Emrys had never been able to comprehend how people could ever have fun at parties.
The fact that he had been forced to attend every party Uther had gone to since he lived with him and had to see the king get drunk and eat while he stood in the sideways remaining quiet enough to not be noticed might had something to do with it.
However, this time, he actually had something worth celebrating.
Arthur was at the banket table, laughing loudly alongside Percival at something Kai had said. Emrys on the other hand, was sitting in a far corner. Mostly out of his own volition because Arthur always insisted on having him seated on the main table. Morgana was in the dance floor, her hand barely gracing Lancelot's as they moved to the rhythm of the music.
She had returned. After almost four years of knowing nothing about her, she was back in Camelot. A part of him could never conceive how anyone would have any desire to go back to Camelot even after Uther had died to do anything else than spit in the dead king's grave. Another, a far more selfish part of him he didn't want to admit existed was glad she had returned if it meant he now had the reassurance she was fine. At least one of them had managed to get out and turn out alright because of it.
The music stopped, and Morgana took a step away from Lancelot, the knight took a courteous bow and kissed her hand. There was something in her eyes that made Emrys want to laugh. She turned in his direction and after waving a quick goodbye to Lancelot, who parted with a reverence, she walked towards Emrys.
"Oh my, if it isn't the court's appointed sorcerer." she smiled, standing in front of him. He stood, "How honored am I that he has graced my welcoming party?" she put a hand in her chest, voice filled with drama.
"I suppose it is time for me to part, now that I have made my presence here recognizable for the honored woman." Emrys mumbled.
"And leave my party without dancing? Never, I'll take it as a great offense."
"There hasn't been anyone willing to dance with me." he shrugged. Protocol indicated that men had to be the ones to invite women, and even if someone had invited him, he would have refused.
Morgana rose an eyebrow, "Maybe if you had invited someone, and didn't look if you had a serpent running your insides, then you would have been dancing with someone."
"The serpent in my insides and me are quite happy here," Emrys scoffed, Morgana rolled her eyes.
"Then you and your serpent can't leave without dancing at least one piece with me, I am the honored woman after all, and the king's sister." She put a hand in her chest, her face taking a prideful expression. "And I won't take a no for an answer."
This time, it was Emrys who rolled his eyes, a smile twitching in his lips "Why don't you dance with the pretty knight again?"
"Lancelot?" Morgana and Emrys glanced in the knight's direction, only to see him talking with a woman. "Well, he is good looking, but right now, I need a familiar face, even if its one with beard."
"I'm sure there are many more men willing to battle each other for the opportunity to dance with you."
Emrys pointed at a small group of men who seemed to stare at Morgana with interest. Morgana glanced in their direction, as if she refused to give them any more attention than that.
"They more so want to confirm the rumors they have made up about my departure." She sighed with defeat. Emrys could agree why that was truth, however, as a bystander he could also see what other reasons they would have for looking at her with ease. Morgana was beautiful. her curly hair in an updo, with a few curls framing her face. She was wearing a yellow dress and she seemed to have an endless smile. "What I've heard so far is a child, a plot to kill Uther, and other says I'm verifying the terrain to lead an army of enemies against Arthur, now that I think about it, you haven't asked where I've been these past years."
Emrys glanced at the floor where someone had dropped a cup full of wine. With a flicker of his finger the floor was clean, and the cup was on the table, "If you wanted me to know you would have told me." he shrugged.
Morgana laughed. "Don't be so sour, dance with me Emrys." she pleaded, extending her hand towards him.
"I do not dance, Morgana."
"I don't care about that, come on, Emrys." she smiled warm. Emrys sighed taking her hand. One dance couldn't hurt.
She led him to the dance floor. They got in position for the dance as the music began, it was a rhythm much slower than the one she and Lancelot had partaken into. He could still recognize the dance, the steps etched in his memory as many dances had been.
His hand barely graced Morgana's, and making a respectful bow to one another, the dance began. They stepped away and towards each other back and forth. They only broke apart for their shoulders to touch as he put his hand just close enough to her waist to make it seem like if there was any contact.
"I won't wither if you touch me, Emrys." she mumbled, her tone teasing. He glanced at her, her dark skin glowed against the light of the candles.
"Is for my own protection, I don't know what you might have caught while you were away. You could be poisonous now for all I know." he scoffed, glancing at one of the couples dancing next to them. They laughed at each other when he stepped in her foot.
"You didn't care too much about that when we hugged yesterday." her tone was teasing.
"Yesterday I was too overwhelmed by the stench you emit; I even had forgotten how dreadful your presence was."
She laughed but didn't retort anything back.
He somehow found himself smiling.
Emrys took Morgana's hand and lifted it above her head letting it go and allowing it to go down as the same time as his to push her away and give her just the pull she needed to spin. Morgana returned to his side and they raised their hands enough so their fingers were brushing and he could feel the warmth of her hand. They took a step back. Their hands lowered and his ended on her waist, it was bold out of him. She was nearly hanging of his right hand. The air got stuck on his throat as her hair brushed past him.
With his hand, he pulled her until she was in front of him, looking up at him. Their hands once again raised, as they stood dangerously close to each other while they turned. They joined both hands. With each step they took back, the next one took them closer. Each time, Emrys felt the air stop in his throat and his heart skip a beat. He noticed how she smelled like lavender and lemongrass.
He then, felt her close, and lowering his eyes he noted how their noses nearly touched, but Morgana pulled away. His heart thundered in his chest and a small part of him told him he shouldn't feel as ashamed about it as he did. He, despite the clarity in his brain, and how beautiful she looked, had to remind himself that she was nothing but a dear friend. A friend he had searched up and above for, but now that she was back she somehow felt different.
When the music came to a halt, they were as close as they had been a few moments ago. They broke apart, a soft smile on her face and his lips pressed in a line to prevent the smile on his. He wondered if her heart was thundering just like his was. The feeling wasn't entirely unfamiliar, he could still vividly recall leaving flowers he had grown himself on the doorstep of the palace's kitchen and praying the right girl would pick them up. These feeling, however, was different, stronger, and made him feel lightheaded.
"Look at you, Emrys, who knew you could dance like that."
Her voice brought him back, and he realized she was standing by his side and they remained in the middle of the dance floor. Heat rose to his face and he walked back to where he was until she invited him to dance.
"It was a onetime only event." he spoke after clearing his throat. Emrys' eyes remained on a candle at the corner of the room. It took him a few seconds to gather the courage to look down. Once he did Morgana's big blue eyes were looking up at him.
"I should probably retire." Emrys excused, Morgana frowned putting a hand in his chest and standing in front of him.
"I am having none of that." she placed both her arms on her waist, "You can't just leave like that. You have to join me for the feast... Us, I mean... You should join us for the feast".
He tried repeating himself that, no matter what could have tied them together, she was at the end, the daughter of a king. A princess. The best he could hope for them was to retain the friendship they had once had until she found better friends and better people and decided he was too much of a lowlife to be worthy of her friendship. Or maybe she'd dwell long enough on all the evil things he had done in the name of Uther that she would no longer want to be anywhere near him out of pure disgust.
But she did the single deadliest thing she could do. She smiled. The purest and most genuine happiness reflected in her face. For that split second, it made him feel worthy, even if he wasn't sure of what.
"I suppose I can stay for a bit of wine." he admitted, his cheeks painted in a soft red he prayed the candlelight was enough to make invisible.
-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Are you alright?" Gabriel's voice resonated. Valerie wasn't sure if he was asking her or if he was asking Audrey who was staring at the sword she had dropped to the floor like she expected it to grow legs at any moment.
"Audrey..." Valerie called. Audrey's eyes snapped on Valerie's direction, and she lowered herself to pick up the sword. The sword's guard was wider outwards and the double-edge was shorter than Excalibur's, the pommel was decorated with a small sapphire in the middle of a drawing Valerie couldn't quite distinguish. She stared at the sword from up close and Valerie walked to her side.
Audrey's eyebrows were carefully knit together, and she turned the sword in her hands, making a small cut in her fingers as she did so.
"Who was that?" Iman questioned looking between Valerie and Audrey. Audrey shrugged, her lips moving but nothing came out.
"What are you doing?" Philip turned to Gabriel who was looking around.
"Trying to make sure nothing's going to crawl out of the ground or the school's going to crumble to reveal a pantheon of dead knights." Gabriel mumbled. Valerie smiled, trying to stifle a laugh.
"It has a letter in it, it looks like an l, but it could be a t or an I," Audrey mumbled, "Is this mine now?" she turned to Valerie. Suddenly all eyes were on her.
"Why is everyone looking at me?" she questioned. Valerie's mouth tensed in a line, trying to come up with a reasonable answer. "I suppose? That knight gave it to you, they must have had their reasons."
"Do you think they could find us with that?" Iman questioned, Valerie tilted her head, giving the idea a thought.
"I wouldn't think so," she finally answered. "They didn't seem to be wanting to find that kind of technology." she shrugged. "Is everyone else alright?" she questioned looking over the rest of them. They nodded in response and Valerie sighed with relief.
"And so far they didn't seem to have any trouble finding Valerie, why go all the trouble to give Audrey an extra sword just for that." Gabriel reasoned. Valerie nodded, giving him the reason.
"I'll call someone." Valerie mumbled, taking her phone out of her pocket.
"Good idea," Audrey conceded, finally lowering the sword. She was pressing it tight, but Valerie could tell the girl was struggling to figure out what to do with it. In a similar way a person can't see a clear picture in a puzzle. "Valerie, your arm doesn't hurt?" she tried.
Valerie lowered her eyes and noticed the gaping wound on the side of her arm. It was deep, she could notice as much just by looking at it, but she didn't feel more pain than a scratch. No blood was pouring out of the wound. She knit her eyebrows together and moved her arm multiple times trying to verify that her eyes weren't deceiving her. She even pressed the wound on the sides, only a thread of blood came out and she felt no more pain than if she had pinched it.
"What even..." she mumbled, pressing a finger against the wound. The sensation of her own flesh sent a chill down her spine.
She pressed her phone against between her ear and her shoulder paying closer attention to her injury after calling her home number. The phone only ringed a couple of times before a hesitant voice answered on the other side.
"Hey, can you come to my school?" Valerie questioned, shutting her eyes tight. "Listen I kinda need help here... because my aunt is working, and Jonathan is at school... I know he doesn't care... oh, I'm sorry, do you have plans? Yeah, I thought as much, we solved almost everything, there are a few details we need answers for, alright, thanks." Valerie returned her phone to her pocket under her friends' curious eyes. "Merlin's coming." she stated simple, not missing the amused look in their faces.
"Wouldn't calling Jonathan have been easier?" Gabriel questioned. Valerie tilted her head, forgetting about her injured arm for a second. "The moment the guy saw you were the one calling he'd drop everything off to come no questions asked." he smiled with mockery and Audrey elbowed him on the side.
Valerie could feel her face heating. "Shut up." she muttered.
Merlin arrived a few seconds later, he was wearing plaid pajama pants and a dark green shirt. He had a stubble in his face. Valerie opened her eyes wide and tried to think of a way to acknowledge the fact that he had arrived in pajamas. The rest of her friends didn't seem to mind.
"Good afternoon, what's the problem?" He questioned. Valerie knit her eyebrows together and shook her head.
"Two knights appeared, and I have this wound that is not bleeding nor hurting and one of the knights gave Audrey a sword and decided to disappear." She explained as fast as she could. Merlin nodded, deep in thought, looking between the kids with curiosity, his eyes opening wide when he took notice of Valerie's wound.
"He didn't say who he was? No?" He knit his eyebrows together, "Now give me your arm."
He turned to Valerie and pressed one hand against her wound and the other in the back of her neck. Valerie felt as the injury closed slowly and by the time Merlin removed his hand it looked like it had never been there in the first place. She had yet to get used to being healed through magic, but it was an advantage she was grateful for.
"Your injury is reacting like that because of the scabbard." Merlin explained with a vague movement of the hand. He turned to Audrey, "Now, Audrey, could you hand me the sword?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Valerie pressed, Merlin stared at her with disbelief as Audrey did as he asked. He sighed.
"Arthur had a scabbard that made it so that wounds would not bleed and made injuries less painful than what they would normally be," he explained. "That was the scabbard you brought out of that place and why Morgana was so adamant in making it a phone case. On its own, it solely prevented the bleeding, in close proximity with Excalibur is quite a formidable thing."
"I'm unhurtable now?" Valerie knit her eyebrows together. Merlin lifted the eyes from the sword's handle to her. There was a hint of amusement in them that irritated Valerie.
"Of course not, don't be dumb" Merlin scoffed. "You won't bleed out, and you won't feel much pain, but you can still die from injuries, loose limbs, things like that, unhurtable, what a ridiculous thing." His eyes opened wide. He focused on the sword, its details now in clear light. His eyes trailed from the pommel to the edge. "I'll return in a second." he handed the sword to Audrey who hesitated to take it back.
It didn't take long for him to return, this time Morgana was with him, an amused smile in her face. Her fingers were covered in paint and her hair was carefully put away from her face. She smiled and gave them a quick greeting.
"Now, girl, would you mind handing me the sword again?" Merlin questioned, Morgana stared at him with close attention, until he handed her the sword. She glanced at him for a few seconds before her eyes opened wide.
"For goodness' sake, you were being serious." Morgana mumbled, squinting her eyes and passing a finger over the pommel. "I was certain it had gotten lost, truth be told I never put too much of an effort in looking for it." she continued, Merlin put a hand on her shoulder.
"Is everything alright?" Audrey questioned. "Is there anything wrong with it?"
"No" Merlin was quick to say.
"It carries no dark magic." Morgana assured. "It doesn't feel like a normal sword, but there is nothing inherently wrong with it, congratulations, I suppose, you've gotten yourself a new weapon." Morgana handed the sword to Merlin with certain hesitance. Merlin took the sword in his hands as Morgana whispered something in his ear. He nodded, and the sword took the shape of a comb with small flowers on top.
"It works on the same principle that Excalibur and the shield work, it should be easy to manage if Her Highness over here could do it." Merlin spoke, Valerie wrinkled her nose in his direction muttering a series of curses.
"The thing on the sword." Iman begun, "What letter it is?"
"It most likely is an l," Morgana crossed her arms. "Which, reminds me, I didn't get the opportunity to ask you the last time I saw you, but you've helped my niece before, haven't you?" Morgana turned to Philip.
"I suppose so, why?" he mumbled, his cheeks turned a slight pink now that the attention was entirely on him.
Morgana smiled, trying to give the boy some comfort. "Do you mind if I check something? It's safe, I assure you"
"What will you do?" Phillip hesitated, leaning on his crutches staring at Morgana.
"If I'm not wrong, she wants to make sure if there's a knight somewhere in your family tree, it's harmless, she did it with me, and Audrey, I think." Iman smiled.
"She didn't do it with you?" Phillip questioned, turning to Valerie and Gabriel, both of them shrugged.
"I want to keep an air of mystery, one of us has to be the mysterious stranger in this, is there a knight in my family tree? Who knows?" Gabriel spoke, as if beaming with pride, dramatizing his words more than what they should have been.
"I don't understand why you put mine in question, I mean, I obviously look what you'll imagine someone descended from British royalty to look like," Valerie shrugged, pretending to be offended. She felt Phillip stare at her up and down, from her messy brown hair through the hole in her sleeve to her scratched shoes.
"Of course, how ridiculous of me," Phillip smiled, leaning onto one of his crutches, "I suppose checking couldn't hurt."
Morgana smiled.
A.N.
Hope you enjoy this chapter! If you do, please consider leaving a vote or a comment. Have a lovely day!