Dear readers,
I drew my inspiration from several other fics like this (Merthur, Fem!Merlin). It may not be orignal, but it has a plot of it's own. I haven't seen all of the series, so you guys may give advise if you want to.
This story will be 26 chapters in total since I have decided which episodes to rewrite and which not. There will be a lot of chemistry building in this for the end, so I'd love some suggestions for things
If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!
At least, I hope you enjoy reading it. Have a nice day, please review if you have any time!
With love,
~ Artemis Hunter 441
Chapter 2: Honourable Knight
Arthur was standing in the court yard of Camelot, facing the wooden platform where sorcerers were sentenced to death. He was wearing moonlight white tunics and trousers, contrasting his environment.
The whole yard was dark and there was a strange blue light surrounding the place.
The Prince looked around, seeing everyone dressed in dark colours that were either dark blue or black, as he got pushed by someone, probably a guard, behind him.
To his shock, Arthur realized he was had silver chains around his neck, wrists and ankles.
As he walked to the platform, he caught an image of a heavily pregnant Merlyne with Gaius embracing her as she cried in his arms. Both were caged, chained and also wearing the same moonlight white colour as he.
The Prince was lead up to the platform, facing the balcony where his father and Morgana were standing.
Morgana looked like she could scream it out while Uther had the same angry face as he always had during an execution.
Arthur swallowed. He was going to be executed!
Uther spoke up. "In my Kingdom, there is no place for an art such as sorcery. Those possessing the very power that destroyed everything, should die instantly. And it seems sorcery keeps invading my life daily as there was magic at the very heart of Camelot for more than 20 years! It possessed my only son and heir, and to prevent this Kingdom from falling, I shall have to execute them."
The crowd was entirely silent, only Morgana snickering as tears left her eyes.
"Arthur Pendragon, Merlyne Pendragon née Dragonborn, Gaius Dragonborn, you have been found guilty of practicing magic at the very heart of this kingdom and trying to destroy the crown."
The executioner came from his place, lifting his axe in synch with Uther's arm as the drums started playing once again.
Arthur was pushed down on his knees, head pressed onto the wood so the back of his neck was bare.
Uther brought down his arm, as did the executioner with his axe.
Arthur woke up from his nightmare, almost screaming. His eyes flashed moonlight white for a moment.
"Sire! Breakfast!" the voice of Merlyne called as she happily opened up the door.
The Prince looked at her.
Merlyne was in a good mood, dressed in a light red gown with golden edges, tight sleeves and a wide skirt that flowed in the wind as she walked. There was a lilac flower in her hair.
Arthur rose his eyebrow. "Who gave you that flower."
"Gwen got a small bouquet and gave one to me, said purple was my colour." Merlyne replied as she placed the tray on his bed. "What do you need to wear today?"
"My armor, the tournament will start tomorrow and I have to prepare." Arthur groaned as he sat up against the pillows and shoved the tray closer to him so he could eat.
"Where's the whole tournament about?" Merlyne asked as she opened up the curtains to let the sunlight in.
"Knights have to show all their strength and prove themselves. Father expects me to win… just like the past 3 years." Arthur grumbled.
"You don't sound like you like it." Merlyne commented as she tried to find an undershirt in Arthur's closet.
Arthur swallowed some of his meat. "Sometimes… I just wish my father would show me some love. Ever since mom's death after I was born, he has been distant and cold. Morgana still has some vague memories of him being a loving father to her. I wish I had known him like that."
"So your mother's death affected him the bad way?" Merlyne asked.
Arthur nodded. "It seem so."
Merlyne placed the undershirt on a chair before sitting down on the edge of Arthur's bed. She placed her hand on the shoulder that was the closest to her. "Your mom must have been his true love if he changed like that. I hope for him, that he'll see that love paints the colours of the world."
Arthur couldn't help it but smile at his maidservant.
Merlyne smiled back before standing up. "You can call me whenever you're finished, Sire."
"Thank you, Merlyne." Arthur said.
Merlyne smiled at him one more time before leaving the room.
Arthur ate while thinking about the way Merlyne had smiled at him. It was probably meant in a friendly way, Arthur didn't want to see more in it, but something told him it was more than just friendly.
The Prince sighed, not knowing what to do. Then, he decided to call her.
Merlyne watched the Prince on the field with his Knights, practicing his skills with a sword.
It was quite a sight, seeing several of them attacking the Prince while doing some kind of dance on the field.
His steps were steady yet light, graceful yet rough, every part of his body moved with some sort of rhythm.
"How is it possible you haven't ran away yet?" it was the soft voice of the Lady Morgana.
Merlyne turned her head. "Well, he's actually not that worse if you'd ask me. Luckily not as worse as you've described him."
Morgana stared at Merlyne. "I really cannot believe it that just your presence gave him this whole new character. He was so arrogant, and now look at him!"
Merlyne shot Morgana a look.
"He's doing it for you, don't you dare to deny." Morgana said with an authority in her voice.
Merlyne rolled her eyes. "I better go back to the castle, I have some chores to do before His Highness returns from training. He'll probably want a bath."
"Good luck." Morgana said as Merlyne walked away.
Merlyne went back into the castle to fold Arthur's clothes to place them in his closet and prepare the bathtub for use. She filled it with colder water, which she would be able to warm up later with her magic or with coals.
That was until she heard a voice calling her.
"Merlyne…"
The voice sounded like it was coming from far down, so Merlyne went to investigate, placing the canopy on the nightstand before leaving the Prince's quarters.
She followed the voice, which lead her down to a strange part of the dungeons.
The pair of knights who were supposed to watch the entrance had fallen asleep, so Merlyne could easily sneak into the dark corridor, using her magic as a source of light.
"Leoth." the elven woman whispered and a white light emerged from her hand and stayed there.
The corridor mounded out in a large cave.
"Hello? Is somebody there?" Merlyne called out into the cave.
Only a few bare seconds later, a golden scaled large reptile with wings and golden eyes landed on a large rock not far from where she was standing.
"So small you are, for such a great destiny." the dragon purred, nearly on a fatherly tone.
Merlyne looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Arthur is prophesized to become the Once and Future King that will unite the land of Albion to bring magic back." the dragon replied. "And it's your destiny to protect him up till the moment of his natural death. There is a reason for your gift of magic, it does serve a purpose."
"Okay… and how am I supposed to do that with my magic if it's forbidden to use?" Merlyne asked.
"You'll have to use it in secrecy, that is the only option. Yet I also advise you to train with the knights, for if you cannot use your magic." the dragon advised before flying away.
Merlyne stared after the golden dragon before going back to the prince's quarters. She dimmed the light after she went back to the normal part of the dungeons.
While going back to Arthur's rooms, she thought about what the dragon had said to her.
When Merlyne arrived back in the quarters, Arthur wasn't back yet so she decided to take the dragon's advice to heart and visit a blacksmith nearby. Maybe Gwen was able to say who was a great blacksmith.
The witch found Gwen hanging Morgana's dresses in the closet.
"Oh, hey Merlyne! How are you today?" Gwen asked after Merlyne knocked on the door to make her presence known.
"I'm fine Gwen. Hey, do you know a capable blacksmith? I got recent advice to learn how to protect myself." Merlyne asked, not revealing who. Cause it did sound pretty stupid: 'You know that there's a dragon beneath the castle? He told me to get some weapons and learn how to fight.'
Gwen smiled. "My father is one, he could forge you anything you need."
Merlyne smiled. "Where can I find him?"
"Wait a moment and I'll take you there." Gwen said.
"Need some help?" Merlyne asked.
Gwen shook her head. "No thank you, I can handle this."
Merlyne looked over Morgana's dresses. "Some of those are really fancy."
"The King wants the best for his daughter, he lets her spend anything!" Gwen told. "Oh! That reminds me!"
"What is it?" Merlyne asked.
Gwen walked over to a smaller basket on the other side of the room. "Morgana asked me to make this for you. I hope you're happy with it." and she handed Merlyne a neatly folded cerulean blue dress.
The material felt very comfortable and light.
"Go on! Put it on!" Gwen encouraged.
Merlyne blushed but did as Gwen said, disappearing behind Morgana's dressing board.
The witch put on the dress Gwen made her, placing her own dress over the dressing board. She stepped into Gwen's sight, staring straight in a mirror now.
Merlyne couldn't help it but find the dress amazingly beautiful.
The long sleeved top did reveal her breasts and thin waist, but there was no pressure on them. The skirt was nice and flowy. There was some kind of thin fabric attached to the upper part of her sleeves that gave a notion to her elvish looks.
"Gwen… I don't know what to say, it's… beautiful! Thank you so much." Merlyne said, still looking at her mirror image.
Gwen smiled. "It's nothing, for neither Morgana or for me."
Just then, Arthur walked in. "Hey Gwen, do you know…"
Arthur was searching for his maidservant after he'd returned from his training with the knights. He wanted her to go to the royal tailor to expand her wardrobe. He hadn't found her at the stables or in his rooms, so he'd asked Morgana about it and she said she'd probably be around Gwen.
Gwen would be busy in Morgana's rooms due to her chores there so Arthur went there.
He walked in, seeing Gwen. "Hey Gwen, do you know…"
The Prince's eyes had fallen on the beauty that stood near the dressing board, looking into the mirror. When he saw her face, he knew it was Merlyne.
Arthur let his gaze fall over Merlyne's new dress and couldn't help it but see that it fit her perfectly.
Her feminine figure was clearly visible, making it hard for any man to tear his eyes from her.
The Prince smiled dreamily at his maidservant. "Merlyne… you're beautiful."
Merlyne turned away with a little smile on her face, trying to hide her blush but Arthur still noticed.
Gwen was smiling eagerly from Arthur to Merlyne. "I'll be leaving you alone for a moment, excuse me."
When the darker skinned woman was gone, Arthur walked closer to Merlyne.
The maiden looked Arthur in the eye when he was only a few inches away from her. "You really think I'm beautiful?"
"I do, and I think many of my knights would agree with me." Arthur replied, still giving her that dreamy look.
"I have ridiculous ears, my neck is far too long and I look more a boy than a girl!" Merlyne said, completely disagreeing with the Prince of Camelot. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."
Arthur laid his hands on Merlyne's shoulders, close to the creamy skin of her neck. "Don't doubt yourself Merlyne, no one is truly flawless." he kissed her forehead and left the room, leaving Merlyne just a little confused.
Arthur went back to his quarters, where he heated the water in the bathtub to the right temperature. He undressed and slid into the water.
The Prince wasn't able to get the image of Merlyne out of his head, she had looked far too beautiful in that dress.
The elven beauty had surely cast a spell on him when he first laid his eyes on her
Arthur laid his hand palms on his forehead. "She is really going to be my death one day!"
The next day, Camelot welcomed knights from all over the Kingdom.
While doing most of the tasks Arthur had assigned for her, Merlyne still saw a lot of the Knights arrive on the palace grounds.
Some of the knights were pretty good looking, others were as ugly as pigs.
"Will you go watch the tournament?" Gwen asked as she walked in with Morgana's laundry.
Merlyne looked up. "Most certainly, since I'm within Arthur's tent to do whatever he needs."
Gwen laughed. "You better go, the tournament is about to begin and the Knights have to present themselves in their full armour. Arthur is not exactly a patient one."
"Thanks." Merlyne said as she placed the basket down after sorting everything out. She left the laundry and went to Arthur's room, where the Prince had gotten dressed in the garments that would be necessary underneath his chainmail and armour.
"I was already asking myself when you would show up." Arthur said with a smirk.
Merlyne rolled her eyes at that, picking up the sleeved long chainmail shirt with hood and placed it on Arthur. The red top with the Pendragon crest came next before the armor plates were placed on his right arm.
The witch stepped back to admire her handiwork before she got the cape, sword and helmet.
Arthur looked for any imperfections, but he found none. "You did great! Will you be in my tent after I've finished my matches in the pit?"
"Yes Sire!" Merlyne replied with a soft smile.
"By the way, your only chores tomorrow will be about my armour, shield and sword, the rest can wait until the day after." Arthur told before leaving the room, taking off to the pit.
Merlyne looked outside if there was a chance anyone would walk in on her. Seeing there was none, she decided to use her magic to clean Arthur's room so she wouldn't drain her energy too much.
Now dressed in a dark blue gown with silver on all edges and some decoration on the sleeves, Merlyne waited inside the tent that had been set up for Camelot's Prince. She placed some food on the table since Arthur would probably like to eat something after his matches.
The witch opened the flap on the front and walked to an opening from where she could see the sandy fields.
Gaius was there too, also watching the two knights fight. "Hello Merlyne, got everything done?"
"Luckily yes. Who are those knights that are fighting?" Merlyne asked.
The warlock looked from Merlyne to the knights. "The one in yellow with the snake shield is Valiant, I heard good things about him, the other is Sir Ewan, a very honourable knight from not so far away."
"That Valiant fights pretty ruthless." the witch observed.
"That I have noticed." Gaius said. "It's a wonder he hasn't killed anyone yet!"
Just then, Valiant pinned Ewan down with his shield.
Ewan struggled for some time before falling still.
Merlyne couldn't see what Valiant had done, but it was bad enough for Gaius to step in action and take the knight with him to the sick bay of the castle's west wing.
Arthur came towards her as Gaius carried the knight out of the pit. "What just happened?"
"Sir Ewan has gone into unconsciousness, Gaius will go find out why." Merlyne replied.
The Prince eyed Valiant suspiciously as the yellow knight with the snake shield passed by.
"I wish you luck tomorrow during your fights." the knight said, eying Merlyne before walking on.
Both watched him walk from them.
"Creep." Merlyne said.
"With that, I agree." Arthur said before turning his full eyesight to Merlyne. "Blue is beautiful on you, brings out your eyes. You should wear it more often."
Merlyne blushed for a little moment, his pale skin making it more visible. "Uh… I need to help Gaius. I see you tomorrow, Sire."
"Yes, until tomorrow. You're dismissed from duty for the evening and tomorrow evening. Would you wear the dress I saw you in this morning when you were in Morgana's room?" the Prince asked.
"Of course, Sire." Merlyne replied before walking away to help Gaius.
Arthur couldn't help it but openly flirt with his maidservant, she was just far too beautiful to not notice. If he wanted her, he had to take his chances before another man did.
"Are you sure, Gaius?"
Arthur had come to Gaius's rooms after the message of the physician had come to him carried over by Merlyne.
"There are barely any snakes around the castle, and the poison must have set in immediately after the bite. It means that the snakes on Sir Valiant's shield must be the cause of this, which can only happen if there was magic in the game." Gaius replied, very sure of his statement.
Arthur looked at the snake bite on Ewan's shoulder. "Will he survive?"
"Merlyne already identified the type of snake for me when she was in Valiant's rooms, don't ask me why she was there, so I can prepare the antidote. If all goes well, Sir Ewan will be healed by tomorrow morning." the physician replied.
Arthur rose his eyebrow, but he didn't ask any questions. "Be sure no one but Merlyne and I can come in. If word spreads that Sir Ewan might make it, Sir Valiant might return to finish his job."
"So… you're not going to tell your father this?" Merlyne asked.
"It may be hard, but the word of a servant and a physician does not stand against that of a knight. I believe you, but without Sir Ewan awake, father will not believe a word." Arthur explained.
The servant girl looked at her feet. "Well, we have to hope that Sir Ewan makes it, so we can cancel the fight in the morning."
Arthur laid his hands on Merlyne's shoulders. "I hope so too. But if he doesn't, I'll still have to fight that man."
"But you're gonna die!" Merlyne exclaimed.
"I won't, I promise." Arthur said before leaving, preparing for the celebration that night.
Merlyne didn't like it at all that Valiant was flirting with Morgana, the schemer.
Gwen came up next to Merlyne. "In this light, you look even better!"
The witch smiled at the servant. "You think?"
"Arthur requested you to wear it, didn't he?" Gwen asked with a small giggle. "I know that you'd otherwise had arrived in boy clothes!"
"You guessed it just right." Merlyne said, a little blush on her cheeks.
"You'd make a great Queen." Gwen whispered.
The witch jumped at that. Sure not Gwen did just imply… gosh, she did! "My goodness, Gwen! Don't you know that Arthur will have to marry a Princess one day?"
"By the way he looks at you? He'll decline anything!" Gwen told just before leaving.
Merlyne laid her right hand on her forehead. Gwen wasn't right, Arthur would however need to marry a Princess of another Kingdom to ensure an heir to the throne and straighten the bonds between the Kingdoms, a pure political marriage was quite common among royalty and marriage for love was rare to unique.
"Berbay odothay arisan quickem."
Merlyne tried to practise the spell. After Gaius told both her and Arthur that Sir Ewan had died from a second bite, the witch took matters in her own hands and disobeyed Gaius's orders of not to use magic. She had to save Arthur, didn't matter if it would be a death sentence.
Yet, the spell didn't work.
"Berbay odothay arisan quickem." Merlyne tried again. "Berbay odothay arisan quickem."
Nothing happened, again. The dog statue didn't move.
The witch sighed, nothing would be able to help the Prince if she didn't get the spell.
"What am I doing wrong?" Merlyne asked herself before reading the lines again, to see if she missed anything. She didn't have very much time, otherwise she would be too tired to cast the spell.
"Once more, I must do this!" the elven looking maiden said, determined to save the Prince's life. "Bebiede þe arisan cwicum."
The dog statue moved an ear, then a paw, then it's neck.
Merlyne couldn't stop smiling, she'd done it!
The dog began to bark, Merlyne silenced it.
At least now the Prince would survive.
Merlyne waited at the gate as Arthur opposed Valiant in the dueling pit.
The knights couldn't be more different than those two were.
Arthur was quick on his feet and his quick blows had lethal perfection while Valiant relied on steady ground and muscle power to give hard blows that would cause the loss of a weapon or shield.
Arthur managed to slam Valiant's helmet, throwing off his own to make the fight equal.
The witch looked around her, careful that no one would see her if the time was there.
The first thing Arthur lost, was his sword, and he couldn't go around Valiant because the man had blocked him.
Then the loss of his shield left him open and vulnerable to any attacks of his enemy.
Merlyne breathed deeply in and out before stretching her arm. "Bebiede þe arisan cwicum."
The snakes slowly arose from the shield for everyone to see.
Valiant looked with shock to his shield. "I didn't summon you!"
"Now they see for who you really are." Arthur announced, standing tall on the field.
Merlyne was smiling.
Valiant cast his eyes back on the Prince of Camelot. "Kill him!"
The snakes obeyed, sliding out of the shield towards Arthur.
The prince walked backwards, since he had nothing to defend himself with.
Morgana acted quickly, throwing Arthur her sword. "Brother, catch!"
Arthur got his hand on the grip, quickly killing both the snakes by cutting the heads off. Then he advanced on the knight.
Valiant hadn't really expected that, still he tried to defend himself.
Still, the Prince of Camelot was far quicker and determined to win. He managed to defeat the cheater and ran his sword straight through the knight's chest, killing him.
Everyone started cheering for the Prince.
Arthur rose Morgana's sword in the air before throwing it back at Morgana, taking his own sword and shield back.
Walking through the gate, the Prince placed his hand on Merlyne's shoulder. "Thank you."
That got Merlyne stunned.
Merlyne's dress during the tournament: nl . pinterest pin / 37 85 83 91 24 00 51 70 77 /
I hope you enjoyed it.
Please review if you have the time.
~ Artemis Hunter 441