Camelot
June, 505 AD
I sat curled up on a chair at the dinner table while looking out the window as Arthur and Uther discussed some boring government stuff.
Rain was cleansing the lands with heavy streams and thunder filled my ears every few minutes, causing me to flinch every time. Lighting struck constantly, illuminating the landscape in the distance for an instant. Despite my sensitivity to loud booms, I've always liked storms. They're like God's way of cleansing the Earth and, with so many evils haunting Camelot every other week, it's no wonder why it rains so often here.
A knock at the door pulled me from my trance and I turned my head to see a guard standing across the table in front of Uther. "Sire, the Bounty Hunter has returned with a new prize," he informed in a monotonous voice.
I tilted my head in confusion and turned towards Arthur for an explanation, but Morgana was the one to speak up through gritted teeth, "He captures magical creatures throughout the realm and brings them here in order to have them publicly humiliated and later executed." She glared daggers at Uther. "It is barbaric."
He waved her off and rolled his eyes.
My eyes widened, "Dude, that's just wrong!"
"Not you, too, Astraea," he grunted.
"Well, she has a heart – unlike you," Morgana spat at him. She's gutsy.
"I won't stand for this," I stated as I stood up and grabbed my bowl of soup. "I quit my lady...ship...ness… whatever." Then I left the room and, surprisingly, Morgana copied my actions.
"Those bowls are property of the castle!" Uther yelled after us.
"I don't see any names on 'em!" I called back. Then I turned to address Morgana, "I'm gonna finish this over at Gaius's. Wanna come?"
"Of course," she nodded with a small grin. "Thank you, Astra."
"What are you doing here, girls?" Gaius asked when we entered his home to find him and Merlin having dinner at the kitchen bench. "I thought you were having dinner with the King tonight, Astra," he noted while frowning at the bowl in my hands.
I puffed, "Yeah, but I quit my lady-ism."
I plopped down at the kitchen bench next to my best friend, and Morgana sat next to Gaius.
"You know it is not that simple," the physician told me with a slight chuckle.
"Whatever, I'm mad at him," I grumbled. "Did ya' know he has a guy that goes around Britain capturing magical creatures n' bringing 'em to him for public execution?!"
Gaius frowned, "The Bounty Hunter?" Morgana and I nodded. "I had not seen him in a while…" he mumbled.
"That is horrible," Merlin noted with a mournful expression and I gave his side a gentle nudge. I can't imagine what the news must sound like from his perspective.
"It is pure evil," Morgana growled. "Most of the creatures he brings are only guilty of being born different."
She must feel similar to Merlin… I really wish that he would tell her about his magic! They could support each other! I mean, I do my best to support him; and I'd do the same for her if it's ever needed – but I know that I'll never be able to really put myself in their shoes, y'know? They could rely on each other for that!
Anyways, the subject was changed shortly after and we ate dinner in a warm and cosy environment.
I didn't get much sleep thanks to the way in which my head kept swirling around with thoughts of how Uther's trauma with magic continues to torment everyone in the kingdom, and I woke up from a short nap feeling a slight headache. So I decided to cancel my training sessions to remain in bed, cuddled with my Avengers blanket and pillows while watching 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' on my tablet. Seeing the three beloved Spider-Man actors on screen together always puts a smile on my face.
Without a warning, the door to my room flew open and I jolted, scrambling to hide my tablet under a bunch of pillows.
I scoffed when I saw that it was only Merlin and I glared at him, "Dude – knock!"
"Sorry," he said sheepishly while cowering a little and he locked the door. "I just really need to speak with you."
The wary look in his eyes made me sit up and I crossed my legs as I asked, "What's up?" He gave a shaky sigh as he sat down near me, keeping his head low as he fidgeted with his hands. "Out with it, Merls," I pressed.
"Right, so… I kind of, accidentally, might have done something illegal..." he sputtered out.
"Well, no surprises there, but ya' gotta be more specific," I replied while quirking an eyebrow.
Merlin huffed, "Well… Gaius and I were summoned late at night for a medical issue, and we came across the Bounty Hunter's carriage..."
"And you broke out whatever was in it," I deduced when he trailed off
"Yes," he responded in a whisper.
I dropped my head and sighed. This can't be good.
"Awesome, then what?" I questioned.
"I took her to the undergrounds of the castle. She is hiding there right now."
"She?!" I wondered as my eyes widened. I'd been expecting a harmless cryptid like a 'jackalope' or a 'cerberus' puppy. Not a girl!
"Her name is Freya," Merlin stated. "She is truly beautiful, Astra," he added with a blush.
I blinked rapidly for a moment. My best friend has a crush on a fugitive. That is fantastic! I'm sure this won't turn into a super complicated situation! Why would it? All we have to do is get her out without anyone seeing, right?!
"She is weak and injured," he continued in a sorrowful tone. "I need your help to get her back to health so that she can get away from here."
I let out another puff, "Well, y'know you can always count on me, buddy."
"Can you help me get some food for her?" he asked, hope rising in his eyes. "Gaius was home and I could not grab anything there."
"Sure…" I breathed out and reluctantly got up from my comfortable position. I went into my closet and threw a hoodie over my PJs, then I pulled on some socks, and I waved my friend over as I exited the room.
We walked together down to the kitchens – it was then that I realised that I hadn't had breakfast yet – and he waited outside while I went in, dodging staff left and right as I looked for something that would be easy to sneak into the undergrounds of the castle.
Obviously, I can't take more than I usually do on the rare occasions when I have breakfast alone; or it'll raise suspicions. So I'll just hold on until lunch, 'Freya' needs food more than I do. I think I have a box of Oreos in my room that I could dig into… that will do.
I settled for an apple and a loaf of bread, and I rushed out of the kitchen, reuniting with Merlin outside. I frowned when he seemed disappointed at what I'd gotten and he sighed.
"What?" I asked.
"I fear it will not be enough," he noted.
I looked down at the food in my hands, thinking that it would be sufficient for me, but I didn't voice that as I sighed, "Well, I can't go back, or they might think something's up."
His brow knitted as he looked down, presumably pondering our options, and then he smirked as he looked back up at me, "I know what to do."
I followed him towards Arthur's room, wondering what he had in mind the entire time, and I hung back as he entered. Much to my shock, the Prince was still asleep and snoring softly. And here I was feeling guilty for staying in bed for longer than usual…
I watched from the door as my best friend grabbed a breakfast plate that had already been left atop the dining table and he moved its contents onto a napkin, which he wrapped to shield them. Then he placed the bread and the apple on the plate.
He moved to open the curtains and he chirped, "Breakfast!"
Arthur sat up and his covers fell to reveal his shirtless muscular torso. My eyes widened and I quickly moved away from the door as a volcanic heat swarmed my face.
"Oi!" I heard the Prince protest and I froze, worrying that he might've spotted me. "Where is the meat? Cheese?"
Oh, good, he's talking to Merlin, not me!
"That is the new breakfast menu," the sorcerer swiftly responded.
"This is not enough," the Prince complained.
"W-we have got to keep you in shape," Merlin excused and I slapped a hand over my mouth to restrain a laugh.
"I am fighting fit!" Arthur argued.
"And we want to keep you that way," my best friend responded.
"Merlin!" the Prince whined and I heard a bang and a thud, which indicated that he'd probably thrown something at Merin. I winced. "Is there somewhere you have to be?"
"Of course not!" the sorcerer responded.
"Good – because I have some chores for you to do."
Great. Now I gave up my breakfast for nothing, because Freya isn't getting hers either.
Maybe I could go into the lower town and get something else for her – and for me… It's not unusual for Merlin and I to take care of Gaius's shopping, so no one will think it strange… But I don't know where exactly she's hiding and I don't want to sabotage her safety by looking around…
I guess I'll just go back to watching movies and wait until my best friend is released from duty.
My shoulders and neck were tense as my body shrunk slightly under the intense stares of Uther and Gaius while my hand worked a pencil almost automatically as it glided over the paper parchment before me while my brain was half-focused on the arithmetic calculations on it.
As advisors, the physician and I had agreed to help the King with some documents related to economic stuff and, after watching for one too many minutes as the two men determined numbers at a painfully slow pace, I had offered to take care of the maths part of the task. They'd been puzzled when I'd translated their Roman numerals into Western-Arabic ones, which had led to me briefly explaining how we use a different system where I'm from.
They'd soon been silenced when I managed to cut the time that each operation took in half and I felt quite pleased with myself. I never enjoyed maths in school, but I'm good at it.
I started when the doors to the council room opened unexpectedly and in came a chubby middle-aged man with a dirtied face, who was escorted by a bunch of knights.
"Ah, Halig," Uther greeted in an indifferent manner as he continued to scan a document, "you come bearing gifts."
The man bowed, "Yes, Sire. A druid girl."
My intestines twisted at the mention and it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to determine that he's talking about the girl that Merlin rescued. This must be the 'Bounty Hunter', then. He certainly looks the part, with his deep voice, big frame, and unkempt facial hair.
"But she escaped last night," the man continued and I gulped. "Here in Camelot."
"Do not worry, we will soon find her," the King replied, still appearing unconcerned. "Have some guards help with the search," he ordered one of the knights, who bowed in response.
The man – Halig – produced a look of concern as he stepped closer to Uther (and, consequently, to me) and I held my breath at the sweaty and smoky smell that he expelled. "You need to warn them, Sire, the girl is dangerous," he stated. I rolled my eyes. These people would call a harmless magic bunny 'dangerous'. "An informant told me she was cursed."
"How so?" Uther questioned, now appearing worried.
"I do not know," the man responded, "but he said even the druids were frightened of her. They cast her out of her camp."
My eyes widened. This might not be just fearful superstition, then.
"It is against all the druids' belief to reject those in need of care," Gaius noted gravely.
"Why would they do such a thing?" the King wondered.
"I dread to think," the physician answered.
I dropped my head and began to nibble on my bottom lip.
"Set up sentries on all the gates," Uther ordered the knights in the room.
"We should search the lower towns, Sire," Halig stated. "Someone may be harbouring her."
Gaius glanced at me for a moment before asking, "You think she had help?"
"I saw two figures running away," the man claimed.
Oh, fudge, this is just great!
"Give Halig all the help he needs," Uther commanded the knights. "I want this girl and her accomplice found."
Halig and the knights promptly left the room and my body was left itching to run out as well and search for Merlin so that I could warn him; but doing so would undoubtedly confirm to Gaius that we're involved, so I remained in place and let out a shaky sigh as I returned my gaze to the maths before me.
"Stay inside until this girl is found, Astraea," Uther demanded, causing my eyes to jump towards him. "The horses can wait."
I nodded, even if I doubted I'd obey completely because going even a single day without seeing Dallas sounds dreadful, "Okay."
I wasn't able to find Merlin after my job in the council chambers was done and I eventually gave up, figuring that he was likely with Freya. He must really like her.
Then I looked for Arthur, figuring that I might get some entertainment by hanging out with him. Maybe I could teach him how to play chess! Or we could go for a walk around the castle! But I soon found out that he was busy helping with the search for the girl.
So, as a last resort, I dropped by Morgana's room; thinking that it'd be a nice gesture to check up on her since I know that she's also upset by the whole deal with the Bounty Hunter.
"Hey. How are ya' feelin'?" I asked when she opened the door and let me in.
She let out a sigh, "Is it wrong that I feel relieved that the girl escaped?"
I shook my head. "Not at all, I feel the same way. I only hope that they don't catch her," I replied and winced at the thought.
Morgana moved to stand by a window and she leaned against the wall right beside it, her shoulders dropping. "It is despicable what Uther is willing to do to exterminate magic," she muttered.
"I know," I agreed with a puff.
Might she be thinking about the likely fact that she'd be getting a similar treatment to Freya if Uther found out that she has magic? I can empathise, for I feel that fear when it comes to Merlin. And myself, I guess, considering that I'm kind of a time-traveller – which could be viewed as sorcery.
"Astra? You should see this," Morgana suddenly said in a wary tone and I dashed to her side.
"What?" I scanned the courtyard below, then my eyes widened when I noticed Merlin being dragged into the castle by his arms by two guards at Halig's command. "Oh, crap!"
With my heart caught in my throat, I sprinted out of the chambers and instantly went in search of Arthur once more, praying that he was back. Surely he'll defend Merlin, right? He does care about him, underneath his macho exterior… I raced to check his room, but he wasn't there. Then I stopped by the council chambers to ask Uther, but he hadn't seen him either.
Lucky for me, I ran into him as soon as I began to climb down the main staircase.
"Artie!" I exclaimed and grabbed his arm so that he'd stop moving. He instantly seemed a bit concerned. "The fugly man stole my Merlin!"
He raised an eyebrow, "Your Merlin?"
"He's my best friend," I clarified, making him chuckle. "C'mon! They could be hurtin' him!"
"All right," he relented and shrugged my grip off his arm, only to take my hand in his. I couldn't help the small grin that formed on my lips and I eagerly followed him as he led me down the stairs, then through a corridor, and then down another staircase that leads to the dungeons.
I gasped when we arrived to find Halig about to punch Merlin, who was being restrained to a chair by some guards.
"Halig! What do you think you are doing?!" Arthur scolded.
The man froze. "We caught the boy behaving suspiciously, Sire," he responded.
"Merlin?" the Prince asked incredulously.
"He could be harbouring the girl, and he is going to tell us where," Halig turned to try to punch my best friend again and I dashed to stand in front of him, ready to take the hit.
Lucky for me, it never came because Arthur's arm shot out to stop the swing and he shoved Halig backwards in a harsh manner. "Touch her and I will have you executed," he growled.
I grinned at the sight of him defending me again, feeling as my heart warmed up – not in a suffocating way, but in a cosy one. Where was he all through my high-school years?! Oh, right – fifteen centuries in the past!
The Prince then grabbed Merlin's arm and he helped him to stand up. "Merlin is my servant. He has my absolute trust," he sternly told Halig. "If you have a problem with him, you come to me. Do you understand?"
"Sire," Halig responded with a bow and moved to leave the cell. "Good luck, Merlin. Do not forget your dinner," he added in a grunt while nodding towards the ground for a moment.
I frowned and looked down, finding a couple of sausages.
"Ah," Merlin said, and I moved my gaze to him to find a guilty expression on his face as he stared at Arthur.
"Are those my sausages?" the Prince asked with a look of incredulity. Merlin nodded awkwardly. Arthur raised an eyebrow, "You took them."
"To keep you in shape!" my best friend stated, which made me snort and I quickly covered it up with a cough. Merlin promptly leaned down to start picking up the soiled food.
"Are you saying I am fat?" Arthur questioned, appearing slightly offended as his eyes widened slightly.
"No!" Merlin quickly answered. Then he tilted his head, "Well, not yet."
"I am not fat!" the Prince argued.
"You see? It is working!" my best friend responded and I couldn't restrain a giggle. He gave an innocent grin before walking out of the small room with a skip in his step.
Arthur followed him with his gaze until he was out of sight; then he pouted as he looked down at his stomach.
"You're not fat, Artie," I assured him, making his eyes snap towards me. "You're perfect," I added before I could think about what I was saying and my eyes instantly widened as dread struck at my soul. His jaw dropped and a smile formed on his lips. "I-I mean, in perfect shape, y'know? Fit. Athletic. Muscular. Healthy…"
He cut me off by rounding my waist with one arm and pulling me closer to his chest, leaning his forehead against mine. I quickly moved to hug him as tightly as I could without it becoming painful and I sighed when he wrapped his other arm around my shoulders.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Well, he may be an idiot, but he is my servant," Arthur replied.
"No, not that," I said while shaking my head a bit. "Thank you for protecting me."
He tightened his grip on me and I felt him kiss the top of my head, which made me smile. "I will always protect you, Astra."