MERLIN – PRIMIS ANNIS AVEM
AN: Hey guys, thank you for being patient. Right, so this may seem at the start like something you have already read. But I said last time that I saved what I could and uploaded because a lot of what I wrote got lost. But I have been working on reviving/ rewriting/editing what I wrote and more and added it on the end of this chapter. So if you go down far enough to when the group find the horse in the forest, that's where to continue on from. After a rest I now feel I am on a role with this story and fear if I stop typing I will lose momentum and direction haha XD So anyway, stop ranting Corey. Hope you enjoy. P.S. The usual apology for any spelling or grammar mistakes made, I swear I'm English :D
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In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young girl. Her name... MERLIN.
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THE WORST FIRST HUNT
There are many legends and myths that make up or add to the history of Camelot. Some that people enjoy, others not so popular. Ones that involve the city crumbling if something does or does not happen. Ones leading to many deaths. Ones none would have any control over if it turned out to be true. It simply has to be lived with. Unfortunately... this is one of those.
The kingdom was picking up steadily since the plague. The people knew it was no ordinary illness, but thanks to the king swearing all who knew to secrecy, no-one would have ever suspected the water, or sorcery. Ask anyone and they'd assume the plague simply passed on, and those last few who suffered and quickly recovered were just stronger.
Everyone got on with their lives. It was not like a epidemic hadn't threatened them before. However they were in a grieving stage. Small smiles and politeness was the best that could be expected.
The deceased were laid properly to rest, guard shifts were scheduled for the underground reservoirs. And there was another thing that had been put off for far too long, in the prince's opinion. The young man in question was already up and dressed when his maid-servant arrived with breakfast.
"Ah, Merlin! I'll surpass the lecture on door-knocking today. Good news! You'll be accompanying us on a hunt this morning."
Merlin staggered in arranging the plates on the table. "A... hunt?"
"Yes, Merlin, don't tell me your childhood's been so sheltered you don't know what a hunt is."
She tutted as she poured his drink. "No, I know what hunting is. Back home we set traps for small animals and, well, we have fields. So we could rear our cows to slaughter like any other civilized village."
Arthur rolled his eyes as he shrugged on his long coat, "We have plenty of those too, but Camelot is a big city. Loads more mouths to feed. Also... some farmers fell victim to the plague and there haven't been any hunts since before the tournament."
"So why do I have to go?" Merlin moaned.
"You're the servant, Merlin. You'll be carrying our equipment, anything we kill and best of all, it will keep you quiet for a couple of hours. Now go down to the stables and prepare two horses. The weapons should already be outside." The prince flopped into his chair and started tucking in. Merlin hesitated. She actually would rather stay behind and tidy up. However when Arthur had a mouth full of sausage, she had no chance to make that excuse.
When Merlin stomped down the steps outside, she saw a group of men standing around and servants saddling their horses. Their voices and oafish laughter filled the courtyard as if they were the only ones there. They were in chain mail and bright red capes. How on earth did they expect to sneak up on anything dressed like that, Merlin scoffed.
She peered round the open door of the royal stables. It was five times the size of her home in Ealdor and, well, as a stable would be expected to look. It smelled like fresh hay and dung, but brought in a lot of sunlight, much nicer than the cells in some ways. A few very tall horses were left in the stalls. Merlin approached them slowly, trying to avoid their whipping tails and mess they'd left in the hay. As she got closer, she heard a quiet voice coming from the back. A soothing tone as if someone was talking to a child.
"Hello?" Merlin cleared her throat.
A tubby man appeared from around the back. "Oh! Good morning, miss!"
Merlin was almost taken back by his optimistic greeting. It was refreshing, especially recently. "Er, Hi! I'm sorry to disturb-"
"Not at all, I was just tending the prince's horse. I'm Tyr, the royal stable hand. What can I do for you?"
"I'mmm Mmmerlin," her voice wobbled as he shook her hand vigorously. "I'm prince Arthur's servant. I was told to get two horses ready, for a hunt...?" She gestured to the knights on the other side of the wall.
"The prince's horse is saddled and ready to go. Would you like to pick out yours?"
Merlin looked nervously down the line. Was there a difference? "Err, alright. The brown one?"
"Excellent!" Tyr waddled passed her to get it prepared. She followed closely.
"Don't suppose you could give me a few tips on how to ride a horse in as much time as it takes for the prince to finish his breakfast...?" The stable hand turned round questionably. "...I've never ridden a horse before."
Tyr gave her a sympathetic smile.
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Arthur finally swaggered down the grand steps, the sun's rays streaming over the ramparts at this point. And he accused Merlin of always being late!
All was prepared, the knights and servants were ready to go, and his maidservant was sitting stiffly in the saddle of her own mare. In the last ten minutes Tyr had quickly gone over the basics of saddle parts and control with Merlin and had helped her wiggle onto the horse's back for the fifth time. And now she perched feebly attempting to mask the anxiety in her face and posture. Not that the prince bothered to glance in her direction, marching right past and getting himself comfortable on his stallion.
A few seconds and they were off, hooves echoing around the courtyard. That was why Arthur liked to arrive last. So that he could always assume everyone and everything was ready and he waited for no-one and nothing. After all he was prince. Despite his servant staying several yards behind the group because she kept having to straighten up, he kept to his confident canter.
Merlin only felt a little more at ease once the narrow crowded streets opened out to the wide dirt road outside the walls of the city. How could people stay seated on these things, she thought. What's wrong with being pulled along on a cart? Or having the creatures toil the fields. These were strong unpredictable things on four long legs. In Ealdor, rarely anyone owned them. It was mainly animals that fed the village, cows, pigs, goats, chickens. Incidents involving people who tried to break horses once in a blue moon did not end well. It wasn't that she was fearful of them. But when new things are being invented all the time, one would think a more pleasant and plushier way of travel using nearly two metre high beasts existed.
Merlin hoped this wasn't going to be a regular thing. She rather valued the bones in her bottom. Not that she got the chance to rest them much since arriving in Camelot...
Around ten minutes the party left the road and passed the tree-line. It really was a nice morning, nicer than any of the previous, for obvious reasons. If it weren't for a increasing ache rising up her spine the trip would be relaxing. Being amongst nature, hearing the birds, happy they were drowning out the quips of the knights. They either forgot they had a girl in their company or didn't care because she didn't count, but the mouths on them! Such disrespectful, crude bar tales and reminiscing of conquests. Were none of them happily married family men? The one thing Merlin did pick up on was that Arthur chuckled and gave one-word retorts, but didn't join in. Which was reassuring of his character... she wanted to believe.
Most of the men she hadn't learnt the names of yet, but one knight Merlin vaguely recognised was riding just behind the prince, and was the quietest. She remembered him as Sir Leon, a tall and well built man with wavy reddish hair and a neat short beard. She had seen him around with patrols at the time of the plague. Now, even with all that in the past, he had the same serious expression. Perhaps that was just how he was, or maybe his sternness came from being older and in charge of the others...
The two other servants just ahead didn't say a word, Occasionally Merlin tried to catch their eyes and throw them a smile, or nod her head towards the knights and do a silent funny impersonation, but it was like they were so well trained they had their sense of humour worn out of them. Merlin, as much as she hated to admit to herself, wanted to ride up with Arthur, but it was obviously inappropriate to do so.
After another ten minutes of riding, Merlin almost forgot what they were actually in the forests to do. That was until, through the bobbing heads, Merlin saw Arthur hold his hand up and the men halted. She tugged on her reigns too sharply, her mare whinnied into a jolted stop. The maidservant patted the creature's neck in apology and watched curiously as the knights dismounted and loaded up their crossbows. With crouched backs, they moved off following their prince. If anything they looked quite silly. The other servants had dismounted too but did not do anything else. Not wanting to be stuck with their antisocial company, Merlin struggled to turn in her saddle and slid down, which was to her relief easier than getting on. But she wouldn't have Tyr to help her on the way back. Perhaps she'll just walk it.
She made to jog after the hunting party. "Hey, where are you going?" One of the servants hissed. "We go when they want to change weapons or when they've actually killed something to collect. We don't get in the way of their tracking."
Merlin looked between them and where she last saw the knights. "Well then..." She yanked a satchel off her saddle. "I'm gonna bring my master more bolts." Ignoring their expressions, Merlin raced off after Arthur and the others. They come when they're called? Good dogs.
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Arthur was in his prime. Hunting was his favourite pass-time, and there had been barely any chances recently. He didn't consider it a chore. It wasn't just to bring food back, but to keep his skills sharp, to be away from the bustling city life, and spend time with his fellow men.
He didn't call them friends. They weren't people he would want to constantly hang around with. They were trained to protect the city and do their duties, same as him. But their personalities clashed. He laughed and joked along with them, as he knew they would with him. Sometimes he'd even test them by passing something off as a jape that wasn't particularly funny, and they'd laugh. These weren't the knights he would choose if knighthood was judged by character alone. They were to some degree down-right repulsive and Arthur had no interest in what poor citizen the men had picked on the night before when leaving the pub.
Nevertheless, they were the best company he had when not stuck in the castle. And he had the decency to know each and every one by name. Other men around his age he knew as a child were either knights somewhere else like Sir Derian and Sir Oswald, or had died in action. His father liked to exaggerate the truth. For the past 20 years, it hadn't all been peaceful...
Arthur and his party snuck through the undergrowth to where he had seen, hopefully, the figure of a deer within the trees. He hand signalled for his men to split and close in. His captain lead half of them round the left. Sir Leon, a loyal man. A few years his elder, he was the son of a once close friend of his father's, as they all had to be. Arthur had known him a long time yet still did not know much about him. Nevertheless, If he could call anyone a friend, with whom he could at least share sensible conversation, it would be Sir Leon.
When it came to tracking and hunting, Arthur knew nothing better. When there weren't many voices all speaking at once. Best of all, the servants were made to keep back to not risk scaring the kill away. However...
Just as his team crouched into their positions to take a shot, the sound of twigs violently snapping and leaves swishing came from behind. Arthur looked awkwardly over his shoulder and felt his neck click. On instinct, he poised to aim at the intrusion, as the knights did.
A blur of colours came into view and most of them grunted in irritation when they realised it was just the prince's strange new servant.
"Merlin!" Arthur harshly whispered.
"Boy, you lot can really move fast! What was it, did you get it?" His maidservant called out cheerfully oblivious, her hair sticking up in places like she'd literally been through a hedge.
Arthur glanced in the direction of the doe... but it had gone. "No, thanks to you! Are you blind?! You do remember what we are out here for, don't you." He was not impressed. 'Future king can't handle his staff in front of his men'.
Merlin took a breather and looked around at the men's faces. She had followed them for five minutes, they had left her sight a couple of times and yet still they were easier to catch up to than a deer. In that time she thought they had already finished up and she'd meet them on the return. And then she saw them, like shiny beacons. "...Sorry." The men shot her glares and moved back the way they came like stroppy children. "Sorry." An up-side was that maybe Arthur wouldn't insist she went on hunts anymore. Once was more than enough. She followed behind him.
"In my defence," even a tut from her master didn't shut her up, "That deer was bound to see you anyway... I mean, I saw you easily enough. Maybe wearing green next time will be a good strategy-"
"Or maybe leaving bumbling heavy-footed idiot servants behind is an even better one," Arthur mumbled. Merlin was ready to punch the air when a sound made everyone stop. It was very faint, but it sounded like... low growling.
The soldiers drew up their crossbows. Arthur held out his hand for them to hold while he unsheathed his sword steadily, careful not to make the metal sing. The woods, which Merlin had not noticed until now, had become eerily still. The birds had gone silent, and the sun was clouded over.
Merlin scanned the trees, vaguely aware of Arthur motioning the men forward. Only something big and dangerous would make every other living thing cower. Something they would not see until it was too late? A twig snapped under someone's boot and at that moment, a family of rabbits raced out from the undergrowth and scattered. Merlin's heart jumped when bolts shot out. Two rabbits were very unfortunate. She released the breath she didn't remember holding. She fought hard not to let tears build up at the sight of twitching limbs going still.
To the men that was enough to ease the tension and they chuckled to each other. Glad they at least took advantage of the situation, and would bring something back. Or maybe jeering at Merlin's 'girly' reaction seeing poor rabbits killed. Hunting, yes its necessary. But there's no reason to enjoy it- She felt an elbow nudge her shoulder.
"There you go, Merlin. There's something useful for you to do," Arthur straightened his coat and went with the knights heading back to the horses. The others may had already forgotten about it, thrown it off, but she hadn't. Merlin didn't know if they had heard the same thing, but they must have. Arthur had drawn his sword... Something out there still made that growl, and it sure as hell wasn't bunnies.
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The party continued hunting for a long, tedious hour. Merlin actually couldn't wait to get back to the palace and do her usual chores. At least whilst polishing the prat's armour she could be sitting down comfortably, and not have ear-ache, or be bored out of her mind.
When they went off on the trail of something else, Merlin kept back. The men's cheerful yelling rang out, and thankfully one of the other servant ran to serve. She must have looked a right sulking child when they all swaggered back again having a beautiful dead deer dragged along behind them. Alright, you have your deer, I didn't interfere. Can we go now, Merlin wanted to whinge.
But no. They caught another deer and a few more rabbits. Only when the clouds looked particularly angry did the prince finally call it a morning, as below the canopy it was getting too dark to see. Merlin only loved a good rain storm when she could watch it out of her window, safe and dry.
Using a stump to help her back onto her horse without anyone watching, Merlin followed further behind the party as they cantered home. Unfortunately the men were more chatty, like they had remembered more brutish stories to share. Merlin's saddle hung the rabbits whilst the other servants had a deer each slumped behind them. She felt the first cool drops of the shower on her cheek.
All of a sudden, the group came to an abrupt halt yet again. This time not for a kill, and for the first time on this trip Merlin wished it was. The air was thick with a nauseating scent, something even Merlin could identify. It was undeniable and unmistakeable. Blood.
A stag lay in the clearing before them, from their distance looked like it had been dead for a day. Arthur and Sir Leon warily went and inspect it. For a moment, Merlin's nose scrunched up at the assumption they were going to claim it and take it back to Camelot. But everyone looked equally as cautious.
Taking a deep breath, the maid-servant got off her horse and stepped closer herself. The animal did not die from disease. And Arthur could read the signs. It had been locked in a death grip of the jaw of a large predator. A classic kill. However it was the way its whole neck had been torn out and the rest of the carcass was left alone that left the party stomped... what animals around here would do that? It was as if whatever did this wanted to make absolutely sure its kill was dead but didn't intend to feed on it.
In the dirt next to the deer were paw prints. And they were giant! If Arthur didn't know better, he would have suspected the biggest bear ever. The scariest thought was how close this had happened to the city...
He broke out of his thoughts when he looked up and saw Merlin approaching the scene. He was about to wave her away, not wanting her to see, when movement in the bushes causes all to jump into alert and draw their swords. Had the creature, or creatures come back? Arthur rushed to the front of the group, pushing his servant behind him. A rumbling sound was getting louder and louder.
A large shape broke into the clearing and reared towards them. It was a horse.
Sir Leon was quick to react. He cast his sword to the side and stood in its path with his arms out. Other knights joined in, shouting and closing it in their circle. Sir Leon grabbed the neck of the beast to keep it from kicking out. It took a few minutes but the horse stilled, breathing heavily. Merlin stood back.
Arthur joined the group. "Where did it come from?"
"I think its a wild mare, Sire," Sir Leon said. "Must have got spooked and separated from its herd."
Merlin observed the horse. Surely thinking what everyone else was. She was beautiful. Her coat was a speckled smoky grey with darker socks and jet black mane and tail. The lightest part was a white mark on the top of her nose. Merlin hadn't seen many horses, but never thought they could look like that.
She automatically followed everyone else when they made the way back to where they had left their own horses, nervously glancing over her shoulder at the poor deer. She was somewhat aware of the discussions going on ahead. If what separated the mare from its herd was the same creature that brutally killed the deer. That now they had it, some knights suggested Arthur might like the horse as his own.
The rain really started to pour down on the journey home. If they had looked back, they may have noticed the deer was no longer there. A dragging blood trail lead into the tree line.
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As soon as they arrived back in Camelot, the prince leapt from his mount and ran up the stairs to the castle, skipping two steps at a time, barking at whoever to call for council. Merlin's legs seemed to be already moving, having made up their mind to follow the prince and get out of the rain, taking a look back at the rogue horse the stable hands struggled with.
"You have no experience with horses, then you come back with another one," Tyr chimed, crossing the courtyard to admire the horse. "Ah, a young mare. Can't be more than a year old, this one. Look at those markings!"
They stood there watching the horse buck and kick, trying to break free from its make-shift reins, hearing the shouts of the men trying to guide it into the nice dry stables. She was indeed a beautiful horse. It was horrible though thinking that that its herd was long gone, or worse.
"I think they brought it back for prince Arthur to ride..."
"This horse?" Tyr held his large front as he chuckled. "Breaking wild horses like these hardly ever works. It takes much longer, and more likely can't be done. Too stubborn, and scared of people. So, with no use to anyone..."
Tyr shrugged and left the end of that sentence go. "What happened, where did you find her?"
"Not far from here. First we saw a dead deer then..." Merlin realised she'd been standing there too long when she could miss out on the meeting for answers. "Sorry, I gotta run."
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"You are sure?"
"It is, Sire. Each knight of my hunting party can confirm it."
"But you did not see them?"
This was the part of the discussion Merlin skidded into the hall to hear. The councillors looked at her. She bowed slightly in apology and went to the side to stand by Gaius.
"No, Sire," the prince continued. "But the signs are there. There was a stillness, like all life except us had fled, and the deer we found... It had been killed by something... giant. And without reason."
The king nodded and stared around the room in thought. Merlin recognised this look from the plague. Whatever they had come across, it scared him. Though, from what little time she had spent in Camelot, nearly anything different concerned Uther. She glanced sideways at the physician to show her confusion, but he replied with a look to say later.
"Then we shall do as the procedures tells us. Take all precautions, impose a curfew. Send messengers to warn the outlying villages, but no-one else. There would be panic. Anyone outside the walls of the city during the day must be observed by armed guards until this is over. Send a patrol to search the forest tomorrow and drive away any beasts. They must not be allowed to get closer."
"Yes, father."
Everyone was dismissed and Merlin darted to beat Gaius out, urging him to move his old legs faster. The quicker they got back to their chambers, the quicker Merlin could get filled in on what she missed.
"Merlin!"
Said servant turned. "Collin, hey."
"Going to keep your promise?" Merlin looked at him confused. "Trying out the tavern with me?"
She opened her mouth wide enough to catch flies, "Ah, right. Well I don't know if I promised anything, but yes. Err, tomorrow? It's been a hectic and... disturbing day. First hunt."
Collin grinned. "Well, well done for surviving. Tomorrow then."
He strolled on past, and Merlin turned to see her guardian had left without her.
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LEGENDS ARE TWISTED FACTS
"So what was out there, Gaius?" Merlin asked the old man as they sat down to dinner.
"You were there with Arthur, did you not see the same?"
"Well, yes but everyone else seems to know what it means except for me..." Merlin took the offered plate from Gaius and look at him expectantly.
The physician sat picking at his food for a few moments, as if he was trying to get the right words. "Those living in Camelot decades ago will remember the first account, for the young it is a story told at bedtime. It is the same sort of tale you'd feel was made up to scare you or teach you a lesson as a child. This, however, is not an example of an over-active imagination, it is very real and has been passed down the generations as a warning. A legend that lived long before the construction of the kingdom.
"There is... a race. An ancient race of beasts that have the ability to appear and disappear from existence. The most number of times they have been spotted in a generation was maybe... three. It is said they only appear to restore the balance of nature."
"Restore the balance...?" Merlin leaned in, her dinner forgotten.
"The world has magic in its earth. Life and death is a manageable trait. Upsetting the balance of it can cause untold chaos. Even for the animals and the forest life of the land Camelot was build on has a way of staying steady."
"... these... creatures do that?"
Gaius nodded slowly. "They are a law unto themselves. Their instincts are to sense the population of their land rising too high, making the hunters and the hunted a fair life sport. You could search your whole life time for them and never find them. They stay a while to kill what they have to, then... they go."
The girl nodded once. "We found a wild horse out there. Ran straight into us, I should say. Do you think that's what happened to its herd?"
"Possibly. There no telling how long the creatures will be around this time, or how many they will take."
Merlin hesitated, "So, whatever they are, if they have just come to kill a few deer and horses, what is the king worried about?" She knew she wouldn't like the answer."
Gaius sighed. "Like I said, their self-given task is to eliminate life to restore the balance. Any life." Merlin swallowed. "Which means they would even go after people if caught out in the woods when they're near. It happened before. In reports, it stated that it was believed since the kingdom was beginning to grow in king Bruta's time, the beasts' senses became disarranged. Humans were just another species to them. Children wandering too far, farmers out late in their fields. Some may escape, but the wounds they inflicted festered, and their magic made it certain nothing could survive them... there is no treatment known."
"Can they be killed?"
"No one has ever succeeded. They Lie in shadows, their presence not quite there," He exclaimed sorrowfully like he was quoting from somewhere. Gaius must have books on such things. "There's not even many accurate illustrations of them."
Merlin squinted down at the table in the approaching darkness of dusk. Neither got up to start lighting to candles.
"...What kind of beast have they been said to be... Gaius?"
The old physician slowly opened his mouth to answer, but at that moment-
Hooooooooooooooooooooooooowl
Their heads snapped to the window at the sound. It was distant, yet was enough to send a chill down Merlin's spine. They were out there. Right now. In the forest, where she had been today. Surely everyone in the city heard that. The eerie atmosphere had fallen over the land again. For a while, Merlin and Gaius just sat there eating in silence, dreading to hear anything else between the rainfall.
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The next morning, the first few patrol groups started scouring the bordering forests for any more dead animals or other signs the beasts had been busy. Over the course of the day, the men kept coming back claiming to see nothing. Some even looked in the same area the prince's hunting party were in before. However, no rotting stag carcass, not even the giant footprints. The rain had churned up the earth and washed away the blood. It was as if they were never there.
It gave everyone at court some peace of mind, but anyone smart enough would know not to release their breath just yet. Gaius had had a private audience with the king to relay the details he had told Merlin. Of what they looked like. Of their reasons for being there. Of what precautions the soldiers should take. He was advised against letting Arthur outside the city walls until it was certain they were gone, much to the chagrin of the prince, who was just enjoying the peace and freedom of hunting again. And of course an unhappy prince made for unhappy servants.
Merlin was beginning to take back what she thought before, that staying around the palace and doing her usual chores was better that being made to see pompous men shooting at animals and lugging them back with squires who anyone would think their mouths were sown shut.
The serving girl was just about ready to start angrily bashing up the armour she was supposed to be getting the dents out of when she heard to door to Arthur's chambers squeak open. To her delight, it was Collin.
"I've come to rescue you. I saw Arthur go into the hall with a bunch of his friends, which means he won't be back 'til late. Still up for it?"
Merlin glanced over her shoulder at the window and saw the sun had indeed gone down and the prat had not come in for his dinner. She quickly discarded her hammer. "Get me out of here."
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The walk down to the lower town was refreshing enough. It was just as busy in the streets as it was during the day, the lamps were being lit and the two had to weave in and out of the bustle of street sellers to reach the tavern. Merlin was not really a drinker, there had never been a chance or want before to down strong ales for leisure. Ealdor of course did not have any such establishment.
"Here we are." Collin gestured up at an old building which its top half hung out further than the rest of the houses in the row. The swinging sign above creaked to and fro despite there not being any wind. On it was a paint-peeling illustration of what Merlin first thought was a sunflower with a odd looking face. However the name was a giant clue; The Rising Sun Inn.
Inside it was lively and warm, but not as rowdy as Merlin expected it to be. Maybe because it was still early and half the people were still outside.
They sat down next to each other, perched on the corner of the bar between two groups having a hell of a good sing song to imaginary music.
"Right! What are you having?" Collin called over the noise and slammed his hand down on the bar.
"Err, I'll trust your opinion this once, I don't even have the littlest knowledge of drink..."
Collin pointed at something along the back wall and the barkeep poured it out. Merlin's eyes widened at the tankard placed in front of her, then at Collin's, which was actually bigger.
"Err what do I owe you?"
Collin waved in the air, "Nah, you haven't had your first pay yet, you're fine. Good old cider, for beginners," Collin clarified, and held up the tankard. Merlin had to use both hands to lift hers and clinked the drinks together.
They sat there for a few moments not saying anything, comfortably taking in the atmosphere. Merlin would take only tiny sips, finding the taste really agreeable and warming in the belly. She noticed when she glanced at Collin, he was also making his cider last.
"Do you usually go around finding people to drink with, Collin?"
He laughed out a breath, "No, I haven't drank in any taverns since I came to Camelot."
"Why did you come here?"
"Probably the same reason you did."
Merlin scoffed. "I doubt that," she mumbled over the rim of her mug.
Collin didn't miss that, but didn't comment.
"I mean, I'm sure you had a better reason to move to the city than just to be everyone's handy man..." Merlin asked.
"I... needed to do anything other than what I could have been destined to do."
Merlin's ears pricked up at that word. Destiny. She had hoped there would be one evening recently she wouldn't have to think about it. She also didn't believe she was the only one who had that, but it was very unlikely Collin had his given to him from the mouth of a flippin' great dragon. It would be nice to hear what someone else's plans were for a change. "Destined for what?"
The boy sighed, "Well you know, whatever's going for in a town like mine. Or go into my father's carpentry business. But I had neither the skills nor the passion for it."
"Didn't your father mind?"
"Ha, no. He has plenty of help. I think he was glad I left," Collin stared at the opposite wall. "I know it's my family, but I couldn't see myself stuck with them for the rest of my life, doing the same thing. I needed to be with different people, see different places, I..."
"- felt you didn't belong? Intended for bigger things?"
Collin looked at Merlin.
"Same for me." Merlin smiled. "I only left behind my mother. But if it weren't for her, I'd probably never have discovered my own need to leave either."
"And I'm guessing defeating a cheating knight and an Afanc wasn't even close to your mother's plans?" He chimed.
Merlin set her drink down. "Believe me, I haven't written anything about those events for her. And well, it wasn't me, was it, it was all Arthur."
"Ah but it wasn't just him though," Merlin looked up at Collin to see he was also looking at her, a strange more intensive look. "Amazing how much you manage to find out and do whilst the king thought his son wanted to pull out of a fight out of sudden fear, or his only plan was to hope a servant's death stopped the plague on the basis of a crooked trial. And then I hear 'The white plague? Oh it seemed magical, but our king would've told us if it was.' Turns out a creature was in the water and what do I hear from a passing noble? It was dealt with. Dealt with. You and Gaius should have been acknowledged or rewarded."
Merlin stared puzzled at him. "To do that, he would have had to admit he knew the sickness was magical and causes panic. Also it doesn't matter, you were there, we stopped it. No one else died. I call that a win."
"Yes... I suppose. But do you know what we also should thank?"
"What?" Merlin mumbled again into her barely half empty tankard. She wished this part of the conversation to be over.
"That freak wind," her eyes shot to his. "Well, you must have prayed pretty hard for that to happen, eh? I mean we can't control the weather, can we." Collin waved his own comment away and focused on his drink again, but Merlin was feeling odd. She couldn't tell what the dogsbody was trying to do, however that was the last time that evening the subject would be mentioned. "So is there anything you and Gaius are working on now? An... elf in the kitchens?"
Merlin thought for a moment, then smiled and shrugged. "Nope. Just... helping the sick, ever trying to escape his attempts of medical education."
Collin made a sound of amusement. "You and me both."
Hooooooooooooooooooooooooowl
Merlin nearly jumped off her stool. Had the beasts come into the city?! The two turned to see a stumbling man in the middle of the pub holding a head bust of a snarling generic wolf up to his face and jumping on his floored friend whilst others stood around watching, cheering on the fight. The girl sighed.
The sooner everything goes back to normal for once, the better...
...~~)^(~~...
"Merlin!" Arthur caught his servant in the halls mid morning the next day. "Come with me, we're going down to the paddocks."
"Oh. Do you really need me there, Gaius needed me to go and get some supplies for him."
The prince narrowed his eyes, "Are you my servant or his?"
"Sort of both, you can't help if the physician needs me more urgently, Arthur."
"That's Sire to y-"
"-It's fine." Collin came up to them. Geez, is this man always around now? "I'll help Gaius, Merlin. I've had a need to keep busy since a few people I did things for are gone now. Go and do the job that pays you."
"You'll be lucky at this rate." Arthur muttered under his breath, not noticing the glare from both servants.
"Thanks, Collin," Merlin took a side glance to Arthur. "... I guess. Here's what he wants from the forest." The maidservant handed Collin a bit of paper. He nodded and shuffled round them. Now Merlin was stuck Mr Grumpy the rest of the day.
...~~)^(~~...
"Tyr, how is it?" Arthur swaggered over to the chubby stable-hand standing near the fence of the field.
"Not too well, I'm afraid, Sire," He pointed outwards. "As you can see, this one's not too keen..."
Merlin looked yonder and saw the horse they had taken back with them the other day was well and truly wild. The man on her back was being flipped and thrown all over and struggling to hold on. With one good buck from the yearling, he was on the ground and had to crawl away fast to avoid getting trampled. Further along the outside there were a few more blokes rubbing various body parts from when they had a go. They continued to watch another lithe man try before the same thing happened.
"I fear, my Lord, we cannot allow you to ride; this mare is too much of a danger."
"What? You've only been trying a day and a half," Merlin butted in. But she went ignored.
Arthur squinted in the sun at the speckled young horse still galloping around trying to find an end to the paddock. He clicked his tongue. "It is a damn shame. But if it can't be broken, it can't be ridden by anyone. You know what to do."
Tyr sighed. "Sire."
The prince turned and started walking back to the castle. Merlin caught the sympathetic look in the stable lad's eyes before he too moved to enter the field. Panic heated the girl's face as she remembered what Tyr said before and realised what was going to happen. "Wait! I will train her."
Arthur turned and stared in amusement. "I will train her." She repeated.
"You?"
She nodded frantically.
"Merlin, all those men there have more or less broken something because they tried to train a horse with all the professional techniques possible. Do you think you can possibly do any better, or that I'm going to let you?"
"If you're not gonna just let this beautiful thing free again just 'cause it doesn't like people straight away, you can at least give me a chance to try something. And if I succeed, all the better."
The prince took this in, finding it all very funny. This was the same kind of gall he saw in her the second time he met her, in the fight she had no physically capacity to win. Yet if she wanted to do this, it was very brave or very stupid. Either way he couldn't wait to see it. "If you succeed, Merlin, the horse is yours. You'll need one anyway."
She sighed in relief. "Thank you, sire."
"This also benefits me too. After all, if you die I won't have to pay you." Arthur grinned smugly and started walking away. Merlin stuck her tongue out at his back. If I die, you won't last five minutes, you prat!
All of a sudden, panicked shouts were heard over the far side of the grounds. Arthur broke out into a run, Merlin followed after. What now?!
...~~)^(~~...
AN: [phew!] Thanks very much for reading, people. I had a window of time to write as much as possible and felt I had to leave it here or I would have carried on and on, I even skipped dinner XD Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Sorry it's been so long. I am, for the moment, on a role and things really get dramatic next chapter. I know this start of the original story had a bit of everything but there are some things I wanted to add in now, because they will become relevant to remember further down the whole thing. Would really appreciate some input and reviews. See you next time :)