Thanks for the reviews.
I'm sorry for the long update and the really short chapter but depsite your want for lots of chapters and the finale I have exams and I have no time! This will be the last one until I finished. Sorry.
Rain was staring out of the window. Her brown eyes glinted in the sunlight which filtered into the room as she watched two figures hurrying out into the courtyard. As they ran, one tripped slightly on the uneven cobbles and had to be grabbed from behind by the other to keep him upright. Once his balance had been regained, the pair continued at a swift pace across the space. Rain kept her gaze trained on them as they vanished into a low slung building, her fingers traced the rough stone which surrounded the window and she poked one small finger into a nook – she felt dust and grit beneath her touch.
A couple of minutes passed and the girl waited with silent patience until the boys reappeared. They did so, both with horses on hand. The creatures were partially tacked and rather flustered as their owners fiddled around with their bridles, stirrups and saddle adjustments. Both were jerking their heads irritably and snorting, hooves clacking beneath them as they shifted from foot to foot. Rain could see the whites of their eyes. She knew that the animals could sense something and they were not happy. They did not want to make this journey.
Just as one of the men tried to grab the halter of his horse, the animal reared violently, kicking out with its front hooves. He leapt back. Judging by his mouth, a torrent of curses had just been loosed. Rain smiled slightly to herself.
The horse continued to buck and stumble and writhe so much that the potential rider threw his hands up in the air in defeat. He turned to his fellow and said something. The other shrugged, let go of the harness of his own steed, and moved away, gesturing for his companion to follow.
Rain knew what was going to happen next.
Even from this distance, the small girl could make out the glow of the skinnier boy's eyes beneath his charcoal fringe. A golden glimmer reached her and she breathed in the magic, revelling in the immense power she was witnessing. The pair lifted gracefully in the air and then proceeded to soar above the battlements and the city, much to the astonishment of onlookers. Without the King to give them orders, they were at a loss to think what to do.
As she observed the two men leaving, the Irish child knew that she should have gone with them. She needed to go with them. Conri had made her promise.
Slipping down from the window seat, set in an alcove, that she had previously occupied, the youngster made her way quickly across the bare room. Her pale, bare feet made no noise on the cold, stone floor. Glancing out of the doorway, she looked both ways. The passageway was clear. It was time to make her getaway.
Arthur wasn't nervous. Not really. Prince Arthur never got nervous after all. He wasn't an easily perturbed person. However, leaving the fate of his land in the hands of a servant, in the hands of a sorcerer, that made him anxious. But then again, he needed to remind himself that Merlin was a combination of the two. He was an anomaly. Too different and complex to really be either a serving boy or a magician. Merlin was just....Merlin.
And Arthur really hoped he knew what he was doing because he sure as hell didn't.
As they flew through the cooling air, the prince stared down at the region below him and was relieved to see, following a dirt road at some speed, was his father's miniature army that was attempting to face the Shadows head on. There had to be about thirty men in total and Arthur could make out the King at the forefront. His pale, white steed was bright in the weakening sun – like a spirit floating through the trees. Just looking at his father's tense position, Arthur could tell he was preparing for a fierce battle. Hopefully, they would get there before him and diffuse the situation.
Up ahead, he could see the thirty dark shapes of the stones as the skimmed through the air. He glanced at his friend who was staring intently at silhouettes. Now that Merlin was, in essence, multi-tasking with his magic, he had to focus more and he seemed to prefer flying in silence. That was strange. Arthur wasn't used to a mute manservant. He really wanted to break the quiet. It was making him uncomfortable.
"So where exactly are you dropping these stones then?" Arthur asked, conversationally, "Can't you just dump them now? I mean it's better to get it over sooner rather than later, right?"
"No," Merlin shook his head, "Not now."
"How can you know 'not now'?" Arthur asked sceptically.
"I just know, Arthur, it's a sort of extra sense...to do with my magic."
"Well, tell me when your 'magic' decides it's time then, will you?" The Prince replied, sarcasm lacing his voice.
"Sure," Merlin nodded, absentmindedly. Arthur could tell he was no longer being listened to and it annoyed him but he supposed that the warlock had a right to be distracted. He was dealing with a lot at that moment in time.
Gwen was carrying an armful of laundry as she walked down the stone steps into the courtyard. They were Morgana's clothes: a mixture of dresses, robes, coats and undergarments, fresh off the washerwoman's line. She was planning on taking them to her mistress' chambers, placing them neatly in her wardrobe and then heading in the market to see if she could get some inexpensive meat for her meal tonight. Ever since her father had died, the handmaid had had to shop and cook for herself which was quite a lonely task. Prince Arthur may have promised her her home for life but she didn't want it if she lived alone. It was miserable. She lived for coming to the castle to work and be with her friends.
As she was about to take the last step down off the stair, Gwen caught sight of something in her peripherals. Pausing in her path, the woman turned her head and spotted a slight figure hurrying across the courtyard towards the stables. She also noticed that, oddly, two horses were wandering freely around the stone building, picking idly at weeds which had sprouted up between the cobbles with their velvety lips. Frowning, Gwen moved forwards as the figure reached one of the creatures and patted it once on the side. It didn't even flinch, despite being approached from outside its vision.
She knew the figure was Rain from her white-blonde hair which fell in waves down her back. It swished as her slender hand took the reins and she whispered softly in a cocked ear. Then she swung gracefully onto the horse's broad back. Gwen marvelled for a moment at how small the girl was compared to the beast she rode. Initially she had thought it impossible for the child to control the animal but it seemed she had some kind of power over the horse as it turned to the slightest touch. Squeezing her thighs, Rain broke into a canter.
Silently, girl and horse vanished out of the castle gates.
Gwen stared after them for a second, in shock, and then realised she should probably do something. She couldn't just let a young girl steal a castle horse, especially not a girl she had promised to look after. Arthur would never forgive her.
Dropping the laundry and sprinting over to the spare horse, the handmaid grabbed the animal's reins and was surprised as it lurched violently away - white eyes rolling in its sockets. "Hey, hey, calm down," Gwen stroked its neck but it shuddered and still tried to get away. Obviously it didn't want to be ridden. However, Gwen wasn't giving up that easily. "Right, now I need you to hold still."
She launched herself onto the animal's back. It stumbled but then finally seemed to surrender as she kicked it into a gallop. They tore after the others.
I have decided that next chapter, when I write it, will have a lot more Merlin in because I've hardly had his POV for ages. Also, there will be Uther POV too. They'll be the main ones. Review.