BBC Merlin Fanfic - Destiny UNEDITED!

Chapter 23

Rows POV:

That evening Arthur had called for a village meeting. My guess was he headed my advice. Fear was a person's worst enemy and that's what these people had. The people had formed a circle and Arthur stood in the middle able to see each person clearly.

"Tomorrow morning the women and children should gather what they can a carry and go into the woods". Gwen stepped out from the crowd boldly to face her Prince. "We're not going anywhere!" He stopped pacing and turned to face her calmly. "I know you want to help but the women can't stay here it's too dangerous."

"The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do!" I looked at Arthur and I could see the change of heart, the women stood strong in the room and you could see the fire in their eyes. "But none of you know how to fight."

"The more of us there are, the better chance we stand!" At that moment, the women came out from the corners of the room and stood next to their fellow men.

"This is your home, if you want to fight to defend it that's your choice. I'd be honoured to stand alongside you. Canaan attacks tomorrow. Canaan's brutal he fights only to kill which is why he will never defeat us. Look around in this circle we're all equals, you're not fighting because someone's ordering you to. Your fighting for so much more than that!" A smile lined my face, he spoke so wonderfully to these people and I could see that he meant every word that came out of his mouth.

"You fight for your homes, you fight for you 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. Your fighting for your very right to survive! And when you are old and grey you will look back to this day and you'll know you earnt the right to live everyday in-between. So you fight for your family for your friends! Ealdor!" The rooms silence ended and everyone in the room began to chant Ealdor. There was no fear now, they headed every word he had said!

Morning came, it was an eerie silence, the birds were not singing their usual song and the usual bustling from outside was not there. 'Mother' was already preparing breakfast with Gwen and Arthur must have been outside, Morgana and Merlin were the last to wake up. Breakfast was the usual here, porridge, and it was strange eating it once again. Hunith called me over and instructed me to take Arthur his bowl apparently, he was by the outskirts of the treeline keeping watch.

The grass was always very tall at the outskirt of Ealdor and it was always a nuisance to me, it took me twice as long as it should do because I tried making a pathway... that failed miserably. As I was about halfway I did notice a red top in the distance and of course I knew who that was.

"Morning" he looked behind him seeing and greeting me by talking about how the weather was clear and their nonsense. "Hunith made you some breakfast" he took it from me "thank you, I think".

"Arthur there's no need to be like that, food is scarce for these people as it is it is important to be grateful for what you have!" realising what I had said and how rude I had gone about it I apologised and attempted to make my escape but Arthur kept calling my name.

"Row come back please." I turned around facing him once again feeling slightly embarrassed even though I did mean what I had said I defiantly went about it the wrong way. "Thank you, you're right. And you were also right about letting the women fight, we're going to need all the help we can get." I walked back to stand by his side, his biggest problem was when it mattered he didn't believe in his capabilities.

"We'll be fine Arthur" I was certain of it and in times like these we had to be positive and have faith in what we stand for. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I have faith in you... I mean we all do" he nodded his head probably happy to hear that the people believe in his leadership. I began to walk back to the village to prepare, Canaan would be here within a few hours when Arthur decided to shout from the trees "Row you'd had better be careful out there!"