"I was surprised when Ulric came to see you the other day," Gaius said.
Eowyn was arranging the bookshelves and putting the books she was done reading. Days had passed since the wraith had been defeated and Merlin had hidden the sword elsewhere. She had heard that Kilgharrah was more than furious that Uther had been the one wielding the sword and had urged Merlin to get rid of it. In the meanwhile, Ulric O'doley had left town and had returned to East Usad. Eowyn had been there to send him off, thanking him once more for enlighting her regarding Ljosalfars and Old Norse.
"Ah, you know him?" Eowyn put the last book on the shelf and sat at the table where Gaius was working.
"Yes, he's East Usad's Governor-General's son so he's in charge of delivering the fine to Uther every six months,"
Eowyn froze. Her eyes widened as she stared, mouth agape, at her mentor.
"He's the Governor-General's son?" She repeated in utter disbelief.
"You didn't know?"
"No! I had no idea! He just told me he was a knight!"
Ulric was so kind but also very discreet for someone of his status. He was, in some way, the equivalent of Arthur in East Usad yet behaved a lot calmer and placidly.
Gaius laughed and shook his head. "That doesn't surprise me at all coming from him. He has always been like that,"
"You've known him for a long time?"
"Since he's a child," the old man nodded. "Before him, his mother, Lady Sif O'doley was the one delivering the fine and he would always come along. And when his father, Bearach O'Doley, would come to discuss with Uther, he would also come along. He is a great man and a great knight but always acts as if he was not, which is very humble of him,"
Eowyn remained silent for a second. It seemed that Ulric had been following a precise education regarding international affairs since childhood so for him to refer to his visit as "boring politics" might not be a true statement. But he surely did not wish to talk about such a matter with someone he barely knew. Still, the fact he was someone of great importance shocked her greatly, especially the fact that she had been talking so casually to him. She would have shown a lot more formalities if she had known, which was perhaps the reason he had not been entirely honest with his identity.
"Why does East Usad have to pay a fine every six months?" Eowyn then asked. "In the history books I have read, none mentions the reason the kingdom of Usad has been split in half. Weren't Usad and Camelot allies?"
Gaius did not answer immediately. He put his quill down. "Usad and Camelot were indeed allies. But at the time of the Great Purge, Usad had broken the treaty which led Uther to go to war against them,"
"Why did they break the treaty?"
"Even I don't know. Uther never told me,"
"But you do have a theory, do you?"
Gaius stared at Eowyn for a second then nodded. "Usad was called "The Promised Land for the Magical Beings". Magic was present all around the kingdom, even more than it was present in Camelot. So I supposed that when Uther declared the Great Purge...,"
The most plausible theory was that Usad could not barely see their kin being slaughtered so they decided to stand up and go against Uther who then sought retaliation. And as Usad was a smaller kingdom and that, not only Camelot butt also Cenred had attacked the kingdom, they had lost the battles.
"So Uther punishes them for facing tyranny," Eowyn quietly said.
Gaius said nothing but merely nodded. Now she understood the slight disappointment in Ulric's eyes when Uther won his fight against the wraith. The knight must bear quite a great amount of resentment for the King of Camelot who he deemed responsible for the downfall of his kingdom. It must be quite hard for him to return every six months to face the man who had stripped him of his autonomy as a Usadian citizen. He and his people had been wronged by Uther, naturally, they wished for his reign to cease.
The three knocks on the doors brought Eowyn back from her thoughts. She did not have the time to stand up to go open the door that the guard who had knocked pushed it open.
"Eowyn, Gaius, your presence is required in the throne room," he said.
The mentor and the disciple shared a look. If the King had required their presence, it meant that something had happened. Perhaps a strange illness had attacked the inhabitants of Camelot or a strange creature had invaded the kingdoms. Whatever it was, Eowyn grabbed her pouch and followed the guard with Gaius. When they got to the throne room, the whole court was already there as well as Arthur, Lady Morgana, and Gwen. Merlin, who strangely looked grave, was in a serious conversation for a moment. When he caught sight of Eowyn, he smiled and gestured to her. When the woman turned, Eowyn's eyes lightened up as a luminous smile garnished her lips.
"Mother!" she ran to her mom and warmly embraced her. Hunith let out a chuckle as she gently patted her daughter's back. However, a frown immediately flawed her brow when she noticed the bruise near her mom's eyes. Eowyn gently cupped her face and slightly tilted her face to the side to have a better look at it. "What happened? Who did this to you?"
"I'm okay, Winnie," Hunith gently reassured her although Eowyn still took out a small recipient from her bag.
"It doesn't seem serious. You won't lose your eye," she opened the small recipient and applied the salve on the inflamed area. "This ointment will help with the pain,"
"It seems you have learned a lot of things here,"
"Well, someone has to make the travel here worthwhile," Eowyn closed the recipient and put it back in her bag as Merlin looked at her with wariness.
"What does that suppose to mean?" he asked.
"Nothing, brother. Nothing," she playfully smiled before turning back to their mom. "Why have you traveled to Camelot? It must be important,"
Hunith's gentle and proud smile that had been adorning her lips the moment her eyes had caught sight of her daughter gradually withered as her eyes grew sullen. Before she could answer her daughter's questions, the door of the throne room opened and Uther walked in. The court made way for him as he went to sit on his throne, Arthur beside him. Morgana and Gwen were standing close as well while Hunith stood in front of the King; Merlin, Eowyn, and Gaius a feet behind her.
"Why have you asked for this meeting?" Uther asked.
Hunith inhaled as the sorrow became more and more apparent on her face, which increased the worry already present in Eowyn's heart. For Hunith to have traveled all the way from Ealdor to Camelot, something grave must have happened.
"The winters are harsh in Ealdor," she quietly said. "There are many children. Some of them just won't be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won't live to see another summer. Please, we need your help,"
In Ealdor, winter was always the time of the year when many died. The weaker one could simply not survive. Harvests were already just enough to live on a daily basis so when the cold decreased its quantity, the consequences could be disastrous. The situation was already complex as it was so if bandits abused their powers over the villagers and looted them, it became the equivalent of a slow and painful death.
For Hunith to come to Camelot for help, it meant she had already tried asking King Cenred's help. But the man was worse than Uther if that was even possible. The King of Camelot was a tyrant, but he did care for his people. It was not the case for Cenred. He was an oligarch and only cared about the comfort of the wealthy, about the comfort of those who could support him financially. The commoners, for him and his court, were lesser beings, people not worth his attention or care.
"Ealdor's in Cenred's kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility," Uther stated.
"We've appealed to our King, but he cares little for the outlying regions. You're our only hope,"
"I have the deepest sympathy for you and would have this barbarian wiped off the face of the earth,"
"You'll help us?" Hunith's voice was full of hope that was soon crushed.
"I wish I could," Uther sighed.
"Surely we can spare a few men?" Arthur intervened.
"Resources are not the problem,"
"Then what is?" Morgana asked.
"Ealdor lies beyond the Ridge of Essetir. For an army of Camelot to enter, it would be an act of war," Uther explained.
Understanding that the king might not help but still refusing to give up, Hunith dropped to her knees. Both Eowyn and Merlin shared a look. Their decision had been made.
"I know you're a good king, a caring man. I'm begging you, help us, please," Hunith pleaded.
"The accord we've struck with Cenred was years in the making. I cannot risk hundreds of lives for the sake of one village. I'm afraid Camelot cannot help,"
The meeting was soon dismissed after that. Eowyn and Morgana had helped Hunith up before leaving the throne room. If Camelot could not help Ealdor, it meant that it was time for both Eowyn and Merlin to return home. Though they were crossed with most of the villagers, it was still their home. It was the village they grew up in, the village of their mom. They will not let it burn to ashes. They will not let it be destroyed by bandits.
It felt strange to Eowyn to return to Ealdor. It had been months since she and Merlin had left but so many things had happened that it felt like years already. Would the villagers even accept their help? Well, regarding the situation, they did not have much of a choice. Any help was welcome but it was quite ironic that their saviors were the two individuals they despised. Perhaps it was the time to show them they were not the monsters they believed they were.
Hunith was waiting at the town's gate at the time for Merlin and Eowyn to be done gathering their belongings. Merlin had gone to Gwen's house as she wished to give him a sword for the travel. He had also informed his sister that both Gwen and Morgana would be coming to Ealdor, which did surprise Eowyn. Apparently, the lady and the maid both felt indebted to the siblings for their help while Gwen was in jail and for the druid boy. Also, as Gwen was strongly infatuated, not to say in love, with Merlin, she simply wished to be there for him as he had been there for her when she needed him. Of course, this meant that the siblings would not be able to use magic and therefore rendered the fight against Kanen a lot more difficult than expected. Still, they would never back down.
Merlin had returned to the Physician's chambers. The siblings' bags were made and they were now gathering the last few things. Gaius had given Eowyn enough supplies to heal the wounded ones. As the court physician, he could not depart as well and was bound to stay in Camelot.
"Are you sure you don't want an extra blanket?" Gaius asked. He had been checking if the siblings had everything they needed, so they would be alright in any situation.
"It's okay, really. We'll be alright," Merlin put his bag on his back.
"Well, make sure you are. Do whatever it takes," the old man paused for a second then tightly hugged the siblings.
"I'll miss you so much," Eowyn told him.
"I'll miss you too, my child," Gaius knew that there was a chance that they would not return to Camelot and it saddened him greatly. The physician's chambers had always been quiet but having these two youngsters with him had lightened his calm world. It did come with many dangers to face but it was worth it if he could spend time with them.
They all broke away and Eowyn put her bow on her back. "Give me that, brother," she said as she gestured to the sword he had in his hand.
"Why?"
"Because I'll wield it better than you," she took it and attached it around her waist.
"You've never wielded a sword before,"
"I'll still wield it better than you. You're a danger with that in your possession,"
"And how do I defend myself then?"
"Stay behind me," she shrugged with a sly grin. "And in case you've forgotten, you're a sorcerer, Merlin,"
"Yeah, but—"
"Alright, alright, get out of here now," Gaius shooed them away. "I will definitely not miss you guys' constant bickering,"
Both Eowyn and Merlin shared an amused look before laughing and hugging Gaius one last time. And after that, they truly left. The siblings headed to the gates of the town where their mom, accompanied by Morgana and Gwen, was waiting for them. They got on their horses and all took the direction of Ealdor.
The travel to Ealdor was not too long, just two days on horseback was needed. They crossed forests and plains, and more forests. When the night had fallen, they stopped and set a camp. After eating, Morgana and Gwen went to sleep while the little Ambrosius family sat by the fire. They were only a few hours from Ealdor, they should arrive before noon. Kanen was supposed to return to demand the rest of the fine they had imposed on the villagers. If the Camelot party was rapid enough, they could arrive before the bandits arrived.
"They shouldn't be here. Especially the Lady Morgana. Isn't she the King's ward?" Hunith quietly asked, not to wake the two sleeping girls.
"Not that you'd know it. She's the only person I know who isn't frightened of him," Eowyn said.
"It won't make any difference to Kanen that they're women,"
"I know. But I couldn't talk them out of coming," Merlin sighed. His eyes lingered a moment on Hunith's bruise. It was healing but it was still apparent. "I want to make him pay for what he did to you,"
"Promise me you'll be careful. No one can find out about you two," Hunith told the siblings. She had witnessed the Great Purge and its horror. She had seen the many, many magical beings being slaughtered. She did not wish to see her two precious children face the same fate.
"They won't. They never do," Eowyn reassured.
"Get some rest," Hunith tenderly told her children.
Both Hunith and Eowyn went to sleep while Merlin remained by the fire. From where Eowyn was lying, she could see her brother playing with the fire. He had incanted a spell and conjured the escutcheon of the House of Pendragon with the embers. Eventually, he also went to sleep. Only Eowyn was still awake. Though she had closed her eyes many times, she could not find slumber. Her mind would not let her rest. The strange dreams she had been having had not ceased and her worry regarding the situation with Ealdor was not helping her find sleep. In the urgency of the moment, she had not taken to time to truly think what was about to happen. All her mind had been set on was defending and protecting her childhood village. But this required fighting. She had combated magical creatures, but never human beings.
Eowyn closed her eyes and tried to force herself to sleep, shutting her mind down and refusing to think about anything. However, her eyes shot open when she heard the steps of a horse in the dark night. She did not budge and remained on the floor. Before moving, she needed a confirmation which she soon got when she perceived horse's noies again. Slowly and silently, Eowyn stood up and grabbed the first weapon she had found, which was the sword she then tied around her waist. She unsheathed it and began walking further into the woods. Her eyes carefully scanned the surroundings, looking for the slightest hint of an enemy. Heart pounding but sword secured in her hands, she advanced slowly, making no sound. Yet, she stopped dead in her tracks. Against her back was pressed the tip of a sword. Without a second thought, she swiftly turned around and aimed for a blow.
"Woah!" A sword blocked hers, and Eowyn's eyes widened in shock as she slowly realized who the supposed enemy was.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry, Arthur!" Eowyn rapidly sheathed her sword.
"I should have known you'd react this," he sheathed his sword as well.
"Well, to be fair, who goes behind someone and points a sword at them?"
Arthur let out a chuckle as they began heading back to the camp. There, Eowyn lightened the campfire with rocks, and they both sat by it.
"That was a good blow," Arthur complimented.
"Thanks," she gently smiled. "I've watched you train. I'm a fast learner,"
"You've watched me train?" There was a tease in his voice and his lips had curled up in a quippy smile. Eowyn refused to look at him and was grateful for the lack of light so he could not see the flush of embarrassment that had beautifully tainted her cheeks and ears.
"I was just passing by," She could feel his amused gaze on her which was not helping to make the embarrassment vanish. It was not often he could see a flustered Eowyn so it was a sight he must enjoy at most. He liked her calm and very quick-witted but also opinionated personality, but he wished he could see her a little more relaxed when she was around him. He knew she was a lot more playful with Merlin, Gwen, and even Morgana. He wished she was like that with him as well.
"Does the King know you have come?" she asked, which brought him back from his reverie.
"Yes, he does. He was not particularly pleased by my decision but did not stop me,"
"Wouldn't it cause a problem with Cenred? We wouldn't want to be the cause of a war between Camelot and Cenred,"
"Well, if there's no bandits left to report it Cenred, I guess it won't cause any problem," Eowyn did not answer anything to that and only stared at the campfire. "How much further is it?" Arthur then asked.
"Maybe a few hours,"
"How many men does Kanen have?" It was best to know as many things as possible about the enemy. Going on a battle unprepared was the worst thing to do.
"I'm not sure. I think, from what my mother said, maybe as many as forty," she paused as she came to realize how heavily outnumbered they were. With the villagers, they could perhaps defeat Kanen and his men but the villagers were no soldiers. "It will be a tough fight,"
"But we'll manage," Arthur reassured. "We'll free your village,"
"I know, it's just...," Eowyn paused again. A frown flawed her brow as she inhaled. "I've never used my bow to take a human life. When I chose to walk the path of a physician, I made an oath: do not cause harm. But if I fight... will I be able to shoot an arrow? Will I lose the right to be a physician?"
"If you wish not to fight, it is your choice and we will respect it. You can still help us by tending our wounds," Arthur said. "But know that every oath has loopholes one can exploit. So if you do choose to fight, you will still have the right to be a physician,"
Eowyn remained silent. If she fights, she will have to kill men which will directly break her oath. But if she does not fight, if she does not help in combat, if she does not help get rid of the bandits, Kanen and his men will continue looting and abusing the villagers, and even more harm will be done. And her inaction would feel accomplice to his doing. Sometimes, doing nothing causes harm. In this case, which situation would provoke more suffering? The answer was obvious, and so was her decision.
"Thank you, Arthur," she smiled. "You're a lot wiser than I thought,"
He scoffed. "What does that supposed to mean?"
Eowyn only laughed and bid him good night. And this time, she fell asleep.
At dawn the next day, they all resumed traveling to Ealdor. Those who were unaware of Arthur's arrival were quite shocked when they woke up and saw that the Crown Prince of Camelot had joined the journey. But of course, most of all, they were also pleased. Having Camelot's best warrior with them increased their chances of victory. Arthur had led men to battle so having his knowledge with them was more than welcomed.
The more they got closer to Ealdor, the more anxious Eowyn got. She feared the state she would find her village in, and she feared what she would find there. And when they got to the village, her fears had already come true. Kanen and his men had already gotten to the village and were forcing the villagers to give them their harvest, even if this meant starvation. However, this stopped when Arthur threw one of his swords onto the post right behind Kanen. The prince rapidly dismounted his horse and imitated a fight with the bandits. Soon enough, the rest of them got to the village and dismounted their horses to join the fight. Eowyn got on a wheelbarrow to have a better view of the whole situation before taking out her bow and shooting arrows, without missing her target. The sword she had returned to Merlin. Since he could not use his power freely, Eowyn had given it back to him before they got to the village.
The sudden apparition of the Camelot party forced Kanen and his men to flee and temporarily free the village. At once, Eowyn got down from the wheelbarrow and rushed to the villagers who had been hit to examine them. Fortunately, no one had been gravely hurt.
"So you're a physician now?"
Eowyn, who was examining an old man, looked behind. A smile adorned her lips when she caught sight of Will who was heading her way with Merlin. Eowyn gave an ointment to the old man and gave him a few instructions before standing up.
"I'm still an apprentice, but I see you're still lazying around," she jested as they met midway.
"At least I'm no skivvying for some prince,"
"I'm not skivvying—" though before Merlin could finish his sentence, Arthur called him from the other side of the plaza.
"Merlin! Gather the villagers, I need to talk to them,"
"Yeah, in a minute. I'm just talking—"
"Now, Merlin. There isn't much time,"
"Yes, Sire," Merlin said before glaring at his sister for looking at him, amused.
Merlin gathered the villagers with the help of Eowyn. Arthur wished to organize the rebellion against Kenen. The sooner they get to the job, the more time the villagers will have to train. No one knew when exactly Kenen would return. It takes hours like days. All prayed for the latter option.
"I know Kanen's kind," Arthur said. "He'll be back. And when he is, you must be ready for him. First of all, we have to prepare for—"
"Am I the only one wondering who the hell this is?" Will cut off as he made his way to the front of the crowd.
"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot,"
Will scoffed. "Yeah, and, er, I'm Prince William of Ealdor,"
"Will, please. He's here to help us," Eowyn intervened.
"But he's made things worse. Kanen will be back, and when he is, he'll be looking for revenge. You've just signed our death warrants,"
"He saved Matthew's life!" Hunith exclaimed.
"That's alright, Hunith," Arthur reassured. He did not want to stir conflicts within the village and there was no time for that anyway. "This is his village. What would you have us do?"
"We can't fight against Kanen. He has too many men," Will said.
"So what's the alternative?"
"Give him what he wants," but the villagers immediately shook their heads. They refused to keep living this kind of life. A life of fear and starvation.
"Then what?" Arthur asked. "Those of you who don't starve to death will face him again next harvest! And the harvest after that,"
"We'll manage. We'll survive," but again, this statement was followed by many protests from the villagers.
"The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him,"
"No. You just want the honor and glory of battle!" Will exclaimed. "That's what drives men like you! Look, if you want to fight, then go home and risk the lives of your own people, not ours!"
Will stormed off and Merlin went after him. The other villagers, however, all agreed to stand up and fight. Now that they had a knight with them, someone who knew about war strategy and who could train them, they had a chance of walking off this battle alive and victorious.
All took the rest of the day to rest and recover from Kenen's attack, especially the villagers. Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur were housed in the Ambrosius household. It wasn't the palace most of them were used to but it was big enough for them all. However, it must still feel odd for Morgana and Arthur who had always been used to canopy beds or royal fares, which surely was why he had struggled to finish the breakfast Hunith had made. Though he did not want to hurt her feelings so, when she was not looking away, he gave his bowl to Eowyn before leaving to train the men.
Eowyn finished Arthur's breakfast and helped her mom clean the table when the others had left. When they were done, Eowyn examined her mother's healing bruise again. Hunith was sitting at the table as Eowyn was applying an ointment on her bruise again.
"You seem changed," Hunith suddenly said. Eowyn looked at her mom, taken aback. "In a good way, I mean. You look like you've found your purpose,"
Eowyn smiled. "I've learned a lot of things under Gaius's care. And he has so many books so I can never get bored,"
"I'm glad. I've always felt like Ealdor was a cage to you," Eowyn stopped and gazed back at her mom, shocked. Hunith gently took her hands in hers. "You were only three when you began reading and by the time you were five, you were already asking me questions I did not know the answers to. I've always known that you needed to leave to feel fulfilled,"
"I like Ealdor,"
"I know," Hunith smiled. "But it does not possess the things you yearn for,"
Eowyn remained silent for a moment. Hunith was telling the truth. Though she had had a joyous life in Ealdor, Eowyn had always felt shackled and chained there, like full potential could never be used. This changed in Camelot. Of course, she still had unanswered questions, but it was only a matter of time until she got the responses she was looking for.
"Next year, for your twentieth birthday, come back to Ealdor. There's something I must give you,"
Eowyn frowned. "Can't you give it to me now?"
Hunith let out a chuckle. "Patience is a virtue, Winnie. I can't give it to you now, it won't open anyway,"
"Alright, I'll wait a year then...,"
Hunith gently kissed her daughter's cheek before Eowyn left for the plaza. She did wonder what her mom wished to give her but quickly pushed the thought away. There was no use in thinking about it, it was obvious that Hunith would say nothing.
At the plaza, Arthur was training the men as Merlin went back from chucking wood. Eowyn went to help Morgana and Gwen sharpen the swords. If they were not far from matching the number of men Kenen had, it was still not enough. Ealdor men were no fighters. No matter how good the sword is, if one can't wield it well, they will never come out from the fight alive. To ensure the victory, they had to increase their number by allowing the women to fight, but Arthur was not very keen on doing that.
As Eowyn was placing swords in a sword storage, she caught sight of Will who was observing the training.
"You've come to help?" Eowyn asked, though she already knew the answer.
"I'm not gonna fight. You know this is useless. We won't win against Kenen," he said. Will was not a very big fan of kings and princes. His father was one but had died in combat, which, in Will's eyes, was like dying in vain instead of dying as a hero. Cenred had once sent his army to battle in a war they had lost. They would have never won, and he knew that, yet he still sent them to battle and Will's father never came back alive. Now Will did not see the point in fighting to the death, especially in a combat deemed as already lost. But it was not the case for Ealdor. There was still a chance.
"So what? You'll give him your harvest for the rest of your life?"
"At least, I'd live,"
"Do you call that living?"
Will did not answer and simply sighed. He walked closer and leaned on the opposite side of the storage, standing right in front of Eowyn. "I missed you, you know. It wasn't the same without you here,"
"You mean you missed having no one fixing up your mess after causing trouble with my brother?" She joked.
He chuckled. "I truly mean it. I've been crying every night since you left,"
Eowyn rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips.
"You can't stop joking even for a second, can't you?"
"Nope. It always makes you smile," he grinned.
Eowyn was well aware of Will's feelings for her, though he had never confessed it. It had always been obvious to her. From the way he looked at her always with a soft of tenderness and longing. Of course, she had made her feelings clear to him: he was only a friend to her. She did not want to lead him on and give him false hope. Still, Will had never moved on and instead decided to love her from afar.
"Well, I have to help Gwen and Morgana..."
The day had mostly been used to train and sharpen swords, and when the night had fallen, everyone had fallen asleep. Everyone but Eowyn.
In days like these, when the battle was ahead but no one knew when it would take place, Eowyn could simply not find sleep. Akin to when his brother had been poisoned, Eowyn was too anxious to rest. Even if her mind would not think about the potential deaths and defeat, the potential loss of her family and friends, her body would remind her of it. Racing hearts, racing thoughts, and trembling hands; it inevitably reminded her of the situation.
So Eowyn was in the plaza, in the middle of the night. The fresh breez calmed her nerves though not entirely. A good way to let go of anxiety was to exercise. It was a truth universally known that exercising relieves stress. Perhaps it was not the best idea to do that at night, but it was also the only time of the day she could do so. She spent the days sharpening swords or refilling the medicinal herbs provisions by picking up flowers in the woods, and by the time this was done, the sun was already setting and dinner was being made. And as Arthur was not keen to let the women fight, she also doubted he would let her train.
So she took a sword from the storage. Archery required serenity and concentration which she excelled at, and which was the reason it would not relieve her stress. She needed something more physical and swordcraft was the perfect thing for that. She had little knowledge of the sword arts but she had seen how Arthur trained the men and she had seen him fight. Still, she was an amateur and she knew that very well, especially because of that uncomfortable feeling she had each she performed a move. She repositioned her hands several times and tried to fix her posture though it did not help with anything.
"Spread your feet. You'll have a better balance,"
Eowyn slightly flinched at the sudden voice and looked behind. Arthur was standing on the edge of the plaza, arms crossed.
"You know how to wield a sword but you have to improve your stance," he added as he made his way toward her. He had trouble sleeping as well. He knew better than anyone else that the men were not ready to fight, but they did not have much of a choice. His troubled mind caused him to turn in his sleep which was how he noticed Eowyn's absence. Fearing the worst, he immediately went looking for her until he got to the plaza. "Spread your feet, never keep them one against the other," he continued.
Eowyn did not move from her spot and followed his instructions. Immediately, she felt the difference, her hold on the sword already felt better.
Arthur then rested his hand on her back. Eowyn discreetly glanced at him and focused back immediately. "The more the soles of your feet are in contact with the ground, the better your balance will be. Slip your feet, don't lift them up. It'll help keep your balance. Maintain an upright posture with the torso forward,"
Eowyn fixed her posture as he spoke, mirroring his words.
"Keep your elbow a little more bent and close to your body," Arthur repositioned her arms. He then took a few steps back. "Now try a few movements,"
Eowyn did as she was told. A discreet smile appeared on her lips. Wielding the sword felt now a lot more comfortable and natural. The blend cut through the air and swung around a lot more easily. Eowyn was no longer stiff but was now very agile.
"Thanks, for the help,"
Arthur only smiled. He walked to the storage and took a sword. "Let's see if you are indeed a fast learner,"
"Are you sure? I may stripe that 'best warrior of Camelot' title from you," Eowyn taunted with a smirk.
Arthur scoffed as he positioned himself a few feet before. "There's no way this will ever happen,"
"You'd be surprised," she got into a defensive stance and Arthur did as well.
They stared at one another for a few seconds, sizing each other up as they moved in a circle. Eowyn knew that she would never defeat Arthur. He had years of practice and was greatly more skilled. He was a professional and she was barely an amateur. Still, she had her own pride and she refused to back down. It was the best opportunity to show him that women could fight as well and that they would fight.
No one was putting their guard down so Eowyn made the first move. She swiftly advanced and attacked him though he blocked her assault with ease. Right away, she attacked again and again but each of her movements was blocked. Still, she continued with great caution until she found an opening for a well-aimed blow. But Arthur had anticipated this and parried hr moved again, just before pushing her. Eowyn stepped back a few feet just as Arthur attacked her. But mirroring his previous move, she parried him. A smile stretched on his lips, but before Eowyn could even process it, he attacked again and again and again. All Eowyn could do was block his moves but had no time to strike back. Arthur's movements were so overwhelming that she could not find the time to seek an opening in his stance, which made her realize how great he was (not that she was doubting it). She kept parrying his attacks, stepping back again and again until her feet collided with a rock. She gasped as she felt her body falling backward, but Arthur reacted quickly. On instinct, he wrapped his arm around her waist and swiftly switched positions. Arthur's back collided with the ground while his body cushioned Eowyn's fall.
"I'm sorry—"
Her heart missed a beat. Her breath was caught in her throat. She felt her body grow weak. Eowyn had never realized how blue Arthur's eyes were. It was not as blue as the azure sky but slightly lighter, like pure pristine water or spinel precious stones; while his hair was not of a light blond but resembled more the sweetness of honey. He was a handsome man but had never taken the time to truly look at him. The time to truly see him. And now that she was gazing at him, it felt impossible to look away. And this feeling was shared by him. His eyes could not find the strength to leave her beautiful visage. He stared in awe at her expressive eyes slightly curtained by a few stands of her lovely brown hair that framed her so angelic face. He had never seen a being so magnificent as her and he hardly breathed when his eyes drifted down to her charming lips. It was the first time in his life he had felt such a strong envy to close a gap and softly press his lips on hers.
Arthur's heart tightened in disappointment when Eowyn rapidly moved away and stood up.
"I'm so, so, so sorry, my Lord," She held his hand out to him and helped him get back on his feet.
Her state of marvel regarding his beauty had quickly vanished to make way for embarrassment. There was nothing more shameful than tripping in front of him and falling on him. And what was it telling about her skills? It made it appear that could not fight which would only prove Arthur right, which she could not let happen.
"No... It's...," he cleared his throat and looked away. "It's okay. Er, you're alright, that's what matters,"
Silence. No one uttered anything. They just stood awkwardly.
"I think we should head back and rest," Eowyn eventually said as put her sword back in the storage. "A long day awaits us,"
Arthur said nothing and only nodded. However, by the time he had gotten to the storage, Eowyn had already walked back to her house.
The next day, Eowyn and Arthur had barely talked to each other. The girl was still so bashful regarding what had happened that she could not even bear to hold eye contact with him, so she was particularly grateful for being busy sharpening swords that day.
Until a scream had disturbed the routine.
At once, all the villagers rushed to the village's gate where a horse rushed into. On its back, a corpse pierced by an arrow was being carried. It was Matthew, the one who refused to give his harvest and the one Arthur had sent to surveil the surroundings of the village for signs of Kenen. Matthew must have seen them and tried to return in the hope of alerting Arthur. But the archer got him first. With the arrow came a note. "Make the most of this day, it will be your last," it said. This did not help with the anxiety and doubts that were already present in everyone's heart. And Will's resentment against Arthur neither helped, which in fact induced uncertainty in the Prince's heart.
Will had stormed away from the crowd and Eowyn had followed him. She understood his despise against royalty but Arthur was not like Cenred, and she could not bear anyone misjudging him. When she got to Will's house, he was packing his back. He wanted to leave the village.
"Don't bother, Eowyn. I'm not interested," he said, not even looking at her.
"So you're leaving? Just like that?"
"And you should come with me," he finally looked at her. "If we leave, we'll be safe. You'll die if you stay,"
"You know I can't do that. Kanen is coming. We cannot let him run our village as he wishes. Ealdor is our home, not his! We have to fight,"
"Our village? Didn't you leave months ago?"
Eowyn remained silent for a second. "I did. But I'm here now. Ealdor is the village I grew up in, it will always be my home. My mother, my memories, everything's here. And it's the same for you. Your entire life is here. Your home, your friends. You're ready to abandon everything?"
Will scoffed. "You could end this. If you and Merlin used your magic, then no one else would have to die,"
"This is not that simple,"
"It is. But you just don't want to," Eowyn said nothing. She looked down. "I'm not the one abandoning these people, Eowyn. You are. Both of you are."
Eowyn remained on her spot as Will left, passing by Merlin who had heard the conversation. Was he right? Were they abandoning the village by refusing to use their powers? If they do, Arthur would find out, and what would happen to them? Of their destinies? What was more important? Saving this village at the price of many countless lives in the future, or saving many countless lives in a future that had yet come at the price of this village? Did they truly have a choice to make? Did they truly have to measure life? To choose who was more important?
No. Eowyn refused. She had no right to decide who was to die and who wasn't. She was no god and never will be, no matter how much power she held. All lives were worth it. All lives were equal. All deserved to have a chance. Eowyn had come to Ealdor to defend her village and this is exactly what she would do. No matter what Will thinks of her.
Merlin had left to talk to Arthur who had begun feeling more and more doubtful concerning the outcomes of this battle. But Eowyn knew Merlin could convince him. He was his advisor, although Arthur will never admit it.
When night fell, a meeting was held. One last meeting before the battle. The calm before the storm. Eowyn, Gwen, and Merlin passed the message. And when the night came, the entire village gathered in a building big enough to welcome everyone. Around a fire, all listened to Arthur who was giving the last instructions.
"Tomorrow morning, the women and children should gather what belongings they can carry and go to the woods," he announced.
Eowyn took a step. "We're not going anywhere,"
"I know you want to help. Women can't stay here. It's too dangerous,"
"Women have as much right to fight for their lives as men do. This is our village. We have the right to protect it,"
"But none of you knows how to fight,"
"You'd be surprised at how one can reveal themselves when their home is endangered. The more of us there are, the better chance we stand,"
Seeing the certainty and determination in her eyes and seeing how women began stepping forward as well in support and agreement, Arthur finally gave in. She was right and he knew that.
"This is your home. If you want to fight to defend it, that's your choice. I'd be honored to stand alongside you," Arthur nodded. He then addressed everyone. "Kanen attacks tomorrow. Karen'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, you're fighting for so much more than that. You fight for your homes. You fight for your 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: fighting for your very right to survive! And when you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day, and you'll know you earned the right to live every day in between! So you fight! For your family! For your friends! For Ealdor!"
In unison as if sharing the same heart, all chanted: "For Ealdor!"
The night had been short. Early in the morning, all had wakened up to prepare the field. All set the traps and barricades, revised the movements they had learned, and rechecked the plan in their heads. All were preparing mentally, ready to regain their village.
Eowyn, with a bowl of porridge, was walking in the forest looking for Arthur. He had left in the morning for the forest to keep an eye out for Kanen and his men. Having departed early, he had not eaten breakfast which worried Hunith who did not want him to into battle with his stomach empty. Therefore, she sent her daughter to deliver the food to the prince. On her way, Eowyn let her eyes linger on the skyline. Ealdor, being in the outlining region of the Kingdom of Cenred, was at the frontier with East Usad. She had always been so close but had never set afoot in the kingdom. It felt quite ironic how she had lived so close to the answers she had been seeking all her life.
Eventually, Eowyn spotted Arthur who was leaning on a tree.
"Arthur," she called. He looked at her. "My mom made you some food,"
"Thanks," he hesitantly took the bowl she was handing him. She began walking back to the village when she heard him mutter: "I think,"
She faced him. "I know this is nowhere near what you're used to eating in the palace, but the food is scarce for my people. Don't turn your nose up at it." Arthur seemed a little surprised by her sudden outburst, which she noticed. So she quickly added: "My Lord," in the hope that it would dim down the sharpness of her reaction.
Arthur blinked a few times and smiled then stretched his lips, which did surprise Eowyn quite a bit.
"Thank you," he said. "You're right. And you were right to speak up. I should've listened to you. We're going to need all the help we can get,"
"Well, women are as strong as men. Don't underestimate them," she lightly said. "We'll be fine,"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I have faith in you," she gently smiled. Though, fearing that her word would be misunderstood, she quickly added: "We all do,"
Arthur smiled. "Thank you,"
Eowyn returned to the village after that and helped with the last preparations. Soon enough, Arthur returned as well. He had spotted Kanen's party and had immediately returned to inform the village. When everything was ready, everyone got in place. Gwen and some villagers were to pull a hidden gate up to trap Kanen and his men inside the village so they could not run away. Morgana, in another barricaded entrance, was to lit a fire to trap them as well so the fight could begin. Eowyn, on the other, would be positioned on a house rooftop. As an archer, it was the best spot for her to be.
As she was heading to the site where she would remain most of the battle, she walked by Arthur who was shaking hands with the villager. When he spotted her, he reached to shake her hand as well which she accepted.
"Are you frightened?" He asked.
"If you don't know this already, you don't know me," He smiled at her answer.
Before leaving, she turned to her brother. It was quite odd seeing him in a chainmail coat.
"Be careful," Merlin said. "Don't do anything stupid until get back,"
She scoffed with a smile. "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you,"
Merlin let out a laugh as they both hugged. Then, Eowyn left to get into position. She took out a bow and arrow and waited.
A few minutes passed before, Kanen and his bandits arrived. They entered the village though remained on their guards as no one but them was outside. Gwen and the villagers waited for the opportune moment before pulling up the hidden gate, and trapping the riders inside. However, unlike what they had planned, the fire did not come. Morgana was struggling to light the fire so Merlin left his location and ran across the village to Morgana. On the way, Kanen ordered his men to kill him but reacted quickly. She shot an arrow and got the archer just had he shot his which luckily did not touch Merlin. However, her position had been revealed sooner which got her to face his archer sooner and alone as the other villagers could not reveal their positions yet. Seeing an arrow flying to her position, she quickly dodged and shot another arrow right in the chest of her opponent. Quickly glancing at her brother, she saw Merlin with Morgana. Eowyn shot down the last archer just as the fire finally burnt, trapping the riders. Arthur gave the signal and the villagers went into battle.
From where she was, Eowyn could protect everyone as they fought. She shot every bandit that attempted to attack her allies from behind. Her movements were rapid and swift, her eyes spotting the enemy and her hands immediately shooting an arrow as if it were instinctive. However, she soon ran out of arrows which forced her to get down from the roof and unsheathed her sword. She parried the attack of a man who was about to attack Arthur from behind. She pushed him and quickly stroked back, slashing his torso.
"I had him," Arthur said as he blocked an opponent and killed him.
"If you had him, why did I get him?" she smirked and parried the attack of a bandit before stabbing him.
Arthur only shook his head, amused, before focusing back on the fight. Eowyn continued fighting as well and taking down enemies as much as she could. Until bandits tried to attack her by surprise. She would have taken the blow if Will hadn't appeared dressed in his father's armor and killed the enemy. She smiled.
"I didn't think you were coming," Merlin said as he joined them.
"Neither did I,"
"Thanks for the aid, Will," Eowyn said, as the three of them stood back to back. They fought with all their might and defeated as many enemies as they could, but they couldn't say the same for the villagers. The advantage was beginning to slip out of their hands, which would lead to defeat if nothing was done. It would lead to slaughter.
"There's too many of them," Will said.
"Not for me, there isn't,"
Eowyn remained silent. She knew that the only solution that would lead to victory was magic, but she also did not want her brother executed. As they were in Cenred's land, perhaps Uther would do nothing if she ever found out.
Merlin chanted a spell and lifted his hand up, conjuring a windstorm. The wind was such sudden that it was pushing people away, causing them to fall. Seeing that a tornado had appeared, the bandits fled with the villagers running after them. The battle was over. The battle was won. Ealdor was freed.
However, one man remained. Kanen. He removed his helmet and rushed to Arthur to attack who dodged it with ease. Arthur parried the totality of Kanen's blow and though the bandits had resisted for a moment; the Prince ran his blade through his body, killing him.
Arthur then looked over Merlin, Eowyn, and Will as he walked toward them. "Who did that?"
Eowyn hardly gulped. Arthur had been raised by Uther. The king had passed down his knowledge to his son. Arthur had been raised to believe magic and all its practitioners were evil. And that such an act deserved death. Though he was not like Uther, he still believed magic to be a crime.
"What?" Merlin feigned ignorance.
"Wind like that doesn't just appear from nowhere. I know magic when I see it. One of you made that happen,"
"Arthur—"
But before Merlin could finish his sentence, Kanen picked up a crossbow and aimed at Arthur.
"Look out!" Will pushed Arthur out of the way and took the hit.
"Will!" Eowyn hurried to her friend and caught his body before he collided against the floor. The arrow had pierced his chest and had certainly pierced his lungs. Removing it would make the hemorrhage worse.
"You just saved my life...," Arthur muttered in disbelief.
"Yeah. Don't know what I was thinking,"
"Come on! Get him inside!" Arthur shouted as villagers came to carry Will. They quickly brought him to his house and laid him down on a table. Eowyn quickly began to examine him. Too focused on trying to save him, she blocked out everything that was happening around her. She did not hear, did not listen to any word that was being said, and instead stared at the arrow as she reviewed all the possible ways to save, sorting them from less effective to most effective. But even the most effective methods would not be enough. And she knew that. Perhaps she could managed to remove the arrow and use a honey-based solution as antiseptics. But then what? His lungs were pierced and his vital veins too. There was no way she could fix that.
Jaw clenched, all she could do was stare as her friend was slowly dying. Throat tight, all she could do was stare as if she was losing a friend. Eyes were full of tears that refused to fall, and all she could do was stare she was failing to save her friend. All this knowledge was acquired only to fail at saving those she cared about. What was the point then? Would have this been prevented if she had used her powers? Could have she spared his life if she had used magic? All her life she had feared the use of magic. And now her friend had died. Would things have been different if she had not been frightened to use her powers?
"You're not going to die. You're not going to die, Will," Merlin said. He turned to his sister, in desperation. "Eowyn... Eowyn, come on, do something...,"
She remained silent for a second. She then looked at Merlin, and from the way she was trying hard not to break down in tears, he knew.
"His... vital functions are touched... I can't..." but she couldn't bring herself to finish this sentence.
"You two are good people... Great people," Will managed to say. Eowyn took his hand and held it tight as he looked at Merlin. "And one day, you're going to be the servant to a great king. Now you can still make that happen,"
"Thanks to you," Merlin tried hard to fight back the tears as well.
Will then looked at Eowyn. "I never got the chance to tell you... But I love you. I just wanted you to know... before leaving," The tears left her eyes. She closed her lids shut and landed a kiss on his hand. "This place has been boring without you two. It was good to see you again."
Eowyn let out a chuckle as he always loved to hear. "I'm happy to have seen you again,"
Will weakly smiled and merely squeezed her hand.
"Eowyn, Merlin, I'm scared," tears began filling his eyes so Eowyn began caressing his hair in an attempt to soothe him.
"Don't be. It's going to be alright," Merlin gently reassured.
But slowly, the light of light disappeared from his eyes.
A funeral had been organized for Will and all the villagers attended. Eowyn was standing with her mom on whom she had rested her head. She had met Will for the first time when she was six. She had been coming back from the woods where she picked up flowers for remedies she wished to reproduce. Will had run passed her and hid behind a wooden wagon as Old Man Simmons was shouting from the other side of the plaza. The boy had pulled a prank on the old man which got him angry and chasing after the kid. Hence why Will hid behind a wheelbarrow and asked Eowyn not to tell the old man where he was. And when Simmons had reached her and asked her where Will was, she lied. That day, Eowyn found her very first friend. And her very first friend just died.
"Sjá, þar sé ég föður minn," Eowyn quietly muttered. Hunith looked at her. "Sjá, þar sé ég móður mína, og systur mínar og bræður mínir. Sjá, þar sé ég röð þjóðar minnar, Aftur í byrjun. Sjá, þeir kalla á mig. Þeir bjóða mér að taka sæti mitt á meðal þeirra, Í sölum Valhallar. Þar sem hugrakkir geta lifað að eilífu," ("Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters, and my brothers. Lo, there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning. Lo, they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever.")
Eowyn was not entirely certain of the meaning of these words, but deep down, she felt compelled to say it. She had read this prayer to the dead in the Ljosalfar Book. It was written under a painting of a funeral held for a man who had died in battle. Like Will.
When Arthur walked away, Hunith began walking toward Merlin so Eowyn came along.
"You better be going," Hunith told her two children.
"We don't have to go," Eowyn said.
"Yes, you do,"
"If anything were to happen to you...," Merlin could bear ending this sentence.
"I know where to find you," Hunith reassured. "You have to go, Merlin. You belong at Arthur's side. I've seen how much he needs you. How much you need him. You're like two sides of the same coin,"
"I've heard someone say that about us before," he chuckled.
"I don't want to leave you," Eowyn said. "Ealdor needs a physician and Camelot already has one,"
"But you can still be useful to Camelot. And Arthur needs you too,"
"Merlin will be more than enough,"
"Believe me, Winnie, you are much more important than you think,"
Eowyn did not do anything to that. Hunith hugged both her kids.
"I'm going to miss you," Merlin said.
"I'm going to miss you two, too," Hunith softly smiled as they broke away. "When you left, you were just children. Now, look at you. I'm so proud of you,"
Eventually, after being thanked by all the villagers, the siblings gathered their belongings and left for Camelot.