Every Single Word

chapter two

Once Lancelot has her in the bed, Tatiana notices a slight blue spark on Avalon's fingers.

She keeps quiet about it as Regina works every type of magic and potion she knows. Once she notices her sister's exhausted, Tatiana demands she gets some rest and that she'll look after the princess of Camelot.

Knowing she won't win an argument with Tatiana, she leaves. Tatiana instantly grabs for Avalon's fingers, looking at how the blue spark is gone. "Hm," she says and lays her hand back down. It was a trick of the light, then, she decides.

/

The next day, Lancelot and Gwaine stand watch for Arthur while Tatiana tries to fix Avalon, success getting further and further away as the hours drag on.

Regina comes in at noon to find Tatiana passed out in the chair next to Avalon's bed. Regina frowns and goes back outside to ask Gwaine to bring Tatiana back to her room.

She'd tried everything she knew on Avalon.

There was no cure for this poison, Regina notices. She's instantly angry, and upset. She'd come to Camelot for an alliance, but now she'd most likely have an enemy.

"Lancelot!" She snaps, seeing him peeping through the door.

"Sorry, my lady. Tatiana wishes to speak with you."

"What're you waiting for? Send her in."

Lancelot nods and Tatiana's walking into the room with a short blue dress that shows off her pale legs.

Regina rolls her eyes at her sister's choice of dresses.

"Sister, Merlin has requested we meet him at 8 o'clock."

Regina nods, exhausted. "Of course. Where?"

"He says he'll come to Avalon's room." Tatiana drops down on the bed next to Avalon, grabbing her hand. "My dear Avalon. I am sorry you had to endure this. My sister Zelena is a vile, relentless thing that now feeds off on your pain. I will try everything I can until I cannot feel anymore." Tatiana leans down, to kiss Avalon's forehead.

"So, now we wait?" Regina asks.

"Now we wait," Tatiana says, not letting go of Avalon's hand and bringing it to her chest above where her heart lays.

Tatiana felt she had finally found a friend in Avalon, especially since she'd paired her off with Gwaine.

Gwaine turned out to be great company, until Lancelot drew his sword, that is.

At the strike of 8 o'clock, Merlin shows up in a puff of white smoke.

Tatiana fell into a slumber, Regina still kept up her potion and magic-making. Merlin shakes Tatiana awake and lays a hand on Regina's shoulder.

They both startle out of their reverie of nightmares, of King Arthur killing the both of them and accusing them of using magic on his daughter.

Merlin stands there for a second, waiting for them to get their bearings. "How are you two doing?" He asks.

"We're miserable, Merlin. There's nothing that can help her that we know of. If we could summon Zelena, I'm sure it'd be easy to ask her what the cure is, but she'd never give it up. She always gives riddles! And to top it all off, the King is gonna have us burned at the stake."

Merlin winces at the last sentence, and says, "I sorta have a plan for that, actually."

"You do?" Tatiana perks up, sitting with her back straight after hours of slumping.

"Yes. Tatiana, you distract the king. Regina and I will find Zelena and force her to give us the cure."

Regina stiffens. "I've told you Merlin, we can't force her to give us anything. She won't do it. She's a stubborn witch when she wants to be. And she definitely found something in Avalon if she's done this. It's always for her joy."