The moon was full and bright in the cloudless nighttime sky. A young girl, no older than nine, sat in the moonlight smiling as she dug for herbs. Her hair, though pulled back into a braid still reached the ground in a river of midnight tresses. Despite the strangeness of the clothes of the dirty child, she seemed completely free of worry. She sang happily while doing her task. Her dark eyes kept flittering over to the trees to keep track of the owl setting upon a branch. It seemed to be a game between the two. The owl would hop around the branch in excitement only to freeze when the dark haired child would look up, making the girl laugh quietly before she returned to her task. After another moment of concentrated work the young girl stood and stretched her arms to the sky, and wiggled her dirty bare feet in the soft grass. The moment caused the hem of her animal skin dress to rise to an almost inappropriate height. "If only these yellow dalagerias didn't grow so deep in forest." Her voice betrayed her unfelt complaint. She allowed her grin to fill her face before she began to dance in the moonlight, laughing happily. The child never noticed that the nightingales had stopped their music, or that the forest had descended into silence. After another few moments she stopped her spinning and turned to where her owl friend had been sitting, only to find him gone. The smile faded from her lips slowly. Something was wrong. Suddenly six men in red capes, and gleaming armor stormed into her piece of heaven. The two parties stared at one another in confusion and shock for a moment before the Knights recovered and charged their quarry once more.
The young girl stood in front the six Camelot knights with tears running down her cheeks. A sword was drawn, glinting in the moonlight, as an order for the girl to be retrained echoed in the small clearing. The girl kicked and screamed against her captors. Suddenly her eyes flashed gold for a moment and the girl broke herself free of their hold. Frightened the child began running back to the protection of the forest, but she didn't notice one of the knights rising to his knees and taking aim with a small knife. Just before she reached safety the knight released his weapon. The knife embedded itself in a tree mere inches from the child's head as she disappeared into the dark woods. "She was only a child. She couldn't have been more than 8." The youngest of the group muttered from the edge of his comrade, as they stared at the place the young girl disappeared. The leader of this squad glared at his newest recruit. "A sorcerer is a sorcerer. It doesn't matter how old they are. They are all evil, and all need to be killed." The young knight hung his head and nodded. "Besides the Ki-"
A scream was cut off abruptly in the middle of the night. Nine year old Morgana sat up in her bed panting as she tried to suppress the rest of the scream that was trying to escape. Her dark hair stuck damply to her back as she tried to regain her breath. Why had she been dreaming of the almost-death of a small girl? Did it mean anything? Was she going insane? Thousands of unanswerable questions raced around her mind, each one more frustrating than the last. With a deep sigh, Morgana knew that she would not fall asleep again tonight. She pushed the blankets away and made her way to the large window that overlooked the courtyard of her Father's estate. Her eyes followed the road that led straight into the forest that surrounded her home. She gazed at the vast green sea that she knew was filled with dangerous creatures, bandits, and evil witches and couldn't help but wonder if there was a little girl out there right now scared, and frightened. Surely the King wouldn't kill someone for how they were born? Surely someone couldn't be held at fault if they hadn't chosen magic, but if magic had chosen them.
Carefully lighting a candle Morgana took out her sketch papers carefully hidden in her writing desk, and just like every time these dreams invaded her mind she drew what she saw. Closing her eyes she poised her pencil above the paper as she tried to remember just how the little girl had looked in the moonlight. Once every detail was pictured Morgana smiled as she watched her dream come alive on paper.
Time slipped away from the tiny Lady, before she knew it the moon had long since set and the sun was rising. She had become so lost in her thoughts, and imaginings about the future that she didn't hear her maid come in to wake her. "Lady Morgana, what are you doing over there?" A voice admonished for the doorway. The kind older woman had been Morgana's nursemaid since she was born. "Nothing, Natalia. I was just watching the sunrise. It was wonderful this morning." The old maid knew something was wrong with her young charge but knew better than try to force the girl to talk. She just watched at the young Lady scrambled to hide her drawings, before turning her full attention to her maid. Sighing Natalia knew that Morgana wouldn't talk about her troubles anymore, and wished for simpler times when the young Mistress confided everything in her. "There is a slight chill in the air this morning, My Lady. We will have to dress you a little warmer for your ride." Natalia watched as Morgana watched her face and brushed her head in front of her vanity. The old nurse picked out her riding clothes and stopped mid-stride. The weak morning light from the high window painted the young Morgana slightly pink, and in that moment she had never looked more like her mother. Tears tried to fill the old nurse's eyes at the memory of the old Lady Le Fey. She willed away her sadness before approaching her charge. Placing the clothes on the changing screen, she took the brush from Morgana's tiny fingers. "You look more and more like your mother every day." She smiled to her charge through the mirror as she brushed the soft raven strands. "You think so?" Her voice was small. Morgana's clear blue eyes caught Natalia's in the mirror once more. "Yes. I do. " Happiness bloomed on the young girl's face at the firm answer.
"Lady Morgana, it is time to head back." Morgana sighed as she glanced back to her guard. He had been assigned to her for only a few weeks, but she hardly knew much more about him than his name and that he was a stickler for rules. They had barely reached the forest path when he decided it was time to return. She didn't want to turn back now. This was the only time she truly had to herself, for her days were filled with lessons of how to become an educated Lady, and a proper wife. Outside under the trees she felt free of the pressures already starting to rule her day a little more each moment. There was something calming, and a gentle pull coming from the woods that surrounded her home beckoning her to come into its depths. Sighing she turned away from her peace with the grace befitting of her station, and acknowledged her guard. "You're right, Matthew." The guard could hear the sadness in her voice, but knew the dangers that lurked in the forest, even so close to the estate house. Suddenly everything happened at once. Lady Morgana's horse saw a snake and spooked. However instead of running back to the safety of the stables the frantic mount ran into the dense tree line with his mistress clutched tightly to him desperately trying to stay mounted. "MATTHEW!" She screamed but she quickly outpaced her companion's horse, and was soon lost in the trees.
Soon the young Lady lost all bearing of direction, and the way home as the trees continued to whip past her. Windspirit, her mount, seemed in no hurry to stop his frantic fleeing, and wasn't responding to any of her commands, so she just concentrated on staying on seated praying that she wouldn't be killed. With her focus solely concentrated on staying upright, she didn't see the low branch until it was too late. It caught her in the chest throwing her from her horse. She hit the ground hard. There was a slight crack before Morgana's world faded into black.
Hope felt magic. It was untamed, but not unlike her mistress'. Curiosity got the better of the young Griffin as she followed the tendrils of magic. She paused at the edge of a meadow testing the air. She didn't want to be caught unawares by those men again. Her mistress had almost been hurt last time. After assuring herself that there was indeed none of those men around she crept into the field still cautiously following the magic as it got stronger. She noticed horse dancing nervously across the way, panicking more the closer Hope came to it. Hope just ignored it as she just concentrated on the feeling of the magic. She kept her keen eyes open for anything that could be producing the lovely magic. It was then that Hope noticed the body lying on the ground with their arm twisted awkwardly. Without really thinking about it Hope picked up the young girl, and the horse before taking to the air ignoring the panicked noises from the smelly beast happy to bring Merlyn a present.
Merlyn heard the happy screeches from Hope long before her friend appeared in the sky above their home. Laughing Merlyn came out of their cave only to stop mid-stride once she noticed Hope's burden. In her front paws she held a child's body, and with great difficulty it seemed to be holding onto a limp horse with her back paws. "HOPE!" She yelled rushing over to where her friend had already placed the girl and horse, dancing around completely happy with her presents. "Where did you find them? What happened?" She questioned as she looked over each of them. "Her arm is broken. Poor thing." The fact that the girl looked her age didn't faze her as the healer in her came out. "Take her and lay her down on the bed." Merlyn had already turned her attention to the suspiciously still horse. She checked him over and was relived to discover he had only fainted apparently. As much as she wanted to scold Hope for bringing people here in such a fashion she couldn't help but smile at the antics of her dear friend. Shaking her head she went in to tend to her new patient.
When Morgana began to regain her senses she could hear the soft crackling of a fire nearby and for a moment believed that it had been all a dream. That somehow she was still in her bed back in her chambers but that immediately dashed when she felt the leather of her blanket. The pain in her arm decided to make itself known at that moment. The suddenness of the pain brought tears to her eyes as she bit back the moan. Le Fey's do not give into pain. The voice of her father repeated in her mind as she willed the pain to dull. "Ah you are awake. Here drink this. It will help with the pain. You hurt your arm pretty badly." Morgana's eyes flew open at the sudden voice only to find a pair of dark eyes staring back at her. She struggled to move further away from the strange girl but found herself blocked by the stone wall. She locked gazes with the girl once more, as she tried again to offer the stone bowl, but Morgana just stared at the girl. There was something familiar about her. The long black braid and the quiet smile as something glinted in the muted firelight around her neck. It came back to her. The image of the young girl dancing and twirling under the moonlight as something glimmered. It was the girl from her dream. As soon as that thought processed she sat straight up staring, before immediately regretting moving so quickly. "You shouldn't move so fast. Here drink this." This time Morgana didn't protest taking the bowl in her good hand. She took a sip of the green brew before spitting in back on top the dirt floor. "This is disgusting." She leveled a glare at the stranger, but she didn't seem to be fazed by it. "Yeah, but it works." Was all the girl said before moving back to the fire. Morgana just watched as she fed the fire more wood as she sipped the mixture praying that she wouldn't vomit.
"How did you find me? Who are you? Where are we? Why are we out here?" Morgana's questions came out rapid fire once she sat the bowl on the ground beside the makeshift bed. The girl smiled as Morgana seemed to struggle to get comfortable. "I didn't find you." She answered finally turning her attention back to the fire. Morgana finally took notice of the scent of fish cooking, so did her stomach apparently. The young girl giggled at the sound of Morgana's stomach. "Hope did. Here eat this." She gave Morgana a plank of wood with fish and berries on it. Morgana's manners turned off as her hunger sat in using her fingers to cram the food into her mouth as fast as possible. It wasn't until the girl's giggles brought her back to reality did she slow down. "Sorry." She mumbled, taking the time actually tasting her food. "It's okay. I understand being hungry."
The two descended into silence as Morgana ate, and Merlyn tended to the fire, intent on giving the other girl time to process what was going on. Before long Morgana was finished with her meal and was looking for answers. "You said Hope found me." Morgana looked around and saw no one else around. "Who is Hope?" She was starting to wonder if her savior was sick with madness. Just then a rumbling came from the back of the cave that had been hidden in shadows. She can barely make out the giant shadow that seemed to be moving. She just stared into the darkness until a winged beast emerged into the firelight. Morgana screamed and tried to scramble away from the monster. She had read about such animals in books and knew how dangerous they were. She glanced to the other girl wondering if she had a plan of escape only to find her approaching the beast. "Don't its dangerous." Morgana yelled but she knew it was too late and closed her eyes waiting for the end, but it never came. The beast never charged or even roared. It seemed to be almost purring. Morgana opened her eyes almost afraid of what she would find. There standing by the wing of this beast scratching its neck as if it were a dog was the girl. Morgana was becoming more convinced of the insanity of the young girl the longer she was here.
"This is Hope." Those four words froze Morgana. "This thing, saved me? Why?" Morgana couldn't take her eyes off the creature that she had been raised to fear. It stood several feet high, even taller than her father's greatest war mount, with giant wings tucked by its side. Its soft golden fur seemed to almost glow in the dim light. "She felt your magic. She followed the scent and found you and your horse. She brought you both here because she thought it would make me happy." The girl smiled fondly back at the thing before coming and sitting by the fire once more. No one spoke as Morgana watched the giant magical creature settle in beside her mistress placing its eagle head on her lap. "My magic?" Morgana asked confused and terrified remembering her dream her eyes once more trained on the girl. "Yes, Hope can feel magic, being a creature of magic herself. She felt similar magic in you that I have in me." The hope and happiness was evident in the other girl's eyes. Morgana's eyes wondered around the cave taking in everything. She noticed the animal skins in the corner, and the handmade baskets made of grass by the entrance filled with berries, and nuts. There seemed to be only one bed, the one Morgana was currently sitting on. "You have magic?" The girl's eyes flashed gold and wooden cup beside the young Lady filled with water. "I was born with it."
"Amazing." Morgana whispered suddenly not feeling as alone in the world as she had only that morning. "Do you live here?" The girl nodded. "Alone?" "I have Hope." The girl answered cheerfully. "Where are your parents?" Morgana watched as the younger girl in front of her began to fiddle with something about her neck with her eyes downcast into the fire. "I am alone here." Morgana stared intensely at her hostess.
"Alone? Here? In the middle of the forest?" Her confusion was apparent, but the other girl seemed a little hesitant to explain, but being Noble born Morgana wasn't used to not gaining answers that she wanted. "Yes, well besides Hope, I mean." She gave a small smile almost as if she were hoping the questioning would stop. No such luck. "Why? Where is your Mother and Father?" Morgana's eyes never strayed from her quarry. "My mother was ashamed of me and my father is dead." Scandalous outrage crossed Morgana's features. "Ashamed? Why?" With a sigh the younger girl turned to Morgana agony in her eyes. "Because of what I am and what I can do. My powers frightened her." Morgana softened her gaze at the life she had lived. "Was there no one to take you in? A family member? Or another of your village? Surly someone would have taken in a child." A shudder seemed to run through Merlyn as she stared once more into the fire, all joy gone from her features.
"My village" she spat the word "tried to kill me when they found out. I was only five, and the adults of my village beat me." Morgana's young heart clenched at the sight of tears shining in her young healer's eyes. "They beat you?" Her voice was quiet unsure now if she wanted the rest of the answers to her mounting questions. The young sorceress nodded sadly not turning from the fire. "I remember watching them circling me. I remember being afraid, then pain, then nothing. I woke up by the river with Will by my side." Her tiny fingers clasped something about her neck once more falling back into her memories. "Will?" Morgana's voice brought the young girl out of her back into reality. "Will was my best friend. He was a little older, but he was my friend. He is the one that saved me. Carried me to the river, gave me some supplies, his boat, and a way to survive. He carved this for me for my last birthday I had in my village." She finally turned to Morgana holding out her necklace for her to see. Morgana fingered the tiny wooden dragon carefully knowing how precious it seemed to be to the girl.
"What happened to him?" Merlyn pulled away from Morgana once more letting the figurine to bounce softly against her chest. "After he made me promise to come back one day and tell him about my adventures away from Ealdor, I floated away one his boat. I haven't seen him since that day. I wish I could know how he is, what he is doing now, but I know I can't go back there. Not yet, they will try and kill me again." The sadness and longing in Merlyn's voice broke Morgana's heart. "How long ago was this? How long have you been here? Alone." Merlyn's lips twisted into a proud smile. "I left four years ago." She was proud of how she had survived. Morgana's jaw dropped. Four years, the child had survived four years alone in the wild with nothing but a beast for company.
"I could teach you. What I know, I mean." The offer came out of the sudden silence. Morgana's eyes went to the girl, who she still didn't know the name of. "Teach me? Why? Why would you help me?" Her voice was awed. Even though the girls were the same age, Morgana knew they were anything but the same. She couldn't imagine living through the hardships and horror the other girl had and still be smiling, to still be willing to help another. "Because we are the same. We have magic. I know what it is like to be hated for something you couldn't control and I don't want that for anyone. My magic comes to me easy as breathing so I couldn't always control it." Morgana watched as she closed her eyes and a peaceful smile flitted over her face. "Do you feel it?" With the girl's urging Morgana closed her eyes and just allowed herself to feel. Feel the things that she always rejected and shied away from because she didn't understand them. There, in the corner of her mind she felt a tingling, then a tugging. When she concentrated harder she could almost see the faint gold line that seemed to intertwine with another and watched as both lines seemed to pulsate with happiness. They were not alone. Morgana's eyes shot open with a bright smile upon her face that was mirrored back at her. They were not alone anymore, both for very different reasons but the feeling was the same. They were no longer alone.
"What is your name?" Morgana finally asked after a moment. Her voice was quiet almost as if she were trying not to disturb the peace that seemed to have fallen between them. The girl met her eyes over the fire smiling. "Merlyn. My name is Merlyn. What is your name?" Morgana held out her hand like she had seen her father do so many times when greeting friends. "Morgana Le Fey." As the two clasped hands there beside the fire they somehow knew that they were connected in a way no one would be able to understand or break. "Sleep now, Morgana. I will guard your dreams." Morgana somehow wasn't surprised that Merlyn knew of her nightmares. The two girls laid down with their hands still clasped each wondering how long this peace would last.
Merlyn had risen with the sun as she had always done. With her hand still trapped in the iron grip of her visitor she had little choice but to lay there. She had felt Hope get up hours ago and wonder outside, but she couldn't bring herself to disturb her friend. There was something peaceful and strangely comforting laying there beside her. Their magic humming between them connecting them deeper somehow. She felt the old stirrings of something she hadn't felt since Will had been by her side, something that even Hope hadn't been able to fill in her heart. Something she didn't know was missing until that moment.