Chapter 29–Love Will Keep You Strong

Hey guys, another chapter done and dusted. Only one more after this then this story is done, the poll was shut down last night...I hope you enjoy this chapter, please review and let me know what you think. I don't own Merlin, but I do own my wonderful creation of Laudine, Kay and Elizabeth.

I woke up to Laudine knocking on my door as usual before she entered my room. Usually she was loud and happy, sometimes even annoyingly cheerful, but this morning she entered into my room in complete silence. I turned over to face her and was greeted with the site of both Kay and her standing there. That put me on alert, "What is it, what's happened?"

Laudine and Kay looked at each other before Laudine spoke, "Arthur…its Arthur…"

"Where is he?" I yelled immediately getting out of bed.

"The courtyard," Kay answered this time. I didn't bother getting dressed instead I just ran through the castle and into the square to find Uther kneeing down on the floor with Arthur laying unconscious in front of him. I let out a sob before collapsing down next to Uther stroking at Arthur's head.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and turned to see Merlin standing there, "I tried Elizabeth, I tried."

"I know you did," I said touching my hand over Merlin, not really caring who saw at this moment , "You always do Merlin."

After we had moved Arthur to his room I quickly ran to Gaius's chambers, entering as I heard Gaius talk to Merlin, "Merlin, you're back. I need your help. You must get this to Arthur to ease his passing."

"No. We have to save him," Merlin argued back, moving around to start packing up food for himself.

"What do you have planned Merlin?" I questioned, hope blossoming inside me for the first time in what seemed like such a long time now.

"The beast comes from the Old Religion. The cure must come from there as well," Merlin said, sounding like he was repeating something he had already heard, most likely off the Dragon.

"There are not many left with such an art," Gaius pointed out.

"You said yourself, the Old Religion is still alive, and there is an island beyond the White Mountains..." Merlin began to explain.

"No!" Gaius yelled interrupting him.

I suddenly realised what Merlin was talking about, "The Isle of the Blessed," I stated before turning to Gaius, "You know it?"

"It was said to be the centre of the Old Religion, the focus of its power," Gaius spoke as if he was remembering.

"Why did you keep this from me?" Merlin questioned angry.

"Because it was too dangerous, Merlin," Gaius said back simply.

"It's our only chance! I have to find it!" Merlin yelled back.

I stepped in between them needing to calm things down, "Merlin you understand what is required right?" I questioned softly so not to agitate him more.

"Don't care, Arthur needs to be saved," Merlin said quickly with conviction.

"It is not that simple!" I argued loudly before taking a deep breath to calm myself down, "The High Priests have the power to mirror life and death, but there will be a price to pay. They demand a life in return. Merlin, please, don't do this. This isn't right."

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Merlin said before hugging me closely, and whispering in my ear, "You know that whatever the price is, I'm more than willing to pay it."

I realised there was no point in me trying to argue with him, "At least allow me to go with you," I begged desperation in my voice was obvious.

Merlin shook his head taking a step backwards, "No, I need you to stay behind and look after Gaius and Arthur for me, I won't be long."

"Merlin…you know that the High Priestess won't always take…" I began to say, but instead of letting me finish Merlin held his hand up.

"I have to try," He replied back quietly.

I knocked on the door before entering Arthur's chambers, Gaius was laying asleep in the chair, he startled awake when he heard my footsteps, "Gaius? You should get some rest," I suggested to him.

Gaius looked at me tiredly, "He must not be left alone."

"I will nurse him," I offered. Gaius nodded his head and left the room, I took the towel off of Arthur's forehead remember all the medical training that Laudine had given me, before dipping it into the bowl of water standing on the side and sitting on the bed to tend to him.

"I don't know if you can hear me Arthur, I pray so. I just want you to know that you have to keep holding on for me, because...because I know that one day you will be the greatest king of all time. Great enough even to unite Albion," I explained softly into his ear, sharing the secrets I knew, "When I first met you I didn't understand how someone who would be king could be so arrogant and such an arse, but then I saw you. The real you, the one who'd risk his life for his servant and I realised that you're the kindest, sweetest person I have ever met," I stoked his hair back gently smiling as I remembered our time together, "If you can hear me then hang on. Stay with me because I love you Arthur Pendragon and I want you to finish that stupidly romantic speech you were saying so that I can say yes."

I heard someone else enter the room behind me and turned to see Gaius and Uther standing in the doorway. I nodded my head before I turned back towards tending for Arthur. Uther and Gaius came to sit with me and we stayed that way until night fall, when I heard noises coming from outside, when I looked out of the window I saw a crowd of people from the village below holding up candles.

"Is there anything I can get your majesty?" Gaius asked as if the noise had taken him out of the trance he had been in.

"The people have begun to say goodbye," Uther stated his voice full of sorrow.

I shook my head before going back to Arthur's bedside and taking his hand, "He's not gone yet, Sire."

"But he will not recover," Uther argued back.

"Not without a miracle," Gaius agreed.

I looked up at them both in disarray, "So we pray for one, with everything we have."

"I don't believe in miracles," Uther stated his voice now colder.

"Now would be the time to start," I replied back simply before resting my head on Arthur's chest trying to stop myself from crying.

"You should get some sleep Elizabeth you haven't moved from his side for a long time," Gaius suggested gently.

"Gaius…" I tried to argue.

"I don't want you to get ill too," Gaius said looking sternly at me.

I got up and walked out of the room before I began to cry. I ran as fast as I could away through the corridors ignoring the worried looks I was getting, it didn't take much for people to realise what was wrong with me. I fell into my room before collapsing down onto the floor and crying myself to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of someone hammering on my door, it took me a moment to get my bearings and remember what had taken place the day before. I got up off the floor where I had spent the night and dusted off my clothes before heading towards the door.

Morgana stood on the other side smiling the brightest I had seen in a while, "The prince is awake," was all she said to me.

I smiled brightly back at her before beginning to ran through the corridors, coming to a stop outside Arthur's chambers before I heard Uther speak from inside, "I thought we'd lost you."

"Don't worry, father, I'm not going to die. I think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm," Arthur confessed. I felt myself filling up with pride for myself and Merlin and getting some recognition.

"Maybe you're right. On your long journey to become King, you will need a guardian angel. You also need a good wife," Uther said changing the subject.

I heard Arthur sigh heavily, "Are we really discussing this now father?"

"Did you know that she only left your side last night for two hours sleep and that was because Gaius forced her to?" Uther questioned Arthur, I rested my head against the door and listened, "She already promised to marry you, why are you waiting?"

"I am just waiting for the right moment," Arthur explained his voice heavy with sleep.

"You really care for her don't you?" Uther said almost as a statement rather than a question.

I knocked on the door before Arthur could answer feeling like I had intruded for long enough as it was. As I entered the room both Uther and Arthur looked up at me.

"Your highness," I said bowing my head in respect before making my way over to the opposite side of the bed to which Uther was on and taking Arthur's hand.

"I should go and inform the council that the Prince lives," Uther said standing up before walking out of the room leaving Arthur and me very much alone.

I stood there in silence for a moment before I moved to go and sit next to Arthur, "I can remember you talking to me," Arthur said softly to me.

"You can?" I questioned suddenly very worried about what he remembered hearing.

"You stroked my forehead," Arthur stated.

"I was tending to your fever," the excuse didn't even sound real to my ears.

Arthur shook his head, "You never lost faith."

"Well you are the greatest knight in the land," I replied back sarcastically avoiding his eyes.

Arthur put his hand up to my cheek turning my head to face him, "Tell me again what you said?"

"I don't remember," I responded immediately.

"Yes, you do," Arthur smiled at me.

I shook my head, Arthur's hand never leaving my face, "No, I don't."

"Come on. Something about me being 'Great enough to unite Albion'," Arthur was smirking now, teasing me.

"No, I never said that. Must have been your fever," I replied back unable to help the smile that graced my face.

Arthur suddenly became a bit more serious, "So did you also not say that if I asked you a certain question you would say yes?"

"I may have," I said shyly with a shrug before looking at Arthur carefully, "Does that mean you will ask my Lord?"

"As long as Merlin doesn't enter again," Arthur responded back. I grinned before leaning over and kissing Arthur on the lips passionately, he responded within a second of our lips touching. I pulled away to see him grinning back at me. I probably had the same love sick look as him on my face, "You are the only one for me, Lizzy. You have my heart completely. So would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," I smiled against his lips before kissing him once again.

"Told you I was perfect," he smirked at me.

I couldn't help but laugh loudly, "Do you ever stop?"

"Never but you love me this way," Arthur responded back with a cheeky grin.

"More than you'll ever know," I confessed honestly.

They finally are engaged…Took me long enough to get to this point! Anyway you know the drill by now review…There is a new poll up today, so please do that one.

Until next time

Artistic-Blue-Eyes

xxx