hullo um i just realised i hadn't posted this yet, sorry i meant to post it earlier. anyway. a pretty mellow chapter, we are nearing the end of this story, i hope the end in a few chapters time is big enough, there will be a sequal, that i'm already planning in my head. i still dont own merlin **shakes fist** why world why are you so mean! um yeah it still isn't mine. theOC's that appear in here are mine as are my representation of any charactors who apear in the myths but not the series yet. read on good people read on.
respite
Uthur was nervous, he hadn't heard any news from the front line since the messenger reported that both armies were drawing back to regroup. It wasn't long after that he had heard Merlin mutter Arthurs name before disappearing into the ground, he shuddered at the memory. It frightened him that such a seemingly inconsequential person could hold such power and yet mean no harm, the boy was infuriating he was the very thing Uthur had set out to destroy, pure magic. Yet he wasn't evil. As much as it pained him to admit it even he had to accept that. "Sir Malcolm, should I be worried about your attachment to that maid?" he asked suddenly. Sir Malcolm was glad the king was facing away from him and didn't see him wince.
"Her father was Sir James, he made sure her mother and her were kept the right side of destitute until he died saving me. His last request was that we keep an eye on them, I will not betray that last request sire." Uthur stared at the knight before returning to looking out of the window, sir Malcolm bowed even though his king could no longer see him and started walking towards the door. He heard the king whisper "Arthur" and knew the prince had returned. As soon as he was in the corridor he ran as fast as he could towards the court yard, praying that his cousin had returned again, at first his cousins constant near death injuries had been amusing but now every time sir Leon went out Malcolm found himself fearing for his only remaining family member.
"Leon! Leon!" Sir Leon looked up at raspy yell recognising his cousin's voice, he broke away from his small group and walked briskly towards his cousin, they embraced each other fondly before Leon pulled away. "Its ok cousin for once I am unharmed, but the prince, he was stabbed in the gut, Merlin did what he could but even he has his limits when it comes to healing. We need to get him to Gaius, also we have a couple of new recruits the young lady will require a room close to Merlin." Malcolm raised his eyebrow quizzically so Leon clarified "she is his sister, they have only just met, it would be prudent to allow them easy access to each other so they can catch up and learn more about each other" Malcolm nodded and ran back into the castle to inform the king what was happening. Leon was blown to his side as a large shadow passed over him. He heard a few gasps as the great dragon settled in front of Merlin and leant down allowing the warlock to pat his cheek in greeting. "Young warlock you have done well these past weeks, ballinor would have been proud." The dragon turned its gaze to Bellanor "hello anomaly it is not often a dragon is surprised but you my dear are just that, a surprise. A welcome one" Merlin looked up at the dragon. Handing Arthur over to Percival and nodding for them to take him to Gaius. "What do you mean by that? Yes she is a nice surprise I never thought I would have a sibling. But from your tone it would appear there is more to it." The dragon unfurled its wings and prepared to fly off its parting words were "every dragon needs a dragonlord." And then the dragon was gone leaving two very confused twins.
Merlin turned to his twin sister as the rest of their small group went inside. "Hello. Um so please tell me this is as odd for you as it is for me." She smiled at him "yes brother, it is, and hello back, sorry about the crashing the wyvern and the entrance it truly was not my intention for our first meeting to be over the injured body of your friend." Merlin looked at his sister, properly looked at her, she was the same height as him a similar build apart form obvious differences in gender. He also noticed that she had "our fathers eyes and mothers ears" he said out loud she laughed and linked their arms and allowed her brother to lead her up the steps into the castle. "Well if you got fathers ears I'm glad it happened that way round." He bumped her with his hip and she stumbled slightly to the side smiling he spoke again, "what's wrong with my ears they are distinguished" "if your definition of distinguished is disproportionately large then I guess they are" she replied before adding. "No they are nice, it's just they look better on a man, they would look ridiculous on a female." Merlin nodded before changing the subject. "Sir gain seams to have taken a shine to you, he is a good man but" she laughed fully now and pushed her brother away before spinning him to face her. "don't worry big brother, I have standards and as afar as I'm concerned courting one of my brothers friends is completely out of the question." He smiled at her and started walking again "but I can still look can't I?" Merlin tripped over the step he had been taking his eyes glowing gold to halt his fall he turned to his sister who was standing there is an innocent look on her face. "oh my goodness! You did not just say that! Oh yuck Gwaine? Really? But his hairs to shiny and he has a broken nose!" she giggled a she walked past him to the top of the steps "oh like Tristain doesn't have nice hair and a broken nose." Merlin went silent at that. He grumbled something as he marched past his sister and she followed behind him.
"this will be your room mine is just a couple of corridors away. Don't use your dragon magic to call me unless it is an emergency, it is only because of Arthurs protection that I am tolerated by the king, we can't use our magic here not with out permission or reason. Do you understand?" She nodded before allowing he brother to open the door sitting at the table was Jane who jumped up and explained her presence " I didn't know what style of dress you would like so I made you a few options, I assumed you wouldn't have much clothing with you, I'm sorry is it was presumptuous of me milady." She curtseyed and Bellanor raised an eyebrow. "Jane is our resident seamstress here, she is very good, um also dad was a dragon Lord, as in lord as in nobility, wait how have you already made my sister clothes? You only just found out she existed, I only just found out she existed." Through out his miniature rant Jane had just been staring at him impassively and Bellanor had been wondering around the room.
"a few years ago Gwen mentioned to me that she had seen you with a dress held up in front of you, she found it amusing as did I, anyway after one of the banquets she and I had some wine and started discussing what we would dress you in if you were a girl. I um drew some designs. Then this thing with Tristain started and well after another banquet," she drifted off into silence at the look of horror Merlin was giving her, she had actually made Him a dress! He heard some clattering behind the privacy screen and a thump before Bellanor leant her head around the side of the screen "I don't care if you change your mind and decide you would like to be a girl, I am not giving up these dresses they are stunning! Whee!" her head disappeared behind the screen again Jane smiled at Merlin who leant across to her "make sure she knows when the banquet is, I have to go prepare I'll see you later." As he stepped out the door he shouted "and I don't want to be a girl!"
Merlin spun round and bumped into Tristain, he was horrified to hear himself yelp."well that isn't exactly the greeting I'm used to but I suppose it will do." The knight said as he leant in and hugged Merlin. "it's good to see you, I was worried you would over do the magic." Merlin laughed. "I was worried I'd under do it. That didn't sound right, so Arthur got stabbed? First time I'm not there to back him up and he gets stabbed anyone would think he needs me to save his life." Tristain laughed as they turned the corner into Merlin's corridor, "yes because the prince of Camelot who has been trained to fight since he was two is really just a pretty little damsel in distress" Tristain replied sarcastically.
"I don't think his royal pratness would like you calling him pretty, I'm sure he'd rather be rugged, or handsome, or dashing or" Merlin's sentence was cut of by Tristain lips it was a quick kiss but it was enough to shut him up. "I was scared you wouldn't return Tris' promise you'll be careful." Tristain nodded. "I promise to try not get killed. I hear your mother is in town, will she be attending the banquet?" Merlin shrugged, "I don't know I have a feeling she may, after all it has been so long since she saw her cousin, and while she has kept up with what is happening in Bellanor life she hasn't actually seen her since she was a baby. What exactly is the purpose of the banquet I know I was told to arrive in my noble attire but the king seems to be putting more effort into this evening that he usually does for the welcome home banquets"
"I have as much an idea as you, but you're right he does appear to be up to something, I'll see you later, remember you have to escort your sister tonight so try and scrub up you don't want to let her down by looking scruffy," Tristain said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I'll do my best, honest I might even brush my hair." Merlin walked into his room before Tristain could respond. He walked over to his bed, and cried.
"mother you look," Merlin couldn't finish his sentence, he had gone to see Gaius and found his mother and Jane in his old room Jane was just adding the finishing touches to a new dress, it wasn't grand or high fashion it wasn't even made from particularly expensive fabric but the way Jane had cut it fitted his mother perfectly, hiding what should be hidden and accentuating her better features, it was cheap fabric similar to what was used for sacks but it was made to look beautiful. "I look silly I know, but Jane insisted on quickly making me something I didn't want to be a bother so I told her just to use any scraps she might have, I may be the mother of a lord now but I still feel like the peasant woman who toils away in the fields." Jane curtseyed and left the room.
"mother you don't look stupid, you look, majestic. I have to go get ready. I'll see you in the banqueting hall, We, we will see you in the banqueting hall" he corrected himself. "your sister? I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner my son, it never seamed the right time, is there ever a right time?" he smiled at his mother. "I doubt there is no. she has fathers eyes. That's the first thing I noticed." She touched his cheek. "I here rumours that you have found love. I'm glad, promise you will be careful peoples fear and respect of you may grant you a little leniency but your love still carries the sentence of death in most lands" he leant into his mothers touch. "my very existence does mother dear, I promise we are careful. We are perfect gentlemen" Hunith smiled at her son's response. "good, I'm glad, but make sure he knows that if he hurts you he will answer to me. You best be off you need to go and prepare." Merlin nodded at his mother and left to change. Tonight was his first banquet as a noble.
"what do you think they will all be wearing? What does Merlin's other look like, is she pretty? I bet she is if her daughter is anything to go by do you…" Arthur turned very slightly towards Gwaine and glared at him causing the other knight to quieten down. "right sorry why are the siblings escorting the women? Isn't it usually a chosen knight or husband of suitor?" Arthur turned to the knight "usually yes but on occasions such as these it is traditional for the brother or closest male relative to escort the lady, it used to be to flaunt her off and garner interest in her, now it is so show the world that the lady has protection from any unwanted suitors. As for what they will wear I don't know, Merlin's family are poor very poor the lordship and nobility comes from his fathers side. Not his mothers" Gwaine was about to ask another question when the doors opened an announcer spoke form somewhere to the side "ladies and gentleman presenting the humble and right honourable Hunith of ealdor escorted by her cousin, Gaius, court physician" through the doors walked Gaius in his finest tunic on his arm was Hunith she had woven a simple blue ribbon through her hair that was cascading down behind her shoulders, the dress she was wearing was intricately detailed but simple, "my lord it is most gracious of you to allow me a short stay, I am humbled by your generosity." She said to Uthur as she reached them. He leant down and kissed her hand "after all your son has done for the protection of Camelot and my son, it is the least I could do" she smiled at him and worked her way down the line of knights all of whom welcomed her fondly each expressing their friendship and loyalty towards her son.
"ladies and gentleman presenting lady Gwenevire of valhaland and sir Elyan of Camelot." Arthurs head shot up towards the door as élan walked in wearing his dress uniform, it glimmered in the evening sunlight but Arthur wasn't looking at him, Gwen was wearing a purple dress that swept against the floor as she moved, a silver embroidered vine detail swept elegantly from the shoulder down to her waist. A tiara sat on top of her ebony hair that has been loosely tied up by a white ribbon. "careful Arthur, anyone would think you were staring." Gwaine whispered gaining a subtle jab in the ribs from the prince. "sire, my guardian sends his apologies that he could not ride to battle himself, but he must think of his own kingdom as well as those of his allies" Uthur bowed to her "milady it is quite understandable, I am merely happy he has allowed you to return to us. Your brother is one of our finest knights." She smiled at him and moved on to Arthur. "Arthur, how are you?" Arthur found himself speechless "very pretty" was what he said, she raised an eyebrow and he forced himself not to cringe, "you are feeling pretty?" she asked with a smile, "no, you, are. Very pretty. I mean to say you look beautiful and I am well thank you for asking Gwen" he was sure he would never live that slip of a tongue down but his internal argument with himself was cut off when Gwen leant up and gently kissed him on the cheek. She smiled and moved down the line of knights each welcoming her home warmly.
"ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present our guests of honour, lady Bellanor and her brother, lord Emrys of ealdor, court sorcerer." An excited murmur started around the room, Camelot had not had a court sorcerer for at least one hundred and fifty years. The murmur quietened down when the twins waked in, Bellanor wore a figure hugging deep blue dress with a blood red trim. Her hair fell across her shoulders, the most remarkable thing about her out fit however was that she had enchanted the embroidered patterns on it to glow softy giving her an almost angelic glow. "careful Gwaine anyone would think you were staring" Arthur whispered jovially "I think everyone is staring and not just at Bellanor" Arthur was ashamed to admit he himself had been focused on the female twin, but as he looked at Merlin he saw exactly what Gwaine meant.
Merlin was wearing a close fitting blood red top with black trousers, he wore a dark blue cape with gold lining that accentuated his eyes, Arthur realised at that moment that Merlin's eyes were golden, not their usual blue. But what was bizarrely most striking was that Merlin had combed his hair and it now was neatly brushed to the side in a way that drew the eyes to his bone structure instead of his ears. He smiled as his eyes returned to blue.
"sire may I introduce my sister Bellanor." She curtseyed as the king leant down and kissed her hand "milady I have come to respect your brother, as he has come to be my son's closest ally and friend. You are most welcome here" she smiled and thanked him before moving on. Merlin stepped forward and shook the king's hand. "court sorcerer? Sire are you sure? You realise the risks of making such a move" Uthur looked at the young man stood in front of him "I am aware which is why only those here present shall know of your true title for now, I trust everyone here. I am not foolish enough to think that my son wont lift my law on magic as soon as I am gone, I trust you and him to replace it with an appropriate alternative, this way though I get to see the start of the change I get to set things in motion, I trust you, I may never trust you magic, but you, as a man, I trust" Merlin was deeply moved by the kings words and found words hard so he simply nodded and moved on to Arthur, he went to shake the princes hand only to be pulled into a firm hug. "lord Emrys. brothers don't shake hands," Merlin laughed as Arthur pushed him to the side. The rest of the hall joined in the laughter, as the Knights of the Round Table enveloped Merlin in a group hug, Uthur stood to the side and shook his head, a smile on his face.
yeah like i said a pretty mellow chapter. i just quite like having quiet bits inbetween the battles, it also was an excuse to have the knights be pervy at the women and merlin to get scrubbed up. anyone seen the SDCC clips? was watching them earlier. making me verry excited about series 4. oh and yes, Gwaine is a little in love with bellanor, not that she cares. next chapter up at some point soon. reviews are fun aren't they? i think they are, try it.