ELIZABETH WATCHED as Arthur trained his men. She knew that if her mother was here she will have shamed her for walking towards the training and "interrupting it". Apparently, for her sword fighting was not something a lady should do; even though it could save her life.

Luckily for her, that woman was not on sight. Elizabeth walked to her luggage, and pulled out her shinny armor. She put it up by herself, and left the room with her sword at hand. She swiftly avoided any guards on her way to where Arthur was training his men. 

Her eyes landed on Arthur whose back was facing her. "I will like to challenge Camelot's greatest Prince." Elizabeth said, using her best fake male voice. Arthur turned around to face her, rolling his eyes at her. 

"Oh really, and who might you be?" Arthur asked her, playing her game. 

"You will have to win me to find out." She replied, her helmer covering the smirk on her face. 

"I'm currently training my knights." Arthur told her, putting his sword down. 

The red head shrugged, taking her sword out. "They could learn a thing or two. Don't you think?" She asked him. Arthur replied with a small smile. 

"Alright, then. Come on, don't be shy." Arthur told her motioning her to come closer.

"If you say so." She reply. She walked up to him with confident before aiming at his face. Arthur knelt down, avoiding behind hit on the face. They two fought, earning curious glances from not only the knights, but Merlin as well who was standing next to Camelot's finest. 

Arthur made Elizabeth loose her balance, and she fell to the floor. Arthur smirked at her, but she hit him on his chins; making Arthur fall to the grown next to her. The red head wanted to stand up quickly, but was too slow for Arthur who had taken her helmet. The knights' eyes widen at the sight of the red hair, who looked brighter with the sun above. 

"Not bad." Arthur said, looking up at her who had a sword on his chest. 

"Is that?" A knight next to Merlin asked. 

"Princess Elizabeth." Merlin replied, impressed by Elizabeth's sword skills. 

Elizabeth smirked at Arthur, looking at him. "Should I let you win? I want your knights to take you seriously." Elizabeth whispered to Arthur. Arthur rolled his eyes at her, before nodding. Arthur, pulled Elizabeth down and she let him steal her sword. "I'm Elizabeth Hellison." Elizabeth told him, talking his helping hand. 

"I know." Arthur cockily said, passing Elizabeth back her sword. "And thank you." Arthur whispered to her. He then turned to Merlin, who was looking at Elizabeth in particular. The red head, waved at him and gave him a huge smile. 

"Hi, Merlin." She said, causing Merlin to blush. "Is he that quiet?" Elizabeth asked Arthur, who started to walk towards the rest of his knights. 

"Only when girls are around." Arthur sarcastically reply. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, watching as Arthur motioned his knights to leave. 

"Well, he seems nice." Elizabeth quietly said, watching as Merlin approached them. "Hey, how has your day been?" Elizabeth asked Arthur's servant, in hopes of starting a conversation. 

"Good." Merlin said quietly. 

"Good." Elizabeth replied back, putting her sword on the floor so that Arthur will trip; which he did. 

"Elizabeth." Arthur sighed, turning to face. The red head, put her sword down, smiling innocent at him. "Don't eve do it again." He told her. 

"You should watch where you are going." Elizabeth told him, before turning around to go back to the castle. She stopped mid-step, turning back to Arthur. "What is that tournament about?" The princess asked her blonde friend. 

"Fighting." Arthur asnwered. "And don't even think of writing your name." Arthur reminded her. 

"Oh, don't worry. You will not have a competition." Elizabeth told him, before making her way back to the castle. 

"She knows how to fight." Merlin commented, getting Arthur's shield. 

"Of course she does. Why are you surprise? Is it because she is a woman?" Arthur asked him, looking at him over his shoulder. Merlin shrugged, in repose. "Take this." The prince said, passing an armor, a sword and a shield to Merlin. 

"What I'm going to do with this?" Merlin asked him. 

"We are going to train." Arthur told him, watching how Merlin looked at Elizabeth from over his shoulder. "Elizabeth!" Arthur yelled, making Merlin flinch. The red head turned around, looking at both of them. "Come and join us." Arthur yelled at her. The red head nodded, and walked back to them. "Try anything, and I murder you." Arthur whispered at Merlin. 

"I--" Merlin started, but was cut off by Merlin. 

"We are going to practice. Care to join us?" Arthur asked her. Elizabeth nodded at him. 

 ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒

"Come on, Merlin. I have got a tournament to win." Arthur told him through his shield. 

"Can we stop now, please?" Merlin said, causing Elizabeth to smile. Arthur did not replied, instead he got ready 

"Shield." Elizabeth yelled. Merlin lifted his shield, just in time to block a hit from Arthur. 

"Thanks." Merlin yelled at her. Arthur rolled his eyes, hitting him with his shield. Elizabeth winced, looking down at her Merlin. The young wizard stood up, and faced Arthur again. "Body. Shield. Shield." Merlin reminded himself quietly. 

However, that didn't stop from Merlin following again due to Arthur's hit on the top of his helmet. Elizabeth approached the two of them, smiling down at "You are braver than you look. Most servants collapse after the first blow." Arthur told him.  

"Is it over?" Merlin asked him, taking off his helmet. 

"That was just the warm-up." Arthur told him. He pull out a mace. "How is your mace work coming along?" Arthur asked him. Elizabeth held back at laugh as she saw Merlin's defeated face. 

"Let him at least take a breath." Elizabeth told Arthur. 

"No, I'm fine my lady." Merlin told Elizabeth from where he was laying. 

"Don't even try to act tough, Merlin. It wouldn't work." Arthur harshly whispered at Merlin, getting himself loose his protectiveness on Elizabeth. 

☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒

Elizabeth walked down the stairs of the castle with Leur by her side. "The tournament is today my lady. I heard that there will be a lot men from other realms." Leur told her, watching as her eyes died down. 

"I know." Elizabeth said to him, jumping the last two steps. "Arthur is competing, he will be the one I will cheer up for." Elizabeth told Leur. "If my mom was here she will probably already taking to some men about her single daughter." Elizabeth sarcastically said.  

Leur shrugged, looking around at the men and women who were walking towards the stand that will be where they will witness the action. "Well, she is not here...which means you can ignore that for the mean time and just enjoy the tournament." Leur reminded her. 

Elizabeth nodded, spotting Merlin helping Arthur get ready. "I will meet you at the stands. I will go and check up on Arthur." Elizabeth said, before walking towards the two men. Leur stayed there until she was safely next to Merlin and Arthur. 

Arthur smiled at Elizabeth. "Came to wish me good luck?" He asked her. 

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Do you really need it though?" She asked him. She watched as Merlin put Arthur's armor on. 

"You do know the tournament starts today." Arthur told his servant. 

"Yes, sir. Are you nervous?" Merlin told him. 

"I don't get nervous." Arthur replied to him with a serious face. 

"Really? I thought everyone got nervous." Merlin told him. 

"Will you shut up?" Arthur snapped at him. Merlin was not faced by the answer, and Elizabeth noticed this. 

Merlin took a few steps away, looking at the armor. "Great, yeah. I think you are all set." Merlin told him. 

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Arthur asked him. Merlin looked confused at the question. "My sword." Arthur told him. 

Realization crossed Merlin's face. "Oh, yeah..sorry." Merlin told, handling him the sword. Elizabeth let out a small giggle, causing Merlin to smile. 

"I will make my way to the stand. Are you watching Merlin?" Elizabeth asked him. 

Merlin hesitated before replying. "I will watch from a far. Be here if Arthur needs me." Merlin told her. Elizabeth smiled back, and nodded. 

"Be careful Arthur." Elizabeth told Arthur before leaving the two men. Merlin smiled to himself, turning back to Arthur. 

Elizabeth took a seat next to Morgana and another woman. Leur had saved her a seat there. Elizabeth sat down next to Morgana, smiling at her and her partner. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth. What's your name?" Elizabeth asked, reaching to greet Morgana's servant. 

"I'm Gwen. Morgana's servant." Gwen told her, shaking her hand. 

"Nice to meet. I love your dress. Pink suits you well." Elizabeth commented. Gwen gave her a genuine smile. 

"It's about to start." Morgana said, watching as the competitors walked up to the arena.  

Elizabeth eyes landed on Arthur, who had his head held tall. Arthur spotted her on the crowd, and she gave him a thumps up. "Knights of the realm, it is great honor to welcome you to the tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days you will come to put your bravery to the test. Your skills as warriors, and of course to challenge the reigning champion...my son, prince Arthur. Only one can have the honor of being crowned champion, and he will not only receive a prize of one thousand gold pieces...but the hand of Princess Elizabeth Hellions." King Uther said, causing Elizabeth to stiffen. She linked eyes with Arthur again, whose eyes held worry.  The King looked back at the Princess, just to earn a glare. "It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature. Wether he is indeed a warrior, or a coward. The tournament begins." The King said. Elizabeth looked at the floor, trying to remain calm. 

As the knights left, Arthur walked up to his father. "Father, you never said anything about racing for Elizabeth's hand." Arthur told his father, taking a glimpse of Elizabeth.  

Uther looked at his son. "It was either that, or you marrying her. I thought this will be good idea. Her father send me a letter, telling me to find her a husband and to call off the engagement. I could only do that if she ever find another candidate, which is why this is the best idea I had." He explained to his son. 

"I don't. You can't just give her to an stranger who fights well. What if he is a barbarian? Who knows what his morals are? or where they are?" Arthur challenged his father, not liking the idea of Elizabeth being thrown to an estranger for marriage. Specially, that he knew she was not happy with it. 

"Well, then I believe you will have to win if you are so concern about her. I trust you will make me proud." Uther told his son, before walking away. Arthur sighed, trying to keep his anger in control. The Prince gave an brief nod to Elizabeth, whose face had turned white. Elizabeth nodded back, before turning quietly to discuss something with Leur. 

After watching Arthur win his own fights, Elizabeth left the stands to talk to him. She tried to hide her shaky hand by putting them behind her. The red haired woman spotted Merlin and Arthur. As she approached them, she kept her eyes on Arthur. "I'm going to kill your father." Elizabeth told Arthur. 

Arthur looked up to her. "Just stay calm." Arthur reminded her. 

"Remain calm? I don't want to marry a stranger." Elizabeth whispered, putting a and on her forehead. 

"I know." Arthur told her. Merlin remained silent as he tighten Arthur's armor. Arthur walked up to Elizabeth. He set both of his hands on her shoulder. "Breath. We will figure something out, we always too." Arthur told her. 

Elizabeth nodded at him. She jumped at the voice behind her. When she turned around, she came face with one of the competing knights. "May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?" Valiant, a knight that had successfully won all his fight, told Arthur.    

"Likewise." Arthur told him. Gave him a small nod. 

"It is an honor, your highness." Valiant told Elizabeth, reaching for her hand. Elizabeth drawn her hand behind her, slowly coming closer to Arthur. "I hope to see you at the reception this evening. Specially you, Elizabeth." Valiant said to both of them. 

"It's Ms.Hellions to you." Elizabeth snapped at him. Valiant winked at her before walking away. 

"Creep." Merlin and Elizabeth whispered at the same time. Merlin looked at Elizabeth shiny, smiling at her. 

Arthur sighed, turning to Merlin. "For tomorrow, you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword and polish my chainmail." He told Merlin. Merlin nodded, looking at Elizabeth from Arthur's shoulder; who was examining Arthur's sword. 

☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒ ☒

Elizabeth stood next to King Uther, watching as each knight presented himself. "Knight Valiant of the Western Isles." Valiant told the king. 

The King gave him a courteous nod. "I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive stile." Uther told him. 

"I will call it more brutal, honestly. Too brutal in my opinion." Elizabeth said, slightly glaring at Valiant. Arthur hide the smile that was treated to leave his face, as he knew that Elizabeth was not impressed by Valiant who was trying to win her hand.

Valiant ignored her answer. "As my lord said, to lose is to be disgraced." The knight replied. 

"Or a way to learn from your mistakes." Elizabeth told him, looking down at her family ring. 

"I couldn't agree more. Knight Valiant, may I present Princess Elizabeth and Lady Morgana, ward." King Urther told, motioning at both women next to him. 

"My lady." Valiant said, kissing Morgana's hand. He kissed Elizabeth too, but the princess quickly cleaned her hand with her dress.

"I saw you compiting today." Morgana commented. 

"Sadly, I did too. I'm not impressed." Elizabeth told Valiant. 

"I saw you watching." Valiant said to her. Elizabeth gave him a fake smile. "I understand the tournament champion has the honor of escorting a lady to the feast." Valiant told her. 

"Apparently." Elizabeth replied to him. 

"Then I will give everything to win the tournament." Valiant said to her, before leaving. 

"He is cute." Morgana commented, causing Elizabeth to roll her eyes at her. 

Arthur walked up to his father. "Arthur," Urther commented. 

"Father," Arthur told him. He turned to Elizabeth. 

"I don't like this at all." The Princess commented. 

"They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant." Morgana said, looking back at the knight. 

"They are not the only ones." Arthur said to her, causing Elizabeth to giggle. Arthur send a joking wink to Elizabeth. 

"He is all yours." Elizabeth said, glaring slightly at the knight with the yellow tunic. 

"You are not jealous, are you?" Morgana joked with Arthur, who was also looking at the knight with uneasiness. 

Arthur scoffed at her. "No. I'm more concerned about who is going to marry Elizabeth." Arthur told Morgana. "Isn't that right?" Arthur asked Elizabeth. Elizabeth nodded at him. 

"Don't remain me." She sighed. 

"I just hope knight Valiant wins the tournament. Maybe, he will escort me." Morgana told them, smiling at Valiant. 

"I hope so. I will never go on a feast with him, not over my dead body." Elizabeth told her, making Arthur chuckle.