Kahlan hurried through the busy streets of the lower town with wide eyes, a look of amazement covering her features. She had never seen so many people in one place, all so busy and with a clear destination in mind. She hoped she didn't stand out too much, her eyes flickering towards the ground. She pulled her blue cloak tighter around her shoulders when she heard a yell from behind her. Kahlan couldn't stop the giggle that left her lips as she saw a boy no older than ten rushing past her, trying to catch a chicken that had escaped him. The sight of the little boy quickly reminded her of the mission at hand, as she quickened her pace, walking past the stables. Her feet came to a halt when she saw the castle up close, the drawbridge a few metres in front of her, two guards on either side of the structure. Her jaw had dropped open at some point as she took in the impressive building, having never seen a castle before in her life.
Kahlan.
Her eyes widened as she heard the familiar voice calling to her, forcing her to move forward. She hadn't heard a word from him in over an hour and had been growing worried.
Mordred. I'm here.
Inside. Hurry.
Kahlan kept her eyes down as she walked past the guards, feeling her heartbeat pick up. Her plan was starting to seem more ridiculous by the second. A suicide mission even. With a shake of her head, she arrived in the courtyard of the Castle, her eyes darting around, unsure where to go next.
The Main Chambers.
The young boy's voice boomed in her mind, as she rushed forward, beginning to climb the large stone steps in front of her. No one seemed to take much notice of her luckily, all too busy with their own tasks at hand. With her simple peasant clothes, she expected most thought she was a handmaiden. Grabbing a pile of clothes on a nearby chair, she decided to make this more obvious. She couldn't afford to be stopped. Not with Mordred's life on the line.
Up the stairs.
Kahlan did as she was told, climbing up the stairs, coming to a large corridor, adorned with beautifully painted windows. She could sense Mordred now, and knew he was close.
The fourth door.
Kahlan's pace quickened as she turned to see a guard behind her, his eyes watching her intently. She audibly gulped as she turned the next corner, finally reaching what she assumed were the main chambers. Finding the fourth door, she looked behind her quickly and rushed inside. She closed the door quietly behind her, hoping the guard wouldn't follow her inside. She listened as the man's footsteps stopped in front of the door, before he appeared to think better of it, and walked away. Letting out a sigh of relief, Kahlan turned around, her eyes widening in horror when she realised she wasn't alone. A pretty woman was staring back at her, her lips drawn in a fine line. As Kahlan continued to gaze at her, she realised her first thought was an understatement. The woman was beautiful. From her long black hair, to her piercing green eyes...which seemed to be growing angrier every second.
"…Oh, hello there…" Kahlan stuttered, awkwardly.
"Who are you?" The woman questioned, reaching out to grab a nearby candlestick, her intentions clear.
"Well, that's uh…a very broad question. I mean, who are any of us really—" Kahlan was cut off as the woman took a few steps towards her.
"What are you doing in my Chamber's?" The woman insisted, holding the candlestick in front of her.
"Oh, these are your Chamber's? I was looking for…the uh, linen cupboard. Which this is not, so I'll just…go…" Kahlan stuttered, reaching for the doorknob behind her back.
"Kahlan…" A quiet voice spoke behind a nearby screen, catching Kahlan's attention.
"Mordred?" Kahlan frowned, recognising the voice immediately.
Before the woman could stop her, Kahlan was rushing towards the screen, pulling back the curtain to reveal the boy she had been searching for. Her shoulders slumped in relief as she saw his bright blue eyes staring up at her, a smile stretching over his lips.
You came.
"Of course, I did" Kahlan replied, crouching down beside him.
"You know this boy?" A different voice questioned.
Kahlan turned to her right, having only just noticed a young man who had been hiding behind the screen too. She opened her mouth to reply, but the words died in her mouth. She sat there with her mouth gaping for a few seconds, in too much awe to react. She could feel the untapped power rolling off the man, and from the physical description in all the books she had read, she knew who was in front of her. Emrys. All she could manage to do was nod, as the man held out his hand to her.
"I'm Merlin" He announced, as Kahlan continued to stare at him with wide eyes.
"Bloody hell" Kahlan mumbled under her breath, as she slowly began to shake his hand.
"How do you know this boy?" The woman asked, as Kahlan kept shaking Merlin's hand who was starting to get a bit unnerved by her tight grip.
"He's my friend…when he's not being a brat" Kahlan exclaimed, finally taking her hand away from Merlin's.
In response, Mordred weakly kicked out at her, hitting her thigh, and throwing her off balance, to the point where she almost fell onto her back. The woman smiled at this interaction, noticing the colour seemed to be returning to Mordred's cheeks.
"I told Cerdan the risk was too great returning to Camelot so soon after the last supply trip. He shouldn't have brought you" Kahlan muttered, as a sad expression grew on Mordred's face.
I asked to come. You know Cerdan can…could never say no to me.
A frown grew on Kahlan's face at the use of the past tense, as she realised the older man was nowhere to be seen. He would have never willingly left Mordred's side.
"Where is he?" Kahlan questioned, seeing the tears that began to well in the young boy's eyes.
"The Druid?" The woman asked, as Kahlan looked up at her, nodding quickly.
"I'm sorry. He…he was executed this morning" She informed her, watching horror wash over Kahlan's face.
"No…" Kahlan trailed off, closing her eyes, looking like she was in visible pain.
He saved me. So did Emrys.
"You brought him here?" Kahlan inquired, her eyes flickering up to Merlin's.
"I couldn't think of anyone I could trust more than Morgana" Merlin admitted, a small smile on his lips.
"Thank you. For saving his life" Kahlan exclaimed, nodding to the pair.
"We wouldn't see an innocent boy executed" The woman, who Kahlan assumed was Morgana, explained.
"He's a Druid. You must have known that" Kahlan pointed out, tilting her head.
"I don't see that as a crime" Morgana admitted, seemingly surprising herself by her own words.
"Well then you are a very rare individual, my Lady" Kahlan stated, with a sad expression.
"How did you know where to find him?" Merlin couldn't help but inquire.
Kahlan turned back to Mordred, a conflicted expression on her face. She knew she could trust Emrys to keep their secret, but the woman was unknown to her. Could she really be trusted?
I called to her.
Kahlan could tell from the way Morgana backed up a step that Mordred had spoken to them all through his telepathy. Kahlan tensed as she thought the woman would run for a moment, perhaps even get the guards, but she seemed to quickly calm herself.
"You have magic?" Morgana asked, as Mordred and Kahlan both nodded.
"The Druids took us in, they are…what happened to your arm?!" Kahlan suddenly gaped, her eyes finding the bloody bandage on Mordred's arm.
"One of the guard's cut him as they were escaping…" Merlin trailed off, as Kahlan moved to pull the bandage's down.
Kahlan moved her hand to hover above the large gash on Mordred's arm, grimacing as she saw the redness that surrounded it. An infection was already growing, that was clear.
"Ahlúttre þá séocnes. Þurhhæle bræd" Kahlan exclaimed, her eyes burning a bright gold colour.
Morgana's mouth fell open, her eyes narrowing as she witnessed the girl use magic. She watched in amazement as the wound instantly began to decrease in size, looking like a simple scar after a few more seconds. It was incredible.
"You're not going to call the Executioner, are you?" Kahlan queried, nervously.
"No. Of course not. I just…I've never seen magic used for good before" Morgana told her, as Kahlan shrugged.
"I suppose it depends who's wielding the spell" Kahlan stated, as Morgana seemed to be lost in thought.
"I'll fetch some water for you both" Morgana muttered, turning on her heel.
"…She doesn't know about your magic?" Kahlan guessed, turning to Merlin, in a hushed voice.
"No one does. And neither should you" Merlin frowned, clearly uncomfortable.
"You're quite famous among the Druids, Emrys. We grew up hearing stories about you" Kahlan exclaimed.
"Are you sure you have the right person?" Merlin retorted, making Kahlan chuckle.
"I'm sure. You have a great destiny" Kahlan informed him, watching Merlin's jaw tense.
"As everyone keeps telling me" Merlin sighed, making Kahlan frown.
"…You're shorter than I expected" Kahlan told him, a second later, as Merlin laughed lightly.
"Sorry to disappoint" Merlin replied, as the two shared a smile.
An hour later and the three were formulating a plan to sneak Mordred out of the Castle. Kahlan's idea of hiding him in a barrel and rolling him down the stairs was quickly shot down, much to her own disappointment. Just as Merlin was discussing a secret entrance he knew of, they heard a knock on the door.
"Quickly, hide!" Morgana exclaimed, pushing Kahlan towards a nearby wardrobe.
The young girl reluctantly did as she was told, squeezing into the oak wardrobe, ready to close the door when Merlin suddenly jumped in behind her. Morgana slammed the doors shut before Kahlan could do anything, hearing a more insistent knocking on the door.
"What the hell are you doing?" Kahlan hissed.
"If someone finds me in Morgana's room, they'll think…well, you know" Merlin replied, a blush rising on his cheeks, which was thankfully hidden by the dim lighting.
"Budge up then" Kahlan complained, feeling claustrophobic in the tiny space.
She peaked out of the gap in the wardrobe to see the curtains safely pulled over where Mordred was laying and prayed that whoever was on the other side of the door would leave quickly.
Don't make a sound.
Kahlan didn't need their telepathic link to know Mordred was rolling his eyes at her order. He was smart enough to know that—
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Morgana drawled, as she opened her door to find a familiar face on the other side.
"Don't get all excited. This isn't a social call. We're looking for the Druid boy. I'm going to search your Chambers" A blond informed her, coming into sight.
"You're not searching my Chamber's" Morgana retorted, firmly.
"Don't take it personally. I have to search the entire Castle. It will only take a few minutes" The blonde explained, his eyes surveying the table in front of him.
Kahlan tensed as his eyes flickered over to the wardrobe, biting her lip as she tried to calm her breathing. Much to her relief, he seemed to grow distracted when he spotted a bowl of fruit to his left, picking up a grape and popping it into his mouth. It was then that a smell began to waft past her nose, as she turned to Merlin with a look of disbelief.
"Did you just fart?!" She whispered, holding her nose.
"I was nervous!" Merlin exclaimed, as Kahlan couldn't stop the cough that left her mouth as the smell started to suffocate her.
With a shake of her head, Kahlan pushed the wardrobe doors open, taking a deep breath of fresh air. Merlin stumbled out a few seconds later, waving his hand around his face, as he too couldn't bear the smell any longer.
"What, you fart when your nervous?!" Kahlan complained, still coughing.
"Among other things" Merlin muttered, crossing his arms.
"I really don't want to know—" Kahlan began, only to be cut off by the blond.
"Who is this, Merlin?" The man questioned, expectantly.
Kahlan turned to the man properly now, taking in his blond hair, bright blue eyes, and chiselled cheeks. She found herself speechless for a moment, her mouth opening and closing a few times. She was embarrassed to realise her cheeks were beginning to flush under the man's intense gaze. He seemed to also be taken aback, letting his gaze sweep over her, all pale skin and long brunette hair flowing past her waist.
"Uh, this is…my cousin" Merlin lied, as Kahlan turned to him slowly, with an unimpressed look.
"Distant cousin. Very distant" Kahlan added, with a snort.
"And what exactly were you both doing hiding in Morgana's wardrobe?" The blond inquired.
"Woodworm" Kahlan stated, quickly.
"Excuse me?" He frowned.
"There's an outbreak. We were…checking for woodworm" Merlin went on.
"Both of you?" Arthur clarified, still seeming unconvinced.
"It's a very serious matter" Kahlan told him, as Merlin nodded frantically.
"…I'm starting to see the family resemblance" The blond muttered, as Kahlan and Merlin turned to each other.
"Really?" They both asked at the same time, surprised.
"Well, as you can see, Arthur, the only people here are—" Morgana began, but Kahlan quickly stopped her.
"Wait, Arthur? As in Arthur Pendragon?" Kahlan gaped, staring openly at the blond now.
"I see you've heard of me" Arthur smirked, smugly.
"You're not really what I was expecting" Kahlan mumbled, watching Arthur's jaw tense.
"Meaning?" Arthur insisted, quirking an eyebrow.
"I thought you'd be more, you know…butch" Kahlan stated, as Arthur's jaw dropped open.
"Butch?!" Arthur gaped, his voice cracking a little.
Merlin couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him, as Arthur placed his hands on his hips, obviously annoyed.
"…Not that there's anything wrong with that! I mean, look at Merlin. No muscle at all" Kahlan insisted, grabbing Merlin's skinny arm, causing him to glare at her.
"She's a real laugh, isn't she?" Merlin chuckled, sarcastically as he grabbed Kahlan's arm and began dragging her out of the room.
"It was nice meeting you!" Kahlan called back, as Merlin slammed the door behind them, giving her an unimpressed look.
"…I'm starting to think I'm not a people person" Kahlan frowned.
Morgana watched with amusement as Kahlan and Mordred practically devoured the meal in front of them, clearly never having seen so much food in their life. Kahlan realised she was being watched after a few minutes, and slowed down, biting her lip.
"What is this feast in honour of?" Kahlan inquired.
"It is what is served most nights" Morgana shrugged.
"And it's all for you?" Kahlan gaped, as Morgana nodded, a little embarrassed.
"What do you say, Mordred?" Kahlan exclaimed, nudging the small boy with her elbow.
Thank you.
"Why don't you speak with words?" Morgana couldn't help but ask.
It's easier this way.
"In other words, he's just lazy" Kahlan whispered to the older woman, as they both laughed, watching Mordred roll his eyes.
"How long have you been living with Druid's?" Morgana queried, a few seconds later.
"As long as I can remember. I was only a baby when the Druid's found me" Kahlan admitted, as Morgana's eyes flickered down to her feet.
"I'm assuming your parents…?" Morgana trailed off, earning a small shrug from Kahlan.
"Dead most likely…it's alright. There's no need to feel sorry for us. We've lived a good life with the Druid's. They're very kind people" Kahlan explained, as Morgana nodded.
"I'm glad you've found somewhere you can belong" Morgana mumbled, taking a sip of her drink, a sad expression on her face.
"…It must be hard. Living here, when you don't agree with all the King's practice's" Kahlan suggested, sympathetically.
Just as Morgana was about to reply, there was a loud knocking on the door, making the three jump. For a few tense seconds, they waited to see who was on the other side, relief flooding through them when they heard Merlin's voice.
"We have a problem. They're searching everyone leaving Camelot" Merlin exclaimed, as Kahlan's brow furrowed.
"Is there any other way out of the Castle?" Kahlan questioned, as Merlin slowly nodded.
"There's a secret door in the armoury that leads to the lower town. I can take you both out that way" Merlin suggested.
"No. It's too dangerous. I'll do it" Morgana announced, surprising them all.
"I'm good with secret doors and things—" Merlin started, but Morgana stopped him.
"If you get caught, Uther will execute you. Mordred is my responsibility. I'll smuggle him out of the Castle" Morgana insisted, as Mordred gave her a grateful smile.
"You don't really know us" Kahlan frowned, shocked that Morgana would risk her life.
"I won't see either of you killed. Your good people…it is not your fault you were born with these gifts" Morgana muttered, as Kahlan tilted her head.
"Well, you'll need the key for the door" Merlin interjected.
"Who has it?" Morgana questioned.
"Arthur" Merlin sighed, knowing it wouldn't be easy to get the key from the Prince.
"I think I can help with that" Kahlan grinned.
Arthur let out a groan as he heard a knock at his Chamber door, just as he was about to start his soup. With a huff, he pushed himself to his feet, walking over to see who was disturbing him at that time of the night. He couldn't keep the surprise off his face when he saw it was Merlin's cousin.
"My Lord" Kahlan announced, trying her best to curtsey, making Arthur snort in amusement.
"I think that has to be the worst curtsey I've ever seen" Arthur scoffed, nevertheless pulling the door open to allow her inside.
"I wasn't aware you were such an authority in the art of curtseying" Kahlan teased, with a small smile.
"You have the same wit as your cousin, I see" Arthur muttered.
"Thank you" Kahlan nodded, curtly.
"I didn't mean it as a compliment" Arthur smirked, watching as she pouted.
"And I'm sorry for my comment earlier, about you not being butch. In this light, I can see you're far more...plump" Kahlan grinned, as Arthur's jaw dropped open.
"Did you just call me fat?" Arthur gaped, making Kahlan giggle.
"Actually, you just did" She teased, looking far too happy with herself.
She allowed her gaze to sweep over the blond's form, seeing that he was far from being fat. Her eyes lingered a moment too long on his chest, able to see his strong muscles under the red shirt he was wearing.
"I'm only teasing you, sire. I can see you're in fine physical condition" Kahlan stated, a moment later, seeming to placate Arthur, who grunted in response.
"If you are looking for your cousin, he's not here. In fact, when you do see him, tell him to muck out my horses. And polish my shoes—" Arthur began, as she cut him off, with a frown.
"Why would your shoes need polishing? They'll only get dirty the moment you go outside" Kahlan stated, genuinely confused.
"Well…it's…it's the principle!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Ah, I see. And I have seen him actually" Kahlan replied, as Arthur gestured for her to continue.
"He's in the Courtyard" Kahlan informed him, as Arthur's jaw tensed, turning on his heel.
He marched over to his window, looking out into the courtyard, his eyes adjusting to the dimming light. Kahlan came to stand behind him, biting her lip as she slowly reached out to grab the necessary key on his belt. She cringed as they clinked quietly, causing Arthur to whip his head around, surprised to find her standing so close. Their blue eyes connected for a moment, as Kahlan almost forgot what her task was.
"There he is!" Kahlan insisted, pointing out of the window, as Arthur turned around once again.
"Where?!" Arthur frowned, as Kahlan grabbed the key quickly from his belt, hiding it behind her back.
"Over there, to the left" Kahlan mumbled, starting to back away.
"That's a scarecrow" Arthur pointed out, quirking an eyebrow.
"Easy mistake to make" Kahlan shrugged, before bolting out of the room, leaving Arthur completely confused.
"...Does the whole family suffer for some sort of mental infliction?" Arthur shook his head, finding that his lips had twitched into a smile.
Kahlan was grinning from ear to ear as she rounded the next corner and found Merlin waiting for her. She handed him the key in triumph, her eyes flickering behind her to make sure Arthur hadn't followed.
"Easy as pie" Kahlan smirked.
She watched in confusion as Merlin let out a groan, shaking his head vehemently. He didn't seem impressed.
"What?" Kahlan asked.
"It's the wrong key" Merlin retorted, as Kahlan's eyes widened.
"You said the brown key!" Kahlan exclaimed.
"I said the bright key!" Merlin insisted, as Kahlan held her arms out in exasperation.
"What?! What does that even mean?" Kahlan complained.
"As in a bright colour! As in not a key that looks like it was just dragged out of the sewers!" Merlin cried as they both smacked their heads at the same time.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I've been re-watching Merlin and thought I'd see if there was anyone still alive this fandom. Please leave a review if you want to see more:)