A/N: Set after season 4 of Merlin. Ficlet made for a prompt "First Time Two Characters Meet".
Morgana looked at the bonfire, the trees around her made her feel so lost and lonely. She had no place to go to, no one to call a friend. Yet she felt comfort knowing that she wasn't completely alone, after all, that beautiful little dragon had saved her from a certain death.
She put the fire out and started to walk, she planned to find her old house in the woods. Suddenly she heard noises come from a distance, horses without any doubt. She knew she wasn't too far away from Camelot and those could be knights. She ran and hide but still was able to spot the men. Indeed, she saw two knights of Camelot on horses but that wasn't all. She saw a third man, he was chained and wore dirty ragged clothes, a prisoner. But why would they even care about a man like that, could he be a thief? Or perhaps…
Morgana's eyes followed the man and for a second she thought she had seen him look at her way almost as if he somehow knew someone was watching. Morgana wondered what to do, if she released him… maybe she could make an ally and if the man wasn't worth or willing she could still enchant him to serve her with magic. Either way, she had to act soon.
"We are almost there," the knight said to his partner. The knights had been away from Camelot for too long, they had clear instructions to find this man and bring him back to Camelot where he would be judged for his actions. It was a direct order from the king, Uther Pendragon. He had reasons to believe this man knew magic. When the king died the knights asked Arthur if they should continue with Uther's orders, Arthur blamed magic for his death so he sent them after the man.
"Stop," the knight looked around. "Did you hear that?" he asked his partner. Suddenly both men were striked by an invisible force that blew them away on the ground leaving them unconscious.
The prisoner stood still as he watched the scene. He wondered who could have done something like that. He looked to the right and saw a silhouette not too far away. A woman with long hair black as the night, skin pale as snow and eyes green fierce as fire. She looked at him waiting.
"A man would like to know the name of the one that helped him" Jaqen spoked softly.
Morgana was close enough to have a better view, she studied him, his hair was red and white on a side and even though he looked dirty and tired she noticed he was good looking and strong.
She walked towards him carefully, "I am Morgana Pendragon" she said in a cold, firm voice.
"Morgana… a man recognizes the name." he looked at her and took a step closer, the chains on his hands making noise with every move he made.
She was surprised to hear that he knew about her, but she composed herself and asked "Does the man have a name?"
"This man has the honour to be Jaqen H'ghar" he answered again in a soft yet deep voice, still eyes fixed on hers. There was an instant connection, she couldn't figure out what it was about him that made her feel this way. There was definitely more to him than meets eye.
"So, Jaqen H'ghar, are you a friend or a foe?"
"A man is many things." He smirked, his eyes looked briefly to the trees and then back to her eyes.
"A man has a debt to pay. He will be a friend of Morgana Pendragon" again the chains made noise, Morgana smiled almost unconsciously after hearing his words. She walked closer to him, almost too close, then she took his hands with hers and her eyes glimpsed gold, in that very moment the chains fell to the ground and he was free. For some reason she felt like she could really trust this man, it was foolish but she couldn't help to feel that way.
She looked him in the eyes.
"I need to ask" Morgana said, still her hands on his, eyes glancing at each others.
"She wants to know why a man was a prisoner and taken to Camelot" she nodded.
"A man knows… things…" she saw him smirk again. She realized she had been holding his hands far too long, she blushed slightly.
"Well, you can tell me more about those things you know on our way" she released his hands. He felt almost sad by this fact, he had to admit the woman was captivating and he enjoyed having her close.
The horses were still waiting patiently on their place. Morgana got on one horse and Jaqen on the other, now she had someone to help her and she had an idea of where to go.
"Where is she taking a man?" he asked as they started to ride.
"We are going to find me a dragon"
And with this last words they rode into the woods.