A/N:

Hello! As always thank you to reviewers and all those new follows/favourites (honestly you keep reminding me that people are still interested and that I should keep posting new chapters). Here's another chapter!

Enjoy!

Ilandrae

Disclaimer: Still don't own Merlin

CHAPTER 23 – YOUNG PROMISE

Merlin's Chambers, Camelot

It was the sun seeping through the crack between the curtains that woke the warlock. The golden glow roused Merlin from is slumber and into a decided state of panic.

He was late!

He threw himself out of the bed and dashed about the room throwing objects here and there as he gathered his things.

A month had passed since he'd found out that people had followed him to Camelot seeking his help. And every morning for that past month, the warlock had met those people in the same clearing when dawn broke across the horizon.

But today, dawn had passed and here he was still in his chambers.

A vial he was trying to shove in a bag slipped from his hand and he cursed out a quick spell to prevent it from shattering on the floor.

He blamed his late night the evening before. He'd had an afternoon session with Art, an afternoon session that became an evening lesson and somehow evolved into a midnight excursion to the Valley of the Fallen Kings.

Now that Art understood the basics of magic, his thirst for knowledge was almost unquenchable. And Merlin was finding it difficult to refuse the boy's requests for extra learning because he still felt a little guilty at the state of exhaustion he'd found the boy in when he had checked in on him after returning from Magic's Hollow.

He'd woken him up from his fifth nap that day to give him his apprentice amulet. Though the boy had been overjoyed at receiving it, he'd spoken with Merlin for about five minutes before going back to sleep.

So currently it only took an eager eyed look from the boy before Merlin conceded to teaching him for a few minutes longer.

So now Merlin was here, his own stress and sleep addled brain completely forgetting that he could just teleport to his destination and instead he was wracking his brain for the quickest route to walk there.

Finally remembering an old hidden path that he used to take when he was a servant, he shot out the door throwing a hastily packed bag over his shoulder.

Dashing through the corridors he was glad that, due to the still early hour, other people in the castle and grounds were few and far between. Those that he did see were in too much of a hurry themselves to take much notice of his wild dash.

He burst into the new dawn sunlight that blanketed the training grounds, executing a perfect and most definitely unwarlock like leap over a low wall he continued his rush.

He left through Camelot's outer wall making a beeline for his destination. He leapt into a grove of trees between the wall and the edge of the darkling woods, only to find two ten-year-olds holding swords, frozen, and looking at him as if he just caught them with their hands in the cookie jar.

Art lowered the sword he was holding giving Merlin a sheepish smile. Mel just smiled, "Hey Emrys."

Merlin's brain took a few moments to catch up. Ultimately deciding that he was already late and that few more minutes wasn't going to make much of a difference he looked at the two kids.

"So… do I dare ask?"

Mel opened her mouth as if to say something, but Art beat her to it.

"Mel wants to learn how to use a sword but the knights refused to teach her. I don't think that's right. But right now, no one will listen to me about that so I'm trying to teach her what I know."

Seeing if Mel had anything to add Merlin looked to her but she just returned it with one of her own that dared him to say that they were doing anything wrong.

Which in Merlin's opinion they weren't, so he just nodded, "Well, hold that thought because I am horrendously late right now but I have some ideas to help."

With that he continued his dash to his no doubt waiting crowd leaving two very confused ten years-olds in his wake.

"Well, that was odd" Art cast Mel a look.

"Not really" the girl shrugged, "that was just Emrys."

Then two children shared a look, followed by a grin. They'd spent enough time together in this clearing to have an inkling of what the other was thinking by now.

"Last one to catch him has to steal the next round of biscuits from kitchen?" Mel couldn't help the impish grin that spread across her face.

"Done."

With that they were off. Mel pumped her arms and leapt over a fallen tree. She glanced across to Art as he did the same. The past few weeks had been one of the most amazing of her life.

Every morning they had met in the clearing and Art taught her what he could about wielding a sword and being a knight. Of course, since Art was still a child himself, often they'd ended up figuring out a particular move or problem together.

After their morning lessons they'd often pilfer goods from the kitchen, more often than not somehow managing to evade the detection of Sariah, the baker woman known for showing no leniency for those touching her work without permission, even if they were the crown prince.

In return, Mel had shared some of her horse-riding tips with the Prince who's skills were now rapidly increasing much to the amazement of his teachers.

But what had truly made it different to Mel, was the experience of having a true friend for the first time in her life.

And it was that feeling that now filled her and made her grin from ear to ear. She refocussed just in time to dodge a tree and leap over a creek bed.

She'd gained a meter or so on Art, lungs burning and chest heaving as she pumped her legs even faster. She stretched out her lead as she also attempted to follow Emrys' tracks.

He'd been in a rush near close to hers, so they were easy to follow.

So focussed on her run, she didn't hear the voices up ahead and when she burst into the clearing, she came to a shuddering stop.

"What in the worl-"

Art rammed into her from behind cutting off her words.

The two children ended up sprawled on the grass groaning from the impact.

"I totally won that" Mel muttered as she shoved the Prince off of her and unceremoniously to the ground.

"Well I'm a Prince so technically I can't lose and you have to do what I say" Art groaned out a counter as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Well technically I don't care so get over it."

"Now why does this sound familiar?" someone muttered to themselves.

Mel, now back on her feet, looked to Emrys, "What's familiar?"

"Never mind" the warlock came over, "You two all right?"

"Never better" Art adjusted his sword belt, "Now who on earth are all these people?"

Realising that this was why Emrys had been in such a rush, Mel explained to Art about the crowd while Emrys continued addressing their problems.

She couldn't quite believe that they had followed him all the way to Camelot. It was quite ridiculous really; couldn't these people solve their own problems?

Seriously some of the things they asked him for help with.

"You want me to tell your wife that she must have a child with you?" Merlin growled at the man who spoke to him now, "Isn't that her decision?"

Without another word he turned towards the next person, "How does your cat keep getting run over by carts!"

Opting to leave Emrys to it Mel suggested to Art that they continue their lesson.

She and Art started a sequence. Mel focussed on her movements, her motions. Grip tight, wrist fluid, core engaged. Each movement flowed to the next and within a few minutes she was once again coated in sweat.

As she and Art moved from sequence to sequence, Emrys would occasionally come over and offer a piece of advice or correction.

And so the morning went.

At about mid-morning Emrys waved the last person off and came over to where she and Art were sitting on a rock and having a drink.

"Do you guys know what rock you're sitting on?" Emrys asked as he sat on his own rock.

"A grey one that's currently digging into my butt."

Art scoffed, "My father pulled Excalibur out of this rock Mel."

"So, it's a magical rock digging into me?"

"I'm guessing it's just a rock and any magic business laid with his manservant at the time" Art shot Emrys a pointed look.

"It's the symbolism Art" Emrys said haughtily, "The sword in the stone is practically a relic."

"Oh, so just like you Emrys" Mel ducked the warlock's playful swipe at her.

"Ten years old and you think you know everything" Emrys huffed.

Mel grumbled, "I'm eleven Emrys, remember?"

"Oh right."

Somehow the warlock had completely missed her ninth birthday and ever since always thought she was a year younger than she was. It was getting a little silly really.

"Maybe you need to have a nanna nap Emrys if your memories getting that foggy."

"Ok that's it" Emrys growled, "Time for those ideas I mentioned earlier."

Mel and Art looked at him in question.

"Art, go stand over there" Art followed the warlock's direction to stand at the other side of the clearing, "Sword away you're not going to need it."

Mel started as the warlock laid a hand on her head and muttered some words. His eyed turned golden for a second and he turned and walked around the clearing repeating the spell.

One more spell had a wooden sword created out of a nearby tree.

"You two have done quite well with your secret lessons from what I've seen today. Art, you have the talents of your Father with the sword. And Mel I'll say I am very impressed with what you've managed to master in what I'm assuming has been a short space of time. From what I saw, you've pretty much learned everything Art can teach you."

Surprised, Mel shot a glance at Art who shrugged. She hadn't realised he'd been running out of lessons.

"So, I'm thinking" Merlin continued handing her the wooden sword, "is that we put what you've learned of swordsmanship into a more practical setting and throw in some magical training for Art for good measure."

Uneasiness creeped into Mel's being. Apparently, Art felt the same, shifting uneasily in his stance.

"Look you two" Emrys sighed handing her the wooden sword, "It's obvious that no matter what anyone says, you're not going to stop. Nor should you. I will quite happily watch as you two upend all the stupid class rules of Camelot. It'll be a laugh. But I will do everything in my power to make sure that when you end up in a situation that requires it, you will be able to defend yourself."

"Art, in our lessons we've already covered the basics of elemental magic. I'm now going to get you to combine them with combat techniques to learn basic elemental combat magic. Mel, you're going to put some of the skills you've already learned into a more practical and… unpredictable setting."

"You mean you're going to get the magical princeling to lob fireballs at me and hope I don't get toasted?"

"WHAT!" Art paled.

"Don't fret so much" Emrys ignored the prince and casually flipped a hand around the clearing, "I've spelled pretty much everything. Your sword will absorb magic for the next three hours, that magic will them fuel the protection charm I've put on you. I also spelled this clearing, so it doesn't get too crispy" he paused, "and yes, Art's going to lob fireballs at you."

"WHAT!"

As the fist-sized flaming projectile advanced towards her Mel shifted her stance, bringing her sword up to shield her face she felt the now familiar warm sensation flood her body as the fireball struck and was absorbed by the sword. Flowing into the next movement she sliced through the follow up attack and rolled out of the way of the third standing just in time to block a jet of water shot straight at her head.

They'd been at it an hour now Art attacking her with his magic while she defended herself. Art mainly threw fist-sized fireballs or shot jets of water at her, but occasionally he tried to unsteady her by sending tremors through the earth or buffering her with wind.

"Time!" Emrys called and after making sure Art had also stopped (she got a fireball to the face in an earlier round) Mel lowered her sword.

"Your speed is getting better Art and I liked the switching up of attacks. But make sure you're not sacrificing it for control and precision."

"Yes Merlin" the Prince grumbled.

"It's definitely better if your small fireball hits your target than when your giant fireball hits the mountain next to your target.

"I'm getting better too, right?" Mell queried her teacher as she took a drink from her waterskin.

"You do know it's basically impossible to not get better if you are practising right? But yes, you are. To the point that we're going to make it a little harder"

After a few murmured words and golden glance at her sword and to Art, he motioned for them to stand again.

"Mel, your sword will now deflect magic while your shield feeds off me. Art, " he grinned at the boy "I hope you remember that shield spell we've been practising."

Art reluctantly nodded.

"Great" Emrys nearly clapped gleefully, "Mel try and deflect some of Art's attacks back to him. Art, you need to defend as well now. Also, I'm going to join in if I think Art's being a bit slow."

Oh dear.

Mel once again assumed a ready stance and shifted uneasily, not sure if she was ready for this. Art too, seemed more cautious when he sent his first jet of water.

Hesitant to deflect it she sidestepped, right into the vine that Emrys snared around her ankle and used to send her sprawling.

"Deflect Mel" Emrys sung, "Don't hesitate."

Scowling she heaved herself to her feet as the ground trembled, throwing her off balance. She rolled to dodge a fireball Art sent her way coming up to her feet and slicing through another vine Emrys sent to entrap her.

She had the uncanny familiarity of her old knife sparring sessions with Emrys a year ago. She knew he wouldn't hesitate to attack if he believed she could do as he'd asked. And he wouldn't hold back the dirty tricks until she humoured him.

So, as she spied another fireball heading towards her head she thought, ok then.

Bringing her sword up she slashed at the projectile with the flat of her blade… and sent it flying back towards its caster.

Arts eyes widened and he hastily murmured some words. The fireball flowed over his shield.

Grinning, Mel sent Emrys's air shot back to him too.

And so it went.

A/N:

Hope you enjoyed a little more Mel and Art adorableness (I do love writing them). Writing the future chapters I've had to fiddle with the timeline a little but I hope I fixed it where it was required.

Thanks and stay strong,

I ;)