Camelot

November, 508 AD

My senses exited dreamland to find a comfortable surface cradling my body, a faint light source hitting my face, a woody aroma, and something warm against my back.

I opened my eyes and blinked rapidly for a few moments as I adjusted to the light. I soon realised that I was back in Queen Annis's castle, occupying the same room that she gave Arthur and I the first time. My duffel bag sat atop a table some metres away from me, which was nice to see.

I rolled onto my back and instantly grinned when I found my King sitting next to me, already looking down at my figure with a smile on his pretty face that caused my heart to skip a beat.

I let out a low whistle as our eyes connected. "Man, I could really get used to wakin' up to this view every day," I stated with a goofy smile.

He scoffed in amusement. "Astra – we are married."

"I know. Lucky me," I responded and reached up to boop his nose.

I sat up and let out a contented sigh as I let my gaze travel towards the window and beyond. It was around 15:00 or 16:00 judging by the sun's position. I tilted my head in confusion before looking at Arthur again and asking, "What happened? The last thing I remember is hugging Merlin and..." I trailed off as a big smile grew on my lips again.

Aithusa is safe! We really saved her! And Gwaine is back, too! Life is great again!

My King frowned at me – I can't blame him, I'm sure I looked like the Cheshire Cat – and he reached over to remove a stray lock of hair from my face. Then he responded, "You passed out from exhaustion. You have been asleep for a day and a half."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Then I let a proud grin slip onto my lips. "And I didn't have any nightmares," I said.

Arthur smiled again and he wrapped me in his arms, then he kissed the top of my head. I quickly returned the hug, nuzzling into the crook of his neck and taking deep breaths.

"You are feeling better, then?" he asked.

"Heck yeah," I responded and lifted my head to kiss the side of his jaw.

My stomach growled audibly, reminding me that I haven't had anything substantial to eat in... who knows how long.

"A bit hungry, though," I noted.

My King pulled away from the hug – I almost whined at the loss of contact – and he winked at me before standing up. I pouted as I watched him go towards the antechamber and disappear from view. He returned only seconds later, now carrying a tray, and my eyes widened with joy.

He gently set the tray down on my lap and kissed the side of my head before sitting down next to me again. "It might be a bit cold," he commented as he gallantly uncovered one of the plates for me, revealing a delicious-looking veggie and bean stew. "I can get Merlin to warm it for you."

"'Tis fine. Too hungry to care," I spewed out and quickly grabbed the spoon before starting to stuff my mouth with the food.

Arthur seemed strangely all right with watching me eat like a starved pig, which is an amusing thought. He could seriously do so much better than me. I mean, look at him! He can have anyone he wants! I really don't understand why he's put up with me for so long. But I'm eternally grateful.

"How're the guys? How's Dal?" I asked in between bites.

"They are all doing well. We will set off for Camelot tomorrow at first light," he responded.

I sighed in relief at the great news, already savouring the moment when I finally get to cuddle in my bed with my tablet and watch a movie. Can you believe I managed to go six freaking months without watching the Avengers?!

"Which reminds me –" Arthur spoke again, "Gwaine said he wanted to see you as soon as possible."

A rush of happiness flooded my veins and I hurried to finish my food. I know that I owe my best friend the greatest 'thanks' in history.

After a quick much-needed bath, Merlin came to get me and he led me down the dimly-lit corridor towards another room, where Gwaine was waiting.

I ran to hug him as soon as I saw him, holding onto him as if he could disappear again at any moment. He let out a faint chuckle and returned the embrace, only much more gently.

"You had me worried sick, dude," I whispered.

"I know, Trae. I am so sorry," he responded in the same manner. "I was going to take you with me, but after..." He trailed off with a sigh and tightened his grip on me.

"I went a little bonkers and got mildly stabbed. I know. You can say it," I commented with a forced giggle.

He took a step back and placed his hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eyes as he said, "You scared us terribly, kid. I have never been more frightened in my entire life."

I gulped and glanced at Merlin, who remained standing by the door, before returning my attention to the knight as I responded, "I'm sorry. I just... I didn't know what to do..."

Gwaine gave me a sad look and hugged me again. "Well, it is all over now."

"Yeah, and it's all because of you, Gwainester," I stated and held him tighter. "You are a superhero!"

"A true Avenger," Merlin piped in and he grinned at me when I turned to him in surprise.

The knight chuckled and released me from the hug.

I moved to high-five my brother and then he threw an arm over my shoulders.

"Seriously, though," I addressed Gwaine again, "we owe you the world."

He waved me off, a pleased grin forming on his lips as he replied, "You do not owe me anything. I did it because you are my friends and I love you."

I mentally cursed myself for being so sensitive when tears pooled in my eyes at his words. "I love you, too, buddy," I said with a small smile.

"Yeah," Merlin mumbled as he shifted awkwardly.

Gwaine smiled widely and he moved to hug both of us at the same time. I was quick to return it and I sighed in contentment. He's back and he's healthy and happy! Everything is all right now!

"Okay, enough chick-flick moments," I said once we all separated. The knight chuckled and Merlin snorted. "Tell us all about your adventures, Gwainester! And what was up with that alien?!"

I didn't know whether to feel pleased or terrified when I came face-to-face with Queen Annis again the next morning as we were getting ready to leave Caerleon. On the one hand, I was glad to get a second chance at making a good impression, since I kinda made a fool of myself last week. On the other hand, I was scared that I would further trash the image she has of me.

My teeth nibbled on my bottom lip and my hand gripped Arthur's tightly as I watched the woman walk up to us. I couldn't help but fixate on the regal way in which she holds herself as she moves; with an air of grace and dignity that reminds me of Morgana before she went dark. I've never thought to walk in front of a mirror to see what I look like, but I'm certain that I would appear like an arthritic penguin next to her.

I glanced up at my King, once again wondering why the heck he chose me out of every eligible female on this Earth. He must've sensed my stare, for he looked down at me and grinned before kissing the side of my head. My body reacted by liberating some butterflies in my stomach and I leaned against his side, peace filling me.

"King Arthur," Queen Annis acknowledged as she reached us and offered a handshake. Arthur promptly took it.

"Thank you, again, for the great friendship you have shown us," he said with a small grin.

"I am delighted that I could be of help," she responded with a kind smile, then she turned to look at me and I gulped. "And I am delighted that you made it out alive," she added with a wink.

My cheeks instantly warmed up and I dropped my head, feeling a swarm of embarrassment tour my body. "I apologise for that, ma'am. I was runnin' on fumes and my brain-mouth filter broke," I said, not meeting her gaze as I kept my eyes on the very interesting cobblestone below my feet.

"She was extremely tired and stressed," Arthur echoed.

"I understand," Queen Annis responded. I risked glancing up at her and was surprised to find a tender look on her features as her eyes jumped between us. "I deeply admire the loyalty that you both show your men."

I straightened up a little, not feeling so intimidated anymore, as I assured her, "Well, that same loyalty extends to our allies, if you ever need a hand with anything."

Arthur squeezed my hand and I returned the gesture.

Queen Annis smiled as she replied, "Thank you, queen Astraea."

"Oh, please, Astra's fine," I said.

I almost panicked at the accidental drop in formalities, but then the Queen chuckled and I felt my ego grow a little. She thinks I'm amusing!

Minutes later, our party was off towards Camelot. And I was elated to find that Mordred stuck with us since Ismere and will be coming home with us!

The lower town was crowded with people who were eager to see their King return as we rode through the main road towards the castle. The citizens waved Pendragon banners and cheered as we passed by them, celebrating the fact that he made it back alive.

"Long live the King and queen!" a man shouted.

My eyes widened. Oh, cool, I guess I'm getting included!

"Long live the King and queen!" the crowd echoed.

I turned to Arthur, feeling both surprised and amused at the turn of events, and he gave me a gentle smile as he reached for my hand. I quickly grabbed his and he raised our joined extremities in the air, inciting a loud ovation from the people that warmed up my heart and left me breathless.

"I'll never get used to this," I whispered to myself, feeling a wave of gratitude and honour surge through me.

We stopped our horses when we got to the courtyard, and there we dismounted. I wasn't surprised when Gwen and Gaius were the first ones to run towards us. Or rather, towards Merlin. He's popular, I guess.

Elyan and Leon came next, hurrying to greet the King before moving on to me.

"You look better than you have in ages," Elyan commented after he released me from a brief hug.

"Wish I could tell ya' the same, but I guess you're stuck lookin' like that," I shot back jokingly.

His jaw dropped and he turned to Leon in what seemed like a silent call for help. The curly blond let out a hearty chuckle before addressing me with a smile, "It is great to see you are back to normal, my Knight-Queen."

Am I really that bad at hiding my emotions?! Darn!

"She will never be normal," Elyan stated, causing me to chuckle. He's probably right.

"Astra!" I heard Gwen's voice a nanosecond before I was tackled into a hug that knocked some oxygen out of my lungs. I didn't protest and returned the gesture. "I am so glad to see you in one piece."

"Don't worry. I didn't get stabbed this time," I whispered, a smirk forming on my lips.

She released me and slapped my arm – not hard enough for it to hurt – as she scolded, "It is not funny!"

I only laughed because, well, it is funny.

"You are incorrigible, Astra," Gwen huffed. I didn't miss the entertained glint in her eyes, though.

I tensed up when an arm was suddenly thrown over my shoulders, but I relaxed within a moment as I realised that it was only Arthur. Gwen straightened up and curtsied for a second.

"Is my queen grieving you in any way, Guinevere?" he asked with a small grin as his eyes jumped between us.

"There is never a dull moment around her, Sire," she responded while giving me a pointed look.

"Careful, you'll boost my ego," I told her in a burlesque tone.

My friend snorted and shook her head while giving me a look of disapproval, then she turned serious as she addressed Arthur again, "A delicate situation came up while you were away. I would like to speak about it with you both at your earliest convenience."

I snorted at the shift between her casual and formal demeanour.

"Let us go to the council chambers right away, then," Arthur responded.

I froze and turned to look at Dallas.

Merlin walked up to us and stopped beside my horse, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of him," he assured me.

"Thanks, buddy," I said and rushed to give him a quick hug, and I kissed Dallas's muzzle. Then I followed my King towards the council room.

I was instantly struck with concern when Gwen's expression turned troubled as we entered the room, and she kept her gaze on the floor while Arthur eyed her expectantly.

"You okay?" I questioned her with a head tilt and moved to place a hand on her arm.

She sighed before stating shakily, "What happened was completely my fault and I will face the consequences no matter what they might be."

My eyes widened. "Dude, you're scarin' me."

Gwen moved to sit on a chair and she leaned her arms on the round table before finally explaining, "Sefa, the girl I hired to help me, turned out to be the daughter of a man who was working under Morgana... And she was feeding them information."

I shared a stunned look with Arthur, then I moved to stand beside my friend and placed a hand on her shoulder, patting it gently.

"We discovered her after Leon and Elyan returned when you were ambushed," Gwen continued. "She confessed immediately and is currently in the dungeons."

"This is treason. It is punishable by death," Arthur noted, looking aggrieved.

My stomach churned. "She's so young, though," I pointed out as I began to pace.

Arthur sighed. "I know."

I bit down on my bottom lip. Surely we can find an alternative?

I turned to Gwen again and asked, "Is she proud of what she did?"

She shook her head, "No, she is mortified. She claims that she did not want to do it, but that she could not betray her father."

I looked up at Arthur and gave him a pointed look. He knows, better than anyone, what it's like to live in fear of disappointing your father. He seemed pensive as he dropped his head and started to nibble on his thumbnail.

"Well, I'll never sleep again if we sentence 'er to die," I stated. "What if we banish her from Camelot?"

"Would that be enough?" Arthur questioned.

I shrugged before furthering my proposal, "We could give her enough money to survive for a week or two, and have some knights escort her to a neighbouring kingdom of her choice. If she's ever found here again, she'll be arrested and put on trial."

"That sounds very reasonable," my King responded as a small grin formed on his lips.

"So you agree?" I asked, hope rising within me.

"Of course, my darling." He paused to lean down and kiss my forehead. "I will arrange for it right away." And with that, he exited the room.

I watched him go until he was out of sight, my heart fluttering in my chest.

Gwen moved to stand beside me and I could feel her wary gaze on the side of my face.

Perhaps it's a mean joke to make, but I couldn't stop myself as I stated stoically, "I told you not to get a maid."

I watched out of the corner of my eye as her expression acquired a load of distress while she continued to stare at me, and when I thought she'd had enough seconds of terror, I looked up at her and put on an innocent smile that hopefully let her know I was just pulling her leg.

Relief washed over her face and she let out a faint chuckle before nudging my side. "You will be the death of me one of these days," she claimed.

"Sounds like a fun way to go," I shot back with a wink.

"It is nice to see you here at a decent time, for once," Arthur commented as he exited his bathroom following a bath.

I glanced up from the book in my hands – 'Northanger Abbey' – and gave him a sheepish grin before shrugging and responding, "Well, I'm done goin' crazy. These past few days have made me realise that I've been stressing too much and forgettin' to enjoy life."

He grinned as he crawled onto the bed, moving to lie down beside me. I slid my bookmark into my novel and closed it before setting it on my bedside table. Then I turned to my side so that I could face my King and I gave him a smile while I moved one of my hands to rest on the side of his face and I gently rubbed my thumb against his cheek. He wrapped an arm around my waist and moved closer to lean his forehead against mine. Then he let out a long sigh.

"I have missed you," he whispered.

I felt a pang of guilt in my chest and closed my eyes as I responded, "I've missed you, too."

Arthur pulled me closer to where our chests were touching and then he slid a hand under my PJ shirt, his fingers gently tracing the middle stretch of my spine and causing my skin to tingle.

"I'm sorry that I've been such a madhouse lately, Artie," I said as I made eye-contact again. He went to speak, but I cut him off by continuing, "I haven't been the partner you deserve and I've been shoving our relationship to the backseat, but I promise that ends now." I pushed away slightly so that I could get a read on his face. He seemed stunned. "You mean everything to me, even if I suck at showing it. You have to know that, Art. I love you like crazy."

He pressed his lips against mine as soon as I shut up. He pulled away after a few seconds and kissed my forehead before responding, "You have been adjusting, darling. You have nothing to apologise for."

I sighed shakily and hugged him tightly while nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

"I also love you like crazy," he said in a gentle tone. My body was flooded with relief. "Multiplied by three-thousand," he added with a soft chuckle.

I'm seriously the luckiest person in history!

That broke the seriousness in me and I giggled in disbelief for a moment before moving to kiss him again, this time more decisively. It wasn't long before he pushed me onto my back and climbed on top of me as he deepened the kiss.

I will spare you of the details of the husband-and-wife activities that followed. And when that was over, we cuddled again under a bunch of blankets, seeing as the early winter winds were hitting the castle with all their might and had brought a friend in the form of snowfall.

"What do you think of Mordred?" Arthur asked some minutes later.

I frowned. "That's an interesting thing to bring up right now..."

He chuckled and squeezed my side – making me giggle a bit – before complementing his question with, "He saved our lives."

"I know, I was there," I responded, earning another ticklish squeeze.

"You cheeky woman."

A proud smirk claimed my lips. Which was promptly overshadowed by Arthur kissing me for a moment.

"All right, what're ya' thinkin' about?" I questioned further.

"Well, he deserves a reward, would you not agree?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he'd appreciate that," I replied. "Have you asked him what he might want?"

Arthur sighed and kissed the top of my head before answering, "I have. He says that he only wishes to serve us."

"He wants Merls's job?" I asked while raising an eyebrow. My brother would possibly be glad to be rid of the burden, but George is gonna have a fit!

"I am not fully certain of what he meant," my King answered, "but I was thinking that… perhaps… we could make him a knight."

My eyes widened in shock and I moved to fully face him. "I'm not against that at all, but I have to ask you this just 'cause I've been here long enough to know how the law works – you do remember that he's a druid, right?"

"Yes."

Hope rose within me. "And you'd be okay with that?"

"As long as he does not practice magic, I do not see the harm in it," he responded with a shrug. "Maybe you are right, Astra. Maybe magic is not as evil as my father led me to believe. And perhaps this could be a way to start fixing our reputation with the druids. I do not want to rule the same way my father did."

I think my heart stopped working for a moment as it got overwhelmed with love, and hope, and faith. Merlin is going to be delighted! We might yet be able to change Arthur's views on magic! He's becoming such a great man and I can't believe I get to be by his side through it all! I love life!

"So?" Arthur questioned when I took too long to say something else.

"Yeah, let's knight Mordred," I finally said with a grin.

He returned the smile and nodded. "All right."

My heart swelled with pride and I moved to kiss him again. It quickly grew fervent and 'round two' ensued.

The very next morning, the grand hall was prepared for the knighting ceremony and Mordred was given his very own bright silver chainmail and red Pendragon cape in anticipation of his big moment.

At midday, he walked down the long aisle and I stood beside Arthur as he read the commandment thingies, or whatever they're called, and officially proclaimed him Camelot's newest – and youngest! – knight.

"Arise, Sir Mordred, Knight of Camelot."

I'm not gonna lie, I felt kinda bummed that I will no longer be the 'baby' of the group. But Mordred, after the intensity of the craziness with Morgana, proved to be a very amicable and noble kid, not having changed much from the child I knew once. So I'm not too mad at him for potentially stripping me of the privileges that being the youngest one in a family brings.

And at least I'm still the only girl.

The room erupted in cheers and Mordred turned to face everyone, a wondrous smile forming on his lips and a glimmer shining in his eyes. Arthur pulled me to his side and kissed the top of my head before whispering, "We did the right thing," in my ear, which caused my heart to jump happily.

I was surprised to see how much support Mordred got from the knights, especially from 'Camelot's mightiest heroes', as well as from the courtiers and councillors.

Merlin, on the other hand, didn't seem so content as he watched from a corner of the room. And I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why! This is what we wanted! Arthur is starting to accept magic users! Soon, we might be able to make him see that magic itself can be a good thing, and my brother will finally be liberated from a lifetime of secrecy and hiding!

As soon as the formalities were over, I dashed towards Merlin and stood before him with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow.

"I don't trust him," he was quick to defend in a low voice.

"Why the heck not?! He saved mine and Artie's lives!"

Merlin clenched his jaw. "I know, but Kilgharrah has warned me about him."

"Lemme guess – more destiny crap," I said with a huff full of disbelief.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room and into the corridor, which was deserted since everyone was gathered in the grand hall. There, he finally explained further, "He warned me that, in time, he will 'go dark side' and hurt Arthur."

"Well, didn't he kinda do that already by joining Madame Mim?" I asked. "He got close to enabling Art's death, but he chose to save him in the end."

My brother sighed and averted his gaze. "I suppose."

I bit down on my bottom lip and reached to squeeze his arm. "Look, we can keep an eye on him. We'll take extra care to make sure he stays happy and doesn't ever get a reason to go back to that witch," I proposed. "How does that sound?"

A small grin formed on his lips and he nodded. "All right. That seems reasonable."

With that, we linked arms and returned to the grand hall.

"Trae!" Gwaine exclaimed and waved me over. I smiled and reached up to kiss my brother's cheek before letting go of his arm and rushing over to the knights, amongst whom stood Mordred. "I think it is about time we introduce our new friend to music, would you not agree?"

I smirked and exclaimed, "Heck yeah!" before sprinting out of the space again and hurrying to get my gramophone and my box of records from mine and Arthur's room.

It's safe to say Mordred was fascinated when 'Legendary' by Bon Jovi started to play.