The Adventures of Merlin: The Young Sorceress
Anwyl walked down the busy streets of Camelot. She had just arrived a week ago and was able to settle in quickly. She was fetching water for the family she had taken up residence with, she reached it at the same time as a boy only a few years older than her. He turned from the well and smiled at her, his dark hair fell just above his eyes which were blue as the sky above him. His smile lifted a little more on the left side of his face but he dazzled Anwyl beyond belief.
"Oh, I'm sorry my lady, please, go right ahead." He smiled and moved aside and let her take water from the well.
"Thank you, sir." She smiled shyly and started pumping the water.
"You're new around here, aren't you?" he said to her.
"Yes, I just arrived earlier this week." She nodded.
"Oh, well it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Merlin." He held out his hand to shake hers with a smile.
"Anwyl of Aligasia." She took his hand and shook it softly.
"Wow, Aligasia, I hear that it's beautiful there this time of year." He said as he started pumping his own water.
"Oh, it is! There are so many flowers in bloom that we can't even name them all. And the lake is crystal clear that you can see all the way to the bottom." She felt blissful when she talked about her home town.
"Then why did you leave?" he asked as they started walking.
"Um, I, I was different from all my friends and family. It just wasn't working out anymore." She quietly answered. The truth was, she was a blooming witch. She had just learned to control her powers and someone had found out and chased her out of the city. She couldn't even go back to tell her family she was fine.
"I know the feeling, the same thing happened to me." He touched her shoulder. "Things got better once I got here; I found a good job and great friends. Perhaps I can help you do the same." He smiled brightly.
"Oh, thank you Merlin, but I don't want to impose on anyone." She smiled.
"It's not imposing. No one was there to HELP me get the job I have now when I first got here, I'd like to help you now." He insisted.
"Well, where do you work? How much trouble would it put you through?" Anwyl asked cautiously.
"I'm Prince Arthur's servant, but we get on rather better than most princes and their manservants, I doubt it would be much trouble to make you look good in front of him and get you a job in the palace." Merlin mused to himself.
"MERLIN, no, no that's much too much of a trouble on you." Anwyl started to turn down the offer quickly.
"MERLIN, WHERE ARE YOU!" a voice rang out.
"Over here!" Merlin called. A boy with bright blond hair and blue eyes came towards them. His coat was made of a red material and bore the royal crest.
"I told you that we have hunting to do, I sent you for water an HOUR ago. How long does it take to pump water into a bucket." The boy sneered at Merlin.
"Uh, Arthur, this is Anwyl of Aligasia, Anwyl this is Prince Arthur." Merlin quickly introduced the prince and girl.
"Sire." Anwyl bowed deeply.
"Aligasia? What a lovely city to be from. You must be very proud to be from such a lovely place." Arthur's tone quieted when he spoke to Anwyl.
"Yes, Sire, very much so." She answered, her head still bowed.
"Well, for a peasant girl you are quite beautiful." Arthur said a little more warmly. "I see that the land's beauty reflects in its natives." He smiled at her.
"Thank you My Lord, for such a compliment." Anwyl bowed again.
"Merlin, time to go, you can speak with your new friend later. Anwyl." Arthur nodded his respects to Anwyl, then began to walk away.
"I'll see you around, Anwyl. And I don't care what you say, the palace is one of the best places to work, I'm making it my personal duty to your mother and father to protect you, and the palace is the best place to do that." Merlin smiled at her. "I'll see you later." He waved then ran after Arthur.
Anwyl was walking through the woods on her afternoon stroll when she heard the voice of a magical being in her mind. It was strong and dark, and it was hunting something. Anwyl let the voice lead her to its master.
"MERLIN, GET OUT OF HERE! YOU LOOK REDICULOUS WITH THAT SWORD IN YOUR HAND; YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING. GET GOING!" Arthur's voice rang through the forest. Anwyl heard the clang of a sword and then a grunt of pain.
"ARTHUR!" Merlin cried.
Anwyl ran now to the clearing where Arthur and Merlin were. She didn't know what kind of creature had found them, but it was a magic being, and it was going to kill them. Anwyl ran to Merlin's aid. "MERLIN!" she cried
"Anwyl, what are you doing here? You have to get out of here, it's dangerous!" he called to her.
"Merlin, behind you!" She shouted. The beast struck Merlin into a tree then turned on Arthur. Arthur was out cold and so was Merlin. She let her magic instincts take over and she ran to Arthur, he was the first priority because he was the one the beast was going after.
She fell to her knees at his side and threw one hand out in front of her at the beast. "Pente es lee-ock, smolten-han. Reti-che…" she started to let the spell fall from her lips and just then, Merlin woke.
"Anwyl, no!" he called but she wasn't listening.
"Benti swentoo, gahna la beck wenreg la loo!" she finished the spell and a ball of purple/silver light shot out of her hand and into the creatures' breast.
"YOU'RE A WITCH!" Arthur's voice rang out before Merlin or Anwyl even noticed he was contious.
"ANWYL, RUN!" Merlin said. Anwyl got to her feet and was about to take his advice when Arthur called out after her.
"Wait!" he was leaning back on his elbows now. "I wasn't accusing you, I was just surprised that the one thing my father has outlawed, saved my life." Arthur breathed. Merlin let his jaw drop in disbelief when he knew Arthur wasn't looking.
"Magic is not bad, Arthur, it's just that, some of its vessels choose the wrong path." Anwyl said softly.
"You've saved my life, and Merlin's. For that you must be rewarded twice. I will keep your secret for saving my life, and I will find you a place as the court physician apprentice in the palace. Gifts like yours could come in handy when dealing with the sick." Arthur looked at Merlin.
"A wise choice, sire." Merlin nodded. When Arthur turned away, Merlin looked down and away in pain. Anwyl decided that she would have to find out what that was about.
"You will ride back with us, I will tell my Father that you came from another village and that you were a renowned healer there but you were chased out because you were going to be forced to marry and you wanted to remain a healer, not a wife." Arthur said.
"I thank you, My Lord." Anwyl said, and bowed.
Guias, the court physician, he was ancient but wise. Anwyl enjoyed being his apprentice. Merlin slept in Guais's rooms too. Since Anwyl arrived, she'd been by Guais's side none stop, along with Merlin when he wasn't with Arthur, so Sarah hadn't had a chance to ask him about his reaction in the forest. One day, Anwyl was leaving the Lady Morgana's room and saw Merlin walking down the hall. She waited for him then pulled him into an empty hall way.
"Merlin!" she whispered
"Anwyl! You scared me half to death!" merlin smiled at her.
"I'm sorry about that; I just had a question for you." She said.
"What's that?" he asked and smiled her favorite smile.
"Merlin, I saw your reaction in the clearing the day Arthur hired me. Why did you look like I had just driven a knife into your back? Didn't you want me to be given a job here in the palace? Or did you change your mind when you found out what I was?" she asked.
"No, no, I have no problem with what you are, Anwyl. It's just…" he looked down and away again.
"What is it Merlin? You were so kind to me when I first arrived, so willing to help me, let me into your heart." She said.
"Anwyl, do you remember when I told you that I was run out of my village too?" he asked.
"Yes, the day we first met. You said you knew what it was like to not fit in." she nodded.
"Well, I know EXACTLY how it feels to not fit in. I'm JUST like you." He said.
"Yes, we both had to leave our homes…"
"No, I'm, I'm JUST like you." He said.
"You mean you're a, a…"
"A sorcerer, yes." Merlin nodded.
"Merlin, why would that make you look sad? It's a gift; the fact that Arthur even accepted me was probably because he knows you and that you're good and that if you liked me that I must be a good witch…"
"He doesn't know." He said.
Anwyl tilted her head to the side, "he, he doesn't know you're a-"
"No, and I can't tell him." Merlin leaned against the wall.
"But why not, he accepted me and didn't turn me in, why wouldn't he do the same for you?" Anwyl asked.
"Because, I've been in his service to long, he'd say that I was lying to him this whole time and that he couldn't trust me ever again. He'd probably just ban me from the city, he wouldn't turn me in, but I'd never see him again." Merlin looked sadly at the ground.
"Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry if you feel that I took that acceptance away from you." Anwyl let the tears come now.
"No, no I'm just sad that I couldn't have been that open with him when I first met him. That you were able to be yourself with him from the start while I have to wait until he becomes king." Merlin smiled at her sadly and whipped away her tears.
Anwyl was gathering herbs for Gaius when she heard Merlin's scream of agony. She looked back at the palace, dropped her basket and began to run back the way she'd come. Merlin, no, what have you done? Did you tell Arthur! No Merlin, hold on, I'm coming! She prayed. When she entered the square, there was a crowd of people watching something. Anwyl fought her way through them and found Merlin writhing in pain on the floor.
Arthur came out of the palace and found Merlin. Anwyl was on her knees beside him, "No Merlin, don't leave me here. Camelot will fall without you." She whispered.
"We have to get him inside." Arthur said. They turned Merlin over and saw an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"OH!" Anwyl gasped. Arthur didn't even pause, he just lifted Merlin over his shoulder and they ran into the palace.
"GUAIS!" Arthur called when they came to the infirmary.
"What is it?" Gaius came into the room and when he saw Merlin, he cleared everything off the table and said, "Lay him here."
"What happened? Anwyl, can you read his thoughts and see what happened?" Arthur asked. Anwyl nodded and peered into Merlin's barely pulsing thoughts. She saw the town square and she heard a man's voice. Morte les incanttarte, whence frey gahla swenly, ari gahna Arthur Pendragon! A death spell. Someone had tried to kill Arthur with a death spell. This spell covered it's tracks by turning into a weapon that the person would be afraid to be killed by. If the person feared a sword would end their life, that's what would protrude from their back, or perhaps an arrow, or dagger.
"Someone tried to kill you." Anwyl breathed, she was still in Merlin's thoughts but she relayed what she saw to Arthur.
NO! Reche smenlah guard-way lah henck welton! Merlin redirected the spell and took the shot in his chest. But before he fell he cast another spell to kill the other sorcerer. Morte cante whelcks dran-hey, swante la frengente! The other man burst into flames, then her own voice entered Merlin's mind, Merlin, no, what have you done? Did you tell Arthur! No Merlin, hold on, I'm coming! She felt merlin smile in the memory,Anwyl, you care… you'd rather be by my side when I cry out in pain than… then every thought went black.
"Mer- Merlin took the spell to his chest, this spell, when it strikes, turns into the weapon that the receiver would most fear to be killed by." Anwyl said and peered at the arrow that Gaius had now taken from Merlin's chest. "One of your arrows…" she said as she saw Arthur's seal on it.
"Why would Merlin fear dying at my hand?" Arthur wondered with panic behind every word.
"Arthur…" Merlin's lips barely moved when he spoke.
"Merlin!" Arthur knelt by his side.
"Freh sc-scante la Aligasia… Arthur y Anwyl, gah jah bente uha ipetica… magic…" Merlin murmured.
"What did he say?" Arthur looked at Anwyl.
"He- he said…" She was cut off by Gaius.
"He said nothing; it's just the babbling of his last thoughts before the arrow entered his chest." He said.
"NO! I want the TRUTH." Arthur said. "Anwyl, what did he say?" he asked.
"He said, 'I'm just like the girl from Aligasia, Arthur and Anwyl, I hope I was able to save you with my… magic.'" Anwyl said quietly.
"What! Merlin's a sorcerer?" Arthur said.
Anwyl nodded and let her tears start to fall.
"Why- why didn't he tell me!" Arthur asked through his teeth.
"He was scared that you would turn him in without a second thought." Anwyl whispered.
"But he saw that I kept your secret." Arthur thundered.
"But he feared that you would consider him a liar if he told you after that. That you wouldn't kill him, but that you would send him away, and to him, that was worse than death." Anwyl answered.
"The wound is bound, he will be alright." Gaius said.
Merlin's eyes fluttered open. The first face he saw was Arthur's. "Merlin…" Arthur whispered.
"Arthur?" Merlin croaked.
"How could you have been so stupid?" Arthur chuckled darkly.
"Your life was at stake, I had to do something." Merlin said weakly.
"No, I mean, how could you be so stupid as to not tell me that you are a wizard?" Arthur smiled at the shocked look on Merlin's face.
"Anwyl told me that you were a wizard and how you managed to save my life. That spell you saved me from… it turned itself into whatever weapon its receiver most feared to die at the hands of. Yours turned into one of my arrows." Arthur whispered.
Merlin's eyes widened.
"That's what made me curious as to why you would fear that. Anwyl told me why and I couldn't believe that you thought I would turn you away if you came forward and told me. You know I don't share the same ideas as my father. I would have worried a lot less about you when we went out to hunt, if I knew." Arthur smiled.
"I was so scared, Arthur, you have no idea…" Merlin breathed.
"Do you know what that spell would have become if it had hit me?" Arthur asked.
"A peasant's shirt on your back and calluses on your hands? 'Cause of death: over worked by trying to act with humility and bringing himself his own blasted water.'" Merlin smiled.
"No, it would have been your clothes on my back with a mucking shovel in my hands." Arthur laughed darkly. "No, really Merlin, I would have been strangled, with your scarf around my neck in a noose." Arthur whispered. "I fear so much that one day, you will see that I am not the king everyone expects me to be and turn your back on me." Arthur said.
"That could never happen. We are bound together by destiny; I'll always be here, Arthur, to protect you, to advise you, to be your friend." Merlin smiled at the prince.
Anwyl came into the room and saw that Merlin was awake, "Merlin?" she breathed.
"Anwyl!" Merlin smiled that beautifully lopsided smile just as brightly even when he just escaped death.
"Merlin!" Anwyl cried and ran to his bed side. She planted a delicately gentle kiss on his lips and let her magic play on them and felt his magic mingle with hers for a moment.
"Anwyl, you told Arthur!" Merlin smiled into her hair.
"I had to Merlin, it would only get harder if you didn't tell him soon, and you were on the brink of death, I didn't want you to die and leave that secret behind." She cried into his shoulder.
Two weeks passed, Merlin was back to his duties as Arthur's servant and was cleaning his room. Arthur came in and kicked off his boots. "Merlin, is my lunch ready!" he snapped arrogantly.
"Just a moment, sire." Merlin called over his shoulder.
"I'm sure whatever you are doing can wait until I've been fed." Arthur said.
Merlin served Arthur his soup then returned to his chores of folding Arthur's robes. "Merlin, this soup is ice cold." Arthur commented.
"Oh, sorry my lord." Merlin smiled and boiled the soup without even turning around. "It should be good now." He said.
Arthur took a spoonful into his mouth, "AH!" he cried and spit it out. "IT'S NOT WARM, IT'S BOILED!" Arthur yelled. Merlin smirked over his shoulder in a joking way.
"You need to build your stamina, sire." He laughed.
Arthur put Merlin to work, carrying his armor from one side of the room to the other and back again, each time, adding another chore that had to be done.
"Arthur, it's past the time for my shift." Merlin finally said late into the night.
"You need to build up your stamina, sorcerer." Arthur smiled at merlin from his bed. Merlin gave him a look then smiled too.
"Even after I save your life for the hundredth time since we've met, and you still have to get even with me for every mistake I make?" he laughed.
"Till the day you become my royal adviser." Arthur laughed. "You're still much too much of a moron to be taken seriously, Merlin; you really should work on that." Arthur smiled up at the ceiling. Merlin shook his head and continued with the chores.
Arthur, he has an appointment he cannot miss, please, allow him to come to me… Arthur heard Anwyl's voice in his head; this had become such a normal thing for him in the past two weeks that Arthur only chuckled.
"It appears that your services are required somewhere else, Merlin. Go to her, but remember that I have a knighting in the morning and my armor must be spotless by then, so don't have too much fun." Arthur said to merlin.
"Thank you, my lord." Merlin smiled and ran for the door.
"And Merlin," Arthur called.
"Yes?"
"Anwyl is a very powerful witch, I would suggest you don't disappoint her in any way, you may not be able to save your own neck." Arthur smiled at him.
Anwyl and Merlin walked through the woods hand in hand. The moonlight made them feel so strong and powerful. Merlin kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They lost themselves in each other's magic. Anwyl looked into Merlin's eyes and saw the sorcerer he would one day become, she'd be proud to say that she was his wife; she'd dreamt it only two days ago. She was his destiny as much as Arthur was. He was no longer the other side of a coin as the great dragon had once said; he was one of the three sides that formed the triangle. He, Anwyl and Arthur, forming the prism that conducted their strength: Magic, Love, Loyalty. No force would ever be able to stop them, not The Once and Future King, the great Sorcerer, and the Enchanted Witch.