Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin
This is my first time posting something so try to bear with me. I've been reading a lot of other works and enjoyed them and decided it was time to post something of my own. I do have a full time job and work a lot of hours so my chapters might not always pop up quickly but I'll do my best. Also please Read and Review! I always like hearing suggestions and thoughts, helps keep the ball rolling. So if you have any please don't hesitate do say them! Thanks and enjoy!
The markets were teeming with people enjoying the warmth of the sun after a long and drawn out winter that would have made anyone miss the sunshine and heat. Pausing just inside the gates she pulled back her hood and looked around with interest. Now finding her cousin would normally have proved difficult but since speaking with her Aunt Hunith about a week ago Sasha had learned that her cousin was working at the castle. The woman chuckled and shook her head again in amusement, to think the most powerful warlock on earth was the king's manservant! Now, all that remained was finding him without using magic, maybe this would prove more difficult than she originally planned as she knew from speaking with her aunt that Merlin didn't know that she existed and neither had known about her gifts so she didn't just want to ambush him in public. That could be very uncomfortable and dangerous for the both of them. She didn't realise she'd been standing there staring ahead with her lips pursed for a while until a voice jolted her out of her thoughts.
"Are you alright miss?" She turned and found a pair of knights standing a few feet away watching her. One was taller than her with curly light coloured hair and the other was tall, well built and quiet.
"Oh!" She smiled warmly, "Please tell me you're both knights of Camelot?" They glanced at each other and nodded. She sighed in relief, "Wonderful! Perhaps one of you might be so kind as to help me?" She cocked her head slightly and smiled, "I came here looking for someone who lives and works in the castle but I'm afraid I got a little turned around." She laughed brightly and the two knights relaxed and smiled back.
"Who are you looking for?" The shorter knight smiled warmly.
"A young man named Merlin," she smiled and the laughed at their surprised faces. "I take that to mean you know him?"
"Might I ask what business you have with Merlin?" the same knight asked and she smiled realizing Mr. Tall and Handsome didn't seem to talk much.
"I'm," she hesitated and frowned slightly, "family."
"Didn't know he had any except his mother," another voice spoke up behind her and she spun slightly to eye the blonde man watching her intently.
"Neither does Merlin," she answered slowly. "I didn't even know until a few weeks ago," she shrugged slightly, "But Hunith and Merlin are the only family I have left so I wanted to meet them. I was hoping to get hold of him in private as springing something this," she spoke slowly as she considered the man before her, "is going to be awkward enough for the both of us without an audience." He was taller than her by a little and the quality of his clothes suggested someone wealthy. His bearing and the way he looked around, not to mention the way the knights looked at him told her exactly who this man was. "If you wouldn't mind pointing me towards my cousin I won't keep you any longer," she blinked knowingly, "Arthur Pendragon."
Arthur had been surprised to find his knights talking with a woman rather than heading towards the practice fields where they were supposed to be but upon reaching them overheard the woman saying she was family of Merlin's. Not nearly as surprised as when she addressed him by his full name without his title. There was something about her that held his attention. She was beautiful he noted absently as he caught Percival watching the woman silently while staying back a bit. He bit back a chuckle realising the quiet knight was finally noticing a pretty girl. Her red and copper hair shone in the sunlight but it was her eyes that held his attention. Rich brown with hints of red and gold gleaming when they caught the light. There was intelligence there too but there was something he noticed else. Secrets, sorrow, and weariness that went soul deep. For such a young woman she had been through much he could tell but she seemed to carry it and herself with ease. She wore a tunic with trousers instead of a dress he noted and two blades almost as long as her forearms sat on her hips easily, suggesting that she knew how to wield them. Both her cloak and pack were well worn and ripped in areas but still appeared to be serviceable. Studying her Arthur noted that she appeared tired and realized she must have travelled a ways to reach Camelot.
"Of course," Arthur nodded and smiled warmly at his manservant and best friend's cousin. "He's helping Gaius right now," he explained as they walked towards the castle. They walked in silence because while Arthur was curious about the young woman he had noticed that she was growing more nervous with each step until they were outside the court physician's door. They paused and he didn't lift his hand to knock but rather turned to face her. Her face was pale and there was fear in those strange and compelling eyes. "Are you alright?" He touched her arm gently with a slight frown.
"I think so," she whispered.
Arthur smiled, "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine," he turned and knocked before pushing the door open and entering. She took a deep breath and followed behind him a moment later.
"Sire," she noticed the old man nodded to Arthur before his gaze flicked to her. Across the room was a young man grinding up herbs. He had black hair, sparkling blue eyes and a grin that made her want to grin back.
"Merlin," Arthur said calmly, "there's someone who would like to speak with you. Gaius could you come with me? One of the knights was injured during training," Arthur gave Gaius a pointed look and the old physician hurried after his king while Merlin wiped his hands off and moved around the table to smile at her.
"Hello," he grinned but she noticed that there was a wariness in his eyes as well.
"Hi," she offered softly and hesitated. "I um," she sighed and gave him rueful smile, "I'm kind of your cousin." Merlin blinked in shock and she moved closer, away from the door after giving it a hesitant and cautious look. She lowered her voice to almost a whisper so that only Merlin could hear her, "Balinor was my uncle."
"How come I never heard about this?" Merlin frowned and she smiled understandingly.
"I didn't either. Balinor was my father's twin brother. My father passed away a few weeks ago and I inherited," she glanced at the door pointedly, "not sure how though since it's only supposed to go to boys." She muttered something under her breath. "He was really sick and before he died he told me that he had fled and so had his brother. They had gone separate ways so that maybe one of them would survive. He had learned of my uncle's death and then with the help of a loyal friend learned of you," she smiled sadly. "After he passed away and I got," she paused again, "the family inheritance, I was trying to decide what to do when we were betrayed. Bounty hunters came to arrest me but our friend and I managed to kill them all. Unfortunately my companion was wounded badly and didn't survive the night," she sighed sadly. "After hunting down the man who had betrayed us I made sure he hadn't told anyone else and then made sure he couldn't in the future," Merlin frowned at that.
"You killed him?" Merlin asked slowly.
"What? No!" Her eyes went huge and then she grinned sheepishly, "Guess it did sound like I had. No I," she glanced at the door and leaned closer to whisper, "I erased his memory of my family." She grinned a little and looked at Merlin calmly. Holding out one hand she whispered and her eyes flashed gold before a tiny flame appeared in her palm, "I had hoped to find what little family I had left and help in any way I could. I know who you are Merlin," she smiled sadly, "and while I'm not as powerful as you in most ways I had hoped that I might be of some assistance. I stayed with some druids for a while and heard that healing spells are not something that Emrys is very good at," she chuckled, "maybe that's where I can help. My magic isn't as powerful as yours in most ways but I'm an excellent healer." Merlin hesitated and she smiled again. "If you would like we can see the great dragon tonight and he can tell you the truth in my words?" The warlock finally nodded in agreement and then grinned madly.
"I have a cousin!" He swept her into a tight hug and lifted her off the ground to swing her around. Suddenly he plunked her on her feet, "Does mother know?"
"How do you think I found you? Father thought you and Aunt Hunith were still living together," she laughed, "Imagine my surprise and concern to find out where you really were." The two sat together and talked quietly for a while about their fathers, her journey, life in Camelot and everything they could think of before around dinner time Gaius returned and walked in silently.
"Gaius," Merlin was grinning and gestured the cautious old man closer, "This is my cousin Sasha!"
"Hello," she smiled shyly. "I understand you know about Merlin?" he gave the physician a significant look and the man nodded and she sighed in relief and grinned in a way that was a more feminine version of Merlin's grin. "I have some similar talents, though I am more gifted in the healing arts." She laughed and Merlin grinned. Gaius sat quietly while the two explained everything they had talked about and then smiled warmly at the young woman.
"Well than I insist you stay here with us," Gaius chuckled just as Gwen walked in.
"Who is staying here?" She smiled warmly, noticing the newcomer sitting next to Merlin.
"Gwen!" Merlin grinned, happier than she had seen him in a long while. The manservant had done an excellent job of fooling most everyone into thinking he was happy as could be but she had seen the sorrow and loneliness in his eyes the last few weeks when he thought no one was looking. "This is my cousin Sasha," he introduced the young woman who smiled warmly at the queen.
"Hello," the girl waved.
Arthur walked in behind Gwen and grinned at the group in the room, "I thought your guest might want a bed." He waved a pair of servants in with a bed that was placed near the fire with Gaius's.
"I'll stay out here with Gaius," Merlin smiled at the girl, "You take my room."
"Kay," she grinned back and the similarity of that smile had everyone grinning as the servants scurried out.
"So you're Merlin's cousin?" Arthur smiled as he sat down and started asking the questions that had been on his mind all day. For a long minute the girl studied him and after a long look at Merlin she nodded slowly.
"Yep," she said slowly and Arthur smiled hoping he would finally understand some of the secrets that he knew his manservant kept.
"On which side?" The king asked calmly but with enough innocent curiosity to fool most everyone in the room. Gwen had drawn Merlin and Gaius into a conversation a few feet away about some kind of herb she had seen on her morning ride.
"My father's side," she answered with equal calm and a knowing smile. "Our fathers were twin brothers," her eyes were sad telling Arthur that both men were likely dead.
"Does Merlin know?" Arthur asked quietly.
She nodded slowly, "his father died some time ago. Mine passed away a few weeks ago," she looked at Merlin and grinned, "I thought I would be alone but my father told me about Merlin and his mother just before he died. He wanted to keep his relationship with them secret just in case," her gaze went to his and there was a hardness there that surprised the young king.
"Why?" Arthur asked softly.
"My father had magic," she answered calmly. "Uther rarely suffered magic users to live," she explained quietly. "He was worried that if someone knew that they might hunt down Merlin and his mother. See the magic my father had is passed down through the blood," she smiled sadly," father to son style." Arthur listened silently. "Not uncle to nephew but still he didn't want to take the chance. I mean no offence Arthur but your father could be rather unreasonable about magic. If he had learned of Merlin's relation to my father and had even suspected my father's gifts might pass to him Merlin would not have survived," She sighed sadly.
"Did they?" Arthur whispered calmly.
"Pass to Merlin?" She chuckled, "No. They don't pass from uncle to nephew, only father to son," she frowned slightly, "At least that's how it's supposed to work but sometimes magic makes up its own rules." She shrugged, "I do know father's magic did not pass to Merlin."
"If your father had magic did your uncle?" Arthur considered carefully.
Sasha studied the young king in front of her and knew he wasn't as unobservant as Merlin thought and already suspected the truth about Merlin so decided not to lie but not to confirm. "I couldn't tell you," she shrugged sadly. "I never met my uncle and didn't even know about him or Merlin until just before my father's passing. I couldn't tell you if he had the same magic or if it passed to Merlin but," she chuckled, "I wonder why any magic user would not only live in Camelot but serve the king with a death sentence hanging over their heads. Let's not even mentioned the clumsiness," she laughed outright this time and Arthur grinned. He liked this girl. She was a lot like Merlin in some ways but so very different in others. He knew what she was doing with her carefully spoken words. She was neither confirming nor denying what he suspected but she had gently reminded him of the price Merlin would pay if Arthur ever really decided to push the truth. She hadn't denied that Merlin's father had magic or that Merlin had inherited that same gift but instead had told him she couldn't tell him. There had been so many times when things had happened that Arthur had begun suspecting his manservant and friend had magic. Branches falling, bandits tripping, warriors losing their grip on their weapons, earthquakes and sorcerers just vanishing. Merlin walking into battles with no armour ad coming out without a scratch. Arthur smiled understandingly at the young woman who knew what he suspected.
"I understand," he nodded, "I won't push the subject."
"Thank you," she smiled back, "Don't worry about it too much. Merlin is loyal to you and Camelot above all else and I can only hope that I'll be able to find a home here as well."
"I hope you do as well," Arthur suddenly leaned closer and grinned, "Especially since a certain one of my knights seems to have finally noticed a woman." She flushed bright pink and Arthur laughed easily. "Don't worry, he's a good man and a friend of Merlin's," Arthur winked and with that the king and queen left the three to get better acquainted. Sasha watched them go with a smile and knew that she wouldn't tell Merlin about her conversation with the king, it would just worry him needlessly. She had seen that he suspected Merlin's magic but there was no anger or fear, only concern and a desire to understand. She would be careful but she knew the young king would protect his friend all the same.
The two slipped through the lower town silently and out in the woods before laughing and hurrying to the clearing while Merlin called to Kilgharrah. As they arrived the great dragon landed easily in front of them.
"Hello old friend," Merlin grinned, "there's someone I would like you to meet." He took Sasha's arm and gentle brought her before the dragon.
"Hello," she smiled gently.
"Ah," the dragon sighed and seemed to smile, "I was wondering why destiny seemed to be changing."
"I'm sorry," she said softly with a slight frown.
"Do not be little feyling," he replied warmly. "You are changing things for the better I believe."
"Feyling?" Merlin asked curiously.
"My mother was an Elf," Sasha explained. "It's the reason why I'm almost as powerful as you are."
"You are also a Dragonlady," Kilgharrah said softly. "There are very few female Dragonlords in history and almost all were given their power by the dragon's themselves as a gift for their outstanding loyalty. I believe fate has decided that Merlin should not carry this burden alone after all," the dragon chuckled. "Farewell my young ones," he leaned his snout down and they both placed a hand on his face before he flew off. Merlin and Sasha stood there grinning and laughing like idiots for a few minutes before heading back into the castle talking quietly.
"You can take over as Gaius's apprentice!" Merlin exclaimed as they neared the castle, causing the guards to jump.
"Merlin!" Leon sighed in exasperation.
"Oh, sorry Leon," he grinned back. "I was just showing my cousin around the town," he explained, realizing how late it was.
"In the middle of the night?" Leon frowned slightly.
Sasha laughed, "My fault!" Both men looked at her in surprise. "Well Merlin is busy helping Arthur all day and we were both so excited we couldn't sleep so I thought a walk might help and Merlin offered to show me around a bit," she shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that," and Leon smiled back. She was beautiful but in a different way than the knight was used to seeing. Gwen was beautiful in an exotic way and Morgana had been beautiful in a classical way but the woman was beautiful in a fierce, wild way. She moved with the grace and poise of a lady but the ease of a warrior. There was something almost predatory in the way her strange eyes swept around her but it didn't make him feel uncomfortable.
"Well best get to bed, Merlin has an early start," Leon smiled and the two laughed before hurrying back to their physician's quarters. They talked about Merlin's idea and agreed that they would speak with Gaius in the morning. Merlin has having trouble keeping up with being Arthur's manservant and Gaius's apprentice, not to mention his skills in healing were pretty bad. Besides Gaius was getting along in years and needed someone to study with him seriously so there would be someone to take over when it became too much for him. They slipped into Merlin's old room and sat on the small bed telling each other stories about their lives until they fell asleep just a few hours before dawn.
