First fan-fic! Have had a few things online but I always think my writing is terrible, please tell me it's not!
Hope you enjoy! I do change some things and it all makes perfect sense in my mind but if I forget to tell you something…. Put it in your review and I'll explain :D
Arthur had been sent off by Uther to inspect some of the villages close to the borders of the kingdom to see if the quality of life was up to scratch and if any changes had to be made. He would go to three villages and stay at each for one week, gathering information from the local people. It was barely midday and already Arthur and Merlin were approaching their first stop, Anradin.
"So, Merlin," Arthur began as he watched Merlin tie the horses to a tree branch. "Your job is to talk to people. This might be something you're not half-bad at." He laughed as Merlin tripped over a tree root and toppled backwards, hitting the forest floor. Merlin scowled at Arthur and heaved two of the saddle bags onto his back and tried to stand straight, which nearly resulted in him toppling back over. "What exactly am I supposed to talk about?" Merlin wheezed. He wasn't the strongest of folk. "Just ask what this place is like. What needs to be changed and what's bad about this place or the way it's run." Arthur took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Right." Merlin replied, swinging his third bag over one of his shoulders. "Go find us a place to stay. I'll starting have a chat with some locals." Arthur ordered. Merlin now had four bags. He had one for his clothes, one for Arthur's, one for general things like Arthur's book for writing about each village and finally the biggest and heaviest bag; Arthur's armor. "No-one will tell Prince Arthur the truth, you know." Merlin mumbled as he staggered away. "Shut up, Merlin."
Once Merlin had left, Arthur just stood and looked about, taking in the atmosphere. Soon his eyes rested on a girl not too far away from him sitting on a log with her head in her hands. Everyone seemed to be ignoring her. Arthur supposed he should see what was wrong. He watched over to her, half-hoping someone else would reach her first. He sat on the log next to her. "So, what's wrong?" He accidentally blurted out. Mentally panicked but keeping calm on the outside Arthur ignored that fact he'd been so forward and waited for a response. "My father, my brother, they're-" Then she burst out and buried her face in Arthur's chest. He awkwardly and uncomfortably put his arms around her, trying to offer some comfort until she stopped crying.
"Sorry, i-it's just that my brother r-ran away and m-my fa-father was executed this morning, I've just been told. Knights from Camelot came and took them away yesterday, another came back and told me they were dead about an hour ago." She sniffed and wiped an escaping tear from her cheek. Arthur sighed, "What did they do?" He asked, knowing there was an execution in Camelot just before he and Merlin left. His father just told him the man were sorcerers and Arthur learned no more. "Nothing." She said whispered. "Absolutely nothing!" Arthur was confused. She told him their story.
Her father, Tom had become very, very ill and it was almost certain that he would die. She and her brother could not bear it; they would have done anything for him to get better. And they did. Liam, her brother, learned a single spell, one to heal their father. It worked, but someone told the king that Tom from Anradin had used magic, so had his son. Tom was taken away to be executed he hadn't had the courage to do what Liam did. Liam left. He ran, far away only for a few years then he would return, under a different name so as not to be detected. "Those Pendragons are filth! My family was innocent!" She shouted, though it was muffled by her hands. Arthur thought for a moment. Magic was evil, sorcerers were evil; perhaps her brother did other things, worse things? "You shouldn't have used magic, you know. Magic is evil, sorcerers are evil." Arthur thought aloud. They girl recoiled spoke coldly, "Magic is like a sword; the sword itself is neutral, it is the one who wields it who decides its purpose. My father taught me that. Uther will never change my mind." She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes for the last time, it seemed she was out of tears for the time being. "Not that I want to kill him, that would make me just as much of a monster that he is." She sighed a very long, tired and sad sigh. She shook her head to clear her mind. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't be telling you my life story. I never even asked your name."
"Pr-" He stopped himself, this girl hated the Pendragons. It was probably not a great idea to be Prince Arthur right now. Plus, there was research to be done and he supposed Merlin might have been right. He wasn't sure if anyone would tell Prince Arthur that his father was doing a bad job of running his kingdom. Not if they knew what stubborn King Uther was like. So maybe, just maybe, Merlin was onto something. "Arthur. What's yours?" He took her hand and kissed it.
"Gwen."
So, did you like? Please review if you did so I know I wasn't half bad at this writing thing. Thanks a million! Next update soon if I get one good review, that's all I need to motivate me! Please, be that one. :D
