"I'm looking for Merlin, do you know where I can find him?"
Merlin heard the tearful voice and recognised it. It was a voice from his past, from his hometown. He glanced up and saw her, talking to Gwen who was returning from picking flowers for Morgana.
Gwen pointed Merlin out to her and she looked at him and smiled with relief. She looked very bad, her fair skin was bruised and burnt, her rosy cheeks had no colour in them now. She limped towards him painfully and he rushed forwards and hugged her tightly. Merlin then noticed there was a crossbow bolt sticking out of her shoulder blade and another out of her leg.
"Joanna, why…what happened?" he asked letting her go but still letting her lean on him. Arthur, beside him, watched them carefully.
"They found out." she wept.
"Oh no."
"I had to come here, I'm sorry. I have nowhere else."
"It's fine, I'll look after you. I promise." She smiled at him and then passed out. Arthur and Merlin caught her. "Let's get her to my room." Arthur nodded and they carried her to the castle.
She came round as they laid her on her front on Merlin's bed. "Can't you ever learn to tidy up?"
"No." Merlin said. She laughed weakly and then winced in pain. "Oh." Merlin hurried out of the room and returned a moment later with bandages.
"Arthur take her hands. Joanna, I'm going to take the arrows out, it'll hurt." Merlin grasped the bolt in her leg as Arthur took her hands and she stared into his eyes. In a smooth movement Merlin yanked the bolt out and she cried in pain, squeezing Arthur's hands tightly. The bolt in her shoulder caused her more pain, she screamed loudly and then passed out again as Merlin dabbed a healing tonic on the wounds and bandaged her shoulder and leg. "Arthur, can you go find Gaius for me? She needs help."
Arthur nodded and left. Pretty soon Joanna woke up again. She turned her head to look at Merlin sitting on the bed beside her, running a hand over her shoulder blades.
"It went through it didn't it?" he asked gently.
"I tried to fly away, but they shot me out of the sky. Luckily I fell into a ditch and they didn't find me."
"I'll need to bandage the wing." He removed the bandage from her shoulder.
She nodded and closed her eyes. Strong feathered white wings grew from her shoulder blades rapidly and Merlin had to duck out of the way. On the right hand one red blood stained the feathers. Merlin examined the small wound and applied some of the healing tonic.
"Bandaging won't do it. You need a bit of magic."
"Can you heal it? Wings that can't fly aren't much use."
"Yes, but it'll have to wait. Tonight. Hide them, I think Arthur's coming back."
"Why can't he see them?"
"Magic is forbidden here. You want a repeat of what happened back home?"
"Guess not." She smiled and retracted her wings. Merlin rebandaged her shoulder. She watched him. "You know, I really missed you."
"I know. I missed you."
"This may sound selfish but as soon as you left I noticed the tone of the village hardening towards me. You were the only thing that stopped them disliking me. They thought the odd happenings would stop when you left but they didn't."
Merlin smiled and started washing the dirt and scorch marks from her face and arms. He brushed a lock of her long ginger hair out of her blue eyes, so like his own. As his fingers brushed against her forehead he noticed that it was on fire. Fever had set in, and she was sweating slightly. He rinsed off the cloth and laid it on the part of forehead he could see.
Arthur and Gaius came in and saw them like that. Merlin started up guiltily. "Gaius she needs something to bring down her fever and she's in a lot of pain."
Arthur suppressed a snigger at Merlin's reaction and then noticed the concern in his friend's face as he watched Gaius examining the wounds.
"Boys, please." Gaius said. They nodded, understanding, and left the room.
Merlin paced Gaius's room while Arthur sat and watched him. "Who is she, Merlin?"
"She was my first friend. She was my only friend before I came to Camelot, apart from mother of course."
"She means a lot doesn't she?"
"If I were to ever lose her I'd probably kill myself. She's special. She's different."
"You and your spaniel heart."
"I'm a lover, you're a fighter. Figures we'd clash."
Arthur laughed. "Once she's better, she can help you serving me or Morgana. What can she do?"
"She can cook, and sews her own clothes. She's used to hard labour, she's definitely not a damsel in distress. She can read and write very well, and sings like an angel. She's hard working, determined and very brave. Too brave."
"Bit like you then."
"Grew up together, best friends, it's not surprising."
