Dragon Twins
A/N: Time for Merlin and Marlena to go home for a bit…this should be interesting. There's also a major development for Marlena and Arthur near the end.
Thank you to my reviewers, and to all who have favorited (I know it's not a real word windows, thank you) and followed this story.
Chapter 11 – The Moment of Truth
As another few months passed Arthur and Marlena grew steadily closer, the two spending much of their spare time together. They were frequently seen training the knights together, with Marlena helping to teach them how to deflect different types of magical attacks. It was finally harvest time and the market was alive with color and activity so Arthur decided to take Marlena there to see if she might find something she liked. Merlin was following them to act as chaperone, not that he minded much. Merlin was the first to spot a familiar face in the crowd and his excited exclamation drew Marlena's happy attention and the twins raced to embrace a slightly older woman while Arthur smiled at their happiness.
"Mother?!"
"Mum!"
"My darlings…oh, how I have missed you both."
Merlin noticed a bruise around her eye and felt anger warring with concern inside of him as he gently touched the spot, Marlena had tears forming at the thought of anyone harming someone as kind and gentle as their mother.
"Mother? Who did this to you?"
"I will explain later…in private."
Arthur approached them and gently helped Marlena up form the ground while Merlin did the same for their mother. He spoke softly to the clearly shaken woman and led them all to his father's council chamber.
"Come, you can come with us to the council chamber and speak with my father. He despises seeing women hurt."
"It'll be alright mum…his Majesty likes me."
Hunith followed her children and the man she now knew was the crown prince of Camelot, startling slightly when the guards let them in without question. She watched in amazement as her little girl walked up to the King and hugged him, earning a smile in return. She was amazed that a man who had once loved magic, then hated it, now seemed to love it again…at least to an extent any way.
"You're back early little one. Was there nothing interesting to you in the market?"
"It isn't that majesty…our mother is here. Majesty…meet Merlin and I's mother, Hunith of Ealdor."
"Hunith…you look familiar…"
The king trailed off in thought for a long moment before his eyes lit up in recognition. Marlena giggled softly and he gently swatted her backside with a smile of his own and Hunith realized they had a father-daughter type of relationship. It saddened her that her children might never know their real father, for all she knew he could be dead.
"I remember you now. You were my wife's maidservant many years ago…she adored you."
"And I her My Lord."
"You left after the purge began but I never knew what had become of you."
"I was in love with a man who was hunted by you and your men…so I followed him. He begged me to stay in Ealdor…he felt I would be safer there than on the run with him…and a month later I discovered I was pregnant."
"It must have been hard to raise twins alone…"
"I was never alone My Lord, the villagers helped a great deal…and Gaius visited regularly before his age got the better of him."
"Oi!"
Gaius gave a little protest and earned some good-natured laughter in return. Uther turned back to the woman in front of him and studied her closely, noticing the bruise darkening her eye and the worried looks on Merlin and Marlena's faces.
"How did you come by such an injury? What barbarian would hit a woman?"
"His name is Kanan. He leads a group of bandits who have been terrorizing us since last years harvest. The winters are harsh in Ealdor and if he takes what he wants then most of the children will not survive. Please, I came to beg for aid."
"Ealdor is in Cenred's kingdom…he is supposed to provide safety for his people."
"He cares little for the outlying regions and allows the bandits to do as they please so long as they leave the nobles alone."
"I would help you if I could but if I were to send an army over the border Cenred could see it as an excuse to break the fragile peace treaty we have with him and start a war."
"Majesty? Might I make a suggestion?"
"I always welcome your council little one."
Merlin and I are going with or without help…but perhaps you might be able to allow a few trusted knights to accompany us without wearing Camelot's colors? They could help train the villagers to defend themselves from these bandits…"
"Hmm…Arthur? What do you think?"
"I think it is tactically sound Father…it could very well work."
"Alright then. Choose your finest men and go with them. Be careful and do not let the bandits know where you are from."
"Of course, father. I will go and speak to Leon at once."
"Arthur? Be sure to take Sir Ewan as well. He has just returned from the leave I gave him after his…unfortunate incident."
"Excellent idea…he does adore Marlena for saving his life after all."
"How many times must I tell that man he owes me nothing for that?"
"Probably until you turn blue Marlena…it is a part of the knight's code to always repay our debts, though some are harder to repay than others."
"I'm going as well."
"Morgana…no. I cannot allow that."
"Try and stop me Uther. I am a damn good fighter, ask Arthur. Besides, Marlena and Merlin mean the world to me. I have to help them…please?"
"You'll go even if I say no…won't you?"
"Probably."
"Then go…just promise me you'll be careful?"
"Of course. Come on Gwen…we have work to do."
"Coming My Lady."
Uther sighed heavily as he watched all the people who mattered most to him leave the room and prayed he wasn't sending them to their deaths. Morgana sent Gwen to her father to gather as much spare armor and weapons as possible while she went to the kitchens to gather extra food and water skins. Arthur went to gather his top knights; Sir Leon, Sir Ewan, Sir Cadmus, and Sir Barnaby. He informed them about the plan and told them to wear older armor that bore no identifying marks, nothing that could lead back to Camelot. They all agreed and quickly set about preparing what they felt they would need while Arthur went to do the same. Arthur had chosen these four specifically because they liked Merlin quite a bit and they adored Marlena, several of them owed her their lives. Marlena took her mother to her chambers and healed her eye before showing off some of her favorite dresses, most of which she hadn't even worn yet. Merlin packed himself a bag and then went to help Gwen and her father, who had decided to join them as well.
"Here Merlin, try this. How does it feel?"
"It feels good…very…swordy."
Gwen handed Merlin a sword, laughing softly when he nearly grabbed the blade instead of the hilt, and his description set both her and Tom into a laughing fit.
"You really are hopeless aren't you Merlin?"
Merlin just shrugged and headed back to pick up his pack, which Gaius had added to in his absence.
"Be careful with the wine. You know what you're like…one whiff of a barmaid's apron and you're singing like a sailor."
Marlena and Hunith soon joined them and Gaius handed a special leather case to Marlena who nodded sharply at him.
"You remember how to use this?"
"Yes Gaius. You've taught me well, as have the druids. I can handle this."
"You two…come back safely…please? Do whatever it takes."
They left the room and headed out to the stables where Arthur, Morgana, Gwen, and the four knights were already mounted and waiting for them. Arthur held Shimmer's reigns as the mare danced around in anticipation, the leather armor Uther had had commissioned for her gleaming in the sun. The main section of armor was two pieces that attached to the saddle and had overlapping bits that had the effect of dragon scales with a headpiece that had a similar detail and a little spike on the forehead that made her look a bit like an armored unicorn. The effect was rather stunning, and Arthur's stallion looked rather resplendent in his own armor, overlapping layers of steel with an intimidating steel mask over the face. Leon dismounted to help Hunith onto the horse they'd chosen for her, a docile little mare that was sturdy and did not spook easily. Merlin clambered onto his gelding, nearly falling off the other side had Ewan not grabbed onto him and righted him.
"Alright Merlin?"
"Yeah…not so good with horses…"
Marlena's soft snort earned her a playful glare from her twin but she just smiled serenely at him and everyone laughed a bit. There were two spare horses carrying all of the supplies as they set off out of Camelot towards Ealdor. Morgana had a light traveling outfit on that consisted of a simple shirt and breeches with a leather belt at the waist, Marlena had on a similar outfit but the two women had also packed their respective armor as well. Gwen was also dressed in traveling clothes and had packed a light chainmail shirt at her father's insistence. He rode beside her on a rather large stallion that could better bear his muscular body.
They made camp overnight and Hunith sat by the fire with her children as they told her all that had happened since they'd first arrived in Camelot. She was amazed, and slightly horrified, at some of the things her children had gone through but she was glad that they had such good friends to rely on for help when they needed it. When she finally went to her bedroll she watched as Merlin blew sparks into the air and formed them into the shape of a dragon, and Marlena then animated the dragon and made it fly around before dissipating. She noticed the fond look on the Prince's face as he watched her daughter and hoped he would be good for her.
The next day they finally made it to Ealdor, Arthur had been asking Hunith questions on the way there about Kanen and his men, trying to formulate a plan in his mind. All of his planning flew out the window when they reached the village to find Kanen and his men attacking the place. The apparent leader was about to kill a man so Arthur launched his sword at him, Marlena boosting it's flight with her magic. It missed the man by a mere inch, if that, and he jolted in shock before turning to face them. Arthur started fighting a masked bandit while Kanen shouted at the rest of his men.
"Kill Them!"
Merlin got stuck facing an ugly bald man who backed him into a doorway so he incanted a spell and made the man's sword heat up until it burned him and then he swiped his own sword across the man's gut. Another bandit was about to get Arthur from behind but Morgana intervened, impressing Merlin as she danced around and taunted Arthur.
"Bring back memories of when I used to beat you?"
"That never happened."
Merlin and Marlena shared a look and they were both willing to bet a year's worth of pay that it most certainly did happen and neither of them intended to let him live it down. Kanen mounted his horse while they were all distracted and he was…livid.
"You'll pay for this, with your lives, all of you."
He rode off out of the village while Arthur checked on Morgana, who swatted him away and insisted she was fine. Merlin noticed a young man nearby who turned to him and he nudged Marlena to get her attention as well.
"You're still up to the same old magic tricks again? Look, I thought I told you we didn't want your kind around here?"
"The two males held their straight faces a moment longer before bursting into laughter, attracting the attention of the rest of their party as they pulled Marlena into a group hug.
"We missed you too, Will."
"It's good to see you again."
"How've you two been? I hear you've been skivvying for some prince?"
"No, I wouldn't say I'm his skivvy."
"Merlin? Gather the villagers. I need to talk to them."
"Yeah, in a minute, just talking…"
"Now, Merlin…there isn't much time."
"Yes, Sire."
Will gave Merlin a pointed look as he ran off to do Arthur's bidding and Marlena snickered softly. Will turned to her then and looked over her outfit with an appraising eye.
"Seems you've gone up in the world haven't you? Much finer clothes than anything we have around here."
"You jealous Will?"
"No…I'm happy for you…really. You were always my favorite you know?"
"Oh really? Even though I stopped you two from completing half of your harebrained little schemes?"
"Especially because of that…pretty sure we'd both be dead if not for you."
"Probably."
He just chuckled a bit and followed her as the villagers gathered around the chainmail clad blonde who stood on a wooden crate to be seen by everyone. Marlena went to stand by his side and Will frowned when he saw the man hug her for a moment before addressing the people.
"I know Kanen's kind. He'll be back, and when he is we must be ready for him. First of all we have to prepare…"
"Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is?"
"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot. My father sent me and some of my best knights to help you all in the only way we can, by teaching you how to defend yourselves."
"Right, and I'm Prince William of Ealdor."
"Will, stop."
"Keep quiet, he's here to help us."
"He's just made it worse. Kanen will be out for revenge now. You've just signed our death warrants."
"It's alright Hunith…this is his village too. What would you have us do then?"
"We can't fight against Kanen, he has too many men."
"So, what's the alternative?"
"We give him what he wants."
The villagers did not like that idea at all and they murmured loudly about it until Arthur spoke and they went quiet again.
"And then what? Those of you who don't starve to death will face him again next harvest, and the harvest after that."
"We'll manage, we'll survive."
"The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him."
"No. You just want the honor and the glory of battle. That's what drives men like you. Look, if you want to fight then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not ours."
"Will."
Merlin went to follow Will when he stormed off and Marlena gave Arthur a reassuring hug before following after them. She followed Merlin into Will's house and leaned against the wall while Merlin tried to talk some sense into their old friend.
"He knows what he's doing. You've got to trust him. Look, when I first met Arthur I was exactly like you. I hated him. I thought he was pompous and arrogant."
"Well, nothing's changed there then."
"But in time, I came to respect him…for what he stands for, what he does."
"I know what he stands for…Princes, Kings, all men like him."
"Will, don't bring what happened to your father into this."
"I'm not. Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant."
"He's also my friend."
"Friend's don't Lord it over one another."
"He isn't like that."
"Really? Let's wait until the fighting begins and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you it won't be him."
"I trust Arthur with my life."
"Is that so? So, he knows your secret then?"
"Yes, he does. He knows about us both Will…and he accepts us completely…as does his father, King Uther. He named me his court sorceress and Merlin is Arthur's official magical protector. We can use our magic freely in Camelot…though I'm still working on getting Uther to accept others with magic…"
"He did spare Cerdan and Mordred at your request…er…demand really."
"I can be very persistent when I want to be."
"Don't I know it…Ow!"
"So…wait…they all know about you two?"
"Well yeah…everyone in Camelot knows about us. Especially Marlena, they all love her…even the castle cook who doesn't like anybody."
"She's not that bad…"
"To you maybe…"
Will continued to look mulish so Marlena just shook her head and left, Merlin tired to persuade him some more but eventually he too gave up and left. That night Hunith insisted that Morgana and Gwen take her little bed so they wouldn't have to sleep on the floor. Marlena listened to Merlin and Arthur talking for a bit about life in Ealdor.
"Have you always slept on the floor?"
"Yeah, the bed I've got in Camelot's luxury by comparison."
"It must've been hard."
"It's like a rock."
"I didn't mean the ground, I meant for you…it must have been difficult."
Marlena gave herself away with a soft snort at Merlin's sassy comeback and Arthur used one arm to pull her into his side, kissing her forehead softly as she answered him.
"Not really. We didn't know any different. Life's simple out here. You eat what you grow and everyone pitches in together. As long as you've got food on the table and a roof over your head, you're happy."
"Sounds…nice."
"You'd hate it really."
"No doubt. Why'd you leave anyway?"
"Things just, changed."
"How? Come on, stop pretending to be interesting and tell me."
Arthur put his bare foot in Merlin's face and Marlena laughed softly at her brother's indignant spluttering as he shoved it away.
"I just felt that we didn't fit in anymore…I wanted to find somewhere that we could."
"Had any luck?"
"I'm not sure yet…"
"Well I am…I've definitely found where I belong."
"I guess so."
"Hey Arthur…when did Morgana beat you?"
"She didn't…it never happened."
"I wonder what she'll say when I ask her? I'm sure she'll tell me the whole story."
"I was like…9…and I was sick…it doesn't count."
"Oh it still counts…sorry Arthur."
"We'll start training the men tomorrow. It's gonna be a long day. Merlin…get the candle."
Merlin sat up a bit to blow out the candle and then settled down to sleep. Arthur kept Marlena curled against him, her head pillowed on his chest as they slept. The next morning the girls managed to get themselves ready and into their respective armor, while Merlin had to completely dress Arthur and Morgana couldn't resist the urge to tease him.
"Have you still not learned to dress yourself?"
"You don't have a dog then fetch the stick yourself…no offence Merlin."
"What if the dog decides it would rather not fetch the stick anymore?"
Arthur gave Merlin such a 'kicked puppy' look that the girls all laughed at him. Hunith came over with a bowl of porridge that she handed to Arthur and provided more prime teasing material for Morgana and Merlin both.
"Prince Arthur, you didn't finish your breakfast."
"Didn't I?"
Anyone who knew Arthur knew he hated porridge, but this was Marlena's mother and he didn't want to hurt her feelings or insult her so he pretended to eat it before handing it off to Gwen. She quickly finished it and then handed the bowl back to Hunith as Arthur and Morgana dashed out of the little house to go and get the knights up and ready.
"Arthur said it was lovely."
"You don't have to lie for him dear; I could tell he didn't like it."
"Mum, Arthur just doesn't like porridge of any kind. It's not your cooking it's his stomach. It tends to rebel if he eats porridge. I'll try to find him some fresh berries or something later…maybe a couple of the less-able men can trap some rabbits."
"Oh, it's alright dear. He must care for you a great deal."
"He would do this to help any village; it's just how he is Mum. He's very caring…when he wants to be."
"It's more than that. He's here for you."
"We've been…he's courting me Mum. Has been for the last few months or so…"
"He's such a gentleman with her…it bothered me at first, his interest in her…but when I saw how worried he was whenever she got hurt…I don't mind it so much anymore."
"I'm happy for you…both of you. Now go on…you have wood to gather…and herbs I believe…"
"Yes Mother."
The twins spoke in unison and then laughed as they raced each other to the little forest nearby. As they were heading into the trees Will caught up to them and started talking to them and reminding them of their past.
"Merlin, Marlena? Where are you going with that thing?"
"What does it look like? We need wood."
"We all know you don't need an axe to fell a tree."
"I also remember the trouble it got me into…I nearly flattened old man Simmons."
"I'm pretty sure he still hates you for that brother dearest."
"Yeah, well, he deserved it…stupid old crone."
"He never did like me anyway."
"Even less after that."
The two men were silent for a long while before Merlin spoke again, asking a question Marlena knew he already had the answer to.
"Why are you being like this?"
"You know why."
The two sat down on a fallen log while Marlena chose to walk away a bit to find some of the herbs she would need, giving them some time to talk things out…or so she hoped.
"Why did you leave?"
"It wasn't what I wanted. Mother sent Lena and I to Gaius so he could teach us. She had been planning to do so for a while and finding out that you knew about us just made it happen sooner."
"I wouldn't have said anything to anyone."
"I know that…but she's our mother…she worries."
"You two could defeat Kanen and his men on your own, couldn't you?"
"Possibly…probably. Marlena's a lot stronger now…she has so much more control than she used to. She's grown more comfortable with what she is and what she can do. She revealed herself in the most spectacular way you know?"
"Really? What did she do?"
"She threw this bright golden shield between the King and a vengeful dark sorceress to protect him. That was why he not only refused to kill her but made her the court sorceress…a noble woman. It was more recently that he gave me a title of my own…as the Prince's magical protector I'm considered to be the same status as one of the knights."
"Then why are you still his servant?"
"I chose to be. It's easier to protect him as his servant because I can go everywhere he goes and no one ever sees the servant as a threat."
"That…actually makes a lot of sense."
"Amazing how logic can do that."
The two shared a little laugh before gathering as many long thin branches as possible. Eventually the trio headed back into the village. The four knights had stayed with an older woman next door to Hunith and she had also served porridge, though hers had a handful of little berries form a bush the old woman had outside her back door so it wasn't completely tasteless. Morgana and Gwen helped them fasten their armor into place and they all discussed their training plan while Gwen went to the blacksmith's hut where her father had spent the night. Though the village blacksmith was really only skilled at mending horse shoes and garden tools, Gwen and Tom spent some time teaching the blacksmith how to sharpen swords and other items to have a more deadly edge. Marlena watched as Arthur and his knights started teaching the men to fight. She also noticed when Morgana and Gwen started doing the same with the women on the other side and hid a little smirk. Arthur eventually took pity on poor Matthew, the village's leader, when he nearly took his partner's head off while going for his shoulder.
"Matthew, I want you to organize sentry duty, to keep an eye out for Kanen and his men."
"I'd be glad to."
"If there's any sign of an attack, I want you to ride straight back here. I don't want you fighting him all on your own."
"You handled that quite well, Arthur. You got him away from where he might have hurt someone without damaging his pride in the process."
"I'm glad you think so Marlena."
"This is why Merlin and I have so much faith that you will one day be a great king."
The next day Arthur was meeting with some of the men of the village to try and formulate a plan to make a trap for Kanen and his men when a woman screamed from outside. Matthew's body was draped across the horse he'd been loaned from one of the knights and an arrow was sticking out of his back. Marlena was one of the first to reach him even as Arthur yelled for someone to get him down from the horse. Marlena moved to Matthew's side and the moment she saw his eyes she bowed her head. Arthur crouched beside her and pulled the note form the man's back as Marlena curled into him for comfort.
"What does it say Arthur?"
"Make the most of this day, it will be your last."
A woman pushed through the people, screaming and crying. As she collapsed next to Matthew Arthur pulled Marlena back a ways. Will's voice spoke up and he yelled at Arthur, blaming him for the man's death…and Marlena saw red even as Merlin tried to defend Arthur, and Arthur tried to defend himself.
"You did this! Look what you've done! You've killed him!"
"It wasn't his fault."
"If he hadn't been strutting around here, treating this like his own personal army, it would have never happened."
"These men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in, even if you aren't."
"You're sending them to their graves! You've killed one man. How many more need to die before you realize this is a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes…you haven't got a chance. You're gonna be slaughtered."
Marlena whirled around to face her old friend with a look so fierce that nearly everyone took a step back from her, especially when her magic flared up around her and made the wind whip around her like a small whirlwind.
"Enough! How dare you speak to him like that?! He came here of his own free will to try and help! He didn't have to come and risk his own life…but he did! Matthew's death is not his fault…it's Kanen's. I will not let you stand there and blame Arthur. Arthur is one of the kindest, bravest men I know. He risked his life to save Merlin's when he was poisoned by a rare flower that only grows in one place and was guarded by a horrible creature who could kill with a single bite. Everyone in this village, men and women alike, are willing to fight for their way of life…except you. You've decided you'd rather play the coward. Go on then…run away Will…but don't ever expect me to be your friend again if you abandon us now."
Arthur caught her as she sagged against him, turning her face into his chest so no one could see the silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Her anger was spent and only sadness gripped her now. When Will stormed off Merlin went after him. Arthur lifted Marlena into his arms and carried her into her old home, laying her on the little bed and letting Gwen and Morgana take over making her feel better. Merlin stormed into Will's house to find him stuffing things into an old sack and he felt his own anger growing.
"Don't bother, Merlin. I'm not interested."
"You should be, because tomorrow Kanen attacks, and whether you like or not we'll have to fight."
"Not if I'm not here."
"Well, that's up to you but the rest of us are staying. Join us, Will. This isn't about Arthur. This is about your friends. Are you really going to abandon them? Abandon us?"
"What, like you did?"
"I'm here now."
"Yeah, you are…and you could end this. If you and your sister used your magic then no one else would have to die."
"It's not that simple. Do you have any idea how much energy it would take to use magic against that many men at one time? Marlena nearly drained all of her strength fighting one man a while back. Fighting this many at one time could kill both of us Will. Is that what you want?"
"Of course not…but you have magic…and you can do so much with it…"
"Magic has limits Will…as do we humans who wield it. Magic can't do everything…there are some things people need to do for themselves. If we stop Kanen with magic but the villagers don't learn how to fight for themselves then what happens when the next group of bandits comes along?"
"We just send for you and you can come back."
"What if I'm not in Camelot? What if I'm on a quest with Arthur? What if I'm hurt or sick?"
"Marlena has magic too."
"Do you have any idea how much responsibility is resting on her shoulders now? She has to identify any dark magic users that dare enter Camelot, she has to heal horrible injuries and illnesses that even Gaius cannot always fix, she has to constantly be on her guard in case someone tried to kill the king…again, and on top of all that she has to try and learn as much as she can about her magic and how to use it to help others. Sometimes it's a wonder she hasn't collapsed under the strain!"
"I didn't know…"
"She hides it well…but I know her better than anyone and I can see the strain sometimes when she pushes herself too hard…takes on too much. I worry about her so much Will…she's my twin…my other half…but there's little I can do to help her."
"I'm sorry Merlin…I didn't realize…gods I'm an idiot…I need to go apologize to her…"
"And to Arthur…because you know she'll just make you do that anyway."
"Right…gods…did you see that wind whipping around her Merlin?"
"Yeah…and it cost her too. She's probably in a dead sleep right now. Her power tends to react if gets angry enough to lose her temper…and the more emotional she is the more energy it takes out of her."
"It was amazing Merlin…breathtaking even."
"Don't go getting a crush on her again Will…Arthur's courting her."
"Wait…really? She's being courted by the prince? Doesn't the king mind?"
"Nope…he's been encouraging it actually. Everyone has actually…I've gotten used to it…still not thrilled about it but he's good to her."
"Huh…interesting. Alright…take me to your prince then."
They found Arthur sitting on a stump and sharpening his sword. He barely glanced at them but he listened as they spoke.
"I um…I wanted to apologize to you…I was a bit…out of line earlier. I was just angry…and I lashed out at you."
"It's fine…I can handle it."
"I just…my father…he was killed fighting in Cenred's army, while Cenred sat in his castle and did nothing."
"Will hasn't trusted anyone of nobility since then."
"Technically you and Marlena are of nobility now you know…"
"Yeah…I explained that…among other things."
"I get it now. I do. I was angry at them for not using their magic to take out Kanen and his men…but I didn't realize how dangerous it could be to them to use that much power at one time. I thought magic was easy…a quick fix."
"I've watched Marlena collapse a few too many times from over doing it. It's absolutely terrifying to watch her fall to the ground like that."
"I can imagine…I am sorry…and I'll help you where I can from now on…I promise."
"Deal. Now go talk to Marlena and fix things before she turns you into a frog or something."
"Can she do that?"
"No idea…but it wouldn't surprise me."
After Will left Arthur turned to Merlin with a look of uncertainty in his eyes and Merlin rushed to reassure him, neither man realizing Hunith was listening in the background as she cleaned up inside of the hut.
"What if he was right Merlin?"
"He's not."
"I'm treating these men like soldiers and they're not. You've seen how they fight, they haven't got a clue. We need to evacuate the village before Kanen comes."
"That wouldn't help Arthur…they have nowhere else to go. Kanen would run them down and slaughter them all. Arthur…we have to stay and fight…and we will win. You just have to get the men ready for battle…the rest will take care of itself."
"How?"
"You've got to believe in them, because if you don't they'll sense it…and the battle will be lost before it's even begun."
Later that night they all sat or stood around a fire in the center of the village meeting hall while Arthur tried to tell the women and children to leave. Gwen spoke up for the women and they all rallied around her and Morgana, and Arthur realized they would stay whether he liked it or not.
"None of you know how to fight."
"Gwen and I have been teaching them while you taught the men. They can hold their own."
"Alright…what about the children then?"
"The older men and women who cannot fight will take the children into the woods. There's a large cave that they can hide in until one of us goes to retrieve them after it's all over."
"Are you sure the cave is safe Marlena?"
"I checked it out yesterday and its good. I already stashed a number of water skins and a few pouches of food rations to keep them should the battle take longer than expected."
"You are amazing…"
"I know."
"Modest too…now…Kanen attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill…which is why he can never defeat us. Look around you…in this circle we are all equals. You're not fighting because someone's ordering you to…you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace…and if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes…fighting for your very right to survive. When you are old and grey you will look back on this day and you'll know that you earned the right to live every day in between. So you fight, for your family, for your friends, for Ealdor."
Marlena watched Arthur rally the village into a chant of their village name and when Will looked at her he saw pride shining in her eyes…and something much deeper as well.
"You love him…don't you?"
"Very much so, Will. Can't you see what a good man he is?"
"I think I'm beginning to see it…I think I'm starting to see glimpses of that great King you and Merlin seem to think he'll become one day."
"He will…it's been foreseen…as was Merlin and I's birth. The three of us are at the very heart of a number of ancient prophesies and all of them name Arthur as the Once and Future King…the one who unite all of Albion and restore the balance of magic in the land."
"That's…a lot of responsibility…"
"He doesn't know any of it of course. Merlin is the one who is meant to protect him to make sure he gets to become that king."
"So where do you fit into this picture then?"
"It's my job to soften the current King so he begins to relax the laws against magic which will ease the way for when Arthur takes the throne and abolishes the ban entirely."
"Something tells me there's more to your role than that…I have a feeling you're meant to become his queen."
"Maybe…we shall see."
"He loves you…a lot."
"I know. He tells me often enough."
"Didn't you two's father come from Camelot originally?"
"Yeas…so did our mum…she was actually the maidservant to the Queen. Can you believe that? She never told us that."
"Has she told you anything more about your father?"
"Not much…just that he'd been forced to flee from Uther and his men during the purge so I assume he had magic…and she fled with him until they came her and he begged her to stay. He wanted her to be safe and not running all her life. A month after he left she found out she was pregnant with us."
"Do you think she'll ever tell you who he is?"
"I hope so…but I think it hurts her to talk about him."
"You should get some sleep…you still look tired."
"I'll be fine. I'm getting better at managing the energy drain that comes with larger bursts of magic. I'll see you in the morning Will."
"I'll be there. You have my word."
"I'll hold you to it."
The next morning Merlin went to help Arthur with his Armor but Arthur waved him off with a little half-smile.
"Not today Merlin…put on your own armor."
He watches Merlin struggle with his second arm guard and fastened it for him before the two men shook hands. They turned to the corner when they heard Marlena cursing softly and both had to bite their lips to keep from laughing as they watched her trying to contort herself into a position where she could reach the fastenings for her own leather armor. Arthur rolled his eyes a bit and walked over to her, quickly fastening her armor into place and helping her with her leather bracers before stepping back to get a good look at her.
"You look like a warrior goddess."
"Gaius said she looks like a Battle Mage of old in that armor."
"I suppose that works as well…"
"Warrior goddess is fine by me."
"Is the trap ready to go?"
"Yes, everything is set, we just need to get everyone into position."
"Then let's go, quickly. There's no telling when he'll show up."
They headed outside as Morgana ran in to tell them that Kanen had crossed the river. The group moved quickly, ushering everyone into their positions with Arthur heading the main group and each of his knights leading the other four. The knights knew Arthur's signal and they held everyone in position until he gave it. Gwen and a couple of others heaved ropes to pull up a large heavy wooden gate that trapped prevented Kanen and his men from going back the way they'd come in. Marlena whispered a spell and fire ignited her portion of the trap. She'd laid a large amount of a special solution in a distinct pattern on the ground that flared up brightly when lit and would last for a good while. This forced the bandit's horses into a frightened frenzy as they dumped their riders and ran for it. The bandits were forced back into Arthur's section and that was when he gave the signal and the villagers attacked. At one point Merlin had killed one bandit when another came riding up behind him with a mace, aiming to remove his head form his shoulders, but Will jumped on the man and took him down.
"Thanks…I owe you one."
The two started fighting back to back and the other villagers started to copy that move once they saw it, and it made things easier for them with someone watching their backsides. Morgana and Gwen were fighting together seamlessly while Arthur and Marlena were doing the same. They started to realize the battle was turning to the bandit's favor and Marlena caught Merlin's eye and the two moved away from the battle to speak to each other.
"Merlin…there's too many…they're not going to survive unless we do something."
"We'll have to do it together to reduce the strain."
"Right…Whirlwind?"
"Whirlwind."
The two joined hands and incanted a spell that summoned a small swirling wind at their feet, as they raised their free hands slowly into the air the wind grew faster and fiercer as it whipped around. It knocked the villagers down but the bandits were being flung all over and their horses poked horribly. One bandit was thrown but his foot caught in the stirrup so he was dragged along behind the horse as it ran in fear, being kicked a couple of times along the way. The remaining bandits fled into the woods, fearing for their lives as the villagers cheered. Except Kanen who went after Arthur, screaming his surname as he shed his cloak and raised his axe. Marlena watched with her heart in her throat as Arthur fought the horrible man, and breathed a sigh of relief when he stabbed him in the gut and then walked over to where she and Merlin stood with Will.
"Brilliant fighting sire."
"Thank you, William. Marlena, Merlin? Are you two alright? That was some very strong magic…"
"We shared the strain between us so we're okay for now…it isn't too bad."
None of them noticed Kanen raising a crossbow and aiming for Arthur's back, none save for Will. He pushed Arthur out of the way and took a hit to the chest as Marlena screamed his name. Merlin grabbed on and held him even as Arthur started to lift him up to carry him into the nearest hut, Sir Ewan and Sir Leon quickly rushing to assist him.
"You saved my life."
"Yeah, don't know what I was thinking…I barely even like you…but she does…she loves you…and she's like my sister…"
"Stop talking Will…conserve your strength so you can help me save your sorry arse."
Arthur and the two knights laid the younger man on a table as Marlena came in with a square leather case which she opened to reveal an assortment of things Arthur couldn't even identify. She pulled out a bunch of fresh herbs and set her mother to grinding them into a thick paste, then started pulling out a number of other things.
"Arthur, I need you to hold him down while I break the arrow shaft and pull it out of him. It's gonna hurt like the blazes, Will so bite down on this."
She put a strip of leather between his teeth and snapped the arrow shaft before pulling out from the other side as Arthur held him in place. Everyone in range winced as he screamed in pain.
"I'm sorry, Will…It had to be done."
She poured a liquid into the wounds, making Will hiss in pain for a moment before his face grew more peaceful. They all breathed a sigh of relief and Sir Ewan turned to Marlena to ask what she'd done.
"What was that stuff?"
"Mild anesthetic solution…reduces the amount of feeling to the area it's applied to. I have to stitch him up and without that solution it will hurt quite a lot. The pain alone has been known to kill a man."
"We've seen it before, My Lady. It is not a pleasant way to go out."
"Relax gentlemen…I have no intention of allowing my idiotic friend to die tonight…not on my watch."
Marlena began threading a needle and working it through his skin with thread attached as she closed the wounds up. She applied an antiseptic cream and then an herb poultice which she activated with an incantation before bandaging his torso. She whispered another spell, her eyes flashing gold as her magic seeped into the wound and healed the worst of the internal damage.
"I've done the best I could…the worst is healed…the rest is up to him now."
Merlin and Arthur looked at her and Arthur lunged to catch her as she fell, though Sir Ewan was a bit faster and held her steady. Arthur lifted her into his arms as her head lolled against his shoulder and carried her through the concerned crowd and back to her mother's hut. There were several dead and a number of wounded but the injuries were not life-threatening so Morgana and Gwen could handle them with Hunith's help. Sir Leon ushered the other three knights outside and set Sir Cadmus and Sir Barnaby were set to guard the door where Merlin and Will were at, while Leon and Ewan went to guard their Prince and their Lady. Merlin stayed at Will's side while Arthur tended to Marlena, wiping her brow with a cold wet cloth and watching over her as she slept off her power drain. Once they had finished tending to the villagers Morgana, Gwen and Hunith stopped in to check on Merlin and Will first, nodding to the two knights guarding the door.
"How is he Merlin?"
"He seems to be doing ok…there's no sign of fever so I think he might just be ok."
"Marlena used a lot of energy to heal him…she must care for him quite a bit."
"He's like a brother to both of us. After his dad was killed in battle he came to stay with us and we grew up together."
"We're going to leave you now and go check on Marlena. One of us will come back and let you know how she is."
"Thank you."
The three women went to Hunith's hut and found Arthur leaning against the wall with Marlena's head cradled on his lap as his fingers stroked through her hair. He was singing softly to her and Morgana recognized the song as one her mother used to sing to the two of them whenever he would visit. It was a song she'd learned from his mother and felt he should know as well. She'd never heard him sing before but his deep voice made the song seem more alive somehow. The song spoke of dragons, and the men and women who could command them and ride them, and the love and respect people held for them.
"Arthur? How is she doing?"
"She's sleeping peacefully. She woke briefly earlier…just long enough to mumble something about eggs and someone named old man Simmons?"
"Oh…oh my…I'd forgotten about that little adventure."
"Miss Hunith?"
"When they were younger…I'd say maybe…13 or so…they used to play little tricks on anyone that annoyed them…nothing mean or harmful…mostly just irritating. Old Man Simmons had it out for poor Merlin…hated him for some reason…no one ever figured out why…anyway…Marlena decided the best form of revenge would be to cover the man's floor with raw cracked eggs."
"Oh dear lord…that…is…brilliant! I knew there was a reason I liked her so much. Oh that is devious."
"Don't encourage that Morgana…she's scary enough when she's angry as it is."
"What happened though?"
"Old Man Simmons hated eggs so when he woke in the morning and stepped all over them he cursed so loudly the whole village heard him. I caught those three hiding behind a bush and snickering so loud I was surprised Simmons didn't hear them. Marlena eventually admitted to being the mastermind…which shocked me because she was usually the one trying to keep those two out of trouble."
"She still plays little tricks on people but only the really mean noble men and women who visit Camelot. Uther lets her get away with it…mostly because he finds it amusing I think."
"He does…he's not fond of those people either, Morgana."
"I think all my daughter needs is a good night's sleep and a good meal in the morning."
"Morgana? Can you stay with her? I'm going to go see if I can hunt up a rabbit or two for breakfast so she can get some meat into her…it'll help raise her energy levels faster."
"Good idea. Gwen…go tell Merlin she's alright, please?"
"Yes, My Lady…and I'm going to tease him horribly over the egg thing."
"Oh please do…and let him know he'll be hearing about it form me as well."
Gwen and Arthur left, each going a different direction. Gwen went back to where Merlin sat with Will and told him Marlena was recovering nicely. The relief that shone on his face made her decide to leave him alone about the eggs, at least until after Marlena and Will were both doing better.
"You need to get some sleep too Merlin…you're not as drained as she is but you still need to rest. I'll keep an eye on Will for you."
"Thanks Gwen."
Merlin curled up against the wall and fell into an uneasy sleep while Arthur stalked through the woods with a crossbow in hand. Without Merlin bumbling along behind him and scaring off all of the game he managed to kill four rabbits and a medium-sized buck. He hefted the dead deer onto his shoulder and dropped it off with the village butcher who looked at him like it was his birthday or something.
"Thank you Sire…this will make sure the village eats a hearty meal tomorrow to help everyone recover their strength."
"That was the idea my good man. I think a stew with some root vegetables will stretch the meat enough for everyone to get a little bit."
"Excellent idea Sire. I'll have my wife do that…she makes a wonderful stew."
The man set about skinning and cleaning the rabbits for him first, refusing to let Arthur say no, and then turned to the task of cleaning the deer while Arthur headed back to Hunith's place.
"I see you had success, Prince Arthur."
"Yes. I got these four, and a good-sized buck. I dropped him off to the butcher who is cleaning it as we speak and his wife will make a stew with root vegetable to feed the villagers tomorrow…help everyone recover their strength."
"That's very kind of you Sire."
"They were all very brave today…they've earned it."
"I'll take care of these…you can go back to Marlena's side if you'd like."
"Thank you Hunith."
Arthur did indeed return to Marlena's side and wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her to rest against him. The next day barely anyone was awake before noon as they were exhausted from the fighting. The butcher's wife had an enormous pot full of stew over a large fire in the center of town and as they awoke everyone was drawn in by the heavenly aroma. Eventually the entire town was seated around the fire with their Camelot guests mingled in as if they'd been there for years. Marlena watched as Arthur sat to one side with her mother, talking in hushed voices and looking very serious. It concerned her until she saw her mother's smile beaming at him and watched them share a hug.
"Lena? What was that about?"
"No idea. If it's important one of them will tell us."
"We leave tomorrow…you gonna be ok?"
"I'll be fine Merlin. As nice as it was to come back…Camelot is home now and I'm eager to get back."
"Me too…though I'm worried about our mother."
"I'm sure she'll come to us if she needs us again. She isn't shy you know?"
"True."
The rest of the day, and most of the night, was spent celebrating their victory. People were singing, dancing, and enjoying their newly won freedom. Arthur watched the dancing for a while until he felt he could follow along well enough and then he pulled Marlena up into a dance around the fire with him, both of them laughing like children as they tripped over each other. Morgana managed to convince Merlin to dance with her and everyone from Camelot was shocked by how graceful he was while dancing. His movements were coordinated and there wasn't even a hint of his usual clumsiness.
"What the hell Merlin? How can you dance like that yet trip over your own feet while walking?"
"It's a gift?"
Everyone shared a hearty laugh at Merlin's sheepish expression and Arthur's dumbfounded one. Gwen ended up dancing with each of the four knights at least once, though Sir Ewan got a second dance simply because he asked so nicely. Will was awake and able to sit up so he was sitting beside Hunith as they watched the celebration. Marlena had fussed over him like a mother hen as soon as she'd woken up, much to everyone's amusement as he turned bright red under her attentions. She declared him fit to move around so long as he was careful and didn't do anything strenuous for at least a week while his body finished repairing the damage.
"Hey Lena…I'm gonna miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too Will, but Camelot is my home now."
"I know that…and I get it…I do. If that Prince of yours has his way you'll be a Queen some day. I just hope I'm around to see it."
"You'd better be. If you die I'll drag your arse back somehow so I can scream at you."
"I do not doubt that for a second…My Lady."
"Oh don't you start that."
Merlin smiled as the two laughed a bit before Arthur managed to drag Marlena into another dance and Merlin took her place beside their friend.
"She does care about you Will, as do I."
"I know…your mum told me how she used so much of the little energy she had left last night to save me. I barely even feel anything…she's that amazing Merlin."
"I know…she's very gifted at healing. The druids taught her a great deal while she was with them."
"She mentioned that before…when was that?"
"Several months ago…she spent 6 months with them to learn their healing spells and such. She had rescued one of their best healers and his son by getting the king to spare them. He's actually working out a peace treaty with their tribe right now but it isn't quite ready yet. The little boy…Mordred…he sees Marlena as a bit of a mum. His died when he was a baby."
"And she's such a mother hen it's no wonder the boy likes her."
"That too…we all ended up liking him…he's a sweet kid really. A lot of people think his destiny is to kill Arthur but Marlena is determined to change that."
"She's stubborn enough…I think she can do it."
"I hope so…for all our sakes."
The next day, as the Camelot party was mounting up to head back home, Hunith came out and joined them…earning curious looks from her children as they'd thought she was staying in Ealdor.
"Mother?"
"Mum? Are you coming back with us?"
"Not for long dears…I just want to thank your king in person for his help. He could have ignored our pleas as we're not in his kingdom…but he did send help so I want to thank him."
"That pouch…are those your famous cookies?"
"They are indeed Lena."
"Oh I think that will be thanks enough…our king has quite the sweet tooth."
"Oh, I know dear. Shall we head off? It's quite a long ride as I recall…"
They made it to Camelot the next day around noon and Uther and Gaius were waiting for them on the steps. As soon as Marlena dismounted Uther swept her into a hug, quickly followed by Morgana and Arthur who were slowly getting used to him being more affectionate with them. Gaius hugged Marlena and Merlin and was glad to see they were unharmed.
"Miss Hunith? Welcome back to Camelot."
"Thank you My Lord. I wanted to come back and thank you personally for allowing your son and his knights to help us."
"You are more than welcome."
"I made these for you. These cookies are a special recipe my mother taught me. I remember you used to like them when she made them and I hope mine are just as good."
"I'm sure they will be. Thank you."
Everyone turned to look at Arthur when he cleared his throat and his face was so red that Marlena moved to his side in concern.
"Arthur? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine Marlena…there's something I need to ask you…"
"You can ask my anything Arthur…you know that."
Marlena's eyes widened as Arthur sank to one knee in front of her, holding in his hand the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen in her life. It had a golden band with an intricate circular design around the top that surrounded a dark red stone.
"Arthur?"
"This ring was my mother's…and now it will be yours…I hope. Marlena…before I met you I was…not the best man I could have been. You have made me better…you've made me want to be better. You've brought light and laughter, and fun back into all of our lives. Would you please do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife, and eventually my Queen?"
"How could I possibly say no? Yes Arthur. I'm yours…I will always be yours."
The two shared a deep kiss as their friends and family cheered around them. Uther was beaming with pride and Morgana looked smugly satisfied. Gwen was crying, as was Hunith, but both were grinning as well. Merlin looked torn between being happy and being ill which had Gaius grinning wider than usual. The knights were all cheering loudly in approval and Leon was already starting to plan the bachelor party in his head.
"This calls for a feast. Tonight in the main hall, all of your shall be there."
"I have nothing to wear to such a grand occasion My Lord."
"Worry not Hunith. Morgana will surely be more than happy to take care of that for you."
"Of course. I did wonders on Marlena…it would be my pleasure to dress you up as well."
"Thank you My Lady."
"Call me Morgana. We're practically about to be family after all. Arthur is the closest thing to a brother I have."
Marlena eyed Uther as everyone went their separate ways to start preparing for the feast. Arthur even gave Merlin the night off to celebrate with his sister, and was offering to let him borrow one of his outfits as well.
"Majesty…you knew he was planning to do this today didn't you?"
"I did indeed. He told me he would propose as soon as you all returned…so I've been preparing in your absence."
"Thank you Majesty."
"Go get yourself ready little one."
When it finally came time for the feast Arthur and his knights were all in their full formal regalia, as was Uther. Merlin wasn't dressed too much fancier than normal, just a blue silk shirt instead of a cotton one and a cleaner pair of trousers borrowed from Arthur. Morgana had managed to convince Gwen to wear something special she'd had made for her, a soft pink gown with lavender trim and a lavender belt. It looked quite beautiful on her with her darker skin. Hunith was wearing a dark golden brocade gown with flared sleeves and pearl trim with her hair pulled back into a simple braid. Morgana's gown was a very dark blue with black trim and bared shoulders, and her eyes danced with mischief as she waited with the rest of their family and friends to see what Marlena had chosen to wear.
"Arthur…you need to breathe…"
"Right…I'm ok…I'm breathing."
"She already said yes…why are you getting nervous now?"
"What if she's changed her mind and realized I'm an idiot?"
Merlin started to open his mouth but a single glare from Arthur has him snapping it shut again, but Morgana had no problem saying what they were both thinking.
"Arthur…if you being an idiot bothered her she'd never have agreed to court you…now will you please relax?"
Then the guards opened the doors and Arthur stopped breathing again, tough this time Morgana could hardly blame him as most of the males in the room weren't breathing anymore. Marlena wore a shining silk gown in a dark golden orange color with tiny flowers embroidered all over the fabric. The sleeves were sheer and fluttered around her arms as she moved. Her hair was done up in an elaborate braid with smaller braids looping into the main one, and at the very top sat a golden hair band with delicate scrollwork. The effect was stunning and left Morgana feeling just a tad envious, but this was Marlena's celebration so she quickly banished it and smiled at her friend.
"You look amazing Mara…that dress suits you."
"Thank you Gana."
"Lena…when did my sister grow up on me?"
"The same time you grew up on me brother dearest."
After she'd greeted everyone else all eyes turned to Arthur who was still silently gaping at her with his mouth partially open.
"Oh, Arthur…"
Marlena's voice was filled with fond exasperation and it managed to snap Arthur back to reality, and out of whatever fantasy had been running through his mind.
"Bloody hell you look…amazing, beautiful, gorgeous even…anyone know a better word than gorgeous? Merlin?"
"I think that one covers it, Sire."
The night was filled with song and dance and Marlena never left Arthur's side save for a single dance with the king. Hunith watched her children come alive in their new home and she knew sending them to Camelot had been the best thing she could have done for them…even if it hurt her to be so far from them. Gaius suggested that she stay in Camelot but she saw Ealdor as home now, and without her beloved queen Camelot would not be the same for her. Eventually Hunith returned to Ealdor, informing the village of the royal engagement which earned many cheers and congratulations. Will was beaming brighter than anyone. In Camelot life went on as it always did, though the noble and common men alike made sure to pay more respect to the Prince's fiancé and their wandering eyes and hands mostly stopped…for which she was very grateful.
A/N: The images for this chapter are on my Pinterest board, the link is on my profile page of course. The images are the armor for Arthur and Marlena's horses, Marlena's medical bag, Marlena's engagement ring, and all of the gowns for the engagement feast as well as Marlena's hair for said feast.
I hope everyone enjoyed my little twists for this chapter. I needed Will to be upset about them not just using their magic to wipe Kanen off the map, and a reason why that would be a bad thing, so hopefully my reasoning made sense to everyone. Arthur finally managed to ask her to marry him…yay! Now they just have to get to the actual wedding…which of course…won't be easy…this is Camelot after all lol.
