The day was beautiful, blue skies with not a cloud in sight, a light wind to cool the brow whenever work got too hard, the sun sharing her warmth over Camelot and drying the clothes that had been laundered and were drying in the air. The castle was alive once more. Outside the safety of the walls Kay and Arthur walked the grounds together, side by side as they had over their family's farm land. Merlin trailed after them lost in his own thoughts as the two brothers observed any faults the land around Camelot had. They were sidetracked by the sounds of swords clashing. "Kay!" Arthur broke into a run his brother and Merlin not far behind. They reached the top of a hill and looked down below them. "Oh for the love of the Gods." Merlin rolled his eyes taking a seat on the grass. The Irish brothers and their sister were in an all out brawl below them.

"I can't believe you slept with her!" The woman's voice reached them at the top of the hill mixed with the sound of swords clashing and scraping through the air. "How could you?"

"Well, Moira when a man loves a woman—" He broke off jumping back with a laugh as she charged him. "No, but in all honesty…she was young, she was ripe, she had great —Whoa!" Larkin leapt back as Moira's blade made it past his guard.

"Tis her best friend you're talking about it," Balin laughed boisterously. He, Malcolm and Calder were observers and peace-keepers when and if the time called for it.

"Oh I know!" Larkin told his younger brother. "She had a nice, tight—" Moira tackled him before the sentence could leave his mouth. They lay in a heap laughing and panting, swords laying beside them.

"Good show," Merlin clapped sarcastically. Moira glared up at him, a long scratch graced her cheek, her brown hair in disarray.

"Do ye think ye can do better?" Larkin shouted up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Come on then. Any of ye wish to challenge the clan?"

Arthur and Kay shared a look before grinning. "We're in." The brothers said in unison.

"My lord is that wise—" Moira began, but subsided when Arthur merely drew his sword. Up on the hill Merlin let out a lengthy sigh and sat back, pulling a blade of grass up to twirl between his fingers. If any of them got hurt it was their own damn fault, he wouldn't be to blame. Nope, he wouldn't be the one to blame. He plucked another blade of grass twirling it around the other. Though he pretended not to care his eyes found Moira in the mix and watched her as she wiped her forearm across her brow. She caught his eyes and grinned impishly. He shook his head in exasperation.

"Shall we do teams, or is it just a brawl?" Larkin asked. There was a chorus of brawl votes. "Right then, begin!" Merlin straightened up some as Kay began to fight Moira. It was still beyond him as to why he was so concerned about her. She was fogging up his brain and doing a damn good job at distracting him from his job.

"Oh ho ho, Balin's out." Calder hooted as his brother walked away cursing and shaking his hand. Arthur paired off with Calder. It was fun to see how these men would do as his warriors; already Moira and her brothers were proving to be good assets thanks to Merlin. The king slowly began to quit in order to watch the group, to learn what they could do. "Arthur's out!"

Arthur stood aside with Balin, then Calder, then Malcolm. Larkin, Moira and Kay were the last ones in. Merlin, his attention piqued frowned as Kay tripped Moira and pounced, sword poised to kill .The sorcerer rose, stepped forward then stopped as Moira swung her long leg up and knocked him to the side. The men had quieted and were intent to watch, intervene if necessary. Merlin joined them after a few moments. "Should someone stop this?" He asked softly.

"Let her hold her own," Malcolm replied wincing as Moira fell to the ground from a blow. He shifted uneasily as he saw the tall tale signs that his sister was growing tired; growing sick of watching her grow weaker. Kay was pushing her, more so then her brothers ever had. "Just give up." Kay said darkly. "You're making a fool of yourself. You don't belong on the battlefield." Moira clenched her jaw and drew her sword back, ducking and weaving. He nicked her side, drawing blood. She cursed, Larkin's shout to stop drowning it out. "He drew blood, he's won, why is he still going?" Malcolm asked Arthur.

"Kay, Moira enough!" Arthur ordered stepping forward. Kay and the woman ignored it. Moira rolled; Kay stomped on the blade of her sword. Crying out she feigned hurt as she crawled back. Kay lunged and as the blade met the dirt by her neck the blade of a dagger met his chest.

Moira lay beneath him, chest heaving with exertion, her brow wet with sweat. Merlin hadn't realized that he had been reaching out to grab Kay. Larkin grinned at his brothers. "I taught her that one."

Arthur laughed. "Well done you two, very well done. Moira you've proved us wrong. We'll no longer doubt you my lady." He helped her up; Merlin purposefully stepped in front of Kay. "Merlin you've got her?"

"Yes, I'll take her to the healer, get those scratches checked on." Merlin and Moira departed. The McKellan brothers gave it a few moments before turning on Kay. "What d'ya think ye were doin'?" Larkin approached him. "If you have a problem with Moira then bloody well say so!"

"See will confuse the men—" Kay began. Balin reached for him only to be blocked by Malcolm.

"Knock it off." He ordered as the eldest brother. "Moira has proven her worth. Arthur has said so."

"Kay," Arthur nodded. "He's right. Whatever business you have to settle with Moira is yours to settle, however do so off the battlefield. We will need everyone's strength should Morgan attack."

Moira hissed as Merlin dabbed at her wound. He glowered at her and pressed harder. "Ouch!" She smacked him hard on the shoulder, tears welling in her eyes. "That hurt!"

"Oh stop being a baby." Merlin pulled the rag away rinsing it off and then poured some pure alcohol on it. This time her enraged scream came with a sharp hit to the jaw. His head jerked back. "Moira…" He pinned her down, pressing it hard to her side, blocking her shouts with his other hand. She squirmed beneath him, infuriated. "Really now, act like a lad—" He groaned rolling on his side, hands on his inner thigh.

"Be glad I missed." Moira snarled sitting up, arms braced behind her. She had been aiming for his manhood, in her mind he deserved whatever pain she gave him. She squeaked in surprise as Merlin growled and launched himself at her, pinning her down again.

"We're going to sit like this for a moment so you can think about what you did wrong." He stated gruffly.

"From where I'm sitting nothing a'tall." Moira grinned wickedly at him. Merlin cleared his throat and stood. She laughed, as she sat up, completely at ease. "Merlin why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Run." One long fingered hand stroked the fur on his bed, he watched the hand adorned with a Claddagh ring and bracelet made of emerald. "Every time we get close you back up…" She rose and moved closer to him. "Is it because I'm not desirable?"

Merlin arched a black brow. "Actually Moira, quite the opposite," Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Do you doubt it?"

"I'm five and twenty years and unwed, what should I think?" She walked away from him the playfulness gone from her voice. Merlin watched her, his frown deepening. "Do you think me desirable?" She pinpointed him with a dark gray stare, ignoring the pang of tears at the backs of her eyes.

Merlin furrowed his brows, wondering what made a beautiful young woman doubt herself so much. "I do."

"Then why not other men?" She turned away and leaned against the outstretched rock of the window, gazing at the sunset. "Why not the men who came and courted and left…each and everyone since the day I became a woman." She hated the fact that her throat tightened with tears or that her gut clenched when he came up behind her. "What is so undesirable about me?" She tucked a stand of hair behind her ear and let out a soft sigh, and turned. Her eyes stared at the black cloth of his shirt, his index finger gently lifted her chin.

"May I try something?" He asked softly.

"Like?" She asked breathlessly. He held up a finger, thought about it for a moment before laying his hands on the side of her face. "Merlin, no-" But it was too late.

He watched the little girl as she raced around the yard with a pack of dogs. Behind her a man laughed, and swung a girl toddler into the air. "Moira, come now, your mother says supper is ready."

"Coming Da!" The young girl giggled and sprinted over, jumping up into his waiting arms. He swung both girls around. "Oh my girls, you'll be grown one day and far from Tipperary."

"Why?" Moira asked darkly. "Tis home Da."

"Aye, but home isn't where suitors are."

"I'll never have a suitor," Moira lifted her head indignantly. "I don't need one."

"Yes you do my girl," a woman came into sight now, wiping her hands on her apron. "That's how I met your father…"

Time flew by like a river running its course over rapids. He fell as if from a waterfall and then once more was able to watch.

She was older now, yes he could see that. She must have been a young adult. And he saw, oh yes he saw the line of suitors coming for her. One after another, after another. But none took her. He watched both puzzled and disgusted by the men. "Moira, Ian is here to see you." Her mother had called her. Moira entered the scene in an emerald green dress, a tiara of silver and sapphire around her head. "Lord Ian is outside." Her mother brushed at the dress. "Now do not frighten him, no fighting, no racing, no—magic."

"I never showed the other ones magic," Moira muttered darkly. "They preferred Shannon."

"Momma," Shannon entered the scene. Merlin scowled. A beautiful blonde stood beside the brunette. "When do my suitors come?"

"When your sister is betrothed."

"That'll never happen." Shannon muttered as she gazed out the window. "Oh, Lord Ian is it."

"Yes," Moira snapped. "Excuse me Mother." She stepped outside greeting the man with a curtsey. "Lord Ian."

"Lady Moira," he kissed her hand, glancing at the window. "Who is that beauty in the window? Your mother?"

"My sister," Moira frowned. Ian grunted and took her arm. "Are we walking in the forest?"

"No, no, the forest is no place for a woman; we'll stroll through the gardens." Ian patted her hand. Merlin saw the anger in her eyes, and the longing look she gave the forest. Scenes went by, he saw them make love, he saw Ian make love with Shannon and then he saw black—

Moira was glaring at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Ye went too far with that Merlin." She brushed past him, slamming the door shut on the way. So, she had given her heart to a man who had gone after her sister. He shook his head, there had to be more. More that she had cut off. Puzzled he sat down ignoring the welts forming on his arm. It was all part of the business. He had let her leave without a fight in order to understand the pain that they were now both feeling. There was a dull throb of sharp, aching, longing in the pit of his stomach.