AN: As always I don't own anything and please read and review!

Ch. 2 - "Poppy"

Merlynn had found a small paper with a target in the middle of it and the words "This will teach her" written on it in her belongings the day after her now infamous showdown with Arthur Pendragon. At first, she just shrugged it off, but soon afterward, she began to be harassed by the other students at the school. Those that harassed her where very careful to do so, since Merlynn was "the local hero" and Camelot was promoting that she was enrolled there. Merlynn knew that the other students couldn't do too much to her, but it was still harassment and Merlynn knew that Arthur Pendragon and his group of "Knights" were the ones to blame for her current predicament, so Merlynn decided to fight back and not let Arthur Pendragon get the best of her.

Weeks upon weeks passed with Merlynn and Arthur constantly bickering, speaking thinly veiled threats, and constantly playing pranks upon one another, but oddly enough, they both seemed to enjoy their little war. As time passed, Merlynn actually became rather good friends with the rest of Arthur's "Knights", who would just smile and shrug at Merlynn and Arthur's antics. As for Arthur, he slowly began to see Merlynn in a whole new light. Arthur admitted to himself that Merlynn was pretty, in an elfish sort of way, but what really sparked his interest in her was that she was always honest with him, even if they were constantly fighting, and she wouldn't take any of his crap and could hold her own. She constantly surprised him; of how quick-witted and oddly cheerful she always seemed to be, even when they were in the midst of an onslaught of bickering. So, he decided to allow her to date him and sent some servants to pick her up so he can tell her the news.

Merlynn was calmly walking down the sidewalk, when she noticed some men following her. She started to panic when she couldn't seem to lose them and was swiftly herded into a dark car. The next thing she knew, she was shepherded into a huge house and passed around different people as they dressed her up and made her up into a doll version of herself and finally herded into a large parlor room where Arthur was patiently waiting. "What the heck is going on?!," Merlynn yelled out as she made her way towards Arthur. Arthur smirked and said, "What's going on, is this is just a little preview of what I can offer you, if you would agree to become my girlfriend." Merlynn felt her mouth drop in surprise and asked, "Are you serious?"

"Perfectly serious, Merlynn," he said with a smirk.

"You have got to be kidding! Why on Earth would I agree to be your girlfriend?," she questioned with confusion and agitation.

Arthur eyed her with confusion and asked, "Why wouldn't you? I'm young, handsome, athletic, pretty smart, and obviously extremely wealthy. I can give you anything you desire."

Merlynn was shocked into silence as she carefully thought about how she could respond, and finally she said, "Look, Arthur, I admit that you are all the things that you just described yourself, but you cannot buy love. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to refuse." Merlynn quietly left a stunned Arthur behind as she left his large house. As Arthur watched Merlynn walk away, he felt stunned into place as he couldn't quite grasp that someone had actually rejected him. He couldn't believe that Merlynn didn't want him, and if anything, it made him all the more enthusiastic to gain Merlynn's affections.

AN2: Poppies are associated with battlefields