So here is chapter two. So sorry it's terribly late, that won't be happening again. Thanks for the alerts and favourites, and my first review. Thanks MistressWinter24, so embarrassed about my mistakes, hopefully they're not so bad here.

So without further ado, here's Chapter Two.

"Caoilainn, I have not aged with any potion, I have aged naturally. You have been missing for many decades. We all have, for a long time, presumed you had died."

Caoilainn just stared at Gaius. This was one of his more ridiculous pranks and she for one was not going to fall for it.

"Merlin, Arthur could ye please excuse us." said Gaius giving Merlin a pleading nod.

"Yes, certainly" replied Arthur.

Arthur had raked up many questions in his head to put to Gaius and this woman. He would have protested but he could see the look in Gaius' eyes and decided it would be better left until later. His father would probably be looking for him to "check-in" after his hunting trip anyway. Annoyance hit him when he realised he only had a few rabbits to show for it. His irritation grew more upon seeing Merlin's face. The boy looked totally transfixed on the poor girl. Nothing else could be done but to pull him by the handkerchief out towards the door.

Merlin made to protest from the abrupt interruption of his thoughts but couldn't figure out what to say. He had felt very protective of Caoilainn ever since he had felt her touch in the underground room. He hadn't a clue what to make of Gaius' revelation. Could she really have been trapped in there for such a long time? And if so it was most likely magic was the cause of it. His thoughts were interrupted again but Arthur's hand colliding with his check.

"Snap out of it Merlin. Now I must report to my father. While I am there you can attend to my horse, see that it is feed and watered. When you're done you can draw me a bath and then you can attend to me while I've dinner with my father and Morgana. When that's done you can repair and polish my armour, I need it tomorrow." Arthur smile grew as Merlin's face went from shocked after Arthur slapping him to outrage when he listed the chores he had to do. He turned and left his servant behind him. "Now… Merlin".

Merlin went out in the direction of the stables. At least he could get some answers from Gaius when he finishes with his chores.

Merlin knew that Arthur only asked him to tend to him at dinner because he could order Merlin around in the knowledge that Merlin would not dare give him an answer back in front of his father. Arthur did enjoy the banter he had back and forth with Merlin but seeing the look of seer annoyance building up in Merlin's face was totally worth it. Arthur was totally pulled out of his thoughts by a new topic in conversation brought up by the King.

"Gaius has informed me that you, Arthur, are responsible for the safe return of Princess Caoilainn."

"Am…..Yes father, my servant and I came across an underground cave where she was…..kept. We brought her to Gaius to insure she had no injuries." Arthur has left out his suspicions that magic had been involved as he was unsure of his father's reactions to this. He was also shocked at the title he had put in front of her name. "Princess….Caoilainn? Why did you…..Do you know her?"

"Yes. Well I know of her. Her father was King Andoro. He ruled the kingdom of the Escetia before Cenred invaded the kingdom and took it all for himself." A certain uneasiness came over Uther at the thought of Camelot ever been taken from him. Not that he would let that happen lightly. "He ruled his kingdom with the strength of his knights but also with magic. Obviously it was magic that shaped his downfall. Princess Caoilainn was captured by King Andoro's most trusted advisor, his court sorcerer, in an attempt to distract the King and weaken the kingdom." King Uther had a series of flashbacks of sorcerers and witches he had come across during the Purge. He would not fall to the same faith as King Andoro. His actions over the past twenty or so years would ensure this. Magic had no place in Camelot. "I had met King Andoro in my youth. I do not remember all his family, he had many daughters and one son, but Princess Caoilainn does look familiar to me. Well I suppose technically she is no longer a Princess seen as her family no longer rule but she is still a royal and will be treated as such. She has too greatly felt the pain caused by magic. Morgana I can count on you to make her feel welcome here?"

"Yes of course, my Lord. Anything she wishes. I will allow my maidservant Guinevere to tend to her until she gets settled." Morgana shot a questionable look at Arthur but Arthur looked just as dumfounded as she did.

"Thank you Morgana that is most kind. She will be dinning with us tomorrow, I insisted she got some rest tonight; she has had a lot to take in."

"Does she know that her family is…..that the kingdom has…." Arthur couldn't imagine waking up in a strange place to find out that your family were killed and that the kingdom has been overrun. The mere thought of it left him feeling panicked and terrified.

"Yes she knows. It seems Gaius is familiar with her. He grew up in Ealdor which is in Escetia. He was training to be a court physician at their palace while King Andoro ruled. Well I shall leave ye with this news, I shall retire for the night. Good night Arthur, Morgana."

"Good night, my Lord."

Merlin couldn't have left the dining hall faster if he tried. He had so many questions for Gaius about the mysterious woman he and Arthur had found that he didn't know where he was going to start. He stormed into the physician's chambers hell bent on getting answers fast.

"Sit down Merlin, eat your dinner."

"Gaius who is this Princess Caoilainn, is she-"

"No Merlin not tonight, just not tonight"

And with that a very tired and sad looking Gaius turned to his bed ready for sleep that he knew will not come, for if King Uther found out the truth behind Caoilainn she would be put to death without a trial.

When Merlin woke the next morning Gaius had already left the cambers. This was not unusual as he often had patients to see in the lower town which required him to leave early but Merlin knew it quite likely had more to do with avoiding his questions. "But not to worry" he thought, "he can't avoid me for ever."

"MERLIN" Arthur had just flung open the door to the physician's chambers and he was not very happy by the looks of things either. "I thought I asked you to have my armour ready for the morning, as in this morning Merlin. There are new recruits arriving and what am I supposed to do without my armour?"

"Ah…" Merlin had been so curious to find out more about Princess Caoilainn that Arthur's armour had completely slipped his mind.

"Yes Merlin, so I asked another servant to carry it to you." And as if the boy was conjured out of the air, Merlin just noticed the servant at the door frame, looking far too happy and proud of himself for Merlin's liking.

"Would that be all, Sire?" said the servant giving Merlin an audacious nod.

"Yes that will be all, thank you." And with that the servant practically skipped out of the chambers, delighted that he got to be part of the princes scolding of Merlin. "Now I'm going to go watch the knights train for half an hour by which time I expect you to have these ready. That means no delays Merlin."

When Arthur arrived at the pitch the recruits were already there. They were suited up in their armour and helmets. Arthur could have been very embarrassed that his idiot of a servant did not have his armour ready for training but decided that he was going to tell the knights that he wanted to watch the new recruits fight against them on the side lines, this way he could take some notes on them. The knights seemed a bit unsure about this tactic but Arthur had given them his well-practiced "I'm the Prince" face and they carried on as usual. While watching the duals, one swordsman stood out in particular. It wasn't really that they were better than the others but they had a technique about them that was quiet foreign in nature to Arthur. Their footwork was very agile and their sword-work, while it did not have a lot of strength behind it, it was very precise in its target.

He gave a callout for Sir Leon to take on this fighter; he had wanted to see how the new recruit would fair against the experienced knight. Both opponents bowed to one another before they became a blur of swords and armour. At first Sir Leon seemed to have the upper hand. He had great strength behind each blow of his swords but each time his attempts were blocked by the shield or the sword of his opponent. Growing tired of having no success Sir Leon hammered down his sword again and again making his challenger step backwards in protest until the wooden fence put a stop to their movements. He was trapped. Right where Sir Leon wanted but he took too long in rejoicing in a win that was not his yet to claim, as his opponent ducked out of his grasp, swung their leg around in such force that it knocked Sir Leon on his back. Sir Leon opened his eyes to find a sword pointed inches from his neck. Applause broke out across the training ground as they, knights and recruits alike were all engulfed this pairing.

"Well done, recruit. You have shown some skill here today." Arthur was delighted to see this fight. Finally there was some fresh blood coming in that has a clue about combat. "What is your name?"

The recruit lifted their hand to removing their helmet and as they did so; the tie that was holding up their hair fell too. Her long brown hair twisted out of the bun and bounced down to its natural length, at the small of her back. "You've forgotten already Prince Arthur?"

"Princess Caoilainn?"

"You have your knights well trained, although maybe a few more lessons on when not to hesitate mightn't go amiss. See you at dinner tonight. Farewell Prince Arthur."