Hi all, sorry this is late! Things have been crazy with exams and papers, etc. Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it! Reviews are much appreciated, and thank you so much for reading.
Chapter 2
Merlin couldn't sleep that night – he was kept awake thinking about Lia. Despite how he'd tried to convince Gaius that Lia was harmless, Merlin did have his doubts. What if he was wrong? What if she did mean to kill the King or Arthur? What if she didn't actually have magic, and the golden in her eyes was just a trick of the light? Finally, Merlin couldn't take it anymore. He threw off his covers and pulled on his jacket and boots. There's only one way to settle this he thought to himself as he snuck past Gaius' bed and out the door as quietly as possible.
Merlin had to admit was he loved the way the castle felt at night; still and silent, the only movements the flickering of the torches and the only sounds the occasional footsteps of guards changing posts. Merlin followed the passages until he reached the lady servants' hallways, then suddenly realized he had no idea which room was Lia's. Fortunately, he didn't have to guess, because just at that moment one of them opened. Merlin quickly leaped behind a column and peered around to see Lia exit one of the rooms, dressed in clothes and a cloak that suggested she was going out. Lia was clutching a bag at her side, and she glanced around warily before hurrying down the hall in the opposite direction of Merlin. Merlin carefully crept out from behind the column and followed her as soundlessly as he could.
Lia left the palace, snuck past the guards, and exited the castle grounds into the woods. She moved quickly and nimbly, and despite being a warlock, Merlin wasn't the most graceful young man. He stumbled after her, worried about making too much noise but also not wanting to lose her. Merlin followed Lia for a good half-hour until they reached a clearing. Lia stood in the middle of the clearing, glancing around nervously. She seemed to be waiting for someone. Merlin crept around the edges of the clearing but ducked behind a rock as he saw movement in the shadows. A moment later, two people emerged from behind the trees – a young man and woman. The young man looked sick, and the young woman was supporting him. Lia looked glad – no, it wasn't quite gladness, more like relief – to see them.
"Well?" the woman asked.
Lia handed them the bag, "Provisions, they should last for another week. I haven't been able to find anything yet, and I'm not sure coming here was a good idea. They're even stricter here, and anyone who so much as mentions the word magic is immediately considered suspicious. I think. . . I think it may be better to leave, to seek help elsewhere."
The young man suddenly had a coughing fit, nearly collapsing. The woman caught him, then turned back to Lia and shook her head.
"No, we've come too far for this. Allan won't last much longer, we don't have time to go somewhere else. You just have to keep looking. Get to know people, gain their trust. Camelot has the largest library in the kingdom, and apparently the best court physician too. There must be something here," the woman replied, "Keep looking. If you still don't find anything, come back next week with more provisions."
"Yes, m'Lady," Lia told them. They nodded, then the man and woman turned and disappeared back into the shadows. Merlin decided then was as good a time as any to make his presence known. It's not as if I can go up to her in the palace and say 'oh hey, I have magic and could probably help your friend.'
Merlin stepped out of the shadows behind Lia and put his hand on Lia's shoulder. Immediately, Lia whirled around and whacked him in the stomach, sending Merlin stumbling backward. Ow!
"Wait! I'm not going to hurt you," Merlin exclaimed.
Lia's eyes focused in recognition, "You! You're the Prince's serving boy. What are you doing here? Why were you following me!"
"I saw your eyes. I know what you are. . . I have magic too," Merlin said.
"Prove it," Lia demanded.
"Ok," Merlin slowly got to his feet, Lia watching him warily. Merlin picked up a stick, and said, "Bæl on bryne." The tip of the stick immediately caught on fire.
Lia looked at him, her expression somewhat softening. Merlin looked up at her, then said, "Your turn." Lia held out her hand for the stick, which was still burning, and Merlin handed it her. Lia stared at the stick, but didn't say anything. Her eyes flashed golden, and the stick abruptly extinguished. The most surprising thing, though, was the stick looked completely unscathed, as if it hadn't been burnt at all.
Merlin looked at Lia, impressed, "Who taught you?"
"No one. . ." Lia said slowly.
"That's. . . nonverbal magic, that's very difficult," Merlin commented, feeling somewhat unsettled. A rogue warlock, untrained, with that much power.
"I – I didn't know, I was born with magic. I've learned to control it over the years – I've had to, especially here. Why am I telling you this?" Lia shook her head and looked away from Merlin.
"Look, I won't lie, I did follow you, and I saw you friend is hurt. I can help – the court physician, Gaius, is my friend. Well, really more of an uncle to me. He knows about me having magic, and I'm sure he can heal your friend," Merlin said gently.
Lia's head snapped up, "He's not my friend – well, he. . . it's complicated. His ailment is not physical, not of anything normal. He has been cursed, infected with an ancient spell so powerful that no one we have gone to can cure it. We haven't dared to visit just any physician though. They always ask how you got hurt in the first place, and us being who we are, well, we can't reveal that. That's why we came here. They had to stay in the woods while I gained a place in Camelot's court, in hopes of finding some information on a cure to save him. I am grateful for your offer, but. . . how can you be sure it will be safe? Where will they stay? I cannot put them up in an inn, it would raise suspicions if I were constantly visiting them. If anyone found out. . ."
"No one will find out, I promise," Merlin told her, although he knew that wasn't a safe promise to make, "We'll find a place for your friends to stay – they shouldn't be out here in the cold, wet woods – and I'll introduce you to Gaius. I'm sure there is something we can do."
Lia hesitated, and Merlin could see different thoughts battling in her head. Finally, she gave a reluctant nod, "All right. I'll tell them." Lia disappeared into the shadows, and Merlin heard low voices, then a moment later Lia reappeared with the pair. Now that Merlin was facing them, he could see what they looked like. The young woman had fine, blonde hair, so bright it looked like gold, and grey eyes. She was of medium height. The young man was about as tall as Merlin and looked about his age, maybe a bit older, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. His skin was pale, so pale his veins showed, and his eyes looked bloodshot. When he coughed, he coughed up blood into his palm, and his whole body shook. The man could barely walk. He was leaning heavily on the woman, and they both looked disheveled and exhausted.
Lia introduced them, "This is Miriam and Allan." Miriam gave Merlin a wary glance, then looked to Lia.
"Are you sure we can trust him?" she asked.
Lia looked at Merlin, then replied, "Yes," though the shadows from the moonlight hid the uncertainty that clouded her face. That's all right, I wouldn't trust a stranger either – not yet anyway.
"We'll come back tomorrow night – I need a bit of time to make arrangements," Merlin told them, then added another dangerous promise, "I'll do everything in my power to help you."
Miriam gave a tight nod, then said goodbye to Lia. She and Allan disappeared back into the woods.
Lia turned to Merlin, "We'd should go." Merlin nodded, and the two headed back to Camelot in silence.
