Last time on The Border...

"So, did you break the poor man's heart, or was it vise versa? I'm sorry. I don't mean to jump to conclusions about your situation, but you seem like a woman going through heartbreak."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Painfully so, I am afraid. Here in Albion, we don't really do heart-crushing pain and heartbreak. We love to love."

Gwen laughed. "Really? Well, that is just...wait Albion? What is Albion?" Gwen stood up off of one of the most comfortable beds she has ever experienced in her life and peered out the window. She gasped in awe and turned to the mysterious man.

"Uh...who are you? And what is this place?"

The man stood up and walked to her place in the tiny room. He stood above her and bowed. "My name is King Richard of Albion, the Hidden Kingdom."

A king? Oh, Gwen! Not again!

XXX

Chapter 5

"Hidden Kingdom? This place is magic?" Gwen asked Richard who turned to the door.

"Yes, it is."

"King Arthur will-"

Richard threw his head back and laughed at her. "What? What is so funny? Arthur is King!"

"Arthur is a king, yes, but he is not the future. Albion is. As long as I am the king of Albion, he will never touch it."

There was this awkward silence that filled the room between the two strangers. Richard cut it by holding out his hand to her. "It is time to leave and make way for Albion."

Instead of taking his hand, Gwen looked at him and asked, "Why am I here? What happened?"

"Your hand touched the water. It is one of the gateways to Albion. Only magical people can open the gates-"

"But I don't have magic."

"Miss-"

"Gwen, please."

"Gwen, there are three types of magical beings. The wielder, the siphoner, and the hybrid which is a combination of the first two. Trust me, you opened that gateway on your own because the Black Pearl felt you calling to it."

"So, you possess magic? When did that happen? It has only been two years since we've seen you, Gwen!" Merlin asked astonished.

"I don't know, but Richard helped me figure it out and-"

"That's how you two became close. How beautiful!" Morgana finished for her best friend while excitedly looking around the glittering gold palace. She gasped as she peeked into a room that looked as if it is a dragon's classroom. "It is, surprisingly, a dragon's classroom, Morgana. Azazel is teaching and well I am sure that he will gladly welcome Aithusa right now. Let's check, shall we?" Gwen held the door open for Aithusa and the rest of the group.

"Well, you sure are keen on your word, my queen. Welcome, Aithusa, Emrys, Morgana, and Sir Gwaine. The class shall greet the newest edition while I speak with the King. My queen." Azazel bowed and flew out the door. Merlin watched as Morgana and Aithusa interacted with the other dragons. He was sure glad that Richard and Gwaine talked to him about Morgana...

As Merlin looked at the ring that he had given to Morgana, he questioned whether or not love was worth it. Worth breaking up the prophecy and destroying all that he worked for. All that many had worked hard for. He knew that he would give anything to be with Morgana in a world free of well this. Every time he thought that he was making progress with Arthur, something would occur and change everything. Maybe Morgana was right. Maybe Arthur just doesn't want to change. Maybe he is just comfortable with how everything is now.

Merlin knew that he had to put his wife and his child first, but he also knew that in spite of not being enough to change Arthur's mind; Arthur did need him. He was no longer a manservant but a member of the round table and his council and personal advisor. Even though he wasn't treated any differently he thought as he looked at Arthur watching Gwen leave with Morgana. Where the hell was Morgana going?

"Merlin, may we have a word please?" Merlin turned to Richard.

Merlin turned to Richard. He was definitely the complete opposite of Arthur. Although he bared a very similar appearance to his dear old friend Lancelot, his blue eyes pierced through just as Arthur's. He was a mix of the two men who had once held Gwen's heart. Merlin wondered if Fate did this on purpose. Oh well, he didn't seem prat-like...yet.

"My king."

"Will you be joining Gwen, I, and the Lady Morgana to the Border?"

"I...I...I don't know. Arthur ne-"

"Before you finished that mate, allow me to intervene."

"Gwaine?! How long have you been standing there?"

Gwaine came from the shadows with a grin on his face. "Long enough to see the argument between you and the missus. Are you really going to give up on her? The love of your life?"

"How do you know?"

"Mate, you haven't even considered looking in the direction of a woman. That is the first clue to a man who is completely in love. I say go with the missus because Arthur is never going to change or go anywhere for that matter. If he does, I won't be here to see it because I want to leave as well."

"You want to leave? Why? I sense no magic within." Richard spoke up. He was curious as Gwaine is a knight of the Round Table of Camelot.

"I just think that I could help others reach the Border a lot quicker and safer than your men that's all. There was a woman I loved that wanted to go to the land that promised magical people a safe haven, but she stayed because of me. We grew apart as Arthur steadily grew hard in his reproach of creating a world for all. Her name was Gwenyfred. I don't know if she ever made it to Albion, but at least take me so that I can train in gathering them and bringing them home. So that I can...maybe one day find her and show her that I have changed. Maybe, my weird friend, you should do the same with Morgana."

Merlin hoped that his dear friend would find his love and that they hadn't made a mistake in coming to Albion. But maybe this was his destiny, to help the Once and Future King and the King of Albion. For they are different people altogether.

Gwen came to stand beside him. "Are you okay? Merlin?"

"Yeah, just thinking that's all. I can't believe this place exists and I can't believe that you are a queen for that matter!" Gwen laughed and smiled at him. "It is shocking! I know that it has only been two years Merlin, but Richard has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I love this place! And I hope you all will as well."

"Will Arthur be able to-"

"No. He won't be able to do anything here. As long as we do things safely, all magic users will always have Albion as a place to call home. It will not be destroyed ever."

"This is Albion, Gwen. It is a land of magic. It doesn't lie. You possess magic."

"That's not possible! Morgause would have been able to sense it!"

"As powerful as Morgause was, even she can't sense everything especially if it didn't involve her agenda. Single-minded people look at the world single-minded."

Richard and Gwen had been in the palace throne room for hours going back and forth over if she possessed magic or not. Gwen was getting frustrated and tired and overwhelmed. She groaned and fell to the floor in an unladylike manner. Richard plopped down beside her and reached out to rub her shoulders, but she pushed away with a shout that made a crack in the floor. Gwen gasped and looked at Richard who only stared at her with a grim expression.

"What is it? How? What did I just do?" Gwen had many questions that she wasn't sure she wanted answers to.

"You're a siphoner. That's why it is overwhelming. All of the magic here is getting sucked into you and subconsciously you don't know how to handle it. The reason why you never possessed such strong magic is that Camelot is a land with little to no magic in it. Let me help you. Please before you destroy yourself." Richard pulled her up from the floor and looked at her with such intense eyes. Arthur was quite intense but in a more frustrating way. Arthur wanted what he couldn't have, but Richard. Gwen worried that this road he wanted to take her on would break her. Break her resolve of never loving another man again. They'd only just met, but something within her felt a strong pull to his aura. She could only guess that was their magic.

"That's right. Destiny is quite real, Guinevere. I have a feeling ours will be intertwined for a long time and whatever destiny decides to do with us, it shall surpass."

"Why?"

"Because you never mess with Destiny, Guinevere. It has a way of sneaking up on you in many ways. I remember long ago there was a man who left and took his daughter and son to Camelot. A place that once flourished with magic, but is now dead. Brown eyes, brown skin, and beautiful curly hair. You may not remember Albion as it once was, but it and Destiny remember you, Queen Guinevere."

Hmmm...so Guinevere and Richard were betrothed?! I wonder how that is going to sit with Arthur. Well, I hope you all like this!

Remember to keep 6 ft apart and stay safe! Merry Christmas!