My dear Gaius,
I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust. I hope you find it in you to forgive me, for I have lied to you. Merlin is not the boy you met when I gave birth to him. For an unseen man broke in and forced him to drink something one night. It was this moment that changed Merlin forever. For you see, Merlin is no longer a boy, but a beautiful and strong girl who I have raised with all the love in my heart. I fear I may have made a grave mistake by not telling you the truth sooner, but it was too late to raise her as a girl for the town would accuse me of witch craft.
It is every mother's fate to think her child is special. And yet I would give my life that Merlin were not so. Ours is a small village and she is so clearly at odds with people here that if she were to remain, I fear what would become of her. She needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help her find a purpose for her gifts. I hope and trust that you will have it in your heart to be that person. My child has grown up as a man, but I hope that with your guidance she will be able to finally be the woman she is in Camelot.
I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her child, keep her safe. And may God save you both.
Hunith
Gaius sat in his seat stunned. He had never heard of a potion strong enough to change someone's gender for that long of a time period. Only in one instance had this happened and that had required the magic of the Fae and constant casting of the spell. No potion in existence could do this and the power that must be behind it was unfathomable. Whatever did this to Merlin must have more magic than even the great Fae king himself. Only the gods had this power.
"Oh my." The things he did for family.
~XXxxoxxXX~
"Merlin" A whispered voice called in the haze of my dream shaking me from my sleep. I opened my eyes to the sun's blinding greeting. As I looked around I felt a moment of panic, not recognizing my surroundings, until my eyes landed on my tattered, old traveling sack. Sitting up I resigned myself to the tasks I had ahead of me. Somehow I had to break the news to Gaius about my gender. Preferably before some embarrassing situation arises. Not to mention the task of finding a job in Camelot. I didn't really have many skills except farming that would help me get a job without being rested and suffering the fate of that poor man from yesterday. All I had was Gaius' backing and I truly hoped that was going to be enough here. Kings physician or not, nobody could cover up just how much of a klutz I really am. Not even Magic could help me there unfortunately.
I managed to get dressed in my same old clothes as usual. Tattered, baggy old brown pants, way-too-big blue shirt and of course my favorite red neckerchief my mother made that I would never be seen without. I pulled on my crazy-warm brown coat as I descended the stairs leading into the main room. Honestly, now that I could finally live as my true self, there were going to be a few changes. Clothes for example. Another thing to ad to the list of things ahead of me.
"I got you some water. You didn't wash last night." Gaius stood there, poring some kind of grey slop into a bowl making me cringe. We may not have had much in Ealdor, but even so, my mother was able to turn even the worst of ingredients into a meal fit for a king.
"Sorry." I was used to being dirty. In the village we didn't always wash ourselves every day since the next day we would simply be going out to the fields to get dirty once more and clean water was a kind of luxury. But I guess living in a castle will be different and I'll have to get used to it. Not that being clean bothered me really. Actually, the thought of not always smelling of dung and sweat did have it's merits. Maybe that part of living in a castle wasn't so bad.
"Help yourself to breakfast." He placed the bowl on the table with a spoon in it. Oh how I so hoped it would taste better than it looked. I took a seat at the table, grimacing at the clumpy slop that sat before me, moving it around with the spoon in my hand. Even though I had a bad feeling about it, I was prepared to take my chances. 'Bottoms up' I thought as I lifted the spoon, a heaping clump of something resting atop it. I presumed it was meat. But before I could take a bite of the questionable looking concoction, movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention.
Without thinking, I reacted. Pausing, what I then realized was, a bucket of water's decent. I panicked. Looking back and forth between the frozen bucket and a shocked Gaius, I let go of the spell, causing it all to fall to the floor, soaking it.
"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" Gaius questioned as he too looked back and forth between the evidence and my terrified face. I tried to come up with a possible way a normal person could have done it. But I wasn't normal.
"I don't know any spells." I denied it, terrified that this was coming up again. I had so hoped that, being my Uncle, Gaius would let it go. Obviously not.
"So what did you do? There must be something." He demanded confused.
"It just happens." There was nothing else I could say. The conversation upsetting me, I walked over and grabbed the mop in on of the corners of the room to start cleaning up the spill.
"Well, we'd better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here - Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival and this is for Sir Olwen. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once." He held out two items, pointing out what one is which and placing them on the table.
"OK." I say, feeling slightly down, yet grateful Gaius was letting the matter go for the moment. Gaius was confusing me with everything he said. Making me think he's going to turn me in, then promising not to, only to come right back and make me use my magic again to start the argument all over again.
"And here." At the sight of the bread he held out in front of me, my spirits lightened. I grabbed the two items from the table along with a piece of bread off of the plate. "Off you go." I smile at him as he takes the mop from my hands and continues with the job I started. At the door he stops me once more. "And, Merlin, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." Gaius' serious look warming my heart and the reminder sobering me up as I headed out with a nod of thanks to him for everything.
~XXxxoxxXX~
I was walking back to Gaius' chambers from helping him out with the deliveries when a loud voice caught my attention.
"Where's the target?" A huge crowd surrounding a hand-full of knights.
"There, sir?" This boy looked a bit dull, but the blond boy doing the talking, was another matter entirely.
"That's into the sun." For some reason I always had a thing for blonds. Don't ask me why, it just happened.
"It's not that bright."
"A bit like you, then." That made me laugh. Not only was he cute, but he had a sense of humor too?
"Put the target down the other end, shall I, sir?"
Wow his smile. What? A girl can have a crush can't she? And a knight to boot, if that armor and red cloth had anything to say about it. The men behind him laughing along, encouraging him.
"Teach him a lesson." One of them said as the boy picks up the heavy looking wooden target and starts to move it out of the sun. I raised my eye at the man's comment, but otherwise didn't think much of it.
"This will teach him." Without warning he throws a dagger at the boy, scaring him and making him stop. It's kind of funny, I do admit, and the guy does have wonderful aim. Hitting the center with a moving target, even if it is a slow one.
"Hey, hang on." The men laugh. I wonder what the cute guy will do? Merlin knew that friends chanting you on could lead to trouble, having been made to do many things he wouldn't normally, but he hoped this man was stronger than that.
"Don't stop." At his comment I hesitated not liking the feeling of what was going to happen next.
"Here?" he stops.
"I told you to keep moving." He demands, throwing another dagger and hitting it dead center. "Come on! Run." Another. He's sounding like a prat making me begin to reconsider my thoughts on him. "We want some moving target practice." Another, slightly off center, while the boy moves back and forth, starting to become scared while the men behind the leading man just laugh. I'm really not liking it now. This blond boy is starting to look like an a** to me. Another and the boy drops the target. It rolls over to my feet and I stop it, feeling annoyed at the man. The poor boy looked up at me upon seeing my boot on the target.
"Hey. Com on, that's enough." I say gently so as to not anger them.
"What?" As though he couldn't fathom someone actually standing up to him to stop it. Merlin really hoped this wasn't the case.
"You've had your fun, my friend." A friendly approach I figured would be best.
"Do I know you?" He walks up to me acting cocky.
"I'm Merlin." I hold my hand out in greeting.
"So I don't know you." Obviously. For a Knight, he sure is slow.
"No." I say simply still holding out my had for him to take.
"Yet you called me 'friend'." Yep definitely a prat.
"That was my mistake." With that I withdrew my hand, knowing that he was not the kind of man I wished to know.
"Yes I think so."
"Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an a**." I laugh and with that I walk away.
"Nor I one who could be so stupid. Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" I raise an eyebrow at that. It was an interesting question coming from the pretty boy's lips.
"No." I laugh wondering where this is going. Surly he isn't going to do a demonstration for me is he?
"Would you like me to help you?" Oh so it's a threat? Strangest one I've yet to hear.
"I wouldn't if I were you." I may not look like much, but I have won my fair share of fights... even if magic has helped me along the way.
"Why? What are you gonna do to me?" He laughed and looked back to his buddies as though this entire scene was below him.
"You have no idea." Picturing one particular incident in my head where my opponent managed to end up face down, trousers decked with his clothes and some of his skin died pink and the chickens from the coop he landed in running rampant around town, feathers flying everywhere.
"Be my guest. Come on. Come on!" Arms open, daring me to. I was no cowered. "Come on." He taunted talking to me as though I'm a baby. I didn't think and just swung at him lost to my rage. Instantly my arm was behind me in a painful grip. "I'll have you thrown in jail for that." He whispered into my ear and although my arm was in pain, I couldn't help the small shiver that ran down my spine at his close proximity.
"Who do you think you are? The King?" Just like some of the other boys in the village who claimed themselves Kings of the village, this guy probably thought him some kind of hot shot amongst the Knights.
"No, I'm his son, Arthur." Well s**t. No wonder he was cute with no respect for those below him. The prince just has to be a cute little prat. He kicked the back of my knee, making me collapse. The guards running over to hold me down and placing handcuffs around my slim writs. One of them game me a pitying look, as though he thought me starved or abused. Oh how I so hoped rumor didn't get around about the King's Physician's ward being abused. That would be the metaphorical cherry on top.
Just the perfect thing to add to my list of terrible days in Camelot. Day one - Have my magic discovered, Day two - Get thrown in jail for trying to hit the royal a**.
~XXxxoxxXX~
I spent the night in jail, sleeping on old hay and a worn blanket. "Merlin" Awoken by the same voice again. The strange tingling sensation I felt as I awoke yesterday morning, invading my seances again today. "Merlin" I hear it again coming from beneath me, louder than the other morning. This can't be a dream. I back up, scared of the ground I slept on, until the voice game again. Each time the tingling sensation covering my body as it speaks. Curious, I walk back over to the dump I slept on and press my ear to the floor in order to hear it better.
"Merlin." A familiar voice from behind me is joint by the creaking of the cell door opening startling me. Looking up, I'm glad to see Gaius. A friendly face, a very welcome sight in deed. "You... You never cease to amaze me." He paces the cell in is anger and I feel suddenly small. "The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down. What do you do? You behave like an idiot."
"I'm sorry." I honestly am. Gaius is the only family I have here and I don't want to disappoint him after all the danger I had already placed him in just by being here.
"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released." He whispers calming down from his rant.
"Oh, thank you, thank you!" I'm almost about to hug him until he interrupts me with an angry look that said he was not in the mood for hugs or any kind of pleasantries. "I won't forget this." I say to show him I mean it.
"Well, there is a small price to pay." He walks out, an evil glint in his eye.
~XXxxoxxXX~
"Oh, God!" Tomato's, cabbage, onions, carrots and any other rotten thing the townsfolk could get their hands on, they threw at me. Gaius laughs as he passes by, showing his amusement at my current situation. "Thanks!" I call out sarcastically. He just laughs more and walks off as more villagers throw projectile rot at my face. There is a small reprieve as the villagers go to collect more rotten things to throw at me and I breath a sigh of relief, spitign out some rotten tomato that managed to get into my mouth at some point. It is then that I notice a woman next to me in red. She's rather cute I realize as I look at her. She reminds me of one of the girls in my old village that I protected like a sister. The woman has soft brown curly hair and fair brown skin, almost looking like she could be a noble woman.
"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." Ah, so that made sense. Can't have a Lady's maid walking around looking poor or dirty. Honestly having no idea why she is telling me this, I decide to just go along with it.
"Right. I'm Merlin." I attempted to reach out my shackled hand to awkwardly shake her small hand that I realize is actually a tiny bit larger than my own puny ones. "Although most people just call me 'idiot'." I joke to lighten the mood.
"No, no. I saw what you did. You're so brave." She strongly refused. I couldn't agree with her though.
"It was stupid." I admitted, thinking back on how I had caused Gaius trouble. If only I could have taken it back so he wouldn't be in the situation he is in now.
"I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him." Oh so now she doubts me I think as I raise an goo covered eyebrow.
"Oh, I could beat him." I'm sure of it. He's too stuck up for his own good.
"You think?" Gwen asked looking down at my small frame, probably wondering what on earth a girl could do against a knight. "Because you don't look like one of these big muscly kind of fellows." ... or maybe she just thought I was a tiny, scrawny guy. I really needed to get a change of clothes and grow my hair out now that I can. I honestly don't feel like being paraded around as a male anymore.
"Thanks." Is all I can really say, still distracted by my thoughts.
"No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look." I think she thinks she's offended me... "It's just Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save-the-world kind of men and, well..." She trailed off. It was true, I had to agree that the cute prince was one of those kind of men with the personality of a royal prat. So much like the other boys in my old town that I used to fight. If only they knew it was a girl they lost to. I still remembered all the s**t one of them took after being punched by a girl. It would be an even harsher blow to their so called pride if they ever found out I was a girl.
"What?" I asked wondering what she was getting at.
"You don't look like that." It made me want to laugh. If only they knew the things I could do with my magic to turn a fight to my advantage, but they couldn't. So I simply looked on the bright side. Signaling for her to come closer, I whispered into her ear.
"I'm in disguise." It made her laugh which in turn made me happy.
"It's great you stood up to him." She confides.
"You think so?" It didn't sound like it from the way she was going on about it before, but if she says so then I'll believe her for now.
"Arthur's a bully and everyone thought you were a real hero." I'm kind of shocked at her words, but humbled at the same time.
"Oh yeah?"
"Mm-hm." We shared a smile before something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. The villagers had managed to find some more old stock and were ready for round two.
"Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting." She ducked off quickly, waving goodbye and I managed to close my mouth just in time for an old piece of something rotten landed on it. Yuck.
A/N: Why do the episodes have to have so much in them? I think after this episode I may glance over quite a few scenes, only describing the ones that change. Also I may end it as soon as Arther and Merlin get together... no idea when that will happen though. He is rather dense. 1 or 2 more chapters to go for this first episode since I don't like to go over 3k words a chapter most of the time... ARG! Wish me luck in writing them. Reviews saying that you like the story and that you want the next chapter do actually get me to write and post them faster so get to reviewing! razz
