AUTHORS NOTE: so once again – sorry for the long delay in an update – I only have one more week left of exams – and then the updates will be coming every day again ;)) but I have good news – there may be a sort of spin off season 7… I haven't really decided :D let me know if you would read it ;))) xxx
please read and review!
EPISODE 5 – "THE GREEN KNIGHT"
THE FOREST OF NEMIA
"Are you sure that this is safe?"
Marius followed the woman shrouded in black through the forest.
The mist of the new morning was being burnt away by the ever rising sun.
But Morgana, walking in front of him, seemed as cold and unchanging as she always did.
He followed her, his hand hovering at his hip about an inch away from the hilt of his sword.
His green eyes flew around the forest that engulfed them.
Shards of sunlight punctured the shadow around him.
Morgana sneered and turned to look at him, stopping in the centre of a perfectly circular clearing.
"You don't trust me?" She arched one eyebrow.
"No." Marius muttered and walked to stand a meter in front of you.
She sneered, "Then you are not as stupid as you look."
He smirked at her and she lifted her hand from the folds of her black shroud.
She opened it, palm upwards, long pale fingers stretching out towards him to reveal a glowing bottle of green liquid.
He swallowed and reached for it, picking it up with the tips of his fingers as though he expected that it may burn him.
She sneered at him as he lifted it towards him, unscrewed the lid and swallowed.
"Is this safe?" He asked.
She nodded.
"Why would I poison you, I need you alive and full of that potion for you to get near to Arthur."
He stared at her, "And how do we know that he will even…"
"He will fall for it." She snapped, her sneer and eyes hard, "I know my brother, he won't be able to resist… and there is not a force on this earth that will stop him…"
"But what about Queen Guinevere, she will surely not be as receptive or open to the plan… he will listen to her…"
"No he won't." She sneered, walking closer, "trust me."
He stared at her and nodded his head once.
"Very well my lady."
She watched him as he tilted his head and drained the small vile.
She watched as he swallowed the glowing green liquid.
A violent shake rippled through his body and he clutched at is arm as it started to throb.
Morgana watched as he shuddered and shook, crying out in pain and fright as his head pulsed and his eyes burned in their sockets.
"You will be greatly rewarded for the service you are about to do me, Prince Marius." She sneered.
He sunk to his knees and shook, watching as his hands grew long and his spine stretched.
His skin glowed.
Morgana sneered as he gave one final shout and flew up to his full height.
His breathing was low and hoarse and his eyes burned emerald in his shimmering skin.
"The Green knight…." She laughed.
She sneered in the thought of approaching victory as the green knight towered down over her.
CAMELOT – THE GREAT HALL
From where she was seated at the long head table Gwen sat by herself, watching the festivities.
She was tired, her body aching and swollen.
Things were changing for her, and more and more she found herself dozing in the afternoon sun when normally she would be concentrating on signing papers for the council.
On more than half a dozen occasions Arthur had returned from training to check on her, and found her bent over her desk with her arms folded, acting like a pillow as she rested her eyes.
He would sigh and rub her back until she awoke and he could help her, despite her protests, to bed to have a nap.
She had been assured by Gaius and the midwife that it was normal to fell that tired, but Gwen was growing sick of the fact that by three hours after noon she was ready to retire for the evening.
Now, sat at the feast, she was too tired to dance, her feet ached, and she was by herself.
Arthur had sat with her until she had told him that she was boring him, and despite his protests she had sent him to go and mingle.
So now she sat watching the candles flicker and the conversations swell.
Every so often people would come and speak to her, Merlin and Tanya especially.
Merlin leant over her now, pouring water into a goblet for her.
"Your necklace looks nice." He said.
"Thank you Merlin." She touched the small jewel he had given to her and smiled at him, "It is wonderful."
He grinned.
She had not taken it off since he had given it to her, and he was pleased.
Merlin grinned and stood upright, although his eyes saddened when he saw Tanya move across the room.
He sighed and walked towards Gaius.
Gwen sat by herself and watched the feasting scene.
She felt a cramp in her back and gritted her teeth against it, straightening in her seat and rubbing the base of it firmly, tying to ease the uncomfortable sensation that was lurking there.
"Are you alright?"
The low baritone voice made her look up and she sighed as Arthur set his goblet of wine on the top of the table and sat in his throne at her side, turned slightly in it so he was half facing her.
She sighed and nodded, rolling her shoulders and neck.
He leant slightly towards her and rested is hand at the base of her spine, rubbing it in a way that was both firm and gentle.
"Thank you." She set one hand on her swollen belly and reached with the other to push some of his hair out of his eyes.
Across the room, sat beside a pillar behind a bustling table, Gaius watched them with a small smile.
He watched as Arthur rubbed his wife's back and she rested one hand on her belly, the other reaching for her goblet of water on the table.
She sipped from it delicately, and he watched as Arthur moved his hand from her back to rest his knuckles against her forehead for a moment.
Gaius watched as the king murmured something to his queen, eyes intent and anxious.
He then saw the queen sighed and push his hand away, holding it in hers for a moment, murmuring something to him as she settled his hand under hers on her belly.
"Are you alright Gaius?"
Tanya approached the old man and he smiled fondly at her, picking up his goblet and filling it with wine.
"Thank you."
"Merlin is around here somewhere…" Her eyes flitted around the crowded room, before they settled on him walking over to the king and queen.
She bit her lip and shook her head to herself as he slammed his jug down on the table, effectively halting Arthur and Gwen's moment.
Something stirred behind her eyes that made Gaius look at her carefully.
"Is everything alright… between the two of you?" He asked.
She swallowed.
She and Merlin had never officially courted… yet she knew that he did not understand why all of a sudden she was so cold and distant from him.
She wanted to be his friend, rather than his lover.
She knew now from her letter from Eveline that that is what they both needed.
Giving him up was the right thing to do.
She swallowed, "There are just… some things that cannot be… for the sake of destiny, if you will."
Gaius narrowed his eyes but nodded.
From even across the crowded room she could hear Arthur voicing his complaints at Merlin as the young man filled up his goblet.
Tanya turned and walked away.
There was a high pitched clap of thunder outside, which shook the glass in the windows.
The large oak doors at the back of the hall blew open and slammed back against the walls.
A panicked silence fell over the room as the guards who had been stood outside fell to the floor having been pushed up against the doors.
They clattered into a heap and remained perfectly still.
Arthur's eyes snapped up at the sound of armoured feet trudging into the hall.
Panicked cries of shock sounded and Merlin stiffened where he stood at the king's side.
The people in the room all stared at the completely green knight who stood in the centre of the hall.
His breathing was low and echoing, and everyone watched as his arm snapped up ad he ripped off one emerald gauntlet, throwing it across the stone floor so it stopped just in front of the table where Arthur sat.
"Will you accept my challenge, King Arthur?"
The knight towered towards the ceiling, equalling Percival in height.
The bride and groom were stood with the other knights, staring through the crowd as Arthur stared at the green knight, before he pushed himself out of his throne.
"Arthur no…" Gwen gasped and grabbed his arm.
His eyes snapped down on her.
She stared up at him.
"Arthur this is madness, look at the size of him…" She hissed, "He is a giant, do not…"
He pushed her hand gently from his arm and turned, walking around the table to pick up the gauntlet.
Gwen swallowed and straightened in her chair.
Her chest heaved and her hands tightened over the arms of her throne.
Arthur walked around the edge of the table and merlin intercepted him.
"Is this safe?" He hissed.
"He is a towering green knight of course it isn't safe." Arthur gritted out a whisper, "I can hardly refuse."
"But is it wise?" Merlin hissed.
Arthur ignored him and walked past him.
Merlin straightened as the king picked up the gauntlet and walked towards the knight.
Tanya looked at Gaius whose face was expectantly grave.
He stared at the king while everyone else exchanged looks, and the knights glanced at the queen, and the courtiers and nobles gossiped and gasped at hoe frightful it all was.
Arthur stopped before the knight, more than aware that the emerald man towered over him by nearing two feet.
"I accept your challenge." He said firmly.
Behind the green knight's helmet, equally emerald eyes glared and sneered down at him.
"Excellent." The voice stated.
"Come to me one week from today in the pasture beside the forest of Esitia's edge in the lands of the late Sir Alan, that now belong to his son Marius, twenty seven miles north of here."
Arthur nodded his head as more murmurings went up through the crowd.
With on final glare the green knight pulled his gauntlet from the king's grip and strode from the room, slamming the doors behind him.
There was an eerie silence in the room for a moment as Arthur stared at the closed doors.
He would not admit, not even to himself, that his palm burned from where the knight had ripped the gauntlet from his palm.
He straightened and turned around in a circle.
"Music, festivity, laughter!" He said, "This is a happy occasion…"
The conversation started to flow again, but as Arthur turned back to face the top table, he saw his wife staring at the table in front of her.
Her jaw was set and her eyes were glistening.
He sighed slightly.
"My lord?"
He turned when Percival and the knights approached him, even young Mordred, was staring at him with wide blue eyes.
"My lord if any of us can be of service, we would like to go with you, to meet the green knight." Percival said.
The knights all nodded their agreement.
He smile slightly, "I appreciate and value your loyalty my friends you know that… but this is a challenge I have undertaken and only I will be riding out to meet the knight, the rest of you are needed here, to care for the kingdom and the queen."
"But you are needed for that." Mordred said, staring at Arthur in confusion.
Arthur chuckled and clapped the man on the shoulder, smiling at him.
From across the room Merlin saw this and straightened, his eyes narrowing.
He could not ignore what the dragon had said.
Arthur turned his eyes on Percival.
"Enjoy the feast."
"We are!" Gwaine cheered and raised his goblet.
Arthur chuckled.
"But I still expect all of you at morning training…"
Gwaine muttered something under his breath as he walked away.
Arthur rolled his eyes and turned away, walking back towards the top table where his wife was sat.
She saw him approach and swallowed, standing and folding her hands in front of herself.
"I am ready to retire now."
Her small voice made Arthur sigh, holding his hand out.
She set her hand in it gently, not slapping it down… but the gesture was somewhat cold.
She was not happy, and she was tired.
Arthur led her gently through the hall but she didn't look at him.