Camelot

December, 506 AD

"Astra – would you help me with... the thing?" Merlin asked when he, Arthur and I re-entered the castle after returning the horses to their paddock.

He told me that he would need my help with finding a spell that would cure Uther, since we kind of didn't have the time to do that before the meeting with Arthur. Whoops. And we both know that we have a ton of books to get through if we want to have everything ready on time.

"Yeah, of course," I replied with a grin.

The Prince's face fell slightly as he turned to face me. I bit down on my bottom lip. I know that I promised to stay by his side, but saving his dad's life is the number one priority at the moment. Besides, it's not like Merlin and I are going off to India. We'll just be a storey down.

"I, uh..." I need a reasonable excuse! "I promised I'd help him clean the jars in Gaius's apartment… I'll come to find you as soon as we're done, yeah?"

He sighed and nodded, then he leaned down to give me a quick kiss before begrudgingly going towards the main staircase.

"I hate lyin' to 'em," I mumbled under my breath as Merlin and I linked arms and started walking to the physician's chambers.

"Children! I was worried! I thought something had happened!" Gaius spewed out when we entered.

My brother went straight to rummaging the book shelfs, ignoring his comments.

"Ya' gotta have more faith in us, Pops. We can handle Artie," I replied with a small smirk.

"Yes, everything went according to plan," Merlin assured Gaius, who in turn frowned as his expression turned grave.

"I take it that this means you are going through with it?" he questioned.

Merlin let out a sigh and turned to face him with hope in his eyes. "If I can heal Uther, Arthur has given me his word that when he is King, magic will no longer be outlawed. This could change everything."

I eagerly nodded in agreement.

"And what if something goes wrong? What of Arthur's attitude to magic then?" the physician questioned.

"I live with the risk of being exposed every day!" Merlin responded. "If I do not take this opportunity, maybe I will spend the rest of my life having to hide who I really am. Everyone is always telling me I have this great destiny. Maybe this is it. I have to try."

I put a hand on his arm and squeezed it reassuringly. "We'll make it work, or go down swingin'."

Merlin grinned a little and he put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards the shelves again so we could collect some more books and take them up to his room. I could feel Gaius's disapproving gaze on us, but I did my best to ignore it. If he wants to be a party-pooper, that's his problem.

An hour or two went by during which we paged through about a dozen books without any luck.

Merlin and I were both beginning to grow weary and, above all, scared that we won't be able to find something on time.

"No heart-healing spells. Only one that causes it to explode," I mumbled with widening eyes as I closed another book with a huff, almost wanting to throw it across the room. But Gaius would make me pay for it, and my money is better spent in other ways.

"This one has a spell that stops blood flow," Merlin stated.

I hummed, "Controllably?"

"If the sorcerer is good enough," he responded with a shrug.

"Save it, maybe it could be useful as a place-holder if we run out of time," I suggested with a shrug. He nodded and marked the page before flipping it.

Suddenly, Gaius appeared at the door, looking much more amicable. I nodded at him in greeting while my brother barely spared him a glance.

"Is everything all right, children?" he asked gently.

Merlin let out an exasperated sigh. "I promised Arthur I could heal Uther, but we cannot even find the right spell."

"That is because you are reading the wrong books," Gaius stated and he revealed a small leather-bound notebook that he'd been hiding behind his back. "Here," he said as he handed it to my brother, whose eyes widened in wonder as he took it. "Gwillem of Cambria was as mad as a coot, but there has never been a better healer."

Merlin and I shared a grin. "Thank you, Gaius," "Thanks, Pops," we said at the same time.

I looked over Merlin's arm as he quickly flipped through the notebook and he finally found a spell he could use. He instantly started learning the words while Gaius and I agreed to take on the task of preparing the potion that goes along with them.

"You must only use four drops. Any more could be dangerous," the physician pointed out as he looked over the spell with Merlin while I mixed some purple flowers in a glass beaker.

"Let us hope I can remember the spell," my brother mumbled.

"We've come too far for you to start doubting yourself, Merls," I scolded while sending him a pointed look.

"Yes, you must trust your abilities, Merlin," Gaius backed me up.

The sorcerer sighed and returned his attention to the notebook.

"Astra!?" Arthur's voice boomed outside the apartment, too close for comfort.

My companions and I exchanged worried looks. He can't know what we're doing!

"Merlin!"

"You have to get rid of him," Merlin whispered to Gaius. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me to hide behind the door just in time for it to fly open, almost breaking our noses in the process and I had to hold back a gasp.

"Gaius, have you seen my Lady-Knight or my useless toad of a servant?" Arthur asked, not sounding particularly happy.

I sent Merlin a mocking grin while holding back a laugh. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I am afraid not," Gaius replied calmly.

"Well, where on Earth are they?"

Gaius took a few seconds to reply. "Have you tried the tavern?"

What!?

"Last I saw them, they were arguing about some game and Astra was adamant that no one could beat her."

My jaw dropped and I shared a look of disbelief with Merlin. No! Now Arthur's gonna think I have a gambling problem! And he'll think that I'm blowing him off for some stupid game!

"He pulled her into a bet!?" Arthur roared. "I am going to make him wish he was never born!" he exclaimed angrily before slamming the door shut as he left.

"Why did you tell him we were in the tavern?" Merlin questioned Gaius.

"It was the first thing that popped into my head…"

"Do we look like a pair of drunks to you?!" I said as I flailed my arms in exasperation.

"Νext time, go for the second, or the third thing that pops into your head. Just anywhere but the tavern," Merlin demanded.

Gaius puffed and returned his attention to the potion.

"All right, well, it is done," he said.

"Really? That's it? It felt a bit too easy. There was no smoke, no fire, no sparks..." I rambled until the unimpressed looks on my companions' faces made me shut up and I put on a triumphant smirk. "Let's save the King!"

I shared a hug with my best friend and thanked Gaius for his help before leaving the little home and racing off to find Arthur.

I nibbled on my bottom lip while Arthur and I waited for old!Merlin at the spot we'd agreed upon.

He was taking a bit too long to show up and I was starting to worry that might've been caught, or something. I did my best not to show my concerns, though. Arthur is nervous enough and I don't want my own anxiety to worsen his.

"Astra – what if he does not come?" he questioned in a low tone while his grip on my hand tightened.

"He will. Or I'll personally hunt him down and drag 'em to your dad's room," I replied. He gave a small smile and let out a sigh as he released my hand to wrap his arm around my waist. I leaned against his side and placed a kiss over his heart.

I heard quiet footsteps approaching and turned around to find old!Merlin standing behind us. A grin formed on my lips.

"I had started to think you were not coming," Arthur stated.

"I gave you my word, and here I am," Merlin responded in a serious tone.

"Good. We must hurry," Arthur replied before starting to walk down the dirt path.

"Hey!" Merlin called back in a yelled whisper. I raised an eyebrow. "I am led to believe that the King's Palace is that way," he said while pointing behind him.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "I can hardly be seen walking through the main gate with a known sorcerer."

Merlin gasped. "So you are already going back on your word! You promised that I would no longer have to live in fear!"

I gave him a pointed look, "Ya' gotta heal Utah first, remember?"

"When you have healed my father, I will give you everything I promised," Arthur assured him.

Merlin nodded in approval and finally began to walk.

Arthur led us a minute through the forest that surrounds the castle walls, and we reached a gate that leads to some section of the underground tunnels. The space thankfully wasn't exaggeratedly small, so my lungs remained reasonably functional.

"Is this really as fast as you can walk?" Arthur questioned Merlin, who was trailing a couple of metres behind us.

"When you are as old as I, we will see how fast you can walk," Merlin spat as he leaned against the wall. "I need to rest a moment."

I guess that the ageing spell doesn't just affect his appearance…

"There is no time!" Arthur argued.

I gently nudged his side. "Give him a moment. He won't do us any good if he has a heart-attack, or something."

"Perhaps you could carry me," Merlin suggested and he shot me a mischievous grin.

I snorted, then tried to mask it with a cough.

Arthur sighed in exasperation. "Fine," he said, causing my eyes to widen in shock. "If it means we get there quicker, I will carry you." My best friend seemed equally as surprised and he appeared to fight a laugh when the Prince turned his back to him and crouched. "Come on."

Without hesitation, Merlin hopped on Arthur's back with a grunt. I had to bite down hard on my lip, probably drawing blood, to keep myself from laughing at the mix of mischief and bliss in his gaze.

I hate not being able to take photos!

Arthur began to walk again and I continued to hold back laughter as I walked behind them – purposely so that I could share looks with Merlin without the Prince noticing.

The sorcerer winked at me, then he proceeded to kick the blond's sides. I had to slap a hand over my mouth as he ordered, "Faster!"

Honestly, I would've laughed freely if we weren't in danger of being discovered by guards or knights.

Arthur halted and clenched his jaw. "Did you just kick me?!"

"Now who is wasting time!?" Merlin grunted before kicking him again. "Hyah!"

I couldn't hold back a giggle.

The Prince huffed, but continued to walk, even picking up the pace when my best friend kicked him for a third time.

"Stop!" I demanded, knowing that if he kept going, I would die laughing and give away our location. Merlin grinned at me, but obeyed.

In a miracle, we managed to sneak old!Merlin past some guards and we made it to Uther's room without any incidents.

We slipped inside and I stood on one side of the bed with Arthur while Merlin walked over to the other side.

Merlin and I shared a nod and he promptly pulled the potion out of his pocket, then he swiftly administered the four drops.

The Prince gave me a wary glance and I reached to grab his hand, squeezing it in reassurance. He doesn't know it, and I can't tell him, but his dad's life couldn't be in better hands.

Merlin set the potion aside and pulled out some herbs, then he took a deep breath and opened his mouth to say the spell – but Arthur stopped him.

"Is something wrong?" my brother questioned with a slight tilt of his head.

"My father has taught me never to trust magic, and now I am using it to save him," Arthur reflected.

Oh, dear.

"Your own life has been saved using magic more times than you can possibly imagine," Merlin responded gently.

My eyes widened. He's gonna give himself away!

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Arthur questioned as he recoiled slightly

I squeezed his hand again and ran my thumb over his knuckles.

"I merely mean to say that magic is all around you. It is woven into the very fabric of the world," my best friend explained.

Smart.

"How can I be sure it is the right thing to do?" Arthur wondered softly.

"I know you have suffered because of magic, as many have," Merlin responded gently. "But not all magic, and not all sorcerers are the same. I wish only to show you that magic can be used for good. I hope one day you will see me in a different light."

The emotion in his voice made me want to hug him so bad. If this works, I could die happy knowing that he's free. Not that I plan to die anytime soon… But y'know what I mean.

Arthur dropped his head for a few moments, then he turned to me. "What do you think?"

"I trust him," I said instantly. Maybe a bit too quickly, but if he thought that my response was weird, he didn't show it.

"All right," he breathed out and gave Merlin a nod while gesturing towards Uther. My brother sighed and continued with the spell.

The Prince stepped back to give the sorcerer space and he pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me. I returned the gesture and softly rubbed his back while I watched in wonder as Merlin did his job in full display.

This will become a common sight one day. I know it.

Smoke began to come out of the herbs and Merlin began to chant the magic words. His voice was deep and steady, a stark contrast to his usual rambling self. I felt a surge of pride grow in my chest, along with joy. I really pray that Arthur will, in time, come to see him the way I see him – because he's seriously the greatest person I've ever known.

Time froze when Merlin finished.

Long, agonising seconds went by without any signs of the spell having worked – or not.

Arthur's grip on me tightened and I fisted the back of his shirt as I held my breath.

Suddenly, Uther gasped and his eyes flew open.

A big smile formed on my face and I shared a happy look with Merlin.

He did it! He actually did it!

"Father," Arthur said softly as he reached to grab his dad's hand.

Uther gave him a weak squeeze and smiled. "Arthur," he said weakly, a glint shining in his greyish eyes, which landed on me for a moment. "Astraea," he whispered.

"Hey, old buddy," I said and hesitantly stepped forwards to join a smiley Arthur at his bedside.

The King suddenly gasped and his face contorted in pain. Then he started to breathe heavily.

My nervous system froze over. "Utah?" I whispered.

"What is happening?" Arthur questioned.

"I-I do not know," Merlin stuttered.

We shared a fearful look for a second.

"Well, do something!" the Prince commanded.

"Try the spell again," I suggested as my own breathing grew shallow.

Merlin reached for the herbs again, but halted when Uther's body suddenly went completely still.

"No. No, no, no," I mumbled as I hurried to check his pulse. "C'mon, buddy," I said as I waited for a faint beat.

One second.

Two seconds.

Five.

Ten.

Twenty.

Thirty.

I backed away as tears welled up in my eyes. "He... H-he's gone."

"No, he cannot be," Arthur said and he started to shake his dad desperately. "Father? Father!"

"Art…" I said softly and grabbed his arm to pull him back.

He stumbled for a second and looked around before his eyes landed on Merlin. His jaw clenched. "What have you done?!" he growled.

"This was not supposed to happen," Merlin mumbled in response, looking as heart-broken as I felt as his eyes filled with tears.

"You gave me your word!" Arthur snarled "You killed him!" He drew his sword and I instantly reached to put his arm down, hugging it tightly so that he couldn't charge at my brother. At least not without having to shake me off violently.

"Artie, wait! I don't think it's his fault!" I quickly defended and grabbed his other arm so that he would face me, but he refused to look at me while he fought my grip. 'Run,' I mouthed to Merlin, who didn't have to be told twice before he was out of the room.

"Astra! He is escaping!" Arthur yelled at me. I flinched, but didn't let go. Instead, I jumped to hug him as tightly as I could. He fought me for a bit longer, but he eventually gave up and broke down sobbing.

"It's not your fault, Artie," I softly assured the Prince for the thousandth time in the last couple of hours.

Gaius, Agravaine and some knights were taking care of funeral arrangements, allowing him to mourn in peace.

The two of us were lying on his bed. I sat with my back resting against some pillows, which were leaning against the headboard, while Arthur's head lay on my abdomen, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist while I gently played with his hair.

"I am entirely to blame. My father spent twenty years fighting magic. To think I knew better..." He trailed off and shook his head slightly. "I was so arrogant. That arrogance has cost my father his life."

My heart clenched and I couldn't help but defend my best friend's alter-ego, "The sorcerer seemed surprised by what happened… I don't think it was his fault."

"Why are you defending him?" Arthur questioned as he looked up to me with a frown.

Oops. He caught that.

"I'm not, I'm just stating what I saw," I replied with a shrug. He let out a sigh and tightened his grip on me.

A soft knock at the door caused him to groan and sit up.

"S'all right, I've got it," I told him and kissed his forehead before leaving the bed.

I opened the door to find Merlin, whose eyes were still teary. He motioned for me to come outside. "I'll be right back, Artie," I called out before exiting the room. I instantly jumped to hug Merlin when the door was closed.

"Are you okay?" I asked him in a whisper, though I know very well that he's not. How could he be?

"I really thought I could change everything, Astra," he mumbled.

I sighed against his chest. "I know, me, too… I'm sorry."

"How is Arthur?" he asked. "I do not think I can look him in the eye..."

"He's holding on, I guess. But you know what this is like. Stages of grief and all that crap," I responded, earning a short nod.

Merlin pulled away from the hug and dug into his pocket, retrieving a silver necklace with a simple pendant.

"What's that?" I asked as I tilted my head.

"Gaius found it around Uther's neck," he explained in a low voice. "He says that it is enchanted and that it caused the effects of my spell to be reversed. Morgana must have sneaked it on him somehow."

My eyes widened. This is the proof we need to show Arthur that old!Merlin didn't do anything wrong!

"Well, then maybe we can still convince Arthur that magic isn't evil!" I exclaimed in a whisper.

"Do you think it could work?"

"Yeah. Let me show it to 'em," I replied as I reached for the necklace. Merlin nodded and dropped it in my hand, then he let out a sad sigh. "You'll be free one day, Merls. Even if I have to take you to my time," I told him while attempting a small smile.

"Thank you, Astra," he whispered, then he kissed the top of my head. "You should get back to him. He needs you."

"Yeah…" I breathed out. "I'll see you soon, bud."

I gave him another quick hug and returned to the room.

I sat down on the bed again and revealed the necklace, letting it dangle from my hand.

Arthur frowned as he reached for it while placing his head on my lap. "What is that?"

"An enchanted amulet that works to reverse healing spells, according to Gaius," I explained. "He found it around your dad's neck..." My voice broke towards the end, but I swallowed my emotions and my tears. Arthur needs me to stay strong.

His eyes widened as he analysed the item.

"It's why the sorcerer's spell didn't work," I added.

"This is magic as well," he noted.

Really?! That's what he got from that?!

"Well, yeah, but the sorcerer really did try to help us," I responded, still hopeful that I might be able to score some points for my brother.

"It is still magic that killed him, Astra," he grunted. "It is pure evil. I will never lose sight of that again."

There is no point in arguing with him about this. At least not right now. The wound is too fresh. Perhaps, in time, I can get him to see things from another angle. At the moment, I should be trying to make him feel better; not feeding him pro-magic propaganda.

Letting out a sigh, I slid down to a lying position and Arthur moved to rest his head on my abdomen again. My fingers instantly found his hair once more while he took my other hand in his and held it close to his chest.

"Hey... I brought blankets," I told Merlin as I returned to him after a quick run to empty my bladder.

Due to some medieval mourning ritual thingy, or whatever, Arthur is supposed to spend the entire night in prayer in the chapel where Uther's body has been temporarily placed for the people to pay their respects. So my best friend and I decided to camp outside the chamber, hoping that the Prince could somehow feel our support through the thick stone walls.

My best friend gave me a small smile as I dumped my entire collection of pop-culture-themed blankets next to him on the floor and he moved to help me arrange them so that we could make ourselves comfortable and escape the cold winter winds. Then I realised that we were missing something and ran back to my room to retrieve a bunch of pillows.

"Yes, much better," I stated as I curled up under a bunch of blankets with my head resting on Merlin's shoulder. He sat with his back to the wall, which was now supported by my Captain America cushion. He hummed in agreement.

We sat in silence for a moment and I began to grow antsy as my mind kept drifting back to Arthur. My heart twisted at the thought that he's probably crying right now with no one to comfort him. I know very well what that is like and don't wish it on anyone. Especially not on him. I almost wanted to go in and hold him, but I'm not sure if that would be welcome.

"Shhh!" Merlin scolded as his hand reached out to stop my involuntarily bouncing leg. I gave him a sheepish look as I willed the movement to stop.

"I am going to put you to sleep, Astraea," he warned sleepily when it started up again some minutes later.

"Please?" I replied while looking up with an innocent grin, only to find that he was half-asleep already. He opened one eye to give me a pointed look and then he closed it again. I huffed and adjusted my position slightly, then I forced myself to try to sleep.

It must have worked, because the next thing I knew was that something was blocking the slight warmth that came with the sunlight that filtered through a window in front of us.

"Astra? Merlin?"

I groaned and opened my eyes slightly, then fully and I sat up when I saw Arthur standing over us. His eyes were bloodshot and there were bags under them. The sight caused my stomach to churn.

Merlin stirred next to me and he removed his arm from around my shoulders as he looked up at the Prince.

"It is a new day," Arthur said when neither of us made another move.

In my defence, I was still trying to cross the bridge from dreamland into reality; my mind slightly mixing my most recent dream into my surroundings as I half-expected a pink Shrek to show up behind Arthur.

"Thanks, the sun didn't make that clear," I mumbled under my breath as I tried to stand up, but the blankets were tangled in a way that pulled me back down. I forcibly removed the warm web and rubbed my eyes before I jumped to hug the Prince, mentally scolding myself for the accidental sarcastic remark that escaped my faulty brain-mouth filter.

Arthur hugged me back and he let out a sigh. "Have you two been here all night?" he questioned.

"We did not want you to feel that you were alone," Merlin replied and I nodded in agreement.

Arthur tightened his grip on me and kissed the top of my head as he mumbled a sweet, "Thank you, darling." Then he said, "You are a loyal friend, Merlin."

"The loyalest you'll ever find," I stated as I turned my head to grin at my brother. He needs the extra love after everything that he went through with the failed magic show.

"You must be hungry," Arthur said.

"Starving," Merlin replied, a small smile growing on his lips.

"Me, too," the Prince responded. He kept an arm wrapped around my waist and moved to wrap the other around my brother's shoulders. "Come on. You can make us some breakfast," he told him as he led the two of us towards the staircase.

"Oh! We can make hotcakes!" I chirped.

About two hours later a huge crowd was packed into the throne room, which was lavishly decorated with a thousand repetitions of the Pendragon crest. Almost everyone was dressed in matching crimson red in support of Arthur, who will officially be crowned King in the upcoming minutes.

I tried to get out of wearing a gown in favour of wearing my knight's uniform. I mean, that's uncomfortable, too, but at least it looks cool, y'know? However, Gwen heard none of my arguments and pretty much forced me into the dress.

Even with the pain of what happened with Uther, I couldn't help but feel excited. Who wouldn't be? I'm about to watch the mythical King Arthur be crowned. Live and in real life! How many people can say that?! Well, in a few moments, a bunch will be able to. But it's a select bunch. And somehow I – a crazy girl from twenty-first century America! – ended up here.

It's times like these when I still can't believe how my life has turned out. It has definitely been a wild ride. And at times really painful and gut-wrenching, as recent events have proven. But watching Arthur walk down the hall, looking all mighty and extremely handsome, filled me with a wave of peace. A certainty that everything will be all right.

That feeling was amplified when our eyes connected as he walked by me and we shared a small grin.

He stopped in front of Geoffrey of Monmouth on the throne platform and kneeled down.

I gripped Merlin's arm in anticipation, almost wishing I had popcorn to enjoy the show with.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?" Geoffrey asked, his voice loud and clear for everyone in the room to hear.

"I solemnly swear so to do," Arthur responded firmly.

I grinned to myself at the recollection of the time when Merlin and I helped him to prepare for his Prince crowning ceremony, and all the chaos I caused in his room in my attempts to condition him to concentrate. A warmth spread through my chest. He has come so far…

"Will you to your power cause law and justice, in mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"

"I will."

"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I crown you Arthur, King of Camelot!" Geoffrey finished and he placed the big, golden Kingly crown on top of Arthur's head.

The new King stood up and turned around to face the court with a fire in his eyes. Applause and cheers erupted throughout the room.

My heart beat proudly at the sight and I felt fireworks explode in my nervous system.

I also felt a funny buzz in my stomach at the realisation that he looks incredibly hot with his crown on…

Merlin wrapped an arm around me and we shared a smile.

"Long live the King!" Agravaine shouted.

"Long live the King!" everyone joined in.