"Thanks for everything that you did for Eira," Gwaine said to Merlin as they walked through the valley of the fallen kings.
"There's no need to thank me, it was the least I could do" Merlin replied " you seem to care for her"
"I could hardly leave her to the Saxons now, could I?" Gwaine joked.
"That was your only reason for rescuing her?" Merlin smirked at his friend
"Of course."
Suddenly out of nowhere, a couple of bandits attacked the duo. Gwaine fought hard to protect himself and Merlin. One of the bandits advanced on Merlin who backed away and fell over a tree root.
" Gwaine!" Merlin yelled. And for the first time in his life, Merlin felt completely useless. He felt useless without his powers to help him. At that very moment, he felt scared for his life.
Gwaine rushed over and took care of the bandit before turning his sword and killing the bandit behind him.
Merlin just lay there on the ground gasping.
"You ok?" Gwaine asked approaching his friend and held out his hand to help him up.
"Yeah. I think so. Thank you." Merlin said as he stood up.
"No need to thank me, Merlin." Gwaine smiled " It was the least I could do"
________________________________________
Aria was riding hard and fast through the trees. Not stopping once. She had to get home. She just had to. She had the hood of her red cloak pulled over her head to protect her identity from any bandits that spotted her.
Aria slowed down her horse and took a look at her surroundings. She was in the valley of the fallen kings. She smiled to herself, thankful to be in a place she recognised.
She continued riding, careful not to run I to any bandits until she came across a cave. Aria stared at the cave curiously. For some strange reason, Aria felt drawn to the cave, as if some invisible force was pulling her towards it.
She dismounted her horse and slowly approached the cave. She stood in the entrance and peered inside. She gasped in awe at what she saw. Inside the cave, along the walls, ceilings and floors lay hundreds and hundreds of stunning crystals of all sizes.
Aria was so infatuated with the beautiful and mysterious sight that she didn't notice a strange man suddenly appear behind her out of nowhere.
The man was old, with light grey almost white hair and wrinkles covering his kind face. He was wearing black clothes with a brown robe and they looked dirty and old.
"Can I help you with something, young lady?" The man asked making Aria jump and whirl around to face the old, strange man.
"Oh, no. Sorry, I was just curious." Aria smiled sheepishly at the man. " What is this place? It's beautiful"
"It is the Crystal cave. The birthplace of magic itself" The man answered
"The Crystal Cave..." Aria gasped in shock and wonder. Merlin had told her stories about the cave and what was held within. He even told her of the man that protected the cave and who had once helped him save Arthur's life.
Aria looked at the man again with curious eyes. "Who are you?"
"My name is Taliesin" The man replied, " And you my dear are Nerys"
"How do you know my name?" Aria demanded, getting suspicious of the man.
" Our meeting has been prophesied for many years. Long before you were even born. For I was the one granted with the privilege of unlocking your true talent"
Before Aria could say anything the man, Taliesin, incanted a spell and Aria suddenly felt a warm sensation journey through her. Starting from her fingertips to her chest, then finally up to her eyes. She felt extremely warm all over before her sky blue eyes suddenly turned a beautiful golden brown as her magic, that had long been buried deep inside, finally rose to the surface.
Aria's eyes then slowly turned back to their natural blue and Aria was left standing there breathing heavily and her eyes wide. Aria looked down at her hands with wonder before she gasped in amazement. Out of the ground had sprouted a ray of beautiful flowers all around Aria's feet, with mixtures of blue, pink and yellow. Aria looked up at Taliesin with a huge smile on her face.
"H-how?" Aria gasped still a little shocked
"You have your mothers gift." He said smiling.
"You knew her?" Aria asked.
"Knew her? I know her. Your mother and I were are great friends. But I have not seen her for some time." Taliesin smiled sadly.
Aria suddenly froze as a thought came to her. " Oh, no. What's Arthur going to think?" Aria asked herself as she began to panic.
Magic was banned. She would surely be executed or banished. Aria got herself so worked up that she actually started hyperventilating.
"Nerys?" Taliesin tried to get Aria's attention but she just continued to panic.
" Nerys!" Taliesin said louder finally gaining Aria's attention. "Calm yourself, young one. When the time comes for you to reveal your gifts to your bother, he will accept you. You have my word."
Aria nodded still a little anxious. "Thank you, Taliesin. Could you direct me to where my brother actually is? He needs to know that I'm alive."
Taliesin smiled and his eyes twinkled. " You won't be needing my help for that"
Taliesin pointed up to a hill behind Aria where two figures could be seen walking down. When Aria turned her head, a smile immediately spread across her face. It was Gwaine and Merlin. They were to busy talking to one another to notice Aria and Taliesin.
Aria turned to say thank you to Taliesin but was shocked to see he was already gone. Gwaine and Merlin finally reached the clearing where the cave was and stopped in there tracks when they noticed the familiar red cloak.
"Merlin, is that who I think it is?" Gwaine asked not taking his eyes off the back of Aria's hood.
Aria finally turned around and smiled brightly at her friends who both looked shell shocked.
"Aria?" Merlin gasped. He could not believe his eyes. She was alive. Aria was alive and she was standing right in front of him.
"Yes. It's me, Merlin." Aria giggled.
Both men then broke out into grins and relieved laughs as they ran forward and embraced the young girl tightly.
When Merlin hugged Aria, she whispered in his ear " I have my magic"
Merlin pulled away looking at Aria with wide eyes. Aria just nodded and giggles in delight. Merlin then also started to chuckle.
"Aria, how are you alive? You were dead, we saw your body" Gwaine asked.
"It was one of Morgana's tricks. Sh created a copy of me with magic and that was the Aria you saw. It wasn't really me" Aria explained
"Well, Arthur's surely going to be happy to see you," Gwaine said and the trio laughed.
"Speaking of which, Gwaine, I can make my own way from here. You get Aria back to Arthur." Merlin said giving Aria one last hug before he started heading the cave.
"Sorry?" Gwaine furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"You needn't come any further. I'll be fine." Merlin said staring at the cave entrance.
"How will you get back to Camelot?" Gwaine asked. "There are bandits everywhere"
"Once I have what I'm looking for, I'll be perfectly safe, I promise you"
Aria smiled to herself realising that Merlin was here to get his powers back
"What are you looking for?" Gwaine asked again.
Merlin hesitated " I can't tell you that Gwaine, " Merlin said as he turned his head to look at his friend " You'll just have to trust me"
Gwaine looked reluctant.
"You should get going. Arthur's going to need you both by his side." Merlin said
"Look after yourself, Merlin." Gwaine smiled before he flipped his sword around and held it by its blade, holding the handle out to Merlin.
"You know how to use the sharp end, right?" Aria teased with a smirk.
"Oh yeah" Merlin chuckled along with Gwaine.
Merlin and Gwaine clasped wrists. " I hope you find what you're looking for"
Aria went and gave Merlin one last hug. "Be careful" She whispered
Merlin nodded and headed for the cave as Aria and Gwaine headed in the opposite direction.
________________________________________
Inside the cave, Merlin was navigating the tunnels with a torch he had found and lit so he could see in the darkness.
Suddenly a gust of air blows out his torch surrounding him in darkness.
"Emrys" Morgana's voice echoed throughout the cave making Merlin look around him in a panic.
"Over here, Emrys" Morgana taunted
Merlin drew Gwaine's sword and turned around to where Morgana's voice sounded from.
"I see you Morgana" Merlin muttered
"How well you've kept your secret." Morgana taunted again "How well you've protected my brother. Not so much my sister though. It's tragic really-"
"Face me, Morgana!" Merlin yelled into the darkness.
"Who'd have thought it. A worthless servant with all that power."
"Face me" Merlin hissed
"But you cannot help your king now. You cannot even help yourself."
Merlin whirled around to face a little place in the cave that was pitch black and easy to hide in.
"Why do you hide? Are you still afraid of me?" Merlin taunted back at her.
Morgana then appeared behind him. "I fear no one, least of all you."
Merlin swung round and struck Morgana on the arm with the sword causing her to cry out and turn away.
Merlin held up the sword threateningly.
Morgana just laughed as she faced Merlin again.
" You have defied me for the last time, Emrys," Morgana smirked as she backed away.
She suddenly yelled out a spell and the cave walls began to shake violently.
A waterfall of rocks then crashed down separating Merlin from Morgana and the exit. All he could hear before he passed out was Morgana's maniacal laugh.
________________________________________
When Merlin finally woke up, he had dust and dirt covering his clothes and his face was covered in scratches and bleeding cuts.
Merlin got up and attempted to move the rocks that now blocked the way out. He tugged and tugged but nothing moved.
He was too weak.
Merlin sank to his knees breathing heavily and crying.
"NOOOO! "Merlin then let out a giant yell as he hit the rock barrier in anguish
He was trapped. With no chance of escaping.
________________________________________
The Camelot Army had stopped for the night and were currency setting up fires and bedrolls.
Gwen and Gaius were sat together around one of the fire pits as Arthur approached.
" Vital supplies," Arthur said
Gaius was currently fiddling with something when Arthur spoke making him look up from what he was going.
Gaius glanced at Gwen for a second before he looked back at Arthur. "Excuse me, Sire?"
"A shame Merlin didn't feel able to join us, " Arthur told them.
Gaius then realised what the king was talking about. "I'm sorry, Sire, for I must take the blame, but I cannot treat the wounded without sufficient medicine. Timing is unfortunate I grant you. "
"Yes, unfortunate, as you say" Arthur then walked off with a frown.
"I'm not sure he believes you, Gaius." Gwen said before giving Gaius a pointed look "I'm not sure I do, either"
"I know how devoted Merlin is to Arthur. He would never leave him at a time like this, not for a mere errand. Not unless there was something else, something he doesn't feel able to talk about. "
Gaius thought for a moment before he spoke. " My lady, there is something else, something of the very greatest importance. I dearly wish I could tell you what it is, but I cannot. For reasons that affect us all."
Gwen gave Gaius a confused look before she smiled " Then there is nothing more to be said, except for whatever it is. I wish him luck."
Gwen placed a gentle hand on Gaius' before she glanced over at her husband to see him looking into the fire with a solemn look.
"It's not only, Merlin's absence that's affecting him. I can see it in his eyes. " Gwen sighed sadly " He misses Aria. "
"We all do, my lady" Gaius frowned
" I just don't understand how Morgana could do such a thing. Aria used to always think that there was some hope for her and at times I almost believed her. But now this has happened, I don't think there's any goodness left in Morgana's black heart." A few tears had fallen down Gwen's cheeks as she remembered the kind and loving Morgana she once knew. But that Morgana was long gone.
"Aria always did bring out the best in her. She brought out the best in everyone." Gaius sighed " I would appear that Aria was Morgana's only hope at redemption"
________________________________________
On their way back, Aria and Gwaine laughed and joked the whole way. Aria was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.
When they got close to where Camelot's army was they currently spending the night they slowed down their horses and quietened their voices so they wouldn't be caught just yet. The plan was for Gwaine to go in first and announce that he had a surprise for everyone then Aria would show herself to the others.
But then the two trouble makers got another brilliant idea when they caught sight of Violet in the distance, collecting wood all on her own. She thankfully had not notified them as she was too busy searching the ground for sticks.
Gwaine approached her first to distract her giving Aria a chance to sneak up behind her.
"Violet!" Gwaine greeted making Violet jump slightly. She looked up startled before she let out a breath of air seeing it was just Gwaine.
"Gwaine, your back. Where have you been?" Violet asked
Gwaine noticed Aria standing just behind Violet and smirked slightly.
"I had to pick something up" Gwaine pointed to Aria making Violet turn around.
When she saw Aria, she gasped and dropped the sticks she was carrying in her arms. Tears immediately began falling from her eyes.
"A-Ari?" Violet chocked
"Hi, Vi" Aria chuckled as tears of her own began to fall.
Violet shot forward and embraced her best friend tightly. Aria hugged her back just as tightly. Both women were in tears as they hugged and Gwaine just stood back, smiling as the two best friends reunited.
"I thought you were dead" Violet sobbed into Aria's shoulder.
"But I'm not. Morgana tricked you, all of you. I'm right here, Vi. I'm not going anywhere." Aria wept, clutching Violet close.
Two girls then finally pulled away.
"We need to tell the others" Violet gasped as she glanced back at Gwaine.
"Well, come on then. Let's give them a surprise they'll never forget" Gwaine joked making the girls laugh.
________________________________________
Gwaine and Violet walked into the camp smiling brightly. Many of the knights looked at them funny as they walked passed and headed straight for Arthur who was still sitting staring into the fire.
"Arthur," Gwaine said gaining the king's attention.
"Gwaine, your back. It's about time. Where've you been?" Arthur asked as he stood up
"I was picking up a surprise for you" Gwaine smirked before addressing the entire camp "In fact, it's a surprise for all of you!"
Gwaine had the attention of the whole camp now and they were all looking at him like he'd gone mad.
Arthur looked at Gwaine confused and Gwen who came to stand beside Arthur glanced at Violet, giving her a confused look when she saw the blonde girls giant smile.
"All right! You can come out now!" Gwaine called out looking into the forest.
Everyone looked to where he was yelling. For a moment nothing happened. Then everyone's jaw dropped and their eyes widened in disbelief when a flash of bright red and blonde appeared from behind a tree.
Arthur felt like he couldn't breathe. Tears clouded his vision and his breathing became uneven. His gaze fixed on the red-cloaked figure coming out from behind the trees.
Aria was exactly the same when her eyes found her brothers. Tears poured down her face and she couldn't fight the smile that made its way onto her face.
Aria couldn't take it anymore, she ran at full speed right to Arthur who snapped out of his faze and met her halfway immediately engulfing her in a tight hug. The entire camp cheered and yelled in delight at the princesses return.
Both Pendragons were sobbing into each other's shoulders not wanting to let each other go.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Arthur breathed holding his baby sister close.
"And I you" Aria replied " I've missed you so much, Arthur "
"I've missed you too, Ari"
When the siblings finally let go of one another, Aria was then swept into a hug by a sobbing Guinevere.
"Oh, Aria" Gwen cried holding her close.
" This must be a dream, it has to be"
"It's not a dream Gwen. I'm here. And I'm never going to leave again. Never. I promise." Aria smiled
When Gwen finally let go, Gaius, swooped in.
" Please, never do something like that again. My heart won't be able to take it. " Gaius said as he had his turn of hugging Aria.
"I'm not planning on it, Gaius." Aria smiled pulling away.
Then before she could say anything Aria was bombarded by the knights surrounding her cheering loudly. Percival lifted Aria up onto his shoulders for everyone to see making the knights cheer louder.
Someone then started a chant and before you know it, all the all and the servants that had joined the journey were yelling "Long live Aria" over and over again.
Aria just smiled and laughed and them. She could not have been happier.
She was back where she belonged.