OK here it is! the episode you all wished for! thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you're still enjoying my work, the end is near so please let me know what you think :)
Enjoy...
Chapter 21 – Love in the time of War
BREAKING NEWS: 2ND WAR OF ALBION COVERAGE: Albion is in a stage of emergency for the past forty-four hours as Queen Morgause of the Isles and Escetia declared the capture and execution of Prince Arthur Pendragon without terms of release as he is accused of treasonous to the Isles crimes.
Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot and Caerleon united with King Lot of the North made the official call of duty to war upon their countries. Mercia is also to be involved with the Isles' side since King Merrick is betrothed to Princess Morgana of the Isles who so far has not been seen, the palace informs of her wellbeing.
The countries across the Narrow Sea have shielded their ports and blocked their bridges for the war to remain in the Island of Albion. There is a mysterious silence from the Saxons but military sources fear of this pause as the waiting for the opportunity to strike Albion after the war when the Seven Kingdoms will be at their weakest.
Arthur Pendragon is to be executed in five days' time according the palace of Avalon despite the readiness for war From Camelot's ground.
The actual reasons and circumstances of this unexpected chaos are still to be explained to the nations around Albion. The people are commanded to stay in their homes, men above the age of sixteen are to present themselves in their service of the nation.
There are negotiations for a small final try of the leaders not to start war with a meeting of the Queen of the Isles and King of Escetia and the Kings of Camelot and North but there is still rivalry over the place of the meeting since no one of the royals wishes to leave their ground and step in the foe's kingdom. The sides are trying to find a way for the Royals to meet each upon the sea border between Camelot and Avalon known as the Lake, we all hope the diplomats of the kingdoms and their ambassadors will find a way to stop conflict.
May the Gods, old and new, protect Albion.
Morgana's eyes were stuck upon the woman before her, the princess during the radio's news, had flopped on her bed as she had felt her heart and her knees growing weak. They were at war, Arthur was to be executed, she had brought the entire realm at war. Nimueh was before her and sat by the lady's side. She took Morgana's hand and the princess was aghast to see the other woman smiling at her.
'The time is nearing,' Nimueh said and Morgana shot up from the bed and even if she felt slightly dizzy she turned around and looked at the once priestesses with wild eyes.
'Why are you smiling? We caused war! Arthur and I caused war! I must go and find him, I must break him free, somehow I must get in the palace and help him before it's too late, the entire Albion is at war because…'
'You will go nowhere, yet,' Nimueh interrupted Morgana's angry rant and the princess glared at the woman and her calm eyes.
'What is that supposed to mean?' she asked angrily and Nimueh finally stood up and approached Morgana, one hand on her shoulder, the other on the princess' belly.
'You will come with me, when the time comes so we can finally bring justice, but now you shall stay where you are and I will bring Arthur to you. While he will be taken away from jail, we'll push Morgause to become desperate and certainly meet with Uther on the Lake…
'I don't understand,' Morgana whispered, how would she get Arthur? Would she attack the palace, she wanted to be there too.
'You are carrying the Heir of Albion and I need you to remain safe here, I will take care of everything else.' Nimueh said before she could exit the room and leave the princess with her heart pounding and her hands moving to her belly on their own accord.
III
Arthur felt his entire body ache, his back was supported against the cold brick wall and his head was hidden in his hands, he couldn't tell if it was day or night, the cell had no windows to show him the sunlight so he remained in darkness. The palace of Avalon had been renovated he could guess but the dungeons built many centuries ago had remained as they were for reasons he could guess: to coax desperation from the prisoners. There were chains and torches on the wall, only one torch alight.
In his full of thoughts head, he wondered what the Human Rights committee would say if they saw the circumstances under the prisoners were held here… or in Camelot and Caerleon as Uther had changed nothing from the cells as well. He wondered how Nimueh had felt when she escaped her Hell.
He felt powerless, he had no idea if Morgause had discovered Morgana, it had been hours ever since the Queen had showed up and tortured him, demanding to learn the whereabouts of her sister. He felt guilt squeezing his heart, if they found her… she and the child were in immediate danger and he could do nothing about it. He knew by then no lawyer or counselor would help, he was to be executed without a trial, without seeing anyone but his executer. He sighed as he tried to listen to anything around but could make nothing.
'I'm so sorry…' he whispered to no one in particular but his thoughts were with Morgana, if he hadn't touched her, if he hadn't fell in love with her… if he hadn't been himself… she would have survived all the agony, she would have been saved.
When she had told him herself, about the baby, he had been delighted even in the chaos of their escape, now he could only feel despair at the thought of the child being ripped out of her the moment she was captured. Hot tears ran down his dusty cheeks and fell from his jaw, he took them away with a stubborn hand but couldn't stop the new ones from falling.
He was young, Morgana was young, they deserved better than this, they deserved more than this and all they got was death. Their love had caused chaos but they never meant it for it to happen that way. It had been a game of politics at first, then it evolved into a tease and then like it always happens, they became each other's reasons to be. Their world had crumbled once but as the young fools they were, they had thought they could overcome everything, how wrong they had both been.
He rested his head against the hard wall and sighed deeply, he had no idea how to change facts, he had no power to do such thing was he honest to himself… he could only wait for his sentence to be executed, and if he was even more unlucky or Morgause too cruel, she would have Morgana watching in a few days' time.
The tremor that shook the entire palace would have gotten unnoticed if it wasn't for his trained as a soldier ears, he looked up and waited, another tremor, more violent shook the building and then another, that one caused the ceiling of the cell to shake and dust fell like small waterfalls on the floor. Arthur stood up and thankfully for his tired body rested against the wall the moment the explosion was heard, followed by thundering sounds, screams and shattering glass.
He moved close to the bars in his try to see outside to the corridor but he was made to step back when men in hoods showed up before the other side of the bars. He looked at them alarmed, he had no idea what was happening. Was it Camelot's work because of his capture? The Druids attacking so they could deal with him now that he was in magical hands? Or was Morgause's play to push further for war?
'Arthur Pendragon,' A female voice greeted and another figure approached, when she stepped into the light provided by the torch, Arthur saw piercing blue eyes and a small smirk of blood red lips.
'Who are you? Has Morgause sent you?' Arthur asked but the woman only smiled and shook her head.
'I haven't seen you since you were a tiny babe, orphaned from mother the moment you were born. I believe 'Turncloak' Gaius made a good job at guarding you while I was in exile…' the woman said and Arthur frowned and looked upon the woman with realization almost knocking him off his unsteady feet.
'Nimueh the Sorceress…' Arthur declared and she smiled, he looked at the men behind her. 'And the Druids? So you indeed work as terrorists but for Avalon, had Morgause sent you to kill Morgana while she flied to Camelot?' Arthur asked and Nimueh sighed as she shook her head.
'That had been a mistake indeed, young King, for my people had no idea… they couldn't predict my prophesies were to become true through you and the young Le Fay…' Nimueh said and Arthur couldn't overlook the fact of the title she gave him, however he focused on the mention of Morgana.
'You had your prophesies made because of us, now what you want?' he asked, they could hear sounds of marching feet and shouts of spells somewhere above but Nimueh seemed calm and composed.
'Justice, it's funny how Morgana asked me the same thing actually,' Nimueh said and this time Arthur moved closer to the bars of the cell and gripped them for support, he had no idea if he should be glad to hear Nimueh had found her or terrified for the same reason.
'If you have harmed her…' he wished he could have asked something but all he could do was get defensive for Morgana. Nimueh smiled and shook her head as another thudding sound was heard against the ceiling.
'Believe me, I wish only good for her… and I have provided good so far but whatever I do, she will be alright only when you are… and justice will be brought only when the both of you take the places you have the right upon… so should we keep you in this wet cell forever or get you to your princess?' Nimueh asked and Arthur felt the air leaving his lugs, Morgana was with her? what if she was lying? What if she had harmed Morgana? What if she lied?
'Why would I trust you?' Arthur asked and Nimueh this time looked at him seriously with no smile on her beautiful face.
'I see there is the arrogance of the Pendragon blood in you… my people, Morgana's people are dying upstairs as to keep off the Avalonians, their brothers, so I can take you away from here to safety, you are to die in five days from Morgause's hand… Morgana is with me, safe, you can either come with me and get a chance to change the future of Albion which by the way is at war thanks to Morgause and Uther… or die here like a good pawn for their play.' Nimueh replied in a hard voice, he knew even if she lied, staying in that cell meant death as well, maybe if she lied indeed, he would be out of that cell, with a hope of defending himself.
'Very well,' he finally said and Nimueh smiled as he stepped back for her to open the iron door of his cell, Nimueh raised her hand, like Morgause had done when she tortured him, with a shrink of metal the iron door bended like a piece of rubber and Nimueh gestured for Arthur to move out of the cell. The Druids created a chain around him as Nimueh moved before him, her hand raised as she cast spells to make way through soldiers, rumble and spells that tried to hit them all.
They got in the ground floor where chaos was unfolded, Arthur could see Cenred's men fighting as well as the Avalonians, yet you could notice Druids and Avalonians didn't dare kill each other, only battle one another while the Escetian soldiers advanced for the kill. Nimueh finally raised her hand and another explosion was set off before the main parties of the fight, giving the advantage of surprise for the Druids to leave the Avalonian palace.
Through smoke and ash he found himself shoved inside a vehicle and rushed up a war he would swear was familiar, it was dark outside and the atmosphere smelled rain and forest plants, he would swear they were moving up to the Diana Avenue like he had done almost two days ago.
'Where are we going?' he asked as Nimueh sat by his side, only when he let his body relax slightly on the seat he realized in how much pain he was, every muscle pained him and ever bone complained, thanks to Morgause's torture that seemed to be prolonged thanks to her magic.
'To safety,' Nimueh replied and smiled at him, he had no idea, but he was feeling like he could trust her.
'If you're not to kill me to beat Morgause in some weird competition between witches… thank you for saving me…' he finally said and Nimueh's smile somehow softened as she looked at him like a mother would do.
'You might be arrogant, Arthur Pendragon, like your father is… but you mostly remind me of your mother… and that's a very good thing, she was an amazing woman.' Nimueh finally replied and Arthur didn't know what to add to this, he only wanted to see if she was true about having Morgana to safety.
The vehicle finally turned into a small meadow between trees in the middle of nowhere and Arthur felt a warm wave crushing through him as they moved through the magical veil that hid the end of the same meadow, instead of more tress, he saw a big area stripped of trees with buildings and clean areas that seems to be fields for practice. He was shocked to see the buildings were actually huge but sealed by magic.
The vehicle stopped before one of them and Nimueh moved out of the car, Arthur had no other option but do the same, he looked around, knowing they had moved past the point he had been captured and Morgana had escaped. He looked at Nimueh and as if she could read his mind, she gestured for him to follow her.
They entered the first building with many windows when two Druids opened the doors for them and Nimueh moved up a fly of stairs and turned to her right. Arthur followed, he wished to ask for so many things but he felt like everything could wait, first, he had to see Morgana, he had to make sure she was alright, he had to make sure she was safe.
'Through that door.' Nimueh finally said and Arthur looked uncertainly at her, still fearing a trap. 'I'm sure the moment you see each other you won't want me there…' Nimueh added and Arthur sighed and nodded, still feeling as if dreaming a surreal thing somewhere between a nightmare and a perfect dream where everything falls back into place.
He touched the doorknob, took a deep breath and then opened the door and stepped inside the room that seemed to be a bedchamber, he needed nothing more as the familiar scent of hers filled his nostrils, making him sigh in alleviation even if his entire body still hurt.
Morgana was perched at the window's threshold, her gaze lost outside, she could see only trees and the forest in the back of the building, she was so nervous from the moment Nimueh had left and she was left behind. For the first time in her life, she was giving someone else the control over something as important as saving her better half and all she could do was sit there and watch outside while she rubbed her flat belly, trying to comfort herself more than her oblivious little boy.
She didn't hear the door open but she felt something like a wind touching her entire body she couldn't describe the sudden feeling of awareness of his presence close to her, she turned her head and gasped when she saw him there, standing, slightly wounded and wary, pained and exhausted.
For a moment they remained frozen, their eyes locked, but this time, they didn't rush to hug and kiss like they had done in the forest, they didn't grab and didn't dominate, they just approached, almost cautiously as if they were afraid they would lose each other once more, they had felt the pain too many times already.
'My Lady…' Arthur whispered as they finally reached each other close to her bed, she remained sober, a small frown between her brows, a frown of fear.
'My Champion,' she breathed and finally touched his shoulders and cheek as he wrapped his arms around her waist, he closed his eyes at her touch and breathed in her scent as she caressed his skin. 'Come here…' she whispered and he followed as she sat on the mattress and invited him to sit by her side but he preferred to settle knelt between her legs, her nightgown helped for him to get closer. Morgana took a decorative bowl from the nightstand and placed it close to her, she took a small towel that had been forgotten with her dinner at a tray and the water from the glass served and filled the bowl, she thrust the cloth in and then squeezed for most of the water to fall back in the bowl.
The moment she touched the cloth on his dirty face, her eyes turned amber and Arthur felt every swell, every scratch and pain on his face going away as the cloth rubbed against him, when his face was clean, he moved closer to her lips like she did and they finally met in a sweet kiss, a kiss that showed only how scared, happy, worried and relieved they were over each other. They soon broke their kiss and rested their foreheads against each other, sighing in relief. As Arthur remained between Morgana's legs in her arms, he moved his head lower and kissed her belly, fully having realized she's with his child and finally able to have some time with her and their baby.
Morgana hugged his head and smiled, she kept him close to her as he was the most precious being in the world, her eyes turned amber again and this time her magic fought and won over the lasting torturous spell of her sister upon him. They both sighed when the spell was over and Arthur felt stronger and out of pain, he smiled at her and kissed her lips once more.
'Thank you…' he whispered. 'I love you, I missed you,' he added in the same whisper between their kiss and Morgana could only take him with her as she laid back on the mattress, he followed more than willingly and ended up above her, his arms supporting himself as he was afraid of hurting the baby between them.
'I love you too, Arthur… I thought… this time I thought…' Morgana whispered and finally her own eyes filled with tears, of fear and relief, of pain and joy.
'I know…' he whispered before he could kiss her once more, this time more passionately, she responded with the same vigor and soon they were exploring each other like in their first time back in Camelot.
Arthur's shirt was the first to go with all its buttons scattered on the floor after Morgana ripped it open, he could only grin as she didn't even bother to take it off his shoulders for her hands were already roaming up and down his toned chest. He kissed at her jaw, her neck and finally bit on the skin there, making her gasp his name and kiss his own neck, her hands eager moved to his trousers and started unzipping.
'I missed you,' she whispered as they both struggled with the cloth until both his trousers and boxers were gone, pushed down his legs along his shoes, he could only smile and kiss her lips once again as now only her gown separated their bodies. 'I thought I lost you when I saw them around you,' she whispered again and he hated the fear in her voice.
'I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere,' he whispered when he looked at her crystal green eyes, his hand moved down her body, caressingly until he reached her deep blue gown at her thighs and pushed it upwards. She helped him, arching her body for him to move it all the way up, exposing her body until she took it completely off her. His hand touched her knickers, her belly where he caressed her navel tenderly and then up her bare breasts where he kneaded them and took care of them with both his hand and his mouth, making Morgana moan in pleasure.
'You're here…' she whispered in confirmation as he moved back up her chest and neck, kissing every inch of her skin until their lips met once more. While their lips were busy his hand moved back down, foreplay would have to wait for later that night, he tugged at her black knickers and she helped him once more with her hips rising slightly, when her knickers were gone they both sighed into their unbroken kiss as their bodies touched bare for the first time in weeks.
The kiss was broken when Arthur positioned himself and locked eyes with the woman of his life, she nodded with the smallest and truest of smiles and they finally became one, sighing and moaning each other's name.
'I love you…' Morgana whispered as Arthur started moving.
'I love you more…' he whispered back and they proved their love with every thrust, every kiss and caress, every love word and every touch.
They danced in the most ancient of rhymes, together reminding each other why they love each other so much, refreshing every memory in the mind and the body, their flesh burnt, their breath came in gasps and their hearts beaten as one, in perfect sync they reached their peak with Morgana arching her body as every thrust spread wildfire within her and Arthur following his Goddess to the temple of ecstasy for her body was his everything. With screams of each other's name, they finally reached climax and enjoyed it together until Arthur collapsed upon her only for a moment, in his hasty mind, he knew he shouldn't be squeezing their baby within her so he moved on his right and took her with him in his arms, the two falling in silence.
'It's a boy, Nimueh says and I have seen him in dreams, we have named him Mordred,' Morgana finally broke the silence and Arthur gave a small smile with his eyes still shut and Morgana's head rested against his chest, he kissed the crown of her head and nuzzled his nose in her dark mane. A son, a little boy like the ones he had seen in his own dreams, a baby boy, a child in danger.
'I am happy for him, and you more than anything but first I want to see you both safe somehow.' Arthur finally said, his protectiveness taking over every kind of joy he wished he could dare enjoy fully.
'We're at war, Uther declared it after your captivity, Lot is with him, the Isles, Escetia and Mercia united, the rest of Europe cut all kind of bridges to keep the war within Albion.' Morgana informed him of the awful news. Arthur could only focus on her breathing and her hands on his skin as not to lose his composure, the realm was on fire. 'But Nimueh says she has a plan, she says we're close to justice,' Morgana added and this time Arthur looked at her like she looked at him. 'I have a lot of things to tell you…' she whispered and Arthur knew, many of the things he would listen wouldn't be of his liking, on the contrary, he would hate it all.
awwww yayayay Armor is finally united! and they had sex... woohoo lol i'm so excited, i finally stopped torturing them lol, i hope you all liked it, all ends will meet in the next chapter i think so please let me know what you'd like to see, maybe some scene or some thing in particular? thanks for reading, please review :)
xxx