"And this is it...the great kingdom you spoke of father?" The wind rippled her cloak behind her, making her hood slide down. Her dark red locks were now free, and the beams of the sun wasted no time dancing off of them.
"Now Drea, you make it sound like a pile of dung. Even you have to admit you're a bit impressed..." Viktir stood next to his daughter, high atop the hills that ran along the eastern border of Camelot. From where they were standing, one couldn't help but see the castle, with its high walls jutting up proudly. It demanded attention-a beacon of hope for all those that lived within its borders.
For some, however, it had been their grave... and though her father saw something different, all Drea could see as she raked her deep green eyes over the stone walls was a grave yard. "No father-murder and hatred don't do much to impress me."
Viktir only sighed as he turned his head to look down at his daughter, then started down the hill at a slow pace. "I know it is hard, Drea, but you must try not to confuse fear and sorrow with hatred." Her father spoke to her without turning his head. "We should pity him."
"Pity?" Drea hissed as she followed her father down the hill. She knew who her father was referring to without even having to ask. "The day I pity Uther Pendragon is the day I succumb to madness."
Her father chuckled at her comment-his daughter's words never ceased to amuse him. "Well we're not here to see Uther anyway-focus on seeing your old Uncle Gaius if it pleases you."
At the mention of her Uncle Gaius, a smile broke across her face. Seeing the old physician always made her smile, even if she could only see him once every year. Though she tended to be wary of people other than her father, she had always had a tender spot in her heart for her Uncle Gaius. Well, great uncle-her father was his only living nephew after all these years, and quite possible they were his only living relatives left.
"You think he'll be surprised to see us?" Drea asked her question as she found her rhythm walking beside her father.
"Let's just hope he doesn't die from pure shock! He wasn't expecting to see us for another few months!"
"Father what a horrible thing to say!" She jabbed him with her elbow as he laughed. There was an image in his mind of the old man falling back in his chair as they opened the door that brough him nearly to tears.
The wind was starting to kick up just a bit, throwing dust and leaves at them as they neared the bottom of the hill. The trees shielded them somewhat from the brunt of it, but as the trunks and branches began to thin out, they could feel it more and more. The sky also appeared to be growing a few shades darker, though it wasn't yet time to night to fall.
"It seems a storm is moving upon us..." As Viktir spoke, a powerful gust of wind assaulted them, nearly knocking the basket from his hands. As he shifted to get a better grip on it, Drea held her hand up in the air.
"Aleos vespar!" The words rolled from her tongue like a smooth current of water coursing through a forest with ease. The wind seemed to hear her and without protest died down...to the point where everything around them seemed to be still. The branches quit their shaking, the leaves quit hopping on the ground, and even the rustling of nearby animals seemed to heed her words, growing quiet.
Without warning her father grabbed her around the shoulders with enough force that she nearly cried out. "Deirdre! I have warned you! In this kingdom we forget that which we are blessed with-we posses no magic here!"
Her father's tone was so harsh, so unyielding that Drea's legs began to shake as he spoke. His grip on her shoulders was tight-though her father was a jovial, gentle man, she had forgotten how hard and severe he could be.
"I-I'm sorry, father. I forgot..." She stuttered out, avoiding his eyes. She knew no matter how hard his words, he was right. In the kingdom of Camelot, under the rule of Uther Pendragon people like her and her father were deemed criminals.
Magic. Something as beautiful as magic was a crime.
Punishable by death.
Viktir released her, but didn't move from where he stood in front of her. His green eyes mirrored her own, a gift passed down from father to daughter. He stood there is silence, letting his eyes search his daughter's face for a moment. So much of her mother...
He cleared his throat and turned briskly, reaching the bottom of the hill before the memories even had a chance to scamper out of the caves he had hidden them in in his mind.
Drea watched her father's back as the distance between them grew by each step he took away from her. She knew what he had just done-what he always did whenever he stopped what he was doing to look at her. Remembering...because that was all that he had of her mother, just memories...
She didn't even realize that he had made it to the bottom of the hill and was staring up at her. "Are you going to come along or should I just pick you up here on the way back?" Her father called to her with his big familiar smile plastered across his face.
"How do you even know Uncle Gaius is going to be able to do this?" She ignored her father's question as she started down the hill after him, though she couldn't help but let a smile pass across her lips.
"Drea I've seen your Uncle Gaius do things you've never ever thought possible-and those things were without the use of magic!" He laughed as he waited for his daughter to catch up with him. "He's not gon to be too happy when I tell him his own niece doubts him!"
He wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulder as she finally made it the bottom of the hill. Camelot loomed ahead of them...and within a few hours they would be at the gates.
"Are you frightened, Deirdre?"
She smirked up at him with a shake of her head. Of course it wasn't the entire truth. She knew stepping into Camelot was a risk. He dropped his arm, entangling his fingers with hers and giving her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze as he beamed down at his daughter.
"I promise just as soon as Gaius has done us this favor, we will leave Camelot." He whispered down to his daughter.
"Merlin! You expect me to eat this!" Arthur was already yelling at him before he even made it to the door.
"What's wrong with it? It's the same thing you had yesterday and the day before-"
"Yes! And the day before that, and the day before that!" He stood up as he cut Merlin off. "Why must you subject me to the same beef stew that I have had to stomach for the past week?"
Merlin turned to face him, a hint of aggrivation in his voice. "Well what else do you want? I'll have the kitchen prepare something else for you, I suppose."
"You suppose?" Arthur arched a brow at him as he shoved the silver bowl of stew out from in front of him. "You will go down to the kitchen immediately! I want a rabbit-roasted with plenty of garlic!"
"Rabbit? You know they prepared the last of the rabbits for the banquet last month!" Merlin placed his hands on the table in front of Arthur, staring down at him with a look of disbelief swimming in his eyes.
Arthur threw his napkin to the side as well, but raised his goblet of cider to his lips as he looked over the edge at Merlin as he drank. "Well then-I suggest you take a hunting trip!" Arthur picked up the bowl of steaming stew and shoved it into Merlin's hands. "I mean it Merlin-I want that roasted rabbit before the day is out. This miserable stew has made he lose my appetite for the moment."
Merlin growled just a bit under his breath, but took the bowl with a bow and made his way to the door. Just as his hand fell to the brass handle, Arthur spoke again. "And when you get back with that rabbit you can polish my armor and sharpen my sword. Now get on!"
As Merlin was closing the door behind him he whispered, "Dollop head" under his breath.
"I heard that!" Came from behind the closed door.
Merlin could say or do nothing, so he turned with a shake of his head. Where was he supposed to find rabbits? The winter winds were starting to settle in, and most of the rabbits would be holed up for a good part of the day.
"Merlin!" He was jousted from his anger for a split second by the tinkling of Gwen's voice calling from behind him. He turned to face her, and was met by her friendly smile, which he always welcomed.
"Arthur giving you a hard time?" She giggled as she noted him holding Arthur's untouched bowl of stew in his hands.
"How could you tell?" He asked as he let out an exasperated sigh. "Apparently the beef stew isn't good enough for him anymore, so he wants rabbit. Any idea where I can find rabbit?"
Gwen though for a moment before shaking her head. "There isn't anymore rabbit in the kitchens-they were all prepared for last month's feast-" She suddenly stopped speaking as she thought for another minute. "Actually-I did pass someone in the upper town when I went out for water this morning. He was selling rabbits. You could try him? Saves you a hunting trip at least, and gives you a little break."
He knew Gwen would say just the right thing. "Thank you Gwen."
"Glad to help-now, would you like me to take Prince Arthur's bowl? I've got to take some of Lady Morgana's linens to be washed anyways."
"That would be great!" He placed the bowl in her hands and turned quickly-it appeared as if a storm was closing in around them and he didn't want to be caught in the downpour.
As Merlin threw open the doors to the quarters that he shared with Gaius, the old physician nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Merlin! You almost scared me out of my wits!" He had to turn around himself to speak to Merlin, who was busy stuffing a few items into an old, worn leather bag. "Where are you going boy? You still haven't scrubbed the floors or removed the dust from the books!"
The place was indeed a mess. Papers and books were scattered across the table, dark spots stained the floor, and the dust was thick in the air. No matter how hard or ohow often Merlin scrubbed and scrubbed, it always fell right back into a mess.
"I know Gaius-I promise I will as soon as I get back..." Merlin didn't even look up as he fastened the leather cords on the bag.
"The skies are going to open up soon! Where are you going?"
Merlin jerked the cords as tight as he could, wrapping them around the bag to keep the content dry should he get caught in the rain. "Prince Arthur-he wants rabbit, and who does he send to fetch it? His ever faithful manservant." Merlin's voice dripped with aggitation as he slung the leather bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to the upper town. I should be back soon." With Arthur's mood, he really didn't have any choice but to be back soon.
"Well hurry back-you'll be no use to anyone if you get sick in this weather." Gaius said to him as he sat back down, poring through an old, leather bound book that no doubt was full of scientific facts and figures.
Despite his mood, Merlin couldn't help but laugh at Gaius' words. "Nice to know someone cares about me. Do you need anything from the town."
"The only thing I need is for you to hurry back. The floors won't scrub themselves!"
"Alright then Gaius-I should be back within the hour." A smile flickered across his face as he shut the door behind him.
Rabbits, scrubbing the floors, polishing armor...the many joys of being a manservant, Merlin though to himself as he started the walk to the Uppertown. At least Gwen was right.
It was a break.
