Prologue: A Great Loss, An Amazing Escape, and The Boy's Jacket
The drums resounded. A crowd gathered, watching the soldiers lead forward a lone woman and her child in chains. The woman had not much in this world except for her daughter and the rags on her body. She walked behind the brutish soldier that had left the bruise mark on her cheekbone, yet she held no grudge against him. Holding her head high, she kept all emotion from her face, especially her fear. Yes, she had the natural fear of dying just as anyone would, but at the moment her worries for what would happen to her daughter trumped the previous.
At the middle of the square, two men had erected two poles surrounded by wood. The woman swallowed hard and took in a deep breath, one of her last.
King Uther stood upon the top of the stairs, the front entrance to the castle. Whenever he had some important business that included the people, he preferred to be closer to them so as to be easier to connect with and make them feel as though he was still one of them. She wanted to spit at him, to scream at him for doing this to her and her kin, treating them like monsters. They had no control over the abilities they were born with and most certainly should not be executed for them.
The king proclaimed loudly with his booming voice, for all to hear, "The people you see before you are witches, practicing dangerous magic through the abilities that they have, being Exploiters. We have outlawed such creatures so as to protect our kingdom, Camelot. Because they have not heeded our warning and left when the opportunity was given, they are to pay the penalty: death by burning, just as witches should go."
The little girl, who had to peek out from behind her mother, listened to the big man's words intently. Being the age of nine, she understood what was happening around her; the king's words sounded logical and fair, all until he said that they had to die. Why was it that he harbored such hate toward her kind? Neither she nor her mother had hurt anyone or used their ability. Mother always drilled into her that she never used her powers unless it was a life-or-death situation. A "good friend" of theirs had ratted them out for a handsome reward from Uther Pendragon. Facing death, she found herself scared, but she more so struggled on whether to follow her mother's directions to go quietly or to fight in chances of escape. Their chances would be slim, even if both of them used their gift—there were too many guards surrounding them. Though unfair and prejudiced, Uther was no fool.
"Uther Pendragon," her mother pleaded, "please, if you must make an example of my kind, do whatever you wish to me, but let my daughter go. Briana has done no wrong, and she is just a child that did as her mother told her!"
"She is just as much a threat as you are." Uther waved a hand in the air as though swatting the plea aside.
"Mother," Briana whispered, "we can fight our way out. It is possible. Please—"
The woman shook her head. "I love you, Briana."
The soldiers yanked her mother to the pole and tied her. Just then, the reality of the situation hit her hard, and Briana could not stop the tears from coming. "Mother!" She stepped forward, only to be held back. All she could do is watch as the fire was brought forward and the wood lit. Meeting her mother's loving gaze, Briana declared, "I love you!"
The woman that had birthed her, raised her, taught her, protected her and loved her gave a small, sad smile. The flames crackled and eagerly leaped up toward the flesh and clothes.
"Uther!" An old hag stepped out from the crowd. "You want a witch, do you? Then you shall have one!" Laughing maniacally, she raised her hand, emitting lightning that shot at him, but he jumped out of the way just in time. The second shot hit some of the soldiers near Briana, including the one holding her back, instantly killing them while throwing her down on the ground.
"Seize her!" Uther commanded, standing back up. Without hesitation, his men charged the troublemaker from all sides, trapping her. Some random words Briana had never heard before came from the woman, and she instantly vanished, then reappeared elsewhere to cause more commotion and damage.
Getting up, Briana looked back to her mother, who now was screaming from the pain. They met eyes for a moment, and her mother mouthed "run". Unable to stand seeing her mother in that much torment, Briana began to try to think of a way to somehow save her when someone came up behind her and pulled her arms toward him.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, seeing that the person was a boy probably about her age and just as poor.
"Saving your life," he replied. He held his hand over the manacles, and his eyes changed to a green color. A moment later, they fell off, much to Briana's amazement.
"How did you—"
"No time to explain." Her rescuer took her hand, and they ran, pushing through the citizens who were much too worried about the witch at the moment to notice her and this boy escaping. Briana knew her mother was beyond saving and would want her to get away, so she made herself keep running even though she wanted to break down and sob her heart out. Adrenaline and the boy pulling her along were all that kept Briana from falling from fatigue. These streets proved barren since Uther demanded everyone attend the execution, so no one stopped them when they passed the gate. Briana remembered when they had come in through those gates just weeks ago, hoping to get the hunters off of their trail.
The boy did not slow his pace or loosen his grip on her hand. She had to wonder why he was helping her and who he was…did he even realize what she was? Surely he did, but still he insisted on aiding her.
They finally stopped at a small house on the outskirts of the city, where the houses were practically part of the outer wall. "Kemble, I have her here."
A middle-aged man glanced up from his studies, then jumped out of his seat. "And her mother?"
The boy grimaced. "It was too late for her."
Kemble nodded briefly. "Let us get her on her way." The two of them scrambled around the tiny home, gathering food and water.
"Who are you?" Briana managed to ask, fearing they would turn her in just as the last person had. "Why are you helping me?"
Kemble, looking over his shoulder at her, smiled, handed the boy some more supplies, and knelt before the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You know you are very special. We help people like you, child."
"Mother—" Briana choked on her tears. She soon found herself enveloped in Kemble's arms. "Why does Uther do this to us?"
"He is scared." Kemble pulled away. "Now, we have to get you out of here. They'll be looking for you soon enough." He turned his attention to the boy. "Take her out to the woods. I'm sure she knows her way around those woods, but tell her whereabouts she can go and whom she can trust out there." The man gave her one last squeeze. "Hopefully we shall meet again on better terms. You are a very special child, young lady. Very special, indeed."
The female brushed her tears away with a ragged sleeve and gave a small smile. Her rescuer then took her hand again and led her to the back of their dwelling. There, he pushed aside a large, hanging tapestry to reveal a crudely made door. Pushing that open, they disappeared through it into the outside. Briana realized that their house was part of the outer wall, and they had left without anyone knowing. A chilling breeze hit her, and she subconsciously moved closer to the boy, who grinned to himself. Little was said during the trek from the castle to the woods, and that was alright with Briana, who still fought to keep her emotions in check.
A little ways into the woods, the boy paused. "You must be freezing." He peeled off his jacket and handed it to her. "It's alright; take it."
"I can't," she argued. "It's yours, and you'll be cold."
"I have a home and I can always get another one. You can't." His facial features softened. "Please, take it."
She reluctantly allowed him to put it on her, and was secretly grateful he had insisted. The woods were never warm at night, no matter where you were. "Thank you."
"My pleasure." His grey eyes glinted with a spark of joy as he looked at her, as though just being with her had brightened his life. "Now," he said, pointing, "that is the way to Nina's. Follow the river a half a day's journey, and you'll be sure to find her house. Bruin the woodcutter is just a few hours that way, toward the mountains." Finished giving directions and trying to think of a way to make their time last a little longer, he watched her for a few more moments. "I'm very sorry about your mother. I wish I could have—"
"It wasn't your fault," Briana interjected quickly, wanting to avoid the subject lest she break out into tears again. On a streak of boldness, she kissed his cheek. "I wish there were more people like you and Kemble. Thank you again."
Heat rose in his cheeks. "You are most welcome. We hope to see you again."
She peered down momentarily. "Wait, what is your—" When she looked up again, he was gone. "Name?" Disappointment welled up inside of her, and she pulled the jacket closer to herself for comfort. It was inevitable that he would have to leave. Briana wished she could have stayed with him and Kemble, in a real home where she would be accepted as she was. There, with the boy who was special, just like she.
"Keep on moving, Briana," she told herself. "Don't look back on things that cannot be." With that, the girl of nine years headed toward Nina's, sobbing for the loss of her mother and hugging the boy's jacket around her torso.
Chapter One: Fateful Meeting
Over the past some-odd years, Briana had come to make the woods her home. Of course, she could not stay there all of the time, but something always brought her back to them. Perhaps it was that it was closest to the place where she lost her mother and she felt as though her mother's spirit walked this place. Briana had become almost a spirit herself in this time, a phantom of the forest that wanderers caught glimpses of one second and couldn't find the next.
To bide her time, she usually visited Nina's and Bruin's. They both ended up hospitable people, but Briana refused to stay for more than a few days at either of their homes, not wanting to put them in danger. This day she decided to take a trip to Nina's, excited to finally have a human to talk to after all the time in hiding.
A cry and a thud brought her back to the present. Briana whirled around in time to dodge a sprinting horse, and then saw its rider not too far off, lying flat on his back. She hurried to his side to inspect the damage: a bruised cut on his forehead where a branch must have nicked him. "Sir?" The woman whispered, then glanced around to check for companions. The man moaned, but did not wake up. From his attire, Briana gathered that he had some wealth, possibly the son of a lord or merchant. Deciding to risk herself, she pulled out her flask and carefully poured a little on his cut. Watery blood dribbled down and dripped on the ground. Briana tore a piece of her dress at the hem and dried it up, cleaning his face. The rider couldn't be more than eighteen with the lack of wrinkles. The beginnings of a beard could barely be seen, so he had to be older than fourteen.
He groaned, his eyes fluttering. Panicked, Briana froze for a moment, then relaxed and searched through her bag for herbs. She was just about to pull some out when a hand grabbed her forearm. Her eyes flicked up to meet the rider's dark brown eyes. "Who are you?" He inquired.
"Y-you fell from your horse, Sir. I am tending to your head."
He smirked. "I did not ask what you were doing. I asked who you are."
Briana tugged her arm from his grasp. "No one of consequence." Standing, she turned to walk away quickly.
"Come now," he continued. "You obviously are someone noteworthy if you stopped to help a complete stranger."
Briana kept going, hoping he would give up. Instead, he grasped her upper arm. Out of instinct, she whipped toward him, about to clasp his throat, but he had no weapon in his hands, and his expression held a sincerity that gave her pause. "Are you the Lady of the Forest?"
"Lady of the Forest?" She repeated.
The rider got more excited. "You know, the woman who saves men she deems noble, keeps their aim true, and protects them from beasts. The legend says that she dwells in these woods most of the time, and every so often a lucky person catches sight of her beautiful face."
Never in her life had she heard such a silly thing. Had a legend been birthed because she lived here? Briana found this rather atrocious, but better than being hunted down like a wild animal.
"Do you live here?" He asked.
"I live where I please." Briana tried once again to pull away, but he held on.
"Please do not go, Fair Maiden," he pleaded. "What can I do to thank you for helping me?"
Rather confused, Briana said, "Just go in peace. I am glad to be of service."
"But—"
She pointed. "Your horse ran in that direction. Good day, Sir."
"You cannot go," he insisted.
"I will fight you if necessary," she declared, her eyes glinting with power. "And let me forewarn you that I am the better armed of the two of us."
He still refused to release, chuckling, "My lady, I am one of the best swordsman of the land."
"That will aid you very little against me," she replied, readying her power.
"What is this, a challenge? Let me assure you—"
Not wasting a second, Briana thrust her elbow into his wrist and yanked away. In an instant, she had one of his swords in her hands, aimed at him. She had decided that brute force, at the moment, would be better than using her power. That would be her last resort. "I do not care what you call it, but know that you will not win against me. I suggest you leave these woods and forget about me."
The man chortled, unsheathing his other. "My lady, it is preposterous for a woman to wield a sword, especially since you have no experience with such a weapon."
"Then why do you draw yours?" she challenged. "Obviously you find me an opponent." So much for being thought of as "Lady of the Forest." Or did they believe that no matter what, if you were female you could not fight?
Sighing and shaking his head with a grin, the rider attacked first, making a slow, easy swing toward her right side. Briana deftly parried. Enjoying this "game", he swung again, this time the opposite side. She blocked and sliced his flesh near the elbow in the same motion. Now a little uneasy, he thrust straight on, and her blade met his. She then unleashed a flurry of attacks, each countered by him until she feigned one way, and he was left open. She kicked his back leg out from under him. When he was still in a crouch to grab his sword, and put the tip of the sword at his throat. "I warned you."
His eyes widened, and a reverence crossed his features. "Lady of the Forest, please forgive—"
"Sir!" Some people shouted. The man turned to look at his companions. "Sir, why are you crouched down?"
"Do you not see that I—" He went to introduce the woman, but she had disappeared. From a tree a little ways away, Briana watched them.
"I met the Lady of the Forest!" He said in wonder, then held up his sword. "She fences well, too."
Briana held her breathe to keep from laughing. That arrogant male had gotten exactly what he deserved in her mind. Let him think that she was Lady of the Forest and spread stories about how she defeated him. Hopefully that would keep the hunters away.
The rider was lead away, the men fearing he had hit his head hard and needed it checked out. She waited a good ten minutes after they were gone to make sure no one else was around, and then climbed down the tree to head to Nina's.
Of course, the rider did not keep his mouth shut, and instead of preventing hunters, men from all over began plaguing the woods, seeking an encounter with this mysterious woman. Briana had, for the most part, been able to avoid them, but in the early morning she had been caught off-guard while picking berries and knocked out before she could react. Now she sat in the back of a wagon-cage, chained to the floorboards. The wagon-cage had a deformed wheel, so it jostled her back and forth more than she liked. Briana realized that they were headed for Camelot, and she fought the urge to freak out, formulating a plan of escape.
They halted just inside the city gates, and the driver got down and came around to inspect her. Come a little closer, she thought. Just a little closer so that I can reach you. As though hearing her thoughts, he grinned wickedly and whispered, "I know what you are. Those stupid men thought you were some Lady of the Forest, but I know better. You are an Exploiter."
She gritted her teeth, unwilling to allow herself to show any emotion. She could very well deny it, but these kind of men knew who her people were and how to pick them out of a crowd. His putrid stench reached her nostrils, and she steeled her stomach so that she wouldn't vomit what little she had eaten recently.
"I'll be back for you in a moment." With that, the fiend sauntered off to the other side of the street, stopping to talk to some men. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Briana wracked her brain for another way to escape. There had to be some weak point in this contraption…
A blur caught her attention. The blur lifted his head, proving to be a man with dark hair that wasn't quite black. He crouched down beside her prison, hiding from her captor. "Do not be afraid," he whispered. "I'm getting you out of here."
Taken aback, Briana watched as he put his hand on the lock and tugged hard. To her shock, it undid right before her eyes, without a key! The door swung open, and the male offered his hand. Staring at him for a moment, she decided to take a risk and trust him for the moment—better than taking her chances of escaping later. She put her hand in his, and he led her away, darting into the shadows between buildings. Shouts and curses tipped her off that she was sorely missed already, and her guide kept going, taking her through twists and turns around the city. They ended up at a solid brick wall, and Briana had to wonder why he was so intent on taking her to a dead end. Despite her doubts, he pushed a section of the wall, and it opened to them, sliding sideways to expose a dark staircase. After they entered, it shut behind them, leaving them in thick darkness. A second later, a ball of light shone, and Briana marveled that it sat in the palm of the man's hand. A wizard? She wasn't so sure, but she hoped he was on her side, that he wasn't tricking her.
"Sorry for the abruptness," he apologized. "I am known to be rather rash…well, I suppose that in your situation, it was necessary, since you would be sold to Uther and then executed." Something in the way he spoke reminded her of someone, but she pushed the thought away, refusing to get her hopes up. At the bottom of the stairs was a hallway that widened into several chambers, one with a few blankets and some food and water. "But you can stay here as long as you wish. I'll be sure to get more supplies for your convenience." He turned toward her, his grey eyes reminding her of past happenings.
"You're…you're the boy," she whispered, grinning.
He beamed widely, causing her to blush. "I knew it was you the moment I saw you. Kemble will be happy to know that you are back in Camelot." The 'boy' went to leave, but she put her hand on his arm.
"Will I see you again soon?" She queried.
The question seemed to please him. "Yes, I'll be back soon, but I have to go before I am missed." He made it to the end of the hall before she spoke again.
"Wait, we didn't exchange names."
The boy who had given her the jacket said slyly, "My name is Myrddin, but people normally call me Merlin. I will see you soon, Briana."
"How did you know my name?"
Again, he disappeared, leaving her with unanswered questions once again.
As promised, Merlin did return. "Kemble wishes to see you, but as he has his duties to other people such as yourself, he cannot as of yet. And you cannot leave here, lest you be recognized." He sat against the wall next to her, handing her some food. "It isn't much, since we have so many others to tend to."
Briana immediately bit into a hunk of bread, thankful for the morsels. After swallowing, she shook her head. "This is very thoughtful of both of you. Thank you for helping me. Once again, I am in your debt."
"We're just glad to help," he said softly, almost in a distant way. All the time she ate, he watched her with a hint of a smile on his mouth. The silence didn't seem to bother him at all; he was content just watching her eat. Once she finished, he gave her a book and some candles. "I don't know if you read, but I thought it would be something to keep you busy down here."
Briana gently took it, trailing her fingers across the cover. "My mother taught me to read when I was young. Of course, we never had much time to enjoy books, seeing as we were always on the run." That said, she opened her bag and slipped the book inside.
"Is that my jacket?" Merlin asked, amused.
"Nina helped me make it when I outgrew it. I put all of my precious belongings in it." Briana smiled shyly. "Whatever belongings I have, that is."