Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 65

 "There is a tunnel under the northern ramparts that will bring us only a few paces from the dungeon. It will be well-guarded. So, if we're going to break everyone out, we must remain unobserved. We cannot let them raise the alarm," Arthur explained around the table.

"We need to take out the warning bell. That way the warriors have no means of communication," Lancelot suggested. "But I'll need someone with me who knows the castle."

"Mira and I will go," Merlin volunteered, his sister nodding her head, as per the plan they had concocted last night.

Arthur seemed rather reluctant to part with Miriam but still said, "Alright."

With the plan in place, they began to gear up, Miriam with the dragon's sword wrapped in a makeshift sheath on her back and her usual sword at her hip when Arthur approached her.

"Promise me you'll be careful," he said, and Miriam sighed.

"I'm going to be honest with you," she said, and Arthur instantly grew nervous.

"About what?"

"We're not going to take out the warning bell."

"Then what are you going to be doing?"

"Merlin and I believe we have a plan that will put an end to Morgause's immortal army and Lancelot overheard us and volunteered to help."

"Miriam," Arthur began but she only cupped his face with both hands.

"Listen, I know you're worried about me, but this is the best chance we have at walking away from this alive and you know it. And don't even think about coming with me because your father needs you to be the one to save him."

His hands settled on her hips as he held her close.

"I still don't know about it. Morgause is a sorcerer with an unkillable army at her back."

Miriam's hands slid down his neck to his shoulders as she looked him in the eye.

"Arthur, all those times you went off on suicidal quests for the greater good, you asked me if I had faith in you. Now I need you to have faith in me. I need you to trust that I will come back to you."

Arthur yanked her even closer if it were possible.

"My faith in you has never wavered since I first saw you battling Kanen. If anything, Morgause should be scared of you," he said as he pushed the loose strands of her braid behind her ear.

"So, relax, my love. We will win this."

"Even if it means I have to go back to pretending I don't love you."

"Shut up and kiss me while you can," she ordered, annoyed by his pessimism as he gladly complied.

And in that moment, they weren't fighting for Camelot, they were fighting for the day they could freely be together.

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After breaking into the citadel and leaving Arthur with a parting kiss, Miriam, Merlin and Lancelot went off in search of the Cup.

"What do we do now?" Lancelot asked as they peeked around the corner to see the four guards that stood in front of the door to the room that held the Cup.

Miriam drew the sword from her back.

"We fight," she answered before charging around the corner, Lancelot a little taken aback by the fire in her.

He and Merlin soon joined the fray, taking on an opponent each as Miriam duelled two that she destroyed fairly easily. The cup may have granted them eternal life, but better combat skills wasn't something afforded to them.