chapter twenty-nine!
029. the moment of truth

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    THAT NIGHT, Odette ate Arthur's dinner▬again. She gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut; her tongue silent as she refused to waste the food this town was scarce for, but she could feel her frustration growing. She found it so strange, how a man could infuriate her so much▬make her pull at her hair, stamp her feet and want to shout up at the heavens ... and yet be the same man who made her smile with pride, dream for a better future and leave her rosy at the cheeks by just a glance. She understood that despite his flaws, she had been lucky enough to know everything great about Arthur from a young age▬so much she understood helped make all the worst parts of him somehow tolerable enough for the good parts to shine the most. 

    But she supposed what made her the most angry, this time, was that after he promised her that he would always listen to her, today, he did not. He had chuckled at her, and rolled his eyes▬he had seen Odette, little, innocent Odette who used to run after him when she was four-years-old, and he did not listen to that little girl. Constantly, she had to keep reminding him that after her mother died, there were a few years when all she had was herself; where their friendship had burnt away▬where she had no choice but to grow up enough to keep herself alive. That girl who she became▬she was someone who he listened to when he decided to suddenly see her only to forget about her, and once again, she was albeit a young child. 

    She didn't know how to snap him out of it▬how to prove that she knew what she was talking about. Odette has always tried to impress Arthur enough for him to notice her▬and despite how it irked her how childish it was, that irony was true still to this day. She didn't know whether she was still desperately trying to prove it to herself. 

    But she just wanted him to listen to her. She just wanted him to see her as something more than little, naive and troublesome Odette. And it kept her awake that night, because for so long, Odette was just a spec of dust left in the shadows, forgotten by everyone▬and she had accepted that ... she had come to terms with it. Until their friendship rekindled, and now, Odette felt an unrest▬the dust had become unsettled and she flew up with it into the air; enough for her to want something from somebody else rather than want something for someone else, how little and insignificant it might be▬to her, for some reason, it meant everything. 

    Odette shifted underneath the blanket, squeezed in between Morgana and Guinevere on the dirt floor of Hunith's home. She sighed, looking up at the ceiling with a heavy chest filled with disappointment. She heard light snores across the room from the boys (mostly Arthur), and saw the blanket shift on the far right as Adelynn turned to sleep on her side. 

    Despite being so tired after today, she could not sleep at all. 

    Next to her, she heard Guinevere sigh as well▬and realised she was not the only one. She glanced at her, and saw her dark eyes glinting back at her in the night; on her left, she felt Morgana shift against her shoulder ... and quickly found out that both of them were awake, as well. 

    As if knowing exactly what troubled them all, Gwen shook her head before leaning a little bit more into Odette's side. "We don't stand a chance," she muttered sadly and even the young handmaiden beside her could not muster a breath of hope▬not when the sun was not there to keep her warm. 

    "Arthur cannot see that," sighed Morgana in reply, her voice soft. "He is too stubborn."

    Gwen hugged the blanket closer, silent in her agreement. Then, she wondered: "Why do you think he came here?"

    Morgana turned her head to face her two handmaidens. They met her gaze in the dark. "The same reason we did," she told them. "Merlin. Arthur may act like he does not care, but ... he would not be here if he did not."

    The next day, preparation continued. Odette stepped out into the sunrise and did not stop moving. She travelled from one end of the village to the other, determined to make sure everything else was running smoothly▬for Merlin's sake. She helped Matthew's wife and Hunith hide the grain stores they had managed to steal back from Kanen during the last raid. She helped hammer sharpened posts together to make their gate, attaching it to rope and throwing it over makeshift pulley systems they made using the support beams of thatched roofs. She played with some of the children to keep their minds off their fathers and brothers continuing to train in the sunlight▬creating a hopscotch field where they threw their rocks and did their best to hop on one foot towards it. And there was some laughter that day when Odette tripped over and landed in the mud near the pig pens. 

    But the day turned into something dreadful the moment Odette heard one of the young girls scream. She scrambled out of the infirmary she had made, running at a sprint into the daylight with a pounding heart▬terrified to see what had happened. She saw Arthur lead the men out of the storehouse, as well▬every villager rushed outside and skidded to a stop, breaths hitched with horror to see the horse gallop towards them. Odette felt her heart drop at the slumped, lifeless body thrown over the saddle. An arrow was lodged into the man's back. 

    The horse threw his head, distressed▬people rushed forward to try and calm him down. Arthur pushed himself to the front, "Get him down from there!"

    Together, they managed to get the man off the horses back. They set him down on the grass and Odette stopped by the crowd's edge, eyes wide and her stomach heavy when she recognised who it was. Her gaze shot up to meet Merlin's opposite her▬he stared down at the lifeless body of Matthew, cheeks hollow and looking as if the very breath had been struck right out of him. 

    Arthur slowly stepped forward, grim. His brow was set▬he took a sharp breath, hesitant before he crouched down and pulled the note off the arrow's shaft. As he read it, his head hung▬and he blamed no one except for himself. 

    "What does it say?" asked Ronyn, sombre. 

    The Prince set a hand on Matthew's shoulder, silent and mournful. Then, he glanced up▬meeting all of their horrified, terrified and shocked faces. "'Make the most of this day,'" he said. "'It will be your last.'"

    "MATTHEW▬!" a heartbroken cry cut through the crowd. Villagers parted as a young woman stumbled her way through. She clawed onto their arms and their jackets, shoving those who didn't. Tears flooded down her pretty cheeks▬her sobs wrenching from her throat with wallowing grief. "NO▬!"

    Arthur staggered away, and his strong stance broke to see Matthew's wife collapse to her knees at his body. She fell onto him, grasping his tunic tight▬she hid her face into him, but Odette could hear her wails; she felt them deep within her chest and it ached. It pained her so much that a lump formed in her throat. 

    She rocked slowly, back and forth, as if her soft touch would bring the love of her life back. 

    Odette eyes glanced back up▬and they found Arthur's. His gaze shined, broken like shattered glass. 

    The last of the village had come to join them. Will reached the front of the crowd▬he took one look down at Matthew and his grieving wife; his face contorted bright red in fury. He landed a murderous look upon Arthur, "You did this," his voice trembled. "Look what you've done▬you've killed him!"

    "I▬It wasn't his fault▬" Odette spoke up, but her voice was stuck in the back of her throat. 

    "▬If he hadn't been strutting around," William raised his voice, "treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened!"

    Arthur tried to defend himself. But when he gestured out an arm; when he forced words from his lips, they cracked▬they dropped, and the Prince lost every breath of confidence in himself, "T▬these men are brave enough to fight for what they believe in even if you aren't!"

    William scoffed a crazed laugh, "You're sending them to their graves!"

    The Prince looked as if he had received a mortal blow. 

    "You've killed one man," said Will. "How many more need to die before you realise this is a battle that can't be won? When Kanen comes, you haven't got a chance. You're going to be slaughtered!"

    Arthur watched William storm off▬his shoulders fell, and his eyes dropped back down to Matthew, pained. 

    As the day continued on, the motivation and morale had fallen completely. They continued to sharpen weapons and they continued to build defences against Kanen and his men ... but there was little determination; the groups that worked together were thin and feeble ... no one had the strength to continue with Matthew's death hanging low in the air. 

    Merlin found Arthur sitting by himself outside his mother's home. He took a seat beside him without thought, listening to the shrill sound of the stone striking his blade as he sharpened it with an absent mind. The warlock hunched forward, brooding over the conversation he had with Will. He had to watch his old friend▬his childhood friend▬pack away his things and turn his back on these people he loved with every breath, and then go ahead and tell Merlin he was no better ... and be right. 

    The future king and sorcerer sat in silence for a good minute or so. 

    Until Merlin found enough energy in him to speak, "William's father was killed fighting for King Cenred." He glanced shyly at Arthur. "So he doesn't trust anyone of nobility."

   Arthur stopped striking the wet stone up along the side of his sword. He let it hang in his fingers, "Do you think the villagers believe him?"

    "No," Merlin let out a chuckle▬he was filled with a breath of nostalgia, "oh, no ... He's ... always been a troublemaker. They're used to ignoring him."

    "And if he is right?"

    The servant frowned at his master. "He isn't," he told him.

    Arthur shook his head. "I am treating these men like soldiers and they are not," he argued weakly. "You have seen them fight▬" he gestured widely back towards the centre of the village. "They haven't got a clue." He sighed. Hanging his head forward, the Prince mumbled: "We need to tell them all to leave the village before Kanen returns."

    "No," Merlin said stubbornly. He leaned forward and looked Arthur in the eye. "We are going to stay. We are going to fight. And we are going to win!"

    The Prince threw his gaze up to the heavens, "Merlin," he stressed, "it cannot be done! The odds are too great▬"

    "It can!" said Merlin. "We are going to make Kanen rue the day he ever came to this village." As Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose, the warlock gritted his teeth▬and he made a decision. He knew what he was going to do ... they were going to win. He will make them win, no matter the consequence. "All you need to do is get the men ready for battle and ... and the rest will take care of itself."

    "How?!"

    "You have just got to believe in them. Because if you do not, they will sense it ... and the battle will be lost before it has even begun."

    Arthur rubbed his fingers against his forehead, but when he said nothing else, Merlin knew he thought about what he said▬he knew that there was hope. 

    He just hoped that when the time came, Arthur would accept him for who he truly was.

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    THAT NIGHT, they all gathered together at the warmth of a fire▬they all stood, taking a moment to go over everything that will come to pass on the morrow. They went through strategic plans, last minute confirmations▬having this chance to make sure that everything was ready ... but to also spend a night as one under the same roof in front of the same fire, for they knew, not everyone here in this room would live to see the end of tomorrow. 

    It was quiet▬everyone was rigid with fear; none of them truly knew what the sunrise will bring. They did not know whether they would survive, or perish. Odette didn't know what the future will bring, but she would not let herself lose hope just yet. She knew, the moment that she did, that was when she will lose. And if she was still fighting for the possibility of victory, then there was still a chance that they might have it. 

    Arthur continued to pace back and forth around the fire▬circling amongst the many faces of the men and woman of this village; and those of his own. They listened to him, silent and attentive, as he announced the plan once again. 

    Odette kept to the back. She nodded and she listened▬she kept her mouth shut, but the moment that the Prince passed the woman sitting beside their husbands, watching from the back and dusting the dirt off of their dresses from finishing building the last of the defences ... and he said: "Tomorrow morning, the women and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go to the woods▬"

    And she couldn't keep her frustration down. She could not stand by and do nothing▬for once, Odette refused to be quiet. She refused to stand in the shadows and be forgotten. Arthur will listen to her. 

    "No," she announced, leaving Morgana and Guinevere's sides to march to the front of the crowd. They stared after her, rather shocked. Ronyn who sat beside Merlin nearby the fire went wide-eyed. His lips pursed together, and he looked down, subtly glancing to the warlock next to him. 

    Odette didn't give them any mind as she clenched her hands, stopping right in front of the group. They all turned to watch her, startled. She took a sharp breath through her nose; she tilted her chin upwards to stare Arthur right into his piercing gaze. "No," she stated yet again. "We are not going anywhere."

    The Prince stopped pacing. His brows furrowed back at her, just as surprised as the rest. It took him a moment to recover, closing his eyes and sighing out a diplomatic: "I know you wish to help. But the woman cannot stay here. It is too dangerous."

    "And on what grounds to you declare that rule?" Odette fired back. "This is not your land. You have not toiled the fields and built the roof over your head. It is not your food that has been taken and your children threatened. You cannot stand there and tell the women of this village that they cannot fight for the livelihoods they have worked for their whole lives. This is their home. This is the food they will cook on their fires to feed their husbands and their children; their mothers and their fathers. These are the houses they clean, and they tend. These are the families that bound together▬that they help and share to make sure no one goes hungry, goes cold, grows lonely. This is as much their home as any man's; they have every right to choose to fight for it."

    Arthur's grip on the hilt of his sword twisted. He watched Odette who did not waver her gaze upon him with a fresh interest▬she was still the same old, annoying and infuriating Odette ... she will always be. There was nothing she could do that could ever change that▬the fondness that had replaced the frustration in those memories. But amongst all of that, there stood that same girl who snapped sharp words of wisdom in briefest moments▬that same girl who was courageous enough to step down into the dark corridors at each dare; who did not let anything discourage her. Except, she was no longer a girl ... not any more. 

    "None of you know how to fight," the Prince argued, but it was weak▬he knew it was fruitless.

    "The more of us there are, the better chance we stand," said Odette. 

    And just like that, Arthur watched as the women of the village began to step forward. His eyes widened as each and every one of them surged to the front▬they surrounded Odette; rallied at her side. They nodded their heads and set their jaws in determination. Their eyes were glazed with a fierce motivation▬a motivation Odette lit into flame. 

    He was breathless▬struck with such awe he's never felt before. And those strange feelings he had yet to fully understand, swelled inside his chest until he finally did. She was who she was, and she is who she is now▬they were the same person, but she had also become something more. She was frustrating, she made him want to throw his hands and shout to the heavens. She made him grit his teeth and rethink so much he didn't even consider before▬she humbled him and she left him speechless. She smiled and she laughed and she ran after the delights of the sunrise▬but that innocence was also filled with something far greater than he's realised before: that hope she had ... it rallied faith, it rallied motivation for something better▬it brought people together to realise that they had the courage and strength within them to fight for whatever it was they believed in, even if she could not for herself. 

    (Had started to bring it out in him.)

    And here, Arthur felt as if he was standing at Odette's equal. He saw himself in her▬his morals, his beliefs ... He found himself standing with someone so different, but also so shockingly similar.

    He pursed his lips. He bowed his head. Odette's scowl lifted to a breathless look of surprise. Then, he turned to the woman that had come to stand with her. "This is your home," he told them. "If you want to fight to defend it, that is your choice. I would be honoured to stand alongside you." He finally set his gaze back onto she who stood in front, and Odette managed a little smile to know that he meant those words. But he also meant them to her. He would be honoured to stand alongside her. 

    And he felt his own motivation. His own flame light up inside his chest. He glanced around at them all, and he realised these villagers didn't need to be soldiers. Odette was right. This was their home, their lives, and that was every piece of armour, every weapon, every breath of discipline they needed. 

    "Kanen attacks tomorrow," began Arthur. "Kanen's brutal. He fight's only to kill, which is why he will never defeat us." He spoke them all. Every gaze that stood around him. Arthur stood in the centre of a circle of which no man, no woman, was any better than anyone else. As the sun rose into the next morning, they will fight on the same battlefield with the same hope▬it did not matter where they were born; whether it was under a thatched roof or inside a castle. What mattered was that here, they stood together around the same fire in the same room▬they were the same. "Look around. In this circle we are all equals. You are not fighting because someone is ordering you to, you are fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes.  You fight for your family. You fight for your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace.

    "And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes▬fighting for your very right to survive. And when you are old and grey, you will look back on this day and you will know you have earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight. For your family. For your friends▬For Ealdor!"

    He raised his blade above his head, and in following, the entire room chorused his battlecry. They rose to their feet. Men, women, high-born or low▬they held up their hands, they held up their swords, they held up their hearts and their beliefs in favour of a man who lead them all. And they stood by him. They fought for him. They were going to follow him wherever he will go because he believed they could. 

    "FOR EALDOR!" every voice cried; the small and the large. The loud and the soft. And perhaps one day, a tapestry will be made of this moment. One day, this night would become legend▬people will cheer a battlecry in the name of Arthur Pendragon throughout history, and his legacy as a Prince even before he will become King, would live long in the minds of men.

    "FOR EALDOR!" cheered Odette, and even with the sun sleeping away and the moon shining a dim light onto the dark fields, she had a sunrise standing right in front of her. And he shined hope wherever he stood▬he shined with the warmth of a better, greater future. 

    Oh, yes, he was far from perfect. He made mistakes and he angered her▬but he was growing. For once, a long time ago, the sunrise was only a day old. Each morning, it became wiser and wiser with every day it saw. And each day, Odette saw Arthur start to grow from a boy into a man ... slowly, from a Prince, into a King. 

    She smiled warmly, and as he met her gaze amongst every cheer; they dimmed down, and all Arthur Pendragon saw was Odette Mason▬truly, who she could be, for the first time ... and never again after that, did he ever see anybody else. 

    Later that night, Arthur did not hover around for dinner. Odette knew that he had taken to brood by himself before the morning would come, and so instead of eating his food, she picked it up and searched for him herself. Some things she could not explain▬like where the sun went after it disappeared for the day▬, and the sudden connection between them that strengthened from that night was one of them. But she supposed that was a beauty of it, because not knowing how to explain something added an intangible sense; like Fate or prayer▬it made it special. 

    They always had a connection, she knew this. But now, it started to grow into a mutual understanding instead of an unconditional faith and protective soul▬she was sure it will continue to grow. She was not sure where it will lead, but as of now, handing her Prince his bowl of food ... how simple it was, but how proud Odette was to serve it. 

    The young handmaiden found her Prince standing alone outside in the dark. He frowned out towards the forest, where he was sure Kanen would attack from. He looked almost ... sad▬a tragic hero standing alone despite having so many. 

    Odette shuffled along, "Arthur?" she called gently. He glanced back and she sent a small smile, holding to bowl out to him as she stopped at his side. "Hunith made you some food."

    He stared at it for a moment. Then, awkwardly, he took it. "Erm▬thank you," then to himself▬thinking she would not hear, he muttered: "I think..."

    Still on quite a high from what she had done this night, Odette did not even think to hold back: "Food is scarce for these people, you should not turn your nose up at it."

    Arthur blinked. He glanced at her again and Odette flushed▬she quickly looked down, realising that perhaps speaking out of term in favour of the village woman was something far different than snapping at the Prince for not eating his food. 

    "Um," she closed her eyes and shook her head, growing red, "I'm sorry▬" she quickly stepped back, fiddling with her fingers as she tried her very best to take it back. "I should not have▬that was out of turn, I should not have spoken to you like that, Sire." She started to walk away. "I'm sorry."

    Arthur sighed, and there was a gentle smile on his face as he looked back down at his food, "Odette," he tried softly. 

    "It will not happen again," she told him quickly, about to rush away. "I'm sorry▬I do not know what it was that I was thinking▬"

    "Odette."

    She stopped. At the tone of his voice, she pursed her lips and tugged at her tunic sleeves. Sheepish, she slowly turned around. Odette's tense shoulders began to relax when she noticed the look Arthur set upon her was not angry at all; instead, it was kind and it was humble▬grateful, even.

    "Thank you," he said to her. "You are right. And ... you were right to speak up. I should have listened to you and Gwen and Morgana." He sighed and set his scowl back onto the edge of the forest. "We are going to need all the help we can get."

    Odette's brows lifted. She surged forward and said, "We will be fine."

    Arthur frowned at her, "How can you be so sure?"

    He expected her to bless the sunrise and declare her undying hope in the future, but instead, all of that directed onto one person, and one person only: "Because I have faith in you."

    The Prince's frown softened. Odette's gaze went wide as she realised what she said. But she did not try and take it back. She scratched at her cheek and looked down. Arthur understood that she had faith in him▬when he doubted himself, she always seemed to be there to regain it within him ... he just never stopped to realise how much faith she had in him, despite all of his faults. He also realised that if something happened to her tomorrow, he would not bear it. 

    He looked back down at the meal she had brought out to him herself. "Odette," he began, trying very hard to find the right thing to say▬or how to say it. "Tomorrow ..."

    "We will win," she continued her determined optimism for him but he just shook his head. He set down the bowl on the bench outside the house and walked up to her. 

    "Listen to me," he pleaded gently. She frowned, but nodded. "You hold that sword, and you hold it with two hands. And you promise me you do not let yourself stay close enough for him to land a mortal blow. You stay close enough only to lay your own▬and you must not hesitate. As soon as you do, you have lost your chance."

    Arthur took her hands and positioned them as if they held the hilt of a blade. She watched him, quiet as he pushed them towards her and then pressed them against the fabric of his shirt, just at the base of his ribs. "You land that blow right here, you understand? You push with all of your might, and then you twist▬" he did as he said, "▬and then you pull it out. And you do not wait to see what has become of him. You move on. You promise me, all right?"

    Odette nodded. She had not said a word. She stared at the way his hands held her own, and her heart was hammering through her chest. He had not pulled them away from where they were pressed him, and she could feel the warmth through the red fabric of his tunic. 

    Her gaze lifted and it found his already watching her. They stood very close. 

    The handmaiden did not look away, "Promise me you will be careful," she whispered. 

    Arthur only pressed her hands even closer within his, "You must promise me."

    "Then give me something of yours," she asked softly▬as if scared that if she even breathed those words, something terrible would happen. And perhaps it very much will, letting themselves fall so close. "I will return it to you in person when the battle is won."

    The Prince thought about it. Carefully, he let go of her hands and reached up. He took the necklace off over his head▬a long thread that held a ruby-red gem at its base. Odette held her breath as he slipped it over her own head, and it hung far further than it would on him. It was heavy▬it felt strange to be hanging from a servant's neck. 

    "I want this back," he ordered lightly, ignoring how he sort of liked it on her▬red suited her. 

    She nodded, "I promise," she said. 

    Arthur nodded, too. Odette smiled. With a bow of her head, she left him to himself. He let out a long sigh as he watched her go. Eventually, he turned back to the bowl of porridge he placed down on the bench. That night, Arthur ate every last piece. 

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    THE SUNRISE cascaded across the couple of fields in Ealdor. It warmed the backs of the couple of cows and coaxed Adelynn awake▬not that she could sleep. Today could go one of two ways; it will be a day of slaughter, or a day of victory. Either way, it would not be a day she will forget any time soon. As she stirred, rested against Morgana's side, Adelynn turned and found someone already awake at the crack of dawn. He stared at where the fire from last night had died down to nothing, down-cast and troubled.

    She frowned. She had heard what he had said to Arthur after Matthew's death▬Adelynn was no fool, she understood what Merlin planned to do. He planned to use his magic to turn the tide of the battle; to make sure no one else got hurt. And she did not know why this troubled her so much, but after the words he preached to her: about Arthur's destiny, about his own ... how passionate he seemed to be ... she found herself suddenly not wanting him to throw it all away. 

    Adelynn pursed her lips. She found herself standing up. Careful not to wake Morgana, Gwen or Odette, the young Vecentia tipped-toed over towards where Merlin sat. He glanced up as she came by. He did not say a word as she awkwardly sat down beside him. Back in Camelot, if she were to sit so closely by a servant, it would be very much frowned upon. She couldn't even speak to Merlin, let alone be in his company, but here ... in this quaint little village with a couple of fields and a couple of cows, Adelynn sat with him. She spoke with him. She started to feel not so ... afraid of the magic she had been given. 

    Until they returned home, and she would be forced to hide. She would be forced to forget. She'd be staring at the execution block every day, alone and terrified. 

    "You must be worried about today," murmured Adelynn to the manservant. 

    "Yeah," he muttered back to her in the same tone. "But ... I have faith it will all turn out well."

    The young witch eyed the warlock. She leaned closer to make sure no one overheard them as they slept, "Because you will use your magic?"

   Merlin's gaze sprung to her, startled. She only frowned. "I overheard you and Arthur speak. It is not hard to come to the conclusion." Adelynn shook her head, confused. "I thought you said that you could not use it."

    The young warlock set his jaw. "Things have changed."

    "What has changed?"

    "Matthew taught me how to axe a tree," Merlin snapped at her quietly. "He taught me what wood is good for fire, what wood is good for building and what wood is good to shape a cup from the hollow. And now, Matthew is dead." He scoffed, lightly shaking his head as he looked back towards the fire. "Will is right," mumbled the warlock. "I could end this▬and I will. It has gone on long enough."

    "But what about your destiny?" whispered Adelynn, not afraid of his sharp tongue at all. It was sweet in comparison to what she has dealt with. "What about the future you and Arthur will create? Are you willing to leave all of that behind▬to throw all of that away▬?"

    "Yes!" exclaimed Merlin quietly and painfully. Her frown softened to see the desperate look on his face. "This is my home. These are my friends and my family. What is destiny if I do not have them?"

    "Whose to say the battle will not be won without your magic?" said Adelynn gently. "Whose to say we won't prevail?" it was surprisingly optimistic of her, but after such discussion about fate and destiny ... perhaps Merlin has given her a breath of it▬enough to project it back onto him. "You said yourself, Arthur is destined for greatness, but he needs you at his side. The future you said ... a future of peace ... where people with magic can live without fear ..." she pursed her lips again, "... you cannot give that up, Merlin. You must not give up on it."

    She leaned forward, meeting his gaze as an equal▬and it felt strange to do so, but it also felt right. "You told me that magic is given to someone for a reason. That they must use it for the greater good. That it is not something to be feared▬and while it scares me, it very much scares me, I also believe that perhaps I am meant to use it for something. And I do not need to know much about fate and destiny to understand that you are not meant to throw your future away on today's battlefield▬your purpose. When I saw you use your magic," her voice dropped to a whisper even softer than before, "I did not see the evil that people declare it as ... there was no corruption, no sin ... but kindness, Merlin. A breath of hope. Camelot▬Arthur needs that. People ... people like me need that. The battle today will be won by means unknown, but it will be won without you risking everything you have worked for already, and everything you will work for. You are meant for more than this."

    Merlin frowned at her. He remembered the worlds the Great Dragon told him about her ... about her destiny that will aid Albion to come into being. Something horrid settled in his stomach as he felt as if he finally started to understand. If he was to use his magic today, and it would not end well, there would have to be someone else to help Arthur achieve his fate ... someone like Adelynn. 

    He took a sharp breath, "My Lady," he began, very serious. She blinked, startled at the return of her title all of the sudden, "if things ... change, today. If ... if Arthur does not accept me for who I am▬" she tried to cut him off, but he shook his head, and she held her tongue, "▬it is your destiny to help him instead." Slowly, Adelynn's eyes widened. "You must help keep him safe until Albion comes to be."

    She stammered, bewildered▬she did not know what to say. She did not know what there was to say ... she could not do that. She could not keep Arthur safe. She could not use her magic in such a way▬not only did she not know how, but that was Merlin's destiny, not hers. "Merlin▬"

    "You are capable of it," said the young warlock. "I know it."

    Soon, everyone else woke up▬they barely spoke. Each and every one of them were silent with rigid nerves. Together, or alone, they prepped themselves for battle. Amongst the anxious anticipation, Odette kept meeting Arthur's gaze▬over their shoulders, across the table, from the other side of the room. She didn't have armour. She did not have chainmail. The weapon she held, she barely knew how to use. But she did have faith. She did have determination. She had made a promise▬and that promise hung around her neck and was hidden underneath the collar of her tunic. She was going to live, because she will have to return that promise, in person. 

    Ronyn was perhaps the most nervous of them all. Which surprised Adelynn, who always saw her brother as▬while ridiculous (and many other things)▬the bravest person she knows. But as he helped her slip on little pieces of armour they could spare, tying them at her wrists, he kept on losing the thread. He kept on softly cursing underneath his breath, muttering apologies to her as he tried again. 

    He who has fought many times. He who has survived many horrors even before the age of which he could go to war. He who could deliver his own blow as well as take one, struggled to move his fingers that fumbled and shook. 

    But he did not tell her to head to the forest with the children and elderly. He did not snap at her and get frustrated▬he just clung on tightly to her arm once he finished fastening the straps of armour and said, "You remember the rules?"

    His younger sister nodded. "Yes," she managed, her voice tight. 

    Ronyn took a deep breath. He nodded, too, "Good."

    Though he was glad that when he pulled his hand away, his little sister rushed forward and buried her face in his chest. Ronyn held her back just as tight. As he did, he found Guinevere trying hard not to watch them. They locked gazes. There was a lot Ronyn wished he could say to the blacksmith's daughter before the men crossed the river, but he could not. Instead, he pursed his lips and sent her a stiff, determined nod. She took a deep breath and subtly bowed her own▬Good luck, they told each other, pained and pleading they would make it through to the end. 

    When Kanen's men crossed the river, they were ready. They lined up with their blades, their wooden shoves, rakes and hoes▬some of them with armour, most without. But each shared a heart prepared to fight for their home and their lives▬for each other. Arthur quickly passed through the line of villagers and his friends. He stopped here and there. He shook hands and he nodded with words of reassurance. As he came by his friends, he stopped. 

    He held out a hand to Guinevere and she took it▬and he held it as if she was any other soldier he has fought alongside. "Are you frightened?"

    Gwen shook her head, "Not in the slightest," she replied courageously.

   Arthur managed a little grin. She nodded to him and slipped past, taking off at a slight run to her position by the trench gate. The Prince shared a meaningful nod with Ronyn▬he lightly struck his shoulder, wishing him good fortune. He smiled, grateful towards the Lady Adelynn. He hovered a moment longer in front of the Lady Morgana's second handmaiden, his eyes briefly catching the cord around her neck. 

    "Ready?" he asked her gently.

    Odette held a nervous smile, but she squared her shoulders and said, "Yes."

    The Prince smiled back. Then, he passed on. He grasped Merlin's shoulder and dragged him along▬Odette was quick to follow. Together, the three of them crouched at the edge of the home; peering out through the fence. Odette held her breath a little, pushing herself forward so she could see between Merlin and Arthur. 

    At first, it was strangely quiet. But then, the ground started to tremble. Her eyes widened▬glancing down, she could see loose stones leap up around her boots. The sound grew louder: a pounding of many, many hooves coming from the depths of the forest. 

    And then came the yells. 

    Kanen and his men burst through the growth. They galloped towards the quaint village of Ealdor on horseback, brandishing weapons that held far better experience than the one Odette clutched tight in her hands. They had swords, axes, maces and crossbows▬coming from the left and from the right, as well as the centre; entire cavalry of bandits that had nothing but bloodshed on their minds. Far more than had been here when they first arrived. 

    And yes, Odette realised that she was scared▬she was terrified. She had this sudden urge to run the other way, to take cover in the trees and hope they would not find her. But as Arthur tugged her and Merlin backwards, she knew she wasn't going to run. Even while her knees were shaking and her grip on her blade quivering, what made an act of bravery was the decision to stay and fight despite every urge to run. To stand her ground in the face of adversity. 

    Her back pressed up against the stone wall of the home. She took a deep breath, her shoulders pressed between the Prince and his manservant. Odette heard shouts of more men rushing towards the village on foot, the jeers they all held as they got closer.

    "Hold," Arthur murmured as they did, his eyes fixed outwards to the village street. 

    The men dashed through the outskirts. They kicked over baskets and swiped their swords, laughing, at tunics that had been hung out to dry. Their horses slowed down to a trot through the dirt streets and their riders glanced around, trying to find the villagers▬wherever they might be hiding. 

    "No one moves until I give the signal," then said Arthur▬he moved his head back as the group of horses passed. Odette held her breath again, a little frantic to think if they just glanced this way ... she noticed Kanen leading them in a luxurious black fur coat over his armour, looking more like a deranged warlord than a bandit. 

    Arthur carefully leaned forward again, waiting for them to get close enough, "Hold..."

    Kanen and his men trotted a few paces forward and with perfect timing, their gate launched up. The straw that had been covering it fell away and the horses balked at the sudden movement▬they were blocked from heading any further. 

    Odette frowned, glancing a little forward when the fire did not follow. After Gwen pulled up the gate, Morgana was to set alight a trench of flame▬hoping to lock Kanen's men that were on horseback in. But not even a spark of light ensued. 

    Arthur held out an arm to make sure Odette didn't lean too far forward, "Stay back," he told her in a harsh whisper. He glanced back out, starting to grow frustrated at the seconds passed on, and the fire still hadn't been lit. "Now, Morgana!" he muttered to himself angrily. "What are you waiting for? Something's gone wrong▬"

    Merlin pursed his lips before without a second thought, he lurched outwards. Odette's eyes widened, "Merlin▬!" she called out to him in a horrific whisper, desperately reaching out to pull him back▬but she was too late. The sorcerer took off at a run around the back of the home before either she or Arthur could stop him. 

    She saw him dash past clear ground▬her heart was in her throat as the men spotted him and they yelled. Merlin narrowly dodged an arrow; the shaft brushed within a breath of his hair. Until he disappeared again. Odette stayed on the tips of her toes, watching Kanen and his men veer their horses around, trying to spot were Merlin went. 

    "What a brave fool," muttered Ronyn not far behind Odette. 

    A brave fool, indeed. But just moments later, there was a spark of light. As the men grew closer, the trench of fire burst to life▬with much more power than the strike of a flint. Horses reared back, they shrieked▬the men on their backs held on tight as the flames stretched upwards to the height of a small man. And they were trapped in.

    "Pull back!" shouted Kanen, leading his men back to the centre. "Go the other way▬!"

    They cantered to the village square▬surrounded by homes with a gate trapping them on one end, and a fire on the other; they were in the perfect position to be swarmed. 

    And swarmed they were.

    "NOW!" cried Arthur.

    The battle commenced. The villagers ran out from behind buildings, they knocked over fence posts and burst through doors. Some with swords, some with brooms, some even with shafts of fishing rods. It was something more than chaos. Odette lost sight of nearly anyone she knew. Arthur pursued straight to the centre of the fight. Ronyn took the ambitious route and targeted one of the men on horseback. Morgana and Merlin were somewhere on the other end of the square▬close-by the fire. Gwen had kept close with Adelynn and Hunith, approaching a group of men that had a single villager surrounded. 

    The people of Ealdor fought viciously▬they dragged men from their horses, they slammed their weapons down onto their shoulders and their heads. These quaint farmers and simple peasants had turned into the most determined, terrifying warriors any knight or trained soldier could only dream of. 

    Odette thought of all the men in the Roman tales that had been slaves, only to turn into magnificent gladiators▬fighting lions, winning sea battles and becoming the last one standing in their coliseums. She supposed if any man had enough drive and determination to get out▬to live and survive another day, any man could achieve that. 

    She found herself in a blur. Perhaps she was too terrified to even stop to think what would might happen if she hesitated a single moment. Odette blinked, and she was being attacked▬she'd blink, and she'd manage to kick them, or smack them, or block their blow. 

    Her wrists were hurting from holding her sword up against their strength. Her heart was pounding and her breathing uneven. Odette could smell smoke and she could smell something else she didn't want to think about. She heard shouts, she heard screams, she heard gurgled cries▬she didn't think about them, either. 

    She tried to keep checking where her friends might be. She tried to keep checking whether Arthur was okay, or whether Adelynn hadn't been surrounded, or whether Gwen was still managing to smack bandits on the back of the head. She saw Ronyn fell two one after the other▬he spun his blade and caught one in the chest and then next against their neck; an intricate move that only he seemed able to do. And he knew it. He let out a breath and spun his sword once again, rushing back into battle to fight at Arthur's side▬he caught a swing with ease, seconds before it would meet the Prince's shoulder, and he fought like a knight; nothing like a Lord. He fought better than a knight. 

    Morgana charged through Kanen's men left and right. The King's Ward held a talent for swords craft not many knew▬and her years of knocking Arthur to the ground came in handy as she felled plenty. With gritted teeth, she disarmed each quickly before thrusting her own blade, taking them out with clean mortal blows. Guinevere came to the aid of Hunith▬running through the back of a bandit that had her trapped against a wall. 

    Adelynn was having trouble▬none noticed; too caught up in defending their own lives to glance at her as she stumbled backwards. She tripped over her own feet, narrowly blocking the falling blow of this man's mace. A sword she could easily swipe away▬but to fight a swinging mace ... she started to grow terrified. He was much taller than her. He was much bigger▬he had a mean look on his face and many scars down his arms. He didn't care that she was a young girl; he didn't care that she became unarmed as she lost the grip of her sword. 

    She hit the ground, watching her weapon skid away from her. Adelynn glanced up and gasped, scrambling backwards to avoid a hit that would have shattered her knee. 

    The bandit chuckled. He was looking at her in a way that made her feel sick. "Feisty little one, aren't yeh?" he jeered. "Never seen a girl fight▬maybe I'll keep yeh around all for myself after this."

    He swung his mace again and Adelynn rolled out of the way. She felt teary eyed when dirt hit her cheeks; the weapon digging into the ground just inches away. She wanted to scream, but her voice hitched in the back of her throat in terror. 

    The man went to hit her again; he probably would have struck her this time▬but then, in such an extraordinary manner, his swing abruptly stopped. He frowned, perplexed and horrified when he realised he couldn't move his arms. He started to yell, struggling to push against the mysterious force keeping him back until it let go▬his arms flung back at the change; and so did his mace. Adelynn closed her eyes when she heard his painful shout as his own weapon lodged into his face. 

    Instead, she looked over her shoulder, trying to see what had happened. And in the shadows of a thatched roof, Adelynn saw Merlin's eyes change from a golden glow back to deep blue. 

    Breathless for a moment, she didn't know how to say thank you, until her gaze caught the sight of something behind him. Her stomach dropped and she struggled back onto her feet, "Merlin! Look out▬!"

    He spun around and froze. He watched the weapon swing in the man's hand that cantered towards him. Adelynn suddenly wished she could do something. That with a flash of her eyes, the man would be thrown off the horse, or she could drag Merlin out of the way▬but unlike he who could use his magic to save her instead of hurt her ... she had no idea how to do the same for him. 

    After being hurt, and pained all of her life▬trapped and scared. The one thing that everyone told her would only trap her more, would only cause more pain, was the one thing that saved her▬twice, now. Merlin and his magic saved her, and for most of what she could remember, it had always been the evil of men▬without magic to corrupt him▬that had caused her the most strife and struggle. 

    She stood there, unable to help▬and Adelynn realised then she wanted to help. She wanted to use her magic to do the good Merlin preached; she didn't want to lock it away in fear of someone finding out ... she wished to be able to do something in her life, for once. To amount to something good, and it was strange to be given this sudden hope, by the pesky manservant of the Prince, of all people ... that magic might be the way for her to do it. 

    "Merlin!" she shouted again, but she knew it was too late. 

    Yet, someone heard her cries. Someone had climbed all the way onto the top of the thatched roof▬dressed in chainmail and a faded, old knight's tunic. William of Ealdor yelled out a ferocious cry as he leapt off the side of the roof. He knocked the man right off his horse. The two of them hit the ground, and the bandit had no chance to defend himself before Will bludgeoned him with his own weapon until he did not breathe again. He dropped the bloody mace and unsheathed the man's sword.

    He turned to his old friend who had a bright, happy beam on his face. "I didn't think you were coming!" breathed Merlin.

    Will sent him a quick grin, "Neither did I."

    Around them, the battle continued. Though, as well as things had started, their fighting stamina was beginning to fall. Odette watched villages fall at the hands of these men▬brutally murdered and trampled; some where beaten to death, still trying to fight back as they were pinned to the ground. She looked to her left, and she'd see a young girl reach out for help as she bled out. To her right, a father was crumpled▬sprawled out in a very uncomfortable manner at the foot of the well. He was not moving. 

    The young handmaiden started to see them all. She watched all of these innocent people▬who had wanted nothing more, nothing less, than to live in peace, sacrifice their lives for a cause they never should of had to fight for to begin with. She saw horrors, and Odette could feel them make her so sick she staggered▬hitting the stone facade of the bakers hut and slacken her grip on her sword. 

    She took a deep breath. She knew not all of them would survive this battle, but her naive hope had been determined to think it anyways. She saw the body of a mother whose child she knew was waiting in the forest▬one of the children Odette had played hopscotch with only yesterday. And that thought struck her the hardest. 

    She felt rather stupid, to stammer for a moment. To find herself stuck and frozen by horrors she understood▬that she told herself; others, that she was not scared of. That she was not ignorant to. But here she still was, looking around and finding her chest ache in grief and heartbreak▬to see the truth of this world she did her best to ignore again, and it was a harsh blow; as if she had been run through with a sword herself. 

    When she heard footsteps. Odette gasped and flung up her blade. She stared, startled when it met another with a shrill kiss. She wasn't proud of the little squeak she made as soon as she saw the horrific bandit on the other end. Not only did his breath stink and his beard seemed to have never seen water in its life, he was missing teeth and had a marred face of scars. As soon as he grinned at her, she kicked his shin and ran around the wooden post, desperate to get away. She heard him grunt in pain, not expecting her childish attack. 

    As he made his way back over to her▬(with a limp, she will add)▬Odette swiped her blade dangerously. The man shuffled back to dodge it. She awkwardly deflected his next blow, trying very hard to stay out of range for him to strike her▬just like Arthur had said. Odette held up the sword again, wincing at the pain that ached down her arm at the sheer strength of his blows. 

    Soon, she had to let go. When she stumbled back again, his blade fell▬Odette didn't even realised he nicked the skin of her arm until she saw the blood on his blade. She glanced down and there it was, a small slit in her tunic sleeve where the white was starting to stain with red. 

    Eyes-wide, she quickly shuffled back again. The man raised his blade▬Odette struggled to hold up her own▬but then ... something stirred in the air. Both of them faltered; dirt and straw started to circle around their feet. A rush billowed their hears. Odette's hair flung a little in her face. 

    A wind gale had suddenly rushed into being. She coughed when dust and dirt hovered around her face. Odette squinted over; she threw an arm up, trying to see through the blur▬and then her gaze landed on a spectacular sight. 

    In the centre of the village square, a whirlwind tornado had been conjured from no breath of wind▬but instead from the outstretched hand of a very powerful wizard. Merlin watched it grow and grow, standing between his old friend will and Adelynn▬

     Adelynn?

    Odette couldn't see much more. Soon, the wind became so strong, she could feel it push against her legs. Around her, bandits were tossed up into the air and off their feet. Villagers fell to the ground, stunned to silence. Ronyn ducked behind a fence post▬he pulled Gwen with him, and the two sheltered in the intense wind blast that followed. 

     Horses were spooked. Men were blown right out of their saddles. Others spun away like they were nothing but fallen leaves. Some ran for their lives. 

    And just like that, the villagers gained new courage. They forced themselves back on their feet, they worked together▬they charged the remaining bandits and attacked. Odette sprung back to action and thrusted her sword forward to the man still in front of her. He didn't see her coming▬

    It was the strangest feeling; it was a feeling that afterwards, she knew she did not like. But Odette kept going. She hitched a whimper, watching her sword push straight through the man's chest; right underneath his ribs. He stared at her▬and she would never forget the look in his eyes; the stunned, terrified look as she took his life with a twist of her hilt. 

    The young handmaiden forced her sword backwards. She stumbled. She stared as the man fell onto his knees; and then he slumped forward until he lied there, still at her feet. 

    In the ferocious gale▬as villagers cheered and ran the bandits right out of their home▬Odette stayed where she was, her eyes not once leaving the sight of his dying body. 

    Until a collective victorious cry ran through the village. Odette glanced up, shocked when she felt Gwen throw her arms around her shoulders, laughing joyfully in delirious relief. Soon, she slumped and held her dearest friend close. Odette buried her face into Guinevere's shoulders when she felt another join them. Morgana le Fay ran so fast to hug her two handmaidens that she nearly toppled them over when she reached them▬and Gwen laughed again. Odette squeezed her eyes shut tighter, welcoming the feel of Morgana's arms around the both of them, the Lady resting her head on top of her second handmaiden's own. 

    "PENDRAGON!"

    They all turned around at the shout. 

    Odette held her arm, brows furrowed as she watched Kanen emerge from where he had been hiding since the gale hit. Arthur turned to meet him, jaw set. The bandit leader threw off his furs, storming up to the Prince with a mighty spin of his axe. 

    Arthur took a sharp, determined breath through his nose. He was ready▬as soon as Kanen was close enough, he dodged the wild swing of his weapon. And the second. The Prince slammed his shield against Kanen's back and spun his blade, rather impatient as he steadied his footwork again. 

    He raised his shield. The axe scratched the surface▬Kanen yelled in frustration as Arthur swiped his sword down and struck the hilt from the bandit's palm. Though he did not expect the kick Kanen made to his shield.

   Odette flinched, growing tense as Arthur stumbled backwards. His boots left skid marks in the dirt as he struggled to remain on his feet. He took a long breath, standing straight. He flexed his sword grip, eyeing Kanen who pulled a sword from a dead man's chest. 

    She knew this fight would not last long. Not when Arthur gritted his teeth and thrusted a ferocious blow that made Kanen stagger. He dodged a feint and their blades met overhead. The Prince spiralled down the bandit's sword one-handed▬Arthur flung back, grunting as Kanen's elbow met his jaw. He blocked two strikes before feinting himself. He ran Kanen through. 

    Despite killing a man, Arthur Pendragon's fiery gaze was not set upon his opponent. It narrowed in one three watching just over Kanen's shoulder. He let the bandit fall without care, walking around him as he groaned, writhing on the ground. 

    He stormed up to his manservant in between William and Ronyn's younger sister▬they all watched him approach with wide looks; understanding that his sudden anger was very much directed at them.

    And they knew why.

    "Who did that?!" demanded Arthur, livid. 

    Merlin stammered. He tried to hide the shock, "W▬what?"

    "Wind like that does not just appear from nowhere!" the Prince stopped in front of them. He scowled at each of them, and there was pleading ache in his chest as his gaze settled on Merlin, and then Adelynn. He did not want to be right. He did not want to believe what he saw▬but he was not an idiot, he knew exactly what had happened. And he knew who had been standing before such sorcery ... one of them had magic. One of them was a sorcerer. "I know magic when I see it."

    He saw Ronyn slowly come to a stand with Morgana and her handmaidens, a look none of them could quite read as he heard Arthur's loud accusation. 

    All three of them standing there could not form words. Adelynn had gone pale with fright. 

    "One of you made that happen," said Arthur. "Who?"

    Merlin glanced at the group of them. His eyes fixed longer on Adelynn than he meant to. She could see a million different decisions go through his mind, until he settled on one▬pained, he turned to face his master. Quiet and scared, Merlin forced out a shaky, "A▬Arthur..."

    The Prince's eyes snapped to him▬and something fell deep down into the pit of his stomach; he frowned, not wanting to believe it. Merlin▬?

    "Look out▬!"

    Before Arthur could blink, he was pushed out of the way. He heard Merlin shout in strangled horror▬a sickening thud pierced his ears. He glanced back and there William was. There he stood where Arthur had just been, a bolt imbedded directly into his heart. 

    Nearby, Kanen drew a final breath before he dropped. The crossbow fell from his hand. 

    "WILL▬!" Merlin cried. 

    He rushed to his childhood friend's aid. He caught him as he fell down, struggling to keep him standing. Merlin hitched back a terrified sob, grasping Will's tunic near the bolt▬where it had landed exactly in the same place another had struck his father, years before. "No▬" the warlock felt a horrible ache in his throat, his fingers shaking around the wound. "N▬no▬"

    His knees collapsed. They would have hit the ground if Arthur didn't take Will's other side. He helped them both up▬he supported his manservant who desperately fought tears back in his eyes. 

    They heard the others run over. Adelynn was pulled back gently into her brother's side, sickly in tone. 

    Arthur▬for a moment▬couldn't speak. Then, he managed a shocked, "Y▬you saved my life," he told Will, and the boy chuckled up at him ... barely even eighteen. 

    "Yeah," he winced▬he coughed and there was blood in the corner of his mouth. "Yeah▬" William nodded, red with pain, "▬I don't know what I was thinking."

    The Prince glanced at his servant who clutched tight onto his best friend▬and the look on his face pained him. Merlin knew, deep down, and the tears he fought said it all▬but he refused to think it. He shook his head and he held Will tighter, as if believing that if he held him close, Death would not be able to pry his old friend from his arms. 

    Arthur felt one thing and one thing only: this horrible, aching guilt in his chest. "Come on!" he called to the others standing and watching. "Get him inside!"

    Other villagers ran to help as Arthur grasped one arm underneath Merlin's own and gave him the strength to haul his friend up. Together, they carried Will into the nearest building. They burst through the doors of a store house and set the boy onto the table in the centre. He whimpered and winced at each movement▬and there was no hope ... no hope at all that he would live.

     Odette ran inside after them, slowly coming to a stop as the villagers that helped left them alone. She felt something inside her heart break the moment Merlin looked at her with a teary gaze. Ronyn, Adelynn, Morgana, Gwen and Hunith all joined at her side. 

    Will took a quick breath▬it sounded more like a wheeze. He turned his head to nod at Arthur. His cheeks were wet: he was crying. "That's▬that's twice I have saved you."

    Arthur frowned. "Twice?"

    Will's gaze flickered briefly to Merlin who stood over him, "It was me," he decided to say. "I'm the one that used the magic."

    Merlin's entire face fell, "No▬" he grasped his friends arm, "Will, don't▬"

    "It is all right, Merlin," he told him. "I won't be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me. I did it," Will lied to Arthur▬lied to protect his friend with one last breath. "I saw how desperate things were becoming. I had to do something."

    Arthur's brows furrowed even more. He glanced between the two old friends, "You are a sorcerer?" 

    Will pursed his lips. He nodded, "Yeah. What are you going to do, kill me?"

    The Prince faltered. He stared down at this boy▬he was just a boy▬; a sorcerer dying after he saved his life, despite what he would have done if he figured out the truth. And then up at Merlin, who couldn't meet his gaze, trembling.

    Arthur shook his head. "No," he breathed, and he meant it. "No, of course not." He felt this shame▬a strange bout of shame▬when he looked back at Merlin. "Do what you can for him," muttered the Prince. He reached out and gave the sorcerer in his dying moments a grateful, and gentle, grasp of his shoulder before leaving the two childhood friends be. 

    He walked straight to Odette, who held back her own tears. He guided her out of the building, and the others followed. They were all silent, sombre as they heard the muffled cries from Merlin inside. 

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

    IT WAS A SOMBRE journey back home. But there was relief in it, too, the moment they reached the gates of Camelot once again, and Odette could see the castle standing tall over the city walls. And despite it all, she managed a sweet and loving smile the moment she caught a glimpse of the turrets over the hills and through the trees. She didn't have a roof over her head, or a mother's arms to run into. She didn't have a table that was her own to eat at or a hearth to warm her hands at as it came closer to winter. But no matter those things, when she saw the castle, her heart swelled with the warmth of home. 

    Once Morgana had settled back in her chambers (and she and Arthur received a lecture from Uther Odette dared not ask too much about), her youngest maidservant made her way immediately towards the Prince's room. She didn't knock on the servants door this time. She didn't know what made her stand out in the hallway▬where anyone might pass and see her, but she did. She rapped her knuckles on the rich oak door, and when Arthur opened it, he stood there for a moment, surprised. 

    "Odette," he said, confused. 

    She pursed her lips, "Erm ..." she gestured to the door, shaking her head, "Sorry ... I know I shouldn't▬"

    "No," Arthur opened the door wider, "No, come in. Please."

    Odette shyly stepped inside, glancing back over her shoulder to watch him close the door behind her. She hugged her stomach▬though she winced at the movement of her arm, finally starting to feel the pain. 

    "I▬um..." she hovered by the table, not too sure what to do or where to stand. Now that they were back here, in Camelot, the boundaries of which Odette was so used to had suddenly become so foreign after everything that happened in Ealdor. And now, she became startled on how to enforce them again. "I came to return this to you. In person. As promised, My Lord."

    She held out the necklace for the Prince to take. He frowned at it, but slowly took it away from her fingers▬almost as if he didn't want to part it from her. "Thank you," he said softly. Odette nodded. Then he noticed how stiffly she pulled her arm back. "How is it?" Arthur asked her. "Your arm?"

    The handmaiden pursed her lips. She glanced down at it and shrugged, "Oh ... well, Gaius says I will keep my arm, so ... It will scar, but▬" Odette smiled warily, "▬scars do fade over time, do they not?"

    Arthur chuckled lightly. "Yes, well▬in my experience, battle scars are quite the rave of discussion once you have had a few drinks."

    Odette's smile brightened, amused, "Oh, believe me, I do not intend on getting any others, I assure you. I will have merely one tale to tell."

    "A very courageous tale."

    Her gaze softened at his words. Odette looked down at her fingers fiddling with the fabric of her skirts, "It was a courageous tale of everyone," she mumbled. "There were others far more courageous than I."

    "Even so," Arthur argued gently and she glanced up to meet his gaze. "What you did and what you said▬it was incredibly brave; incredibly admirable. I am grateful that you were there."

    Odette's brows lifted. She started to grow rosy at the cheeks, "Really?" she asked him quietly. 

    The Prince nodded. He smiled, "Really."

   She smiled, too. "Well, I am happy you were there, too."

    He frowned, "You were?"

    Odette nodded, "Yes," she said simply. "I was."

    Finishing their conversation, the young handmaiden curtsied before her Prince before slipping past. But before she slipped through the open door, she found herself glancing back. Arthur was already watching her. And something sad that passed between them. Odette sent him a final smile before leaving. When the door closed, the Prince set his gaze back down on the necklace he gave her. He brushed his finger over the ruby gem; a sad smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 

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    a/n: loooonnngggggg chapter lol hehe.

    omg I nearly had them kiss in this chapter I'm not even gonna hide that the literal CHEMISTRY >> like when even I want to jump the plot and make two characters kiss early and switch up my entire plot that means they are literally IT. 

    she asked him to give her something of his like he did to her the last episode *cries* they are already married. 

    also like arthur is like literally falling in love with her the moment he sees her like the queen she is. 

    i need to speed thru the rest of s1 like right now I want ardette rn. 

   (doing the indents for this chapter was a NIGHTMARE-)

    oh, and I got covid so that's funnnnn.