A/N: I'm done writing this story. So, the last chapters will probably be up quicker than the previous ones. Also, I've started writing the sequel. It'll be about Lily and Gwaine's child, and I hope I can pull up a good story without the show to help. Anyway, enjoy!

17. The dark tower

Time passed slower in Camelot ever since Arthur had refused to acknowledge magic within its walls.

Lily's belly had started to softly swell, and she knew that, one day or the other, she'd have to tell Gwaine that she was pregnant.

Although, strangely enough, she was feeling as though that child would not bring only happiness and joy in her life...or Gwaine's.

One morning, she had a harsh time closing her belt around her stomach, and had to open a new hole in the leather before managing to clasp it close.

She cursed under her breath, eyes softening a moment later when she stroked her tensed skin and the life under it.

A soft knock on the door made her jerk her hand away.

It was Lancelot.

"Lance?"

The Knight had a soft smile on his lips when he took her in, staring up and down at her, stopping a little when he noticed the tension in her belt. "You'll have to make an announcement soon, Lily..."

She sighed, leaning on the open door. "I know, no need to remind me. Can I help in any way?"

"Yes and no... Arthur's gone hunting with Gwen, Percy and Mordred are on patrol, and Gwaine is...visiting...the local inns in search for illegal booze. In fact, I'm bored, and hoped you had something planned for the day."

A smirk had formed on Lily's lips, and she let a chuckle escape her. "Lancelot du Lac is bored... That is a statement I thought I'd never hear in my life!" He shot her a look, and she continued more seriously. "To be honest, I'm going to bore myself to death too. I have to supervise the novices' bow training, and have a mountain of papers to fill. Nothing interesting under the sun..."

Lancelot sighed, but smiled still. "Well, I guess we'll be less bored if we spend time with each other, eh? And if you need someone to kick someone's ass, I'll be there..." He paced forward, a hand shooting to Lily's belly. "You have to go easy for this one's sake."

She smiled back, softened by the look on his face, and nodded.

It was when he gaze ventured out of her chambers and into the corridor that she tensed.

Merlin was standing there, carrying one of Arthur's chainmails, frozen on his place, eyes locked to where Lancelot's fingers where still touching her belly.

Lily winced, and the Knight noticed, following her glance. His hand shot back as if burnt, and he sent her a sorry glance before exiting the hall.

She closed the door and leaned against it.

Shit.

To Lily's surprise, Merlin didn't cross her path again that day, and she didn't feel anything strange in the way Arthur talked to her during diner.

So the warlock must have kept quiet. Which, to her, wasn't really in any way reassuring.

But she knew it was only a matter of time, especially since it was Lancelot he had seen with her, and not Gwaine.

"My dear, I wanted to ask something of you..."

Lily looked up from her plate and at Gwen, who was smiling up at her husband, a hand on his arm.

Arthur's brow furrowed. "You know you can ask anything, Guinevere."

"I'd wish to visit my father's grave into the woods. It has been too long since I was there, and I'd like to pay my respect now the sun has come back."

The King's frown didn't falter. "It would be a dangerous journey to your father's grave. I can't possibly-"

"You could ask for the Knights to come. I'd be perfectly fine, I assure you." She sent Lily a gaze that asked for help, and the Captain cleared her throat.

"Indeed, Sire. If the Queen wishes to visit her father's last home, I see no problem in all of us joining as a party. Especially considering the novices are not training tomorrow."

Arthur's face lit up a little. "Then it's decided, I suppose. Although I do not like the idea of you-"

Someone else cleared their throat, and everyone looked up and at Merlin.

The serving-boy was looking down at his feet, surely knowing in advance that his King would not be pleased with the interruption.

"What is it, Merlin?"

"It's just that... I don't think Lily should go."

All colour left her face as she met his eyes. He wouldn't!

"And why shouldn't the Captain of the Knights join in a guarding party?"

She noticed her husband's eyes on her, and Lancelot's lack of colour as well.

Mordred had his green eyes locked onto her across the table, as if trying to pry the secret off her.

"Only that Gaius expressed the feeling that she would be too quickly exhausted in her current situation... You know. Her illness."

Arthur's brow furrowed as did everyone else's around the table.

Lily looked at her plate.

"Illness? Lily, what is he deluding himself with again?"

"Nothing, Sire. He...is not deluding himself, I'm afraid." She took a deep breath, avoiding Mordred's gaze altogether as she stared at her goblet of water. "I contracted some sort of bug not far back, and Gaius diagnosed it to be mononucl-well, something that would remain active for the good part of a year. And indeed, I am easily tired when doing exhausting things. That is why I've asked Lancelot to train the youngsters in my stead."

"And you haven't told me?"

"Or me." She heard Gwaine mutter, clearly annoyed by the revelation.

Lily sighed. "I didn't want to alarm anyone. Especially since I wasn't sure it'd be this...persistent. But I'm afraid Merlin is right and I can't ride tomorrow."

There was a silence around the table, and then a fist collided with the wood softly but firmly. "I'll remain here as well. If my sister can't ride, I have to stay and keep her in shape."

To Lily's surprise, no one, not even Gwaine, protested against Mordred's proposition.

"Alright then, Lily and Mordred shall remain here while the others escort the Queen tomorrow. But next time," Arthur pointed right into Lily's face, "you will not keep secrets from me."

She hid a blush, thinking about the biggest secret she had not yet revealed, and nodded her somewhat promise.

"What is that tale? You haven't told me about that illness of yours!"

Lily was carefully wrapping herself and her growing belly into a large nightgown, her back to Gwaine, and sighed. "You heard me before. I did not want to alarm you. Or anyone for that matter."

"But you told Lancelot?"

She whirled around and took in the stance of her husband, red with anger, hands on his hips. Oh yes, he wasn't pleased... "I didn't need to. He nearly had to pick me up one time I overdid myself."

Gwaine sighed, softening. "I still believe you are keeping things from me... These last weeks, you've been distant..."

Lily walked up to him, taking his face in her hands. "I have a lot on my mind, that's all. Don't you dare believe I share things with someone else. Not Mordred. Not Lancelot. No one." She planted a soft kiss on his lips.

His arms went around her at once, and he pulled her against him. "Even if you are taking a lot of weight, I still love you."

She would have laughed at how oblivious he was, but instead she smiled. "Good, because I love you too."

The following morning, as she expected, Lily received a visit as she was only getting dressed. Gwaine had left about an hour prior.

She opened the door, not even a little bit surprised when she saw Merlin standing in the doorway.

"We have to talk."

She sighed and made way. "Obviously we do. Come in."

The warlock didn't even wait for her to close the door before he pointed a finger right in her face. "I suppose you're proud of yourself? Pregnant of someone who isn't your husband? And here I thought-"

"Oi, wait a second!" Lily planted her hands on her hips. She had expected something along these lines, just not quite that... "You believe I'm pregnant with Lance's child?" She grimaced. "How sick are you?"

Merlin seemed puzzled for a moment, dropping his arm. "It's...Gwaine's?"

"Of course it's Gwaine's! Do you really think me this foolish that I'd have a child with my bestfriend, who, incidentally, is still in love with someone else?" She was voicing thoughts unsaid out loud for the first time. But she knew it to be true.

Merlin's gaze softened. "Then why doesn't Gwaine know?"

Lily sat down on a chair, taking her head in her hands, and sighed. "I was, still am, afraid. I have this feeling, this gut feeling, that something will go wrong with this pregnancy. I think hiding it is a way of protecting myself. Gaius knows, of course, he was the one to announce it to me. And I told Lance to he'd make sure I wouldn't tire myself up too much."

"He's done a good job with that so far..."

"Yes, he has." She glanced up, suddenly feeling very weary. "Are you done?"

"Not quite. I had a quick chat with Kilgharrah last night." Lily's eyes widened, a silent question on her lips. "I saw him hunt a few miles east and rode to him in the hope he'd still be there. I asked him about your child and he said some things..." He sat down as well, blue eyes locked to Lily's. "He said it would be more powerful than anyone else in this realm. Even more powerful than me."

She nodded. "He told me as much. Because part of me was raised into the Enchanted Forest, I am linked to its magic as well. My child was made out of True Love, and its the most powerful magic in all the realms."

"I see..." A silence stretched before he talked again. "You have to be careful."

"Why?"

"If this child is more powerful than anyone else...it might be-"

"Evil?" She huffed. "As if that would ever happen. No, do not worry about that. My child will never be evil. I'll see to it."

"Good. Then I'm done."

"Good." Lily stared at him a moment longer. For a few minutes, she had forgotten the bridge that had formed between them, a bridge that could never be mended, it seemed.

Merlin left the room, and Lily was left alone once more.

Except she wasn't.

For only minutes after the warlock had left, a curtain lifted, and she started.

"Mordred!" Her hand went to her heart. "You eavesdropped!"

Her brother walked to her, his green eyes darkened, concerned. "I didn't really need to. I had guessed enough last night. But...why didn't you tell me? I'm your brother!"

"And a druid. Your reaction would have been the same as Merlin's."

"Except it wouldn't have been." He sat next to her and took her hand, staring at her belly. "I should have read the signs. How far gone are you?"

She smiled softly. "A little more than five months now."

"Already? And Gwaine doesn't know?"

"I know I'll have to tell him eventually... I'm just scared to death."

"Believe me, if someone will be ecstatic at learning he'll be a father, it'll be him."

He smiled at her and her at him, but the moment was broken.

The door slammed open, revealing Elyan, a nasty gash on his cheek.

He locked eyes with Lily, and the words leaving his mouth made all colour leave her cheeks.

"Gwen has been abducted."

It appeared the Knights had stumbled across a snakes' nest in the woods, and Lancelot and Percival had been bitten and carried off to Gaius'.

Arthur, upon learning of his wife's disappearance, decided to ride at her research at dawn.

Lily, with Mordred's help, remained at her friends' side.

It was seeing the bite marks on Lancelot's wrist that Lily – and the rest of the people present – understood that magic was at work.

One name escaped her lips. "Morgana."

Her brother's nod gave her insurance.

While Merlin had tried to comfort the King, Lily came to his door in another purpose.

"Lily, this isn't a good time-"

"I know, Sire, I just... You asked me not to keep anything from you anymore."

Arthur's blue eyes widened. "You know something?"

"Not about Guinevere's disappearance, but... I wished to let you in a secret I've kept for far too long." Her eyes met Merlin's across the room, and he was pleased.

"I'm listening."

She took a deep breath. "The reason I haven't been riding with you or training the novices in a long time is...I'm pregnant."

There was a pause, then the King's eyes widened as far as they could go, then fell to her belly. "You're...pregnant?"

"Yes. Five months already."

"And you haven't-?"

"I haven't told anyone but Lancelot. And today, Merlin and Mordred. My husband will be next, if you don't mind."

"But, why tell me then?"

"Because I can't come with you. Not this time. And I wanted you to understand that it wasn't because I was...unwilling."

He nodded. "I understand."

She bowed the head and made to leave. "Sire."

But he stopped her. "Lily? Congratulations."

She answered with a smile.

But when the Knights came back from their journey a few days later, all were grim-faced, sad and red with tears unshed.

Elyan had died.

It struck Lily that something was very wrong when her arms closed around Gwen's figure and the other woman didn't retaliate immediately – something very unusual.

But things were not yet to be worse.

"You said you wanted to talk to me, darling?"

Lily whirled around from the window she had been staring through, her black sigil twirling in her hands.

She put it aside and forced a smile onto her lips. "Yes. I know this isn't the right time, but I have news. Good, wonderful news."

And as Gwaine's face lit up with a smile and he walked up to her, all her fears went away...