Warnings: None at the moment that i know of. Another one i know, and people might notice that everytime i write one of these two girls names are always the same. Think of them as my own characters, i use them wherever i need them.
Disclaimer: Dont own Merlin, nor Arthur, all rights belong to the bbc and the involving crew and actor. OOoohh! Though i do own Sarina (sarah) and Cassandra (Cassie) My creations :D
Thanks to DementedViper for all the help she gives me along the way and advice!
Oh and this un'beta'd so all the mistakes our mine :(
Chapter One:
The forest was a dangerous place, day or night. You never knew who you would find in there, what you would find in there. Everyone knew that you should stick to the paths, go off them and you were basically asking for trouble. Thing was, no one told Cassandra or Sarina this. Though if you called either one of them by these names you might just wish you were lost in the forest instead of them. Six days, that was how long they had been travelling for to reach Camelot, the most well known town in the whole kingdom. The journey had been long and difficult, each girl was used to hardships in their lives, neither of them were bothered by it.
It had been a only been about half an hour from the exit to the forest that they had been separated. They didn't know what had attacked them, it could have been anything. It had come out of no where, teeth bared, launching itself at the girls. They had tried to fight, but in the end, the only thing they could so was run. Unfortunately, they had run opposites way from each other.
…
"Cassandra? Cassie? Where are you?" Sarina called, struggling forwards through the forest. Fear was gripping at her chest so she could barely breath. She hadn't seen where had friend had run to, she just hoped she was okay. She didn't want to think what she would do if the creature had gotten to her.
"CASSIE!" She yelled louder, not caring if it drew the creature back to her. Sighing in frustration she slumped down into the ground, resting for the briefest of moments. She pushed her hair from her face and fought back tears. Sarina, or Sarah as she preferred to be called, was not unlike most peasant people in Albion. She was fairly tall, slender in shape. Her hair was deep brown, falling down in curls. Right now it was pulled back into a messy bun, a few strand hanging down into her face. She wore a floor length deep green skirt, though right now the mud and dust dulled the colour away. Around her shoulders she had a similar coloured cloak, drawing in as much heat as it could manage.
She had to find Cassie. They had never been separated before, not since they were little.
"Cassie." She whispered sadly, pushing herself to her feet, forcing herself to carry on walking. Maybe if she made it to Camelot she could find help. Surely someone would help her find her friend?
Her feet ached but she pushed herself on. Relief swelled through her as she saw the end of the forest coming. She frantically pushed aside braches and shrubbery, her feet picking up in speed. She froze as a snarl echoed through the clearing. Then she screamed….
…
Cassie huffed annoyed as she slowed her steps to a walk. This was just perfect. She was lost, in the forest, with no one else around. She didn't have the faintest clue were Sarah had gone and that fact scared her. Sarah was no whimp, but she certainly didn't know how to fight. Cassie thanked the stars that she knew enough to protect herself. Not that it had helped with the creature back there. She tried to reason that she had just been caught by surprise. Any other day and she could of taken it. (She could almost hear Sarah laughing in her head.)
Cassie had taken it upon herself over the years to learn how to fight. She had watched the men in various villages, sometimes being able to convince a few to give them lessons. She had learnt at a young age that she wouldn't survive if she couldn't protect herself.
Cassie was unique looking, even in Albion. She had expressive eyes in an alluring shade of green, standing out against her pale skin. She had a perfectly proportioned figure. Her hair was a deep brown in colour, so much that it was almost black. It always laid dead straight, right now it was swept back into tight plait, falling down her back. She had similar clothes to what every girl wore, her skirt a deep red. Sarah often told her that she beautiful compared to all the girls they saw in villages, she never quite believed her though.
Sighing heavily, Cassie scanned the area, trying in vain to find her friend.
"Sarah!" She called, cupping her hands in front of her mouth. "SARAH!"
"Well, well, well." A strange voice chuckled, causing Cassie to jump round on the spot. "What do we have here boys?"
Cassie counted four, no five men, all surrounding her. She cursed herself. She was so preoccupied with finding Sarah that she hadn't even been paying attention. The men were all about the same age, probably not much older than herself. There clothes were rough and worn, there hair matted and their skin dirty. They were rogue's, raiders. Cassie had seen men like this all over the country.
"What's a pretty little girl like you doing out here?" The one nearest her sneered, Cassie suspected he was the leader of the
group. She glared at him with full force.
"I wouldn't call me little if I were you." She said heatedly, moving her feet to stand more solidly. She couldn't fight the creature, but she could definitely fight them.
"This one's brave." A second man laughed, pulling something from his side. Cassie eyed the knife he held with caution. "I don't like brave much."
"Doesn't look like you like soap much either, we can't all get what we like." She threatened, her hands gripping at the side of her skirt. She was never one to come unprepared.
"Lets make this easy, give us your money and we wont kill you." The leader said with a smirk. Cassie laughed.
"Yeah, I'm going to take your word."
Cassie barely had time to react as she saw someone at her from the corner of her eye. She ducked in an instant, pulling up the side of her skirt to reach the dagger she always kept hidden. The man was dead before he realised what she had done.
"Mother of-" One of the men hissed.
Cassie grinned. At least she could have some fun. Two of the men charged at her at once. A well aimed fist knocked one to the floor, unfortunately costing her the hold on her dagger as the other knocked at her arm. She snarled in anger but leapt at the men all the same. Ducking, she swiped her foot out at the nearest man, connecting it with painful force to his ankle. He was floored easily. Cassie fought with precision and practiced ease. The first went down without a problem, it was only when the last three decided to attack at once that she knew she was in trouble. She felt someone grab her from behind, she fought to release herself but she could move. She kicked out her feet, hitting one in the face. All that earner her in return was a punch to the stomach. She saw the leader smirk at her and she knew she had problems.
….
Arthur hummed to himself as he twisted the sword around in his hand. He was walking to and throw along the edge of the forest, waiting for his servant to return. He had wanted to take the boy out to practice with the sword more, since Merlin was still hopeless, yet was having to wait while he finished getting supplies for Gaius. Though Arthur, for once, didn't mind the wait, it was quiet and he had nothing but his father in his ear all day. Sometime being the heir to the thrown was a job he hated.
It was then that his silence was broken. He heard a scream from inside the forest and his sword stilled in his hand instinctively. His first thought was Merlin, but a scream sounded again and he knew it as a girls voice. He ran into the forest without a second thought.
His feet trampled over the forest floor, his ear straining to hear any sounds. He followed the screams with fierce speed. His burst into the clearing he was certain it was coming from and froze. Standing in the middle of the clearing was a creature, the name he didn't know, but it was large in size, its skin a dark waxy colour. It eyes were a blazing yellow. His eyes were drawn away from the creature they as he saw who the screams had belonged to. Laying not a few feet from the monster was a girl. He could see various cuts and bruises all over her. She didn't appear to be moving.
"Hey!" Arthur shouted at the beast, trying to draw its attention away from the girl. It turned it head and snarled, its feet stomping heavily as it swung itself towards Arthur. Arthur's sword was a blur in his hand as he swung it forwards, slicing at any part of the creature that he could reach. It roared in frustration and perhaps pain. In swiped out one of its legs, missing Arthur by inches. One well aimed dive at it and the sword connected into its head. The creature fell to the floor. Dead.
Quickly stowing away his sword, Arthur rushed to the girls side, crouching down to check her. He was relieved to see that she still appeared to be breathing, though unconscious. Taking her gently by the wrists, he hauled up into his arms. He needed to get her to Gaius soon.
….
Merlin knelt down as he picked up the last if the ingredient that Gaius had sent him out for. Rosemary. He had filled nearly a whole basket with it. That should keep the man going for a while at least. He was just about to start his walk back to the castle when he heard the weirdest sounds coming from near by. He frowned and started towards it. It was only when he got closer that he recognised the signs of a fight and he quickly be hide the nearest tree. Peering round the edge, he gasped as he saw a girl being held by a man, two others glaring at her, every so often hitting her across the face. The girl seemed to be putting up a good fight though, not crying out once. Merlin noted a fourth man on the floor and couldn't help but smile. It was rare to find a girl who could stand up for herself like that.
He knew he had to help, but a fighter he wasn't. Casting glance around he made sure no one could see him before training his eyes on the man holding the girl.
"Alysan se maegp." He said in a hushed voice, his eyes glowing gold for a few seconds. The man holding the girl jumped back like he had beat hit with lightening, his arms losing grip on the girl. He was glad to see that she didn't miss a beat, launching herself at the remaining to. Merlin caught sight of a dagger near the girl and his eyes narrowed at it.
"Seax onstyrian." The blade rushed forwards, knocking against. the side of the girls foot. She saw it an instance and grabbed it, swiping at the man closest to her.
Cassie frowned as she grabbed the dagger, attacking the one closest to her. She knew that hadn't been there a second ago. She pushed that thought aside for the simple fact that she was a little busy. It was surprisingly easy to take the last two men out now. She smiled a little as she surveyed her damage. She didn't like to kill people. She never had, she just understood that it was necessary.
Cassie swung round, dagger raised as she heard rustle from behind. Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of a boy watching her, fear flittering across his face a little.
"Who are you?" She barked.
"Merlin." The man stuttered taking a tentative step out from behind the tree. "Please,
I'm not here to hurt you."
Cassie studied him carefully, before lowering her blade. "What are you doing here?" She asked she returned in to its case on the side of her leg.
"I was collecting supplies when I heard the noise, I was going to help, doesn't seem like you needed it though." Merlin lied through his teeth.
"That you would be right about." Cassie said coldly. She didn't trust easily.
"What is your name?" Merlin asked, stepping up to the girl properly.
"Cassie." She replied, her eyes looking around the clearing, trying to work out what way would get her to Camelot the quickest.
"What are you doing in the forest?" Merlin pressed, the girl was intriguing.
"I am looking for my friend." Cassie answered, looking the boy up and down. He looked to be a normal peasant, maybe a servant.
"Do you know how to get to Camelot?"
"Of course, I live there." Merlin said brightly. "I can show you if you want?" He offered, nodding in the direction of one of the paths. Almost reluctantly Cassie nodded, her need to find her friend over ruling her distrust of the new boy. Following him from the forest her eyes saddened as she thought about Sarah. She hoped the girl was okay.
Review? Let me know what you think and whether you want more :)