Love for a Lionheart

Chapter 3: Do You Believe in Magic?

"Royal indeed," Skye muttered snapping shut a dusty book on the genealogy of the Fell family in Aidan. Sighing, Skye adjusted the draping sleeves of the simple pale pink dress she wore, borrowed and made by Guinevere, before bending to pick up the stack of books that have accumulated on the floor beside her. Hugging them to her chest she decided to leave the library after hours of being holed up in the large dusty room.

Looking over her back to make sure she didn't forget anything she failed to notice the person in front of her as she collided into their chest, causing her to let out a startled cry and drop her books to the ground with a loud thud.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Merlin?" Skye pressed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. She should have known, she thought. Her golden locket had begun to glow brighter a few minutes ago. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, well…" Merlin had stooped down to pick up her books from the floor. Quickly he tried to think up an excuse but came up short. Instead he read the covers of the books Skye had planned to take back to her chambers. "Reading about the kingdom of Aidan and the Fell family?"

"Merlin," Skye said, a slight smile playing at her lips as she held out a hand for her books. "What were you doing down here?"

"Looking for you," Merlin finally answered, sticking with the truth. "Let me carry these for you."

Skye withdrew her hand, quirking an eyebrow. "Looking for me?"

"Gaius wanted to know if you needed a tonic or anything for your wound," explained Merlin.

"I'm doing better," she said with a smile. "However, I think I'm going to have a scar on my forehead for a long time." She brushed aside her chestnut brown hair to reveal a scar that reached two inches across her forehead, just below her hairline.

"It's not bad," said Merlin with a shy smile as they left the library. "It's hardly noticeable."

"You're just being nice," Skye said with a gentle laugh. "But thank you for your kindness anyway." She glanced at the books in Merlin's arms. "You'd think it'd be easier researching about the Fell family and of Aidan, but I don't even know where to begin. I keep reading, waiting for magic words to pop up from the book, something that will confirm or deny my family origins, but nothing. Nothing seems familiar. I'm just reading the stories of someone else's life that have no meaning to me. If anything, I learned that the kingdom of Aidan is best known for their strategic placement between kingdoms, and when it comes to the Fell family the women enjoyed marrying knights and other men of noble standing."

"Well that's a start. Can you relate the Fell women? Is Arthur suddenly more attractive to you?"

"Oh yes, so much more attractive." Skye rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue, winning a laugh from Merlin. "No, Arthur is a good person, and I see he will make a great king, but he's a bit of a…"

"Clotpole? Dollophead," supplied Merlin.

"I don't know him that well to say those words, but I was going to say arrogant. I am more drawn to the humble type and fair hair is overrated…" Skye felt heat creep up her neck, embarrassed that she let that information slip out. She glanced up at Merlin who seemed to avoid her gaze while the ghost of a smile brightened his face.

"Anyway," said Skye, trying to cover up the awkward silence, "I wish I could go back to my cottage to see if there is anything I can recover from the fire. Maybe if there was a clue there…"

"If you want I can take you there today."

Skye stopped walking and faced Merlin. She searched his eyes and found nothing but sincerity in them. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've finished my chores for Arthur today and what Gaius doesn't know won't kill him. So, do you want to go?"

"Of course," Skye replied quickly smiling brightly. "This is great, thank you so much! Are you sure Arthur won't be angry with you?"

"He's always angry with me," Merlin pointed out as he handed Skye her books back. "Here, take these, and meet me in the stables in twenty minutes."

"Okay, and if I see Arthur and he asks for you what do I say?"

"Hopefully you won't see him," Merlin said as he ran, disappearing around the corner.

"He's a bit strange," Skye said to herself as she walked back to her chambers. Despite her words, she found herself unable to stop smiling…Until she ran into Arthur leaving her chambers.

"Arthur?"

"Skye?"

Skye quickly curtsied to him. "Can I help you with something?" She walked past Arthur and into the room where Guinevere was changing her sheets.

"Have you seen Merlin?"

"Who?"

"Merlin, you know, black hair, idiot, usually says pointless things."

"Ah, that Merlin," Skye said, going over to the vanity to brush her hair. "No, I haven't seen him, my lord."

"Skye…are you lying to me?" Arthur had walked over to the vanity to stare Skye down. Pulling her chestnut hair into a braid that hung down her back, Skye stood and smiled up at Arthur.

"Would I have a reason to lie to you," she asked.

"No but I can tell you're lying. You're nearly as bad as Merlin!"

"Who?"

"Merlin!"

"Ah, him…why are we talking about him again?"

"I give up!" Arthur threw his hands into the air and glanced at Guinevere who failed to hide a smile. "Mad! All of you are mad," he complained as he stalked out of the room shouting for Merlin.

"You know where Merlin is," Guinevere said, once Arthur was out of ear shot. Skye had walked over from the vanity to help her make the bed.

"He's in the stables," confided Skye, tucking in a corner of the clean bed sheet that smelled faintly of lavender. "He's taking me to my cottage to see if I can find anything worth saving from there. One day of rest is enough for me. I need to get out of Camelot for a bit."

"Merlin's got a good heart."

"He does…" Skye paused for a moment before looking up at Guinevere with a mischievous smile. The maid stilled and met Skye's gaze.

"What's that look for?"

"What were you doing with Arthur alone in my room?"

"He had come to look for you and I was already here and don't give me that look!" Guinevere took a pillow and tossed it in Skye's face.

"For anyone who cares to look, it's so obvious," said Skye with a laugh as she sat on the freshly made bed. "You have feelings for the prince!"

Instead of denying it, Guinevere was silent for a moment. "How can I," she finally answered. "It doesn't matter, he's a prince, and I am a maid. Uther would never have it."

"Gwen…" Skye's eyes softened as she looked into Guinevere's eyes. "I think it's possible. One day Arthur will have the throne and, and he is a good man. Things will be different. You'll see."

Guinevere smiled slightly. "That's a lovely wish, but until then, Uther is still king." Gathering up the old sheets she looked at Skye. "What about you? If you really are the heiress to the Fell family of Aidan, you are next in line for the throne. It has only been three days, but since you've arrived in Camelot, Merlin has been hovering around you whenever he can. He is only a servant."

Skye touched the pendant around her neck that continued to glow, but the glow had dimmed. It was only supposed to glow when magic was present, but Skye decided that it was only faintly glowing because it sensed Merlin was further away. "If I am to be in line for a throne then things will be different in my kingdom. But I highly doubt I will inherit anything."

"Don't be so sure," Guinevere said. "You never know what could happen. I need to take these down to the laundry. Can I get you anything? Do you have a headache today?"

"I feel great, thanks Gwen," Skye smiled at Guinevere who had quickly become her closest friend. She knew that Guinevere still missed Morgana, but the feelings were reciprocated. "Oh and, Gwen, thank you for letting me borrow some of your dresses." Skye played with the skirt of the pale pink dress. Atop the skirt was an ivory loose fitting bodice that was embroidered with gold thread. "They're all so lovely."

"Oh, I'm glad you like them," Guinevere replied, blushing at the compliment.

Glancing in the mirror one more time, she left the chamber with Guinevere. "I will see you later, Gwen. I must see a man about a horse."

***/***

Three hours later Skye allowed Merlin to help her dismount from the horse he had borrowed for her from the stables. Skye swallowed back tears as she looked at the wreckage that was once her home.

"Here," Merlin said, offering her a leather satchel he remembered to bring. "In case you find anything you want to keep."

Skye smiled in gratitude as she walked toward her burnt down home while Merlin took care of the horses in order to give Skye time alone.

Walking around the perimeter of the cottage, Skye didn't know where to start. The roof had collapsed, making it difficult to see anything. Lifting the skirts of her dress, she gingerly made her way around charred debris to an area that was roughly between the kitchen and her and her father's bedrooms. Here was where she kept most of her herbal and medical potions in a large cabinet. The cabinet has been smashed and ravaged by the flames, but she was determined to find something.

Moving aside fallen wooden beams, Skye found several vials that remained unbroken. Opening each and carefully smelling them she was able to identify all of them, despite illegible labels, before putting them in the satchel. Near the vials were several books, among them Skye was able to find one that was relatively unharmed. Pulling it out, she realized it was a book that was once her mothers. There were recipes from everything to meals to potions. There were sketches of plants and their uses, and there were several pages that were written in a different language. Over the years Skye had added her own knowledge to the book.

Finding all that she could, she walked over to where her dad's room would have been. There was a large trunk that she wanted to see if it was possible to go through. "Merlin," Skye called, upon finding the chest buried deep beneath the rubble. "Can you help me pull this out?"

Merlin and Skye carried the trunk several yards from the house and sat on the grass. The lock had melted, making it nearly impossible to open. "Maybe I can find a rock or something to smash the lock off," said Skye getting up to search for one.

Once Skye had her back turned, Merlin closed his eyes before muttering a spell to open the trunk. There was an audible snap as the melted lock came off. Skye quickly turned around at the sound. "How did you get that off," she asked with suspicion.

"I was able to pull it off," said Merlin with a smile. "I think we loosened it from tugging on it so much."

"Yes…probably. Or maybe you're just magical." Skye watched Merlin's reaction, telling her everything she confirmed. He quickly tried to cover up the surprise and slight fear that shone in his eyes.

"Don't be silly."

Skye sat beside Merlin again and opened the trunk.

"Oh…" the contents within were unharmed. Within she found her dagger, her father's dagger and a hand mirror that was her mother's that was made out of silver. At the bottom of the trunk was her father's cloak the outside was black and the inside was lined with a dark blue material. In the corner was something she never noticed before. There was a stitching of a silver spiraled sun. The kingdom of Aidan's symbol.

"Does this answer your question," asked Merlin. "Do you still doubt you're Skyelynn of Fell, the last heiress?"

"N-no…" Skye stammered, dropping the cloak. "I can't believe it."

"What will you do," Merlin asked, after minutes of silence. Sitting with his arms loosely wrapped around his legs he regarded Skye with a gentle look. Something about this girl made it difficult for him to speak. He wanted to say all the right words, but found he had none. He wanted to protect her even if he didn't know where to start. Several strands of her hair had loosened from her braid and framed her face in a cute way. Somehow, just looking at her, ever since he rescued her from the fire he felt there was a thread between them that made them the same person. She turned to fix her deep brown eyes on him, and Merlin looked up to see the faint scar across her forehead. What would she do if he reached up to touch it or kiss it?

"When I was little and my father was teaching me how to throw daggers with deadly accuracy, I used to ask what Mom was like because I wondered what she would have taught me," Skye began, looking away from Merlin and into the trees. "He would always say she was very beautiful. Her skin was tanner than mine and she often liked to be outside to sit among the trees. She would read, create her potions, or simply sit. Dad liked to say it seemed like she talked with the wind and the flowers. She was loved by everyone and incredibly knowledgeable on plants and medicines. Whoever she treated always got better. Many people believed she practiced sorcery. Whenever I asked Dad if that was true he would just say that being in my mother's presence was magic. She made people feel good."

"Do you believe sorcery is evil," asked Merlin, staring at the ground unable to look at Skye.

"Do you believe intelligence is evil?" Skye retorted with a gentle laugh. "There are many quick minds in the world; some of them are sitting on thrones. Some of them used their intelligence to lie, cheat, murder, and steal their way into power. It's the same with sorcery. Everything has the possibility to be corrupted; it depends on the person's heart whether it stays pure or not."

"You will make a good queen," Merlin said with sincerity.

Skye shook her head. "No. I know plants and herbs and medicine, not strategic ways to win a war. I am not a ruler. I'd rather spend my days reading books and…"

Merlin looked up at Skye to see that she was staring intently at him. She placed a hand on his arm, making his heartbeat jump. The look in her eyes shook him to the core for two different reasons. One was because of her proximity; the second was because of the look in her eyes and her oddly glowing necklace.

"I know who you are, Merlin. You're a warlock."

"Sorcery is outlawed in Camelot," Merlin said as an answer.

Skye's eyes softened as she looked at him with gentleness, never removing her hand. "Then you are quite the lionheart for being within castle walls."

"How did you know I could do magic," asked Merlin. He watched as Skye removed her hand to touch her glowing pendant. "My mother died when I was five. She died trying to give birth. Before she went into labor, I think she knew she and the baby would die so she gave me this necklace that she used to wear. She told me it would tell me of the presence of magic. Since you saved me from the fire it hasn't stopped glowing. Only when you're further away does the glow dim."

"If it hasn't stopped glowing, do you think that it's glowing because of you?"

"I haven't noticed it before, why would it start glowing now?"

"I don't know, maybe you've only started to use your magic."

"I don't even know how to use magic!"

"Have you tried?"

"Not that I know of…" Skye trailed off in thought. She had the uncanny ability to discern poisons and medicines just by the smell, even if the average person couldn't smell them. She figure that just came from expertise.

"Maybe you've always done a simple form of magic and you didn't know."

"Maybe," said Skye. She shook her head. However, the idea of having magic was less shocking than the idea of inheriting a throne. Leaning back on an arm, Skye smiled at Merlin. "Anyway, what brings a warlock to Camelot? Are you looking for trouble or might Arthur be on to something when he says you're not that smart…"

Merlin made a face at Skye, making her laugh and throw a few blades of grass at him. Merlin responded by throwing a few pieces back at her. "Believe me," he finally said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

Merlin looked at Skye for a long time and she looked back with an unwavering gaze. He was torn between telling the truth and giving her a fake story about always being in Camelot, harassed by Arthur until only recently discovering his powers. Finally, the truth won out. He didn't know how, but something told him that he could tell Skye everything. "It started when I left my village…"

Skye listened intently as Merlin told his story, laughing every time he got annoyed and called Arthur a "clotpole" every now and then. It had been 3 days since she's known Merlin, and by the looks of it, she only had 5 days left in Camelot before she would have to face the kingdom of Aidan. The thought of leaving everything she knew behind caused a pain in her heart, but what hurt worse was the idea of leaving behind the person who sat beside her. She had become so fond of his kind nature and awkward humor. Every now and then Skye would have to remind herself to listen to Merlin's story instead of spacing out and simply concentrating on the blue of his eyes or cadence of his voice. Did her feelings show on her face?

"…and that brings us to now. Sitting in a cold field."

"You really were pleased that you could bring me out of the fire instead of Arthur even though he got the credit in the end?"

"Out of everything I said, that's what you take away?"

Skye laughed as she rose to her feet, shaking the grass from her dress and gathering up the satchel and her father's cloak. She stood in front of Merlin, the twinkle in her eyes matching his. "That and you are quite strange." Merlin attempted to look annoyed but couldn't hold it until he laughed lightly.

"So are you. You can throw daggers and you might even be able to do magic. Remind me not to get you angry."

Simply grinning, Skye held out her hands to help Merlin up. "Let's go, Lionheart, we've still got a three hour ride back to Camelot. You can wear my father's cloak."

Taking her hands, Merlin allowed her to help him up. She was surprisingly strong, and she offered warmth against the chilly wind. When he stood, he noted that Skye reached only up to his chest.

"Lionheart, huh," he asked, trying to hide the blush warming his cheeks.

"You are one of the bravest people I have ever met," confirmed Skye. Holding out her father's cloak, Merlin took it and draped it around his shoulders. Smiling, he offered an arm to her as they went after the horses to head back to Camelot.

Author's Note: Okay, a few things: I know said this story would be Arthur/Gwen too...and it will be! Primarily though, it is a Merlin/OC story. Thus far the attraction between Merlin and Skye is more physical than emotional since it's only been 3 days. It will be built up though! Wait for it!

Also, even though Merlin's new nickname from Skye is "Lionheart", essentially all of the 4 love interests in this story are lionhearts. They will all have their time to shine!

Now that Skye knows she is in fact, Lady Skye of Fell, what will she do? Now that she must take her place in line for the throne of Aidan, what happens to her and Merlin? Surely he can't turn his back on his destiny in protecting Arthur and Camelot. And can she really do magic, or is it all a fluke?

All will be answered in chapters to come! Please remember to review if you get the chance! :) Have a wonderful day!