Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin! I only own my OC Female Merlin, and any other plots I make up along the way!

Summary: Merlin travels to Camelot to study magic under the esteemed court physician, but instead ends up as the servant of Prince Prat himself, Arthur Pendragon. Throw in the fact that Merlin is a girl and has magic in a Kingdom where magic is outlawed, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Arthur/OC.

Author's Note: I honestly don't know if this is going to pick up, but I SO want to do an Arthur/OC and after reading a really good Fem!Merlin (Bewitched) fanfic, I'm gonna go with this!

Enjoy!

I sighed as I readjusted the strap from my backpack on my back. The road from Ealdor to Camelot had been a long one, and while I was going to miss my mother and my village, I was excited to get to Camelot. My mother, Hunith, had said that Gaius could help me and my magic problem. And it was kind of a problem.

I was getting tired, but all of my energy came back at once when the castle was within my sights. I smiled giddily as I took off into a run, my brown leather boots dragging as I picked up my pace. I tugged my hat back more securely on top of my head, so that my bun didn't fall out of it.

My smile grew as I walked in through the gates of Camelot. Finally! After days of travelling, I had made it.

I was just admiring the hustle and bustle of a busy place when a big commotion going on that drew my attention. Trumpets were played, followed by drums, and a man was being led out by what looked like two Camelot guards.

I pushed past the group of people to get closer to the front. Due to my short stature (which ran in my family) I had to be close to the front to see what was going on.

There was an older looking man standing in the balcony with a crown on top of his head, so naturally I assumed that he was the King. My eyes travelled over to the chopping box directly below the King (whatever his name was) and it didn't take me long to figure out that it was an execution block.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all," the King said. "This man, Thomas James Collins," Uther pointed at the man that the guards had been dragging out before who was now being led up on to the chopping block. "Is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death."

I gulped, my heart stopping. My eyes slowly travelled down to my hands, that caused accidental magic here and there. What the hell kind of place had my mother sent me to?

"I pride myself as a fair and just king," Uther continued. "But for crimes of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass."

Uther nodded at the guard, who proceeded to put Thomas's head on the chopping block. A masked man with an axe raised it high, but I had to look away as he delivered the blow.

The sickening sound of knife slicing skin invaded my ears and I had to keep myself from throwing up. I looked back over to where Uther was standing, trying to avoid looking at the now dead body.

An old woman let out a cry as she emerged from the crowd. She revealed herself to be Thomas's mother and threatened Uther and his supposed "son". Then, when Uther ordered her seized, she used her magic to create a wave of dust around her as she disappeared into thin air.

Okay, that was weird, I thought to myself as I took a couple steps away from the crowd, which eventually started to dispel. I turned my back on Thomas, feeling guilty about it though. I readjusted my hat once more and took off again, intent on finding Gaius, the man that that my mother had said I was going to stay with.

I gathered all my courage and asked one of the guards where I could find Gaius, who was the court physician. He gruffly pointed in the other direction and I gave him a quick "thank you" as I scurried away from him. I swear, now that I knew what having magic could get done to you, I felt like I had the words "I HAVE MAGIC" written on my forehead and everybody was looking at me.

When I saw the sign that said "court physician" I knew I had made it to the right place. I sighed in relief, blowing my bangs out of my face. I drew myself to my full five feet height, and knocked on Gaius's door.

When there wasn't an answer, I turned the door knob, which was surprisingly unlocked. I pushed the door open and stuck my head in. "Gaius?" I called out tentatively.

I opened the door more and let myself in. I gazed in wonder at all the potions and scientific equipment that Gaius had lying around. I looked around the room and finally spotted an old man standing at the second level in front of a bookshelf.

"Gaius?" I tried and when he turned around, the stair rail that he leaned against for literally two seconds gave away, and he began falling. I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth as I wished for time to slow down. Just as I did, it happened, so I used the situation to my advantage as I used my magic to move the bed that was in the corner to right underneath Gaius so that when time went back to normal, he crashed on top of the soft bed, not the hard ground.

I sighed in relief as I slumped my tense shoulders. That could have gone worse.

Unfortunately, my joy was cut short when Gaius stormed, "What did you just do?!"

"Uh..." I stammered, suddenly remembering Thomas and how he got his head cut off.

"Tell me!" He demanded as he got up from the bed and stormed over to me.

Quick, think of a lie! "Sir, I have no idea what just happened," I lied as I pointed at the bed.

Smooth lie, Merlin. Smooth lie.

Gaius stared at me in disbelief as he continued what seemed to be a lecture. "If anyone had seen that..."

"Seen what? I didn't do anything," I tried again, though I was obviously failing. Well, there went Camelot. Goodbye, Mother. Goodbye, pretty walls of Camelot. Goodbye, Man who I would have eventually married. Hello death.

"I know what it was!" Gaius protested, obviously not seeing through my lie. "I just want to know where you learnt how to do it."

"I didn't learn anything!" I said, almost pleading so the old goon would shut up.

"So how is it you know magic?" Gaius asked, and the words literally stung my ears as I thought back to earlier today.

"That's the thing; I don't," I insisted.

"Where did you study?" Gaius shot again.

"I didn't study!" I said. "I have never taken a lesson or been taught anything."

"Are you lying to me?" Gaius asked as he took one step closer to me.

"What do I have to say to get you to believe me?" I exclaimed.

"The truth!"

"I was born with it!" I finally broke down. I felt like Gaius was about ready to hold my head under water until I spoke the truth. "I was born with magic."

"That's impossible," Gaius dismissed.

"Yeah, well, try telling my body nineteen years ago," I huffed, crossing my arms stubbornly.

"Who are you?" Gaius asked, his tone going lighter as he questioned me.

His tone brought a slight smile on to my face. "I'm Merlin," I introduced.

"Hunith's son?" Gaius exclaimed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Actually, Hunith's daughter," I corrected as I pulled my hat off. My dark brown, wavy hair cascaded down my back as it rested on my back in its natural curls.

"Oh, my apologies, young lady," Gaius said, blushing slightly. "But, you're not meant to be here until Wednesday!"

But...but I thought it was Wednesday? I made sure to check the calendar and everything before I left Ealdor. "Gaius, it is Wednesday," I told the old man.

"Ah," He said with realization.

I smirked as I tugged my backpack off and reached inside to take out something that I was to give to Gaius when I got here. "I have a letter, it's from my mother."

I handed it over to Gaius, who took it from my hands. "You can put your bag in there," Gaius offered, turning around and pointing to the spare room in the very back of the whole area.

I smiled in thanks as I made my way over to the room, but there was something tugging in the back of my head, and I turned to face Gaius once more. "Promise me you won't say anything about..." I gestured to the mess that I'd be sure to help him clean up later.

"Yes, I won't say anything," Gaius promised and I could have cried with relief. I turned around to go into the room again, but Gaius's voice stopped me. "Although, Merlin. I should say 'thank you'."

I gave him a polite smile back. "Don't worry, I do this kind of thing all the time," I joked. "So don't go around thinking that you're special." And with that, I turned around and walked into the room.

It was very plain and looked more to be a man's room than a woman's, but that was probably due to the fact that Gaius was expecting a boy, not a girl. Whatever, I was grateful that he was even putting me up. I could be living in the alleyways.

I deposited my bag on the bed and sat down next to it. I knocked my knees together (a bad habit not befitting of a woman, but what could I say? I should have been born a boy) as I thought back to my first hour in Camelot.

I had witnessed an execution, found out that the very magic that I was born with was outlawed, saved an old man from death as he fell, and had the said old man agree not to rat me out to the King.

What a relief. I would not do well in the dungeons.

I mean, not that I was speaking from personal experience, of course. Err...

Merlin...

Merlin...

I frowned in my sleep. Was I making that noise in my head? For surely I wasn't, because that voice sounded nothing like my own. My eyes snapped open, and when they did, the voice seemed to stop. I groaned as the sunlight hit my eyes and realized too late that I had left the window open last night.

I shrugged the feeling off as I got out of bed. The first thing I did, as I did every morning back home, was make my bed. Then, I got changed.

Since I soiled my dress on the very first day of my journey (I was naive and believed that I'd reach Camelot in one day so I thought I should look nice-that was when I failed to notice a very large root and tripped and fell into some mud) I was left with the clothes that I usually wore for work back home. All my clothes my mother and I had made and mended every chance that we got. I pulled on black tights and a loose fitting blue tunic with a brown overcoat on top of it. I tied up my bootlaces and tucked them inside of my boots so that they couldn't come undone and I couldn't trip over them. Finally, I threw on a red scarf. I had two scarves-one red, and one blue. I always alternated between using them, and since Ealdor was generally cold, I was wearing them all the time since I was a child. I guess old habits would be hard to break, but this was one habit I didn't mind not breaking.

I was about to stroll out the door when a quick peek out the window confirmed that the sun was definitely getting higher in the sky, therefore, more blinding. I gently shook my head as I went over and grabbed my hat from my bedside table, gathering up all of my hair at the top of my head as I did so. I placed the hat right on top and smiled when it stayed in place. Most of the time it stayed, but sometimes it would just unravel, especially if a force knocked it over.

Finally, I left my room as I made my way over to the tables were Gaius worked. He had one table cleared off with two bowls-one in front of him, and one across from him, which was obviously intended for me.

"I got you water," Gaius said as he gestured to the bucket of water on the table. "You didn't wash last night."

"I apologize," I mumbled as I walked over to the table. "I had a lot on my mind."

"Help yourself to breakfast," Gaius suggested as he gestured to the bowl.

I walked over to it and sat down on the bench. I furrowed my eyebrows as I eyed the watery substance. I scooped some of it on to my spoon, frowning at the shape of it. I was about to contemplate sniffing it to make sure it was edible when I mentally smacked myself in the head at my bad manners. Gaius was offering me a bed and food, and offered to keep my magic a secret in a place that merely mentioning the word sorcery can get you executed. How could I be ungrateful?

I gingerly took a bite of the stuff and judging by the grainy texture of it, I assumed it to be some sort of porridge. It wasn't totally awful, just really watery and grainy and oatey and okay, it was gross, but I had to learn to count my blessings.

As I was about to take another bite, the bucket filled with water next to me suddenly tipped over, and I immediately reached forward to grab it. While I stopped the bucket from falling over and the water from spilling everywhere momentarily, I didn't touch it at all.

I unknowingly used my magic.

I broke my concentration in surprise, and the water splashed all over the place as the bucket hit the ground. I winced at the sound of the bucket falling and the water splashing.

Gaius gasped when he saw me do it. "How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?"

"No, I don't have the faintest idea of any spells," I told him.

"Then how did you do that? There must be something," Gaius dug.

I shrugged as I stood up and went to grab the mop in the corner. "I don't know...it just happens sometimes. I didn't want the bucket to fall over and make a mess so it stopped in mid air."

"We better keep you out of trouble," Gaius advised as I sopped up the mess on the ground. "You can help me until I find some paid work for you."

I sighed in relief, glad for Gaius's care to basically a complete stranger. "Hollyhock and feverfew for Lady Percival," Gaius started, holding up a covered vial and putting it on the table in front of us. He held up another vial that contained a yellowish liquid. "This is for Sir Olwen. He's blind as a weevil so warn him not to take it all at once."

I nodded as I grabbed the two vials and shoved them into two different pockets in my overcoat. "All right, I got it."

"And here," I heard, and I looked over my shoulder to see Gaius holding out a sandwich. My mouth began watering ravenously, and it took everything in me not to devour the sandwich in one bite. Meat rarely came our way in Ealdor, but whenever mother and I did get some, we'd make a feast of it. I grinned happily at the sight of it, looking from the sandwich to Gaius. I couldn't help myself as I launched forward and wrapped my arms tightly around the old man, nearly causing him to tip over and causing my hat to fall off, my hair coming out again. He chuckled as he patted me gently on the back.

I pulled away from him, leaned down to grab my hat, and took the plate from Gaius graciously. "Thank you," I said, trying to put all my gratitude into my words as much as I possibly could. And it wasn't just for the sandwich-it was for everything he had done for me since I had gotten here. I didn't even get to meet my father, and Gaius was quickly warming up to me as a father-ish figure. I took the plate from his hands, but set it down on the table so I could wrap my hair up once again.

"Merlin, why do you wear your hair like that?" Gaius asked as I pulled the hat over my head.

"Like what?" I asked as I adjusted it to fit well. I should really invest in a hair tie or something because this method couldn't last forever.

"Like that," Gaius explained, gesturing at my head.

I rolled my eyes, a bad habit that my mother was continuously trying to get me to break. "I can hardly see in the sunlight, Gaius. Without this hat I'd be as blind as Sir Olwen."

"It makes you look like a boy."

"Well, then at least I know that people treat me fairly," I answered, feeling a little hurt over his comment. I mean, I didn't look manly, at least, I didn't think so. I shrugged the feeling off as I took the sandwich off of the plate. "Off I go," I said in goodbye as I made my way over to the door.

"Oh, Merlin?" Gaius's voice stopped me halfway out the door.

"Yes?" I answered, my mouth half stuffed with a bite of the sandwich already.

"I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed," Gaius reminded me grimly.

I thickly swallowed my bite of the sandwich, not enjoying that last bite as much as I should've. "Trust me, Gaius. If I know anything, it's how to not get thrown in jail."

"It's not jail I'm worried about," Gaius commented as he turned back to the mopping.

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of my head being on the chopping block. "Right. I'll be careful, I promise."

And with that, I was out the door, munching away on the sandwich. I was trying to take little bites of it, because I didn't know when the opportunity to get meat like this again would come along, so I wanted to savour it.

I delivered Lady Percival her vial first (as Gaius had given me instructions on how to get to her chambers), and she thanked me politely. Then, I had to ask some people for directions to Sir Olwen. The first couple of people I asked had tricked me and I ended up at random people's chambers (and I had thought it was appropriate to ask the Knights of Camelot for directions because I thought they were more honourable than that) but one of the castle servants pointed me in the right direction, and I made my way over to Olwen's chambers.

He answered the door, though it looked like he was trying his best to see who was at the door, if there was even someone at the door.

I cleared my throat. "I've brought your medicine," I said, holding it out to him.

To my dismay, he reached his hand out towards my other hand, the one still holding the sandwich. And if he thought I was sharing this he was dead wrong.

I just crammed the rest of the sandwich into my mouth. I took both of his hands and circled them around the vial and made sure that he was properly holding on to it. I let go and gave him a nod in goodbye. I was about to turn around and leave when I remembered Gaius's little side note. "Gaius said not to..." I started when I turned around, but I eventually trailed off as I watched as Sir Olwen downed the whole thing in a few gulps, too late for me to stop him.

I brought my hands together and wringed my wrists. "I'm sure nothing bad'll happen. But if it does, my name is...Cassandra!" I made up on the spot, and I immediately turned on my heel and sped right out of there. Hopefully Olwen was blind enough that he wouldn't recognize me if something were to happen to him.

I was wiping my crumby hands on my jacket when I came across another commotion as I stepped outside into the light. Despite my hat, I had to squint in the sunlight as I saw a tall, blond boy wearing some parts of chainmail standing with a bunch of other guys. One of them I recognized to be someone I had asked for directions from, and he was one of them that purposefully gave me wrong directions.

"Where's the target?" The blond boy asked a smaller man who was holding a shield that had some stuff on top of it, obviously carrying it around.

"There, sir," the younger man answered, gesturing to the target.

"It's into the sun," the blond boy pointed out as his blue eyes flickered to the sun.

"It's not that bright," the younger man argued, also glancing up at the sun.

"A bit like you then," the blond boy joked, but the joke wasn't funny at all.

I crossed my arms as I watched the scene unfold.

"I'll put the target on the other side?" the younger man-who I now assumed to be his serving boy (the poor soul-I would rather face the danger of nearly poisoning a blind man than to serve someone like him)-stated.

The younger man went over and grabbed the target. He lifted it over his shoulder so that his shoulder was at the side of the target, and he began hauling it over to a new spot.

"This will teach him," I heard the blond man say to his petty friends, and before I could think, he threw one of his knives at the target as that serving boy was moving.

"Hang on!" The serving boy protested and to my utter disbelief, the blond boy just barked out, "Don't stop!"

The serving boy moved a little over. "Here?" He asked.

"I told you to keep moving," the blond boy said. It took me a second to realize that the blond boy wanted to practice the knife throwing while the serving boy was moving. What if it hit him?

The blond boy merely grinned as he held his hands out. "Come on, run!"

I could only shake my head in disbelief as this continued. As a victim of bullying myself, I didn't like it at all when other people bullied other people. I mean, I still would be bullied if my best friend William hadn't stepped in to defend me, back when we were children. That was actually how William and I met.

I guess I could be the person who stepped in for this guy.

I was about to open my mouth to say something when the serving boy dropped the target and it came rolling over to my feet. Gently, I stopped it from going too far with my foot, and the serving boy, who went scrambling trying to grab it, looked up at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him and he slowly nodded. I looked back up at Bully Blond. "Hey, I think that's enough."

My heart quickly skipped a beat when he practically glared over at me. I squared my shoulders back and stuck my chin up high, refusing to back down.

"What?" He asked, walking over to me.

I cleared my throat. "It looks to me like you've had your fun, my friend," I reasoned as confidently as I could, though I could feel my legs shaking slightly.

"Do I know you?" the blond man asked as he was almost in front of me.

"No, I'm Merlin," I answered, automatically sticking my hand out for him to shake, like I was used to when I introduced myself to someone.

"So I don't know you," He said bluntly as he now stood in front of me. In hindsight, this probably wasn't the best idea, because now he was practically looming over me, making me feel like small bug. I mean, the whole reason I even got teased back in Ealdor was for my height. Now I was starting to recognize why those kids so easily taunted me.

I dropped my hand, feeling embarrassment burning up inside of me. "No, you don't."

"Yet you called me 'friend'," Bully Blond pointed out.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong to," I said to him, crossing my arms. "It was a mistake."

"Yes, I think so," the blond boy "agreed".

"I'd never have an ass as a friend," I blurted. Okay, that totally wasn't what I was planning on doing, it just slipped out! I guess I was just getting upset with his attitude and his tone and despite the fact that he was a collassal ass, I still sort of found him attractive. I just decided that before I could say anything that would end up with me in deep trouble, to just walk away.

Unfortunately, when I tried, Mr. Doesn't Know When To Stop said, "Or I, one who could be so stupid. Tell me, Merlin. Do you know how to walk on your knees?"

"That would be a no," I mumbled quietly as I tried avoiding his eyes.

"Would you like me to help you?" He asked in a condescending tone.

This time, I matched his glare. I wouldn't let myself be made a fool of. I wouldn't. "You've got two seconds to back out of my face before I make you," I spat out bravely. Well, as they say, braveness can often be mistaken for stupidity.

"Really? How?" the Prat of a man chuckled. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I grumbled.

"Be my guest!" He laughed as he threw his arms out to the side. "Come on!" He taunted. "Come on."

I wanted to turn away, believe me, I did. But whenever it came to fighting off bullies, William always did it for me, a total stranger. And I knew he was baiting me, I did, but I didn't let that stop me as I vetoed using my magic (especially in such a public place) and attempted to punch him instead.

Of course, he suspected it, and grabbed my arm as he twisted it around. I yelped in pain as he turned me around and held both my arms behind my back. Was this seriously how a man treated a woman? I struggled to try and get out of his hold, but the pain shooting up my arms didn't allow me to.

"I'll throw you in jail for that," He said as I struggled to get out of his iron grip. Jeez, how strong was this man?

"Who the hell do you think you are, the bloody King?" I growled as I tried to pull away from him.

"No, I'm his son," the man answered, and I felt my insides crumble as he said, "Arthur."

With one swift kick to the back of my knees, I was down.

TBC...

I feel like this is a good start!

REVIEW! FOLLOW! FAVOURITE! THANKS! STAY TUNED!