"Arthur?!" Merlin pipes up, "you can't be serious?"
"I understand Arthur but I did ask for her to be here"
Elaine looks to Gaius, devastated - knowing that she came in her own accord.
"Surely she can warrant as a guest at my request?"
"Gaius is right Arthur - you can't just turf her out!"
"Well she can hardly stay in your bed can she Merlin? Go and prepare her a room suitable for her station, and tell Gwen that I'm looking for her - we must have Elaine looking presentable of she is to stay here!" He declares arms open wide.
"I can stay" Elaine lights up "I can actually stay?"
"Well of course you can, is that not what family is for?"
"I'm not quite sure - I didn't know I had any family until yesterday"
"Wrong - you've always had family you just weren't aware" he smiles "plus I guess that's what brothers are for? Arthur spins around to look at Merlin, adjusting his neckerchief, only to be hit by Elaine pulling him into an embrace.
She looks up at him, "I'm sorry I don't know what came over me..."
"It's fine" he admits putting his hands on her shoulders, "family's got to stick together and look after one another - you've proved that to me and I have decided despite your actions that were done in the best of intentions that it is enough to warrant you a place in Camelot worthy of your station"
Elaine's face breaks into a fractured smile, fraught with disbelief at his change of heart.
"Welcome home!" Merlin cheers and Gaius comes over to stand by her side, giving her a one armed embrace.
He begins to walk out but stops mid way and turns around again, looking at Merlin who has his hands on his hope only too happy with the outcome. "Merlin" Arthur growls teasingly "I thought I asked you to do something?"
Merlin looks up, grinning "of course Sire, what ever you want sire"
Merlin pulls a face at Elaine who laughs in turn as he marches off out of the door after Arthur.
"You better catch up with them my dear - you'll be more use to them up there than in here"
Elaine hugs Gaius allowing herself to savour a moment she never thought would come.
"Well what are you waiting for?" He chuckled as Elaine lets go, grabs a spoonful of porridge and then legs it out of the door to find the others who's ramblings can be heard echoing down the corridor.
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Rabbit Heart - Merlin Fanfiction
Fanfiction"This is a gift - it comes with a price, Who is the lamb? Who is the knife?" When Morgana departs to recruit members for her army, Elaine stumbles on a discovery that changes everything. Unexpected visitors throw loyalties out the window and a host...
