Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so late, education is a bitch(Excuse my language for those that care). I have finals next week which means that these past two weeks have been nothing but review packets. *insert sarcastic whoo* (Plus I have been stalking the Shadowhunters tag on tumblr for info about that upcoming tv series because I am a major Mortal Instruments fan and pretty much a fan of all of Casandra Clare's books. So that has been taking a lot of my time too.) Good news is that next week is finals so that means more time to write, because less time is spent in school. Also, I never study for anything because I am an exceptional test taker. I'm the nerd in the back of the class that aces all the tests and has more A's than friends. I do have friends though, don't pity me. Anyways, I feel like I just took a wrong turn down the story of my life, so read this chapter for Elaine's. {Do all author's notes ramble like mine? I think that they don't...? Correct me if I'm wrong.}
Chapter 8:
A field filled with the greenest of wild grass and beautiful white daisies invaded Elaine's senses as she walked inbetween the flowers, her barefeet sinking into the soil. The crisp smell of the air filled her nose as a steady breeze blew towards her. The alluring hills never seemed to end, the moor continuing farther than her eye could see. The picturesque scene caused Elaine such happiness that a child-like laugh bubbled out of her, breaking into a run with her swelling amount of energy. A feeling coming over her that made her sure that all she would have to do is jump and she would be flying.
Nestled between the hills, Elaine found a boy that should have been six years her senior, instead they seemed to be the same age. The two adolescents were so similar in looks with the same face, stature, and sapphire blue eyes. The only thing that made them distinguishable was their hair. Elaine's was long, straight, and blonde; He had short, curly brunette hair that was brushed to the side due to his nervous twitch.
Elaine wasted no time and threw her arms around his neck, she had recognised him as soon as her eyes were on him. "Phillip!" She yelled in his ear, capturing him in a tight hug.
When she didn't feel his arms return her embrace, she reluctantly pulled away to gage what was wrong. His face was clouded in confusion, as if she was a foreign object that he had only seen once before. "Don't you recognise me? It's Elaine."
Phillip continued to stare with blank eyes, "I knew an Elaine once. You are not her. She was kind and happy."
Elaine gaped at him, she refused to acknowledge the heat in her eyes at his cruel words. "Why would you say that? You're-" Reality came crashing down upon her, Elaine reeled back from the unseen force as her heart felt like it was being broken like once before. "You're dead." She whispered quietly to remind herself, Phillip paid no heed to her words.
"Who's that?" Phillip asked out of curiosity, his eyes pointed at a figure on a distant hill. Elaine didn't listen to him, her hearing was affected in the same way it would be if she was under water.
The happiness she had felt in the beginning was gone, her thoughts were focused on trying to keep down the depressing emotions trying to claw their way up her throat. Phillip touched her hand, the tender way his fingers touched hers made her remember the last time they had touched. That memory led to what drove them apart from each other. "You died," She said with a cold tone, not directed at him, but herself. "Because of me."
"Elaine," He had his sad eyes directed at her and she remembered the way his eyes used to look at her and would have made her do anything for him. "We're not alone."
Elaine tilted her head to the side; she could see his lips moving, but the sound was indistinguishable to the ringing in her ears.
He gripped her hand tighter, the strong touch causing the bubble covering her ears to pop. "Get behind me." He said forcefully, as he stepped forward to shield her behind his broad shoulders.
His movements caused her to turn her body and she noticed the dark figure striding towards them. Elaine felt a cold shiver of fear crawl along her spine, a black knight was approaching him; he wore a tattered black cloak and his armor was marred from many battles. She tugged on Phillip's arm, "We need to go. He has a dark power, I can feel it."
"Stay behind me." Phillip commanded resolutely, she couldn't remember what he was wearing before, but it definitely wasn't the chainmail he was wearing now. He pulled his sword out of its scabbard and pointed it towards the approaching creature. "I have power too," He told her, his stature and tone reflecting the arrogance known in his family.
"No," Elaine argued, and continued to tug on him despite his stubbornness. "Dark magic, he has it. We need to leave." She repeated, growing more desperate as fear surrounded her heart.
Phillip looked at Elaine with an excited gleam in his eyes, "You have magic. We're stronger, we can do anything together. Remember? You said that."
"He's stronger," Elaine sobbed, as tears that she had been holding back were finally bursting past the dam she had built. "We can't do this. I remember, but I was wrong." She tugged harder and pulled him around to face her, "You died because of me- because I thought I was strong and you needed me to be strong. I wasn't strong enough for you. I had to watch you die! Do you remember that? Because I can't forget it!"
Phillip smiled sadly, "No, you're wrong. I pushed you too hard, it wasn't your fault." He turned towards the black knight, the creature was a few yards away and had already drawn its sword. Phillip's face had gone disturbingly calm, as his eyes filled with utter misery. "You need to go, Elaine. You're not meant to be here."
"Come with me, I can't lose you again." Elaine begged, latching on his arm again as she implored him to listen to her. "He'll kill you."
"Elaine," Phillip said with a look that made her heart feel like it was being squeezed from the inside and had her gasping for a breath. "You've always been the smarter one, you should know that you can only die once."
"Phillip-"
There was a sudden whoosh of air being sliced as a longsword separated Elaine from Phillip. When it was gone, she grabbed onto Phillip, refusing to let go of him again.
"Leave now! You have to let me go!" He yelled at her, he used his sword to block another hit of the dark knight's sword. When she shook her head, Phillip shoved her away from them, his face consumed by fury when the blow had been aimed at her.
Elaine staggered back from the force of his push and she watched as the landscape tilted as she fell backwards. Time slowed in that moment, she was forced to watch as the knight's sword sliced into Phillip's side. The scene strikingly familiar to the one that had haunted her for the past five years. Instead of hitting the grass as expected, the ground opened and swallowed her entirely.
Elaine woke up from her dream gasping for breath, her eyes darting around with fright; they searched for something, what she couldn't remember. The moon shining through her window casted an eerie white glow in her room, glinting on the wet spots on her pillow. Elaine turned over and pulled the blanket closer, she couldn't remember what had caused her to wake up so forcefully or what she had been dreaming about. She snuggled her head closer to the pillow, not really hearing the crinkling of paper as she did. The memory of seeing an achingly familiar mischievous grin made her assume that it had been about the one person she detested to dream about. Phillip.
"Do you solemnly swear, to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions, according to the statutes, customs, and laws, laid down by your forbears?" King Uther's loud voice stated, his face glowing with pride as he looked down at his son kneeling before him.
"I do, Sire." Prince Arthur's solemn voice affirmed.
"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgements?"
"I do, Sire."
"Do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now and for as long as you shall live?" King Uther asked, holding forward the Royal Scepter.
Prince Arthur took hold of it, "I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its people." His young yet distinctly strong voice asserted in the throne room.
King Uther let go of the scepter and turned around to lift up the crown resting on a red velvet pillow. "Now, being of age and heir apparent, from henceforth you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot." He gently placed the circlet on Arthur's head, crowning him then joining the room in applause.
Elaine clapped with the rest of them, playing at being proud like everyone else for the prince, but she was still upset from their argument the other day. She knew she would get over it soon—or at least she hoped so, but first, she needed time to heal and figuratively lick her wounds. Her gaze traveled from Prince Arthur to Merlin and Gwen, they attended the ceremony as servants, their looks of pride weren't forced like Elaine's. Despite the gloomy cloud hanging over her, the ceremony seemed to be a joyous occasion where nothing could go wrong.
There was a sudden crash, and the stained glass window high above their heads bursted inwards with a black knight astride an even darker horse crashed to the ground. Nobles scattered and cowered away from it, women—and a lone man—shrieking at its appearance. Elaine thought it would have been a funny sight if she also hadn't been frightened by the knight. Arthur, along with the rest of the knight of Camelot, drew their swords from their scabbards and formed a shield in front of their king.
"What in the Devil's name?" King Uther shouted, staring at it like it was a ghost.
The dark knight kicked his horse to trot towards the king, the horse's hooves thudding in the deathly quiet room; People, nobles and servants alike, rushed to get out of its way. The horseman came to a halt in front of the knights, he threw down his gauntlet, the sound of it clanging against the stone reverberated through the room.
Prince Arthur glared daggers at the dark knight and sheathed his sword to accept his challenge. Before he could, however, Sir Owain picked up the knight's glove. "I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge." He proclaimed bravely, while the prince was shocked and angry by his acceptance.
The mysterious, dark knight moved his head toward Owain; despite his eyes being covered by his helm, Owain seemed affected when he received his gaze. "Single combat. Noon tomorrow. Till the death." His horse neighed and pawed at the air, the dark knight tugging on its reins then exiting the devastated ceremony.
When the atmosphere turned to its normal temperature, Elaine heard gasps for breaths behind her. She turned to see her grandfather collapsing into a chair and clutching at his chest. "Grandfather." Elaine hurried to his side and latched onto his arm. "What's happening? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He wheezed and coughed into his hand. "I was just given a fright is all."
"I think I should take you to see Gaius. He can help." Elaine told him, concerned for his health. He never had coughing fits like this.
"No, I need to get to the library. Help me there, would you?" Geoffrey stood up determinedly, his breaths still shaky and his legs barely being able to hold him up. He attempted to leave the room with the rest of the guests, but he didn't get far before Elaine rushed to his side and helped him by giving him her shoulder to lean on.
Even though she disapproved of this, her grandfather was rather stubborn and if she didn't assist him then he would end up falling to the floor a mere three feet from the throne room. "I really think you should go see Gaius." She repeated when they neared a hall that would take them to the physician's chambers.
"If I'm right, and I pray that I'm not, then he will come see me soon enough." Her grandfather said in an ominous tone that reeked of trouble. The trouble making her groan because it meant that somehow Merlin would get involved with it, then Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen. Eventually Elaine would have to get involved to keep them from doing something stupid with only a little complaining and mild whining.
Once Elaine had finished aiding her grandfather to the library, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Elaine, go back to our quarters. There is work that I must attend to and I cannot be bothered."
"No." Elaine protested vehemently, "I'm not going to leave you after all that has happened. There's some maniac going around crashing through windows and challenging people to duels in the most creepiest of fashions. That coupled with your failing condition- no, I'm not leaving." She stomped her feet down for emphasis like a child, her hands fisted by her sides.
"Elaine, I don't want to argue. Leave." He grandfather said in his commanding tone that meant no nonsense.
Elaine's eyes scrutinized him, he's hiding something from me. "Fine," She said and stomped her feet to the door, as soon as he stopped looking at her, she ducked behind a bookcase. Obscuring her grandfather's view of her, but still being able to see him. Elaine watched as Geoffrey went over to a large tome and started flipping through the pages meticulously. Not soon after Elaine had "left", Gaius entered the library with a very perturbed expression on his face.
"Gaius, thank God." Grandfather exclaimed, relief flooding through his body.
"You know why I'm here?" Gaius asked wonderingly, seeming less relieved than his friend, he hadn't known that Geoffrey had seen the knight also.
"The Black Knight."
Elaine crouched down when Geoffrey and Gaius looked in her direction, her sharp intake of breath at her grandfather's words had echoed in the library.
"So it is he?' Gaius asked after a moment of silence, Elaine continued to crouch behind the shelves to keep from being spotted and losing her view of the two men.
"You saw his crest." Geoffrey answered plainly with the shuffling of the pages from a book.
"Have you confirmed it?"
"It is the crest of Tristan de Bois." Her grandfather said the name like it was a curse.
Who?
"And he's the only knight ever to have carried such a crest?' Gaius asked, distressed by the news and taking the book from Geoffrey to confirm it for himself.
"Yes, according to the records."
Elaine snuck out of the library, making sure to close the door softly and that she made no noise. Having never heard of the name, she knew she needed to find out and soon.
Five years ago…
Elaine laughed, her loud giggling laughter that rang out still sounded like that of a child's. Her hands gripped the wooden fence as she leaned forward against it to keep herself from falling over. Her soft golden hair, put up in complex braids that wrapped around her head, resembled a crown.
"Come on, Arthur. It's not that hard." A young boy exclaimed; His voice showed that he was nearing adulthood, but the armor he wore made him seem older. He danced around another figure beside him, his wooden broadsword swinging playfully through the air. His own laughter matching Elaine's, their boisterous belly laughs was something they inherited from their father.
"Well, maybe if you stopped moving around so much." The other figure growled like a petulant child, his heavier armor inhibiting him from hitting his opponent. "Ha!" He yelled when he struck him on the shoulder, "Your dance moves are no match to my superior- OW!" He stepped back once he had been struck in the hand, his sword falling to the ground. "Phillip!"
Phillip and Elaine started laughing even harder at Arthur's frustrated outcry. Arthur continued to grumble as he bent down to pick up his sword, "You do now I'm your prince, right?" He asked them, in a half-hearted attempt at teasing.
Phillip removed his helm, his brown curls stuck to his forehead from sweat, and rubbed his forehead to move his hair from his face not knowing that he was smearing dirt as he did. "No, you're not. You're our cousin which means we can do whatever we want to you." He reminded Arthur, the smirk on his face resembling that of a mischievous creature from fairy tales.
"He's technically our first cousin." Elaine said in a cocky tone, leaning over the fence to look closer at her brother. Her grin provoking Phillip for retribution for her smart comment. Elaine knew that her correction of him was something that easily aggravated him.
Phillip pointed his sword at her, fighting the grin that pulled on his lips. "Who asked you?"
"Actually-"
"It was rhetorical, Elaine." He interjected glaring at her; she matched his glare readily, mocking his anger.
"Whoa, rhetorical. That's quite a big word for such a small man." Arthur teased having picked up his sword and removed his own helm. He raised his sword in front of him, preparing for Phillip's temper and sharing a look with Elaine.
"Arthur," Phillip growled warningly, his hands tightening on his sword.
"Yeah," Elaine agreed loudly, garnering Phillip's attention. "And you used it correctly too. Good job, Phillip you're making your sister proud." She slowly clapped for him, her grin turning mischievous as Phillip continued to glare at her, "And to think that I have thought this whole time that I had gotten all the brains from the family."
Phillip exhaled a low breath, "Elaine. I know what you're trying to do."
Elaine ignored him and grinned at Arthur, she sent him a wink. She smiled patronizingly at Phillip, "Well at least you got the brawns- oh wait." She frowned and tapped her chin. "No, you didn't get that either."
Phillip's breathing deepened as he tried to fight his temper, he knew that she was just aggravating him to make him get angry and attack Arthur without any formulated thought.
"Well at least he got the looks," Arthur spoke out and Phillip turned towards the insolent, grinning prince. "Oh no. He didn't get that either. Did he, Elaine?"
Phillip chuckled and popped his neck, "Okay. Team up against me, fine. Insult my intelligence, sure. Mock my strength, I can't take that." He raised his voice, "But when you insult my looks, you go too far!"
He rushed at Arthur, swinging his sword at him and Arthur easily blocked it. He swung again, this time Arthur dodged away from him. Phillip over-corrected on his balance and leaned too far forward, almost falling onto his face. He swung his sword again at Arthur using both of his hands, they stepped towards each other when their swords crossed. Fighting each other to gain leverage with their hilts caught together. Phillip pushed harder, and knocked Arthur back when he head-butted him. "Who's got the brawns now?" Phillip asked, swinging his sword in a circle as Arthur clutched his forehead from where Phillip hit him.
Elaine frowned and rested her chin in her hand, "Still don't have the brains though." She called out to her brother, and stuck out her tongue at him when he glared at her.
Arthur laughed and stopped rubbing at the red mark on his head, "Well, if you go around head-butting people, you probably won't have any brains."
Phillip stopped swinging his sword, and surged towards Arthur, his momentum adding to his strength as he thrusted his sword at him. Arthur barely managed to evade the blow, not being prepared for Phillip's sudden assault. He grabbed on to Phillip's wrist as it went by him, pausing Phillip in his attack. In three smooth motions, Arthur used the hilt of his sword to hit Phillips hands, the sword falling out of them. He used his right foot to kick Phillip behind the shin, causing him to trip and fall to his knees. Then hit Phillip again with his hilt in between his shoulder blades, knocking him on to his face.
"Yay Arthur!" Elaine cheered, clapping loudly as Arthur preened around Phillip laying on the ground. Bowing and waving to an invisible crowd, in reality there was only the three of them on the practice field with a lone figure heading towards them from the castle. "Arthur won, Phillip lost." She cheered, singing the words impertinently, behaving like the 10 year old she is.
Phillip used his hands to push himself up, off of the dirt, huffing as he did. "Whose side are you on?" He asked his sister sullenly, "If you were in a duel, I'd cheer for you."
"No, you would not." Elaine argued, "If you were there, there wouldn't be a duel. You never let me fight."
"Well," Phillip fumbled for an answer. "You're not wrong. But-"
"There's always a but." Elaine sighed melodramatically causing Arthur to laugh as he strode over towards her. "You know what, Philly? I'm sick of your 'but's," Arthur whitened when he saw the figure striding towards them, Phillip was also visibly affected and he quickly jumped to his feet. Elaine continued, her back to what they were looking at and assuming that their expressions were because of her. "I'll tell you where you can put your 'but's." Arthur started shaking his head at her desperately, making a cutting motion with his hand to get her to stop. "You can take them and stick them up your-"
"King Uther," Phillip yelled with faux enthusiasm, cutting off his sister. Elaine spun around, her mouth dropped when she saw the king standing behind her. "How nice it is to see you."
Elaine continued to gape, a fierce blush coming across her cheeks. She stepped away from him, backing against the fence to move away from him. Afraid of the repercussions for almost cursing in front of him.
King Uther stared at Phillip then looked at Elaine, his eyes regarding them coolly. Phillip's fake smile faded as the king looked at him with a clear dislike, his fists tightening behind his back when the look was directed at his sister. Slowly Uther's eyes went to Arthur, "I told you that you were supposed to attend a meeting with me today."
Arthur nodded and easily hopped over the fence, "I know, but me and Phillip were practicing for the open tournament in a few weeks. I plan on winning with Phil-"
"Enough." His father interrupted, raising his hand. "Do you believe that I would let you enter in it after this blatant disobedience?"
"Well, I-"
"Stop, right there. I don't want to hear it." Uther said and gaze went to the two behind his son. "Come with me, you will attend every meeting with me from now on."
"But I promised Philip that-"
"I don't care what you promised to him. It doesn't matter."
"Father!"
King Uther turned on his heel, knowing that his son would follow him. "Come along Arthur." He told him, his commanding tone leaving no room for an argument.
Arthur looked at Phillip helplessly, "Bye." He said in a quiet tone to them, his shoulders slumped as he headed back towards the castle.
Elaine looked back at her brother, once Uther's and Arthur's figures had disappeared behind the walls, Phillip was shaking with his sword gripped tightly beside him. He let out a shout of frustration and struck his sword against a fence post. Elaine ducked behind her arms when the wooden sword shattered, sending splinters everywhere and exposing the lead weights inside of it. Phillip continued hitting the post, more pieces of wood sent flying from both the sword and the post. He stopped and tossed the sword away from him when only the hilt was still in place.
"Phillip, what's wrong?" Elaine asked him, knowing the answer but figuring that talking was a better outlet than destroying things.
"Him!" Phillip yelled and pointed his hand towards the direction that Uther had left in. "How can he treat us like that? Treat Arthur like that?"
Elaine frowned, she had wondered the same thing many times before and had never come up with an answer. "He's never liked us, Phillip." She reached over the fence and grabbed on to her brother's shoulder.
He leaned in to her touch, it soothed his anger and exposed his sadness beneath. "We matter, Elaine. We deserve better than that."
Elaine sighed, "He doesn't think we do. And neither does the law." She reminded him calmly, she pursed her lips and raised her chin. "Once Arthur is king, he can change that. But until then it doesn't matter because you have me as your family and I have you. As long as we have each other, nothing can go wrong."
The day after spying on her grandfather and Gaius, Elaine didn't attend the tournament with the Black Knight and Sir Owain. She told herself it was because that would be the only time that Geoffrey wouldn't be in the library and she could use that time to research who Tristan de Bois was, but in actuality, it was because she couldn't watch the tournament. She was only able to attend the one with Arthur and Valiant was because she wouldn't have forgiven herself if something had happened to Arthur and she hadn't been there. The only other tournament she had ever attended was from five years ago, Elaine was still traumatized by the memory of it.
Her search for any record of Tristan was fairly fruitless; she found the book her grandfather had been looking at from yesterday, it was a recording of all the knights that has served Camelot. She learned he was a knight that had served Uther for a very long time until twenty-one years ago when he died. It mentioned that he had a younger brother and sister, but that was it. She continued to search for anything else about him, even looked in the records that were forbidden to be looked at by anyone besides the king.
The name must have been struck out from the records by her grandfather, he was the only one who could have done such a thorough job. It wasn't the only time that he had done something like this, Elaine knew that Uther had asked him to do the same thing for her father.
She had no other choice but to go to a source, her grandfather was out of the question. That left only one other old man, Gaius. She grimaced, not liking the thought very much.
She arrived at the door at the same time they were exiting it. Figuring that the best way to go about it would be to do it frankly, she asked her questions plainly not bothering to lower her voice to a hush. "Gaius, who is Tristan de Bois?" She continued when she saw him raise his brow at her. "Yes, I was spying on you and grandfather yesterday. Yes, I can keep a secret. No, I won't drop this. No, I won't let you and Merlin take care of it. Yes, I can take care of myself. Did I cover everything?"
"I believe so." Gaius told her sighing, Merlin grinning at Elaine with her confident attitude. "Very well, follow me." He said, his voice revealing his age.
Elaine smiled, this went easier than she expected "Great," She looked between them. "Where are we going?"
"The crypts." Gaius told her surly, walking past her and leading the way down into the heart of the castle.
Elaine shared a look with Merlin, both excited at the prospect of it. However, once they reached the large imposing staircase that led downward to the crypts, their excitement faded quickly. Elaine grabbed an unlit torch from the wall and handed it to Merlin, "Here." She murmured quietly. Elaine considered herself a logical person, but fear can make even the most logical person doubtful and a part of her was afraid the darkness. She didn't know exactly what was down there, and refused to raise her voice for fear of waking it.
Merlin used his magic to light it and led the way down the steps, Gaius and Elaine following on either side of him. Not a few steps down did the door behind them slam shut, startling all of them and causing them to turn with wide eyes back at the door.
"Probably just the wind." Gaius reasoned, trying to calm their nerves.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Merlin asked Gaius nervously, his torch casting just enough light for them to see each other and a few yards ahead in all directions.
"You're not scared, are you?" Gaius teased him.
Yes.
"No, I love old crypts. I wouldn't be seen dead anywhere else."
Elaine's laugh tore through the darkness, she was a sucker bad jokes. "That was a good one." She told Merlin, clapping him on the shoulder. "I got one." She said, knowing that the humor would distract her from her fear.
Merlin smiled, knowing the same as her. "Tell me."
"Why are crypts so popular?"
Gaius frowned at the two, disapproving of their childish antics.
"Because everyone is dying to get in." Elaine said causing her and Merlin to burst into a fit of laughter. Several bad puns later, they settled back into the quiet darkness having running out of jokes, but feeling lighter after saying them.
"What are we looking for?" Merlin asked once they reached the knights' tombs.
"Bring your torch over here." Gaius told Merlin, pointing at a tomb near him.
Merlin complied with Elaine following close behind him, not wanting to leave the safe circle of the light. "We're breaking into someone's grave?" Merlin asked confused.
Elaine's eyes widened when she saw the large gaping hole in the tomb, oh- damn.
"We're too late. I think someone's already broken out."
Elaine frowned what Gaius was insinuating, "Dead men do not break out of their tombs." She frowned and continued to stare at the large crack that contradicted her. "Not without some strong help."
Gaius and Elaine shared a look, Merlin was still confused. "What do you mean? Dead men can't do anything, they're dead. Nothing can change that."
Elaine looked at Merlin, "Magic can." She told him, earning his shocked expression.
They returned back to Gaius and Merlin's quarters, the walk back was silent and pensive; Gaius and Merlin having their own thoughts as Elaine tried not to think about the wielder that summoned Tristan and left a message for her under her pillow.
"Tristan de Bois was the brother of Ygraine, Uther's wife." Gaius informed them as he strode over to his workstation and Merlin closed the door behind them.
"Arthur's mother." Elaine clarified for Merlin, recognising the name.
"Ygraine died in childbirth, he blamed Uther. He came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him."
"To single combat?"
He nodded, "Uther won, but in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to one day suffer his return. I thought it was the ramblings of a dying man."
"Obviously, you were wrong." Elaine muttered, joining them at looking in a book Gaius had pulled off of his shelf.
"Did he have magic? Regular men don't rise from the dead, no matter how angry they are." Merlin reasoned.
"It's my guess we're dealing with a wraith."
"A wraith?" Merlin asked confused, his brows knitting together.
"The spirit of a dead man summoned from the grave," Elaine answered, surprising Gaius with her knowledge.
"A sorcerer did this?" Merlin questioned, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Powerful magic can harness the grief and rage of a demented soul and make it live again." Gaius told him, Elaine and Merlin both look perturbed at his words.
"How can we stop it?" Elaine asked Gaius, shifting her feet as she spoke.
"We can't, no mortal weapon can kill it."
Merlin spoke worriedly, "Surely we can do something."
"Nothing can stop it until it has achieved what it has came for."
"Well, what did it come for?" Merlin asked.
"Revenge," Gaius replied, his ominous tone causing goose bumps on Elaine's skin.
"On Camelot?" She asked.
"Or Uther?" Merlin asked, right after Elaine.
"Both."
"What does it mean for Sir Pellinor?'
"I'm afraid it doesn't look good."
The next morning, Elaine sought out Merlin and Gaius before the tournament. After realizing that the Black Knight was a wraith and that he couldn't be stop by a mortal weapon, she spent the entire night in the library trying to find a loophole. She searched for any idea that could keep Sir Pellinor from dying, she had already begun to feel the weight of Sir Owain dying.
"Merlin! Gaius!" Elaine called, spotting them leaving the castle to the tournament. She hurried to catch up with them when their heads turned towards her. "This castle is bigger than it needs to be." She huffed, trying to catch her breath, having to run all over to find them. Her head turned in a circle, checking to see how many people were around, and she pulled them towards a corner that didn't have anyone in it.
"Elaine," Gaius asked her not so patiently. "What are you doing? I have to get down there."
"I know," Elaine told him. She grabbed onto Merlin's arm; he looked at her hand then back at her, confused as to why she was touching him. "I think I figured out how we can defeat the wraith." She told Gaius in a hushed voice that didn't distract from her enthusiasm.
Gaius frowned, knowing what she was insinuating and not liking the idea. "No, I won't allow that. There's too many people around."
"He did with Valiant. What's the difference?" Elaine asked Gaius and shaking Merlin's arm for emphasis. "His magic isn't a mortal weapon."
"It won't work," Merlin replied, shaking his head. "I already tried my magic."
"What if we spell the weapon with your magic? I did the math, and I am twenty-five percent sure that it will work."
"Twenty-five?" Merlin repeated, surprised by this answer; it clearly was not a good number for him.
"Well, that's better than twenty-four." Elaine told him, and wincing slightly when this didn't have the calming effect she wanted her reply to have.
"Twenty-four?" Merlin repeated, and looking away from her; staring at the wall behind her with an astounded and overwhelmed look, almost like he was asking the stone if it could believe this.
Gaius frowned and sighed, "That's not a good number either. Elaine, we can't have Merlin do his magic when we don't even know half-way if it will work. Especially when we know for a hundred percent using just his magic didn't work."
"We never know for sure if his magic will work. Everything he has done is really just based on hopes and nonsense." Elaine reminded Gaius.
"Hey!" Merlin said, offended by what she said. "There's more to it than that."
Elaine shook her head, she was getting nowhere with this and the tournament would be starting soon. "If it means saving Pellinor, don't we have to at least try?" She asked, Elaine's desperate eyes making her seem older.
Merlin smiled half-heartedly and put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to help his friend, "You can be with us while we watch. We have Gaius's supplies so maybe Pelinor can survive this without magic."
Elaine stepped away from them, "No, I don't- I don't think that would be a good idea." She told them, with Gaius giving her a knowing look. She set her chin determinedly so that the pity in his eyes would go away, "I'm going to head back to the library and try to find another answer to this." She walked away from them with fast strides, trying to get his eyes off of her. Gaius' look reminded her of the one he had given her five years ago.
After spending half the night deep in the library searching for the book with the answers she needed, with the only sounds in the library coming from her. She was startled when she heard the sudden clattering of books coming from the entrance of the library. Who would be here besides me? Grandfather had already gone to bed a few hours ago. Picking up a large book as a form of weapon, she went in search for the intruder. Elaine followed the loud sounds to an alcove between some of the bookcases; she jumped when she saw the shadowed figure rifling through the shelf. As it turned towards her, reflex took over and she threw the book at him.
"Ow!" A very Merlin-y voice yelled and rubbed at the forming bruise on his shoulder, in the faint light Elaine recognised him with his adorable ears.
"Oh thank goodness." Elaine yelled and ran forward to hug Merlin. "I thought you were an intruder."
"So you threw a book at me?" He asked confounded and irritated by her, Merlin pushed her away from him.
"What else was I going to do?"
"I don't know, but it's a public library, there can't really be any intruders if anyone is allowed in." Merlin pulled his hand away from his shoulder and looked at it like he was checking for any blood. "Do you treat everyone like this?"
"Only the ones who come in the middle of the night like a thief." Elaine looked him up and down suspiciously, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for something that would help Arthur. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be asleep?"
Elaine pursed her lips, "I couldn't sleep." She frowned and tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean by help Arthur?"
"Didn't you hear?" Merlin asked her when he noticed her blank expression, he continued. "Arthur, he challenged the Black Knight."
"He did what?!" Elaine asked stupefied by this. "How could he be such an idiot?!"
Merlin pursed his lips, "Sir Pellinor was killed."
"Oh," Elaine walked away from Merlin towards the exit. She only went a few steps before stopping. "I haven't found anything that could help us… Yet. "
"There's no immortal weapon that could kill the dead?"
"No, nothing attainable to us." Elaine told him and turned around to face him.
"What if we made an immortal weapon?"
Elaine scoffed, "Made an immortal weapon." She chuckled and shook her head, "That's-" She paused as an invisible light bulb lit above her head. "That actually might work." She glanced around, realizing she was on the east side of the library, Elaine took off running down the hall. "There might be something. Merlin you're a genius!"
"Thank you." Merlin replied, and blushed embarrassedly; hurriedly, he followed after her. He took a few wrong turns trying to catch up with her, and accidently crashed into her once. "What are you looking for?" Merlin questioned, holding on to her arm to keep track of her.
"The ancient chronicles." She answered, turning down a row that led to a rounded section of bookcases. "Grandfather keeps them in here, doesn't like the public to get their grubby hands on them as he says." Merlin let go of her as she strode alongside of it, running her finger on the spines. "They are really old, he's afraid someone might ruin them."
"What are they about?"
"Mostly fables and stories now considered to be myths." Elaine crouched down as she searched the bottom shelf, "I didn't think anything of them, but you gave me an idea." She made an exclamation of happiness as she pulled the book she was looking for off of the shelf. "This is it."
Merlin went over to her as she stood and opened up the old tome. "What's this one?"
"The Chronicles of Beltain." She flipped through the pages slowly, not wanting to accidentally miss the page she was looking for. "Several of these fables speak of swords-"
"That could kill the dead?"
"Apparently, these ancient swords could kill anything. Alive or dead." She elaborated, "Grandfather always dismisses them as utter nonsense, but I always wished them to be true. They used to be read to me before bed." She frowned, "As a child, not anymore that would be weird."
"Elaine, we're sort of in a hurry."
"Yes, you young people always are." Elaine mimicked her grandfather, smiling at her own amusement. After seeing Merlin unamused expression, she cleared her throat and apologized, "Sorry." She continued flipping the pages at a faster pace. "Aha! Here it is!" She pointed at the page that depicted a golden sword in a dragon's flame. "See Merlin, patience is a virtue."
Merlin gaped at Elaine, "You're the least patient person that I know."
"That's not true, you know Arthur." Elaine reminded him and caused Merlin to smile. "Sir Marhaus looked upon the great sword," She read aloud. "Begotten in the Dragon's breath and found it passing good." She flipped to the next page, hoping that it mentioned more, it didn't. "Well, what does that mean?"
"Begotten in dragon's breath," Merlin repeated, a large smile lit up his face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Elaine shook her head, "No."
Merlin sighed, "I know what we are going to do." He took off in a sprint in the opposite direction of the exit. "Elaine, follow me."
Elaine rolled her eyes and put the book back to where it belongs, "You're going in the wrong direction." She watched amused as Merlin appeared down the hall, running in the right direction this time.
"Merlin, Elaine." Gwen said softly, opening the door with a tired smile on her face. "What are you two doing here at this time?"
"We've come to ask a favor." Merlin said as Elaine nodded along.
"Yes?"
"I'm not sure how to ask it."
"Ask, Merlin, you know I would grant you anything."
Elaine grinned to herself and nodded her head, raising her eyebrows up and down suggestively at Gwen and looking pointedly at Merlin.
Gwen gaped at her and blushed furiously, "I mean, not anything." She said to Elaine, "The both of you, not just Merlin." She stammered out, "And obviously not anything, but you know almost anything." Elaine continued to grin like the cat who ate the canary. Gwen cleared her throat, "What is it you want?"
Merlin shook off his confusion at Gwen's rambling, and gave Elaine a look as he had a feeling that it was her fault. "I've come to ask for a sword, the strongest sword your father's ever made."
Gwen's eyes glanced between Merlin and Elaine, confused by this request. "What for?"
"Merlin is going to start some bar fights at the pub." Elaine jumped at the chance to say as Merlin glared at her.
"What?" Gwen looked at Merlin with a flabbergasted expression.
"It's to save Arthur."
"Oh, then come in." Gwen said, her face settling into a determined look. She let them in and shut the door behind them. Gwen led them over to her father's bed, and pulled out a sword from underneath it, wrapped in brown cloth.
"My father has been saving this," Gwen said while unwrapping the sword. "He's always said it was the best sword he's ever made."
"It's perfect," Merlin told her, taking the sword delicately in his hands to test its weight and balance.
"Thank you, Gwen." Elaine said, touching the sword, awed by its craftmanship.
"He'll kill me if he finds out I've taken it." Gwen said worriedly, resting her chin on her hand.
"He'll understand." Merlin said, trying to ease her guilt. "You did it for Arthur."
"And if he doesn't, we can tell him that it's all Merlin's fault." Elaine said teasingly and nudged Merlin with her elbow.
Gwen smiled sweetly, "I knew you were proud of him, truly." She said to Merlin.
Merlin looked away from the sword and at Gwen, smiling bashfully. He looked away from her after seeing the look she was giving him. Then at Elaine entreatingly and they stood up as Merlin headed for the door, Elaine lagged behind to speak with Gwen. "Thank you, Gwen. Merlin's in your debt, and if you ever-"
"Elaine." Merlin interrupted, "We need to hurry remember."
Elaine smiled apologetically at her, Gwen shared the smile and waved her hand towards the door. "Go, we can talk another time." Elaine nodded and went after Merlin, intertwining their arms as they headed back to the castle.
"Merlin. Elaine." The dragon called, not seeming surprised by their entrance to his vast cage.
"Do you know why we are here?" Merlin asked frankly, confused by his nonchalance.
"It may surprise you, Merlin, but my knowledge of your life is not universal." The dragon said snidely.
A simple no would suffice, we don't have time for all the attitude. Elaine thought, but didn't bother saying for fear of the dragon's reaction.
"It's to do with Arthur. He'll die, unless-" He handed Elaine the torch and knelt down to unwrap the sword. "-I can make a weapon that will kill the dead."
"So what have you come to ask of me?" The dragon asked tiredly, opening his large jaws in a yawn.
Merlin used his magic to make the sword fly out of his grasp then float between us and Kilgharrah. "Will you burnish it to save Arthur?" Merlin pleaded.
"The dead do not return without reason. Who has he come for?"
Don't say it. Elaine grimaced, hoping that Merlin had some common sense and that he wouldn't say the truth.
"Uther."
He said it.
"Then let him take his vengeance." Kilgharrah said cruelly and with a not-so-subtle hint of eagerness. "And the wraith will die without my aid."
"But it's Arthur who is going to fight him." Merlin argued, "You have to save him."
"That is your destiny, young warlock, not mine."
"You gave him the destiny, you have to help us." Elaine told the dragon, confused as to why he would refuse, this was Arthur they were talking about.
Kilgharrah lifted his nose up and turned his head away from them, "I don't have to do anything."
Merlin gaped at him, "If Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir. I will have no destiny."
"A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power." The dragon warned.
"I know, an immortal weapon."
"You do not know." The dragon scolded, "You can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen. If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me."
"Yeah, well we are. So if you could just blow some fire on the sword, we will be out of your way." Elaine said, frustrated and crossing her arms under her chest.
Kilgharrah glared at her, "I'll "blow some fire", it just won't be at the sword." Elaine clammed up at his threat, and the dragon bared his teeth. "Treat me with the respect I deserve, you'll take care to remember that or you'll get no help from me."
Elaine nodded grudgingly, "Sorry." She apologised bitterly, while Merlin looked at Elaine with surprise at her outburst.
"In the wrong hands this sword could do great evil." He said continuing from where he left off. "It must be wielded by Arthur and him alone."
"I understand, " Merlin told him.
"You must do more than understand." The dragon commanded, "You must promise."
"I promise."
"Both of you," Kilgharrah fixed his golden eyes onto Elaine.
Elaine sighed and looked at Merlin then at Kilgharrah, "I promise." She said resentfully.
The dragon nodded, accepting their oaths, and pulled his head back while taking in a large breath of air. Merlin and Elaine backed away from the dragon, getting out of the way so that there no chance of them getting burned. Elaine shielded herself behind Merlin to be extra careful, she wouldn't put it past Kilgharrah to "accidentally" hit her with his fire.
He blew a stream of fire at the sword and covered it with fire. Merlin was so awed by the act that Elaine had to hold on to him tighter, fearing that he might get hurt by trying to get a better look.
The sword that came back to them was no longer the sword that they had gotten from Gwen. The fuller was no longer plain, but replaced with gold and had foreign words etched into it; the hilt was golden also. The sword looked fit for noblest of kings.
"Heed my words," Kilgharrah said as Merlin stepped forward. "The sword was forged for Arthur and him alone."
Merlin nodded and took the sword into his hands, Elaine could feel the power coursing through the sword from where she stood a little ways off. This is going to work.
The next morning, Elaine joined Gaius before the tournament. He was standing at the entrance to the arena that the tournament was taking place in. She assumed Merlin was preparing Arthur for the fight which is why she didn't question his lack of company. "It's almost noon, what's taking Arthur so long?" She asked him out of curiosity.
Gaius glanced around his surroundings then at Elaine with confusion mixed with concern. "Elaine, are you sure you want to be here?"
Her brow quirked when he dodged her question, but Elaine just assumed it was because his guess was as good as hers. She faked a smile and hid her shaking hands behind her back, "I'm fine." She reassured Gaius, fighting her own anxiety. Elaine's eyes drifted over to the wraith standing ready for battle at the center of the field.
There was the sound of clinking armor and Elaine turned around, expecting to see Prince Arthur; instead it was King Uther looking grim and ready for a battle. "King Uther?" Elaine asked quietly as he strode past them, "What is he doing?" Elaine looked at Gaius; feeling confused and surprised, the complete opposite of how Gaius looked. Her eyes became suspicious, "Did you know he was going to do this?"
Gaius nodded in agreement, looking at his king with his famous lifted eyebrow of disapproval and pursed lips of judgement.
"And you're okay with this?"
Gaius didn't answer, his attention focused all on the fight that was about to unfold. Elaine did the same, gazing shrewdly at the king and glimpsing a familiar golden sword at his hip. Merlin, you didn't.
He did.
King Uther removed his cape and put on his helm; the two opponents squared off against each other. It didn't take long for their ferocious and callous fight to begin; Elaine had to give it to Uther, for an old and cruel man, he did know how to wield a sword.
After the fight had already begun, Merlin had joined her and Gaius, his breath short after running all the way here. Elaine turned to him with an upset look, wondering what implored him to give the king the sword that was supposed to be for Arthur only.
"What did you do, Merlin?" She asked him in a hushed and furious tone, not wanting Gaius to hear her.
"I had no choice. He saw it and took it, I couldn't exactly tell him that a dragon made it for Arthur only."
Elaine groaned, "Merlin." She had an exasperated tone that was spoken half-heartedly, their attention back on to the duel.
King Uther hit the wraith with his shield and knocked its helmet clear off. The grotesque face that appeared from it, revolted everyone and there were several noises of fearful disgust made in the stands.
It roared and made King Uther stumble back in fright, Tristan used this to his advantage and beat Uther to the ground. Elaine hid her smile behind her hand, feigning that she was hiding a gasp when Merlin looked back at her. The sword had been knocked out of Uther's hand when the wraith knocked him down, the only thing that kept Uther from the wraith's sword was his shield. The wraith plunged his sword down, aiming for Uther's neck, instead it managed to get lodged in Uther's shield. The wraith ripped his sword away, taking the shield with him. He held it aloft, trying to shake the shield of of its sword.
King Uther rolled away and grabbed Arthur's sword from the ground; he stood up and without wasting a single second, he stabbed the wraith through the abdomen. A gust of air burst forward from the wound, and the wraith cried out. Its wound caught on fire and it abruptly exploded into black ash.
"Arthur." Elaine's voice spoke, her tone softer and more vulnerable than it had been a very long time. She had caught him running down the hall, away from from the throne room, a large grin on his face. She was sad to see it go when his eyes met hers.
Arthur paused up the flight of steps, his hand sliding on the railing was he walked back down towards her. His movements hesitant because he wasn't sure why she was talking to him; Based on their last few conversations, this one was bound to be as horrible as them.
Elaine glanced at her feet, twisting her hands together as she fought for the words she wanted to express. "I wanted to-" She looked up at him, their striking blue eyes meeting hesitantly. She was scolding herself internally, this wasn't as hard as she was making it out to be. "I- um. I am glad that you are okay."
Arthur's eyebrows lowered, he wondered if this was a trick or if she was playing a jest on him. "I never actually made it to the duel. My father, he made sure of that."
"I know," She took a step towards him, oblivious of the act to get closer to him. "I went to go watch. I saw what happened, or rather what didn't happen."
Arthur's head tilted to the side, "I thought you never go there. Not after what happened." He was getting more confused as their conversation progressed.
"I don't," Elaine replied, her eyes growing sad as she looked away from him. "I went for him though. And I went for you."
"Careful, Elaine, I might actually start to think that you care." Arthur repeated the words she had told him not so long ago in the library. After the times that Arthur had gone to her to fix their relationship, only to have got thrown back in his face by her, Arthur figured that it was about time she received the same spite. He had almost begun to believe that she was going to apologise to him, but after drudging up him and all the hurt that came with him, he knew she wouldn't be apologising.
"Excuse me?" Elaine asked, her head flinching from her surprise at his bitterness. "Isn't this what you have been wanting me to say?" Her face turned furious as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.. "I do care! I have always cared, I've been trying to not to, but it just won't stop."
Arthur returned her glare, "Well, poor little Elaine. You have always thought that you have it so hard. That you're always the victim-"
"That's because I am!"
"-Everyone has had to deal with pain and loss." Arthur pointed an accusing finger at her, "You keep saying that I left you. I don't think we remember what happened five years ago the same way! His ashes hadn't even cooled yet, when you disappeared from the castle. You left me! Not the other way around!"
"I had to watch my brother die!"
"From the stands!" He pointed away from them, then at himself, his gestures wild from the anger that was boiling inside of him. "I was the one that held him in his last breaths. I was there for his last words. And I was the one that made him a promise to keep you safe."
"I was grieving," Elaine replied, beginning to doubt herself and to see things from Arthur's point of view. The more reasons she tried to think of, the more they started to seem like excuses. "I had lost everyone. When he died, I lost a part of myself."
"So what? You had to go find it?" Arthur's hands clenched together, fighting the urge to keep making more hand gestures. "Is that why you left Camelot?"
"Yeah." Elaine's shoulders slumped, her voice had gone weak from her lies.
"For three years?!"
"It wasn't that long," Elaine argued pitifully.
"Yeah, it was!" Arthur yelled, making an astounded face at her. "You never said goodbye, and for three years I never received one letter from you. I would ask Geoffrey about you, but I don't think even he knew what you were doing. He would always just tell me that you were with an aunt and that you were fine."
Elaine pursed her lips, "I came back."
Arthur sighed deeply, "Yes. You did come back, but you were different. You never came to talk to me. You never visited the practice field. You never went to see me at any tournament. At every one of the banquets thrown in my honor, you would be coincidentally sick in bed."
Elaine looked down at her feet, her cheeks turning red. She wondered if she had really been that obvious in her avoidance. "You never came to talk to me either."
"I wanted to give you your space." Arthur told her, his expression revealing his hurt that she had caused. "I would see you with Morgana's handmaiden, I knew that as long as you weren't alone that you would be okay. Then Merlin shows up and suddenly you are putting yourself in danger. You're making it harder to keep that promise."
Elaine turned away from him, "This was a mistake." She told him resolutely, "I should go." She paused, "I just wanted you to know that I'm glad you're not dead."
"Elaine," He endeavored to stop her from walking away, but he had never been able to move her once she set her heels in, today was no exception to that. Instead he was forced to watch her walk away from him again, the same straight back that he had seen in her five years ago.
"Elaine!" A voice called, waking Elaine up from her slumber with their incessant knocking. Elaine heard the door open from the main room, then the knocking started again from the door that led to her room. "Elaine!" The voice said again, insisting to be heard and not ignored.
"Elaine's not here." She mumbled using an accent not her own and pulling her blanket above her face.
There was long pause of silence, making Elaine believe that she had fooled him, but then she heard his voice again. "Very funny, but I know that's you using a different voice."
Elaine groaned, "It's too early. Go away, you demon."
"Why do you assume it's a demon?"
"Because only the vilest of beings would dare to disturb me this early."
Elaine heard his hooting of laughter and her door opened, she peeked out from underneath her blanket glaring daggers at Merlin. "So I was right about it being the vilest of creatures."
"You actually said, vilest of beings." Merlin mocked her then gestured to himself. "And I am neither."
"Debateable." Elaine muttered as she pulled the blankets tighter around herself.
Merlin frowned and rolled his eyes, "Very funny, Elaine. You can keep telling those jokes as you get dressed."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because the dragon knows that Uther wielded the sword yesterday."
Elaine leapt out of bed, grabbing a random dress from her floor and going behind her screen to change. "And why would the dragon know that?" Elaine asked furious, knowing that the guilty party was here in the room with her.
"I wasn't going to lie."
"You didn't have to, just withhold the truth."
"I made a promise."
"You also failed to keep it." Elaine reminded him, she came out from behind the screen fully dressed. She deftly braided her hair and used a dull ribbon to tie it together. "And now, I'm in trouble by default."
Merlin frowned, but didn't argue.
"What are supposed to do?" Elaine asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Sacrifice a virgin for him? If we do, you're the virgin." She pointed accusingly at him.
Merlin glared at her, "No, of course not. He's a dragon not an animal." He frowned, realising what he said wasn't exactly correct. He shook his head as he wasn't about to argue with himself. "We need to take the sword where no mortal can reach it."
Elaine made a turtle face, "Because that's easier than sacrificing a virgin. Okay." She said sarcastically and rolling her eyes. "And where exactly is that?"
Elaine stared out on the the large lake in front of her, the sun appearing above the trees; the sky turning colors as the sun rose. Merlin swung his arm back then forward, throwing the sword far into the water that led to Avalon. He walked over to Elaine and they stood in companionable silence as they watched the dark water.
"Merlin?"
"Hmm?"
"Who all knows about your destiny?"
"I'm not exactly sure. I know that the dragon and Gaius know. The druid boy knew also, apparently it has been written for a long time about my destiny."
"It has."
"Lancelot knows."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Too bad."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, I just think that the three of us could have had a lot of fun with your magic."
"Except you didn't know about it back then." Merlin frowned at the expression she was giving him. "You did? How long have you known?!"
"That's not important."
"Elaine-"
She interrupted him quickly as she crossed her arms, "Do you really believe that you are Emrys?"
"Well, they keep calling me by that name… so yeah." Merlin crossed his arms, and turned his head to look at Elaine. "It's just a name."
Elaine fought the urge to laugh, "Just a name." She sighed and looked at her friend with admiration. "It's not just a name. It's the name. Every legend, in the history of legends, doesn't amount to the legend of Emrys." Her voice turned amazed as she spoke the name, "He's supposed to be the best out of us all. Us as in all magic wielders. That's- that's-" She looked at the lake and sighed. "It's crazy."
Merlin looked at the water also, his insecurities and fear being revealed in his eyes as she spoke about how much it meant, specifically to her. "Do you think that I can't do it? That I can't be him."
Elaine shook her head, "Merlin you are nothing like anyone I have ever known. If anyone could do it, it would be you. I'm just grateful to be able to tag-along. But-" She looked at Merlin and grabbed his arm tightly, her face losing its wonderment and becoming darker. "-If you ever wake me up this early again, destiny or not, I will end you. Understood?"
Merlin nodded his head quickly, "Und- understood. Very well. Message received. Loud and clear." He continued to babble until she let go of his arm.
Elaine smirked and tossed her braid over her shoulder, "Good. Now, let's get out of here." She started following the trail that led back to Camelot, "You need to tell Gwen that her father's best sword is swimming with the fishes."
"What?" Merlin asked worriedly with his voice squeaking adorably; he had heard her correctly, but couldn't tell if she was joking or not.
"Kidding!" Elaine called out as he started following after her. "Not," She mumbled under her breath.
"I heard that!"
Thanks for reading guys! Feel free to review if you have anything to say, at all really. I love reading your reviews, it warms my cold heart. That's a joke, I have no heart. Joking again. Technically I do have a heart, but there are those who would disagree. Seriously though review, if you do, you get to read my replies which are usually me apologizing profusely. The ones below are great examples. ~Anywhoo~ to those that reviewed for the last chapter:
HPuni101 - I'm glad you love it, I do too :D obviously. I'm sorry there was only one flashback for this chapter, I promise that more are coming. And you can take that to the bank. I am really sorry that this wasn't updated soon, pray for me. (If you are religious, if you are not then I am sorry for implying that you are if you take any offense to it. Please don't send me hate) Seriously though, I need help lol. I write an average of a thousand words per day and this chapter is ten-thousand so pray that I can write faster or have more time or can teleport, that'd be nice too.
fantasy.92 - Hello back! I'm glad that you like my story! You will find out about her magic soon and why she doesn't like to use it. Probably not in the next chapter though, sorry. I am sorry that I did not update soon, I let you down. Sorry. Ciao back!
Domino2 - I made the mistake of reading your review during class, and everyone was giving me looks because I had the stupidest smile on my face. I am so thankful for your review about Elaine. A lot of these OC stories don't mix the OC well with the original story like they have their OC take over everything and I'm trying not to do that with Elaine. I don't want to taint the original story and original relationships because I fell in love with them, and to change them for my own OC would feel wrong, ya know? So you saying that my OC is one the most interesting you have read really makes me feel good because I feel like I'm doing what I'm trying to do. So thank you, truly. This is not an Arthur X OC fic actually. When I was in the drafting process for this story, there was going to be a love triangle with Arthur as one of the points, but I quickly scraped that idea because I felt like that had been done before too many times. It's actually going to be Percival X OC, and that's probably going to be the end-game for her. It's not set in stone though, so anything could happen as I'm writing this. *shrug* You should also go buy a lotto ticket because your assumptions/guesses are pretty good.