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: Merlynnn.
Merlynn decided in this very moment that she did not like being Arthur's servant. Especially since he had just spent the last hour hitting her with a large variety of weapons, which is what lead to her stumbling into Gauis' chambers.
She walked in, losing her armour as she goes, allowing it to fall to the floor with little care of what happened to it.
Gauis chuckled at this. "So, how was your first day as Arthur's servant?"
Merlynn doesn't answer she just takes a second and taps her head, before asking, "Do you hear clanging?"
Merlynn sits at the table wearing her tunic as Gaius massages her shoulders.
"Ah! It was horrible and I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning." She complains. She then noticed the book she needed was at the other end of the table. She lifted her hand and whispered, "OnhrÃne achtung bregdan!" Her eyes flashed gold and the book slides across the table and opens up displaying the contents to her.
"Oi!" Gauis exclaimed slaping the back of her head. "What've I told you about using magic like this?"
Merlynn cried out in pain, "If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself."
"Never mind your arms. What do I do if you get caught?" Gaius continued to scold.
"What would you do?" She asked curiously.
Gaius looked at her a moment before saying, "Well, you just make sure it doesn't happen, for both our sakes."
Gaius went back to treating her shoulders.
"Ah!" Merlynn cried out. "I save Arthur from being killed and I end up as a servant. How is that fair?" She pouted.
"I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun." Gaius commented looking on the bright side.
Merlynn scoffed, "You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear my list of duties."
"We all have our duties. Even Arthur." He reminded her.
Merlynn just scoffed again. "It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory."
Gaius sighed, "He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure."
He presses hard on Merlynn's arm. "Ah!" She cried again. "That makes two of us." She whispered to herself thinking back to the Dragon's words.
-0-
The next day Merlynn was struggling to understand her way around the armour and so headed to Gwen's house, who assured her that she could help. Merlynn was dressed in the armour herself as Gwen talked her through it.
"So, you've got voiders on the arms." She instructed.
"Mmhhmmm." Merlynn nodded. Trying to memorize Gwen's words.
"The hauberk goes over your chest." Gwen commented resting her hands against the armour, but then retracted her hands when she realised the awkwardness of her hand placement. But Merlynn did not even notice to busy trying to remember what Gwen had said.
"The chest. The arms. The chest." She repeated to herself.
"I guess you know what to do with the helmet." Gwen teased as she held up the helmet to Merlynn.
"Erm, yeah. Yeah, that was the only bit I'd figured out." Merlynn assured her friend, taking it and placing it on her head.
Gwen giggled.
"How come you're so much better at this than me?" Merlynn asker her.
"I'm the blacksmith's daughter." Gwen deadpanned. "I know pretty much everything there is to know about armour, which is actually kind of sad." Her tone trailed off.
"No, it's brilliant!" Merlynn assured her.
-0-
Later that day Merlynn was standing in the training grounds with Arthur helping him to get ready for his upcoming tournament. She was struggling to get the vambrace on Arthur's lower arm, when Arthur spoke.
"You do know the tournament starts today?" He asked her condescendingly.
"Yes, Sire." Merlynn told him, being carful not to lose her temper with his rudeness.
Merlynn fixed the buckle on the gorget as she tried to get him to relax by talking to him.
"You nervous?" She asked hesitantly.
"I don't get nervous." Arthur scoffed.
"Really? I thought everyone got nervous." Merlynn asked seriously.
"WILL YOU SHUT UP!" If Arthur's outburst was anything to go by then he didn't appreciate her comments.
Merlynn grabbed Arthur's cape, and tied it on him, and the she handed Arthur his helmet. She took a step back and admired her work.
"Great, yeah. I think you're all set." She said nodding to herself.
Arthur looked at her doubtfully. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked sarcastically. Merlynn looked at him again, no she didn't think so. "My sword." He snarled at her.
Merlynn's eyes widened in shock and realisation. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, sorry. Guess, uh, you'll be needing that." She quickly turned and grabbed his sword from the table. Arthur snatched the sword from her hand and marched off.
"That went well." Merlynn sarcastically commented to herself.
Merlin peeked around the entrance to look upon the arena as Uther struts past the front line of knights, declaring his speech.
"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur. Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces. It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!" He called out making the crowd cheer. The knights exited the arena. Uther stopped by Arthur on his way to the stands and whispered something to Arthur which caused him to tense before he slapped him on the back and continued to his seat.
Guards removed Arthur and the other knight's capes, and they put on helmets. The crowd cheers as the tournament had officially began. Arthur and the knight quickly engage in their fight. Arthur proving to be the better of the two which causes Merlynn to let out her own cheer.
"Yeah! Come on!" She called.
Arthur soon wins and the crowd cheers as a result. As Merlynn helps Arthur remove his armour they both glance at the knight Valiants match. Valiant wins his bout showing his skill.
"Knight Valiant looks pretty handy with a sword." Merlynn remarked.
Valiant exited the arena and stopped to talk to Arthur.
"May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?" He remarked politely.
"Likewise." Arthur said, respectfully nodding to the other competitor.
"I hope to see you at the reception this evening." Valiant stated looking at Arthur. He turned to leave but then pauses to look at Merlynn, his eyes scanned her up and down, making her feel very uncomfortable. Oh why did she obey Arthur's order to wear a dress that day, all she wanted to be wearing was her breaches. Finally Valiant turned and left with his servant. Merlynn let a shiver of disgust go through her as she looked at his back.
"Creep." She muttered. Arthur overhearing her, let out a little snort, shooting a smile at her over his shoulder. When she smiled back at him he seemed to realise that he was having a moment with his servant and needed to diminish the moment, which he did by giving her orders.
"Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail." Her smile dimmed as his list went on.
-0-
Later in her chambers she was lying on her bed reading her new magic book as all of her chores were being done around her threw a magical aid. Suddenly Gaius walked which caused all of the objects to drop as Merlynn was surprised.
"Are you using magic again?" Gaius demanded to know.
"No." Merlynn quickly replied putting on an innocent smile.
"What's all this, then?" Gaius asked doubtfully.
Merlynn just shrugged, hoping he might let it go.
Gaius just sighed exasperated, "I just came to tell you that supper's ready." He said leaving as Merlynn continued to smile from her bed.
-0-
The next morning Merlynn was collecting Arthur's armour from the armory when she heard a strange hissing sound.
"Hello? Is there someone there?" She called out hesitantly. Merlynn follows the sound until she is brought to Valiant's shield and sees one of the snake eyes blink. She moves to touch it when a sword suddenly appears, aiming at her chest. Merlynn quickly stood when seeing Valiant was the one holding the sword.
"Can I help you with something, girl?" He asked smirking down at her.
"Nope. I'm good. I, I was just... I was, erm, gathering my master's armour." She stuttered trying to move past him, but he still had his sword out and she was unable to get past it.
"What is your hurry?" He asked as he re-sheafed his sword and took a step towards her. "I'm sure your master can survive without you for a few moments." He said as he continued to walk towards her. She began backing up trying to keep some distance between her and this man but she soon found her back pressed against a pillar and herself trapped as a result. Valiant kept moving towards her, his movements slow and deliberate and almost snake like.
"Then again..." He whispered. He was now so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face. "I don't think I'd ever let you leave my chambers if you were my servant." His voice was likely supposed to be a seductive caress, but to her, his voice was a rattling whisper, that was sending shivers of disgust down her spine. She was to scare to move, her breathing was quick and shallow and her eyes were darting to the sides trying to find a way out. She couldn't use her magic, he would know and would likely tell the King.
He reached down and grabbed her wrist pulling it up and holding it in front of their faces. She was then forced to watch as he pulled it closer to him, took a deep inhale and then swiped it with his tongue. His hold on her hand was so tight that she was sure it would leave bruises, this is also meant that she wouldn't be able to escape from his hold.
He was chuckling when the sound of footsteps was heard walking towards the room. Valiant turned towards the sound and was distracted enough for Merlynn to wrench her hand from his grip and dart past him, picking up Arthur's armour on the way and making a run up the stairs. She heard him chuckling as she ran.
She kept running until she was sure that Valiant wasn't following. She then collapsed against the wall and started sobbing. She had never felt so defenseless, never felt so weak, and feeble.
Was that what all men were going to think of her in Camelot? Was all that she was going to be good for? A quick roll in the hay? Did all men feel like that? Did Arthur?
"MERLYNN!" Arthur's booming voice echoed down the corridor making her jump. She looked up to see him marching down the corridor towards her and he didn't look happy. "There you are! You are meant to be-" He stopped when he got close enough to see her watery eyes.
"I-I'm sorry sire. I a-am c-coming now." She stuttered to him quickly rising to her feet and wiping her eyes. She didn't notice how her sleeve fell down her arm slightly revealing the already bruised wrist to Arthur.
He slowly stepped towards her, reached out and took her arm pulling it towards him so he could get a closer look. He pulled her sleeve up to her elbow so that he could see her wrist completely. He started at it for a couple of seconds.
"Who?" He asked. His voice was calm but his posture was tense and tight making him look like a coiled spring, ready for anything.
"It doesn't matter." She whispered, trying to walk past him to his chambers. But he just moved infront of her again.
"Who?" He repeated.
"Knight Valiant." She whispered brokenly, another tear falling from her eye.
He simply nodded and moved aside for her to get to his chambers which she quickly did.
He made a remark about how much she had managed to do in one night but she simply, silently dressed him in his armour and followed him out to the tournament.
She silently watched the matches only managing to give a little smile when Arthur won his match but then she saw Valiant win his and she couldn't help but be disappointed. She would have loved to have seen him beaten and see him being embarrassed in such a way. She felt sorry for Sir Ewan who was lying on the floor.
Gaius quickly went to him. Valiant passed her on his way out he turned his head enough to give her smirk, which she matched with a look of anger and hatred. She was not going to let this be how it ended with them, she wasn't going to let him win. No way in hell was that going to happen.
-0-
Later on in the evening Merlynn entered her and Gaius' chambers and put down Arthur's armour which she would have too clean again that night.
"How is he?" She asked.
Gaius looked up at her with a face full of confusion. "It's most odd. Look at this." He pointed to two holes in the knights neck. "See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite."
Merlynn's face matched his, "How could he've been bitten by a snake? He was injured in the sword fight."
"But the symptoms are consistent with poisoning: slow pulse, fever, paralysis." Gaius listed them.
"Can you heal him?" Merlynn asked.
"Well, if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote." He told her.
"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?" She asked worriedly.
"Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die." Gaius said sadly.
"He was fighting Knight Valiant." She muttered to herself.
"What's that?" Gaius asked her.
"Nothing." She remarked, she would work it out herself.
-0-
Merlynn spied on him from a gap in the door. She watched in confusion as Valiant pulled a mouse out of a cage.
"Dinner time. Come on." Valiant cooed as he lowered the mouse to it's doom.
Valiant feeds it to the snakes in the shield. Merlynn quickly scurries away, she needed to tell Gaius.
-0-
Gaius looked up as Merlynn ran into their chambers.
Merlynn looked at him with a face full of seriousness. "I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic."
"Are you sure?" Gaius asked.
"The snake ate a mouse - one swallow, straight down. Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur." She turned to leave but Gaius stopped her.
"Is there any chance you might be mistaken?" Gaius checked.
"I know magic when I see it." She told him seriously.
"Perhaps, but have you any proof?" He asked her seriously.
"Don't you believe me?" She asked hurt.
Gaius looked at her worriedly. "I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?"
"What does that matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!" She asked in confusion.
Gaius gave her a stern look. "But you can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of servant over the word of a knight."
Merlynn looked at him hurt. "What? So what I say doesn't count for anything?"
"I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the King is concerned. That's the way it is." Gaius told her. She just gave him a look and then left for her room, where she stayed for the rest of the night.
-0-
Out on the training grounds, Merlynn and Arthur watched as a serving boy used a step ladder to put on the helm of Arthur's next opponent.
"You're telling me you've got to fight that?" Merlynn asked incredulously, looking at the mountain of a man in front of them.
"Yes, and he's strong as a bear. But he's slow." He told her, not looking worried.
"Ah, and you're fast." She stated looking up at him with a smirk.
"Exactly." He smiled down at her in pride for working it out.
Merlynn finished helping Arthur with his armour and watched him fight.
Merlynn saw Valiant put down his shield and she had to fight every impulse in her not to run over to it and smash it. Gaius approached Merlynn.
"How're you getting on?" Gaius asked her, obviously trying to extend an olive branch.
"Fine. Just doing my job. Minding my own business." She remarked to her uncle bitterly.
Arthur fought the bear knight and won making Merlynn smile but when Valiant won his next match Merlynn lost her smile. She looked at Gaius.
"Valiant's going to fight Arthur in the final." She told him. "He'll use the shield to kill him." She snarled at Gaius. She may not say it but she really cared about Arthur, and if anything happened to him, she would kill Valiant herself.
-0-
Merlynn was sat beside Ewan when Gaius entered the room. He stopped and looked at her.
"Merlynn, about what I said yesterday... Look, Uther wouldn't really listen to you or me, but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this." This was his way of apologising.
"But we don't have any proof." She complained to him.
"Well, if we could cure Ewan, he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic. The King would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote...Well, that's another matter." Gaius explained.
Merlynn quickly gets up and leaves heading for Valiants chambers.
"Merlynn?" He questioned.
-0-
Merlynn mutters a spell to unlock the door to Valiants chambers. Merlynn entered and took a sword from a rack, just to be safe, approaching the shield. Merlynn turned to the door, hearing steps. A snake slithers out of the shield and poises to strike when Merlynn sees the shadow of the snake and turns around and cuts off its head with one swipe. The other snakes come out, but Merlynn quickly drops the sword, grabs the severed snake head and makes a swift exit from the room.
-0-
Gaius drains some venom from the snake head into a jar back in their chambers. . He then holds it up, and nods to Merlynn.
"I'll get started preparing the antidote." Gaius assured her.
"I'm going to tell Arthur." She told her uncle, heading towards the door.
"You'll need this." He told her. Gaius hands Merlynn the snake head as she quickly goes to leave.
"And Merlin," She stopped looking back at her uncle. "...what you did was very brave."
-0-
Arthur was dining in his chambers when Merlynn burst into his chambers and told him all she knew about Valiant.
"You? You chopped its head off?" Arthur looked at her skeptically.
"Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant." Merlynn told him, not pausing or being offended by his doubt, "You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds in Ewan's neck where the snake bit him. Ewan was beating him, he had to cheat."
"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot." Arthur declared, which showed how stupid Valiant really was.
"Ewan was pinned under Valiant's shield. No one could see the snake bite him." She informed him.
"I don't like the guy, but that doesn't mean he's cheating." Arthur told her. After the state he left Merlynn in he really didn't like the guy.
"Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom." She told him. "When Ewan's conscious, he'll tell you what happened. If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you. Look at it! Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?" She asked holding the snake head out to him. Arthur takes the snake head from her hand gently and looks it over slowly.
"I know I'm just a servant" She said looking away from him, "and my word doesn't count for anything. I wouldn't lie to you." She told him looking into his eyes.
"I want you to swear to me what you're telling me is true, and not just because of what he did to you." Though he would understand if they were her motives, he would rather inflict his own justice on the man during their match.
"I swear it's true." She told him earnestly. At this point she had forgotten what he had done to her, now she was just focused on protecting Arthur.
"Then I believe you." Arthur assured him.
-0-
Uther entered the chamber as did the rest of the council members.
"Why have you summoned the court?" The king asked his son.
"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament." Arthur declared confidently. Merlynn envied his confidence.
The king turned to the accused. "Valiant, what do you have to say to this?"
Valiant looked around looking annoyed, but not alarmed. "My Lord, this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?"
"Do you have evidence?" Uther asked his son. Merlynn couldn't help but think that he was a fool really. Of course his son had evidence, he wouldn't call the court up like this if he didn't have the evidence.
"I do." Arthur declared.
Arthur made a motion, signaling for Merlynn to come forward, which she did and she handed Uther the snake head she had chopped off.
"Let me see this shield." The king ordered Valiant, who obediently walked over to the king and presented his shield.
"Don't let him get too close." Merlynn whispered to Arthur, she didn't want Arthur's father to get hurt, no matter how much she didn't like the king.
"Be careful, My Lord." Arthur called out to his father.
Arthur drew his sword pointing it at the shield just incase. Uther inspected the shield as Gaius entered the room. Gaius moved to stand by one of the pillars and was whispering, trying to get Merlynn's attention. "Merlynn." He called.
"We need Ewan. Find out what's happening." Arthur whispered to Merlynn.
Merlynn nodded and headed over to Gaius to find out what was happened.
"As you can see, My Lord, it's just an ordinary shield." Valiant told the King.
"He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive." Arthur pointed out to the court.
"Then how am I to know that what you say is true?" Uther looked at his son with doubt.
"I have a witness. Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic." Arthur told his father.
"Where is this witness?" Uther asked, who seemed to finally be considering the possibility of Valiant using Magic.
"He should be here..." He trailed off turning to Merlynn and Gaius who were stood by one of the pillars.
Arthur turned to Gaius and Merlynn for answers.
"Where's Ewan?" Arthur questioned the two in urgency.
"He's dead." Merlynn whispered to Arthur in shock.
"I'm waiting!" The king called loosing his patience.
"I'm afraid the witness is dead." Arthur declared sadly.
"So you have no proof to support these allegations. Have you seen Valiant using magic?" The king asked his son.
"No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from..." Arthur began pointing at her, but the King wasn't interested.
"Your servant?" Uther looked at his son in shock. "You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of your servant?" The way he said it made it sound like the most stupid thing he had ever heard.
"I believe she's telling the truth!" Arthur declared. This gave Merlynn a warm feeling in her chest. He really believed her.
"My Lord, am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a girl?" The way he said the word, 'girl' made Merlynn loose her rag and run up to them.
"I've seen those snakes come alive!" Merlynn declared as she moved up next to Arthur.
She had never seen the King look so furious. "How dare you interrupt?!" He snarled at her. Before he looked over her shoulder and shouted, "Guards!"
Guards began taking Merlynn away. She sent a scared look at Arthur but before he could come to her aid, Valiant interjected.
"My Lord."
"Wait!" Uther called making the guards halt.
"I'm sure she was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want her punished on my account." He said, subtly sending her a smirk, that made her feel angry.
"You see?" Uther said looking at his son. "This is how a true knight behaves - with gallantry and honour." Merlynn could see that this hurt Arthur.
"My Lord, if your son made these accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawal." Valiant said, as always playing the noble knight, until he got a young woman alone, then his true colour were shown.
"Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?" The king asked.
"No!" Arthur quickly answered. He didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the court.
"Then what am I to make of these allegations?" The King asked. Merlynn couldn't believe the man's stupidity. He should trust his son's judgment.
"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology." Arthur asked him. Though it did sound like he was struggling to say it.
"Accepted." Valiant said nodding graciously at the Prince.
-0-
Arthur walked into his chambers with Merlynn following behind him.
"I believed you, I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool." He muttered in a whisper that felt very dangerous to her.
"I know it didn't go exactly to plan." She tried to amend, but she had already said the wrong thing.
"'Didn't go to plan'?!" He repeated incredulously. "My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward! YOU HUMILIATED ME!" He yelled at her.
"We can still expose Valiant." She called out to him as he turned and looked away from her.
"I no longer require your services." He told her in a cold voice.
This stopped her dead in her tracks. "You're sacking me?" She breathed in shock.
"I need a servant I can trust." He told her. Still not looking at her.
"You can trust me!" She cried.
"And look where it got me this time." He snarled at her. "Get out of my sight!" He shouted at her, making her jump. She quickly ran out with tears filling her eyes.
-0-
Merlin went to see the Dragon, he always seemed to have answers, no matter if they were vague and confusing they were still answers.
"Where are you?" She called out into the cave, when she received no answer she just called out what she came to say, "I just came to tell you: whatever you think my destiny, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do, you've got the wrong person! That's it. Goodbye."
"If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny." The dragon called out to her as he landed on his usual perch in front of her.
"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?" Merlynn practically cried at the words, 'hates me'.
"A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. Very soon you shall learn that." The dragon told her. Much like a parent looking down at a child and telling them that they will understand when they are older.
"Oh, great. Just what I needed, another riddle." She sarcastically commented.
"That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth." He told her knowingly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked in frustration.
"You know, young witch, this is not the end. It is the beginning." The dragon said enigmatically before he flew away leaving Merlynn with more questions then answers, as usual.
"Just give me a straight answer!" Merlynn yelled at the ceiling but upon not receiving an answer she left in anger.
-0-
Merlynn was sat on the steps in the Square stewing over the events of the day when she spotted Gwen approaching her.
"Hello, Merlynn." Gwen said cheerfully.
"All right?" Merlynn said, but there was no emotion behind it.
Gwen sits down next to her. She could see that Merlynn was obviously upset about something and rested her hand against her friends shoulder.
"Is it true what you said about Valiant using magic?" Gwen asked.
Merlynn nodded.
Gwen looked at her hopefully, "What are you going to do?"
Merlynn looked away from her friend in frustration. "Why does everyone seem to think it's down to me to do something about it?"
Gwen looked at her, surprised by her attitude, "Because it is! Isn't it? You have to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong."
"And how do I do that?" Merlynn asked. She didn't know what more she could do.
Gwen shrugged, "I don't know."
Merlynn sat silently thinking when she suddenly caught sight of a dog statue. Her mind was turning before it came to a sudden holt.
"That's it." She stated in realisation.
"Where are you going?" Gwen asked confused.
"Do you have a wheelbarrow?" Merlynn asked only confusing poor Gwen moor.
-0-
Merlin wheeled in the dog statue, making her uncle jump.
"What are you doing with that?" Gaius asked as he looked over his book.
"I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves." She told Gaius as she wheeled it into her room.
Merlynn put the statue in her room and pulled the magic book out from under her floor board. Leaning on her bed as she skimmed through the pages soon finding the spell she needed.
"Bebay odothay. Bebay odothay arisan quickum." She read from the book practicing the pronunciation for a couple of seconds before she looks up at the statue, and said the spell.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum. Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
Merlin tried the spell over and over but nothing happened. She leapt off of her bed and headed for Arthur's chambers.
-0-
Merlin entered Arthur's open chambers quickly.
Arthur looked up at her briefly before looking out the window again. "I thought I told you to get out of my sight." There wasn't any anger in his voice, in fact he sounded like he had expected her.
Merlynn looked at him desperately. "Don't fight Valiant in the tournament tomorrow. He'll use the shield against you."
"I know." He stated.
"Then withdraw. You have to withdraw." She was practically begging him.
Arthur shook his head and then looked at her. "Don't you understand? I can't withdraw. The people expect their prince to fight. How can I lead men into battle if they think I'm a coward?"
Merlynn looked at him like he was an idiot, "Valiant will kill you." She dead panned to the man. "If you fight, you die."
"Then I die." His voice held no emotion. That scared her.
"How can you go out there and fight like that?" She asked incredulously.
"Because I have to. It's my duty." He stated. The surety of his statement scared her.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked.
Of course Arthur knew what he wanted to say, He needs to pay for what he did to you, but he couldn't say that to her, so he didn't answer her at all.
-0-
Merlynn is still awake early the next morning with the spell book in her lap, having been up all night, she speaks drowsily. Merlynn mumbles the spell with her eyes closed begging for it to work.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum.
Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
Suddenly she feels something jump on her and suddenly she is lying on the floor with a weight on her chest that kept licking her face. She opened her eyes to see a large dog on her.
"I did it!" She cheered. She gave the dog a firm run on his back which seems to make the dog very happy. She pushes the dog off of her, and runs to the door, as the dog whimpers she quickly stopped gave it a rub on the head.
"Good boy!" She mumbles to it, "I'll be back for you later." She rushes out of the room and shuts the door just as Gaius enters.
"Arthur's fighting Valiant!" Gaius announces.
Merlynn quickly runs past him, "I know. I'm on my way. Oh, whatever you do, don't go into my room. We'll deal with it later."
She runs as fast as she can and reaches the tournament in time to see Arthur knock Valiant's helmet off. Arthur removes his helmet so that they are equal. They both pull down their mail coifs. Valiant knocks Arthur to the ground and steps on his shield. Valiant disarms Arthur, but Arthur catches him before he can strike. Valiant pins Arthur against a wall, but Arthur shoves him off and Merlynn takes the opportunity.
Merlynn holds out her hand and points towards Valiant as she whispers "Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
The snakes come out of the shield as they had done on previous occasions in front of Merlynn. The entire crowd stands up in surprise.
Valiant looks down at the snakes panicked. "What are you doing? I didn't summon you!"
"He is using magic." The King called as he stood in shock.
Arthur gave Valiant a smug smile, "And now they see you for what you really are." He declared.
Valiant just chuckles at him. He then sends the snakes to the ground."Kill him!" He snarled with a sinister smile on his face.
Arthur backs up toward the stands and Morgana grabs a the sword from the knight sitting next to her.
"Arthur!" Morgana shouts as she throws him a sword.
Arthur catches it, swings at Valiant and then kills the snakes. Arthur disarms Valiant and runs him through. As Valiant was forced to look over Arthur's shoulder Merlynn made eye contact at him, and flashed her gold eyes at him. His eyes widened at this knowledge. She was happy that she had shown him that she was strong and not so easily beaten. She wanted him too know that she had beaten him.
Valiant drops and the crowd cheers. Merlynn's cheer's are likely the loudest. Arthur slaps Merlynn's shoulder on his way out of the tournament grounds and she sends him a blinding smile.
-0-
In the court the celebration of the tournament was being enjoyed by the many courtiers and even the servants seemed to be happy. Especially since the champion was their very own Prince Arthur.
As said Champion enters the King can't help but announce him as Arthur escorts Morgana.
"My honorable guests, I give you Prince Arthur, your champion."
The court applauds as Arthur offers Morgana his arm. As they walk in Merlynn turned to Gaius.
"See, I told you he gets all the girls and the glory." She remarked.
Gaius smiled at her, "And he owes it all to you." She smiled at him, knowing that this was all the thanks that she was going to get.
Suddenly Arthur came up to Merlynn, "Can you believe Morgana? She says she saved me. Like I needed any help." She just smirked to herself at the irony. Arthur looked at her for a second and his face became serious, "I wanted to say I made a mistake. It was unfair to sack you."
Merlynn gave him a smile, shrugging her shoulders. "No, don't worry about it. Buy me a drink and call it even."
Arthur gave her a look like she was silly. "Uh, I can't be seen to be buying drinks for my servant."
"Your servant? You sacked me." She reminded him with a small smirk on her face.
"Now I'm rehiring you." He stated like it was obvious.
Merlynn snorted, of course he was. But still she smiled, happy to have her job back.
Arthur smirked at her, "My chambers are a complete mess. My clothes need washing." Her smile dimmed at the list, as his smirk only got bigger. "My, uh, armour needs repairing. My boots need cleaning. My dogs need exercising. My fireplace needs sweeping. My bed needs changing. And someone needs to muck out my stables."
"Of course sire." Merlynn stated dismally. She hesitated for a second and then looked at Arthur again. "Sire, I was wondering if I could ask you a favour."
"What's the favour?" He asked carefully.
"Can you maybe, teach me how to fight?" She asked him. He looked at her quizzically, "Just a little, enough so that I could defend myself if I needed too."
A look of realisation seemed to come to him, and he gave her a gentle look and nodded. She smiled brightly at him, and quickly left so that she could do all of her chores that he listed.
She didn't notice him giving her a soft look the second her back turned.