Camelot
April, 509 AD
As usual, my brother and I were stuck with the task of grooming and saddling Tequila because it's unthinkable to expect the mighty King to do it. Gwaine agreed completely with Merlin and I's complaints regarding the situation and made a few jokes himself while saddling Fallyn; all while Gaius watched with a look of disapproval as he guarded a wheelbarrow – which contained Gwen, for easier transport through the castle.
The sun was slowly starting to rise in the horizon and we knew that we needed to hurry up, or we'd risk being spotted by people, which would lead to a ton of hard-to-answer questions regarding the unconscious, possessed girl.
"I am very proud of you, children," Gaius stated, his eyes darting between my brother and I. "The loyalty and courage you show is admirable."
"We're just repayin' the favour," I responded with a shrug.
Once the horses were ready, Merlin and Gwaine carefully hoisted Gwen onto Sawyer and we secured her to the saddle with a lead-rope that served as a sort of seat-belt.
"It's crazy to think that she's been trying to un-alive me," I noted with a head-tilt as I stared at my unconscious friend. It's even crazier to think that it could've easily been me in her position.
"Yeah," my brother breathed out, a pained look in his eyes.
"She'll be fine, buddy," I assured him.
Gaius gave us some final instructions and warnings regarding the sleeping draught while we waited for Arthur to grace us with his presence.
I was starting to get antsy as the darkness in the sky continued to be pushed out by the sun's beaming light, and I made a bitter threat to the air to leave without the King if he didn't show up in the next five minutes.
I woke him up personally, so what's taking him so long!?
"Perhaps we could get ahead and he can catch up," Gwaine proposed. "The longer we take, the higher the risk of running into people."
I sighed in frustration and nodded. "You guys go ahead. I'll wait for 'em."
My friends agreed and they mounted their horses, then I handed Sawyer's lead-rope to Merlin so that he could be guided. They gave me reassuring nods and hurried to leave the castle grounds.
About five more minutes went by before Arthur finally showed up.
"Where have you been, dude?!" I asked in exasperation, not wasting another second as I swiftly got on Dallas.
"Mordred thought we were acting strange and he wanted to make sure everything was all right," Arthur excused as he climbed on Tequila.
I quickly thanked Gaius for his help before nudging my horse into a gallop.
"That's adorable! Now hurry!" I called back to my King, whose horse, as usual, struggled to keep up with mine.
The great Merlin took care of leading the way – since he'd been the one to get the clear instructions from Kilgharrah on how to get to the Cauldron.
The journey was slightly unnerving, partly because the circumstances had my head spinning around in an almost nauseating way and I really can't wait until everything is over. However, the worst part of it is listening to Arthur's constant doubts and concerns regarding the 'sorceress' we'll be meeting.
Look, I know that my poor precious ray of sunshine has been traumatised by sorcery and manipulated into fearing it deeply. I'm very sympathetic to that – truly! And I despise seeing him so... afraid, I dare say. But his paranoid state really isn't helping the cause and it was gradually making me feel very frustrated, against my constant attempts to calm myself down by reminding myself that I shouldn't overlook his trauma.
After two-and-a-half days of riding through forests, plains, and a couple of creeks; we reached a mesmerising sight – a rocky mountain range that dwelled among clouds with a powerful demand for respect. I really hate not being able to take pictures!
"Pretty," I noted with a grin, all previous thoughts of annoyance being washed away by nature's marvels. "How come we only ever come to places like this one when we're trying to save someone?" I asked, mostly aimed at Arthur. He only hummed in response.
"The sorceress lives at the westernmost peak," Merlin mentioned.
"That would be the highest," Arthur stated. "It always is, is not it?"
"Yeah, well, exorcising a friend can never be an easy task," Gwaine commented.
"Better get started, then," my King said with a sigh.
We nudged the horses into a walk again, only for Merlin to halt Falcon some few strides later. "Wait," he said, his body tense as he looked around warily. "We are being watched."
I shared a startled look with Gwaine, then I reached over to place a hand on Arthur's arm when I saw his handsome features contort in worry.
"One of your funny feelings again?" my King questioned Merlin, who nodded in response. Arthur gulped and glanced around.
"Maybe it's just a bird, or a rabbit..." I suggested, not really believing my own words. Merlin usually only gets 'funny feelings' when there's something magical involved. Although, who knows? Maybe it's a magic talking bunny that craps gummy bears!
"Yes, I am sure it is all right," Arthur said.
I looked towards my brother and we exchanged a nod. If it's something to be concerned about, we'll deal with it if and when it comes to it.
I didn't really feel like eating much when we settled down to make camp for the night, my stomach feeling like it'd been twisted into knots by the monster of guilt that was slowly eating me from the inside out.
Maybe it's irrational, but I can't help but feel that it should be me and not Gwen. It almost was, but I slipped away. My friend wasn't so lucky, and her only crime ever is to be associated with me.
Such thoughts ran through my mind as I sat with my legs dangling from a cliff, Dallas and the other horses grazing some metres away from me, while the boys were gathered around a campfire a fair distance away, the atmosphere silent.
I fiddled with the zipper of the pocket at the side of my riding leggings as I strongly contemplated the idea of pulling out my phone (I've never really gotten out of the habit of carrying it everywhere with me) and listening to some music so that I could hopefully drown out the thoughts that swirled around my mind. I can't let them drag me down, 'cause I'm gonna need to have my head on straight for tomorrow; or I won't be able to do my part in pulling Gwen back from the darkness.
I really wish Merlin could be the one to do it. He's so much better with words than I am and, considering my recent involvement in Elyan's death, I really doubt that I can make a positive impact on my enchanted friend. But... well... Arthur really doesn't leave us with much choice.
Speaking of the awesome King of Camelot, he suddenly sat down next to me, forcing me to end my fiddling for good, lest he got curious about what it is that I carry in my pocket.
"'Sup," I greeted.
"Are you all right?" he asked in a gentle tone while grabbing one of my hands off my lap and running his thumb over my knuckles. I dropped my head to his shoulder.
"Define 'all right'," I responded with a humourless snort.
He gave me a disapproving nudge and let go of my hand to wrap his arm around my waist. "Talk to me, Astra," he demanded.
"What's the point?" I questioned in a weak mumble. "You already know what I'm gonna say, and I already know what you're gonna respond."
"You feel guilty," he brilliantly deduced.
"Yahtzee," I replied in an unenthusiastic tone. "And you don't think I should, but I still will."
He kissed the top of my head and I let out a shaky sigh.
"Would you at least believe me if I say that everything will turn out all right?" he requested.
"That I can do," I answered and reached up to kiss the side of his jaw.
"Good," he stated, giving me a soft grin that was instantly contagious as my lips curved upwards.
I gasped at a rumbling sound in the distance and scrambled to get away from the edge of the cliff as a slight earthquake shook the ground.
"What the heck?!" I asked, now panting a little from the minor fright.
"That was probably just a rockfall, my love," my King reassured me.
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" I asked while quirking an eyebrow.
He chuckled and placed a hand on the side of my face. "We are safe, are we not?"
"Yeah, for now," I grumbled, earning another heart-warming laugh followed by a quick kiss.
Arthur convinced me to rejoin him and my friends around the campfire and I lazily stood up and followed him there. I was forced to have a little bit to eat, with Merlin pulling the mom card as he stated that I need my strengths; and then I settled down on my sleeping bag with my King. I doubt I'll get any sleep, but I have to pretend to for his sake.
Some silent hours passed as I lay wide awake under the starry night sky with Arthur's arm wrapped protectively around my figure under my Avengers blanket.
Suddenly, Merlin sat up in his own sleeping bag, looking slightly shaken. I grabbed a small pebble off the ground and threw it his way to get his attention. I don't really feel like meeting another creature like 'Queen Mab'. He held a finger to his lips and gestured for me to follow him. I sighed and carefully removed Arthur's arm from around me before standing up, grabbing my sword, and going after my brother.
"What's up?" I asked in a whisper once it was safe to talk without worrying about waking up Gwaine or Arthur.
"I felt that presence again," Merlin responded in the same manner.
"Awesome," I mumbled.
The sorcerer's recently unlocked internal compass, or whatever, led us to a lengthy space between two giant boulders and up a rockfall that led to a higher point in the landscape that overlooks the camp from a discreet distance.
My jaw dropped when none other than Phoenix revealed himself from behind another pile of rocks. Merlin and I shared a look that was a mix of annoyance and disbelief.
"What the heck are you doin' here?!" I asked in an exasperated whisper.
The dragon gave a sheepish smile as he cowered slightly, his gaze almost apologetic. "Uncle K was worried that Morgana and Thanata might try to stop you, so I thought that I might follow you and protect you–"
"Finn, are you nuts!?" I cut him off.
"What if they see you?!" Merlin piled on. "Need I remind you that they kept your sister captive?!"
"They did not see me," Phoenix replied with a small reptilian smirk.
My brother and I shared a confused look. "What do you mean?!" we asked at the same time.
"They were following you," the dragon revealed meekly. "But I caused some rocks to fall on them and they are still unconscious."
"That rumble earlier, that was you?" I questioned, now more calmly.
"Yes," Phoenix responded as he held his head up proudly.
I couldn't hold back a chuckle and I gave his neck a gentle rub. "Good job, buddy."
"Astra – don't encourage him," Merlin scolded with a grunt before addressing the dragon again. "What you did was very dangerous. You should not risk your life like this. Especially with Arthur around."
Phoenix sighed before saying, "I have spent my whole life hidden in a cave – I will not take it anymore. I am meant for much more! I want to be truly free! I want to help the two of you fight for a better future!"
I let out a puff. I can see myself in him. You know that I always fight Arthur when he tries to make me stay behind when important quests come up. It's hypocritical to try to restrain the dragons no matter how much we want to protect them.
"You're right, Finny," I relented with a small nod. "Merls didn't hatch you and your sister just so that y'all could live like Rapunzel."
I could tell that my brother was about to protest and I sent him a cautionary look, earning a glare in response. We held each other's gazes for a few moments, and then he finally looked away and breathed out, "Yeah."
"Just promise you'll stay safe, Finn," I pleaded. "We'll end up in straightjackets if we ever have to relive what we went through with Ai."
"I promise," the dragon responded.
Merlin didn't seem very happy, but I nudged his side and motioned for us to get back to camp. He huffed and commanded Phoenix to stay hidden and to only travel by night before complying with my request.
Despite the altitude we reached, there was a faint layer of humidity and heat hanging in the air, which indicated the presence of a body of water nearby – the Cauldron. As the passages between rocks got narrower and narrower, we decided to leave the horses in a safe spot and continue on foot. Merlin didn't hesitate before lifting Gwen into his arms and I shared a knowing grin with Gwaine.
Merwen is still alive!
The clouds in the sky kept us company as we trudged along the gravel and dirt path that continued further into the mountain range, leading slightly downwards in a winding motion.
I noticed some wooden poles that hoisted coloured cloths lining the way and paused for a second to observe them.
The tears in the fabric and the crookedness of the wood suggest that the marks have been here for a long time, enduring changes in weather and the passing seasons.
Realising that my companions had continued ahead, I stopped analysing the posts and jogged to catch up with them.
"What is the meaning of these banners?" Arthur inquired as he warily glanced at the marks that continued.
"They mark the way for pilgrims," Merlin responded. "This is a sacred site for those who follow the Old Religion, remember?"
The King nodded in understanding and continued gazing around with an almost frightened look clouding his handsome features.
"S'all right, Artie. No one will hurt us," I assured him in a whisper while slipping my hand into his. He gave me a gentle squeeze and a small grin.
The trek continued in silence for a couple of more minutes, until my King suddenly asked, "How much further?"
"Not far," my brother answered in a slightly strained voice. I could see that he was starting to get tired from carrying Gwen, but I knew better than to try to get him to pass her onto Gwaine. "This gorge leads to the Cauldron," he added.
About five minutes later, it finally came into view – an hypnotising turquoise-coloured lake nestled in the rocky mountain, its waters glistening under the faint sun-rays that shone directly above it.
"It's as Gaius described," Merlin noted. "The Cauldron of Arianrhod."
"Do y'all think anyone would object if I built a cottage here and moved in?" I questioned, a big smile forming on my lips at the fantasy of getting to live near the untouched waters, and maybe go swimming at times, and be able to drink from them every day...
"I think your husband would," Gwaine responded with a chuckle.
My smile faded and I tilted my head before looking up at Arthur. His eyes were narrowed and he had a pout on his pretty lips as he nodded at me. I smirked again and shamelessly scanned his perfect figure for a moment before stating, "That's fine. You're a prettier view anyway."
"Stop inflating his ego," Merlin grumbled while gently laying down Gwen near the water. "We have more pressing matters at hand."
"Right. Let's go get this sorceress," I said and skipped over to link my arm with my brother's, sending him a teasing grin and earning a glare. Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this so much!
"Where is she, anyway?" Arthur questioned.
"Gaius says she's a recluse. She... shuns the company of men," Merlin promptly made up. I shared an amused look with Gwaine.
"She is going to have to make an exception," my King brightly noted.
"Yeah, don't worry, we'll get 'er. You watch after Gwen," I waved him off.
Much to Merlin's dismay, Gwaine and I had made him promise that he would let us see his transformation before he revealed himself to Arthur – knowing very well that a lot of laughter would inevitably come from the disguise that Gaius came up with, and that we need to be serious in front of the King, or we could give away the sorcerer's big secret.
Sending an almost hateful glare towards my best friend and I, my brother snatched a bag that he'd previously handed to Gwaine. A black dress fell out of it with the movement and the three of us shared a wide-eyed look as we froze for a second.
Merlin rapidly shoved the item back inside, though it didn't make a big difference because Arthur saw it and was now staring at him with a quizzical look.
"You didn't think this was going to be free, did you?" my brother posed.
"What are you talking about?" my King wondered.
"The sorceress likes to be paid in clothes," Merlin claimed. I had to bite down on my lip to hold in a laugh as I shared another entertained look with Gwaine. Arthur quirked an eyebrow. "She cannot get to a tailor."
"Why would a recluse be interested in clothes?"
"Were you hopin' to see her goin' 'round naked?" I questioned Arthur with a teasing look while purposely exaggerating my Texan accent.
Gwaine let out a hearty laugh at that and my King's eyes widened as he stumbled over a response, what came out not being intelligible at all.
"We will be right back," Gwaine assured Arthur, and with that, he, Merlin and I walked away so that we could find a hidden place for my brother to do his thing.
Gwaine and I waited with our backs resting against a cliff wall while Merlin went behind some rocks to perform the transformation spell and change into the black dress he got from who-knows-where.
"Ready?" I asked some three minutes later. He's taking too long! I only heard a grunt in response. "C'mon, buddy, don't be shy. Cross-dressing is very much accepted in the twenty-first century," I insisted, not holding back an amused grin.
Nothing could've prepared me for the sight of Merlin in old woman form and I bursted out laughing in an instant, Gwaine joining me as we leaned against each other for support. My brother – or, I guess, my sister now – didn't seem amused at all as he/she placed his/her hands on his/her hips, pressing his/her lips as he/she narrowed his/her eyes at us.
"You look like... you lure little children into a house made of candy... and eat them for dinner...!" I exclaimed in between heavy bouts of laughter, tears streaming down my eyes as I clutched my abdomen.
He/she scoffed and looked away, while Gwaine wheezed beside me.
"Hey, ma'am... are you here to... poison Snow White...?!" I kept going with the jokes.
"Shut up," Merlin grumbled, his/her annoyed nasal high-pitched voice making me stumble to the ground as I laughed harder.
"Sorry, Ms. Harkness... I don't know... the way to Westview!"
You get the gist. I exhausted my mind in search of more jokes, and once I managed to sober up, I accepted Gwaine's help in standing up and I let out a long sigh, suddenly feeling my bladder extra heavy. I frowned and checked my waist-bag to see if I brought my usual pack of Kleenex, and I grinned before announcing, "Now, if you'll excuse me, lady and gentleman, I have to pee."
I returned from doing my business a minute later and broke down giggling again at the renewed sight of old-woman!Merlin.
"You're intolerable," he/she growled. As you can imagine, that only aggravated my state.
Some eight minutes must've gone by before Gwaine and I were finally able to keep a straight face long enough for Merlin to deem it safe for us to return to where we left Arthur and Gwen, and he/she very reluctantly led the way back.
"Hey, Artie! Look who we found!" I chirped with a big grin as I dragged my brother/sister before my King by the arm, ignoring his/her attempts to free him/herself.
"Are you the Dolma?" Arthur questioned him/her. "Ancient sorceress of the Cauldron of Arianrhod?"
Merlin nodded his/her head. "Who else would I be?" he/she spat back, making me snort. He/she glared at me for a moment.
Arthur frowned and hesitantly stepped closer to the magic person, scanning him/her up and down with an analytical look. "Does she look familiar to you?" he asked Gwaine and I.
"Nope," we responded at the same time.
My King tilted his head and stepped even closer, causing my breath to hitch. If he looks too closely, he might be able to see the resemblance between Merlin and old-woman!Merlin and, well, we can't have that! Then he paused and frowned again before turning to me, "Darling – where is Merlin?"
Lucky for us, we prepared an answer for that and I swiftly responded, "She wanted some insurance that we won't kill 'er and he volunteered to stay behind."
Arthur nodded in understanding and I shot him an innocent grin before turning to my brother/sister. "Now, ma'am," I coughed to hide a chuckle. "Please do your thing and save our friend."
"Yes," he/she responded and promptly walked over to Gwen. I followed him/her, while Gwaine held back Arthur – who protested against me being left alone so close to the 'sorceress', but my best friend quickly shushed him.
"Remember, we only have one shot at this," my brother/sister whispered as the two of us carefully moved Gwen closer to the water.
"How could I forget," I mumbled in response.
He/she placed a reassuring hand on my arm and I sighed. Even in this strange and hilarious disguise, Merlin has a special way of making me feel at peace and I gave him a little grin. Now that the amusement of his appearance has passed, I could see beyond his disguise and look into the eyes of the brother I know.
"I will wake her up, the rest falls on you," he continued. I nodded in understanding. "You've got this, Astra. She has always believed in you. Now you must return the favour."
"I'll try my best," I affirmed and gulped.
Merlin kneeled down next to Gwen and I stood to the side as he spoke a spell, which instantly caused her eyes to fly open and she seemed totally alarmed as her gaze jumped between my brother and I.
"Where am I?" she demanded. "What have you done to me?"
"Gwennie, it's okay, it's just me," I tried to reassure her.
Gwen scrambled backwards. "Get away from me!"
"Reach out, Astra," Merlin reminded me in a whisper.
"I'm not gonna hurt ya', Gwen. We're friends, remember?" I tried softly, not making a move so that she wouldn't freak out more. I couldn't help but be reminded of Aithusa and my heart twisted at the connection. "More than that – we're almost like sisters at this point."
"We were never friends, you stupid, foolish girl!"
I recoiled a little, but immediately composed myself. "That's not true. We haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but we've always cared for each other. I know that, deep down, you still do."
"It was always a trick! Nothing more! A subterfuge to pass Camelot to its rightful queen!" She stood up and started to walk away.
"No, that's not true, and you know it," I countered.
"Think what you like. The fact remains," she growled in return.
"Dig deeper. You need something that will spark emotion. You are only debating with a dark emptiness right now," Merlin whispered.
I nodded, immediately realising what I have to do. I cast a wary glance towards Arthur before discreetly gesturing towards him. I cannot play this card with him listening.
My brother nodded in understanding and ordered, "Give us some space."
Gwaine nodded and dragged a protesting Arthur further away.
"Why did you save my life, then?" I asked Gwen. The shock of the question was enough to make her stop walking as she tensed up and she turned back towards me, frowning.
I took a deep breath, mentally praying that this would work. "Remember that night in October? You could've left me to die. Heck, you could've finished me off yourself. But you didn't. Why?"
"I know not what you are speaking of!" she snarled.
"Yeah, you do," I responded and I lowered the collar of my sweater just enough to show her the scar that remains from that night when I almost bled to death in her house. "The only reason I survived is because you were home early," I continued. "I would've died if it hadn't been for you and your caring nature... Like a big sister watchin' out for her little sister... Or that's what it felt like to me, anyway."
Gwen stepped closer, tilting her head as her eyes fixed on the scar.
"There was blood," she said in a monotonous voice.
"A lot of it," I responded with a snort, risking a step back towards the water. She followed. "You stitched me up against my will. I even pulled the queen card on ya', but that's never mattered."
Tears pooled in her eyes as she stated, "I thought you were going to die."
"And I easily could've."
I took some more backwards steps towards the water and a shiver ran up my spine when it flooded my shoes. Crap! It's so much colder than I anticipated! But I braved the feeling and grinned a little when my friend followed in my footsteps.
"I was horrified..." Gwen's voice broke. "Oh, Astra. You are the truest friend I have ever had... I could never bear to lose you..."
"I don't wanna lose ya', either," I responded. "Which is why you need to take a splash n' let us undo what Morgana did to you."
She nodded and finally entered the lake. A huge sigh of relief escaped me as a smile formed on my lips. I did it! I actually got her into the Cauldron by her own free will! Being waist-deep in the freezing water is totally worth it now!
I watched as my brother's eyes glowed gold and a white light surrounded Gwen. I kept my eyes trained on the scene as I slowly made my way back to the shore and I physically felt my heart relax. I really did it! Gwen will be fine!
The light dissipated and Merlin's intense concentration broke.
"Is that it? Is it over?" I questioned him, my gaze darting between him and Gwen.
"It's over, Astra. You did it," my brother responded with a grin.
A nanosecond later, Gwen was pulling me into a hug. "I am so sorry, Astra," she whispered.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," I assured her as I returned the embrace.
"I tried to kill you!"
"Welcome to the club," I chirped with a smirk. She pushed away from me and seemed horrified at the statement. It just came out... "I'm kidding," I lied. "But you were possessed, so I'm not gonna hold it against ya'."
She gave me a small smile and hugged me again. A few moments later, she released me and turned to look at Merlin, tilting her head. Then she turned back to me with a raised eyebrow. "Is that...?"
"Your boyfriend? Yes," I quickly responded with a giggle.
"How...?"
"Long story. Long, very funny, story."
"Shut up, Astra," old-woman!Merlin grunted.
"Astraea?" I heard Arthur's voice. I turned around and found that he and Gwaine had stepped closer once more. "Is everything all right?"
I grinned and sprinted towards him, leaping into his arms.
"We did it, Artie! She's okay!" I exclaimed.
"Well done, kid!" Gwaine cheered and he patted my arm before moving to hug Gwen, who seemed only a bit surprised at the display of affection.
I glanced up at Arthur to find him carefully analysing Merlin, who hung back looking slightly awkward – probably itching to properly reunite with Gwen as well.
"Thank you for your help, ma'am," I called out to him, unable to hold back another teasing smirk.
"We owe you a great debt," Arthur acknowledged as he addressed my brother. "If there is ever anything I can do in return–"
"Like maybe a new dress?" I cut in with a smirk.
Merlin glared at me for a moment and I shared an amused smirk with Gwaine and Gwen.
"There is one thing," my brother told Arthur.
"Name it," he stated.
"Remember what saved your friend: magic and sorcery," Merlin responded without hesitation.
Arthur frowned and pointed out, "It was also sorcery that bewitched her."
"There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men," Merlin countered. "My request is that you remember this."
My King seemed doubtful as he looked down at me for a moment and I squeezed his arm in reassurance. He sighed and nodded as he replied to my brother, "You have my word."
I exchanged triumphant smiles with all of my friends.