Joanna recovered quickly and went to work with Merlin. Arthur couldn't help watching them as they worked together seamlessly. She always sang and always seemed to be laughing.
She was very pretty, he mused as she served him food one evening. Tall and shapely with beautiful ginger hair and unusual blue eyes. She wore simple rough woollen dresses with white aprons and always wore a silver necklace bearing a silver feather pendant. She always tied her hair back loosely with ribbons.
She worked in perfect harmony with Merlin and quite often Arthur noticed them dancing together as they made his bed or set the table or laid out his armour.
"Why do you do that? Why do you dance while you work?"
"Why walk when you can dance?" she said laughing. "Dancing and singing while you work, brightens it up, and doesn't make it seem like a job. Besides it makes you smile." She smiled shyly.
Merlin noticed the affectionate look they shared and interrupted them quickly, sending Joanna out of the room to fetch more water. Arthur looked at his friend curiously but for once employed tact.
Gwen laughed as she saw Joanna dancing across the courtyard the next morning. She liked the girl, there was just something about her, she was fun, and the girl version of Merlin. As she watched her dance Joanna suddenly hunched over in pain, one hand reached for her shoulder blades and the other clutched her head, and then she fell to her knees. Breathing heavily Joanna glanced around and then struggled to her feet and dashed into the entrance to the dungeons.
Gwen hesitated before following. Merlin, who was crossing the courtyard with Arthur rushed forwards and barred the door.
"Don't." he said firmly.
"I'm just concerned. She looked like she was in a lot of pain."
"I'll handle it." with that he rushed after Joanna.
"Gwen, go back to your work." Arthur said before following his manservant.
As quietly as he could he crept down the steps, he saw Joanna crouched down clutching her head and Merlin rubbing her shoulders soothingly at the bottom of the stairs.
"It's alright. Don't worry, I'm here."
"It's a new pain. A ringing in my head, its trying to force them out."
"I know what that is. Come with me, Jo." Merlin raised her to her feet slung an arm over her shoulders and led her to the dragon's cave.
Arthur hesitated before following them onwards. He'd never come here before so he trod carefully as he followed his servants into the bowels of the castle.
Merlin led her into the dragons cave and called him. The great beast swooped down and Joanna barely blinked at seeing him.
"What have we here?" the dragon said, clearly amused.
"This is Joanna, and it's alright, she's-" Merlin broke off as Joanna couldn't hold on any longer and her wings sprouted from her shoulders, one of them still wounded, knocking Merlin over since he wasn't expecting it, "one of us."
"An Elf?"
"Partly." She said, the pain seeming to have vanished. "Father was one."
"I see. I sensed a new magical being in Camelot and I've been waiting for Merlin to come to me demanding what should be done about them."
Joanna looked at Merlin and giggled. "Sounds like him. Have you been calling me?"
"Blindly." The dragon smiled. "I sensed your unusual magical power and desired to meet you. I can feel your gift now that you're close, and though I've met many an elf I don't think I've met one as strong as you. Just think of what you could do. Your destiny is unclear but what is certain is that you will have an impact."
"I don't doubt that." Merlin muttered.
Joanna turned her head and glared at him. He grinned cheekily back in a 'Please don't kill me' kind of way. She smirked and summoned a ball of pearly magic in her hand.
"Oh no." Merlin went to run past her but she spread her wings and blocked the path. The right one was still stained red and was bandaged. "Don't make me throw you over the edge. Because you know I will."
The dragon chuckled as she continued to smirk. Merlin grabbed her arms and pushed her over the edge of the ledge. Arthur hurried forwards and Merlin bumped into him as he ran out of the cave, knocking them both over.
"She's wounded, you prat. She can't fly." Arthur scrambled to the edge and looked over. There was no sign of Joanna.
A golden and white arrow suddenly whizzed over their heads and attached itself to the rock. There was a golden rope attached to it.
"Are you going to give me a hand or not?" Joanna snapped as she reached for the ledge. Arthur quickly pulled her up to the ledge. She sat on the ground by them. "How long were you spying, sire?"
"Long enough. And don't worry, your secret's safe."
"So you don't mind?" Joanna asked as she made her white and gold bow vanish into thin air.
"So long as you're discreet. And keep these hidden." Arthur reached over tentatively and stroked the feathers of one of her wings.
"You know, not all elves have wings like this. They're usually scaly, like his." Joanna gestured towards the dragon who had settled down to watch them interestedly. "We're not like fairies or pixies, we're just magical humans. But I'm not a full elf, I'm a half-breed. If you want to meet a real elf then meet my father with me on my birthday."
"When is that?"
"Two weeks. He always comes and brings elven made gifts." She got up and held out a hand to help Arthur up which he took and then wouldn't let it go.
Merlin scrambled to his feet too and turned away grumpily, venting his jealousy by pulling the arrow out of the wall.
