Raynelle stood with the others in stunned silence, gazing horrified at the body of their King, and Merlin, cradling Arthur's head, his shoulders shaking with silent tears.

"Let me through!" someone exclaimed, breaking the spell, and the men moved back automatically as Anna ran over to the mournful tableau.

"It's too late," Godwyn said quietly. "He's gone."

"There's still a chance," Anna said briefly, falling to her knees by Arthur's side. "Merlin, help me!"

Merlin shook himself, like a sleepwalker awakening, and covered her hands with his own, his blue eyes hard and fiery.

"Þurhhæle," Anna said commandingly, and their eyes lit golden in unison.

Nothing seemed to happen.

"Merlin, hold back," Anna said, her eyes still glowing gold. Merlin's face expression was pinched with concentration. "You're overwhelming me. …There! Hold it there! Ic hæle þina þrowunga!"

Their eyes kindled even brighter, like the wood of a campfire suddenly catching alight. Those standing around them could almost see the power flowing from them, the magic encircling Arthur. There was a deep thrum in the air, and they all fell back a step. Anna and Merlin pulled their hands back. The wound didn't seem to be bleeding. Merlin leaned over Arthur—

—and Arthur choked and began to cough. The men all exclaimed in wonder, some of them beginning laugh with relief, as Merlin pulled Arthur up into a sitting position.

"You—you're—"

Arthur coughed once more and smiled. "Fit as a fiddle," he said roughly.

Merlin threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly. Arthur returned the hug while the men around patted them both on the back in congratulations.

"Make way for the Queen!" someone exclaimed, and Arthur looked up as Gwen ran into the circle.

"I'm alright," he said quickly, and some color came back into her face.

"Thank God," she said as she and Merlin helped him to his feet. He gave her a long hug as well, then stepped back and seemed to notice the people around him.

"What are you all standing around for?" he asked with a laugh. "Don't we have a battle to fight?"

"It's over," Gaheris said, striding over. "The last of our foes have fled."

Looking around, they could all see that he was right. With the fiery barrier gone, the few Saxons left alive had taken to their heels in a disordered retreat, the soldiers of Albion in rapid pursuit.

Albion's kings and the remaining men began to gather around them. Mithian and Rodor rode in from opposite sides of the field and greeted one another joyfully.

"You're alright?" Mithian asked, and Rodor smiled.

"Perfectly. Good riding, my dear." He gave her a hug.

She grinned. "Thank you," she said, stepping back. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw a familiar face approaching. "LEON!" she exclaimed, and ran over to him.

As naturally as if he had been doing it all his life, Leon caught her up in his arms and kissed her. There was some chuckling from the men, who looked away politely. Leon and Mithian didn't seem to notice. Finally Leon set her back on her feet, and they smiled tenderly at one another. Rodor cleared his throat and raised one eyebrow.

"Oh." Leon looked up and blushed scarlet. "Sorry, Your Majesty. I mean—" he looked down at Mithian, who seemed to be laughing silently, and his eyes twinkled. He held her closer and looked back up at Rodor, a little bit defiantly.

Rodor could not longer repress a smile. He clapped Leon on the shoulder. "We'll talk," he promised.

"Well, since we're on the subject," Gwaine piped up nearby. Arthur turned toward him questioningly. Gwaine exchanged glances with Anna, who nodded, blushing. "Sire, I request your permission to marry."

Arthur looked over. "Anna?" he asked formally.

"Yes, Sire?" she looked up, her eyes twinkling.

"Are you sure you want to marry my most graceless knight?"

Gwaine grinned even wider, and Anna smiled at him. "Yes, Sire."

Arthur shrugged. "On your own head be it." He took her hand and led her over to Gwaine, placing her hand on his. "I'm sure you will be very happy."

Gwaine looked smilingly down at her. "So am I."

000

The group adjourned immediately after to care for the wounded and to organize patrols to scoop up the last of the Saxons as they fled toward the coast. There were astoundingly few casualties among Camelot's allies, and Anna and Merlin, with the help of the other healers and Arthur's sorcerers, quickly tended to them. Cranog was the only name of note found among the dead.

"I'm sorry for it," Merlin said seriously when he heard. "God knows I had no reason to love him, but our feud was long over."

Gaius met Merlin and Anna at the gates of the palace with tears of relief in his eyes

Despite Kay and Bergam's loss, the Kings were a merry bunch when they gathered in the Great Hall at Camelot that night. The room was filled with laughter and music—the jokes seemed funnier, the ladies more beautiful, the men more gallant than ever before. The streets of the town were lit brightly with torches and filled with humbler musicians and even merrier dancing.

All arguments in Albion seemed forgotten, all jealousies erased—and Gaheris danced, most politely, with Annis.

TBC