A/N: Hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter. This week is a bit topsy tervy so you'll get the next chapter next Monday.
Rose went to Gaius's chambers for some schooling. She sat at the desk reading while Gaius made some potions and did some writing. Arthur burst in making them both look up at him in surprise.
"Where is that halfwit," said Arthur.
"Do you mean Merlin" asked Rose. Staring at Arthur who was looking a bit worse for wear Rose rolled her eyes at him when he nodded.
"I have no socks, no breeches and an archery session to go to, Merlin!" shouted Arthur, towards this bedroom. He then turned to face Rose and Gaius again giving them an exasperated look.
"I thought he was with you, sire," said Gaius.
"He's been missing since last night I haven't seen him" said Rose. He stared at them in confusion and then he looked suspicious of them. He pointed at them both.
"Don't try and cover for him," said Arthur.
"Are you deaf, he's missing," said Rose.
"Well, if you find him tell him he's the target" said Arthur. He then stormed out.
Rose looked to Gaius with a worried expression. Rose put her head on the table.
"Are you alright Rose" asked Gaius. Rose looked up to the old man's face unsure how much to tell him.
"I am worried about Merlin," said Rose. She had a flash of guilt maybe it was something to do with Morgana and Morgause this was replaced she didn't need to feel guilty she felt nothing but loyalty to Morgause. They had the right idea take over Camelot and then magic would be free. No wait they can't take over Camelot what about her destiny to protect Gwen. Her mind then went back to loyalty to the old religion. Well that was odd.
"He'll be alright, try not to worry dear, would you like to stay for dinner" asked Gaius. Rose nodded excitedly. They had dinner and Rose then fell asleep with her head in a book on the table while Gaius went to bed.
She was awoken with a blanket being rapped around her. She was then picked up. She looked to see who was handling her to see it was Merlin.
"Merlin, I've been so worried" said Rose. He laid her down on his bed and got on the bed next to her, she took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"It's alright now" said Merlin. She smiled and felt the usual sensation of being hit with a sleeping spell.
The next morning, she woke up and went to her chambers. She changed into some clean clothes before heading out of the room. Merlin was walking on a separate corridor and got pulled behind a pillar by Morgana.
"I don't know how you managed to escape, but I do know one thing: if you breathe a word of what you saw or heard to anyone I will make your life a short and painful one" said Morgana.
"I do not care for myself whatever you have put on Rose I want you to reverse it" said Merlin in a hiss. Morgana sneered in his face and scoffed.
"No, she's fine the way she is, you'll never be able to sort her out only Morgause or someone with ancient magic can fix her, you keep your mouth shut or I'll tell everyone you tried to poison me" said Morgana she then shoved him back and walked away.
A meeting was called in the council chamber Rose stood next to Morgana as Leon spoke to the group. "I estimate they will reach the city in two days" said Leon. Rose looked at Arthur he seemed so sad and defeated. He seemed lost for words, so Rose stepped forward.
"Whose banner do they march" asked Rose. Leon didn't seem phased that she was being addressed by a lady of the court. The other knight around him started to look at each other weirdly.
"Cenred's my lady," said Leon. Rose nodded her thanks at him then looked at Arthur "we knew he was creating an army"
"How many" asked Arthur getting his voice back giving a Rose an appreciative look.
"20,000 maybe even more" said Leon.
"I fear that the news of Uther's illness has been spread beyond our borders" said Gaius Rose noticed that Merlin and Morgana were glaring at each other.
"Cenred sees an opportunity, then we must appease him" said Leon Rose looked up from her guardian and brothers glaring match.
"No! Appease and Cenred don't go hand in hand, he'll have us all slaughtered before we could even offer him land" said Rose.
"Rose is right, that is not what my father would do anyway, he wouldn't bow to our enemies" said Arthur.
"Forgive me sire, my lady but we are outnumbered two to one" said Gaius looking at both Arthur and Rose like they were crazy.
"Cenred cannot be reasoned with Gaius, it's not ideal but it's better to fight him than give into his demands, we are dead either way" said Rose.
"It would buy us time" said Gaius.
"It shows weakness Gaius" said Arthur. He walked over to the table sat down at the king end of the table "there is only one course of action available to us, we must prepare for a siege".
"Are you sure that is wise" said Leon.
"The castle is our strongest weapon, no army has ever taken it, Rose how does Cenred's army work" said Arthur.
Rose was shocked by being addressed she took a few seconds to respond.
"Cenred won't join his army until he knows the battle is won, he usually sends out the soldiers before he sends out the knights, he'll keep his strongest with him until the last moment" said Rose.
"What about the outlying village" said Leon.
"We'll give them refuge in the city" said Arthur. Arthur was showing great leadership even though he looked nervous he was holding his own and defending his decision he was planning with his heart not his ego and the nobility oozed of him.
"And what about their livelihood their houses, Cenred will destroy everything in his path" said Leon giving them a shocked look.
"If they were in the houses, he would kill them, they will lose their belongings, but they will have their lives" said Rose.
"Ready the army" said Arthur. He dismissed everyone and Rose went straight to the armoury to see if she could help.
Rose helped get the armoury sorted with weapons before heading to bed. She woke up the next morning and got into her knights' uniform with the helmet. No one who she was when she was in the helmet except Arthur and Leon. She started the day helping everyone in the armoury then she went to where all the knights were gathered.
"They will be upon us in hours" said Leon to the group. Rose nodded slightly he looked at her and rolled his eyes before going back to what he was doing. She didn't want Cenred as king she moved out of his kingdom for a reason. She was ready to get into the battle. She saw Arthur was getting everything ready and was speaking with Leon with Merlin following behind. Cenred's army arrived Rose could hear them over the wall they were loud. Arthur came into the armoury dressed up in his armour ready to lead them into battle. He greeted a few of the knights she went into the shadows unsure if he would let her go into battle or not. It was probably a not he only let her join the search parties so she could learn how they worked, and Uther insisted she went.
"For the love of Camelot" said Arthur raising his sword. Everyone else did the same and repeated his shout except Rose who decided not to speak.
They all got lead to the front line. Fire balls were thrown into castle knocking people over. Rose managed to dodge the first few. She was nearly hit by a fire ball, but it stopped. They broke down the fence and gate and they ran forward towards the barricade. She fought well and avoided the fireball being sent into the sky well however they were losing, and it was getting harder. She was distracted by Uther appearing next to her he barely seemed to notice her he fought against someone and then Arthur dragging him away. Rose was sliced in the arm by one of Cenred's men in the distraction. She killed him before going on to the next person. She didn't feel the pain the adrenaline pumping through her veins got rid of pain.
"Fall back, retreat" shouted Arthur. They all ran to the square to help to defend it. Cenred's men got over the barricade and advanced on to the citadel. She saw Arthur give Uther to Merlin.
"Rose" called Merlin's voice in her head. She ignored it and carried on in the battle. She was doing well again until a blast of magic distracted her it stalled her for a minute or two, and she was slashed in the side. Leon killed the person she was fighting against.
Then they both killed another one before Leon bent whisper in her ear.
"Rose, you have to go get medical help" said Leon in her ear looking at the red on her arm and her side. They killed another few opponent before Rose looked past Leon as some skeletons walk towards them.
"I can't get to the hospital right now" muttered Rose.
"Why?" asked Leon. Rose just pointed and Leon turned around and started to fight the skeleton. He then looked at everyone else "on me". They fought against the skeletons and they fought against Cenred men sometimes at the same time. This battle was going to be lost if they didn't get rid of the skeletons. She fought against one of the skeletons and it collapsed to the ground. She sighed in relief and they went back to fighting with Cenred's men.
The world seemed to slow down as Cenred's men retreated from the lower town. She made her way towards the castle to get her arm looked at. The adrenaline started to slowly eb away and she fell to her knees as the pain started to kick in and she fell to the side, but she was caught before she hit the floor. She was picked up gently and carried into the castle how her helmet had managed to stay on she had no idea. She looked up to see it was a regular knight. She was laid on a table and she felt hands attempting to remove her helmets and pull up her chain mail. She moved her head away and pulled the chainmail down before she was revealed. She deepened her voice and spoke.
"I would like a bit of privacy please" said Rose in a deep voice surprising herself about everyone not realising it was her. She looked at Gaius who attempted to pull the chainmail up. She pulled it down again desperate for someone to realise. She couldn't expose herself because Uther would have confined to her chambers every fight for the next ten years.
"Boy, let the physician treat you, it's nothing we haven't seen before" said Uther.
Rose rolled her eyes in her helmet she was losing consciousness and the last thing she needed was her half naked torso being seen by the whole army, it was something they hadn't seen before on a knight. Leon came over and Arthur followed by Merlin came from a different angle to see what all the fuss was about. Great now she had a crowd of them now, if she couldn't get her point across soon, she was exposed in more ways than one.
"I demand privacy" said Rose again in a deep voice. Leon picked up her sword and showed it Arthur pointing to something on the sword he winced.
"Merlin, take the knight to Gaius's chambers, make sure not to take off the helmet until you get there, Gwen go and help them" said Arthur. Merlin came over and picked her up gently she wrapped her arm around him.
Merlin carried Rose to Gaius's chambers and laid her own on the patient's cot. He pulled off her helmet both Gwen and Merlin gasped.
"Rose what were you thinking?" asked Merlin. He sat her up and Gwen helped Rose take off the chainmail. She started to fall asleep as the adrenaline started to ebb away completely. She got laid down on the patient cot again Gaius walked into the room looking annoyed.
"Now will you let me look at you sir" said Gaius. He turned to face the patient's cot and looked at her with a shocked expression "I'm sorry". He joined the group around the table giving Gwen and Merlin orders. Rose smiled before falling to sleep knowing that she was in good hands.
Rose woke up sometime later feeling better her wound were wrapped up. She looked around she was in her chambers. Morgana was sat on the bed next to her she was in Morgana's bed. Rose sat up and Morgana pulled her to her.
"What were you thinking?" said Morgana.
"I don't want Cenred to be king of Camelot" said Rose.
"Me and Morgause planned it so that I could take the throne" said Morgana.
"Oh, sorry, tell me next time" said Rose. Morgana nodded and rubbed her arms.
"I will get you more involved in our plans next time" said Morgana. Rose nodded and squeezed her. There was a knocking on the window, so Rose got up and went to the window and opened it. The raven dropped a letter into her hand and then obediently stood waiting for her reply.
Dear Rose
I hope you stay safe in the battle your face deserves betters. I am settled down in Ealdor at the moment and have been here for a few days. I hear there is a party to celebrate some young knights next week it would be lovely to see you.
Mordred.
Rose smiled and her heart skipped a beat she looked across to Morgana. "I am going to Ealdor next week" said Rose. Morgana looked at her nodded with a smile.
"Okay, I hope you have a good time" said Morgana. They both hugged and Rose got her bag and started to pack. Looking forward to seeing Mordred again.
The end
