Hello all! Right here we go...this would be my first fanfic on here...so please be nice. This story will be written by both me and my friend...and we will be writing a chapter each...no doubt you'll be able to tell the difference. :D
Hope you enjoy enjoy enjoy the first chapter of many...happy reading!
Camelot
Chapter 1
"Merlin!" Merlin grumbled and turned over, burying his head under his pillow in an attempt to block out the familiar voice trying to stir him from his slumber.
"Merlin! Merlin, get up you lousy excuse for a servant!" His chamber door swung open, the loud bang of the wooden door colliding with the wall behind it startling Merlin so much he literally jumped out of bed. Sitting groggily back down on his bed, he rubbed his eyes with his hand and yawned subconsciously, before looking up into the annoyed eyes of someone with dirty blonde hair; his master, Arthur. Upon seeing the young prince, he stood up again, trying his best to look awake and alert, despite the droop of his eyes and the yawn passing his lips yet again.
"Merlin, you idiot, your late. You don't get to stay in bed all day! You're supposed to be at my beck and call from the moment I wake up!" Arthur crossed his arms over his chest while continuing to rant on at Merlin for being a useless servant, until he ordered Merlin to get dressed and come to his chambers immediately. Mumbling a quick 'yes sire' as Arthur left the room, Merlin began following his orders swiftly and quickly, quickly getting changed and running down to where Arthur's room was situated, knocking quietly and entering sheepishly upon hearing a voice on the other side of the wooden door.
The rest of the day for Merlin proved to be complete and utter hell, and several times throughout the day he reminded himself never to get up late again. Arthur was in a foul mood with him all day, and had him polish his armour, clean his room, muck out his horses, and carry his entire room full of dirty clothes down the large stone steps to the wash maid. By the time the end of the day was through, Merlin wanted nothing more than to just drag himself back to his and Gauis's quarters and just sleep for several years; but, he reminded himself, he had to also attend the feast tonight to tend to Arthur again.
He mentally groaned as he imagined the jibes and comments that Arthur would no doubt toss at him all throughout the night; now he wished more than anything in the world that anything...ANYTHING would happen to cancel the feast tonight, so that he might avoid his masters taunting. What happened next, however, was unexpected to say the least. Merlin was walking across the court back towards the castle, as he had just finished mucking out the horses, when the ground seemed to shift beneath him. He found himself falling to the floor, his head connecting forcefully with the floor, a sickening crack echoing throughout the empty space. His head bleary and his eyes only half open, he sat up slowly, reaching round to the back of his head and feeling a wet, sticky substance against his fingers. His head was pounding, and his vision blurry, but although his senses were dulling and unconsciousness was threatening to take over, Merlin could just feel the slight tremors coming from beneath him. The whole world seemed to be moving, shaking, and just as the blackness consumed Merlin's view, a bright light flashed in front of his eyes, seemingly heading straight for him; and then...darkness.
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Arthur was in his chambers sitting at his desk filling out reports for his father. He laid down his quill and leant back in his chair, sighing heavily to himself and rubbing his temples, where a head ache was beginning to form. He had been in a mood with Merlin all day for him being late that morning, and thinking to himself now, although Merlin could be a pain in the tuckus, he was also an asset to have around; and Arthur waking to find him not already in the room ready to clothe him had put him in a foul mood with everyone that day. He had snapped at Merlin more than once, his lack of concentration throughout his training session had lead to him lose in a match and his father was getting on his nerves...again, reminding him several times throughout the day that if he didn't show up to tonight's feast again the punishment would be great.
All in all, it had been a pretty rubbish day for Arthur Pendragon.
Arthur reached over his table to pick up his goblet, which was perched next to his papers, and took a long drink from it, draining it dry before placing it back down. He rubbed his hands over his face briefly before leaning forwards again, intending to continue filling out the reports. But as he reached out for his quill, he realised that it was shaking, and the more aware of his surrounding he became, the more he realised that his quill wasn't the only thing. The whole room seemed to be shaking, his sword, which was placed precariously on the edge of the desk, fell off with a loud clang. Looking around the rest of the room he could also see other things wobbling violently and falling off of their perches. When Arthur realised that he himself was also trembling, he stood up abruptly, only to fall onto the hard stone floor on his hands and knees. He lifted his head to see his chair and table travel across the room, jumping and bouncing in random directions.
He began crawling towards one of his windows, a large pile of books falling onto him from a nearby cabinet, which made Arthur curse loudly; before he pulls himself upright again. Looking out of the window, holding onto the frame for support, Arthur could now see the almost blinding light, shining far in the distance. He lifted an arm to shield his eyes, and as he did a beam of energy blasted out from the centre of the light heading straight for him. As it almost hits, Arthur throws himself to the ground again to avoid it, and instead he sees it hit his four-poster bed instead; and watches in horror as the bed seems to disappear right in front of his eyes. Shocked and slightly shaken, Arthur just lies there on the floor for a while, only lifting his head when he sees the light fading. He scrambles back to his feet, expecting to be thrown back down by the shaking of his room; but realising that the shaking has stopped, he sprints over to his window again; just glimpsing the last of the light fizzle out and fade away.
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Gwen's day had started like any other of hers, waking her dad up, giving him breakfast before they both say their farewells and head off to work. Gwen had woken up in a particularly good mood that morning, which had only increased after her mistress, Morgana, had mentioned the feast that night. The main reason for Gwen's happiness at the mention of the feast was because she was going to get to spend most of the night with Merlin, a fact she would never admit, not even to Morgana; but still none the less, true. Gwen hummed a tuneless song to herself as she pottered about her mistress's chambers setting things on order. She was so consumed in her little world of happiness that she didn't hear Morgana enter the room. Morgana watched her maid move about the room, smiling gently to herself at her innocence.
"Someone's in a good mood today," Gwen whirled around, her hand placed on her chest, but seeing who it was she let her hand fall to her side, sighing heavily.
"Oh, malady...I didn't hear you come in" she blushed slightly; bowing her head in respect as Morgana approached her.
"Why so formal Gwen? You know I consider you more of a friend than a maid...enough of the 'malady' business," she laid a gentle hand on Gwen's shoulder and smiled warmly at her.
"Sorry Morgana, I forgot myself" she smiled back and then continued her work, humming to herself again. Gwen had already brought Morgana's breakfast up from the kitchens, but Morgana had had to leave before she got the chance to eat it; and so it was still sitting on her table, all laid out. She sat down at the table and picked up her all ready full goblet, bringing it softly to her lips and taking a sip. She hid a giggle as she saw an obviously distracted Gwen put her bed pillows on the wrong side of the bed.
"Erm...Gwen?" Her maid turned to her, smile still in place, oblivious to what she had done.
"The pillows...they're the wrong side." Gwen looked over towards the bed which she had just made, a look of confusion etched on her face, which soon turned to embarrassment.
"Oh, I'm sorry Morgana! I'm just...just a little..." she trailed off mumbling to herself incoherently while setting the bed right, a light blush fighting its way onto her face. Morgana couldn't hold her laugh in anymore and Gwen's head turned to look at her chuckling mistress, her face darkening in colour even more.
"You're a little distracted...right Gwen?" Morgana managed to say after she had calmed down a little bit. Gwen played with her fingers nervously for a while with her head down, before answering,
"I'm just excited that all...about the feast, you know?" Morgana nodded her head and signalled for Gwen to come over and sit by her. Gwen shuffled over reluctantly and sat tentatively on the edge of the seat.
"And what is it exactly about the feast that you're excited about?" Gwen's eyes widened in realisation as she understood what Morgana was trying to get at,
"No...No it's not because of him," Gwen lied, "It's just...well I have the feeling that tonight is gonna be a good one, that's all." She grins suddenly, startling Morgana for a second, before she smiles back and lets Gwen continue her work.
The day passed pretty quickly after that for Gwen, as it always did, and soon, she and Morgana were back in her mistress's chambers getting ready for the feast. Gwen tied the last string up around Morgana's neck and stepped back to admire her work.
Morgana was wearing a beautiful red dress which was shaped to fit her curves perfectly. It was low cut and dipped down between the breasts, showing some skin, and was tried around her neck by several, small beaded strings; which crossed over each other at the front of the dress. Her hair was held up in a messy bun by two decorative sticks, and loose pieces of hair framed her flawless face, her lips coated in a red paint like substance. Gwen nodded to herself and smiled widely when Morgana tuned round to her and asked,
"How do I look?" Gwen giggled in a girly way and clapped her hands together,
"Gorgeous as usual malady," Gwen bowed her head slightly and Morgana turned away to look at herself in her large mirror.
"Yet again you exceed yourself in making me look beautiful, Gwen," Gwen just chuckled at this and replied,
"There's no need for me to make you look beautiful Morgana, you do that by yourself." Morgana turned back round to her maid and clasped her hands affectionately smiling back at her bright face, when suddenly they were on the floor. Gwen looked over at Morgana, who was sprawled out across the cold stone ungracefully, and helped her to her feet; only to feel the ground shudder and have them stagger into the large table in the middle of the room. Holding on for support Gwen and Morgana looked at each other again, confusion etched onto both of their faces.
"What's going on?" Morgana looked over to the window suddenly when she saw a light out of the corner of her eye. She carefully made her way over the large window, using bits of furniture to keep her balance and to not fall over. Gwen watched her go, eventually following after her when she saw her mistress wobble unsteadily but catch hold of the back of a chair just in time. Gwen continued forwards to the window while Morgana got her balance, and by the time she was steady again, Gwen had reached her destination. She looked out of the window in awe, the bright light filling her eyes, burning slightly, but she found herself unable to look away.
Morgana looked over at her from her perch near the chair, and could see that the light was getting brighter but Gwen was not looking away. The light became too intense for Morgana to look at Gwen any longer, but just before she closed her eyes to the light, she saw that Gwen had still to yet to look away. She called out her name, and suddenly the light was gone. When Morgana opened her eyes however, she could no longer see Gwen anywhere in the room. There was an empty space where Gwen had been standing by the window, staring out to the light; and Morgana had noticed that the ground had stopped shaking also. Her head snapped around the room, her eyes searching out her Maid, but when they did not fall upon her, she let go of the chair and strode around the room also.
"Gwen?!" She called out her handmaids name to no reply, and let her hand come up to her forehead, which was creased with worry.
She took one last glace at the window as a feeling of dread welled in the pit of her stomach...and Morgana then had to sit down, as she realised what had happened.
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