Hey, people quick A/N. If anyone's reading this I'm sorry, I am dyslexic, which I know isn't an excuse. I do use Grammarly, but it's not perfect. I always forget to put commas and full stops. (yes, I'm British) I also can't spell to save my life, I do use spell check but again, not a perfect system, also please go easy on me this is my first story. thanks bye
A/N I don't own Merlin if I did there would be a sequel and Merlin and Arthur would have hooked up or at the very least I would have given Merlin someone to love him that didn't die, and Merlin wouldn't have rejected Mordred's friendship on the word of a dragon who had no business meddling
Mabel
I was sitting on a stone wall, 'a strange girl in a strange city' I thought to myself looking around watching people walk by; no-one seemed to notice me which, to be honest, I was grateful for. I was in hiding after all wouldn't do me well if I were noticeable. I saw a well-off man probably a lord come out with his servant who was tacking up the Lord's horse and I saw what most people probably wouldn't an amused glint in the Lord's eyes when his servant called him a 'clot-pole', I let a small smile grace my lips. I sensed someone in the trees, my powers were always attuned to the world around me, I couldn't let my guard down even if I wanted to. Still, it was my immediate reaction to look. I know paranoid, but I have every right to be. There was a man in the shadows of the trees, with an arrow, it was pointed at the lord I was observing before, no it couldn't be. An assassin? I had to get out of here before he saw me. I got down from the wall looked back at the assassin he aimed the arrow once more than shot the arrow
~line break~
I woke with a start, I was in a strange room I could see lots of antidotes, so I guessed I was in a physician's room and judging by the stone walls I assumed the court physician, I couldn't remember why I was in there. What had I gotten myself into this time? Then an elderly man walked into the room and noticed me staring back at him.
"Sire she's awake" he called out of the room and the lord I saw before came in. I suddenly remembered what happened instead of running away like I had planned I pushed some lord out of the way of the arrow getting hit myself. Darn my sense of morality, I should have known I couldn't just run away when someone was about to get hurt. I was slightly worried because well not a lot of lords take kindly to peasants pushing them, even if it is to save their Lord walks through the door He didn't seem angry, thank the gods, he seemed worried, and that was just bazar a prince worried about a peasant girl, whom he had never met before. Wait, prince, where did that come from? The servant did call him sire could this be the prince, soon to be king, of Camelot, wow I saved the life of a prince. I moved my right arm slightly a sharp pain went through it, I flinched slightly.
"Don't move that arm I spent a good portion of an hour stitching that wound up, I don't want all my hard work to come undone. Understand?" The old man, who I could now place as the physician, asked me. I nodded, to show my understanding, but he just raised his eyebrow at me, weird. Suddenly the servant from before, the one who got away with calling the prince a 'clot-pole'. Wait it was weird enough the servant getting away with calling a lord that but the prince, wow. came in.
"Arthur the guard is downstairs with an update said it was 'for the prices ears only' and wouldn't tell me anything else," he said putting air quotes up. Arthur looked back at me then at the physician "tell me if there are any changes" he ordered, then left. The servant looked at me, his eyes drawn to my necklace almost as if he knew, but he couldn't, could he? Was he magical? Surely not, not here in Camelot, that would be suicide! The only reason I'm here is that I know it's the last place anyone would look for me. He gave his head a shake and looked at the physician.
"Gaius, how is she? She's not hurt, is she?" he asked," she jumped in front of an arrow, what do you think?" the physician now identified as Gaius asked, raising that eyebrow again. The boy looked thoroughly chastised and before he could say anything Gaius interrupted,
"from what I have diagnosed she'll be fine. She won't have use of her arm for a while, but it's not infected and there wasn't too much blood loss, always a concern in cases like these. It's also my professional opinion that she doesn't make a habit out of jumping in front of arrows, even if it is to save our prince" he explains giving me the eyebrow again. I have the decency to blush, cursing my morality again. The prince walks back in the room.
"Have the guards caught him yet?" asked the boy, a glint in his eye "no he seems to have left the city which is strange considering he didn't kill his target" answered Arthur looking at me, a glint going through his eye as well, seriously? What's with all these glints? "Is she alright to go home yet?" the prince askes Gaius
"no, I want to keep her overnight for observation, she did pass out, and whilst I don't suspect a concussion I want to be sure" Gaius answered. "very well, remember I want to be kept up to date on her condition" and with that statement he left the room again.
I flinch slightly at the sound of the door slamming "sorry about him, Arthur's just stressed at the moment, we have this fancy feast tonight that Arthur is supposed to host. So, this assassin couldn't have picked a worse night if he tried" the boy explained to me, with a ghost of a smile on his face. "so, you've been awfully quite whilst we talk about you, it's strange. I mean I'm not complaining but I would like to at least know your name" he asks without directly asking I smile at him, I like this boy he's sweet, which is usually not something I encounter I look around for a piece of parchment to write down my name. When I remember my arm is useless at the moment, I gesture to it, trying to convey that I won't be able to tell him, he looks confused for a moment but seems to get the message.
"Right, I forgot when Gaius removed your top to assess the wounds, we noticed the scarring on your neck, are you mute?" he asked I looked away nodding. I hate that scar, but it's easy just to show people it rather than trying to explain why I don't speak. The boy looked at me sympathetically and started to say something when the prince came back in "Merlin I need your help getting ready if you're finished helping Gaius" he said leaving again without waiting for an answer from the boy, Merlin, who just rolled his eyes at me and followed the prince out.
~line break~
A few hours later I was standing it the doorway to the courtroom. Gaius had finally left me alone, so I took the chance to escape, for I couldn't stay here, surely the assassin saw me. Even if he didn't I have to get out of here, I can't put these people at risk. I just wanted to see the boy, Merlin, and the prince before I left but then I feel a presence behind me and something sharp pressed against my back
"I would think twice about making any commotion unless of course, you want everyone in that room to die" I heard a man say behind me. I didn't even hesitate, I just followed him outside as soon as we reached the courtyard he said
"now that we're alone I can kill you without any witnesses" he smirked whispering a spell and suddenly he was holding a ball of flame "but if by some miracle you do survive, the poison I laced the arrow with will kill you. It will take longer, and it's definitely more painful but it's a good back up. I know it sounds cruel, but I've never been the best shot, this way all's I had to do was hit my target. Alas, you got in my way, at first, I was furious but then I took a proper look at you, and low and behold Mable Darkthorn, did you know that you're at the top of every assassin's list? The money, not to mention the notoriety I would get for killing you, it's enough to make a grown man weep"
he monologed I was aware that I had assassins after me, but I had no idea I was at the top of their wanted list. "well, I could just leave the poison to do its job, but I want the satisfaction of killing you myself, goodbye little girl" he said shooting the fireball in his hand at me.
I closed my eyes, the thought of saving myself silenced by the knowledge of the poison that would kill me anyway. I waited for it to hit me, but it didn't. I opened my eyes and there he was, Merlin standing in front of me, his hand raised, his eyes golden. I knew it, he has magic. Even though he was at risk, for all he knew, I could have reported him to the prince, but he still risked his life for me, a complete stranger.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here a knight come to save a damsel in distress. I really don't care if I have to kill you too" said the assassin shooting another fireball this time at Merlin, who was too busy protecting me to notice. I wouldn't let that happen, I wouldn't be the reason he died. I felt a familiar warmth go through my body, I felt my eyes fill with a familiar golden glow. The fireball exploded, sending all three of us flying. And for the second time today I passed out.