Chapter Text
“The winters are harsh in Ealdor, and there are many children. Some of the won’t be strong enough to survive. We barely have enough food as it is, and if Kanen takes our harvest, our children won’t live to see another Summer. Please, we need your help.”
Merlin watched his mother proudly as she held herself with a grace rarely seen in a commoner, asking King Uther for assistance against the Bandits threatening his home village. Her visit had come as a surprise, albeit not a pleasant one upon seeing the large bruise that swallowed almost half of her face. He was grateful to Arthur for arranging an audience with the King as quickly as he had, knowing the village didn’t have much time until Kanen’s next pillage.
“Ealdor is in Cenred’s Kingdom. Your safety is his responsibility.”
“We tried speaking to our King, he doesn’t care for the smaller villages on the borders. You’re all we have.”
“I feel your plight, and I wish nothing but for this animal to be eradicated.”
“So, you’ll help us?”
Merlin admired his mother’s faith, but knew from the way Arthur’s shoulder twitched as he stood beside Uther, there was no hope of the King supplying them with even a small platoon for assistance.
“I wish I could.”
Arthur stepped forward, placing himself between his father and Hunith, sending a small smile of encouragement her way before turning to the King.
“We can surely send a handful of men?”
“Finding a soldier to spare is not the issue here.” Came Uther’s clipped response, visible annoyance that his son was speaking out against him in Open Court.
“Then what is?” Morgana spoke this time, from her seated place beside her Guardian, a questioning gaze masking the annoyance she felt at Uther’s reluctance to help someone, regardless of whether they resided in his kingdom or not.
“Ealdor is past the Ridges of Ascetir. For a company of Camelot to cross is seen as an act of war.”
Hunith moves forward a few steps, dropping to her knees and clasping her hands in front of her chest as she turned to her final resort.
“I know you are a fair, kind King. A good man. Please, I am begging you.”
“Our treaty with Cenred took years to reach. I cannot in good conscience risk so many lives for the sake of one small village. I’m sorry.”
Merlin moves as Morgana leaves her seat, grasping Hunith’s hands in her own and pulling the woman to her feet, guiding her out of the Throne Room.
Merlin turned his head back, making brief eye contact with Arthur as the doors closed behind him. The Prince gave him a discreet nod, and he knew his friend would do what he could to try and sway the King’s decision.
-------------------------------------------------
Hours later, Arthur stood on the battlements above the training grounds, looking over the scene as the sun started to dip below the horizon, bathing the grounds in golden light. He listened as a set of footsteps approached, coming to a stop beside him. He didn’t need to turn his head to know it was Merlin.
“If it were up to me, we’d already be riding out.”
Merlin let a small smile slip onto his face as he looked out over the grounds.
“You did your best. An audience with the King was honestly more than I’d expected.”
“I only wish our people could help those in need, regardless of which Kingdom they reside.”
The pair stood, basking in the peaceful silence that enveloped the land as the day came to an end. Merlin sighed, allowing his shoulders to rise and fall with the heavy breath. His next conversation with the Prince would not be an easy one, but he knew, in order to keep his village, his family safe, it was a conversation that he needed to have.
“I’m going back to Ealdor.”
“I expected nothing less.” Arthur replied, his gaze unmoving from where it had been focussed for the past hour.
He had been reflecting on his father’s words, both in front of the council and between the two of them in private. He knew the King was wrong, and he had made a mental note to revisit the situation when he finally took the Crown.
“It’s been an honour serving you.” These words gave Arthur pause, but he refused to turn his eyes away just yet.
“You are coming back?”
“I have to care for my family before anyone else. Surely you understand?”
No, Arthur couldn’t say he did understand. He didn’t know his mother, and he hardly saw himself doing much for his father beyond a sense of duty.
It was funny, before Merlin had arrived in Camelot, that answer would have been completely different. But the lengths Merlin had gone to; ensuring his safety, saving his life time and again, it had opened the Prince’s eyes to what true dedication and loyalty looked like.
It was something he had never truly witnessed before, not even from his father’s oldest knights. It was refreshing, something new to add to what, he had come to realise, was a truly mundane existence.
Merlin’s presence in his life had opened his eyes to many things; fake friends, fake loyalty, even the different types of magic that existed in the Kingdom.
He had been raised to believe that all Magic was evil, that those who wield it hold naught but vile thoughts and ill-intent. But Merlin… well, there were many things about Merlin that raised his suspicions, but the young man’s ideals on the beauty of magic, the good that could come of it, they had opened his eyes to potential possibilities. He’d never dare to discuss them with his father, or anyone for that matter, not even Merlin, but he couldn’t help the thoughts that would sneak into his mind in those quiet hours between sleep and waking.
So, he remained guarded, silently sniffed the tears that began to well in his eyes, and faced his manservant with a playful smile.
“Well, you’ve been terrible. Really, I mean it. The worst servant I’ve ever had.”
Merlin’s eyes lit up in a smile, relief flooding his features as he swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Thank you sire.”
He turned to leave as Arthur called him back, one final time.
“Merlin.” He paused, sending him a tight, forced smile. “Good luck.”
And he watched his servant, his friend, walk away from his one last time.
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Gwen hands Merlin a sword with a soft, friendly “Here”, pausing and pulling back as the poor man reached for the blade, before meeting her eyes with an embarrassed smile and grabbing the hilt. He held it lightly, an air of uncertainty in his posture as he tested the weight of the blade.
“How does it feel?”
Merlin cleared his throat, a grimace slowly breaking through his façade as he tried to find the words to describe something he was entirely unfamiliar with.
“Uh… yeah… good. Very… very swordy, y’know?”
Gwen raises her eyebrows as she stifles a giggle. She resumed packing the bag on the table seated in her home, speaking to her friend almost absent-mindedly as she did.
“It seems balanced enough that you can use it easily, and I’ve packed some armour you should wear.”
Merlin watched the young woman and observed the large bag on the table, adding confusion to his features.
“I’m just one man, Gwen! I can’t carry all this.”
At that Morgana entered the room, stealing Merlin’s breath as his eyes move over her lithe frame, adorned in chain mail and armour that hugged her perfectly, accentuating her curves. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a loose braid, draping over her shoulder. He was so wrapped in her, he almost missed the next words that came from her lips.
“Oh, did you not tell him yet? We’re coming with you. The horses are being saddled as we speak.”
Confusion once more.
“What?”
“You need all the help you can get.” Gwen stated matter of factly as she cleared the weapons and mail from the table. “I know how to mend armour and sharpen swords.”
“And I’ve been trained to fight since I could walk.” Morgana added with a small smirk.
Merlin was dumbstruck, staring between the two women who had become his closest friends.
"B-But… why would you… you can’t… why?”
Gwen moved forward to place her hand on his arm.
“You’d help us. You have. You saved me when my father recovered from that mysterious sickness.”
Morgana smiled at him, shrugging nonchalantly.
“And if it weren’t for you, Mordred would have been burned at the stake. It’s the least we can do.”
Her eyes moved briefly to Gwen’s, smiling at her maid before turning her gaze back to Merlin.
Merlin’s heart filled with warmth. Here stood two of the truest friends he could possibly hope to have. His first friend when he arrived in Camelot, Guinevere; loyal, kind-hearted, gentle, and a soul that shone through even in her darkest moments. And Morgana, the King’s Ward of all people; a ferocity unmatched by anyone, not even the King. Merlin often marvelled at her ability to speak up to the man with such passion, no matter the subject.
He counted his luckiest stars that these women had decided he was worth helping, worthy of being a friend.
He thanked them with a watery smile and a gentle hug before walking back to Gaius’ chambers to collect his mother.
He stood at the Physician’s table, going over the contents of his bag once more to ensure he had not forgotten anything.
Not like I’m going to be coming back here. He mused with a sad smile.
A shuffle to his side alerted him to Gaius’ presence, but he continued in his task without lifting his head.
“Do you have the food I prepared?”
“Yes”
“Do be mindful of the wine, you know how you get. One sniff of a barmaid’s apron…”
Merlin huffed a laugh at that, happy his mother was still in his old room, finishing her own packing.
“I will, I promise.”
Gaius paused, concern filling his eyes as he observed the young man in front of him.
“Are you sure you don’t want an extra blanket?”
The boy was so skinny, and it wasn’t like he could afford the best quality fabrics for his clothes on his limited salaries as the Physician’s apprentice and Prince’s manservant.
“Really Gaius, it’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“Well, make sure you are. Do whatever it takes.”
Before the young Warlock could register what was happening, Gaius had collected him into a tight hug. The older man poured all the unspoken words of worry and support into the embrace, allowing his hand to brush over Merlin’s hair in a tender moment often reserved for a father to his son, before releasing him and giving a final squeeze to his shoulder.
And so, with their bags packed and horses saddled, Merlin helped his mother onto their shared steed, and the small group ventured out from the walls of Camelot into the forest. Headed for Ealdor.
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That night, halfway into their journey, Merlin sat staring into the fire as Morgana and Gwen slept. He had insisted on taking the first watch to ensure the women in his company had time to rest before the final leg of their trek.
As he stared into the fire, he was aware of his Mother walking around him before settling beside him.
“Your friends shouldn’t have come. Especially the Lady Morgana. She’s the King’s Ward, she’ll be in such trouble when she returns.”
Merlin huffed a soft laugh, his eyes jumping over to Morgana as she slept peacefully.
“You wouldn’t know she’s his Ward. I think she’s the only person in the Kingdom who isn’t terrified by him.”
“Kanen won’t care that they’re women.”
“You try talking them out of making the rest of the journey. It’s like running at a stone wall and expecting it to just crumble on impact.” he laughed.
He shifted his posture so he faced his mother, raising his hand to cup her face and gently run his thumb over the bruise healing on her cheek. A fresh wave of anger filled him as he took in the colour, still purple in the spots Kanen’s knuckles had made contact, other parts a mottled green of yellow to show the slow heal of the wound.
“I’ll make him pay for what he’s done to you.”
“You must be careful Merlin. No one can find out about---”
“They won’t. They never do.” He trailed off, looking back to ensure the girls still slept soundly. “Was she…”
His words seemed to trail off, but Hunith understood what Merlin was asking, a soft smile gracing her face.
“She had bruising on her upper arms from where they held her back when I left. Will tried to---”
“Pull her away?” he guessed. “Hasn’t he learned after all these years?”
Hunith laughed, shaking her head.
“I don’t think he cares how she’s behaved all her life. He’s trying so hard to protect her.”
She stood, moving back to her bedroll, giving Merlin’s hand a light squeeze.
“Get some rest.”
Merlin nodded as he stood himself, moving over the last bedroll, laying his head so it pointed towards Morgana’s, their faces only a few centimetres apart. The woman’s eyes opened momentarily, +and she sleepily grinned at the man before letting them close again and drifted back to sleep. Merlin smiled, turning over to face the fire once more, muttering a small spell to quell the flames, turning into a dragon with wings spread wide before dissipating, leaving behind hot embers that would last to the early hours of the morning.
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Crack
Merlin’s eyes shot open at the sound of a twig snapping, clearly a sound made by the boot of an unknown occupant in the small clearing where they had made camp. He reached slowly for his sword, rising to his feet and creeping out of sight.
He hid behind a tree, staring out at the temporary campsite and listening for any more sounds that might alert him to the location of the intruder.
Suddenly, he felt the tip of a sword pressed to the small of his back, and he froze. He debated using his magic to blow them backwards, when a familiar voice sounded and relaxed his entire posture.
“I’d demand you empty your pockets, but I know what you carry.”
Sword forgotten in his grasp, Merlin swung around with his arms outstretched, almost slicing the Prince’s head off as he did.
“Arthur!”
Thankfully, Arthur was well-trained, and knew to step back and duck out of the oncoming blade. He righted himself. Staring at Merlin incredulously.
“Christ Merlin! Put the sword down, you look absurd.”
He reaches forward and yanks the sword out of the man’s hand, stalking over to the camp with a frown on his face.
He watched as Merlin relit the fire with his flints, the flames slowly growing as the pair sat together on the log, staring into the flames as they danced about.
“How much farther?”
“A few hours, maybe less.”
“Do you know how many men we’ll be dealing with?”
Merlin paused for a moment, thinking about what his mother had said to him when she first arrived in Camelot.
“I think my mother said as many as forty, not sure.”
Arthur hummed a reply, poking a stick at the fire to stoke the flames, feeling the warmth seep into his bones as he envisioned a plan in his mind.
“You should get some sleep. Tomorrow’s not going to be an easy day.”
Merlin didn’t hesitate to nod, a yawn escaping his lips as he moved back to his bedroll, turning to face Morgana as he shifted to get comfortable.
Lifting his head, he spoke over his shoulder to the Prince.
“Arthur? Thank you, for coming I mean. You know, you didn’t have to.”
“Get some sleep.” Was Arthur’s only response, looking over to his friends as he watched his head drop back to the ground and slip easily into a deep slumber. It didn’t escape him that his and Morgana’s heads seemed to line up, and he thought how nice it was that, despite the circumstances, the pair were able to take some time to explore… whatever was growing between them without the watchful eye of the King reducing their interactions to a passing smile or sneaky brush of the hand.
Contrary to popular belief, Arthur wasn’t as dense as he let people believe him to be.
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The party was mere minutes out from Ealdor, and Merlin found his anxiety slowly growing.
He knew that, once they reached the Village, he would have to explain some things to his friends, and after a hushed conversation with his Mother as they strapped their bags to the horses that morning, he decided it was best to come clean.
“So! Before we get to Ealdor, there’s some things I need to tell you.”
Arthur chuckles before asking,
“What, do you have a secret girlfriend we don’t know about Merlin?”
He realised his mistake when he saw Merlin and Morgana both flinch before feeling the swift smack against the back of his head as Gwen, who had been riding next to him, raised her hand. He heard a muffled giggle and looked to see Hunith covering her mouth and hiding behind Merlin in hopes of not being discovered.
“No! N-n-no, no girlfriend, no. But it is something along the lines of---”
His words were cut off as a scream echoed out from the village, prompting Merlin and Arthur’s heads to snap forward as everyone kicked their horses forward into a gallop, rushing to the source of the call.
As they finally reached Ealdor, they were met with a scene of utter chaos.
Kanen had returned early and his followers were ripping apart the town, searching through stacks of hay and overturning boxes.
“Kanen!”
One of the bandits pulled on a hatch, revealing a pile of bags hidden beneath, as another appeared from a hut off to the side, dragging a young woman out, one hand wrapped in her hair and tugging harshly to hinder her struggles.
Arthur couldn’t make out much of her features as the horse strode forward, but he could make out brown skin and long, dark tresses. For a moment, he thought he might be looking at Guinevere, before remembering she was just behind him on her own horse.
Kanen strode forward to the man knelt on the ground by the hatch as the girl was pulled over to him, waving the bag of grain in his face as he growled.
“Please, we have to eat.”
“Oh do you?”
“And resow the fields for the next harvest. Please! We’ve kept the bare minimum to survive..”
“Matthew, shut up!” The woman called as she was brought to a halt in front of Kanen, still attempting to pull her arm from the tight grip of the bandit holding her, her dark hair flying about wildly.
“That sounds fair.”
A loud smack sounded as Kanen struck Matthew, the villager flailing to the side and landing hard on the stone beneath him. The woman seemed to release her own growl, lurching forwards in a vain attempt to get to her companion.
Kanen raised his axe, bringing it down as the woman shouted.
“No!”
Before the axe could make contact with Matthew, Arthur swung off his horse, drawing his sword and parried the blow, pushing with all his might to move the axe away from the villager laying on the ground.
Merlin is right behind him, raising his own sword against the bandit holding the young woman. The man releases her to bring his own blade up in defence, pulling back and starting to battle with the Warlock, quickly forcing him against the door of the closest hut. Merlin feels the blade getting closer to his chest, his strength failing him and is about to utter a spell, but the whisper behind his opponent beats him to it.
”Hætende.”
The bandit’s sword seems to take on a molten glow as the metal heats rapidly, causing the man to screech as he drops the blade to avoid burning his hand further. Merlin reacts quickly, sliding the blade across the man’s neck and rushing forward to pull the woman back to her home, thrusting her into the waiting embrace of a young man with short, light brown hair. They exchange a nod as the man clutches the woman tight, bringing his hand up to caress her head, and Merlin smiles at the pair before rushing back to Arthur’s side.
By the time he gets there, Morgana and Gwen have joined the fray and Kanen is shouting.
“Kill them!”
The bandits have all started rushing forward, varied weapons swinging in their hands as they approach the party of four.
Morgana and Arthur have taken to standing back-to-back, moving around as the bandits try to form some kind of circle around them.
“Bringing back memories of when I used to beat you?”
Morgana calls out as she easily bats away a bandit swinging a mace that surges forward, moving to the next opponent and taking them out just as easily.
Arthur is experiencing much of the same, finding the men attacking them to be sorely lacking in the skill department, making up for poor coordination in brute strength.
“Don’t recall that ever happening.”
The fight seems to come to an abrupt halt as Kanen mounts his horse, jabbing it furiously to move towards the exit of the village as his men start to do the same.
“You’ll pay for this! With your lives, you’ll all pay for this!”
----------------------------------------------------
As the dust settles the young man with light brown hair strides forward, pushing the young woman he had been embracing into Hunith’s arms as he approaches Merlin.
“You still up to the same old magic tricks again? I thought I told you I didn’t want your kind around here.”
Merlin turns to face the man, a wide grin splitting is face.
“Well, then you’d have to banish your fiancé, and we know you’d never do that. I’ve missed you too, Will.”
The men lunged forward, hugging the other tight as the woman moves out of Hunith’s arms and towards them.
“Merlin? Mother, I told you not to bring him into this!”
“Good to see you too Ella.” Merlin rolled his eyes, smiling as he surges forward to collect the girl, Ella, into an embrace, holding her tight until she manages to wiggle free and cup his face in her delicate hands and looking him over with deep brown eyes. The boy brings his hand up to grasp at hers as his friends finally approach, pulling the hands away and turning to them with a slight blush on his face.
Arthur raises his brows at the man’s reaction to the woman, a teasing smile once again making its way to his face.
“And who is this lovely creature Merlin. Perhaps the mystery girlfriend you were denying to us before?”
This time it was Morgana that hit him, and he subtly reached up to rub at his arm as he finally managed a good look at the woman in Merlin’s embrace.
As he’d observed before, she was lithe, caramel brown skin and long, slim fingers. Her hair, black as Ebony, fell down her back in long tresses that seemed to curl and wave naturally to give her this sort of ethereal beauty, the sunlight hitting it in a way that it almost seemed to shine a deep, almost night-like blue as strands blew about in the light wind gusting around them. Her eyes were a rich, chocolatey brown that glowed when the sunlight hit them, taking on a golden hue when she turned her gaze from his manservant to the Prince himself. He startled to see the orbs harden as they rested on him, releasing Merlin and turning to face him completely, crossing her arms.
Before she could open her mouth, Will spoke up.
“Actually, she’s my betrothed, Elenoura. Merlin is her---”
“She’s my sister.”
Three pairs of eyes widened at the statement, turning to Merlin as he moved to place a hand on the woman’s shoulder, giving a light squeeze, almost giving her a message. Her shoulders seemed to loosen, her arms unfurling and one hand reaching up to squeeze Merlin’s in response.
“Yes, I’m his sister. His older sister.”
Her head turned to smirk at Merlin at those words, watching as his own eyes rolled in what appeared to be playful annoyance.
“Now who the hell are you and what makes you think what you just did was in any way okay?”
“Ella! These are my friends, and they came to help. Be nice!”
Ella rolled her eyes, turning away from the group and approaching Will, linking her arm in his as Merlin followed her back to his friend after sending an apologetic look at the still awestruck trio.
“It's good to see you both again.”
Will smiled at his old friend.
“How are you, mate? We heard you’ve been, er, slaving for some royal?”
“I wouldn’t use the word slave.”
“Merlin! Gather everyone around.”
Merlin let out a small huff, turning his body to Arthur, but keeping his head facing his sister and friend.
“Yeah, in a minute, I’m just talking…”
“Now, Merlin. There isn’t much time.”
“Excuse me! Who do you think you are, bossing him around like that?!”
Merlin placed a hand on Ella’s at her outburst, giving her a smile before turning completely to Arthur.
“Yes, Sire.”
Ella looked bewildered.
“Oh, you’re kidding me, little brother! The prat you’re serving is him?!”
Merlin chose to ignore her in favour of carrying out the Prince’s request, standing back as the man began to address the villagers.
“I’ve dealt with Kanen’s kind before. He’ll return to make good on his threat, and when he does, you need to be ready. First, we have to prepare for---"
“Are Ella and I the only ones wondering who the hell this is?” Will interrupted, moving forward from the back of the crowd with Ella close behind.
“I’m Arthur, Crown Prince of Camelot.”
“Oh yeah! And he’s prince William of Ealdor.”
“Elenoura!” Hunith scolded. “He’s here to help us!”
“But he’s made things worse Hunith!” Will replied in kind. “When Kanen comes back, he’ll be out for blood. You signed all our death warrants.”
“He saved Matthew’s life.”
“And Merlin saved mine, mother. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to blindly follow Merlin into a battle.”
“It’s alright Hunith. This is their village.” Arthur turned to the couple standing ahead of him.
“What do you propose we do?”
“We can’t fight against Kanen. He has too many men.”
“And what’s the alternative?” he asks, eyes turning to Merlin’s sister as she speaks again.
“Give him what he wants.”
Even Will seems to falter at the statement, his eyes darting momentarily to Merlin before moving back to the Prince.
“Actually Nora, I was going to say we need to leave. Let Kanen return to an empty village, and once he abandons the place we can return to Ealdor without fear of his return.”
Elenoura’s eyes meet Will’s and the two seem to have some kind of silent conversation before turning their gazes back to Arthur once more.
“And then? What will you do? Those of you who survive to the next harvest will face him again, and any more after that! There’s nothing to stop him from coming back, and you’d be right back in this position again.”
“We’ll manage. We’ll survive.”
“How?” Some of the villager chime in, starting to raise their own concerns on the matter, hearing the Prince’s words and the lack of faith that seemed to be coming from their leader and his future bride.
Arthur takes another step forward.
“The only thing that can stop him is to fight. Stand up to him.”
“No. You just want the honour and glory of a battle! It drives men like you! Look, if you want to fight, go home and risk the lives of your own people! Leave ours be!”
“Will.” Merlin gives his friend a warning glance as Hunith steps out from the crowd.
“I’ll follow you. If I’m to die, then I want to go out fighting.”
“Mother!” Elenoura calls to her mother indignantly as Matthew also steps up.
“That goes for me too.”
The calls of agreement sound across the crowd, numbers rowing larger with each voice joining the mass. As they continue to speak and plan their attack strategies, Merlin watches as his sister and Will march away, headed for Will’s home. With one last glance towards Arthur, he turns and follows.
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Merlin enters Will’s home, the open front door letting him know that they knew he was following behind. He looks around briefly to see the space had not changed much since Merlin had left for Camelot. Elenoura was sat the table, slowly making her way through the small pile of vegetables beside her, cutting them roughly and throwing them into the pot on her other side. He looked to the other side of the home to see Will rummaging through his bedclothes, straightening them up and tossing random pieces of clothing into a small basket.
“He knows what he’s doing. You’ve got to trust him.”
The eye roll he received told him Will believed otherwise.
“Look, when I first met Arthur, I was exactly like you two. I hated him, I thought he was pompous and arrogant.”
“Well, nothing’s changed there then.” Elenoura remarked as she laid a particularly hard chop into a potato, the chunk cut off almost falling from the table, if it weren’t for the woman’s quick reflexes and flash of Brown eyes turning Golden, slowing the vegetable down so she could sweep her hand underneath it and move it to the pot.
Will ignored the blatant use of magic, having become quite used to it being his childhood best friend had confided the gifts in him long before the woman he fell in love with revealed her own powers.
It wasn’t surprising to him honestly. Hunith possessed no abilities of her own, so it only made sense that Merlin, and in direct relation, Elenoura, had to get their powers from the Father they shared.
Elenoura had been born mere weeks before the Great Purge had begun, her father stealing her away under cover of darkness as he himself fled his home to keep his little family safe. Ella had had no idea what happened to her Mother, her father disappearing again before Merlin was born, leaving the then three-year-old girl to wonder where her Papa had gone and when he was coming back. Leaving her for Hunith, the woman who had become like a mother to the small child, to care for her, whilst simultaneously juggling becoming a single mother, and soon after a newborn little boy who instantly started displaying his magical abilities.
She’d had to grow up fast after that; helping her stepmother cope with Merlin’s growing powers, continuing to learn how to harness her own for the safety of Ealdor.
Whilst Merlin had still been struggling when he had left for Camelot, Elenoura was very confident in her natural abilities. She had become a helping hand to all in the town, using her natural magic to help with the harvests, with gathering water from the river, and entertaining the children of the village with a conjured kaleidoscope of butterflies (yes, that is the correct term for it. Cute right?) or shower of sparks.
She never spoke of her father, being sworn to secrecy by her father at that tender age, and her mother as she grew, that Merlin should never know his true heritage, for his safety above all else.
Will only knew these things because, upon their engagement, his beloved Nora had decided he needed to know everything about her. She had, of course, waited until Merlin had officially left the Village to tell him, swearing the man to secrecy before revealing all her deepest darkest secrets.
Now, it was all Will could do not to spill the story of Balinor, great sorcerer companion to King Uther Pendragon in the time before the Great Purge who then turned on him and forced him to hide and abandon his children.
Instead, he picked up the stand that held his father’s old chainmail and tabard, righting it and smoothing out where the mail had become slightly tangled.
“But in time, I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does.”
“Yeah, I know what he stands for: princes, kings, all men like him.”
“Will, don’t bring what happened to your father into this..”
Will finally turned to look at Merlin, brow raised.
“I’m not. Why are you defending him so much? You’re just his servant.”
“His magical servant, who I’m guessing is hiding his abilities, since he lives in a Kingdom that would have him burned just for the colour of his eyes changing.” Ella added, finally turning her own gaze on her brother, putting the knife down and standing to help Will clean up his home.
“He’s also my friend.”
Ella laughed at that, watching as Will moved closer to Merlin, knowing the argument they had started wasn’t going to cool down before it got much worse.
“Friends don’t lord it over one another.”
“He isn’t like that.”
“Really? Well then, we’ll just wait until the fighting begins and see who he sends in to die first. I guarantee you, it’s not going to be him, or his father’s Ward.”
“I trust Arthur with my life.”
“Is that so? So he knows your secret, then? Look, face it Merlin, you’re living a lie. Just like you were here. You’re Arthur’s servant, nothing more. Otherwise you’d tell him the truth.”
Will ended the discussion here, continuing to clean the space of all the mess left by the bandits.
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After helping to right the rest of Will’s house, Ella gave him a soft kiss goodbye and walked alongside Merlin back to Hunith’s home, where Morgana, Gwen and Arthur were being set up for the week ahead.
Hunith argued with Arthur about him taking her bed, much to Elenoura’s chagrin. Merlin had known his dear sister would dislike the Prince immediately, it was in their blood it seemed. But he was optimistic she would come around eventually. He knew Arthur, and he knew Ella, and whilst they would undoubtedly butt heads, they were similar in heart and mind.
He watches as Morgana and Gwen formally introduced themselves to Elenoura, a fast friendship forming between the three women as they discuss any topic that comes to mind. Soon, Merlin, spurred forward by Arthur’s hand on his shoulder, joins the small group. Ella is still somewhat cold towards Arthur, but as they sit around the fireplace and trade stories of growing up in their varied statures, the young Warlock could see the woman warming to the Prince, her eyes crinkling in a light smile as Arthur speaks of one of the last hunts he’d been on before Merlin had arrived at the Castle.
Finally, she puts a question out to the group.
“So! What exactly has my baby brother done to get the Prince of Camelot and the King’s Ward to travel to a tiny village that’s not in their Kingdom, to fight a bunch of bandits?”
Merlin shoots her a look before moving it to his friends, a look that told Elenoura she needed to hear what the idiot had done, so she could ream him out next they were alone.
And so the stories began. The first time he saved Arthur’s life, pulling him out of the dagger’s path. The enchanted shield, snakes springing forth without being called. The magical creature born of Earth and Water, the attempt to sacrifice himself to save Guinevere’s life – that had earned a sideways glare. The creatures cursed to bear human forms until the life of a Prince was sacrificed in their names. The Druid boy who had taken a shining to the Lady Morgana in his pain-addled haze.
And finally, the story that froze Elenoura’s blood, turned her eyes wide as she stared at her brother with disbelief and heartache.
“You drank POISON?! YOU DRANK POISON?! Merlin what in the actual. Ever. Living. FUCK. Is. The. Matter. With. You?”
Each word was accentuated with a strong punch to the younger man’s arm, eventually resulting in pained groans slipping past lips with each hit.
“Ella, Ella, OW ELLE!”
“What?! What could you possibly say to me that would make me feel any better right now?!”
“Well first, I’m not dead, so the poison didn’t work.”
All that received from his sister was a raised brow.
“And second, I didn’t drink poison. I drank wine from a poisoned Goblet.”
Morgana and Gwen facepalmed at that, Arthur failing to stifle a laugh at the poor attempt to ease the woman across the table.
“Merlin, you’re a bloody Cabbagehead!!! What on Earth would possess you---”
“Can I speak to you outside please?”
Arthur was surprised. It wasn’t like Merlin to keep secrets. There was definitely something the man was hiding from him, but Arthur knew that whatever it was, Merlin had a good reason for keeping it. Though, now that he knew one secret was a sister, he found himself curious as to what could be so serious he continued to hide it?
He watched as Elenoura stood, following Merlin out the front door. As soon as the door closed, Morgana and Gwen turned to each other and announced they were retiring for the night, disappearing behind the room divider.
Waiting a few moments to ensure neither of the women emerged again, Arthur stood and tiptoed his way to the front door, creaking it open and following the siblings into the darkness.