𝐂𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝖽𝗒-𝗈𝗇𝖾ㅤㅤㅤ───ㅤㅤㅤ𝖺𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗎𝗆 𝗂𝗋𝖺𝖾 𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗌
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗀𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈 𝖾𝗌𝗍.
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ㅤㅤㅤ"ጠልረዕጎፕል, ርዐዪክል, ዕቿነኗዪልርልዕል!" Sol swore as she ran through the forest- this time she took the fastest path, as she didn't have time to worry about her own safety; Morgana was alive and her family couldn't be saved anymore, it was all too much and the fairy felt horrified with the new information, she would have to think more about it later, as, right now, her only job was to warn her friends about what she had just discovered.
ㅤㅤㅤSol didn't bother to dodge the pricks that grew in some of the wild plants around the big trees, her armor became more and more scratched as she ran to get to Camelot as soon as possible.
ㅤㅤㅤOnly stopping once to breathe, Solamon finally arrived at the castle, alarming the other guards as she ran inside to find Hisirdoux's room. As soon as she found it, she ran inside, hitting the door and scaring most of the teens that were inside it.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Morgana! She's... she-" it was hard to breathe after all the running, she hadn't realize how heavy she felt until then, like she was about to black out at any moment.
ㅤㅤㅤ"She's alive, we know." Steve crossed his arms, rolling his eyes at the worried fairy.
ㅤㅤㅤIt was a relief to her that they already knew that, Solamon finally let herself breathe properly and relax a bit; she shouldn't have done that, her exhaustion from not having slept through the night and instead running from the Wild Wood to Camelot was immense. As soon as she sighed to let her body become less tense, her legs gave in and she had to kneel down.
ㅤㅤㅤIt was hard to lift a fairy with heavy armor, Claire, Ezekiel and Hisirdoux discovered, as they were the ones who had to take her to bed so she could rest before they explained the whole situation.
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ㅤㅤㅤ"So? Did he believe you?" Solamon asked Claire as she and Hisirdoux left Merlin's workshop with muzzles covering their mouths.
ㅤㅤㅤClaire coughed repeatedly and the muzzle disappeared, so Hisirdoux quickly followed up on her action.
ㅤㅤㅤ"What do you think?" the young witch frowned, crossing her arms as she watched Sol sigh, not surprised by Merlin's reaction about the situation.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Yeah, I figured he wouldn't believe it." the fairy mumbled cusses, angry at the old wizard for being such an ignorant man.
ㅤㅤㅤ"No sign of Morgana anywhere..." Claire looked around, searching for any evidence that could show where Morgana was hiding.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Nothing but unwashed plebeians stuffing their faces," Solamon's whole body trembled after hearing Hisirdoux's voice; she still wasn't ready to face him, reason why the ginger refused to look at him or even talk to the boy. Claire noticed her weird body language, being right by her side, but didn't say anything. "eh, Steve?"
ㅤㅤㅤ"Oh, yeah!" Steve sang as he raised a freshly cooked chicken leg, smiling at it as if was the last piece of food in the world. He even kneeled in the ground as he looked at it, glorifying the chicken with it's magnificent smell. "A mighty leg for a mighty warrior!"
ㅤㅤㅤAs he stood up, he smiled at Ezekiel and offered him the chicken leg, to which he smiled brightly at before he reached out to it, thinking that he was the mighty warrior his friend mentioned before. Before he could get the food, however, Steve brought it back to himself and kissed the chicken twice, laughing at Ezekiel's dissapointed face as he took pictures of himself while holding the big leg.
ㅤㅤㅤClaire rolled her eyes at his childish behavior while Sol and Hisirdoux only frowned, not understanding how the boy didn't bother to be serious in a moment like that.
ㅤㅤㅤThey all paid close attention to the king as he spoke about the private tournament he would host to find a strong someone capable enough of fighting alongside him in the war that would come; Hisirdoux and Solamon already knew it all, they were the ones who paid less attention to that, instead the older teens were thinking of a plan to find where Morgana was before she could strike.
ㅤㅤㅤIzzet only snapped out of her thoughts after Steve's scream almost exploded her eardrums. She hit him in the arm, making him drop the chicken leg, and he cleared his throat, pretending not to be scared of Bular after he appeared from behind one of the exposed cells; Sol analyzed how many chains where needed to keep the monster restrained, they were all twisted in beautiful knots that were capable to keep Bular from moving a muscle.
ㅤㅤㅤAfter the king presented the monster that the winner would have to kill after finishing all the other contestants, they all followed after Hisirdoux, who found somewhere quiet to explain his newly devised plan.
ㅤㅤㅤ"We know Arthur is the main target," the apprentice started after Steve was close enough to hear him, as the boy was too curious and kept exploring Camelot while pulling Ezekiel along with him; the dark skinned boy was clearly tired of walking around, but he didn't complain at all. "I'll draw stasis straps around the perimeter, put up defense wards-"
ㅤㅤㅤ"Oooh! Freshly baked!" Sol's eyes sparkled after she saw what Steve was carrying; muffins made by the same baker who did her favorite blueberry pie, the best of the best. She took some to herself and giggled as Hisirdoux did the same, biting one at the same time as she did.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Mm. I forgot how good this tasted." he didn't bother to finish chewing before he spoke, taking more of the muffins from Steve's big pile. "The ones in the future aren't the same..."
ㅤㅤㅤ"Guys, this is Morgana we're talking about." Claire frowned as she scolded them all. "We can't just wait for her to slice our throats."
ㅤㅤㅤIzzet cleared her throat as she finished eating the little pies, embarrassed that she had to be scolded by someone much younger than herself.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Claire's right, from what we've seen, she's super powerful and will find a way in." Ezekiel crossed his arms, nodding at Claire's words.
ㅤㅤㅤ"No sign of any sorceresses," Archie flew down, circling Ezekiel as the boy looked around for Steve, who suddenly disappeared somewhere in the kingdom. "then again, all you humans do look alike."
ㅤㅤㅤ"She is crafty." Claire scratched her own chin as she frowned, thinking of where the witch could be hidden. "She'll try to infiltrate the tournament!"
ㅤㅤㅤThey began going up the stars that were right behind them, listening carefully to Claire as the girl told them her theories.
ㅤㅤㅤ"We have to go on the defensive, root the witch out!" Claire spoke with so much confidence that it inspired all of them to face Morgana.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I'll help you where I can." Ezekiel smiled at the girl, thought he didn't seem as confident as she was.
ㅤㅤㅤ"You do that, we'll secure the castle." Hisirdoux started to run ahead, but he stopped abruptly and turned around, making eye contact with Sol for the first time that day.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Sol, come with me so you can help me out with the stasis straps." the ginger had a feeling that he didn't actually need her help with that.
ㅤㅤㅤShe gulped, tensing up, but still followed her friend around the castle. He stayed silent most of the time, only ever spoke to her to tell her where to put the protection spells. She became less tense with time, but Sol's calmness didn't last for long.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Archie, can you excuse us, please? Only for a moment." Hisirdoux asked his familiar, Solamon immediately felt a shiver down her spine and looked over at the cat-dragon creature, silently praying he would notice her looks of pure despair.
ㅤㅤㅤHowever, Izzet was not a lucky girl, the familiar only nodded slightly and flew up to search again for any traces of Morgana around Camelot.
ㅤㅤㅤHisirdoux took hold of his friend's hand and pulled her near an open space with big pillars, he hid behind one of them and searched for something out in the middle of the streets.
ㅤㅤㅤ"What are you-" Solamon frowned, confused with his actions.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Shhh!" he silenced her, putting a finger over her mouth, before he pointed to something ahead the pillar they were hiding behind. The fairy tilted her head to see what he was showing her and smiled when she saw the old Hisirdoux and Solamon hanging around the streets, her past self was eating a piece of blueberry pie while watching intently as people danced around to the happy music playing so loudly that they could barely hear themselves. Sol took the helmet off of her head so she could see the scene clearly, Hisirdoux smiled as she did so, her hair was mess under the armor piece.
ㅤㅤㅤThat was her favorite memory of her friend. It was amazing watching the scene from far, like living it all over again. Sol held her breath when she saw herself from the past frown at the covered feet of the people; that ment that they would start dancing soon.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Hisirdoux! Solamon! What are you doing just standing there?! Come here and help me with this!" Merlin's voice from the workshop's window alarmed both the past duo and the future intruders.
ㅤㅤㅤAs the teens rushed to get to Merlin's workshop, the fairy and her companion huffed in disappointment; it seems that they both wanted to watch the scene happen again.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Damn Merlin, I'll kick that old man's ass when we get back home." the girl murmured in her false deep voice, she spit the voice sphere and put it on her empty coin sack before turning to Hisirdoux.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Is that what you wanted to show me?" her normal voice seemed to surprise the apprentice for a moment, he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Yeah..." he thought for a short moment before extending his right hand to the ginger, who only frowned in confusion. "Well, if they're not going to dance, then shall we do it instead?" the sweet smile he gave her at that moment was enough to make her melt.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I- I don't think I can take my shoes off in this moment." she pointed to her round sabatons and Hisirdoux only chuckled in response.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Then dance with them on!"
ㅤㅤㅤ"I can't do that, that's not how it's done. I don't even know how to-" she crossed her arms stubbornly, but her friend was insistent.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I can teach you!" he kept his hand extended, giving the thoughtful girl a strained smile.
ㅤㅤㅤSolamon hated herself for considering the idea, they had important things to do in that moment, but she felt like Hisirdoux wouldn't change his mind so easily.
ㅤㅤㅤ"...Okay. Don't be mad at me if I step on your feet."
ㅤㅤㅤ"Don't worry, I won't." he chuckled slightly before taking her hand in his and placing the other on Sol's waist. She truly hoped he couldn't see the blush that covered her freckled cheeks.
ㅤㅤㅤThe fairy considered herself a good dancer, but only when she didn't have her shoes on. She murmured "sorry" everytime that she accidentally stepped on the boy's feet, though he didn't seem to mind, only shaking his head to show her it was alright. She got used to dancing with the sabatons after some time and it got very quiet after that; the only sounds where the songs the band was playing.
ㅤㅤㅤ"So... Sol, about the-"
ㅤㅤㅤ"What does husband mean?" she asked all of a sudden, making the apprentice surprised. She was clearly avoiding to talk about the "k word" with him.
ㅤㅤㅤ"What?"
ㅤㅤㅤ"When we were dancing back then, we switched partners and the woman I was dancing with called you my husband. It means friend, right?" Solamon frowned, tilting her head as Hisirdoux laughed at her confusion.
ㅤㅤㅤ"No, no. It means like... it's the title that your partner gains when you marry them. Do you know what marriage means?" she only shook her head to show that she, indeed, did not know what that ment either. "Okay... it's when two people get together for life, like forever partners."
ㅤㅤㅤ"Oh! That's cool!" she smiled, seemingly more excited to dance after knowing of that fact. "How do you marry someone?"
ㅤㅤㅤ"Well, it's a little complicated, I've never been married to anyone before, so I wouldn't know exactly, I just know that there's a bunch of paperwork and pretty pictures in dresses and suits involved." he explained, Solamon kept herself quiet after that.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Anyway, about the kiss-" he started again.
ㅤㅤㅤ"We should go back now, the kids are probably searching for us." Solamon rushed to distance herself from the boy after the song was finished, she grabbed her helmet from the ground and pushed it over her own head to put it back in. Seeing her struggle to put it on, Hisirdoux frowned and approached the fairy to help.
ㅤㅤㅤAfter he was done putting the helmet back in place, he turned her head up so she would look at him, still with his hands on her helmet.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I'm serious, Solamon. We need to talk about that." he elongated his words so the ginger would take him more seriously and she gulped, clearly nervous.
ㅤㅤㅤ"What is there to talk about? We both acknowledged it actually happened and I already said I liked it, so..." she shrugged, trying to avoid the long talk that came with the whole "showing romantic affection" thing.
ㅤㅤㅤ"That's exactly why we need to talk about it. I don't mind a little mystery, but I need to know if we're in the same page here. Do you like me?" his straightforward question got Solamon off guard, she stuttered to find an answer, finding her face to get warmer and warmer as he waited not so patiently for a response.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Uh- I think... well, yes." his sigh of relief calmed the fairy down a bit, his absence of patience was so out of character that Solamon was starting to worry for the boy; had she broken him?
ㅤㅤㅤ"Okay. Well, I like you too." he smiled, seemingly as nervous as she was, though Hisirdoux was double the courageous than the fairy in things like those.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Okay." she didn't know how to respond to that, so maybe nodding and saying small words while holding his hands over her helmet would be enough of an answer.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Okay." he copied her, and they both didn't know what to do next. They stared at each other for a long minute before Hisirdoux started to lean in. She worried he was doing that to kiss her again and stopped him by putting her palm over his lips.
ㅤㅤㅤ"We really need to go back now, Hisirdoux." the fairy murmured, smiling as she avoided eye contact with the boy, who cleared his throat before he gave her space by stepping back a bit.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Of course, sorry." he chuckled, turning back so they could keep placing the stasis straps around the castle, Archie came back not too long after that to help them by showing where they could place the spells.
ㅤㅤㅤ"And... There!" Hisirdoux threw one last spell on one of the white walls, showing himself satisfied with the result. "The king's chambers and Merlin's tower, completely warded."
ㅤㅤㅤ"No evil sorceress is getting in now, eh, Arch?" he started to analyze his work by looking around as he walked with a proud smile on his face.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Oh, you've done it, all right." the black cat sat on the last step on the small stairs that Hisirdoux and Solamon had just gotten down from. "Overdone it."
ㅤㅤㅤHis statement was proven right when a small and thin man got stuck inside a magic bubble after he accidentally ran into one of the stasis straps while carrying a bag of... rocks? Well, that was curious.
ㅤㅤㅤSol approached the young man while Hisirdoux helped him out of the bubble, she tried to look inside the bag he was carrying but he was quick to notice her curiosity and pulled it away to himself, running away from the two teens and the familiar; that made Sol even more suspicious. She was about to follow him before a strong arm pulled her by the shoulder.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Oi! What are you doing here, guard?! Go back to your duties, you dirtbag!" she was pulled away from her friend by Sir Galahad, only having time to send Hisirdoux a worried glance before she was pulled by the knight around Camelot.
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ㅤㅤㅤSolamon danced around the workshop as Hisirdoux played his new song to her and Merlin; it was a honor for her to have helped him find a name to the song.
ㅤㅤㅤThe fairy and her friend had already done her job of helping Merlin and they were taking a break from all the work, the both of them were quite happy with the extra time they had for themselves.
ㅤㅤㅤShe stopped abruptly when the sound of a heavy explosion came from outside, Hisirdoux mustn't have heard it, as he kept dancing and ended up bumping into Sol.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Hisirdoux, what's that awful noise?" Merlin demanded to know, frowning as he set his tools since he couldn't focuse enough to keep working with them.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I call it "The Rose of Ambrosius"!" he smiled awkwardly, thinking that his master was referring to his song.
ㅤㅤㅤ"No, I- I heard it too! I think it came from outsi-" Solamon wasn't able to finish speaking as a bomb exploded from the window, taking half of the wall with it's destructive power. A blue shield protected them from what the fairy and the master wizard recognized as dwarf stones- they were quite rare, obviously not very often found in Camelot- they didn't have enough time to process that fact, however, as future Hisirdoux and Archie opened the doors and escorted them out of there to protect them.
ㅤㅤㅤAs they got out the workshop by a portal, Sol recognized the sound of her own language coming from outside Camelot's walls and became confused; could it be that her family was there to get her? Risk themselves like that just to save her from the humans?
ㅤㅤㅤShe stood by Hisirdoux's side, trying to help him get out of the barrel he fell into after they jumped inside the portal that saved them from the dwarf stones, but still looked around curiously just to make sure she was only hearing things, her family would never risk their lives to save only one of their kind.
ㅤㅤㅤAs ጠል appeared from behind the tall wall, Solamon's thoughts became a mess, she couldn't believe it.
ㅤㅤㅤThe big fairy raised her mighty fists and smashed the wall with brute force instead of simply using her magic; it was a scary scene, to say the least- ጠል was always graceful, violence was not a word she knew, and her angry expression was not a sight Solamon ever expected to see, yet, there it was.
ㅤㅤㅤ"ነዐረልጠዐክ," her voice echoed through the silent Camelot, the knights became too shocked with the size of the fairy to even move. "ሀቿክዘል, ሀልጠዐነ የልዪል ርልነል."
ㅤㅤㅤHer mother smiled, it was not a warm smile like Sol remembered it to be, but instead a forced one.
ㅤㅤㅤ"I- no, I..." she didn't know what to do. Sol never thought she would be indecisive about going back home.
ㅤㅤㅤOn one side, Hisirdoux was a dear friend of her and abandoning him there would probably ment never seeing each other again, Merlin was a good mentor and never did her any harm, even taught her strong spells and how to use runes that weren't written in her language. On the other side, her family was right there, she could go back home and pretend nothing ever happened; she was never captured, she never saw her future self, she never met Hisirdoux.
ㅤㅤㅤSol could go back to her old life with her siblings and her parents.
ㅤㅤㅤWhy was she worried anyway? She only met the boy a few days prior, he was not that special to her. Sure, it was nice to feel butterflies and to smile everytime he was around, but... well, it was her family.
ㅤㅤㅤOh, by the love of ክልዪጎ, why was it so hard?
ㅤㅤㅤ"ነዐረልጠዐክ, ዐ ዒሁቿ ቿነፕል ቿነየቿዪልክዕዐ?! ሀቿክዘል!" her mother frowned, extending a hand to the younger fairy and huffing after she recoiled, as if she was being scolded at.
ㅤㅤㅤ"...Okay." she sighed, not wanting to think about her decision too much.
ㅤㅤㅤShe tried not to, but it was impossible to not look back as she removed her wing protection to fly away with her mother. Hisirdoux was there, barely awake after passing out inside the barel, but looking directly at her with a sad expression.
ㅤㅤㅤNo, why was he doing that? That damn boy was only making it harder for her.
ㅤㅤㅤ"Sorry..." she whispered out to him, neither of them were sure if she actually ment it.
ㅤㅤㅤAnd then, she was gone.