Long chapter. Enjoy. Excited for the finale tonight. =D Long live the king! 3

"Can I ask a favor?" Artemis asked Death as they both stood limbo.

"Go ahead."

"Can I have tonight to myself? It's Arthur's birthday," she told her. "I want to do something special for him." Death sighed.

"There are consequences to this request Artemis," she told her.

"Consequences? Like what?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "I'm just saying anytime you ask for a request like this it could cause unwanted affects."

"I will deal with any consequences that occur," Artemis assured Death.

"Are you so sure about that?" Death asked. "This could be a very fatal decision."

"I'm sure."

"Very well," Death said. "You may have tonight."

"Thank you," Artemis told her. Death nodded solemnly like she knew something, knew something she wouldn't or perhaps couldn't tell Artemis. Perhaps if Artemis had listened things would have turned out different than they did.

Artemis practically skipped down the hall in her night gown. She had just woken up though it was well past noon. Artemis knocked on Arthur's chambers.

"Enter," his voice came. Artemis opened the door and closed in gently after entering. He looked up, and she smiled flirtatiously. "Artemis," he said sounding surprised and pleased.

"Hello, Arthur," she said walking to him and sitting in the chair across from his. "Happy Birthday. What are you 50 by now?" she teased.

"Haha," he said sarcastically. "Did you just wake up?" he asked taking in her thin barely there white night gown.

"Yes," she told him. "Do you like my night gown? I don't often wear it, but it's rather nice. It's made from the finest eastern silk. It was a gift many years ago."

"It's quite… lovely," he said trying hard to be a gentleman and not mentally undress her. She smiled charmingly.

"I'm glad, but I bet you think it would look better on your floor?" she said with a smile. Arthur shook his head. "Don't shake your head at me," she told him. "I know what you're thinking, so don't even try and deny it."

"Perhaps it was what I was thinking," he told her, "but you've made yourself clear on that matter."

"I have, but," she said circling around and going closer to his bed; he watched her with a smile, "it is a special occasion, and I really didn't buy you a gift." She slipped off the night gown before stretching out in his bed stark naked. He stared at her. She smiled at him. "Well?" And Arthur being a man, couldn't help himself and joined her in bed.

"Happy Birthday," she told him again laying against him and playing with the coin around his neck. The coin she had given him long ago by now the spell that had long ago been remotely effective was now so worn it was lucky if had any magic left.

"Well, this present tops anything else I get," he told her. She laughed.

"So what's in store for you tonight?" she asked him.

"Festival. There are entertainers in town," he said with a sigh.

"Oh no," she teased him sarcastically, "a festival just for you. It's the end of the world." He smiled at her and held her tighter before kissing the top of her head. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking about you and I," he replied, "about how I'm lucky to have you and about how much I love you. What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking about the future," she told him.

"A future with me?" he asked.

"I hope so," she told him. "I just wish that things could be simpler sometimes."

"I assure you," Arthur told her, "that a simple life would never suit you. It's below you, and you would get bored too easily and do something reckless." She laughed.

"That's… very true," she told him.

"Do you still want children?" he asked her.

"A bunch of brats who share some of your traits and mine?" she asked with a laugh. "Of course." She sighed. "I look at Ava and Everett, and sometimes I just get so jealous. It seems unfair that I was deprived of that."

"You have a chance." She smiled.

"You know if we ever get married Merlin will technically be your brother," she told him with a grin. He groaned.

"I refuse to acknowledge that." She laughed. Artemis stretched and sighed.

"You should get on with your duties. I've kept you occupied to long," she told him sliding to the edge of the bed and pulling on her night gown. She kissed him, and she went to pull away, but he grabbed her and held the kiss longer. She laughed and pulled away.

"Or you could stay," he told her. She smiled and shook her head.

"I'll see you tonight," she assured him.

"Tonight?" he questioned. "But… Death?"

"She agreed to it."

"Then come with me as a guest," he told her. She smiled at her before nodding.

"I would like that," she told him. "Come by my chamber around seven?" He nodded and kissed her hand gently before she pulled away and left his chambers.

Arthur knocked on her door. Artemis pulled it opened with a sigh. She was wearing a dark purple gown with gossamer sleeves. She kept her hair only partly up as was the fashion at the time.

"Hi," she said with a smile. He kissed her gently.

"You look wonderful," he told her.

"Oh, I know," she told him with a laugh. He held out his arm, and she gladly took it. They walked down the hall; Artemis was leaning her head against his shoulder lovingly.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked her.

"I'm getting used to gowns," she told him.

"You can't breathe, can you?"

"Nope," she told him. He laughed. "But I just love seeing the shock on your face when I wear a dress. It never gets old."

"I am constantly in shock of your beauty," he told her.

"Of course," she told him rolling her eyes.

"I saw that," he told her. She grinned up at him.

"I love you," she said innocently. He kissed the top of her head. They reached the banquet hall, and Artemis froze.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur… I heard about your father. He'll be there, won't he?" she asked. He nodded slowly. "Then it's not wise to show up with you, right?"

"I told him you would be there… as a Servant," Arthur said. "You have to understand… he's not completely stable, and I didn't want to tell him-"

"Arthur," she said cutting him off, "I understand." He smiled down at her grateful. She smiled before entering the banquet hall. Arthur followed her.

"By the way, I think you have a gray hair," she teased him again causing him to stop and look at his reflection in a gold dish. She laughed and sat down in a chair next to his. She looked to Uther who was only a chair away from her. She nodded, and he nodded back coolly. Arthur made a face at her playfully before sitting between his father and Artemis. She smiled as she took a sip from her goblet.

Artemis was enjoying her night off. The entertainment was quite enjoyable, and Arthur was in a great mood with his father and his lover both at his feast making Artemis even happier.

In the midst of the performers, a gleeman stood and the performers made way for him.

"We will require a volunteer," he called though his sights were already on Arthur. "Prince Arthur. What better and more fitting occasion to demonstrate your legendary bravery." Arthur seemed on the spot, and Artemis immediately squeezed his hand under the table. "Do you accept the challenge?".

"Of course," he said standing. There's a round of applause.

"Is this safe...?" Merlin asked him as Arthur took of his cloak and shoved it into Merlin's hands.

"It's knife throwing, Merlin. Of course it's not safe. I could hardly refuse his challenge."

Arthur headed over to the circular board where the Gleeman waited for him. He looked at Artemis who shook her head at him. Arthur placed himself against the board where his ankles and wrists were tied to the board.

"Do not fear, my Lord," the gleeman said. "I never miss my target."

"Good," Arthur replied. "Glad to hear it."

"May I?" he asked, but before Arthur can object, the Gleeman shoved an apple in Arthur's mouth. The Gleeman gave the signal, and the wheel was spun.

Another performer presented the case of knives to the Gleeman. He took one out and showed it to the crowd.

Without even stopping to take aim, the Gleeman suddenly turned and threw the knife at Arthur. It stuck into the board, centimeters from Arthur's face. The crowd gasped and applauded.

The Gleeman took the next knife from the case and thew the knife. It flew through the air and landed into the board on the other side of Arthur's head. Another round of applause.

The Gleeman took the final knife from the case, took aim, and threw it. The knife stuck straight into the apple. The hall erupted with applause. Arthur looked incredibly relieved that it was over.

Arthur was released from the board. He tossed up the apple quite pleased with himself. "See, Merlin. Nothing to worry about," he told him taking a bite from the apple.

"So you weren't scared?" Artemis teased as he sat down.

"Not even a little."

"Alright tomorrow let's go out to the training field and I'll throw knives at you," she told him.

"I'll pass," he told her making her laugh.

Artemis collided with the wall as Arthur kissed her right outside his chambers. Artemis pulled away.

"I would love if you would stay the night," he told her with a slur. Artemis laughed.

"You are far too drunk," she told him. "That would be taking advantage of you."

"I would love if you took advantage of me," he growled in her ear. She shoved him playfully.

"Merlin," she called. Her brother came up the stairs, and Arthur groaned making Artemis laugh. She kissed his cheek gently. "Good night."

"Could have been better," he teased. She laughed and walked away. Artemis walked up on top of the roof only to be meet with a familiar face.

"Col," she said happily. He turned his head to stare at her. She walked to his side.

"Artemis, I'm surprised you aren't with Arthur," he told her.

"He's too drunk to play with me tonight," she told him with a pout.

"I really didn't want to know that," he told her. She laughed.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I've been around Amadeus too long." He chuckled and nodded.

"I know how that is," he told her. "He trained me."

"Gwydion didn't?" Artemis asked. He shook his head.

"Grandfather was a member of the blue fraction. I was a member of the red fraction before I stopped pursuing being a member of the Servants."

"Really?" she questioned. "So you're all love and sappiness and romance?" He laughed.

"That's an extreme of the Red fraction," he told her.

"I thought you would have been a blue," she told him, "like your grandfather."

"My mother was a red," he told her.

"I see," she replied. "What was she like?"

"My mother?" he asked. Artemis nodded. "Why do you want to know?"

"I want to get to know you better," she told him. He was silent for a moment.

"Maybe a different night, Artemis," he replied.

"Okay," she replied quietly. "Col?"

"What?"

"Why did Gwydion have a Mirror of Anima?" she asked. The question threw him off. He faltered, and she observed his reaction carefully.

"He didn't," Col replied quickly.

"He did," she replied, "and I think you know why." He was silent before he spoke again.

"I don't know," he replied, but he was lying, and Artemis knew it.

"Hm," she replied thinking before suddenly speaking, "I should get some sleep." He nodded.

"Pleasant dreams," he told her.

"You too," she told him leaving him there. He watched as she left the roof.

"Pull yourself together," he muttered before looking back out to Camelot.

Artemis laid in bed staring at the ceiling. Her eyes slid shut, and she could hear the voices of the dead ringing in her ears.

"Artemis," they breathed a faint whisper. "Wake up." Artemis turned slightly and curled up more. "Artemis," they said slightly louder. "Wake up."

"No," she mumbled.

"Artemis! Uther!" a voice screeched in her ear. Artemis shot up and stared wide awake at her wall. Artemis slid out of bed and found herself walking out the door toward the king's room, and suddenly she was running there terrified. Artemis threw the doors open. Arthur was laying there with his father bleeding out in his lap.

"Artemis," he breathed weakly struggling to stay awake. "Get the guards. Get Gaius." She nodded and ran.

Artemis bit her nails nervously as Gaius looked over Uther. She knew the consensus, but still she had hope not for Uther's sake but Arthur's. Gaius looked to Artemis. He didn't want to be the one to break the news; he hoped Artemis would. She nodded.

"Gaius?" Arthur questioned.

"Arthur," Artemis said quietly putting her hand on his arm as Gaius left them alone with the dying King. He knew what she was going to see. He shook his head.

"No," he said his voice cracking.

"All things have their time, and it's father's now."

"No, no, he still has time," he told her.

"Arthur," she muttered looking up into his eyes, "Uther died the day Morgana betrayed him. He's been a broken man ever since." He opened his mouth trying to think what to say, but he was having a hard time recollecting himself.

"You don't understand," he eventually told her. "Without him, I have no one."

"Of course you do," she told him with a smile. "You have Merlin and Gaius and the knights and me but not only us but all of Camelot. Your people feel your grief." He stared at his father and then down at her.

"Don't leave me tonight," he begged her. He looked like a wounded bear. Artemis nodded.

"I'll stay with you as long as you need me," she told him.

Arthur sat at Uther's side all day and night, and Artemis made sure to stay there and not go to the land of the dead, or at least she tried, but somewhere along the way her eyes felt weighted, and suddenly Death took Artemis's place. She removed her hands from Arthur's. He looked at her and jumped up.

"You!" he said outraged.

"Hello, Arthur Pendragon," she replied. She looked down at Uther before she turned her attention back to Arthur. He looked angry. "You are… angry?" she questioned.

"Of course I'm angry," he replied. "You're killing my father!" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I do not kill," she told him. "People kill people. I simply move their souls from their broken vessel to the next world."

"Then don't take him," he snapped. "You have a choice."

"That would be cruel," she told him. "Leaving his soul in a broken vessel will make only allow for a broken soul. It's your father's time."

"You're wrong," he snapped.

"I am not," she told him. "No matter what you do, no matter how you try he will die, and you cannot stop it."

"Why did you let this happen?" he questioned.

"I could have stopped it if I had been here, but Artemis would not listen to me. I told her it would cause consequences."

"Are you blaming her?" he asked.

"No," she said, "I'm simply saying this is not my doing."

"Get out," he snapped pointing to the door. She looked at sympathetically.

"You have my sympathies," she told him.

"I said out," he said grabbing his arm and pulling her toward the door.

"Arthur, you're hurting my arm," Artemis whimpered. He immediately let go when he realized Death was not with him anymore.

"I'm sorry," he said releasing his grip on her arm. "I just…" She watched him with her head tilted.

"I know," she replied gently putting her hand on his arm. He collapsed back in his chair, and Artemis sat next to him; she would hold his hand all night if she had to.

"How are you holding up?" Merlin asked her entering her chambers the next day. Artemis had her head against her desk. She was surrounded by mountains of books and papers.

"Tired," she muttered. "Arthur was up all night, and he wanted me to stay with him." She lifted her head up from her desk and gestured to the seat across from her. Merlin sat down.

"I know. Arthur told me that you have been very kind and loyal," Merlin explained. She nodded wearily. "I came here for a reason."

"Oh?" she questioned.

"I do not want to go behind your back," he admitted. "I plan to use an aging potion again and to heal Arthur's father." Artemis stared at him blankly.

"I see," she replied carefully. "Just be careful."

"I will," he told her. There was silence again. "There's something else."

"What is it?" she replied.

"I've been thinking about the whole you have no magic situation," he told her.

"Uh-huh," she replied.

"That magic that you used was Death's right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then wouldn't it make sense that you have your own magic, but you've just never used it. What if you have the ability to relearn magic this time actually using your own?" he asked her. Artemis stared at him blankly.

"You've brilliant," she said as a grin spread on her face. "That's a brilliant idea!"

"I'm glad you think so," he told her with a grin.

"Will you reteach me?" she asked him.

"Me?" Merlin said. She nodded.

"I… I miss you brother," she told him. "Even though you're right in my sights, I feel like I never see you." He smiled gently at her before nodding.

"I'll try after this is all over," he replied. She smiled and nodded. "What's all this?" he asked her pointing to the papers. Artemis's smile fell.

"Merlin… you may try, but I do not have faith Uther will live."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"These papers are Servant's work. It's all the papers I'm required to fill out if a new monarch takes the throne."

"I see," Merlin replied. "It won't be necessary. I will save him."

"We shall see," she told him with a sigh. She tossed her books off her desk before throwing her feet up on it. Merlin nodded.

"We leave tomorrow," he said and then his smile fell, and he turned serious as her brother was known to do on rare occasions. "Artemis?" Merlin questioned.

"Hm?" she asked.

"If I got caught… If I make a mistake, and Arthur catches me…," Merlin started.

"I would forsake Arthur and save you," she assured him.

"But you love Arthur," Merlin replied.

"But I love you too. You're my brother," she told him. "Blood is thicker than water, and always know I'm there for you." He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"And I'm there for you," he told her. They smiled at each other realizing that they had each other's backs through thick and thin.

Artemis stared out over Camelot and watched Arthur and Merlin leave Camelot. They were going to go find the apparent sorcerer to help heal Uther. She just hoped Merlin knew what he was doing.

"Artemis," a voice called. She looked over toward the entrance to the roof. Col was coming her way.

"Col," she replied with a smile. He walked to her side.

"I hope he knows what he's doing."

"You know what Merlin's planning? How?" she asked confused.

"I like to eavesdrop," he told her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"It's a wonder that Arthur hasn't found out by now," she replied.

"Well, he's not the smartest man," Col replied.

"I thought you liked Arthur," she told him.

"I do," Col said with a sigh. "I'm just jealous of him sometimes."

"Jealous of what?" she asked. He looked to her and opened his mouth ready to tell her something, but immediately seemed to change his mind.

"Everything, I suppose," he said vaguely. "I do like Arthur. He just makes my blood boil sometimes. He has no idea how lucky he is."

"I think he does sometimes," Artemis told him. "Some days more than others."

"I don't believe you," Col told her. Artemis sighed.

"Arthur doesn't like showing his feelings around others," she told him.

"I don't think he truly knows though," Col told her. "He takes you for granted."

"No doesn't," Artemis objected.

"Then why hasn't he married you?" Col asked. Artemis frowned and looked out to Camelot. "He's not getting any younger, and he'll need an heir to continue the Pendragon line."

"What makes you think I would say yes?" Artemis asked him.

"You love him. It's what you want," he told her.

"Don't presume to know everything about me, Col," she told him. "I have often thought about what I would say to Arthur if he did propose marriage, and I still am uncertain of the answer I would give him."

"Why?" he asked.

"I am not a simpleton. I know that I would not make an appropriate queen," she told him. "I also know my track record with trying to have children has not been good, and therefore Arthur's chances of having an heir with me not good. If I was queen, I would be restricted, followed everywhere I go, and that life does not suit me. Being between walls too longer drives me mad." Col studied her carefully before turning back to Camelot. Artemis sighed. "But I do love him more than I could ever love another. What a predicament."

"I suppose it's good he hasn't proposed marriage yet," Col replied. He paused for a moment. "He's asked me to become a knight of Camelot."

"How do you feel about that?"

"My parents died in the Great Purge…," Cole said. "Although, I would be happy to become a knight. If Arthur found out about my parents-"

"He wouldn't judge you based on them," Artemis assured him.

"They weren't bad people, and I am a sorcerer."

"I know, but for now, these views are what they accept, you must understand that."

"I do," he told her before he looked down at her. "Artemis… I understand you better than you think."

"Col… why did Gwydion have a Mirror of Anima?" Col shifted uncomfortably.

"I have no idea," he told her.

"You do realize how bad a liar you are, right?" she asked. He groaned.

"Yes," he admitted.

"Well as long as you know," she told him with a laugh. They both continued staring out into Camelot together.

They failed. The King was dead. Merlin had tried, but Morgana was more informed and more cunning than he thought. She had reversed the healing affects and caused Uther's death. Death wasn't lying. No matter what Arthur had done on that day, it was Uther's time to go. Arthur was devastated.

Artemis walked down the stairs to find her brother sitting against the wall staring at the door of the room Arthur was in mourning over his father's corpse. Artemis slid down next to him and handed him a cup of hot nonalcoholic cider. Merlin sipped it as Artemis sipped hers.

"It's my fault," Merlin told her. Artemis shook her head.

"It's not," she told him. "It was Uther's time. Nothing could have changed that."

"Why? Why couldn't things go right just this once?" he asked her. Artemis sighed.

"Because Morgana wasn't satisfied seeing Uther broken. She wanted to see him dead," she replied.

"Arthur's hardened against magic even more," Merlin told her. Artemis shrugged.

"For the time," she told him. "All will work out."

"How can you be so optimistic?"

"One of us has to be," Artemis replied.

"Where's Death?" Merlin asked her.

"Not here. She understands that I need this time to support you and Arthur. Its times like this that we need the ones we love close, or else our love is turned to hate," she told him.

The two talked quietly into the night catching up and remembering that they needed each other, but it was inevitable that they would fall asleep, and as morning rose, Arthur's voice awoke them.

"Merlin? Artemis?" They both awoke out of the light sleep; Arthur was standing over them. He had dried his eyes and was now calm and composed, almost serene. They traded stares. Arthur looked at the light flooding in through the window - in a contemplative mood. Artemis tilted her head wondering which path he would take: the one of anger and vengeance like his father or the path of mercy and love like that of his mother.

"It is a new day," he told them. Artemis and Merlin looked at each other before standing. "You two have been here all night?"

"I… we didn't want you to feel that you were alone," Merlin told him.

"You are loyal friends," he told them. Merlin and Arthur traded a look, then Arthur closed the throne room doors and took a breath. "You two must be hungry?"

"Starving," they both said.

"Me too," Arthur replied. "Come on. You can make us all some breakfast, Merlin."

Merlin, Artemis, and Arthur all headed up the spiral staircase together side by side as it should be and always will be.

"Hey Arthur?" Artemis questioned.

"Hm?"

"I thought I was more than a friend," she said causing Merlin to laugh and Arthur to shake his head.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?" Geoffrey of Monmouth asked Arthur as he kneeled before him taking his oaths. Artemis stood next to her brother in the crowd wearing a white summer dress with wings sown in the breast. She was there as a friend and a Servant.

"I solemnly swear so to do," Arthur told him.

"Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"

"I will."

"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I pronounce you Arthur, King of Camelot!" Geoffrey of Monmouth placed a crown upon Arthur's head. Arthur stood and looked out over the crowd of people. Ironically, it was his uncle that started the traditional chant.

"Long live the King!" Agravaine.

"Long live the King!" the crowd chanted. "Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!" Artemis watched her brother. She had never seen him look prouder of Arthur. Artemis smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked down at her as the chanting continued. They both grinned before shouting with the crowd.

"LONG LIVE THE KING!"