The Destiny of Love

Chapter 63 ~ The alternative

~Merlin's pov~

I haven't seen Olivia since we returned from our last mission. I am getting worried. She wasn't in the room when I woke up this morning.
"Merlin" I turn and see Gwaine coming to me. "Olivia, left in the middle of the night she came running from Gaius's chambers looking pretty upset." 
"She left?" I ask. Gwaine nods. 
"I was going to go after her, but I had to get ready. We are leaving now," Gwaine says. 
"I have to go find her," I say. Gwaine grabs me.
"She can take care of herself. Arthur needs you right now."
I take a deep breath, "If anything happens to her, I'm blaming you."

~Olivia's pov~

"Julianna?"
"Olivia!" She exclaims. She runs forward. 
I lift my sword, "Stay back. How do I know it's you?" 
She stops dead in her tracks. "When you were six, you tripped in the lake and broke your arm. You were so upset because you weren't allowed to leave the village," Jules chuckles.
"You're alive! How are you alive? And why didn't you come back to Camelot?"
"Wow, bombardment of questions. Okay. Somehow the rift took my magic and spat Lancelot and me out. And I was trying to come back to Camelot, but I couldn't find it. Are we close?" 
"Wait, wait, wait, Lancelot's alive too? Where is he? And Camelot's back that way, but I don't know how far."
"Yes, he's alive. We got split up," Jules replies. "Wait, why are you out here. Alone. In the dark?"
"Oh,  yeah. Um, Arthur said we couldn't be together because I'm basically not appropriate. I just needed to get out of Camelot."
"Wow, I was not expecting that. My favourite ship died." 
I chuckle. Yeah, well. Agravaine influenced him."
"Agravaine. Who the hell is Agravaine."
"He is Arthur's uncle. Oh, wait, you don't know."
"Don't know what?"
"Uther died, Arthur's king."
"Didn't he say you could be together when he is king?"
"Yes, but I guess he lied." Suddenly everything with Caerleon's army came back to me. "We have to get back to Camelot. Arthur and everyone's going to war." I climb on my horse.
"What?" Jules stares at me in confusion.
"Arthur killed Caerleon cause he didn't sign the treaty his queen found out and is now bringing war down on Camelot. You coming?" I hold my hand out to her. 
"Wow, I wanted drama, but not war." She grabs my hand, and I pull her on.
We ride as quickly as possible back to Camelot; the whole place is quiet.
"Olivia?" Gaius says I turn my horse. "Julianna, how are you..."
"No time to explain. Have they left?" I ask.
"They all left early this morning," Gaius says.
"Damnit. Thank you, Gaius." I turn to a guard, "Please fetch another horse."
"Why?" Jules asks.
I turn my head back to her, "You want to come with me, don't you?"
Jules nods, "Of course but where are we going?"
"To the Ridge of Landshire," I say.
The guard comes with another horse, Jules jumps off mine and climbs onto hers. 
"We'll arrive there at night," I say.
"Then we better get going," Jules turns her horse and starts riding away.
"Be careful," Gaius says.
I nod and ride after Jules.
 

We arrive at their camp at night as I expected, I nudge my horse on towards the camp.
"I don't think we should sneak up on a full-blown army," Jules says.
"Would you like me to shout that we are coming?" I ask. Before she could answer I shout, "We are coming into the camp don't kill us!"
The whole camp goes quiet. I turn around and smile at Jules.
"You are such an idiot. I missed you," She returns the smile.
I turn and walk with my horse down into the camp. Once we get down everyone is standing with their weapons out.
I stare at them in such disappointment, "What part of don't kill us do you not understand?"
"I should've stayed dead if I knew this was how I was going to be greeted."
 Everyone lowers our swords. We jump off our horses and two guards take them. Everyone stares at Jules in shock.
"What never seen a dead person come back to life?" Jules asks.
Gwaine walks forward and puts an arm on her shoulder, "Great to have you back."
"I have an important question." Leon says, "How are you alive?"
Jules looks at me. "Uh. Liv, didn't you say you wanted to tell the story."
I glare at her, "Well, seeing that two of them went in and it only requested one soul they broke it and it kinda spat them out."
"Makes sense," Leon says.
Jules and I let out a sigh of relief, they actually bought that.  Gwaine pulls me to the side.
"What happened last night?" 
"I'm sorry I ignored you, Arthur practically ended it."
"He still loves you, always will. Just give him time," He says.
"Yeah, and at least I have Jules now."
Gwaine smiles at me, "Exactly, let's go join them."
Gwaine and I sit down next to each other around the fire, with Merlin, Leon, Julianna, Percival and Elyan. We are all talking and laughing. I see Merlin stop laughing and look at something, I look behind me and see Arthur, everyone else looks at him.
"We should all get some sleep," He turns and goes back into his tent.
Gwaine looks back at us, "Is he all right?"
"He's our king. If anything were to happen to any of us, he'll hold himself responsible." Merlin says.
We all sit in silence, Merlin stands and goes to clean Arthur's armour. All the knights look at each other, they all nodded and stood up. Jules and I look at each other in confusion.
Gwaine holds his hand out, I grab it and he pulls me up. He walks behind the rest into Arthur's tent, Jules and I follow. I stop at the back by Merlin, Jules stops next to me.
"Elyan?" Arthur says."
"Sire," Elyan nods. He looks back at the rest.
"Well?" He asks.
"We just want you to know... There isn't a man among us who would not die for you. We made our pledge, and we wear the Pendragon crest with pride. Tomorrow we fight in your name, sire..."
"Thank you, Elyan. Thank you all," Arthur says. They nod their heads and walk out. Arthur and I share a glance, I turn and walk out. I stop just outside the tent.
"Are you alright?" Jules asks walking up behind me. 
"Yeah," I say.
"I'm sure you'll..." 
"Shh," I hiss.
"Don't shoosh me," Jules says sassily.
"Seriously shut up," I snap.
I turn to the tent and listen to Arthur and Merlin.
"No one could care more for their men than you do. To send them into battle is not a decision that you would make lightly. They know that," Merlin says trying to reassure Arthur.
"But was it the right decision?" I hear Arthur asks.
"If there was any other way out of this situation, you would take it. But you must defend Camelot. You have no choice," Merlin says.
"I had a choice. To let Caerleon live or die. I made the wrong decision, and now I've brought this war upon myself."
"He regrets his decision," I say.
"Arthur.  No one is prepared to sacrifice more for the sake of this kingdom than you. Your decision was made in the best interests of Camelot." Merlin says. Well, that's debatable.
"Maybe. Now my men must pay for it with their lives." 
I hear footsteps, I grab Jules and move away. We head to the place we got to sleep. "He blames himself for all this. I knew he would."

Later that night I wake up to the sound of footsteps. I open my eyes and see Arthur, he has a cloak on. I stand up and tap Merlin and Jules.  I nod my head to Arthur. Merlin and Jules stand, we all head toward the direction Arthur is going. Merlin trips over a knights foot and falls into a tent.
Jules and I dive behind a tent. We wait for a second I poke my head out Arthur walks away. I nod at Jules. We stand up and grab Merlin.
"What part of sneaking do you not understand?" Jules whispers.
We follow behind Arthur. He's going to Caerleon... We watch from behind a rock as Arthur gets taken to the main tent. Merlin and I leave the rock as soon as the guards left. We peek our heads through the side of the tent.
"Your Highness, I know that you feel nothing but contempt for me. You feel I've done you a grievous wrong, and you would be right. I'm ashamed of what I did. It was cowardly, it was unjust, and I'm deeply sorry."
"Sorry does not bring back my husband," The queen snaps. "Sorry does not give my people back their king."
"I realize that. I know there's nothing I can do to repair that loss," Arthur says.
"Then what are you doing here, Arthur Pendragon?" She asks.
"I want to call off the battle," Arthur says.
"It's a little too late for that," She spits.
"I don't propose a truce, but an alternative. I invoke the right of single combat. Two champions settle this matter between them." Arthur says.
"And why should I grant you this favour?" The queen asks.
"There has been bloodshed enough, already, Your Highness." He says truthfully. "Many hundreds of guards will be saved this way." The queen nods at the two guards holding Arthur, they release him.
"And your terms?" The queen asks.
"If my man wins, you must withdraw your army," Arthur says.
"And if mine is the victor?" She asks.
"Then half of all Camelot is yours."
I was shocked at Arthur's answer. Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder, I spin around and see three guards holding each of us.  They pull us into the tent, we get pushed to our knees to the side of Arthur.
"Sorry about this," Merlin says looking at Arthur.
"You know them?" The queen asks.
"He's my servant she's... the love of my life and that's her best friend. They must have followed me here. I knew nothing about it." Arthur says. Did he just call me the love of his life?
"Kill her, you killed my husband, the love of my life. So I will kill yours. An eye for an eye, Arthur." A guard grabs me.
"Let her go!" Jules shouts.
"Wait, please, don't hurt her," Arthur begs.
"That is two favours... you've asked of me this night, Arthur Pendragon." She turns and sits on her throne. "Very well. You shall have your trial by combat. Announce your champion by noon tomorrow."
Arthur nods, "Thank you, Your Highness."
"And take them with you," The queen says. 
Arthur holds his hand to me, I quickly grab it. He pulls me up and the two guards pull,  Merlin and Jules up. We walk out of the tent. Jules and Merlin walk up ahead.
"Arthur..." I stop walking.
He turns and looks at me,  "Liv, I never once stopped loving you. But you have to understand where I'm coming from."
"I do understand, and I will always love you," I turn and walk back to the camp.