JessieLightyear - Alright guys, here's chapter two, and our special guest is ARTHUR
Arthur – Hello everyone
JessieLightyear - just ignore read the card, then you get your teddy bear back
Arthur - The orange one with his blue outfit
JessieLightyear - Yes, that one
Arthur - You'd better not have done anything to Mr. Fluffy
JessieLightyear - Just read the card!!!
Arthur - *picks up card* 'JessieLightyear does not own the TV show Merlin or its characters' Can I have Mr. Fluffy back?
JessieLightyear - read the back
Arthur - *flips card over* 'JessieLightyear also owes NationalWonder a debt of gratitude for betaing and correcting her grammar.
JessieLightyear - here's Mr. Fluffy back
*Arthur leaves and NationalWonder walks in*
NationalWonder - is this author's note long, or is it just me?
JessieLightyear - it's just you
Waking up in a strange house never gets any easier. I'd been traveling my whole life, dependent on some stranger's kindness or a random paycheck so I could stay at an inn. There's no worse feeling than waking up and looking the ceiling, knowing that it isn't the place you grew up in or the place where you belong.
I sat up and stretched. The sun hadn't come up, yet I was used to it. I always awoke before the sun so no one would see me. I stood up and drew my cloak around me. Gwen was still asleep on her cot. I knew I couldn't stay here with what I had to do. Slowly, I walked out of her house. I'd be back before anyone could notice I was missing. I ran out of town and found a clearing. There was no one around. My head was pounding. I had to hurry.
"Enots esir." I whispered and pointed at a stone. It was lifted about a half foot and then I threw it against a tree. Looking at the tree I said, "Eert worg." A few new branches came from the saplings. I sighed. My magic was different from most sorceresses. It would build up in my body until I had to release it. If it wasn't released it would kill me, or worse – someone close to me. I shook my head
Forget about it – you didn't know and there was nothing you could have done at the time. It's your job to make sure nothing like that happens again.
I stared at the ground, "Retaw htrof emoc." Water sprung forth and bubbled. I smiled at the water. A twig snapped in the forest; someone was out there. Silently, I crept along the trees. If anyone saw me, I'd meet my father too early. I didn't hear anyone else, but that didn't mean they weren't there. I walked slowly along the forest trying not to make noise. "Skcits esir." The twigs and sticks in front of me rose up. I looked at them and mentally slapped myself. The reason I was hiding was because of my magic. So I'm using magic to move sticks so I don't break them and attract attention. Wait that was it! "Flesym edih."I knew I was invisible, but now I had to be silent. I saw a girl walking through the forest. She was definitely a noble woman. Her hair was dark brown and curled. Her dress was a dark purple and a green cloak graced her shoulders. She pulled the hood up and walked toward Camelot. I watched her leave and sighed.
That was too close. I should get back to Gwen's house. Where was it though? Did I seriously get lost? I looked at the twigs.
"Esuoh snewg ot yaw eht me wohs, skcits." They flew into a line leading due east. Now I knew where to go. "Noitisop ruoy ot nruter." They went back to their original position. I ran off and reached Gwen's hat just as the first rays came breaking out of the sky. I walked back into the house and saw Gwen was still asleep. The magic I'd used this morning was enough to get me through the next couple of hours, but I'd need to go out again and use it more if I wanted to keep it controlled. Looking out the window, I saw a very different scene from yesterday. As the sun began to rise, I could see the open market. The scene was very peaceful. I leaned my head against the wall. Gwen began to move and I looked at her. She opened her eyes and sat up in her bed.
"Well you're up early," she said, looking over at me. I smiled.
"Bad habit."
"Have you had something to eat?"
"I'm not hungry." She laughed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm too nervous," I said, walking over to the table. I sat down across from her.
"You have nothing to be nervous about. Gaius is like a grandfather to me, and Merlin is… Merlin."
"Tell me about him. He's so different from other people I've met," I asked.
"He's sweet, but very awkward around people. He's always trying to help people out."
"He seems nice, but very – I don't know. He just seems different from everyone else I've met." I said, rearranging the flowers.
"Different in what way?" She asked.
"Just different, no specific way." I said. Gwen gave me a knowing smile, "I mean, he's a bit clueless and can't take a hint. He managed to get on my nerves in a five-minute conversation." Gwen chuckled. We both heard a knock at the door.
"It's open," She called, taking her plate into the small kitchen. Merlin walked into the room.
"Hello – I hope I'm not interrupting breakfast," he said.
"What are you doing here so early, Merlin?"
"Arthur wants me at the castle bright and early for training," Merlin informed her with a distasteful look on his face.
"Well you can't miss that. Ashlynn's all finished so you two go ahead."
"Thank you again for letting me stay," I said.
"The pleasure was mine," she told me. Merlin was ready to go so I grabbed my cloak and threw it across my shoulders. We walked in silence for a little until Merlin started talking,
"So, where are you from?" He asked. I bit my lip. Not a good question, Merlin.
"I don't know exactly. My mother and I were always traveling."
"What about your father?" How am I supposed to answer this one?
"He doesn't really approve of me," I said slowly.
"Oh, well-"
"Merlin, can we not talk about this?" I said, a little too loudly. He looked a little taken aback, but stopped talking. Finally! I looked over at him, and he seemed hurt. Great, now I feel guilty! What was this boy doing to me? "I'm sorry, Merlin. My father's a sensitive subject. I only just found out who he is and my mother didn't like to talk about him."
"I understand," he said, but I knew he was still a little upset.
"Tell me about you."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Favorite color, favorite day, favorite animal," I rambled.
"Um, blue, my birthday, and um, I don't know," he answered.
"Oh, you have to have a favorite animal! Come on – is it a bird or a dog or a cat or –"
"Something in the woods, like a fox or a hawk," he told me.
"Do you like the woods?"
"Of course! Camelot is great, but sometimes I just need some time to myself."
"Me too; sometimes I feel like everyone's talking to me and I can't tell where to go, so I go to the woods. Do you ever feel that way?" I asked.
"More than you could imagine," he said. Oh, but I could imagine. Whenever we stopped at a town, I'd see people who were in pain and I wanted to help them. One woman even found out about my magic and begged me to help her dying son. I wanted to so much, but Mother always said we couldn't attract attention to ourselves with Uther's men all around. She said we needed to stay in Camelot, but I couldn't believe her reason.
Don't think about it, forget it. She was wrong. Look what happened to her because of those beliefs.
I hadn't even realized how far we'd walked until Merlin stopped in front of a house. It was much bigger than Gwen's house. There were to level to it and I could see four windows in the front. Merlin walked in.
"Gaius, Ashlynn's here." Gaius was standing over a glass filled with some sort of concoction. The place was a mess. Books and notes were thrown all around. Ingredients lay all over the table.
"Ah, come in, Ashlynn come in. Merlin you'd best be getting off. Don't want to keep Arthur waiting."
"Alright, I won't be back for a while," Merlin said.
"Get going Merlin," Gaius said. Merlin left and Gaius looked up from the dark blue drink.
"Well, care for a lesson in anatomy?" Gaius asked me.
"Sounds good," I said sitting down by Gaius as he picked up a book.
Arthur - Where's Mr. Fluffy?
JessieLightyear - read the card
Arthur - How many cards do you have?
JessieLightyear - read the card
Arthur - 'Please review JessieLightyear's story.'
JessieLightyear - Good, here is Mr. Fluffy
Arthur - THANK YOU *runs off with Mr. Fluffy*