Well, this is Libros, finally updating this story! Sorry it has taken me so long! Updates will be more frequent from now on, I promise! I got back from an 18 month mission a couple months ago and during that time I didn't have access to this sort of thing. Hope you enjoy finding out a little more about our new character!

Chapter 6 : Malandra

Malandra walked down the streets of Camelot, knowing she should be cautious, but excited anyway. Despite her efforts not to look like a tourist, she couldn't help swing her head around wildly in wonder. There were people everywhere, more people on just one street than lived in her small village. Two children were darting around trying to lift a coin or two, old women whispering in huddled groups, and in general such a press of people that Malandra could hardly catch her breath. If this was what it was like so early in the morning, she could only hope she was far gone come the busier hours of the day.

Then there was the sight of the castle- looming over everything. Looking at its imposing sight, Malandra had to repress a shiver. All her life she'd been warned about Camelot, that to enter the city would be to seal her doom, and now here she was, walking its street's like she belonged there. If it wasn't for the desperate need of Meadowroot by one of her mother's oldest friends, Malandra would never have come this far.

"Hey, hoh, get out of the road!"

Malandra obeyed the command instantly, looking up to see a closed carriage barreling down the small road. The sounds of a man yelling, "faster, faster," could even be heard from where Malandra stood.

"Idiot," Malandra muttered scornfully. "On a road like this, someone could get hurt."

Not even a second after Malandra's mutter, the irony gods seemed to act as a child's doll in the road caught her eye. Instantly she knew what was going to happen. And she was right.

The carriage and its frothing horses were close when the pale black-haired girl broke from the crowd and ran to pick up her doll. She looked up and stared in horror as the horses bore down on her. Her feet seemed to have frozen in place. No one else was moving to help her, and Malandra had only seconds to act or be forced to watch the girl be trampled to death.

"Recath la ora!"

Malandra stood breathing heavily, her palm outstretched toward the now still carriage, her back against the shaking child, who'd taken hold of Malandra's dress and was clinging to it. The road was silent except for the sound of the horse's heavy breathing, and Malandra's, which almost matched it. Her hand was close enough to them to feel the warmth of their breath on her skin.

Too close for comfort really. And it didn't take long before the silence was broken by the man inside the carriage yelling, "Witchcraft!" It was too late for Malandra to run away, she was already surrounded by the people who had just shortly before been cowering from the carriage.

"Lady," the child implored, tugging on her dress. Resigned to her fate and seeing no point in recklessly trying to escape, Malandra leaned down to better hear the girl. "Can you help me?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes watching the carriage carefully. There were soldiers in red closing in, but they seemed to be waiting for some kind of signal. Whoever it was who was racing through the streets would be getting out any second now. Malandra's lips quirked despite her mood as she replied, "I just did."

Whatever the girl was planning on saying was lost as the carriage door opened, banging against the carriage. First emerged a man's boot, expensively tailored pants and tunic, and finally a head, topped by a golden crown.

"King Uther," Malandra whispered, her voice shaking as she tried to hide her trembling by grasping her skirt in her hands. The words, "I'm dead" flashed through her mind, and she questioned her decision to calmly await her fate.

"You are hereby charged with witchcraft! Guards, seize her!"

"My mother wants my heart," the girl whispered, even as guards jumped forward and took hold of Malandra's arms, dragging her away. Malandra turned to watch the girl try to run after her, a baker woman taking hold of her shoulders to prevent the hasty action. "But she saved my life!"

There was a quiet rumble among the crowd. The soldiers paused and Malandra could feel their tension through their hold. The resistance, if it could be termed that, did not last long however.

"That was an attempt on my life, and for it you shall burn!"

From then on the trip to the castle passed in a blur of staring faces and frantic thoughts. The people in need of the Meadowroot, the reason she had come to Camelot in the first place, would die. The little girl would feel betrayed. The villagers back home would wonder what happened to her, would wonder why she had not returned. She would die.

Cobble turned to stone under Malandra's feet as they entered the castle. She wasn't sure when the tears had started, but by the time someone stepped in front of her he was nothing more than a blurred shape.

"Where are you men taking this girl?"

"Your father has accused her of witchcraft Your Royal Highness," the guard to her right said, gripping her arm tighter.

"My father has left his room?"

The shock clear in the voice that Malandra could only assume belonged to Prince Arthur made it obvious that the King hadn't left his room in a long while. Malandra did her best to blink the tears out of her eyes in order to be able to see better. She had always wanted to see the Prince with her own eyes, and perhaps that could be the bright spot in her current torment.

"He must have sire. Honestly, I had no idea he'd left until he started calling for guards to arrest this girl."

Now Malandra could feel the gaze of the Prince on her. The perfect moment to look up at him came and went. She couldn't bring herself to do it, to see either revulsion or pity. Both would hurt too much.

"Take her to the dungeons. She may await her trial there."

Her head snapped up at this and she planted her feet as they tried to pull her away. Her resistance wouldn't be affective for long, it was only surprise that had gained her the moment.

"My trial?" She choked out. "I didn't know I was to get one."

"Everyone gets a trial in Camelot," Prince Arthur responded. "Oh, there you are Merlin!"

Malandra was being marched away as she heard Prince Arthur say something back to what must have been a quiet question about her.

"Apparently my father left his rooms today," the Prince sounded incredibly tired. "And what is the first thing he does? Accuse a young woman of witchcraft."

Whatever else they said was lost to Malandra as turning the corner took them out of her hearing. Once they had descended a flight of stairs, she got a view of the dungeons and instantly wished she never had. They were dirty and dank, causing her to sneeze as she was locked into a cell, her hands and feet bound to heavy chains. Shrouded in darkness, Malandra finally allowed her spirit to collapse and the tears to fall in torrents.

It was within just a few hours that Malandra heard the sound of quiet footsteps coming in her direction. The sound didn't make sense to her. Why would someone that light of foot be coming down to the dungeons?

"You certainly don't look like a witch," said the young woman as she rounded the corner and caught sight of Malandra. "Don't worry though, even if Uther can't see it, they'll get you out of this. I know they will."

"Who are they?" Malandra rasped, moving her hand to her throat at the pain her whisper had brought her. Choking on her sobs had done more harm than she had realized.

"Oh, you know, just everyone," the woman said, including a flippant hand gesture. "I brought you food and water. "

Gingerly Malandra reached through the bars, taking the loaf of bread and the mug of water. The chains linked to her wrists chattered at the noise, and she noted that she barely had enough chain to go that far. The woman's face took on a look of sympathy as she glanced at them. Malandra took a bite of the bread and swallowed before whispering her thanks.

"My name's Helana. What's yours?"

"Malandra."

"Well then Malandra, don't you worry about a thing. We won't let any more innocents be put to death as witches. You'll be free by morning, you'll see."

Hope filled her breast. Free? She had barely reconciled within herself that she was going to die. Now this woman assured her that death was not her fate. But the way Helana's hands were gripping the iron bars of Malandra's prison and the sincerity in both her words and in her gaze forced the truth out of Malandra's mouth. She would risk no one's life for a lie.

"If being a witch is a crime, then I am guilty and deserve to be put to death."

Helana's hands fell away from the prison bars, and then she backed away as if they'd suddenly burst into flame.

"You. . . you are a witch?"

"But I don't hurt people," Malandra insisted, trying to make herself clear. She had never actually told anyone she had magic before. It was much more difficult than she'd hoped. "I was trying to save the girl, not kill the king."

"Helana!"

"Yes?"

Helana's eyes looked wild as she responded to the man's call. She looked seconds away from warding herself from evil.

"They need you upstairs! Lady Marise says it's important."

The young woman was seemingly eager for the respite, and she immediately began to retreat from her position near Malandra's cage. The final frightened glance Helana sent her before she rounded the corner made Malandra's stomach turn and the last piece of bread stick in her throat. She forced herself to drain the water before she went to hide herself as close to the dark corner of the room as her chains allowed.

No one had ever looked at her like that before, like she was something scary or dangerous. It was the type of look one might give a rabid dog, or a fox, not her. How was she supposed to convince anyone of her innocence if they were looking at her like that?

I imagine you already realized this, but Malandra's going to get a few chapters worth of story. Hers is going to be the granddaddy of them all and will be finished off with a story from someone else's point of view for the epilogue. Let me know what you think so far!