Entry: OC02En06

Title: True Love Conquers All

Word count: 5,659

Theme and/or Prompt/s: Fairytale; Morgause gives Gwen a poisoned apple

Rating: PG

Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin, Morgana, Morgause, Elyan/OC, Nimueh

Spoilers: Some mention of Season 3 minor spoilers.

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to Shine and the BBC.

Summary: A Princess with a cursed destiny, but only one Prince can save her from her curse.

Author’s notes: I had always wanted to write the Merlin characters in a Disney-esque style Fairytale story, so I took some elements of Disney Fairytales and threw them in with our favorite characters. I did not expect it to be as long as it turned out to be, but I hope you all enjoy it!

Once upon a time, there was a King and a Queen. The King was a powerful man, ruling the beautiful kingdom of Aerten and he was a kind king, his people respected him for his strength, kindness, and loyalty to his fellow Kings. His life was perfect, he had a beautiful wife, he had a young two year old son and heir to the throne, but there was one thing he still wished he had and his wife wished she had.

They wanted a daughter.

The only problem was after the birth of their son, the midwives told the Queen she could no longer bear any more children. They advised her that it would be too dangerous to her health. The King followed the midwives orders and was careful about sleeping with his wife, making sure she didn’t get pregnant. But his wife did not listen and she went above all of their heads.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Please do not ask me to do this,” the great sorceress Nimueh begged.

“I heard you granted King Uther and his wife a son, I want a daughter for my family,” The Queen argued.

“But Queen Igraine died because of her son’s birth, I will not wish this upon anyone else.”

“I do not care what you want! I want a daughter!” The Queen cried.

Nimueh closed her eyes in defeat and sighed, “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes, more than anything,” The Queen replied.

“I must forewarn you. To give a life, a life must be taken in its place. It could be your husbands, your sons, even yours,” Nimueh warned.

“Could you tell me whose life will be taken?”

“I do not see visions of the future, I’m sorry.”

“Then I will take whatever consequences come from this, I just want a daughter,” The Queen replied.

The sorceress nodded her head and put her hand on the Queen’s abdomen. She muttered a few foreign words to the Queen’s ears and then there was a small light against the Queens abdomen and she pulled her hand away.

“The next time you lie with your husband, you will become pregnant with your daughter,” Nimueh replied defeated. She knew it would be the Queen’s life that would be taken, it was always the mother’s life for the child’s.

“Thank you Nimueh.” With those words the Queen left the Isle of the Blessed and Nimueh hung her head.

“You did well my sister,” a voice spoke behind her and she turned to see Morgause with the young Morgana in her arms.

“What does the child see for the Queen’s daughter, please reassure me what I did was right,” Nimueh pleaded.

Morgause whispered something in the child’s ear and then touched the child’s forehead and closed her eyes as she saw the vision flash through her mind.

“The Princess will be exactly who we need for our plans to bring down Uther and his son,” Morgause replied with an evil smile.

Nimueh nodded her head, but something in her still didn’t feel right. When the child was alone from Morgause’s sight, Nimueh went to her. She recited the incantation in the child’s ear and touched her forehead to see the visions herself.

What she saw was staggering. The Princess would be helpful in their plans but she also saw another future, that if they let the child live, she and the Prince of Camelot would bring Magic back to the lands of Albion and would unite them all for the good.

Nimueh stepped away from the child in awe and shock. She had seen which path her sister had taken now, and she had decided to take the other.

She had to warn the King and his Queen about their daughter’s fate.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When the King heard of his wife’s pregnancy he was worried and very scared, but he knew there was nothing he could do. His wife had made her decision, she wasn’t going to go back on it now, she wanted another child and another child is what she was getting, no matter the consequences. She had confessed to him she had gone to Nimueh and he was not pleased to hear this but again, he knew it had been her decision and there was nothing he could do now.

Nine months later, the Queen on a cold December evening went into labor. It was an agonizing process, the King waited in his study, worried, pacing the whole time. Till finally a messenger came to tell him, he had a daughter. But he also told him the grave news that his wife was dying. The king ran to his wife and he was able to see her before she took her last breath, telling him she loved him and always would. The King sobbed at her bedside and asked the nurses to leave him and to not let anyone disturb him.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Nimueh said behind him placing her hand on his shoulder.

He brushed off her hand and stood up pointing his sword at her.

“This is all your fault,” he growled at her.

“It is not all my fault, she knew how weak she was to have a child. It was her decision, I tried to stop her but she wouldn’t listen.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to warn you about your child.”

“What makes you think I would listen to you,” He said turning back to his wife.

“Because it is about your new daughters future and her life.”

“Go on,” the King replied softly.

“When she is 18, she will be given a poisoned apple, that will kill her. You must prevent this from happening, the future of Albion and your daughter’s life relies on you protecting her from this.”

The King let this information sink in and then he turned back to face the sorceress.

“Why should I believe you?” he sneered.

“Because I have seen it! Please listen to me, protect her from this fate. She must live to help unite Albion!”

“Get out of my sight!” The King ordered her and she disappeared, leaving him to his thoughts.

She went to the baby’s nursery and put a spell on her, a protective spell, that if she were to ever take a bite from the poisoned apple, she would not die but fall into a deep sleep until awoken by true love’s kiss.

She knew doing this had sealed her fate, her sister and others of the old religion were going to kill her for her going against their wishes. But she had done her part, she just hoped it would save the future of Albion and the little Princesses future.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Princess Guinevere grew up gracefully, playing for hours on end with her older brother Elyan, learning how to swordfight, learning how to read and write and from her brother’s help, she learned how to be a good horsewoman as well. All through her childhood, she had been forbidden to eat any apples, all apples were banned from the kingdom under the kings orders. But on one of her rides out with her brother she came upon an apple tree.

“Elyan! Slow down!” the 13 year old Princess called to her 15 year old brother.

“Never!” He laughed over his shoulder.

Guinevere shook her head and stopped riding and noticed a very odd tree. It had a sweet fragrant fruit growing on it. They looked like larger, rounder strawberries, bright red and shiny. She jumped down off of her horse and grabbed one of these fruits off of a branch. She held it in her hand examining it turning it over and over in her hand.

“You look at an apple as if you’ve never seen one before,” A familiar voice teased above her and Guinevere looked up to see the 14 year old Prince Arthur lounging in the tree eating an apple. His blonde hair fell into his eyes as he grinned down at her.

“What are you doing here Arthur?” She asked through narrow eyes.

“I was on a hunting trip and I decided to take some rest and eat something and I saw this apple tree,” He answered.

“Well, you shouldn’t be hunting on our lands,” She retorted.

“Yes I can! Because we are to be married someday, so they are my lands too!” He replied smugly and Guinevere rolled her eyes.

She had grown up visiting Arthur in Camelot and him visiting her in Aerten, they were arranged to be married by both of their single fathers after her birth. But Guinevere loathed him and he didn’t like her much either. She found him to be a prat and he found her to be annoyingly too smart.

“Well, I’m never going to marry you, so these lands will never be yours!”

“For someone so smart, I thought you would’ve known what an apple was,” Arthur said ignoring her last comment and jumped down in front of her.

“No, because they are banned in Aerten, I’ve never seen one before,” She replied.

“Well, you should try one, they are very delicious,” Arthur said and he took a bite out of his apple slowly and then grinned, “Mhmmm, so delicious,” He said with his mouth full.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?” Guinevere smirked and he frowned at her joke.

“Just take a bite Gwen.”

“No.”

“Gwen, it’s not going to kill you,” He joked moving closer to her and holding her hand up with the apple in it.

“How do you know?” She countered.

“Just take a bite, one measly bite. Or are you chicken?” he threatened and she glared at him.

“I am not a chicken, Arthur Pendragon!”

Guinevere then moved the apple closer to her lips and went to take a bite.

“Guinevere Leodegrance what do you think you are doing?!”

Guinevere and Arthur turned to see Elyan riding up on his horse. He had a disappointed look on his face and he jumped down from his horse and smacked the apple out of Guinevere’s hand.

“Elyan!” She shouted.

“Guinevere,” He warned and she hung her head, “You know the rules, you are not allowed to eat apples, they are dangerous.”

“Apples?! Dangerous?!” Arthur burst out laughing and both Elyan and Guinevere stared at him.

“Prince Arthur you should be heading home, you know you are not supposed to be on our lands without an escort,” Elyan scolded him, Arthur slightly cringed under his gaze.

“I am with an escort! Merlin’s with me!” Arthur defended.

“Really? Where is he?”

Just as Elyan asked that question Merlin came bursting through the bushes covered in leaves carrying 5 pheasants.

“I have your trappings today sire!” He called and then he stopped dead in his tracks and smiled at Guinevere and Elyan, “Hello Princess Guinevere and Prince Elyan!” Arthur rolled his eyes at his cheerful servant.

“Oh yes, Merlin is a great escort,” Elyan said sarcastically, “And you better run along before I change my mind about telling my father about you hunting on our lands.”

Arthur paled and pushed Merlin in the direction towards their horses.

“Told you Arthur Pendragon!” Guinevere called after him mockingly. But her laughter stopped at her brother’s death glare.

“Why were you going to eat that apple?”

“I didn’t know it was an apple!”

Elyan shook his head, “No, I heard Arthur tell you it was an apple and you were about to give in to his teasing and eat that apple. Guinevere do you realize how dangerous that is for you?!”

Guinevere just looked down at her intricate beading on her lavender dress’s sleeve while he chided her, she hated when he went into his protective big brother mode like this.

“Yes, after some silly curse when I was born, I am no longer able to eat apples. Yes Elyan, I’ve heard it thousands of times. I promise to be more careful next time.”

“Good, now let’s head home.” Elyan took her hand and led her back to her horse and they rode back home.

~*~*~*~*~*~

At age 16 Guinevere’s father died in battle, he was fighting a war with Mercia and King Cenred had killed her father. Elyan was of age, being 18 he was able to now take the throne. Guinevere stood by her brother’s side at their father’s funeral and then at his coronation the next day. Elyan was a wonderful King, the people looked at him with even more respect than his father, a new age had come in Aerten.

When Guinevere was 17 her brother was to be married. Her brother had arranged for Prince Arthur and his father to come to the wedding, she was of age to be married and a good union between another Kingdom, meant more peace for Aerten and the rest of Albion. As much as Guinevere hated to be paraded around like a prize to be won, she was going to do this for her brother, even if it was Prince Arthur whom she was being set up with.

Guinevere entered the great hall the night before the wedding for the welcoming feast dressed in her finest fiery red gown. The silks fell on her body beautifully, accentuating her womanly curves. She had her curly locks piled on her head in a messy crown with some tendrils falling around her face with a red and gold jeweled small crown on her head.

Every man’s head turned as she entered following her brother and his soon to be bride. Familiar faces were mixed with new faces. Among the familiar were King Uther and his son Prince Arthur and his ward the Lady Morgana.

“Princess Guinevere has certainly grown to be a beauty,” Uther whispered in his son’s ear.

“Yes she has,” He answered in a daze.

Arthur couldn’t believe this was the Guinevere he had practically grown up with. The annoying little girl, who just wanted so badly to play with the boys. He hadn’t seen her in the past few years due to war and his training with his knights, so this new Guinevere came as a shock and surprise to him. She was even more gorgeous than King Elyan’s future wife.

Guinevere sat down next to her brother and his wife at the head of the table and she looked down to see Arthur sitting with his father and his adopted sister. She felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him. He was so handsome and had grown out of his baby face he had while they were growing up. He saw her looking and smiled down at her and she gave a shy smile back. What was wrong with her? She never got shy around men!

The Lady Morgana noticed the looks shared between the Prince of Camelot and the Princess of Aerten. She smirked and realized her and her sister’s plan was falling into place. She just had to give it some time before it could take its full affect.

“Why are there no apples at this feast?” Morgana asked Uther.

“The Princess Guinevere was born of magic and with her being born of magic, she had a curse placed upon her. That if she ever ate an apple, she would die,” Uther explained and both of his children listened closely to the tale.

“That’s a very odd curse to have placed upon you,” Arthur commented.

“Why was the apple chosen?” Morgana asked.

“No idea, but it is dangerous to be born of magic. Some are lucky if they are born of magic to not have curses upon them but others, like Princess Guinevere, are not so lucky.”

After the feast, the minstrels came in and there was dancing. Guinevere was standing on the far end of the room chatting with a knight when Arthur came up to her.

“Princess Guinevere,” He greeted and she turned to look at him. He took her hand and kissed it, “You are possibly the most beautiful woman in the room this evening.”

“Thank you Prince Arthur,” Guinevere replied.

“Please call me Arthur, we are old friends and practically engaged to be married,” He joked.

“More like arranged than engaged, we never had any say Arthur.”

“And as of tonight, I’m no longer complaining about that fact.”

Guinevere blushed at his deep blue gaze boring into her brown. She had to admit, she didn’t hate the fact either that they were arranged to be married.

“May I have this dance?” Arthur asked her.

“Yes you may.”

He led her out onto the floor and shared a slow dance with her. They touched hands and circled each other staring into each other’s eyes. He spun her around and then pulled her closer to him and then moved farther away in beat with the music, never once did they let go of each other’s hands.

Other men watched on in envy, Uther and Elyan watched in joy, and Guinevere and Arthur didn’t realize anyone else was in the room as they danced. Morgana looked at them as she danced with a knight and smiled at how wonderfully everything was going. Soon would be the time for the plan to be put into action.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Guinevere and Arthur began seeing each other more often. He would visit her kingdom and she would visit his. Whispers and rumors started floating around about their impending marriage. They would spend hours on her lands just riding their horses and picnicking and when she visited Camelot, he would take her on walks around the grounds and the royal gardens. Elyan couldn’t be more happier for his sister, seeing her happy made him happy.

So for her 18^th birthday, Arthur had invited her to come and stay in Camelot and they would throw her a large birthday feast.

Guinevere and Elyan and his wife Queen Clarissa arrived in Camelot on horseback. Arthur stood on the steps of the palace with Merlin grinning by his side and his father and adoptive sister behind him, all dressed in their finest.

“Elyan!” Uther greeted hugging the young King.

“Uther, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” Elyan greeted.

“Clarissa, you are looking more beautiful than ever,” Uther complimented Elyan’s wife.

“Thank you sire,” she said smiling.

Arthur meanwhile went to help Guinevere down from her horse. He kissed her lightly on her cheek once she was on her feet.

“Hello Guinevere,” he said.

“Hello Arthur, it’s so wonderful to see you,” She said and he smiled.

“I’ve been counting the days till I could see your face again.”

“Ahem!” A voice said nearby and they looked to see Merlin standing there and Guinevere went to him and hugged.

“And hello to you as well Merlin,” She greeted and he laughed.

“Let’s get you settled in,” Arthur said and they all went inside to the castle.

After getting herself settled in, Guinevere went out to walk in the royal gardens before dinner. As she was a walking an old woman came up to her.

“My lady, I’m so sorry to disturb you,” The old woman bowed down before her.

“It’s quiet alright, are you lost madam?” Guinevere asked.

“No, I just wanted to offer you one of my freshly picked fruits. Please sample some, I was bringing them to the royal kitchens for this evening.”

Guinevere looked in the old woman’s basket to see strawberries, grapes, peaches, and apples.

“These all look delicious,” Guinevere complimented.

“Yes, you must try the apple, it is the best of them all. So sweet and juicy.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Please, just one bite. I’m sure one bite wouldn’t harm you,” the old woman begged and there was a flash of gold in her eyes and Guinevere found herself reaching for the apple.

Merlin who was out on an errand, saw Guinevere with the old woman and then noticed what she was about to bite into.

“Guinevere! DON’T!” he shouted but his words were lost as she bit into the apple.

Guinevere tasted the juicy sweetness and then found everything around her going black. Merlin watched as she fell to the ground and the old woman grinned and then turned her head abruptly to stare at Merlin, she grabbed the Princess in her arms and quickly disappeared.

Merlin ran, as fast as he could back up to the castle and into Arthur’s chambers.

“ARTHUR!” he called bursting into his room.

“Merlin! How many times have I told you-what’s wrong?” Arthur immediately noticed the distress on his servants face.

“It’s Guinevere, she’s gone! A witch has taken her!”

Arthur pushed past Merlin and ran down the hall to Guinevere’s chambers. He burst in her room and found no one in there but a few of the palace handmaidens getting the Princess’ clothes arranged for dinner tonight.

“Where is she?” he questioned one of them.

“She has gone to the gardens for a walk sire,” One maiden replied.

Arthur rushed out of her chambers and looked around the castle and in the gardens for her.

“Was this where you had seen her last?” He rounded on his servant.

“Yes.”

“What did you see?”

“She was talking with an old woman and then she bit into an apple. I tried to stop her, but it was as if she was under a spell, she couldn’t hear me.”

“Guinevere would not willingly eat an apple, she had to have been under a spell.”

Arthur fell down onto one of the garden’s benches and placed his head in his hands. He only had his servants words to go off of, but he wouldn’t know the first place to start looking for Guinevere. He had to think.

“I know how you can save her,” Morgana spoke. Arthur and Merlin turned to see her walking through the gardens.

“I also saw what happened, it was the witch Morgause.”

“How do you know this?” Merlin asked skeptically.

“When I was with her for that short amount of time, I saw her many disguises, this was clearly one of hers.”

“How do you know how to save her?” Arthur asked.

“I did some research on the Princess’ curse, just in case anything like this were to happen if she was here. You have to go to her and give her true love kiss before midnight of the fortnight to save her from her death.”

“So she’s not dead?” Arthur said surprised.

“Not yet, she’s just in a dead sleep, but if she does not receive true loves kiss before midnight of the fortnight she will die.”

Arthur quickly grabbed Merlin and they ran back inside. Neither man saw Morgana’s smirk as they ran away.

“I remember where Morgause’s castle is from when she challenged me, go and ready the horses, I am going to go and pack,” Arthur instructed his servant and they both went their separate ways.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Morgause laid the Princess down in a bed in the middle of her castle. She then went to the Crystals and looked to see the Prince’s progress. She smiled noticing they were already riding out of Camelot. She closed her eyes and cast some spells. These spells caused horrible weather to plague the Prince’s travels, but he rode on through the snow, sleet, rain, and horrible heat. He only stopped for a day.

The next day she cast even more spells, causing an evil beast to stop them as they entered Cenred’s kingdom. But with the help of Arthur’s servant, they beat the beast successfully.

Later she caused a sea of thorns to plague his pathway through the forest but this was no match for the Prince, even as he fought against Cenred’s men as well.

He was getting closer and closer to her castle. Her plan was not going well. The plan was to have him killed as he traveled to save the Princess and he would not reach her in time, causing her to die. Thus, Morgana would be able to claim the throne and magic would be restored to the kingdom. Morgause watched as Arthur’s servant helped him, with magic.

She now realized who she had to kill, to kill the king, she would have to kill his servant.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“We made it!” Merlin joyful exclaimed as they reached the familiar lake and waterfall.

“Come on then, we need to cross,” Arthur commented and he started to get his horse to cross.

As Arthur’s horse waded into the water, his horse was acting like it was spooked but he kept kicking it forward, as did Merlin with his horse. Then suddenly, something grabbed his horse and pulled him under, even in the shallow waters.

Merlin tried to cast some spells but nothing was working, then his horse was grabbed into the water. The dark navy water made it hard to see but it felt like arms were pulling him down, he saw his horse get strangled by some odd creature and he turned to see Arthur was now being held tightly bounded by this same creature. He tried to fight the slimy water creature off his sword but nothing could penetrate it’s dark navy scaly skin. Merlin kept trying to use his magic but nothing was working.

Finally he remembered a fire spell and it seemed to work and they quickly swam away towards the waterfall and they reached the waterfall just as the spell wore off.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!” Arthur thundered at him.

Merlin was leaning against a rock still trying to catch his breath.

“I don’t know what that thing was!” Merlin replied back.

“Not the creature, what you did!”

Merlin cringed at the accusation, he knew he had been seen but it was either let Arthur and himself die never saving Guinevere or use his magic in front of Arthur.

“How long have you kept this from me?” Arthur questioned through clenched teeth.

“Since I was a boy and started serving you sire. I was born with these powers,” Merlin replied softly.

Arthur didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know how to react, he knew Merlin was a good person and yet he grew up knowing and learning that magic was in people who were evil, like Morgause, he never thought magic could be used for good.

“You once said that maybe magic could be used for good, for the years, I have been harnessing and learning how to control my powers for good. I have saved your life, your father’s and others lives on many occasions because of my powers. I wanted to tell you but I feared for my life around your father. But now is not the time to discuss this, we must continue and save Guinevere.”

Arthur nodded his head at his servant and they continued on.

Morgause watched on angry, she had no choice but now to face him herself. Morgause waited for them to enter and greeted them as they walked inside.

“You witch!” Arthur countered moving towards her but Merlin grabbed him by his elbow.

“Don’t make any sudden moves Arthur, I will handle her, you go to Guinevere,” Merlin said to him and Arthur ran past Morgause in search of Guinevere.

It wasn’t hard for him to find her, he knew where she would be. The same room where he saw his mother. And there she was, laid upon a gorgeous bed surrounded by vine leaves, candles, and roses. He went to her and kneeled down and kissed her softly and deeply on the lips.

Guinevere felt herself slipping out of the darkness and the first thing she felt was warm, soft lips on her own. She knew whose lips these were and kept willing herself out of the darkness. She slowly felt her eyelids opening and looked into the dim light to see Arthur’s blue eyes gazing back into hers, relieved, worried, and happy at all the same time.

“Arthur,” She said and he smiled down at her and kissed her again, more passionately this time on her lips. She smiled into the kiss, thankful to be alive and with the man she loved.

“How touching,” A chilling voice said behind Arthur and he turned to see Morgause standing there looking at them with a sinister smile.

Arthur blocked Guinevere from her and drew his sword.

“Do not harm her.”

“Believe me, I want you first.”

“Where’s Merlin?” He asked worried as he scanned his eyes around the room.

“He will no longer be an issue.”

Arthur then ran at her but she stopped him, throwing a curse at him sending him through the air and landing hard on the ground. His sword landed near Guinevere’s feet and she looked down at it and then back up at Morgause who was moving closer to Arthur.

“How long we people of magic have waited for this, to kill of the Pendragon’s and take over the lands of Albion and bring magic back. Morgana is just the perfect witch to do that. There are some of us, like Merlin, who believe you will bring peace to the lands and who is willing to use his magic as just a protection and for good and not for power. It’s people like him who’ve gotten in our way. But wouldn’t it be amazing to have me, be the one to kill the famous Arthur Pendragon.”

As Morgause spoke this little speech Guinevere carefully moved towards her and just as Morgause raised her hand to speak her curse, Guinevere stabbed her in the back, killing her.

Arthur watched in amazement as Morgause fell down dead from Guinevere’s hand. Merlin came running in just as Morgause fell down dead.

“Guienvere?” He said shocked and they both turned to see him.

“Merlin? You’re alive?” Guinevere said shocked and she ran and hugged him.

“Yes, she just knocked me out, but I’m fine.”

“I’m glad you’re alright Merlin,” Arthur said patting his friend on the shoulder.

“As am I, are you alright?” He asked Arthur.

“I am now that Guinevere saved my life.”

“And you saved mine,” She replied taking his hand.

“We should go, we have one more person to take care of back in Camelot,” Merlin said and Arthur nodded his head and they left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Morgana watched from her window in horror as Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin rode back into the castle courtyard. She knew the only way they had succeeded was that Morgause was dead. Her sister was dead. She felt the fiery feeling of revenge and anger bubbling up inside her. She watched as King Elyan ran and hugged his sister close, she would no longer have that privilege of hugging her sister. They retreated inside and she went down to play her part well.

“Princess Guienvere! I’m so glad you are alright!” She greeted cheerfully running towards her as she came down the stairs but the Princess cringed away from her and Arthur held her closely in his arms as the pair of them and Merlin gave her death glares.

“Throne room, now,” Arthur ordered her.

“Who are you to order me Arthur, you are just the Prince,” Morgana scoffed.

“I am the future King of Camelot and you will do as I say,” He growled at her and she turned slowly and walked towards the throne room.

“Arthur what is going on?” Uther demanded of his son as he came into the hallway.

“I will explain later father, but for now, I want you to stay with King Elyan. Guinevere and Merlin, will you please accompany me?”

Arthur with Guinevere on his arm and Merlin trailing behind them went to the throne room where Morgana was standing there with her arms crossed.

“What is the meaning of this Arthur?” She asked.

“I know what you did. I know what you’ve been planning,” Arthur stated.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You were part of the plans to kill Guinevere, my father, Merlin, and myself. You have been planning to claim the throne for yourself and bring magic back into power in Camelot and all of Albion.”

Morgana just stared at him with a steely cold look.

“You are hereby banished from this kingdom and if I ever see you or hear of you here again, you will be killed on the spot, is that clear?” Arthur ordered.

“I will be back, mark my words Arthur Pendragon, I will be back and I will have my revenge.”

With that Morgana disappeared in a flurry. Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin stared at the spot where she had just disappeared.

“Uther will question you,” Merlin finally spoke through the silence.

“I know and I will tell him the truth, you both are my witnesses and my evidence. And Merlin,” Arthur continued turning to his servant, “I will protect you from death at all costs with my father, you are safe.”

Merlin smiled at his declaration and nodded his head, grateful and very thankful to have a Prince and future King like Arthur.

“After all of this, I’m sure Elyan will want us to return to Aerten immediately.”

“No, you will be staying here,” Arthur said turning to Guinevere and taking her hands in his.

“I will?”

“Guinevere, this is something I had been planning to ask you for some time. I love you, I always have and I cannot see myself spending the rest of my life and ruling the kingdom without you by my side. So, will you please marry me?” Arthur asked as he got down on one knee.

Guinevere looked at him in shock and then smiled as tears stung at her eyes.

“Yes, yes I will!”

He then scooped her up into his arms and kissed her passionately on her lips. Merlin decided to sneak out and leave them in peace. Arthur finally put Guinevere down and leaned his forehead against hers.

“I love you Guinevere.”

“And I love you Arthur.”