Thank you to everyone clicked this story and thinks that it's worth reading...
I'm not trying to be historically accurate.
I'd like to see if anyone's interested in this and if I should continue or not.
Please excuse my crappy grammar. I tried as hard as I could, so if you find mistakes please point it out. And criticisms are welcome.
This is an AU, I can't help but make them OOC,


When Merlin woke up, the sight of a room she couldn't recognise greeted her.

Actually… she couldn't even remember how her own room should be looked like. But she was certain it wasn't hers. The curtain muffled the light from the room that was bare from any decoration. Only a table with four chairs, a cupboard, a bedside table and a four-poster bed she was in.

Why was she there? She wasn't sure. She didn't know where she was or what time it was. She didn't know who she was, and why her body was in so much pain. She couldn't pinpoint which part was the worst and she heard ringing in her ears louder than the other sounds. Not to mention the headache and nausea.

Someone opened the door in soft slowness. Put down something on the table, and walked over to the window to open the curtain with fairy-like grace that wouldn't have woken her if she were asleep. It took time to adjust to the new brightness around her. She guessed it was late morning. And it seemed with each blink, she started to remember the answers to all her questions earlier.

She remembered the trip through the ward, or rather, how she slipped through the ward by accident. She had a few hours before she had to return to the palace for dinner, and decided to venture to the border alone.

The fall from Ansel's back. The ungraceful thwack when a stone connected to her head, followed by her body. Left shoulder blade-first to the ground.

And the men in red cloaks adorned with golden dragon swarming around her. They said something about making a camp for the night and return in the morning.

A pause. Oh, Goddess.

Oh Goddess, she was screwed. Red cloaks over chainmails. Camelot's knights!? Of all kingdoms, the ward threw her into a kingdom her father told her not to have any business with. The place where the root of the prosecution of magic started to grow.

"Are you okay?" Her dreadful feeling must've shown through. She forgot there was someone else in the room. "Are you in pain?" that someone was an olive-skinned girl in a yellow dress. She hovered over her with a worried face. "I mean, of course, you're in pain. Is it unbearable? Should I get the physician?"

She sighed and straightened her face. "That's not necessary. I'm sorry I worried you." Merlin managed a smile. In the other girl's face was a relief. She retreated to the table and back with a food tray.

"I brought you late breakfast. Light stuff. Gaius told me not to upset your empty stomach. Can you do this yourself, or should I feed you?"

"No thank you. My right hand is okay, I can do this." Merlin tried not to wince in ache as she moved to sitting position and started to eat. "Er, have you eaten yet?" she told her that she had. It was already late after all. Her concern touched the girl, and it appeared she was currently preparing herself for a question.

"Uhm," the following words were rapid that she barely made out the meaning. "I'm sorry if you think we invaded your privacy." took a deep breath before continuing, she slowed down. "We happened to see that signet ring on your necklace." Merlin's hand flew consciously to the ring. It was supposed to be tucked under her dress. She always put it there instead of her finger for safety whenever she went riding. "Are you a noblewoman, then?"

It made sense. No commoner would be placed in a special chamber like this. Badly injured or not. She hadn't had the chance to think about the possibility of having to hide her true identity. But the fate made it easy and decided it for Merlin.

"You suspected right." she shifted a little. "To be precise, I'm a princess." when she saw Gwen's reaction, she added hastily. "But only it means a little. You can call me by name if you like." why was she telling her that? She wasn't sure. "I'm used to be called that way at home." home? Her heart sent a sharp pang. "My name is Merlin. And er, I haven't known your name yet." with that, the girl chuckled.

"Oh Princess Merlin, I believed I had told you yesterday when you told us yours too. But you were too sick at the time." Merlin remembered rambling on about ducks, birds and something that made no sense even for the speaker herself. "My name's Guinevere, or Gwen for short. Everyone calls me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maidservant. She's King Uther's ward. Er, you know that you're in Camelot, right?" she elaborated.

"Yes, I do Gwen. Well, thank you for everything. And please thank the physician too —Gaius, isn't he?— when you see him. And the knights. Everyone that involved in my rescue. It's a blessing to be alive right now. My injuries aren't that life-threatening, but I was in the middle of the woods. Who knows what might happen." she shuddered at the thought of bandits and the likes, finding her helpless form. To be in Camelot might not be a good fate, but at least she lived and was taken care of. It was good enough.

"I will. And about that, I also have to pass a message from the king. He wanted to meet you." she froze. What would the king want from her? Did her tongue slip some dangerous information, yesterday? "You'll find out when you talk to him. Where's the fun if I tell you now?" Gwen teased. "After you finished this, I'll tell his servant that you're ready. Are you up for it?"

"Okay…"

She needed a few more minutes to finish her food and drink. Then Gwen handed her a vial of potion.

"Pain reliever. Your fall tore the muscle on your shoulder. You have some bruises on the left part of your body, and also concussion. I guess pain reliever is much needed." the effect wasn't instant, but she felt better already at the prospect of getting better.

"Thank you, Gwen."

Gwen bowed and leave. She sighed. From the outside, she could make out a faint sound of hushed voices. She bet the king wasn't actually anywhere far from there. But still, it felt long before the knocks came.

"Enter."

Moved through the double door, was none other than Uther Pendragon himself, in a luxurious leather jacket and Camelot-red cloak.

Her father had told her about the tale of the ruthless and merciless king that had started the Great Purge. She tried to replace the man she conjured up in her imagination with the man in front of her. He suited the image well. His life-long experience as a royal forged him to have that aristocratic air that'd bring respect from people. If only not for his irrational hatred for magic, he'd be an excellent king.

"Your Majesty." Merlin struck first when the opportunity came. She bowed her head deep enough. "I'm sorry I can't give you my proper respect. It's a pleasure to have you here."

"It's alright err, Princess." a boy behind him rushed to place a chair on her left side of the bed. "The pleasure's all mine." he gave her a shallower nod.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Princess Merlin Ambrosius, the Crown Princess of Constantia."

He squinted. "I'm afraid I've never heard of the kingdom before."

Her hand traced the tendrils that made up her signet ring. The crest was simply a flying hawk. "I thought so. Maybe Your Majesty had heard of a kingdom named Eras?"

His eyes shown recognition. "Wasn't the kingdom fell out a few hundred years ago?" she nodded. "In the hand of a sorcerer?" Merlin grimaced inside. She had to tread carefully.

"Actually, the sorcerer somehow isolated Eras and wiped its existence from the rest of the world. It marked the reign of King Constantia. We suffered greatly from the sudden inability to trade to other kingdoms." she thought if she added the suffering bit, the king might sympathise and ceased his suspicion. It was true anyway. "The people inside can't go out, and outsiders can't see us. There is no way for other kingdoms to record Constantia." she paused. "or for Constantia to keep track of the world outside as well." a lie.

Uther looked thoughtful.

"And yet I'm here." she continued. "I was just riding around in my kingdom's forest, like the other normal day. And then some force threw me out of the... thing that isolates the land, ended up in your region. My horse was as panic as I did and threw a fit. I fell, and… I have to thank your knights for finding me and taking me here. Also, your hospitality Sire, is the most appreciated. I couldn't imagine what would happen otherwise."

He flashed her a smile. "Yes, I hope everything's to your satisfaction, princess. You saved my son, Arthur's life back in the forest. This is the least we can do for you."

What? "Saved the prince's life? Sire?"

"The servant hadn't told you?" he leaned back to his seat. "After your horse.. dropped you, she ran to where my son and knights were fighting off bandits. They said she knocked a number of the bandits, including the one that was about to creep on Arthur."

She was speechless. And flushed red in shame. Why didn't he just thank Ansel? She felt stupid. A king thanked her for her horse's heroism when she all she did was splayed on the forest ground after said horse dropped her.

"It was… my horse's doing, Sire. But I.. am, glad Prince Arthur's safe."

"Well princess, we thank you for that. The horse's currently in our stable. Being tended by our stablehand." a pause. "I have to go. I wish you a quick recovery, Princess Merlin." he nodded swiftly and walked out, the servant hot on his heels.

She sighed. What had she gotten herself into? Two days ago she was strolling in the forest as usual. But it was her curiosity and despair. In another universe where she didn't entertain those blasted feelings, she would be taking another stroll by now.

With the hope that all of this was just a dream, she lowered down and tried to sleep.


That's it, thanks for anyone reading until this point,
The next couple of chapters will be flashbacks for backstory, if you want me to continue.
Please leave kudos and comments! I want to know what you think.