Merlynn

The Beginning of the End

Merlynn winced at the sudden screaming inside her head. She looked around the corridor she walked in to see if she could find the source, but no one was around. She continued down the corridor and out into the courtyard. She just started down the steps when she heard the voice calling out again.

'Help me. Please.'

She looked around for what it could be. The only other time she's heard a voice like this call out to her was when the Great Dragon called out to her upon her arrival in Camelot, but this voice was very different. She raised her hand to her head, hoping somehow it would help. She looked around the courtyard for the source of the voice when her gaze fell on a young boy.

The buy locked eyes with her and she heard the voice again. 'Please, you have to help me. Help me.'

Merlynn almost gasped when she realized the boy was projecting his thoughts to her. Merlynn looked away when she heard guards entering the courtyard.

'They're searching for me.' The boy told her.

Merlynn looked back at the boy confused. 'Why are they after you?'

'They're going to kill me.'

Merlynn watched as the guards retreated to a secluded part of the courtyard, it was now or never to try and help this boy. She looked around the courtyard to make sure it was safe. She rounded the stairs to an unused hall that led into the castle. She made sure no one was watching before turning back to the boy.

'This way. Run. Run.'

The boy picks himself up from where he is sitting and runs over to Merlynn. The guards catch sight of him and begin pursuing him as they duck into the castle. She takes his hand and leads him through the castle, trying to think of somewhere safe to hide while avoiding the guards. Merlynn pauses for a moment before dashing up some stairs to Morgana's room. Merlynn knew Morgana had a good heart and hoped that she would be willing to help this poor boy. Merlynn threw open her door and ushered him in, closing it quietly behind them.

"Have you forgotten how to knock Merlynn?" Morgana called out to her.

"The guards are after him. I didn't know what to do. Morgana, he's just a boy." Merlynn pleaded for her help before they heard knocking on the door, as the guards called for Morgana from the other side. Morgana looked at the boy before looking around her room for somewhere to hide.

"In there." She pointed to a small corner of her room where some privacy screens and curtains were placed. Merlynn heard the door open and a guard start talking to Morgana. Merlynn was trying to listen to what was being said when she felt movement beside her and looked down to find the boy falling over. Merlynn caught him before he went too far, and squatted so the boy was laying in her lap. She repositioned herself so she was sitting on the floor and the boy leaned up against her as she looked for what might be wrong with him. The door closed and Morgana and Gwen rushed back to where Merlynn was hiding just as she had discovered a gash on his arm bleeding profusely.

Gwen and Morgana helped Merlynn make a temporary bed for the boy and laid him down. They removed his shirt and Merlynn noticed the strange symbol on the upper right hand side of his chest, marking him a druid. She turned her attention to the wound and tried to treat it as best as she could without supplies. After a while, the boy came to. Gwen went out to fetch some water and find out what information she could about the boy and Morgana and Merlynn waited by the window in Morgana's chambers.

The guards had set up for an execution quickly and the crowd gathered as a man was brought out. Morgana's face grew pale and Merlynn noticed the worry build in her face as they watched the King walk out onto a balcony to address the crowd and carry out a sentence.