CHAPTER 3: THE DRAGON'S CALL PART 1

Hello, readers! I know I haven't been active much, but there's a good reason. I got married and had twins afterward. It's been quite hectic. But I'm back with a new story. I will not neglect my other story. This story just came to me and I just had to write it. I hope you enjoy and review.


The ride to Camelot was long. It took her three whole days to reach the kingdom, but it was worth it, she thought.

Camelot was beautiful—dangerous, but still beautiful. The lower town was buzzing with excitement. Every townsfolk were busy buying items for their daily needs.

She carried most of her belongings by herself. In reality, she used magic to make each luggage lighter than they are.

When she entered the castle's main square, she found that there was a gathering. She looked up at the castle's balcony and saw a man looking regal. He wore similar clothes like her father.

"He must be the king." She whispered to herself.

A few seconds passed, and her attention came to the fanfare and the drum beats. Then, entered a man being held by two soldiers.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass." The king announced.

He raised his hand as a signal for the executioner. At his command, the man accused of witchcraft was beheaded.

Meryln's eyes went wide. She could not believe her eyes. The very first moments she spent in Camelot were to witness a man being beheaded because he dared to use magic. She swallowed hard. She needed to be careful.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."

It sickened her that there was going to be a celebration after a man was sentenced to death.

Then, she looked to her right when she heard a woman wailing.

"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a son for a son." The old woman, who Meryln identified as Thomas' mother came forward and threatened the king openly.

"Seize her!" Uther have had enough of this nonsense. How dare she threaten his son?

But before the guards could apprehend her, she grabbed hold onto her amber necklace and muttered a spell. It was Meryln's first time hearing a spell, and she was in awe when Thomas' mother vanished into thin air.

"So much for being safe." She gulped after the crowd disbanded. The guards to the court physician's chambers redirected her. "Gaius?" she knocked but nobody answered. She let herself in after a few more knocks. "Gaius?" she frowned when she discovered an old man fetching a book from his second floor bookshelf.

"Gaius?" she asked once more and this time around, the old man took notice.

"What?" the old man turned around but he was knocked out of balance from his bookshelf stairs and broke the railings in the process. The old man braced himself for death, but instead, Meryln's eyes turned gold and time was slowed down.

She looked for something soft that he could land on and she smiled when she saw a cot. She moved it across the room and Gaius landed on the bed, confused.

"What…" he immediately got up and began interrogating Meryln. "What did you just do?"

"Ermm…" she was at a loss for words. It all happened so fast. Frankly, she did not know if he was to be trusted or not.

"Tell me!"

"I have no idea what happened." She immediately lied.

"IF anyone had seen that…" the old man shook his head.

"No! That had nothing to do with me. It wasn't me!" she tried to deny it, but Gaius knew that it wasn't the truth.

"I know what it was! I just wanted to know where you learned how to do that!" he spat.

"Nowhere." She was telling the truth. She really does not know.

"So how is it that you learned magic?" he was more direct this time.

"I don't." she shook her head, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Where did you study? ANSWER ME!"

"I've never studied magic, or have been taught." She finally gave in. And just like that, Meryln's adventure was to be cut short.

"Are you lying to me… boy?" Gaius stepped back and examined the "boy" that was standing in front of him.

He looked feminine that he was masculine in his opinion. He was too pale, too thin, and too pretty to be a boy.

"What do you want me to say?"

"The truth." He pressed on the subject.

"I was born like this!" the princess huffed and dropped all her luggage on the floor.

"Lies!" he shook his head in disbelief. "That's impossible."

"Well, that's the truth." She made sure to stare at him in the eyes, to establish that she was telling the truth.

"Who are you?"

"I'm…" she hesitated. "I have a letter from my mother, Hunith."

"Hunith's son? You're Xalvador?"

"No." she bit her lower lip. "I'm Meryln."

"Oh! I did not know Hunith had another…" the physician's eyes widened. "You're Princess Meryln."