CHECKMATE [ARTHUR PENDRAGON]

Chapter 1: The Dragon's Call

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC's Merlin, their characters nor their plot. I do however own the Princess Arwyn and Sir Geralt. Their character and story arcs remain my intellectual property.

She wasn't sure how to feel as her horse galloped through the forest on the way to Camelot. They had been on the road for many weeks and so she grew weary and slightly bored of the trees and the streams that littered the forest. She felt homesick each time that her hand grazed the pin that clasped at her cloak and anxious as she considered her new life. The sun shone through the bark as it rose higher in the sky, illuminating her blue-green eyes. The horse sighed in protest as her gloved hands tugged at his reins and he was brought to a gentle walk, allowing her muscles to ease and her attendant to catch up. She had always been a fast rider, ever since her mother had first placed her on a horse at the tender age of three. Glancing with a gentle smile to the older man with the dark hair, she allowed their horses to walk side by side until they finally saw the gates to the kingdom.

Her jaw dropped slightly as she removed the hood of her cloak, allowing her brunette waves to cascade down her shoulders. Camelot was more beautiful than her father had described. The streets of the lower town were full of people, each who welcomed her with a 'good morning' and a courteous bow to which she replied with a gracious smile. As her horse trotted closer to the castle, her stomach churned and her anxiety grew.

"Are you alright, My Lady?" A gruff voice asked from in front of her.

"Just nervous." She muttered, realising that she had stopped and promptly nudging the sides of the stallion with her heels.

"Nervous?" The older man chuckled, "Nervous was when I met my first Dragon, thirty years ago! You're just anxious." Her guard dismissed before smiling reminiscently. "Oh, and what a hunt it was..."

"Yes, yes. You were very brave..." The young lady sighed rolling her eyes, "I told you that the first forty times that I heard that story."

"It was your favourite as a child." The knight continued, his northern accent rife. "You were always one for tales of adventure."

A chorus of laughter soon caught her attention as she drew nearer to the archway that led to the castle courtyard and manoeuvred Falen around the wooden carts; the black stallion drawing gazes from the bustling servants and villagers. Her eyes narrowed as she found the circle of knights and watched a blonde-haired man – no older than herself – throwing knives at a shield and cackling as the boy ran back and forth.

"Don't." The older man beside her warned, his words caught by the scarred gap on his top lip as his mare came to a standstill beside her. Fighting against a subtle smile as the stubborn young woman rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to the scene in front of them, he dismounted.

Reaching forward to stroke Falen's pitch black mane, she observed as another serving boy intervened. As the raven-haired boy removed his foot from the target, the young woman's stare remained secured to their interactions – or lack thereof as the blonde scoffed and refused the offered handshake. As her innate curiosity took over, she nudged the stallion forward prompting her escort to warn her once more.

"Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" Asked the boy who appeared to possess the perfect concoction of arrogance to accompany his superiority complex. "Would you like me to help you?"

The gentle breeze tousled her long curls as she tossed them over her shoulder and brought Falen to a halt as the village boy retorted: "I wouldn't if I were you." Causing her to roll her eyes at his stupidity, regardless of how brave it may have been.

The young man laughed smugly as he turned back to the knights, almost as if checking for their support: "Why? What are you going to do to me?" He challenged with the tilt of his head before proceeding to taunt the poor boy who swiftly swung his fist towards the blonde's face causing her to cringe as he had his arm twisted behind his back. "I'll have you thrown in jail for that."