My Kingdom for a Kiss

''What am I going to do?!'' Merlin asked Gaius, though not expecting an answer. He was distressed for Albion and his dear friend, the princess.

Gaius didn't know what to say even if he wanted a reply, though he could hardly say he was surprised by Uther's actions.

The lengths that man would go has yet to show its bounds.

''Executing Evangeline will cause a war. A bad one. King Odin losing his son the year before losing his last child. There is no saying how ruthless he will become-- rightfully!'' Merlin glared ahead, shaking in his distress.

''What are you going to do?'' Gaius asked, sorrowful with the lack of help he was able to give.

Merlin took a deep and glanced over, ''I have to talk to Arthur.'' He decided, nodding, before leaving.

The guards allowed him to speak to the seething prince, who looked a bit defeated as he lay on the stone dungeon floors.

He jumped up at the sight of Merlin, rushing to the end of the cage to meet his manservant.

''Arthur, what can I do?'' He asked, his light blue eyes wide and his heart in his throat.

Arthur sighed, shaking his head. ''I don't know, Merlin.'' He looked a bit choked up as he watched the floor intently.

''I don't know what to do.'' He confessed, dropping his arms to his sides.

The guards came then, the keys in hand and a blank expression over his helmeted face.

''The King has ordered your release.'' The guard unlocked the cage, stepping aside for the prince to leave.

Merlin lead a distressed Arthur to the corridor, where he whispered his plans. ''I'll distract the guards, you go see Evangeline.''

Arthur rushed off with Merlin in the direction of the disgraceful cage keeping his love captive.

Merlin disappeared momentarily and was replaced by a sickly smoke.

Arthur ran in to see Evangeline sitting on the hay scattered around the cold hard dungeon floor.

She lean her narrow back against the concrete wall, her long raven locks in a hay filled tousled mess.

"Evangeline!" He grabbed fold of the strong bars.

She stood inhumanly fast in fright and surprise. This was her greatest nightmare; in a cage, hunted and persecuted for what she was.

"Arthur! What are you doing here?" She closed the gap between herself and the bars.

Arthur seemed to be unable to speak. All he had wished to say fleeing his mind in his state of fear and sadness.

"You need to get out of here. Use your magic." He told her, tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat.

"I can't! It will only reinforce his cause for brutality! He will use me as an excuse to those reluctant to hunt those like me!"

Arthur shook his head, "Nothing more could reinforce is beliefs. My father is a stubborn man. He will kill you without any other thought!" He pulled desperately at the bars.

The guards were soon to wake. "Please! Just do it!"

Merlin popped in, looking startled and panicked. "They're coming!"

Evangeline seemed to panic inwardly. Her emerald eyes darted between the door and Arthur's pleading expression.

Her face contorted in a pain before she shouted a chant in a foreign tongue.

"Andweorc afeorsian!" The bars broke without a struggle. Smoke filled her temporary cage.

Evangeline's eyes returned to their sad and dazzling green and she rushed to Arthur's outstretched arms.

She took his cheeks in both of her hands and kissed him with all her earthly might.

She kissed him as if she knew she would never set eyes on the fair prince again.

Arthur pulled her close as the guards piled in, swords drawn and demands being made.

Evangeline pulled away, and gave Arthur a heart breaking look of farewell.

She chanted a strange sentence and a great gust whisked her away from his loving embrace.

Arthur sighed in relief. Too consoled by her escape to let that look scare him as greatly as it should. All that mattered now was that she would live another day. Safe from his father's brutality.