EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN

SUMMARY: What if Arthur's cousin Rena was caught doing magic? What if it was Merlin who discovered her? The consequences of being a Pendragon and having magic would be unimaginable. But the sorceress who's training Rena has other ideas... and she must become part of the story if Camelot is to survive.

A/N: This is the first chapter, so it's shorter than all the others. A lot shorter. I'm hoping this is an original idea, at least as far as the subject goes, because I've gotten tired of seeing the same three OC stories with different wording. The pictures of the people I have to portray the characters are on my profile.

Rating: T for language, fight scenes, and other things which I have yet to write.

Characters:

Syrene "Rena" Annabelle Pendragon

Bio: The cousin of Arthur Pendragon. She is Uther's late brother's daughter, and is staying in Camelot for her arranged marriage, which she doesn't want to be in. Kind-hearted, but not your average princess. She is a big believer in love, but hasn't seen any for herself… and she wants it.

Alexander "Xander" Vyman

Bio: One of Arthur's most trusted knights, even though he is very young. His family is one of Camelot's greatest allies. He comes from a surrounding kingdom, where his family's status is "just below royalty".

Avianna

Bio: ?

A/N: Information about Avianna will be revealed as the story goes on. There are more OC's, but these are the three you need to know for the beginning. Now, onto the story!

1. All We Know

"…But why must we go to such great lengths to make the castle look nice for your cousin?" Merlin asked breathily. He was tired from working twice as hard as normal that day, and all for Arthur's cousin, Lady Syrene Annabelle Pendragon.

"Because, Merlin, Syrene is not just any lady," Arthur said, an amused look on his face as he watched his manservant work himself to death. "Apart from being my cousin, she's not one of those annoying nobles who-"

"Usually remind me of you?" Merlin offered. Arthur rolled his eyes and hit Merlin on the back of the head.

"After almost a year of working for me, you still don't know when it is and is not appropriate to open your mouth, do you, Merlin?" Merlin grinned and shook his head. "What I was going to say was, Syrene actually has more than half a mind, which is more than you can say for some nobles." Including you, Merlin thought but didn't dare say.

"Arthur?" A voice came from the doorway. Both Arthur and Merlin turned around and were faced with a beautiful woman with long, curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She had a bright smile on her face, and was wearing an extremely expensive and well-made dress. This lady was definitely not a commoner.

Arthur smiled upon seeing the woman.

"Syrene!" he laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"What, no one told you I was coming?" the woman asked innocently, batting her eyelashes a few times. Merlin was standing in one spot, frozen, his eyes slightly wider than normal. He had to keep his jaw from lowering.

"No, Rena, what are you doing away from your guards?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow. The woman, who was apparently Arthur's cousin, smirked.

"I'll be back to them in a few minutes. I just had to come and see you first!" Rena said excitedly. She ran over to Arthur and kissed his cheek.

"My father's not going to be happy with you if he founds out you snuck away from your guards again," Arthur warned her. Rena laughed.

"When is your father ever happy with me?" she asked.

"You know he loves you, Rena."

"Yes, but he disapproves of my lifestyle, nevertheless," Rena said, the joking tone to her voice gone. "He doesn't believe I should know how to defend and provide for myself," Rena said. She narrowed her eyes at Arthur, daring him to agree with his father. Arthur just cleared his throat and looked at the ground.

"Well… you are a woman…" Rena rolled her eyes. Merlin took a second to look her over. She was tall, only an inch or two shorter than Arthur. Her stance portrayed confidence and self-assurance, and she had the posture only a noble could possibly possess.

"Arthur, I'd have thought you'd moved on from that after that time we were sword fighting with Morgana when we were eleven and we both-"

"That never happened," Arthur interrupted her. Rena cocked an eyebrow.

"That's not what I remember," she said. Her eyes flickered towards Merlin, and she looked disapprovingly back at her cousin.

"Really, Arthur? You had to go and get yourself another manservant?" Rena clicked her tongue. "Shame, shame. What is he, the fortieth?" she asked, giving Merlin a sympathetic smile and a quick wink. Merlin blushed and looked down.

"Sixteenth, thank you, Rena. Shouldn't you be getting back to your guards before you cause my father a stroke?" Rena laughed.

"Sure, why not? Good seeing you, Arthur." She hugged her cousin, smiled at Merlin, and left the room.

"She's, um…" Merlin couldn't really describe her. "She's definitely like you said she was." Arthur gave Merlin a disbelieving look.

"I'm guessing you find her extremely attractive, now, don't you, Merlin?" he asked. Merlin gulped and frantically shook his head. Arthur shrugged.

"I'm not surprised," he said. He moved over to his full-body mirror and admired himself. "It does run in the family." Merlin couldn't resist. He muttered a spell under his breath, knowing Arthur was too wrapped up in himself to notice.

Crack!

The mirror instantly shattered into pieces. Arthur turned back to Merlin, the look of disbelief once again on his face. Merlin tried (and failed) to hold back a grin.

"Shall I clean that up for you, sire?"

Merlin stood in his place behind Arthur, as all servants were supposed to stand behind their masters, to show that they were much lower on the food chain.

Now, Arthur and Rena had to pretend that this was the first time they had seen each other in the three years since Rena had last come to Camelot. King Uther and Prince Arthur were supposed to meet Rena, who was Uther's late brother's daughter, just outside the castle. Arthur bit back a smile as he saw Rena and the guards arriving on horseback. Uther looked at Rena's horse with disdain as he saw the weapons the animal was carrying, all of which were his niece's.

"Uther," Rena said sweetly as she curtsied to him, like the good girl she was supposed to be.

"Syrene," Uther said, bringing her into his arms. Rena sighed; Uther was still the only one who refused to call her 'Rena'.

"Uther," she said, smiling as politely as she could. Why must I be here? She thought. Why can't I be back home, in Revasia? Revasia was the kingdom which Rena's father had previously been king of. She was not queen yet; instead her mother had to remarry immediately and there was now a new king, Wylon. He was nice enough, but he was not as good a ruler as her father had been.

And this was all why she was in Camelot. Though she was happy to be in the place she had come to consider a second home, she wished it was not under such circumstances. Rena was the victim of yet another royal arranged marriage, and she was in Camelot to meet (then marry) her suitor. She didn't even know his name. She just knew that what she was subject to was wrong.

And what kind of basis was that for a marriage?

Anyway, Rena was happy to be back in Camelot, even if she had to deal with her arranged marriage and her uncle… who killed anything magic in sight. Rena had enough sense to know it was wrong, but she daren't say anything to Uther.

"Arthur," she greeted her cousin for the second time. A smart smirk was on her face, and it matched Arthur's almost perfectly.

"Rena." Rena quickly looked at Merlin, and gave him a look that said "say nothing".

Merlin wasn't going to.

A/N: Not much happened in this chapter. Yes, it wasn't very exciting, but it will get better!