Out of Time

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: This took FOREVER to write! I am so SORRY! But let's just say the writer's block is finally gone so that's good. We get to see some fluff in this chapter so I'm hoping that's pleasing and how did you guys like the Christmas chapter? Huh? I had fun writing that one. But I'm not sure I enjoyed it, so I may rewrite it and rework some things. What do you guys think about that? Please review! We're almost to 150 and I'm so excited. Do you guys think there should be another reward? Tell me what you think!

Thanks to: Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 for being my 130th Review! Othaeryn for being my 140th Follower!

Shoutouts to: RiverOfTheWolf, Guest, SavageKill, PenelopePitstop2016, Zani45, NickiNightmare, ClassCann0n, megimeg123, Othaeryn, RaggedyManGoodnight, Brittdemendonca, alexgodoy9, kewlmagicgurl. Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, and Nina3KPop.

Chapter 27: Out of Conviction

Things sure did take a turn for the worse for Addison after that incident with the druid boy. Not in the sense that she had gotten into trouble, quite the opposite actually. Uther had apologized for the inconvenience of getting whacked over the head for the boy and commissioned a new book for her that she should have been getting soon. No, on that front everything was perfect. What was causing the trouble was the fact that Arthur would no longer take no for an answer.

He refused to let her push him away and because Addison couldn't resist those baby blue eyes of his she found it hard to keep trying. Truth be told it hurt her to wound Arthur in such a way so she caved easily when he persisted.

Resistance was easy at first, the head injury kept her pretty sedated during the first three days. But Arthur would only let her pull out the "My head hurts" card for the first week, after that he didn't buy it, and somehow she'd end up doing whatever it was he had planned for that day. Granted, in case she wasn't lying, he was very careful with her, and planned things that weren't strenuous or took her somewhere that involved a lot of sitting.

But once Gaius informed them that there was no worry of lingering effects of the head injury Arthur practically became a tyrant. Arguing with her until he wore her down, until she felt like she could not possibly disagree anymore.

And that was how she ended up, arm in arm with him on a walk through the forest that day when she really planned on staying indoors and starting work on her Yuletide gifts. She made all of her gifts by hand and she had a lot to make so she always started ridiculously early on them. Usually that was excuse enough as Arthur knew that his gift always took the longest to make, but Arthur wouldn't let her use that excuse that day.

He had been the perfect gentleman with her throughout this experience, except for the days where he'd haul her over his shoulder and drag her out of the cells. He had had plenty of chances to kiss her, which he had not taken. Surprisingly, Addison wished he just would. Clearly they both wanted to, so why was he holding back? He was probably waiting for her to cave first, seeing as she was the one who had put the wall up between them. And though they hadn't talked about it, she had forgiven Arthur and she was well aware that he knew it. He was just waiting for her to say it. And she refused. She was too proud for that.

She also knew that he understood that the reason she was so distant was because they could never be together. He just didn't see it that way and thought she was being ridiculous. They could be together, they'd just have to be discrete.

These were all things she had thought about. But she knew how this story ended. Arthur was to be with Guinevere. Not her. This tale would not have a happy ending for Addison.

"You'll be coming won't you?" Arthur asked.

Addison, who had been lost in thought, turned to him surprised. "Hmm?"

"To my coming of age celebration. I'm going to be officially crowned as Crown Prince," Arthur explained with a dashing half grin on his face. "And you're coming."

Addison knew that she shouldn't. Uther would be furious if she showed up. "I thought you were already Crown Prince, you keep going around and telling people you are," she said, hoping to strike up an argument so she wouldn't have to answer. Especially since she knew he wouldn't like her answer.

"Well everyone knew I was going to be Crowned Prince when I came to age, so they just skipped the waiting and started giving me the title," he says absently. Clearly meaning, he had done that and the people hadn't argued with him. "Don't change the subject. You're coming."

Damn, he knew her well. "I don't think Uther would approve…"

"I've got permission to bring you so long as you stay at the back, and Merlin has agreed to watch you, but you'll have to be on your best behaviour regardless," he interrupted.

Addison came to a stop entirely halting them on the forest path. She stared at Arthur with a deep frown. "I don't want to go," she said stubbornly. Arthur turned to her, for a moment he looked confused and hurt so Addison hurriedly added: "I always get in trouble, so I'd rather give it a miss."

Arthur frowned at her. "This is a very important night for me, Addison," he said softly, coming closer to her. His hands gripped hers both tightly but gently at the same time. He held her there and looked down into her eyes and Addison felt her breath leave her body.

"It would mean the world to me if you'd be there to share it with me," he finished.

Ah, that was it. He had won her over. She could feel it. She was going to tell him yes but he continued to talk, his eyes now on her hands.

"Of course, I'd rather have you beside me, but that's inappropriate and my father would never allow it. He is allowing you to attend, but that's probably because he still feels bad about your head," he murmured.

He raised a hand to caress the fully faded bruise and bump that used to be on the side of her face. The stitches had been removed a few days ago, the hair had almost entirely started to grow back. The obviously bald spot currently hidden by a braid that Gwen had done up for her, giving her a punk/rock/Viking type look that she really liked. Arthur had given her so many hair clips and hats to cover it for her that she had nowhere to put them anymore.

Addison, despite herself, leant into the touch. "Alright, alright," she sighed as if he were asking her to go on some dangerous quest. "I'll go."

Arthur beamed as she conceded. He took her arm again and continued to walk. "That's good, because I commissioned you a new dress for the occasion and I would have hated for it to have gone to waste. It's waiting for you back in your cell."

Addison rolled her eyes. "Really? Arthur? Did you have to buy me a new dress?"

"Father reminded me that you didn't have anything appropriate to wear, so at his behest I ordered you a new one," he explained with a cheeky grin on his face.

Addison bumped her shoulder against his, and Arthur mimicked the motion. This continued until the two were laughing and Addison wondered if she'd ever be able forget or ignore the emotion she felt welling up in her chest.

Merlin had been sitting in Gaius's chambers working on polishing all of Arthur's armour when Addison stormed in. She slapped the back of the head as she sat down across of him.

Merlin cried out and put a hand to the back of his head. "OY! What was that for?" he shouted at her.

"You might have mentioned he got permission to bring me to his coming-of-age Feast, or that he bought me a dress," she snarled.

Merlin scowled and went back to sharpening Arthur's sword. "He ordered me not to," he snapped.

Addison slapped his shoulder jolting him. Merlin frowned at her. "Addison, I'm going to cut myself!"

"Oh hogwash!" Addison snapped back. "Neither of us ever listen to Arthur! You could have told me!"

"You seemed so determined to say no to him, I didn't want to crush your dreams."

"Next time, crush them in advance," Addison said, sitting back.

Merlin glanced up to her as he continued to work on the sword. "Would it really be that bad? I mean, you're going to be with me…"

"It's not that…"

"He really does care for you, and we both know the reason he hit you was because he was under a spell," Merlin interrupted.

"He's not supposed to end up with me Merlin," Addison cried. "He's supposed to fall in love with Gwen and what if I'm stopping him from doing that? What if he doesn't achieve his great destiny because I took him away from his great love?"

"Wait, Gwen?" Merlin asked suddenly confused.

Addison waved him off. "I'll tell you more about that later. The point is, I could be ruining everything by being selfish."

"Or, you could be changing his future for the better and making both of you happier in the long run," Merlin offered.

"Stop tempting me," she snapped leaning back against the table and sulking at him. Merlin pretended not to notice and kept on sharpening the sword. They said no more about the topic, and Merlin decided not to bring it back up again. Personally he thought she was being a bit ridiculous, especially since she was very much struggling with staying mad at Arthur. Arthur was being persistent, and Merlin wasn't going to give up either.

Addison would cave eventually.

The feast was a joyous occasion. There were long tables covered in foods and wine. All the nobility were there, at those tables, all standing, watching Arthur in his face battle armour as he stared up at his father. At the head of the table, there was a space open for Arthur, a great throne for Uther and Morgana in her fanciest purple dress. Arthur had seen Addison at the back with Merlin, the first face he had looked for upon entering the room. He didn't get much of a glimpse and he itched to turn his head back and catch another, but that was not becoming.

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statues, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?" Uther asked.

Arthur nodded with each word. "I do, sire."

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgements?" Uther continued.

"I do, sire," Arthur replied.

"And do you swear allegiance to Camelot, Now and for as long as you shall live?" Uther asked, this time lowering the sacred baton for Arthur to grab onto and to make his vow upon.

To the horror of his father Arthur hesitated briefly before placing his hand on the baton. And both were very well aware that it was because of Addison that this hesitation happened. A sort of understanding that as soon as he accepted that baton, any future he might have been dreaming about with Addison would be gone.

Still Arthur's grip was strong and his words were unfaltering. "I, Arthur Penndragon, do pledge life and limb to your service. And to the protection of this kingdom and its peoples," he said.

Uther smiled and took the baton from him, he turned away and took the awaiting crown off it's pillow. "Now, being of age, and heir apparent, from henceforth you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot." He circlet on his head.

Applause roared through the great hall as Arthur turned, his eyes finding the one spot of dark sapphire blue, right beside Merlin who had been forced to wear a fancier blue shirt and a red smock bearing his crest. Addison was beaming at him and to Arthur that was all that mattered.

Gwen, who was on the other side of Merlin leant in and asked: "How does it feel being the servant to the Crown Prince?"

She was teasing of course and Merlin answered with the right about of sassiness. "Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege," he said with a cheeky grin and a nudge of his shoulder.

Gwen was carrying a bowl of gapes, and Merlin carrying a jug of mead, nothing spilled at the jostling and Addison couldn't help but feel jealous. She was not allowed to carry anything, and for good reason.

Gwen shook her head. "You're proud of him really. Even though you complain about him constantly," she said.

"I am not," Merlin growled.

"You are. I can see it in your face," Gwen argued.

Merlin turned to her with a very stern and serious look on his face. "Those socks are very clean. Of course I'm proud of them," he said.

Addison on the other hand, had been distracted. Something was buzzing again, pulling at her chest. She found herself anxiously rubbing her sternum as the pull grew harder and harder. Merlin and Gwen hadn't noticed, but Arthur had. He had taken his seat beside his father but his blue eyes were furrowed with worry in her direction. She made a small gesture at him, a wave, to signal that she was fine and he wasn't to do anything rash.

Then a crash came, something had come flying through the window directly above her. Addison yelped and through herself down, as chunks of stained glass rained down around her. She didn't have to look up to know that Arthur was on his feet, straining to find her. The courtiers were screaming, a horse was neighing and when Addison felt it safe to look up she saw a great black knight on a giant black charger riding down the middle of the banquet hall towards the head table.

Addison picked herself up to watch as the night made his way through the throne room, noticing that Arthur had not even paid the knight notice but was instead staring at her. Addison pointed to the knight as Merlin came to her side and pulled her away from the wreckage and only then did Arthur turn to look at the literal party crasher a battle wary look on his face and his sword drawn, like all his knights around him who had swarmed forward to protect Uther and the Lady Morgana.

"What in the Devil's name?" Uther whispered as the Knight drew closer to them. Silence had finally fallen on the great all and Addison could tell that the pull was coming from the Knight. He was the source of magic that had been bothering her. So whatever was coming he would be having an unfair advantage.

People were running as the knight with his white hawk shield came closer to the main table but Merlin, Gwen and Addison stayed still. The knight stopped his horse in front of the soldiers and was silently menacing staring out through the darkness of his scarred helmet. He did nothing except take a gauntlet and drop it down in front of Arthur.

A Challenge.

Addison longed to scream: Don't pick it up! but that would have just made Arthur look cowardly.

Everyone was staring at the gauntlet right in front of Arthur on baited breath to see what would happen. Arthur put his sword away and went to pick it up but another knight was faster, snatching it up before Arthur could even begin to bend.

"I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge," he said, his voice unshaken though there was fear on his face.

Arthur looked livid but Addison could only breathe a sigh of relief. The knight turned his head to Sir Owain, and suddenly he spoke.

"Single Combat, noon tomorrow, to the death."

His voice sounded surprisingly Scottish. But then the horse reared on his back legs pounding down his front before turning away from them. The knight went out the way he came and after that the party was basically over with a sense of impending doom falling on the city of Camelot, but mostly just on Addison.

The following afternoon, Addison stood with Merlin watching the fight. A pulse resting in her chest, just above her heart. A combination of the magic pulling at her and the heavy weight of the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

She knew Arthur was worried about Owain, that he was mad that he had picked up the gauntlet, that Owain had never fought a mortal combat duel. Whenever Addison thought of that, she thought of the popular videogame. Well this must have been the medieval version.

Merlin knew that Gaius was on edge about the black knight, Addison knew that Uther was practically terrified of the black knight. Neither had bothered to communicate this knowledge to each other though.

Both of them could only watch at the Black Knight pummelled poor Owain over and over again until he got the final blow, the one that ended Sir Owain's life. When done, the knight turned back to the crowd and asked: "Who will take up my challenge next?"

Arthur threw himself forward, half way through vaulting over before Uther stopped him. This allowed a different knight to hop over and take up the gauntlet.

"I, Sir Pelinore, will take up the challenge," he said, his voice definitely shaking.

The Black knight said nothing but walked away, when he got to where Addison was standing with Merlin and Gaius he paused and turned to them. Addison couldn't tell where he was looking really, she couldn't even see his eyes, but she could feel that his gaze or at the very least his focus was on her.

Despite herself Addison felt herself taking a step back. There was an awful static like buzzing in her head, it felt like when Mordred was talking to her but she couldn't understand what this guy was trying to say. That static faded away and then the Knight just stared at her as if waiting for her to reply, but Addison had nothing to say to him, she wasn't even certain if he was trying to talk to her. After a moment's pause, he straightened and walked away.

Merlin turned to Gaius to ask if he thought Gaius should go tend to the Black knight's wound. No one else had seen it but Merlin was certain that Owain had landed a hit, that the Black knight should have been dead, not Owain. Addison had her eyes on Arthur whom Uther had been restraining, she waved, a common action these days, to signify that she was fine, but even as she turned with Merlin to watch the Black knight walk away she knew that she was going to figure out what the hell that thing wanted to say to her.