A/N: Sorry this took so long, but college life had me tightly in its claws. But I'm back.
For those of you wondering how everyone currently in Camelot is alive, here is my answer: Merlin, obviously, by magic. Same goes for Mordred and Morgana. I like to believe (like a few others) that the Cup of Life made Sir Leon immortal, and they used the Cup on Gaius. As for Rexanne, it is a combination of Magic and her dragon heritage.
Chapter Three
Training
"Bucky wasn't kidding when he said training was difficult," Steve muttered as I massaged the knots and kinks from his back. I laughed softly. It has been a hard week for Steve as he was pushed past his limits in training. It wasn't the first time I had to help my brother with some ailment.
"Nothing in life is ever easy, young one," I said, loosening the last knot. "It wasn't easy in the past, it isn't easy now, and it won't be easy in the future. No matter what inventions people come up with, there will always been some complication."
Steve was silent for a moment as I got his medicine ready. It was a strong smelling salve that eased his asthma that was triggered from the vigorous exercising.
"Hey, Rex? Could you tell me what it was like in Camelot?" Steve asked softly.
"Of course. Which would you rather know: Uther's reign, or Arthur's?" I asked as I smeared the salve on his chest.
"Tell me about Uther's first."
I smiled and put the medicine away, before settling down next to my brother on the cot.
"Uther Pendragon was not as kind of a person as his son was. Despite being loved by people, he was a tyrant. Killed anyone accused of having magic. It didn't matter if you did have it or not, you were executed. Our brother and I went to Camelot when Mother sent us to an old friend of hers to learn magic. When we first arrived, we witnessed the execution of a young man, not much older then you, having been accused for having magic."
"That's terrible," Steve whispered.
"It was. The boy's mother was distraught, and tried to kill Arthur. It was only because of our brother's quick thinking that Arthur lived. Although, much to their displeasure, our brother was made Arthur's personal servant."
"Their displeasure?"
"Well, Arthur was a bit of a pompous prat when we first met," I said. "It was only when our brother and I became friends with him, his half-sister, and Gwen did he start to mature."
"His half-sister is Morgana, right? You were friends with Morgana?"
"We still are. Sure, Morgana went dark for a bit, but when she and I found out that Morgause, her half-sister, was using her, Morgana came back to us. Morgause and Morgana share the same mother, and Morgana and Arthur have the same father."
"Why does Uther hate magic so much?"
Ah, that question. I smiled sadly and sighed.
"Ygraine, Uther's wife and Arthur's mother, was unable to have children. So, Uther sent Gaius to ask Nimueh, a sorceress that Ygraine and Uther knew, to use magic to allow Ygraine to have a child. What Nimueh did not tell Uther, however, was that using magic to make a life requires a life to be taken."
"Ygraine died then?"
"During childbirth. Uther was completely distraught over this, and blamed Nimueh for her death. He banished her from Camelot, accusing her of treason. Since then, he never trusted anyone who had magic, believing that all magic was evil. The only person Uther trusted who practiced magic was Gaius, but he had sworn not to use magic and become Court Physician."
"Your mentor?"
"Exactly."
"So the legends weren't that far off, were they?"
"Well, the legends all differ. Geoffrey was the first writer, and the one who wrote the closest to the real story."
"But why are you never mentioned in the stories?"
I smiled grimly, then sighed.
"You know that I'm not really yours and our brother's sister. I'm only adopted."
"Yeah, that was mentioned," Steve recalled. I paused, standing up and putting a safety spell on the door and window. Didn't want any eavesdroppers.
"Your brother is not just a powerful sorcerer. He is the most powerful sorcerer. In fact, he is actually the personification of magic."
"Merlin is… my brother?"
I nodded.
"I didn't tell you because I did not want you to feel like you were stuck in your brother's shadow. It's hard to follow in the footsteps of someone like Merlin."
Steve nodded, chuckling slightly. "That's true. I appreciate that you did that, but knowing that someone powerful is related to me gives me some hope that I can do something great too."
"That's one way of seeing things," I said with a smile.
"And you? What about you?"
"What about me? I'm a sorceress. Not as powerful as Merlin- no one could be as powerful as him- but as powerful as Morgana and Mordred."
Steve gave me a look, and I could tell that he didn't fully believe me.
"Listen, youngling, my true identity is a tale for another time. It isn't that I do not trust you, it's rather that it is a very big secret. And that revealing it is rather difficult. Especially in a small room."
"Now it's getting rather late, young one, and you need lots of rest for another strenuous day," I said, patting him on the shoulder. He settled down on the cot as I stood up.
"Good night, little brother. Sleep well."
"Good night, Rexanne."
"Are you sure you and your friend isn't willing to aid us?" Colonel Phillips asked what felt like the thousandth time. Mordred rolled his eyes, but was saved from answering by Agent Peggy Carter. She had grown rather close to the two druids.
"They're not your soldiers, Colonel. At least they are willing to help us with our cause, even if not in the way you expected."
"But having magic in our front lines-"
"With all due respect, sir," Mordred interrupted. "We only came for one person. But since he wishes to fight in this war, we will not stop him from fighting. We only aid in the fight so that we can ensure his survival. We were never meant to fight in this war, but we are bending the rules just enough to aid our friend."
"And he is training the soldiers," Dr. Erskine pointed out. Mordred nodded. But he wished that they would be a little bit more respectful. Honestly, what has happened to the old code? They may be soldiers instead of knights, and some rules may no longer qualify, but they could follow the rest of the code.
At least Rex and Merlin's younger brother seemed to follow the code. Perhaps Hunith and Balinor taught him some of the code. Mordred also made it his duty to teach the soldiers the way of the old code, but was met with difficulty from the soldiers themselves.
Colonel Phillips huffed.
"What he is teaching my recruits? Some blasphemous old code."
"The Old Code," Mordred stated in a firm tone, "teaches chivalry, respect, unity, and nobility. Do you really want your soldiers to stoop as low as the Nazis?"
The old Colonel said nothing, but it gave Mordred his answer anyways.
"I didn't think so."
Mordred stepped back from the Colonel and faced Dr. Erskine.
"So when will it be time?"
"I wish to see them once more, particularly Steve. Then I shall make final preparations."
