Chapter 2: And she wakes!

Disclaimer I own nothing

When Arthur and his knights are out hunting Merlin really should consider using magic to knock them all out and send them back home. Nothing good ever comes from hunting nothing. Okay maybe some things but it was rare. But Merlin did not waist his time there, he intentionally made animals flee so that the King did not catch anything.

To Merlin this was fun and entertaining hard work. The King however found it funny too though he would never admin it to Merlin but for once he would like it if he could catch even a feeble deer. Snap! Merlin broke another twig. Arthur looked back and Merlin mouthed, 'wasn't me.' Then there was a noise that sounded like swords clashing and people fighting. The group ran towards the noise in hopes of helping. They defeated most of the bandits and the rest ran off. On the ground by a tree lay a young woman with only one stab wound in her lower chest.

Merlin checked her pulse she was alive but bleeding fastly. Gwain picked the girl up and they quickly returned to Camelot and took her to Gaius. Gaius was able to heal her but said it would take awhile for her to wake up. The next few days Merlin went along doing his daily chores with very little variation from day to day.

One day the girl seemed to be having nightmares and refused to take the healing potion Gaius had made for her. At that point Arthur had come in the Physician's room to check on the girl they had rescued. Merlin was trying to hold her down while Gaius tried to give her the potion. She was incredibly strong. Then Merlin felt something prick his finger, and then she stopped struggling and let Gaius give her the potion. Then Merlin took a look at his finger and Gaius said, "Come here let me take a look at that." Arthur also came closer to see what has happened to his servant. His finger was bleeding.

Merlin went back over to the girl to see what had cut him. He moved her hair so he could see where his hand was; only to reveal that the girl sleeping before them had pointed ears, she was an elf.

Gaius recovered and asked Arthur, "What will you do with her now sire?" Arthur looked shock and conflicted and then suddenly his face changed as if he had made his decision and said, "For now we will do nothing. She has done us no harm yet and is still recovering. She may stay here until she recovers and then I would like to speak with her." Merlin and Gaius both nodded and Arthur walked out the room. Merlin wanted to follow and thank Arthur, but he knew his friend would not understand and he know better, and he stayed.

The next day right before Merlin walked out the door to leave the girl woke up. She was panicked and scared her first thoughts were, 'where am I, what's going on, am I safe here, do I need to run, can I even run, and ow! My side hurts.' Merlin rushed over to her side. She looked at him she knew she didn't know him but she couldn't shake the feeling that something about him was familiar, and that made her feel only slightly safer and not run or attack him when he ran to her side.

She was confused and had already had the feeling that he already knew about her being an elf so she attempted to enter his mind. However she was block by an incredibly strong mental barer that no normal sorcerer could have learned to create on their own, none the less she was still trying to enter his mind. He know knew whether or not he did before that she had magic and she still did not know where she was and what waited for her beyond those walls.

Slowly Merlin let her in, but he was still very much in control whether the young warlock knew it or not. She mentally asked him, "Where am I?" He answered, "In Camelot, but do not worry King Arthur knows what you are infact he has know for some time know and he hasn't hurt you yet, he is not as bad as his father, but he did want to speak with you when you woke up. My name is Merlin." When Merlin said Camelot her face paled but you he finished speaking some of the color had returned to her face. She said, "Nice to meet you Merlin, I am Nadine. Why isn't he as bad as his father? He was raised by him was he not?" Merlin chuckled a little but you could tell it was restrained telling her that what he was about to say was very important he said, "I believe that you have already figured out that I am a wizard. During my time here he has learned that there are at least some people that have magic that aren't evil, that magic is like his sword a weapon that some people can use what makes it evil or not is what people do with it. I had to save him many times with it and the funny thing is he still doesn't know I have magic. And Although sometimes I had to do or tell him things that sometimes harden him against magic so that he does not do something he will regret later whether or not it puts me in danger because Albion will fall without him."

Nadine understood, the boy was wise beyond his years. Then she responded, "What does he wish to talk about?" Merlin being Merlin thought that this was a rather obvious answer but still he answered, "He will want to talk about why you were near Camelot, what are you intentions here, who are you, what you were after, if your with Morgana, and what you will do if he lets you go. As I said he is not as bad as his father, but be careful if you threaten his friends, family, or kingdom he will kill you."

She just nodded.

Merlin went into the thrown room and Nadine followed. When the King saw her he sat up straighter, he was still impressed she only received the injury she did with all those men attacking her. Nadine like most elves was very tall, she had dark skin much like Gwen, Black loose curly hair, and green eyes. She wasn't what he would expect a magical being to look like.

Then again he also did not expect a recovery this quick. She introduced herself, and then Arthur began his questions. "Nadine what were you doing near Camelot?" She glanced around then said, "My Queen asked me and a few others to go through the kingdoms and look for someone he is one of our more powerful warriors and.., her son." "What do you intend to do when you find him?" "Take him back home. She misses him. He did not make it back after Uther's quest to destroy all magic. We do not know whether he is dead or alive."

"If I let you go will you continue your search?" "Yes. And no offence intended but what would you do about it if I did." "Nothing as long as you don't hurt my people or teach them magic. I may not be like my father but I still do not welcome magic, but I am however more tolerant and not nearly as naïve. You must be hungry and I think you will still need some time to heal, you may stay in one of the guest rooms and join the council and I for dinner and we can talk more about this warrior of yours. Merlin?" "On it sire." He was being so quiet she had nearly forgotten he was there. Merlin showed Nadine the room where she would be staying and if she needed something to just contact him.