I turn to a rustling in the trees behind me, the green dark contrasts with the light filtering through the leaves.
"Hello?" some one calls from behind a covering of weeds.
"Who are you? Where am I?" I shout to the voice of a man, men surround me. This reminds me of leaving Zuko on the beech, I don't want to go back to jail. Flashes of light swarm about me as I writhe in pain trying to avoid the lashing of the blades. One hits my shoulder with the flat of the blade, I stumble forward and am stabbed shallowly near my stomach. I scream in agony and the man who called to me comes forward on a horse, his hair was blond with a few small streaks of brown, his futures were soft and he sat proudly on his horse.
"If I am to die, give me the grace of knowing who sent men to kill me," I say dabbled over in pain but still looking at the man.
"You are not going to die then, how did you know these men were mien?" he says signaling a man behind me to lower his blade.
"You cower but call to me as if you are alone, you still hide as they kill, thirsty for blood. I am unarmed only passing trough and you try to kill me, give me the decency of knowing your name. or I shall call you coward," I say stumbling over words through the pain.
"I am prince Auther of Camelot, now tell me who you are," he orders, taking on the arrogance of a prince, I am dieing but he is interrogating me.
"I could wait for death Prince Auther, save me and I will tell you of my land, I give you my word," I say holding out a blood covered hand the horse came forward and its head bowed to me, Auther looked bewildered that his horse did this by its own accord.
"Very well, you tell me every thing, every secret every inch of land you have, and your past," he stairs down at me I give him a small half smile, I guess my face is weight. "Merlin, take her to Gyus, treat her wounds." I fall asleep before I see my savior come.
"Anny signs of her healing Gyus?" another voice asked, I am awake but unable to open my eyes.
"She has improved greatly today, tonight she may open her eyes," an older voice said, I think this is Gyus. I whimper trying to move my arms, I feel like some one is sitting next to me pinning one to my side, something is taken off my face and I open my eyes quickly.
"Who are you?" I ask looking at a boy that looks about the same age as Auther. Thin I remember the name Merlin.
"Merlin, you mind telling me who you are?" he asked looking at me with a lopsided grin that made me smile back at him.
"Azalya, Azalya Monty, I'd shake your hand but your pinning it to my side. Not to be rude," I say as he shifts and I hold out my right hand for him to shake, he takes it and kisses the back of it. My head tilts to the side looking at him, he smiles at me again. "Is Auther coming to interrogate me?" I ask looking him strait in the eye.
"No he forgave you after you fell unconscious, by the way how do you feel?" he asks taking my face in his hand and looking at both sides of my face, his fingers trace what I think is a brose over my cheek.
"Like I need chain mail for next time I see Authors knights. How much damage do I have?" I say looking at him and soaking in the lines of his face. His jaw bones were predominate.
"You have a nasty stomach wound, and the mussels in your left shoulder are torn," he says looking over at a bottle he picks it up and smears some goop on my face, "And some cuts and broses."
"How long until I can get up and walk around?" I ask looking at the small room I was in.
"You can try now, if you want. Auther had these made fore you," he said handing me a package that was heavy. I open it slowly and see the shinning links of chain mail armor, and under it was a few styles of pants and long sleeve shirts.
"Is there a place for me to change?" I ask looking at the silver.
"Ya down the hall," he says and hands me a folded up square of black fabric. I stand and take a step forward testing my footing, my knee gave out and I stumbled into Merlin. He helps me up and I use his arm as balance, he takes me down the hall and to a smaller room once I'm inside he exits closing the door behind him. I hiss in pain as I move the chain mail down my back, I had the sword that Sokka gave me in its sheath hooked inside the cloche I had worn, this I take out and place on the belt that was given to me. I unfold the black square and it's a cloche planer and newer, than the dark blue one I have already, I tie the string and pull open the door. I had a thin pair of shoes on and stubbed my foot on the door as it opened, I gathered all my stuff and walk down the hall. Stopping I knock at the door to the room I was in before, Merlin opens it and I walk in, I set the folded cloths next to the bed I had been sleeping in.
"Can I stay here a few days, I don't really have any where else to," I ask looking at him and bighting my lip, he nods, "Thank you," I say giving him a one armed hug.
"Let me give you a tour of the castle," he says taking my arm and leading me down a corridor. He pointed out the key rooms and told me the names of servants we past.
"Where do you live?" he asks stopping on a landing of the stairs.
"No where, I wander a lot," I say resting my head on the stone wall behind me. He takes me down to the courtyard where Auther is training his men, I stop and hop onto the wall to watch.
"Auther there's that girl," a knight said looking at me and pointing. I hop down from the wall and walk directly over to the knight.
"Did your mother ever tell you it is rude to point?" I ask him flicking his hand down.
"Yes but you are a lady dressed as a man," he replies unfazed by my boldness.
"That's because I'm moor of a worrier than you'll ever be," I hiss at him, this he was taken aback by.
"Thoughts are fighting words," he says drawing his sword.
"Oh I know," I reply drawing my sword and holding it at my side, point facing the ground. He lunges at me and I raise my sword to block the blow, I swing at him lazily and he stumbles from the force. "I don't want to hurt you, can we have dull swords please?" I ask blocking his blows as I do. A sword was tossed to me and I sheathed mien and grabbed it out of the air, I dropped in to a crouch as he swung at my head, I stood up inside of the small circle made by him holding the sword with both hands, I knock him backwards with the hilt of my sword. He stabs up at me and I flick his sword from his hands, my blade at the point of his hart, I point the hilt back to who gave it to me and spin on my heel and walk out of the courtyard. Merlin looks at me like he was stricken as he walks past me to Auther I wander the streets alone and people look at me oddly as my chain mail sparkles under my shirt darkness fell and the torches were lit, I wandered around until Merlin ran up to me and grabbed my arms, he took my right wrist and led me back to the castle. He was puffing out his breath as we ran up the stairs at a landing I stopped and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to stop.
"Breath Merlin," I say moving so I blocked his path, he sat on the ground and caught his breath. He reached up at me and pulled my arm towards him.
"Sit," he says and I do, "Where did you go? I was worried."
"I'm sorry I was walking and daydreaming. I lost track of time I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to worry," I say covering my face with my hands.
"Merlin? Why are you sitting on the stairs?" I hear Authors voice approaching.
"Sorry I got lost," I spit out standing up, my sword was exposed for a moment.
"Well how kind of him to find you. Good fighting today, that man needed to be taught to respect," he said as I help Merlin to his feet. I smiled at Auther then Merlin leads me up the stairs, he takes me to that little room and I sit on the bed. I try to untie the not I tied earlier but Merlin came to my aid, untying it in seconds.
"Thanks," I say taking off the cloche and hanging it on the changing screen.
"No problem," he says sitting on the bed and studying my old cloche, its fabric was stretched accost the window. I took my sword off and put it on the changing screen, I took my tank top and shorts and went to that bathroom down the hall. I took my shoes off and changed into the pajamas, gathered up all my items and went back to my room, I piled it neatly under the bed all folded nicely. Sitting on the floor I start meditating to clear my mind of the confusion of the past few days. I transferred to the spirit world and called out to Aang, he drooped from a tree.
"Azalya! How are you doing?" he asked coming over and looking at me.
"I'm ok, a few wounds nothing that wouldn't heal up, I cant stay long I am in a castle, there taking care of me," I say looking him over for signs of battle, there were none.
"Do you trust them?" he asks looking in to my eyes.
"With my life, I have to go. I miss you!" I say before going back to my body.
"Azalya! Can you hear me?" Merlin was yelling at me, and shaking my shoulders.
"Yes, don't yell at me Merlin, I was meditating. I was relaxed, organizing my thoughts," I say pulling his arms off my shoulders. He hugged me happy I responded.
"You were so still, so," he stammers talking in to my hair.
"Merlin I'm fine I promise, but now I need to sleep. Good night," I say pulling away from him, but I kiss his cheek before pushing his chest so I could brake free.
"Ya good night," he says then leaves in bewilderment. I crawl in to bed and blow out my candle. I like this boy, a lot.