"Why are you named Raag?" Sir Gwaine asked as they sat their usual meeting place in the solarium.
"Because I am only worth the rags I wear."
"Oh..." not the answer he expected, Gwaine realized, so he changed the subject. "It's not very 'feminine'."
"My master always thought I was a boy." She shrugged.
"We should pick a new name for you."
"My Master GAVE me my name." Raag insisted, "It's the only thing I HAVE!"
"Then we shall keep it, but let's make it prettier, like you."
Raag blushed.
"I shall call you... Rageze... no, Aragit... hmmm, Ragis?" He kept spouting out more possibilities. Ragenal... I know! Ragnelle. What do you think?"
She lowered her eyes. "If it pleases you."
"No, whatever pleases you. It's YOUR choice. It's your name, after all." He took her hand as they began to stroll down the lane. "Do you like it?"
"Yes." Ragnelle smiled, shyly.
"Come, let me escort you to the palace, M'Lady Ragnelle. The night is falling."
"I'm not a lady!" She giggled at his joke.
"You would be if you married a Knight..."
"What Knight would want to marry me?" She asked, modesty.
"Any Knight would LOVE to marry you, my beauty!" He took out his sword and jabbed it in the air. "And I will fight each and every one of them if they try!"
Raag snatched a wooden sword from a boy in the alley. "Only if you get past me!"
Sir Gwaine sheathed his sword and grabbed another wooden weapon from the boy's playmate. As they scuffled amidst the boys' protests, Gwaine couldn't help being impressed with Raag's skill. Even with a dress on, she could deflect his parries, leap onto a table, and make some effective attacks of her own. Gwaine could have easily disarmed her but he held back, letting the game go on longer. He finally knocked the sword from her hand and pinned her to the wall, "It looks like the lady is once again defenceless." The sword fell, and a little girl picked it up with awe, having watched the 'battle'. Raising it high in the air, she turned on the boys, charging at them as they screamed and ran down the alley.
Ragnelle gazed at him and batted her dark eyelashes, "A lady is never defenceless." She brought her lips closer to his. Captivated, Gwaine let his guard down a little. Taking the advantage she pushed hard against his sternum with the back of her palms, ducked under his arm and ran down the street laughing. The wind knocked out of him, Gwaine took a moment to recover before he could pursue her again.
He caught up to Ragnelle when she tripped on the castle stairs. "I would have made it, if it wasn't for this dress!" She pouted.
Gwaine sat down beside her on the stairs, rubbing his chest painfully. "Are you alright?" He panted.
"Yes," Raag threw her head back and laughed, "Are YOU alright?"
He lay on the stairs beside her. "That was cheating."
"All's fair in love and war..." she gave him a peck on the cheek as she jumped to her feet.
"Does that mean that you love me?"
"No," she shouted down to him from the top of the stairs, "it means we're at war!" She disappeared into the castle.
Rolling his eyes, Gwaine chased after her, following her laughter down the hallway. He caught up to her easily and they quickly embraced, "Let's find some privacy." Looking around to make sure no-one saw, he took her hand and led her, giggling, into his quarters. It was a sparsely decorated room, consisting of a cot and a table with two chairs. There were no decorations to speak of save his trophies and medallions carelessly tossed on top of his trunk.
Sitting beside each other on the bed, they lost themselves in their passionate embrace. Having never been kissed before she had her lips pursed awkwardly. Gwaine opened his eyes and looked into her large ebony ones, charmed by her naïveté. "Open your mouth," he instructed her. Forcing herself to relax, she opened her mouth slightly as he kissed her again, the tip of his tongue gently probing hers. She instinctively reciprocated, swirling his as it went deeper into her mouth hungry for more. Turning her so that she rested on his lap they continued their caress. He kissed down her neck while his hands roamed along her back and under her blouse. Raag stiffened, sitting up abruptly. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm ugly."
Gwaine, not understanding what she meant, held her head between his hands, "Don't talk like that, you're beautiful."
"No. My..." She struggled to find the right words. "I have wounds back there."
Gwaine back up for a moment. "You mean from your..."
Raag looked down at the ground, embarrassed. "Yes." She said, softly.
Gwaine felt a red hot anger flash in him. How could anyone treat an innocent, whether it be a boy or a girl, with such malice?
Raag saw his face change, and mistaking his anger to be directed at her, shrank back. The old fears rose as she winced, raising her arm in defence. "No, please," she quickly begged, "I'm sorry..."
"Oh, no!" Gwaine managed to bring her arm back down, and hugged her tightly. "I'M sorry. I didn't mean to..." He could feel her trembling, and pulled back a little to look into her tear-filled eyes. "I have scars on my back, too, you know." He disclosed, trying to make her feel better, "Do you want to see?"
She couldn't help smiling through her tears, "If you think we're going to compare scars..."
"No. You don't have to show me anything." He assured her as he continued. "One of my misadventures caused me to find myself on the wrong side of the battlefield in Spania. I was captured, and we were forced to pull the giant weapons for my enemy. Of course I didn't want to, but unfortunately they were very persuasive." He took off his shirt, and turned his back to her.
Ragnelle gasped. She could actually feel how much the whip must have hurt as she traced the dozen or so white scars covering his back. Her eyes filled with tears once again, but this time it was for him.
"No, no, no!" Gwaine quickly turned around and comforted her when he heard her sobs. "Don't cry for me, little one! That was a long, long time ago." He smiled down at her. "I'm alright now, see? Eventually they'll disappear, and you'll only be able to see them from close up, like nothing ever happened." He could taste her tears as he kissed her eyes tenderly. He changed the subject. "Do you want something to drink?"
Giving a stuttered breath, she nodded. Gwaine went to the table and lifted up the jug. It was empty. Besides, he was ill prepared for guests, being that he only had one mug of dubious cleanliness. "I'll be right back." He promised as he threw his shirt back on and made his way down to the kitchen.
By the time he returned, Ragnelle had fallen asleep on the cot. He placed the jug and two cups down on the table and sighed. Sitting down on the chair, he watched her sleeping with wonderment. How could this girl have touched his heart so? He had been with many other women, but somehow this one brightened up his dismal room, even when she was sleeping. He could still hear her distinct laughter when he chased her down the hallway. He still felt her gentle touch on his skin. All he wanted to do was protect her and show her the love she'd been missing all her life.
(...)
The rooster crowed, pulling Ragnelle from her deep slumber. As she stirred to consciousness, she began to remember where she was. Gwaine had left her alone in his room, and she had curled up, wracked with emotion. The bed enveloped her with a softness she hadn't felt for ages. The only time Holun allowed her on his bed was when his feet were cold, and he ordered her to wrap herself around them as he slept. She was grateful for those nights, because it meant that she was allowed the comfort her body craved. But there was a price. The last time Holun pressed his frozen feet against her stomach, he brushed against her growing breasts, and thinking she was gaining too much weight, put her on half rations. She felt guilty when she was forced to steal the edible bits from Kendo's food, but she knew that if the dog was still hungry, he could easily chase down a squirrel, or pounce on an unsuspecting grouse in the woods. Kendo didn't seem to mind, she told herself while she watched him wolf down his food, shivering in the cold because she didn't have enough fuel in her body to suffice. It was a small consolation that she didn't grow that month.
She had stretched out, letting the softness surround every inch of her body, revelling in having a whole bed to herself, and brought the blanket up to her chin, encasing herself in its' warmth. That was the last thing she remembered until the cock crowed.
Gwaine sat up from the floor, where he had been sleeping. She had looked so comfortable on his bed that he didn't want to disturb her, so he took the spare blanket, and slept beside her on the ground. "Good morning!" Was all he was able to say.
Raag screamed.
"Umph!" Gwaine felt her tiny fist contact with his nose and heard a crack.
"Oh no!" She cried out when she realized what she had done. She looked over the edge of the bed as Gwaine rolled about on the floor, holding his bleeding nose. "I'm sorry, are you alright?"
"Honestly," Gwaine moaned, "I have never been so abused by a woman in my life!"
Raag couldn't stop laughing, she was so relieved. She knelt down beside him and handed him his washcloth. "I'd better get to work," she said as she kissed his forehead, "I have some explaining to do to Gwen!"
Left sitting on the floor, Gwaine listened to her laugh echo down the hallway, bewildered, as he felt his bruised nose.
(...)
Merlin found Arthur in the war room, pen in hand. "Why are you here? I came to wake you, and it doesn't even look like your bed has been touched. Did you stay up all night?"
"Unlike you, Merlin, I have responsibilities." He said condescendingly. "We have to treat this like an attack on the castle, and start organizing a defence."
"Treat what like an attack?"
"The boy's disappearance. If we don't find him, we have to plan for the worst case scenario." Merlin couldn't help being concerned for Arthur. He was becoming unglued right in front of his eyes. "A reward," he rambled on, "we could offer a reward for him."
"He's not a criminal, Arthur." Merlin tried to bring him back to reason. "If you put a price on his head, we'll have every boy in Camelot brought to us in chains!"
"Then YOU come up with a better plan!" Arthur snapped at him, "I am obligated to keep the country safe. I cannot have my father getting up from his sickbed, only to find he no longer has a kingdom to rule." The stress of brandishing his authority was evident. "I am accountable for everything that happens under my watch." He pointed his finger accusingly at Merlin. "Sometimes I wish I was a simpleton like you. No worries, no responsibilities, you just do your job and go home, with no repercussions. You must sleep like a baby at night!"
Merlin struggled to hold his tongue, shaking Arthur's scathing words off. "You have no idea."
"No I don't, Merlin," Arthur went on, pointedly, "Because I have a country to run. Now if you could kindly leave me alone, I have real work to do!"
"Shall I bring your breakfast to you in here, then?" Merlin's question was left unanswered. "Right, well, you probably won't eat it, anyways. I'll check back in a couple of hours." Merlin muttered rhetorically as he looked uneasily back at Arthur, pouring over his plans while he reluctantly closed the doors.
(...)
"I'm worried about Arthur." Merlin confided to Gaius as they took their afternoon stroll, "I'm not sure he's prepared for this. You should have seen him this morning."
"Of course he's not prepared, Merlin." The old sage replied, "This came on all of a sudden. There should have been several more years of education before he took the throne, but he'll adjust. Everyone does."
They walked towards the stables, where Gwaine and Ragnelle were watching a new stallion resisting his training.
Raag climbed through the fence. "No, don't!" Gwaine called out. "It's dangerous!"
Merlin ran to the barrier, Gaius following closely behind. "Get out of there, Raag!"
"Let go of him!" She urged, running over to the horse as it bucked and kicked at the men holding him. Ragnelle stood in the middle of the corral, and reached out with her hand. The stallion, loosing himself from the restraints with one mighty shake, galloped towards her.
Gwaine climbed over the fence, ready to pull her away. "Wait!" Merlin stopped him. "Look!" He said.
The stallion slowed down a few feet from her, and trotted up to Raag. "It's alright, don't be afraid," she told the beast calmly. "These people are going to give you a nice home, and you'll be someone's best friend. He'll love you, and take care of you..." she petted its' nose gently. "Who knows, you might even become a Knight's steed." She laughed as she took hold of the rope hanging from his neck. "That would be the most honourable of all!" She led the animal to the side of the corral, and showed him the harness. "Here. Let me put this on." The horse pulled his head back, unsure. "It's alright, it's not forever, it's just so your new partner can ride you." The stallion bowed his head, and she slipped the reigns on. "That's what you'll be, you know. Partners. Together always."
As she walked the animal around the compound, taking to it, Merlin turned to Gaius. "How did she do that?" He whispered, "Was it the magic?"
"Do not mistake kindness and empathy for magic, my friend." Gaius advised, somewhat truthfully. "She is an empath, nothing more. The animals feel her love, and she in turn."
"I know how they feel." Gwaine sighed.
As Raag returned the animal to its' dumbfounded trainers, Merlin pulled her aside. "Perhaps you shouldn't demonstrate your 'gift' in public," he advised.
"Oh, that? Animals have always been able to understand me." Raag maintained, unconcerned, "I daresay more than people!"
(...)_
As the weeks went by, Gwaine and Ragnelle were inseparable. He would meet up with her every evening, and they would spend the entire night in his chambers. Often they would visit Gwen and play games at her kitchen table. "Hello, Merlin!" Ragnelle exclaimed one evening as they arrived at the house together.
Merlin glanced over at Gwen, "Raag, Gwen and I were talking,"
"Oh, I'm sorry..." she opened the door again, "We'll get out of your way."
"No!" Merlin started again, "We were discussing something that was bothering us... about you."
"About me?"
"Yes," Gwen started, "tell us again how you ended up with Holun?"
Raag sighed, as she began relaying the unhappy memory. "He picked me up in the forest after my parents sold me to him."
"Were you wearing a dress?"
"No..." She thought back, "My parents couldn't afford to buy me dresses, so I always wore my brother's old clothes when he grew out of them."
"And Holun had no idea you were a girl?"
"I guess they never told him." She shrugged.
"Raag..." Merlin stated gently, "No parent, no matter how terrible they were, would sell a child to someone without telling them if it was a girl or a boy."
"It's the truth." She insisted, afraid that they thought she was lying, "I swear!"
"It's Holun's truth." Gwen maintained.
"What do you mean?" The truth began to dawn on her, "Do... you think he... lied?"
Merlin grimaced, "He never struck me as the most trustworthy person in the world."
"All this time?"
Gwen nodded, sympathetically.
Raag fell silent for a moment as she absorbed what they were telling her. "Do you think they've been looking for me?" She asked, quietly. "My... family?"
"I don't know," Gwen admitted, "I know that if it was me, I wouldn't stop."
Ragnelle's legs went weak, and she needed to sit down. All sorts of questions and emotions raged through her, "I always thought they sold me because we were poor. I never thought..." she felt heartbroken and robbed. Gwaine put his hand on her shoulder. Raag immediately adhered herself to him, holding him as if she would never let go. She cried for the lost years, her lost family, her lost childhood, her lost freedom. They sat down on the hearth, his arms still enfolding her, as she tried to remember her childhood. "Toi San," she said as if suddenly inspired.
"What does that mean?" Merlin inquired.
"I used to sit beside my grandmother on the hearth, or at least I think it was my grandmother... she liked to sit beside the fireplace because she was always cold, and she would tell me that if anyone ever asked, I was Toi San." She shook her head, "I'm not sure what that means, whether it's people, or a town, or a country. I just know that it's who I am." She looked vaguely out the window. "I have to find them, Gwaine."
"I'll go with you." Gwaine offered. "I'm always up for a quest!"
"What if we're wrong?" Gwen reasoned with her. "What if they did really sell you to Holun? That's a long way to go to find disappointment."
"What if you're right?" She stated, resolutely. "I have to know the truth."
There was a knock on the door, interrupting the conversation. "Open up."
Gwen quickly handed Raag the mending, and opened the door. "What do you want?" She asked, angrily.
"We've posted a notice in the square to inform everyone that there is a reward for the boy, Raag." The soldier told them. "Now, if you will get out of our way, we need to conduct a search."
A shock of blonde hair appeared at the door. "Your Majesty!" The guard was caught off-guard.
"I'll take over from here." Arthur directed.
The guard bowed and left the room. "Arthur!" Gwen scolded, "Another search? How can you sanction such a thing? Haven't you put your people through enough?"
"We have to find the boy, Gwen." Was the answer, "We have less than two weeks before Holun returns. I will conduct a search every day if I have to."
"Certainly he's long gone by now," Merlin ascertained.
"The reward should draw him out. It's been relayed across every corner of the kingdom." Arthur persisted. "He won't be able to find help anywhere in Camelot, no matter how remote."
"The reward?" Gwaine protested from the hearth, still holding a distraught Ragnelle closely, "Every orphan in the land will be brought to you in shackles!"
"That's what I said!" Merlin agreed, triumphantly.
"No." A small voice said. The thought of a child in chains brought out a strength in her she didn't know she had. Ragnelle knew she couldn't let this happen because of her. Bravely, she pulled herself away from Gwaine's protection and stood in front of Arthur.
Angry at being interrupted by this stranger, he yelled at her. "What?"
Ignoring Gwaine's protests, she continued. "I'm the one you're looking for."
Arthur finally deigned to look at her, and into her almond eyes. "But... You're a Girl!" Realizing she spoke the truth, his demeanour instantly changed. The anger melted away, and he began to feel sick inside.
Gwaine rose up from the hearth, putting a protective arm around her. Raag's legs felt like they were going to give out on her right there, and she appreciated his support as they waited for Arthur to say something... anything.
"You... you all knew?" He asked as he looked at his best friends surrounding him. Now it was Arthur's legs that turned to jelly as he sat down on the kitchen bench.
Merlin nodded. "We've been hiding her ever since I found out."
"And you kept it from me? You knew what I was going through!"
"You can't blame Merlin," Gwen piped up, "I helped her with the dress, and arranged for her to work at the castle."
"Right under my nose?" Arthur was astonished at their duplicity, but there were more important things for him to ponder. Despite the value of the black powder, this girl changed everything. Suddenly, his choice was clear. He had no choice. "I can't hand a girl over to those Barbarians." Finally, he understood.
Gwaine smiled his roguish smile. "Then we have to find something else more valuable to give them, something that will make them forget all about the boy."
"Yes, but what?" Arthur wondered.
