"To Whatever End" (Rose)
The sound of distant laughter rings in my ears and fades away as my eyelids slowly raise. A fuzzy moment passes me by when the memory that belongs with the laughter invades my mind. I had been sitting with Gwaine, and I hardly remember a time that I have ever laughed so hard. I must have appeared weary, for he questioned if I was tired. Though I attempted to skirt my way around the true answer, he instructed me to rest and promised to wake me if Merlin returned, or if he had not.
As I sit up in my bed, I hear the front door shut in haste. Ignoring my current fatigue, I spring to my feet and dash past Gaius, who sits in wait as we did.
"Rose!" he calls after me. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I must go, Gaius," I spin to face his imploring face. "It is my duty to protect Merlin, not Gwaine's."
"But it is imperative that you are also safe," he protests.
"If keeping myself safe means doom for others, then safety is something I do not crave," I counter softly. "I will return Gaius. I will not remain a failure this day." Without a second glance behind me, I tear the door open and sprint up the spiraling stairs. Barreling down the corridor, I hear the rumbling of male voices coming from one of the guest chambers. Not caring who I may wake, I plunge into the room.
"Gwaine!" I scream as Sir Oswald lunges for him with his sword.
"Careful!" Merlin cries out almost simultaneously.
Now that my cover is blown, I cannot assist from the side for fear of being caught. "Don't worry," Gwaine reassures us as he settles his stance. "I can handle this thug."
"Gwaine, please," is all I can find the strength to say.
Without another word, he strikes at Sir Oswald and their combat picks up speed. I feel my heart spring into my throat and lodge there. The other knight leaps to his feet much sooner than I anticipated possible.
"No!" I launch towards him as he jumps at Gwaine with sword in hand. Merlin catches me mid-launch, and pulls me to his side.
Gwaine deflects him with an elbow to the face as Sir Oswald lunges once again, and Merlin calls warning. "Stop this!" I cry as I half bury my face in Merlin's chest, hardly bearing witnessing all this, but not wanting to look away because if I do, something awful might happen.
Just as Gwaine disarms Oswald, Sir Leon storms into the chamber with a couple of guards. "What's going on?" he demands.
"Oh, Sir Leon," I breathe out, coming close to something like relaxation, but Oswald backhands Gwaine in the face, sending him to the ground. I fall to my knees next to him, helping him up whilst making sure there is no blood and that he can see straight.
"This man attacked me!" Oswald lies. "I demand an audience with the king."
"Sir Leon, that is not true," I deflect as we rise to our feet.
"I am sorry, milady," Leon avoids meeting my desperately searching hazel orbs. "He is a knight from a neighboring kingdom. I have no choice but to grant his request."
"Then we are accompanying you as witnesses," I quietly demand.
No argument is made, so we follow at the ready to defend our friend to whatever end.
"The Final Call" (Merlin)
"It's not Sir Oswald," I explain in a hushed voice. "It's that thug from the tavern, Dagger. He's using a magical crystal to change his appearance."
"All of this over some ale and pocket money?" Rose gapes as we follow after the soldiers dragging Gwaine to the courtroom.
"It would appear so," I shake my head.
"Let's worry about detail later," Gaius redirects. "Our friend may be set up for wretched punishment."
"This isn't right," I hear Rose proclaim under her breath.
"Sire, this man attacked me with a sword, tried to kill me," the false Oswald declares.
"Is this true?" Uther questions.
"I stepped in to protect Merlin," Gwaine admits nobly.
"I tried to talk to him," Oswald feigns innocence. "He was like a man possessed. I'm sure that Sir Ethan will back me up."
"Indeed," Ethan agrees. "I can vouch for his every word."
"He's a liar!" Gwaine jumps to his feet as the guards restrain him.
"I will have your tongue!" Uther threatens. "How dare you speak to a knight in that way?!"
"Nobility is defined by what you do, and not by who you are," Gwaine states pointedly as Rose hitches in a breath. I know what she is thinking - that he listened to her. Though I know he felt similarly before her, there is a different bite to his words now. She looks on with a subtle glow of admiration, and I can't help but want to shrivel up and die. Has Gwaine stolen her attentions away while I have been absent? "And these men, are anything but. They are arrogant thugs!" Gwaine concludes.
"Gwaine," Arthur chastises with gentleness.
"Well, you see, Sire, how he behaves," Oswald plays off of Gwaine's heated speech.
"I have heard enough," Uther silences the court. "For a commoner to attack a nobleman is in violation of the knight's code."
"I couldn't agree with you more, Sire," Oswald nods pretentiously. "He must be made an example of."
"Sir Oswald, please," Arthur steps in, ready to offer an alternative.
"Nothing less than his execution will give me satisfaction," Oswald retorts.
"No," Rose says aloud and unafraid.
"Father," Arthur says over her, fully knowing what it could mean for her to be called out for speaking out of turn. "I understand how this must look. It's an embarrassing situation. Sir Oswald is a dear friend and our guest here in Camelot. But Gwaine is my guest here, too. And he may not be of noble birth, but I can vouch that he has a noble heart."
"How can you say that when you see the way he behaves?" Uther spits.
"Gwaine risked his life to save mine," Arthur continues to defend him. "I beg you, please, if a knight's word is his bond, then I give you my word. Gwaine is a good man. He deserves clemency." And with that, Arthur steps aside so that the King may make the final call.
"You are banished from Camelot," Uther says in a low voice. "If you ever return, you will pay for it with your life. You have until dawn to leave the city." He then promptly spins on his heel and leaves the courtroom.
As Gwaine is dragged away, he struggles against his chains, wanting one last dig at the supposed knights. Rose catches Sir Oswald's eye and grants him a very dark glare, and his eyes turn to me, and I stare hard at him. I want him to remember this moment and know that I will do whatever it takes to expose him for what he truly is.