-I think I'm just going to go ahead and use all aspects of the M-rating except swearing.

-If I ever had any doubts about Oliver's usefulness to this story, this chapter proved them all wrong.

-Merry Christmas everybody! Sorry to leave you like this. I'll post the next chapter after Christmas.

Hopefully I won't die in a plane crash on either one of my flights, otherwise updating will become increasingly difficult.

-Welcome to the deleted scenes-portion of the fic (this has nothing to do with the actual chapter, it is a draft that I cut from this/last chapter):

To his surprise, Lancelot approached him later to ask how he was. "Is Merlin still mad?"

"Seems so. Any advice you'd like to share?"

"Unfortunately no. I was always surprised about you two getting together anyway."

"How so?"

"The ultimate 'responsibilities first' type of man and the 'extremely irresponsible but somehow still possesses some redeeming qualities' type of man get together and expect it to work automatically?"

"I guess it is a little far-fetched."

"Not really. You balance each other. Right now he's mad at you, in fact furious with you, but it will pass."

"You are not too bad at giving advice, you know."

"I know."

"Stuck up."

"Drunk."

Chapter 11

Breaking fast with a group of people who were still more or less furious with him wasn't exactly Gwaine's idea of a good time, but he figured he should endure it as a part of his long process of becoming responsible...starting right then and there.

Halfway through breakfast, Oliver excused herself, telling them she'd return in a bit. While others hardly noticed, Lancelot stomped after her and returned to the table dragging her after him. Oliver elbowed him on the stomach and Lancelot threw her balance by a sudden move and tightened his grip. Merlin, still angry with Gwaine, suddenly awoke from his dark mood and stared at the couple. "What are you guys doing?"

"He tried to escape", Lancelot stated and sat Oliver next to him on the bench. Oliver growled.

"Why would you do that?" Gwaine asked what they were all thinking. Oliver scowled but remained silent. Lancelot answered for her. "Isn't it obvious? He doesn't want to go back."

"And we're still taking him because..?" Merlin asked. Forcing people to go somewhere against their will didn't seem like the type of mission he was used to with Arthur.

"Because if we don't, and his father finds out where he's been, he's going to declare war on Camelot", Arthur explained in a melancholy tone. He didn't like this any more than Merlin did.

"Actually, we're not in Camelot anymore, so you can release me without any harm being done. I'll go and wreak havoc in another kingdom", Oliver offered them with a big smile that convinced no one.

"It's our responsibility now to take you back to your father unharmed, and that's what we're going to do." Arthur was unwavering.

"I implore you, let me go."

"No."

"Then you leave me no choice." Suddenly they noticed the knife Oliver was holding to Merlin's throat. Merlin's eyes went wide but he tried to remain calm. After all, it wasn't the first time he had been threatened like this. The others were startled and their initial reaction was to reach for their swords, but Oliver saw them. "Don't even think about it, or Merlin gets it." She started getting up and pushed Merlin a little to make him do the same. They made their way to the door. Oliver turned to the remaining members of their group. "I suggest you stay put until Merlin walks back here to get you. Otherwise this might become unpleasant for everyone involved."

Outside, Oliver observed that Lancelot and the others had obeyed her and weren't coming after them, and relaxed. She let the knife drop on her side and she and Merlin settled for walking. "I am terribly sorry about that. It's just that I really can't go back, and those guys really want me to. I used you for my own gain, and for that I'm sorry. Oh, and for the whole thing about me threatening your life."

Merlin grinned. "That's okay. It's not my first time, but I think it's the first time someone actually apologized to me for doing that."

"You have a hard life. No wonder you and Gwaine are together. You need some fun in your life."

Merlin jumped. "What?"

"Don't worry, only I know. And Lancy."

Merlin looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you are going to keep seeing him, you need to develop a better poker face." Oliver laughed.

"I don't know if I am, actually."

"Why? Is it because of last night, the stint at the inn? That was actually my fault. He was trying to cheer me up. And succeeded", Oliver defended her friend and flashed Merlin a wide smile that was slightly crooked due to her bruised face.

"It doesn't matter who started it. I just hadn't considered that it would be so hard for him."

"'It' being.."

"I don't know. Being with me. Staying in one place. Being a knight."

"I loved being on the road, but I eventually settled in Camelot. For a few weeks, at least. He can do it too. He's just rusty, that's all." Oliver poked Merlin. "You are taking this way too seriously. How long have you been in love?"

"We're not officially in love."

"Then when was the first time you kissed?"

"A while back, but we didn't much talk after that."

"Merlin, you are killing me. When did you get 'together', then?"

"Three weeks, maybe a month ago", Merlin said and realized that the time had seemed a lot longer.

"Exactly. You want marriage and kids before you have even talked about, well, anything."

"Maybe you are right. It was just one night, right?" Merlin tilted his head as he wondered if he might have over-reacted. They arrived to their horses and Merlin watched as Oliver got up on her horse.

"Exactly. If you dump him at the first sign of trouble, he might not bounce back that easily." Oliver sighed. "He's really into you, you know. Your feelings for him are not the same, and he knows that, but just..take care of him, alright?"

"I will. I don't know if I love him, but I do care for him", Merlin said and reached his arm out to shake Oliver's hand. "No hard feelings, eh?"

"Just give me a solid five minute head start. Lancy won't be pleased, but I'd really appreciate it." Oliver laughed and urged her horse to start walking.

"You should stay in Camelot. You could be with Lancelot", Merlin left his words ambiguous for a reason.

"No. They were right, I'm endangering too many lives by staying with you." Oliver touched her imaginary hat. "Goodbye." She squeezed her legs against the magnificent creature and the horse started trotting.

As Oliver disappeared into the horizon, Merlin waited for a while before beginning his walk back to the inn. He estimated that he had waited sufficiently for Oliver to safely escape to wherever the man was headed. As he arrived at the inn, he was greeted by his friends who all walked outside at the sight of him.

Arthur walked over to him and immediately started pestering him. "Where did he go? Did you see the direction he was going in?"

"No, sorry, he left me lying on the ground on my stomach so I couldn't see anything."

"Well did you at least hear something?"

"No, sorry."

"You really are useless, aren't you Merlin?" As Merlin watched Arthur scold him, he realized he had almost missed being Arthur's servant. Almost. Watching over the man had been easier in his previous occupation as his manservant.

Gwaine stopped Arthur's rant. "It's not his fault. Oliver would've escaped one way or another."

"How do you know?"

"He just seems like the type", Gwaine grinned and everyone thought like you, you mean.

"Where's Lancelot?" Merlin asked, unable to see the man among the others.

"He's tracking Oliver down as we speak. We figured it would be easier if only one of us went."

"You actually sent him after us? What if Oliver had actually killed me?" Merlin pretended to look appalled.

"Oliver's your friend. At best he would have scratched you." Arthur had known that Oliver would not have really hurt Merlin, otherwise he wouldn't have let Lancelot go after the two. Merlin didn't need to know that, however.

Merlin pretended to be wounded by Arthur's cold words. He then turned his head into the direction from which he had come and hoped Lancelot wouldn't catch Oliver in time.

Unfortunately, no such luck had befallen Oliver. In under an hour they were all staring at Oliver, who had her back against a large stone. They were in the middle of nowhere, so Oliver's chances of meeting someone who could actually help her were between slim and none, though it seemed unlikely that passers-by would help her over Arthur Pendragon anyway.

"Cousin, give up. Your father misses you." Percival's reasoning consisted of short phrases only glued together by the intense look in his eyes.

"I send him a letter every month. He knows I'm fine." Oliver blew his arguments to the wind. "You know perfectly well that the only reason he wants me back is so he can give me to that disgusting.." She grew quite because she couldn't find any polite words to describe her subject.

"It's your responsibility", Percival stated.

"When a man who is three times your size tries to poke your insides out, we can start talking about responsibilities, but before that, you better be quiet."

The others turned to look at Percival, who looked ashamed, and Arthur and Lancelot started to guess why Oliver had run off in the first place. Merlin and Gwaine, however, were completely at a loss as to what they were talking about. Percival struggled with Oliver's bluntness. "Surely he didn't.."

"Not yet, but that's what it would be!" Oliver crossed her arms.

Arthur coughed. "As having been in a similar situation, I understand your predicament, but responsibilities are what they are."

"First off, Merlin told me that Elena was actually quite beautiful. The man waiting for me is not handsome, not intelligent, not even funny. I tried to find one redeeming quality about him, but there simply isn't any." Oliver paused to breath. "Secondly, you broke off your engagement."

Arthur, suddenly awkward, looked to his side. "Well.."

"Why would your father want you with a man? I'm kind of confused here", Merlin asked.

"Ditto", Gwaine raised his finger to include himself into the 'what's going on here'-club.

"Oliver's a woman", Arthur stated. Gwaine and Merlin turned to look at each other and started laughing. Arthur was annoyed and told them to stop. Merlin covered his mouth but couldn't stop giggling. Gwaine punched him in the arm. "See Merlin, we've been living with a woman all this time!"

Gwaine then turned to look at Oliver, expecting him to join them and laugh along. Oliver however had a difficult expression on her face. "Well.."

Gwaine and Merlin looked at each other again and they didn't laugh this time around. Oops.

Lancelot, the one who had initially cornered Oliver, grew restless. "Let's just continue onwards. We have what we came for. The Perilous lands are next." Oliver sprinted to get away but Lancelot grabbed her. Oliver struggled to break free. "You are really not letting me go, are you?"

Arthur and Lancelot shook their heads. Percival simply stared at her as Oliver knew what his answer would be. Oliver briefly estimated the situation. Merlin and Gwaine seemed confused and not at all sure, but as they served the two men intent on keeping Oliver with them, they wouldn't be of much assistance. Oliver still had the small knife in her pocket while the bigger one she had used to threaten Merlin had already been confiscated by Lancelot. If she went with them now, they would probably take the smaller knife away from her too. She wouldn't get another chance like this. Waiting until her father's castle wasn't a safe option as it entailed too many uncertainties. This was it. She briefly considered whether her body being found in these parts would cause any problems for the kingdoms surrounding them, but to her joy she remembered that right then and there they were, for all intents and purposes, on no man's land.

"Farewell, gentlemen." Her voice was suddenly very soft. "Merlin, I meant what I said." Merlin heard his name spoken and looked up to Oliver just in time to see her slit her throat.

Merlin got to her first. "Oliver!"

Arthur started shouting at him. "Merlin! Fix her!"

"Oh, so suddenly I'm not useless anymore?"

"Merlin-!"

Afterwards, it was difficult to say exactly what had followed her act and especially in what order. Lancelot and Merlin's eyes met. Merlin nodded and Lancelot grabbed Arthur and Percival.

"Quick, you must fetch him some water so he can treat her!" He practically pushed them along (or more precisely Percival, as he could never treat Arthur in that fashion).

Lancelot then grabbed Gwaine and told him they needed to go gather fire wood for the fire so they could heat the water. Considering the situation, nobody had the time to argue him, and Merlin was left alone with Oliver. She was bleeding quite heavily which wasn't a surprise considering that that had been her intention exactly. He prayed to the gods that his magic would work this time. He whispered the words, then shouted them. Suddenly he got a surge of power and he touched her neck and began repairing her damaged skin. He had never gotten this far before. Sooner than he expected, he was done and she started breathing normally again. Merlin gave the unconscious girl a relieved smile.

He waited for a while, but none of the knights were returning, so he grew impatient. Maybe I should fix her bruises too. What's the harm? If anyone would ask, he would just say it was the ointment that he would now be forced to prepare for show when the knights would finally return.

He touched her neck again and muttered the words needed. Apparently, however, he had worn out his powers when healing her neck, so nothing happened. He tried again, with better luck, as the bruises faded a little. He laughed victoriously when he heard someone approach him.

"Merlin.." The words of warning escaped from Lancelot's lips a moment too late. Merlin recognized his voice and raised his head to smile at him, only to see Gwaine at his side.