Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anybody. Hazel is technically property of Disney but anybody else who is not recognized in the film is completely made up.

Six months after he had given Arthur his small yet effective lessons, leading him to eventually pull the sword from the stone, earning respect and admiration from nearly everyone in Great Britain, Merlin sat in his small isolated house smoking his pipe, thinking.

"Oh, well I do say."

"What is it now?" his cranky pet owl asked. "Are you foretelling the next emperor of Rome now?" he squawked.

"No, Archimedes," Merlin replied. "It's about the boy."

"What? He's been taught, he pulled the sword from the rock, he's been king for over half a year, I think our job here is done."

"Done? It has only just begun. Our work here is far far from over."

"Then what does he need now? It's a bit too early to form the ol' round table."

"It's not a what he needs, it's a who." Merlin corrected.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've just been thinking about it. He's been acting a little lonely, haven't you noticed?"

"How could I? He's too busy hopping from one adult matter to the other."

"Maybe he needs someone to help him with that."

"Well choosing a specific individual for that is a pretty dumb idea. There's millions of adults who'd take that responsibility and just toss the kid aside like a bad habit."

"Then maybe he needs someone his age to not only do that but, you know, accompany him."

"A friend?"

"You can put it that way, but I think a little more," He lounged back. "Yes, I can see her now."

"What!? Excuse me? Her!?"

"Yes, that's what I said now—."

"Hold it Merlin! Are we talking about the same Arthur?"

"I certainly hope so."

"First of all, this kid has never interacted with a woman in his life. Second, even when he did it was terrible. And third - this is the most important one- no!"

"Why not?"

"Isn't he a bit too young for this? Let him live out his bachelorhood before we have to drag in…the uh…the uh…you know….talk."

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm not gonna go that deep into it! I just think he needs a little someone who sees things the way he does but differently at the same time."

"You are dead to me," the owl muttered. "So what's the lucky girl's name?"

"Haven't figured it out yet."

"If you don't even know who she is then how are you going to find her?"

"I found the King of England didn't I? I can surely do the same thing with the future Queen."

"What does she look like?" he asked. Merlin closed his eyes as the vision appeared in his head. He saw the streets of London, nobles and merchants scurrying about it, until he saw her. A small girl jumped over a short stone wall, landed on the ground, and continued to race through the people as they scurried to the sides, out of her way, as a tall man chased her. She was clearly outrunning him, though she had an expression that told she was determined to get away. He observed her from head to toe.

"Well she is a teeny little thing, smaller than the boy in fact. Six inches shorter, a bit thinner."

"I thought we were giving him a girl not a rake."

"Would you be quiet? Besides, I think he does go for the shorter type. She'll make him feel taller."

"What else is there?"

"Well, small stature, rosy complexion, childish chiseled face, with green eyes that appear brown if one is not looking close enough, and gorgeous waved auburn hair that flies behind her like a cape, and is a slippery little is perfect."

"What are you going on about?"

"Oh you should see it Archimedes. She's climbing up trees, crawling under bridges and hopping over almost everything. Almost like a little squirrel."

"How old is she?"

"Mmm...thirteen or fourteen. Just the right age." She had on pale beige pants that were ripped and shredded at the bottoms, a dirty light yellow long sleeve with an oversized light orange shirt on top which almost reached down to her knees. She was barefoot and only had white bandages wrapped around her feet to serve as shoes. She had a red sash tied around her waist to hold the shirt down and finally, a pistachio green hobo bag that swung from side to side as she ran through the streets with all the people staring and gasping at her.

"Thoir maitheanas dhomh sir! (Pardone me sir!)" she yelled in another language Merlin recognized as Gaelic.

"Aw speak English you little Scottish scum!"

"Faigh air ais an seo a phlàigh bheag! (Get back here you little pest!)" shouted the man who was running a couple yards behind her, who also spoke Gaelic.

"Chan eil ùine agam airson seo! (I don't have time for this!)" the girl yelled as she dropped down and slid between the merchant's legs and continued to run.

"Is e beatha mar thràill a th' ann no beatha ann an uaigh! (It's either life as a slave or life in a grave!)" her pursuer shouted.

"Dèan suas d' inntinn, chan urrainn dhomh an dà chuid a dhèanamh! (Make up your mind! I can't do both!)" she yelled back in between pants.

"A radan glic, cuiridh mi dheth do cheann beag dearg! (You sly rat, I'll knock your little red head off!)"

"Glac mi mas urrainn dhut (Catch me if you can!)" she said with a smirk.

"Mm, with a heart full of fire." Merlin commented. He watched as the little teen did several leaps over horses, carts and ducking people.

"A-mach às an rathad! (Out of the way!)" she yelled to the city people.

"A-mach às an rathad! (Out of the way!)" the man chasing her repeated. The girl ran into an ally and the man followed her, trapping her in.

"Uh-oh." she said slowly, realizing she was caught.

(SPEAKING IN GAELIC) * This is gonna appear a lot. It means they're still speaking Scottish but there's just no Scottish words written.

"Well that was quite the chase but it looks like you've lost," He turned to his left. "I caught her!" he yelled as another man with a rope in his hand came in. The girl panicked when she saw the one with the rope and immediately recognized him. It was that evil man from her country who kidnapped girls and sold them to other men. Men who use them to do more than just clean dishes.

"Hiya Morgan," she said as she slowly turned around and gave a nervous smile. "Long time no see huh?"

"Oh I better not be thinking what I'm seeing or I'm seeing what I'm thinking!" the man with the rope exclaimed. "Really Morgan? This is the best you could do?" the slave driver asked as he pointed at the girl in disgust.

"Yeah what's wrong?" he asked.

"Look at her! She's ugly as dirt! Not to mention flat!

"Aw shut up will you!? That don't matter!"

"Hey man, if you don't want me, I'm ok with that." the girl said.

"You shut up!" the man snapped at her.

"Oh cut the cryin! Let's get down to business!" Morgan said.

"Right." the Gaelic man agreed as he loosed the rope in his hand.

"Hold on a second boys! Can't we just talk this out?" she said in English as she backed up, hugging against the wall.

"Afraid not lassie. Now hold still."

Merlin blinked and snapped back to reality.

"Not good," he squeaked before getting up and scurrying through his messy cottage to open the door.

"What's not good!?" the owl screeched, only to be ignored.

"I'm never gonna find a better match for this boy if I look for a hundred years! OH!" he exclaimed as he collided with the small blonde himself, making both of them fall backwards. "What are you doing here!?" he said as he got up and dusted himself off. Arthur shook his head to get his messy triangular fringe out of the way.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I was looking all over for you. What have you been doing?"

"Uh…just a little uhm, spring cleaning you know." he coughed.

"But it's winter."

"So it is. Anyways I'll be on my way so uh, top of the morning."

"What's the hurry?"

"Some important wizardry mayhem business." he said as he slid the tween out of the way.

"Like what?"

"You don't wanna know. Now I say you get back to the castle, because I have to leave right this very minute."

"Well alright but what is so important?"

"Here it comes."

"Here what comes?"

"Three….two…one…"

"HAHHHH!" shrieked a voice.

"There it is." Merlin exhaled. Arthur reluctantly removed his hands from his ears.

"Oh..what was that?"

"Chan eil! Chan eil! Chan eil! Leig air falbh (No! No! No! Let go!)" It had to be a female, and whatever she was saying definitely wasn't in english.

"What's that?" Arthur asked.

"It's Gaelic."

"Gaewhat?"

"Chan eil! Chan eil! Na dèan! Cuidich mi! Mas e do thoil e! (No! No! Don't! Please!)" she cried again.

"Dùin doll! (Shut up doll!)" a male voice yelled.

"Is that?"

"My business I need to get to certainly, so my boy I…hey…what am I thinking? You have to come too! Of course! It only makes sense if I am to determine if this young lady is your future spouse or not."

"What's a spouse?" he asked, more childish than ever.

"Something you won't understand now but will probably start begging for when you're about….oh 17 or…oh never mind that we gotta go." Roughly, he grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him through the snow.

"Wha-da-er-wait! Merlin, what is it!?" Arthur babbled as he was being dragged through the snowy bushes, into an isolated part of the forest.

"That." Merlin said as he pointed to the scene happening in front of them. Merlin saw the same scottish man who had abducted the girl back in the alley. He had stolen her green ragged satchel and was holding it in his other hand. Arthur saw a man with a figure like Kay was gripping the end of a rope that was tied around the fragile neck of a girl, like a leash, as she played tug of war with it. Next to him stood two other men. One of them was holding a small bag of coins. Arthur took another glance at the very irritated and slightly scared girl who was trying to break away. Her long wavy auburn mane was whipping side to side as she played tug of war with the man for the rope around her neck. She had greenish brown eyes that were giving off an agitated expression. The man holding the coin bag spoke after the merchant got the girl to stop squirming.

"So, my good fellow. Tell me about her." he asked.

"Well her parents are presumed dead, I think she's about eleven or twelve, she's been living on the streets and somehow surviving and to sum it up, will serve you well."

"She don't look like she speaks much English."

"Oh of course she does, fluently," the man added. "Er, show him lassie." he said, looking down on the figure tied on a rope.

"Chan eil! Feuch an leig thu leam falbh! (No! I will not! Now let me go!)" she yelled back.

"What's going on?" Arthur whispered to his teacher.

"This is what men do to young girls with no parents or protector."

"They put them on leashes?"

"Worse. They are sold or traded as slaves and killed if they refuse to do hard labor."

"That's terrible."

"Indeed." The girl got up and ran, only to be jolted to the floor as the man tugged at the rope.

"Na feuch ris beag flim flam! Bhithinn gam marbhadh mura dèanadh tu prothaid cho math. (Don't try it little flim flam! I would kill you if you didn't make such good profit!)" He turned to his buyers. "Don't worry she speaks it, she's just being difficult right now."

"Sounds like a deal. How much do you want for 'er?"

"Name your price," The girl's eyes widened as she screamed and once again tried to run away, scratching the ground and being pulled back. "Quiet!" he yelled at her as he bent down to her level, only to receive a kick in the face from her as she backed away from him. One of the two buyers bent down and grabbed her torso as the other was about to grab her legs. But the girl managed to sharply kick his chin. He messaged his face as the girl kicked the shin of the man who was holding her. She fell out of his grip and started to run away. She clearly was a fighter. Much stronger than most girls and even boys her age, despite her short height.

"Ahow! What was that!" the man groaned as he gripped his shin.

"Well I may have forgotten to mention that she's a bit of an escape artist so be careful because she's not as easy as most girls. And did I mention she stole something from my shop earlier?"

"Chan e cha do rinn mi! (No I didn't!)"

"Aw sure you did lassie. I saw you run off with a handful of gold coins! You're like a ratty little squirrel with your scrawny little form and dark red hair."

"Chan eil beachd agad. (You have no idea.)" she mumbled.

"Well it looks like you'll have to give her some humbling!"

"I think I can manage that!" he said, pulling out his sword.

"Woah!" she exclaimed, seeing the weapon.

"May I?" the man with the sword asked.

"Be my guest." he said, grabbing the squirming girl by her armpits and dragging her to the man. He then placed the blade on her neck as she kept squirming.

"Chan eil! (No!)" she said again as the man was about to slit her neck. The girl squirmed even harder before they were all interrupted.

"Woah! Woah! Hold it!" Arthur exclaimed with Merlin behind him. They all looked at him, including the girl. "What is going on here!?"

"None of you business shrimpo!" the man holding the girl snapped. Arthur flushed red and grew hot. What did he just do? He should wear that heavy crown thing more often.

"That is king shrimpo to you." Merlin said, putting his hand on Arthur's shoulder.

"What? You…..oh!...Your Majesty," he said as they all bowed except for the girl who was sitting in the snow, knees bent, supporting herself on her elbows. She gave an angry wince as her leash was jolted. "Uill? Bogha! (Well? Bow!)" he growled. The girl stood up.

"Chan eil mi a' cromadh sìos do dhuine sam bith! A-nis gearraich an ròp seo agus leigh leam falbh! (I am not bowing down to anyone! Now cut this rope and let me go!)" she yelled, ignoring the presence of royalty.

"Shut up!" The young lady made another attempt to escape, but was stopped when the merchant grabbed the sash on her waist. Then she cleverly bent down and untied it and ran once again, but found her hair being pulled back this time. "Nice try. Now where was I?"

"A' deanamh tàir air an Righ tha mi creidsinn. (Insulting the King I believe) she said with raised eyebrows, irritating the man. "A-nis mura h-eil suim agad, tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil àiteachan againn le chèile airson a dhol mar sin uh, mullach na maidne.(Now if you don't mind, I think we both have places to go so uh, top of the morning.)" she said before she spun around and began to politely walk away. The man rolled his eyes and pulled the incredibly annoyed girl back.

"Oh speak English for crying out loud!" he yelled.

"Chan eil fios agam dè a tha thu a' bruidhinn,(I don't know what you're talking about.)," The man who was holding the sword, lazily pointed it at her with a dull face. The girl jumped. "Alright! I'm talking! What do you want!?" she said in perfect English with no accent whatsoever.

"You to stay quiet you smart alec."

"Worth a shot." she muttered, her arms crossed.

"Enough with your muttering. Do I look stupid to you!?"

"Yeah! You kinda do!"

"Oh you little punk! I'm gonna beat the puberty out of you!"

"Hey man, there's no need to get nasty!" she growled.

"Shut up! And if you want to talk about nasty, how about when you stole from my jewelry shop?"

"Did she now?" Merlin asked, unconvinced.

"No I didn't!" the girl said as she crossed her arms.

"Look I know it was you!" the merchant shouted. "And I can prove it!" The girl's eyes widened as she gasped. Arthur started to debate on whether this strange girl really was a thief or not. But still, it was nothing to be kidnapped and enslaved over. He began to dig through the bag that he had stolen from her to find nothing but rags and worthless items in it. "What!? But I saw you take it!"

"Well then if I took it where is it?" she asked like a real snooty smart alec. The man turned towards Arthur.

"You gotta believe me. I saw what I saw and this little rat is guilty!" He turned back towards the girl. "You must be hiding it!?"

"You must be blind," the girl said plainly. "Are you blind?" she asked in a snarky voice. The man had had enough. He took his hand and slapped her across the face, hard. She grunted, but didn't cry as any other girl would. Arthur was stunned. Sure, plenty of men would slap haughty misbehaving boys, but a girl? And on the face? She messaged her cheek. She didn't look like she was in pain, just in anguish. "A simple 'no' would have been alright, but sure." she uttered.

"My-good-man," Merlin argued, while he poked the man's chest with his finger. "Have you no manners or do not know that it is completely unnecessary to hit a young lady? What are you going to do with her anyway?"

"Uh-oh-er-uh-well," the three men muttered at the same time. "Uh….this young woman here happens to be a willing maid servant."

"I am not!" she objected. "But I'll tell you what I am! I'm sick and tired of being called a thief and them constantly trying to sell me as a se-." The man cut her off as he slapped his hand over her mouth.

"Shut up!" he said through a fake smile as he then picked her up by the hair.

"Ok! Ok! I'll shut up! Just leave me some hair! I'm allergic to pain!" she said with a scrunched face. Arthur slightly giggled at her spunk.

"Well I do believe I can help you with that." he whispered, holding his blade up to her throat. The redhead gave a nervous laugh.

"Well on second thought." she squeaked.

"That. Is. Enough!" Merlin interrupted. "Now leave this young lady alone! Girls are not objects to be bought! And since you evidently don't know that, let her go!"

"And who are you to order me to spare the life of this conniving squirrely thief!?"

"Watch it, I bite." she murmured, right before he threateningly turned towards her again.

"Nobody, but he is!" He pointed to Arthur and then kicked him in the shin to speak up.

"Ow! U-u-uhm yes. Just as he said. You won't sell her. N-n-now I command you to let her go..er please." Merlin slapped his forehead.

"Very well then your highness," He pushed the stumbling girl away, "If you want to keep this worthless child alive then so be it. But if you really wish to do so, then I'm afraid you're gonna have to be responsible for the little f-r-e-a-k."

"Who's Frank?" Arthur asked, mis-spelling, but was ignored by both.

"Without a doubt then." Merlin agreed.

"Are you kidding!? Absolutely not!" she protested.

"You know something little girl, any other child would be overjoyed to even be in the presence of royalty. Have you not noticed that when you are interacting with someone highly above your class that you still allow your temper to flare?"

"No, I guess I haven't. Now give that back!" She said, clutching her green bag back from him. The man dug through it first, and he pulled out a golden key on a red ribbon before throwing the satchel back to her.

"Alright here! But I'm hanging on to this. I can weld it into a good horse shoe "

"NO! Give that back please! You can take the bag! Just give that back!"

"What is it? The key to your box of stolen goods?"

"NO! GIVE IT BACK!" she said, yanking it out of his grip like her life depended on it. "I'm leaving, thank you very much!"

"Oh it doesn't look like you don't have much of a choice anymore!" the man argued. The girl turned to Arthur.

"Now wait a minute!, you can't just keep me prisoner!" The shaggy blonde panicked and hid behind Merlin (even though the girl barely passed his shoulder in height, which he was surprised by for most girls his age towered over him) who rested his hand on her shoulder. She flinched and jumped backwards, scared.

"Young lady, we are not keeping you prisoner. Not unless you give my little friend here a reason to of course," he chuckled, but saw that the girl was not amused. He also saw that her feet were deeply bruised and slightly bleeding. "But you are in no condition to carry on like this. By the looks of you you're about to break something."

"Hm, you should let her, good luck." muttered the man as he walked away with the others in tow.

"HEY!" the girl yelled at him and the merchant turned around. "This is gòrach!"

"You'll need it." the merchant concluded before they all disappeared into the forest. The ginger haired girl placed her hands on her hips and scowled.

"I cannot believe this cac right now!" she yelled as she kicked the snow in the direction the man had gone in. The girl then turned to face both of them and glaired. She turned around and ran away.

"Wait right there young lady," Merlin said as he picked her up by her shoulders. She squirmed as he expected. But what he hadn't expected was for her to kick his frail stomach, hard. He dropped her and they both fell to the ground. "Ohh!" he moaned as he clutched his middle. The girl continued to run away, ashamed of nothing she had done.

"Merlin! Are you alright!" Arthur squeaked as he dropped to his side.

"Don't let that girl get away!" he strained.

"What!? Bu–But why!?"

"Do as I say! Don't let her get away!"

"What if she hits me!?"

"Then you don't hit her back! Now go!" Arthur swallowed hard as he pursued after the little girl -although she was probably older than him by a few months if not a year. He caught up to her and saw she was trying to jump up a tree, but failing due to her height issues. She turned around and stared at him wide eyed.

"It's ok, don't move."

"Go away." she growled shakily.

"I'm not gonna —OOF!" he exclaimed as she spun her body and kicked his arm professionally. She made sure it didn't hurt that much because he really didn't do anything….yet that is. "Why did you do that!?"

"I told you to back off!"

"That does it!" he said as they began to tackle each other in the snow. Arthur, being taller than the opponent for once, was able to get the upper hand and pin her on her back. "Alright, I don't want to hurt you."

"You're a little too late for that!" she said, trying to escape. "What do you want!?"

"The old wizard back there. He wants you to come back and talk to him."

"I most certainly will not!" She tried to squirm her way out again, but the blonde's burning arms managed to keep her down.

"Well then I can't let you up." he said, raising his head with closed eyes while crossing his arms.

"Wanna bet?" The girl maneuvered her arms from her side to on top of her chest and pushed Arthur off of her. She attempted to run away once again, before her world went black. The funny thing was that she felt like she was falling down. Almost like the ground opened up and swallowed her. She screamed as she continued to fall. But she could see something. She saw the same old man and the snowy atmosphere below her. It was like she fell into the ground and then was spit out from the sky. Merlin caught the squirming little thing after having her fall for his magical trap. He sat her down and she tried to run again, but he grabbed her wrist. "Leave me alone!" she growled. Arthur ran over to spectate the scene.

"It's ok my dear. Nobody is going to hurt you."

"Yeah sure," she sneered. "What now? You gonna give me free candy or something?"

"Merlin! Get away from her before she hurts you!" Arthur squeaked.

"Relax boy. Everything is under control," He bent down to the girl. "Tha e ceart gu leòr, a ghràidh. (It is ok, my dear. )" he said in whatever language that was. Her eyes widened, but not in a bad way.

"Tha Gàidhlig agad? (You can speak Gaelic?)" she asked innocently, shocked.

"What did you just say?" Arthur asked like a true English speaker.

"Gu dearbh. A-nis tha mi a' faicinn nach do dhèilig daoine uaisle riut gu math. Ach tha mi 'n earbsa riut nach 'eil mise no mo charaid beag mar sin. (Indeed. Now I see how awful gentlemen have treated you, but I can assure you that nor my little friend here are like that.)"

"Chan eil mi gad chreidsinn! (I don't believe you!)" she said before shaking her wrist free and trying to run away yet again. Merlin placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Well you will have to believe me if you want this back." he said in English as he pulled the gold key out of his sleeve.

"Give me that!" she said as she reached for it.

"Don't worry I will. As long as you apologize for attacking us."

"Look man I am not in the mood for this!" she yelled. "And attacking you? You're the one who isn't letting me leave! I know what you're tyring to do!" They started to talk in Gaelic again. Arthur stood there and just listened to them argue in a foreign tongue until they came to what looked like a conclusion.

"Merlin, what did she say?"

"Well, she said she's sorry for kicking you and that her name is Hazel."

"Hazel?"

"Look I know it's not the name of the year but…..why am I telling you this? Either of you? In fact, why am I still here?" 'Oh no you don't. I know you are the one' Melin thought.

"Because you have just proven you cannot survive out there by yourself. Now you should come back with us before you freeze your red hair off."

"Absolutely not! I am not English and I am not from here! This ain't my kingdom and he ain't my king!" she said to Merlin as she stood on her toes to try to seem taller.

"We do not intend to do anything to you."

"Right." she said, unbelieving.

"Merlin, she doesn't want to come with us. It's wrong to just keep her prisoner."

"Yeah, listen to him!" Hazel said while pointing to the blonde.

"If you want to go out there and be recaptured by all means go on. Or you could come back with us and regain your little key."

"This is a trick, isn't it? So I can be sold again as a slave!? And not necessarily a cleaning slave?" she started to strut away. Merlin picked her up by her shoulders and put her in a different direction.

"Believe me, he wouldn't do anything like that to you." he whispered.

"Merlin's right, you should stay with us," Merlin smirked down at him which made him stammer. "Er ub da um…well..at least until winter's over." Even though she was a bit uncomfortable and incredibly annoyed, Hazel had to admit that she was cold, exhausted and didn't feel like running anymore nor being kidnapped. Arthur could tell she clearly didn't trust him or Merlin, even though he was the King of England, but she also knew that it would be incredibly stupid to refuse.

"Alright." she exhaled. 'Finally'

"Well then, come along."

"You never told me you could speak another language." Arthur whispered to his tutor as they both walked behind the uncomfortable redheaded girl.

"I never told you I didn't."

"Well what have we here?" Arthur's former foster father asked. He and his own son had caught his foster pewee of a son and that 'know it all so called wizard' walking a good looking girl who had a very tiny build with luscious dark red hair back to their castle. "Who's your girlfriend War-uh- your majesty?"

"What? Er uh her name is Hazel is going to stay as a guest for now."

"She sure don' look like she wants to be a guest. However I must say, Wart, you sure know how to pick 'em. This one sure is a looker." Hazel continued to be still with a blank expression as she had no choice but to accept the comments.

"Too bad she ain't wearin' a skirt so we could take a sneak peek." Hazel's eyes widened and her mouth gaped in disgust.

"Erm, Kay, you don't wanna make her mad."

"What are you talking about pipsqueak?"

"She kicked me. And it hurt." The father and son burst out laughing.

"Oh don't be ridiculous! Women can't hurt flies! Either that or you're just too much of a stick," Kay coughed as his hand moved towards Hazel's skirt. "Now let's give her a sweet english greeting—OH!" he exclaimed as Hazel's foot met his eye.

"Can't hurt a fly eh?" his father laughed.

"Hey, watch it with that sweetness." Hazel sneered.

"Alright sassy little squirrel."

"Listen honey cups! I'm on my last nerve with all you so called 'gentlemen'. I want me to leave just as much as all of you do. I don't care about them, I don't care about him, I don't care about you! Now if I could please just leave, none of you will have to see me again." she threw back.

"What kind of a girl are you? Talking back to a man. Shut your mouth little weasel or—."

"I don't understand this ridiculous English country or its ridiculous English inhabitants!"

"Women! I swear the—-."

"Kay you are in enough trouble already, just shut up!" his father scolded. "But inhabitants? What does she mean, Marvin?"

"For the twenty ninth time it is Merlin and for what I'm sure won't stay as the first time, this young lady is a Pict." Hazel had been mouthing him to shut up and not say where she's from, but was stopped when two blades were held to her throat.

"Thank's a lot!" Hazel sneered because she knew this would happen as she crawled backwards on her arms.

"You idiot! What is the matter with you!? You can't bring a Scotian into this castle! We were at war with them for nearly twelve years!"

"Oh pipe down would you! This is England, we're the most hated army in all the free world. We've got about six other enemies that are not a single child, may I note." the old wizard pestered.

"Oh no, no, no, they're absolutely right Mr. Merlin, Marvin, whatever your name is! I really should go," Hazel said as she tried to book it again. Merlin rolled his eyes and picked her up by her shoulders again. Hazel was not surprised though.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but it doesn't really look like she came here willingly."

"Now why would you say that?" Merlin asked as he was now manhandling a squirming Hazel.

"Well unless if that's how you treat all your guests it sorta looks like you kidnapped her."

"Of course not! As you have seen, men such as yourself have been quite unpleasant towards her so she's a little suspicious of the breed," He put Hazel down when she had stopped squirming and didn't look like she would run away again. "So I think it would be better if I steered her clear from any of you and put her in girl's clothing. And before your idiot son gets any ideas please learn to control him," He turned down to Hazel. "Lean mi a ghràidh. (Follow me dear)." Hazel nodded and did whatever Merlin had just told her to do. Arthur assumed it was to follow him when he saw both of them leave.

"Look boy," Sir Ector said as Arthur turned to face him. "She's….cute..I guess."

"Pitiful if you ask me."

"Save it Kay! But back to you kid. If you do have any ideas make sure not to make your move too fast. Makes the fragile little mind of a lady feel uncomfortable."

"I think it's too late for that Sir Ector."

"Don't tell me it was your idea to swipe a girl off the streets."

"Of course it wasn't! It was all his! And he only did it because he said she would die if she stayed out by herself."

"Well that's girls for you. Weak, pathetic and whiney."

"Are they all like that?"

"Sure are. You're lucky you haven't fallen victim to one of them little traps."

"What traps?" the young blonde asked.

"Did I say that?"

"Ye—."

"Well nevermind it. Now run along."

To Be Continued...

AN: What do you think? It will get better and more interesting as it goes on.