"Guinevere!" I said, pained as she pulled my hair into an even tighter bun. "Easy, now! Shouldn't you be watching Arthur Thomas? What is this all about? Ouch!" I was beginning to get a little irritated that she wouldn't tell me anything. What on earth was going on? I was supposed to see Merlin, and she had insisted upon getting me dressed up. I told her whatever he was planning, he wouldn't care, but she insisted. Her son, now five, was training with his father. Instead of watching them, she was here, torturing me. Why?

"Just hold still, and deal with it for a moment. That's an order from your Queen." But her voice was smiling as she said it.

"Momma!" The small voice sounded from the young prince's chambers

Guinevere turned with a sigh of exasperation "I'm sorry. Freya. I will be right back. Do not move." And with that she bustled out the door closing it behind her. I laid my head in my hand. What in the world was this? Merlin hadn't given any signs of anything and I could read him like an open book. This would be a circumstance I would expect if he were about to— no. There was no way. I would've known, and to his destiny was far too great to settle down even with Arthur, as king. So what was the fuss about? Surely, nothing worth sitting here for three hours straight. I was about to disobey Guenevere's orders and stand up, when suddenly all the candles in the room appeared to be snuffed out by an invisible force. The stained-glass window trembled. My skin grew cold.

Dark magic.my thoughts began to race as I slowly stood up, turning around, hand outstretched. Hiding my fear and readying to strike at any moment.

"I don't know who you are," I said, projecting my voice," but I have magic. I am the lady of the Lake. Able to mingle amongst the living and unsettled. Beware of my power and be gone from this place."

The only response was a laugh. One that I knew all too well. I turned around.

"Ha ha ha! You are adorable!"

My worst fears were confirmed as my stomach dropped.

"Morgana!" My tone was thick with anger as I gazed upon her face, blue hazel eyes shining with laughter. Why was she here?

She chuckled again, but this time moving toward me. Her face grew slightly…tender. In a way I had not seen it in about a year. What was she playing at? I backed away.

"Come, sister!" She said, almost kindly, "I give you my word I will not harass you today. Especially not after what you did for me. It was very brave. I'm proud of you."

The sick feeling in my stomach increased. About a month ago, I had sent my own beloved crashing into a wall, because for once, the embittered woman standing in front of me, was in the right. I still felt guilty about it, but Merlin understood, and it was obvious she was gleeful. Despite my not wanting her to, she reached down and took my hand.

"Darling, please," she said softly," this is no trick. I got Guenevere out of here, just so I could say a few things to you."

I looked around. So that call from Arthur Thomas had not even been real. I was wary "what do you want?"

Morgana stopped, the surprise in her eyes, stopping me short in the same fashion. "You don't know do you?"

"Know what?" I asked, forgetting my wariness for a moment.

She smiled then embraced me. "Oh my, sweetheart! I can't believe this is happening! Oh! It's just like— well, you'll figure it out— why else would I be here without causing trouble? Trust me, this is the one day that I wish nothing but peace for you!" She kissed me on the cheek, and then grabbed my hand, as childlike as she used to be. With that simple touch, I remembered that part of me still sided with and dearly loved her. Morgana had done many things I did not agree with, but she was still my sister. I allowed her to bring me to the corner of the room, where a young child of about nine was sitting. Dark hair like hers. But with familiar blue eyes.

"This is mine and Mordred's daughter— Ærist. She wanted to come and say hello."

Completely forgetting all my former misgivings, I stared in amazement, then knelt down and grasped the girls hands. "Hello lovely one!" I said happily, "my name is Freya. Your mother's sister."

"Hello. Mummy's told me a lot about you, "said the quiet voice, smiling as she looked up at me. I was about to inquire further But Morgana pulled me aside once more.

"I don't have much time," she said urgently, embracing me again. "Oh my beautiful sister! I wish you all the luck in the world, for what is about to happen is one of the best things in your life." She looked at her daughter. "Trust me, I know."

I squeezed her back.

"I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore," I said with half a chuckle, but I wasn't really jesting.

"Oh waterling," she whispered sadly, "no matter what, I will always love you." Then, before I knew it, she was gone, and Guenevere was opening the door to return to me.

"Oh, well," she said with a sigh, "turns out he didn't need me. Must've been hearing things, eh? Are you ready?"

I turned around, wondering exactly what I was supposed to be ready for, but nevertheless confidently answered, "Yes."

Guenevere led me outside into the great Hall, where to my surprise Arthur Thomas was waiting. Holding a tiny rose, the young and beautiful olive skinned prince was smiling in my direction. Guenevere gestured for me to go to him, and I, returning his smile, did so. I leaned down, as his tiny hands placed the flower in my hair.

"For you, lady Freya," he said softly, "father is waiting for you,"

I smiled and gave him a hug before standing up, and holding his hand as he walked me outside. Then I began to notice that there were more people surrounding. Courtiers all smiling. Even staff. Geoffrey of Monmouth. George. Gaius. And even Sefa(the Queen's lady's maid who in all honesty, almost stole Merlin from me during my absence in the land of the dead). Gaius came over and hugged me, and the aforementioned smiled, strangely happy to see me. Unhurt. Now I was really questioning things. What was this plan they had?

I was distracted suddenly by the sight of Arthur, waiting astride his white stallion right in the middle of the great Hall. Things were getting stranger and stranger. Guenevere and Arthur Thomas escorted me.

"The time has come for me to return a favor." He said with a smile, "are you ready, Rosamond?" He winked as he used my old pseudonym, and I laughed , despite my cluelessness, nodding as he lifted me up in front of him. He turned his horse, and shouted to the crowd," God willing, this mission will not fail! For the love of Camelot!"

As if on cue , the crowd responded, "For the love of Camelot!" and I laughed as we took off.

We rode fast, but it was at least an hour's ride. I recognized where we were going, though. The Lake. I remembered the time where Merlin had lit so many candles in an effort to burn away the bad memories of crossing sides. I smiled again. Knowing Merlin, my lake would once again have a larger part to play.

Arthur stopped, and proved me right. There we were in front of the Lake of Avalon, and all I could see were four or five roses, standing single and tall as though they were growing straight from the ground. They seemed to be leading toward the bushes. Whatever this was, it was well thought out.

"What is this?" I laughed

"I don't know," said Arthur, in his usual sarcastic tone as he lifted me down. "Follow them and find out." Without warning, he kicked his horse into action and ran off.

"Arthur!" I shouted, worriedly. Who knows how far I would have to walk? Arthur, Wait! Dammit!" I sighed. He was gone. Guess there was nothing else to do but "follow them" as he had just suggested. I began my trek. The roses led me through the bushes and brush beyond, a new bloom, appearing just above the grass every few yards or so. They were all so beautiful and I was quite content in following their trail. I was quite distracted until I realized that I was no longer walking in the woods, but instead, just outside The Rising Sun. What I saw there made my heart skip a beat.

The cage. Complete with straw and chains. The very cage I had been returned to Camelot in. Only this was not all. The roses that were crawling up in between the cracks in the cement, soon started climbing in between the rails of my old prison. I had no idea what Merlin meant by this, and for a second I was a little perturbed. Why would he want to bring these memories back to me when they were the most horrible? Still, the flowers did not lie, and I knew what I had to do. I crawled up into the jail cell. And waited.

I was taken by surprise, when the irons clapped once more around my wrists, and the cage door closed, seemingly of its own will. Merlin, I thought angrily, I don't like this game. Cut it out. At that very moment, a single standing rose emerged from under the straw, not quite emerged from its bud. I stared at it, dumbfounded, for within the coiling of the petals, was a tiny white scroll. Carefully, I extracted it, and read.

Humor me, and whistle.

I looked down and smirked triumphantly. So he could hear my thoughts? He must not be that far off. Laughing, I did as the note said, letting out three airy notes.

There was a crash of lightning, right where the horses should've been to tow the cart. The impact nearly made me jump out of my skin, and for once I was glad of the irons on my wrists. When I looked up again, a dark, luminescent horse, purely black was standing in front, harnessed in full form.

"Beorn!" I couldn't believe my eyes. I had called him only a few times before when I needed to get somewhere fast, but I had no idea that Merlin could call upon the animal! Especially since it was a Veil Chaser, such as I. Gently, my Plutonian steed pulled the cage and a steady pace, and before long we were going down an alleyway that I remembered like the back of my hand. Arthur was standing at the edge upon his white horse, just before the tunnel that led to the place I now knew I was going. The cart stopped. The irons unclasped, and the door to the cage opened. Arthur dismounted in order to help me down.

"I'll be right outside if he gives you too much trouble," he said playfully, smiling down at me, "good luck."

"Thank you," I said as I heartily embraced him around the shoulders, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad he has someone like you."

"I'm glad he has someone like you." He returned, and I let go of him, and taking the torch he had ready for me, I made my way inside.

As I walked along the catacombs' tunnel, ironically began to feel more at ease. Although this was usually the resting place of the dead, in it, I remember, I never felt more alive.

I finally made it to the place where I have stayed before, but it was completely dark and despite the torch I could not see anything.

I felt arms wrap around my waist and I immediately screamed on impulse, dropping my light, which went out. I heard his laugh and elbowed him in the gut, laughing as I turned around to face him. "Damn you, Merlin! You nearly—"

"Forbærne! Hoppaþ nu swilce swá lieg fleogan!"

I stopped as the light flooded his face, and turned around as he made his way behind me. What I saw was absolutely glorious.

The small room was brilliantly lit with seemingly hundreds of floating candles, just as he had done here many years previously, as well as on the Lake surface. On the ground floor, there was a small spread of ham, bread, cheese, and to my astonishment, a small silver dessert bowl of strawberries.

My mouth fell agape and my eyes sparkled as I knelt down, with him wordlessly following suit, as he enjoyed the expressions on my face. I had figured it out, or at least part of it. Merlin was re-creating the key places at which we met. The Tavern .The Lake. The cage. The catacombs. My long-awaited first meal after I returned to Camelot. It was wonderful.

"Oh my God," I whispered, "Merlin…"

He smiled, "I'm guessing you like it then?" He smiled and picked up a strawberry handing it to me, 'if at first, you don't succeed…"

I laughed, taking the small fruit from him and eating it. There was a small moment of silence before I spoke, "so what's this all about?"

"Eat first," he said laughing at the disbelieving smile on my face

"Oh come, on!"

"Eat!" He said, not giving up, "I will if you won't! I'm starving!"

I relented, giggling as we both set into the food. When we finished, leaving very little, I glanced around the room, standing up to get a better view. The flickering candles made shadows on the orange lighted walls, and it was absolutely breathtaking. I swore I could stand there looking at it for hours, mesmerized by the man-made heaven Merlin had created. I turned, as he stood up, offering me a single white rose, strangely beautiful and different in contrast to the others I had seen tonight. With a wave of his hand, the remaining spread was gone, leaving only space between us. He smiled at me affectionately.

"What is it?"

He grinned more deeply, "you may have heard this before, but you look like a princess."I laughed, and he stepped closer, caressing my hair. "Although, I seem to recall something more like this,". With a wave of his finger, he undid the bun that poor Gwen had slaved over. We both prefered it this way.

"I told Guenevere you liked it better down, but she wouldn't listen," I said quietly. He chuckled.

"Ah, "he said kindly, moving a strand of hair out of my face and caressing my cheek ."she worries too much. But I suppose that comes with the job." He leaned in and kissed me gently, smiling triumphantly as we parted.

"How was your other visitor?" He asked, grinning, almost foolishly.

"She was surprisingly kind, and for the first time I got to meet her daughter, which—" I stopped, eyes wide as the realization came to me. Merlin laughed as he watched the epiphany color my face.

"You asked her here?! I said incredulously. I was slightly angry, yet exceedingly grateful. "She could have done so much—"

"but she didn't!" He said, smartly, "we both agreed we should put our differences aside. After all, this could be a special day for a particular person we both love very much." He paused, "Freya. I," he closed his eyes for a moment as though composing himself. He grabbed both my hands in his, "I need to talk to you. Please hear me out?" He glanced at me, waiting for my go-ahead and I nodded, which made him smile nervously, "Freya," he paused again at first looking to the heavens as though asking for help, and then back to me. "We've been through hell and back together. From the first day at the Tavern, to the day you gave me back Excalibur for Arthur… You have been there for me like no one else ever has, and have taught me so many lessons that I will never be able to forget." He placed his hands almost urgently on my face. "You may not think you're special, but indeed you are, and not just because of your gifts." He stopped and then my suspicion, the one I had pushed away suddenly came bursting in full force as he kneeled down on one knee.

"Oh my God, Merlin!" The cry was muffled, as I put a shaking hand to my mouth, the other one, still holding his.

"You are stronger than you know. You've been through horrible things that I could never dream of even in my darkest nights and still come out smiling!" He looked down, as a grin broke through his speech, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"But what about your destiny?" I interrupted, tears welling up in my eyes, "I knew what was coming, but I had been warned by Guenevere and the Dragon not to interfere. Although I only listen to one, the warnings still worried me. "Your destiny is to be beside Arthur and protect him! Although I want to. I cannot—"

"Hang my destiny. Freya!" He said, looking into my face, "Sometimes people have more than one! I may be destined to be beside Arthur, but I am also destined to be with you!" He stood up briefly, cupping my face in his hands again, shaking my chin gently, emphasizing his words. "You are my strength, Freya! You hold my hand steady when it shakes, you helped me walk when I could not stand. I want to live with you, laugh with you, I want my children to have your eyes!" He paused again, wiping the tears from my face, which were now flowing freely and fast. "You don't just complete me, you complement me, and I you! When you are scared. I will be there to hold you, and when I am lost, you will counsel me as you always do… And perhaps, give Gaius a break."

I managed to let out a small laugh in between my tears, and she smiled, "I've lost you so many times, and yet you keep coming back to me—"

"— like a disease. "I finished, joking and drying my eyes.

"No," he said, clasping my hands together in his, "like fate. Even through Sefa, you—" he stopped and kneeled down again.

"Look. The fact is, I am tired of letting my 'destiny'run things. Arthur is King now and I will help him all I can. But it is time for me to start my life. And," he drew my hands to his lips, "I would choose no one else to start it with other than you,"

I smiled, not believing my ears. It was so beautiful and surreal all at once. I felt numbness everywhere, as though I were walking in mist. The only thing I could feel, was the sheer amount of joy in my heart, so enormous It was actually painful.

"Freya," he said, both his hands, as well as his voice for shaking as he put his hand in his pocket, and withdrew a ring. As I looked down, I found that my hands were shaking too.

"Will you marry me?"

I clasped my hand over my mouth again, his words, not permitting me to speak. I nodded over and over, silently sobbing until I could.

"Yes! Yes, Merlin! Yes!"

For a moment, he seemed slightly dazed as though he could not believe my answer, then he laughed aloud, and then, still shaking, put the ring on my finger, slowly. Then he sprung up, taking me in his arms, and kissing me. Absolutely relieved and filled with as much joy as I was. I placed my hands on his face, as he wraped his arms around me, then we suddenly parted.

"We're getting married!" He said excitedly.

"Yeah!" I whispered kissing him again, the tears still pouring freely. He parted from me again, just briefly, before laughing, lifting and spinning me around, pulling me in again. I was lost in the moment, as the entire world seemed to shine before me! He had asked me, and we were getting married! I didn't know when, but I didn't care! We were free at last!

"I haven't heard any wedding bells, so what's going—Ah."

We were so lost in her own world at the moment, that we didn't even notice Arthur come in. "I take it, she said yes? Come up for air, either of you!"

We separated, arms around each other as we finally noticed the King. Simultaneously, my fiancée and I looked at each other, and I knew exactly what needed to be said. I turned back to our friend.

"Shut up. Arthur." And once more, we were lost.

We three rode home as fast as the wind could take us, laughing exuberantly with the joy of our news. When we arrived, Arthur suggested we make like nothing happened, and scare the crowd, and honestly, nothing would've please Merlin or me more.

Arthur commanded the gates to open, and we all walked in, leaving our horses, Merlin and I hand in hand. When we entered the great Hall, we could tell that the people were waiting and holding their breath. We looked each other in the eye, and lifted our hands, intertwined with my ring clearly visible. The crowd erupted and the celebrations began, but as far as I was concerned the best part had already taken place.

Hours later, during the party, after all, the congratulations had been said, I was sitting next to Merlin, my hand in his. He looked down at it, and smiled.

"Did you even get a chance to look at the ring?" He laughed.

"No!" I said, absolutely astonished that I had forgotten. I had been so caught up in the moment that I barely gave the ring A glance. I pulled my hand from him, gently and gasped. "Oh my goodness, it's—"

"a selected, enchanted, reversed Neahtid Crystal," he finished, taking my hand in his own and examining the ring, enunciating each adjective as he spoke. "It is specific only to us, and only shows are past." He lifted my hand closer to my eyes, and within the beautiful white stone's facets I could see everything. When he gave me the Rose. My death. Our first kiss. Our second kiss. The candles. Tonight's proposal. Everything was there, showing themselves in random order, beautiful reminders of us.

"I enchanted it, with the help of the Dragon— I know you'll hate me for that. But it's true— so I did not see anything I wasn't supposed to, then I cut the crystal and found the ring, in the place you told me about.

He glanced at my face again as he waited for my reaction. Needless to say I was utterly amazed. "You Didn't!"

"I did," he said, laughing, "the ninth brick, and the second wall, in the cellar. I tried to get your mother's. But I believe she was wearing it and at the time that she passed—"

I cut him short with a kiss. So tender and passionate it caught him by surprise. He had found this Crystal. Enchanted it, cut it, set it in my grandmother's ring, and then told me, despite all my faults, that he adored me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I began crying. I could not bear it anymore. Our lips broke away and he once again tucked a strand of hair away from my face, wiping my tears away.

"Why are you crying?" He said.

"Because you're beautiful. And I love you."

I embraced him, his arms around me, surprised. I felt him smile over my shoulder.

"And we have plenty of years for you realize that's what I've been trying to say to you."