Finally broken, Mordred knelt in front of Morgause's throne. Morgause had bound his will to hers. Her goals were Mordred's goals, her will was his.
"Oh, my love," she cooed. "I am beyond pleased with what you've become. By my side at last, we will be unstoppable."
"I was wrong to ever question your wisdom, my lady," Mordred said dully.
"You are Arthur's bane, and my victory. But there's more, isn't there. You know something, Mordred. The key to defeating Arthur Pendragon. Tell me."
Mordred looked up from the floor. "There is someone you have been searching for. Someone who has always eluded you."
"Emrys."
"I know where she is."
"Where?" Morgause demanded.
"Camelot. I have her true name as well. It is Merlin."
Morgause took a sharp intake of breath. Who would have thought that meddling girl was the most powerful magic-users to walk across the face of the earth? And at the heart of Camelot, no less.
-
Sir Leon entered the council chambers with a few of his men trailing behind him.
Arthur stood up from the Round Table, alarmed. Leon was supposed to be on patrol, and he never abandoned his duty. "Leon?"
"Sire! A force of Saxons. They crossed the northern border last night and attacked the garrison at Stonewell."
"They march under Morgause's command?"
"There is no doubt about it, Sire. It was not just men we faced, but sorcery."
"We shouldn't be surprised. She's been massing an army for weeks. Now, with Stawell taken, she has a base at our northern border, which can only mean one thing."
"She means to take Camelot," Morgana finished for Arthur, her face pale.
"Then she's already made her first mistake," Percival spoke up.
"We have sufficient time to prepare our defenses, Sire," Leon said. "We can make our stand here. However great her army, the walls of Camelot will hold. The citadel will not fall."
"Perhaps," Arthur replied. "Perhaps not. We've already deserted Stawell. I won't forsake the people of this land while we take refuge here."
"We can protect them here, Sire, in Camelot," Percival suggested.
"Some, but not all. Countless men, women, children, will be left behind, people who I vowed to protect."
"We cannot protect everyone," Gwaine said. "What do you suggest then?"
"There is one way. One way alone. We ensure that she never makes it this far."
"We... Ride out and meet them?"
"Man to man."
"But, Sire," Leon protested. "Morgause commands an army of thousands-"
"Nonetheless, it is our duty as protectors of this land. We cannot stand by and let our citizens be slaughtered. Those are not the values that Camelot was built upon. The war has begun. Leon, Percival, Gwaine, Morgana, stay. Everyone else is dismissed."
Once the men left, the small group made their way over to the table where a map of the land was placed.
"To reach Camelot," Arthur told them, "Morgause will have no choice but to cross the White Mountains. Now the only pass that gives passage to an army of that size is here." Arthur pointed to a spot on the map.
"I know it well," Percival said. The path is bounded by cliffs on either side."
"That's where we will meet them. Now we may be outnumbered, but if we don't let them outflank us, then we can hold the pass."
"How long?" Gwaine asked.
"Morgause has no care for the lives of her men," Leon pointed out. "She can't supply for an army that size indefinitely. Not isolated by the mountains. If we can hold out long enough, she'll be forced to retreat. Percival, at what point is the pass at it's narrowest?"
Percival studied the map. "Here, sire." He pointed to a spot between two mountains.
"What do they call this place?"
"Camlann, sire."
From the sidelines, Merlin's eyes widened. She knew that name. It had haunted her for a long time.
"Then it is Camlann that we make our stand," Arthur announced.
"No," Morgana whispered.
Merlin promptly fainted.
-
When Merlin regained consciousness, she was lying on the floor of the council chambers. Arthur and Gwaine were both leaning over her.
"Ugh," Merlin groaned. "What happened?"
"You fainted," Arthur said, helping Merlin up.
Merlin rubbed her head and looked around the room. Her eyes landed on the map. Right. "Sorry, it's just... I hoped I would never hear that name again."
"Why?"
Merlin's eyes glazed over and she seemed to look past Arthur, although they were making eye contact. "Terrible things will happen at Camlann."
"I don't understa-"
"Arthur," Morgana interrupted. "I know what she is talking about. I have seen it with my own eyes."
"Then what do you propose we do? Camlann is our only option."
"Destiny will always find a way of righting itself. There's nothing we can do. You're right. Camlann is the only option."
"Ready the men. We leave at dawn."
-
It is a rare sight to see all of the Knights of Camelot at one time. The entire army was in the courtyard preparing their horses.
"Arthur!" Morgana called. Morgana, Gwen and Merlin walked towards the group of men.
A while ago, Gwen and Morgana designed a sort of feminine armor for the three of them. They went on enough quests to deserve them. It was a thinner, lighter chain mail, accompanied with arm bands and gloves. However, they each added something a little different. Morgana wore her Pendragon red cloak and had a shiny silver corset-thing. Gwen had the furs that she normally wore with a belt to hold it in place. Merlin, of course, had her red neckerchief and jacket.
"What are you three doing here?"
"We're coming with you."
"I already told you three. I don't want you coming along. It's not safe."
"And when have we ever listened to you?"
"Arthur, we're coming," Merlin said. "You're going to need all the help you can get. Besides, you wouldn't last a day without me by your side."
"No, I wouldn't," Arthur replied, fighting back a smile. Fine, you can come, but I don't want you three to get involved in the battles."
-
"This is it," Arthur said. He, Merlin, Morgana, Leon, Percival, Gwaine, and Gwen sat on top of their horses, peering over what would soon be their battle field. "Camlann. The fate of the kingdom will be decided here. Make camp, take up positions."
"It is a death trap, Sire," Leons said.
"That's the idea."
"Morgause will have no means of escape, but neither will we."
"They would always outflank us. This is our only chance. It ends here. Be it life or death... It ends here."
-
Later, Merlin entered Arthur's tent to find him sitting at his desk, lost in thought.
"What is it?" Merlin asked.
"What if Sir Leon was right? Perhaps we should have made our stand at Camelot."
Merlin walked over to him. "Your plan is brave, bold.... and our only chance to defeat Morgause once and for all. Yes, we could have held out in the citadel, but for how long? And at what cost to the kingdom?"
Spoken like a true queen, Arthur thought, feeling the weight of a small piece of jewelry in his pocket.
"I have never for a moment doubted the valor and wisdom of this choice," Merlin finished.
Arthur stood up and walked around the table to where she stood. "If you do not doubt me, then I do not doubt myself." Arthur took both of her hands in his. "And that gives me a strength greater than any weapon."
Merlin flung her arms around Arthur's shoulders, standing on the tips of her toes. He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the hug. Arthur buried his face in her shoulder. Somehow, they both knew he would not make it out of this one alive.
Merlin was the first to pull away. She cupped Arthur's face with her hands and said, "You should get some rest while you can. You're going to need your strength."
Arthur smiled sadly and nodded.
-
Merlin laid down on her sleeping mat beside Morgana. The three women were sharing a tent. Morgana and Gwen has long since fallen asleep, but Merlin found herself unable to. Eventually, sleep overtook her and a vision began.
Merlin was standing in a cave of crystals.
"Merlin."
Merlin turned around to see Balinor standing behind her. "Father?"
"My daughter."
"Are you real?"
"Dead or alive, real or imagined, past or present... These things are of no consequence. All that matters is that you hear the words of your father, who loves you. You must hold onto hope. It will be your greatest weapon."
"I don't understand."
"Merlin, you are more than a daughter of your father. You are a daughter of the earth, the sea, the sky. Magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself. You are Emrys. It may not seem like it, but no matter the outcome of this battle, all will be as it should be."
"All will be as it should be," Merlin repeated.
"Rest now. Rest, my child. The battle has only just begun."
-
Morgana shot into sitting position, shaking from a nightmare, or rather, a vision.
"What is it, Morgana?" Gwen asked.
"Find the path, or the battle will be over before it's begun. Find the path," Morgana said. "I need to tell Arthur. "
"It was just a dream, Morgana."
"It wasn't a dream." Morgana began putting her chain mail back on.
Merlin and Gwen shared a glance before doing the same. It was the middle of the night, but Merlin trusted Morgana's visions.
"Morgana, he won't believe you," Merlin said.
"Then make him believe me, Merlin."
"How-"
"Magic, Merlin." To Merlin and Morgana's surprise, Gwen was the one who said that.
"What?"
Gwen rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Please, as if I wouldn't notice that my two friends have magic."
"R-right. Okay, um, how should I do this? Oh! I know!" Merlin said, mostly to herself. She conjured up her 'Emrys get-up.' Merlin reached out with her mind, similarly to how she communicates with the druids. "Find the path, or the battle will be over before it's begun. Find the path," Merlin said, repeating Morgana's words exactly. Merlin ended the connection and shed her disguise.
The exited their tent at the same time that Arthur burst out of his, still in his night clothes.
"Sire!" Leon jogged over to him. "The scouts report that Morgause's army is on the move."
"She'll attack before the night's done," Arthur told Leon. "Tell the men to prepare."
"Yes, sire."
"Percival! Gwaine!"
The two men made their way over to Arthur.
"Take a patrol of men to the rear of us. You're looking for a hidden path running into the mountains." Arthur pointed. "She means to outflank us. We must stop her now."
-
Arthur stood in front of the entire army, except for the scouts that he sent to find the path. Merlin stood behind him.
"Tonight, we end this war. A war as old as the land itself. A war against tyranny and greed and spite. Not all will greet the dawn. Some will live, some will die. But each and every one of you fights with honor and with pride. But not only do we fight for our lives... We fight for the future. The future of Camelot. The future of Albion. The future of the united kingdoms!"
The author, from the future, paused in her typing. "The United Kingdoms?" Sunflower asked. "How-"
Arthur glanced over at her. "I am in the middle of an inspirational speech right now. Can you not?"
"Sorry. Carry on."
Arthur raised Excalibur in the air. "For the love of Camelot!"
"For the love of Camelot!" the men shouted in response, raising their weapons.
-
"Don't be afraid," Balinor's voice whispered in Merlin's mind. "Trust in what you are. Trust in what will be.
-
Merlin watched from the top of the cliff with Morgana by her side as the Knights of Camelot and the Saxons gathered on opposite sides of the battlefield (Gwen was helping Gaius in the medical tent). Excalibur glinted in the sunlight as Arthur raised high above his head. "On me!" Arthur's voice rang out. They charged, and the battle began.
I can't believe we've finally gotten to the battle. Y'all are either gonna really love or really hate the ending that I've decided on.