Merlin pulled out her chair and sat down at the rickety old table, trying not to disturb it too much. She daintily placed her hands out to stop it from moving, and felt underneath the table until she reached her draw and pulled out some paper, it looked as it smelled, of old hay and dust. She held her hand up to her nose and pinched tight in order to keep quiet. She wasn't sure what to write, what could she write? This was a situation she would have given anything to not be in, but it was too difficult to explain. This Village is too small for her too restricting, she had to find her own way in the world and her own life and no matter where it may be, it would defiantly not be here in Elador. What was she doing? She didn't know anything about life on her own, I mean sure she could look after herself in the basic ways like starting a Fire and cooking, but could she find shelter? Could she defend herself the world was a scary place to be once on your own but, she is now sixteen and, it's time she found her own way!

Right?...

She looked out of her small window just over her desk and gazed at the moon thinking back to her childhood, she has only ever really had few friends, her Mother, Will... oh will... She couldn't think back any more, the memory was too painful. Grace her Mothers best friend, Sir Richard a man who had spent a few winters in elador, a lord who she thought up until she met him certainly had a poorer opinion of lords and ladies, and ...well that was it.

She was so inexperienced but how do you get experience, you get some!

Determined to see this though, she grabbed her Quil and dipped it into Ink and began writing.

Dearest Mother

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you now at this time.

I do not belong here, and although it is not here that I belong it is, and shall always be my home always, and I will always come back Home in time of need. So one day when I do return We will be together again and when that time does come I hope to feel and have more control over my...

Merlin paused hand over paper, she couldn't could she, it was just her mother surely she could?

No, no she couldn't there's always the chance that someone else could pick up this letter by accident, so alternatively she chose her words more carefully. Instead of Magic.

... Predicament.

I want you to understand that this is not your fault and you have been a wonderful Mother and have brought me up to be a respectable and proud young lady, and that's something I shall carry with me for life. I feel as though there's so much to say and no time to say it, but after everything we have shared the good and bad times. Times of poor and of wealth.

Anyway forget my rambling

Your Loving Daughter

Merlin

p.s.

You know I'm right, and don't forget the market tomorrow.

Good bye

Why ever did I choose to leave?

What a ridiculous set of circumstances I was now in. Here I was in the middle of the day - a sweltering, boiling hot day, I might add - in the middle of a wood, running with all haste as I heard bellowing laughter behind me. "Get her!" was just one of the many phrases I heard them shouting. That, with the combined frantic barking, made it difficult to even take a guess of how many were chasing me. Thank all that was holy I didn't travel in a dress. At least I got that right. A few days before leaving my simple but comfortable home, simple but comfortable bed, and my not so simple life, I had managed to "acquire" a simple tunic and breeches.

I did.

I swear I did!

Ok, ok, fine! So I stole them! But, what would you have expected? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a thief - far from it. OK so when I was younger I did get into a bad habit of stealing, but my mother soon put me to right. She used to make me stand in public and apologize to my unwilling suspect. I was only like seven at the time, you know.

My breath hitched in my throat and I was starting to ache in the side of my hip. I was most definitely not cut out for the on-the-run sort of life. But I was not going to be hanged, so I made quicker work of my legs. Never knew I could run so fast. My head was screaming at me JUST USE YOUR MAGIC, WOMAN!

Oh yes, of course.

I'm sure that I can just explain to the nice men behind me with the pointy objects that I have magic and can use it, but can not control it properly. They could not kill me and instead let me go, so we could save all of this until I can learn to cope with my magic.

I'm sure deep down they could be reasoned with, right?

"Archers, ready yourselves! We will make an example of her yet, hurry up boy!"

Oh well, you live and learn. I guess there would be no reasoning with them today.

An example? He really thinks he can make an example out of me? I think not.I'd like to see him try. Was all of this really even necessary? He really thinks that me stealing an apple merits making an "example of me"?

Wow, were these guys really that bored? Wait... did he just say arrows?

Ok I think that now's the time to panic. My head was pounding with adrenaline, as I practically pounced off of large rocks like some wild Animal in a mad bid to escape. How in all of this world had I ended up here? I tell you how! A stupid girl thinking she could make it on her own! that's how! Oh how I wished I could be back in Ealdor. Things were complicated there but not as bad as this!

My legs were starting to crumble beneath me, and pain was making it's way through my shoulders and down to my legs, making me wondering if I was having an attack of some kind. Wait, why had I not yet been fired at? I soon put my thoughts aside as I made my way deeper and deeper into the forest. Fear of being caught was keeping me going no matter what. I noticed the further I went into the giant trees, the more lush the grass had become and the taller and healthier the trees seemed to grow. I would have loved to have stopped to admire it, but now was not the time. Forgetting my I looked back for a split second to see how far I had gotten. And I could not believe my eyes...

They were gone. Wait, they were gone! How had I not noticed that they were no longer shouting? I stopped gratefully and knelt in the grass, trying to catch my breath and failing miserably. It took me several minutes to regain any strength I could manage to muster within me.

I made to walk and the sound of birds filled my ears. Their sweet songs were beautiful and instantly made me at ease. Don't ask why. Nature always had this effect on me. I was always in awe at the cycle of life in nature - how it could grow and grow. Then, once at it's best, suddenly wilts and fades away until it's ready to make itself known all over again. Beautiful.

One hour later, after traveling through the forest, I still seemed to be no closer to the edge. I looked around for anything, feeling confused when I saw nothing. as anything, nothing. Nothing but more trees and more foliage. Where to next?

After finally coming by what looked like a narrow passage cut through some vines and strong brances. OK this was starting to feel more like a dream by the minute. I slowly went along the narrow passage with caution for all I knew those men could somehow have gotten into there. Finally, I reached the end. My eyes took on a whole new life of their own, briefly turning gold. The tree, a large tree to my left, fell down with a loud thud, barely missing me as I ran out of the way. All I could do was stare. "Stupid eyes!" I cursed. I carried on walking until I turned a corner and there, I found a small lake. Water! I couldn't help the wide grin that spread across my face as I ran up to the water and splashed it onto my face and drunk like I had never drunk before.

I never knew water could taste as good.

I took out the apple I had and munched away gratefully, pleased with myself. They really thought that they could outwit me. "Ha! I think not," I learned back against a tree and looked up into the sky, and that's when I noticed.

I was sitting under an apple tree.

All of that to be led to a stupid apple tree!

After calming myself down, I found myself closer to the water. Taking the cloth that had been holding up my hair in a neat bun, I knelt on the ground and pulled up my sleeves, plunging, my arms all of the way into the water. Glancing at my old worn out bag, I ignored the desire to dive right in and swim. I would soon have to start trying to find somewhere to rest tonight and for all I knew the nearest village could be hours away yet. But I left that to the back of my mind as I relished in the feel of the water.. Only now did I feel a lot more at ease, now could I truly notice the scene laid before me. This place was truly one of nature's most beautiful creations. It was not just the feel of the whole atmosphere but the beauty of the lake that would have made even the most grumpy of people smile. Breathtaking was not the word for this place; no word could describe the scene before me.

A slight breeze flew past me. The leaves on the trees around me swirled and twirled, dancing along with the noise the world was making. The sudden gust of air forced my long, raven hair that curled all the way down my hips to sway into my eyes. Instinctively I took my soaking wet hands out of the water and pulled the hair back out of my face and pulled down to one side. Great now my hair was wet.

Sighing, I once again felt the water rise up my arm as the cool water reached me. Looking around I was alone. My midnight blue eyes lit up, changing to sudden gold with specks of light through my irises. I waited with anticipation. Nothing happened, so I tried again, only this time it worked. I watched as a little bit of water started to rise, forming the shape of a length of ribbon.

I withdrew my arms out of the water and wiped my hands on the ground, still kneeling. The water rose slightly more until it was at my height. I couldn't help but smile at the magic demonstration before me. There were very few parts of my magic that I could control, this being one of few once my mind could stay at ease. Why people couldn't see the beauty in magic was far beyond me. I don't think I could ever understand it.

A fish jumping out of the water snapped my attention away, and the water splashed back into the lake. I let a smile momentarily grace my lips before standing up. Shaking my hands dry, I stood, and sat back under the tree. "They thought I was a man," I mused. "Interesting notion." Carefully digging into my bag and taking out a knife, I crawled towards the lake holding the effectively sharp knife in hand. I folded the long hair on the one side and took a look into the lake at myself. "It's somewhat drastic but..." Before giving myself a moment to hesitate, I cut off my hair with one straight cut. Without thinking I did the same for the other side.

"Oh my," I breathed. "Now I look like a man except for the eyes. Come on Merlin, think." One more flash of gold and my eyes turned to brown. " Definitely more manly." At least I hoped.

After spending a few more hours at the lake, I found myself shifting to move. Placing some apples and a few other things back in my bag, I bent down to arrange them.

A sharp pain hit the back of my head as I blacked out.