Chapter 30–Isle of the Blessed
Hey guys, final chapter! We have come so far and I have loved every minute of it! So for the final time for this story, I don't own Merlin, but Elizabeth, Laudine and Kay are my wonderful creations. Read and enjoy!
Arthur and I stayed up in his chambers just relaxing for a while, everything seemed to be okay. In the back of my head I could hear a small voice reminding me that for Arthur to be here there had to be a price to be paid, a life to be lost. I felt my heart burst in relief when Merlin entered the room, "Merlin," I smiled brightly at him.
Merlin didn't smile back instead looking upset about something, "How are you?" He asked both of us.
I just nodded at him while Arthur spoke, "Good."
"I'm pleased," Merlin replied simply.
"Yes, I owe it all to Gaius," Arthur smiled back, I had to hold back a laugh because if only he knew exactly what it had cost to bring him back.
"I need to talk to you," Merlin said changing the subject.
I looked up in worry while Arthur didn't seem at all bothered, "You still haven't got it yet, have you? I decide when we need to talk. I sometimes wonder if you know who I am."
"Oh, I know who you are," Merlin dismissed, Arthur looked happy about that fact, "You're a prat and a royal one."
I couldn't help but laugh, "Are you ever going to change, Merlin."
Merlin smiled for the first time, "No, you'd get bored. But promise me this, if you get another servant, don't get a bootlicker."
"If this is you trying to leave your job…" Arthur began.
"No. I'm happy to be your servant. Till the day I die," Merlin interrupted trailing off at the end.
Arthur looked at him in confusion, "Sometimes I think I know you, Merlin. Other times..." he said softly shaking his head.
"Well, I know you. And you're a great warrior. One day, you'll be a great king," Merlin said confidently.
Now I was worried, Merlin never said any compliments to Arthur, ever, "That's very kind of you," Arthur said also looking confused.
"But you must learn to listen as well as you fight,"
I laughed, "Any other pointers?" Arthur questioned.
"No, that's it. Just," Merlin paused trying to find the right words, "Don't be prat."
Merlin turned to leave but I followed him out of the room, "Merlin, where are you going?" I called out to him.
He paused a little way away before turning back around, it was then I saw the truly hopeless expression on his face, "Isle of the Blessed again."
I walked forward and touched his shoulder, "whose life?"
"My mother's," Merlin replied simply.
"Then I'll go with you," I stated.
"Elizabeth," Merlin said softly, "It was Nimueh, she was the one who did this."
"Then we end this," I said coldly, "It is my job to protect you and I can keep you safe by travelling with you," Merlin realized he had little choice and nodded before we turned and walked towards Gaius's chamber, I heard Arthur voice behind me calling me back, "I should go to him, you should go and pack."
I walked back into Arthur's chambers and saw him relaxing on his bed again, "Where did you run off to?"
"Merlin's mother is here, apparently she isn't very well, but there is a cure. I said I would travel with him to get it," I explained coming to sit back next to Arthur, "If you can bare to be away from me for a little while."
"I have some stuff that needs to be done," Arthur said smiling at me.
"Good then I will see you later," I said more reluctantly before running out of the door and to the physician's chambers just as Merlin was running out of them, "What's wrong?"
"Gaius has gone to sacrifice himself," Merlin explained to me moving quickly down the corridor a note in his hand.
"Then we need to leave now!" I said simply.
We rode as quickly as we possibly could taking our horses to the limits to get to the Isle of the Blessed when we arrived I could hear Nimueh voice casting spells, "It's just as beautiful as I remember," I observed.
Merlin and I rushes onto the centre of the island to see Nimueh standing over Gaius, "Stop!" Merlin yelled out.
Nimueh looked up smiling, "Back again so soon, warlock? And you brought a friend."
"What have you done?!" I questioned running over to Gaius, placing my hand in front of his mouth to see if I could feel his breath. There was nothing.
"Merlin's mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?" Nimueh questioned her voice cold.
"Have you killed him?" Merlin asked.
Nimueh just smiled, "It was his wish."
"I bid my life for Arthur's, not my mother's, not Gaius's!" Merlin yelled, his temper getting the better of him.
"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies! Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this," Nimueh responded harshly.
"It is not the Old Religion that has done this, it is you," I argued back.
"Come now, young Guardian you know me better than that," Nimueh smirked evilly at me.
"You killed my mother," I yelled out in anger.
"She wouldn't give me you," Nimueh stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I raised my hand to cast a spell, but Merlin grabbed it shaking his head slightly at me, "We are too valuable to each other to be enemies."
"No! We share nothing with you!" Merlin yelled out.
"With my help, Arthur will become King," Nimueh smiled at us.
I shook my head, "No, we will make Arthur King, but you will never see that day. Ástríce!" I said holding out my hand and sending a ball of fire towards Nimueh who absorbed the attack.
"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Elizabeth. I am a priestess of the Old religion," Nimueh said snobbishly to me.
"Yet you're up against a Guardian and Emrys. Do you really think you can win?" I questioned.
"Forbærne!" Nimueh cast, Merlin waved his hand and the spell disappeared, "You, too, are a creature of the Old Religion. You should join me."
"You think we would ever join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never," Merlin disagreed.
"So be it then, Ácwele!" Nimueh cast, the spell hit Merlin full on in the chest and was pushed backwards with the force. I ran over to him, "Pity, together we could've ruled the world."
As Nimueh began to turn away, I felt Merlin stir. I supported him as we got up and glared at Nimueh. I took hold of Merlin's hand feeling the power transfer between the two of us, "You should not have killed my friend," Merlin said his voice very cold. I felt the power build between us, Merlin held his hand up to the sky and the clouds formed above us. I used my free hand to form a fireball, the largest I had ever created. Nimueh turned around to stare at us in shock before she was struck again and again by lightning bolts, I waited for the opportune moment before sending my fireball into the mix. There was a large explosion and when the smoke cleared all that was left of Nimueh was a pile of ashes. Merlin and I immediately ran over to Gaius, "Gaius!" Merlin yelled as he cradled Gaius's cold body.
I felt my eyes weld up with tears and I sat down on the ground next to Merlin placing my hand gently on his shoulder. We heard a groan from below us and looked down at Gaius's now open eyes, "Merlin, Elizabeth."
"Gaius, Gaius, you're alive!" Merlin chanted.
"What did you do?" Gaius questioned looking around.
"Nimueh's dead, the balance of the world has been restored," I explained with a smile.
"You amaze me. You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great warlock of you yet," Gaius said proudly.
"We ought to get out of this rain," I pointed up to the sky.
When we entered into the castle again I was immediately called into the council chambers by the guards, when I entered Arthur was standing in the middle of the room, "What is going on here my lord?"
Arthur smiled at me before taking my hand in his, "I needed to get something earlier from my father, it something I wanted to give to you," Arthur said softly dropping down to one knee, "Elizabeth Maria, you have already said yes, but I think you should have this," Arthur said holding out a ring to me, it had a dragon curling around it with ruby eyes, it looked delicate and was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, "It was my mother, mine to give to the woman I wanted to marry. So now I can offer you a ring, do you still want to marry me?"
I found myself laughing with tears of joy running down my face before I joined Arthur kneeing down on the floor, "Yes, with all my heart, yes my prince."
And that is the end, I may start crying :,(, well hopefully you won't have to wait very long for the sequel to this, I have already started writing it, but I figured I should get a handle on the Charmed life series as well. That has been a long time coming.