As compensation for the last short chapter, I give you another short chapter. Enjoy.
The sun still wasn't up by the time that Artemis woke up. She stretched and sat up. First day as a maid, just the thought made her groan and collapse back in bed. Artemis rolled over and went to go make breakfast. Ava was up by the time it was done. Artemis finished eating before Ava. She walking to her trunk and pulling a book from it.
"Read up to chapter 5 today. When you're done with that do whatever you want. Just don't cause any trouble."
"I know," Ava said. Artemis left, and the torture started.
"Since you decided to volunteer to clean my dirty floors that's what you're going to be doing," Arthur said throwing an empty bucket at her. She gave him a venomous look, but said nothing. "Merlin and I will be out on a hunting trip. We'll be back before the day ends I expect it to be done."
"You forget I have to help Morgana as well."
"That's not my problem," Arthur said. "Oh and make sure to get under the furniture too. Push it out of the way if you have to."
"Um your furniture is made of solid mahogany. Do you know how heavy that is?"
"You'll figure something out." Artemis debated if hitting him in the head with the bucket would be worth possibly being thrown in jail. She decided against, but just barely. Arthur left.
"Good luck," Merlin said.
"I hate royalty," Artemis said. Merlin left after he heard Arthur calling him. Because 'his royal pratness' did not fill the bucket with water or have someone else do it Artemis had to, and then she had to lug the now soapy water up the stairs. She had cheated a little by heating it with magic. She set it on the floor and was just about to start when there was a knock and Morgana entered.
"Oh, hello Morgana," Artemis said.
"I was going to ask for your help with something, but I see you're busy."
"Yeah, Arthur's making me wash his floors. I don't even know why it matters. He'll just come in here and dirty them again. Anyway, what is it you wanted? I can help you if you need it."
"I was wondering… I heard Merlin telling Arthur that you could barely sleep when you were younger and I was wondering… since you're a physician and everything Gaius's treatments aren't working…"
"You have trouble sleeping?"
"Yes."
"Tell me about your nightmares, Morgana. I am unbiased. Tell me your most frightening dream." Morgana was unsure what to say or if to tell her, but Artemis's eyes were trusting. Artemis was the type of person people easily opened up to, and Morgana found herself telling her.
"There was one incident in particular. There was this girl… and I had never met her before, but I had a dream she was going to drown Arthur, and then she showed up the next day with her father. Arthur became infatuated with her."
"What happened?"
"Arthur nearly eloped with her, but Merlin stopped him and they left."
"Hm… I see," Artemis said, and now she had to make a crucial choice. To help her or not to help her. "I can help you," Artemis decided after a moment.
"You can?" Morgana asked surprised. Artemis smiled. She sighed.
"Sit," Artemis offered as she herself sat in a seat. Morgana sat next to her. "What do you know of the Old Religion?"
"You mean magic?" Morgana asked.
"Yes… and no, but the purpose of discussion no. You see Uther is trying so hard to eradicate something that can't be. The Old Religion lives the very earth under your feet. It's part of everything and everyone even the very man that tries to destroy it. That's why all people if taught can use magic. It's true that in some people it's just a slight spark and even with years of practice they would only be able to do something small like lift an object, but still it's there. The Old Religion isn't strictly magic… it's more than that. It's life itself. It's in everything. Luck is an example of this. If someone has very good luck, it could be because of the Old Religion. The littlest things could be caused by the Old Religion. It's part of us. In you, the Old Religion has chosen to give you insight into what's to come."
"It's magic?"
"It could be or it could have nothing to do with the magic part of the Old Religion. It could simply be how the Old Religion presents itself in you."
"So what do I do?"
"You have a choice. Do you want to live with these nightmares of the future or do you want to get rid of them? Be warned getting rid of them could cause repercussions and not to mention your seeing the future. You have the choice to warn others of what you see. You could prevent disaster." Morgana was silent. "I could teach you to block out the dreams unless you want them, but it takes time. Ava was similar. It took her a year to be able to. It takes longer for others."
"Teach me," Morgana said.
"Alright, but I need to wash Arthur's floors first. We'll start another day. Teaching this takes my full attention."
"Thank you, Artemis," Morgana said. She was very sincere.
"I'm always happy to help Morgana," she replied. Morgana left. Artemis sighed.
"Poor sorceress," she muttered to herself. She half lied to Morgana. She knew it was full on magic that was causing her dreams, but telling her that just wasn't smart right now. It would be too much. With Uther's execution of all things magical or related to magic telling Morgana would tear her apart.
Cleaning Arthur's floors was disgusting to say the least. When was the last time that someone had cleaned them? It's absolutely disgusting. Dirt, dust bunnies, and other disgusting objects such as rotten food was under and behind furniture. How and why it got back there was not what Artemis wanted to think of. She finished finally before sunset. Pushing Arthur's stupid furniture sure was a workout. She was just finished pushing it back when the door opened and Arthur and Merlin both walked all over her clean floors causing their dirty boots to leave tracks on the still slightly damp floor.
"What is your problem? I just cleaned your stupid floors!" Artemis asked outraged.
"You can just clean them again tomorrow." Annoyed and letting her impulse get the best of her Artemis took the bucket of dirty water and threw the water on Arthur.
"No, you can clean them yourself tomorrow. In case you were wondering I did work my ass off to clean your disgusting floors, and I have a teenage girl to look over so if you'll excuse me," she said before whipping the bucket at Arthur's head.
"OW!" he yelled as it hit him dead on. "Are you insane?"
"I'm going home!" Artemis left slamming the door behind her. She went back to the house both infuriated and annoyed with Arthur Pendragon.
"Are you okay?" Ava asked. It looked as if she had been practicing her stances.
"No! I'm angry! You know how I said that they're okay in my books because they came to Ealdor against Uther's orders? Well, I lied! I have never met someone so inconsiderate in my life! I wash his stupid floors and then he walks in like he's the greatest thing ever and ruins what I spent my entire day doing! How dare he! Who does he think he is!"
"Um… Crown Prince of Camelot?" Ava asked watching her teacher pace back and forth.
"That gives him no right!"
"Um… I kind of think it does," Ava replied.
"If we were still in Valde, I'd have him lick my shoes clean!" Artemis said. She was now putting her hair in a braid, something she did when she was angry, annoyed, excited, or thinking.
"But we're not in Valde and if we were then we would be in some big trouble. Remember John controls Valde now."
"I know, but you still know what I mean. If we were anywhere in the east, I would command respect, and be even more powerful than Arthur. He thinks I'm just some stupid little peasant girl. If he knew the truth, he'd probably be scared of me."
"If he knew the full truth, he'd have you burnt to the stake." Artemis sighed.
"You think I'm over reacting."
"Yes."
"Arthur just gets under my skin for some reason," Artemis admitted.
"Because you liiiikke him," Ava teased.
"Please, if I ever, ever like him hit me, hard."
"Will do Teach," Ava said nodding.
"Did you read what I told you?" Artemis asked suspiciously.
"Yes. Want a summary?"
"No, I trust you. Since you're so honest. I would trust my life with you Ava. You're honesty is really something re-"
"Alright! I only read the first half of chapter one! God! You're torturous!" Artemis laughed.
"I know. Well then, get to it." Ava groaned before she sat down and started to read what she should have earlier that day. Meanwhile, Artemis set to work on making dinner. Things were the same that evening Ava and Artemis talked here and there, but mainly they did what they wished. Ava kept trying to perfect moves that Artemis had deemed to advance for her. Artemis meanwhile finished drawing the events of what happened in Ealdor that landed her in Camelot. She finished the drawings a few hours after they ate dinner. Artemis put the journal under her pillow before collapsing into bed, and falling asleep.