Of Chores and Crowns (A Merlin Fanfiction) ✔

Chapter Fifty-four

I plunged my hand into the soapy water. I scrubbed at the dress, trying to avoid splashing the blood red gown. My hands were turning red, and I couldn't help but remember that morning so long ago, when Deira was attacked.

It had started off much like this one. Here I was, doing laundry and watching the sun.

"In the boozer

you're a loser

if the dice you're shaking."

I sang the song softly, remembering how we had sung it then. We had danced and made a mess then, our laughs pervading the room. Now, my voice echoed, sounding mournful and lonely.

"You'll get hurt

and lose your shirt,

sit there cold and quaking."

It was supposed to be a cheerful song, but my mood didn't make it feel that way. In an hour, I would be Queen of Camelot. To say the least, I was terrified.

"Lady Luck, your gifts are bad,

you trick us, then you make us mad,

make us gamble, make us fight,

and sit out in the cold all night."

It was amazing how far I have come. Back then, I was young, naive, and I had never seen a corpse. I hadn't fallen in love with anyone, let alone a king.

"'Brrr!' The naked loser moans,

when he's cold and left alone,

shakes and shivers as he groans:

'I wish I could be

asleep under a tree

With a hot sunshine warming my bones.'"

I had missed Deira almost my whole time in Camelot. I missed the festivals and the cherry blossoms that would bloom every spring. However, the longer I was here, the less I thought of Deira.

"But now let's roll the dice again

and win some drinking money!"

I realized, as I sat there, that I thought of Camelot as home now. After so long of resenting this place, I had fallen in love with it, and the people who lived here.

"Who thinks about November's rain

while it's still warm and sunny?"

With the end of the song, I became over excited and plunged my hands roughly into the water. Some of it splashed over and I panicked, rolling backwards to avoid getting my dress wet.

I landed on the ground roughly, but my dress was dry, so I took it as a win. I was laying on the ground, staring up at the ceiling, when Merlin found me.

"Dawn!" He panicked, thinking I was hurt.

I sighed and sat up, my eyes welling with tears. He frowned at me, seeing that I was uninjured, but unsure of why I was crying.

"I'm not going to be a good Queen." I exclaimed, sniffling.

He sighed, coming over to me. He slid down to the floor and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him, sniffling slightly.

"I have been a servent practically my whole life." I said, "Even when I was working at the bar, I had been expected to serve everyone. I've never been a leader, let alone someone who could be Queen."

He stayed quiet, listening to me talk. I was relieved that he did not try to interrupt me. He offered me comfort and that was the one thing I didn't have in that moment.

"I will only disappoint Arthur and then he won't love me anymore." I raved. I knew I was being a little dramatic and I couldn't help but start giggling.

I pulled away slightly from Merlin to see him smirking. I sighed, relaxing slightly and pulling my knees up to my chest. I rested my chin on my folded arms.

We sat there in silence, listening to the people pass through the halls, hustling to prepare the throne room for the coronation.

When I walked into that room in an hour, there would be two thrones and two crowns. The Pendragon colors would be on every wall. My husband would be standing at the front of the room, ready to crown me as Queen.

In the next week, Arthur would hold a jousting tournament, celebrating the week we have had. Usually, the tournament is held after the engagement, but with the battle, we had not been able to have it.

Arthur had been so excited for it. This morning, I woke to him discussing plans for the tournament with Merlin. He had drawn the curtains around the bed, so they wouldn't disturb me, but I woke up anyway.

It was nice to look forward to something, but I couldn't help but dread what I had to go through before it.

"I'm just anxious about becoming Queen." I finally said, sighing.

"This is your destiny, Dawn. You were born to be Arthur's wife, just as I was born to serve him. You will be the once and future Queen of Camelot. Together, you will create the greatest kingdom known to mankind. Your story will be heard for generations." Merlin told me, his voice smooth and harmonic.

I looked around the room. I had started my journey in a room much like this one, and here I was, coming around full circle.

"You are wise beyond your years, Merlin. I know Arthur doesn't seem to appreciate you as much as he could, but he loves you, as I love Faye." I told him, smiling at him, my eyes soft.

Merlin didn't say anything, but I could tell he was thinking my words over in my head. Finally, he sighed deeply and stood up. He offered his hand out for me to grab. I did and he quickly pulled me to my feet.

I leaned down to brush my dress off, pulling it off the ground slightly so that it wouldn't swing into a puddle of soapy water or something of that sort.

"Let's get you to your coronation." He said, holding out his arm.

I tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow, and he led me towards the door. I paused in the doorway, looking back one last time.

Then, I left, leaving behind the room for what felt like the last time.