chapter fifty-two
052. thawing a king's heart
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THE GREAT DRAGON'S laughter made Merlin set his jaw and clench his hand around the base of the torch. It echoed around him, bouncing off the cavernous walls deep beneath the underground tunnels of Camelot. The King was enchanted, it had to be the only explanation. Somehow, Lady Catrina had used her magic to make him completely and utterly under her spell, and the only one who would be able to help Merlin stop her was also the one creature in all of this land he never wished to see.
He sighed and stood there, waiting for the Great Dragon to finish. When he thought his laughter would die down, the enormous beast bellowed out another round of wheezing gasps. Merlin never knew a dragon could laugh so much. He scowled at the creature whose wings ruffled and his golden scales glinted in the torchlight. A hot breath that stank almost worse than Lady Catrina washed over Merlin and he almost considered walking right off the ledge into the abyss below.
"This is not funny!" snapped Merlin after a while. Every time he had to face the Great Dragon, he was filled with the same fury he felt after he realised the creature had tricked him into sacrificing his own mother to Nimueh at the Isle of the Blessed. To save Camelot from the horrible Cornelius Sigan, Merlin had to ask for the Great Dragon's help once again, but it did not come without a price.
"Oh, it is! It is!" cackled the beast. "The thought of Uther marrying a troll, ha! Was it a very public affair?"
Merlin gritted his teeth. "Public enough!"
The Great Dragon heaved another thunderous boom of laughter.
"Do not laugh!" shouted the young warlock, not in the mood for the dragon's games. "If she cannot be stopped, Arthur will never become King and Albion will never be born!"
Those words seemed to sober the Great Dragon enough for his wings to fold and his body to settle on the rocks. "I am sorry," he said after a brief pause, though he did not sound apologetic at all. "You are right, of course."
Merlin rolled his eyes. He gestured the flames of his torch up towards the dragon. "How can we break the enchantment?"
The Great Dragon chuckled, and the sound vibrated across the cavern, making chips of loose rocks fall from above. "These are not trifling ticks. Troll magic is very powerful."
He would not accept that. "There has to be a way."
"The only way you could break this enchantment is if Uther were to cry tears of true remorse."
Merlin nodded, his heart racing. And then his heart sank. "How do we make him do that?" he murmured, feeling as though he had reached another stone wall impossible to break through.
"That I cannot answer," said the Great Dragon. "Uther's heart is cold as stone. He has never been sorry for anything."
"Thanks," muttered Merlin, turning on his heel to leave. He had come down here for answers, and always, he was left with nothing but questions. "I think..."
"Oh, and young warlock▬" at the dragon's words, Merlin stopped. He did not turn around, staring down the dark stairwell that led him away from the cavern. "It was some time ago you promised to set me free." Merlin set his jaw but did not say a word. "The help I give is not unconditional."
Merlin took a deep breath but did not turn around. He pushed onwards, leaving the Great Dragon alone in his cage.
When he returned to the physician's chambers, Gaius and Adelynn were already waiting for him. He went to burst into speech about what the Great Dragon said, only to falter as he noticed two others sitting at the table with them. Odette hovered at the edge of the seat, anxious and fiddling with her fingers. Though to Merlin's surprise, with her was Ronyn.
The young warlock stopped. "My Lord," he let out in his surprise.
Ronyn took a deep breath and sighed it out, shaking his head. "Of course, it is in your surprise to see me Merlin you use titles for once. I am here to help, I thought that would be obvious."
"You need all the help you can get," added Odette, glancing between Ronyn and Adelynn. "We have to work together to find a way to stop the Lady Catrina."
"I already know," Merlin announced, moving past his surprise quickly to tell a swift lie. He could not speak of the Great Dragon, not in front of Odette and Ronyn. "Uther is under an enchantment. The only way to break the enchantment is for the King to cry tears of true remorse."
Ronyn frowned, perplexed. "How on Earth did you find that out?"
Merlin paused. "I read a book."
Gaius sighed and leaned forward, clasping his hands together on his worktable. "Well, that is not going to be easy," he said before Ronyn could question Merlin further. "Uther's heart is closed to everyone."
Odette pursed her lips, thoughtful. "Not everyone," she murmured and they all glanced at her. "Catrina's enchantment has made the King blind, I am sure, but if there is one person he does open his heart to, it is Arthur."
Gaius considered her words. He frowned at the table, and then an idea struck him. He glanced up and met their anticipating stares. "Then there is only one course of action we can take."
"What is that?" asked Ronyn.
"Uther must see his son die."
Odette's stomach dropped. "What?"
There was no other choice they had. To thaw a King's frozen heart, they needed the only warmth close to it. Prince Arthur had to die, or they would have to somehow make it seem like he was dead for Uther to cry and the enchantment to break. The next problem was to somehow persuade Arthur to agree to risk his life in such a manner▬to trust Gaius's potion to do the trick, and to trust that everything would go according to plan.
The Prince himself prepared himself for bed that night alone, unbeknownst to the plan that was conspiring right under his nose. His mind still reeling from all that had happened today, he was at a loss for how to save his father, and Camelot from the beast's grip on the crown. Pulling the covers of his bed up to his shoulders and blowing out the candle, Arthur was not sure if he would be able to get any sleep.
But he tried. He would have to face this with the sunrise. He would have to find a way.
And so he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but grieve a helpless question into the silence▬What was he going to do?
He did not expect the silence to answer him.
"Arthur..." whispered a voice.
The Prince shifted against his pillows, discarding the voice as his exhaustion.
Until it spoke again. "Arthur!"
His eyes snapped open. Throwing the bed covers away from him, the Prince leapt to his feet in the darkness. He unsheathed his blade from the table beside his bed, holding it out before him with a frantic heart. "Who is there?" he demanded the shadows. "Show yourself!"
A cough echoed out from underneath his bed and a grinning face popped out into the open. "Merlin!"
"Oh▬!" Arthur jumped out of his skin.
Once his pacing heart calmed down, his panic turned into a frustrated glower as he stared down at his manservant's head peeking out from beneath his bed. Arthur should be glad to see that he was all right, but instead, he wanted to strangle him. "You are back," he grumbled.
Merlin shook his head, grinning. "I never left!"
Arthur frowned. "You mean to say..."
"Yes."
He gestured his blade at his manservant, his frustration growing. "You have been under there this whole time?"
Merlin made a face. "What? No! Of course, not!"
Arthur pointed the tip of his blade at his manservant's forehead. "Because if you were..."
"I was not!" cried Merlin, scrambling out from underneath Arthur's bed to avoid his sword. "I swear!"
The Prince gave him one final suspicious look before sighing and glancing around his chambers, his annoyance still rising. "All right, where is she?"
Merlin frowned as he stood up. "What? Who?"
Arthur glared at Merlin and stepped away from his bed. "You think I am stupid, Merlin? Where one of you is, the other is never far behind. Odette, get over here, right now."
The curtains near the servants' entrance shifted. The Prince set his jaw and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a long breath to calm down. He put his hands on his hips and glanced back over, seeing Odette peer out from behind the curtains sheepishly.
Then something seemed to nudge her and she stumbled, gasping out into the open. She tried to grab whatever nudged her and Arthur watched, his frustration reaching an all-time peak when in following, stumbling right after Odette was Ronyn, too.
The Prince looked up at the ceiling, whispering prayers for his sanity through gritted teeth. "Of course," he grumbled afterwards. "So, is it just you nuisances using my chambers as your personal game of hide and seek or should I be expecting Morgana and Guinevere to jump out from behind the screen, too?"
"You pushed me!" Odette whisper-snapped at Ronyn, completely ignoring Arthur's words.
Ronyn stared at her, shocked. "What?" he let out, scoffing at her words as if she had just spoken treason. "You▬You were standing too close to me!"
"You were standing too close to me!"
Lord Vecentia held his hands up in front of Odette's face. "Behind the curtains was my hiding place, first! You were supposed to hide behind the curtains on the other side of the room▬Ow!"
Ronyn hunched over and grasped at his leg. He tried to grab at Odette who raced away from him after sending a swift kick at his shin, but she was too fast. Arthur took another short, annoyed breath through his nose and grabbed her elbow before she ran past him to Merlin, tugging her to him.
He set his sword down on his table with a frustrated clang. "Why am I not surprised?" let out Arthur, glancing at all three of them.
The Prince turned Odette around before she could say something infuriating and gently ushered her to his desk. "Do not say a word," he told her the moment he heard her take a breath to speak, not in the mood for her teasing comments. "What are you all doing here?" he demanded.
Merlin rolled his eyes and walked up to them. Ronyn was still rubbing his sore shin, his pride humbled. "It was just supposed to be me, but Odette is a leech and Ronyn needs to be included in everything."
Odette's brows shot up at Merlin's words. "Excuse me? You were the one that insisted that I come with you!"
"And I, too, had to come," said Ronyn, limping over slightly.
Arthur stared at his friend blankly. "Why?"
"For the instance, that▬hypothetically▬something were to happen," Ronyn gestured to himself, "I must know about it and be present. As, you know," he added at Arthur's deadpan stare, "for protection. And▬and support, and..."
"For the love of..." Arthur sat down in his chair behind his desk, sighing into his hand and resisting the urge to call for one of the guards to knock him out to save him from the migraine that was sure to happen soon.
"We wish to speak to you," Odette spoke up, seeing his frustration and trying to offer a calm tone to remedy it. "That is why we are here. Well, that is why Merlin and I are here. Ronyn ..." she glanced at Lord Vecentia. "Well, I do not know, but he is here, too."
The Prince sighed once again, running his fingers between his brows to try and relax. "Right," he muttered, deciding it best to no longer question the three of them and to simply hear them out▬whatever estranged excuse they must have. "You do realise that if I ever find the three of you hiding out in my chambers without my knowledge again..."
He glanced at each of them in turn with a threatening, chiding scowl. Ronyn rolled his eyes. Odette nodded, sheepish and flushed at the cheeks. Merlin shrugged, not caring whatsoever.
"So," then said Merlin after Arthur had looked down at his desk, picking up his letter opener to fiddle with. He puffed out a breath of air from his cheeks. "Your stepmother," he began, "is a troll then."
The Prince fixed another scowl on him. He pointed the letter opener at his manservant. "If you say, 'I told you so'▬"
Merlin held up his hands. "I was not going to."
"Yes, you were," Odette told him.
He frowned at her. "I was not. I would not." Arthur rolled his eyes and spun his letter opener, placing it down on the table. Merlin pursed his lips. He could not help himself. "However, it is true that if you had listened to me earlier▬" Arthur glared. "Sorry."
Ronyn shook his head at Merlin before crossing his arms. "We, and Gaius▬"
"▬And Adelynn, even though she had to retire home▬" added Odette, determined to not allow anyone to be forgotten. Arthur grew incredulous at the mention of Ronyn's younger sister.
"▬We all believe that your father has been enchanted," went on Ronyn. "We have found a way to break the spell, but ..." the three of them shared glances before they all fixed their stares onto Arthur, expectant, "We need your help."
The incredulous tilt of his head soon turned into a frown of interest.
When Gaius arrived with the potion, they all explained their plan to Arthur. While Merlin went around and cleaned the Prince's chambers which had inevitably become a mess in his absence, Odette sat on the edge of Arthur's chair, listening. She had tried to help, but the moment she even picked up one of the Prince's cushions it was taken from her and she was told to sit down. (A decision made by Arthur that Merlin was still grumbling about).
"So," Arthur had thrown on one of his deep blue doublets over his white tunic, pacing his room as he slowly comprehended all that Gaius had said, "your great plan is to kill me."
He leaned against the edge of the table near where Odette was sitting and crossed his arms, not impressed.
"No▬" said Ronyn quickly.
"▬Yes."
Odette sent Merlin an exasperated glance at his reply. "Not exactly," she added and Arthur closed his eyes briefly, his frustration returning. "Gaius has made a potion which will give the appearance of death, but you will not actually be dead."
The Prince glanced anxiously over at Gaius who just showed him the bottle in his hands, which wasn't very reassuring. Merlin passed them with a pile of Arthur's clothes in his arms. "It will be fine," he rushed out. "You have nothing to worry about it will only bring you to the brink of death."
"Oh," Arthur muttered sarcastically, "only to the brink. Wonderful."
"We have no other choice, Arthur," Ronyn rested his arms on the back of the chair adjacent to Odette, swinging it back and forth with his weight absentmindedly. "Do you want to have a troll as a stepmother for the rest of your life?"
"We have to make your father cry," said Gaius.
Arthur gritted his teeth and pushed off the edge of the table at those words. "He does not care about me anymore," he said angrily, turning away.
Odette's gaze softened as she watched him. "Arthur..." she began but held back. She couldn't go to him, not with the others around.
"Nonsense," thankfully, Gaius was there to step forward and coax Arthur back towards them. "That is Catrina's influence. I have known your father for many, many years. There has never been anyone or anything he has treasured more than you." He held out the potion once more as the Prince paced the floor. "It is perfectly safe. A single drop of the antidote will reverse the effects immediately."
At the word antidote, Arthur stopped right in his tracks. He spun to Odette who shrunk, sheepish once more. "Antidote? What antidote?" He turned to Merlin in the corner of the room. "You did not say anything about an antidote!"
"Uhhh▬" the Prince's manservant glanced over his shoulder as he chucked Arthur's dirty clothes into a basket. "I did not think it was important."
"The potion will lower your heart rate and breathing," explained Gaius. "For all intents and purposes, you will be dead."
Arthur frowned. "And the antidote reverses the effects?"
"Yes. If it is administered in time."
"If not?"
Gaius hesitated. "You will be dead."
Arthur seemed as though his head might burst into flames. He turned to Merlin who was struggling under the weight of his armour. "You just said it was not important!"
He dropped the armour into a chest against the wall. Merlin pursed his lips. "Um ..." he glanced around and then pointed at Odette. "Odette was the one who never mentioned the antidote in the first place."
She gaped at Merlin's accusation. Arthur turned away, his hands flying to the bridge of his nose as he did his best to control his breathing. Odette sighed and stood up. "Arthur," she walked up to him and ignored the curious arch of Ronyn's brow as he watched. "Merlin will have the antidote, all right? Once you take the potion, he will have half an hour to get it to you."
Arthur met her gaze, still hesitant. Odette tilted her head, her eyes soft in her best attempt to reassure him▬silent, gentle, she asked for his trust without any words spoken. The Prince pursed his lips, keeping her gaze for a moment longer before sighing and facing Merlin. He narrowed his eyes at his manservant. "Do not be late," he ordered.
Merlin shrugged, giving him a little smile. "Am I ever?"
The Prince chewed on the inside of his cheek. He glanced down at the potion in Gaius's hands and then back at Odette. His gaze slowly wandered over to Ronyn. "Take Odette to the servants' quarters down the hall." His friend nodded and stepped away from the chair, making his way over to Morgana's second handmaiden.
She frowned, not happy with those words. "What? But▬"
"Odette," Arthur cut her off, firm and not in the mood for any objections. "Lady Catrina is sure to do whatever she can to make sure this will not work. If so, I want you out of here and somewhere safe. Do not leave those chambers, understand?"
Odette wished to argue, but she decided there was no point. Arthur was right, it would be dangerous. Even if she wanted to stay with him, she knew she had no means to protect herself against a troll. "All right," she relented.
Hearing her answer, Arthur was finally reassured. He nodded at Ronyn. "Go."
Lord Vecentia took Odette's arm and guided her out through the servants' door. She sent Arthur one last glance over her shoulder before they were gone.
The door closed and Arthur set his jaw, determined. He turned to face Gaius and Merlin as they closed in. He held out his hand for the vial, but the physician hesitated. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
No, but that never seemed like a choice. When it came the life of his people and the safety of Camelot, the only answer was always yes. "It is the only way to save Camelot," said the Prince with a breath of courage.
He took the vial and pulled the cork off with a pop that echoed loudly in the bated silence that filled the room. Arthur took a deep breath and held the vial up, cheering to them in hopes of bringing good luck. And then, before he could let himself back out, he brought the vial to his lips and downed the potion in one go.
It tasted disgusting.
But apart from that, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Arthur blinked, confused. He glanced down at the vial in his hands and then at the expectant eyes of Merlin and Gaius. Arthur shrugged. "Are you sure this is the▬?"
His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped forward into their arms.
Merlin almost dropped the Prince. He was much heavier than he looked. He grunted at the effort, his feet skidding on the stone as he took most of Arthur's weight. Slowly and carefully, he and Gaius lowered the Prince to the ground.
Standing up, they looked over the Prince. Merlin chewed on the inside of his cheek nervously, his palms growing a little sweaty▬What if their plan, like all the others, failed miserably? What if Merlin didn't get to Arthur in time?
He couldn't think like that. This was going to work. This must work, and he will not allow any other outcome.
Gaius pursed his lips and offered Merlin the antidote. He took it into his hands, gripping it tight. "Time to break the bad news to Uther."
Merlin nodded and followed him out of the Prince's chambers. While the physician went to find the King, he stayed back, keeping to the shadows of the corridors▬He needed to stay close in order to make sure he made it back in time, but also far enough away that there wouldn't be any suspicion.
He held the antidote with a slightly trembling grip. Merlin scolded himself for it. Why was he so anxious? Why was he so scared to believe all will go wrong? Yes, he did know why: Arthur.
Despite his pompous, arrogant, idiotic tendencies, Merlin could not bear the thought of seeing Arthur die. He almost had to face it by the bite of the Questing Beast and Merlin was afraid that he would not get another chance to cheat death like that. The weight of his destiny that held him down on his shoulders was heavy enough alone, but with the painful twist in his chest that followed the thought of losing his friend ... That was a crushing weight in itself.
Merlin rounded the corner, ducking near the stairwell to find a good place to lay low. He took a few steps forward and did not see the shadow looming above him. From the flight of stairs, a pair of greedy, malicious eyes under greasy brows sneered. Jonas held up a large, heavy vase with an invisible strength. Just as Merlin passed underneath him, he let go▬
The vase hit Merlin's head and shattered before he understood what had happened. He dropped to the ground, blacking out. His grip slipped and the antidote rolled away from his fingers. It skidded across the stone and down the first few steps. The vial broke at the foot of the stairs.
Down the hallway and inside the nearby servants' quarters, away from the danger, Odette leapt to her feet from the edge of the bed with a start at the sound. Her breath hitched and she met Ronyn's frown. "What was that?"
Like some diligent guard, Ronyn had not left his post by Odette's side. Lord Vecentia kept a grip on the hilt of his sword, just as anxious as her.
"Could be anything," he murmured, tense near the door.
"Sounded as though something fell and shattered," said Odette, moving to the door but Ronyn stepped in front of her. She frowned at him.
"You are not going out there," he told her.
Stubborn, she crossed her arms. "I will be."
Ronyn was quite tall, and he very much placed Odette in his shadow. "No," he told her again, just as stubborn. "Arthur said you will not leave these chambers," he nodded to the bed. "And, so, you will not be leaving these chambers."
"But what if something happened?" stressed Odette, pacing the small room. Ronyn's eyes followed her until it became too dizzying.
He reached out and took her arm to keep her still. She pursed her lips and met his gaze again. Ronyn tilted his head, understanding. "I will check," he reassured her. "But you cannot go out there, otherwise Arthur will most likely throw me to the dogs when he wakes up to find out I put you in danger."
Odette chewed the inside of her cheek and sighed, realising the meaning behind his words. "You know," she murmured.
Ronyn scoffed light-heartedly. "I always knew," he squeezed her arm before letting go. He unsheathed his blade and stepped out of the room, leaving Odette behind holding her breath with worry.
Lord Vecentia searched the hallways, admittedly concerned himself. He started towards where they had heard the sound echo. He did not see Lady Catrina or her servant anywhere, and he did not hear much from Arthur's chambers. He pursed his lips and continued to search, gripping his blade tight▬he was prepared for a fight.
But then he rounded the corner near the stairwell, and Ronyn's eyes widened. "Merlin▬" He sheathed his blade and rushed towards the unconscious figure slumped on the castle floor.
The manservant was out cold, surrounded by shards of fractured pottery. Ronyn dropped to his knees and clasped a hand on Merlin's shoulder, trying to stir him. "Merlin!" he whisper-shouted, shaking him. He searched for the antidote and saw it no longer in Merlin's grasp. "Merlin!"
A groan escaped the manservant's lips as he stirred. He lifted a hand to his head and Ronyn let out a soft, relieved breath. He helped Merlin to his knees. "What... what happened?" he muttered, still in a slight daze.
"I have not a clue," admitted Ronyn, still keeping a grip on Merlin's shoulders to make sure he didn't collapse once again. "I simply found you here."
Merlin got back onto his feet with Ronyn's help. He glanced around, still coming to. He clenched his free hand and his eyes widened. "The antidote▬" he stumbled forward and would have fallen if Ronyn hadn't reached out and supported him. "Where is it? Where's the antidote?"
He pushed onwards, refusing Ronyn's aid and stumbled towards the foot of the stairs. Merlin glanced down and he paled. "Oh, no▬"
Ronyn rushed to his shoulder to look as well. His heart skipped a fearful beat to see the shattered glass on the stone and the small pool of liquid that was already beginning to dry out. "Is that▬?"
He didn't need an answer. His heart raced as he tried to think off the top of his head as to what to do. They were surely running out of time▬Uther was sure to have made it to Arthur's chambers by now and saw his son deathly pale on the floor. Ronyn glanced around, and then his eyes fell on the scarf around Merlin's neck.
Maybe he should've asked, but instead, Ronyn just snatched the fabric and hurried down the stairs. Merlin frowned after him. "Hey!" Then he quickly realised what Lord Vecentia was doing. "Oh▬Oh▬!" he raced to follow, leaping down the steps two at a time despite his dazed and aching head.
Ronyn crouched over the damp puddle and pressed Merlin's scarf down against it. He held his breath as he felt it begin to dampen, soaking up all that was left of the antidote. He just hoped there was enough to then squeeze back out.
Once it was all soaked up, he chucked the fabric back towards Merlin who caught it, surprised. "You know," he breathed out, slightly rushed as they hurried back up the stairs. "You▬you are smarter than you look."
Ronyn glanced at the servant, a little incredulous. He wasn't sure how to take the comment. "Er▬Thanks?"
Merlin clasped his shoulder before taking the lead back to Arthur's chambers. Lord Vecentia unsheathed his sword once more before following.
The two of them reached the servants' entrance to the Prince's rooms just in time, it seemed. They heard the voices of the King and Lady Catrina through the wood▬Ronyn was immediately on edge. He carefully pushed the door ajar and peered through, feeling Merlin hover by his shoulder.
Arthur's still, pale and cold-looking body lay between the King and his Queen. Though, now, the King did not look so delighted to see her. He stumbled away, his face aghast with horror. At last, Uther had seen Lady Catrina for what she truly was. The plan was working.
Lady Catrina realised and hunched over, her tusks baring in a vicious sneer as she growled at the King. Even from here, Ronyn felt the stench of her burn at his nose. "How I have suffered these last weeks!" she hissed. "Allowing you to touch me."
Uther clasped a hand over his nose at those words as if the realisation finally hit him. He looked sick.
"Having to share a bed with you!"
Ronyn made a disgusted face at that.
"It's repulsive!"
The King seemed to have thrown up a little in his mouth. "I know the feeling," he managed, sounding very queasy.
Lord Vecentia kept his blade close as he and Merlin carefully stepped into the room, quickly taking cover in the shadows of Arthur's screen. They watched on as they tried to get closer to the Prince.
"Oh," chuckled the monstrous beast, a look of delight crossing her revolting features. "I've been looking forward to this▬"
The King gasped and tripped backwards, his shock overwhelming him. "N▬No▬GUARDS▬!"
As the monster turned around, Ronyn and Merlin bolted forward. While the manservant raced to the Prince, Lord Vecentia stepped in front of the King and swung his sword without thinking.
The troll screeched when the tip of Ronyn's blade ripped through the fabric of her dress sleeve, slicing a clean gash on her wart-ridden arm. Out of it oozed slimy, green blood and Ronyn himself almost threw up a little in his mouth, too. "Oh, Heavens above▬" he coughed, having never seen something so disgusting in his life.
"Lord Vecentia?" gasped the King, confused to see him, but also relieved.
"Your Majesty," Ronyn held up his blade again, the courage he had gathered slowly dwindling to see Lady Catrina's vicious, rabid animal eyes fix on him▬looking at him as if she was already feasting on her next meal. "Er ... No hard feelings, My Lady."
Lady Catrina heaved an ear-piercing, inhuman war cry and charged Ronyn like a bull with a love for murder.
Ronyn cursed something a bit too blasphemous for the Lord's liking and nearly dived to the side to avoid being snatched. He heard Lady Catrina grab one of Arthur's chairs and throw it over her head. He ducked and saw it shatter at the wall opposite, and realised that if he got caught, that would be him, too.
Thankfully, after his attack, the troll's attention was off both the King and the Prince. Ronyn led Catrina away from Merlin who hovered over Arthur, desperately squeezing the antidote out of his scarf and into the Prince's pale, parted lips.
"You know▬" Ronyn ducked another wayward chair and winced at the splinters that got a little too close to his liking, "▬we could just have a nice chat about this! There is no need to▬" he saw her grab the chamber pot. "Oh, come on, don't throw that, you really do not have to▬" Lord Vecentia scrambled out of the way and groaned in disgust when he heard it clatter behind him. "Was that really necessary?" he asked the troll, facing her. "Now, Arthur's chambers stink more than they usually do!"
The next thing she grabbed was the empty water jug on the table. Ronyn made a face of surprise and groped for one of the shields on Arthur's wall. He pulled it down and held it up just in time, feeling the jug bounce off the surface.
Having had enough of being Lady Catrina's personal target, Ronyn gritted his teeth and charged her this time as she snatched a goblet. He yelled, fuelling his courage to return and backhanded the shield on his arm as hard as he could across the troll's ugly face.
The crown was knocked off her stringy hair. But no matter how hard Ronyn hit her, she barely stumbled. She just turned onto him, angrier than ever.
He raised his sword, but the troll caught his hilt with a grip so fierce it felt as if she were crushing the very bones in his hand. Ronyn yelled out and his sword dropped. Catrina then picked him up and he couldn't even make a noise in surprise before she threw him towards Arthur's table like he were nothing but a ragdoll.
The leftover plates and goblets clattered to the floor as Ronyn skidded across the wood. He rolled over the edge and managed to break his fall on the stone, but the pain that shot through his body still left him dazed and groaning. His vision was blurry.
Lady Catrina would have killed him right then and there if another figure had not appeared out of nowhere. Ronyn saw two silhouettes in a rich blue doublet with blonde hair leap to tackle the troll. Arthur wrapped his arms around her neck from behind and pulled the troll backwards. The sound Catrina made was very close to the squeal of a startled boar.
Ronyn felt Merlin's hands grab at his arms and pull him back up. He swayed but managed to keep himself on his two feet, glancing over and watching as the Prince returned to life as if he had never been poisoned. The King's breath hitched, shocked and amazed by his son's appearance. "A▬Arthur?"
Training in heavy armour and chainmail, and his talent for nearly every type of weaponry gave Arthur a strength that managed to take Lady Catrina by surprise. The Prince desperately held his breath to save himself from the smell as he forced the troll sideways. She crashed into the wall and Arthur staggered away, grasping onto the edge of his table before he would fall.
Wrestling a troll was like running face-first into a thick tree trunk. It winded Arthur and he coughed, wheezing breath back into his lungs as Lady Catrina turned to face him. She was not even dazed.
The troll heaved an animalistic growl. "Is that any way to treat your dear old step-mother?"
She grabbed him by his doublet and flung him, tumbling, across the stone floor. Arthur's back hit the wall and he lay there, dazed and barely conscious.
Seeing his son be attacked, some anger returned to Uther Pendragon's eyes. He gritted his teeth and brandished his own sword. Ronyn winced when Lady Catrina punched the King square in the face.
Feeling some of his mind come back to him, Ronyn grabbed another sword despite Merlin's protests. Wincing and clutching his side, but knowing that someone had to fight the creature. Merlin could not defend himself. The King was unconscious and Arthur might as well be. Someone had to face this beast to defend Camelot, and right now, it fell onto Lord Vecentia's shoulders.
He took a deep breath through his pain and faced the vicious troll. Seeing the jug of wine still on Arthur's desk, he suddenly got an idea. Ronyn grasped the handle and as Lady Catrina went to attack, he flung the contents into her eyes. The liquid slashed all over her face, and she stumbled. For a moment, she was blinded by the sting, her hands reaching up to claw and wipe her face clean (if that face could be clean).
Ronyn spun the blade and brought it down in front of him in a vicious arc. The troll screeched and flailed when the blade cut through the thick of her skin. She oozed that horrible green blood, from her left brow across her face to the right corner of her jaw. Blinded and in pain, the troll tripped on the rug that had▬by Ronyn's pure luck▬slipped underfoot. Lady Catrina squealed, unable to catch herself as she fell, hitting the floor hard on her back.
Lord Vecentia brought the sword up and did not hesitate to send it downwards▬it pierced Lady Catrina, right through her chest until Ronyn felt the blade scrape the stone beneath. He held it there, heaving before he twisted the hilt, and the troll made a gurgling sound.
Behind him, something screamed.
Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes widened. Jonas had entered, and in seeing his mistress bleeding out on the floor, he was furious.
Under Ronyn's blade, Lady Catrina was still to pass. She gurgled and squirmed, making sounds that were just as disgusting as the rest of her. And the smell▬Oh, God, the smell. Ronyn felt his senses blinded by the stench that escaped her in a loud exhale.
There was no way he would be able to react in time to Jonas's murderous screams and his vicious charge.
But his crazed yells jolted Arthur back to reality. Even in a daze, the Prince reacted in split-second timing. He got to his feet and groped for the hilt of his sword. Unsheathing it, he intercepted Jonas, grabbed his shoulder with a fierce grip and ran him clean through.
Ronyn quickly returned his attention to the troll dying at his feet. He pulled out his sword and slammed it back down with one final, mortal blow.
Lady Catrina let out one last exploding wave of disgusting odours that almost made Ronyn pass out before she slumped and moved no more.
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AFTER A WEEK, everything seemed to slowly be returning to normal. Or, as normal as life was inside the city walls of Camelot. Lady Catrina's absence was not felt with grief but rather celebrated (or even chuckled about between servants in the kitchens). The King had his son reinstated as his natural heir, writing it down for the entire council to see and proclaiming him as Crown Prince of Camelot once more. The castle had a vigorous cleaning to remove all smell of feces and troll stench, and soon, it was almost as if Lady Catrina had never stepped foot inside the castle. Across the Five Kingdoms, news of the heartbreaking death of the King's new wife was an easier lie to tell than for Uther Pendragon to admit he was enchanted by a troll. But even then, rumours still whispered from the Camelot borders across the mountains and through the forests▬a ridiculous, hilarious legend for bards to tell and to keep for years to come.
Lord Vecentia was congratulated for his courage and loyalty to the crown after felling the treacherous beast by the King himself. He was gifted a feast in his honour, and he was never one to say no to a night of celebration and fun. It was one of the few times when Merlin felt at peace watching someone else take credit for saving Camelot▬especially when they all saw the bright grin on Ronyn's face when Arthur toasted his dear friend, declaring the legacy of the relationship between the Pendragon and Vecentia families sealed with fortune, prosperity for the future and was stronger than ever.
The feast was as all feasts were; loud, and bountiful with food and dancing (and many gossiping sessions underneath the breaths of the servants). The ladies were dressed beautifully and the lords showed off their best robes. Perhaps it wasn't just a feast in Ronyn's honour, but maybe it had turned into something more▬a feast where the future of Camelot had been promised once more; a future that was no doubt going to be the brightest and greatest they will ever see.
There were games and there were songs played. There were laughs between all classes▬from the royal table between a son and his father who was determined to show, for one night, how grateful he truly was to still have him here ... and all the way down to the giggles from a lowly handmaiden as she watched her young warlock friend subtly enchant the wine of his master to be suddenly so sour he coughed it back out as soon as he took a sip.
Even Guinevere herself was enjoying her night, no matter if she was serving wine and luxurious food. Her smile was bright and her dress delicate with lavender accents made out of a fabric finer than she could ever afford▬subtle enough that no one else would notice, except for one.
When she saw Ronyn step out into the courtyard for a breath of fresh air, she did not hesitate. Guinevere herself had been given a promise of a better future, too▬she had been given the chance to hope and the realisation that what she felt was something way more than that; it was more than destiny or wishful thinking. One day, she knew, it would come true.
She slipped away from the feast and her duties with a little thrill of excitement because she knew that there was a time when she'd find that thought abhorrent. But Guinevere supposed Ronyn had made her adventurous; had made her brave.
The cool night air was nice compared to the warm stuffiness that had grown inside the banquet hall. Guinevere left her platters inside and stepped out, following Ronyn's footsteps with a soft smile.
She saw him standing alone, looking up at the stars in the empty courtyard. The music from inside was muffled, now, a distant beat to their ears. Guinevere walked up to him but did not say anything at first. She simply found herself admiring him▬admiring the way the moon blanketed him in a soft glow, turning his dark hair slightly silver.
Guinevere walked up until she stood beside him, and no one was around to see. Ronyn glanced down at her when he felt her rest near his shoulder and held a gentle smile.
"I have never known you to tire of celebrations," the blacksmith's daughter teased softly, and a smile tugged on her lips to see the dubious arch of Ronyn's brow.
"I have not," he replied in the same tone. "But the night is rather beautiful, and I had to see it for myself."
Gwen rolled her eyes, but the smile did not leave her lips. She glanced up at the stars as well, and couldn't help but agree. She clasped her hands behind her back and stayed there in a gentle silence with Ronyn, gazing up at the velvet night sky and taking a moment to truly appreciate the beauty of the world around them. Though, for most of the silence, Lord Vecentia had found something much more beautiful to gaze at, and Guinevere blushed to realise he had not looked away from her since.
"I heard you were very brave," she said, turning to face him. "Facing a mighty troll, they will be telling stories about it for centuries."
Ronyn snorted a breath of laughter and Guinevere grinned. "You are teasing me, but just you wait, dear Guinevere. Just you wait. They will call me the beast slayer▬" he joked and she chuckled at the face he made.
"You are ridiculous," she said in the end and he smiled, expecting her response.
"So ridiculous," he agreed, nudging her arm lightly with his elbow and bringing another chuckle out of her.
"I have realised something," then murmured Guinevere, soft and genuine. At Ronyn's curious hum, she continued. "I was scared," she admitted. He glanced at her when she said that, the tone between them shifting suddenly. He stepped closer, concerned and her heart fluttered. "Whenever I would see some other lady with a title and a dowry, I grew scared and I never told you."
Ronyn frowned and tilted his head, taken aback. "What on earth for?" he whispered. "You know my heart belongs only to you. You are unforgettable. From the moment you opened my eyes, I have never been able to see, feel▬no, breathe for anyone else."
"And I you," said Guinevere in a whisper, too. Ronyn's frown softened. "You vexed me, and then it vexed me that you were not near. And it vexes me now that I cannot announce it to the world. And here I am, fearful of losing you."
She heard his breath hitch. "Guinevere▬"
"I am not finished," she quickly said, and the smile on her face lifted the weight that had suddenly grown in Ronyn's chest. "Yes, I realised I was scared and vexed and angry with how our world dictates our hearts. But I then realised there is no need to be."
Ronyn pursed his lips, wondering where this conversation was going. He stepped closer to her, their company protected by the silence around them. "And why is that?" he asked, feeling his heart begin to race.
"Just as you said," nodded Gwen. "I know I am in your heart, just as you are in mine. And no matter how many days you might vex me or do something ridiculous▬" he chuckled and her heart fluttered, "▬I know that one day, we will find a way to be together. I am sure of it ... and I have not been this sure about something since I can remember."
She watched his chuckles fade away in his gentle surprise. Ronyn watched her, and at first, he did not know what to say. Perhaps he did not need to say anything. Perhaps Guinevere understood all he wished to say, for she had always been able to see right through him to the lost boy inside and gave him a path to follow. Like the constellations in the sky who helped the lost man at sea navigate his way home, Guinevere was his light, and his bright star.
So, Ronyn smiled and held out his hand. The music from the feast still played, muffled behind the castle walls, but loud enough to hear.
Guinevere chuckled, confused. "What are you doing?"
"I am ridiculous," Lord Vecentia told her once more. "But not so ridiculous that you would deny me the honour of sharing a dance with you, My Lady?"
"You wish to dance?" she glanced around the empty courtyard before meeting Ronyn's gaze once more. "Here?"
He shrugged. "Why not?"
"And if someone were to see us?"
Ronyn smirked and shrugged once again. "I will merely say that you were unwell, and as a gentleman▬" Guinevere arched a dubious brow at the word gentleman, "▬I went out of my way to see that you were well. Are you well?"
She decided to play along and tilted up her chin, considering his question. "Hmm ... I suppose I do feel a little weary."
His hand moved upwards, showing her a set of fingers. Guinevere did her very best not to smile in her amusement. "How many?" murmured Ronyn, soft and tender.
"Three," answered Gwen.
He winced and turned his hand around, lifting a fourth he had kept tucked against his palm▬a childish trick that made Guinevere sigh, but smile nonetheless. "Perhaps I should take you to see Gaius. Or▬" he extended the same hand, lifting his brows expectantly, "▬you could dance with me?"
She rolled her eyes, but her hand reached out and settled in his palm. His fingers gently took ahold of hers and he pulled her closer ever-so-slightly. Guinevere glanced up and blushed at the way Ronyn looked at her▬intense, and yet so pure; blinding like the moon, and yet warm like the sun.
As the music played inside, they danced. Slow, at first, following steps that Ronyn taught her▬until the gentle lessons turned into a burst of youthful fun. Alone in the courtyard, under the moonlight and seeking warmth from one another in the growing winter chill, the sweethearts tied together by a string of affection and love played like they were years younger. Ronyn spun her around, and Guinevere would laugh, trying to keep up with him as he took mighty steps and leapt with a childish adventure to the music, and she would follow along with wings to her heart.
They were both a little lost, even when they did their best to convince themselves and everyone else that they were far from it. But when they were together, Guinevere and Ronyn found a path that would one day lead them home.
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a/n i had to reference kate and anthony in that scene between gwen and ronyn because their relationship helped me build gwen and ronyn's <3
i changed up the end of this episode just slightly because i wanted to showcase ronyn's character and give him a miniature chapter, since we started this set of episodes with him, i was like we need to end them with him, too. i also wanted to give myself a larger word count since all of this literally happens in the last 9 minutes of the episode.
i also wanted to show ronyn's loyalty and the acts of courage he does out of that loyalty for arthur. man would walk through fire for him, and arthur would do the same if it were ronyn that was in danger, and i love them for that.
the ronyn, merlin, odette and arthur shenanigan chaos will always make a return haha. i also love how odette is just like yes and ADELYNN out of nowhere because my girl must make sure she could not be forgotten, and it was a funny little way to explain why she isn't in the scene (and also because if i added too many people in those scenes it would be too chaotic and someone would end up being left out when writing). it's also so merlin comedy core, which i do my best to include amongst all the other themes in this book because its still a merlin fic.
anyway i needed to see arthur more in that blue doublet and that's the last thing i wish to say.
(minimal editing).