Katie wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep but the feel of someone's hand on her shoulder woke her up. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at a tired looking figure above her. She smiled at Merlin, "'Morning."
"We're going to leave soon, you better pack up." He smiled, forcefully.
"Ok." She murmured, slightly confused. What have I done, now?
She sorted herself out and got her things ready. Merlin wouldn't take her horse and she eventually decided to ride alone.
She couldn't be bothered with stroppy men. Except she was bothered.
Merlin refused every time she asked him to join her on Dandelion (both noticed how no one else offered him a space on their horses) but gave in once he almost fell over.
The journey seemed to take forever but then they heard someone scream. Arthur sped up and galloped towards the sound. Arthur sent an arrow at Kanan. The rest of the group followed quickly, and attacked, Hunith stayed out of the way.
Arthur got off of his horse and attacked one man, Merlin followed suit. He ran at someone and they started fighting, he used magic to beat him.
Morgana, Gwen and Katie got off of their horses to help. Morgana stopped someone from killing Arthur. Katie wished to fight someone but before she could they were leaving the village, threatening the villagers.
Katie felt the same admiration for Arthur as she had many years previous, when he first became a Knight of Camelot.
Merlin noticed her glances at his master and frowned, Surely you never believed anything could possibly happen between you two? She might be a sorceress but that doesn't mean she feel anything more than comradely towards you.
They all jumped off of the horses and stared at the scene before them, a mass of villagers who looked terrified and were sobbing profusely. Merlin spotted someone who he, at first, seemed to have some sort of fight with, Katie was ready to stand by him against the villager but before she knew it they were having a less-than-manly hug. She almost felt jealous of the boy the young warlock was hugging.
"Merlin, gather the villagers. I need to speak with them." She heard Arthur demand.
Merlin replied but she didn't hear what he said. "Now, Merlin. There isn't much time." Arthur insisted.
Katie watched as the villagers gathered around Arthur, there was only one person who looked angry about the Prince's speech and that was the boy Merlin knew.
Arthur spouted words about fighting for one's community, standing against Kanan and so on. Merlin watched him in awe. His friend was the only one who didn't want to fight. After the villagers dispersed, Merlin ran after the boy.
Katie stayed back, she hadn't had a good past with strange villages. Hunith led her to her house and gave the girl a drink of water. "Here." The woman sighed, sitting beside Kathryn.
"Thank you." The girl smiled, taking a sip.
"No, thank you. I can't tell you how much it means to me and Merlin that you are here." She grinned.
"You have a very good natured son. I came because he needed my help and he is pleased that Gwen, Morgana and Arthur came too." Katie replied, rationalising it in her head.
"It's more than that. Don't tell him this but I think he- Never mind. Your presence here means the world to him." Hunith walked into her kitchen leaving Katie wanting more. She thinks he what?
Katie walked out of the little house and towards the centre of the town, where Morgana and Gwen were talking to the villagers, Merlin was stood nearby greeting old friends and neighbours. Katie didn't want to disturb anyone.
Although she had no idea why she had annoyed Merlin, she didn't want to ask him what she had done. She had some irrational fear she had done something she didn't want to face up to. Katie decided she would go and chop some would instead, be useful for a change. She didn't even care where Arthur was for once, Merlin was the only person on her mind, which angered her a little more.
She took an axe, so no one would suspect her for sorcery and found someone else by the trees. He was mumbling to himself. "Hello." Katie greeted, less-than-happily.
"Ah the Lady Kathryn." He replied coldly.
"Yes, you're Merlin's friend aren't you? I'm sorry we haven't been-" She soothingly replied.
"Yes and I suppose you consider him a friend too, don't you?" He shouted sarcastically, rudely interrupting her.
"Well, yes."
"And then you order him about like Arthur and-" He started shouting but it was the last straw.
"You hold your tongue!" She shouted, withholding the magic about to leap from her finger. "I have only ever been a friend to Merlin. I do not treat him like Arthur because he is not my servant. Understood?"
The boy in front of her nodded stiffly. "You would treat him differently if he was your servant though, wouldn't you?"
"I would because I would have to. The King would never allow me to get to close to him." She replied regrettably.
"You're like him, aren't you?" He scoffed.
"Who?"
"Mer-lin." He said slowly.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She faked innocence, it didn't work.
"You wouldn't be friends with him if you weren't like him." He growled.
"So why are you friends with him?"
"Because I've known him forever, he's my best friend, I actually like him."
"Well I like him too!" Katie yelled.
"Will!" A voice from afar called for the boy opposite the Lady.
Katie turned and walked away finding the biggest tree she could knock down. "I just met your friend Lady Kathryn, Merlin." Will growled.
"What did you say to her?" Merlin asked softly.
"What do you care?" Will scoffed.
"Will, what did you say to her?" There was desperation in the young warlock's voice and eyes.
"You like her, don't you?" He scoffed again.
"Where did she go?"
"You know she'll never like you back, she's the King's Ward!" Will screamed as Merlin walked in the direction Katie might have gone. After a few moments Will thought, I'm sorry, Merlin. I'm trying to save you from heartbreak.
"Katie?" Merlin's soft and apologetic voice reached the girl and she stopped chopping. Even though she could have chopped the tree using magic, the girl was too angry and needed to do something manual.
"What is it Merlin?" She asked exhaustedly, putting the axe on the ground.
"Whatever he said, Will didn't mean it. He doesn't trust royalty and I guess…" Merlin drifted off.
Katie stared at him and looked away. "Do you think I'm only friends with you because… well, because of what we can do?" She asked sadly.
"I don't see why you'd be friends with me any other way." Merlin replied, not to say 'because you a the King's Ward' but to say 'I'm not that great a person.'
"Argh!" She yelled in anger, chopping the tree down automatically. "You really think that?" She asked angrily, moving the tree so it wouldn't drop on a nearby house. He gulped. "Idiot!" She yelled.
Merlin looked hurt. "No, no, no. Not you. Me." She explained hastily. "I'm the idiot. I am friends with you because you a great man and I have made you feel worthless."
Katie left Merlin where he was, a little confused.