A/N: Hey, all! I don't know if anyone's actually reading this story...but I'm going to keep writing it anyways! It's been almost two years since I last updated it….but that's because of all the crazy things that have gone on in my life recently (which I have mentioned in some of my other stories). I'm trying to make an order for updating my three multi-chapter fics, and I'm pretty sure it's going to go "Trouble on the Ponderosa", "The Newsie Girl", and then this story. Hopefully that'll work out. I have also seen a lot more of Merlin then I had when I started this story (thanks to this lovely invention called "my brother's Netflix account")-I have now watched multiple episodes of Season 1, 2, and 3, almost all of Season 4, and every episode of Season 5 before Mordred….well, you know…. :( Bad Mordred!

Anyways, hopefully this should be updated more regularly (even though it's the last story to be updated). I shall also endeavor to make the chapters longer than the first one was….. ;) :)

DISCLAIMER! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING MERLIN RELATED! ALL I OWN IS A PAIR OF TUBE SOCKS AND SOME CHEESE! ;)

Please enjoy: Merlin and Lady Alliana Chapter 2!

The next morning, the entire castle (royalty, knights, and servants alike) were all standing on the steps, waiting for the delegates of Iconia to arrive. Some knights who were out on border patrol had returned a little over a half an hour ago, reporting that they had seen the Iconian delegation approaching Camelot.

"Stop fidgeting, Merlin-do you have ants in your pants or something?"

"No, it's just that the seamstress made these new pants for me out of really itchy material, and I don't want to end up allergic to them."

"Allergic to your pants? Now that's a new one, even for you." Even though Merlin and Arthur were bantering from the corners of their mouths, the surrounding knights (of the Round Table, of course) could apparently hear them, based on the amount of sniggers they were trying to hold back. Arthur made eye contact with Leon, who rolled his eyes, and then cleared his throat, seeing something off in the distance.

"Sire-the delegation is here." Everyone followed Leon's finger to see the deep purple cloaks of the Iconians growing closer and larger. In about five minutes, the Iconians reigned in their horses. The man in the lead was a tall man, almost as tall as Percival, with dark gray hair and piercing blue eyes. The young woman beside him Merlin presumed to be his daugher, Princess Hannah. She had long, wavy brown hair that went down to her waist, and warm brown eyes. There was another woman, next to Princess Hannah, but Merlin wasn't sure who she was. As the Iconian King stepped forwards, Arthur stepped down the marble steps.

"Welcome to Camelot, King Olmec. We are proud to finally receive your company once again, as I know my father would be." Arthur declared. King Olmec smiled and bowed.

"We are proud to be here as well, King Arthur. Iconia has always had a peaceful relationship with Camelot, and we desire nothing more than to continue that relationship." King Olmec replied. Then, he motioned to the two girls, who stepped up beside him. "This," he said, indicating the brown-haired girl, "is my daughter, Princess Hannah." The Princess curtsied to Arthur. "And her handmaiden, Lady Alliana." The young handmaiden (who Merlin now recalled Arthur had mentioned had magic) also curtsied, and Arthur inclined his head to both of them. "Welcome, Princess Hannah and Lady Alliana. It is a pleasure to meet you both. This is my wife, Queen Guinevere." Gwen stepped forwards and curtsied to the three Iconians, who bowed/curtsied back. "Please, come inside. I will show you to your rooms, and then you are free to do as you wish until the banquet tonight. My manservant, Merlin, will also be on hand if you need anything." Arthur said. King Olmec nodded, and the entire Iconian delegation followed Arthur into the castle. Merlin also made to follow, but then noticed a couple of the Iconian knights who had stayed behind to take care of their horses. They had grabbed Alliana's arm to prevent her from accompanying Princess Hannah, and were shoving her between themselves. Finally, one of the knights shoved her to the ground in front of the horses. "Get started with our horses, witch! Or should we say...wench!" The young girl rolled her eyes at the two of them, attempting to stand, but getting pushed down again. "I do not serve the two of you, Markus and Marrius, despite your beliefs to the contrary. I serve the Princess Hannah, and her alone. And anyways, I would never use magic in a place where it would disrupt the peace. Camelot has a ban against magic, so I will not use it. And I am no wench-I have never been with any man. So, in other words-get your hands off of me, and let me do my job!" She attempted to stand once more, but the two knights pushed her down again. "I don't like your tone, servant!" one of the knights mocked, shoving her to the ground.

"I don't like yours!" Merlin cried, descending the stairs. He marched right over to the knights and stared them down. "You have no right to keep the Lady Alliana from doing her job-which is not serving your every whim, but serving the Princess Hannah. If you keep hindering her, I'll alert King Olmec and King Arthur to your deeds, and then….well, you really won't like what happens next." The knights glared at him, before shoving Alliana to the ground once more, and storming off into the castle. Alliana sighed in relief. "Thank you for that. Most of the knights are honorable men, but...then there's those two idiots." She grinned up at him. "I'm Alliana, by the way...but I guess you already knew that."

"I'm Merlin." Merlin said, offering her his hand. She accepted, and he pulled her to his feet. Then, the two started for the castle, talking all the way.

A/N 2: Well, hopefully this chapter is a bit longer than the first one...again, I do apologise for the shortness of that chapter...writer's block is just a thing that exists, and it hit me pretty hard for this story. Hopefully, I should be continuing it soon, once I get the chapters for TOTP and TNG ("Trouble on the Ponderosa" and "The Newsie Girl" finished...which should hopefully be soon...especially since I'm getting my own laptop. YAYAYAYAYAYAY! ;) Hopefully I should have all three chapters done before I move in at Multnomah University for my freshman year in...two months and four days…..augh….can it come quicker, please? ;)

Welp, that's all for now...see you soon, hopefully!

God bless,

1monster2