Of Chores and Crowns (A Merlin Fanfiction) ✔

Chapter Forty-seven

I had thought I had known real fear. I had faced poverty. I had gone through three attacks now. I watched my family die right in front of me. I thought I knew what being scared felt like.

Apparently, I didn't.

Because, as I stood there, with my hand in Fayelinn's, my whole body felt paralyzed with fear. This is what being afraid felt like.

I had to face a powerful sorceress in order to save the man I loved with nothing but a sword.

Fire raged around Morgana, her laugh filling the air. I don't know how we were going to get past her defenses, but we had no choice but to try.

"Are you ready?" I asked, my voice quiet.

Bandits suddenly appeared around Morgana, their swords waving wildly in the air. I clenched my fist around my sword.

It was Arthur's sword and it felt like he was here with me in some ways. As if he was at my side, ready to fight with me and for me, just like I was fighting for him.

I balanced all my weight on the balls of my feet, ready to fight. Adrenaline sang through my veins, and I couldn't help the smile that grew on my face wildly.

Faye glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and had to do a double take. She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" She asked, swinging her sword at her side.

I shrugged, flashing her a smile. It's not that I enjoyed the fight, but the adrenaline that filled me made me confident. At that moment, I could swear we would come out of this alive, and just in time to save Arthur.

"Let's do this."

We started walking forward, our blades at our sides. The fire blazed up as we came closer. I tried not to flinch away from the heat, but it was hard.

We clashed with the bandits.

Blades whipped all around the two of us. I grunted as an elbow hit me in the face, but I whirled out of the way and slammed the butt of my sword against his temple. Someone tried to slice my thigh, but I parried the attack and took him out.

Every time one of her men fell, Morgana would flare her flames, the heat rising and hitting us in the face. I kept her in my range of sight at all times. If I took my eyes off her for five seconds, she could do something to risk this mission, or Faye.

Just a drop of blood. Just a drop.

I took a deep breath and released it as I sliced my blade across a man's chest. Blood sprayed my face and I flinched away, tears streaming down my face. I had never wanted to hurt anyone, I just wanted my people to be safe.

Just a drop and this all over. One drop.

My rage grew and I attacked with more fervor. I was not going to lose this battle. I was not going to lose Arthur this way.

I snarled and whirled around, my blade flashing. A sword caught my braid, and it cut. I gasped as hair fell around my face. I looked down at the braid on the ground and then looked up, glaring at the man who had cut my hair.

He paled, somehow realizing how angry I was. I took him out without another thought, my elbow slamming against his temple. He crumpled to the floor, and I reached up to touch my hair.

It had been waist-length and was now up to my shoulders. I knew it was just hair, but I felt like I had lost a part of me.

Just a drop.

Finally, Faye and I broke through the line of defense, and we were standing about ten feet directly in front of Morgana.

The bandits seemed to know it wasn't their battle anymore and backed off. Morgana was enraged we had gotten this far and shot a stream of fire directly at Faye.

Time seemed to slow down, as the fire headed directly for Faye's heart. If it hit her, she would die. Suddenly, I found myself moving towards her. I wasn't sure I was I was going to do, I just knew I couldn't let Faye get hit.

I knocked her out of the way of the fire, but didn't make it out of the way myself. I screamed as pain lit up on my arm. I looked down and saw my flesh bubbling from the fire.

I never knew pain like that.

My vision started blacking out from the pain, but I managed to stay on my feet. I clenched my sword with my good arm, biting my lip to keep from screaming in pain.

I glared up at Morgana from my hunched position. She had a vicious grin on her face, happy at my pain.

"You were always too loyal, Dawn." She said, smirking. "Now, it will be your end."

I straightened up, refusing to give into the pain. There was a look of surprise on her face, but she covered it up so quickly I wasn't even sure it was there.

"I am made stronger by the people I love." I said, my voice surprisingly strong, "And you are made weaker by being alone."

"You think I chose this?!" She screeched, "The people of this kingdom killed my sister!"

"You betrayed them. What choice did they have?" I asked.

"They could have chosen the path of mercy!" She exclaimed, her eyes wild.

"So could you."

She paused at my words, hesitating. I took the chance while I could and lunged forward, slicing my blade across her rib cage. She let out a scream of rage.

The scarlet blood on the blade seemed to glow in the sun.

I sighed with relief and whirled around, fighting off pain. We needed to get out of here while we still could. Morgana wasn't going to be in shock for long, and I didn't want to be in range of her fire when she snapped out of it.

I grabbed Faye's arm and we ran.