A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait, life has been pretty hectic lately. But it's an extra-long chapter! So there's that! Anyways, enjoy reading, and don't be afraid to let me know what you think!
! #$%^
The next day, Arthur awoke to the sound of Merlin's voice telling her to wake up and get out of bed. She was tempted to roll over and pull her thick covers over her head, but knew that she had to get up for the tournament.
She groaned, and pushed herself off of the bed, nearly falling to the floor as she tried to balance on wobbly legs.
Arthur looked up from the ground to see Merlin staring at her with an odd expression, and narrowed her sleepy eyes in accusation.
"What?" She asked, but then followed his gaze to her clothing.
Oh.
Arthur flushed slightly, but felt no need to defend her actions of sleeping in her day clothes. She just sighed, held her head high, and moved behind her dressing screen. She quickly rid herself of the clothes she was wearing, and threw on practical pants and a red undershirt, tying it hurriedly before moving out from behind the screen.
Arthur could smell her breakfast before she could see it, and found herself nearly tripping over her feet in an effort to get to the table where it was set. As she grabbed the fruit from the plate, Arthur noticed her armor for the tournament placed neatly on the other table.
She frowned as she swallowed her food, and stepped over to where Merlin was grinning proudly.
Her armor was laid out in a very uncharacteristically organized manner, each and every piece shining from their recent polish.
"You did all of this on your own?" Arthur asked, glancing back at Merlin with raised eyebrows.
"Yes, ma'am." He answered, trying (and failing) to contain his grin.
She had never expected him to fully complete all of the tasks she had given him the day before, at the very least without looking like he hadn't slept. But as Merlin looked well rested, and the pieces of armor were shining, she simply shrugged.
"Well, let's see if you can get me into it without forgetting anything," She sent him a pointed look.
Merlin grinned freely this time, and set out to work.
He quickly got her into her chainmail and shirt, before smoothly strapping on her shoulder armor. He buckled everything in a record time, not only better than the day before, but better than most of Arthur's previous servants.
By the time Arthur stopped pondering over the horrible servants she'd had in her lifetime, she realized that Merlin was done equipping her armor, and was currently holding out her helmet.
She mentally ran through everything she needed, and smiled slightly when she saw that Merlin had gotten it right. More than that, he had actually done well.
"That was much better," She complimented, before tilting her head slightly to the left. "Not like it could have gotten any worse."
Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, and shrugged.
"I'm a fast learner."
Arthur shook her head, her blond hair falling to the side of her face.
"I hope for your sake that's true," She smirked.
Now that she was ready, it was time for her to make her way to the arena for today's matches. Arthur frowned slightly, going over everything she would have to do in her mind.
Merlin must have sensed her hesitation, for he gave her a pointed look.
"Good luck." He spoke, his eyes sparkling with some emotion Arthur couldn't immediately read.
She was tempted to make light of the situation, but instead settled on a brisk nod, before she strode out of her chambers and towards the doors of the castle.
It was a relatively quick walk to the arena, but Arthur wished it were shorter. A longer walk meant more time to think- which meant more time to worry. She knew that she shouldn't be anxious; she was the best fighter there, and was the reigning champion for a reason.
But that didn't make the fear of disappointment any less daunting.
Once she arrived at the tournament area, they motioned her through the gates, telling her that her opponent was already there and ready to begin. She made her way into the arena, and smiled automatically when the crowd began cheering.
She held up her helmet as a sign of acknowledgement, and the crowd's cheers grew louder. A squire quickly gave Arthur her shield, and she faced her challenger, who seemed to be a young knight.
Arthur slid her helmet into place, and felt her limbs slide into a familiar fighting stance. The horn blew, and she struck out.
The knight was young and strong, but she was just as young, and just as strong. She parried every attack he made, and lashed out with even more ferocity than the before. Within a matter of minutes, she had the knight on the ground, the tip of her sword placed gently over the boy's heart.
The crowd went wild, and even her father nodded in approval.
Arthur quickly withdrew to her tent, ripping off her helmet and tossing it onto the cot. She ran a nervous hand through her long blond hair, before returning outside to watch the other matches.
The next knight up was Valiant, and she frowned as the match progressed. After a while of struggling, Valiant was able to pin the opposing knight beneath his shield, which somehow made him go limp.
Valiant struck while the other knight was still, and Arthur felt her eye twitch in aggravation. Of all the knights to progress further into the tournament, she wished it was anyone other than him.
Merlin spoke up from his place at Arthur's side, drawing her attention to the wounded knight.
"I think he's badly injured," He spoke, and Arthur couldn't help but to agree.
The knight hadn't gotten up, and Gaius was making his way over to his side. Whatever blow he had received from Valiant, could very well have been deadly.
Arthur shook her head, and took a drink of water to help her dry throat.
"If it is treatable, Gaius will make sure he is taken care of,"
She glanced over at Merlin, who wore a look of concern for the knight, and smiled grimly, before finding a seat to watch the rest of the matches.
The day passed by quickly after that, and Arthur saw no noticeable opponents other than Valiant, who she feared would be the one to face her in the finals. He was the only one who seemed to be able to match her skills, and normally Arthur would be glad to have someone present a challenge, but not this time.
Valiant gave her a bad feeling, and she wasn't sure why.
! #$%^
The next day came sooner than she had liked, and once again she found herself by her tent, Merlin tightening the straps of her armor in preparation of her next match. Most of Arthur's fears had faded somewhat from the days before, and she found herself calm and ready to face her next opponent.
Her blue eyes briefly flickered over the tents around her, before landing on the beast of a man she was up against.
Merlin followed her gaze, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of what she was staring at.
"You're telling me you have to fight that?" He asked, his voice raising an octave.
Arthur raised her eyebrows as she looked back at the raven haired boy, and nodded.
"Yes, and he's strong as a bear," She spoke, turning her gaze back to the man a few tents away. "But he's slow."
Arthur spoke truthfully. She had seen this type of swordsman before, and she doubted that this man would be any different.
"Ah! And you're fast." Merlin grinned.
Arthur caught his gaze, returning his grin with a smile of her own.
"Exactly."
Merlin nodded, and slid her sword into her belt loop. He studied her for a brief moment, before patting her on the back to signal that she was ready to go. Arthur placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, and marched off to the entrance of the arena.
The fight went much as she had planned; the knight was strong, but extremely slow. It was only two minutes into the fight when she caught her opening, knocking his sword down and delivering a solid hit that sent him to the ground.
The crowd cheered, and Arthur grinned.
She was in the final.
Her blue eyes locked with her father's, and she let her smile grow at the imperceptible nod of his head. She had done well, and made it to the final. Now it was time for the next match, the one that would decide who she would fight to defend her title as reigning champion.
It was Valiant versus another knight, and though the other knight was skilled, Arthur was hesitant to say that he stood no chance.
She made her way back to her tent, and watched as the next match started. Her calculating eyes watched every detail, analyzing every inch of the fight. Valiant was brutal, almost shockingly so, and was very obviously winning.
Arthur stepped back, her hands clenching into fists as the horn rang out, showing that Valiant had won.
She still wasn't sure why she didn't like him, why he just gave her a bad feeling, but all she knew is that she really didn't want to fight against him.
When she looked up from glaring at the ground, Merlin was watching her with an expression she couldn't immediately read. It was a cross between concern, worry, and confusion.
Arthur studied him as he stared, scrutinizing his blue eyes that were darker than her own, but somehow seemed to shine brighter than hers ever could. His black hair was slightly disheveled, and Arthur noted that she had never seen him with hair that wasn't tousled.
With a slight shake of the head, she looked away.
"I'm attending a dinner tonight with some of the knights from the tournament," She spoke to Merlin. "You're free to do as you wish this evening."
Arthur gave a final nod to Merlin, before storming off to the castle.
! #$%^
It had been close to an hour after she got back to her chambers from that ridiculous party, when there were several hurried knocks on her door. She frowned, and started to stand, but the door had already flown open, Merlin rushing in.
Arthur raised her eyebrows, and sat back down in her seat.
"Well at least you knocked," She remarked.
But Merlin didn't seem to hear her, as he slammed something on the table in front of him and opened his mouth. A flurry of words flew out, but Arthur was more intrigued by the fact that it was a snake's head that Merlin tossed onto the table.
The only tidbits she caught of his rant was something about Valiant using a magic shield with snakes, and Merlin being the one who cut its head off, which was absolutely ridiculous.
"You?" Arthur glanced down at the snake's head, then back up at Merlin. "You chopped its head off?"
Merlin seemed uninterested in her sarcasm, and pointed a finger at the head.
"Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant," He spoke, and upon hearing Arthur's scoff, continued. "You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds on Ewan's neck where the snake bit him."
But Arthur just shook her head. It couldn't be true; this was just ridiculous.
"Ewan was beating him, Arthur. He had to cheat." Merlin persisted.
Arthur finally sighed, and looked up at the raven haired boy.
"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot," She spoke.
Camelot was the most harsh on magic users, so she had a hard time believing that someone, even Valiant, would be stupid enough to resort to witchcraft.
"Ewan was pinned under Valiant's shield, so it would be impossible for people to see the snake bite him."
Arthur hesitated for a split second at Merlin's words, thinking that there could be some sense in them. She had a horrible feeling about the knight, and it would explain why. But she quickly scolded herself. She could not begin to condemn the man simply because of her feelings.
She stood from her chair, turning towards the window.
"Well, I don't like the guy, but that doesn't mean he's cheating," She reasoned.
But Merlin just stared at her, holding his ground.
"Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom. When Ewan's conscious he'll tell you what happened."
He paused, and Arthur gave in, turning back to face him. He wore a look of complete seriousness, which seemed out of place on his usually goofy complexion. His eyes met her own, and Arthur crumbled.
He couldn't be lying, not with those eyes.
"If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield, it's the only way he can beat you."
Arthur raised her eyebrow at the semi compliment, before beginning to shake her head. Merlin quickly grabbed the snake's head from the table, and thrust it towards her.
"Look at it,"
She briefly lowered her gaze to the object, before looking back at Merlin.
"Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?"
Arthur looked at the snake once again, only to realize that he was right. She frowned, and took it from his outstretched hand. The head of the snake was unlike anything she had ever seen before, and she knew that had she seen one, or even read of one in a book, then she would have remembered.
Merlin had convinced her minutes ago, but more and more facts were piling up to support her trust of the boy.
"I know I'm just a servant and my word doesn't count for anything," Merlin leaned closer to her, his gaze intense and honest. "But I wouldn't lie to you."
And Arthur believed him.
There was something in his eyes, something that told her that he was telling the truth. She believed him; trusted him. But she had to make sure.
"I want you to swear to me, that what you're telling me is true,"
She stepped closer to him, her eyes never leaving his.
Merlin returned the stare unflinchingly.
"I swear it's true." He spoke.
And that was all she needed to hear.
"Then I believe you."
! #$%^
It only took an hour for everyone to convene in the throne room after she summoned the court, which Arthur was thankful for. Accusing a knight of something this severe was not something to be taken lightly, and the sooner it was over, the better.
The room began to crowd, and she watched as Valiant was escorted in by the guards. His face was unpleasant, and she was surprised at how much it fit. He had given off an awful vibe from the moment she saw him, and now it made sense.
She stared at him, and he stared back, his resentment not concealed by his usual mask.
It was only a few moments later when the door opened once again, and her father swept into the room. She tried not to cringe at the obvious anger in the glare he sent her, standing tall.
"Why have you summoned the court?" He barked, brushing past her to stand beside the throne.
Arthur took a deep breath, and looked to her side, where Merlin smiled grimly back at her. She nodded in response, and then stepped forward into the center of the room.
"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament."
Her voice was firm and confident, matching her proud posture.
The reaction was immediate, as everyone in the room gasped. Her father whipped around, his face grave as he turned to the man in question.
"Valiant, what do you have to say to this?" He asked.
Valiant glared at Arthur, and stepped forward.
"My Lord, this is ridiculous. I have never used magic," His face turned up into a sneer as he looked at Arthur. "Does your daughter have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?" He demanded.
Uther looked at his child.
"Do you have any evidence?"
Everyone was looking at her now, many with scrutiny. She just straightened her back, and lifted her head higher.
"I do."
She motioned with her hand, and Merlin stepped forward, holding out the head of the snake to the king.
He took it, and observed it carefully, holding it up in order to see it better. Arthur could tell that her father did not enjoy having to think of the possibility of the knight cheating, but he could not deny the facts.
He turned to Valiant.
"Let me see this shield."
Valiant held it out to the king, but Merlin quickly tugged on Arthur's sleeve, leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"Don't let him get too close," He warned.
Arthur quickly drew her sword.
"Be careful, my lord." She advised, holding her weapon firmly in her hand.
Her father shot her a look, but then nodded, placing his hand carefully on the shield. As he was looking it over, there was a whisper from the back of the room.
Arthur turned, and saw Gaius motioning for Merlin.
She nodded, and spoke.
"We need Ewan, Merlin. Find out what's happening."
Merlin quickly disappeared to the edges of the room, and Arthur turned back to her father and Valiant.
"As you can clearly see, my lord, it is just an ordinary shield," Valiant said, giving a pointed glare in Arthur's direction.
She scoffed, feeling anger rise in her chest.
"Well, he's not just going to let everyone see the snakes come alive!" She motioned angrily with her hands.
Uther just stared at her.
"Then how am I to know that what you say is true?" He questioned her.
Arthur raised her head yet again, her confidence returning to her.
"I have a witness," She spoke. "Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote."
This time she turned to stare at Valiant, her gaze challenging.
"He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic."
She let a triumphant smile cross her lips as she saw fear flash across Valiant's eyes.
Her father frowned.
"Where is this witness?" He asked.
Arthur faltered, and turned to look for Merlin.
"He should be here…"
Merlin was in a heated discussion with Gaius, and both of them looked rather upset. Arthur felt her stomach drop, and she quickly shuffled over to where they both stood. She leaned in close, and shook her head.
"Where's Ewan?" She whispered.
Merlin paused, before answering in the worst possible way.
"He's dead."
Arthur didn't believe this. She couldn't. How could he be dead? He was the only proof they had to show the others. How could this have happened?
"I'm waiting!"
Her father's voice cut through her thoughts, and she turned.
Arthur wasn't able to find words, and she stammered slightly. She paled as she saw everyone's eyes on her, waiting for her to prove her case. She gulped, and gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.
"I'm afraid the witness is dead."
Arthur lowered her gaze to the floor, unwilling to look her father in the eyes.
"So you have no proof to support these allegations?" He spoke, stepping forward with a dangerous expression on his face.
Arthur felt her throat tighten as her eyes met her father's.
"Have you ever seen Valiant use magic?"
"No," She answered truthfully. "But my servant fought the sna-"
"Your servant?" Her father spat out the word like it was poison. "You make these outrageous accusations, against a knight, on the words of your servant?"
Arthur's chest clenched, and her heart seemed to stop. She quickly tried to answer him in an intelligent way.
"I believe he's telling the truth, father."
Somehow her voice was still firm, and she finally managed to look at him. Of course, Valiant stepped in, glaring openly at her.
"My lord, am I really to be judged by some hearsay from a boy?"
The condescending tone of his voice made her want to lunge at him, but she retrained herself. Though it seemed Merlin did not have the same restraint, and approached them.
"I've seen those-"
But it was the wrong thing to do, and her father snapped.
"How dare you interrupt?" He shouted. "Guards!"
Two guards stepped forward and grabbed him by his arms, dragging him towards the door.
Arthur felt panicked, and was about to say something when Valiant beat her to it.
"My lord…" He spoke, and Uther listened.
"Wait!" He commanded, and the guards halted.
"I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account." Valiant said.
Uther regarded him with a look of approval, before he looked at Arthur with a scowl. He shook his head in disdain, gesturing to the man beside him.
"You see? This is how a true knight behaves, with gallantry and honor."
His words cut Arthur the same as a knife would, wounding her more than he could ever know. Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to say something in response, but a quick look from her father stopped her.
Valiant smirked.
"My lord, if your daughter made these accusations because she is afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept her withdrawal."
Uther looked taken aback.
"Is this true?" He directed towards Arthur. "Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?"
Her mouth fell open, and she made a sound of disgust.
"No!" She protested.
But her father strode forward until his face was only a few inches from her own.
"Then what am I to make of these allegations?" He spoke, daring her to say something else to embarrass him.
And Arthur could say nothing else in her defense. She was beaten, and she knew it. There was no proof, Merlin had somehow ruined that. And now the entirety of the royal court was string at her, waiting for whatever she would say.
Arthur had no choice; she turned to Valiant, and reluctantly looked him in the eye.
"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding," She began. "I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my . . . apology."
Valiant's whole presence oozed smugness, and she had to grit her teeth.
"Accepted."
And with that, she promptly bowed to her father, and swept out of the room.
What the hell was that? Was it even possible for her to look more like an idiot? She had been trying to prove her worth to her father for some time now, and to see that look in his eyes when she had disappointed him . . . she was livid.
She heard footsteps behind her as she walked into her chambers, apparently Merlin had followed her back. She didn't dare turn to face him yet, as she didn't want to go berserk. Arthur had taken a chance, a leap of faith, all because of one servant and his pretty blue eyes.
"I believed you," Her voice was close to breaking as she spoke. "I trusted you, and you made me look like a complete fool."
Arthur turned around, her hands on her hips and fury written all over her face.
Merlin stammered slightly, and shrugged.
"Well, I know it didn't go exactly as planned, but-"
"Didn't go as planned?" Arthur gasped. "My father and the entire royal court thinks I'm a coward, Merlin! You humiliated me!"
She had to put her hand to her mouth to stop herself from going off on him more than she already had, and she quickly turned to the window. Her heart was racing, and her jaw was clenched painfully.
Merlin stepped towards her, trying to help.
"We can still expose Valiant, Arthur," He spoke.
His voice was smooth and reassuring, but for some reason all it did was make things worse. It reminded Arthur of why she had trusted him, because of his words and voice and eyes and everything that made him seem like he was being completely honest.
Arthur shook her head, and forced the next few words out of her mouth.
"I no longer require your services, Merlin."
There was a pregnant silence as he took in what she had said. Arthur felt her breathing quicken with every second he didn't answer. She didn't know why it had upset her this much, telling him to leave. He had made her look like an idiot, made her feel like throwing herself off of the nearest tower!
"You're sacking me?"
So then why did it hurt so damn much?
"I need a servant I can trust." She answered, finally controlling her voice and making it sound like she still knew what she was doing.
Merlin immediately responded.
"You can trust me, Arthur!" He swore.
And that was it.
Arthur whipped around, glaring with all of her might.
"And look where it got me!" She shouted, nearly screaming.
She could see the hurt in his eyes, but forced herself to be strict.
"Get out of my sight!" She spat out words of venom, words that did their job.
There was another slight pause, before his footsteps retreated, and Arthur was left alone with her thoughts. Almost at once, her anger seemed to drain away, and then she was just tired. Exhausted and worn, she sank down against the table, one hand propping her up and the other pinching her temples.
She had done so well in the tournament, despite her worries, and was making her father proud. Which was all she ever wanted, really. Of course, it was her duty to do these things, but she wanted more than that. She wanted to do well enough to have her father be proud of who she was. And she had worked a long time, and gone a long way to make it this far, only to have moments like this toss it all away.
Arthur smiled bitterly as she remembered what her father had told her when she was younger. He had wanted a son desperately, a son who could carry on the Pendragon name with valor and honor. And when she had come out a girl, he knew he couldn't have that.
That was why her name was Arthur, as though by giving her a man's name, it would make her strong and brave. And she was strong, with or without the name. She only wished her father could see that. Because if he couldn't, then who would?
She stood, and walked to the fireplace, staring into the flames as though they could answer all of her desperate pleas. What was she supposed to do? She had trusted Merlin, a servant boy, when he made accusations against a knight. But he had been so straightforward and honest, so true.
And then she realized, she still believed him.
She remembered the look in his eyes when she made him swear to her, his blue orbs that never wavered for a second as he spoke. So yes, she knew that he had been telling the truth. And with that realization, she felt some of her anger towards him fade.
It wasn't his fault.
It wasn't his fault, but that didn't change the events of that day, or the fact that everyone now thought that their future ruler was a weakling, a coward.
And so she stared into fire, not knowing what else to do. She stared, and hoped that things would turn out alright, even though she knew better.
Arthur found herself staring for several hours, and when familiar footsteps sounded the return of the same person she had sent away, she didn't have the heart to lift her head.
"I thought I told you to get out of my sight." She spoke, knowing it was him.
And she was correct.
"Don't fight Valiant in the final tomorrow," Merlin was frank. "He'll use the shield against you."
Arthur sighed heavily, and glanced up at him for the first time.
"I know."
Merlin seemed shocked by her words, as if he didn't expect her to still believe him, or at the very least admit it. His eyebrows drew together in confusion, and he tilted his head.
"Then withdraw. You have to withdraw!" He spoke.
Arthur gave a small scoff, and turned to him.
"Don't you understand?" She began. "I can't withdraw. The people expect their princess to fight; how can I lead men into battle if they think I'm a coward?"
She tried to make him see how important this was, how dire of a situation she had been placed in. But Merlin didn't understand, and stepped closer to her.
"Arthur, Valiant will kill you! If you fight, you die!" He stared her down, worry and concern clear in his eyes.
Those ever changing blue eyes, the ones that had gotten her into this in the first place. She gave a lifeless smile, and spoke.
"Then I die."
Merlin looked taken aback, and he frowned. He stared for a moment more, before he replied.
"How can you go out there and fight like that?"
He truly didn't understand, Arthur thought. She thought that it was funny, in a way, how he seemed completely oblivious to her reasoning. But it was all too clear to her.
"Because I have to, Merlin. It's my duty." She said, another smile on her lips.
Merlin just shook his head. He backed away, his gaze still not leaving hers. Finally, he ripped himself away, and left the room.
Arthur found herself in silence once again.
! #$%^
Morning came all too soon, and Arthur found herself awake as the sun rose, which was rare for her. She found herself in a sort of resigned calm, and she quickly put on trousers and an undershirt.
A replacement servant would be there soon, so she quickly made her way to the arena before they arrived. She wanted to see the tournament area before people began crowding in to see her and Valiant fight, before the chaos began.
The arena was quiet, as she was the only one there aside from a few servants cleaning. It was nice and calm, and she felt surprisingly all right. She stood there for a few moments longer, before she headed back up to her chambers.
A servant was already there, and he quickly helped her into her armor. It was strange, as there was no chatter like before. There was no fumbling with the straps, or commenting on how ridiculous it was. There as only silence.
Except for a sudden clicking of heels on the ground behind her.
Arthur glanced over her shoulder to find Morgana finishing the straps. She started protesting, but Morgana stopped her with a smile.
"Let me."
So she did. Morgana was quick and swift with the buckling, and when she was in front of her, Arthur raised a questioning brow. Morgana smiled once again.
"I used to help my father with his armor." She explained, handing her the helmet.
Arthur took a deep breath, and nodded at her. Morgana had always been there for her, even if they bickered like children at times.
"Thanks." She spoke.
She turned, making her way out of the door. But before she could get very far, a voice stopped her.
"Arthur?" Morgana started.
Arthur turned back to face her, and saw how wracked with worry the dark haired women was. It was clear that Morgana feared for her wellbeing, and Arthur couldn't help but to feel warm because of it.
"Be careful." Morgana pleaded.
Arthur took in her friend's pale form, and gave a half smile.
"See you at the feast."
And then she left, holding her head high as she made her way to the arena one last time. She had to look strong and confident to those that looked at her, so she used her years of etiquette training, and made sure her back was straight, her head was lifted high, and her stance strong and powerful.
As she approached the arena, the cheers grew louder. Men, women, and children all come to see a fight between two knights, a fight that could very well result in her death. But still she held herself well, and positioned herself across from Valiant, who wore a confident smirk.
Her eyes glanced over the crowds, she saw Morgana and her handmaiden, as well as her father. She could not find Merlin which would normally be upsetting, if there weren't more pressing issues. She looked at her father, and when their eyes met, Uther gave a brisk nod, which was more than enough for Arthur. He had acknowledged her, and that was a start.
If she was going to die today, at least she'd have that.
As the people cheered louder, Arthur slipped on her helmet, and fell into a fighting stance. She lifted her sword to Valiant as a sign of respect, but he knocked it away.
Arthur could feel her anger rising once more, and the thought that this ass could kill her today, made her blood boil.
Valiant was the first to attack, and he let out a mighty cry as he launched himself forward, trying to overwhelm her. Arthur quickly sidestepped, parrying the experimental jab that he threw out.
He was very aggressive in his style, and she had to constantly block his moves. When she saw an opening, she took it, and lashed out with her own sword. But Valiant was too quick, and brought his shield up to stop her weapon.
He thrust forward with his shield, causing her to lose her balance and stumble. She quickly recovered, and began circling him once more.
It went on this way for several more minutes, with him letting out a flurry of attacks, and her blocking, before sending back a few powerful shots of her own. She was holding her own against him, and had even managed to knock his helmet off him.
Taking the opportunity, she removed her own helmet, letting her long ponytail fall out of its constraints. Now that she could breathe more freely, she eyed him liked a hawk, trying to find any way that she could to get ahead.
But Valiant was too fast and too strong, and he suddenly struck her, stomping on her foot and upper cutting her with his shield.
The pain in her jaw was blinding, and for a split second she couldn't think, much less see. She felt herself fall onto her back, and Valiant step on her downed shield so she'd have no way to protect herself.
Thinking quickly, she released the shield and rolled to her right, narrowly avoiding a sword to the heart. The crowd gasped as Arthur jumped to her feet, only to gasp again as Valiant knocked her sword out of her hands.
She was very suddenly without anything to protect her, and could feel her heartbeat begin to race. She jumped back in order to avoid a deadly blow, and taking a chance, charged him.
Arthur quickly held his sword arm back, as well as his shield arm, in order to stop him from running her through. But Valiant was bigger than her, and stronger, and pushed her back violently. She could feel her back hit a wall, and struggled even more to keep the knight away.
As she was struggling, she could make out Merlin's figure in her peripheral vision, which made her pause for a moment. Of course, in that moment, Valiant managed to press his shield up against her front, causing Arthur to panic.
Reacting on her instincts, she kicked the knight in the shins, and pushed with all of her might. She got lucky, and Valiant stumbled backwards. She recovered, holding out a hand to try and predict his next move.
But Arthur definitely did not expect the two snakes on his shield to come alive. Merlin had described it to her, but it was a different experience when you were living it, and when they were in striking distance.
The crowd gasped once again at the sight before them, and Valiant seemed to panic. He stared down at the snakes with a frantic expression.
"What are you doing? I didn't summon you!" He shouted, stumbling over his words.
Arthur felt a pressure in her chest lighten. Merlin had been right. She had been right to trust him. She let herself smile, and taunt the knight who stood in front of her, motioning to the arena.
"Now they all see you for who you are," She said.
But Valiant shrugged, and let a sadistic grin crawl over his face. He backed away slightly, and looked down at the live snakes on his shield. Suddenly, the two snakes dropped out onto the floor, right by Arthur's feet.
She swiftly backpedaled, trying to put distance between her and the creatures.
"Kill her!" Valiant cried, and the snaked struck out.
Arthur continued backing away until there was hardly any room between her and the stand where spectators sat. She was cornered, and was attempting to come up with a plan when someone intervened.
"Arthur!" Someone cried out.
She turned her head to see Morgana brandishing a sword, and had no time to ask where she got it. Morgana tossed it down to her, and she instantly calmed as her hand wrapped around the hilt.
Arthur lashed out, sending Valiant wheeling backwards to get away. She raised the weapon, and with a mighty blow, chopped the heads off of the snakes. And as soon as she had one victory, she had another battle to focus on.
She held her sword out to Valiant, who seemed almost bloodthirsty now. The cruel glint in his eyes was enough to send a shiver down her spine, but she had to concentrate on his movements.
He tried attacked, but it was mindless, and Arthur easily knocked the sword out of his hands. His shield was off to the side, leaving the perfect opening for her. Arthur drew her sword back, before swiftly thrusting it forward, holding it tight as it sliced through the abdomen of her enemy.
She wrapped an arm around Valiant, holding him upright as the life left his body. She gritted her teeth, and leaned forward to whisper one last thing in his ear.
"Guess I'm going to the feast after all."
You ass, she thought as she released his body, letting it crumple lifelessly to the ground beside the corpses of the snakes. Arthur sneered at the sight, a mixture of emotions running through her body.
She was relieved that she made it through the battle, disgusted at the monster who had called himself a knight, happy that she had been right to trust Merlin, and guilty for treating the servant as she had done the night before.
Soon enough, the crowd's cheering drowned out any thoughts she had, and she nodded dutifully, before retreating. She walked with a slight limp in her step, as one of her ankles had swollen something during the fight.
As she left the arena, she saw Merlin standing to the side. So it had been Merlin that she saw earlier, then. Her guilt gnawed at her, before she scolded herself for it. What was she supposed to do? Apologize for doing something anyone else would have done in her shoes?
But it was still there, and as she passed by him, she playfully shoved his shoulder with her hand. It was all she could muster up at the moment, but she hoped that it would be enough for him to understand what she meant.
The next few hours were a blur, mainly because Arthur was just so damn relieved at being alive. She had truly thought that she was going to die, and had even accepted it, but now she just wanted to sit there and smile.
The feast was there before she knew it, and once again handmaidens forced her into some complex gown that made no sense and pulled her hair into a delicate style. She was thankful that they left most of it down, as it wouldn't be a very enjoyable feast if they had pulled it into one of their tight buns they were fond of.
She made her way to the celebration area, also grateful she wasn't wearing heels. Once she got to the doors, she quickly peeked inside to see that everyone was just getting started. As she stepped through the doors, she saw her father take notice of her.
Uther cleared his throat, and announced her arrival with a smile.
"My honorable guests, I give you your champion: Princess Arthur!" He spoke.
The people there began to clap for her, and Arthur was tempted to roll her eyes. She didn't, though, as she was far too happy. So she simply walked forward, raising a hand in acknowledgement to those who applauded her.
Walking forward, she saw Morgana waiting for her, and held out her arm.
"My lady." She grinned cheekily at her friend.
Morgana looped her arm through Arthur's, and returned the smile.
"My champion." She jested.
They both grinned at each other, before forward.
"Has your father apologized yet, for not believing you?" Morgana spoke, looking up at Arthur.
Arthur just shook her head.
"He'll never apologize."
But Arthur was fine with that. She knew that her father regretted not listening to her, even though he would never say I aloud. She knew that she had made her father proud, and that was all that mattered to her.
So she looked back at Morgana, and continued making conversation.
"I hope you're not disappointed Valiant's not escorting you?"
Morgana laughed at Arthur's words, before shaking her head.
"Turns out he wasn't really champion material." She sniggered.
They finally reached their destination, and Arthur let go of Morgana's arm, standing across from her.
"Well, that was some tournament final."
Morgana rolled her eyes.
"Tell me about it." She said. "It's not every day a girl gets to save the princess."
Arthur frowned, raising her eyebrows in protest.
"I wouldn't say I needed exactly saving," She started, crossing her arms. "I'm sure I would have thought of something."
Morgana stared at her in disbelief, crossing her own arms in defiance.
"What, are you're too proud to admit I saved you?"
Arthur smiled slightly, and tried egging her on.
"Well, you didn't."
And it worked. Morgana gasped, and pointed a delicate finger at Arthur, trying her best to look intimidating.
"You know what? I wish Valiant was escorting me!" She said.
Arthur grinned.
"Me too. Then I wouldn't have to listen to you." She spoke.
"Fine." Morgana quipped.
"Fine." Arthur mirrored her.
Morgana gave one last huff, and marched off to talk to her handmaiden. Arthur couldn't help it, and she started laughing. Morgana was all too easy to bait, and sometimes she just couldn't help herself.
Still chuckling, she made her way to Merlin, who was filling up cups a few tables away. She leaned back against the table, and pushed on his shoulder softly.
"Can you believe Morgana? She says she saved me. Like I needed any help!" She chuckled again, valuing the small, but bright, smile Merlin gave her.
But the smile made her grow serious, and she paused for a moment, trying to figure out how exactly to say what she wanted to tell him. Finally, she just spit it out.
"I wanted to say, Merlin, I made a mistake," She spoke. "It was unfair of me to sack you."
There. She apologized, in word format, not just a pat on the shoulder. And the smile that he gave her made it worthwhile. She frowned, shaking her head. She wasn't allowed to be getting soft.
But Merlin just shrugged.
"Don't worry about it. Buy me a drink, we'll call it even." He said.
Arthur wanted to laugh, but she composed herself.
"Uh, I can't really be seen buying drinks for my servant." She reasoned.
Merlin obviously didn't pick up the hint right away, and his face scrunched up in confusion.
"Your servant? But you sacked me." He frowned.
Arthur grinned, adjusted the crown on top of her head.
"And now I'm rehiring you," She shot him a meaningful look. "I mean my chambers are a complete mess, my clothes need washing, my armor needs repairing, my boots need cleaning, my dogs need exercising, my fireplace needs sweeping, my bed needs changing, and someone needs to muck out the stables."
Arthur laughed as Merlin's face fell in a near comic manner.
Welcome back, Merlin.
! #$%^
A/N: Thank you guys for reading! I did most of this chapter between the hours of 2-6 am hopped up on several cups of tea, so if it doesn't make any sense, that's why. But please let me know what you guys think! Thanks so much for reading :)