THIS STORY HAS BEEN BETAED!

I do not own any part of Merlin or any characters, but I do own the plot and my OC's!

ARABELLA'S POV

A few days after the round table meeting, Leon came to fetch me telling me that Arthur, himself, and a few of the other knights were leaving to go search for Gwaine and the other lost knights. He told me that Gwen wished for me to join her in sending them off. I made my way to the front steps in the citadel, and I walked up beside Gwen, put my hand on her shoulder. We watched as the knights mounted their horses and rode off with Arthur in the lead. We stood there for a few moments and then we walked up the steps and back into the castle.

~Time skip~

A week after Arthur and Leon left, I heard the sound of horses galloping. I ran out of my chambers toward the citadel. I got there just in time to see Gwen talking to a knight who looked like my dear brother, and a smile broke out on my face when I heard what she said.

"Gwaine, there's someone here who is very excited to see you. She said that it's been quite a few years since she's seen you last."

I yelled his name and ran towards him, and when he saw me his face lit up and I jumped into his open arms while people stared at us. He picked me up and swung me around a few times, and I was still smiling and laughing. After a few minutes we realized how many people were staring and we separated, though with his arm still around my shoulders.

"Everyone, this is my little sister Ara, whom I haven't seen since I was a teenager." Gwaine said and I looked around at all the faces and saw a face that made me smile even more.

"Mordred? Is that really you?" I pulled away from Gwaine and ran towards him, into the arms that I missed so much. I hugged him for a few long moments, before I pulled away to find him grinning just as big as I can imagine I was.

"Beauty, I missed you so much! I can't believe you're here!" He told me before he pulled me into another hug. When we pulled away I looked around and noticed how many people were still staring, but now in confusion. I grabbed my friend's hand and dragged him over to my brother, where I grabbed his hand in my free one.

"Brother, this is one of my childhood friends that I met right after we were separated. If it hadn't been for Mordred here, I know that my life would have been much worse off. I owe him my life many times over!" When Gwaine heard that, he reached out and clasped arms with Mordred, and thanked him. I released Gwaine's hand to wrap my arm around his waist. I let go of Mordred's hand and walked with my brother over to where Gwen and Arthur were.

"Thank you Arthur, I can't put into words how grateful I am that you brought me my brother back." I said as I gave both him and Gwen hugs before returning to my brother.

"No thanks are necessary; it was my duty to bring back a fellow knight. Also, between you and me, I got a little tired of seeing that morose expression on your face!" Arthur told me with a small grin on his face. Gwaine place a kiss on the crown of my head as we followed Arthur to the throne room. I stopped at the entrance, and when Gwaine stopped and told him to go on without us, and he did. I stood outside while many people passed by and I waited outside and listened as Mordred got knighted. After the ceremony, he walked out and attempted to take the cape off while still wearing his gloves, but I stopped him.

"Here, let me help you with that." I walked around him and undid the buckle, removed the gauntlets, and handed both to Merlin who took them. I looked up at my friend with a smile and saw the same smile I had loved when we were younger.

"Ara, I missed you! I thought for a while that I would never see you again. You have no idea how happy I am at you are here". He pulled me into another hug as Merlin walked away to give us privacy. I just stood in his arms, happy that after so many years I finally got my best friend back.

I didn't notice my brother standing by the doors next to Gwen watching us.

"She never mentioned her childhood, all she told us about it was that she was separated from you and your mother, and then she was adopted by King Vincent. Mainly she talked about you and how much she missed you, that is, when she was talking. After a while she just became too sad and worried that she would simply walk around the castle waiting for them to bring you home." Gwen told Gwaine before she walked away with Arthur.

"Oh I missed you too, but I also missed my brother, I came here for him, you see. All I've talked about since I got here two weeks ago is seeing him again, and I didn't know you would be coming back with him." I told him. "I'm sorry that the person I have missed for so long, and the person who is in my heart is here, and I am not able to spend time with them because I'm spending time with my brother. Please, forgive me! I will make sure that we do sit down to talk and get to know each other again, but for now I must go be with my brother" I said to Mordred, my voice full of regret, knowing that he would understand. He nodded sadly at me and kissed my forehead, before pulling me back into a tight hug, releasing me only to bow, kiss my hand and walk away.

I turned towards the doorway and saw my brother and immediately joined him and grabbed his hand, instantly cheering up once I was with him again. I pulled him towards by chambers and sat down at my table.

"Brother, much has happened to me since I have last seen you, most of which you will not be happy with. My life since father died has not been completely pleasant, or it wasn't for a few years. I wanted to prepare you, so you are not taken by surprise when I tell the knights my story later at the meeting of the round table. I have been going to the meetings because most of them and King Arthur granted me permission to sit in your place. Though, tonight I am going to tell my story, simply because I promised Gwen I would, and I only want to tell this story once.s" I showed him my wrist, and he grabbed it to look more closely at the black anchor etched into my wrist. He looked at the anchor, and then he caught sight of the bottom of another marking. He pulled my sleeve up to see what it was, and when he did he looked at me shocked.

"What are you doing with the druid marking on your arm, little sister?"

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