Tegan's eyes boggled. They were charging along a vast vortex of rainbows. Tegan could dimly hear the sounds of Dynadan's horse just behind them. The three of them seemed to have escaped their pursuers, but… where had they escaped to?

All around, Tegan could hear a great clanking of ancient chains, mixed with some sort of moan. It sounded otherworldly, and Tegan could not begin to understand how on earth such sounds could be made.

The vortex around them shimmered and…

Tegan's mouth dropped open.

Along the side of the vortex was… some sort of mirror? But this was not a normal mirror. There was an image of her, stood outside a… a blue box? And Nyssa was there as well, hand-in-hand with Tegan. But the clothes they both wore were strange. Tegan was wearing some sort of… pale pink uniform, while Nyssa was wearing a mixture of trousers and tunic, both in a deep burgundy colour. Nyssa's hair was long and bushy, with no covering to speak of.

Beside them stood a figure who looked vaguely like the physician Quinque, but he was wearing a strange sort of tunic over a type of woollen garment, with strange striped trousers and… white shoes of some description? A strange brimmed hand was atop his short blonde hair.

As if through a waterfall, Tegan could hear her own voice.

Doc, this doesn't look much like Heathrow to me…

The Nyssa stood next to Tegan giggled, squeezing their hand.

The Tegan in the image locked eyes with Tegan, and their mouth opened in shock.

That's me!

Ah, said the version of Quinque. Pocket dimension, I believe…

Oh, look, Tegan; I'm there as well…

The version of Tegan seemed to flush slightly, and they looked down at the hand intertwined with that of the version of Nyssa.

The image faded.

'Nyssa...' Tegan gasped, her voice sounding ethereal. 'Did… did you see that?'

'Yes,' Nyssa replied, from just behind him, arms wrapped around Tegan's waist. 'Although I do not understand what it meant.'

The rainbow vortex began to dissipate, and the hooves of Tegan's horse touched onto a hard surface. The clanking of the ancient chains slowly ceased, and Tegan's ears popped.

Gasping, she slowly pulled on the reins. She could hear Nyssa letting out deep breaths behind her.

The horse slowly came to a stop. They were… where were they?

The ground beneath them was… well, it seemed to have small clouds rolling over it. Not exactly mist, they were too light for that. The very surface of the ground seemed to shine with golden light. Their cloaks floated around them, as if a light wind was blowing.

In the distance, castles stood on hilltops, with great domes. Above, the sky was a dark red as opposed to the normal blue. And, within the sky, were several moons. It was… it was…

'An… Otherworld?'

Nyssa gave a soft moan behind Tegan, and Tegan reached down, slipping her own hand into Nyssa's.

'You okay?'

'I think so,' Nyssa replied, very quietly. 'Are you?'

Tegan shrugged.

'I suppose,' they mumbled.

The sound of slowing hooves nearby alerted them to Dynadan's presence.

'Distance works differently in Otherworlds,' the knight said. 'A few hundred feet here could be a hundred leagues in our reality. I think this is why Lady Fay gifted us this; to help when the route was blocked in our own reality.'

'So… how do we get out?' Tegan asked, still clutching Nyssa's hand. 'And where will we end up when we do get out?'

'Let's work this out…' Dynadan began to size up the hoofprints of the horses, which were still imprinted on the ground behind them. 'Ten hoofprints should be about ten leagues in our world so…'

The knight pondered for a moment.

'Nyssa, if you would be so good as to work the amulet again, we can begin making tracks.'

Nyssa nodded, removing her hand almost reluctantly from Tegan's. The amulet made the noise once again. Tegan could already hear the sounds of the ancient chains, growing louder and louder.

The vortex once again swallowed them up.

'So… that was lucky.'

Brocéliande lay before them, stretching out from east to west for as far as the eye could see. The moon and stars were both out, giving a small amount of light, although Tegan already found their eyes adjusting to it once again. The rainbow vortex had deposited them barely a few hundred feet of the forest edge, in a small bit of open clearing that separated the forest from the cliffs behind them. Tegan could hear the waves of the channel and felt the icy wind coming off the sea, despite the heat that she would have expected on a summer night. Light barely seemed to penetrate the forest, and Tegan could only make out a few yards under the trees. Beyond that, darkness lay.

Without thinking, Tegan slipped her hand into Nyssa's. The young woman squeezed softly.

'Very lucky,' Dynadan said. 'I think the amulet may have been designed by Lady Fay to help us travel as quickly as possible.'

'That's good,' Nyssa said, softly. 'Although-good grief!'

There was the smell of burning and then a small poof of smoke.

'It vanished!' Nyssa gasped. 'Gone!'

Dynadan sighed.

'I suppose we're on our own from this point onwards. Lady Fay presumably didn't have enough magic for it to be used repeatedly.'

The forest loomed above, suddenly even more daunting that it had seemed just a few moment before.

'Ready?'

Tegan squeezed Nyssa's hand, and nodded, before climbing down off the horse. She then threw their pack onto her back, and helped Nyssa climb off.

'Merlin will likely be in the very heart of the forest,' Dynadan mused, as the three of them tied the horses to an isolated tree at the edge of the tree line. 'That means we will have to go through the densest parts before reaching our goal. I will do my best to plot a path through the trees, but we may end up separated. If that happens, keep pushing forwards in as best a straight line as you can. With a bit of luck, we should all be able to find each other in the centre.'

Tegan and Nyssa nodded, drawing their cloaks around them.

The forest was as dark as Tegan had expected, but there was just enough light to see a few yards in front. Dynadan pushed ahead, with Tegan bringing up the rear. She kept her hand on her sword, and her eyes darting around. Nyssa walked in the space between the other two, not saying a word.

The trees began to get more and more compact, forcing Dynadan to take a more winding route. The knight did have his sword, but Tegan couldn't blame him for not wanting to carve a path through the ancient woodland; the trees did not seem like normal trees. They felt… well, almost alive. In the near-darkness, Tegan could almost imagine them staring down at the tree interlopers into this world of brown and green.

Eventually, Dynadan came to a stop in front of a large row of thick bushes. They seemed to stretch in both directions for as far as Tegan could see. There was no way around them. The forest was horribly quiet, and Tegan pulled her cloak closer around her, her hand on Caliburn.

Dynadan turned, nodded at them both, and took out a short sword from his belt. He did not raise it to the bushes, but began to push his way into the bushes. Nyssa and Tegan followed.

The bushes were not easy to push through; twigs snagged and snapped on Tegan's cloak, and their face was buffeted by larger branches, leaving cuts on her skin. Grimly, she pushed forward, concentrating on following Nyssa, who was pushing ahead barely a foot in front of her. The branches seemed to grow back as soon as Nyssa managed to push through one section, meaning Tegan had to keep pushing with as much force.

Finally, Nyssa burst forth of the last layer of bushes, and Tegan stumbled out after her, emerging into a clearing. Brushing stray bits of twig from her cloak, and already feeling the pain of the cuts to her skin, Tegan focused on the young woman. Nyssa was in much the same state, although she seemed to have used Pridwen to push back the branches and therefore avoiding the amount of cuts Tegan had received.

'Where's Dynadan gone?'

Tegan and Nyssa looked around. The knight had completely disappeared.

'He was just in front of me going through those bushes,' Nyssa said, eyes widening in alarm. 'I could have sworn I heard his footsteps ahead of me barely a minute ago.'

Without thinking, Tegan and Nyssa stepped closer to each other, back to back, weapons at the ready. The forest, silent as ever, seemed to stir almost imperceptibly.

'Tegan?'

'Y-yeah?'

'I'm… scared.'

'Me too.'

'That's good; I was worried I was being irrational.'

'Not at all. It makes sense to be scared here. We just have to keep going despite being scared.'

'Agreed.'

Their free hands still intertwined, they set off in the direction that Dynadan had suggested.

It was mostly flat, although there were many old tree trunks that they had to climb over. The forest was old, impossibly old. Barely any light reached its floor, and the ground beneath Tegan's boots was filled with the compost of decaying leaves. There was even a couple things that crunched under her feet with a very guttural sound, but she revolved not to look down, for fear of what she might see.

She was glad of the cloak, as it did protect them from the branches that would have pulled at her skin and clothing otherwise. This forest had clearly not had humans under its trees for a very long time. Maybe it never had.

Tegan and Nyssa pulled back one final branch, and emerged into a clearing of sorts. It wasn't much lighter than anywhere else around it, but a smattering of light had managed to reach down through the trees. Several upturned tree trunks were languishing on their sides, moss covering their once mighty bark.

There was the tinkle of a small stream running through it. Tegan was just about to suggest they continue on, when Nyssa pulled at her cloak.

'What?' Tegan whispered, turning to her.

'Listen…' Nyssa whispered. 'The water… it's speaking…'

Tegan turned, and cocked an ear towards the water.

Help… help me…

Tegan knew in their heart the person whose voice that was. She couldn't really explain why, she just knew.

'That's…'

'Yes,' Nyssa whispered. 'Merlin. We must be close.'

They followed the stream through the clearing, and found that the trees tended to be less clustered along its banks than anywhere else. Taking care not to step into the water, Tegan and Nyssa continued along beside it. All the while, they could hear the voice of Merlin growing almost imperceptibly louder.

The stream began to dip down a slope, and Tegan had to help Nyssa across the tree roots.

'Thank you,' Nyssa said. 'These trousers do make it a bit easier to move.'

'Agreed,' Tegan said, squeezing her hand. 'I'll get you another pair after we get back to Camelot.'

Nyssa smiled.

The slope began to even out. Tegan guessed that they had likely entered a small valley of some kind, perhaps the remains of a lake that had once been here. A strange wind seemed to blow, almost as if it was trying to repel them. And, at the very end of the valley stood-

Nyssa let out a gasp.

A very old tree stood before them. Except… it wasn't so much a tree as the blasted remains of a tree. Huge roots webbed down the side of the hill, wrapping through earth and grass, covered in moss in many places. It seemed almost… unearthly.

A figure was encased in the roots of the tree. They were tall, pale and very tall. Long, white hair had grown haphazardly down to their shoulders. A long, crooked nose stuck out, as if bent in several key places. The roots of the tree wrapped around their arms, legs and torso, with one particularly thick roots wrapping around their neck. The persons eyes were closed, and Tegan could hear a soft rumble emanating of the roots.

As if they were chains being violently shook.

'Excuse me,' Nyssa said, stepping forward slightly, hand still intertwined with Tegan's. A discarded staff was lying against the tree. 'Are you… Merlin?'

The figure opened their eyes. Tegan's breath froze in their throat. The pupils were pale white.

'I am Merlin,' the figure said. 'I… I take it that you are my rescuers?'

'Er, yeah,' Tegan replied, stepping up to stand beside Nyssa. 'Our names are-'

'The wielders of Excalibur and Pridwen,' interjected Merlin. 'Tegan and Nyssa. You took your bloody time, didn't you.'

'Oy!' Tegan exclaimed. 'Rude! How did you know-'

'I am Merlin,' the figure said, chuckling slightly. 'I'm not completely powerless, even here.'

'So… the roots are just fancy decoration, are they?' Tegan said, sarcastically. 'Enjoying your time off?'

Merlin glared at Tegan.

'Generally speaking, I don't normally call people to me,' they said, tone dripping with irritation. 'But I could see that you two needed a push in the right direction. This forest can play tricks with people's minds; I know that better than most.'

'How did you end up trapped anyway?' Nyssa asked, as an attempt to placate the sorcerer. 'The magic must be incredibly powerful.'

'I trapped myself,' said Merlin, grimly. 'The forest uses someone's magical power against them. It's… well, it's a rather embarrassing story.''

'Well, we don't have time for stories,' Tegan said. 'We need to get you out of here and back to Camelot. You see, we-'

There was a crash of branches, and Dynadan emerged from the trees. His eyes lit up as he saw Tegan and Nyssa, and hurried towards them.

'Thank goodness!' he said, smiling widely. 'I thought I'd never find you two again! And you've found Merlin, even better!'

'Hello, Dynadan,' Merlin chuckled. 'Come to gloat?'

'Maybe later,' the knight replied, cheerfully. 'It is good to see you, old friend. I wished it were under better circumstances.'

'What are these… tree roots, exactly?' Nyssa asked, peering at the tendrils. 'They don't look naturally occurring to me.'

'The roots are magical,' Merlin said, grimly. 'Why do you think I wasn't able to free myself?'

'Well, then why don't we use a non-magical solution?' Tegan asked.

Nyssa turned, her mouth widening into a huge smile.

'Tegan, that's brilliant!' she exclaimed. 'Yes, if magic was what trapped Merlin here, then surely a non-magical solution is the best way to break them free!'

'Headology, like my old mum used to stay,' Dynadan said. 'Someone ought to write a story about that.'

'Oh, ha ha,' Merlin said, rolling their eyes as if aware of a joke that Tegan wasn't familiar with. 'Can you get me out of here first?'

'Right…'

Tegan and Nyssa, hands touching, leaned forward and joined Dynadan, pulling at the main root wrapped around Merlin's torso.

'C'mon,' Tegan grunted, feeling her muscles strain against the sheer weight of the ancient knots. 'Just a bit more…'

There was a flash of light as the root finally gave way.

With the main root gone, Dynadan set to work hacking at the smaller roots around Merlin's arms and legs. The knight grunted as his sword began to leave large cuts.

'Now!' he cried, and Tegan and Nyssa both hurried forward, grabbing the roots and pulling them away from Merlin's limbs. There was several more flashes of light, and the roots exploded into nothingness.

Merlin awkwardly climbed to their feet, clearly wobbly from so long spent unable to stand. Tegan and Nyssa both grabbed them by the arms, putting the aged sorcerers arms around their shoulders. Gingerly, Merlin wobbled over to the abandoned staff and pulled it upright, using it as a sort of cane.

'We must get out of the forest now,' Dynadan said, looking around. 'I don't fancy it will make our escape easy, now we have freed its captive.'

'How long will it take us to return to Camelot?'

'We don't have Lady Fay's gift anymore,' Nyssa said, eyes wide with worry. 'It could take weeks- months, even!'

'Argh!' Merlin scowled, forehead creased. 'Camelot is under attack now, I can feel it! We must return faster!'

'But how?' Tegan exclaimed. 'It's across the sea and most of Britannia, through a ton of unfriendly terrain!'

Merlin thrust up their arms into the air, and opened their mouth.

'Drakonae!' They bellowed, speaking with a voice that reverberated through Tegan's head. 'Drakonae!'

The words echoed around the clearing, deafening in the silence of the ancient forest. Tegan stared around, worried. What on earth was that supposed to accomplish?

The air above them was suddenly full of the sound of beating winds. For a second, Tegan's was terrified that the wyrms had found them again. But-

Drakonae.

Drakon.

Dragon.

Tegan's mouth fell open. Beside her, she could Nyssa gasp in shock, her hand squeezing Tegan's. Their eyes staring directly upwards, as the branches of the trees above were thrust apart by the huge creatures descending from the sky.

Winged, with enormous tails and bright, clever eyes. The legendary creatures of myth.

Drakonis Nobilis. The noble dragons.

As Tegan's mouth continued to hang open, four dragons landed before them. The oldest one, seemingly the leader, fixed its gaze on the four tiny figures. The creature's mouth did not move, but Tegan could hear their voice in her mind.

Merlin, said the dragon. We have missed you, old friend.

'Likewise,' Merlin replied, bowing his head. 'Although I am sorry to call on you like this. We must get to Camelot as fast as possible.'

We will take you.

Percival wiped his brow, leaning against the wall. He and a few other knights had managed to hold one of the towers by the gate, but their communications with the rest of the citadel had broken down.

The night was going badly so far. While they found been able to down several of the initial wyrm attack, many of them had been able to get through and had landed within Camelot itself. The attackers had then headed straight for the citadel, using covering fire to keep the defenders at bay.

Out of the defenders, only Percival himself was still uninjured. All of his fellow knights had already either been taken inside to recover from wounds.

Well, actually, there was one exception. Mr Benton (Percival didn't know his first name) was still somehow fine, aside from a nasty cut on the side of his head that he had quickly bandaged himself. The young man was made of sterner stuff that Percival had expected. He had turned up with Mike Yates shortly after the attack had started, but had somehow weathered the attacks with a determined earnestness. Yates, meanwhile, had been knocked unconscious by fallen stones about two hours previously, and had been taken inside by Benton, who had triaged his wounds and bandaged the aristocratic man as best he could.

If they all survived this night, Percival had a half mind to take Benton on as a squire; he was a man who certainly held up well under difficult odds.

'Percival!'

He turned, wearily. Barbara was hurrying up the ramparts. She looked worried but otherwise unhurt. She stopped at the top of the stairs, slightly out of breath. Dynadan hurried towards her.

'Are the civilians evacuated?'

'Yes,' replied the maid, wiping the sweat from her brow. 'We managed to get them all into the caves. I don't know how long they'll be safe for, but we will have to hope.'

Percival nodded.

'It seems as if the invaders had no interest in attacking the city,' he mused. 'They made a beeline for the castle itself, barely even bothering with the civilians.'

'Is that a good thing?'

'If it means less people have died, yes. But I worry that it is not out of kindness.'

Barbara looked up at the castle. Several fires were visible from the upper ramparts, but they had no way of knowing whether the defenders were still holding out or not.

'Percival, is there any hope?'

'I do not know,' he said. 'But we can hope regardless.'

Tegan had to admit, this was certainly an exhilarating way to travel.

The channel beneath them, Tegan could feel the wind whipping through her -his, their- short hair. The air around them was cool for the summer night, but Tegan found herself unable to feel cold. The dragon's hide was surprisingly warm, and their wings beat fast and energetic a few yards ahead of where Tegan was sat astride their enormous back. Nyssa's arms were once again wrapped around Tegan's waist, and she could hear the young woman gasping with amazement as the dragon carrying the two of them barrelled through the sky, their cloaks flapping behind them in the wind.

In front of them, Merlin and Dynadan were being carried by the oldest of the dragons. Merlin's staff was glowing with light, shining a path ahead. While the coast of Britannia was not visible yet, Tegan was sure that it would only be a matter of time before they cleared the channel and would be flying across land due North-West towards Camelot.

'Fantastic!' Tegan exclaimed, mouth wide open with a huge grin. 'Nyssa, look at the sea below us!'

Nyssa gripped Tegan tighter around the waist.

'I'd rather not!' she gasped, over Tegan's shoulder. 'I-oooh, no!'

The dragon beat their wings harder, and they rose higher, catching a strong wind and gliding with it, like a bird. Tegan let out an admiring whoop! as they descended down again. Behind her, she could hear Nyssa gasping 'oh I don't like it, I really don't this… oh, dear…', pressing closer to Tegan as they fell sharply through the air.

'What's your name?' Tegan asked, speaking to the dragon carrying them.

It is unable to pronounce with your mouths, replied the dragon, in Tegan's mind. Judging from Nyssa's further gasp, they were speaking in her mind as well. But you may call me Nightbane.

'Thank you, Nightbane!'

You are most welcome, little ones, replied Nightbane, and Tegan could have sworn she heard fondness within their voice. Are you both warm?

'Yes,' said Nyssa. 'But could you warn us the next time you move around?'

Nightbane seemed to chuckle.

My apologies, replied the noble dragon. Your companion seemed to enjoy it.

'I do!' Tegan exclaimed, laughing. 'But Nyssa is right; we haven't been carried by a dragon before and we don't want to fall off by mistake!'

Very wise, Nightbane replied. Your companion has good sense, Tegan of the Cornish.

'She sure does!' Tegan grinned, and enjoyed the feeling of Nyssa nuzzling into her shoulder. 'Oh, look; we've embarrassed her!'

'Stop it!' Nyssa giggled.

Nightbane chuckled again. Behind her, in the periphery of her vision, Tegan could just about make out the sunrise in the east behind them.

'We've got a long way to go!' Nyssa said, speaking to Nightbane. 'Are we going to make it to Camelot in time?'

Us noble dragons have a certain magic of our own, replied Nightbane. We take our inspiration from the stars. You may want to hold on tightly, little ones.

'What do you-ooohhhhh!'

Nightbane began to beat their wings faster and faster, so much that the sky around them became a blur. Around them, the dragons flying were doing the same.

Tegan grasped the scales of Nightbane's broad back, and pressed down. The wind became a roar. All other sounds were blocked out, except for the beating of her own heartbeat and the heartbeat of Nyssa, who was pressed tightly against Tegan's back, her arms wrapped firm around Tegan's waist.

The roar of the wind grew loader and loader. Tegan didn't know how fast they were going; instead, Tegan just hoped that they would all reach Camelot in time.

A wyrm soared down from the skies, spitting venom and heading straight for the tower.

'Incoming!' Percival exclaimed, pushing Barbara into the relative safety of the tower staircase before running along the ramparts.

'Working on it, sir!'

Benton was at the catapult, his earnest face gleaming with sweat from the effort of holding the thing steady. It had been partially broken by the initial assault, and was now only partially operational. But that didn't seem to effect Benton's aim.

BAM!

The wyrm let out a screech as the load of Greek fire hit it. With a crash of flailing limbs and hissing venom, it landed in the courtyard in a burning wreckage. Percival didn't know much about wyrms but, judging from what he had seen tonight, they seemed to be constructs of dark magic as opposed to living creatures. That didn't make him feel much better about killing them, of course. But you weren't supposed to feel good about it in the first place.

'Well done, Benton!' Percival exclaimed.

Benton grinned wearily for a second, before the smile slid off his face.

'Sir; watch out!'

Percival turned to where Benton was pointing. Another group of wyrms were flying down at them out of the sky. Without thinking, Percival ducked, as the venom began to rain down around them.

'Take cover!' he cried, hearing the hiss of dissolving stone where the venom had fallen. 'Wait for them to get close again and launch more fire!'

'We're down to our last three loads, sir,' Benton said, wiping his brow with a weary arm.

'Right,' Percival said, grimly. 'In that case, I'll lure them out and you see if you can get them with one load all at once.'

'Sir, that's suicide!'

'I know! But… it's our only option. It's been an honour to fight with you, Benton; good luck.'

Percival gave a quick salute, which Benton returned, eyes glistening with tears. Percival nodded, and turned, pulling the sword from his scabbard.

'Oi!' he yelled up at the flying creatures above, who swirled round ready for another dive-bomb. 'Bird-brains; over here!'

The wyrms gave a horrible massed shriek of glee, before diving down through the sky. Percival charged forwards along the ramparts, trying to position himself so that the catapult could catch all the wyrms in a single strike.

'Come on!' he yelled, brandishing his sword. 'Have a go if you think you're hard enough!'

Another shriek, as the wyrms descended.

Percival raised his sword towards the sky.

'Camelot, to me!'

BOOOOOM!

The ground shook beneath his feet, and the wyrms seemed to wobble in the air. A second later, they gave another shriek but, this time, with terror. They swerved, distracted.

'Now, Benton!'

The Greek fire launched, flying a few feet over Percival's head and crashing straight into the wyrms. The creatures gave a hideous final scream, and crashed to the floor of the courtyard below.

'Sir!' Benton exclaimed, running forward. 'Thank goodness!'

'I thought I was a goner there!' Percival exclaimed, pulling the man into a one-armed embrace. 'Excellent aim, man!'

'Thank you,' Benton said, grinning. 'I wouldn't have been able to if they hadn't gotten distracted by the blur on the horizon.'

Percival stared at him.

'The what on the horizon?'

Benton pointed upwards into the sky at an angle, over the ramparts and towards the eastern horizon.

Percival's eyes followed, and his mouth promptly dropped open.

'By my fathers bones…' he gasped, in awe. 'What on…'

The blur grew closer and closer. There was another loud boom and four dragons appeared at the other end of the valley, upon the largest of which was stood a figure in white, their long hair streaming out behind them in the wind. The first signs of the sunrise were just behind them.

'Merlin!'

The dragons, huge and magnificent, landed on the massive ramparts, and their riders slid off, landing on the cracked stone of the courtyard.

Percival, Benton next to him, hurried forwards. Merlin, eyes bright and alive, stumbled where they stood. Master Tegan, with Miss Nyssa by their side, was stood, thanking the dragon that had carried them, their cloaks flapping in the breeze. And Dynadan was stood next to Merlin, putting down his visor as he stared round at the citadel before them.

'Am I glad to see you, my friend!'

'Likewise, Percival!' Dynadan exclaimed, clapping his friend on the shoulder. 'But how goes the battle?'

'Badly! Mordred's forces have already pushed through the citadel; I think they have made the castle their main objective!'

Merlin gripped their staff, eyes containing flickering light.

'I need to reach the tree,' they said, wobbling slightly where they stood. 'We don't have much time.'

At this moment, Barbara hurried forward, pushing past the knights and throwing a maternal pair of arms around Miss Nyssa.

'Nyssa!' she exclaimed, her eyes wide with worry. 'Are you alright?'

'I'm fine,' Miss Nyssa said, as the older woman gripped her softly by the shoulders. 'Please, Barbara; where is the queen and king?'

'They are in the castle; we haven't been able to reach them since the attack happened.'

'We need to break through,' Dynadan said, turning to Merlin. 'Do you have much magic?'

Merlin shook their head, before placing a hand on the head of the dragon that had carried him and Dynadan. There was a brief moment of silence.

Merlin nodded, as if having had a conversation with the dragon entirely through their minds.

'The noble dragons will blast us a path through Mordred's forces into the castle,' they said. 'But they cannot win the battle for us; we must reach the tree and defend Arthur. Tegan, Nyssa; the sword and shield found their way to you for a reason. That reason is for the task ahead of us.'

Tegan and Nyssa turned, nodded to each other and hurried forward, their weapons drawn. With a snap of broaches, their cloaks landed on the stones beneath their feet. Percival could have sworn that the sword and shield seemed to glint in the half-light of the pre-dawn.

With a cry, the dragons took off, heading directly for the main entrance to the castle. There was an almighty boom, followed by the sounds of more wyrms exploding.

'Let's go,' Dynadan said. 'Percival, Benton; we've got wyrms to defeat.'

The scene that met them at the inner castle wall was of utter carnage. Everywhere was the wreckage of battle, although Tegan could make out no casualties thus far. However, there were numerous gaps in the stone wall, and tattered banners hung limp from the shattered windows of buildings nearby. There were also several craters in the cobbles, filled with the venom of dissolving wyrms, as the dark magic that sustained their forms was destroyed.

Dynadan was a few yards ahead, with Merlin at his side. Percival and Benton brought up the rear.

'I need to find the king; Percival, come with me!' Dynadan exclaimed, turning to Tegan and Nyssa. 'You two and Benton get Merlin to the tree!'

The two of them nodded. As Percival and Dynadan hurried away towards the castle, Benton joined Tegan and Nyssa where they stood.

'Do you have a weapon?' Tegan asked.

Benton held up a short staff, and then picked up an abandoned shield off the ground.

'I'll do my best.'

Tegan and Nyssa nodded.

'That's all we can do, in the end.'

Merlin staggered, wobbling again.

'I…' their voice quavered as they spoke. 'I'm getting weaker. Mordred must have found the tree; we must hurry…'

Tegan and Nyssa quickly pulled Merlin's arms over their shoulders, and hurried forward, half-supporting half-carrying the aged sorcerer with them, Benton at their side, shield at the ready. They must have looked a rather strange group, but Tegan found it difficult to care that much, given the gravity of the situation that awaited them in the castle.

'Mr Benton, you go on ahead and scout out the danger,' Nyssa said. 'We'll be no good in a fight like this.'

Benton nodded and hurried around the next corner. He returned a second later as they approached, his face pale.

'It's bad,' he said, easing Merlin to the floor so as to give Tegan and Nyssa a breathing space. 'I couldn't see the king anywhere, but the central courtyard is full of fighting.'

Their brow covered in sweat, Tegan approached the corner and peeked around it. His blood seemed to turn to ice in their veins.

The central courtyard was in complete chaos. Parts of the castle wall had caved in, and several large piles of rubble were scattered around on the stones. The place was covered with various people, all fighting tooth and nail. She couldn't make out a word of anything that was going on, as so many people were shouting and the clash of weapons upon weapons was almost deafening. Tegan could hear the shrieks of wyrms and the howls of humans, including yells of "akiya!" from Tribus, his white curly hair ruffling as he sent his enemies flying with strikes of his hands and feet.

She hurried back to the others.

'Merlin, we need to get you to the tree,' Tegan said, speaking to the sorcerer, who was looking paler and paler by the second. 'How long do you think you have left before it dies?'

'Very little time,' they replied, gravely. 'Please…'

Benton eased Merlin's arm over his own shoulder, helping them to their feet.

'Benton, can you help Merlin to the tree?' Nyssa asked. 'Tegan and I will try to keep any attackers at bay.'

Benton nodded, his earnest face lined with exhaustion but still determined nonetheless.

'Tegan?' Nyssa said, as she hauled Pridwen off her back. 'I don't know how good I'll be, but… I'll protect you as best I can.'

'Same here,' Tegan replied, removing Caliburn from the scabbard. 'Until the end.'

'It won't come to that. But thank you. For everything.'

Nyssa smiled at Tegan, her eyes blazing with a fierce pride despite the exhaustion she was clearly feeling. Tegan's heart ached as she smiled in reply.

The four of them turned the corner, emerging into the courtyard. The din of battle quickly surrounded them, their eyes becoming used to the clangs of metal against metal and the screams and cries of the many different combatants.

A man charged towards them, and Tegan pushed Benton out of harms' way. Nyssa slammed Pridwen against the assailant, before retreating and allowing Tegan to strike the figure with Caliburn. The man seemed to explode into green flame as the weapon touched him. A few moments later, there was nothing but ash on the stones where he had stood.

'Another one of Mordred's dark magic creations,' Nyssa gasped, looking around. 'Where's Merlin and Benton?'

'I don't know,' Tegan replied, wiping sweat from their brow. 'The last I saw, Benton was knocking out someone with his staff-'

There was a crash of a window, and a figure fell through it.

It was Arthur. He was wearing armour and, as he scrambled to his feet, Tegan was alarmed to see that he was clearly the worse for wear. It seemed as if he had wounds in both legs, because he seemed barely able to stand.

SCREECH!

'No!' Merlin cried, as an enormous wyrm appeared from above, heading straight for Arthur Pendragon. Tegan's breath caught in her throat.

But, at the last moment, one of the dragons soared in, snapping a wyrm out of the air and preventing it attacking Arthur, who had managed to dive out of range.

However, barely a few seconds passed before another figure leaped out of the broken window and rushed forward towards Arthur with their sword raised.

Barely a second later, Arthur was locked in combat with the figure, who was clad in black armour. There was a crash, as Arthur knocked off his foe's helmet, revealing a face clenched in anger, but with eyes that Tegan recognised.

The son of Lady Faye; Mordred.

'Arthur…'

Merlin had staggered forward, half-supported by Benton.

'Merlin, you can barely walk!'

'The magic is almost depleted,' Merlin said, shakily, pointing at the tree. 'Look… barely three leaves remain…'

Tegan's heart dropped. Sure enough, the tree was almost entirely bare. A few, decayed leaves were still connected to one half-broken branch. They were almost out of time. So close but so far away at the same time!

Tegan locked eyes with Nyssa. The young woman stared at her, and time seemed to slow around them.

Their faces nodding in unison, Tegan and Nyssa turned, wielding their weapons and charged forward towards the tree. Through the mass of forces ranged against them.

What happened next, Tegan couldn't entirely recall. All they were really aware of was the swords that clattered off Pridwen and Caliburn, that her body moved on its own occasion, dodging and dancing out of the way of blows, and of himself knocking out the people who aimed to cause harm to themselves and to the brave wonderful woman fighting next to her. Nyssa. They were in-sync, completely and utterly, working like a well-oiled machine, as swift as a running river and as smooth as the softest silk. Their movements complimented and enhanced the other. Tegan had no way of knowing whether it was due to the magic of the shield and sword finally coming into its own, or if this was simply due to themself and Nyssa. All she knew was that she would protect this woman forever. And Tegan knew, without even needing to ask, that Nyssa was thinking the exact same thing about Tegan.

Their bodies arched around each other, sword and shield perfectly balanced between them, Tegan's reach reinforced by Nyssa's support, and vice versa. Their enemies fell back in a wide arc, unable to intrude on this dance of two equals working together to save each other. Eternally and always, saving each other.

All of this seemed to happen in barely a few seconds.

Tegan and Nyssa came to a stop, back to back, weapons raised in front of them, and their mouths breathing heavily. They stared round at the constructs of knights of black armour that were already turning to smoke and dust in a huge arc around them.

Wait, where was Arthur? Come to think of it, where were all the other knights who had been there? How long had Tegan and Nyssa been fighting for? It had felt like barely a few moments.

CLANG!

There was a crash as Benton was thrown backwards towards them. Nyssa barely managed to pull Tegan out of the way, before Benton -flying through the air at the speed of a galloping horse- crashed through a window behind them.

'Benton!'

'I'm alright…' came the reply, as the man struggled back to his feet. He climbed back through the smashed window. 'But… no, Merlin!'

There was a crash and a moan of pain.

Merlin fell to the ground, their face a bloody mess. Mordred strode across the courtyard. Tegan and Nyssa, with Benton just behind them, scrambled forwards, staring in horror at the scene before their eyes.

'Shame you had to come back,' Mordred growled. 'I was just getting into the swing of things here, but you always were a wily one, Merlin…'

'Foolish boy…' -Merlin pulled themselves up to their elbows- 'You have no idea what you are doing…'

'Oh, I do,' replied Mordred. 'Once I get rid of you, Camelot will finally be mine. Arthur can wait; I'll kill you first, and I'll enjoy it all the more when I finally kill Arthur, as he knows his golden age has finally been destroyed-'

'No!'

Mordred was blasted back a few feet, and a figure charged inbetween the two combatants.

Morgan Le Fay was stood, her arms shielding the aged sorcerer, who lay exhausted on the ground behind her. Her eyes were wide and earnest, hair flying loose as her hair covering fell away. The stones crackled underneath her feet, as if she was willing Camelot itself to protect Merlin, forming a barrier between herself and her wayward son.

'Mother,' Mordred growled, stepping forward. 'Get out of my way.'

'No!' Lady Fay exclaimed. 'You will not harm Merlin!'

Mordred raised a hand, and a man in armour -much like the one who had attacked Tegan and Nyssa earlier- hurried forward, using his lance to force Lady Fay away.

Benton hurried forward, joining Lady Fay to engage the man in combat. The three of them crashed through a nearby window.

'Your tree, wasn't it, Merlin?' Mordred said, striding over and pinning Merlin to the ground below it, his sword at the aged sorcerer's throat. 'You told me all about me during my apprenticeship. But it seemed you couldn't quite reach it in time. Failed at the final hurdle, I'm afraid.'

Mordred's eyes glinted, and drew back his sword.

'Goodnight, Camelot!'

His sword blurred through the air.

Blood spattered across the stones and onto the bark of the tree.

There was a sickening thump of flesh against stone. Merlin slumped down on the shattered ground, the front of their robes beginning to soak red. They gave a gasp, and more blood spluttered out of their mouth. Their head rolled, eyes falling back in aged sockets.

There was a horrible, very dark, moment of silence.

'Such a shame,' Mordred gloated, his eyes bulging as he turned to face Tegan and Nyssa.

'Yes,' Tegan and Nyssa replied. 'For you, that is.'

Mordred's eyes looked quizzically at them, confused.

'But… Merlin…'

'You idiot,' Tegan said. 'The connection was between Merlin and the tree; and what did you just do?'

Mordred's eyes widened in dawning realisation. The armour-clad man swung around, as a blinding light enveloped the tree, shining like a beacon to all the world. Mordred stumbled, seemingly blinded. Tegan and Nyssa shielded their eyes, as a figure appeared before the light.

Merlin was on their feet, their face alive with joy and their limbs powerful. The staff was no longer a walking cane, but a weapon. The light of the tree reflecting off the sorcerer's white hair.

The sun finally peaked over the horizon. Its light glinted off Caliburn and Pridwen, causing them to shine as if gold. Nyssa caught Tegan's eye, and the two of them charged forward towards the startled Mordred, who had been staring at Merlin in complete shock.

Tegan swung Caliburn, sending Mordred back. Barely a second later, giving him no let-up, Nyssa lunged forward, forcing Pridwen against his throat.

Mordred fell backwards, tripping over the shattered stones of the courtyard beneath him.

Merlin slammed their staff down on the front of Mordred's armour, which disintegrated around him in a flash of black smoke. The man was left, lying on the ground, wearing a dark shift and trousers. With a snap of their fingers, Merlin sent chains around Mordred, trying him in place.

'You know, for Merlin's old apprentice,' Tegan said, looking down at the man, who was already struggling against his bonds. 'You don't know much about magic, do you? Half your constructs disappear after a couple of strikes.'

Mordred glared up at them all, brow furrowed in anger.

'Merlin, my old friend…' came a voice from behind them.

Tegan turned. Arthur was walking towards them, supported by Lady Fay and Benton. The man was tired but was otherwise unharmed. His wounds from earlier seemed to already be healing due to the return of Camelot's magic.

Tegan could practically feel the magic in the air; it was strange and otherworldly, and yet surprisingly comforting. Like a warm stew after a hard day working in the fields of her parents farm back home.

She turned to Nyssa, and they could see her own amazement reflected on the young woman's face. Her cheeks dimpled, and she reached out, squeezing Tegan's hand gently. Tegan could already feel her exhaustion slowly leaving her, although she knew that she would still need a good nights rest after all this.

'It is good to see you again,' replied Merlin, as Arthur pulled them into a joyous hug. 'I am sorry I could not arrive back any sooner.'

'No matter,' Arthur said, grinning as he stared at his old friend. 'It is more than enough to have you returned at all.'

'Hang on,' Tegan exclaimed, pointing at him. 'Where did you disappear off to? Weren't you fighting Mordred?'

Arthur chuckled, not seeming to notice Tegan's rudeness.

'Bit of a trick Merlin taught me back in the day,' he said. 'It sent me through into the room where Morgan and Mr Benton were fighting one of Mordred's creations.'

At that moment, Guinevere, with Barbara by her side, emerged from the nearest doorway. Barbara let out a cry of delight, and ran to hug Nyssa.

'Are you alright, dear?' she asked, maternally. Around them, knights and various hangers-on were emerging from doorways, having presumably defeated Mordred's forces in other parts of the castle. 'Oh, you're all covered in sweat…'

'I think I am rather in need of a good bath,' Nyssa chuckled, before nudging Tegan with her elbow. 'What say you, Master Tegan?'

Tegan blushed, as Barbara gave a knowing smile.

'Perhaps later,' Tegan said. 'Good grief, I need a rest before anything else.'

'You both have been very brave,' Barbara said, now squeezing Tegan's shoulder with a supportive hand. 'I'm sure no-one could deny you some time to relax-'

'Arthur!' Mordred growled, face like thunder as he was hauled to his feet by two knights that Tegan did not know the names of. 'You know as well as I do that your precious golden age will come to an end, and that you are prophesied to die at my hands at Camlann!'

'True,' replied Arthur, nodding. 'But that day is not today. And you know fully well that you will die by my hands at that same battle.'

Mordred grunted.

'Seems kinda counter-intuitive to me,' Tegan muttered, so that only Nyssa could hear it. 'I mean, doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of him trying to seize the kingdom?'

Nyssa giggled.

As Mordred was led off, Arthur scratched his head and put an arm around Guinevere.

'Well,' he said. 'Merlin is back with us, and the tree is restored. It's good to see that Dynadan has… wait, where is your knight, Master Tegan?'

'Er…' Tegan said, looking around through the assembled knights and hangers-on. However, a few seconds later, Dynadan emerged out of a staircase, pushing a man in manacles in front of him.

'My apologies for my delay, sire,' he said. 'This sniper was up next to a second-floor window; couldn't risk him taking a shot while you were all congratulating everyone.'

'You have my thanks, Dynadan,' Arthur replied, chuckling, as the sniper was led away by a couple of knights. 'Your apprentice has done wonderfully; Guinevere and I both agree that you ought to be proud of this young man.'

'Oh, yes,' Dynadan said, turning and winking knowingly at Tegan and Nyssa. 'Very proud indeed.'

Guinevere, on the other hand, had turned to face Nyssa. Her mouth had fallen open.

'Nyssa, are you wearing… trousers?'

Nyssa looked down, as if confused by the question.

'Er… yes,' she said, a little perturbed. 'They are easier to wear whilst on horseback, you see.'

'But… Nyssa, you are a handmaiden!'

'My lady, I don't follow.'

'Trousers, Nyssa; trousers!'

Even Arthur looked a little bashful.

'Guinevere, dear, I really don't think now is the time to criticise your handmaiden's sartorial choices-'

'If not now, then when?' Guinevere exclaimed, still staring in apparent horror at Nyssa. 'Nyssa, do you realise-'

'Oh, this is bloody stupid!' Tegan exclaimed, putting a hand on Nyssa's shoulder and squeezing. 'Nyssa has helped save Camelot; no-one cared that she was wearing trousers half an hour ago!'

'Be that as it may,' Guinevere said, ignoring Arthur and Merlin's matching nods of agreement with Tegan. 'As a handmaiden of my household, she is duty-bound to uphold the morality of-'

'Morality?' Tegan exclaimed, not remotely caring that she was technically interrupting the queen. 'Trousers are just clothes, you stupid-'

'Do not talk back to me, Master Tegan!' Guinevere exclaimed. 'Or I'll have you on a charge, young man! Nyssa is a woman wearing trousers-'

'So am I!'

The words were out of Tegan's mouth before she had really realised what she was saying. There was a very pregnant pause, which birthed several more pauses.

'Oh, Tegan,' Nyssa said, very softly, eyes widening in realisation as she turned to look at her. 'Don't-'

'No,' Tegan replied, softly. 'If they can't handle you wearing trousers, then I may as well pack up and go home now.'

Giving Nyssa a quick, comforting smile, Tegan turned to face the king and queen.

'Yeah, you heard me!' Tegan exclaimed, eyes darting from Arthur and Guinevere. 'About as shocking as a man wearing a kilt!'

She could hear a supportive "aye" from someone -presumably, the Caledonian- in the crowd, and continued, feeling emboldened.

'Trousers are trousers, regardless of who wears them!' Tegan exclaimed. 'I've got a pair of old socks stuffed down the front; did any of you lot notice until now? Of course not!'

Tegan thrust her hand down into his trousers and pulled out the socks. With a dismissive glare, he threw them at Guinevere's feet.

'It's just a pair of socks,' Tegan said. 'But it was apparently enough to stop everyone from noticing!'

'Well, admittedly, I knew,' Dynadan said, cheerfully. 'I didn't want to say anything; it's your business, after all.'

'I… okay, thanks,' Tegan replied, a little surprised. 'And that's why you were fine with me sharing a room with Nyssa?'

'Actually, I thought you were courting-'

'Nevermind all that!' Guinevere exclaimed, as Tegan flushed scarlet, avoiding Nyssa' eyes. 'It is still a matter of-'

'Actually…'

Percival stepped through the crowd, a hesitant but calm look on his face.

'If we're going primarily by who's wearing what, and if Camelot is offended by a woman wearing trousers, then what about me wearing armour?'

Tegan's mouth fell open.

'I do prefer being a man,' Percival continued, his eyes alert and earnest. 'No-one seemed to have any issues with it when I joined up.'

Tredecim and Yasmin stepped forward, hand in hand.

'If we're talking being a woman and being a man, I'd rather be neither,' said Tredecim, matter-of-factly.

'And I love them regardless,' said Yasmin, before pressing a kiss to the blonde's cheek.

'Bravo!' said Dynadan, clapping.

'And, if I may be so bold…'

Barbara stepped forward, turning to Guinevere.

'I prefer being a woman to being a man,' she said, smiling softly. 'And Ian certainly never complained.'

Guinevere goggled at her.

'I… I don't know what to say.'

'"Have a day off" wouldn't be a bad start.'

There was an outbreak of repressed laughter amongst the crowd, particularly amongst the physicians.

'Humans have always been complicated,' Merlin said, calmly as they stood hand-in-hand with Lady Fay. 'So, maybe we shouldn't be too bothered by those complexities? Eh, Guinevere?'

Guinevere looked from Merlin, to Arthur, and then briefly on Tegan, before eventually returning her gaze back to Nyssa.

'Yes,' Guinevere said, softly. 'Maybe my reaction was… uncalled for. Nyssa, you have my apologies.'

Nyssa nodded, looking somewhat surprised.

'If I may speak with you for a moment,' Guinevere continued, stepping forward and placing a hand on Nyssa's shoulder. 'I believe we ought to discuss some matters…'

Nyssa smiled at Tegan quickly, before being led a short distance away by the queen. Tegan was then clapped on the shoulder by Dynadan, and then immediately after by Percival, followed by several of the other knights that Tegan had not been properly introduced to.

'Congratulations,' Dynadan was saying. 'You've more than exceeded my expectations; didn't I say you'd do well?'

'That is true,' Tegan replied, a little bashfully. 'I take it that I can continue as your apprentice despite… well…'

'Of course!' the knight exclaimed, cheerfully. 'In fact, given how well you showed your tenacity and quick-thinking during the rescue of Merlin, I'd say we can make you a full squire before too long!'

'Are… are you sure?'

'Absolutely!'

Tegan looked over to where Guinevere was still talking to Nyssa. Given the mass of people, Tegan couldn't hear a word the queen was saying. Guinevere whispered something into Nyssa's ear. However, to Tegan's surprise, Nyssa's face flushed scarlet.

Guinevere walked away, slipping an arm through her husbands. The king, with his closest knights and sister around him, led his queen out of the courtyard. As the various courtiers drifted away towards the main hall, and Barbara squeezed Nyssa on the arm again before following, Nyssa approached Tegan, slipping their hands together, smiling slightly.

'I think that went rather well.'

'I… yes, you could say that.'

'Tegan,' Nyssa said, slowly. 'What you did was very brave but, I have to admit, also rather stupid.'

'I know,' Tegan replied, sighing. 'I just… I didn't want them to…'

Nyssa smiled, and pressed a kiss to Tegan's cheek.

'You're so sweet, Tegan.'

The fancy ceremony that evening in the banquet hall was unlike Tegan had seen before. Possibly because both herself and Nyssa had been called upon to receive honours beside Dynadan. Unfortunately, Tegan still had to wear the ridiculous hat but, with Nyssa next to her, she found it hard to complain too much. Well, verbally, at least.

Upon sitting down for the feast, they were surprised that the renewal of the magic really had made a difference to the taste of the food and drink. Before, it had tasted wonderful indeed but now? It was like drinking nectar and eating wondrous honeycomb for every meal. No wonder the inhabitants of Camelot enjoyed their feasts so much-

'Master Tegan!'

Tegan turned, having been stood on the edge of the dancefloor. She hadn't managed to catch Nyssa's eye yet, although she had been hoping to dance with the young woman at some point.

Sybil the dragon lady was bustling over, wearing a long gown and a huge smile.

'Sybil!' Tegan exclaimed, delighted, as the lady shook his hand. 'Since when have you been here in Camelot?'

'My ship had to make an emergency stop on the coast a day ago,' explained the older woman. 'And, when I heard that several Drakonis Nobilis had been spotted here, I just had to come and see for myself! Sam was worried, but I knew I needed to- oh, have you met my husband?'

Tegan found himself dragged by the arm across the hall.

'Sam!' Sybil explained. 'Stop skulking in the shadows!'

A short man, wearing old armour and smoking a foul-smelling cigar, stepped out of the dark shadows of one hallway leading off from the hall. He had the grizzled look of someone who had spent far too many nights out in the rain, but his eyes were kind and soft as he looked at Sybil.

'Sorry, dear,' he said, with a gravelly voice, as he extended a hand to Tegan. 'You must be this young Master Tegan that everyone's going on about?'

'Er, yes,' Tegan said, shaking Vimes's hand. 'What are they saying about me, Mister… er-'

'Vimes,' said Sam Vimes. 'Mainly that you gave the queen a right good dressing-down,'-and here he grinned as if he approved-'You certainly shocked everyone with how angry you got on behalf on your girlfriend.'

'N-Nyssa's not my girlfriend!' Tegan stammered, feeling the back of her neck grow hot. 'At… at least, I don't think so.'

Vimes smiled, knowingly. It wasn't a particularly cheerful sight, since the man had a face that seemed to have been dragged along pebbled streets for several decades, but Tegan understood the sentiment behind it.

'Sam, stop worrying the poor thing!'

Vimes chuckled, linking an arm through that of his wife.

'Good to see you again, Master Tegan,' Sybil said, smiling down at Tegan. 'Like I said before, if you ever want a job with the dragons, the offer is there.'

'Thank you,' Tegan said, grinning. 'But… I think I'm happy here.'

'Well, if you're sure,' Sybil grinned. 'But, as is the case with dragons, always look to where you see your home. Or… with whom you see it, perhaps.'

Sybil, with Sam by her side, turned and walked away, leaving Tegan with a swirl of confused thoughts.

A little exhausted, Tegan walked through the crowd. They eventually reached the far end of the hall, slipped out of the doors, and stepped out into the quiet courtyard, enjoying the feeling of the cool summer night against her skin. She tucked the hat into her belt, and sat down on a nearby low wall.

The smell of wildflowers was drifting through the air, and Tegan sat back slightly, looking out into the valley beyond the castle walls. It was a quiet, restful evening; the sort of evenings where the world is calm and tranquil.

Had it really been barely a few days since they had left Cornwall? Good grief, Tegan mused, she probably ought to get around to writing a letter home. Although they could already guess that her mother wouldn't accept "saving Camelot from destruction" as a reasonable excuse-

'Getting some fresh air?'

Tegan startled. Nyssa was stood a few yards away, the door to the banquet hall closing behind her.

'Yeah,' Tegan replied, blinking quickly. 'You got tired of all the courtiers asking you to dance, then?'

'Actually, I believe they were all expecting me to dance with… someone else.'

Tegan blinked, as Nyssa sat down next to her, smiling softly.

'Oh,' she said. 'Right.'

Nyssa let out a giggle, sounding almost birdsong to Tegan's ears. The young woman turned to look at her, and Tegan felt her breath catch in their throat at the warmth in Nyssa's expression.

'It looks like Dynadan was very impressed with you.'

'I suppose,' Tegan said. 'Is Guinevere happy for you to wear trousers?'

Nyssa smiled, kicking her legs out beneath her.

'I think she'll get used to it. Her reaction was probably due to her background, really; a lot of noble women rarely get to wear practical clothing. She had a hard time imagining anyone needing to wear anything other than fine robes and dresses.'

'Oh, the poor thing.'

The two of them shared a smile, before looking out over the valley. The full moon was out, shining through the scant clouds being blown across the sky. Summer was well-and-truly blossoming all around them, helped by the renewed magic that had returned to Albion.

Above, they could see the Noble Dragons flying around, enjoying the feeling of the warm summer air.

'I think,' Nyssa said, softly, turning to Tegan, 'that Nightbane will be offering us another ride amongst the clouds before the hour is out.'

'You sure you'll be okay with that?'

Nyssa smiled at her.

'I… think I will be more agreeable to it this time. Amongst the stars… perhaps, it will less terrifying this time.'

'A short flight this time, maybe?'

Nyssa smiled.

'How could I possibly say no to you?'

Tegan stared at her for a moment.

'You know,' she said, chuckling. 'Sometimes, I get the sense that you're not nearly as sheltered as you let on.'

Nyssa giggled.

'That is yours to find out, Tegan,' she said. 'I couldn't possibly comment.'

'There you go again!'

The two of them laughed.

'I rather like your trousers,' Tegan said, a tad bashfully. 'They… well, you look good in them.'

'Thank you,' Nyssa said. 'And I like your trousers too.'

'Thanks. Actually…' Tegan said, slowly. 'To be honest with you, I… I kinda didn't mind being called "Master Tegan". When everyone was thinking of me as a man, it… I dunno, I didn't mind it as much as I thought I might. I… rather liked it, truth be told.'

Nyssa nodded.

'So… would you prefer it if I referred to you as a man?'

'Or a woman,' Tegan elaborated. 'I… I suppose I like both. Although… maybe erring on the side of being a woman around you?'

'Your wish is my command,' Nyssa said, squeezing Tegan's hand. 'Whatever makes you happiest, Tegan.'

'Thank you,' Tegan said, their mouth stretching into a smile. It felt… nice. Tegan could be a woman, and be a man at the same time. Or… maybe be something entirely different than both. She, he, they; whoever Tegan was, Tegan was definitely looking forward to finding out.

Nyssa scooted closer on the wall, and pressed her hand softly over Tegan's. Her face was barely a few inches away, and Tegan found themselves once again feeling like they were falling. But, into what, Tegan had a certain idea. It wasn't a bad idea. It was a wonderful idea.

Oh, such a wonderful idea.

'What…' Tegan said, slowly, '…what did Guinevere say to you earlier?'

Nyssa giggled, face flushing in the light of the full moon above.

'I believe her exact phrasing was: "Don't let that Master Tegan get away".'

'O-oh,' Tegan replied, blinking quickly. They didn't seem to have a stomach any more, because it seemed to have gone strangely numb. Although they could not say the same for her heart, which they could practically hear pounding in their ears.

Nyssa stared at Tegan for a moment, angling her head as if expecting more of a response.

Tegan swallowed, rallying her frazzled nerves.

'Are…' they said, very slowly. 'Are you going to follow her advice?'

Nyssa smiled wider at her, cheeks dimpling. Her eyes were large, and her pupils seemed to have dilated. Softly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Tegan's.

Time seemed to stand still around them, and Tegan's eyes slipped shut, unable to comprehend anything other than the sweet intoxicating scent of Nyssa, the taste of her soft lips, and the feel of her hands as one cupped Tegan's chin to deepen their kiss.

Eventually, after what felt like a glorious eternity, their lips parted. Nyssa did not lean back, however, and instead kept her face barely a few inches from Tegan's blushing cheeks.

'I already was, Tegan.'