Chapter 18–The Griffin
Hey guys, be impressed by how quick I have been? I've got my exam results back today and they were good so this is my celebration for that . Anyway try and do the poll on my profile. Also please review or PM me if you have any ideas for what they should end up doing. Anyway I don't own Merlin but Laudine, Kay and Elizabeth are mine. Read and enjoy…
I walked quickly into Gaius' chambers seeing Merlin and Gaius standing there, "So how do we kill this thing?" I questioned.
"We need to stop Arthur riding out, Uther must see reason," Merlin stated.
I shook my head sadly, "Where magic is concerned, the king is blind to reason," I informed him.
"Magic is our only hope," Gaius said looking purposely at Merlin.
Merlin took a moment to realise what he meant, "You're not suggesting…"
"It is your destiny, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic," Gaius interrupted.
"You saw it, Gaius. I can't go up against that thing," Merlin argued back.
"But if you do not, then Arthur will surely perish," I whispered softly saying what we all knew.
"No...this is madness. I don't have magic that powerful. There must be another way," Merlin said in denial.
"This is the only way," Gaius said simply.
I stepped forward placing my hand on Merlin's shoulder, "I will be with you all the way," Merlin looked hopelessly between Gaius and I before nodding his head reluctantly, "We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing," I said looking at around the room at all the books.
The next half an hour was spent looking through books, I called in both Laudine and Kay from their duties to help us. The silence in the room was only broken by the occasionally flicking of pages, "There," I exclaimed finally finding something which would work, everyone crowded around me, "You can do this for Arthur," I said looking up at Merlin.
"I've never cast a spell of enchantment this powerful," Merlin worried.
Gaius read the spell over my shoulder, "Nothing less will kill it, here," Gaius handed Merlin a rusty dagger, "Try. You have it within you. I know you do," Gaius gently touched Merlin's shoulder.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec," Merlin resighted, we all looked at the dagger which did nothing, before turning to face each other again.
"I know you can do it," I encouraged.
Merlin was still trying to get the spell when the skies began to turn darker, "Don't worry, Merlin. I know you're trying," Gaius encouraged.
"And I'm failing. And if Arthur dies because I'm not good enough..." Merlin began.
"Merlin!" I snapped stopping his rant.
Just then Gwen rushed in completely out of breath, "Merlin! Lancelot's riding out to kill the griffin!"
"He's what?" Merlin hissed. Gwen just shrugged helplessly, before Merlin was sprinting out of the door. Gaius called after him. I didn't bother saying anything just followed Merlin out along the corridor.
"Merlin!" I yelled causing him to stop and turn to me.
"Lancelot…" Was all he managed to get out.
"We'll find him," I assured him before we took off again running side by side until we reached the lower town, Lancelot was there saddling a horse.
"I'm coming with you," Merlin said without so much as a hello.
"No you're not," Lancelot responded immediately.
"Just you try and stop us," I snapped back grabbing two more horses from the stables and passing one off to Merlin.
"Elizabeth you are a lady and Merlin you're not a solider," Lancelot argued.
"You said it yourself, Lancelot, Arthur needs all the help he can get. Now let's go," Merlin said calmly.
Lancelot turned back to face me, "And if you even think that I would leave Arthur in danger then you obviously haven't realised anything about me," I said before climbing up onto the horse.
I couldn't ever remember a time at which I had rode so fast as in that moment. The sounds of dying men and swords crashing echoed throughout the forest. I gripped onto my reins tighter as we moved towards the sounds to death. Then there was silence, we reached the fallen knights and dismounted.
I ran from knight to knight trying to find the one person I needed to be okay, "Arthur," I exclaimed running down to his side, Merlin beat me there feeling for a pulse, "Well?" I questioned impatiently.
"He's alive," Merlin said in relief. A loud hissing sound echoed through the air as the griffin circled above us noticing our presents. Lancelot climbed back onto his horse and positioned his lance at the griffin.
"Okay Merlin, it's now or never," I whispered, as Lancelot reared up of his horse.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec," Merlin spoke, nothing happened but Lancelot started to charge, "Bregdan anweald gafeluec," Nothing happened once again by this point Lancelot had just travelled passed us, "Bregdan anweald gafeluec!" again nothing but the griffin began to charge flying slightly upwards into the air, I gripped hold of Merlin's hand, feeling the magic flow through me and into him somehow giving him more power, "Bregdan anweald gafeluec!" He yelled, his eyes glowing so brightly. The lance flamed blue and hit the griffin in the chest. The griffin let out a terrible screech before collapsing to the ground dead. I smiled brightly at Merlin before hugging him and jumping up and down, "Yes!"
Arthur groaned and started waking up, "Time for us to leave," I whispered to Merlin before running off knowing he was close behind. It didn't take us that long to reach the castle and run into Gaius' chambers.
"You did it?!" Gaius questioned.
"I did it," Merlin confirmed. They hugged.
"He was amazing," I said singing his praises.
Merlin just smiled at me, "I couldn't have done it without you."
"I did nothing," I smiled back.
"You gave me more power," Merlin explained.
Before Gaius could ask Laudine came running into the room, "My Lady, Prince Arthur has returned."
"Well I'd better go to him then," I laughed before once again taking off down the corridor and going to the entrance of the castle where Arthur was. I run straight into his arms, "Will you ever stop trying to kill me with worry?" I laughed feeling so relieved after a nightmare day.
"Never, but I would have never survived without Lancelot," Arthur explained to me.
I turned to Lancelot and bowed, "Sir Lancelot," Lancelot said nothing instead just smiling at me, I turned back to Arthur, "Your father will be expecting you."
We walked in silence to council chambers. Arthur and I walked in first, Uther came over and slapped Arthur on the shoulder, "You did it, my son. You did it."
"Not I, Father. It was Lancelot," Arthur disagreed just as Lancelot walked in.
"What's he doing here?" Uther questioned coldly.
"Father, I can explain…" Arthur began.
"You! Wait outside," Uther ordered.
I quickly grasped Arthur's hand squeezing it gently before following Lancelot out of the chambers.
Before the doors were closed I heard Uther start to yell, "You have no right to…!"
Merlin chose that moment to come round the corner, "What are they doing?" He questioned nodding towards the door.
"Deciding my fate," Lancelot said gloomy.
"You know what Uther is like. He believes it's for the best in Camelot," I told Merlin.
"They'll restore your knighthood, of course they will. You killed the griffin," Merlin spoke in a rush.
"But I didn't kill the griffin," Lancelot said walking slightly away from the guards.
"Of course you did!" I exclaimed looking at the guards to make sure they didn't hear him say that, they seemed as oblivious as ever.
"You did," Lancelot said to Merlin, "Both of you."
"That's ridiculous," Merlin said trying to laugh it off.
""Bregdan anweald "...I heard you. I saw you, both of your eyes glowed," Lancelot said as Merlin and I both looked worried, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But I cannot take the credit for what I did not do. How do you fit in my lady?"
"Merlin is not the only one with such abilities in Camelot," I replied simply.
"That is brave of you My lady, I have decided there'll be no more lies, no more deceit," Lancelot said sternly.
"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked.
"The only thing I can do," Lancelot said before running through the doors and into the council chamber I quickly followed behind.
"What is this?" Uther questioned as the guards restrained Lancelot.
"Let me speak!" Lancelot yelled.
"Wait! I'll hear him," Uther commanded, the guards releasing Lancelot immediately.
"Forgive me, Sire. I've come to bid you farewell," Lancelot spoke calmly.
Arthur looked confused, "What is this, Lancelot?"
"I lied to you both and now there is conflict between you. I cannot bear that burden, as you should not bear mine. I must start again, far from here. Then maybe one day fate shall grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot," Lancelot gave a long speech.
"But...Lancelot, you've...already proved that to us," Arthur explained.
"But I must prove it to myself. Your Highness," Lancelot said bowing towards Uther, "Prince Arthur," He said bowing to Arthur before turning to me, I held out my hand which he took and kissed, "My Lady."
"Sir Lancelot," I said back, smiling sadly at him. Lancelot backed out of the room. I turned to see Arthur looking crestfallen. As Lancelot exited I heard someone else enter the room.
"My Lord, I'm here to speak to Princess Elizabeth on behalf of her father," The man spoke. I turned around and came face to face with a young knight who I hadn't seen in so long and who was wearing my old Kingdoms colours.
"Edward?" I questioned before pulling the boy into a hug, "You're a knight now?"
"Yes My Lady," Edward smiled at me, before becoming serious, "I have been asked by the King to come and bring you back to Deira. Your father is very ill and he has called you and your two brothers' to him."
"I will leave tonight," I said before turning to Uther, "I will be back as soon as my father is feeling well again," Uther nodded his head before I walked out of the room. I saw Merlin and Laudine standing there waiting, "Grab all my stuff and Sir Kay, my father needs me," I said to Laudine, who nodded her head before leaving me alone with Merlin.
Merlin looked so sad, "You're leaving?"
"Father needs healing, between Laudine and I we can heal him. I'll probably be gone for about a month," I said pulling him into a hug, "Stay safe and try not to do anything dangerous won't you Merlin?"
"I won't. You should say goodbye to Arthur," Merlin suggested.
Just then I heard Arthur's voice from behind me, "Elizabeth?"
I pulled away from Merlin and turned around, "Speak of the devil. Can we talk somewhere alone?"
Arthur nodded before walking out of the castle I followed him until we reached the hill that I sat on when I watched him train, Camelot looked beautiful in the dark with candles glowing from windows, it almost looked like magic, "So you're leaving?" Arthur questioned breaking the silence that had fallen.
"Only for a little while Arthur. I'll be back before you know it," I assured him.
"Really?" Arthur questioned looking hopeful.
"You know anyone would think you're gonna miss me," I smiled at him.
"I think I might," Arthur confessed quietly.
I leant forward before I lost my nerve and kissed him gently on the lips pulling back so my forehead was resting against his, "Just wanted to do that before…"
Arthur didn't let me finish, instead leaning forward and kissing me once more, this time was a million times more passionate. I felt like my head would explode with such emotion that I was feeling. After a moment he pulled away both of us were breathing more heavily than before, "I promise I will come back to you," I whispered against his lips.
I know horrible ending! Please don't kill me, I just think that the phrase is absent makes the heart grow fonder. Anyway please review and let me know what you think. I'll write soon.
Until next time
Artistic-Blue-Eyes
Xxx