Out of Time

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: Well…. HERE WE ARE! This took absolutely forever and I am so sorry. There are some funny bits in here so hopefully this chapter makes you chuckle. I wonder what the future holds for our two love bird? *Insert devious winky emoji here* In other interesting news! We're almost to 140 reviews! There will be a reward for the 150th reviewer so please review to win your prize. Thanks for putting up with me guys!

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Chapter 29: Out of Commitment

While Uther and Addison were up to their lies, trickery and general mischief, Merlin was working on a plan that would kill the Wraith once and for all. He found an old tome with a story about a magic sword that could kill anything, the strongest sword forged in the blessed fire of a dragon.

Well Merlin definitely knew where to get a sword and he sure as hell knew a dragon, so this could work… if he could get the dragon to help him.

Merlin started first with the easy part of the task. He got a sword from Gwen, the best and strongest sword that her father had ever forged. And it wasn't even that hard to get it from her, she told him it was for Arthur and boom, he was running off sword in hand quicker than one could say "magic sword quest."

He then went to the dragon and explained his case. The dragon was far from pleased but he did so to help the destiny he believed in and gave Merlin one condition.

Uther was not to touch the sword. EVER.

And Merlin literally obliterated that condition the second he got the sword up to the surface.

Honestly, it wasn't his fault. He hadn't known Uther was going to show up and take Arthur's place. Nor did he know that Uther would demand the sword that had been crafted for Arthur's hand alone. But what could he say to the king once he had it? He was just a servant he couldn't take the damn thing away from him, not without being sent to the dungeons. And he couldn't be away from the sword, since he had now been put into a position where he would very obviously have to steal it back. And then what would happen if Arthur were to show up mid fight? Merlin would have to find away to get the sword to Arthur so he could vanquish the Wraith.

This was all just one big misunderstanding. The Dragon couldn't get too mad at him for this? Could he?

Arthur awoke to the roar of the crowd and thought that to be odd. It was rather early to his people to be cheering for him. But at the sleepy remembrance of last night he swept away the oddness and smiled into his pillowed. He lost himself in the memories of Addison and her body. He stretched a hand out across his blankets searching for her and when he found that he couldn't find her he forced himself up.

His head was pounding, his world felt like it was spinning, but he knew for certain that he and Addison had consummated their love last night. That night would forever be burned into his memory. Ending perfectly with Addison wrapped up in his arms, the words she whispered to him echoing in his ears.

…I love you…

Another round of cheering washed through the window and Arthur put a pillow over his head to block it out. He struggled to remember the rest of that sentence. He felt that it must have been important except that he had been so drowsy once he had taken that potion and returned to his bed to hold his Addison to his chest that he couldn't remember what she said.

I did it because I love you.

It came to him so suddenly that he felt the need to bolt up. Except he was still so groggy that all he could really manage was to prop himself up to his elbows so the pillow fell of his head and the sunlight blinded him. That damn potion she was so insistent he drink. That must have been a sleeping draught brewed to a stronger potency. Why in god's name had the woman who supposedly loved him put him to sleep?

There was a clang of steel against steel and Arthur found himself forcing himself up to his feet and stumbling to his window. He was prepared to see a lot of things but not someone else in his armour fighting his duel. WHO THE FUCK WAS FIGHTING HIS DUEL?!

Finally fully conscious Arthur went about making the biggest noise he could. Shouting and banging against his door demanded to be let out. No one answered but Arthur kept up the racket, knowing that as soon as he found Addison, he was going to wring her damn neck.

Merlin and Addison stood beside Gaius. Hand in hand they watched the battle. They watched the fierceness of the Black Knight against Uther. Every time the Black Knight would strike Uther would falter against the strength of the blow and Addison's grip would tighten on Merlin's fingers. But Merlin said nothing, not quite understanding her concern for the man who had her locked up in a dungeon and threatened to kill her on a near weekly basis, but instead allowed her the small form of comfort.

The parries and blows were traded back and forth. Uther favouring his shield and rarely striking out unless to block a blow from the Black Knight's sword. He did mange to land one well aimed hit with his shield that knocked the helmet from the Black Knight's face, finally revealing what was under it.

A sunken skull was revealed, with greyed flesh hanging from it, it's eye sockets nothing but empty black voids. No hair, blackened gnashing teeth and all terrifying. The crowd watching gasped in horror and even Addison looked like she was about to throw up, hiding her face into Merlin's shoulder briefly after the reveal. Well now everyone knew that the Black Knight wasn't human.

Loosing the helmet merely enraged the Black Knight who flew at the startled Uther with a renewed vigor. Blow after blow rained down on that poor shield until Uther fell, loosing the special sword meant only for Arthur. Uther had no chance to reach for it, the sword came down in an awful clang against the shield. It was all Uther had and all he could do was keep it raised above him as the sword came down against it again and again.

One blow was finally too hard, the shield gave way. Uther was no longer able to keep it above himself, and the Black Knight's sword became stuck in the metal framework.

It became a tug of war game, the Shield stuck on Uther's arm, the Black Knight trying to rip his sword free from the shield. Uther had no choice. He loosened the shield and kicked the Black Knight away from him so both sword and shield were lost. He picked up his own weapon, ignoring the humming he felt in his hand and charged forward. The Black Knight was distracted, still trying to tug his own sword free, he didn't see Uther come forward, but that was how he landed the blow.

One solid jab was all it took, straight through the belly. It released a white fog and a shockwave of power that knocked Uther back. The Black Knight stood there convulsing a fire taking over him until he exploded leaving nothing but charred ruins behind.

Uther took off his helmet and the crowd stood on its feet and roared for him. He threw the sword down to the ground and looked for Gaius knowing he'd need his physician's help after a battle so taxing.

He found Gaius with Addison and Merlin, noting that all looked pleased except for Addison. Who was staring at a spot in the crowd with as much venom as she could muster. But when Uther turned there was no one there.

Arthur was a lot of things at that moment. Absolutely livid, betrayed, humiliated, and completely torn. On the one hand, he was furious with Addison and his Father. They no doubt collaborated on this plan of theirs that left him locked in his room nursing a sleeping draught hang over. It was the first time the two had combined efforts and he was slightly worried at how well it had worked.

That did not bode well for him.

But he understood. He understood why they would do this. His father didn't want to lose his only heir. And if Addison was to be believed—which he was inclined to do—she did it so she wouldn't lose the man she had fallen in love with.

So, while he was very disappointed with his father, he found that he couldn't muster up the same kind of enthusiasm to stay upset with Addison. When he finally got around to finding her, he'd yell at her for what she did, but he'd probably end the lecture with a solid kiss if no one was looking.

He threw open door to the great hall to find Gaius caring for his father. Gaius noted the look on Arthur's face and quickly went about collecting his things.

"That should heal pretty quickly. I'll redress it tomorrow," Gaius said.

Arthur tried not to let the knowledge that his father had been wounded in the battle that Arthur should have fought lessen his anger. The anger he'd need to tell his father off.

"Thank you, Gaius. Thank you for everything," his father replied, his eyes avoiding Arthur's.

As soon as Gaius had gone Arthur was on his father. "You had Addison, DRUG ME!" he snarled tried to keep his voice down. "I was mean to fight him."

Uther shook his head. "No, you weren't."

"But the knights' code…"

"Be damned," Uther interrupted. "I believed you would die and that was a risk I could not take. You are too precious to me. You mean more to me than anything I know, more than this entire kingdom and certainly more than my own life."

Well, damn, Arthur had expected the whole being the heir to the kingdom meant that he was too important to martyr himself on the Knights' Code but that… that had not been expected at all.

"I always thought…"

"What?" Uther pressed, as if wishing to hear what a monster his son had clearly thought him to be.

"That I was a big disappointment to you," Arthur finished. He had never voiced this concern to anyone other then Addison, and he certainly had no intention of ever telling his father how he felt. And yet, there it was. He had just thrown it out there.

"Well, that is my fault and not yours," Uther said. Okay, who was this and where was his real father? Uther reached a hand out and softly put it on Arthur's shoulder. "You are my only son and I wouldn't wish for another."

Okay, this was too much raw emotion for a manly man like Arthur to take. He quickly stepped back and changed the topic. "I heard you fought very well. You should join us for training, sort out your foot work."

Uther scoffed at him. "I'll show you footwork." He lunged at Arthur, kicking out at him while Arthur dodged and ran off. Uther was laughing as Arthur made his way towards the door. The only thing that stopped him was that Addison was there. Having apparently appeared while the two were talking.

The two were locked in a staring match again. Her vivid blue eyes wide and staring up at him like a pair of twinkling sapphires in the sunlight. There was so much he wanted to say the morning after their love making, something romantic and wise. None of which he could say in front of his father of course, but something so much more than what was about to come out of his mouth at that moment.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered before turning back to his father and asking: "What is she doing here?"

"I called her here," Uther replied all traces of happiness leaving his face.

Arthur's blood ran cold. There was no way that Uther knew what they had done last night. There couldn't be.

Addison merely brushed past Arthur and went to Uther. Arthur had no intention of leaving her now so he had the doors shut and waited to hear what this could possibly be about.

"Congrats on the win!" she cried when she got close, surprising them all by hugging Uther quickly before jumping back. "You wanted to see me?"

"I am nothing if not a man of my word," Uther said to her. "And to thank you for your assistance and your continual loyalty to our family I am going to follow through on what I promised."

Addison blinked her eyes at him. "Uh… wow… really?"

"At the moment, your belongings are being moved into a new room, I trust it will be to your liking," Uther said and Arthur felt all his fears evaporate.

Addison found herself laughing. "Seriously? I honestly thought that if you survived this you'd just say: Fuck you, and fuck your room."

"You will be moved into Arthur's wing, as you are his ward and his responsibility," Uther continued, ignoring Addison's comments. Arthur moved from his place by the door and found that he was standing beside Addison. Hope most likely apparent on his face. This couldn't be happening. All the time he spent dreaming of the day Uther would forgive her and move her out of the dungeon and he never thought he'd feel like this. So overwhelmingly happy. Probably because he thought it would never happen, and if it did, he never thought she'd get moved to his wing. He was worried Uther would move her out of the castle, out of the city even.

"It will be announced, at the feat tonight, that you are to be our new court musician and I expect you to be properly dressed and properly behaved from now on," Uther told her. "Our lessons in etiquette will continue and new wardrobe will be provided."

Addison had a big smile on her face. "But… like… I have a bed? With pillows and blankets and a head board?" she asked.

"…Yes…" Uther answered carefully.

"Hell, you could have moved me to the stables with that bed and I would have been happy," she crowed starting to bounce in her excitement.

Arthur and Uther stared at her briefly for a moment before Uther merely said: "Arthur will take you to your new accommodations." He waited for Addison to nod before looking at his son and adding: "I just need to talk to him for a minute, please wait outside."

Addison rushed in to hug Uther, which startled a few chuckles out of him, before she squealed happily and scampered out of the room leaving Uther and Arthur alone once more. Arthur had no idea what he should say to his father. He wanted to thank him for freeing Addison, for moving her into his wing. But he was worried if he actually did, his father would decide that Arthur cared too much for her and take it all back.

"I am doing this with the explicit understanding that if I find her in your bed, she with either be banished to the farthest reaches of our kingdom or executed," Uther growled.

Ah, now that was more like his father.

Arthur nodded dutifully. "Yes, sire."

Uther smiled briefly and then added: "Also, don't be too mad at her for her part in the deceit. I asked her to and I think we both know that no one can say no to me."

Arthur kept quiet but bowed slightly hoping that that was all he needed to hear from his father. Uther waved his hand and Arthur practically dashed out of the great hall where Addison was waiting for him.

He waited until they turned the corner and were out of the guards prying eyes to reach out and grab her hand. As soon as their fingers interlaced, she started giggling and nothing could have wiped the smile off of Arthur's face.

Addison stood in the middle of the circular room. Uther must have listened all her talks about how she always dreamed of having a room in a tower, because that was where her room was. The bed was already covered in her pillows and extra blankets, she had a good and proper bookcase now where her books were already shelved, and now she had a wardrobe for all the clothes that she had and would no doubt be bought for her.

Behind her she knew Arthur was standing, leaning against the doorframe, watching her.

"So, is it to your liking?" he asked.

Addison turned to him, a big bright smile on her face. "Yes, oh yes, oh yes!" she cried jumping up and down in excitement.

She rushed to the window and pointed to it. "Look Arthur! A window! With NO BARS!" she cried.

"Yes, most windows are like that," Arthur said clearly enjoying Addison's giddiness over everything he took for granted.

"I'm going to be so warm up here!" she said rushing back to him. She put her hands on his arms and began bouncing forcing him to jump with her.

"Yes. If we're lucky, no more colds."

"And if I ever get scared, you're right next door."

She said it with such a soft coy smile that Arthur couldn't help but smile back. "We'll have to talk Addison," he said in a small voice. "We'll have to take precautions for what happened. Not that I know first hand, but I've heard that Gaius has a tonic that you should take. I will endeavour to get one for you."

Addison nodded, her smile fading and her eyes falling to the floor. "If my father were to ever find out it would be the death of you," he continued. "We'll have to tread lightly for the next little while."

Addison nodded. She understood. Maybe. She didn't want to ask him out right but she was a little worried that maybe he wouldn't want to continue wooing her. And if he didn't, was it because he wanted to keep her safe or because he had gotten what he wanted from her last night.

It wasn't like he couldn't call her back like a typical one-night stand. They lived in the same damn castle after all.

Arthur put a hand to her cheek and forced her to look up at him. "Be patient," he whispered before softly stealing a kiss from her. He turned as quickly as he kissed her, disappearing into the hallway as more servants came to drop off more of her stuff.

Once they were gone again, Addison shut her door and turned to survey her room only to find that someone was still in there with her.

The man was clearly a ghost. She could see through his black armour to the room behind him. He looked normal, with his long tangled brown hair and apologetic looking round face. He avoided her eyes as he gave her a sweeping bow, but none of the niceness could stop her from yelping and scrambling back at the surprise of finding this… thing… behind her.

Especially since she knew right away who this was. And she was pretty sure they had just vanquished the Black Knight. So, what was he doing in her room?

Immediately there was a knocking at the door. "Addison!" Arthur's insistent voice called out. "Are you alright, open up."

How had he even heard her? His quarters were down the hall! Unless he hadn't gone back to his room and had been lurking outside?

"I'm fine, I'm not decent, keep the door shut," she called back, her eyes not once leaving the ghost in front of her. "Just found a few items in my closet you must have had them slip in when I wasn't looking."

"You've always wanted your own pair of boots," Arthur's mumbling voice came through the wood. "I thought you'd like them."

Addison grit her teeth against the annoyance she suddenly felt. He actually had slipped something into her wardrobe? Goddamn. She was going to talk to that boy when this was all over.

"I do. Please go back to your room Arthur, I'm fine. We'll discuss it later, at the feast," she pleaded. She heard some sort of affirmation from him and then the scuffing of his boots on the stone floor and only then did she turn back to the ghost still in her room staring at her with warm but expecting brown eyes.

"Seriously? You're going to haunt him now?" Addison hissed. "You're free! Go to the goddamn afterlife!"

"I want to see my sister," came the ghosts reply, the words no longer fuzzy in her mind.

Addison found herself glaring. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she snarled. "Well how am I supposed to do that? She's Arthur's dead mother and believe it or not I don't convene with the dead often. You're kind of the first dead person I've talked to."

"But I know that you know her," he told her.

Addison's face deadpanned. "Oh really? I do? And how do you know that?"

"Because I feel her in you, humming through your very pulse," he whispered. "She is part of what gave you your great power."

"I got my magic from a spell the lady of the lake used to get me here," Addison growled. The Black Knight tilted his head to the side like a lost puppy listening for its master. Addison had a strange feeling come over her, a sort of dawning of understanding. "Wait a second. What did you say your sisters name was?"

"Ygraine," he answered quickly.

"Oh Holy Shit! The lady who brought me here, the woman who picked me up out of my time and dropped me in medieval hell on earth is your sister and Arthur's dead mother?!" she thundered. The Black Knight merely shrugged, not knowing for sure if this were true or not. Addison groaned and rolled her eyes. "And you can't... like... wait till tomorrow? Cause I've got an important night tonight and if I miss it Uther will surely kill me."

"I assure you that it cannot," the Black Knight told her.

"Of course not. First night of freedom and I've gotta sneak out of the castle to escort a ghost to his dead sister," Addison growled to herself. "My life can't ever be easy, can it?"

The ghost of the Black Knight merely stared at her and Addison found herself huffing. She went to her closet and pulled out her old sparing clothes, the new pair of pants that had to be replaced after the incident with Lancelot and her brand-new boots. She told the Ghost to turn around, and when she was done changing, she turned to him with a grim smile and said:

"Well come on. Might as well get this crossing-over over with."

That unreasonable dragon was LIVID. Beyond livid. Completely irrational. He was acting as if Merlin had served the sword up to Uther on a silver platter, as if he didn't protest. He was a mere servant after all, it wasn't like he could say no to the king.

That damn stupid dragon had woken him up, in the middle of the night, after the great feast, and dragged him down to the cave just to yell at him and make him steal the great amazing sword meant for Arthur and put it where no mortal man could find it.

Merlin had thought long and hard and he figured the best place to put that sword would be to put it into the lake. No mortal could get it there, right?

It had taken most of the night but Merlin had finally managed to reach the lake. The morning sun was just peaking over the mountain when he reached the shore. It took a great deal of effort but Merlin managed to hurl the sword as far as he could into that lake and then he just stood there watched the water ripple where the sword had landed and consequently sunk.

He turned to walk away only to find that a pair of boots were standing in the grass propped up against a tree. Boots that Arthur had described Addison to be wearing.

It had caused a great stir in the castle. Addison had been moved out of her cell and into Arthur's wing, and at the feast Uther had announced that she was now to be the new Court Musician. But Addison was not there to receive her praise. Arthur had declared her missing, stating that her new boots and her sparing outfit were missing.

Uther was furious, of course, not even free one day and she had run off. How ungrateful she was. Arthur was inconsolable, and once again search parties were sent out to look for Addison but she had not been found.

Behind him came a splashing and sputtering and when he turned there was someone in the middle of the lake.

"What in the fresh hell hit me? Was that a fucking sword?"

That was Addison's voice. Merlin squinted out into the middle of the lake and managed to make out her head just above the surface moving towards him.

"Merlin? Is that you?" she called out. Merlin watched her slowly get closer to him, not surprised in the least that she knew how to swim. "Did you just throw a sword into the lake?"

"Uh, yes… yes I did," he called back.

"Well, you nearly killed me! The damn thing nearly ran me through on my way back up. You need to be more carefully where you throw things," she scolded.

She had made it back to the shore, her shirt and pants clinging to her as she came out of the water. Merlin immediately handed her his jacket so she wouldn't be as cold and to cover all he was certain he wasn't supposed to see. Not that he could see them, just that he could see the outline of them and he was certain that Arthur would be livid with the thought of Merlin seeing things he shouldn't. Even if they were merely outlines created by wet clothes clinging to her skin.

She went to her boots and picked them up gingerly as if they were a fragile china doll but didn't put them on, instead she began to walk barefoot as she carried her boots. She squinted up at the sky and sighed.

"I was gone all night, wasn't I?" she asked softly.

Merlin could only stare at her. "How could you not know you were gone all night?"

"Because there's no time in Avalon, okay?" Addison snapped moving towards the path that would take them back to the castle. "Is Arthur mad?"

"Arthur is worried, I'm sure once you're safe and sound he'll be angry with you. Uther's downright livid. You may get moved straight back into the dungeons," Merlin said which merely caused Addison to scoff.

"Go figure, freedom for one day. Wouldn't that just be my luck?" Addison joked, nudging him with her elbow.

Merlin had fallen into step beside her. "Why did you even go there Addison? Couldn't it have waited until the morning?"

"That's what I asked," Addison said. "Apparently, there's a time limit on crossing over into the afterlife or something. And the Black Knight really wanted me to get him to his sister."

Merlin stopped in his tracks. "The Black Knight? Like… the Black Knight? The one we vanquished yesterday…"

"Yeah, that's the one. His sister's in Avalon, it was why he was drawn to me. Her magic brought me here so he could sense her in me… or on me? I unno, he knew I knew her, and knew I could help him see her before he went heaven, or hell. Personally, I'm pretty sure he went to hell, but I'm going to hope for heaven cause he was just misguided in his grief," she explained.

Merlin understood very little of what she just said to him, and he was starting to think that he never really would understand Addison. He would maybe only understand half of what she said and the other half he'd have to make up his own mind about.

"Do you have a convincing lie?" Merlin asked.

"No, but I'm sure I'll come up with something by the time I get back. Maybe I'll think of something that makes you the hero, huh? If we're lucky Arthur will give you the day off and I can show you my new room… if I still have it when I get back that is," she offered.

Merlin couldn't help but smile. He knew that the room would still be there for her. Arthur had Addison next door to him now, there was no way he was going to let his father move her back to the cells. He had been so excited to hear of the move, to have her next door, he had practically gushed as much to Merlin as Merlin was preparing him for the feast. And, while Merlin had been worried about Addison's disappearance, he certainly had enjoyed seeing the Royals flummoxed by her vanishing act.

Merlin couldn't wait to see what sort of mischief Addison could get up to, now that she wasn't expected to be behind bars. Just so long as he was there to help her get out of it, of course.