Disclaimer: Thanks to everyone who recently followed and commented, it really made me happy that people still like this story. I do not own the main characters other then the OC. Hope you enjoy this next chapter, we're almost at the midway point people! Also, when it gets to the break in the story, go to you/tube and type in "Love Senario" piano cover the Melancholy Ver. It fits so well.
Hunith looked at her son and his friends, Laya was standing in between Merlin and Gwaine, looking around as they explained why they had suddenly came around to see her. She set some tea on the small table and told them to sit down.
"Well, Hunith, we are here for two reasons. The main one was to get Laya out of Camelot for a couple days. She herself has a bit of a dilemma." Arthur explained, leaning back in his chair. "But I'll let her explain that."
"Well, ma'am..." Laya started.
"Please, call me Hunith." She cut her off. "Ma'am makes me feel old."
Laya smiled at her. "Hunith...well...how can I word this without sounding like I've lost my mind?" She crossed her leg and stared into her mug for a moment. "Well...you know, obviously, Merlin has magic."
Hunith nodded, smiling encouragingly. "Speak freely, dear. If these ones trust you, then I have no reason not to."
Laya met her eyes, searching them. "I'm not from here. I don't mean another part of the country. I...I came from the future. With the help of Merlin and Arthur...mainly Merlin...we've been trying to get me back to my time. So we've told everyone that Merlin is my cousin and that you were having trouble taking care of me so I came to work for the Prince."
Hunith started at them as the words came tumbling out of Laya's mouth. "T-The future? My, that is a long way away isn't it." She studied the young people sitting around her. "Well, now that I look at you closer, you could pass for one of our family members. Maybe even one of Arthur's."
Laya looked at Merlin and then at Arthur. "Merlin, I can see being related to...but this one?" She jerked her thumb at Arthur. "I'd like to think I'm prettier then that."
Merlin laughed and wrapped his arms around Laya. "Too right."
Arthur glared over Merlin's head a bit, but they could tell that there was no malice in his eyes. He knew that they were kidding. Hunith couldn't help but smile at the way that they all interacted with each other. It was like they had always known each other. They preceded to tell her about the time that Laya had spent with them in the castle and the different methods of how they tried to get her home.
After some time had passed before Hunith had decided to tell them that it was time for bed. They all nodded. "I'll keep watch." Gwaine said, standing and moving towards the door.
"Wake me at dawn and I'll switch off with you." Arthur said, nodding.
They moved into the small section of the hutch that was Merlin's. "You take the bed, Laya." he said, waving his hand towards it. She looked at them then at her feet.
"What is it?" Merlin asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"I just...I got used to cuddling." she said, softly. "I would always sleep with Gwaine while you cuddled in Arthur's room."
"Oh." They both said, looking equally as shocked.
"It's fine...I'll be okay." She said with a forced smile.
"You're right." Merlin said, smiling softly; sharing a look with Arthur. His eyes flashed golden before the bed expanded to hold them all comfortably. Laya looked at them both as Merlin climbed in first, settling himself against the wall. "Since Arthur has to get out at dawn, I'll sleep against the wall, you sleep in the middle and Arthur can be on the end."
Laya smiled and jumed into the bed, snuggling into Merlin's arms. "Come on, Arthur. Come cuddle."
"I'm coming, I'm coming." He said, shrugging off his armor. He couldn't help but smile at them; Merlin petting Laya's hair as her eyes slowly closed. He got into the bed and wrapped his arms around them both. He caught himself staring at Merlin a little longer then usual. He found himself wondering if he and Merlin would meet again in another life time and if they would be together like they are now. Just the two of them and their time traveler.
Gwaine woke Arthur up as the sun rose, after giving him a little more time to sleep. "Sire, the sun is starting to rise," he said in a low voice, not wanting to wake up the young wizard and the girl asleep between them.
He nodded sleepily and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before running his hands through his hair.
"Sire?" Merlin whispered sleepily as he felt the bed dip to the side.
"It's alright, Merlin, it's my time to take watch. Sleep some more, yeah?" Arthur said, smoothing Merlin's hair a bit before dragging his knuckles gently across Laya's cheek. He hadn't said it out loud to the others but he was going to miss her when she finally went home.
"No. I'll stay with you, Sire. Gwaine can keep watch over Laya." he said, slowly untangling himself from her, making a slight shh noise when she began to stir in hers sleep.
"You need to rest, Merlin." The prince replied, letting out a sigh.
"I need to keep my mind off the fact that I think I know how to send her home." Merlin hissed slightly. "Gwaine, cuddle with Laya."
"Cuddle?" Gwaine asked, having not heard the term before now.
"Hold her while you both sleep." He explained, "It's actually nice."
He looked down at Laya, whom hadn't woken yet. "That's what it's called? I thought it was just called holding her."
"Well, yeah, that's what it is but it has an actual phrase in her time." Arthur explained, tying his sword to his belt.
He nodded as Merlin got out of the bed. Laya rolled over a bit, searching in her sleep. When she found nothing she let out a little whine and pouted.
They cooed at her. "Quick, Gwaine, get in there before she starts crying and then none of us want to leave." Arthur said.
"We don't want to leave anyway but we have to. That guy in the forest knew too much comfort and we don't know if he had others with him or who share his beliefs." Merlin said, changing his shirt.
Gwaine climbed into the bed with her, pulling her close and stroking her hair. She quieted down and wrapped he arms around his waist as the others turned and headed outside.
Gwaine laid there, watching Laya sleep. Her face was free of worries and he couldn't help but smile. He brushed her hair back, trying not think about how it would be without her being there. Within the few weeks of her being there she had become a person you had always seen around the town. It didn't matter if she was helping Merlin or talking with Gwen and Morgana...she even always took time out of her day to visit the local woman who ran a flower stall at the market just to say hello or keep her company. He knew that she didn't belong there...that she belonged back in her time with her brother and her friends but a part of him...a bigger part then he would care to admit; didn't want her to go. To just stay there with them.
Merlin sat down outside the hutch next to Arthur, watching as the sky slowly began to get lighter. He sighed and leaned back against his childhood home, watching as the world began to wake up.
"So...did you think of a way to send Laya home?" Arthur asked, softly.
"A few...but judging by the Dragon's riddle there is mainly one way that it can be done." He sighed, running his hands over his face. "I don't like it but it seems like it's gonna be the only way."
"Well, what is it?" he asked.
"She...I mean...we would be there with her but it seems like...she has to die here." Merlin replied, slowly meeting Arthur's gaze before turning back to watch the sunrise. "But not like, we have to poison her. I think her time has to run it's course here. That she has to do something first and then...yeah..."
Arthur sat back, sighing himself. "That is a troublesome thing."
Merlin nodded a bit. "I just wish I knew what it was so that I could maybe help more..." He tucked his legs up closer to him, wrapping his arms around them. "But I also...I don't want her to go. I want her to spend her time here with us."
Looking around quickly, Arthur wrapped his arm around Merlin's shoulder and brought him closer. "I know. The thought of the castle being quiet doesn't seem appealing, does it?"
"It's not just that...What...What if when she leaves, we have no memory of her being there in the first place and everything goes back to the way it was?" Merlin asked, looking once again at Arthur.
"Would it be so bad?" Arthur replied, not really thinking too much about it. "Wouldn't it be better to forget then to miss her?"
Merlin looked at Arthur. "But...I..." He sighed. "'M going to fetch some water from the stream." He stood up quickly and grabbed the bucket that was seated next to them.
Dumbstruck, Arthur watched him go, not saying a word. He went back to watching the sunrise, suddenly feeling alone without Merlin next to him. Had he said something wrong?
"You really are an idiot." A familiar voice said from behind him.
"Laya...I thought you would be asleep still." He replied, looking up at her.
"Internal clock. The sun woke me." She said, sitting next to him.
"Clock?"
"Sundial?" She said, trying to think of the word. He nodded at the term. "So, back to you being a royal idiot."
"You heard then?" He asked, lowering his gaze to the grass.
She nodded. "I can see what you're saying...about forgetting me."
"So...how does this make me an idiot?" He asked, watching her.
"Because...forgetting me and my time here means that it would go back to you and Merlin not realizing how you feel about each other. In a sense, you'd be losing what you know now."
Arthur went quiet at her words. He hadn't thought of it that way. Part of him wanted to argue that even though he forgot, he would know that he still liked his servant and that they would end up together in the end. The other half of him called him an idiot and reminded him that he was still the Prince and that he had to marry a woman so that his line would continue.
Laya laid her head on Arthur's shoulder. "And even then, just because you and most of Camelot would forget me, Merlin is magic...he would probably still remember everything."
He pet her hair like he had seen Merlin do. "You're most likely right..."
"Of course I am." She said, a smile in her voice.
He rolled his eyes at her. "So how do I make it up to Merlin?" He asked, "He's upset with me now."
"I dunno." She closed her eyes again. "You'll figure it out."