She forces a bright smile upon her face and removes her long raven curls from her midnight blue eyes as she leaves her master's quarters and roams into the hallway. Other servants return her smile and bow their heads in greeting. Her day has ended, much to her relief, and she makes her way to room without touching the dinner her uncle left out for her. He tries to catch her attention with questions about her day, but is unsuccessful. Every day, his once bubbly and cheerful niece seems to withdraw farther into her mind. He is the only one to see this change in her, the only one she lets her guard down for now.
The old man sighs and pours a fresh bowl of soup for his eighteen year-old ward. He walks up the three stairs to the girl's room and knocks on the door lightly "Merlyn, I have your supper. Marilyn?" the girl refuses to answer, burying her head in her hands. "Merlyn please, you must eat, child."
"I'm not hungry, thank you Gaius" she mumbles. Gaius' face falls and he turns back to his books. The girl doesn't leave her room until the following morning, wearing a sapphire-blue dress tied at her tiny waist by a thin, dark brown cord with a brown jacket. Merlyn bolts out the door without sparing her uncle a glance.
She rips the curtains of her master's windows open, turning to his slowly waking form "morning sire, you're breakfast is on the table. Shall I fetch it for you?" the older blonde boy looked at her strangely.
"No no, I'll be up in a minute, what's on today's agenda?"
"Just training with the knights, sire."
"Wonderful, I'm going to need you down there. After that you'll need to polish my armor quickly, but correctly. Gwen and Morgana requested to borrow you for a few hours this afternoon." Arthur laughed to himself and Merlyn smiled lightly.
Merlyn dismisses herself so the prince can eat in peace, and returns twenty minutes later to help him dress for the day. She works in silence, completing her task swiftly. She turns to leave, but Arthur grabs her wrist, holding her in place. She winces and tries to pull free without showing that she is in pain. Arthur lets go immediately and Merlyn cradles her arm "are you alright?"
"Yes, yes. I must have pinned it in my sleep, sire" Arthur looks doubtful, but lets it be. If something was wrong with his maidservant, he trusts that she would inform him. They make their way to the armory where the knights are waiting for instruction.
"Sword practice today. Merlyn, you're with Gwaine. Lancelot with Percival, Leon with Mordred, Elyan with me" the eight of them walk to the training field in beautiful silence.
The knights try to make light conversation with each other over the clash of metal, while Gwaine keeps throwing concerned glances at the young girl who seems to be struggling to remain upright. "You alright there, Lyn?" he asks softly so not to attract attention.
"Perfectly fine" her voice is light and airy. The other knights starting to pick up on Marilyn's struggling, signaling to Arthur.
"Go on then, Merlyn, you're dismissed for today" Arthur smiles at his servant and watches her retreat to the castle "does Merlyn seem different to any of you?" they stop and think, although no one can pinpoint what it is, something is clearly different about their favorite friend. They mindlessly resume training, concern clearly etched onto the faces of the seven men.
For hours, Marilyn sits in the meadow with Gwen and Morgana, enjoying the last rays of the dying sun. There is no denying the beauty of the three. The Lady Morgana, with her snow-pale skin, deep emerald eyes, ruby lips, waist length midnight curls and curvy figure made her the face of beauty in the kingdom. Her servant Guienivire, who stood shorter and less curvy than her mistress, holds an innocent beauty, her chocolate skin and matching eyes carry a soft glow to her child-like features, her hair hanging in tight spirals at her shoulders. The last of the three holds the most unique beauty of them all, her soul just as beautiful as the rest of her. Her skin is more fair than that of Morgana, smooth and soft, much like porcelain. Her raven hair curls perfectly down to her slender hips. Lovely clear blue eyes that seem to hold the stars with flecks of black, grey, and gold that appear hundreds of years wise rest above her high cheekbones, greatly defined on her thin face. Only the Triple Goddess herself could rival the serving girl.
The three young women walk back to the castle after the last light dies, arms looped together. They smile the whole way back to Morgana's chambers, where Merlyn breaks apart from them. After leaving the company of her friends, Merlyn allows herself to relax a little and lightly pull up her sleeves for a moment. She yanks them back down carelessly, reopening the fragile skin beneath. Her eyes flash gold as she enchants the sleeves to prevent any blood from showing through.