2. Dooming words, booming words

The following morning, when Lily woke up, she was alone in Gwaine's bed.

It wasn't late, though.

But as she sat up, she understood, as the door opened.

A smile crept onto her lips.

Gwaine, wearing his usual grey tunic, highlighting on his perfect chest and the pendant he still wore, entered the room with a tray.

And, seeing there was a rose on it, Lily could not question herself about the recipient.

"You are awake, I see."

Gwaine settled the tray onto Lily's lap, leaning down to gently kiss her lips.

Lily closed her eyes. It had been so long...

Her hand cast up to enclose his stubbled cheek, and she kissed him back for a split second, before chuckling.

"Are you trying to win yourself a favour, Sir Gwaine?"

He chuckled back as he sat next to her. "Not at all, Captain. I merely want my woman to enjoy a good breakfast in bed."

She sent him a look. "Has Merlin helped with this?"

He made an offended face before surrendering and nodding. "How d'you know?"

She pointed down. "He's the only one to know I like my toast merely roasted and not charcoaled."

Gwaine chuckled again before kissing the top of her head and shooting up. "Eat. I have a morning errand to run with Percy today."

Lily took a bite and then frowned. "Where to?"

"Arthur asked us to scout the woods in search for any refugees that might have not heard that Camelot had been freed. Apparently, there is a lot of farmers missing."

"Strange."

He passed his red tunic and chainmail, being very ruffled as he leaned down to peck Lily's lips. "I'll see you later."

And he exited the room.

Leaving Lily with a small smile on her lips.

They had been interacting as if they had been living together forever.

Not even in Storybrooke had they acted like that.

And it contented her.

Very much so.

That day, Lily and Arthur supervised the aspiring knights' training.

The Captain and the Prince were standing at the edge of the training field, watching as two recruits were fighting bare handed.

Arthur had crossed his arms, and there was a frown on his face.

Lily couldn't do anything but ask. "What is it, Sire?"

He sighed. "These are nothing but boys. I need men to fight my sister. And Camelot's army is in need of tough men. Look at them. They've just left their mother's lap."

Lily nodded. "That is true, but we were all like that once." Then she moved to face him. "There is something you could do. Something I am sure you have thought about but not acted upon."

"And what shall that be?"

"Ask for help. From your allies. All are threatened by Morgana's powers and army. And not all have me in their ranks." She smirked. "You need soldiers from all of Albion."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "You sound like Merlin."

"Merlin is wiser than you give him credit for."

And Lily moved back beside him, smirking as she could almost hear the clogs running under the prince's skull.

Later, as she called the training off, she shared a short but amusing conversation with Merlin, despite he being on the other side of the castle.

He was very interested to know that they shared that point of view.

And Lily clearly thought that Arthur would fall to their wishes soon enough.

It was the only way.

It was that afternoon that her previous wish to see her dragon proved reciprocated.

The usual tug at the back of her head had her excuse herself from a conversation she had with Lancelot, and isolate herself in her room.

"Hello, Kilgharrah."

The booming voice of her dragon came from far away, as in smoke. "Vivian."

She usually didn't like to hear her druidic name. Except when he spoke it. "Can I help you with something?"

"I think you too have been restless. There is something we should discuss."

"Where are you?"

"Too far away for you to ride to me. I shall fly to you. Meet me tonight. In our clearing."

Lily's lips twitched into a smile. Their clearing. That is how he called the place she had once threatened to end his life in.

That dragon was strange, sometimes...

Night fell, and Lily exited the castle's door with Arthur's own permission.

There was no need to hide who she was meeting anymore.

Ever since her stunt in Storybrooke, all the Knights of the Round Table knew she was a Dragonlord, and that Kilgharrah was hers to command.

It didn't mean Arthur was happy about it.

Kilgharrah had tried to burn Camelot to the ground once.

And he hadn't forgotten. Or forgiven.

The huge form of a dragon flew in the night, gracefully landing in front of Lily as she sat in the soft grass.

Two huge golden eyes met hers, and she smiled.

"I am happy to see you, my friend."

"And I you, young one." He laid onto his paws, his face coming down to her level. "I have something important to tell you."

Through their link, Lily had already guessed what it was. She sighed. "You have had a vision about me, haven't you?"

The dragon, to her surprise, seemed taken aback. "How do you know?"

"I thought about it when Arthur told me something I thought fitting for the Once and Future King. And then, I thought that, since I am back for good, surely a prophecy about me should soon be made."

"And you were right. It has already been made. By druids far North."

"And you know its content."

"I know many things, Vivian."

"I won't contradict you on that."

There was a silence.

And then fate befell her again.

"It is said that the Lady of Avalon shall once choose between Good and Evil. And that the choice she will make will either save or doom Camelot. But that she won't be aware of it."

Lily repeated the words all over again in her head. Then she shook her head. "I would never choose Evil. If that means I would choose to join Morgana, the prophecy is wrong. I would never do that, not in my own mind!"

Kilgharrah sighed, a puff of smoke coming out of his nose as he did. "Evil isn't always represented by those we think. The witch isn't the only one out there that is evil, Vivian."

She pondered his words. "I won't betray Camelot."

"We shall see."

And with those words, the Great Dragon took flight.

Leaving a flabbergasted sorceress behind.