Preface
Everything bad started happening when Merlin came into my real life. My secret, live in two different times. One is present day America and the other, the 6th century England. In other words, the time of knights, sorcery and King Arthur. In 2013, her name is Hayden Raeman and in Arthurian times, Katherine de Settee.
Chapter 1
"Kathrine!" Merlin calls down the hallway.
"Yes Merlin."
"King Arthur demands your presence in the throne room. And insists that you put on the set of clothing in the wardrobe."
He walks away. She opens the new wardrobe and sees the only piece of clothing. It was an ivory dress with red designs in the skirt and a yellow bodice with the same red thread intertwined inside. In the back, there were red ribbons to close it. It was the most beautiful gown she has ever seen.
A knock came at the door.
"Yes?" She questions.
The door opened to a small servant girl.
"Ma'am, I came to help with your dress. Merlin sent me."
"Oh. Thank you."
She came in and helped me with the sleeves and wove the ribbons through the holes. Once the ribbon reached its end, she tied it off.
"My, that is a wonderful dress."
"Thank you. Would you like to come with me to the throne room? Please? I have been there a couple of times but I could not find the way there to save my life."
The girl brightened. "Yes ma'am."
I opened my hand to her. She hesitantly took it. We walked slowly so the dress won't get ruined.
"So what is your name?" I ask.
"Holly miss."
"That is a beautiful name. Much better than mine."
"Ma'am, yours is more beautiful than mine."
"No it isn't. Yours is more unique than mine. I wish I was more unique."
"Well, you are about to be."
"What does that supposed to mean?"
She let go of my hand to open the vast doors that had magically appeared in front of them. The room was one of the biggest she has ever seen in this life. The high ceiling and long room held about a hundred or so people. This was obviously the throne room. The King and Queen were in their respectable thrones. Arthur stands when she enters and Gwen follows his lead. I walk down the room to where Arthur stood and curtsey.
"Why do you curtsey?"
"I must sire."
"Come here Kathrine."
She stood and walks to the royals.
"Kneel."
When she knelt, Arthur unsheathed his sword. She looks over at Merlin and Gaius. They were beaming at her. Were they happy that she was going to die? She thought they were her friends. Gaius took care of all of her wounds and Merlin had given her hope when things were dismal. And it's obviously dismal right now! Arthur lowers the flat part of the blade to her shoulder.
"Arise. Lady Kathrine de Settee, Knight of Camelot."
She stands to meet Arthur's gaze. His face was stoic but his eyes were a different story. They showed of happiness and joy.
"Why do I adore such an honor sire?" she murmured.
"I do believe that you saved me and this kingdom. Also, the knights begged me so they can defeat you in training." A smile played at his lips.
"We will see about that."
He stepped back to reach Gwen. The queen stepped forward to reach her husband's hand. Kathrine let the couple pass and Merlin approached her.
"My lady." He held his arm out for her to take.
She hooked arms with the manservant and left after the king and queen. After leaving the grand room, she tried to let go of Merlin's arm, but couldn't. He led her to the chambers of Arthur and Gwen. Merlin let go and burst into the chambers.
"Do come in Merlin!" Annoyance was laced in Arthur's tone. In turn, she knocked on the open door.
"Now. Merlin, you must learn from this girl. She knows how to be polite. Come in Kathrine!"
She walks in to Arthur sitting at his desk and Gwen pouring wine into a goblet. Gwen sets he goblet and runs to her. Gwen tackles her with a big hug. She pulls back but only enough that they could see each other's dresses.
"I love your dress Kathrine. Did you know, I helped them design that dress and a couple more. I thought with the ceremony you would love the colors. And, I knew that knights usually wear chainmail so, I designed a dress with chainmail. I do understand that you must wear pants, but, a lady must sometimes look like a lady. I have to go retrieve it." Gwen left the room.
"While she is gone, I can give my newest knight a fair welcome."
Arthur stood from his desk and walked over.
"Lady Kathrine. I like that better than just Kathrine. And, I didn't want to say this in front of the counsel, they were very surprised when I brought you up in a meeting. A woman as a knight is practically unheard of. But, Elyan, Gwaine, Perceval, Leon, Merlin, Gaius, Gwen and myself all wanted you in the knighthood. Plus a few others wanted it too. And I am sorry about Guinevere. She is very excited that a woman is a knight of Camelot. Her excitement right then, doesn't even come close to the real thing."
"Wow. So any advice sire? I know everyone is going to tease me tomorrow."
"Let me think. No, just, make sure and whip Gwaine's butt. Usually, beating one of the higher knights gives you more respect. And I want to see you beating him again. It was quite funny that night. He was rambling on and on how that he let you win. Now, everyone will be able to see how skilled you really are."
"Thank you my lord. And trust me, I plan to beat Gwaine to the best of my ability. Actually, not even the half of my ability that I can beat him."
"Yes I suppose so. Now, I suggest you leave before Gwen gets here. I suggest the side stairwell and then take the second landing to get to your chambers." Arthur procures.
"How on Earth do you know of the service stairwells?" Merlin asks.
"When I was little I hid from my father in the different stairwells around the castle."
Before she was forgotten by the two men in their bantering, she departed saying, "Thank you for today. Bright and early tomorrow morning."
"Merlin, accompany her please?"
"I can handle myself."
"I know you can but I want to make sure you actually got there. The stairwells are pretty confusing."
"My final answer is no, good night, and thank you."
She rushed out of the room before either could have a say in the decision. A smaller doorway lead to a set of stairs. She quickly shut the door and galloped down the stairs. Below her came a door opening and shutting. She moved out of the way of the tiny girl that bounded up the stairs. The girl stopped, bowed, and moved on. Such respect was not needed. Sure she saved Camelot, but recognition was out of the league. She did it for a public service. I turned and continued down the stairs. At the second landing was a sign to acknowledge what floor it was. A 2 was etched into the wood. She pulled on the door to the convenience of seeing knights in the full hallway. They turned towards her and stared. To her, the shock was quick and she walked down the hallway. At the end was Leon, he was obviously waiting for her arrival.
"Lady. This way please."
He turned right and walked down the hallway.
"Leon, do not call me a lady. I do not deserve the title. To me it means respect and I should not receive any."
"Yes you do. No matter how much you deny it, you always have earned that respect. That day that we met you, you were not afraid of holding your own and speaking. You demanded to be treated equally as any other person and those men threw you out. You weren't there when Arthur got mad. He said…"
"I demand that you don't treat a woman with disrespect"
"Yeah. And who are you to be telling us what to do?"
"I am King Arthur of Camelot and if you be so kind, leave and never return."
"The men turn and ran out of the tavern like fire was riding up their butts."
"Really? That Arthur? The king said that about a woman?"
"Yes. Not many women have the gut to stand up to a man. Rarely does it happen. He immediately thought that you would be a wonderful addition to the knights. Guinevere was like that a little. But she accepted the rules and it took a while for her to break them. Only after becoming queen did she really speak her opinion. Sometimes even now, she doesn't say what she really wants to. And ever since you arrived, she got in a frenzy. With you here, you really got her out of her rabbit hole."
They stopped in front of her door.
"Thank you Leon. I will see you tomorrow."
"Good night."
She shut the door and slid to the floor. She is a knight of Camelot. Wow! Let's hope that in real time, she has a good day. She stood up to go to her dresser and found the nightgown fairly quickly. She shimmied out of the gown and into the nightwear. The bed felt as comfortable as it looked. She snuggled into her sheets, closed her eyes, and listened to the distant echo of the lower town. Eventually, sleep claimed her.