No young woman, no matter how great, can know her destiny. She cannot glimpse her part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, she must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot. A girl that will, in time, father the legend. Her name: Merlin
Merlin is a young woman from the village of Ealdor. She has brown hair and bright blue eyes. She is a taller than most girls her age and thinner. She wore her normal outfit. A red shirt along with her blue neckerchief and black trousers. You know, traveling clothes. Her hair was long but usually kept under a hat to keep it out of her face. As she walked over the hill she could see the Castle. She smiled at the sight. It was gorgeous. The way the sun hit the roof, it was phenomenal.
By the time she made it to the town she was in awe. All the people and venders and performers it was such different that the small town in which she came. She could see people gathering in the citadel square. When she reached the crowd she saw a man with a crown on top of his head and knights by his side: The King. Then she looked in front of her to see a man on his knees head on a chopping block, and an executer, waiting. The man Merlin deduced was the king cleared his throat and the people watched him with anticipation.
"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged 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 pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass."
He then raised his arm, then lowers it as a signal to the executioner. As Thomas Collins is beheaded, the people gasp and turn away. Merlin's eyes glued to the spot in horror. The whispering and gasps stopped when Uther started to speak again.
"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin." Merlin's face twisted in discust as he and the people cheered. How could they celebrate killing hundreds of people, killing almost an entire race, and then capturing it and caging it.
Once the cheers died down all that could be heard was a woman's cries, Mary Collins the boys mother. All heads turned to her as she stared dead at the king.
"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son." Uther's face is red in anger.
"Seize her!" He shouts to the knights and guards. But she starts to chant a spell, once she is done she disappears in a whirlwind of smoke. People scurry away in fear.
She had to get away from all of this before she threw up. Merlin, still a little shaken by the beheading, walks up to a guard and smiles. "Where would I find Gaius, the- the court physician? "
She curses her stutter as the guard smiles and points to the stairwell behind him. Merlin says thanks and walks up steps and knocks on the open door to the physician's quarters and peeks inside.
"Hello?"
Hearing no response she wanders inside. Looking around she sees many things including a freaky bunny mask but she finally spots Gaius on a balcony looking at a bookshelf.
"Hello? Gaius?"
Gaius, startled, trips over backwards from the bookshelf stairs and the railing breaks. Merlin's eyes glow as she slows time. She look around frantically to see a patients cot. She quickly moves the cot under Gaius before he hits the floor.
Gaius stands up and stares shocked at the girl. "What did you just do?" Merlin, not knowing how to answer just stutters, which makes Gaius only push harder.
"Tell me!"
Merlin finally having found her voice stammers out, "I- I- I have no idea what happened."
Gaius continues to look at the girl and mumbles under his breath, " If anyone had seen that..."
Merlin's eyes widen as wide as dinner plates. "Err, no! That- that was, that was nothing to do with me. That- that was..."
"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!" Gaius demanded.
"Nowhere." Merlin told truthfully.
"So how is it you know magic?" Gaius says obviously not believing the girl.
"I don't." She stated, once again honestly.
"Where did you study?... Answer me!" He yelled once he got no reply.
"I- I've never studied magic or, or been taught." Merlin said still scared.
"Are you lying to me, boy?" BOY?! Did she really look that much like a boy right now? She looked down at herself and saw that her figure was covered by the baggy clothes. She was pulled out of her thoughts as Gaius cleared his throat.
"What do you want me to say?" She questioned.
"The truth!" He shouted.
"I was born like this!" She shouted back. He wanted to yell she could yell.
"That's impossible!" Gaius scoffed. Once he realized he had no idea who she was suddenly looked at her again. "Who are you?"
"Oh, erm..." Merlin pulls off her backpack. "I have this letter." Merlin gets a letter out of her bag and hands it to Gaius.
Gaius stares at the letter blankly then tells the girl. "I don't have my glasses."
"Oh... I'm Merlin." She said awkwardly.
Gaius face lights up in recognition "Hunith's daughter?" Once he says the word daughter he looks her up and down and smiles sheepishly noticing his mistake. His smile grows as she nods.
"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!" He replies happily.
Merlin stared him for a moment, confused. "Um... It is Wednesday."
Gaius stares at her for a moment the looking flustered points to a room behind him. "Ah, right then. You better put your bag in there."
She nods and starts to walk up to the room but stops and turns to him once more. "You- you won't say anything about, erm..." She pointed towards the cot and rubble from the balcony.
Gaius smiles sympathetically and shakes his head. "No. Although, Merlin, I should say thank you."
Merlin smiles and walks into the room. She puts her stuff down and starts to unpack her few belongings. She takes out her cloths and puts them into the closet, hanging her three shirts, her two trousers, and lastly her neckerchiefs. Once she's done she goes over to her window to see the entire town. She smiles and watches until the sun sets.
Gaius in the other room opens the letter and puts on his glasses.
My dear Gaius, I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust. It is every mother's fate to think her child is special, and yet I would give my life that Merlin were not so. Ours is a small village and she is so clearly at odds with people here that, if she were to remain, I fear what would become of her. She needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help her find a purpose for her gifts. I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her daughter, keep her safe, and may God save you both.
From Hunith
'This girl is going to be trouble.' Gaius thought as he looked at the door to her room.
In another part of the castle a woman stood looking out over the town. She was taller than most women had black hair and gorgeous green eyes.
"Morgana." Uther called walking towards her. She turned and hummed.
"What is this? Why are you not joining us at the feast? " Uther asked once he reached her.
"I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for a celebration. That poor mother." Morgana sighed looking back out over the town.
Uther sneered in disgust and annoyance. "It was simple justice for what he'd done."
"To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone." Morgana demanded.
Uther glared at the girl and strickly said, "You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like."
"How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?"
"Until they realise there is no room for magic in my kingdom! You will be with me when I greet Lady Helen." He said and started to walk off.
"I told you! I want no part in these celebrations!" He paused and turned to her.
"I'm your guardian! I expect you to do as I ask. If you show me no respect at least respect our finest singer." Then he started off again.
"You know, the more brutal you are, the more enemies you will create!" She called after him.
Of in the forest in a clearing is a camp. Inside the main tent of the camp there is the Lady Helen. She is a beautiful woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She sits hummimg as she brushes her hair. SHe stops at a sound coming from outside of her tent.
"Hello? Gregory?" The lady calls.
Gregory, a Camelot knight appears and bows and looks at her gesturing her to continue.
"Is all well?" She asks worriedly.
Gregory smiles and nods his head. "Yes, ma'am. With luck, we should reach Camelot late tomorrow. "
She manages a smile and nods. "That's good."
Gregory, noticing her panic, places a hand on her arm. "I'll be outside if you need me." He says gently.
Gregory goes outside and notices something, he draws his sword. "Who's there? Who's there?"
Lady Helen inside the tent is about to go and see what is causing the trouble when Thomas Collins mother blocks her way.
Just as the Lady is about to scream the witch starts to chant while stabbing a voodoo doll. "Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp."
With each stab Helen feels in more pain and soon drops to the ground dead.
Mary Collins stands over and chants another spell. Turning her into the dead lady on the floor.
Back in Gaius's chambers Merlin sleeps and dreams. But is woken up by an unfamiliar voice.
"Merlin...Merlin..."
Merlin wakes up in a start and gets out of bed and looks around to see the room empty. Merlin changed out of her night gown and grabs her normal outfit once again.
"I got you water. You didn't wash last night." Gaius says once she enters the main room.
"Sorry." Merlins says, because she's not used to washing every day.
"Help yourself to breakfast." Gaius says and gestures to a bowl of porridge on the table.
Merlin sits down to eat watery porridge. Gaius intentionally knocks a bucket of water off the table. Merlin stands up and stops it with magic. Gaius gasps and looks at her amazed. She looks at him then quickly lets it drop.
"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" He asks still amazed
"I don't know any spells." She says and looks down at the floor.
"So what did you do? There must be something." She sakes her head.
"It just happens." Merlin grabbed a mop to clean and get the attention off her.
"Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here." He places a small sac and bottle into her hands and explains what to do with them.
"Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once." Merlin nods and starts for the door.
Gaius stops her and hands him an apple. "And here." Merlin smiles and takes the apple.
"Off you go. And Merlin, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." Merlin smiles at him, grabs her hat and walks out the door.
Merlin eats her apple as she walks down the Physician's Corridor and through the Square to deliver the medicine. After asking around and wandering for a while she finally found the house. She knocks on a door and squinting old man answers. She smiles and shows him the bottle.
"Erm, I brought you your medicine." Sir Olwin pops the cork and starts drinking it.
"Oh, and Gaius said don't drink it all at..." She tries to explain but stops as he finishes the remedy. "I'm sure it's fine."
After that she decided to go for a walk and get a sense of the city. When Merlin crosses the drawbridge gate into the training grounds, she stops to see a man with blonde hair and other knights talking to a brown haired servant.
"We cant have our target in the sun. Now can we?" The blonde says and fake pouts.
"But, it's not that bright." The servant says confused.
"A bit like you then, Morris?" The knight and his friends laugh. Merlin makes an angry face. These men were knights and that's how they treat their servants.
"I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?" Morris says slightly annoyed and begins carrying the target toward the wall.
"Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy." One of the older knights says. Merlin looks worriedly from the knights to the boy.
"This'll teach him." The blonde says and grabs daggers. As he starts to throw daggers Morris lets out a yelp.
"Maybe you shouldn-" One of the other knights says but is quickly cut off by the others laughing. He walks off over to the weapons wrack obviously done with the younger knights.
"Hey! Hang on!" He yells trying to put the target down. But the blonde is persistent. He keeps throwing daggers and makes Morris keep running. With one last throw Morris finally drops the target and it rolls to Merlin's feet. Merlin puts a foot on it so Morris can't pick it up.
"Hey, come on, that's enough." Merlin says to the blonde.
He stares at her shocked. "What?"
"You've had your fun, my friend." She smiles down at Morris and looks back at the knight.
He asks looking her up and down. "Do I know you?"
"Er, I'm Merlin." She held out her hand smiling, in an attempt to make new friends.
"So I don't know you." He says smug and she puts down her hand. She looks around to see a crowd as formed, all wearing the same shocked expression.
'So much for making a friend.' She thought as she shook her head with a soft. "No."
"Yet you called me 'friend.'" He says amused.
"That was my mistake." At his nod she continues. "Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." As she starts to walk away she can here is laugh.
"Or I one who could be so stupid." She stops walking and looks at him.
"Tell me, Merlin" He sarcastically says her name. "Do you know how to walk on your knees?" She shakes her head.
"Would you like me to teach you?" He says and smirks evily.
"I wouldn't if I were you." The brunette says gaining confidence.
He laughs. "Why? What are you going to do to me?"
"You have no idea what I could do." She says and takes a step forward so there only an inch apart.
"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon." At first she thinks of punching him, but realizes that he would probably catch her fist. So she takes plan B.
She grabs his face and pecks him on the lips, once she pulls back she uses his shock to punch him in the face. She could hear the crowd let out a gasp.
"I'll have you thrown in jail for that." He says holding his chin.
"What, who do you think you are? The King?" She asks sarcastically.
"No. I'm his son, Arthur." She closes her eyes and puts her head down in defeat.
"Of course you are." She says as the guards take her away. The guards take her away and throw her into her cell. Leaving her to think of how stupid she is.
That night, Mary Collins, disguised as Lady Helen, rides across the drawbridge and into the Square with her escort. Her reflection in a puddle reveals Mary in her true appearance. Mary (Lady Helen) enters the Throne Room to meet Uther and a few court members.
"Lady Helen. Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations." Uther says standing.
"The pleasure's all mine." She replies and bows.
"How was your journey?" He asks walking towards her.
The witch in disguise sighed. "Oh, the time it took, Sire." She smiled as Uther kisses her hands.
"Well, it's always worth the wait." He says trying to reassure her.
"It will be." She smirks evilly.
The next morning as Merlin sits in her cell she hears the same voice from the night before.
"Merlin... Merlin..." Confused she gets up and backs away from where the voice is coming from.
"Merlin..."
Merlin moves towards the floor and inspects it. But is interrupted by Gaius walking towards her cell along with a guard.
"Merlin!" He says as the doors open. He steps in and hugs her.
"You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot." He says into her hair.
"I'm sorry." She says breaking the hug and looking down to the floor.
"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released." Merlin looks back up and hugs him again.
"Thank you." She says quietly. "I won't forget this."
"Well, there is a small price to pay." He smiles as her head tilts in confusion.
Merlin ducks her head as people passing throw rotten fruits and vegetables at her. She glares at her guardian hearing him laugh as he walked away. As the children run off to get more ammo a woman, with darker skin, brown hair and eyes, walks up to the stocks.
"Hello I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." She smiles and introduces herself back, though not really knowing who Morgana is.
"Right. I'm Merlin." Merlin reaches out to shake her visitors hand. "Although, most people just call me Idiot."
"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave. And funny." They both chuckled but then Merlin shook her head.
"It was stupid."
"Well, I'm glad you let them take you away. You weren't going to beat him." Merlin laughed and smiled.
"Oh, I- I can beat him."
"You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows." Gwen smiles doubting.
"Thanks." She says sarcastically.
Once Gwen realizes what she did she quickly went to fix it. "No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm... Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and... well..." She trails off.
"What?" Merlin asks causing her to continue.
"You don't look like that." Merlin chuckles.
"Of course I don't look like one of those rough, tough, save the world kind of guys. I am however a rough, tough, save the world kind of woman." Gwen's eyes widen as they look her up and down once again.
"So that's why you kissed him." Gwen laughs and Merlins eyes widen in realization.
"That's why he was so shocked. He thought I was a guy!" She said laughing.
Once their laughs died Gwen smiled sweetly at her. "Well, it's great you stood up to him."
"You think so?" Because yes how amazing kissing and punching a prince is.
"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."
"Really?" Gwen nods as the children line up once again ready to fire.
"Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting." She laughs and runs off in attempt to avoid the flying food.
After a couple of hours a guard comes and lets her go. She smiles in thanks and runs off to her chambers. Once she walks in she see Gaius cooking supper and water for a bath.
"Do you want some vegetables with that?" He asks dryly.
Merlin laughs but grows serious. "I know you're still angry with me."
"Your mother asked me to look after you." Gaius looks at her to see her head down in shame.
"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?" He says changing the subject.
"That I was special."
"You are special. The likes of which I have never seen before." She looks up confused.
"What do you mean?" She asks as she sits down across from him.
"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was... elemental, instinctive."
"Did you ever study magic?" Merlin asks wondering how he knew all of this.
"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago." He says not really answering her question.
"Why?"
"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons." Merlins eyes widened.
"What? All of them?" Gaius shakes his head.
"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it. Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice." Merlin nods still in thought.
Merlin walks up Spiral Stairway across the Balcony Corridor and enters Lady Helen's guest chamber. She walks over to a table and puts the potion bottle down. Then she noticed a doll and a special book. Merlin freezes hearing footsteps coming and puts the book down, trying to cover up the evidence that she was snooping.
"What are you doing in here?" The imposter demanded.
"An... I- I was asked to deliver this." Merlin picks up the potion bottle from the table and hands her the bottle. Then Merlin runs like there is not tomorrow.
The next morning Merlin walks across the Square and passes Arthur and his gang as he walks through the Lower Town. She tries to keep her head down so they don't notice her hopes are crushed as she hears Arthur call behind her.
"How's your knee-walking coming along?" But Merlin tries to keep walking, not wanting more trouble.
"Aw, don't run away!" Merlin stops and turns.
"From you?"
Arthur fake sighs in relief. "Thank God. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."
"Look, I've told you you're an ass. I just didn't realise you were a royal one." She says then looks at the knights behind the prince. "Oh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?"
"I could take you apart with one blow." He laughs.
"I could take you apart with less than that." She takes a step towards him.
"Are you sure? I highly doubt a scrawny gay guy could." She got angry at that. Not at the fact that she was called a guy again. Oh no, it was the fact that he was offending gay people.
Merlin looks around to see another crowd has formed. She sighs and stands straight.
"Come on then." They all laugh. Once they all look away she magically enchants her hat so it stays on.
"Here you go." He says as one of his knights hands him a mace, which he tosses at Merlin. She picks it up and Arthur starts swinging his mace with ease.
"Come on, then. I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth." He threatens.
"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" She pretends to be fake impressed.
Arthur snorts. "You can't address me like that."
"I'm sorry." Arthur smiles at his victory but that's quickly gone when Merlin continues. "How long have you been training to be a prat... My Lord?" Merlin gives a little bow. Arthur smiles a perturbed grin and starts swinging at Merlin.
"Come on then, Merlin! Come on!" He yells as he backs Merlin into the market stalls and crowd continues to gather. Gaius hears the commotion and looks out the Physician's Chambers' window to see Merlin in trouble again.
"Haha. You're in trouble now."
'Oh no.' Is the only thought Merlin could come up with.
Merlin looks for something to help her. She sees a couple of large hooks and magically entangles them with Arthur's mace. Arthur looks up in confusion and takes a moment to untangle them. Merlin tries to get away but Arthur is faster. By the time Arthur untangles it he attacks again. Merlin moves a box and Arthur steps into it, banging his shin. Causing him to yelp in pain.
Arthur pursues her again, Merlin tightens a rope on the ground, tripping Arthur. Merlin picks up the mace and starts swinging it at Arthur. But misses because of her hat.
Arthur backs up, catching his foot in a bucket and falling over backwards. Merlin, thrilled by his victory, spots Gaius in the crowd and pauses. Arthur attacks her from behind with a broom, knocking her to the ground. Guards begin picking Merlin up.
"Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one. There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." With that Arthur walks off.
She walks back to Gaius's chambers in an ashamed silence. She knows what will happen the moment that door will close.
"How could you be so foolish?!" Gaius shouts as the door closes.
'Called it.' She thinks to herself.
"He needed to be taught a lesson." She tries to explain, but Gaius is having none of it.
"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" He lectured.
"What do I study? I've been stuck like this since before I could talk!" She said back sharply.
"Then, by now, you should know how to control yourself!" He yelled.
"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got?! I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die." She yelled back then storms off to her chambers.
As she sits there Gaius walks in with a medical basket and tells her to take off her shirt to help. She does to reveal her chest bindings along with a nasty bruise.
"I'm not a monster, am I?" She says out of nowhere startling Gaius. Once he's processed what he's heard he looks the girl in the eyes.
"Don't ever think that." He says then hugs the girl.
That night Merlin lays awake in her bed staring at the ceiling. When she heard the voice chanting her name again.
"Merlin... Merlin..."
Merlin gets out of bed and sees Gaius sleeping in his bed. She magically causes the blanket to raise on him and she leaves.
"Merlin... "
She descends the Wrought Iron Stairway to see a pair of guards. She distracts the guards by rolling their dice away from them. She grabs a torch, lights it, and heads down the Tunnel Stairway.
"Merlin... Merlin..."
She looks around in awe as she enter a cave under the Castle.
"Merlin." The voice says with a chuckle. Merlin looks around for the owner of the voice to find herself alone.
"Where are you?" She asks then suddenly a dragon, I repeat a BLOODY DRAGON lands in front of her.
"I'm here!" She yelps as the dragon looks her up and down. "My, How small you are for such a great destiny."
"You can talk?!" She asked shocked. The dragon smirks amused.
"Indeed I can." She nods.
"Alright. Talking dragon." She suddenly remember something the dragon said. "What do you mean? What destiny?"
"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason." The dragon says and her face lights up.
"So there is a reason." She says happily to herself.
"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion."
"Right." She says slowly.
"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike."
"I don't see what this has to do with me." She said confused.
"Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion."
"No. No, you've got this wrong." She tried to deny. There was no way that she could help unite all of Albion.
"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't." What does that even mean.
"But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand." The dragon laughs.
"None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it."
"No. No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot." Merlin tries to deny.
"Perhaps it's your destiny to change that." She looks deep in thought then suddenly looks at the dragon.
"Do you have a name?"
The dragon smiles "Kilgharrah." He says then flies off.
The next morning Gaius enters Merlin's messy chamber and picks up her clothes.
"Oi!" He yells making Merlin wake up.
"Have you seen the state of this room?!"
"It just happens." She tried to explain.
"By magic?" He asks jokingly.
"Yes!" Gaius looks around taken back.
"Oh, I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares."
"Mmm, I know the feeling." She said to herself.
Merlin walks through the Griffin Landing and up some curved steps to Morgana's Chambers. Merlin enters the open door and stares at Morgana as she walks behind her changing screen.
"You know, I've been thinking about Arthur. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you Gwen?" Merlin looks around confused for Gwen, but realizes that Morgana is talking to her. She picked up the dress and handed it to Morgana.
"I'm not Gwen, but here you go." Morgana walks out from behind the screen.
"Who are you?" She says confused.
"I'm Merlin. I'm here to give you your sleeping draught." She shows Morgana the bottle.
"Your the girl who challenged Arthur." At her nod Morgana smiled. "Good Job. It is hard for Arthur to become embarrassed and trust me, when he came back yesterday he was basically yelling about how, and I quote, 'This annoying stupid gay guy could treat him like garbage'. I'm surprised he even let you go." Morgana smiled at Merlin's laugh.
"It was funny to see his face of shock after I kissed him. I didn't even realize that he probably though I was a guy until Gwen talk to me about it."
"How come you look such like a boy?" She asked going back behind the screen.
"Well I put my hair under a hat and I bind my chest because its hard to work with your hair and boobs flying everywhere." Morgana laughed.
"Touché"
"So why have you been thinking about Arthur?"
"The man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the King's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it."
"No."
"If he wants me to go, then he should invite me, and he hasn't." She states flatly.
"So do you know what that means?" She walks back out.
"No I don't."
"Can you help me with these fastenings?" Merlin nodded and walked over to help. "It means I'm going by myself."
"Good for you." Merlin says as she's done helping Morgana. Just as they both walk out from behind the screen they see Gwen walk in.
"Gwen! Oh good I can use your opinion too!" Morgana says then quickly goes back behind the screen.
"What are you doing here?" Gwen asks Merlin, obviously surprised she's here.
"I had to deliver Morgana her sleeping draught."
Gwen nods. Morgana then comes out holding two dresses. A red one and a green one.
"I need your opinions. So, it's whether I wear this little tease... or give them a night they'll really remember." Both of the peasants looked at the dresses.
"The red one." Both girls say at the same time.
"What will you be wearing Merlin?" Merlin looks at them shocked.
"I'm going?"
"Well, you are technically a ward of a member of the court. So they wouldn't stop you. But you wouldn't get to sit down or anything." Morgana explains.
"Oh. Well, I still probably won't go. I mean I don't even have anything nice enough to wear. I didn't bring any dresses with me other than my nightgown."
"Well we can fix that, can't we Gwen?" Morgana asked Gwen, who nodded eagerly.
"Definitely, My Lady." Merlin raised her eyebrows at the two.
"Take off your hat. I have to see what I'm working with." Merlin took of her hat slowly, still not understanding what's going on, allowing her long dark brown hair to fall.
"Your hair is so pretty! Why hid it?!" Gwen asks putting her hand in her hair.
"And so soft!" Merlin looks at Morgana who is currently looking at dresses.
"I think the green one. Right Gwen."
"Oh but the blue would make her eyes pop, My Lady."
"If its her eyes were worried about how about the purple."
"The purple. BRILIANT!"
"What's happening?" Merlin asked after a moment.
"Just come back here before the feast."
"Alright. I have to go get herbs for Gaius. I'll see you then." She said as she left. Once she was out the door she stated walking towards the market. She put her hair back into her hat and walks off again.
While walking she was walking she heard voices around the corner. It was a knight, the same knight that tried to stop Arthur from hurting Morris. The knight hadn't seen her and bumped into her causing her and her hat to fall onto the floor.
"I'm so sorry Mis - Merlin?" The knight asked shocked.
"Yes, yes I'm a girl, I know shocking. And It's alright I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going." She said looking up to meet the knights eyes. He was quite attractive, he had strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes. His hair however looked stupid slicked back.
"No, I mean its not shocki-" He stopped at her glare. "Alright it is a little shocking. But you can't blame me."
"I don't. I bind my chest and hide my hair. So you know, I look kind of male." She smiled at him as she put her hair back up.
"Oh, well I'm Leon. Sir Leon." He held out his hand.
"Hello Sir Leon. I am Merlin." She shook his hand and smiled.
"I wanted to say thank you. For what you did the other day. Standing up to Arthur. It deflated his ego and lord knows its bigger than the entire kingdom." Leon said and Merlin giggled.
"But, honestly, on behalf of all of Camelot. Thank you. He is an arrogant man who needs someone to yell at him every once an awhile other than his father." Leon smiled and Merlin smiled back.
"No problem Sir Leon."
"Will I be seeing you at the feast?" He asks suddenly.
"I'm not sure. The Lady Morgana and Gwen might change my plans of not going." She said.
"Well I hope they can change your mind. Farwell Merlin." He said as he started walking away.
"Good day Sir Leon." She called back.
By the time she had gathered all the herbs for Gaius and cleaned her room it was almost time for the feast.
She scurried to Morganas room and knocked. Gwen opened the door and her face instantly brightened.
"Come in!" She said excitedly. "Lady Morgana, Merlin is here." She pulled in Merlin and sat her down on a sofa. Morgana walked out from behind her screen in the dark red dress that Merlin and Gwen picked out. It was tight and it definitely showed off her form. Her hair was already up and all that was left was the makeup.
"Wow Morgana you look amazing!" Morgana froze in her spot looked down at herself and looked back up and said thank you.
"What's happening?" Merlin asked slightly scared as Gwen took off her hat.
"We are going to get you ready for the feast." Gwen said grabbing a brush and began brushing.
"What? Why?" Merlin asked shocked.
"Because, one: you are gorgeous and we want to show that off. Two: well, we want you to be part of our little group. It would be nice to have another girl to talk to. We decided the purple dress right Gwen?" At Gwen's nod she ran behind the screen to her closet.
"But why me?" Merlin asked when Gwen finally stopped brushing her hair.
"Well, you treat me like a normal human being. I mean you haven't used my title once. Most people look at me like I'm going to have their heads chopped off. And I like that." Morgana said truthfully.
Merlin whispered an 'Oh' and let the two girl do what ever they wanted to do.
First was the hair. They wrapped a braid around her head making it look like a crown then they made the rest of it curly. Then was the dress. She tried to say no, that it was to much, that a peasant couldn't show up in something so beautiful. But her cries were ignored as they forced her to get undressed and take off her bindings, revealing her chest.
"That's just not fair!" Morgana said as her and Gwen stared at her boobs.
"Why hide that?" Gwen asked astonished.
"Well, I guess I'm just used to it. In Ealdor, I had to work everyday and boobs just made it hard." The two girls nodded and then put her into the dress.
Now, this dress was gorgeous. It was the purple version of Morganas dress. It held her figure and definitely showed her cleavage. She smiled as she looked herself in the mirror.
"Now make up. For all three of us." They then painted all of their lips dark red and gave each other a golden shimmer on their eyes.
"Thank you. I never knew I could look this amazing." She smiled at the two girls.
Merlin and Gwen walk in and hear Arthur retelling the story of how he 'won' their fight. When Morgana walks in all the knights stare causing Arthur to follow their gaze. Merlin saw his mouth form the word 'wow.' Arthur's gaze continues to go around the room but stops on Merlin, who is looking around the room in awe.
"God have mercy." Merlin hears Arthur say but figures he's still looking at Morgana. She continues to look around the room when she hears a person speak behind her.
"I'm glad that Gwen and Morgana convinced you to come." She jumps and turns around to see Leon.
"Leon! You startled me." She says laughing.
"I apologize." He smiles at her. "You look fantastic." He says looking her up and down. Causing her to blush at the compliment.
"Thank you. It's all thanks to Morgana and Gwen. They are magic workers." She says and Leon smiles even more. They stood there for a moment just staring at each other and smiling.
"I'm excited to hear Lady Helen. Apparently she is the best singer in the entire kingdom." Leon said breaking the silence.
"You've never heard her before?"
"No. This is her first time on Camelot for around 15 years."
"Wow, You know she's kind of scary. I met her because I had to giver her a thing for her throat. She was mean." She and Leon laughed.
"Enjoy your night Merlin. I'll see you later." He said as he started to walk off.
"Yeah you too." She smiled at him as he left.
"So Sir Leon?" Morgana asks as her and Gwen walk up to Merlin.
"What?" She asks but the realizes what they mean. "Oh no. It isn't like that. At least I hope it's not, because he seams nice and I don't really think of him like that at all." Both girls giggle at her flustered state.
"Do you know how much attention your getting Merlin?" Gwen asks catching Merlin off guard.
"Attention?" She asks unsure.
"At least half of the knights are staring at you and even Arthur was staring at you for a while. Didn't you hear him say 'God have mercy.' He stared at you the whole time you were talking to Leon"
"I thought he said that about you?" She said looking at Morgana, who just shook her head.
"Oh my god! Arthurs coming over here. Now." Gwen said in an excited whisper. Morgana looked over Merlin's shoulder to see Arthur walking over to them.
"I think he's coming over to speak with you." She said in the same excited whisper as Gwen.
'Oh god no please don't come over. please don't come over.' She thought to herself and silently cheered as the people started making their way to their seats.
The room went silent as Uther started to speak. "We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora." The room breaks into an applause as the music begins. Uther and the court take their seats and sit in anticipation. Lady Helen starts to sing words that aren't in English, like Merlin would have thought. She notices the court members begin nodding off to sleep.
'Its a spell!' Merlin thinks and cover her ears so she doesn't fall asleep. Cobwebs begin forming over the enchanted sleepers, which in Merlin's mind is one: totally unnecessary and two: gross.
The witch stares at Arthur as she continues forward. Suddenly, she pulls a dagger from her sleeve and aims for Arthur. Merlin, in a panic looked around and sees the chandelier and magically drops the chandelier on the imposter. As the court members wake and pull the cobwebs off, muttering, Merlin watches as the spell changing the witches appearance slowly vanish.
Uther and Arthur stand up to see Mary Collins lying on the floor. Mary raises herself up enough to throw the dagger at Arthur, then dies, the chandeliers weight being to much for her body to handle. Merlin slows down time to reach Arthur and pull him out of harm's way. The dagger slices into Arthur's chair as they fall to the floor. Uther stared at Merlin as Arthur helped her up.
"What is your name?" Uther asks still astonished.
"My name is Merlin." She responds nervous. Arthur eyes widen as he looks her up and down gob smacked.
"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid." He says and she tries to deny his offer but is quickly shut up.
"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded." She tries again to tell him it was nothing but he is having none of it.
"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's maidservant." He says as the court cheers for her.
"Father!" Arthur says upset.
Merlin looks over Arthur to see Gwen and Morgana clapping with a pitying smile on their face.
'Great.' She thinks sarcastically to herself.
After the feast Merlin stayed in her room sitting thinking in her night gown.
"Seems you're a hero." Gaius said smiling.
"Hard to believe, isn't it?" She replied smiling. Gaius shook his head.
"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life, remember?" He pulled out a package wrapped in red cloth.
"But...that was magic." She stated confused.
"And now, it seems, we finally found a use for it." She looks up confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw how you saved Arthur's life.
"Oh, no." She said remembering the conversation she had with Kilgharrah.
"Perhaps that's its purpose."
"My destiny." She mumbles realizing that he was right.
"Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me. " Gaius hands Merlin the wrapped object in a cloth. Merlin unlatches it and looks inside.
"But this is a book of magic." She says in awe
"Which is why you must keep it hidden." He says with a pointed look.
"I will study every word." She says and hugs her mentor.
They pull apart when there was a knock on the door. A guard opens the door and says that Arthur needed her.
"Your destiny's calling. You'd better find out what he wants." He said and smiled at her as she walked off to find him.