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: Merlyn.
Gaius decided this morning that he needed more mushrooms, but of course he realized this at dawn. So I've been picking mushrooms for hours when I hear a screeching sound and I turn to see a winged creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. I start to run and it chases me until my dress catches on a fallen log and I trip, waiting for it to deliver a final blow. A man yells and attacks the creature with a sword but it breaks.
"Run! Run!" He tells me, grabbing hold of me and we run, hiding behind a a fallen tree. The man holds his side.
"It's gone. You saved my life. I'm Merlyn." I tell him, smiling gratefully.
"Lancelot." He tells me, shaking my hand, and then passing out.
"Well, that's just bloody perfect." I mutter, trying to figure out how to get him to Gaius. I ultimately decided to use magic to sneak him into Gaius's chambers and Gaius helped me get him on the sickbed. After examining him, Gaius looks up at me.
"The wound itself is superficial. The fever will pass. He should be fine in the morning." He informs me and I nod. A while later, Lancelot wakes up and I ask him why he came to Camelot.
"Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot. I know what you're thinking, I...I expect too much. After all, who am I? They have their pick of the best and bravest in the land." He sighs, downtrodden about his abilities.
"Lancelot." I interrupt.
"Yes?" He questions, confused.
"They are going to love you." I state confidently.
"They are?" He inquires, self consciously.
"I've seen you in action. You could shame the great Arthur himself." I inform him, smiling.
"I hardly think so." He scoffs.
"In fact, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to talk to him right now." I announce.
"You know Arthur?" He asks me, skeptically.
"Oh yes." I respond, cryptically. Later, I'm in the lower town with Arthur as he tells me about another nobleman fails to pass the sparring portion of the knighthood tests.
"Grummund's the third to fail this month. How am I meant to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?" Arthur complains and I smile to myself.
"Well, I think I might be able to help." I suggest and he raises a brow.
"You, Merlyn? You haven't the faintest idea what it takes to become a knight. Courage, fortitude, discipline. Besides, you are a woman, and women can't be knights." Arthur explains and shake my head.
"No, no, no, of course I don't, but I do know someone who does." I elaborate.
"Yeah?" He questions, unsure.
"He saved my life." I inform him.
"That's blowing it for starters." Arthur says sarcastically and I roll my eyes. Things had gone back to the way they used to after I recovered from being poisoned. Something changed in our dynamic, and we both knew it, but neither wanted to address it.
"No, no, no. He's really good. Honestly." I tell him, fully confident in Lancelot's ability.
"That's great, Merlyn. I'm sure he's terrific, but you forget the First Code of Camelot." He replies.
"The what?" I ask him, confused.
"The First Code. Only those of noble blood can serve as knights. So, unless your friend is a nobleman.." Arthur starts but I interrupt.
"Oh, er, he-he is a nobleman." I blurt out without thinking.
"Is he?" Arthur inquires, his interest peaked.
"Absolutely." I confirm, nodding.
"Very well. Bring him to the training ground tomorrow. And make sure he brings his seal of nobility." Arthur tells me before walking off and I grin.
"Thanks, Arthur. You won't regret it." I call after him before hurrying back to Gaius's to tell Lancelot. I walk in and Lancelot is immediately walking over to me.
"Well? Did you speak to him?" He asks me, anxiously.
"Yeah, I spoke to him." I reply.
"And?" He inquires, sounding more nervous than before.
"And..." I say, feigning disappointment.
"No." He sighs, shaking his head disappointed.
"He said he would like to meet you." I tell him, breaking into a grin.
"Yes! Thank you. Thank you!" He exclaims shaking my hands.
"Hey, really, it was no problem, really. It's nothing." I brush it off and then clear my throat. "You're not a nobleman, by any chance, are you?" I question hopefully.
"A nobleman? No." He chuckles. "Good lord, no. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that there's this..." I start to explain, but Gaius interrupts.
"The First Code of Camelot states that only those of noble blood can serve as a knight. Uther created the knights to protect this kingdom from those who wished to destroy it. He knew he would have to trust each of his knights with his life. So he chose them from the families that had sworn allegiance to him." He tells us.
"The nobility." I interject.
"And thus the First Code of Camelot was born, and ever since that day, only the sons of noble families have served as knights." Gaius explains.
"But that is not fair." I argue.
"Fair or unfair, that's the way it is. I'm sorry, Lancelot. Truly, I am." Gaius apologizes. Later on, Lancelot and I are sitting in my chambers with me sitting on my bed and Lancelot on the window seat.
"Why do you want to be a knight so much?" I ask him, curiously.
"When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains. They were slaughtered where they stood, my father, my mother. Everyone. I alone escaped. I vowed that day that never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. I made sword craft my life. Every waking hour since that day, I devoted to the art of combat, and when I was ready, I set forth for Camelot. And now, it seems, my journey ends. Everything I fought for, wasted." He explains despairingly.
"I give you my word, whatever it takes, I will make this right." I promise him and head off to the palace library to look for a way to help Lancelot. I search for a book, while Geoffrey of Monmouth watches and I grab a book.
"Homework." I explain as I head to a table. I sit and open the book to a page of Northumbrian nobility, then pull out a piece of parchment.
"Ic us bisen hræd tán hwanon." I chant, copying the page and putting it in the pocket of my tan coat, before I notice Geoffrey walk over.
"Ahem." He says loudly and I hand him the book.
"It's a...real page turner." I tell him and he checks the title, so I flash a smile before hurrying out of the library. I head back to Gaius 's chambers where Lancelot waits and I hold up the parchment.
"What's that?" Lancelot asks me, curiously.
"This is your seal of nobility." I inform him excitedly.
"I don't understand." He tells me and I smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lancelot, fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria." I introduce, unrolling the parchment to show him the seal.
"No, Merlyn. No." He tells me and I sigh.
"Oh, right. So you don't want to be a knight, then." I reply, rolling up the parchment and turning away.
"Of course I do!" He says and I turn back.
"Well...the rules don't allow it. Damn the rules! The rules are wrong!" I exclaim.
"But it's a lie. It's against everything the knights stand for." He explains and I scoff.
"You have as much right to be a knight as any man. I know it." I argue.
"But the rules, Merlyn." He objects.
"We're not breaking the rules. We're bending them, that's all. You get your foot in the door. But after that you will be judged on your merit alone. And if you succeed - if they make you a knight - it'll be because you earned it, noble or not. I can't change the way things are done around here, but you can...if you let me help you." I plead, and he eventually agrees. We walk over to Gwen's to have her take Lancelot's measurements.
"Thi..." He clears his throat. "This is very kind of you, er..." He says as she takes his measurements, trailing off because he doesn't know her name.
"Gwen." She introduces herself, looking up at him.
"Gwen." He repeats, testing the name out.
"Short for Guinevere." She explains, smiling, as she stands to take his top measurements.
"Ah. Then thank you, Guinevere." He tells her, sounding slightly nervous.
"Don't thank me. Thank Merlyn. Merlyn would do anything for anyone, wouldn't you, Merlyn?" She asks me and I shrug, from my spot leaning against the table, smiling as I watch them together. " Sorry, can you raise your arms?" She asks, and he does. "Thank you. Sorry." She says, as she takes his arm measurements. "I think it's great that Merlyn's got you this chance. We need men like you." She explains as she takes his neck measurements and I smirk.
"You do?" Lancelot asks, looking into her eyes.
"Well, not me personally, but you know...Camelot. Camelot needs knights. Not just Arthur and his kind, but ordinary people like you and me." Gwen rambles nervously.
"Well, I'm not a knight yet, My Lady." Lancelot informs her and I bite my lip.
"And I'm not a lady." Gwen tells him, giggling.
"Sorry, my..." He stumbles over an apology.
"Okay, we're done. Erm...I should have these ready in no time. It's nice to meet you Lancelot." She reaches her hand to shake his, but Lancelot takes her hand and kisses it before we leave. We walk through the courtyard toward Gauis's chambers.
"She seems lovely. Guinevere." Lancelot says, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, she is. And the best seamstress in Camelot, I promise." I tell him and he nods.
"Is she.. you know.. seeing anyone?" He asks me and I laugh.
"No, no. She's not." I inform him, giving him a sideways look. The next day, we head to the training grounds, where Arthur is training the recruits. Gwen fixes Lancelot's chainmail while I watch Arthur train the recruits, wearing his chainmail and sounding very authoritative. I get so lost that Gwen clears her throat and I blush, turning to help her.
"Well...you certainly look the part." I assure him after regaining my composure.
"Doesn't he just?" Gwen replies happily.
"I don't feel it." Lancelot admits, playing with the collar of his chainmail.
"Okay, that'll do for today. Well done." Arthur tells the recruits and heads over to the sword rack.
"Here's your chance. Go for it." I encourage and Lancelot walks over as Arthur puts his sword in the rack. Arthur makes a spectacle out of Lancelot but he took it rather well and Arthur starts him off in the stables, causing Lancelot to look over and I give him a thumbs up in response. Arthur follows his gaze and raises a brow at me, causing me to give him a look that shows I don't agree with the way he treated Lancelot. I turn and head back to Gaius's chambers, and he asks for my help.
"I'm sorry about Lancelot. I see you were upset." Gaius tells me apologetically.
"Oh. You know...that's life. You win some, you lose some." I reply, continuing to grind the ingredients.
"You're taking it very well, I have to say. Very mature." He compliments and I feel guilty, lying to him.
"Thank you, Gaius." I tell him, smiling slightly, just as Lancelot enters, covered in, what I hope is dirt.
"How'd it go?" I ask, hopefully.
"Ugh." He grunts as he goes to my chamber, causing Gaius to give me a look.
"He found work at the stables." I lie.
"I see. And the truth before I lose my temper?" Gaius says and I sigh.
"He's er...trying out for the knights." I reply nervously.
"The First Code of Camelot has never been broken for any man. What've you done, Merlyn?" He asks.
"Okay, I bent the rules a little, but the rules are wrong. They're unfair." I argue
"You bent the rules? Using magic?" Gaius asks me, sounding upset.
"It was nothing, honestly. It was more of a trick than actual magic." I dismiss.
"Your magic is not a toy, Merlyn. It's not for you to use or abuse as you see fit." He scolds me.
"I know. I know." I agree.
"Then why'd you do it?" He asks me and I sigh.
"I owe Lancelot my life. I am paying for that debt the only way I can by giving him the opportunity he deserves. If you want to punish me for it, go ahead." I inform Gaius and head to my chambers. There are screams, so Gaius and I head to the Square to help. I find an injured woman and help her sit next to Gaius.
"You're safe now, I promise." I reassure her as Gaius tends to another woman.
"How is she?" I ask, concerned.
"Okay." He replies. Lancelot runs into the Square.
"What happened to these people?" Lancelot asks, looking around.
"Their village was attacked by a winged monster." Gaius informs us, causing Lancelot and I to exchange a look. Arthur decides to move Lancelot's test forward, so the next day we're gathered on the training grounds, as Lancelot faces Arthur. During the fighting, Gwen grabs my arm in her anxiety.
"Sorry." She mutters her apology and I nod, understandingly. Just as Lancelot looks like he's failed, he surprises everyone when he knocks Arthur down. Lancelot passes and is named a Knight of Camelot. At the celebration, I stand with Gaius while Lancelot sits at a table with Arthur, drinking.
"Look at him, Gaius. Does Lancelot not deserve this moment?" I ask him, glancing over at my new friend.
"I never said he didn't. But destiny and desserts are not the same thing. You played God, Merlyn. You set him on a path of your choosing. Tonight you brought him triumph, but who knows what the future may hold." Gaius warns me and I nod.
"Yeah, I don't know what it said on your invitation, but on mine it said celebration." I tell him, smirking, and he chuckles.
"Point taken. Don't come back too late." He reminds me and I smile.
"All right." I nod, before walking over to where Morgana and Gwen are sitting. Morgana excuses herself to talk to Sir Leon, leaving Gwen and I to drink and gossip.
Arthur POV
I'm sitting at the table, drinking with Lancelot, when I notice her walk toward Guinevere and Morgana. She's wearing a simple, yet stunning, lilac dress, with her long black waves pinned back with small purple flowers. Morgana leaves with Leon, and Guinevere says something that makes Merlyn laugh. Gwen and Merlyn walk over to the food table, Merlyn smiling as she tells Guinevere something.
"Here's trouble. Tell me, do you think her...beautiful?" I ask Lancelot, taking a drink from my goblet. Lancelot looks over to where Guinevere and Merlyn are standing.
"Yes, Sire. I do." Lancelot replies and I look over at Merlyn, as she and Guinevere talk animatedly about something.
"Yeah. I suppose she is." I agree, and Merlyn notices my gaze, blushing, before I look away.
Merlyn POV
"You know what? I think our Sir Lancelot might have eyes for you, Gwen." I tell her, noticing Lancelot's gaze. I also noticed Arthur looking at me, but he looked away before I could gather the expression on his face.
"Don't be silly." She brushes off and I raise a brow.
"What? So what if he did? Would that really be so bad?" I ask her, curious and she sighs.
"He's not really my type." She says, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Oh, well, there's a surprise. Sometimes, Guinevere, I wonder if you'd know what your type was if he was standing right next to you." I mutter and she scoffs.
"You're one to talk." She smirks, looking over at Arthur and I blush a deep red, as I grab another drink from a passing servant.
"So, come on. Just for the sake of argument. If you could have him.." I implore.
"But I can't and I never will." She argues.
"Oh, you are no fun, Gwen." I sigh and Arthur pounds on the table, causing everyone to look up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to our new recruit, our new knight of Camelot, Sir Lancelot." Arthur toasts and everyone applauds. Lancelot and I leave my chambers the next morning, with very strong headaches and a lot of regret regarding the amount of ale we consumed.
"Argh. Two yards of ale? Two miles, more like it." Lancelot comments, and I nod, before wincing.
"Good morning, Lancelot. Merlyn." Gaius greets us, holding out two fizzing drinks. "Don't look at it, don't smell it, just down it in one." He instructs and we do as he says.
"Argh." We exclaim in unison over the disgusting drink.
"Better?" He asks and we nod. "Good. Can't have you nodding off first day on the job, Lancelot."
"That's Sir Lancelot, if you don't mind." I correct him and we all laugh before guards enter. "What are you doing?" I ask them, confused.
"King's orders." One of them explains as they grab Lancelot and escort him out.
"Stop!" I call after them but they're already gone. I immediately head to the dungeons to visit Lancelot.
"I don't know what to say to you, Lancelot." I tell him, guiltily as he sits on the floor of his cell.
"You're not to blame." He tells me and I shake my head.
"Yes, I am. I pushed you. I made you lie." I argue.
"The choice was mine. My punishment is mine to bear, and mine to bear alone." He insists.
"I wish there was something I could do." I say sadly.
"There is. You can stop blaming yourself." He tells me. I walk back to Gaius's chambers after talking with Lancelot.
"Merlyn?" Gaius asks me.
"Whatever you do, don't say, 'I told you so.'" I interrupt as I sit on the chair.
"I have no wish to gloat, Merlyn. What's done is done. Here. Come and take a look at this. I realized my mistake. I've been looking for the creature in the wrong place, in the records of all known living things in the kingdom. And then I thought, but what about creatures only recorded in legend? In myth? Then I discovered this." He informs me, calling me over to look at a picture in a book.
"That is it. That's the monster." I confirm, seeing the monster that attacked me when I met Lancelot. Suddenly, warning bells sound, causing us to hurry to the window. People are running wildly around the square, screaming, as the creature swoops down. After Arthur and the knights manage to scare away the creature, Gaius and I head to inform the king of our findings. I stand behind Gaius in a worn blue dress, with my red scarf and my long, black hair in a braid off to the side. After Gaius explains that the creature, a Griffin, can only be killed by magic, we head back to his chambers.
"Is it true? The griffin can only be killed by magic?" I ask him, worried about Arthur facing the Griffin again.
"Yes, Merlin. I'm certain of it. If Arthur rides out against it, he'll die." Gaius informs me and I sigh.
"Then he must be stopped. Uther must see reason." I say, hoping the King could be reasoned with.
"Where magic is concerned, our King is blind to reason. And yet...magic is our only hope." Gaius says, looking at me, causing me to frown.
"You're not suggesting..." I trail off, realizing he is suggesting what I think he is.
"It is your destiny, Merlyn. The true purpose of your magic." He reminds me and I shake my head.
"You saw it, Gaius. I can't go up against that thing." I deny softly, my eyes becoming glassy.
"But if you do not, then Arthur will surely perish." Gaius surmises and I turn away, beginning to pace, shaking my head.
"No...this is madness. I don't have magic that powerful. There must be another way." I say, sounding as scared as I feel.
"This is the only way." Gaius replies adamantly.
"Do you even care what happens to me? Oh, just do this, Merlyn. Do that, Merlyn. Go and kill the griffin, Merlyn. I'll just sit here and warm my feet by the fire." I mutter sarcastically, as I continue to pace.
"Merlyn! Merlyn, you are the only thing I care about in all this world. I would give my life for you without a thought. But for what? I cannot save Arthur. It is not my destiny. You know." Gaius tells me softly and I nod, blinking back tears.
"I'm sorry." I apologize, feeling guilty for snapping at him.
"I don't know what else I can say." He says, shaking his head.
"I'll say it for you. We have two hours to find a way to kill that thing." I inform him and we begin to search through all of Gaius's books for anything on the Griffin.
"There. You must do this for Arthur." Gaius points out, and I sigh.
"I've never cast a spell of enchantment this powerful." I comment after reading the page.
"Nothing less will kill it. Here." Gaius informs me, handing me a rusty dagger.
"Try. You have it within you. I know you do." He encourages me and I take a deep breath.
"Bregdan anweald gafeluec." I chant and nothing happens, causing Gaius and I to look at each other.
"Don't worry, Merlyn, we have plenty of time." Gaius assures me and I bite my lip, hoping I can cast the spell in time to save Arthur. I continue trying the spell, and continue to fail.
"Don't worry, Merlyn. I know you're trying." Gaius tells me, trying to reassure me.
"And I'm failing. And if Arthur dies because I'm not good enough..." I tell him, my eyes filling with tears at the thought of something happening to Arthur.
"Merlyn!" Gaius scolds and Gwen rushes in.
"Merlyn! Lancelot's riding out to kill the griffin!" Gwen tells me and I stand up.
"He's what?" I ask, in shock, and Gwen just shurgs, so I run out of the chambers and into the lower town to see Lancelot saddling a horse.
"I'm coming with you." I tell him and he looks up at me.
"No, you're not." He refuses and I roll my eyes.
"Just try and stop me." I challenge him.
"Merlyn, you're not a soldier." He explains and I sigh.
"You said it yourself, Lancelot, Arthur needs all the help he can get. Now let's go." I say, determined, starting to walk towards the gate, and Lancelot helps me onto a horse, as we head into the forest to help Arthur. We hear men dying and reach the fallen knights, and I see something that I've been dreading. The golden blonde hair stood out as I jump off the horse and pick up the skirt of my dress as I hurry over to him.
"Arthur." I call out, tears pooling in my eyes and I feel for his pulse, and sigh in relief when I find one.
"Well?" Lancelot asks, referring to Arthur's condition.
"He's alive." I inform him, smiling as I brush a strand of golden hair out of his face before we hear the Griffin hiss. Lancelot rides into attack poition with a lance and shuts his visor.
"Okay, Merlyn, it's now or never." I mumble to myself as Lancelot rears his horse. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec." I chant and nothing happens, just as Lancelot charges. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec." I repeat, to no avail, as Lancelot passes me. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec!" I chant louder as the Griffin charges. "Bregdan anweald gafeluec." I chant, this time, louder and more confident, which seemed to work, because the lance flames blue, hitting and killing the Griffin, causing the magic glow to vanish.
"Yes!" I cheer, and Arthur stirs, so I run off, leaving Lancelot to take the credit for killing the Griffin. I head back to Gaius's chambers immediately and hurry inside.
"You did it?!" Gaius exclaims and I nod.
"I did it." I confirm and we hug.
"Thank God!" Gaius praises and I smile. After visiting Gaius, I head to the throne room and see Lancelot waiting outside the doors.
"What are they doing?" I ask him, nervously.
"Deciding my fate." Lancelot replies, sounding just as nervous. We wait anxiously outside the throne room, awaiting their decision.
"They'll restore your knighthood, of course they will. You killed the griffin." I assure him, breaking the silence.
"But I didn't kill the griffin." Lancelot says, walking slightly away from the guards. "You did." He says, and I scoff, pretending to know nothing about what he's implying.
"That's ridiculous." I brush off.
"'Bregdan anweald'...I heard you. I saw you." He tells me, repeating the incantation, and I look around, worriedly.
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But I cannot take the credit for what I did not do. There'll be no more lies, no more deceit." He explains and I relax slightly.
"What are you going to do?" I ask him, trying to figure out his next move.
"The only thing I can do." He tells me before bursting into the throne room and announcing that he was leaving Camelot. After he says goodbye to Gwen, I stand with Gaius on the palace battlements as we watch Lancelot ride away.
"Perhaps you were right, Gaius. Perhaps I should never have gotten involved." I say as I watch my friend ride away.
"No, Merlyn. I was wrong. Lancelot needed you and you needed Lancelot. Your destinies were entwined." He explains to me.
"Will he ever return?" I ask, hoping that he'll come back to Camelot.
"That I cannot say." Gaius responds and I smile.
"Till next time then, Sir Lancelot." I say, smiling at the title that Lancelot deserves, and I hope one day, will have.