A/N: My first Merlin fic, kind of a little story for me to make the time between now and season 4 come faster. :) This fic is set straight after season 3 and should be fully compliant, so if you haven't seen that far, just to warn you, there may be spoilers. Aoibhinn is pronounced can be pronounced AY-VEEN or E-VEEN, in case you want to know. Anyway, let's get on with it!
The Sword in the Stone
Chapter 1: Princess
Merlin yawned. How could there be so many people, so many problems in Camelot? And not even the big, nice problems that you could swing your sword at to make go away. Just the small, everyday ones that mean nothing to a Prince. Or his loyal servant. When would people ever learn that he didn't care if a neighbours chicken woke them up at three in the morning, or if their children did not want to eat their vegetables?
It was that kind of day, the dreaded once a month event were the king would sit in the castle surrounded by his knights and normal, everyday people could come and see him to let him know about their problems in life. Apparently it improved relations between the royals and their people. Merlin however, believed it was only designed to make people like him fall asleep.
He had been standing in the Courtroom since dawn, listening and watching the endless stream of people as they came and went. It was now almost dusk and the last person, an old woman from a nearby village, had just finished talking with Arthur. "Thank goodness it's over." he muttered, yawning again.
"You think you have it bad?" Arthur asked, coming to stand beside him. "You only have to listen to them! I actually have to help them!"
"I wouldn't have had to come at all if you hadn't forced me too!"
"I second that." a tired voice belonging to the knight Gwaine said from the corner of the room. Arthur chose to ignore him.
"Well if I needed to put up with all this rubbish, so do you."
Merlin eyed the prince warily. "You are going to be the worst king this place has ever had."
"And why would you say that, Merlin?"
"You haven't even got enough heart to let me have a day off."
Arthur chuckled softly, slapping his servant on the shoulder. "Don't be such an idiot Merlin. I am going to make the best king there ever was."
Merlin smiled, dodging another shot aimed at him. The smile didn't last long however, as the door to the room opened again, which could only mean one thing:
Arthur groaned. "Oh not again."
"Another to see you, my Lord." a courtier announced as he ran into the room, taking a place beside his king.
"I don't see anyone, Peter." Arthur said, turning away from Merlin and positioning himself in the correct manner for receiving guests.
"Should be along in a second, sir." the man replied, making several of the knights moan.
"We were supposed to finish an hour ago. Just tell them to go away." Gwaine said, finally giving up and flopping down to the ground. The courtier glanced nervously at him.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, my Lord. I don't think she came to ask for one of the usual services."
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Just who are you talking about?" Said who answered before the man could.
"That would be me."
Every man in the room automatically turned to the source of the voice, a young, fair-haired woman standing in the massive doorway of the hall. It was obvious that she was very beautiful, but at the moment she didn't look it. Her hair was gathered in a matted plait and the green cloak she was wearing was splattered with muck. Although she held herself upright, Merlin could tell that she was exhausted and ill. He frowned at her worriedly but smiled slightly as Gwaine let out a low whistle before jolting up, standing as tall as possible. Knight or not, that man would do anything to impress a lady.
"I am sorry to turn up unannounced, especially when you do not wish to have company, but sometimes these things cannot be helped. You are Prince Arthur, son of King Uther?" she asked, speaking fluently and eloquently, though Merlin noticed that she did not speak with the same accent they did.
"I am. Who are you, lady?" Arthur asked, taking a step towards her, holding his hand out to catch hers. She took it and smiled slightly.
"My name is Aoibhinn, daughter of Diarmuid, King of east Hibernia. I believe my father and yours were once upon a time great allies and friends, but are now distanced due to an old feud." her smile disappeared. "My country is now at war with ourselves, and it is no longer safe in Hibernia for a woman such as myself, the daughter of a hated king. My father sent me across the Sea, to here, in the hope that yours would forget their old dispute but instead remember their friendship, and also take me in and protect me while the war continues. I do not wish to be a burden, my Lord, but I had no where else to go."
There was silence in the chamber for some moments as everyone digested this information. Merlin wasn't exactly sure what to make of the girl: they still knew very little about her, and how could they be sure she was not lying? She wouldn't be the first to come in front of the King of Camelot with a false story, and if Gaius had have been standing in the room that day too, Merlin knew he would of said the same.
"Well Lady Aoibhinn, I am sorry to hear about your land. I remember hearing my father talk about your's, certainly more than once and as the current leader of Camelot I am willing to let the past go. I'm sure it shall not be a problem finding a place for you to stay. Peter shall take you to one of the Western Chambers where you can rest for this evening. I fear you need it."
The woman smiled graciously and bowed before leaving the room with the courtier. Arthur sighed and Merlin, taking this as his opportunity, walked up to him.
"I've got a bad feeling about this Arthur."
"You're just paranoid, Merlin, like always. Everything's fine."
Gaius was just sitting down for dinner when Merlin finally arrived home that night. Gaius stood in greeting, grabbing another bowl and dishing out some stew for the boy to eat.
"Have an interesting day, Merlin? I was beginning to wonder when you'd ever come home." he said, watching as Merlin collapsed into the seat opposite him and reached for the bowl.
"Interesting is one word for it." he mumbled, gulping some of the food down.
"I told you how boring open-court days could be. It's a blessing Arthur doesn't make me go like Uther did." "No, he just makes me go in your stead."
Gaius smiled, watching Merlin eat. "If it helps, I'm sure you helped lots of people today."
Merlin snorted. "Yes. Thanks to us their chickens will be safe for yet another month." Gaius laughed at the expression on Merlin's face. "Well, sometimes these days can be interesting." "Actually, I think today was one of those days." "What do you mean?"
"What do you know of a King in Hibernia called Diarmuid, Gaius?"
Gaius laid down his spoon, his brow furrowed. "King Diarmuid? Why do you want to know about him?"
"A girl turned up this evening, claiming to be his daughter and asking for shelter and peace from their war. She mentioned that Diarmuid and Uther were once good friends, so I thought you might know." "Really? That is interesting, Merlin."
"You know of something then?"
Gaius leaned back against his chair and placed his hands on the table clasped together. "Uther was indeed friends with Diarmuid, but a long, long time ago, back before magic was forbidden in Camelot."
"What happened?"
"Well, I don't know all the details, but if I remember right, Diarmuid was a big fan of magic, thought it brilliant and loved to bask in the presence of those who did so. When he found out that Uther was banning it, he tried to convince his old friend not so, but when Uther refused, and some very harsh things were said. Uther then forbade Diarmuid from returning to Camelot as he believes any supporter of magic is as bad as a user and if I am correct, they have never been in contact since."
"Do you think that his daughter is lying, that she really has some secret agenda?"
"I don't know, Merlin. I haven't even met the girl. She may be honest and in trouble, but let's just keep a close eye on her, shall we?"
A/N: Thanks for reading and please review! It means a lot.