Chapter 2- The Girl with the Raven Hair
She could not help but feel strange warmth growing through out her frail human shell. The girl shuttered in her sleep and silently cursed herself for choosing a body that was used to the warmer air and not the harsh winds of the north. On such short noticed, this body seemed like a perfect one; it was not diseased or damaged in anyway, it just wasn't her. Obviously, she did not intend to stay in this realm for as long as she had. However, like every one of her kin, she must prove herself to the people she will one day rule over. Or at the least, please her father.
His voice boomed in her head. All she could remember about that day was the feeling of importance in the air; that this act would define her for the rest of eternity. Her people where counting on her, if this task where to go uncompleted, her people will surly die.
Gwen had never seen so many bruised and cuts on a girl so small in her life. Silently, she dipped a rag into a pale of warm water and began washing off the blood and dirt that was caked all over her skin. The "dress" that the girl had been wearing had been too tattered to even be wearable by the poorest of the poor. Gwen had to choke back tears as she scrubbed the girl clean.
The maidservant worked quickly, as the girl was not clothed. Slowly, her parchment skin began to warm and her colour was returning. Gwen noticed that the girl's skin was harshly tanned by the sun and was almost as dark as her own. Her wild curly hair looked unnaturally black against the white background of the pillow. Her frame was too frail and thin to be healthy. Despite this, the mystery girl looked young and peaceful, Gwen couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
Dipping the rag back into the water, the maid gently lifted up the girl's arm and began to scrub. Like the rest of her body, her arm was caked with filth. As Gwen washed, she noticed a gold pattern appear around her shoulder. After feverishly trying to scrub it off, Gwen realized that the pattern was a part of her skin, much like the branding that the Pendragon's use on their horses. The pattern looked like a collection of golden swirls that when combined together made a decorative sun upon the girl's skin.
With the washing all done, Gwen pulled one of her old dressed over the girl's head. It was creamy white gown and flowed away from her skin after the bodice. There was a light purple ribbon before the dress flared out, making her seem smaller than what she was. Gwen couldn't help but smile as she remembered her days of playing in the Lower Town in that very same dress and feeling nothing but comfort, unlike the dresses that she wore today.
"Gwen?" Merlin asked. Merlin, like the girl had hair as dark as night and piercing blue eyes. He had always been kind to her, and she to him. Gwen couldn't help but feel a tug of admiration whenever she looked at him.
"Hm?" she answered, appearing to be lost in thought. Gwen wondered how long she had been with the girl, probably longer then she should have been. Lady Morgana must be wondering where she was, "I should be going. Lady Morgana must be wondering where I am."
Merlin smiled in thanks as the maid left the room in a hurry.
The young sorcerer went deeper into the room, it was his chambers after all, and started clearing away the buckets of dirty water when the girl shuttered restlessly in her sleep. Merlin moved to pull another blanket over her, but as he did he felt the pleasant hum in the back of his head that he felt when ever there was magic.
Looking down at her, she breathed out a single word, "Emrys."
