Merlyn's Destiny || Arthur Pendragon ♡ ♡ ♡

Prologue

༺❀༻A New Beginning༺❀༻

POV: Merlyn

The walk to Camelot was long and exhausting without a horse. But I would lie if I said that I wasn't excited. Leaving my little farming village awoke sadness and exhilaration in me at the same time. The sadness was mostly caused by the thought of my mother, who I had to leave behind. When she told me she'd send me to Gaius to work for him in Camelot, I had assumed she'd join me. But somebody had to look after the farm, and it was safer for me to travel alone.

I traveled dressed like a boy, for safety reasons. Traveling alone without a horse was already dangerous enough, but that and being a woman? I probably wouldn't have made it this far. Even though there is one thing I could've used to protect myself, but that thing was the exact reason why I had to leave. So I won't take any chances.

I felt a sense of pride, knowing I made it all on my own. So with a smile on my face, I walked through the gates of Camelot. I've never seen a castle before... And the buildings are so big. Looking around the courtyard, I was distracted by a gathering. Horns are blaring and guards are hitting drums. I pushed through the crowd to get a better look. A man was dragged to the middle of the courtyard by two guards.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all!" A man's voice carried through the whole courtyard. The crowd turned towards him. "This man! Thomas James Collins is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic!" This is not good... Why do I feel like I'm in the enemy's territory? Like I would be safer anywhere else? "And pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death! I pride myself on being a justice king! But for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass!"

They can't be serious, can they? Did he even harm somebody, or was he doing harmless magic? The guards are holding his head down on a flock. And with one big swing, the executor cut off his head. People were gasping and lowering their heads. Poor guy...he didn't look much older than me.

"When I came to, this kingdom was mired in chaos! And with the help of the people here, magic was driven from the realm! So I declare a festival! To celebrate 20 years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery!" Uther was already turning away from the crowd, ready to walk back into his big castle when an old woman started to wail and cry.

"T-there is only on-one evil in this land! And it is NOT magic! It is YOU! With your hatred and your ignorance... You took my son!" She pointed to the dead boy without looking at him. For a moment there was regret in the king's eyes, but he quickly banished that from his face. "And I promise you, before the celebrations are over you'll share my tears!" The old woman's sadness changed to anger. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, A SON FOR A SON!"

"SEIZE HER!"

The guards were ready to sprint towards the woman, but it was too late. A loud hissing sound appeared, and the woman vanished in a cloud of gray smoke. The people left the courtyard, and I took that as my sign to leave as well. I still needed to find Gaius after all.

After asking and explaining my reasons as to why I was searching for Gauis they told me where to find him. I stood in front of his door nervously. He was a friend of my mother's, but I have never met him personally. I can only hope that he is as kind and welcoming as my mother had described him. I knocked on the door, opening it slightly. "Hello?" No answer. I walked into the room as I looked at the tables. Plants and potions and books were laying everywhere. "Hello?" I tried again, but there was no answer. When I looked up, I saw him, reaching for something on top of a shelf.

"Gauis?" I said a little louder, thinking that he might not be able to hear me. I heard that a lot of old people have that problem.

"WOAH!" He exclaimed and fell backwards towards the ground.

I don't know how I did it, but for me, it was like everything slowed down. Gauis was in the middle of the air and I somehow pushed his bed under him to catch him.

"H-how the- what did you just do?!"

"Me?! What? I did nothing!" I answered worried.

"Tell me! Tell me how you did that!" He got up from the bed to face me with a stern expression. This is not starting great.

"I don't know what happened!"

"If anyone had seen that-"

"NO! No, that had nothing to do with me! That was just-"

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned that! How is it that you know magic?" He looked me up and down with a calculation expression.

"I don't! Who told you that?!" My pathetic attempt to laugh the incident off wasn't met with much humor.

"...where did you study? ANSWER ME!"

I flinched a little, but then reminded myself, my mother told me I could trust him. If he wanted to see me dead for practicing magic, he could just walk to the king and I'd be dead. Taking a deep breath, I met his stern gaze. "I've never studied magic."

"Are you lying to me, boy?"

"Oh!" I took off my head. "First of I'm a girl and second...no I swear it to you," frustrated I knitted my eyebrows together. "What to you want me to say?"

"The truth!"

"I was born like this!"

"That's impossible!" Gauis looked me up and down.

"Apparently not!"

"Who are you even? What are you doing in my quarters?!"

"Ehm," I fumbled with my bag, pulling out the letter my mother wrote. "I have this letter!" I held it out for him to take, but he just looked at me dumbfounded.

"What? I don't have my glasses." And what am I supposed to do about that? He finally took the letter.

I took a deep breath. "I'm Merlyn!" Managing to put a friendly smile on my face, I waited for his reaction. I could see that something in his brain was clicking.

"Hunith's daughter!"

"Yes." Finally.

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday."

"....it-it is Wednesday."

"Ah, yes yes- Well. You can put your bag in there," He pointed behind him. "That's where you'll be sleeping. Get settled."

I walked to my new room, standing in front of it. "You won't tell anyone about that, will you?" I wouldn't want to take a nap and then have guards breaking down the door, taking me to my death.

"No," he said simply. "Although! I should say thank you!" 

"Me too. I mean-thank you for not telling the king." I turned around and went into my room, looking around. It was staring to get dark, so light the candles that were in the room, putting my bag in a cupboard. The room was fine. Cozy even. Definitely bigger than my old room back at the farm. I wondered how big the kings and princes room are if their servants rooms are this big.

I walked to a little window, opening it. Wow...the view from up here is beautiful. I could get used to this. You could see the whole city from up here. All the houses, from most of them you could see the lights. And the moon was full, enveloping the city.

My time here won't be so bad.