Yay another update :) hope you all like :D

Also thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far :) I love to know how well I'm doing

P.S don't worry the robbers and the occasional dragon are on there way :P

-Penny

Bonds of Friendship

Soft branches bent under foot. Dark grass left indented. Somewhere in the cobalt sky birds soared calling to each other. In the forest below a small boy tramped clutching a little satchel in his bony hands.

He was tall for his age, all thin and gangly limbs. He hand a mop of raven hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to suck you in whether you liked it or not. He wore a pale grey blue tunic belted at the waist and a moss green hood that trailed over his nobly shoulders.

Every now and again the boy crouched down and examined the growing foliage. Occasionally he pick some and stuff them in the satchel slung over his shoulder.

The child soon grew board and after glancing around to make sure he was alone raised his hands and his eyes flashed golden. The leaves on the ground rose up in a swirl of smoke and began to dance.

The boy tilted his head back and laughed spinning around hands outstretched to catch the falling leaves.

He was alone but then again Merlin was always alone. None of the other village children liked him. He was too different, too clumsy, too otherworldly. Merlin didn't mind though, not any more. He got used to it like he'd got used to the fact his magic would never go away.

A strangled gasp caught his attention and the leave fell to the ground as if they'd never left. Merlin spun round blue eyes round and fearful.

Two pairs of eyes were watching him from above a near by bush. One green the other grey. The owner of the grey eyes stood up. He looked to be older than Merlin dressed in a crimson tunic that matched his flaming red hair. A smattering of freckles covered his nose and cheeks giving his grin an impish quality.

"Did you do that?" the older boy asked in awe.

Merlin backed away, "No! No um...I...um it was the wind. Just the wind," he babbled hopelessly. And it was hopeless Merlin realised because they must have seen him in the act and no amount of imaginative excuses were going to help him this time.

"You did too, didn't you," the other boy exclaimed.

Merlin backed up further and tripped over a root sprawling. The red headed boy hurried over looking concerned. Merlin frowned, why wasn't he running away yelling sorcerer? It didn't make any sense.

The older boy loomed over him and at first Merlin thought he was going to be hit but the hand merely hovered innocently in front of his face. Tentatively Merlin too it.

The red head hulled him to his feet, "You okay?"

Merlin laughed sheepishly, "That...um that happens a lot," he mumbled.

The other boy laughed too, "I'll bet. You look like the kind of person who has balance issues."

"I don't have balance issues," Merlin pouted, "Balance has a problem with me," he finished huffily.

The red head laughed again, "I'm Cain," he introduced.

Merlin nodded, "I'm Merlin," he replied, "Your not going to tell anyone are you?" he added hurriedly.

Cain frowned, "About what?"

Merlin looked incredulous, "The magic," he whispered.

Cain shrugged, "It doesn't bother me."

Merlin couldn't believe his ears, "Why not?" he exclaimed, then looked away hurriedly, "I mean most people hate magic. Its even outlawed. I'm not even supposed to practice it."

Cain rolled his eyes, "If it has escaped your notice I'm not from around here."

Merlin frowned, now Cain mentioned it he did look different. There weren't many people around that had red hair.

"Where I come from magic is accepted," Cain continued, "I mean it's part of you right. It's not like you can help what you are."

Merlin gapped, "I wish the rest of the world could understand that."

Cain laughed again. He had a loud laugh, like an excited dog barking.

Merlin suddenly remembered the set of green eyes and turned to look at Cain, "Who's your friend?"

Cain frowned, then his expression changed to one of realisation, "Oh darn it I'd forgotten. Oi Evelyn you can come out!" he called.

There was a rustle of leave and a small girl pulled herself from the bushes. She had short brown hair and startling green eyes. She wore a peach coloured dress covered in a white apron. A white bonnet clung to the back of her head a few twigs caught in the flimsy fabric.

Cain grinned, "This is my younger sister, Evelyn."

Merlin nodded, "Nice to meet you,, I'm Merlin" he mumbled shyly.

Evelyn giggled, "You too magic boy."

Merlin winced and Cain shot his sister a stern look, "Weren't you listing?" he scolded, "Magic is outlawed here. You can't go around saying things like that!"

Evelyn looked away and her bottom lip trembled.

Merlin looked embarrassed, "Its okay, really," he tried to reassure the girl, "Just as long as no one else hears you, you can say it as much as you like," he babbled, "Please don't cry."

Evelyn couldn't help herself, she laughed and laughed until she was bent double tears of mirth streaming down her cheeks. It was so hard to be upset when Merlin was so endearingly attempting to cheer her up.

Cain rolled his eyes, "Just be more careful," he told his sister and patted her on the head.

Evelyn scowled at him and swatted his hand away, "So you can do magic?" she breathed, "Show me something."

Merlin fidgeted, he'd never been put on the spot like this before. No one had or would ever ask him to show them magic, or so he'd thought.

Cain shrugged, "It doesn't have to be anything special. Just do the leaf thing again."

Evelyn nodded in agreement, "Yes something like that," she clamoured.

Merlin racked his brain, what could he show them? While the thought he noticed that the sky had clouded over and the first drops of a coming down pour hit his shaggy head. A wide grin slowly spread across his face. He knew exactly what he could show them.

He turned away altering his satchel, "Come on," he called over his shoulder, "I can show you but we have to go somewhere else?"

Cain nodded, "Where?"

"Inside?" Evelyn added.

Merlin shook his head, "Follow me," he called! Spinning on his heal he started to run. Trees flashed past him as the rain fell harder. The soft earth turned to mud beneath his feet and he slipped and skidded across the forest floor. He could hear Cain and Evelyn behind him crashing through the undergrowth.

Merlin skidded to a stop in front of the great river that ran through that side of the forest. Rain seeped threw the children's clothing as Cain and Evelyn caught up with him. Merlin closed his eyes and raised his hands. The rain bent to his command.

The drops glowed as if filled with tiny firefly's. The swirled and danced around the three children. Merlin turned and grinned, "This magic enough for you?"

Evelyn nodded, "It's beautiful," she breathed.

Cain nodded the rain plastering his hair to his head so it looked like he was wearing a red hat of dome kind, "Its perfect."

Merlin beamed. In the rain there was nothing else. In he rain he could be himself. In the rain he'd made his first friends.