Dear readers,
I drew my inspiration from several other fics like this (Merthur, Fem!Merlin). It may not be orignal, but it has a plot of it's own. I haven't seen all of the series, so you guys may give advise if you want to.
At least, I hope you enjoy reading it. Have a nice day, please review if you have any time!
With love,
~ Artemis Hunter 441
Chapter 1: The Elvish Lady
Prince Arthur Pendragon was in a very bad mood.
His father, the King Uther, was pushing him deeper in some black hole he wasn't sure if he'd ever could come out. Like yesterday morning, when there had been an execution of an innocent man.
The Prince's older sister, Morgana, had been watching it from her window and had yelled for at least a whole hour while complaining about how disgusting and cruel it was.
Arthur still got the chills when he thought back about it, especially what the woman had said in the end before revealing her powers: 'a son for a son'. Yet the Prince couldn't help but imagine that that man could have been him.
After all, Arthur had magic.
When he'd use some, the irises of his eyes would turn white like the moonlight which referred to his birth on a full moon night at precisely 12 o'clock. Arthur had known this since the day he accidentally used some when being examined by Gaius when he was much younger.
Luckily, Gaius promised him to never tell Uther about it and Arthur was the physician very grateful.
King Uther was a cruel man, Arthur knew that. The Prince wasn't blind to his people's cries of hatred.
And if the King loved him and Morgana, it was in a way neither royal children could see or feel.
Back to reality, a servant boy was placing the target.
"Hey! It's in the sun!" Arthur
The servant boy looked up. "It's not that bright."
"Just like you." one of the knights behind him said, getting the others to laugh.
Arthur laughed too, just without actually meaning it.
The servant began moving the target.
One of the knights came to whisper in his ear: "Teach him a lesson."
Arthur decided to do it, throwing one of the knives at the target while the boy was still moving it.
The boy lowered the target. "Hey! Hold on."
"Don't stop moving!" Arthur called, in a very arrogant tone. "We want some moving target practice!"
The servant boy turned a little white as he started to move around again.
Arthur threw one knife after another until the boy couldn't carry it anymore and let the wooden target roll over the ground and fall at the feet of a young girl.
Arthur had to blink with his eyes as he saw the girl.
The girl had long deep raven black hair, a paler skin than was healthy, full reddish lips and bright cerulean blue eyes that shone like light in the darkness. She was quite skinny, but she had just the right amount of curves for how small she was. Her clothes were like that of a commoner, simple and not formfitting: a blue tunic, brown pants, brown leather jacket, black leather boots and a red scarf around her neck.
Her whole appearance reminded Arthur of those mythical winged creatures named elves, but it were mainly her strange ears that were also a little pointy that made him think of such.
"Please, just stop." the girl spoke, her voice sounding soft, melodic and angelic in the Prince's ears.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And who may you be, miss?"
"Merlyne." the girl replied.
"I haven't seen you around before." Arthur commented. He felt there was something about this girl, but he couldn't figure out what it was.
"That's because I just arrived here." the girl, Merlyne, told.
"Hey Arthur! Growing soft?" one of the Knights asked before laughing.
Arthur didn't look very amused.
"You shouldn't mind them." Merlyne said.
The Prince of Camelot looked back at Merlyne with a questioning face. "What do you mean by that?"
"If you'd act on their comments, you'd look like a coward and an insufferable clotpole." Merlyne replied. "Excuse me, but I have to keep going. Gaius is probably waiting for me."
Arthur watched Merlyne walking away, staring after her with a dumbfound expression. In his heart and brain, he knew her words were the truth. Why did no one ever say? Yeah, because he was the Prince.
This girl, Merlyne, she had to be from outside Camelot since she did not recognize him.
One of the knights poked in his back.
"Stop it!" Arthur hissed at the knight who did that before turning at the servant boy. "You're dismissed, go home."
The servant hastily nodded and ran away from the group.
Arthur stopped the guards from following him as he went into town, following around the girl he just met for a little while.
Merlyne walked around town, mainly purchasing herbs and other stuff for Gaius while still letting her gaze fall on several dresses.
Many were beautiful, but way too expensive for her, a simple farm girl, to purchase on her own. There was one dress, a blood red one with silver lining on the skirt and top plus an over skirt with pearls and sleeves reaching her wrists that uncovered her shoulders.
Little did she know there was someone watching her, and not from such a far distance after all…
After walking around town purchasing everything Gaius sent her out for, Merlyne returned to Gaius with everything. "I have all you want!" she called.
"Just place it on the table!" Gaius called.
Merlyne did as she was told.
Gaius walked in from the room. "I heard you met the Prince today."
Merlyne rose her left eyebrow. "Prince?"
"Prince Arthur." Gaius said.
Merlyne's eyes wided. "He was the Prince? You could at least have told me what he looked like!"
Gaius chuckled. "He bought you something, told him to leave it on your bed."
Merlyne also questioned the Prince's action, but she did not act on it. "Well, let's see what it is." and she walked to her room to find a nicely wrapped package in the middle of her bed.
The witch unwrapped it with using her magic, her eyes widing as she saw the present inside.
It was a dress, Pendragon red. It was the same dress Merlyne had seen on the market that truly had catched her eye. There was a small note laying on the dress.
***/
'Merlyne,
There's something about you that I cannot truly figure out, something I do want to figure out one day. With one look at you, I knew you were different from everyone else I've met before, either in a good or bad way. Also, I want to thank you for standing up against me. You may have not known who I was but I saw in your eyes that that wouldn't have stopped you either. Gaius has probably already told you who I truly am by now. Don't worry, I won't have you put in the dungeons or the stocks for simply telling me the truth.
However, there's a banquet tonight as it is the 20th anniversary of my father's Sorcery Purges, and I want you to be there wearing this dress.
Arthur
/***
Gaius walked in, also seeing the present. "What did you do that made him do this?"
"I… uh… only told him not to listen to one of his friends or he'd be a coward and an insufferable clotpole?" Merlyne replied, also not so sure of herself.
"Clotpole?" Gaius asked with a serious face before laughing.
Merlyne also laughed at it.
"I have never heard somebody say that." Gaius said with a smile on his face before holding out a potion. "Here, bring this to the King's daughter Princess Morgana. Poor girl has some nightmares."
Merlyne took the potion. "Of course, I'll see you." and she walked out of the physicians tower for the second time that day.
The castle was a bit gigantic and not easy to navigate in, but it was clear where the royal chambers were so Merlyne could find the chambers of Princess Morgana quite easily.
The door of the chambers were open, so Merlyne slipped inside.
"Is that you, Gwen?" Morgana asked as she walked to the dressing board on the other side of the room.
"I'm afraid I'm not Gwen." Merlyne replied.
Morgana spun around. "Oh, and who're you?"
"I'm Merlyne, Gaius's ward, I'm here to deliver your potion." Merlyne replied, showing the princess the yellow liquid inside the small bottle.
Morgana took a better look at Merlyne. "Wait a sec, are you that girl who stood up against my brother? Gwen told me after watching the whole scene. No one else but myself ever did! That prat probably deserved some! What was he doing this time?"
"Uh… he was throwing knives at a servant boy who had to function as a 'moving target'. His peers were kinda laying hot coals under his feet." Merlyne told.
"Those knights are insufferable spoiled brats! It's a good thing you told the truth to my brother, he never listened to me. Maybe with more girls around, he'll behave better." Morgana said as she took the potion from Merlyne. "By the way, do you have anything to wear tonight?"
"Well… your brother kinda bought me something. Don't ask me why, cause I don't know." Merlyne told.
Morgana looked amused. "Alright, come here with your dress, Gwen and I'll do your make-up and hair."
"You're too kind." Merlyne said.
Morgana waved it away. "Just some curtsey, nothing less. Now, can you help me to decide which dress I should wear to the banquet?" and she pointed at a richly decorated blue dress that covered up everything and a red dress with a golden dragon around the waistline that would show off every part of Morgana's body and all of her arms.
Merlyne thought for a while, eyes flashing from Morgana too the dresses. "Well, for your figure, I'd choose the red one to be honest."
"Yeah, it does fit me quite good." Morgana agreed. "Only a golden necklace, tiara and some bracelets will make the look complete, plus some high heels. Wouldn't you agree, Merlyne?"
Merlyne nodded. "Certainly, my lady."
"Please, call me Morgana." Morgana huffed. "I have never liked that 'my lady' stuff."
Merlyne chuckled. "Of course… Morgana."
And Morgana smiled.
Later that night, Merlyne went with her dress to Morgana's room, meeting up with Morgana and Morgana's maid Gwen.
"You must be Merlyne, I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen." Gwen introduced herself.
"It's good to meet you." Merlyne said.
Morgana took the dress from Merlyne. "My goodness! This dress is amazing! You might even look like a true royal in this!"
"Don't accelerate!" Merlyne said.
"Now, don't be so modest Merlyne. Gwen, get my jewellery box!" Morgana called.
Arthur was laughing at a joke that came from one of the knights. So far, he was quite pleased about how the evening went since nothing had gone wrong yet.
The Prince of Camelot looked around, not seeing Merlyne yet while Gaius was already there.
Somehow it worried him.
Then, the doors opened up and three women entered the dining hall.
Arthur blinked with his eyes as he saw the women.
One of them was Morgana, dressed to impress like usual, showing off all her feminine curves with the formfitting red dress with a square neckline so it revealed her arms. Her waist was accentuated by a golden dragon belt.
The second was Guinevere, the dark skinned woman dressed in yellow was hard to miss and quite recognizable.
Yet it was the third woman that impressed him, Merlyne. The Pendragon red dress fit her incredibly well and didn't show too much of her creamy skin. Her hair was put in a knot that either Morgana or Gwen must have done since it looked incredibly complex.
Arthur stole glances at his knights, who were fawning over the women. His gaze hardened as he saw one particular knight gaze lustfully at Morgana, his brotherly protectiveness kicking in. Yet when another knight was looking with that same gaze at Merlyne, he felt a different sort of protectiveness that he had never felt before.
Merlyne went over to Gaius, who was complimenting her without a doubt.
The Prince felt the protective feeling going down now he saw she was with the physician. But it was a mystery to him what he had suddenly felt for the elvish looking woman.
His father, King Uther, asked for silence and if everybody would go to his or her places on either of the two tables that were set beside the aisle that lead towards the royal table.
Arthur sat down on his father's right side and Morgana on the left. He saw both Gaius and Merlyne near the stairs on his right, something that eased the strange protective feeling again.
King Uther stood up, raising his cup. "Tonight we celebrate our 20th anniversary of the witch hunt, the purge that made the land of Camelot safe again from the evil. Let us raise our cups to this, and clap four our guest and singer for the night, Lady Helen of Mora!"
Merlyne felt sick at the King's announcement. The King was so wrong about sorcery, but the witch didn't know why he man had such an urge against sorcery. What had sorcery done to him to deserve this? Well, maybe she was able to ask it him one day.
As the guest was announced, Merlyne looked at the woman that walked over to the 'stage'.
The woman was quite beautiful, with long dark hair and dressed in a flowy yellow dress.
A harp sounded as background music for a moment before the woman, Lady Helen, started to sing.
Yet is was not English, as Merlyne expected. No, it was the ancient language of magic.
A slight breeze suddenly flew through the room, making the candles flicker.
Many guests started to slowly fall asleep as Lady Helen set steps towards the royal table.
Guests sitting fell asleep against one another or on the table, servants slumber down against the wall.
Merlyne was able to resist the cant, as she was magical too. Then it hit her.
Lady Helen was a witch!
The Royals started to fall asleep too, Arthur being the last to close his eyes.
The candles got somehow blown out one by one, making the room extremely dark.
Cobwebs started to form on the people and the things, like many spiders were spinning treads right there.
The witch's eyes were fixed on the royal table.
Merlyne followed her gaze, seeing that it was lying on the Prince. A memory came back to her: "A son for a son!"
This woman was the mother of the man that had been beheaded when she arrived!
The imposter took a dagger from her sleeve as she stepped closer and closer, aiming it at Arthur's chest.
Merlyne looked up, seeing a chandelier. Magic or no magic, she had to protect Arthur. Her eyes flashed gold, and the chandelier fell down upon the imposter.
The weight was too much, and the witch fell to the ground.
Merlyne let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Arthur opened his eyes, realizing that the song had put him to sleep. But right now, he felt awake like he always should be, like a warrior.
The sight of the room was devastating.
Everyone was slowly waking up, coming back to their senses.
The Prince looked to his right, seeing Merlyne fully awake and aware of what happened. Then he turned back to the scene in front of him, where Lady Helen was crushed by a chandelier.
Slowly, the Lady Helen turned grey and old. She wasn't the Lady Helen!
'Sorcery? Can't the bad guys stop for once trying to kill us with that!?' Arthur cursed in his mind, unaware that the Lady Helen imposter had grabbed the silver dagger again and was throwing it at him.
The Prince saw it too late, thinking he was going to be pierced by that blade.
Yet someone pulled him on the ground so the blade ended in the back of the chair he had been sitting.
Arthur looked at the blade for a moment before turning to his right to see his rescuer, Merlyne.
Her cerulean eyes looked at him with fear first, before the fear faded into an emotion the Prince could only identify as some kind of happy. She had to be glad he hadn't been killed by that dagger.
Arthur got up, holding out his hand for the woman who just saved him.
As Merlyne laid her hand in his, the Prince was surprised her skin felt so soft compared to his warrior tough hide.
When Merlyne was standing again, Arthur couldn't help it but kiss the back of her hand.
"Thank you, for saving my life." the Prince said as he stood up straight again, letting go of her hand.
Uther stood up from his chair, as did many others who wanted to see the savior of their Prince.
"You saved my boy's life." the King spoke, his voice filled with approval. "How can I ever repay you, miss?"
Merlyne merely smiled. "It's not necessary, Your Highness."
"Don't be so modest. Tell me miss, who are you?" Uther asked.
"I'm Merlyne, Your Highness." Merlyne replied, eyes cast on the floor.
Gaius came over, a proud look in his eyes.
Uther saw Gaius. "Do you know her, Gaius?"
Gaius nodded. "Yes Sire, she's my niece."
"Very well. I appoint you as my son's maidservant, in honour of the House of Pendragon." Uther proclaimed.
Arthur stared at his father for a moment before he blinked with his eyes. "Well, I didn't see that one coming."
"Neither did I." Merlyne said, pretty close to his ear.
The melodic voice sent shivers down his spine for one reason or another, but it felt rather… pleasant.
"Let's continue the feast!" Uther proclaimed and everyone raised their cups while the witch's corpse was dragged away by a pair of guards.
Arthur's eyes followed the corpse. He couldn't blame her, she wanted revenge on Uther for her dead son.
Then the Prince's eyes landed on Merlyne, who was now conversing with Gwen a few meters away from him.
The sight made Arthur smile, and the room became alive once again.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Please review if you have the time.
~ Artemis Hunter 441