Excalibur
Marayna and Merlin stood in the crowd with Gwen as the court gathered in the Main Hall for quite the momentous occasion. Apparently it was Arthur's 21st birthday, he was now of age to be officially crowned the Prince of Camelot. Yes, he'd always been the prince, he was Uther's son and recognized as the heir and the prince, but now he would be legitimate in the eyes of the kingdoms, he would be recognized as the official heir, which meant he now had a crown to go with his head. Marayna though was of the impression that there wasn't a crown in the world big enough to fit his ego, though she DID have to admit that his arrogance had diminished slightly since she and Merlin had come to Camelot. She liked to think they both had something to do with it, with Merlin treating him just like any other person and being his friend because of who he was and not WHAT he was...and her being unafraid to smack him and talk back to him when he was being foul. They would have to keep an eye on Arthur even more now though because, should anything happen to Uther (mixed feelings on whether that would be good or bad), Arthur would be able to rule in his place...so that would be added pressure and also more power to the prince, which meant there would be times he'd be outright unbearable from taking out the pressure on them and other times where he might just abuse his power slightly. Well, they'd be sure to keep his ego in check as much as they could.
But still, it WAS a monumental moment in the history of Camelot, Marayna knew, and she supposed she should be paying more attention to it all...but it had been going on for hours now, long speeches, little rituals, all the tradition involved…that was one thing she never understood about the court. The king especially had a kingdom to run and there he was wasting hours talking instead of doing his duty. If she was ever really Queen she'd change that as well. Short, to the point, get the meaning across, and let people be on their way. Especially the peasants and servants who were forced to stand during it all and then would later be scolded by their masters for not getting their chores done in order to attend the mandatory ceremony. It was all just one big injustice in her mind.
She supposed though, she should be relieved that Arthur had forgone making her and Merlin wear the feathered hat. That was one good thing to come out of it. It seemed he had learned his lesson from the first time she'd worn it. It really wouldn't do for the man about to be crowned to be trying to hold back his laughter as his father, the king, spoke to the people he would one day rule. Arthur tended to make rather ridiculous faces whenever he tried to refrain from laughing and that would certainly not make the best impression.
She glanced over at her brother to see his attention, as it had been most of the night, was not on Arthur, but on Morgana as hers too was on him. She knew, right now, they were just staring at each other, no mental communication. She knew that Morgana was having just a bit of trouble getting the hang of speaking in her mind to them, though she could hear them if they intended her to hear them. Morgana had spent so much of her life trying to ward off her dreams, to ignore them and the potential they held, that it seemed her mind was giving her some trouble in allowing her to embrace it now. She could hear them just fine, but they both knew it would take her some time to be able to use her magic to speak back to them fully. When she was very close and, usually, touching one of them it was clearer. They were merely trying to get her to the point where she didn't need to be that close to speak to them. It would really help if they could be in three different places and speak to each other.
But she was leaving that mostly to Merlin, it seemed...far too intimate a gesture, speaking in someone's mind, allowing them to speak in your mind. She and Merlin had just always been able to do it, being siblings, being so close, it was natural to them. They'd been slightly shocked to hear Mordred speak as well, but given the Dragon could they expected others with magic to. There was just something about helping another master that ability that she felt Merlin would be better suited to do with Morgana, it would give them something else to bond over, something for Merlin to help her with like he did her dreams. And...it was also because she knew that she and Morgana shared a small bond as well, different than what Morgana and Merlin shared, because...she knew Morgana had felt the same magical connection with Mordred as she did. She'd felt it too, felt the tug, the need to protect the child who also held magic, a representation of themselves and the danger they were all in. But she knew that's just what it was, the magic, Morgana had felt it but hadn't understood it, only that she'd felt the same pull when she and Merlin had arrived as well…much stronger with Merlin though.
She knew THAT was not JUST the magic though.
Someone fancied Merlin, she sang in her had, smirking, though she was pleased. Back in Ealdor neither she nor Merlin had drawn much attention to themselves, not just out of the need for self-preservation, but just because…no one really noticed them. Most knew there was something off about Merlin, he'd always had a harder time covering up his magic and controlling it, so they shied away from him at times. Most knew that her future prospects were limited to none and just hadn't bothered to get acquainted with her as a result.
And that was fine with her.
The less people around her, the less they'd know her secret, the less they'd try to use it to harm her brother.
That was why she was thrilled that Morgana had taken an interest in Merlin. She could tell Morgana was a good woman, had a kind heart, a fierce spirit. She was someone who would fight to the end to defend the things and people she loved, who would stand up to injustice, who wouldn't ever give up. She could tell, once Morgana got a hold of Merlin he'd be a goner. But that was alright. She honestly thought she'd be more upset at the idea of losing her brother, truly the only male presence in her life, to another. But…she had to smile.
He was in love. Truly, deeply in love.
And he was loved in return.
She would NEVER begrudge her brother of that happiness, the happiness he'd found in Morgana. A happiness, she admitted, she might have found in Arthur as well. So…she pulled her attention away from the thrilling game of 'count the cracks' she was playing with the ceiling and turned it back to Arthur. It seemed like the ceremony was FINALLY coming to a close…and then she yawned...
Till she felt a pinch on her arm.
She turned and mock-glared at Gwen who just smirked and shook her head. She really had such little attention when it came to meetings such as this, it really was a problem. But she couldn't help it that she was tired as well. She'd been having nightmares of a recent visit by a noblewoman, the Lady Latrona, well, really the Duchess Latrona but she married so often and changed her title so quickly that it was easier and less insulting to call her merely 'Lady' instead. Arthur had fallen under her enchantment and had turned his sword upon himself, nearly stabbed himself. It had horrified and terrified her, she had actually frozen because of it.
HER! Well, yes she DID get that scared in the past, and she still did. Put her up against most things and she'd face them down, especially if she had her brother beside her. But...put her in any place where there was a hint of a rat or a mouse, even the tiniest, most distant squeak...and she froze. She just...mice! She shivered, she just...not mice. The nightmares though, they were fading, getting more annoying. It happened with her, that was how her nightmares worked. She'd get scared and she'd dream about it for ages after, but slowly she'd end up just getting exasperated with the same dream over and over to the point of annoyance...and then it didn't scare her anymore. She had no idea if that was normal, probably not, but that was the only method she had for coping with trauma and fears.
Well, most fears, her fear of mice had persisted FAR longer than she had hoped. But then again...that fear, the events that led up to its development, the consequences of the events, well...they left scars that would last longer than any nightmare, so she was sure that it was a fear that would never leave her. It was one she'd never be able to overcome or dream to the point of annoyance. She was getting there with the dreams of Arthur though, she just...needed another month or so and she was sure she'd be over it. Now she just had to concentrate on keeping awake during the day long enough to make it a few months and not get fired for sleeping on the job.
She looked over as she heard Uther's voice boom out, clearly he was all too aware she was not the only one dozing and losing interest, quite a few other nobles were too. But she frowned though when she saw that Arthur wasn't looking at his father any longer...but at her, with a small, concerned frown on his face. She hoped he hadn't seen her yawn, she could just imagine the teasing and jesting about whether her chores were too strenuous or something of the sort, then she'd respond sarcastically and, depending on Arthur's mood, likely land herself with more and that wouldn't do.
"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statutes, customs, and laws laid down by your forebears?" Uther's voice echoed as he stood before a kneeling Arthur.
Marayna looked at Gwen with a pitiful/pleading face, making the girl roll her eyes and nod that yes, it was almost over.
"I do, Sire," Arthur replied, as serious as anyone had ever heard him and pulling the attention of Gwen and Marayna back to him.
"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgments?"
"I do, Sire."
'Well if that isn't 'do as I say, not as I do' I don't know what is,' Marayna scoffed to Merlin, who coughed to try and cover his chuckle…making Gaius glare at them, catching on to the fact they were silently communicating.
"And do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now and for as long as you shall live?"
"I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its peoples."
Uther smiled, "Now, being of age and heir apparent, from henceforth," he turned and picked up a small golden band, holding it high above Arthur, "You shall be Crown Prince of Camelot," before setting it on his head as the court applauded.
Arthur stood, smiling a true smile that Marayna hadn't often seen, which only served to make her smile and clap as well. He often gave a range of smiles, cocky smiles, 'flirty' (or what she was sure he meant to be flirty) smiles, tense ones and uncomfortable ones and pleased ones but this...this was an actual SMILE. This was a smile of someone who was proud of himself and where he was, who was honored and felt humble for once in his life and...it was a genuine one. She couldn't help but think she'd like to see that sort of smile more often.
"So how does it feel to be servant to the Crown Prince of Camelot?" Gwen smiled at them.
"Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege," Merlin rolled his eyes.
"And the honor of washing his unmentionables is truly staggering," Marayna added dryly.
Gwen giggled at the mention of 'unmentionables' but had to shake her head and nudge them, "You're proud of him, really. Even though you complain about him constantly."
"We are not," Merlin defended weakly, but they could all tell it was a lie.
"And we complain for a perfectly justified reason," Marayna nodded, linking her arm through Gwen's, "The Crown Prince is a prat."
Gwen shook her head, "Whatever he is, you are so proud of him. I can see it in your faces."
"Those socks are very clean!" Merlin countered, "Of course I'm proud of them."
They looked at Marayna, but she held up her hands, "Don't look at me, I don't TOUCH his unmentionables."
Gwen blinked, "Then how do they get clean?" her eyes widened, "You DO clean them don't you?"
Marayna smirked, "You'd be surprised how many of the young serving girls in the washroom jump at the chance to touch those things. They literally JUMP to do them. It's ridiculous!"
Merlin gaped at her, "If you hand off the work than how come I have to wash the socks myself?! They're rank!"
Marayna laughed, "And that's the reason I leave them to you brother dear."
Merlin shook his head before grabbing her around the neck and noogying her till she managed to poke him in the stomach, making him squirm back, ticklish, as Gwen laughed at them both, no one really paying any mind to the playful servants with all the cheering and good feelings in the air…
Until a window nearby shattered, a window that had only JUST been replaced from when Merlin had shattered them to distract Latrona, as a man in black armor rode through on a horse, startling everyone. The crowd leapt back, avoiding the falling glass as Arthur and the knights drew their swords.
"What in the devil's name?!" Uther demanded.
The horse just trotted over to Arthur, the 'Black Knight' throwing down the gauntlet, his intention clear.
Marayna frowned, spotting the look on Uther's face as the man stared at the crest on the knight's shield instead of at the man's face to spot who he was, looking as though he'd seen a ghost which only served to make her wonder if he already knew who this man was. Arthur sheathed his sword and stepped forward, about to pick up the gauntlet, to take up the issued challenge...when another knight beat him to it, having seen what the prince was about to do.
"I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge," the knight called, holding up the gauntlet.
The Black Knight straightened, giving a brief nod, "Single combat," he said, his voice deep, "Noon, tomorrow. Till the death," and with that, the Black Knight turned and rode out of the room.
Merlin and Marayna made their way to Gaius as Gwen went to check on Morgana, knowing Merlin wanted to (as she had been sitting right by the windows) but couldn't, "Have you ever seen this Black Knight before?" Merlin asked the man.
"I don't believe so," Gaius stated.
Marayna frowned, she recognized that tone, he was lying, "Really? So you have no idea what the crest you and Uther were staring at means?"
"Crest?" Gaius looked at them innocently.
"My eyesight is not that bad uncle. I saw you staring at the giant crest painted on his shield."
"Which house is it?" Merlin frowned, realizing as his sister had that Gaius was hiding something.
Gaius sighed, seeing that they were already suspicious, "I'm not sure. I didn't see it that clearly."
Marayna eyed him intently, "But you DID recognize something of it?"
"Yes."
"Do you think he's from around here?" Merlin questioned.
"I...don't believe so, no, not from Camelot."
"Then what's he doing here?"
"He's definitely here for something," Marayna agreed, you didn't just ride into a hall full of knights for no reason.
"Merlin, Rayna," he sighed, "Your faith in my all-seeing knowledge is both touching and wholly misplaced. Maybe if you've finished your work, you could go to bed and leave me to finish mine."
Marayna sighed, "You're sending us off to Arthur's mercy aren't you?" she remarked, already able to see the glower forming on Arthur's face, the tensing of his jaw in irritation, and could just tell it was going to be a 'fun' night, just...ever so fun.
Merlin groaned, realizing that as well, "Ok, ok, we're going," he and Marayna turning to go see to Arthur, "Gaius?"
"Merlin?" Gaius turned back to him.
Merlin hesitated, "Do you think Owain can beat him?"
Gaius could only sigh, "We'll find out soon enough."
Neither of them liked his tone.
~8~
The next morning no one really knew how to feel. Normally the court and all the peasants who could attend a duel were thrilled to see a fight such as that take place, but given the circumstances, given how little they knew about the Black Knight, as everyone had come to call him, no one was sure whether to feel excitement or trepidation. Everyone who had been at the ceremony the night before could agree that they had felt something odd off of the knight, that there was just something not particularly right about him. The next morning would also find Merlin attempting to ready Owain, the boy having been up all night waiting to go meet Morgana and had gone to Owain earlier to help prepare him as Uther had offered their services for the preparation.
Marayna walked past Arthur on her own way from Gaius's to Owen's chambers, smacking the prince on the back of the head as she passed him to help her brother ready Owain for the fight that was about to take place with the Black Knight, Owain having the sense to look away and pretend he hadn't seen a thing.
"Ow!" Arthur winced, "Mara!" before he glared at her.
She just spun around, still walking backwards, to point a warning finger at him, before grabbing a glove and moving to pull it, more than a bit forcefully, onto Owain's hand, "You know what that was for."
Apparently he'd spent the entire night ranting to Morgana about how he should be the one to fight and how Owain shouldn't have taken the gauntlet and how he couldn't even interfere now that the challenge had been taken up and how it was HIS fight to be fought, etc. And now all of them were cross with him.
Merlin was cross because he hadn't been able to see Morgana with Arthur there, he'd waited up all night but Arthur hadn't left till it was nearly dawn when the servants woke anyway. Morgana was cross because Arthur had kept her awake with his ranting and she hadn't been able to even glimpse Merlin the entire night. Gwen was cross because she had felt awkward leaving Morgana alone with an irritated Arthur and hadn't been able to go home to make her father some food for his day at work, not that he couldn't have made his own dinner but, ever since her mother had died and her brother had left, she just liked being able to see him even once a day.
And now she was starting to get cross because everyone else was cross. Since Merlin had been forced to stay in Gaius's chambers that night, pacing as he waited for a chance to meet with Morgana, Gwen having agreed to swing past the room on her way home to alert him to Morgana going to sleep and needing her draught, she hadn't been able to sleep. Not that she would have wanted to sleep with Merlin there anyway. She hadn't had a nightmare in a few days and she knew, she could just tell she'd likely have a nightmare THAT night and she didn't want Merlin to know about them. They didn't keep many secrets from each other, but this was something she knew would affect him and Morgana. He'd feel guilty that he hadn't been there to help her with her own nightmares and he'd try to be there for her and then Morgana would have nightmares and he wouldn't be there for her and it would just be a big old mess.
The difference was she knew her nightmares would fade, Morgana's wouldn't until they could start helping her practice her visions. She could deal with a few difficult nights on her own. But last night hadn't been necessary for them ALL to have gotten no sleep...all because of Arthur. She knew she'd have had a nightmare though, because all the duel would remind her of was him turning his own sword on himself and that wouldn't have been good. She didn't like the entire idea of this particular duel, normally she'd be thrilled to watch him beat his opponent but this one was just too soon. She was cross for lack of sleep, she was cross because everyone else was, and she was cross...because Arthur was an idiot!
Anyone could tell there was something wrong with the Black Knight. She was honestly surprised Uther, in all his paranoia, hadn't cried sorcery already. That was how wrong the knight was. Had Arthur fought it, he'd die she was sure of that. And she would have sat…well, stood…through that whole ceremony for nothing. Why celebrate Camelot's Crown Prince when the Crown Prince went and got himself killed the very next morning?
Arthur grumbled under his breath but said nothing in retaliation, though he did shoot Owain a glare when the man let out a soft chuckle. He knew what the man was thinking, if anyone else had done what Marayna had, he'd have them thrown in the dungeon…well, he would have…only a few short months ago he certainly would have. He had, in fact to a number of others for far less physical slights against him. But…now? The knights could see it, a subtle shift in their prince. A good one.
"You've never fought in mortal combat before," Arthur turned to Owain, "It's different. It's not like the training I've been giving you."
"Yeah, I know," Owain replied.
"Listen to me," Arthur said meaningfully, "The problem is...we've never seen him fight. You have to quickly get the measure of him."
"But I have the same advantage. He's never seen me fight."
Arthur smiled, "True."
"You've watched me," Owain glanced at him.
"Yes."
"And?"
"And I know no one braver," Arthur put a hand on Owain's shoulder, nodding, the man smiling at the praise from the prince, "Remember, all it takes to kill a man is one well-aimed blow."
Owain nodded and headed for the door, "Good luck," Marayna called.
Owain offered her a smile, "Thank you, but I won't need luck," he turned and continued on.
Marayna just raised an eyebrow and turned to Merlin, "Is it just nobles or is it all men who are that arrogant?"
Merlin laughed and tried to defend his gender with, "I'd go with nobles."
"Oi!" Arthur shouted, glaring at them, though his glare softened when he spotted Marayna struggling to suppress a yawn, and not one of boredom but exhaustion.
~8~
Marayna and Merlin stood off to the side with Gaius, Morgana sitting beside the king with Gwen standing at her side, as Arthur walked up to join his father in the arena.
"The fight shall be to the knight's rules!" Arthur announced, "To the death!" his jaw tensed, still not happy with the situation and now worried about Owain but knowing there was little he could do, "Let battle commence!"
"Come on, Owain!" Gwen called as the battle began, Owain and the Black Knight duking it out for all to see, their swords sparking with each clash, grunting with each blow.
"One well-aimed blow!" Arthur yelled to Owain.
Owain turned, stabbing the Black Knight right in the gut, "Yes!" Merlin cheered.
"What?!" Marayna breathed as the knight continued to fight, not even slowed by the wound that should have killed him…until…he managed to run Owain through himself.
Everyone gasped in shock as the man, one of Camelot's own, fell to the ground, dead. Merlin and Marayna frowned as they looked on in confusion at how that could have possibly happened. They'd seen it! They'd seen Owain stab the man through the stomach, a sure killing blow! This should have been impossible!
The Black Knight just turned to the crowd, pulling his glove off once more, "Who will take up my challenge?" he held it up a moment before throwing the gauntlet down.
"And here we go," Marayna sighed, spotting Arthur bolting over the barrier of the stands to grab the gauntlet this time…or he would have if Uther hadn't grabbed him and held him back just long enough for another knight to grab it.
"I, Sir Pellinor, take up the challenge!" the knight called.
The Black Knight gave him a nod, "So be it," before turning and walking out of the arena.
Merlin frowned as he watched the Black Knight leave, "Should we tend to his wounds?" he glanced at Gaius, "He took a hit."
Gaius shook his head, "Owain didn't land a blow."
"No, we saw it."
"The sword went right through him," Marayna nodded.
Gaius frowned and looked at them, "Are you sure?"
"Our eyes are quicker than yours," Merlin smirked.
"He should be dead," Marayna said quietly, frowning as the Black Knight disappeared in the distance.
Gaius eyed the man closely before the doors shut, blocking their view of him, "Perhaps he already is."
"What?"
Gaius looked at them, "Come with me," he sighed, leading them out of the arena as the other knights collected Owain's body.
They made their way quickly through the crowds, all of those present to stunned by the recent events to notice them making their way hastily off, save Morgana who caught Merlin's eyes as they passed, Merlin sending her a small nod in promise to speak to her later.
~8~
To say that finding themselves in the burial vaults was surprising...was a lie. Gaius himself had implied the Black Knight was dead, so really where else would they go?
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Merlin asked.
He'd never been very comfortable around dead bodies. He'd never much liked the idea of someone else's life coming to an end, not even animals, which was why he sometimes purposefully botched Arthur's hunting trips. It just...never felt right to him, the idea of taking a life like that, that was not a power anyone was meant to have and not something anyone should be proud of. It was why he hadn't enjoyed tournaments and duels like that, inevitably someone might die in it and it never sat right with him. Marayna, he knew, didn't like the idea of killing someone else either, but she understood that there were times where it had to be done, they both understood that though, when someone was attacking you or someone you loved and was NOT going to stop...sometimes it was the only way to protect that person.
"You're not scared, are you?" Gaius smirked back at him.
"No, I love old crypts," Merlin rolled his eyes.
"They're just so...lively," Marayna agreed, taking his hand, she wasn't much a fan of dead bodies either. She was ok around them, she didn't freak out or run off, but if she was around them too long it started to make her uncomfortable, especially if they didn't appear to have died naturally, like with the poison in the water ages ago. If it was a natural death, well...that was life wasn't it?
It was something she loved about having a brother, they watched out for each other, they never got on each other's cases about things that truly frightened them. He hadn't ever made fun of her fear of rats and she didn't tease him about his fear of the dead. He really had more difficulty around dead bodies than she did though it was more the entire thought of death that he was scared of, he was terrified of those he loved leaving him forever and equated that with death in general. But they were always there to support each other in their fears. Whenever a rat was around, he protected her, chased it off, kept it away. Whenever someone in their village passed on, she'd be right at his side, holding his hand, reminding him that he wasn't alone. They looked out for each other that way, never let the other feel alone in their fear.
Suddenly the door behind them slammed shut.
"Must've been a gust of wind," Gaius shrugged.
"We should've brought a torch," Merlin muttered, squeezing his sister's hand.
Marayna reached over and pulled a torch from a sconce in the wall, "Leohtbora," she breathed, her eyes flashing gold in the darkness, lighting the torch.
Merlin smiled at her as she handed him the flame, knowing it would help calm him to be in charge of the fire.
"Handy," Gaius smiled, seeing the interaction, guessing what was wrong with his wards, unable to bring himself to comment on their use of magic when something was clearly agitating Merlin.
"Yes," Merlin smiled, moving to put his arm around Marayna's shoulders instead of just holding her hand.
Gaius smiled at them, nodding them on, past grave after grave.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Marayna had to ask.
Gaius paused by one grave, "Bring your torch over here," he called to Merlin.
"We're breaking into someone's grave?" Merlin frowned as he moved them closer, holding the flame up to the tomb's markers.
Gaius sighed and shook his head, "We're too late. I think someone's already broken out."
"Who?" Marayna eyed the tomb but she couldn't make out the etchings, it seemed like someone had scratched across them or worn them out or something.
~8~
"Tristan Dubois," Gaius explained to his wards as they sat in his chambers later that night, "Was the brother of Ygraine, Uther's wife."
"Arthur's mother, Ygraine?" Merlin's eyes widened.
"When Ygraine died in childbirth, Tristan blamed Uther and came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him."
"Let me guess," Marayna sighed, running a hand through her hair, "To a fight to the death?"
Gaius nodded, "Uther won."
"Never would have guessed that one," she mumbled, till Merlin poked her in the side for it.
"But in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to one day suffer his return. I thought it was the ramblings of a dying man."
"Men don't just rise up from the dead, though, no matter how angry they are," Merlin remarked.
Gaius pulled a book from his shelf and opened it, placing it before them, opening it to flip through the pages, trying to find what he wanted to show them, "It's my guess we're dealing with a wraith."
"A wraith?"
"And a wraith is..." Marayna shook her head.
"The spirit of a dead man conjured from the grave," Gaius pushed the book to them, spotting the page and pointing to it, to the writings on the wraith and what it was, why it was created, and what it could do.
Merlin frowned at the page, "So this is the work of a sorcerer?"
"Powerful magic can harness the grief and rage of a tormented soul and make it live again."
Marayna shook her head, already knowing what that meant, Tristan was out to kill Uther the only way that would truly make the man suffer...by killing Arthur, "So how do we, I don't know, kill it again?"
"We can't," Gaius sighed, "Because it's not alive, no mortal weapon can kill it."
"Surely there must be something," Merlin looked up at him.
"If a mortal weapon can't, what about an immortal one?" Marayna offered.
Gaius shook his head, "Nothing can stop it until it has achieved what it came for."
"And what's that?" Merlin asked.
"What else does anyone try to do?" Marayna looked at him pointedly, "Kill Arthur."
"Revenge," Gaius nodded, "Against Uther."
Marayna groaned and rubbed her head, "I swear it's like he's got a target on his back!"
"What does that mean for Sir Pellinor?" Merlin frowned.
"I'm afraid it doesn't look good," Gaius replied solemnly, the wraith would kill anyone and everyone in its way to get to the prince.
~8~
The next morning, Merlin and Marayna stood in the arena grounds, watching Sir Pellinor fighting Tristan Dubois, he actually seemed to be doing well, actually seemed like he was besting Tristan in their combat...it wasn't much but it gave them hope.
"Maybe you were wrong," Merlin suggested.
"I hope so," Gaius sighed.
Marayna scoffed, "When is uncle EVER wrong Merlin?"
And, true to her word, Sir Pellinor ran Tristan through with his sword, but the man kept on fighting as though it had never happened, though, this time, more of the crowd appeared to have seen what happened judging by the whisperings that began to go around.
"The sword went in, I'm sure of it," Gwen breathed to Morgana, both of them watching the knights fighting even more closely, suspicious of the Black Knight as well.
"I saw too," she nodded, looking over at Merlin across the way to see him give her a serious look and a nod as well.
Tristan used the shock of Pellinor's blow not feeling him to turn out of Pellinor's reach and best him, killing him instead, much to the crowd's displeasure. The knight turned to the head of the crowd, to where Uther and Arthur had stood, about to raise his gauntlet...
When Marayna noticed something else, "Of all the stupid..." she began...
As Arthur threw down his own gauntlet despite Uther trying to stop him, "I, Arthur Pendragon, challenge you!"
"So be it," Tristan gave a nod, taking up the challenge.
"Single combat. Noon. Tomorrow. "
Merlin looked at Marayna to see his sister just glowering at Arthur and then over at Arthur's smug look before he turned back to his sister and started laughing, "Sorry!" he chuckled as she glared at him, "Sorry it's just..." he poked her side, "You're marrying an idiot."
She sighed, "I know."
At least she could be thankful that her brother was calling Arthur an idiot instead of believing himself to be one. But really...she was going to have to do something about this. For all his observational skills, which he seemed to only utilize when actively fighting an opponent or hunting, he was terrible at seeing things! Clearly there was something very unnatural about the knight, clearly something was wrong with him, and if two good knights, that Arthur had trained himself, couldn't best the man...he should give pause as to why and work it out and come up with a method to slay the man instead of issuing a challenge merely because his pride had been wounded.
Men!
~8~
Merlin and Marayna sat with Gaius later that day, having been excused by Arthur so he could 'focus without his bumbling servants distracting him.'
"You were right," Merlin sighed.
"As always," Marayna nudged him.
"I wish I wasn't," Gaius shook his head.
"So...the chances of Arthur actually fighting that thing and winning are...slim, aren't they?" Marayna asked, trying her very best to remain calm and rational about this despite the fact she was a bit scared for him. Yes, Arthur had faced a number of enemies, had fought quite a few others and come out victorious...but this was the first one that didn't seem like it could be killed, even with magic and that worried her. But worrying wouldn't get her anywhere, being scared wouldn't help Arthur.
She had made that mistake before, she had let her fear get to her, she had frozen and it had meant leaving everything to Merlin, and while her brother was more than capable of handling any challenge...she didn't want that burden to fall solely to him if she could help it. If anything went wrong, she wanted the guilt on BOTH of them and not just him. So she needed to face this, she needed to STOP getting scared or at least stop letting on that she was afraid, because if it froze her again when it really counted then she wouldn't be able to help, and that was not something she wanted.
"He is Camelot's strongest warrior. If anyone can defeat it, he can. "
Merlin frowned at him, "You said yourself, no mortal weapon can kill it. Which means we have to find a way to defeat the wraith ourselves."
"How do you propose to do that?"
"I said it before uncle," Marayna began, "If no mortal weapon stands a chance, then we need an immortal one," she looked up at Gaius.
"We need to make a magical weapon," Merlin nodded, running into their rooms to grab the magic book from where they'd hidden it under the floorboards.
"It's too dangerous," Gaius shook his head.
"Well we don't exactly have a choice do we?" Marayna countered, she...she loved Arthur, she admitted it, she did, and she was NOT about to see him die after having finally admitted that to herself complete.
~8~
"Well that's hours of my life I'll not get back," Marayna muttered as she and Merlin rushed through the halls towards Arthur's chambers. They'd tried to use all sorts of spells to try and harm Tristan, or at least make him vulnerable to Arthur...they'd even tried to burn him with a magical fire, but he remained standing, unharmed, int he courtyards, staring at the castle.
Worse yet, he'd noticed them so they had to flee.
"And this'll likely just be even more," Merlin remarked, bursting into Arthur's rooms. They already knew there was little they could say or do to get Arthur to stop the fight, but they had to try.
"Merlin, Mara, you know that conversation we had about knocking..." Arthur began.
"You have to pull out," Merlin cut in.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"
"Because he'll kill you?" Marayna shook her head, there was no way he DIDN'T see that, Arthur could not possibly be THAT dumb could he?
Merlin opened his mouth, catching that thought of his sister as, while she hadn't been quite speaking to him, her thoughts were very loud.
'Don't answer that Merlin,' she shot him a look.
"Why does everybody think that?" Arthur huffed.
"Because two different knights ran the man through with swords, a man who didn't die, a man who then went on to kill both his opponents," Marayna deadpanned, "Not exactly a brilliant track record for his opponents is it?"
"Just pull out," Merlin pleaded, "You're the Crown Prince. No one wants to see you die over some stupid challenge. "
"I am not a coward," Arthur glared.
"Yes, we're well aware of that," Marayna rolled her eyes, "If you'd forgotten, we've been the ones standing behind you watching you face down every single fear and overcome it."
"That's what's required of me," he argued.
"But you are more than that," Merlin tried to get through to him, "You're not merely a warrior. You're a prince, a future king! You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom."
"I'm not backing down!"
Marayna let out a frustrated shout/growl and turned to Merlin, "Don't you just want to smack him some times?" before storming out of the room before she could do just that, leaving Merlin to handle Arthur alone.
He watched his sister go for a moment, knowing that it was also an escape for her. He could sense it in her mind, she was getting upset with how little regard Arthur had for his own life. That he KNEW he would go into that arena and that he'd die and that he didn't even seem to care. It was upsetting her more than she wanted either him or Arthur to realize. His sister was very...protective of herself and of her feelings, she didn't like others to see her weak or crying. She didn't like pity, hated it really, and that was what she thought others felt whenever she showed any sign of being weak. She was almost ready to cry with how little Arthur cared about what would happen after the duel and what (who) he'd be leaving behind. And that wasn't something she wanted them to see, her crying, especially not Arthur. So she'd left before she could start.
"Please, Arthur, listen to me," Merlin turned to him, "This is no ordinary knight. Look at him. He doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. He just stands there, in complete silence. Doesn't that tell you something?"
Arthur, who had been looking at the door Marayna had disappeared through, shook his head and turned back to Merlin, "No one is unbeatable."
"If you fight him, you will die."
"I'm not listening to this."
"I'm trying to warn you, Arthur."
"And I'm trying to warn YOU, Merlin!"
Merlin glared and moved to storm out the door just as his sister had. But he paused in the doorway a moment, turning to see that Arthur had gone to the window and was staring at it, his back to the door, and swallowed hard, "IF you fight and you die," he added quietly, knowing Arthur could hear him in the silence of the room, "Aya..." he shook his head, "I can't even tell you what would happen to her," he whispered, "I think...I think she might die too," before he turned and left.
Arthur shifted, regret weighing heavily on him as he stared out the window. He wouldn't say it out loud, he...he couldn't. The walls had ears, the servants reported to various people, and if a single one of them heard half the thoughts in his head...he swallowed at that. He cared for Marayna, more than he had ever cared for another, she just...had this way of getting to him, of getting under his skin and making him think, making him consider things from a different point of view, in a different light. She challenged him and she wasn't afraid to let him know exactly what she thought about the things he did. She was...a part of his life now, she was so much a part of it that...to think of not seeing her even one day bothered him more than he could say, it upset him actually.
He was quite certain, though he'd never say it aloud, that...if Marayna ever died...he felt he just might too.
~8~
Marayna had stormed all the way to the library, just barely managing to not blast the locked doors down with her magic to get in, instead taking calming breaths to focus enough to merely unlock them as she searched for exactly what the creature was and a way to stop it, recalling a book or two that Gaius had mentioned were in the room while they'd been trying to find spells to use against Tristan.
"How did you get in here?" Geoffrey asked as he entered the room, gasping suddenly at the sight of someone already in there.
"There's a door right behind you," she muttered, not even looking up from the book.
"But it was locked!"
"Locks can be unlocked," she shrugged, still looking but not seeing a thing that could help them.
"You picked the lock to look at books?"
"I picked the lock to save Arthur," she turned to him, "I need a book on wraiths."
"What for?"
"Uncle thinks the Black Knight is a wraith."
Geoffrey gasped, "Then Arthur is in grave peril!"
"No," she rolled her eyes, sarcastic, "I never would have thought that. Do you have a book or not?"
Geoffrey chuckled, he remembered the girl from quite a few stories Gaius had told him throughout the years, her sarcasm was something the old man could clearly recall even from when she'd been a child. In this context, he knew it meant she was worried, "This way," he led her over to the ancient chronicles, searching the shelves, before he pulled one off and opened it, "A wraith," he pointed to a sketching, before reading the sides of it, "Several fables speak of ancient swords that could destroy anything, alive or dead."
Marayna just skimmed the passage quickly, not in the mood for a lecture after the one she'd had to endure about fingernails from Gaius, "'Sir Marhaus looked upon the great sword, begotten in the dragon's breath, and found it passing good,'" she blinked, "Dragon's breath..."
Geoffrey nearly gasped when the girl suddenly turned and bolted out of the room.
'Merlin!'
~8~
Merlin quickly made his way to Morgana's chambers, for once not for his love, but Gwen, Marayna had just told him the most interesting fact about how to best the wraith and now he needed help. He banged on the door till Gwen opened it, "Merlin? What are you doing here?"
"Merlin?" Morgana looked up, smiling.
He smiled at her, staring just a moment before shaking his head and recalling his mission, "I've come to ask a favor of you Gwen."
"Yes?" Gwen frowned, confused.
"I'm not sure how to ask it..."
"Ask, Merlin. You know Morgana and I would grant you anything. I mean, not anything. Obviously, not anything," she smiled a bit, "Well, not ME at least..."
"Gwen!" Morgana cried, blushing at the implication and the tease her maidservant had just given, before looking at Merlin, "Just tell her what you need."
"I've come to ask for a sword," he told them, "The strongest sword your father's ever made."
"What for?" Gwen shook her head.
"To save Arthur," he explained, "The Black Knight is a wraith summoned to kill Arthur...but Aya found a way to kill it instead."
~8~
Arthur was staring out the window of his chambers at Tristan, who was still in the courtyard, staring at the castle...waiting. So focused was he that he didn't even hear Marayna enter, the girl pausing to watch him a moment. She had gotten the message to Merlin who was taking care of obtaining the sword while she tried to deal with Arthur one more time.
She took a breath, "I don't want you to fight tomorrow."
He snorted, "And I should listen why?"
"Because I am begging you Arthur," she murmured, making him turn to look at her, she...she really WAS wasn't she? He didn't think he'd ever heard her sound like that before, but it wasn't just the pleading quality to her voice, there was something...else lingering there, it was like...there was a fear as well, "Please. I don't...I can't watch you die."
He frowned, his jaw clenching at seeing her getting so upset. He'd have given anything to be able to pull out and see her smile, but he couldn't, "I have to do this. It's my duty to my people."
"Your duty to your people is not the only duty you have," she reminded him, shaking her head, feeling tears prickling in her eyes and trying not to let them fall, "Where will I be if you die?" she whispered, "I can't watch you die again Arthur."
He blinked and stared at her with a small frown, uncrossing his arms to let them hang, "Again?" he had to ask, unable to remember a time he'd 'died' a frist time.
She looked away before shaking her head, "I keep...dreaming, of you dying," she admitted, "When...Lady Latrona was here...everything ends differently in the dreams."
He nodded slowly to himself, understanding. He had no recollection of Latrona's visit after her first dinner there, but he'd been told enough of what happened to explain why the next thing he'd known was himself standing there with a sword, his own sword, held to his chest, "Mara..."
"I wish I could ask you not to make me watch your life end," she cut in, looking at him, her eyes shimmering with tears before "But you won't withdraw, I know. I had to try though," she walked over to him and looked up at him, "Just...be careful," she whispered to him, before she leaned in and kissed his lips quickly, "And be safe," before she headed out of the room.
Two minutes after the door had shut Arthur finally shook himself out of his shock at having seen Marayna so...vulnerable as to nearly cry in front of him, to beg him to do something, and to kiss him, to knowingly KISS him again and actually plan to do it instead of react to it. And then he realized...if he died...he would be forcing her worse nightmares to come true, he'd be breaking her heart, and...he'd hurt her.
He knew he was likely to die, contrary to what she and Merlin might believe...he HAD seen his knights stab the Black Knight through and the man keep going. He knew that landing a fatal blow would be impossible in this duel. And he knew he'd be going to his death. He looked away from the window, before moving to his desk, grabbing a bit of paper to scribble a note on it. He made his way to his door and looked out, calling a passing servant over and ordering the young boy to deliver the note to its intended recipient.
If he was going to die...he needed to make sure that Marayna knew he was sorry for what he'd put her through.
~8~
While Marayna spoke with Arthur, Gwen knelt at her father's bed and pulled a sword out from under it, "My father's been saving this. He's always said it was the best sword he's ever made."
"I agree," Morgana remarked, taking the sword from Gwen to examine it, she'd come to help select a sword for the Dragon beneath the castle to breathe on, having wanted to have a hand in all the magic and dealings that Merlin and Marayna seemed to get into and...she was excited, she was finally going to be able to meet the 'overgrown lizard' as Marayna seemed fond to call it.
"It's perfect," Merlin nodded, reaching out to touch it, his one hand cupping around Morgana's as they held the sword.
"He'll kill me if he finds I've taken it," Gwen added.
"He'll understand," Morgana shook her head and pulled out a small pouch of coins, she'd insisted on paying for the sword, knowing how hard Gwen's father worked at his craft, and placed it on the bed.
"You did it for Arthur," Merlin added.
Gwen smiled, "I knew you were proud of him really."
~8~
Merlin led the way down the stairs to the Dragon's dwelling, Morgana behind him, with Marayna behind her, carrying the sword, "Merlin!" the Dragon cried, spotting them, "Marayna..." and then Morgana, "And the Seer," he blinked when Merlin took Morgana's hand, hearing her gasp at how he could speak, and smirked, "Or should I say Healer?" he sighed, "Your path has yet to truly unfold."
"Do you know why we're here?" Merlin asked it, as much as he wanted to help Morgana learn about her path in life, they had no idea how long it would take the Dragon to work his magic, so to speak, and they also had to make sure everything was ready...they just didn't have time.
Marayna rolled her eyes, "He's a dragon Merlin, he's almost as bad as Uncle."
The Dragon laughed, but shook his head, "It may surprise you both but my knowledge of your life is not universal."
"So you don't know?" Marayna smirked at it, "That's a first."
"It's to do with Arthur," Merlin cut in, he knew his sister often came to see the Dragon, to talk to it, feeling bad it had been locked away. If how long it took her to get back was anything to go on, she could talk for hours with it and they really, really didn't have the time, "His life's in danger. He will die, unless we can make a weapon that will kill the dead."
"So what do you come to ask of me?" the Dragon eyed them.
Marayna held up the sword, her eyes flashing gold as it floated up to him, "I read that a dragon can create such a weapon by breathing fire on it. We need you to do that."
"The dead do not return without reason. Who has he come for?"
"Uther," all three of them said, even though he was trying to kill Arthur, they all knew it was to get to Uther, to leave him either so broken the wraith could attack, or so angry he'd attack first and make a mistake.
"Then let him take his vengeance and the wraith will die without my aid."
Morgana sighed, "I do not have much love for the king," she admitted, making the Dragon eye her, "But it's Arthur who's going to fight him."
"You have to save him," Marayna pleaded, "Please."
"That is your destiny, young ones," he shook his head, "Not mine."
"But if Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir," Merlin argued, "I will have no destiny. Aya will have no husband. How can she be queen and help usher magic's return if there is no one to be king?"
Marayna suddenly paled and shuddered, "I am NOT marrying Uther!"
"A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power," the Dragon said after a moment, considering Merlin's words, the logic in them...it was ARTHUR who would bring magic back to the kingdom, not Uther. Never Uther.
"We know," Merlin nodded.
"You do not know. You can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen, what the Lady Morgana has seen," Morgana stiffened as Merlin and Marayna looked at her, "If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me."
"What does he mean?" Merlin looked at Morgana.
She took a breath, "I dreamt of the blade," she admitted, she hadn't remembered till she'd seen it in Gwen's, it had been one of her more...peaceful dreams, still a bit of a nightmare, but nothing too terrible that she'd woken screaming from it. It had been DAYS ago though, "In the wrong hands, it can cause as much evil as good. It HAS to be wielded by Arthur and only him."
Marayna nodded to the Dragon, "We understand."
"You must do more than understand," the Dragon's eyes narrowed, "You must promise."
Merlin and Marayna exchanged a glance, "We promise."
The Dragon nodded and breathed fire on the sword, Merlin bringing up a protective barrier to keep them safe below, "Heed my words. The sword was forged for Arthur, and him alone."
~8~
Arthur was standing in his room that night, unable to sleep with thoughts of the challenge to come and Marayna's words. He'd received word back for his note, that the instructions would be heeded, so that was one weight off his shoulders but that still left quite a few others. There was a knock on the door and Gaius and Marayna entered, Marayna carrying a bag for her uncle.
"I've brought you something that might help you to sleep," Gaius told him.
"I'm fine," he insisted as Marayna scoffed, "I don't need it."
"Oh shut up and stop being a martyr," Marayna muttered, putting the bag down and taking the vial out, handing it to him.
"It'll relax you, take the edge off your nerves," Gaius assured him.
Arthur sighed and drank it, seeing Marayna watching him with 'the look,' "I wouldn't drink it for pleasure."
"No one would ever drink uncle's potions for pleasure," she countered, making him smile as she turned to the man, "Honestly, would it kill you to make them taste good?"
"Why don't you sit down for a moment?" Gaius held his attention on Arthur as the boy swayed.
"Mind you, if you...forget about the taste," Arthur blinked rapidly, his eyes starting to droop, "The, er, after-effect is quite pleasurable..." before he smiled dopily at Marayna, "Like kissing you..." he leaned forward as though to do just that...only to fall onto the bed, half-taking Marayna with him.
Gaius looked over at Marayna stuck under Arthur's arm and side and raise an eyebrow.
"A little help?" she held out her free arm.
He chuckled and got to work getting her up. She sighed and brushed off her clothes before looking at Arthur, "I'll stay with him," she told Gaius, "Your potion might wear off before the duel and then you'll need someone to keep him inside. I'd rather like to say that I actually DID hit him round the head one day."
He nodded, patting her on the shoulder before he headed out of the room to help prepare Uther as the king was insistent he face Tristan himself. Gaius had told him about who the wraith was and Uther thought it should be his fate to fight the monster, not Arthur's. Gaius had told them about the plan, aware that they would need to give Uther the sword instead of Arthur. Morgana hadn't seemed at all thrilled about that, but...if it was the only way to save Arthur for sure and if they managed to get the sword off the king right after...everything should be ok, the future should still be bright.
Marayna watched her uncle go before moving to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke Arthur's hair, glancing at the window where she knew the knight was still standing, waiting.
~8~
Merlin and Marayna were in no mood despite how well the day had gone. They'd had a laugh earlier about Arthur's escapades in trying to escape his room while still half-drugged. Apparently the moment Merlin had contacted her to let her know the duel was over, that the sword had worked and Uther had won...she'd thrown a bucket of water on Arthur and gotten to watch the prince had stumble around, run into walls, and attempt to find the latch for the door that he kept crying out had disappeared...it had been hysterical to witness, even more so when she decided to let him go confront his father like that and opened the door for him. Well it served him right.
He ought to embarrass himself a little after tying to get himself killed!
But for all that glee, they were rather irritated at the moment as they trudge through the caverns of the castle in their night clothes, having been summoned there by the Dragon.
"I swear," Marayna grumbled as they neared the Dragon's cave, "One day I'll free that dragon just so he'll leave us alone!"
Merlin groaned, "Just shut up Aya, I'm trying to sleep walk."
They'd had a long day and, just as they'd fallen asleep...the Dragon called to them.
"So, does Arthur live?" the Dragon asked when they appeared.
"Yeah," Marayna yawned, "The sword worked just fine."
"It was incredible, amazing," Merlin agreed dryly, just wanting to sleep.
"As I promised," the Dragon smiled.
"But..."
"Yes?"
"Things didn't quite go according to plan. I mean they did, except..." he looked at Marayna, knowing that if it came from her the Dragon might take it better since they seemed to almost have a friendship going...
"Arthur wasn't the one who used the sword," she came right out with it, "Uther did."
"NO!" the Dragon roared.
Ok, so maybe it would be pretty bad coming from either of them.
"I tried, but he and Gaius had this whole plan and..." Merlin tried to argue.
But the Dragon nearly let out a blast of fire at that, "ARGH!"
"Oh calm down before you have a stroke!" Marayna shouted up at the Dragon, more annoyed he was going off like that than scared, her self-preservation took quite a dive when she was tired. The Dragon though just turned a glare on her but fell silent, clearly not having expected her to snap at him while he was raging, "Uther's the king," she continued, "Short of using magic in front of him to even attempt to kill the wraith himself, a VERY bad idea, how could Merlin have stopped him using the sword to kill the creature?"
"The sword was born of the old magic. You have no idea of its power. In the hands of Uther, it will bring only evil."
"So we'll get it back then," she rolled her eyes, honestly were all dragons this dramatic?
"You have betrayed me. You are not ready to be trusted."
"Says the cryptic overgrown lizard who never tells us anything and watches as we stumble around and make things worse? If you gave us a straight answer now and then maybe we'd trust YOU more. Trust is earned!"
Merlin shook his head, not wanting his sister to fight all night with the Dragon, which he very well guessed they just might do, both seemed equally stubborn, "We'll bring it to you. You can destroy it."
"What is made cannot be unmade," the Dragon muttered.
"So what do you want us to do?"
"Take the sword far from here and place it where no mortal man can ever find it."
Marayna sighed, "Come on," she took Merlin's hand, pulling him on, "The sooner we do it the sooner we can sleep."
~8~
The Lake of Avalon was the only place they could think to send the sword, what with it being a place only those who had died could go, no MORTAL man would be able to come back from it. So it was safe as far as they were concerned. And truly...they were so tired they just wanted to be rid of it and go back to the castle for even an hours worth of sleep...which it appeared only Merlin would be getting as he'd head off for Morgana's chambers the moment they'd reached the castle again. Marayna ran a tired hand through her hair as she stepped back into Gaius's chambers, yawning...only to stop dead, her hand in her hair, her mouth fully open, her eyes half scrunched to see something sitting on the work bench. Some sort of parcel it appeared, more like something lumpy wrapped in white linen.
She frowned and looked around before heading over to it, she squinted, seeing a bit of paper stuck to it and picked it up, her eyes widening as she saw the note.
Mara,
This was something I wanted to be given to you when I thought I would be facing the Black Knight myself. Your words affected me greatly, as they always do, and I wanted you to know that, while I faced my death with dignity, you would have been the last face I wanted to see in my mortal life. I was quite certain you would be the only face I saw in the afterlife as well. These were meant to be a gift, to represent that I will always be there to protect you, I will never leave you, and even if I am forced to, I will always be with you.
Even in your dreams, I hope they will represent and reassure you that I will be there, no matter what, watching over you and guarding you. I meant for them to help ease your nightmares, to know that I would forever be there with you.
As it has already been paid for and now that I am alive to see you with it, I hope that you will still accept this gift. I requested them so you would be safe if I was unable to return to you from my duel. I hope they will keep you safe even now.
Arthur
She blinked and looked at the parcel a moment before reaching out and untying the bundle, her eyes widening as she dropped the note to stare at the gift Arthur had given her...a pair of sais. They were very basic, they weren't gaudy or extravagant or anything, they were rather simple but...they were hers. Arthur had remembered the one weapon she was even slightly decent at weilding...and he'd given her a set of her own.
She reached out and gently traced one, shaking her head. He'd remembered, not only that but he'd done it to help her feel secure and move on if anything happened to him. He'd even done it as a gesture to help her nightmares end, to know that even if his life ended, he would still be there for her in this final gift to her.
"Oh Artie," she shook her head, before gathering up the sais in their white cloth and heading to her room. She loved them yes, and she would be sure to tell him so, she was already entertaining the thought of wearing them in her brown boots as she wore them no matter what dress she had on, they laced up a good distance on her legs and the sais were thin and small enough to safely fit in them without cutting her. That way she'd always have them on her, she could practice when she had time and she'd be able to help defend herself and others...
Yes, she loved them very much, and she would certainly tell him...but after she'd gotten some rest.
Arthur was likely asleep at the moment and he'd be cranky if she stormed into his room to thank him at that hour. Well, that and...she loved sleep just a tiny bit more.
A/N: Aww :) I was debating putting Marayna telling Arthur she loved him in this chapter, but there was another place I felt might work better ;)
Some notes on reviews...
Lol, Arthur doesn't seem to have much luck with enchantments does he? :) I can say that things will get much better for Marayna ;) There might be one original chapter that'll be a little hard, but the rest should be quite nice :)
I'll definitely be doing Merlin and Sherlock at the same time yup :)
I'm glad you're excited for Leena ;) I really loved writing her story :)
Mordred will be back in an original chapter beyond where he's in the show, but I can't say when just that it won't be this series ;)
Lol, I hope your grandfather enjoys the show :)