Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin! I only own my OC, and any other characters or plotlines I make up along the way!

AN: Welcome to the final season!

I want to start the final season by thanking everyone who's ever read this story. You all mean so much to me, having been with me since I was fourteen. I've had such a great time bringing Elizabeth to life, and I'm ready to do it for one last season!

And because this is the first episode of season 5, I think it is fitting to announce my big news: With the completion of this story and my story for The Originals, I am formally retiring from Fanfiction. I've made so many friends here and I love and appreciate every single one of you who has read or reviewed this story, but you know, I started writing fanfiction when I was thirteen. I'm almost twenty now, and while I've loved it so much, I'm ready to move on and do my own writing (which I HAVE been doing-I've written two novels and am in the process of revision for the second) and continue on a journey to get published some day. And I can't do that if I'm writing fanfiction with the expectations of updates from my readers.

Also, this chapter is suuuuuuper long to make up for the mini hiatus!

Thank you all for understanding. This has been a wild almost six years. Time to wrap it up.

It makes me so sad to think that this is the last time that we open up on Elizabeth's birthday. I don't know if anyone's noticed, but every season opener since the very first chapter (when it was actually Elizabeth's birthday, and when she made the wish to send her to the Merlin universe in the first place) has celebrated Elizabeth's birthday!

This one's for you, and for me!

Enjoy!

Three Years Later...

I turned in bed, snuggling down further into the soft sheets. I automatically threw my hand out, expecting it to land on the warm chest of my husband, but I frowned when I realized that his side of the bed was cold. I would've woken up to see where he had gone, but Jane had a hard time sleeping last night because she was struggling with a fever so I had spent most of the night with her until she finally fell asleep.

Even then, I sat with her for a bit before leaving her in the hands of her night nurse (who was only ever there at night, and who had only recently been employed. Merlin finally convinced me to get a nurse for Jane and Harry after numerous fainting spells from exhaustion from struggling to take care of them and the castle at the same time-from the both of us!). I had collapsed into bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep that I wasn't keen on waking up from.

I curled my hand back into my chest, and just as I was prepared to fall back asleep for a few more precious hours, my bed dipped deeply from either side of me, and my eyes flew open. I immediately sat up in bed, my magic ready to attack whoever was assaulting me, but I relaxed into smiles as I recognized Harry and Jane bouncing beside me.

"Happy birthday, Mummy!" They both bellowed, and I laughed as they both latched themselves onto my sides.

"Thank you, babies!" I said, kissing Harry's head first and then Jane's.

"The plan was to wake Mommy up gently," I heard, and I grinned when I looked up to see my husband walking toward our bed, a tray with a silver platter, a water goblet, and a wilting flower on top. He set the tray down on the table next to our bed. "Not to scare her."

"Oh, Merlin, it's fine," I assured him, and then looked down to my children to assure them with my smile. I ran a hand through Harry's silky hair. "It's truly the best way to wake up, especially on a birthday." I looked over to Jane, who still had a hint of redness around her nose. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded. "Yes, Mummy."

"You haven't sneezed on your brother then?" I joked, looking over to Harry who had a cross look on his face as he stared down his sister.

I laughed when Jane shook her head. "No, Mommy. I'm a good sister."

I ruffled her hair. "Good," I said. I wanted Jane and Harry to have everything that Morgana and I didn't: the chance to grow up as loving siblings, side by side, and always have each other's backs, no matter what happened. Even though Morgana and I had loved each other before we even knew we were siblings and we still technically grew up together (though of course I didn't remember that childhood that well), I wondered sometimes how different we would've ended up if we had been raised as real sisters in the first place. If we had, maybe I would've gotten that special bed-jump wake up from someone else today, as per our tradition.

I guess Merlin could sense the mood change in me, because he turned to the kids and said, "Why don't we give Mummy her birthday present?"

I gasped and looked down at Harry and Jane. "You got me a present?"

"Yes!" they both said, and they pulled back from me. I was confused for a second, until Harry reached over and took Jane's hand. Then, they both rested a hand on my cheeks and closed their eyes.

They muttered a spell that I certainly never taught them, and a few seconds later, my entire body warmed and blackness overtook my vision. But a few seconds later, I saw a swirl of colour. Hundreds of swirls of colour. I wasn't sure exactly what it was supposed to be, but it made me feel so warm and happy inside, like I could do whatever I wanted.

The images disappeared when they pulled their hands away from me, and they both looked up at my expectantly.

I grinned and smothered their cheeks with kisses. "Oh, thank you!" I gushed as they giggled against me and threw their arms around my neck. "That was a wonderful gift."

Merlin smiled down at us. "They've been wanting to show you since they learned the trick."

"Daddy taught us!" Harry exclaimed as he peeled himself off of me and launched himself at Merlin, who easily caught him and lifted him into his arms. "It took Jane longer than me to learn."

"Did not!" she fumed.

I ran a hand down her back to soothe her. "Now, now, it doesn't matter how long it takes someone to learn something, as long as they still learn it," I pointed out to them.

Yes, we were teaching our children about their magic early on. It was better, we decided, than them fearing their magic and then growing to hate it. But we were still very careful. We told them they were only ever permitted to do magic whenever Merlin, Gaius, or I were around, and never to do it when they were alone. So far they listened very well, because we told them that we'd shut down the lessons if we ever caught them, or found out that they had used magic when we instructed them not to. As much as Merlin and I loved magic, we loved our kids more, and we were still aware of what kingdom we lived in.

Merlin patted Harry's chest. "Mummy's absolutely right." He looked over to me. "She always is."

God, him calling me right was always such a turn on. Sometimes having kids was a reaaaaal hindrance. I shook my head free of the thoughts and instead asked Merlin, "Arthur's still having the meeting today, right?"

He sobered up a bit. "Yeah. It should be starting soon."

I nodded. "I suppose I should eat quick then," I said, looking over to the tray.

Jane latched her arm onto my chest, and I looked down. "Mummy, can't we come with you?"

"Oh, it's a boring meeting," I told her. "You wouldn't have very much fun. I think you and Harry would much rather have fun with your toys this morning, wouldn't you?"

They instantly perked up. Jane scrambled off of the bed, and Harry made his body go limp until Merlin set him down on the ground. Merlin and I usually never let them play with their toys before they'd had a school lesson, but it was a special day, so why the hell not.

They disappeared into the other room, and Merlin shook his head at them as he sat down next to me. He leaned over and pressed a loving kiss to my lips. "Happy birthday, dear wife."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck as I kissed him again. "Thank you, dear husband." I rested my interlocked hands against the back of his neck and pulled back a bit.

"Are you sure you don't want a birthday party tonight?" he asked. "Because Gwen and I would be able to whip up the arrangements and a feast before you know it-"

"I know," I acknowledged, rubbing circles into his neck with my finger. "But it just wouldn't feel right, celebrating when Gwaine and Percival..." I trailed off.

Merlin nodded somberly. "I know."

To lighten the mood a bit (it was still my birthday, after all), I leaned back a bit more and said, "But wait-where's my present from you?"

He held up a finger and pulled his head away from my arms. He reached over and grabbed the wilted flower before holding it out to me. "Here you go."

I tried not to frown as I took the dead red flower from him. "Oh," I said in a tight voice. If I didn't love him so much I'd pummel him. It was my birthday, and all he got me was a dumb flower? Not even a living flower; a dead one. Was this the official sign that the spark had gone out of our relationship? I didn't have many memories of my old world left, but something that I remembered studying in my early childhood education course was that most marriages started to dwindle after kids in the marriage reached around age four, and even though Jane and Harry weren't there yet, we-

Merlin burst into laughter, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "You really thought this was all that I got you for your birthday?"

I punched him in the shoulder. "I hate you, you know."

"Of course you do," he said with a smile. "But here's part one of your present." He whispered something under his breath, his eyes flashed gold, and all of a sudden, it was like the clock was turning backwards for the rose. It went from dead black to dull burgundy all the way to a vibrant, brilliant red. He held it out to me again. "Happy birthday, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth. Even though Merlin rarely ever called me by my full name, it was still nice to hear him say it. Especially because whenever he called me by my full name, I always knew he meant business. I leaned over and gave him a slow, full kiss, before pulling away and resting my forehead on his. "Thank you."

"Noble Knights of Camelot, countrymen, friends," King Arthur began. "I welcome you to this meeting of the Round Table."

I sat beside Gwen (who I couldn't help but tease and call "Queen Guinevere" on some occasions), and I couldn't help but beam as I looked around at all of our friends (my heart cracked a little at the missing faces, though). Never would I have thought that I'd be sitting at the actual round table, and never as a trusted member of the court. Merlin, though being my husband, still chose to stand behind Arthur as his servant, though that term hadn't applied to them in many years. Merlin was more of a trusted adviser to Arthur, though the king would never admit that. He still thought sometimes that Merlin truly didn't know which shoe went on which foot (to be fair, that day he was trying to teach Harry his left from his right and the whole thing ended up just confusing them both). The table was a symbol enough of the change that Arthur was trying to make and implement.

"For three long years, we have been blessed with peace and prosperity," he went on. "But now, it seems a shadow has been cast across our lands."

We all steeled ourselves for what we knew was coming next. "Sir Gwaine set off for Ismere some six weeks ago," he said. "With him went three score of our finest men. There has been no word from them since." He looked over at his brother-in-law, who sat beside me. "At my request, Sir Elyan led a search party to the wastelands of the north. He found no trace of Gwaine or his men. It is as if they have vanished from the face of the Earth."

A shiver ran down my spine. Whatever was happening, it was going to be big.

And I didn't need to have a vision in order to figure that out.

Later, in private, we reconvened with Elyan. He pointed to the map in the middle of the table. "We know Gwaine and his men crossed the pass, here, at Isulfor. But beyond that, there was no trace. The trail went cold."

"What of this story that the fortress of Ismere has been occupied once more?" Arthur asked.

"I heard many rumours, Sire," Elyan stated. He hesitated a bit, but then eventually said, "All of them had one name in common... Morgana."

Arthur and I immediately locked eyes at the mention of our sister, but just as quickly we both snapped back into action. "Then we have no time to lose," he declared.

"What if the rumours are true, Sire?" Gaius brought up. "You may be walking into a trap."

Arthur was firm in his resolve. "The Knights of Camelot do not abandon their own."

"But Morgana knows that," I also pointed out, and he looked over to me. I lifted a shoulder. "No doubt she'll be waiting for you."

Arthur still would not be swayed. "These men have fought for me, bled for me..."

"May I make a suggestion?" Gwen suddenly cut in. She leaned over the map. "What if you were to take a different route? Approach Ismere from the West."

"Through Annis' lands?" Arthur said.

"It would certainly take Morgana by surprise," Gaius pointed out.

Arthur turned to Leon. "Would Annis grant safe passage to so many armed men?"

The knight nodded. "I believe she would, Sire."

After a few seconds, Arthur nodded. "Dispatch a rider immediately. We'll follow at dawn. Remember, if we're to succeed, no-one must know of our intentions."

I stared at my closet after putting the kids to bed (which was always a difficult task, because Jane always wanted to stay up and hear another story while Harry just wanted to go to sleep), thinking about what I wanted to wear when I heard the door behind me open. I looked over my shoulder to see Merlin walking into the room.

He stopped in his step and stared me down. "Oh, no."

"No what?" I wondered, turning around to face him properly.

"You cannot ride with us tomorrow," he said as he walked up to me.

"What?" I blurted. "Why not?"

"Because we have children now, Lizzie," he said. "One of us needs to stay behind with them."

"Okay, how about you stay and I'll go, then?" I suggested, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh, come on, you know that's not gonna happen," he insisted.

I gave him a look. "And why not? I'm just as capable of handling Arthur as you are. Besides, while I was pregnant, I never got to go anywhere. And the last three years have been so calm that there's never been any reason for me to go with you and Arthur whenever you had a task to do. Now that finally something exciting's happening, I don't want to be sidelined again."

He sighed, considering his next words very carefully. "One of us needs to stay, Lizzie."

"Alright, how about we decide this over rock-paper-scissors?" I said as I held a fist out. I taught Merlin rock-paper-scissors a few years ago and now it was our go-to way of deciding things, like who was going to get up and change the baby's diaper next.

He grabbed my fist and pulled it down. "Come now, Lizzie, what are we, children?"

"No, worse," I said. "We're Merlin and Lizzie."

When he gave me a look, I matched it. "Then why can't we both go? We've already established that we're a package deal. One of us can't do well without the other, and honestly, most of the time it's you who can't do well without me."

He heaved a sigh after a few seconds. "What about Harry and Jane?"

"Gwen's always happy to look after them."

"Gwen is also the queen now. She has duties to attend, especially now that Arthur will be absent."

"She's never too busy for our kids; she's said so herself," I said. I perked up after I realized something. "Make it my birthday present."

Merlin scrunched his face. "What? I already gave you your present."

Okay, yes, true, he did, and I absolutely adored the telescope and new stationary set that he had gotten for me, but I was still going to go for it. "I didn't ask for those things, though. I'm asking for this, and it's still my birthday for a couple of more hours. Are you going to deny your wife a gift on her birthday?"

A few tense seconds later, Merlin's shoulders deflated, and I squealed and jumped into his arms. We swayed for a couple of seconds before I pulled back and planted a kiss right on the tip of his nose. "Remember Merlin-I'm always right."

The next day, after saying our goodbyes to Jane and Harry (and tearing my heart out in the process) Merlin and I left them in the trusted hands of Gwen and Gaius and left for Ismere with Arthur.

"Do you really think Gwaine and Percival could still be alive?" Merlin asked him once we were on the road.

"I have to find out," Arthur simply stated. "They're Knights of the Round Table. It's a bond we share."

"I understand," Merlin said solemnly.

After a few seconds, Arthur added, "If it was you who'd disappeared, Merlin, I wouldn't bother."

I snorted, and Arthur looked over at me. "What's so funny?"

"It's just that... remember when he went missing while I was still pregnant?" I brought up. "You were just as adamant as I was that he was found."

Arthur flushed slightly pink. "Well, that was more for your benefit than his. I couldn't stand the sad, mopey look on your face every second he was gone. It was quite pathetic, now that I think about it."

I subtly moved my horse closer to his, and then I reared my leg back and kicked him right in the side. He let out a loud "oomph!" and fell right off the side of his horse. From the other side of his horse, he pushed himself up on his elbows and gave me a "dude, seriously?" look.

I grinned as I continued on. "Now that is quite pathetic."

A little while later, we came to a stop at a gorge. "The gorge marks the start of Annis' lands," Arthur announced.

"It's prime ambush territory," Elyan reminded us.

Arthur nodded. "Take some men and follow the ridge line."

Elyan kicked his horse in the rear and continued on. We followed but at a slower pace as we examined all around us, and after a little while Elyan returned to us, a grave expression on his face. "There's something you need to see."

We made our way over to the abandoned camp in the village, and my stomach churned at the sight of all the dead bodies. I turned my face away and instead followed Merlin as we continued to inspect the grounds.

The sounds of a whisper hit my years, the softest sound. "Emrys. Maeve."

Merlin and I both instantly stopped in our tracks and looked at each other. Then the voice came again, a little louder so that we could tell what distance it was coming from. "Emrys. Maeve."

It was coming from a cave, and Merlin walked in front as I trailed behind him. We walked further and further into the cave until we found the body of an old man laying down on the mouth of a fountain. Merlin reached over to see if he was still alive, and at the same second the man's hand shot out and grabbed Merlin's wrist.

"Emrys. Maeve," he whispered again.

"What happened to you? Who did this to your village?" Merlin asked, though the fear was evident on his face.

"That it happened at all is all that matters," he breathed. "I have been haunted by this moment for many years... since long before you set foot on this Earth, Emrys, I have waited for its arrival with the sorrow in my heart." He pulled Merlin closer to him. "For even as Camelot flowers, so the seeds of her destruction are being sown. The prophets speak of Arthur's bane. You would do well to fear it, for it stalks him like a ghost in the night. Unless you act quickly, Emrys, even you cannot alter the never-ending circle of his... fate."

The man's hand fell back to the water. Merlin and I peered closer into the water that started to glow from the dull blue to a shining gold that eventually turned into an angry red as clear images began to show. A tall, young man that looked vaguely familiar walked towards Arthur on the battlefield. The king of Camelot was clearly wounded, sweat slicking his skin and his hair. He raised his sword just as the young man did, and they crossed. Not long after, however, did the man pull his sword back and drive it right through Arthur's body.

I swear I felt the stab in my own gut. My stomach lurched, and I forced myself away from the fountain. I didn't have to check to know that my face was wet with tears, and my eyes burned. I looked away from the Merlin and fell to my knees, forcing myself to keep my breakfast down.

I'd seen Arthur nearly die so many times in the years that I'd known him. But for some reason, watching that vision, actually feeling the death blow that he was being delivered... I wanted to wash my brain of the memory.

"Is he alive?" I heard, and I looked up to see Arthur standing in front of Merlin, but staring at the body. Merlin hadn't moved since seeing the vision. At seeing the looks on our faces, Arthur asked, "What is it?"

When neither Merlin or I answered, he shook his head at us. "Come on, you two-you've seen a dead body before." Even then, Arthur looked away from the body. "As soon as we've given these people a proper burial, we're moving out."

As soon as Arthur was gone, Merlin turned to me and helped me to my feet. I clutched his arms. "What the hell was that?" I demanded. I stepped away from the fountain as I felt the vision course through me again. "I'd never felt so... cold."

"I don't know," he said, rubbing my arms. "But I intend to find out."

Merlin's method of finding out was summoning Kilgharrah, so as soon as everyone was asleep, the two of us slipped away from the campsite and Merlin called out for him when we reached an abandoned cliff.

The dragon, somehow, showed signs of aging as he landed in front of us. The wind raised my hair, but eventually it fluttered back down. "I need to know about a Druid symbol," Merlin immediately started. "A black spiral, within it a thin, yellow coil."

"It is the mark of a Vates. A Druid seer," he revealed. He looked over at me. "Young Elizabeth descends from a Vates, which is how she received her gifts." Before I had the chance to ask more about this sudden revelation, Kilgharrah turned back to Merlin. "Where did you encounter him?"

"On our journey here," he answered. He looked over at me briefly before looking back at Kilgharrah. "He warned us of Arthur's bane."

"His bane?" Kilgharrah repeated.

"And then we saw a battle," I jumped in. A bulge formed in my throat, and I tried to swallow it down. "A terrible battle. Arthur was fighting for his life. He was wounded, and then he fell."

"The Vates' power of prophecy is unrivalled, even by a high priestess," Kilgharrah informed us, which sent a shiver down my spine.

"So this battle will come to pass?" Merlin asked in a shaky voice.

"I do not know, young warlock," Kilgharrah answered. "But one thing is certain... this was no chance meeting."

"You think we should heed his warning?" I wondered.

"There was a time when the words of a Vates were considered a gift," Kilgharrah mused.

Merlin sighed. "Then why do they feel like a burden?"

"A wise man is not cowed by knowledge, Merlin," Kilgharrah said wisely. "Instead, he uses it to guide him."

"How?" Merlin asked.

"That is something only you can decide," Kilgharrah told him, and I remembered now why I always hated asking him for advice-he was no good at it. "But remember, the Vates singled you out for a reason." For some strange reason, I could've sworn that Kilgharrah's eyes had flickered to me when he said that bit, but he was looking back at Merlin within half a second that I thought maybe I blinked and saw it funny. "Now, more than ever, it is you and you alone that can keep Arthur safe."

We arrived in Caerleon the next morning. I shuddered when I remembered that the last time we had been in Caerleon, we were trying to stop a war, and Arthur and I had been on the outs. So much could change in three years.

We walked into the throne room of Annis' castle, where the queen sat on her throne, two guards on either side. She stood up as Arthur greeted, "Queen Annis."

She nodded at him. "Arthur Pendragon."

We came to a stop just in front of her. "I am most grateful that you have allowed us safe passage through your kingdom," he said cordially to her.

"We are allies, Arthur, and these are troubled times," Annis reminded him. She held an arm out to her side, and we all followed her into the dining hall.

The sight of food was enough to kick start my appetite, despite the nausea that I had felt since I had seen Arthur fall in the vision. I remembered my manners, though, and I sat next to Arthur who sat next to Annis. Merlin, as a servant, was still stuck waiting on us. I knew he wouldn't say anything either, just because he was a good man.

Arthur filled Annis in on what we had seen on the way here. "What you saw at Asgorath is no surprise," she told him. "Some months ago, Saxons began raiding our villages. They're rounding up all the men they can find and taking them to Ismere."

"To raise an army?" Arthur wondered.

Annis shook her head. "People say Morgana is tearing the citadel apart."

"Why?" he said.

Annis leaned in closer to him. "She must be searching for something. I dare not think what."

"Then my men may still be alive?" Arthur asked, hope flickering in his blue eyes.

"Yes," she said. "There is every chance."

Merlin then chose that moment to replenish their cups, and Annis chose that moment to lean back. "I think it's time for some entertainment. I would love to see your fool perform. Given all his failings, he must have some skills."

Arthur laughed. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?" He turned to Merlin. "You heard the Queen-jump to it."

Merlin had a very panicked look on his face as he leaned closer to Arthur. "I'm not a fool."

"That's debatable," Arthur said as he took a sip from his goblet, and beside me Leon snickered. That is, until I gave him a glare, and that immediately shut him up as he spooned some food into his mouth.

"And I don't have any skills!" Merlin hissed.

"I know that," Arthur countered, annoyance laced heavily in his tone. "But we can't refuse the Queen when she's granted us safe passage, can we?" He gave Merlin an annoyed grin and began clapping, and everyone joined in.

Blowing air out of his mouth, Merlin had no choice. He grabbed four eggs off of the table and walked over to the front of the room.

I leaned over and whispered in Arthur's ear, "If this ends with Merlin being humiliated, I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you." He gave me a worried look, but I turned my attention back to the front to see what trick Merlin had up his sleeve.

Merlin turned to face us. He started off small, juggling three eggs. Quite expertly, I might add. And at the secret grin he gave me when he tossed one egg up in the air and then caught it with his hand behind his back, I knew he had been using magic. I simply shook my head at him as I dutifully clapped. Okay, yeah, it was cheating, but as long as no one figured it out, I guess it was okay.

He then upgraded to four eggs, and after juggling them for a bit, he put them behind his back, and when he held his hands out, there was nothing in his hands. He spun around as the crowd clapped, as if to show that he hadn't hidden them anywhere and that they had simply just disappeared in the trick.

Ah, magic. What wonders it did.

Later that night, after Merlin had helped Arthur prepare for bed, we both laid in the bed in the chambers that Queen Annis had been kind enough to provide for us. We both just laid there for a second, assuming the other was sleeping, but we both knew the truth. After an uncomfortable half an hour of pretending to be asleep, I finally spoke in the darkness. "You don't think we should go to Ismere."

His answer came a few seconds after. "What gave it away?"

"Arthur's men are alive, Merlin," I insisted. "Gwaine, Percival. We can't just abandon them."

"You don't know that," he said.

"If it were you, I wouldn't give up, not for a second," I told him. "And when Morgana kidnapped you and put the Fomorroh in your neck, I never gave up on you." I turned my head to look at him but he was still staring up at the ceiling. "How is this any different?"

"Because we don't know what we'll be walking into when we get to Ismere," he said. "It could be a trap. Morgana could be much more powerful than she was three years ago. And given the fact that she hasn't tried anything in these three years means that she's just been waiting, which isn't a good sign."

"You're much more powerful than she is, Merlin," I said firmly. "You know that. I know that. She could never beat what you have, because you have what she doesn't." When he didn't say anything, I went on. "You have people who want to help you because they love you, not because they fear you. You have good intentions, and a pure heart. You have love, Merlin, which is something that Morgana will never have again, not while her hatred consumes her every fibre." I reached under the blanket and grabbed his hand. "And you have me. Someone to cheer you on and keep you going, even when you don't believe in yourself anymore."

Merlin finally looked over to me, and he had the faintest smile on his lips. I leaned over and kissed him, resting my foreheda on his own when we broke apart. "Never forget that as long as I'm by your side, we can do anything."

We left Annis' castle the next day, and after making camp for that night, we woke up in the morning ready to move on. Leon was helping me pack my horse when the sound of a norse neighing nearby that did not come from one of our own stopped us. Leon and I shared a worried glance before looking around us, drawing our swords at the same time as the rest of our knights.

One by one, as the mist became clearer, Saxons on horses emerged. Slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. A quick glance around us revealed that they could afford that luxury, because we were trapped.

"We're surrounded!" Merlin shouted.

"We can't stay here," Leon insisted as we walked up to Arthur.

And then, out of the mist came their leader on a horse, completely dressed in black and that made her pale skin pop out, my sister, Morgana Pendragon.

My stomach dropped all the way to my feet, and I didn't need to be told twice when Arthur screamed, "Run!"

We all turned to run wherever we could, but the Saxons advanced on us, forcing us to stand our ground. One of the Saxons marched towards me, and I swung my sword up at the same time as he swung down. The muscles in my arms strained, and I could feel myself starting to sink down to the ground. The Saxon grinned as he kept pushing, but the image of two perfect little baby faces appeared in front of my eyes, and I immediately began pushing back.

The Saxon's face started to crack with worry when I pushed back, and before I could back out of the risk, I brought my leg back and kicked him in the groin. He dropped to one knee, and I pulled my sword back before stabbing it in his chest. Blood gushed out, and I yanked my blade back at the same time as I kicked him off of it.

"Lizzie!" I heard, and I looked over my shoulder to see Merlin, with a disorientated and barely conscious Arthur in his arms. He was pulling them back from the fight.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I spun around and quickly dispatched of the Saxon before he could even swing at me. I then ran after Merlin and Arthur, killing Saxons as I went on.

Unfortunately, two Saxons followed us, but Merlin easily got rid of them by conjuring a snake that made their horses throw them off their back. Merlin and I each hooked an arm of Arthur's around our shoulders and ran.

After running for a good long while, Merlin and I finally came to a stop. We put Arthur down on the ground, and Merlin started a fire while I assessed the worst of Arthur's damage.

"There doesn't seem to be any indents in his head," I said as I moved his head from side to side. I moved my hand from his head to his shoulder, and I felt a tender dip where I should've felt hard bone. "I think he's fractured his shoulder." I laid my hand flat on top of his shoulder, and double checking to make sure that he was still unconscious, I muttered, "Dnem eht enob."

My magic went from my fingertips deep down into Arthur's shoulder, settling before starting to stitch the bone back together. I lifted my hand and decided to let the magic do its work. I sat down next to Arthur and turned to Merlin, who poked at the small fire he had made. "What do we do now?"

"We go back to Camelot," he immediately said.

I frowned. "And abandon everyone? No, we have to continue on to Ismere."

"It's too dangerous," he insisted, sitting down and wrapping his arms around his legs.

I gave him a look. "What is the matter with you? You never leave anybody behind, let alone our friends."

He was silent as he looked away from me, and it hit me a few seconds later. "Is this about what the Vates said? Because it looks like that battle, if it even happens, isn't to happen for a while. We don't even know who the man in the vision was, Merlin. Don't let your paranoia condemn Gwaine and Percival and the others to death, which is what will happen to them if we just leave them there."

We couldn't talk further on the subject because Arthur stirred next to us. He opened his eyes blearily, and at the sight of the two of us sitting beside him he groaned. "What happened?"

Merlin frowned. "You don't remember?"

"Where are the others? Leon? Elyan?" he asked, looking around him as if expecting them to return with firewood in their arms.

Merlin and I exchanged a look until Merlin finally said, "There was nothing we could do. We had to get you to safety."

Arthur actually chuckled. "What actually happened?"

Merlin gave him a look. "The usual-I saved your neck."

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him, not quite believing him. "You saved me?"

"Yes," Merlin said, and it sounded like he was trying to joke but he mostly sounded bitter. "And I can juggle. I keep telling you, I have MANY talents."

"It's true," I insisted. I grabbed one of Arthur's arms and threw it over my shoulder. "Now, come on, we gotta go."

"Could we have a break?" Merlin asked a few hours later as we trekked through the wilderness.

We hadn't really spoken since he kept insisting that we return to Camelot. We knew at this point that neither one of us were going to agree with the other, so we just decided nonverbally that we'd leave the decision up to our king.

"Long as it's quick," Arthur told him. "I want to reach Ismere before dark."

I smirked at Merlin, who flashed me an annoyed look before turning back to Arthur. "Ismere? We are heading back to Camelot!" he said angrily.

"Navigation's not your strong point, is it?" Arthur responded, not even bothering to stop walking. "Camelot is south. The sun rises where?"

"In the east," Merlin grumbled.

"And what have we been walking towards all day?" Arthur went on.

"To our deaths!" Merlin snapped. "The three of us against Morgana, are you mad?!"

"I told you-I'm going to rescue my men," Arthur told him.

"No!" Merlin finally protested, grabbing Arthur's arm and stopping him in his tracks.

Arthur dropped the joke-y tone and spoke seriously. "If you're afraid... then go." He looked over at me. "Elizabeth and I can handle ourselves, can't we?"

I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest. "Our sister will certainly delight in seeing her siblings again."

Merlin shook his head at us. "I'm worried about you," he said to Arthur.

The king sighed. "Right, well, I've tried sending you home. But if you're not going to do as I ask, The least you can do is shut up." He started walking and nodded his head. "Come on."

Merlin looked over at me, and I simply shrugged. "He'll die without us," I told him telepathically before following after Arthur.

"You know, if Morgana doesn't kill you, I will," Merlin called after Arthur as he followed us.

"Threatening a king is treason, Merlin," Arthur reminded him.

"What about threatening an ass?" Merlin muttered under his breath, and I had to swallow back my laughter.

"I heard that!" Arthur called behind him as we continued on.

Unfortunately we didn't have any supplies to properly make camp, and we couldn't risk a fire, so that night we took refuge in a little burrow under a hill. The temperature had been dropping all day, and now with the sun gone it was even more unbearable. I didn't want to make Arthur feel more uncomfortable than he already was being around Merlin and I, so I just laid beside Merlin instead of snuggling up to him for his warmth like I would've liked.

I finally managed to start to drift off when I heard Merlin's voice, "Arthur?"

"Mmm," Arthur muttered, keeping his voice quiet.

"I need to tell you something," Merlin said, and judging by the tone of his voice I pretended to still be asleep so that I could eavesdrop on what he was going to say. "The man... The old man in the village..."

Probably thinking that the whole scenario had been making Merlin uncomfortable or sad, Arthur told him, "Just think about something else, Merlin."

"No, I need you to listen to me," Merlin insisted. "Before he died... he tried to warn me... He told me that you were in danger and that the danger was close."

"He was dying, Merlin," Arthur dismissed. "Who knows what he was saying?"

"I think that he was a Druid seer," Merlin softly approached.

Arthur snorted. "You expect me to listen to a sorcerer?"

"But why would he tell me that?" Merlin muttered, and even with my eyes closed I see the confused expression on his face. "He had no knowledge that I even knew you. We have to turn back."

"I can't," Arthur immediately shut down. "Even if what he said were true, it makes no difference."

"Arthur, without you, Camelot is nothing," Merlin deadpanned. "All that we've worked so hard to create. Everything will be gone."

After a pause, Arthur responded, "Look, no matter what adversity we face, we stand for what is right. To betray our beliefs, Merlin, that is what would destroy everything we've strived for. I swear I'm going to rescue my men... or die trying."

Another pause, and then Merlin said, "Then I swear I will protect you or die at your side."

Arthur snorted again. "You can't talk like that Merlin."

"Why not?"

"First of all, your wife is laying right beside you," he began, and I could feel both their gazes on me as I continued to pretend to asleep. I guess they both assumed I was actually asleep, because Arthur continued. "You have children you need to think about. Elizabeth would never forgive me if something happened to you because of me."

I'd heard Merlin talk about sacrificing himself for Arthur many times in the years that we'd known each other-hell, when the veil between the spirit worlds needed to be closed, I was ready to standby and let him be the sacrifice to mend the veil-but something this time was different. Maybe it was the fact that we had children now, or maybe it was the last few years that we'd spent evil-free, or maybe it was just because he was my soulmate and I didn't want to lose him. But I couldn't fathom the thought of losing Merlin, even to save Arthur. No. I wouldn't let him.

I wouldn't let him at all.

The sound of hooves woke me up in the morning, and I slowly opened my eyes. I looked over to see Arthur had put his gloved hand on top of Merlin's mouth to keep his servant from saying another, so I clamped my hands over my own mouth just in case.

The hooves stopped just on top of the hill above us. "Don't just stand there!" Morgana's voice boomed, and a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran down my spine. "Find them! I don't care how long it takes!"

We waited for a while, barely breathing, until we were sure that they were gone before we finally got up and ran in the opposite direction. After we had been running for long enough, we finally slowed our pace, but slowing down just reminded our muscles how overworked and tired they actually were. All the adrenaline masked any pain that we had, but now that it was gone, we could feel every stiff movement in our bodies.

"If only we had a horse," Arthur mused.

"Or a pig," Merlin grumbled.

Arthur looked over his shoulder at him and gave him an incredulous look. "You can't ride a pig!"

"No but we could roast it with carrots, parsnips and apples," he said, and the image immediately made my stomach growl loudly and saliva to pool in my mouth.

"Merlin," Arthur chastised.

"You're right, we won't waste those apples, we'll put them in a pie," Merlin said dreamily, and my stomach squeezed in pain.

Arthur briefly caught the look on my face. "Stop it," he insisted to Merlin.

"I have to eat something," Merlin said as he walked in front of us. He stopped for a second before saying, "Rabbits!"

Rabbits? I thought, and I walked a few steps ahead to see that Merlin was running towards two dead rabbits just laying in a pile of leaves. Realization hit me a second later, and I guess it hit Arthur at the same time because we both looked at each other before Arthur lunged forward, pushing me in front of him at the same time trying to get to Merlin.

"Merlin!" he called out as we stumbled forward, but it was too late. The trap activated, and a roped net that had been concealed under the leaves flew up and ensnared all three of us in the small net.

After our initial "ows!", we all finally managed to stop moving as the net swayed with us in it. After a few frustrating seconds, Merlin sheepishly said, "I got them!"

Without even having to look at each other, Arthur and I both whacked Merlin on the head.

Night had fallen faster than we could've believed as we tried thinking of ways to get out of our predicament. "If I could reach my sword... we'd be able to cut the rope," Arthur muttered as he tried reaching to his belt.

"Ooh, I'll try too!" I jumped in, trying to squeeze my arm out from where it was wedged between Merlin's thigh and Arthur's arm.

My foot hit something soft, and Arthur groaned. "Elizabeth! That was my face!"

"Well, at least it's somewhere where it belongs," I snipped, but I moved my foot to the spot beside his head as I continued to reach for my belt.

I had actually managed to grab a hold of my sword, but Arthur shifted his body at the last minute, causing me to fall on top of his stomach and the sword to slip out of my hands. I watched as it tumbled to the ground. "Great!" I grumbled, pushing myself up off of Arthur's chest. "Can you get to your sword?"

"Oh! Don't put your knee there!" Merlin shouted at Arthur.

"Where?" Arthur struggled.

"There!" Merlin exclaimed. "Arrgh!"

And the three of us watched as our last chance fell between the holes in the net and dropped to the ground. I groaned as Arthur shouted, "MERLIN! God!"

"That was your fault. That was your fault!" Merlin protested.

Arthur grunted again as he tried to bounce in the net, hoping that our joined weight would be enough to snap the tree branch, but it held strong. We just swung in the net.

"Great. Just great." Arthur shook his head.

"Where did the other rabbit go?" Merlin thought aloud.

This time Arthur and I shared the annoyed look before smacking Merlin in the chest.

I guess we had somehow managed to fall asleep in the net because I felt myself start awake the next morning. The first thing I saw was the ground coming closer to us, and I looked up to see the net falling from the tree. Someone cut it.

We crashed to the ground in a heap, and we all groaned at the pain and rude awakening.

"I'm sorry," a deep voice said, and I looked up through the tangles of the net to see a Scottish man sitting on top of a horse, a bunch of lackeys surrounding him. "Did we wake you?"

Arthur immediately pushed the net off of himself and lunged for his sword, but the man stomped his foot on top of Arthur's hand just as he grabbed it. "Not so fast," the leader said, kicking Arthur's hand away. He picked up the sword and examined the weapon. He let out a laugh as he turned to regard us. "The King of Camelot. You will fetch a handsome price." He suddenly pointed the sword to Arthur's face. "Alive or dead." He tilted his head to the side. "Any last requests?"

Arthur was silent for a moment before nodding his head at Merlin and I. "Let my servant and my sister go. They have children. They don't deserve to die like this."

The leader nodded at his lackeys, and four of them moved. I felt two pairs of hands on my arms and then my body being lifted off of the ground and away from Arthur.

"If you're going to kill him," Merlin started, wretching his arm away from his captor. "You'll have to kill me first."

Hunger flashed in the leader's eyes as he turned his attention to Merlin.

"Merlin!" Arthur hissed. "Step aside."

"Do as he says, Merlin!" I insisted.

"You know I never do as I'm told," Merlin said. He looked over his shoulder at me. Get out of here as soon as you get the chance. Tell Jane and Harry I love them.

I shook my head, tears spilling out of my eyes. "Mer-!" I started, but I was cut off by the sound of a voice.

"Stop, Radnor!" the male voice bellowed, and when I looked to see who had intervened, my stomach dropped all the way to the pits of the earth.

It was the man. The man from the Vates' vision. But he wasn't a man. Definitely more of a boy. But still, it was him. And there was still something familiar about him. His gait, his curly hair, his nose. Why was he so familiar...

Merlin and I exchanged a worried glance before we looked back to the boy.

He walked towards us. "Shouldn't we leave it to the Lady Morgana to decide their fate?"

If it were possible for my stomach to drop even further, it would. Of course they were Morgana's men. Because of course they were.

The leader, Radnor, considered it for a second before pulling the sword away from us. He chuckled evilly before walking away.

The young man walked over to Arthur and held out a hand. Arthur stared at it for a few seconds before accepting his outstretched hand.

He pulled him to his feet, and then said, "You don't remember me, do you?" he said, and when Arthur didn't answer, he continued. "You saved my life once, many years ago. The both of you." He then looked over at me, and one look into his pale blue eyes, and I knew.

"Mordred," I choked out, my lower lip quivering and my chest contracting.

Mordred simply smirked and turned back to my king, my brother, the man that he was supposedly supposed to murder. "Hello, Arthur."

TBC...

OOOOOOH SHIT Y'ALL! ELIZABETH AND MORDERED HAVE BEEN REUNITED!

Will Lizzie protect Mordred or side against him?

Until part two!

REVIEW! FOLLOW! FAVOURITE! THANKS! STAY TUNED!

THE ADVENTURES OF ELIZABETH MALINOR CONTINUE...

"You fear me, Emrys, don't you?" Mordred asks.

"For good or ill, Albion's great trial has begun," Merlin muses.

Elizabeth leaps across a giant crack in the earth to get to the other side.

Morgana tosses Merlin and Elizabeth into the opposite wall.

Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine, and Elizabeth duck into a tunnel to avoid the flames of Aithusa.

"What's happened to you, Mordred?" Elizabeth breathes, reaching out to touch his cheek.

Until next time!