A/N: For the longest time watching "Merlin," I was positive that in the legends, Gwaine had a sister named Elaine. Well, Elaine definitely existed, though she existed in several different forms. In none of those forms, however, could I find her linked to Gwaine. Then again, my searching skills aren't so great, so feel free to correct me! I think my source material for them being related actually comes from the "Wheel of Time" series. (For that matter, does Elaine show up in the series? Forgive my ignorance, it's been a long while since I watched the series, and I'm just now rewatching!)
Anyway, in my head I've imagined Elaine as being Gwaine's twin. This is a suuuuuper simple one-shot, just of the scene before Arthur and his future knights take Camelot back from Morgana. I suppose I'm posting it partly because I wanted to share, and partly because maybe I'll do something with the pair later. Not sure what, though. So consider this an introduction?
As you'll see in a moment, this is from Gwaine's point of view.
xxXxx
I'd fought for men before. I'd fought for this man before: Arthur Pendragon, the golden prince of Camelot. He'd proven himself, on more than one occasion, to be a man worth fighting for, and never would I have acknowledged such a thing about any nobleman.
And if I'd never expected to be willing to lay my life down for such a man, I'd certainly never imagined I would be here: deep in the ruins of some dusty old castle, no ale to be seen, and one hell of a badly-stacked fight to look forward to. Only a handful of men preparing to go against an entire army, and while I like my odds stacked against me, I also like my opponents to be mortal. This army we faced had been spelled into immortality, and even in my book, that's not fair.
That we were still preparing to engage was absolute folly, and I would be lying if I said a part of me wasn't still looking forward to the challenge. But folly it still was, and we all knew it; as I scanned the faces of old friends and new alike, I could see that tiny spark of disbelief glinting in their eyes. We were all awake, mere hours before we had to set out, time when we should have been resting. Some tried to make jokes-perhaps me more than others-but the jokes fell flat and eventually we would go back to silence. To waiting.
Not Elaine, though. Not my beautiful, graceful, imp of a sister. Her blood ran as hot as mine for a fight, no matter the odds. Oh, she often chastised me after one drunken brawl or another, pretending as though she hadn't also gotten involved in some inconspicuous way. Always the lady in public, was Elaine. Well...most of the time, at least. I flattered myself to think I'd taught her a thing or two about swords-in truth, she could almost hold her own, though she was better with stealth and a dagger. But it was magic she relied upon, and too heavily, for her strength lay in healing rather than damage.
I've owed my life several times over to her healing spells, and she's not likely to ever let me forget it.
My gaze lingered on her now as she sat separated from the rest, back to us as she stared at her reflection in a makeshift mirror. To any other eye, she seemed to be primping. Her fingers worked swiftly through the dark strands of her hair, plaiting an intricate pattern which she then coiled and pinned around the back of her head. A battle braid, she called it. Arthur believed she would be staying behind with Gwen and Gaius, but of course I knew better. And if she was going through the effort of a battle braid-an open declaration of war, in her eyes-then I realized she was taking this business far more seriously than I'd thought. Neither of us is very good at taking things seriously. Some might consider it a character flaw, but I figure it just makes us more endearing.
As though reading my thoughts (and sometimes, I thought maybe she could), Elaine shoved one more pin through her hair and turned to look at me. So many had remarked on our similarity of appearance, and while normally I would argue I was the better looking of us, just then I could see my own concerns reflected in her dark eyes. Later, her cheeks would be flushed with the heat of excitement; but just now they were pale, and I imagined I could see freckles standing out against her skin. She looked small and solemn, and for once, right on the brink of running away.
So I did the only thing I could think of: I flashed her a wink and a roguish grin. With the outcome so decidedly fixed against us, there wasn't much use in fear, and a bit of a brazen attitude wouldn't hurt anyone.
The expression was mirrored almost instantly on her face, elfin and full of arrogant promise. As always, she seemed to take strength in my confidence, whether I was feeling it or not. Even if we're twins and technically the same age, a brother is duty bound to protect his sister when he can.
"Don't worry," Elaine said, and though her voice was soft, it still startled everyone in the room. "I promise to leave some men for you."
As Arthur spun toward her, his eyes fairly popping out of their sockets, Elaine laughed merrily and stood, belting first a slender sword, then a small dagger around her waist. "It's no use, my lord," I called out, still grinning. "Where I go, she goes."