"Impossible. What is? A girl." Arthur said from behind me with a smirk. Fear and panic paralyse my body, my brain shuts down and mouth refused to form word. How long has he been standing there.
"Nothing is impossible." Arthur continued. "It will be improbable for..." I stopped paying attention by that point and looked back at these marks on her arm. Although Gaius seemed content to listen.
"I suppose so. I hadn't considered that yet." Gaius responded hitting me in the gut with his elbow.
"That mean I leave you to care for her fulltime. I can dress myself during the tournament. Gaius will assist you if and when you need him. So try not too need him."
"Of course, my lord."
Arthur leaned in and whispered. "And Merlin." My heart stopped. Every muscle in my tensed and I hold my breath. What does he know. "That was the second time today, don't make a habit of it."
"Habit of what." Gaius took the words out of my mouth.
"Saying no to me." Arthur walked away briskly. Like he was anxious to find a town with a full kitchen.
"Probably best you listen to him." Gaius said creaking a smile.
"Don't you start." I couldn't help but laugh along with him.
"Gwaine, put down the ale." I shout at him half way across the small town. At this point we're doubled over laughing. But I put on a straight face and said "Get her ready for travel while I prepare Arthur's horse."
"Only if I get a chance with her." We erupted with laughter.
"Over my dead body."
"Well, if you insist."
After two minutes with Arthur's horse, I was ready to set off myself. Or I was until I saw Gwaine about to throw her over the horse. I quickly climbed on my horse blocking way.
"What do you think you are doing?" Gwaine asked.
"Well it would start with not throwing a delicate dying girl over a horse. But I will let you figure out where the horse come in." I said trying not to smile. (But utterly failing)
"How do you purpose we set off."
"What do you think Prince Arthur." Gwaine called out pointing to the girl on his shoulder.
"I'm not so sure. I'm just not sure. Something about her doesn't seem right about her." Arthur responded. I completely agree with him. Expect he appears to fear her. Fear what magic she could posses. I wonder if Uther ever looked like that before hatred hardened his heart.
"Well when she starts terrorizing the village I'll confront the king myself." Merlin said. We couldn't help carrying on except for Gwaine who is trying scold me. But I can see the joy bubbling to the surface.
"Halt!" Arthur called out pointing his sword at the woods. "Identify yourself."
"I-I'm a hunter," A concealed voice stuttered nervously."I was invited to go hunting with my cousin in Camelot." A man step out of the forest. He was older, a small stalky man peasant. Nothing out of the ordinary about him. Then I noticed his horseless cart. It was large, good, strong solid wood cart. It was filled with hay and it had all the gear needed to attach the cart to a horse. With the exception of the horse.
"I've been traveling for days and I am hopelessly lost. May you give me directions to Camelot or a horse." The man said.
"We will be back in Camelot in two day. You can come with us." Arthur said.
"But we don't have an extra horse for him to ride." Sir Gwaine.
"Well are maiden and I could ride in the cart." I offered. I couldn't help but glance over at Gwaine whose expression look something like. You did this somehow, and when I find out how you'd better be careful. Paybacks are a bitch.
I decided to put 'The Impossible Girl' in her chariot myself. I wasn't making the mistake of trusting Gwaine again. Seemed simple enough at the time. Just as I placed her in the cart...
"Merlin!" Arthur crept up behind me and said in my ear. "I fear I've made a grave mistake."
"What do you mean," Holding my tongue.
"You will be responsible for someone's wellbeing." Arthur said. "I'm taking a risk, leaving you in charge of something. Don't screw it up."
"Clotpole!"
We rode for the next village. They decided to conduct the tournament early.
I was in stables for most of the day with 'The Impossible Girl' lying in her cart. I've been trying to proof she isn't an anomaly. Not just to everyone that would be easy. To myself. I've finger out what to say if they asked. Take the anomaly explain it with a long lies end it with a truth masked with an endless riddle and anyone wil beleive you. Simple formula. But it requires creativity.
Eventually I gave up on the truth, gave into frustration and throw the book at the door. As it sailed across the room I saw the door creak open. The book was defleted off the side of the door and hit Arthurs' horse.
"Merlin," Gaius sighed. He went and picked up the book with landed in a pill of horse droppings. I closed my eyes andvisualized the muck sliding cleanly off. When I opened them it was so.
"Thank you," I said in a small voice.
"You should get some fresh air," Gaius said, quickly realizing just how true his word were.
"I thought you'd be all for learning," I say trying not to sound arrogant.
"They're setting up a bonfire,."
"Don't have to tell me twice."
"Technically I just did."
"You never have to tell me that there is food twice."
Gaius started laughing. I took 'The impossible Girl' from her cart and headed to the bonfire and left Gaius in the stables trying to sobber up.
I set her next to the fire and sat beside Arthur.
"Well you've obviously got something on your mind. Trying to figure out how many more hit to the head you can take."
"No, I'm just trying to make sense of her," Arthur nodded to her with a smirk.
"What about them." I pointed to the knights.
Knights looked overworked and fatigued. Using they beer and there wealth to keep themselves awake.
"They all seemed to be noticing her alot." Arthur observed.
"I think they're gambling on her."
The knight would point or nod to her and whisper. They'd often exchanged laughs and pool money together.
"Your right," He said disgusted by the sight.
"Thanks for that."
Arthur didn't respond. He didn't even look back at me. He just stood and addressed the knights with a mask of anger and disappointment.
I quickly got up and moved her. Neither of us needs to hear this.
We spend the night in a clear next to the cliff. Must be the highest point in the kingdom. Cause I'm looking over the five kingdoms right now. It's absolutely beautiful, like we're up too high to see all the damage people have done out of fear. Feels like it's unspoiled places. Places flourishing and prosperous and lively. It's peaceful, blissful. Still I loss sleep over it. I took first watch and sat beside her. Completely stumped and out of options.
"I can see you've been thinking hard Merlin. Don't hurt yourself." The Great Dragon's voice was deep and familiar.
"Not so loud. If she does wake. The idea of her first glimse on you and I. Well..."
"Not the most favorable awakening. Now why did you can for me."
"I have found a young woman..." I ignored that comment.
"The start of ever tragedy."
"This is serious!" I pause waiting for another attempt at humor but the dragon was silent. "I sealed in a cave but here she stands. Well sleeps. She is submerged in a river for countless hour her lungs still move air. Her arm bares wounds from a poisonous blade and still she will not die. Is there any explanation you can give."
"Is there anything else you'd like to add."
"Yes, The poisoned blade carved Rhythm in dragon tongue. Beneath the wound was a symbol, an infinite sign in brilliant golden but toward the inner edges though the color faded till it's blackness could resemble an abyss."
"Ah yes"
"Care to elaborate." I said impatiently.
"She is bound by Immortality Fatal. A very power curse, the ultimate punishment if you will. An Immortal life sustained by every negative emotions forced through the victim. If I am correct she found the fountain of mortality. Polar opposite to the lake of Avalon in every way. Even the name is the anagram of Avalon. Nolava, it is the final test of a gods worth."
"Well I'm fairly certain she is not a god."
"If a person can gaze upon the river and live which it's unheard of. There true nature will be revealed. If an immortal ever wished for death they must only swallow a drop of the water. If she survived in the river of Nolava I dare not think what could kill her."
"But how can I help her."
"First you must wake her,"
"How?"
The dragon didn't respond. He took a deep breath and what he exhaled was a pure shimmering golden light pouring into my mind. Within seconds the light had faded and a comforting silence between us stood. But in that moment I knew what I had to do.
"Who is she?"
"All in good time. There is only one way you can cure her. She must feel truly love. The immortality feeds off of every negative emotion running through her consistantly. Normally you think of something happy and break the chain if you will. THe bond on the is far to strong to be broken by people or will power. and she can life a mortal live. Assuming past doesn't catct up with her."
"Catch up to her how?"
"She has sustained enough injuries to fell an army. When the curse is broken we can only hope that they will not take effect."
So many I still need to know. I know enough about her. But I don't know her. "Who is she."
The dragon just grinned. "All in good time young warlock" That's was better any words of encouragement.
"Thank you."
I begin running without thinking. I don't look were I step and I don't register what I see infront of me. For the first in far too long my mind is clear. I know exactly what I'm doing. Then the voice started singing to my again. The one I heard when I first found her. That beautiful voice. But if stopped listening. From when I first found her my mind was buzzing questions and probems till my head was to occupied to listen any more. Now that it is back I feel a presense I've missed. Like someone who went away for a long while has come back.
I must've found everything I needed quickly because in no time flat I knelt down beside her and got to work. I mixed everything together and visualized it perfectly mixed. When I opened my eyes it was. I propped up her head up and pour the liquid into her mouth then dripping the remaining liquid on my hands and chanted.
"Σας βλέπω την καθαρότερη μουσική που ρέει μέσα από τις φλέβες και μια καρδιά από θάρρος και ομορφιά και μουσική . Αλλά ευτυχώς η κοινωνία μας είναι τυφλή, και σας έριξαν στο βάραθρο, με τις ευλογίες της παλιάς θρησκείας που διεπράχθησαν στον εαυτό μου για να σας επιστρέψει στο παράδεισο όπου ανήκετε κι και τους κινδύνους για τον εαυτό μου."
But nothing happened, not so much as her thready pulse normalizing. I repeated the chant again. Still nothing. I blinked back the tears that swelled in my eyes and swiped away the tear that escaped my eye.
Ba-bum ba-bum. I felt the familiar and faint rhythm beneath my fingertips. I forgot I was still taking her pulse. It would slow down and speed up. Ba-dum- Ba-bum...Ba-bum... Choke.
She flipped to her side instantly coughing up the same thick black and green liquid from the river in the cave. It was sickening to look at. After a minute or so she wiped her mouth and tried to straighten up. She flipped her hair out of her face. She mustn't had thought anyone was there because when she opened her eyes she looked so stiff. Her face was unreadable. But I knew because the air between us was still and free. Now it's filled with caution and nerve.
"No one will hurt you," I said trying to sound calm but my voice was very small.
She relaxes and lets her glance drift to the puddle beside her. I'd be spooked if that came out of me too.
"Hey," I say hoping she'll look up. "Were going to..." I stop when I realize she isn't looking at me. She's looking at something over my shoulder and she's curling up against the tree. I follow her glance to a pair of green menacing eyes. Wolf eyes.
I stand up front of her. I don't know if she can see the wolf, hope not.
Dozens of bright eyes opened in the woods. They all charged at once. With a little bit of luck and that bizarre tingle I my eyes I swept them aside without touching them. I was prepared for a second attack but they fled into the wood.
I heard 'The Impossible Girl' shift her weight behind me nervously and a small shriek escaped.
I turned around in time to see a larger wolf just seconds from us. He was much stronger than the others but he retreated all the same.
When I turned back she look more startled then before. Granted she had just beaten all odds by waking up in the first place, woke in an unfamiliar and ominous forest with a powerful sorcerer. I'm surprised she isn't running for the hills.
She quickly stiffened her posture and hardened her expression trying not to look scared.
"It's ok. No harm can come to you now."
She relaxed and tried to lied down and coughed up more of that grotesque water. I placed my hand on her back and lied her down.
The moment she was comfortable just Arthur had to yell. "The far maiden has awoken."
Her eyes flutter open and giggled at that.
"Come dine with us."
"No. She needs to rest" I replied.
"I'll bring you some food," I said and began walking towards the knights.
I heard a soft groan. I turned around and saw her standing. Well hunched over, against a tree.
"Don't..."
She raised her hand so I wouldn't protest. She stood up and started stumbling toawrds me. I see the knights are watching and they are just as surprised as I am. I decided to lead the way.
A second later I heard a gasp. I turned around and catch her by the forearm and are foreheads touched. She was breathing to hard to pull away just yet and I couldn't bring myself to.
I soon realized she has been shifting weight on and off her foot. I threw her arm over my shoulder and held her side against mine. She's just a bit smaller then I am so her foot doesn't touch the ground while we walked. We waked like a pair of men with a single cane between us.
We joined the bonfire and I grabbed some bread and handed her a peice. She tried to respond but she quickly gave up and sighed.
"So, where do you live." Leon asked with his mouth full.
"You can't expect her to understand that." Lancelot retorted.
She pointed dew east and nearly hit me upside the head.
"You see," Leon said more distorted then before.
We all burst out laughing. I can't remember the last time I actually laught this hard. It's funny though the harder you laugh the lighter you feel. Like a weight was being lifted off my shoulders. Sometime I wonder if anyone else notices the weight of thing like dayly life; Work, politics and dollopheads. And then there are the thing like friends, family and relationships. Even relationships which aren't yours. They can lift you. But they can also weight you down so much worse. It's those types of thing that make me wonder. Am I really the only one who notices these kinds of thing. Or do do these kinds of things only occur to me.
She dragged her finger through the dirt. She began writing. What are your names?
Arthur introduced himself then Elyan then Leon and Percival going clockwise around the fire till he reached me at which point he said. "And You've all ready meet the simpleton,"
"Merlin will do sire."
"And your name?" Percival asked.
She turned back to the dirt. Erased what she first wrote and overtop she wrote. *Theia*
"Theia, I feel like I've heard that before. Have we meet." Arthur said confused. Like he is look for something in his head which has been lost.
"Me too, I just can't put my finger on it." I said.
"Odd, You look like a little like Mithian," Leon said.
"I think you looks like Vivian. Well expect not. Blond o..."
"Started off well that sentance." Elyan pointed out.
The rest of the night was filled with stories about pompious royalty and horses playing favorites. I think Theia was the only one of us to get some sleep that and that is only because while Arthur talked about my serving skills, or lack there of, I grabbed a spare sleeping draft from my new bag and slipped it in he water.
The next day we set off early. I considered not even waking her but lying her in the cart instead of riding together. But when we returned to the stables the cart had disappeared along with some weapons, food, water and the hunter. Gaius insisted she should rest after I had pointed out that that it all she could do for roughly ten year.
Still we didn't wake her. I got percival to sit her behind me on my horse. Sitting sidesattle of course, she had one arm loosly around my waist and the other on my shoulder like a pillow.
After a few hours she began to stir.
"Awake are we," I said.
"Don't turn around, don't raise your voice, don't look suspious, just listen. Was there ever anyone with a cloak travaling with us."
"No. Why?" I asked. I nearly turned my head but she headbutted me before I could.
"Because there is one right behind us." She stated.
"You sound like you have a plan."
"Yes. Of sorts,"
"What do you propose?"
"First fall to the back of the group, slow down, when I say stop abruptly, count to three and resume your normal spot."
"Are you shore about this?"
"Yes I'm sure."
"OK than"
I fell to the back of the group and slowed.
"OK. Three, two, one."
I stopped the horse and the cloaked horseman nearly hit us.
'One,'
Theia took her hand off my waist and gripped my shoulder with the other.
'Two'
Theia held on to my shoulder as she propelled herself around kicking the cloaked figure off his horse. The horse ran astray.
'Three"
Theia sat behind me again and held on.
'Go'
Chapter 2 Completed
Follow Fav. and Review please
The foreign writing it actually what the writers use for dragon tongue
Challenge figure out and send me the translation
I'll reply and give you a shout out in Chapter 4