Forgive And Forget (Merlin BBC Fanfic)

Leon's Bane

Thoughts wheeled in Kyra's head, her mind reeled as she lay there indecisive. Outside the window the skies began to darken with clouds, a distant rumble of thunder made her shiver before only thought remained in her head. Her eyes snapped to the window, a sudden clarity in her eyes as her jaw clenched.

Kyra sat up in the bed and swung her legs to the side, she nodded to herself, slapped her legs and stood, walking over to the cupboard and pulling out a dark green gambeson and staring at it before she pulled it on, tying it in the front before pulling out the heavy chainmail hauberk that sat on the cupboard floor. She pulled it on with a grunt and settled it in place before throwing a wide belt on and cinching it tightly. Kyra piled her hair ontop of her head and secured it tightly, she pulled on her boots and stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself. A dark determination cast a shadow over her features as she buckled her bracers and gave one last look to the mirror before she turned away.

Kyra buckled her sword on quickly and began striding down to the armoury, she whistled to the initiates on her way past and they scrambled to follow her. "where are we going, Lady Kyra ?" one of them asked as she pushed open the doors to the armoury, she busied herself strapping knives to her body, picking up a crossbow and shouldering a quiver of bolts before she turned back to them. " we're going to kill a monster, arm yourselves " she said simply, they looked amongst themselves before grabbing their swords and other weapons. Mordred hurried to her side, "But the king forbade anyone to go in the tunnels" she glanced at him, "if anyone of you wish to stay, I won't stop you, but if you want to prove yourselves worthy, follow me"

They looked at each other again before following her, she strode quickly through the corridors, her face clouded in an dark expression, the initiates followed her quietly, Mordred close behind her. Passing through the corridors and out into the courtyard, the group attracted a few curious stares but none halted their passage. They passed Elyan and Percival on their way back from the lower town, they faltered when they saw Kyra, "Kyra, you're out of bed" Elyan called surprised as they walked towards each other, She smiled placatingly and continued walking past them, "Why are the initiates with you ?" Percival asked warily, she kept walking but Mordred called over his shoulder, "Late training session". Percival and Elyan exchanged a glance before they shrugged and continued walking to the citadel. 

As they reached the steps they stopped and looking at each other with furrowed brows, " training grounds are the opposite direction" Percival said before a look of realization dawned and the two knights looked back at the empty courtyard before cursing and taking off in pursuit of Kyra and the initiates. Further down the walls, Kyra and the initiates crept into the opening to the tunnels, the guards stood at the end bristled and stood their ground as Kyra came closer. "Stand aside" she said simply, her hand rested on the pommel of her sword gently. The Guards held their pikes out in front of them and watched the group warily, " we cannot, by order of the king, My Lady" one of them said, Kyra sucked her teeth and levelled her gaze at him, "Don't make me force you" she said quietly, the guards looked at each other and gripped their pikes tightly. She sighed and nodded, before pulling her sword quickly and bashing the two guards in the head with the pommel, she dodged the pikes carefully, inhaling quickly as one passed her stomach closely. The guards fell with a clatter, Kyra between them as she sheathed her sword calmly. The initiates looked down at the guards then back up at her, "Last chance to turn back, boys" she said, grabbing a torch from the bracket on the wall, the initiates stood their ground. She grinned fleetingly before she turned back to the tunnel, the opening was like a dark maw ready to swallow them, she took a deep breath and gripped the torch, "Hell it is" she murmured before walking into the waiting darkness.

>>>>>>

Kyra signalled for the initiates to stop, she peered around the corner and her heart stopped as she beheld the terror. At its tallest a full grown man could stand by its shoulder and not see over, covered in thick dark fur and well muscled legs gave way to giant paws the size of dinner plates that ended in glittering claws that curved evilly into sharp points. The beast turned and Kyra ducked back quickly, flattening herself against the wall in horror, the beast's eyes glowed a bright red as it looked around, sharp teeth glinted in the dull light as it yawned. Kyra tried to calm her breathing as she struggled to understand what she had just seen, "Gwyllgi" she whispered in terror, the initiates looked at her confused, "my lady, what's a Gwyllgi?" Mordred hissed, keeping flat against the wall. Kyra looked at the initiates terrified faces and smiled unconvincingly, "it's just like a really big dog... With red eyes" she peered around the corner quickly again, "oh, whatever you do don't look it in the eyes, it'll paralyse you with fear" she added with a wince as the initiates looked between themselves uneasily. "They're also extremely smart, so do the unexpected" she said as she loaded the crossbow quietly, "Mordred, Owaine, Lucan, Gren, you flank left" she whispered, pointing to them in turn, "Trent, Berwyn, George and Mallen, flank right... Fire once, then keep your swords up and watch each others back, like we practiced" she took a shaky breath as shivers went up her back before she nodded to them and cocked the crossbow. The initiates gripped their crossbows tightly, watching for her signal, "now" she whispered, they scrambled to their positions quickly as Kyra drew the Gwyllgi's attention with a bolt to its rear, she walked confidently as she reloaded and shot another bolt, catching it in the shoulder making it roar in pain and snarl at her, the red eyes made her falter before she shook her head and focused. "Now!" she yelled, a sea of bolts whizzed across the room, some finding purchase, others were deflected and clattered onto the floor. Kyra loaded the crossbow again, dark anger washed over her as she aimed again, the Gwyllgi bared its teeth and tensed, ready to charge. She held her ground as it pounced, when it was mid air she ducked into a forwards roll and came up under its belly, firing the bolt into the soft underbelly. The gwyllgi screamed in pain as it slid on the floor before its claws found purchase and it whirled round.
Kyra threw the crossbow to the side and drew her sword, the initiates did the same as they lined the edge of the cavern. "stay low, keep your sword in front of you" she said, her eyes fixed on the Gwyllgi. The beast's eyes flicked from one face to the next, calculating its next move, it's eyes alighted on Mordred and it snarled. The initiates gripped their swords nervously as the Gwyllgi snapped and with a sweep of its giant paw, knocked over Trent, Berwyn, George and Mallen, they tumbled to the ground and lay still, the other initiates huddled together terrified, the beast batted at them but Mordred's sword caught its paw making it retreat with a yowl. As it padded around the room, Kyra did her best to keep herself between it and the initiates, it seemed  to sense this and feinted the other way before it lunged for Mordred, claws outstretched, time seemed to slow down as Kyra tensed and ran for him, she frowned and watched as Mordred's eyes flashed gold before he swung his sword, slashing the Gwyllgi along its flank. She pulled a knife from her belt as she fell through the air and flicked it towards the beast, it lodged behind its shoulder as she landed on the floor, quickly pulling herself to her feet as it retreated into the next cavern, limping and snarling to itself.
Kyra looked at Mordred in shock before she spoke in her mind,
'you have magic?'
Mordred whirled around on the spot, his mouth hanging open in surprise as he looked at her,
'so do you!'
She grinned as she winked at him before holding a finger to her lips, Mordred's eyes lit up as he moved towards her and they walked shoulder to shoulder, determined to finish the beast. Kyra rolled her sword over her wrist as she focused on the Gwyllgi, it snarled and limped softly around them, "i'll go high, you go low" Kyra said quietly, gripped her sword in both hands, Mordred nodded and readied himself, Kyra tapped his shoulder and they launched their attack, Kyra swung for the beast as Mordred went for the soft underbelly, the Gwyllgi snapped at Kyra, missing her by an inch with its razor sharp teeth, Mordred landed a blow on its  shoulder, making it yowl and swipe at him too, he jumped back, narrowly missing being disembowled by its claws.