Merlyn's Only Hope

The Moment of Truth P3

The whole village was gathered in a barn, closed around a firepit, the flames licking at the darkness, creating long shadows in the night. Arthur stood in the middle of the circle, the blue of his eyes molten in the fire.

"Tomorrow, those of you who aren't fighting should take the children and any belongings you can carry into the woods. You should be safe there." he declared, looking around the villagers with a facade of calm.

"And the women?" Gwen questioned stubbornly, hoping to reaffirm Arthur's hesitant agreement.

The prince nodded slowly. "If you want to confront the bandits, then I won't stand in your way."

"What do you mean that the women will be fighting? They don't know how to; they'll be slaughtered." Will's voice rang out from somewhere in the crowd, causing Arthur to flinch. There were murmurings of agreement from the other men, all of them looking to the prince for an answer, one that it wasn't his place to give.

Merlyn stepped forward, hoping to appear regal in the dim light. "The women have as much right to fight for their lives as the men do."

She glared at her friend, daring him to challenge her.

"None of you know how to fight." Will continued, oblivious to the smirks of the women standing behind Merlyn. Arthur himself almost laughed, thinking back to what he'd seen. They weren't soldiers, not by a long shot, but they were desperate, hopeless enough to learn what they needed.

Merlyn just raised an eyebrow, to which Will conceded. "Most of you don't know how to fight."

"I've been training them. They know just as much as the rest of you." Merlyn grinned slyly. "We stand a better chance if numbers are on our side."

Will looked around defiantly, but saw the hesitance in his weak following. Realising that what he said wouldn't change anything, he met Merlyn's gaze, giving her a wicked smile. "It would be an honour to fight at your side."

No one said anything, the women revelling in their small victory.

"The bandits will attacks tomorrow. Kanen's brutal. He fights only to kill, which is why he will never beat us. Look around." Arthur began to walk around the fire, trying to hold eye-contact with every person in the circle. When he found Merlyn, she winked, looking more amused than encouraged. These kinds of speeches never worked on her, anyway.

"In this circle, we're all equals. You aren't fighting because someone has ordered you to, you're fighting for so much more than that. You're fighting for your homes, your family, your friends. You fight for the right to grow crops in peace. And if you fall, you fall fighting for the noblest of causes, for your very right to survive. When you're old and grey, you'll look back on this day and know you've earned the right to live every day in between. So you fight for your family, for your friends, for Ealdor."

"For Ealdor!" The shout rose up from the barn, echoing far into the forest surrounding them. Arthur honestly didn't know what would happen, whether they had enough, could do enough to claim what was rightfully theirs. All they could do was try, try to destroy the bandits, try to overcome fear and be reunited with safety, with freedom,

With hope.

∆

No one saw Hunith leave, nor Merlyn follow, all of them too caught up in chants and song, distracted by their sheer determination. She found her mother sitting outside their home, throwing sticks into a small fire, only looking up when Merlyn sat down beside her. She stroked the side of her face, worry masking her features.

"I do love you, my girl." she smiled softly, gingerly, as if trying to stay lost in her forgotten memories, reality a harsh whisper of a misguided prayer.