Royal in Hiding

Chapter 8: Robin Hood

Merlin was dressed in commoners clothes as he shifted through with the crowd. He looked around and noticed Arthur and Gwen walking together acting like a new married couple. He looked at the rooftops and watched silently as his and Arthurs knights took down the archers and reappeared dressed as them.

Finally making it to a wall that had an over shadow, he sat down and lowered his hood. To any on lookers, this was not Merlin, instead this was an old beggar man who was resting silently against the side of a building. No one would think that that man would be the Lost Prince, Dragonlord, and Warlock. It was the perfect guise.

Meanwhile the rogue Princess who had been stripped of her titles was being given a last rights before she was to be paraded out of the cell block and into the square, where she would be fitted for a necklace of rope and dance in the air till she ran out of breath.

As the priest finished his murmuring and bowed, she glanced out of the window at the top of her cell, her stomach being filled with dread. She realized then thay she didn't want to die, she wanted to live another day, grow old and have children. She didn't think that her life would ever end here.

Of course, she knew that Merlin could save her but from where she was, there was no telling if he would succeed, from where she sat, she could only hope.

She kept her head held high as the guards led her out and put her on the wagon, her hands bound in front of her. As she rode through the crowd, she noticed an old man leaning against the wall and a young couple who had their hands wrapped around each other tightly. She couldn't see their faces through the cloaks but some how, she knew that the three people were part of Merlin's plan.

Looking around the square, she noted thay none of the people looked like they wanted to be there, in fact, they looked rather sad about the affair. She sighed and looked ahead where her father stood, tall and proud, on the gallows with a scroll in his hand that probably read her charges. As the carriage came to a halt, the guards led the Princess up the stairs and towards an hooded man with a rope tied in a noose.

Slipping the rope around her neck, the man pulled it tightly so that it was snug against her throat as the King read out the charges. "And so, I herby declare, on orders of the King, that Joetta, the traitor, is to hang until death." He finished and held up a hand.

Joetta shut her eyes and gasped as she felt the floor go out but instead of hanging there, she hit the ground and rolled out from under the wooden gallows as a legion of arrows started to fire but not at her. No, the arrows were at the guards.

Looking towards the couple she noticed that now Arthur stood with his sword and that Gwen was handing out weapons to other people. Then the dragons came, they circled the square, citizens ducked for cover as soldiers rushed in but they were not her father's men. No, these soldiers bore the Pendragon crest and some of them bore the crest of the Ambrosia line.

As she took the scene in, she grinned at the ensemble Merlin had pulled together and looked for him himself as she watched the formerly old man throw off his cloak to reveal Merlin standing there, his clothes proudly showing his royalty and Destinies Song gripped tightly in his hand.

Merlin ran into battle, defeating all who was in his path before soon enough he was in front of the princess. "Told you I would save you." He grinned and she laughed before grabbing his hand. "Come on, he took his top knights with him, he is attempting to escape back to Larean." She exclaimed but he didn't move. "We can't go after him right now, that is for a different battle Joetta, for now we just need to take back Camelot and I'd say we are doing fine." He told her and she looked at him in disbelief but nodded anyways. "Alright, let's go." She nodded and grabbed a sword from the ground before going into battle.

The battle didn't last long and before they knew it, they were back in control of Camelot, fixing the wrong that had been done.

It was strange for Merlin because the last time he was in Camelot with Arthur as King, he was a simple manservant, but now he is an honored guest and given a guest room instead of the spare room at Gaius' quarters. He was even invited to join a meeting with his top knights at the round table.

Merlin sat opposite to Arthur as everyone talked about what would happen now. Both Kings seemed to have a rather large migrane with the entire ordeal.

"Sire's not meaning to sound rude but Camelot is in a state of need, we need our King and soldiers here, not fighting a battle for the Larean kingdom." One of Arthurs advisors stated. "Yes but Larean has been overtaken for many years now, we are in desperate need of help. Even with our King and his magic, along with the help of the dragons we are sorely out numbered there where the False King has made his military base." Merlin's general argued.

Merlin and Arthur made eye contact and nodded to each other, they had already decided what they were going to do. "Enough from all of you. As it happens, King Merlin and I have already come up with a plan if you guys would like to hear it." Arthur snapped, Merlin had to press his lips into a thin line to keep from laughing.

Arthur didn't wait for anyone's response before he continued talking. "Our plan was that myself, my most trusted knights, and one fourth of my army ride to Larean to aid their efforts to over throw the False King. My Queen will stay here with the rest of my army and one fourth of Merlin's army and help restore Camelot with Princess Joetta. Does that seem fair to everyone?" He asked and they all looked around at each other and nodded. "Very well, meeting adjourned." He muttered. Once all the advisors had left the room along with the generals Merlin and the Knights of both kingdoms bursted into laughter.

"That was the stupidest meeting ever! It would have take five seconds if our advisors would have shut up." Merlin laughed and Arthur joined in as they left the hall. "Well Merlin, how are you liking the war meetings?" He asked and Merlin groaned. "This is why I have my sister as the Co-leader of the rebellion, she takes care of all this stuff and I just do as told." He grumbled and Arthur laughed.

"Oh you are going to have so much fun." He chuckled and Merlin smirked. "Sire! Sire! We found it!" Merlin's manservant yelled as he rushed to a stop before Merlin. "Elijah, we spoke about this." Merlin reminded as Elijah started walking next to him. "Yes of course Merlin, my apologies. We found the document, I thought that he wouldn't have brought it to Camelot with him but we found it at the very bottom of a crate of documents. It doesn't seem like it's been touched in years." Elijah commented. "That's because he probably forgot about it, yup, this is definitely it. Elijah, can you get me something casually nice to wear prepared? I have to tell her and hope she doesn't attempt murder." He muttered. "Oh, and take this to my quarters please." He asked, handing the document over to Elijah who sped off once more.

"What was that about Merlin?" Gwaine asked and all of the Camelot Knights and Arthur looked at Merlin while the Larean Knights were jumping with joy. "Merlin's father and the False King used to be the best of friends before the attack, and so they had betrothed Merlin and guess who? Joetta, together at birth, the document still stands because both Merlin and Joetta live meaning that they have to make a decision, Merlin's mother hated the idea of an arranged marriage at birth, so both of them have to sign the paper stating that they want this. Once the father's signed and the mother's they couldn't go back on their word but Merlin and Joetta still can decide not to do the marriage." Lady Arabella informed and Arthur grinned.

"Damn, Merlin, all you have to do is convince her that you aren't a complete idiot and then she'll be stuck with you." Arthur told him with a teasing grin making Merlin laugh.

"Well then I'll need all the luck in the world." He stated with a grin and everyone laughed.