Queens

Anastasia

When she was seven and Merlin was nine, she remembered getting lost in the forest for almost days on end.

The two went to play swords by the river that ran nearby, but forgot to get back before sunset and lost their way.

Merlin made a fire, she remembered it clear as day.

They didn't have much, other than their wooden swords, and the thin clothing that were on their backs.

That night Merlin showed her the magic that he was fearful of showing her.

Anastasia was terrified, it was dark and the trees seemed to try to grab them with their branches, and Merlin moved the trees' leaves out of the way and held her close, pointing out all the constellations that he knew.

That night she thought she was going to die, yet she didn't, and she thought that perhaps it was because she had to do something yet, she still had something to fulfill.

Yet, standing there in the warm sun, the potato sack over her head as she heard Uther call out what treason she had committed, she thought that perhaps this was her fate.

The words that the angel had told her rang through her head still, he had said she had much more to do.

"Anastasia. Do you have any final words." Uther's voice called out as the headsman took off the sack, and moved the rope around her neck.

What words could she say? There was nothing left to say, seeing as she couldn't find Arthur in the crowd or standing up with his father.

"I hope you're happy with the decision you have made, your highness." She said. With that, the board went out and her source of air began to deplete. Still, she did not fight it. If this was her fate, then this was her fate, and there was no point in fighting the decision.

Just as she thought her final moments, she landed with a thud into the ground. She looked up to see someone in a hood with a bow and arrow making their way to the headsman.

"Who are you?" Uther's voice rang out through the yard, yet the hooded figure seemed to ignore him, and instead looked up at the man.

"You were about to kill a girl who had committed no crimes, how do you feel about yourself?" The voice spat, a voice very much familiar to Anastasia. The man did not respond, but instead slapped the woman. She looked at the ground for a few seconds, running her cheek, then looked back up and revealed herself.

"You just hurt the princess of Camelot, and I will have you hanged for that." Ros said, then turned to face the crowd silent in anticipation.

"Let everyone know that Anastasia, sister to Merlin, is a girl who should not be charged with such a stupid crime. I say, let love be love, be it with a royal and a peasant, or anything else in between." She called out, and went over to help Anastasia up.

"Princess, I'll never be able to repay you. You've saved my life and I'll always be in your debt." She cried, hugging her tightly.

"Do you want to repay me?" Ros asked, looking at the castle doors where men in armor began to make their way out. She nodded.

"Take your horse and run, as far away from here as you can. I've placed a bag with all you need on the saddle already, just run."

Anastasia nodded, and saw Arthur bursting out of the doors. They locked eyes, and she gave him a smile, and ran.