A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. I haven't really given you all too much when it came to Alara and her characterisation, but I'm using this chapter in order to flesh her out a little. I wonder what she will be getting up to.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, although I do love them very much. These characters belong to the BBC and the relevant production companies. Any characters that are of my own creation will be listed below.

OCs: Alara


CHAPTER TWO

Alara devoured her meal. It was only a simple stew, nothing as extravagant as Arthur's evening meal, but it tasted like the best thing she'd ever eaten.

"Watch out or you'll give yourself the hiccoughs." Merlin smiled.

Gaius served up another bowl of the stew, along with some bread. "If I knew you were going to eat me out of house and home, I would've made sure to stock up on food."

Taking a drink, Alara cleared her throat. "Don't worry about me, Gaius," She spoke. "I've been told that I'll have my own quarters once I begin my duties."

"Who told you that?" Merlin asked.

Before Alara could answer, there was a knock at the door.

"Come!" Gaius called.

Arthur's golden head appeared. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Merlin shook his head. "No. We were just finishing up some dinner. Is there anything wrong, Arthur?"

"I offered to take Alara to meet with Mordred. He's keen to know if you're alright after the meeting with the bandits this afternoon."

Merlin's eyes widened. He's the last person that Alara should be meeting, especially with his dreams as of late. "I can escort Alara there, no need for you to head all the way to the barracks."

Arthur retreated. "Okay then. Unless Alara says otherwise."

"Uh, well, it would be better for Arthur to show me around, I think. The knights will be on their best behaviour if he were to come visiting."


Mordred was nervous to meet her. Once he had returned with the defeated bandits, Arthur informed him that she was going to be okay. The other knights, especially Gwaine, teased him throughout the evening.

"We have to be careful, she is Merlin's sister after all," Percival said. "For all we know she could make us all explode!"

There was a cough. The men all turned to see Arthur standing in the door way, the girl standing next to him. "Good evening, gentlemen. I see that Alara's arrival has made quite the impression on you all."

They all quickly smartened themselves up and formed and orderly line. Arthur smiled, "You don't have to act stoic on my account. I'm here to see Sir Mordred. At ease, men."

As the others settled and relaxed, Mordred remained standing.

"Sir Mordred?" Alara spoke. "It's nice to finally meet my saviour."

Mordred swallowed, trying to hide his nervousness. "Uh, that's not a problem, my lady," He said. "I was just doing my job, saving a young woman from distress."

She blushed. "Thank you. I don't think I would be here without your help."

"Like I said, not a problem."

"Would you like to walk with me?" Alara asked.

Mordred's eyes widened, and he looked at Arthur with shock. "You have my leave, Sir Mordred. Just make sure she comes back in one piece, is that understood? Merlin would have both our heads if something were to happen to her."

Leading the two of them out of the barracks, Arthur escorts them to the main entrance of the castle. "I promised Gwen that I would help with the children tonight, and I intend to keep that promise. Good night."

"Good night." Both Mordred and Alara reply.


They wander the castle, admiring the clarity of the night sky; Mordred points to the stars and begins to name them. "So that one, you see? Just off to the left?"

"Is it that one?" She points.

Mordred lightly takes a hold of her wrist and guides it. "You're off just a little. It's that one there."

"That one there?"

"Uh-huh."

She looks at it for a moment, leaning forward slightly as if to study it. "What star is that?"

"The North Star. It has a name, according to my people, but I can't remember it."

Alara catches his eyes; Mordred looked away, as if troubled. "Is everything okay?"

He nods. "Yes. I just ... haven't really thought about my family for a very long time."

"Do you miss them?"

"I do. We travelled a lot when I was young, and then one day ... everything changed." There was a pain in his voice. "My father and I were separated from my mother, and then my father was killed. After that I went from group to group, looking for some sort of connection, but ..."

"I'm sorry if I've bought up any painful memories for you," Alara said. "That wasn't my intention."

Mordred wiped at his eyes, not realising that he had began to cry. "No, no you haven't. I apologise for crying."

She smiled and grasped his hand in a gesture of comfort. "We all need a good cry every now and then. That's what my mother always said to me."

"So Merlin has never mentioned that he had a sister." He quickly changed the topic of conversation.

Alara shrugged. "He always said that it was for my protection. Like I needed protecting from anything."

"I know that being who he is has bought a lot of enemies to Camelot, what with the threat from Morgana growing each day."

"Well that's true. But he's always been the one who kept us safe."

"This may be a forward question, and you're very much in your rights to slap me or not answer it, but ... do you have magic?"

She shook her head. "No. And I think my mother was glad because of it. One child with magic is enough, but two? I think we would have driven her mad."

Mordred chuckled, with Alara following suit. Her laugh was like music to his ears; he felt his heart drop and a fluttering feeling enter his stomach. Was he falling in love?


The two of them spent the rest of the evening talking and wandering the grounds of the citadel. They ended up on a walkway, looking at the moon and talking more about the stars.

"So that's the North Star?" Alara pointed. "That one right there."

"Second star to the right." Mordred smiled. "You've got a keen eye."

"When you chase squirrels and hunt rabbits, you end up gaining the sight."

She shivered.

"Are you cold?" Mordred asked.

"A little. I forgot to bring a shawl."

"Here." He removed his surcoat, placing it over Alara's shoulders. "It's not much."

Her cheeks flushed, out of the cold or of girlish delight Alara didn't know. "Thank you, Sir Mordred."

"Please, call me Mordred."

"Okay then, Mordred." She giggled.

Mordred stuck his tongue out at her. "Okay then, my lady." They both laughed once again, the noise ringing out into the night. His deep tone meeting her melodic one matched well, like a harmony.

Alara huddled closer to Mordred, their hands caressing one another. Without even registering the movement, their hands intertwined.


A/N: I cannot apologise enough for how late this chapter is! Life kind of got in the way, so this had to be put on hold. Once again, I am so sorry.