A/N: I hope you'll be happy with what I did with Mordred. I just couldn't not do it. I love him so damn much.

14. Arthur's bane (part 2)

Lily remained silent for a long moment.

So this was Mordred. The druid boy, Arthur's killer.

He was the enemy.

Then why was she feeling like she knew him, like he was familiar to her?

The smugglers came back quickly, with horses and a cart, and Merlin silently told Lily they were to be delivered to the Lady Morgana in Ismir.

But, as the leader ordered for all three of them to be bind to the cart, Mordred stepped forward, and despite his young years, there was an air about him that screamed danger.

"Not her. She will ride."

Lily's eyes met his above the crowd. Green orbs, unreadable.

The leader chuckled darkly. "Yes, and why should I listen to you?"

"Because," he stepped towards the man, glaring now, "the Lady Morgana wouldn't want her being harmed in any way. She has long seek her company. The Lady Knight shall ride."

The man before him paused, pondered, then clicked his fingers, and a horse was brought to Lily.

She was about to refuse when Arthur's boot painfully collided with her ass.

She met her king's eyes, and they were without argument. 'Ride or I'll kick your ass.'

They rode and walked through the rest of the woods, soon arriving into snow and freezing winds, rode and rode until the sun set and they had to stop for the night.

Arthur soon laid down and managed to find a spot behind the cart that was spared by the howls of the wind.

Merlin had started a sleepless night, keen as he was to keep an eye on Mordred.

And Lily...had sat down next to the cart, hoping the wood would give her some warmth.

So she was surprised when Mordred walked up to her and handed her a blanket, returning to the fire without so much as a word.

His green eyes didn't leave her until she was fast asleep, instants later...

Morning came, and with it the inevitable hunger of missed meals.

Lily awoke, her belly aching with the lack of food, and a pair of green eyes locked on her as if they had never left.

She noticed their owner coming closer to her, carefully, as if he was trying not to frighten her, as if she was a wild animal waiting to be tamed.

Lily sat straighter, and watched as he knelt before her and produced a loaf of bread from under his coat.

He looked at her intently. "Are you hungry?"

She stared, then nodded. "Why are you helping me?"

He looked down, taking one of her freezing and numb hands in his, and placing the bread in her grasp. "Because we are more alike than you could possibly know, Lady Knight." And then he left her again.

She was starting to believe he knew something about her she didn't...

They walked and rode again in the freezing morning, until there was an incident Lily doubted was a real one.

Arthur fell, faking – she was sure of it – dehydration. And when the leader of their weak company came to mock him, there was the unmissable glitter of a blade in her king's hand.

It wasn't much of a surprise when Merlin reached her in mind seconds later.

She kept her gaze as even as she could, aware that Mordred was, as usual, staring at her – and it was really starting to give her the creeps.

"What is it, Merlie?"

"Arthur's smuggled a blade."

"I've seen it. What of it?"

"We are escaping now."

She didn't answer, pondering, her eyes resting on the figure walking beside her horse, green eyes for once on the road ahead. "I'm not coming."

"What? Lily, are you mad? Morgana-"

"Won't hurt me. Mordred was right about that. She's been trying to buy my loyalty for far too long to just kill me next time she sees me. She'll at least try."

"And what? There is something else, isn't there?"

"There is." She paused again. "I know Mordred hides something."

"Of course he does. He's Mordred!"

"No, not like that. I'm sure he's hiding something...about me. He's far too familiar with me. He knows me, I'm sure of it. I need to know. I'll be safe. If anything happens, I'll call Kilghie."

The warlock huffed in her mind. "I hate that plan. That's not even a plan at all..."

"Go on with yours. You'd be better off on your own, you two, as you usually are. I'll find you at the tower when you get there."

And as she glanced over her shoulder, Merlin nodded.

Although she still felt through their bond that he wasn't pleased.

Merlin and Arthur did escape a few moments later, the king using his incredible fighting skills to kill the closest smugglers, to steal back his sword and a crossbow, and to run along his servant away from the company.

Mordred, along with three others, soon set after them.

The druid alone returned.

"They have escaped. I don't know where they are."

The leader cursed foully for a good couple of seconds, then kicked his horse's sides once more.

Mordred took back his place next to Lily, and that's when she felt it.

A tug at the back of her mind.

Thinking it to be Merlin, she loosened her mind barriers at once, but surprise replaced relief.

It wasn't Merlin.

"You knew they were escaping."

She started, her eyes going to the figure walking beside her horse, eyes locked onto the horizon. She gasped softly, then shook her head. "I did not."

"You did. I noticed you talking with Emrys." He paused, feeling her surprise once more. "Yes, I call him that."

Lily gritted her teeth. "Ask what you really want to know."

His green eyes lifted to meet her blue ones for a split second. "Why didn't you go with them? Your hands are not bind, you could have helped them."

She sighed. "For a reason I have still to comprehend, young Mordred, I believe I have to follow you. You know things about me, things I want to know."

He smirked beside her, meeting her eyes again. "You won't know now. Or anytime soon. That is a secret I intend to keep for a long time still."

Ismir was a huge fortress that seemed to have grown right out the frozen ground. Harsh, without warmth, it looked like the accursed castle of Pellès in the legends Lily was so fond of back in the Enchanted Forest.

She was brought into a courtyard where the new slaves were parked until the Lady Morgana had seen to them.

And the High Priestess didn't wait long before she erupted outside, her ice-blue eyes locked onto Mordred, a few paces right of Lily, a look of disbelief and happiness emerging on her face as if years hadn't passed since she had last truly smiled.

"Mordred..."

The name came out like a prayer, and the druid smiled, although Lily noticed it didn't reach his eyes. He nodded. "Hello Morgana." He then looked over at Lily. "I've brought you a gift."

The witch's eyes fell on her prey, and a smirk appeared on her lips. "Thank you. That is a most welcomed gift. Bring her to the throne room. I shall...speak with her alone."

And so Lily was grabbed without reverence and pulled inside on the fortress, green eyes following her all the while.

She waited for a whole hour alone in a cold dark room, unfurnished apart from a Spartan chair on a podium.

And then, Morgana appeared, alone too, a smirk on her lips that promised pain.

"So... Lily... Long time no see!"

Lily snorted while whirling around to face the witch. "I can't say I've missed you one bit."

"Oh, come on, I'm certain you did! I'm sure you told yourself at least once that you'd be better on my side than on my brother's."

"Never once, I'm afraid."

"Ah, but yes, of course, I forgot," Morgana walked up to her and grabbed her left hand, fingering her wedding band, "you married the valiant Sir Gwaine. How lovely."

Lily snatched her hand off her grasp and walked a few paces back, getting away from her poisoning words. "If you wish to make me turn my loyalties to you, Morgana, you are mistaken. I will never be on your side."

"I didn't count on it. Instead...I wished for a good entertainment. See, I know you Dragonlords have your own dragons. That only they obey your calls. And I also know you have your own. So...this will be fun." She chuckled and clicked her fingers, and a side door opened.

Lily's eyes widened in chock, then pain.

"Aithusa!"

But the young dragon was nothing like the one she was the day she was born.

She had grown, but twisted, limping, weak, her blue eyes reddened by what would have been tears as she been human.

A growl birthed in Lily's throat, and she whirled around, glaring at Morgana as if she could set her on fire. "What have you done to her?"

Morgana seemed surprised she could ask such a thing, then her own surprise turned into rage. "How could you possibly think I would harm her? She is mine!"

"She is not yours, and she will never be! You will pay for this, I swear to God!" She outstretched a hand to the ceiling, and yelled "Abiolden!"

A crack formed into the stone in the ceiling, and a huge rock fell onto Morgana.

But she was prepared, and she merely put her own hand up. "Bialdin." The rock exploded, not harming her the least.

Icy eyes met warm blue ones. "You tried to kill me. Again. This time, you won't survive." She put her hand in front of her, and opened her lips to call the last curse, her favourite – the one cracking necks, when a voice echoed behind her.

"Don't!"

Both women whirled around, and met Mordred's figure in the doorway.

Morgana groaned. "Mordred! What is it?"

"You can't kill her."

The calm in his voice sent chills up Lily's spine for some reason.

"And why can't I?"

The druid locked eyes with Lily, not leaving them. And she understood. The big secret. The one he didn't want revealed.

He needed to reveal it, or she'd die.

So he took a deep breath, and looked back at Morgana.

"Because she is my sister."

It was as if she had been pulled out of herself and was looking at the scene from above.

The words were hanging in the air, meaningless, and she felt as if she might faint.

So she did.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back in Camelot, in her bed, sun blinding her face.

She groaned, then sat up.

"Ah, you're awake, finally!"

Lily looked aside, and saw Lancelot sitting on a chair, fiddling with a dagger. "What the heck happened?"

"Language, young girl." He smirked. "Apparently, you fainted. And the chock was harsh enough for you to be out for two entire days. You've all arrived late last night."

"All?"

He smirked wider. "Yes, all. Arthur was wounded but Merlin took care of it," he sent her a glance that meant 'magic', "Percival held a few bruises but is fine, and Gwaine..." He paused. "Gwaine is finer than ever."

Lily managed to stand as quick as she could. "Where is he?"

"Right now? I have no idea. Appointed me as babysitter for the morning."

She sighed in relief. "So he is well."

"Oh yes." Lancelot walked up to her and handed her her chainmail, which she put on swiftly. "Are you not going to ask about your new friend?"

She looked at him, puzzled. "New friend?"

He chuckled. "Well, Mordred, of course. He was the one to carry you outside of Ismir, or so Merlin said. He didn't seem enchanted by it, even. I must say the young one is a nice fellow. Arthur has agreed to knight him soon."

"Knight him? Arthur is going to knight Mordred and doesn't ask for my consent?"

Lancelot's brow furrowed. "Your consent? Why should he need it?"

Lily stopped, and sighed. "No reason. I'm just...jet-lagged. Let's go find my stupid husband."

It appeared her stupid husband was in the knights' hall, talking with Percival as they put on their training armour.

Mordred was with them, a true smile on his lips, chainmail on his back.

He stood quickly when Lily entered, green eyes widening in what seemed like fear.

For a second, Lily hoped what she had heard two days prior was true.

Gwaine's arms were around her in less time than she needed to breathe, knocking the air out of her lungs as he kissed her senseless.

As usual when he was unwillingly assisting to one of their embraces, Percy choked. "Please, stop doing that in public."

Lily chuckled when she parted from Gwaine's lips. "Find yourself a wife, Percy, and I swear you won't say that again." Then she looked at her husband. "We had agreed you wouldn't worry me so ever again."

"I am very sorry." He leaned in, whispering in her ear. "I will make amends. Tonight." It was said with enough conviction to bring a blush to Lily's cheeks, and she looked aside, meeting the druid's eyes.

"How are you, Mordred? I hear you are to be knighted. Congrats."

He nodded, fear not leaving his eyes. "I am, my lady."

"Don't ever call me that. Not even in public." She paced forward, standing right in front of him. He wasn't tall, but tall enough to be her height. So she planted her hands on his shoulders, and stared at him for a long, long moment.

Truth be told, she didn't even need confirmation to his words.

It was like written in her blood.

And confirmed by a dragon at the back of her mind. "He told you the truth, Vivian."

So she smiled, perhaps a true, happy smile, she didn't know, and squeezed his shoulders.

"You are my brother, after all. And brothers shall never speak like that to their sisters."