The room was huge and pitch black, it was almost empty except for two men snoring lightly in the corner, my heart rose in my throat as the magic ached in the pit of my stomach, I ignored the warning Merlin was sending me and knelt down by the closest man with something shining around his neck, I picked it up and looked carefully at the pendant. It was filled with dark magic that made it throb on the palm of my hand, it had dried blood covering the front of it and inside was a picture, a picture of the thug leader from the inn, I gasped and tried to run but he woke up and grabbed my wrist with a grin.
"I've been waiting a long time to kill you and your brother for thwarting our plans," he snapped holding the sword against me.
"Get away from me scum!" I spat making him punch me in the face and knocking my head against the wall.
"Oh well we was going to do it the easy way but now we've changed our minds," laughed the other with strawberry blonde hair.
"What are you going to do?" I asked trying to stop myself from shaking.
"You'll see," whispered the one in front of me with brown hair as he ran the sword slowly and lightly down my front making me cry out.
"Hello gentlemen would you kindly step away from my sister?" Went Gwaine's voice from beside the door with a pale Merlin in tow.
"You wouldn't fight a knight?" Sneered the brunette throwing me hard against the wall and pulling out his special sword.
"But you aren't a knight are you? And I'd fight anyone when my sisters involved."
"Gwaine don't!" I croaked grimacing slightly.
"No one hurts you and gets away with it," he snapped before a huge swordfight started, Merlin ran over to me and held me against him. Gwaine dodged blow after blow and attacked gracefully, always looking for weaknesses and eventually they both fell to the floor and Gwaine was on the floor looking into my eyes.
"GUARDS! THIS MAN ATTACKED US!" One minute Gwaine was beside me the next he was being hauled off by guards, I grabbed at him to pull him back to me but he shook his head leaving me shaking in Merlin's arms.
"Gwen dear let me look at you," came Gaius' soothing voice from the hallway.
"No I need my brother," I mumbled pushing him away.
"Gwen you have a busted lip, a bleeding head and your wounds opened up again please let Gaius look at you, I called him here to look at you please," soothed Merlin but I'd had enough.
"NO! Gwaine needs me! They aren't really knights they're the thugs from the inn and they might have my only family executed," I screamed in their shocked faces.
"Really?" I nodded at Merlin.
"They'll have taken him to the council chambers," explained Gaius pulling me up and leading me to the chambers.
"This man is accused of attacking a noble," yelled King Uther pointing at Gwaine, I clenched my fists knowing if I protested I'd be chucked out, "what do you have to say?"
He looked at me and smiled, "they attacked my sister and I couldn't let them hurt her."
"Why would we attack a commoner let alone a woman?" Gasped the brunette.
"It's not good to lie Ser Knight it makes you look ugly," smirked Gwaine only to receive a slap that curdled my blood.
"You're sentenced to death for attacking a nobleman," the king said before being pulled away by guards.
"NO!" I yelled pushing forward before being pulled back by guards.
"Father please! Gwaine saved my life, he's a good man! If a noblemen's word is his bond then accept mine. Gwaine is a good man," pleaded Arthur his eyes full of anger.
"Fine but he is banished from the kingdom return on pain of death," yawned Uther.
"GWAINE!" I cried trying to pull myself free.
"Little G its ok I'll be fine," he whispered as he was dragged off.
Anger bubbled through my whole body and I lost control of myself I pulled myself free and ran at the nobles, "YOU'RE A LIAR!" I cried tears slipping down my cut and bruised face but before I could even reach them I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist, pull me off my feet and drag me sobbing out of the room and into the courtyard. A hand pulled my chin up and I let it be pulled up by Arthur as he looked my face over.
"What happened?"
"I got attacked by a rabbit... WHAT DO YOU THINK! THEY ATTACKED ME!" I snapped glaring at him.
"Why would they attack you?" He asked running his hand over my bust lip.
"Because they are thieves who are set on killing you for ruining their plans at the inn and have now got rid of one of the only people who had the fighting skills to help you?" I said, "Just an idea of course."
"I have fighting skills!"
"Yeah but Gwaine was better!" I yelled trying to blink back tears.
"I'm sorry about your brother."
"Not just my brother he's my twin! And your gimp of a father has pulled us apart!" I screamed.
"Don't talk about my father that way!" He yelled cheeks burning.
"Why shouldn't I? Your father kills thousands of innocent people for what they were born with, for embracing what God gave them!" No you may paint your father in perfect light but he is no angel, no wonder that black haired woman hates him"
"What? Do you mean Morgana? She doesn't hate him," Arthur asked pulling my chin up to look into his blue eyes.
"Are you really that thick?" He blinked at me, "have you seen the way she looks at him?"
"Well no..."
"Then you nothing about love and hate," I sobbed tears falling down my cheeks nonstop and before I knew it Arthur had his arms wrapped round me whilst I cried into his shoulder letting out my guilt and anger, Arthur just held me and stood there until I had calmed down, I had never felt so safe in anyone's arms but Gwaine's yet here I was feeling protected. When I felt all cried out he released me and looked at me.
"Does my face look bad?" I mumbled looking at the floor.
"Well you're a bit bruised and swollen but you still look beautiful," he said with a grin.
"Thank you sire I should go," I whispered bowing slightly before walking away.
"Just call me Arthur..."
"He's going to die in this tournament!" I thought clutching Merlin's arm.
"Gwen if you don't let go I'm going to die now shush!" He snapped eyes still on Arthur in the chaos below.
"Sorry I'm scared."
"Arthur will be fi..." He gasped as Arthur was thrown from his horse and surrounded by the bloodthirsty knights, Uther stood up with fear in his eyes as the three fought below, I pitied the man after everything so I reached up and tugged on his cape, he looked down and I nodded at him. He smiled slightly and then paled as Arthur hit the ground and the two knights closed in around him.
"ARTHUR STAND UP AND FIGHT!" Yelled Uther but Arthur was surrounded, I grabbed Merlin's hand and prepared a spell when a mysterious man in armour dived between the two knights.
"Miss me my sister?" I laughed with relief as Gwaine's voice popped into my head.
"You couldn't have got here at a better time idiot," I said.
Gwaine slid through the brunette's legs and stabbed him in the stomach, people gasped and the king was stuck between fury and relief as Gwaine then stabbed the strawberry blonde man that loomed over Arthur. When he fell to the floor Gwaine ran up and helped Arthur up and pulled off his helmet. People gasped as Arthur burst out laughing, I climbed down from the stalls and ran into Gwaine's open arms.
"You ass," I laughed.
"You can't call me that," he whispered but our happiness was cut short as guards grabbed him and pulled him away, I ran at the guards holding him but Merlin saw what I was doing and pulled me backwards while Gwaine was sentenced for killing a noble.
"Father he saved my life don't kill him!" Yelled Arthur.
"He killed two noblemen!"
"So my life Is worth less than a noblemen's?" Uther looked at him with a look of pain before turning and banishing him instead. "Father..."
"No it's fine at least I'm not dead," he laughed making me smile slightly, "I'm not one for goodbyes so goodbye little G see ya soon."
"Goodbye Big G," I said with a smile before he walked away and our connection was further apart than ever before.
"So..." Merlin smirked, "what happened after Arthur dragged you off?"
"Nothing he just comforted me," I shrugged.
"I know you say he doesn't like you but..."
"Merlin?" He looked innocently at me, "Shut up!"
"Anyway where are you staying?" He asked.
"Gwen's letting me stay there, it'll be better than sharing a room with you," I laughed which was cut short as I spotted Arthur talking to her in the market, "what are they talking about? What are they doing?"
"I thought you didn't care," he muttered making a pattern on the battlement wall, I glared at him and he winced under my gaze.
"Sorry bond twin!"
"Yeah you should be," I smiled. "I have a bad feeling."
"I always have this feeling, Emrys and Ambros destiny bound," he sighed putting his hand on mine. "Together."