Of Chores and Crowns (A Merlin Fanfiction) ✔

Chapter Forty-three

I burst into the small cottage, not even bothering to check if it was the right one before I ran in. However, I figured it was when I saw Faye and Gwaine kissing passionately across the room.

I growled, walking forward, letting my anger get the best of me. I ripped Gwaine away from her and smacked him upside of the head.

"The kingdom is under attack, you prat!" I snapped, "Hear those? Those are called alarm bells! Get out there and do your job!"

He stumbled slightly, stunned by my sudden appearance. He stood there for a second, trying to process what I had said. However, I was impatient and I hit him again.

"Go!" I snarled.

He decided that he would rather be confused than face my wrath, because he grabbed his gear and raced out the door. I whirled to look at Faye, my eyes wild. She had been straightening out her clothes as I yelled at her husband, and was now watching me calmly.

"Faye, I need you!" I exclaimed, "You need to lead these people. Arthur can't do it and they need someone to look up to."

She looked at me with steady eyes before saying, "No."

With that, she turned and moved behind the divider. I was frozen in shock, my mouth gaping open. She wasn't going to help Camelot?

"No?" I echoed in shock.

"Don't make me repeat myself." She called over to me, "I know you're smart enough to process words on the first try."

"Fayelinn!" I snapped, "You have to!"

She came out from behind the divider dressed in pants and a tight shirt. She started pulling her back as she moved over to the dresser.

"I do not have to do anything for these people." She announced, "I am not their Queen."

I came up short, realizing what she was trying to communicate.

"No!" I protested, backing up and waving my hands in front of me. "I am a servent! I cannot lead these people!"

"You will be their Queen!" She snapped, whirling to look at me in anger, "Show them you are worthy of it!"

I looked down at my dress in shame. I couldn't be queen; I couldn't even keep one dress in nice shape. How did she expect me to lead a nation, when I can't even do something as simple as that?

Faye came up to me, putting her hands on my shoulders, causing me to look up at her. She smiled, trying to comfort me the best way she knew how.

"You are meant to rule at his side, Dawn." She said, "You have experience being a leader, it's just not in the traditional sense. You've worked as a barmaid where you watched over compulsive drunks, and you've been a servent, so you know how the lower class feels."

I paused. I had never thought about it in such a way.

"You are a Queen." She announced, letting go of me and moving back to the dresser, "You just need to make everyone recognize it."

"Fayelinn..." I murmured, trailing off.

"You need to do this." She told me firmly.

I turned away, running my hands through my hair. The tips of my hair were caked with dried blood in some sections, and I had to look away. Fayelinn moved away from the dresser and moved to shuffle some stuff around on the table, looking for something.

"What reason do they have to take me seriously?!" I demanded, slamming my hands down to my side.

"You have earned the respect of their king, you sure as hell can earn the respect of everyone else." She said.

She sounded so confident, I knew she truly believed in what she was saying. She honestly believed I could lead all of Camelot until their King was back on his feet.

I watched her race around the room for a couple of minutes. Finally, I started paying attention to what she was doing.

"What are you looking for?" I asked, frowning.

"Gwaine's..." She trailed off, before letting out a whoop of victory. In here hands was a shiny sword, it's handle well-used. It must have been one of Gwaine's.

"You can't go out there to fight!" I exclaimed, suddenly realizing her plan.

"And why not?" She questioned, sticking her hands on her hips.

"You have never been trained! You go out there and you'll get stabbed before you make any difference in their numbers!"

She frowned at me, her lips in a pout. I glared right back at her, and we stood there silently, at an impass. She knew she wouldn't last long in the battle, but I knew she couldn't just sit around without knowing what was happening to the man she loved.

I thought about what I would want to do if Arthur had left me to fight, and I was useless to do anything.

I would want to fight.

So, I relented. Faye knew I wouldn't argue anymore and flashed me a smile. She turned and picked up the sword, moving towards the door.

"Wait!" I called out.

She turned back to face me, an eyebrow raised.

"How am I supposed to lead these people?" I asked, helplessly.

She paused, and then said, "There will be a war meeting in the great hall. They've been planning this for weeks. Everybody who is anybody will be there. That's where you should start."

I relaxed a little bit. That made this entire situation easier. I could walk in and easily take charge. A throne room during an attack couldn't be any worse than a bar fight, could it?

Fayelinn turned away again, but I called her name once more and she stopped.

"Be safe, okay?"

She smiled and said, "I'll do my best. Now can I join my husband?"
I laughed and nodded. She flashed me one last grin and raced out the door, the sword at her side. I watched her go, standing awkwardly in the now empty house.

I wonder how Arthur was doing.

I shook my head. I couldn't think of that right now. I needed to focus on the task at hand.

I had all of Camelot to rule.