-filled eyes and she was quick to reach down and lift the child, settling him on her hip as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck.
"It's okay, you're okay," she breathed out, doing her best to slow her heart rate and relax her muscles after the way they'd tensed up during the whole incident.
"You saved me," he cried.
"I did, but you have to be careful, Kenelm. You were far too high and if I weren't here, you would've gotten severely hurt, something that neither I nor your brother would've been able to fix."
"I won't do it again, I promise," he said.
"I know," she replied, rubbing comforting circles on his back with the hand that wasn't holding him to her. "I think we've had enough excitement for one day," she spoke, spying Charles who ran a hand through his hand, his breathing heavy and his cheeks had tinted pink from the effort of climbing the tree. "Come on, I'll make you dinner before I have to leave to meet with Prince Arthur," she said louder so the others would hear, too.
Hermione turned for the hut and slowly made her way towards it, Farley and Harrow falling into step beside her and Charles was a step behind her.
"I think you should teach me how to do what you just did," Harrow spoke, his eyes darting between his little brother who clung to her and her face.
"I have every intention of doing so," Hermione promised, her arm moving to hook around his shoulders and gently tugging him into her side.
~000~000~000~
After ensuring that Kenelm hadn't been injured and putting the finishing touches on their meal for the night, she double-checked the security wards as she did every night before she left the four boys to their devices.
Seeing that Akela and her guards had since returned, she explained her plans for the evening as she fastened her cloak around herself. Akela, deciding he didn't wish to go with her that evening, nudged at her hand for a pet before he turned and headed towards the castle whilst the guards escorted her to the city gates.
When Arthur and his horse came into view, a frown pulled at Hermione's brow at the sight of the usually composed Prince packing back and forth, his red cape billowing in the breeze and muttering to himself distractedly, the guards stood by the gates doing their best not to stare lest they be caught but that didn't stop them from sending quick glances in his direction. Hermione quietly released Michel and Emerick of their duties for the night and they bowed with a 'Your Highness' before they left her alone with Prince Arthur.
"Arthur?" Hermione questioned, a tone of concern in her voice.
He spun around to face her, his eyes widening and staring at her face.
"Is everything alright?"
"Fine," he said rather unconvincingly.
"I'm not sure I believe you, you looked quite unsettled."
He took a breath and his posture relaxed, a smile appearing on his face though Hermione noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes the way it usually did.
"All is well," he assured her. "It has been a tiring day and I attended a rather long meeting with the council which did not end with the outcome I'd wished for."
"They are against your ideas to better the city and people," she stated knowingly, her voice softening as she knew how much it agitated the young Prince that the council did not seem to care for the less fortunate citizens of Camelot.
"Their concern is not the people but the coin it will cost to better them. As soon as I have the opportunity and authority, they will be replaced with those that will care more for Camelot than they do wealth."
"I'm sorry you have had such a trying day, perhaps we should cancel this evening so you may take some time for yourself," she offered.
"The journey will give me the peace and quiet I need," he replied, holding his gloved hand out in offering.
Without thought, Hermione approached and raised her own hand to settle against his and he guided her towards his horse before helping her onto the saddle and he was quick to settle behind her, taking the reins and trapping her in his arms. For Hermione, this had become an occurring incident over the last few weeks and she no longer felt afraid or uncomfortable when being on the horse, though she knew that would likely change if she were to be by herself.
"Where are we going this evening?" She asked, noting that they appeared to be heading out of the city and into the woods rather than towards the stream.
"For a change of scenery," he replied, kicking his horse and they took off at a gentle walk, leaving the city behind and stepping into the soon to be dark woods.
Arthur was unusually quiet during their journey but after what he'd said about his meeting with the council, she decided to remain silent and not disturb him as he appeared to be distracted by what had been said during the meeting and she didn't envy the Prince for having to attend a meeting with such people. She could imagine the trouble she'd get herself into if she were present during such meetings.
"How has your day fared?"
Hermione startled at the sudden sound of his voice and she gave her head a light shake. "I had but a handful of patients, so I was able to take the time to have a reading and writing lesson with Farley and Kenelm, I spoke with Gwen and had a visit from Merlin but otherwise it has been quiet, more so than I am used to."
"You have attended to the people and now I suspect you will only see those that are in true need of treatment."
Hermione nodded. "Yes, in a few weeks I will be stepping down and handing over the reins to Charles so he may run the practice. I will be nearby should he need me and once I'm certain he is settled and comfortable, I'll give him the seal of approval and he'll be a fully trained physician, in which, he may decide what he wishes to do regarding his future, though I have the suspicion he will wish to stay in the lower city, it is all he knows and it is his home."
"And what do you plan to do after that?"
"Well, once the orphanage has been built, I will do what I can to help with the transition of staff and children into the building and getting them settled, and then I shall find myself another project to take on. Perhaps look into ways of teaching the people crafts they may earn a living from. The city can never have too many farmers, fisherman or blacksmiths."
"That sounds as though you plan to stay in Camelot," he commented.
"You said you wished for Camelot to be a home to me."
"I did and I meant every word I said. Camelot will always be happy to have you."
They fell silent and Hermione noted that they'd taken a turning in the woods she'd never travelled down before and she was wondering where Arthur was taking them but she knew from experience he would remain tight-lipped until they reached their destination.
"You often state that your Kingdom celebrates and welcomes magic..."
Hermione blinked in surprise at the unexpected comment and she twisted to look up at him over her shoulder, seeing that he had a slight crease in his brow and a thoughtful expression on his face.
"And I know your opinion on the use of magic..."
"What do wish to ask, Arthur?" She questioned, seeing that he seemed to be struggling to find the words to articulate what he wished to say.
"What can you tell me about magic that I don't already know? I have witnessed magic being used for only evil purposes. I have witnessed curses, killings, dark creatures, I have been a victim of a love spell and had I not been broken free I would now be married to a woman I do not love. You say magic is used for good. How?"
She nibbled at her lip thoughtfully. She had to choose her words carefully; anything she may say to him could be what sways his opinions and belief on magic. It could change the laws of Camelot when Arthur is King.
"I have witnessed evil magic, too, and I have been a victim of it several times," she spoke, his eyes widening slightly and a hardened, protective look crossing his face. "I know the difference between the two as I have witnessed and experienced both, you have not, so it is understandable why you may be biased. Hogwarts has a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of magic for malicious or nefarious purposes. If it was not for the heroic efforts of our magic users, we would not have survived or won the war against our enemies," she said truthfully. "They risked their lives for the people of their Kingdom and many of them died, many of them I knew. What you don't understand, Arthur, is that some people don't have a choice and it is not their fault."
"Meaning?" He prompted.
"Some cannot help having magic, some are actually born with it."
His eyes widened in surprise and he opened his mouth to respond but couldn't find the words.
"Hogwarts is different as not only do we welcome and celebrate magic, but everyone that attends the magic school is a child that was born with their magic. The school does not teach the magic of the Old Religion, they teach a form of magic that is entirely different. They do not condone half of the practices that would be associated with the Old Religion, particularly magic that involves human sacrifice or blood. Only those that are born with magic can practice it, but any human may turn to the Old Religion and use its power, but I know that some sorcerers and sorceresses are born with their magic, too, but it is highly uncommon. Those that are born with their magic are known as wizards and witches. The magic that is taught and practised at Hogwarts is paving the way for the future and soon, I believe we will no longer see the magic of the Old Religion. When I say they have no choice in the matter, I mean it. If a child that is born with magic does not learn to control it, if they are not taught how to practice and perfect their craft, it can be dangerous for both the child and others. Hogwarts is not accustomed to the magic of the Old Religion, unlike Camelot. You have not witnessed what good magic is capable of and I know that is why you may hold the beliefs that you do. I promise, Arthur, magic is wonderful and life-changing and good. It is needed in the world, without it, we would not be able to appreciate the differences and beauty, we would struggle to do the things magic can do easily. I have witnessed magical healing and it is truly incredible, Arthur. Imagine, if Camelot or the Knights had access to such advances in healing how much simpler it would be. There may be fewer casualties that succumb to death due to their injuries to being seen to or healed quickly enough. Recovery periods would improve, illnesses would decline, and complications with childbirth would be easier to manage. Remember, Arthur, magic is not evil; it is a tool that can be used for both good and bad."
"I one day hope that I am given the opportunity to witness such magic," he said, giving her a look she didn't quite understand but she still smiled.
"I am sure that you will and I swear, it will change your outlook on life and leave you speechless. Magic is wonderful, it is a gift from the Gods and one that should be celebrated, not punished."
Whilst Hermione thought his sudden questions were a little odd, if she were honest, she'd been expecting them at some point since her arrival. Arthur had shown curiosity in the past and after their discussion about magic back in Ealdor and with him soon to be King, he would need all of the facts before he could make a decision on whether to keep the laws of his father or to abolish them and allow magic to return to Camelot, something Hermione truly wished to see. Camelot would thrive and be better protected if she and Merlin no longer had to hide their magic, if the people no longer had to live in fear or turn to using magic for nefarious purposes, survival or revenge. Camelot truly would be great.
With the answers she'd given, she hoped it was enough to sway Arthur in the right direction and she hoped that he would continue to show an interest so she may better educate him on the true purpose and capabilities of magic.
