The Isle of Avalon

'Avalon!' he suddenly cried out. 'Oh my Avalon!'

'I will do this,' she whispered. 'I cannot let him die, whatever the cost.'

'You are sure, my lady?' Gaius asked.

She nodded. 'Merlin . . . will you stay? In case . . .?'

Merlin swallowed but nodded. Poor Avalon. This was her first night at Camelot and she was being made to do . . . this! Arthur would owe her not only his life, but more even than that, if he survived. If. But he had to, and Merlin had to make sure that he did.

Gaius approached Avalon and tilted her face up towards him. 'You are very brave,' he said. 'But be careful. When the fey returns to you, it will want control.'

'Gaius, I'm scared.'

'Of course you are. But Merlin will be here.'

'How . . . how will I know when . . .?'

'You'll know.' He stroked across her cheek to reassure her and then he left the room.

She looked up at Merlin, eyes filling with tears, but then turned towards the king. 'Arthur, Arthur,' she whispered, and began to kiss him, his hair, his forehead, down his nose, finally finding his mouth with hers. He responded immediately, pushing his face against hers.

'Gently, gently,' she whispered, and his kisses softened. He reached up and began to caress the back of her neck, gradually drawing her down onto the bed with him. She lay next to him, shaking with fear which he seemed to feel as he ran fingers softly over her, soothing her, calming her. His hands moved up to her breasts, tentatively at first, but, when she didn't protest, he began to mould them, gently squeezing her, stroking her and cupping her while still continuing to kiss her.

He started to push back her nightdress from her shoulder and she pulled away from him and stood in order to shrug it to the floor. It pooled around her feet and Merlin could see the gentle curves of her body as she lay back down next to Arthur.

He took a seat in the corner of the room in the shadows, not wanting to distract her, but realising he was coming under the influence of her himself, his body responding to the shape of her naked form. He smiled stiffly at the thought that he was about to watch Avalon and Arthur make love in front of him. Surely this was beyond the bounds of his role?

Arthur was now totally focusing on Avalon. His body had calmed and as she lay next to him, she began to respond to his kisses, stroking his face, gliding over the stubble that had formed, running her fingers through his soft blonde hair. Very slowly Arthur stroked along her body, up over her hips, back to her breasts, reading her, so that when she tensed he slowed, but when she relaxed he continued his exploration of her.

Trusting him not to hurt her and gaining in her own confidence, she tentatively pushed him onto his back and began to explore his body with her fingers and tongue, scraping fingernails gently across his chest so that he released a sigh of pleasure. She lapped at his nipples like a kitten, beginning to take pleasure in his response to her touch. He stroked her body more firmly, eventually reaching up to focus her breasts as she moved alongside him, catching at her nipples and feeling them respond.

Slowly, oh so slowly, she caressed down his body until she reached his manhood. She smoothed her fingers over it, feeling it respond to her touch, rising to meet her exploring fingers as she caressed its silkiness. She wriggled down the bed slightly so that she could better observe it, and tentatively kissed its tip. Arthur released a repressed moan, and she licked along the length of the shaft causing Arthur to shiver with pleasure.

She was no longer afraid of him, only of what might happen when she encountered her fey spirit. She kissed up his body, over the smooth flat muscles of his stomach, across his chest and back to his mouth. He lifted his head to meet hers, and this time she pushed back, kissing him harder, allowing his tongue to cautiously enter her mouth, gently probing and then twining with her tongue, as emotions began to course through her body. The kissing undulated between soft, slow, sloppy, lingering caresses through to harder, more demanding exploration, the pace rising and falling, but gradually increasing as her body was flooded with the strongest of feelings. His hand stroked over her hips, then up the front of her thigh. She lifted a knee for him, allowing his fingers to stroke over her and then into her, drawing her wetness from her as he circled her bud and then slid back into her. She was gasping now through the kisses, her body so totally relaxed that she could barely move at all, surrendering herself to him totally.

She gradually pulled away from him and then lifted one knee over him so that she was astride his body, looking down at him, exploring his face with her eyes. She knew that it was time to bond with him, to join their bodies as one, but her nervousness returned.

'Be gentle with me, my lord,' she whispered.

'Oh Avalon, my love, my life,' he responded.

He guided her onto him, waiting with delicious anticipation as she carefully lowered herself onto him, feeling her wetness and her tightness as he entered her, taking away that precious barrier that she gave willingly to save him. She leaned on his stomach, his muscles easily supporting her until she was settled on him, and he slowly began to rock her, watching her face express its surprise at the movement inside her, absorbing him yet resisting him at the same time. She began to respond to his rhythm, moving with him, so very slowly at first, and then gradually faster, eyes wide with both fear and arousal. Emotions curled from her femininity, spiralling through her body, every nerve tingling, every muscle aching for him as he moved inside her, powerful and commanding. She arched backwards, taking him deeper, barely registering her own existence, and, as he groaned and released himself inside her, she reached her arms skywards, fingers splayed, and felt the sudden envelopment of her spirit, filling her, washing through her, swirling round her body as her spiritual fey returned.

And then Avalon felt she had lost control completely of her own body. She flung her hands forward onto Arthur's chest and found herself sobbing and collapsing onto him. He held her tight against him, soothing her cries, but the fey spirit was not finished with her. Back in her own body, but now all-powerful, she needed further gratification.

Arthur was breathing heavily, approaching exhaustion. 'Merlin? Merlin, are you there?' Merlin approached the bed. 'Merlin, I can't . . . Merlin, save her . . .'

Avalon was looking desperately at Merlin. 'You have to . . . I need more . . . She's going to leave me . . .'

As he fixed her dark eyes with his own, he saw them flash an iridescent gold, and his own responded in recognition. This was truly the ancient magic working through the body of this young woman. But then the light began to increase, flashing and sparkling, gaining in strength, ready to leave Avalon's body.

'No!' Merlin grabbed Avalon by the arms, hesitated for just one second and then started to kiss her. She responded immediately, kissing him back. He had to suppress this strengthened fey, bring her back into equilibrium. And there was only one way to do that.

Fully clothed and now kneeling between a naked king and his recent lover was not a position Merlin had found himself in before. Avalon, her eyes now glowing as gold as Merlin's as the magic mingled and fought between them, began to undo his neckerchief and then tugged at his tunic. He helped her remove both that and his boots and breeches, her hands running over his smooth pale skin.

Merlin had never felt like this before, his lust rising, empowering his own magic, making it stronger. He felt challenged by Avalon's fey and rose to it, needing to subdue it, kissing her so that the fey was engaged.

It spoke to him mind to mind.I am dominant in Avalon's body.

I will subdue you.

You do not have the power.

I do and I will use it.

She is not protected now.

I will protect her.

They were facing each other, eyes engaged as they kissed, barely touching each other. But Merlin started to take control, kissing her harder, holding her firmer. He could feel her breathing deepen as she responded to it, moving closer to him so that her breasts touched his chest. He began to caress her, moving slowly but powerfully, controlling her movements so that she shuddered, wanting him to increase the pace, but he deliberately kept it slow.

Her fingers twisted into his dark hair, caressing his neck, stroking firm fingers over his shoulders, massaging the muscles of his arms. She was rubbing her nipples against him, aroused and responding to him, and then began to pull him against her, leaning back onto the bed. Merlin couldn't resist her, the fey growing strong, feeding on his arousal. She parted her legs to him, raising her knees either side of him, urging him into her.

You are mine, and when you release yourself, you release me.

Merlin said nothing, just watched as her eyes grew brighter, drawing him into her. She was strong, stronger then he could possibly have known, but not only was Avalon's existence at stake, it was Arthur's also. If the fey escaped, she would drain Arthur until he simply faded away from exhaustion.

Thinking about this gave Merlin renewed strength. Leaning on his hands, all the time watching Avalon's face, he started to move inside her, controlled and languid. This forced her to slow her pace to match his, driving her into a frenzy, trying to hasten him, but he stayed in perfect control, denying her his release and therefore her own. Their eyes were locked together, the magic between them tangible. Merlin was glad Arthur was sleeping. Distracted by this thought, her own power surged and it was all Merlin could do not climax.

Instead, very slowly, he withdrew from her, watching her squirm and writhe in front of him. And then he grabbed her hip with one hand and turned her over, breaking the connection between their eyes, and causing her to cry out as he entered her from behind. She lifted up her bottom in response, pushing back against him as he knelt behind her, hands firm on her hips. He could see her face in the looking glass opposite as she sank into his thrusts. As he drove his length deep into her, she began to moan, quietly at first, then louder, then the moans deteriorated into gasping sobs, and then the long, slow groan as emotions flooded through her body. She was defeated and at last Merlin allowed himself his own release.

Avalon took the deepest of breaths and sank back onto the bed. Merlin looked deep into her eyes, searching for any sparkling, but there were only a few flecks that had not been there before, an outward sign of her increased sexuality. But the fey was defeated, back in its place. Arthur stirred as he felt her next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

'Avalon,' he whispered.

'Call me Avi,' she muttered, and both Merlin and Arthur smiled. She was back and she was safe.

Gaius quietly opened the door to Arthur's bedroom. Arthur was asleep on his back, a smile on his face. His arm was around Avalon who had her head on his shoulder, her hand resting on his chest. Tucked up behind her, spooning, was Merlin, his arm around her waist.

Gaius smiled and left the room. Whatever had happened here had been resolved. The sun was up and he had work to do, for which he would need someone's support.

He knocked on Lady Merril's door, once, and then a second time. She opened it having obviously only just pulled on a robe. Gaius looked over her shoulder towards the displaced curtains at the back of her room.

'Sir Leon?' he asked, recognising the knight's unruly hair which he had failed to full obscure.

There was a shuffling and a curly head appeared from behind the curtain. 'Gaius! What . . . what are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same.'

'Oh, I, err . . .'

'You do know this is treason, don't you?' Merril stifled a gasp and sat down heavily on the bed. Leon disentangled himself from the curtains and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

'I know. But I love her.'

'And if she'd married Arthur?' Leon winced. 'After what happened with Guinevere?'

'Stop! Don't you think I hadn't thought of that a thousand times.' Leon was looking up at Gaius, pleading with him.

'How long has this been going on?'

'Two years,' muttered Leon.

'And what exactly were your plans?' Leon looked shifty and Merril tortured. Gaius thought for a few moments. 'Put some clothes on and meet me in the great hall.'

Gaius's next call was on King Barlis. He greeted Gaius warmly. 'How are you, old friend?'

Gaius lowered himself slowly onto a chair near the open window and Barlis joined him on the other side. 'How long have we known each other, Barlis?'

'Must be . . . forty years.'

'And do you trust me?'

'Gaius, what is this?'

'Just answer me.'

'Yes, I trust you. And there are few I could say that too.'

'Lady Merril must not marry Arthur.'

'What?' Barlis made to rise from his chair, but Gaius waved him back.

'Hear me out, please, Sire.'

'Do not "Sire" me,' Barlis bellowed. 'Uther and I had an agreement. I know that Guinevere . . .' he spat out the name, 'but now they will marry. They must!'

'Barlis, Merril is in love with someone else.'

'In love? Since when did that matter?'

'Since you wanted the happiness of your daughters.'

'Merril would be happy with Arthur. He is a fine man, and a good king.'

'She would not. She would always be thinking of another.'

'Which other? Who is this man?'

'He is a Knight of the Round Table, Barlis. Also a fine man.'

But not a king. I want our kingdoms to be joined. I have no son, I wanted Arthur to rule when I die.'

'But he still could.'

'What? How?'

'You have another daughter, Sire.'

'Avalon? No man in his right mind would take on that girl. She's wild.'

'She takes after her father,' Gaius added with a wry smile.

'Ha! Maybe she does, maybe she does.' He relaxed back into his chair. 'You seem to have this worked out, Gaius. Perhaps you should enlighten me.'

Merril and Leon were waiting near the round table when Gaius and her father arrived. Leon instinctively moved protectively closer to Merril, but still bowed to the king.

'Sir Leon. You have something to ask of me?'

'Sire?'

'My daughter's hand in marriage, perhaps?'

'Father? Father!' and Merril sprinted across the room and hurled herself into Barlis's arms.

Once the commotion had subsided, the king and Leon had shaken hands, and Merril and Leon departed to confirm plans long since dreamed of, but never imagined would come to pass, Barlis raised the question once more of Avalon.

'I do not think we need worry about that,' Gaius replied. 'Lady Avalon has made her own choice.'

Merlin sighed as he opened the door to Arthur's room, aching from an evening polishing armour. He twitched the sheets back over the king and queen where they lay tangled from their earlier love-making. Avi stirred slightly and smiled at him. As he slipped into his usual position beside her, the gold flecks sparkled in her eyes as she turned her body towards him.