After resting for a few days, Merlyn had officially become Arthur's maidservant. Merlyn quickly got used to the life of a servant. Although Arthur still made it hellish for her.
Right now, Arthur and Merlyn were in the training grounds. Arthur had his shield and sword and Merlyn had the same. The armor the prince gave her discarded onto the ground.
"Ready?" Arthur asked her. Merlyn scoffed and stood in a stance.
"Would it make any difference if I said no?" She asked. The prince chuckled and started to attack. As Arthur attacked he called the things on where he would strike.
"Body. Shield. Body-" He got cut off when Merlyn caught his sword and threw it to the side. Arthur was frozen for a moment as he stared at the grass where his sword was pierced in.
"It feels kind of weird when you say 'body' over and over." Merlyn smirked as the prince started to blush and grabbed his sword from the ground. He started to attack again, without giving the girl a notice.
Merlyn finally made it back after a long day and was sore all over. Gaius slightly laughed as he saw her walking in like she was an old lady.
"How was your day, Merlyn?" She glared at Gaius and sat down. She groaned and Gaius came over to her and massaged her shoulders.
"I hate it when he uses me as a punching bag." Merlyn grumbled. "And I still haven't gotten to learning about tournament etiquette. And I need to know all by morning. Onhirne achtung bregdan." She recited the spell and a book about armor flew to her and opened. Gaius exclaimed and hit Merlyn on the back of her head.
"What've I told you about using magic like this?" Merlyn scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"If I could actually feel my arms, I would've picked up the book myself." She mumbled.
"Never mind your arms. What would I do if you get caught?" Merlyn turned around to look at Gaius and furrowed her brows.
"What would you do?" She asked quietly. Gaius stopped for a moment and looked her in the eyes.
"Well, you just make sure it doesn't happen. For both our sakes." He finally replied. Merlyn nodded and Gaius continued on her shoulders. She groaned slightly and sighed.
"I saved Arthur from being killed and I end up as a servant. How is that fair?" Merlyn asked. Gaius was about to reply as a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in." Gaius called. He stopped massaging Merlyn's shoulders and she painly reached for the book. A man walked in with black hair. He looked like a knight and asked if Gaius had a sleeping draught.
Gaius looked for it, while the knight stared at Merlyn. She was engrossed in her book and didn't notice the stare. There was something in eyes that flickered and Gaius saw it for a moment. It was desire.
Gaius gave the sleeping draught to the man and he thanked him. He walked out and Gaius looked over at Merlyn. She was still reading and didn't notice the concerned look on the old physician's face.
It was tournament day! Merlyn got up early to make sure she had polished all of the prince's armor and even asked Gwen for help.
Arthur and Merlyn stood outside the arena and Merlyn was putting on Arthur's armor. It went pretty good, she thought, for her first time.
"You do know the tournament is today?" Looks like Arthur didn't think so. Merlyn rolled her eyes, but continued.
"Are you nervous?" She asked. Arthur almost scoffed and avoided the stare Merlyn gave him.
"I don't get nervous." Lie. Merlyn sighed and tied his chestplate tight.
"A simple 'yes' would have sufficed." She mumbled. Merlyn could feel Arthur's gaze on her as she put his sword in his belt. She handed him his helmet and nodded in approval.
"I think you're all set." She gave herself a victory smile and looked up and Arthur. He sighed, not finding a flaw in her tournament etiquette. "Good luck!" Merlyn gave him a closed eyed smile. Arthur blushed slightly and muttered a 'thanks'.
Arthur walked into the arena and stood next to the other knights. Uther stood and gave a speech. The way he looked at Arthur as he told the crowd he was the champion, almost looked like: 'don't disappoint me'. Merlyn couldn't help but furrow her brows at that.
Arthur had won all his fights the first day and so did the knight that had asked for the sleeping draught. His name was Valiant. He was very aggressive and Merlyn didn't like him. Not one bit.
"Knight Valiant looks pretty handy with a sword." Merlyn commented. Arthur looked at her like she just confessed his love for him. He was already jealous. Not that he would say that out loud.
Valiant walked over to the two as Merlyn was getting Arthur's armor off. "May I offer my congratulations on your victories today." He said as he slightly bowed. Arthur was about to answer, but Valiant spoke again.
"Aren't you one beautiful lady?" He took Merlyn's hand and kissed it. Merlyn wanted nothing more that to slap his face, but he was a knight. She couldn't do that. Arthur was fuming with rage.
"Tell me when you find one." Merlyn sassed back, while quickly retracting her hand from the knight's grip. Arthur had to fight the urge to laugh out loud and covered it up with a cough. Valiant didn't look too happy with that response and walked off.
The moment he was out of eyesight, Arthur bursted out laughing, getting a few looks from people close to them. Merlyn giggled and continued taking off Arthur's armor.
"Creep." Merlyn muttered and Arthur laughed again. He wiped his eyes as tears started to form from laughing so much. He cleared his throat as he noticed Merlyn smirked at him.
"Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail." Merlyn rolled her eyes, but nodded anyway.
The morning air was chilling as Merlyn made her way towards the armory to get Arthur's armor. She shivered slightly at the cold touch of the armor, but picked it up anyway. She stopped however, when she heard something hissing. She turned to the hissing sound and found the source.
It was Valiant's shield.
Merlyn slowly made her way towards the shield. She crouched down and gasped when she saw one of the snakes winking at her.
"Can I help you with something?" A voice sounded behind her. Merlyn stood up and saw Valiant standing behind her, with a snarl on his face. Merlyn panicked on the inside, but tried to keep herself calm on the outside.
"I was just admiring the shield, Sir." She stuttered out. Luckily it sounded believable. Valiant scowled and Merlyn bowed and quickly got out of there.
She was still pretty shaken by her new discovery. Valiant was using magic. She had to tell Arthur, hoping that he would believe her.
Arthur had won all of his fights of course, and Valiant was up again. He was sparring against Sir Ewan, who was very good with a sword. They started to fight and you could see that Sir Ewan had the upper hand.
Merlyn had hope that Sir Ewan would win this round, but it started to turn around. Valiant had Ewan pinned under him and somehow, Ewan stopped struggling. Valiant stood up and the crowd roared and clapped.
Gaius quickly made his way towards Ewan and so did a few guards with a stretcher. They picked him up and brought him to Gaius' chambers. "I think he might be badly hurt." Merlyn voiced her concern and Arthur looked at her.
There was fear in her eyes. The fear for Valiant. Arthur saw the flash of fear, but he hoped that he had it wrong.
Merlyn quickly made her way towards Gaius' chambers. She knew it had something to do with Valiant's shield. The way Ewan just fell down and stayed down. Merlyn opened the chamber doors and saw Gaius tending to Ewan.
"How is he?" She asked, making her presence known in the room. Gaius looked up at his ward as she made her way over to him.
"t's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite." Merlyn's breath hitched in her throat and Gaius noticed.
"He was fighting knight Valiant." She muttered. Gaius raised a brow and turned to Merlyn.
"What was that?" Merlyn's eyes widened as she had not meant to say that.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I have to go." She stood up and walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" Gaius asked. Merlyn turned back to her mentor with a small smile.
"Morgana wanted be at the reception." Was all Merlyn said as she walked out of the wooden doors.
The reception was going well and Merlyn stood off close to the wall with Gwen. They talked and Merlyn could feel Valiant's stare on the entire time. It sent shivers down her spine and Gwen seemed to notice something was amiss.
"Are you alright? You have been shivering for most of the evening." Arthur asked as he came over. He had seen the stare Valiant gave her and her paling. Merlyn nodded silently and excused herself.
What they didn't know however, was that Valiant had put a sleeping draught in Merlyn's drink. She was starting to feel sleepy and had to lean on the wall for support. She was already out of the throne room and most servants were asleep.
Merlyn stumbled as she almost fell. Arms catched her in time and she looked up to see who it was. Merlyn panicked as she saw that it was Valiant. She tried to stay awake, but couldn't keep her eyes open. Before she completely succumbed to the darkness of sleep, she casted a spell in her head. She got into Arthur's mind and screamed for help.
Arthur dropped his wine and ran out of the throne room, getting weird looks from everyone. He ran through the halls, trying to catch the voice of Merlyn again. He didn't see her, but he didn't stop looking. Arthur ran around the castle like there was a monster on his tail.
As he got to the chambers of the knights who were visiting he heard something in one of the rooms. He peeked in and saw that Valiant was whispering to an unconscious Merlyn. Arthur didn't spare one second and bursted through the doors. He glared at Valiant, who looked surprised.
"Give me my maidservant back." Was all Arthur said. Valiant smirked and dropped Merlyn on the ground.
"How do you know she is still your's?" Arthur's heart panicked, but he decided to stay calm. He walked over to Merlyn and grabbed her bridal style.
"If you laid one finger on her, I promise it won't end good for you." And with that, Arthur walked out of the room and quickly made his way to Gaius.
Gaius was startled to almost death, as he saw a frantic prince carrying his ward in his arms. Gaius told Arthur to put her in the room in the back and he grabbed his stuff.
Arthur carefully put Merlyn on her bed and he watched at her sleeping face. This had gone way to far. Valiant was a beast. And he had to fight him in the morning. Gaius examined Merlyn as Arthur hoped she was not touched by that creep.
"She's fine. She just had a sleeping draught." Gaius said. Arthur sighed in relief and sat next the bed where Merlyn laid.
"Could you tell me what happened?" Gaius asked. Arthur told the old man what happened and you could see that he was just as angry.
Suddenly Merlyn mumbled and both of the men looked at the girl on the bed. Merlyn opened her eyes and immediately panicked. She shot out of the bed, but she was still drowsy and fell. Arthur caught her and she started to fight.
"Merlyn! Calm down! It's me, Arthur!" After Arthur said that, Merlyn relaxed and sighed. She stayed in the prince's arms, which he didn't mind one bit. Gaius stroked Merlyn's hair and told her to rest.
Both Arthur and Merlyn didn't want to let go, but they knew that Merlyn had to rest. "M-my room is in the back…" She mumbled. Arthur led her to her small room and laid her in bed.
"You should rest tomorrow-" Arthur was cut off when Merlyn gave him a glare.
"Valiant is using magic." Arthur looked at her as if she was mad. But, Merlyn didn't falter. "The snakes on his shield are alive. That is how he defeated Sir Ewan." She added.
Arthur shook his head. "I don't want to talk about him now Merlyn. Just rest." He replied. Merlyn looked offended as Arthur stood up and walked over to her door.
"You can't fight Valiant tomorrow! He is going to kill you. Please Arthur, just listen to me." Merlyn cried out as she sat up. Arthur sighed and walked out of the room.
Gaius had heard everything and watched as Arthur walked out of his chambers. Merlyn stumbled to her feet, but it was too late. Arthur had already left.
"Why can't that stupid, pumpuss idiot listen for once?!" Merlyn exclaimed. Gaius was slightly taken aback, but ushered her back into her room.
Merlyn sighed in frustration. She looked out her window and saw the squaire. Her eyes caught a statue of a dog and an idea came in her mind. She ran out of her room, still stumbling. Merlyn ignored the worried cries of Gaius and ran out into the squaire.
It was the last day of the tournament and Merlyn had been up all night trying to get the statue to move. Just a couple of days before, Gaius had given her a magic book and she had found the spell.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum." Merlyn muttered for the thousand time that morning. Her eyes were slowly closing, but she refused to give into the sleep. "Bebay odothay arisan quickum." A loud bark was heard and her eyes shot open. Merlyn laughed as she saw the dog in front of her.
She quickly ran out of her chambers and ran past a curious Gaius.
Merlyn ran as fast as she could. Her legs still somewhat weak, but it wasn't an option to slow down. She ran to the arena and stopped when she was leaning against the outside of the ring.
Arthur and Valiant were in deep fight and both of their helmets were discarded on the ground. Valiant disarmed Arthur and Merlyn quickly muttered the spell. Arthur noticed her in the corners of his eyes. His eyes widened when he saw her eyes shine gold. Beautiful.
The snakes came out of the shield and Arthur forced his eyes back at his opponent. Valiant was confused as was the crowd. Uther stood up from his throne and his eyes glared into the back of Valiant.
"Now they see you for what you really are." Arthur spat, with as much venom as he could. Valiant chuckled and the snakes went over to Arthur. Before any could react, a sword had sliced through the heads of the three snakes. All eyes turned to Merlyn who was still standing at the entrance of the arena.
Her arm was extended and a hard glare was on her face. Arthur quickly snapped out of his shock and grabbed the sword that was stuck in the wall. He went over to Valiant and run him through. This send the crowd in cheers and Uther sat back in his throne in relief.
Arthur walked away from the body on the ground and went over to Merlyn. He smiled at her and she smiled back, before almost collapsing. She leaned against the stone wall and played it off with a smile, to the concerned prince.
Merlyn had slept the rest of the day, per request of Arthur and Gaius. She didn't argue this time and slept until it was time for her to go to the banquet. Merlyn pulled out a dress that she had made not too long ago. It could come off as a dress of nobility, but she had just made it herself.
It was a dark blue colour with gold accents. Short sleeved and it reached the ground. A little less formal than the dress she wore before, but she made this one. It wasn't supposed to be on the level of Morgana.
She had kept her hair down and stood next to Gwen, not feeling uncomfortable this time. Merlyn smiled and joked with Gwen as they filled the cups of the nobility.
"My honored guests, I give you Prince Arthur, your champion." Uther announced. Arthur had his arm hooked with Morgana as they walked through the hall. Merlyn smiled at how royal they both looked.
"I told you, he gets all the glory." Merlyn said to Gwen. She just smiled and turned her head to her new friend.
"And he owes it all to you. The way you threw that sword was very impressive." Gwen said. Merlyn slightly blushed and they giggled.
Arthur had seen Merlyn from across the hall and was still confused. He had seen her use magic to save him. He knew Merlyn wasn't evil, far from it. But he had still wondered why she hadn't told him. He wasn't scared of her at all.
"I hope your not disappointed that Valiant's not escorting you." Arthur turned his attention back to the Lady next to him.
"Turn out he wasn't champion material." Morgana smirked back.
"That was some tournament final." Arthur sighed as he though back to his fight.
"Tell me about it. I'm just happy that Merlyn saved you." Morgana looked over at the prince to see that he tried to hold back a blush.
"Uh, I wouldn't say I needed exactly saving. I'm sure I would've thought of something." Arthur said, to hide his embarrassment. Morgana fully turned to look at Arthur and scoffed.
"So your too proud to admit you were saved by a girl. If it weren't for Merlyn you would be snake food." Morgana furrowed her brows.
"But, I wasn't." Arthur rolled his eyes. Morgana scoffed once more and walked away. Arthur sighed and run a hand through his blond hair.
Morgana had joined Merlyn and Gwen. She kept complaining about Arthur. Merlyn giggled and met his gaze. Arthur subtly asked her to come with him. Merlyn nodded. She excused herself from the other two lady's and walked over to the prince.
"Can you believe it? Morgana is under the impression that you saved me." Arthur had no idea where to start, so he started with a some kind of insult. Merlyn rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. She was not in the mood for this.
"Wait! I mean.." Arthur grabbed Merlyn's arm and turned her back to face him. "I owe you my life, again. Thank you." Merlyn could see the sincerity in his eyes and smiled.
"All in a day's work." She winked at him and he laughed.