After Merlin left the minutes dragged slowly into hours, seeming like eternity. Each breath felt like I was inhaling shards of glass.
Celso and Thayer had wrapped me in a bunch of blankets, and had moved me to a hidden camp and set up a fire, keeping watch for any scouts. My dip into the river had weakened me, and I fell in and out of consciousness, loosing track of time. Faces began blurred together when I did wake, hovering over me and making take sips of water now and then. I had no sense of how much time was passing.
"Sarah.", a voice beckons to me.
I groan, having been on the edge of falling back asleep.
"Sarah, you drink need to finish drinking this." I recognized Meliorn's voice, and I usually would have protested to drinking anything he offered me, but my mouth was so dry I gave in. He slid his hand behind my head, tilting it up and raising a dipper to my lips. I recoiled at the taste, having expected water. It was bitter and thick.
"Are you trying to poison me?, I say between coughs, which only made the pain worse.
He nearly smiles, though his forehead wrinkles with concern. "Of course not, highness. Merlin instructed me to give you this tonic, if it reassures you of my good intentions."
I scrunched up my nose, knowing it was likely one of Gaius's recipes. "Do I have to? It's awful."
He doesn't answer me, so I take the dipper from him and drink it down in a single gulp, trying to ignore the horrible taste. Turned out, it was mixed with a mild sedative for the pain, so I quickly fell back into slumber.
When I woke up, the sun had set. Most of the men had fallen asleep near the fire, but the twins were awake together on watch.
My hand moved to my numb waist, prodding it to asses the damage. In my sleep, they had set and tightly bound my ribs. They's also removed the horrible gown Morgana had made me wear. It felt so great to not be laced into the corset anymore, that I didn't even care what it entailed to get it off.
I was now wearing a pair of well worn, brown leather leggings and a shirt that was much too large for me. There was a belt next to my bedroll, but I didn't bother to get up in order to put it on. Beside the belt was a sheathed sword, just a plain extra from one of the men, but I was beyond touched they had set it out for me at all. They no longer treated me as incapable. I didn't know if I could live up to the kindness and loyalty these men gave me.
For the first time in months I felt rested, and clear of mind. The pain was no more than a minor throbbing, which lead me to believe Merlin had used magic to heal me. I wasn't 100%, but I felt good enough to move about again.
"Is there any stew left?", I ask as I sit up, gesturing to the pot at their feet. They scramble to their feet to dish some up for me.
"I trust you are feeling better?", Thayer asks, handing me a bowl.
"Nearly as good as new.", I assure him. "Is there news?"
He nods, gesturing to a sleeping page boy near the fire. "They've called a temporary truce in order to bury the dead and tend the wounded. Arthur postponed the meeting until tomorrow night."
"Arthur isn't planning on surrender, is he?", I ask, in a bit of a panic. Merlin couldn't let him anywhere near Raul. They shouldn't chance a meeting at all.
"No, only buying some time. He said Merlin made it there early this morning. They want us to get you as far away from here as possible before then. Arthur has it sorted. He is no stranger to war."
I furrowed my brow, ignoring his comment on Arthur's capability. That was irrelevant compared to him wanting me to run from where I belonged. As if locking me in the castle wasn't enough for him. "I will not flee this battle, nor will I abandon Camelot."
They looked at each other, worried, then back at me. "Highness, you are badly injured. You can't hope to fight.", Tolan says carefully. "Arthur has instructed us to take you to Nemeth to seek protection. King Rodor will surely grant us sanctuary."
I shook my head and struggled to my feet, holding my head high in confidence. I had fled Tahara, and that turned out terribly. Camelot required courage, it depended on those to fight through was is difficult. Those who choose to do the right thing in spite of fear. "I will not abandon Camelot. We ride to meet Arthur in the morning. If I cannot fight, there are other ways to assist in war. I will not allow Arthur to command my men for me."
After only moments standing, I began to feel light headed, having forgotten the magical healing was rather exhausting to a person's body. I staggered a bit, but Thayer was at my side quickly. He took my elbow and helped me sit back down. I suppose that put a wrench in convincing them.
"You're weak and injured, highness.", Thayer says as kindly as he can while being firm. "I do not doubt your merit, highness, but you must rest if you are to recover. You mustn't go into a battle you are not prepared to fight."
I took a deep breath, gathering my senses before I responded. I decided I was going to hold my ground. I knew what was the right thing to do, and while it might be foolish, I wouldn't be stopped. Raul and Morgana could not be allowed to gain victory this battle, nor this war. I knew what card I had to play, and it wasn't my favorite.
"Under Taharan law, in time of crisis an under age crown ruler may take the position of ruling monarch.", I say carefully, seeing the dread in their eyes. I found myself thankful for the hours Henry had forced me to spend studying. "Though I be only seventeen, as there is no other heir, I claim the title of queen."
"Princess, please reconsider. This is dangerous. Not to mention your father...", Tolan warned with a weary gaze.
He was right in part. Once I set down this path, there was no going back. My father was so deranged the last time I saw him, I doubted he would ever be able to assume the throne. Besides, I knew more about this land. But I If I was ever captured, I would be murdered in order for my usurper to take my throne. Either that or forced into a marriage, but that was less likely. A ruling monarch is expected to join her troops on the front lines of battle, despite her condition. Beyond that, it was an open defiance to the surrender of Tahara under Raul. I was openly declaring war, when I had no means to.
"Queen, my brave knights. My father is too sick to rule. I must do what must be done.", I say quietly, knowing the significance of my decision. There would be no backing out, and I was breaking all of the rules. It could easily blow up in my face, but would also rally the troops. Give them the hope they needed to push for a little extra strength and morale.
"Get some rest, we set out for Camelot at dawn."
That morning Celso shook me awake, just as the first rays of the morning sun peaked over the horizon.
Sitting up, I felt much better than even last night, though I knew I shouldn't show it. Merlin Hadn't told them how serious my condition was, but even so a miraculous recover would still cause question.
Groaning, I dragged myself to my feet. My muscles tensed and in soreness, protested against the movement.
I was thankful for my new clothes, though they were likely just a spare pair of one of the men's. The leggings were a little baggy, but allowed for unlimited movement. The shirt was gloriously loose after suffering through a corset, even though I hadn't had to wear it as tight as usual. The belt helped, once I secured it around my waist. I kept the boots I had been wearing, for they were comfortable and as small as my feet were, they wouldn't fit into men's.
As I didn't have a leather cord, or any other means of tying my hair back I just had to leave it down, much to my annoyance as it was a tangled mess of frizzy curls.
A tap on my shoulder pulls me away from my thoughts. Meliorn pulls me aside from the rest of the men, who were hurriedly packing away our camp into the saddle bags.
"Sarah, are you sure it is wise to continue in this?", he asks quietly.
"Please Meliorn, not you too."
I studied his face, really for the first time since I was captive in Raul's fortress. His brows were drawn together in worry. The weeks had aged him. Worry lines had begun to form around his eyes and forehead. His eyes didn't glimmer with the same hope for the future anymore. Instead, I saw the sincerity that lied behind them, and for the first time I truly hoped his betrayal of Raul wasn't simply a hoax.
He sighs, balling and unballing his fists. "I do not think I can bear...", he stops, as if still trying to figure out what to say. "The last few days have been hell. Beyond the battles, beyond the death, simply knowing Raul and Morgana had you. I knew what they were capable of, what they had planned for you in the past. I couldn't..."
"Meliorn, stop.", I say, stepping closer to him and taking his hand, staring him right in the eyes. Not in a romantic way, but I couldn't ignore any longer how good of a friend he had been to me. The time to be distrustful was over. He had earned his place as a friend and as one of my protectors. It was weirdly comfortable, even after all that had happened between us. "After all I've been through, I'm not going anywhere. I won't be gotten rid of so easily."
"This is no time for jesting.", he says, pulling his hand away from mine. His gaze was no longer one that stared at me in longing. Instead I saw concern, caring, but I didn't think it was in a way more that friendship. I wonder what sparked that change.
"I do not jest.", I snap, a little harsher than I meant to. I didn't like how he implied I was still a fragile little flower. "Raul has taken nearly everything away from me. I will not allow him victory over Camelot as well. I do not ask you to stand beside me, I know all he has done to you, but you must accept my own choice. I will fight for what I have left."
I walk over to my horse then, without giving him a chance to respond. Celso lifted me up into the saddle and handed me the reigns. I refused to look back at Meliorn, knowing full well that he would do everything in his power to convince me to go to Nemeth if I allowed it.
Every single one of my knights mounted and formed a guard around me, Arthur's men bringing up the rear.
A moment later, Meliorn rides up to my left side, right next to me. He had become loyal to the end, even against his better judgment. He looks to me, his face hardened and ready for what lied ahead. "I will stand with you, as I see you are no longer a dove, but a warrior. Lead on."
"Lead on.", The rest of my company echoed him.
So I did. Back to a place I knew very well could hold my demise once and for all. Once thing I decided then, if I went down fighting, that would be better than living a quiet life in hiding. I would make sure those who have sacrificed didn't do so in vain. I would put a stop to Raul's horrors once and for all.
So long time, no updates, I know. I do plan on working on this as much as is possible, as I just remembered this story and decided to pick it back up. I'm also working on revising, as I have a lot of typo's and grammatical errors in previous chapters, as I wrote a lot of this as an inexperienced writer. Thanks so much for all the kind reviews, if I hadn't seen them when I remembered this story and checked it out, I probably wouldn't have continued!