A/N: Well helloooooo again guys! I debated over how soon to update this story. I was going to wait and try to maintain a schedule, like a chapter a week, but I couldn't do that. I'm impatient and just want to get things going. I do apologize there probably won't be a set schedule for updating. Probably whenever I finish an episode of Merlin there will be an update or two close together. And then there will be a gap while I'm writing. I am guilty of putting my two Harry Potter stories on a near permanent hiatus. It's not that I've lost any interest in them, I could NEVER lose interest in Harry Potter. But for some reason my muse has just left me and Harry and Stephanie Cradey 3: What I'm trying to say is that I swear to you I will try my very hardest to keep this story moving forward at a decent pace.
The Dragon's Call: Part 2
The next morning, as soon as the two of them woke, Adrielle and Gaius headed off to the dungeons to rescue her idiotic brother. When they came upon the cell he was in, Merlin had his head to the ground as if he were listening for something.
"Merlin!" Gaius called sternly as the door opened.
"You had one job, Merlin, one job! Stay out of trouble!" Adrielle exclaimed.
"You never cease to amaze me! The one thing someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot!" Gaius continued.
"I'm sorry," Merlin apologized, eyes on the ground.
"Well you're lucky. I've pulled a few strings to get you released." Merlin smiled and excitedly began to thank Gaius.
"I wouldn't get too excited just yet," Adrielle said with a faint, knowing smile.
"There is a small price to pay," Gaius admitted. Merlin frowned, staring at the two. "Come on then."
Merlin began to follow Gaius and the guards out, when Adrielle suddenly pulled him into a quick hug.
"What was that for?" Merlin questioned.
"I'm glad you're not dead. I don't know what I'd do. Besides, I figured I should do that now before..." she started. Merlin said nothing, but stared at her uncertainly.
The catch for getting Merlin out of his jail cell wasn't all that much better. He was subjected a couple of hours in the stocks, being pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables by the villagers. She shouldn't be laughing at him, she really shouldn't. He was her brother and she should stand beside him. But as a rotten tomato came flying at his head, his body tensing as he waited for impact, she couldn't help but laugh.
This was an opportunity that she, as a younger sister, couldn't pass up. She took a rotten apple from someone in the crowd and hurled it at his head. Merlin looked up just as Adrielle's apple came flying at him, hitting him square between his eyes. He shrunk away and looked back up, wanting to see who threw the well aimed fruit at him.
"Adrielle!" He whined when he realized it had been his own sister. She laughed beside herself and withdrew from the crowd, making sure to stay out of the line of fire.
"I'm sorry, Merlin, but really. This is an opportunity I couldn't pass." The villagers had run out of ammo and scurried off to collect more. Merlin looked over at her, glaring as he did.
"Oh, come on. It's all fun and games. You know you would have done the same thing had it been me in the stocks," she said with a short laugh, ruffling his hair.
"Adrielle," a soft voice said from the other side of Merlin. The two looked over and laid their eyes upon Gwen's kind figure. Gwen introduced herself to Merlin, much like she had yesterday to Adrielle.
"Merlin," he said offering his hand to Gwen. "Although most people call me idiot."
"I most certainly do," Adrielle said with a chuckle.
"No, no. No I saw what you did. It was so brave," Gwen gushed sympathetically.
"It was stupid," he sighed.
"Well I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him," Gwen continued.
Merlin chuckled under his breath, muttering defiantly that he could've beaten him.
"You think? Because you don't look like one of these big muscley fellows."
Merlin frowned, muttering a defeated, "Thanks."
"No, no I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men. Well...you don't look like that," Gwen added. Merlin looked around like he had a secret to tell. Gwen leaned in, eager to what he had to say. Adrielle knew he was stupid, but he wouldn't dare, would he?
"I'm in disguise," he whispered. Adrielle snorted, happy to know her brother wasn't a complete idiot. An idiot, yes, but he was just flirting. Gwen smiled and laughed.
"Well, it's great you stood up to him. Arthur's a bully and everyone thought you were a real hero," Gwen said with a smile. Adrielle watched as these two smiled at each other, smirking beside herself. The crowd of villagers boisterously returned, baskets filled to the brim with more rotten food
"Oh, excuse me, ladies. My fans await me," Merlin said. The two girls nodded and Adrielle took Gwen by her shoulder as she hurried to the other side with her.
"Have fun, Merlin," Adrielle sang as the two girls headed back into the castle. The two laughed together at Merlin's unfortunate situation.
"Well that's my brother," Adrielle said, still sing song like.
"That's your brother? Merlin?" Gwen asked surprised, like she couldn't believe it.
"Yes. Who did you think he was?"
"Well I just- I dunno. I guess I thought the two of you were sort of...together," Gwen said embarrassed.
"What?! No, no! He's a great guy and I love him but he's my brother," Adrielle choked. "It's a lot easier to tell we look alike when he's not bent over and covered in rotten food."
"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have insinuated something like that. You must think me a fool," she said bashfully, hiding her face in her hands.
"No, it's fine, Gwen. It's an honest mistake. I mistook you for the blacksmith and you mistook my brother for my husband. We're even now," Adrielle said placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. The older girl peeked out from between her fingers, smiling faintly.
"I'm still utterly embarrassed," Gwen said before taking off with a smile. Adrielle turned to make her way back to Gaius's chambers. Her chambers. She couldn't seem to get use to that. She would in time, she figured. Gaius had asked her to assist him some more with his potions and remedies; after she was finished tormenting her brother, of course.
Adrielle admired how nicely the decorations were coming along as she walked through the halls of the castle. Just because the celebration was ultimately for her death and persecution didn't mean she couldn't admire the decorations. She noted a boy across the hall coming at her from the opposite direction. She supposed he wasn't really a boy. He looked older. A good two years older. He was tall with sandy blonde hair. His red tunic hung comfortably from his frame. He wore brown trousers and brown boots, with a brown belt hanging loosely from his hips.
She looked ahead of her, peeling her eyes away from this boy. Man, she supposed he was. She realized she'd been looking him over carefully. She risked the embarrassment of being caught and took her chance, looking back over at the man.
Their eyes met by pure chance. His eyes were blue, much like her own, but a much lighter blue. His eyes reflected all the light they took in, shimmering like the sea. Adrielle felt heat creeping up her neck into her cheeks. She'd been caught, red handed, checking out this man. He smiled mischievously, possibly knowing exactly why she had been looking at him and why she was blushing so heavily now. He nodded to her as he passed, standing up straighter as he did. Her girlish behavior only boosted his ego. She cursed herself under her breath, turning her head to watch him as he walked away.
There was a flash. Something had passed between the two as their eyes had met. It had been so sudden that two involved nearly missed it. They caught it again as they both looked back at each other, eyes meeting once more. Adrielle turned around quickly morbidly embarrassed that she'd been caught twice. She hurried back to her chambers so she could, hopefully, fall into her bed and disappear. She had originally hoped she'd see this man again; she still did. She just hoped the embarrassing moment wouldn't come back to haunt her anytime soon. Or ever, in fact.
The man in question turned back around, questioning the encounter. He suddenly felt drawn to this young woman. He didn't know why. He could tell by her appearance and the state of her dress that she was nothing more than a commoner. Noblemen were known to consort with commoner women, seeking out to fulfill their most basic, primal instincts, but nothing more. Yet he felt like there should be more between him and her. He couldn't explain it. He wasn't sure if he should explain it. He pushed the encounter and the girl from his mind, focusing his eyes forward.
Merlin came stumbling an hour later, covered in juices and bits of rotten food. Adrielle threw a sarcastic insult at him and he, of course, retaliated but hugging her tightly with all his rotten foodness. Adrielle screamed and started trying to rid herself of Merlin the leech, but he just gripped tighter. Gaius sent them a stern look, much like their mother would have.
"Merlin, I'll draw you a bath but please leave your sister alone," Gaius said, seeming to already take on the parental role for these two young sorcerers. "If you keep it up she'll smell worse than you."
Gaius had their meal ready for them once Merlin was finished washing.
"Want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asked cheekily, holding up a bowl to Merlin. Merlin laughed in return, a sheepish smile on his face.
"I know you're still angry with me."
"Your mother asked me to look after you two," Gaius replied while taking a seat across from the twins. "What did your mother say to you two about your gifts?"
"That we were special," Adrielle answered, looking over at her simple yet lovable brother.
"You are special; the both of you. The likes of which I've never seen before."
"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.
"Well magic requires incantations, spells, years to study. What I saw you two do was elemental, instinctive."
"What's the point if it can't be used?" Merlin sighed.
"That I do not know. You two are a question that's never been posed before," Gaius offered. The two twins looked at each other questioning everything themselves.
"Did you ever study magic, Gaius?" Adrielle asked a quizzical look in her eyes. Gaius looked from Merlin to Adrielle quietly, pondering how to best answer her. He took a moment or two to collect himself and his proper thoughts before answering.
"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago, before the two of you were even born," Gaius said, not directly answering Adrielle's question.
"Why?" Merlin asked, setting down his spoon almost eagerly.
"People used magic for the wrong reasons back then. It threw the natural balance into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."
"What, all of them?" Adrielle asked, horrified. The stories of dragons had always been her favorite. She nearly demanded all their bedtime stories be about dragons when she and Merlin were little. They seemed so majestic, so regal. Sure they were dangerous, but didn't the most exciting things come with a little bit of danger?
"There was one dragon he chose not to kill," Gaius continued, "kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one could free it."
Adrielle looked from Gaius to Merlin, then off to the side. So far what she'd seen and heard about King Uther she didn't like. He killed those with magic without a second glance and wiped all traces of it from his kingdom. Sure, she knew magic could be a force of evil. Their mother had warned them about it. No matter how much someone had egged them on, they were never allowed to use magic to harm someone; to kill.
Adrielle had always seen the beauty to magic. The earth seemed to hum around her with life. The trees swayed more freely and the waters glistened brighter. The wind whispered sweet nothings in her ears and the flowers smelled sweeter. She found the beauty of nature within her magic.
Gaius's voice brought her back to reality and her lunch that was set before her.
"When you two are finished I'll need you to take this preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice." The two twins nodded and their meal resumed in silence.
When the two were ready to set off Gaius handed the potion to Adrielle. "Adrielle," he said. "Make sure he doesn't get himself into any trouble." She nodded before turning to push Merlin out of the room.
Lady Helen's chambers were across the hall on the middle level of chambers. Her chambers were the most beautiful Adrielle had ever seen. Coming from a simple farm town neither of them had ever had the privilege of seeing such extravagant chambers. She could only guess what chambers Lady Morgana or the prince had. She couldn't even fathom Uther's chambers.
The two walked in slowly, realizing nobody was in here. Merlin continued deeper into the room.
"Let's just leave it on the table and leave," Adrielle began as she turned to leave. She noticed Merlin continue to look around, making no effort to leave.
"Merlin, c'mon. We shouldn't snoop," Adrielle continue. The sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon candles wafted into her nose, seductively drawing her in. She turned back around feeling the impulse to snoop. A quick look around couldn't hurt. There were so many beautiful clothes and trinkets draped over nearly every inch of the room. The most exquisite flowers rested in a fine vase.
She looked over to make sure Merlin wasn't causing a ruckus. He had set the potion down and was now messing with a doll in his hands. It was a strange doll made out of straw.
"What on earth," Adrielle muttered while eyeing over the rest of the items on the table. She noticed a small leather bound book hiding under a silk cloth. Now why would someone be hiding this book? She asked herself. She knew why. It was something private; something secret. Something the average person should not have their eyes on. But I'm no average person, now am I?
Adrielle tenderly picked up the book and stared at it. Intricate and detailed designs were etched into its cover. Adrielle's fingers began tracing symbols and pictures.
"What is that?" Merlin asked, setting the doll down and peering over her shoulder. Odd pieces of paper and cloth were shoved in between the pages. She turned it over in her hands studying the clasp that held the covers together. Her hands started to fumble with the clasp when the sounds of footsteps echoed through her ears. She glanced back at the door quickly and threw the book back on the table, covering it back up just as Lady Helen came walking in.
She stared at the two intruders cautiously. "What are you doing in my bedchambers?" she asked, authority spewing from her lips. Adrielle seemed to have lost her voice under the Lady's accusations. Lady Helen was a beautiful woman. Her dark hair hung in luscious waves.
"Uh- uhm," Merlin stumbled. The Lady Helen caught the sight of something behind them and stared at it anxiously. Adrielle began to turn to look at whatever it was, when Merlin continued to speak, drawing her back. He picked up the small vial and handed it to her. "Oh I was asked to deliver this by the Court Physician."
She took the potion gingerly looking quickly from Merlin to Adrielle. She forced an awkward smile trying to play the whole ordeal off. Adrielle smiled and grabbed onto Merlin's jacket, pulling him out of the room behind her.
The two did not speak to each other until they were far enough away from Lady Helen's chambers.
"See, even when I'm following you around you still seem to get into trouble,"Adrielle huffed.
"What? Me? You're the one who started messing around with that book. Why do you think she has all that stuff anyways?" Merlin asked, changing topic from snooping.
"I don't know. I'm not a royal am I? I don't know what kind of weird things they fancy," she answered. "Okay, so maybe the two of us together aren't much better at keeping out of trouble. Maybe a walk through the woods will help. I found some really cool spots the other day."
The twins made their way quietly from the castle, careful to keep their curious and eager minds from further trouble. As they walked through the lower town, Adrielle noticed a flash of blonde hair a ways ahead of her. She followed it down to the body of the boy she saw only hours earlier. He still wore his red tunic but had metal gauntlets on and a piece of armor on his chest.
Oh great, he must be a knight of some sort. A warrior. She turned her eyes down quickly, not wanting to meet his gaze; again. She had been embarrassed enough from their initial encounter, but to know that she had embarrassed herself in front of a knight? Her heart dropped suddenly, the thought that nothing could ever come between them. Not like it mattered. Adrielle had only looked at him. Twice, admittedly. He could be a total jerk, worth none of her affection.
"How's your knee walking coming along?" she heard his voice ask after they had passed. She stopped suddenly and turned to Merlin.
"How many friends have you made, Merlin?" she asked sarcastically. Merlin put his arm on his sister's shoulder and turned her back around, guiding her onward.
"Oh, don't run away," the boy playfully mocked. Merlin stopped, his hand clenching into Adrielle's shoulder.
"From you?" Merlin finally called back.
"Oh thank God. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb," the boy said in response. Only she and Gaius were allowed to call Merlin dumb. Adrielle turned around to face this man. She knew she should drag Merlin away but she couldn't.
"Look, I told you you were an arse. I just didn't realize you were a royal one," Merlin retorted, turning around to face him as well.
Adrielle looked from her brother to the blonde. A royal one? The puzzle pieces suddenly started to come together. God, how could she have been so stupid? The boy she had seen earlier in the corridor, the same one that stood before her now, that was Arthur. Prince Arthur. The same one Merlin had stood up to. She couldn't begin to believe that she had risked a double take at this man. This prince! That she had blushed an embarrassingly deep shade of red in front of him. Of course he had been use to that sort of reaction. He was a prince and an extremely good looking one as well
No! Stop it, Adrielle! She chastised herself. You can't keep giving him the satisfaction of blushing whenever you see him and admitting he's cute.
"Oh, what are you going to do? Got your daddy's men to protect you?" Adrielle had to give it to Merlin; he did know how to stand up to somebody. Regardless if he were a prince or not. He knew how to handle somebody. Despite the fact that he was the one who had picked on Adrielle the majority of the time, he had been there to defend her when she needed it.
"I could take you apart with one blow," Arthur chuckled.
"I could take you apart with less than that," Merlin said defiantly back.
"You sure?" Arthur said, continuing to mock him. She looked at Merlin, knowing what his next few movements would be.
"Merlin, don't," she said warningly. He stood still, mentally debating what to do. He disregarded his sister and took of his coat throwing it into her arms. Arthur and his men laughed.
"Here you go, big man," Arthur joked as he threw a mace at Merlin.
"Merlin. Seriously. You're going to get yourself killed or thrown back into jail. Let's just go," Adrielle continued, trying to drag him away. He shook off her grasp and picked up his mace.
"You should listen to your wife, Merlin," Arthur said.
"Sister," Adrielle spat back.
"Oh, this one's got a pair of claws, too," Arthur said sarcastically. "I don't know which thought was more disturbing. That this idiot could marry a girl of your good looks or that you're both blood related."
Adrielle rolled her eyes. Typical behavior for a stuck up prince.
"Please, sire, you're embarrassing yourself," Adrielle snapped back. Arthur's cocky smiled faltered momentarily. This brother and sister pair, Merlin and whoever she was (he realized he had yet to learn her name), were something else. Most people respected him; whether it was because he deserved it or because of his title, he didn't bother to care. Even if they didn't they never, never, spoke up to him like these two had.
"I warn you," Arthur said once he regained his regal composure. "I've been training to kill since birth." He wanted to intimidate this boy. Show these two who was the alpha. He swung his mace around expertly.
"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin mocked. Arthur faltered again.
"You can't address me like that," he scoffed at the boy.
"I'm sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?" Merlin mocked again, pretending to bow slightly. Adrielle had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, but she couldn't keep the cheeky grin away from her lips. Arthur pretended to laugh and suddenly took his first swing with his mace. Merlin and Adrielle ducked to avoid the mace from bashing into their skulls. The better side of her knew she should pull her brother away from the fight now, but if she did that it would look cowardly. The one thing Adrielle had vowed never to do was appear cowardly. Merlin had stepped up and egged Arthur on into this fight. He needed to fight back.
She side stepped out of the invisible arena that Arthur and Merlin had created, but followed closely to the two as they moved. Their fight was made up mostly of Arthur's skilled advances on Merlin. Merlin was able to clumsily avoid the prince's blows. Although he didn't do too well at making himself look good. He managed to stumble a lot and get his mace stuck every now and then. Merlin dodged a blow but was thrown backwards off balance. He tumbled over a fruit stand and landed clumsily on the ground.
"You're in trouble now," Arthur teased, having an open chance at Merlin. Adrielle looked around quickly. She couldn't let Merlin get pulverized when there was a chance she could help. She noticed a pair of sickles, hooked swords, dangling from a stand directly behind Arthur. She quickly looked at the two weapons and moved the two so they formed a full circle. Her eyes flashed gold and the items moved at her will. Arthur's mace wrapped around the two catching him off guard. Merlin looked around suddenly before catching Adrielle's eye. She winked and nodded her head, telling him to get up while Arthur was indisposed. Merlin jumped back up ready to fight as Arthur continued to advance on him.
Hey, if Adrielle was allowed to use magic to help his odds, he could too, right? Merlin noticed a box off to the side, slightly in front of where Arthur was about to step. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the box slid out in front of his path discretely. Arthur took his next step stepping into the box, causing the lip to come back and smack him in the shin.
Arthur paused, briefly overcome by the pain shooting up his leg. Adrielle snorted under her breath, smirking at her brother's handy work. Quite a large group had formed around the two as they fought. Arthur regained himself and swung again at Merlin, a new fiery anger filling him. Merlin ducked and hid behind a cart, looking for something else to 'help' him. He spotted a pile of rope and moved it so it strung out tightly in front of Arthur. He tripped over it, just as Merlin had hoped, and landed on a sack ungracefully.
Merlin sprang up and started swinging his mace around like he was some sort of expert. "Do you want to give up?" he barked.
"To you?" Arthur shouted incredulously.
"Do you?" he repeated. Arthur stepped back and stumbled over a set of baskets. Adrielle laughed hysterically, but stopped suddenly when Gaius's stern and disapproving face appeared next to her. Oh, shit.
Merlin looked around victoriously. It seemed that he had the upper hand and had actually beaten this smarmy prince. He looked around for his sisters face. When he spotted her he saw her looking at the ground guiltily and Gaius standing next to her staring at him hard.
Arthur jumped up and took his chance, beating Merlin to the ground with a few hits of a broom. Adrielle pushed her way up through the crowd as two guards began to pick Merlin up, more than likely about to dump him into the dungeons again.
"Wait," Arthur ordered, waving the guards off. "Let him go. He may be an idiot but he's a brave one." Adrielle looked at the prince, slightly bewildered. She didn't take him as someone who would let things go so easily. Especially an incident like this. A foolish, young, insolent boy who openly mocked and challenged the prince, and disrespected him. She looked him over carefully, as if she could decipher his personality from the outside.
"There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it," Arthur muttered, whether to Merlin or himself, before moving on. He stopped when he came to the raven haired girl he'd seen earlier in the corridors. For some reason he couldn't believe she was the same girl. She had seemed so innocent, so bashful back then. Now she looked like she wanted to bash his skull in with a mace herself. He looked her over, trying to mentally decipher how much she was actually like her brother.
"You might want to keep a better eye on your brother there-" he started, pausing in hopes of catching her name.
"Adrielle."
He was surprised. He hadn't expected such an eloquent and graceful name to belong to someone like her. She seemed gutsy, like her brother, and had a blatant disregard for the rules of society. There was something about her, too, Arthur noted mentally. He'd have to keep his eyes on this pair of siblings.
"Well, Adrielle. Until I catch your eyes again," he said before taking off. Adrielle brushed off the embarrassment she felt after being called out by Prince Arthur and rushed back over to Merlin's side and helped him to his feet. Gaius rushed over and nearly grabbed the two by the scruff of their necks and dragged them back to their chambers.
"How could you be so foolish?" Gaius hollered at the two once they were in the privacy of their chambers.
"He needed to be taught a lesson," Merlin answered stiffly.
"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks! I thought you were suppose to keep him out of trouble, not egg him on and solidify him getting into trouble!" Gaius continued, aiming his newest attack at Adrielle.
"What is there to master? We could move objects like that before we could talk!" Merlin countered.
"Well by now you should know how to control yourselves."
"I don't want to! If I can't use magic then what have I got? I'm just a nobody. We're nobody's, Adrielle, and we always will be. If I can't use magic...I might as well die."
Merlin turned around dramatically and stormed up to their chambers. Adrielle sighed, the mood of the room suddenly turning sour. Gaius grabbed his medicine bag and followed the girl up the room. When they entered, Merlin was lying dejectedly on his bed. Adrielle brought a stool over and sat in front of her brother's bed.
"Merlin," Gaius said calmly, "sit up and take off your shirt. I'll need to clean your wounds." Merlin sighed heavily before sitting up, groaning a few times as he did. He pulled off his shirt carefully before turning to Gaius.
"You don't know why we were born like this, do you?"
Gaius paused before dabbing the damp cloth onto his cuts. "No."
"I'm not a monster, am I?" Merlin said, feigning humor.
"Don't ever think that," Gaius said honestly.
"Merlin, whatever we are, I don't believe we're monsters," Adrielle said softly, taking her brother's hand in hers.
"Then why are we like this? Please, I need to know why," Merlin said almost frantically, looking from his sister to Gaius.
"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge with me," Gaius spoke. Merlin sighed hard, displeased with the answer.
"If you can't tell me no one can," Merlin said bitterly, staring off into the distance. Gaius looked at the young boy before returning his attention to his medicine bag. He rummaged around a few seconds before handing Merlin a small glass.
"Here. It'll help with the pain."
Merlin pulled his hand from his sister's grasp, taking the glass from Gaius. He gulped it down in an instant before handing the glass back over. Gaius patted Merlin's leg comfortingly before departing.
Adrielle, again, wasn't sure to say to her brother to comfort him. All she could offer was a quick hug, careful of his cuts, and a reassuring squeeze of his hands.
