AngelRoze - Thank you so much for commenting! I understand what you're saying, but Evaine's dad isn't actually a king from another kingdom, so she isn't technically a princess. Balin (her father) is a Lord of Tiltwood, an imaginary town on the coast that I created, and he is a member of Uther's 'bannermen' you might say, so he serves under Uther's name but has his own land as a reward for his past service. So Evaine is the daughter of a Lord, and I believe in an episode in series 3, Uther says to ensure the future of Camelot Arthur has to have a secure marriage to a princess. Hope this clears it up a little!
Thanks and enjoy,
Phantomshadow99
XXXXXX
Lancelot and Evaine
"For the last time, Anna, you don't need to come. I'll be back before you know it," Evaine told her friend, looking down at her from her horse as Anna adjusted her cloak. She looked across to see Arthur assisting Morgana to mount her own horse, and she turns back to Anna, a tight grip on her reins. "I promised Morgana I would go. It isn't that far to her father's grave," she added, and Anna nodded, stepping back so she could stop fidgeting.
"It's just, I've never not gone with you before," Anna said, and Evaine smiled.
"Don't worry, my dear friend. Nothing is going to happen. I swear," Evaine said, turning as Arthur moved back to the steps.
"Make sure you return to Camelot before dusk," Arthur calls out to Sir Robert who was escorting the ladies and Gwen.
"Yes, Sire," he responded, kicking his horse to a walk as the party began to leave. Evaine waved to Anna, catching sight of Arthur gazing at her before she smiled sadly and turned in her seat, walking alongside Gwen and Morgana.
A short time later, Morgana had noticed how quiet her friend was as they passed through the woods. "You look troubled, Evaine."
"I'm fine. Enjoying the fresh air," Evaine said, smiling to her friend who studied her.
"You're very secretive these days. I'm beginning to think there's a man involved," Morgana teased.
"When do I get to meet any decent men?" Evaine joked back, the two sharing a laugh as they continued their journey. It was peaceful within the group, until numerous yelling sounded, followed by a group of bandits.
"My ladies, you must follow me!" Sir Robert said, before he slouched forward, an arrow in his back. Morgana screams, the two ladies and Gwen being pulled from their horses until a passing knight manages to kill the men holding them.
"Gwen! Head for the path! Go!" Morgana shouted, the three running to the trees but being stopped by Kendrick, the leader of the bandits. "I warn you. I am Uther Pendragon's ward. He'll have your heads if any harm comes to me."
"I have no intention of harming you. At least not yet. You're much more valuable to me alive, Lady Morgana," Kendrick stated, bowing mockingly. The women tried to resist as they were led to the bandits' camp, but realised they couldn't escape without planning.
"He's coming. You know what you must do?" Evaine asked the others, and they nodded as Kendrick walked in.
"I trust you are comfortable?" Kendrick asked the women.
"I demand to know where you're taking us," Morgana asked.
"You'll find out soon enough. We've a long journey ahead of us. Get some rest," Kendrick instructed, walking away from the tent they had left the three women in.
"I wish to bathe," Morgana announced, stepping out of the tent followed closely by Evaine and Gwen.
"You wish to bathe?" Kendrick repeated in surprise.
"I am the King's ward and accustomed to certain standards. I am sure you are quite contented to stink like a pig, but I am not."
"The Lady Morgana wishes to bathe! Who wants to help me guard her?" Kendrick asked his men, coarse laughter being his reply. The three women were escorted by Kendrick and two other men to a nearby stream.
"You may find the water a little icy," Kendrick commented.
"I'm sure I'll manage. If you were any kind of gentleman, you'd give me some privacy," Morgana pointed out.
"Well, unfortunately for you I am no kind of gentleman. Now get on with it," Kendrick demanded, stepping forward as Morgana continued to undress until she was in her shift. The other guards released their holds on Gwen and Evaine.
"You can at least turn your backs," Morgana pleaded.
"So you can make a run for it. Do you think I'm that stupid?" Kendrick asked.
"I think you're very stupid," Morgana said, moving forward to punch Kendrick as Evaine and Gwen unsheathed the swords of the two guards. Gwen throws the sword to Morgana, and her and Evaine fight the two guards before running away.
"Run! No, no, this way!" Evaine shouted, running in the lead. It goes smoothly until Gwen stumbles and hurts her ankle. The two ladies go back and try to help her stand.
"Put your arm around my shoulder, come on!" Morgana says, pulling Gwen up.
"No, no, no. We'll never outrun them, you must go on without me!" Gwen states.
"I'm not leaving you behind!" Morgana states. Evaine glances at Morgana, seeing how afraid she is before swinging the sword in her hand.
"I'll buy you enough time using two swords," Evaine said, grabbing Morgana's sword from her hand.
"No!" Morgana shouts, but the bandits can be heard getting closer.
"We don't have time to argue. Take Gwen and get help!" Evaine shouts, pushing the two women forward. Evaine smiles confidently to the two, hiding behind a tree before attacking a passing bandit, managing to kill three before grabbed and taken back to the bandit's camp.
"How could you let her escape?! Eh?! You bring me the servant! She's worthless to us!" Kendrick shouted, and Evaine gave a small sigh of relief at him not recognising her. He pauses, grabbing her face and looking her over before looking down at her dress. "Oh, you're no servant though," he said, and Evaine tenses.
"I am the Lady Evaine of Tiltwood," Evaine announces and Kendrick gives a small smile.
"Good. Hengist has never met the Lady Morgana or Lady Evaine. For all he knows, you could be Uther Pendragon's ward," Kendrick stated, before forcibly lifting her atop a horse. Evaine remains silent as they escort her to Hengist's fortress, Evaine lifting her hood over her head as they entered its gates.
"Kendrick, I was beginning to think you'd failed me," Hengist greeted.
"May I present the Lady Morgana," Kendrick announced. Evaine flinched as Hengist pulled the hood off her head.
"You're as beautiful as they say, Lady Morgana," Hengist said.
"I demand that you release me immediately!" Evaine shouted.
"Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays your ransom. In the meantime, you'll be my guest," Hengist states.
"Do not flatter yourself. I am not your guest! I am your prisoner!" Evaine spat, and Hengist nodded, a sinister smile on his face.
"As you wish. Take her to the dungeon," Hengist instructed, watching as Evaine was dragged from the room.
Evaine was later brought back into the main chamber room, rolling her eyes in disgust at the revelry and feasting that was taking place. She sat reluctantly beside Hengist, not touching anything.
"Silence! Our royal guest, Lady Morgana has grown bored! She needs entertaining," Hengist announces, placing his hand on her shoulder as Evaine flinches away. The bandits laugh and Hengist nods to someone, a gate opening to a cage and a gladiator struts out. "Bring on the challenger," Hengist orders, and a familiar man causes Evaine's eyes to widen as she realises it's Lancelot. "Only one of you will emerge from the cage alive. Do you accept the challenge?" Lancelot bows in acceptance, before the fight starts. Evaine winced at every blow in Lancelot's direction, but sighs in relief when he wins, his eyes meeting her own before sparing the man's life. Lancelot leaves the cage, coming to stand in front of Hengist and Evaine at the main table, Hengist throws him a purse of coins. "What is your name?"
"My name is Lancelot," Lancelot answered.
"You have proved yourself to be a skillful warrior. I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana," Hengist said, impressed. Lancelot hides his surprise at her being called Morgana but bows in her direction.
"My Lady," Lancelot greets.
"Next time you fight, do not expect any mercy. Release the Wilddeoren," Hengist warned, before a large rat-like creature emerges and eats the screaming gladiator, Evaine and Lancelot wincing and turning away from the scene.
XXXXXX
The next morning, Evaine sat curled up in the corner of her cell on the bed, her dark blue cloak wrapped around her for warmth. She looked up when she heard someone stop by the small grate, and she rose to see Lancelot.
"Evaine," he whispered, and Evaine placed her fingers closer to the grate.
"Lancelot," she answered, the two smiling at one another.
"I could not believe my eyes when I saw it was you," he said, and Evaine nodded.
"I thought my mind was deceiving me."
"Why does Hengist think you are Lady Morgana?" Lancelot asked.
"He believes he's holding Morgana to ransom. When no ransom is paid, he will realise the truth and then he will throw me to those beasts," Evaine answered.
"I will not allow that to happen," Lancelot vowed.
"What are you doing here? Are you one of Hengist's men?"
"No."
"What became of you after you left Camelot?" Evaine asked.
"There are few opportunities for men like me. So I've been earning a living the only way that I know: with a sword in my hand. It seems it is my destiny to entertain men like Hengist," Lancelot stated.
"I don't believe that of you. You were so full of hope," Evaine argued.
"I was wrong. The world is not like that," Lancelot retorts. She shakes her head, reaching her hand further to grate, laying her fingers over his.
"I still see the hope in you. I do not accept it is gone."
"I have thought of you often. Have you thought of me at all?" Lancelot asked, his fingers enclosing around Evaine's.
"I thought I would never see you again," she admits, the two sharing a smile before a door being unlocked startles them. "Someone's coming."
"No matter what it takes, I will find a way to get you out of here. I will," Lancelot promised, smiling before hurrying away. Evaine pauses for a moment before sitting on the bed, rising when the door opens and Hengist walks in.
"I've not yet received word from Uther that he intends to pay your ransom. I was informed that the King was extremely fond of his ward. Are you not surprised he is content to leave you here to die?" Hengist asked.
"How can I know the King's mind when I am locked in your stinking cell?" Evaine answered back.
"If I do not hear from Uther by dawn tomorrow, this stinking cell will be the last place you ever see," he promises, laughing before leaving, slamming the door shut. Evaine sits back down on the bed, gasping heavily, wiping some tears away that had threatened to fall.
"Gwen," Lancelot whispers once more later that day, having managed to sneak away from Hengist.
"Lancelot," Evaine greets, smiling at him.
"I was terrified I might find your cell empty," he said, sighing in relief.
"There's been no word from Uther. I fear Hengist is growing suspicious," Evaine answers, Lancelot noting the tone of fear in the normally composed lady.
"You must keep up the pretense. I will not allow you to die here."
"What about you?"
"I have little to live for."
"Do not say that," Evaine said, frowning.
"It's the truth. For all my words, for all that I believed, I have come to nothing," Lancelot stated, and Evaine once more shook her head, reaching for his hand through the bars.
"You are everything that is right with this world. You find justice where there is none, you fight for what you love," Evaine argued back, and Lancelot smiled and placed his other hand over hers.
"I did not know you felt that way," he commented.
"I didn't even know I could feel this way about someone," Evaine said, smiling softly, her mind knowing that she and Arthur could never be, even though she wanted to be.
"Then you have given me a reason to live. Be ready. I will come for you before nightfall," Lancelot said, smiling and gripping her hand tightly before leaving.
XXXXXX
Arthur and Merlin stop by a stream to wash off the Gaia berries. Arthur takes one off his face, looking at it in amazement.
"Gaia berries worked. Huh," he mentioned, continuing to wash the remains off his face. Merlin stops, looking up.
"You didn't know if they worked?"
"Not for sure," Arthur answered.
"Now you tell me?! Oh! Oh, what's that Wilddeoren eating? It's all right. It's just Merlin. You trying to get us both killed?" Merlin said, Arthur chuckling.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't've risked your life like that," Arthur apologised, the smile on his face saying otherwise.
"Well, they do say love makes you do strange things," Merlin commented.
"What are you talking about?"
"Why can't you just admit your feelings for Evaine?" Merlin asked, smiling knowingly at the prince as he scoffed. "It's so obvious. A blind man could see it. Is it really that hard to admit you like her? Just say it."
"I can't! How can I admit that I think about her all the time. Or that...I care about her more than anyone. How can I admit that...I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?" Arthur said, and Merlin's face dropped, seeing the real emotion in his face.
"Why can't you?" he asked, naively.
"Because nothing can ever happen between us! To admit my feelings knowing that...hurts too much," Arthur admitted.
"Who's to say nothing can happen?" Merlin asked.
"My father won't let me rescue a lord's daughter. Do you honestly believe he'd let me marry one?" Arthur pointed out.
"You want to marry Evaine?" Merlin asked, shocked.
"No! No...I...I don't know...It's all talk, and that's all it can ever be," Arthur said.
"When you're King, you can change that," Merlin assured.
"I can't expect Evaine to wait for me," Arthur muttered.
"If she feels as you do, she'll wait for you," Merlin promised.
"We don't even know if she's still alive," Arthur mumbled, praying that she is.
"No, she is. We will find her," Merlin vowed.
"Come on. We've got a long trek ahead. Oh, and Merlin...if you dare tell anyone about this, I promise I will make your life a living hell," Arthur stated, a small smile on his face as he threatened his servant.
"You mean, more than you already do?" Merlin asked, and Arthur nodded.
"Yeah."
"We could talk about your feelings while you walk," Merlin offered.
"Shut up, Merlin."
XXXXXX
"Lady Morgana," Hengist calls, jolting Evaine up from her sleep and crawling to the corner of the bed as notices how Hengist is sat on the edge of it. "Or should I say, Lady Evaine?" he adds, and Evaine's face pales.
"I am Uther's ward, the lady-"
"No, you're Lady Evaine of Tiltwood. I had to torture it out of Kendrick, but he told me the truth eventually. See, I kept wondering why Uther hadn't paid the ransom on his precious ward. And it turns out, he doesn't even care for you," he said, raising his hand to stroke her hair as she flinched back. "Your father has caused me a great deal of annoyance in the past, along with your brothers. I'm sure we can find payment from you one way or another," he states, cackling as he rose and left, slamming the cell door once more. Evaine sinks against the wall, pulling her cloak closer to her as she cries.
Evaine sits up when she hears the keys rattle in the door, smiling as Lancelot enters, holding his hand towards her.
"We haven't a moment to lose," he states, helping her stand before the two run out the cell and down numerous corridors until they stop. "Follow this tunnel. It will take you out beyond the castle walls. I will buy you as much time as I can."
"I am not leaving without you," Evaine said, grabbing onto his arm.
"You must," Lancelot argued.
"No. I will not leave you here to die," Evaine argued.
"I would die for you 100 times over. Live for me, or everything that I am has been for nothing," Lancelot pleads. Evaine searches his eyes, before leaning up to kiss him, tears falling from her eyes as they separate.
"As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade," Evaine whispered, Lancelot smiling at her words.
"Run. Don't stop running until you are well away from here," he tells her, noticing her hesitation. "Run. Run," he urged, Evaine crying as she runs, glancing back at him before disappearing around a corner.
XXXXXX
Evaine struggled in the arms of the bandit who was holding her, covering her mouth as she heard Lancelot speak to Hengist.
"She is worth more to me than you will ever understand," he said, and Evaine shuts her eyes tightly at his words. There was a pause before she was dragged into the cage, sharing a look with Lancelot.
"You thought she got away. No. You failed her. And that must hurt you "more than I will ever understand"," Hengist mocked, Lancelot shaking his head as he glanced back at Evaine, watching as two bandits tied her so the two lovers were back to back.
"What do you say?! Shall I spare them?" Hengist asks his men, the crowd booing before they began to chant.
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill...!"
"I am sorry. This is my fault," Evaine whispers to Lancelot, turning to lean her head on his shoulder.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You reminded me of who I am. I will die with faith in my heart. That is worth more than anything," Lancelot answered, reaching to entwine his hand with hers.
"Release the Wilddeoren!" Hengist shouted. Evaine's breath quickened as the beast entered the cage, Lancelot trying to kick it away from them. She turns in surprise when Arthur jumps into the cage, freeing the two and passing Lancelot a sword and pushing Evaine behind him.
"What are you doing here, Lancelot?" Arthur asked.
"I came to save Evaine. What about you?" Lancelot asked.
"Likewise. Get behind us. The tunnel, that's our only chance. Merlin! Don't sit there cowering, let's go!" Arthur said, pushing Evaine behind him so she was in the tunnel.
"After them!" Hengist shouts, entering the cage as Merlin jumps over it and meets with the others at the entrance of the tunnel.
"Take Guinevere! I'll hold them off," Lancelot tells Arthur.
"No!" Evaine shouted, remembering how that ended the last time, sharing a look with Lancelot.
"Guinevere, we have to go!" Arthur said, grabbing her arm and running down the tunnel with her. Evaine keeps up with him, stopping to rest when they reach locked bars at the end of the tunnel, opening out to the woods. Merlin and Lancelot catch up with them, and he sits close to where Arthur is trying to break the chain.
"Good to see you both. Where are your knights?" Lancelot asks.
"It's just us. Got to keep moving," Arthur states, and Evaine takes Lancelot's offered hand, smiling and gripping it tightly. She pauses, looking up to see Arthur staring at their hands, shock evident on his face.
"Thank you, Arthur. We owe you our lives," Lancelot thanks, before following after Evaine through the gate. The four don't stop until they eventually make camp in the woods, knowing they are a good distance away from Hengist's fortress by now.
They sit by the fire later the night, Evaine catching Arthur gaze at her every so often.
"I'm surprised you would undertake such a rescue mission...with just the two of you," Lancelot points out. Evaine holds her breath as she glances at Arthur for an answer.
"My father would not risk the lives of his knights for a lady," Arthur states.
"And yet you disobeyed him and came here anyway," Lancelot pressed.
"Truth is, I only came because Morgana and Anna begged me," Arthur answers, and Evaine flinches at his words, sharing a broken look with the prince before forcing a smile on her face.
"I think I will get some rest," Evaine announces, rising and moving away to lay down.
"We should all get some rest," Arthur mutters, also rising and laying down.
"I'll stand guard for a while," Lancelot says.
"I'll just...sit here, then," Merlin said, smiling awkwardly.
XXXXXX
"Where's Lancelot? Where is he?" Evaine asks, waking from her sleep and looking to Merlin.
"He's gone," he whispers, and Evaine shakes her head.
"No," she whispers, rising from her place.
"He said that some things can't be. He wanted you to know that you've changed him forever," Merlin told her, and Evaine felt tears form in her eyes as her friend placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as she looked away, crying softly.
"We have a long walk ahead of us," Arthur states, hearing what was said by Merlin but not commenting on it. Merlin nods, following Arthur to the horses they had left nearby as Evaine wipes her eyes before joining them. They quickly reach the castle, and Arthur walks behind Arthur as they ascend the stairs before Morgana's chambers.
"Morgana. Anna. Gwen. There's someone here to see you all," Arthur announces, stepping to the side to reveal Evaine, who is immediately embraced by the women. Evaine moves to hug Anna by herself, Morgana and Gwen smiling happily at the return of their friend.
"Evaine! I thought I'd never see you again! Don't ever scare me like that again!" Anna begged, Evaine smiling, opening her eyes to meet Arthur's, who stared at her for a moment before leaving, not glancing back at the lady.
