AN: this is dedicated to a very talented fan fiction writer that encouraged me to write again. After PMing this said writer I woke the next morning to this playing back and forth in my head. I apologize in advanced for any mistakes or confusion.

For CaptainOzone

The three young men were dragged into the throne room. Their hands were tied with cloth. They were none to gently placed in front of the throne. They slowly stood to thier feet. She looked at the faces of the Camelotians with careful scrutiny. She tried focusing on the young king and saw flashes of anger and defiance in his bright almost sapphire eyes. She barely glanced at the curly brown haired man. His eyes held much the same as his king but filled with loyalty to fight till the end but her gaze was drawn elsewhere. A raven haired lanky boy with eyes the color of the ocean and just as deep. They were filled with confidence and undying loyalty. He held no malice in his gaze. She knew he could rarely hold any just by looking at him. A power seemed to emanate from the lean boy. Storm clouds seemed to rage in his eyes. She stood from her hard stone obsidian throne. She walk towards them slowly like a frightened dog being coaxed by it's master. She walked to the king first but her eyes always flickered back to the storm clouds. Her dark purple eyes were hidden behind a dark hood. She reached a gentle smooth but scar ridden hand to the young man's face. She smiled at him genuinely and he looked at her, and taken aback, stepped away from her touch. Her eyes flickered again to the pleasant eyes of the servant boy. They had flickered with amusement but just like that they became brooding and dark. She felt a silent shiver go down her spine.

"Hello I believe I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Artemis Queen of the Unbidden Forest. How may I be of service?" Her voice was gentle but held authoritative power.

"Bloody witch let us go!" yelled the handsome brown haired man. She walked toward him not menacingly but with modest pride. She smiled and he looked at her top pointed canines from beneath her shadowed hood.

"But you came into MY forest and bluntly ignored my warnings. My men here were only following orders. It's not my fault Sir Gwaine." her fingers were walking up and down across his shoulder and bicep. He looked at her with determination, pigheaded stubbornness, and a little bit of surprise.

"How do you know my name?" He growled. She raised her eyebrows even though she knew he couldn't see them.

"All in good time my friend, all in good time." She stepped back from him carefully almost as if she might frighten him away. "But I'm not here to talk to you just yet. I'm here for his Majesty King Arthur." She again walks back to the fair haired king. She bowed gracefully and upon standing removed her hood.
"King Arthur it is an honor to meet you but under these circumstances I find you'll hardly believe me." She gave him a soft smirk. She was joking with him. Prodding him, teasing him. With a nod of her head their bonds were cut. Her boot heels never made a sound as they walked back to her throne.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" The elfish manservant asked. He was absentmindedly rubbing his hands. She knew they wouldn't hurt. The cloth they use for it is only meant to restrain. It was the habit of a man that had it happen often, and she wondered why that was.

"Maybe, you may have met me on my frequent journeys to Camelot's Lower Towns. I usually don't talk with others." She was sitting in her throne again.

A circlet to gold held back her straight brown hair that reached her shoulders. An amethyst sat in the middle of gold just above her nose. She wore a black leather jacket with her large cowl behind her head and on her shoulders. She also wore black pants that were well used. She had the eyes of a hawk and the presence of a predator that knew what it was like to be prey. Her hands scared from countless encounters, fiddled with a dagger at her hip. It's hilt was black as night and gleamed with obsidian. A bow and quiver sat beside her throne. Merlin couldn't help but feel amazed at such power she held. He noticed her eyes were those of a trained hunter but held no evil towards them. She took in the whole picture but focused on one detail. And he couldn't help notice that she would look at him with a confused look.

"Maybe." he muttered.
She nodded at him and continued to stare.

"What is it you needed in my domain Arthur Pendragon? Surely you did not miss the signs or felt the magic barrier's ripple?" Her light amethyst eyes snapped away from the young warlock.

"We saw no signs nor felt any magic. How would we?" The young king looked astonished at her use of the words.

She looked at Arthur sadly. "You don't really believe all magic is evil do you Sire? We stay in these forests because it is free of your people's prejudices about many of us but you see your Highness I have no magic. None in the slightest. Yet you persecute us for those of us who do. My people wish to live their lives without fault or fear." She stood again. Her purple eyes boring into Arthur's blue. " But you make that hard." She was closer to him now her eyes held barely a spark of anger.
"But I forgive you for it, as do my people, and we wait for the day of Albion and its Once and Future King." Her eyes flickered back to Merlin. Where the corners of her mouth twitched upward. He looked at her suspiciously. "But I am patient… magic is a weapon, like a sword, it's the person that wields it." She walked to Merlin in the line of men. She looked him up and down. "That is something you must learn Pendragon before all hope is lost."

She got very close to him staring him down nose to nose. Gwaine and Arthur stared at them. Gwaine's mouth was slightly ajar. She was humming a haunting tune.

She whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear it."So much strength, so much… power. Why do you hide so much wisdom behind a fool's smile? Deep, stormy blue hmm?" She pushed aside some of his ebony hair from his eyes. She smiled and just like that she turned on her heels and walked back to her throne. He looked at Arthur and Gwaine with a look of strange look and raised eyebrows.

"You may leave Pendragon if you have nothing more to do in my lands. I will have my men escort you put of the boundaries. Farewell." She raised her hand in a gentle salute. She hadn't expected them to bow, thinking they thought her a petty bandit queen. It wasn't a low bow but it was a bow. All three of them bobbed their heads respectfully. And followed her men out. She smirked at the knight's loud whisper.

"She's bloody mad Arthur! And did you see her eyes! Purple! I've never seen the like!" She chuckled as they walked away.

"Austin," She called after she could see no sign of them.

"Yes my Lady?" A large man stepped from behind a door.

"I'm going out. Please inform my brother, and don't let him do anything stupid." The large man smiled and looked at the door the Camelotians just left through.
"I think he'll be just fine, but I wonder if I can ask the same if you?" His eyes sparkled with recognition of adventure in her eyes.

"Of course not Austin. Whenever am I not?" He let a bark of laughter escape at her answer. When he turned to leave he stopped and added. "Please do be careful Artemis. We will miss you."

She nodded her head and with a sigh replied, "I know my friend but I'm extremely curious. This was going to happen sooner or later."

"Alright I guess sooner rather than later. You know the saying curiosity killed the cat." He shrugged with a set frown.

She laughed musically. "Yes Austin, but the cat died knowing something we didn't." he smiled and shook his head and quietly left the room. She grabbed her bow and quiver at her side. Took her sword from a nearby servant and pulled up her cowl. The cloak of it flowing behind her as she strode out the double doors after the young king and his companions.

AN: I really hope you like it *big smile* you might recognize something at the end there.