Fight For Me

Chapter 23

"I know," Aimee replies, seemingly unshaken by the news that the King wants her dead.

"You-- What? He wants you dead, isn't that meant to, I don't know, warrant a reaction to being dead?" Arthur almost screams incredulously.

"We spoke about it. He wasn't going to change his mind," she shrugs.

"He-- You-- spoke to him?"

"Mhm."

"You went into his room, and spoke to him? The homicidal king, hellbent on killing your people?"

"That's one way to describe your father," she chuckles. "And, no, I didn't." I spoke to him like this.

"What the hell was that?" Arthur jumps.

"Magic, you idiot. I can communicate like that."

"I thought only druids could do that, with other magic users," Merlin comments. He's been strangely silent this entire time.

She merely shrugs again. "So," she asks Arthur, smirking, "how was it?"

"I-- Wha-- I don't know what you mean," he splutters, turning as red as the cape the knights wear.

"No, no, of course not." She grins, and looks pointedly at Merlin.

His eyes widen. "You--"

She just shrugs again.

"Stop acting like Kilgharrah, it is incredibly stressful!" Merlin yells.

She laughs. "Sorry, sorry."

"Look, I hate to be the one to say this, but you have to go. And soon. No one but us and Gaius knows yet, and Gaius was expected to tell the knights."

"Won't he know it was you?" she asks. "Who warned me? Got me out?"

Arthur shrugs. "Does it matter? He already doesn't trust me. I doubt if he's ever even liked me all that much."

She gives him a sad look. Merlin, still uncharacteristically quiet, places a comforting hand on Arthur's shoulder.

"I don't fear death, you know," she says, in a voice holding years of wisdom. "There's worse things."

Merlin's arms wrap around him from behind, embracing him lovingly.

"I suppose there is," Merlin comments. "But, I still think you should go."

Arthur sinks gratefully into the embrace.

"Having you as an ally," Merlin remarks, "could be useful in resorting magic to the kingdom."

"Since when did you think about politics?" Arthur snorts, turning his head to give Merlin an incredulous yet fond look.

Merlin flashes a grin. "That's your job. But I do what I can to help," he shrugs. He rests his chin on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur entwines one of his hands with Merlin's, and turns back to Aimee, who's looking at them like they're the answer to everything, which, maybe they are.

"Having me as an ally won't be half as influential as having you as an ally, Emrys," she says. "You're the most powerful sorcerer to have walked the earth. You are the symbol of magic. You are magic. If Arthur has your trust, he most likely has the trust of every magical being, especially the druids. The two of you together hold more power and influence than you could ever imagine. Over both magical--" She nods at Merlin. "--and non-magical beings." She nods at Arthur. "Talk about a power couple," she snorts.

The two give each other a look, blush, and turn their heads away bashfully, though still hugging, and very much not even considering letting go, by the looks of it.