The Future of Camelot

Another One Gone

Elyan got in the driver's seat of Leo's car. Percival sat in the passenger seat, and Arthur, Gwen, and Leon were in the back. In the other car, Lancelot drove with Gwaine beside him. Those with magic were in the back. Aithusa was waiting near the place, and she had given Merlin very specific instructions as to how to get there. In this manner, uncomfortably packed in and still grieving, towards an unknown future.

It was deep in what was now called the Forest of Dean. When the reached the forest less than two hours later, they had to leave the cars and walk. It was too long to cover in one day, so they brought camping gear. Just before darkness fell, they set up camp. For the first time the king could remember, he didn't make Merlin do everything. It was the knights who struggled with the sleeping bags so different from the bedrolls in Camelot, and the knights who started the fire and cooked the canned chili they had brought. Merlin settled down in his sleeping bag and watched with a grin as the king gathered wood for the fire. Guinevere sat beside him.

"I think you're enjoying this a bit too much," she observed.

"Oh, Gwen," said Merlin with relish. "The king is tripping over himself finding wood for a fire. My friends are alive, and we're going home. Did I mention that Arthur stepped in deer poop a few minutes ago and it's still on his boot?" Gwen hit him in the chest, but she laughed.

"Stop laughing," she said, not following her own advice. Merlin chuckled.

"It's good to see you two happy," said Arthur, dropping down beside his wife. Then he sniffed. "Do you smell something? I've smelt it for several minutes." This caused Merlin to laugh even harder. Guinevere looked at her husband sympathetically. She got onto her knees and pulled off his boot. He had the utmost trust in her, so he didn't protest. He only looked very confused. Gwen stood up and walked a few feet, away from the campsite. There she took a stick and scraped something off the heel of the boot.

"I don't smell it anymore!" Arthur exclaimed. Gwen came back and handed him his boot. Arthur put it down and grabbed her waist, pulling her down. She giggled as she landed in his lap. Merlin watched them happily. Sitting here with them, he could almost imagine the last thousand years were a dream, that he was travelling with his friends and nothing was amiss. They began to kiss. Merlin knew where this was going and he wished to avoid seeing too much.

"I'm just going to - " Merlin said, getting up. Arthur laughed.

"No, stay," said Arthur. Merlin sat back down. Gwen slid off Arthur's lap but remained in his embrace. "What do you think we'll face in the next world?" he asked Merlin.

"I don't know. What ever it is, it's bad enough that you were all brought back. It's something the guards can't face, if they are there. Not that they could face much anyway," said Merlin pensively.

"Oy! I trained those guards myself!" Arthur said. Merlin grinned.

"Exactly." Arthur threw the boot at Merlin. The heel hit Merlin's face, and a smear of black was drawn across his forehead. He pursed his lips and nodded. His expression was such that Arthur felt a little bit of worry. Gwen had seen Merlin upset before, so she shook her head violently at the warlock. Merlin ignored her. A moment later, Arthur stood up, wearing only one boot, and began to dance. He jigged in place for all his knight to see.

"Merlin," said Gwen disapprovingly. He glanced at her. After one final jump, Arthur collapsed.

"You really do have magic," he said. "You use it so rarely that I almost thought it was a dream."

"Do you want to wake up?" Merlin asked dangerously. Arthur's eyes widened as his useless, idiotic servant threatened him with magic. This was a strange world.

0O0O0O0

Morgause saw Arthur dancing, but she failed to find merriment. She'd had a dream in the car about the Sidhe, and she knew it was more than her mind. She knew it was them warning her.

She walked away from the group and into the woods. She could still see the flickering firelight, but the voices faded. She didn't even know what drew her away except the knowledge that they didn't know her. They didn't care about her, and she was alone.

"That's right, witch," said a cruel voice. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Morgause never cried, but she felt the desire to now. Whatever Nimueh said, she couldn't fight the Sidhe. It was her time. She hadn't reached the gate in time, and now she would die without anyone to know why. Morgana might be able to help, but if Morgause were to tell her why she needed help, Morgause's life wouldn't be worth anything anymore. Not if Morgana didn't trust her.

Morgause turned around to face the buzzing cloud of Sidhe that gathered in the woods.

"I don't want to go," she said. The leader grinned horribly.

"You don't get to make that choice. You already chose to break your promise. We warned you that if you didn't fulfill your promise, you would die." Morgause's lip trembled.

"Please," she said. "I didn't know how much seeing Morgana would change me. I didn't know how much I need her alive."

"You should have thought about that before you made a deal with us. For though you have what you wanted, we do not. You failed to bring them to our realm. Unless you are considering a second chance . . ." the Sidhe trailed off.

"I will never do that," Morgause said with more bravery than she thought herself capable of mustering. "I love my sister, and Merlin has proven himself to be kind. I won't betray them again."

"No," pondered the Sidhe. "You won't." He extended his staff and then -

"Lady Knight?" asked a familiar voice behind her. No, Morgause thought. I don't want him to see this. She turned around and saw Gwaine looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Gwaine, what are - "

"You were going to betray Merlin and Morgana?" he asked. Morgause looked at him in despair.

"Oh, Gwaine. I'm sorry - "

"No," he said, backing away from her. Morgause heard the Sidhe chuckling behind her.

"But I didn't!" she cried, reaching out to him. "I decided not to! I do want to be with my sister, and all of you. Please - "

"I think that's enough," said the Sidhe. "Knight, she wanted to betray you all just to get her powers back. She has them now, did she tell you?" Gwaine didn't answer the Sidhe, but he did answer Morgause.

"You betrayed us. I thought - I thought you might care about us. About Morgana? I guess that was a lie, too."

"I do care about her. Please Gwaine, if you don't believe anything else, believe that I care about my sister. I just didn't realize it when I made the deal." Morgause stepped forward, and this time he didn't retreat. She reached him. "You needn't worry. I'm not going to betray you again, I won't be able to." She took a deep breath. "The Sidhe is going to kill me. This is goodbye."

"I'm sorry," Gwaine said. "I wish I could help you." He took hold of her and carefully hugged her. It was the first time she had been hugged in a very long time. It was the first time she had felt real affection for anyone. Cenred had been handsome, but he was just a tool. Gwaine could never be a tool. He was a good man. Morgause wished that she had another chance to grow closer to him.

Gwaine felt betrayed. He had started getting closer to Morgause, and all the while she had been lying and plotting against them. He was getting used to the feeling. He thought Eira would be the last, but again he was decieved by a beautiful woman. He should have known. Morgause was even eviler than Eira had been, and everyone else had thought that she would end up betraying them. He never had, not after he started to get to know her.

But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that there was a little blue man threatening Morgause. She believed his threats, and she was terrified. Gwaine held her. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and looked at the blue man. It caught his eye and grinned.

Gwaine had never seen such malice before as he saw on the tiny man's smile. It raised its staff and a brilliant blue light extended straight towards Morgause's heart.