The usual disclaimer applies. I don't own anything. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Hope you enjoy this newest installment of Merlyn's adventures.
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It was late afternoon and the new friends were huddled around the campfire giggling. Merlyn was trying to show Morgana how to cook fish on the open flame by using magic to levitate the fish over the flames. The young heiress watched in complete awe and rapture. It had only been three days since she had woken up in the cave by the river, but to her it felt like a lifetime. She could not remember ever being so happy or feeling so safe and comfortable in her own skin. It was truly a miracle. "I made you something today." Merlyn's sudden declaration jarred Morgana out of her musings and focus on the small smooth river stone bounded by thin strips of leather. "I was thinking about your night terrors. Even though you said you could see the golden thread, and draw comfort from it, it still isn't enough, I don't think. So I made this using some of the things I learned from the druids that tend to drop in sometimes. The river stone is enchanted, it enables us to dream walk kind of. I've created a place in the dream world where we can escape our dreams. That way if we are ever separated for any reason, we can still meet with no one the wiser." Morgana launched herself in a complete non-ladylike manner at her new friend. This bracelet gave Morgana the reassurance that she would truly never be alone again. It was the most precious gift she had ever received. After the bracelet was fastened about her wrist, Morgana noticed similar leather adorning new her friend's wrist. This was the life she had always dreamed about; a life where she didn't have to hide who she really was, or is afraid of herself. She refocused her attention back to the lesson at hand as her fingers caressed the smooth cool stone reminding her that this was all real.
The girls had giggled late into the night, as Merlyn would make shapes in the dying embers making them glow and swirl around the cave. They fell asleep in a tangle of limbs just as the moon began to set, and were sent to dreams that for the first time didn't fill Morgana with terror. IT was dawn when Merlyn awoke suddenly, quite disoriented and confused as to what had awoken her. She vaguely noted that Hope and already made her way outside at dawn like she did every morning. Merlyn's tired, aching body longed for her to get more rest when she heard something outside her cave. The young sorceress tensed as all kinds of scenarios danced in her mind as to who had found them and what they could want. "Hello? Merlyn?" The voice was unexpected but not unfamiliar. Making sure that her guest was still sleeping the young sorceress gently freed herself before rushing outside. Standing just outside the cave entrance was a girl only a few years older than herself staring at Hope warily. "It doesn't matter how many times I see you, you still make me nervous." She muttered to Hope who was happily eating a rabbit. "She likes you, you know. You don't have to be nervous around her." The girl swirled around with her hand on her chest. "Don't do that!" She admonished breathlessly before glaring at the giggling Merlyn. "Didn't mean to. So what brings you here, Freya?"
Merlyn stared at the teenaged dark haired druid girl. She wasn't that surprised in the unexpected visit from her Druid friend, truly. Ever since the Druid clan that lived within the forest had discovered Merlyn living alone almost two years ago they tended to drop by with no warning at all. They had tried several times in the beginning to try and convince Merlyn to come and live among them. After she had refused each time, sometimes with the help of Hope, they finally gave up. They, however, couldn't completely leave the child to fend for herself entirely on her own; no matter how well she had been managing before they discovered her. So just as the season changes they would send someone to visit and stay for few weeks. They would give the young sorceress lessons in magic and how to harness her powers, and leave books to study between visits. Merlyn was very grateful she had met them, they had helped her so much over the years, but she wouldn't leave her peaceful haven without reason, especially since they wouldn't allow Hope to follow.
"Alveer sent me. He heard that there had been more Knights in the forest than usual and wanted to make sure you were ok. A little girl from a Noble family has gone missing, and they are combing the forest looking for her. Le Fey knights as well as Camelot Knights. Have you seen…." Freya trailing off as her gaze was stolen back to the mouth of the cave where a bed wrangled Morgana stood sleepily clutching her injured arm to her chest. "Is that? Merlyn! If they find her here they won't ask questions. They will just kill you and take her. Especially if Hope is around." Merlyn looked back at her new friend and then back to Freya. "Hope brought her to me. She was injured and Hope could feel her magic. What should have I done? Turn her away just because she is a noble? Leave her out there to die?" Freya was slightly taken back at the younger girl's outburst. She had never witnessed Merlyn defend something so passionately. "It doesn't matter now. What's done is done. Now we just have to figure out how to get her back to her people without anyone discovering you, Hope, or any of us really." Freya watched as something burned in Merlyn's eyes. "I promised her that I would teach her how to control her magic, just as you did me. I can't send her back there! Not where they will make her fear herself, or make her question her sanity. I won't!" Merlyn stood there defiantly with her chest heaving after her speech staring at Freya almost as if she were daring her to contradict her. "She doesn't belong here, Merlyn. Her father, and his men will never stop looking for her until she is found. Do you want that? Do you want to bring those men here? If they stumble upon you here, or our camp they will slaughter us all without a second thought. Do you want to bring that upon us? We can figure out a way to help her learn, but not right now. There isn't time. She must go back." Freya could see that her words were throwing the younger girl into confusion. Freya couldn't help but hold her breath as the girl before here contemplated what to do. The longer the silence dragged on the more frightened Freya became that Merlyn wouldn't give up her new friend and sentence them all to death.
Morgana who had been looking on silently could see the torment that was raging in her new friend. She could tell that Merlyn truly wanted for her to stay but she didn't want to cause unnecessary dangers for the others that live in forest. "Mer…" Her words of leaving were swallowed as loud crashes of something heavy moving through the thick underbrush vibrated through the air. Muffled curses told the three girls that it was too late. They had been found. "Hope take Freya back to Alveer and don't return until its safe." Merlyn commanded jolting the shocked group into action. Without warning Hope grabbed an unsuspecting Freya in her taloned feet before taking flight over the river. Freya had enough presence of mind not to make a sound as she watched the young girls scramble back into the cave. Freya prayed to all the old gods that they would be protected and unharmed.
Merlyn knew that they only had a few minutes before the soldiers would be upon them, and it was too late to run. She pulled a still shocked Morgana back into the cave with her. "Lay down." She commanded before she began to dig through one of the baskets by the pallet. Morgana did what she was told without more prompting hoping that the younger girl had a plan that would keep everyone alive. A small cry of triumph alerted the heiress that Merlyn had found what she had been searching for. In frantic moments Merlyn pulled off her animal skin garment before tugging on the mound of fabric that Morgana belatedly figured out was a dress. The younger girl also hastily pulled her wild dark hair back in a long braid before hiding the fur dress and stood before Morgana. "What do you think?" Morgana had to blink to make sure she was seeing correctly. The girl in front of her, with the normal dress and semi-tidy hair looked nothing like the forest-child that had saved her life. She smiled. "Perfect." The clatter from the armored guests became louder, as did the muttered curses about the impassibility of the brush. Merlyn quickly through more wood onto the smoldering ashes and brought the fire to life. She threw some fish on the warming stones, and waited. Both girls sat in the firelight wondering what was going to happen next.
The two girls heard as the new comers finally made it through the thick riverside underbrush and finally took notice of what they had stumbled upon. "This is someone's home. A vegetable garden, smoke shack, laundry line. Yea someone definitely lives here, and they seem to be home." The deep voice seemed cautious, yet respectful as he took in Merlyn's home. "Hello there. Hello." The voice called and Merlyn knew that it would be better that she answered the summons rather than have them take it upon themselves to investigate inside. "Stay here." She picked up her bow and quiver, before making her way to the mouth of her home. Her legs trembled with every step threatening to collapse at any moment. She was terrified that they would still recognized her for what she was and kill her the moment she shows herself, but she also knew that this was the best option for everyone involved. Steeling herself she managed to carry herself steadily into the early morning sun and showed her nocked arrow. "Yes, who are you and what are you doing here?" It was what she did with every uninvited guest, the familiarity helped settle her nerves somewhat.
"Whoa! We mean no harm." Merlyn took in assembled group in front of her carefully. She noted the mixture of purple coat of arms signaling the house of Le Fey and also the brilliant red of Camelot. Each of the twelve men in front of her had their hands on the pommels of their swords ready to defend any attack. They ranged in all sizes and ages. She noted that the grizzlyvoice man that had summoned her seemed to be in charge. "It is not everyday that I have visitors at my door. Those that usually do find me what something, and usually it isn't anything that I'm willing to give them. Now I have twelve armed men in front of me, more I suspect waiting in the trees, what am I to think except that you mean to do me harm?" The men were quite taken aback by the speech made by the tiny young girl.
"I beg your pardon if we scared and frightened you, young miss, that was not our intention. We have been searching the forest for the young Lady Morgana, heir to the House Le Fey. We stumbled upon you by pure accident, but now that we have found you, maybe you can help us. Have you seen a girl, only a few years older than yourself, with long dark hair? Her horse had spooked four days ago and bolted into the forest with her still astride. No one has seen her since." Merlyn sighed and released the tension on her bow before placing into an empty grass basket by the cave entrance. "Three days ago while checking my traps I came across someone that matches your description. She was injured so I brought her and her horse back here. You wait here, I'll see if she's awake." Without waiting for a response Merlyn went back into the dark cave and saw Morgana sitting wide eyed on the pallet clutching the river stone bracelet fiercely. "Just remember that we will never truly be apart. If we had more time, then I could've thought of something else. You are not alone anymore. Neither of us will ever be alone again. "Promise?" Morgana stared into the blue eyes of her friend searching for any signs of deceit, or any kind of insincerity, but found none. "I promise." Merlyn entwined her fingers through Morgana's own onto of the river stone. "We are forever connected. I will see you in our dreams." Morgana pulled the younger girl into a hug clutching her so hard that her fingers turned white, but neither seemed to care. They needed this moment of just them. The smell of burning fish pulled the girls apart with laughter and the tension was broken. Merlyn tossed the fish away from the fire before climbing to her feet. Slowly Morgana followed her lead, hesitant to return to the suffocating world that she had finally escaped from. She held onto Merlyn's hand with her good hand as they walked together into the morning light. Before the soldiers could greet the young heiress, Morgana turned completely towards Merlyn, confusing the younger girls before smiling. "Come with me."
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