Lionhearted [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

43. The Bear King

PAST - CAMELOT

Zelena and King Arthur teleported in. Arthur fell on the ground.

"Welcome home Your Majesty," Zelena said as she offered him her hand. He ignored it, sat up and took off his glove. "Oh, does that hurt? I can make it go away."

"I don't need anymore of your dark magic!" King Arthur retorted.

"Really? Would you rather I sent you back to face Merlin and Emma on your own?" King Arthur stood. "My dark magic is what allowed us to escape after you let them take control of Excalibur!"

"Because you spent the battle pinned to a tree!"

Zelena stepped forward. "Careful! Or you wish you never cut me loose."

"You think I want to be working with a villain like you?" Zelena smiled. "Like it or not, we still need each other."

Zelena laughed. "You mean you need me to help you finish your pitiful quest to restore Excalibur?"

"Which I can use to destroy your sister, so you can escape and give birth to this precious child of yours!" He gestured to her stomach.

Zelena touched her stomach and sighed. "What do you suggest? Because the combined power of Merlin and the Dark One makes your knights useless!"

"Not true. My knights will help us defeat their powers if we give them the right motivation." Zelena smiled. He paused for a moment, then resumed. "How far can your magic transport us?"

"Far enough. Why?" She smiled. "Where do you want to go?"

"There's something that can help us in another land. A land called DunBroch!"

DUNBROCH

Merida placed a flower next to her father's grave.

She smiled as she said, "I did it Dad. Saved the boys. And I proved to the clans that I am fit to be their queen." The smile fades from her face as she looked at her bow. "Now I may have united the clans behind me but now comes the hard part: ruling over them." She paused, then smiled. "You always made it look so easy." The smile faded again. "Wish you were here so you-" she breathed in, looked down, then back up, "...I could ask you how you did it."

Queen Elinor walked towards Merida and said, "He's always with you, Merida. Even if it doesn't seem like it." They both looked at the grave. "I miss him too. But today is not a day to wallow in sadness. Come, you can't be late for your own coronation." She smiled. Merida smiled too, took a deep breath and sighed. She walked away from her father's grave smiling.

---

A cloaked figure rode on a horse at night. It arrived at an old cottage. The man stepped down; he had a wooden leg. He tool his hood off. It was King Fergus. He drew his sword and barged into the cottage. He looked around, impatiently.

"Show yourself witch!" King Fergus demanded.

"There's no witch here!" the witch said. "Just a simple woodcarver!"

"You gave me daughter magic. Turned me wife and boys into bears. You're a witch!"

"Perhaps I... dabble with magic." She smiled.

"Good." The witch looked surprised.. "'Cause I need some. Invaders are attacking from the south. If I am to lead the clans to victory over, I'm gonna need some magic."

"Mmm, something to stop invaders from the south..."

"Something to insure the future of me kingdom."