Chapter 62: For the Love of Camelot

Arthur couldn't breathe without the feeling that he was being stabbed all over again. Merlin had left, but Gwen was at his side again, holding onto his hand. She said very little, but Arthur knew, even with his eyes closed and her head low, that she was crying.

He wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright; of course, that would be a lie and they both knew it.

Gods, he didn't want to leave her. Not when he had been so close to having everything he had ever wanted.

He was supposed to become a father. He was supposed to make up for his own father's faults, he was supposed to be better, do better. And he wouldn't even get a chance to try.

That, he thought, hurt more than the wound.

Morgana was silent, but Arthur could feel her hovering at the sides of the room. She had tried to warn him that they would end up here.

Arthur moved his other arm to hold out his hand to Morgana, wincing at the movement. He felt her take his hand, and felt her other hand on his forehead. She whispered something, and the pain lessened as a cool, calm feeling washed over him.

There were worse ways to go, he thought.

XXX

Kilgharrah landed in front of him in the courtyard.

"What took you so long!" Merlin snapped, though it had only been ten minutes. "I said to stay nearby!"

"You did, but it wasn't an order." Kilgharrah said.

"Arthur's been hurt with his own sword. I can't heal him, he's going to die." Merlin said in a rush before the dragon could ask any other questions. "I gave him the spell in the Cup of Life that grants reincarnation, but I don't want- There has to be something else I can do."

"If Arthur was injured with the sword I warned you that should never have been made, then there is nothing you can do." Kilgharrah said, frank, but gently. "A weapon burnished in a dragon's breath follows different rules."

Merlin shook his head. "No, no." He said, "I can't watch him die. I'll do anything."

Kilgharrah bowed his head. "There is one thing." He said, "But Merlin, it will come with a price."

"Anything." Merlin repeated. He meant it, too.

"Take Arthur to the Lake of Avalon." Kilgharrah said, "and see if you can strike a bargain with the sidhe."

"The sidhe? A few years ago they wanted to kill him."

Kilgharrah shrugged. "Perhaps now, you have something more valuable to them."

Merlin nodded. "Stay there," he said, before turning to run back inside.

He found everyone just as they were when he had first entered the room. Gwen on one side, Morgana on the other. Gaius stood close by and caught Merlin's eye as he entered.

The old physician shook his head, sadly.

He had less time than he thought.

Merlin quickly went to Gwen's side, pacing a hand on her shoulder, she looked up, all tear-streaked cheeks and red-rimmed eyes.

Merlin squeezed her shoulder. "There is one last thing I can try." Merlin said quietly. "I don't know if it will work; it's a shot in the dark, and it'll also involve moving Arthur and taking him outside the citadel. But it's something."

Gwen grabbed onto his hand with a ferocity that startled him. "Yes," she said. "Merlin, you know I trust you completely. Anything."

Merlin could feel the dangerous beginnings of hope starting to tug at his heart. He looked to Morgana. "We need to get him to the courtyard. Then, we need to end this war."

Morgana nodded. Quickly, they worked together to lift Arthur into a sitting position, and roll him out of bed, balancing his body between the both of them as he groaned.

"Can't let a man die in peace, can you Merlin?" Arthur muttered as Merlin rearranged his arm over his shoulders.

"Since when have I ever made anything easier for you?" Merlin said. "It's just part of my charm, sire."

Thankfully, they passed very few people on their way to the courtyard, and Kilgharrah was where Merlin had told him to stay when they got there at last.

Merlin looked worryingly at Arthur. Despite the spell Morgana had cast to lessen his pain, Arthur was pale as a sheet, with beads of sweat across his forehead. His breathing was shallow.

They were running out of time.

Merlin cursed himself. He knew how to use the teleportation spell, in theory. And the further you went, the harder it was to control, the more dangerous it might be to non-magical people.

He couldn't risk that, not when their only hope was holding on by a thread and a prayer.

As Kilgharrah kelt down, Gwen kissed Arthur briefly. "I will see you again," Merlin heard her whisper. "No matter what." She looked to Merlin, and he didn't need her to speak to know what she was thinking. Keep him safe. I'm trusting you with the other half of my soul. Keep him safe. I'll see you soon. Keep him safe. I know you'll do everything you can. Keep him safe.

I'll try. Merlin thought, knowing it showed on his face, too.

As Merlin climbed behind Arthur on Kilgharrah's back, keeping him steady, Morgana said, "I'll see you soon."

He didn't have time to reply as Kilgharrah leapt into the air.

Below him, Merlin could still see the thick of the battle wagering outside the castle gates, and even then, soon enough, that was gone too, reduced to blurs and specks in the distance as Kilgharrah flew over the forests below them.

Under different circumstances, Merlin would be awed and amazed at the beauty of seeing Camelot from above like this, but he kept his eyes firmly planted on Arthur's face, now almost oblivious to the world.

Hurry! He thought to Kilgharrah.

What felt like a lifetime later, Kilgharrah finally touched down at the banks of the Lake of Avalon. The mist hung heavy on the surface, even though it was nearing mid-afternoon.

And it was a rather beautiful day, he thought. Too beautiful for everything that was happening.

Merlin quickly slid down the dragon's back, hauling Arthur with him as he went. His friend made no protest to the rough treatment, which only caused Merlin to work faster, half dragging him, half carrying him to the lake's edge.

He could feel the magic of the lake as he entered, the water quickly coming up to his knees.

A shadow loomed over him. He looked up to see Kilgharrah.

"Remember little one," he said, "The sidhe will want something in return, be prepared for the worst."

Merlin nodded. "I got it from here," Merlin said. "Go, help Camelot."

"I already did," Kilgharrah said. "Before you called. Both the armies of King Lot and King Caerleon are on their way. They'll be at the citadel in a few hours. The armies of Rome and Amata will be surrounded and outnumbered." Instead of preparing to fly away, Kilgharrah folded his wings. "I will wait for you, just inside the trees."

Merlin was stunned. "Thank you," he said.

"Good luck, Merlin," Kilgharrah said.

Merlin pulled Arthur deeper into the water, calling out as he did so, "Dotiag-sa ar idbairt do denam!"

The fog around them began to get thicker, as Merlin stood up to his chest in the water, Arthur heavy as a stone in his arms.

"Please!" Merlin called out. "My friend is dying; I need help!"

"Ahh Emrys," a voice said, "We meet face-to-face at last."

Out of the fog came a small, blue pixie roughly twice the size of Merlin's hand.

Merlin nodded his head in the closest thing he could manage to a bow. "Please," he repeated. "Help him. Your people are the only ones who can."

The sidhe elder looked down on Merlin from where he hovered just over his head. "It seems like only yesterday to me that you killed two sidhe to preserve this very man's soul. What makes you think I will help him now?"

"For starters," Merlin said, "you weren't very fond of them in the first place or you wouldn't've had them exiled. Second, I know you'll want something in return. Name your price."

The sidhe elder was quiet for a moment. Merlin began to panic, worried he would still refuse.

"I hear you have the Cup of Life. It was crafted in Avalon long ago, in the very heart of Castle Corbenic. I want it back."

"It's yours." Merlin said, quickly, relief coursing through him. "As soon as the invaders are driven out, I will bring it back to you myself, I swear."

"Do you swear on the life of the Once and Future King?" the sidhe elder said. "Because remember this; what I give I can take just as simply."

"I swear." Merlin said.

"Very well."

The sidhe elder flew down closer to pause by Arthur's pale, still face. He reached out with a small blue hand and placed it upon his brow before speaking quickly in the sidhe's own language of spells, too fast for Merlin to fully understand with his limited knowledge of it.

The sidhe elder finished before saying; "he will live. It will be as if he had never been injured"

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

The sidhe elder gave no sign of acknowledgement. "I expect you and the Cup of Life back here within the week. Or I will be forced to retrieve it myself."

"Understood," Merlin said, the rush of cold he felt in his blood having little to do with the cold water of the lake.

Without another word, the sidhe elder disappeared back into the fog.

In Merlin's arms, Arthur began to stir.

XXX

Lancelot had seen the dragon flying overhead, had smirked as the Romans all but cowered at the sight, but he wondered where he was going, without pausing to do so much as breathe fire at the enemy. Maybe he was in a rush, he surmised, but going to what puzzled and worried him.

He shook it from his mind, narrowing his focus to what was directly in front of him in the battle, and nothing else. The initial shock the Roman and Amatan armies had suffered upon finding that they could die again was starting to wear off, and the ground the Camelot army had gained in that time was starting to stall. Still, they had pushed them back from the castle and halfway to the tree line, however vastly outnumbered they may be.

Lancelot redoubled his efforts, narrowing on a tall soldier from Amata. Lancelot crossed forward and leapt into the attack, his sword catching on the other man's. Lancelot twisted his sword out of the way, and redoubled his efforts into a new attack. Too slow, on the other man's part, and he fell to Lancelot's sword.

"Look out!"

Lancelot turned just in time to see an arrow speeding toward his heart, then, in the next moment, as it paused, inches from him, only to twist in midair and speed back to where it had come from, into a tree. A moment later an archer fell to the ground.

Lancelot turned.

"Elaine!"

Her vibrant hair was pulled back from her face, which only called more attention to just how much of it there was, really.

He couldn't help it, he smiled. "I suppose we're even now."

Elaine said nothing, only crossed the distance between them and kissed him.

XXX

Morgana whipped around, her arm out-stretched. Three Roman soldiers went flying backwards, their necks and spines cracking in half as they hit the ground.

A sound began to pulse through the mass of soldiers. A hum that grew louder and louder until it became a roar. Morgana saw Leon at the head of the army throw his fist into the air. Morgana ran to the front, and pulled up short in disbelief. From one side, in the green colors ofKing Lot's army, and from the other, the light blue of Careleon's.

(Morgana never thought she'd be relieved to see that color green in Camelot again.)

Beside her, Leon lifted his sword into the air. "For the love of Camelot!" he yelled.

The cry was echoed from all around her as Camelot's army redoubled their efforts, rushing headlong to cut the enemy from the woods and trap them in on all sides, using Lot and Careleon's armies.

As for Morgana, she had a score to settle.

XXX

"Absolutely not."

The sidhe had been true to his word. Arthur had awoken, fast, and was now halfway to the shore of the Lake of Avalon, Merlin in tow just behind him. Arthur walked like a man at full strength and energy, not like one who had been moments from death.

"I didn't ask your opinion, Merlin."

"You can't rush into battle moments after almost dying!" Merlin snapped.

"You're right." Arthur stopped so abruptly that Merlin almost knocked into him. He turned around to look at him, his eyes almost manic. "Someone has my sword."

Merlin blinked. "Mordred, I think." He said, almost dumbfounded.

Something seemed to dawn on Arthur. "Is he alright?"

"Last I checked. Morgana forced him out of the battle."

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. "Good," he said. Then he abruptly turned back around, sloshing his way back to the lakeshore. "Still has my sword, though!"

"You aren't fighting!" Merlin bounded as quickly as he could though the water until he overtook Arthur and stood in front of him. "I mean it," he said. "We aren't outnumbered anymore; Kilgharrah said Lot and Careleon's armies are coming, they're probably almost there now. And back there, with the sidhe? That was a shot in the dark and it won't work again. I had to promise them the Cup of Life, Arthur."

Arthur seemed to sober up, marginally, at that. "When I say this, it doesn't come from a place of pride," he said. "But I need to be there, in the middle of it. I need them all to see that they can't destroy me, or Camelot, or Albion. That we will always prevail. And I can't do it alone, Merlin, I need you to help me. Will you?"

Merlin relented. "If Gwen kills me for letting you try to kill yourself you're going to owe me."

Arthur grinned. "If she tries, I'll just bring you here."

Merlin shook his head. "It's going to be a long time before we can joke about this." He said.

XXX

Morgana followed the golden thread before her, cutting down any opposing force in her way without so much as a second glance. Men fell like ragdolls to her left and to her right; a sword gleaming in her right hand, her left bursting with magical energy.

One by one they fell, and one by one Morgana left them behind her.

Following the golden thread.

XXX

Arthur was silent for the flight back to the citadel, though whether it was because of the upcoming fight, or the act flying on dragonback, Merlin couldn't tell.

Kilgharrah had stayed in the trees as he said he would, and had even given Arthur a slight bow of his head before they had climbed onto his scaley back.

It wasn't long before they were close to the citadel once more.

Mordred. Merlin reached out with his magic. Do you still have Excalibur?

XXX

From just behind her, there was a flash of heat followed by a booming explosion.

Morgana turned to see Elaine, fighting side-by-side with Lancelot. Finally, she thought.

A terrific yell startled her back to the task at hand, as an Amatan knight ran at her, his sword raised. With a single word, he fell, his neck broken in two.

Morgana stepped over him, and continued on her way, following the golden thread that led her to her mark.

XXX

Mordred stood on the wall, staring down at the fighting below, but no longer longing to be a part of it.

At least not yet. He needed more training, he knew that now.

He felt a presence at his side, and turned to see Kara.

Mordred opened his mouth to say something, but she jammed her finger into his chest. "Don't you dare ever do anything that stupid again." she said, punctuating her words with stabs of her pointer finger.

He held up his hands defensively. "I won't, I promise." Mordred held up Excalibur. "If it's any consolation to you, I'm never touching this sword again."

Kara looked at the sword, recognition spreading across her face. "Why do you have the king's sword?" she asked.

"I'm giving it back to the king." Mordred said, turning his eyes back to the sky.

Incoming, Mordred.

Modred readjusted his grip on the sword. "I'd duck down, if I were you," he said.

"What?"

Mordred raised the sword high over his head just as he heard the rhythmic thump of dragon wings on the wind.

The Great Dragon himself soon came into view, King Arthur and Merlin barely visible on his back.

Mordred gritted his teeth and braced himself as the dragon swooped low and snatched the sword from Mordred's hands, before continuing to the battlefield below.

Mordred let his arm drop to his side.

Kara straightened up from where she had crouched down next to him. "Everything will be different tomorrow, won't it?" she said.

"I believe so."

XXX

Arthur gripped Excalibur tight in his fist as Kilgharrah swooped lower to the battlefield.

Below, Arthur could see a mix of colors- the white of Rome, the ruddy brown of Amata, the green of King Lot's men, the blue of Caerleon's, and the crimson of his own.

Albion at war for her future.

XXX

The golden thread had run its course.

At the end of the trail was the Green Knight, a helm of the same ugly, burnished green metal obscuring his face as the rest of his armor, but unmistakably him.

He was locked in battle with a knight from Essetir, and as Morgana approached, Bertilak slashed ino the other man's side, and he went down in a heap.

Morgana lifted her own sword.

XXX

"There!" Merlin called, pointing down below. A ways from the heat of battle was a small cluster of Roman and Amatan men. And in the center of that cluster…

"We end this," Arthur said. "Now."

XXX

Morgana approached slowly, almost leisurely.

Bertilak saw her, and lifted his own sword.

"You thought you could kill Merlin, didn't you?' she said, wrinkling her nose in disdain. "Fool." She lunged with the sword, a test. Bertilak parried, as she knew he would.

She smiled, in spite of herself.

"If only because he deserves to die." Bertilak said, his voice hard.

"According to you," Morgana said. She swung her sword again, and again Bertilak blocked it, only because she wanted him to.

"Make no mistake," she said, "I'm going to kill you. You're going to die very shortly. The thing is, you're going to pretend you're a martyr. You and I both know that's not true."

She slashed at Bertilak's side, and he didn't block in time, instead jumping back in pain as blood sprouted from the rip in his chainmail and the gash in his ribs.

"Silence, witch!" He spat, trying to land an uppercut from above.

Morgana dodged out of the way, and his sword thrust into the grass where her feet once were.

"Þu you þunedest!"

Try as he might, Bertilak couldn't remove his sword from the grass where it had stuck, halfway to the hilt.

"You won't be a martyr," Morgana continued, "because first and foremost, you'll always be a traitor."

Morgana raised her sword, and cracked it across the side of his skull.

Bertilak stumbled, his helmet flying off his head, and struggled to quickly regain his balance before again, trying to lift his sword from the ground in vain.

"This isn't very honorable of you, is it? I'd expect nothing less from a sorceress, but a so-called princess?" Bertilak spat, and with it, came blood.

"Maybe not, but neither is stabbing a man in the back in a dust storm," Morgana replied. She continued, "You'll be a traitor, and you won't even die for a cause you believe in, not truly. Despite everything, you were never a Roman, you never would have or could have been one of them. I might be a witch, but at least I have a place to call home."

With a yell, Bertilak rushed at her, unarmed.

Morgana dropped her own sword and put out her hands, and grasped the sides of his head. "Hathian!!"

The Green Knight let out a dreadful scream, as smoke emanated from his head. His eyes rolled back, and he fell at Morgana's feet, dead, his face almost unrecognizable for the burns across his face.

XXX

Kilgharrah landed just in front of the twenty-odd men in a cluster around King Sarrum and Father Bron. Arthur leapt off the back of the dragon, Merlin just behind him.

The men sprung into action, quickly drawing their swords, and rushing toward them.

"Stânhege Forbaerne!" A wall of fire erupted from the ground before Merlin and pushed outward, catching half the men in its flames.

The other ten faltered a moment, but regrouped and continued their ambush.

Arthur raised his sword and ran to meet them in a clash of swords. With a word, Merlin had another five flying through the air, landing meters away from the action, and, more importantly, away from Arthur.

Arthur quickly cut down three of the remaining men, and Merlin snapped the necks of the last two with a simple spell.

And then there were four.

"I heard a report that you were dead." King Sarrum snapped.

"Clearly you were mistaken." Arthur replied.

King Sarrum and Father Bron both drew their swords.

"The righteous will overcome the wicked." Father Bron said.

Neither the King of Amata nor the Roman priest were warriors.

Father Bron made for a wild cut at Merlin, who dodged out of the way, his face still as stone.

Merlin raised his hand. "Hwiii belucan."

Father Bron became still as stone, frozen in time.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said, before placing his hand on the other man's forehead. "Ābricst."

Just like the others, Father Bron's neck snapped in two, and his body fell in a heap at Merlin's feet.

King Arthur and King Sarrum had their swords locked for the moment; Arthur's superior skill versus Sarrum's desperate desire to prevail.

""Your father should never have bothered to try for a son if you were always to be the outcome." Sarrum said through gritted teeth. "You've betrayed everything he stood for, and you'll burn this kingdom to the ground because of it."

"I don't think I will," Arthur said. He dislodged his sword and sliced it across King Sarrum's chest.

Sarrum fell back, gasping, as Arthur quickly plunged his sword into his chest.

And it was done.

Last Chapter: Long May They Reign

:( Omg the end is near.
I hope you liked how I resolved the whole Arthur almost dying thing (you didn't really think I'd kill him did you? Did you really think I would go through this whole ass story saving Morgana just to doom Arthur at the very end for the shits and giggles of it all? Nah. I feel like this was redemption for how the show ended (like why couldn't Merlin call Kilgharrah earlier hellloooo?)

I hope you liked how each of our three main villains met their end; I was originally planning for Bertilak be killed by Gwaine (because of the whole Gwaine and the Green Knight tale) for AGES (that's why Gwaine was noticeably in the room during that prophecy about Bertilak's death) but I thought it being Morgana would be more satisfying.

Also, apparently the sidhe's spells are in Old Irish! Fun fact of the day.