I do not own Merlin. Yup. Sorry I made the characters younger, I feel like I couldn't write about people much older than me all that well. A few things will change, like the dialogue here or there, and their movements (I can't spend all my time watching Merlin frame by frame… I have a short attention span.) I hope to change things a little more in the future, such as the whole tavern thing (for me, that gag got old darn fast, you?) and how some things play out, but the beginning will pretty much be a lot like the original with lots of crappy writing. Love you chicks and male chicks. *Pats heads*

Chapter One

The Dragons Call

A young girl of about fifteen was walking down a trail. This girl is Merline, a girl with a great destiny that she doesn't yet know, and will never know fully until the day she dies. She wore men's clothes, though it was obvious she was a girl. A red scarf was wrapped around her waist, tightening the slightly too large blue tunic; and a neckercheif, just because.

Merline was a beautiful girl, albeit in an awkward way. She was far too skinny, so much that it was almost unattractive, from barely living through every year. Her face had a impish look that gave off the impression that she shouldn't be left alone, lest the world spin into utter chaos. She had big electric blue eyes and long, unevenly cut dark brown hair that was tied in a high ponytail. She also had large ears that she didn't even try to hide, instead she wore them proudly.

The trip to Camelot was four days, and Merline was fully worn. She would have been even more so, had her possessions been more than pitiful. But when she arrived, it was the largest and most grand thing she had ever seen. The castles reached many times father into the sky than any tree she had ever climbed. The details on everything made her gasp. Never had she dreamed of something so beautiful.

Soon, a gathering of people gripped her attention, along with the blowing of horns and beating of drums. Two men in chainmail and red tunics bearing the mark of Camelot brought out a man wearing sad brown clothes and an expression of defeat.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all," A booming yet seemingly calm voice said. Merline looked up to see a man in regal clothes; he was worn by age, yet still handsome. Merline shivered, this man gave her a sense of unease, "This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring with enchantments and magic. And pursuant to the laws of Camelot I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death."

She gaped, of course she had heard of such things happening, but she had thought that they had been mere rumors. Death, for something that shaped her entire being, how would she fair here, she wondered. Magic was her life, without it she was nothing. She shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously.

"I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery," He continued, venom in his voice that was hidden by false calmness, he faked a sad look then said "There is but one sentence I can pass."

The king then nodded his head, signaling the beginning of the execution. Merline looked at the older man, so scared she almost cried. That could be me one day, never mind I do nothing wrong. I could be killed.

The drums beated louder in her ears, or maybe that was her heartbeat. King Uther raised his hand as the man raised his ax and Merline looked away as they both brought their arms down. As the head fell from the now lifeless body Uther again spoke,

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but, with the peoples' help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin!"

A whimper of pure pain came from the crowd, and they parted to reveal a weak old woman wearing a dress as old and worn as she was. The sight broke her heart.

"There is only one evil on this land and it is not magic. It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son." For a moment Merline could have sworn she saw guilt spread across the King's face, "But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son!" The woman spat. For awhile Merline agreed with her, but she came to realize this woman was full of spite instead of wishes for equality.

"Seize her!" King Uther yelled, and Merline had to wonder if that was fear in his voice or hatred. She guessed both.

The old woman hissed in a language Merline didn't understand, while holding onto her necklace. Within a second, she disappeared in an explosion of smoke. The crowd filled with scared and rushed whispers. Merline just stood there, shocked. She didn't know what to be frightened by more, the execution or the first display of magic she had seen from somebody who wasn't herself.

She remembered why she had come in the first place and walked up to a guard.

"Where I can find Gaius, the physician?"

The guard grunted something and pointed. Merline came upon a short flight of stairs. She walked up them and came into a room cluttered with various potions, plants and books.

"Gaius?" Merline asked, as she saw a stocky man on a ledge-like upper floor looking at books. He turned a fell, breaking through the apparently poorly made wooden railing. As he fell, Merline acted on instinct, stopping the man midair. Her eyes shimmered a fiery gold and she looked around the room for an answer to her dilemma. She quickly moved his bed for him to fall on and released her hold on the old man.

He fell down safely onto the bed. Gaius asked much to her horror,

"What did you just do?"

"Uh, I, I, huh,"

"Tell me!" Gaius said, standing.

"I-I-I, uh, it just happened." She muttered weakly.

"If anyone had seen that…" the elder man said, pausing in the middle of his sentence in a way Merline usually found annoying, but right now she didn't care.

"No!" she said quickly, "That, what you saw had nothing to do with me. I'm just a bystander to this amazing feat that had just, uh, happened. These things do happen, that was just-"

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learnt how to do it."

"Nowhere,"

Gaius scowled, "So how is it you know magic?" he asked.

"I don't."

"Where did you study?" He pressed; Merline averted her gaze and gulped. She was rather unnerved by the display she had seen just a few minutes prior, "Answer me!"

"I never studied magic or, or been taught. I have no idea what you're talking about," She said in a choked voice, looking anywhere but at Gaius.

"Are you lying to me, girl?"

"What would you like me to say?"

"The truth,"

"All I know is that I was born this way and there is no way to stop it," she sighed, defeated.

"That's impossible," Gaius scoffed. "Who are you?"

"Oh, err…" she pulled the letter from her backpack, "I have this letter."

"I don't have my glasses," he said.

"I'm Merline," she introduced.

"Hunith's daughter, but you're not meant to be here 'til Wednesday!"

"It is Wednesday," she told him, giving the elderly man a look of amusement and worry.

He paused for a second, and then nodded, "Ah, right then. You better put your bag in there."

She walked to the room Gaius had point out, but soon turned and asked, "You won't tell anybody about the whole, uh, thing..."

"No. Although Merline, I should say thank you," Gaius said smiling.

She walked to her room and put her thing down, thinking about what exactly she was going to do. The ideal thing would be becoming an apprentice for something she enjoyed, but it was far more likely she would become a servant. She supposed that wouldn't be too bad. She glanced up to see the sun had already gone down, and the night was a dark, beautiful blue. She could see every star in the sky, accompanied by a flawless full moon.

If the city had been beautiful during the day, then at night Camelot was a home for goddesses.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline awoke the next morning to a voice saying her name. She was confused, as the voice sounded raspy and almost as if it was inside her head. She sat up and looked into the bright light that was shining straight into her face. OK, she thought, maybe it was an after affect of a dream or something.

She lifted herself from the bed and walked into Gaius's room. The clutter of it all was very endearing to her for some reason, though usually it would have driven her to irritation.

"I got you some water, you didn't wash last night." Gaius said, and Merline shrugged. It didn't seem like that big a deal, but she supposed in more crowded areas there would be a greater risk of illness.

"Sorry."

"Well, help yourself to breakfast." He said, nodding to the table, where she saw a bowl of water and some watery porridge. It was better than nothing, but she had hoped for a little more than what she had back home. Of course, it was stupid to expect feasts every day, but maybe something besides a little blob of pure evil. She had never liked porridge, finding the taste, texture and all around lack of appeal utterly disgusting. She sat down anyway, choking it down and plastering a fake smile on her face to be polite.

Without her noticing, Gaius intentionally pushed the water bowl over in an attempt to see her magic once more. Merline was shocked and working on reflex stopped the bowl in midair. She locked eyes with the physician and dropped her shoulders, letting the water drop as well.

"How did you do that, did you incant a spell in your mind?"

"I don't know any spells." She said stupidly. For some reason Merline was sensing a pattern here that she doubted would stop or even slow any time soon.

"So what did you do? There must be something." Gaius was utterly confused by the going on. Merline was as well, she didn't know why he seemed so shocked, and honestly someone else must be able to move things without words. She knew she was special, but she didn't like being such an oddity it put wise old men into pondering.

"It just happens." She sounded so utterly resigned to fact she even shocked herself. Since when had she become so accepting of reality? Certainly not long ago, perhaps minutes or seconds, things can change within a hair's worth of time, she thought.

She walked over to a corner and picked up a mop. The ragged wood of it scratched her hands but she ignored it and mopped the water up while feeling slightly disappointed she hadn't gotten to wash. She was absolutely filthy. Endless walking for days apparently did that to you.

"Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you, here." Gaius said, placing a small bag and bottle onto the table. Merline looked down at it and raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say what it was.

"Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once."

"Okay," Merline said picking up the medicine and nodding. It was nothing compared to farming, running around a delivering things to sick people. It wasn't exactly filled with glory, but it seemed easy enough.

"And here," Gaius said, handing her a plate with a sandwich on it. She beamed at him and took the sandwich. "Off you go. And Merline! I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed."

She nodded a goodbye and walked down the physician's corridor. She hopped through the square happily, her stomach thanking her profusely for the solid food. She soon found herself at a door belonging to Sir Olwin. She knocked a random beat on the door and a squinting old man answered the door.

"I, uh, brought your medicine." She said awkwardly, this old man gave her the willies.

Sir Olwin popped the cork and started to gulp down the medicine. Merline twitched with worry, wondering whether the man would explode or something of that nature.

"I'm sure it will be fine." She said, more to herself than to the man. She walked away, off to find Lady Percival.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline was crossing a drawbridge gate into the training grounds. She was off exploring the rumored glory of Camelot since she had finished all her chores. She looked over to see a handsome eighteen year old boy, with blue eyes and blonde hair, who just happened to be the Prince Arthur, picking on a servant boy. She was thoroughly appalled by the gesture and tilted her chin upward like she always did when expecting a challenge.

"Where's the target?" Arthur asked, his group of minions laughing in the background.

"Th-there, sir," The servant boy said weakly.

"It's into the sun?" He asked, faking full on annoyance, with his voice full of superiority. The servant boy was trying not to shake. He had heard story about the prince, how he seemed to treat many people well, but those people were never servants. He wondered exactly what would happen next.

"But, it's not that bright?" He said, trying to redeem himself, though the servant knew that he made the sentence seem slightly challenging.

"Like you then, eh?" Arthur laughed, his group of armored idiots laughing as if it was a joke from the gods themselves.

"I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?"

"Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy." A knight said, trying to hold back laughing and spitting on the servant's face.

"This'll teach him." Arthur said, snickering.

"Yeah," Another knight said, who was obviously a few swords short of an armory. Arthur then threw a dagger at the target.

"Hey! Hang on!" He said, but this only made Arthur more intent on making the servant curl up and cry.

"Don't stop!" Arthur scoffed loudly. By this time, Merline was steaming. If she got any angrier, she would have erupted in explosion of anger and magic.

"Here?" The serving boy asked, his voice full of such hope Merline's heart almost broke into a million pieces.

"I told you to keep moving!" The prince yelled, throwing another dagger, "Come on, run!"

The servant shuffled his feet in an attempt to carry the large target as Arthur threw even more daggers.

"Do you want some moving target practice?" He mocked; the servant boy finally dropped the target. It rolled to Merline's feet and she put a foot on it. She cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms.

"Hey, come on, that's enough."

"What" Arthur asked, not believing anybody would defy him, let alone a lowly peasant girl who apparently couldn't afford a dress, so she was wearing a male's clothes. The servant boy looked at the girl, thinking that she must be new to Camelot, since she was treating the prince like the common rude idiot. Also, he would have remembered seeing a pretty girl walking through the streets, he doubted anybody looked quite like the girl who was, at that moment, smirking at the prince.

"You've had your fun, my friend." She said, louder and clearer this time, as if she were talking to a naughty child. Arthur was purely outraged by the little runt.

"Do I know you?" He said, cocking an eyebrow and giving her a look that usually made women fall to their knees.

"I'm Merline," She said, giving him a nice smile that held no kindness.

"So I don't know you."

"Nope," She said, popping the P.

"Yet you called me 'friend.'" He mocked, talking to her as if she were stupid, as she did not moments before.

"That was my mistake." She said, and the prince wondered if she might have at least a crumb of sanity.

"Yes, I think so." He said, pursing his lips.

"I'd never had a friend who could treat people like such vermin, when he's the vermin himself." She spat, shrugging off the strange looks she got from everyone besides Arthur. Had he been anybody else, her words would have stung, but he found them amusing as nobody had even talked to him in this way. She started to walk away, when she heard him say,

"Or I one who could be so stupid,"

She froze, but didn't turn around.

"Tell me Merline do you know how to walk on your knees?" He asked, then though of something that would probably get her even angrier, "I guess that's all a woman as ugly and stupid as you would be good for."

She turned slowly, and Arthur could have sworn he saw her eyes flash gold. The he disregarded thought as her eyes were blue when he took a second glance.

"Don't make me make you regret that poorly made insult." She said, glaring.

"Why? What are you going to do to me?" He said, chuckling. This girl was horribly thin and looked as if she were about the collapse. Though he had to admit there was something shifty about her; like she was hiding something.

"You have no idea." She said, raising her chin with a gleam in her eye that said I know more about everything then you do, except for being a bastard. Arthur didn't know how one look could say so much but it did. Merline was thinking if she could just use magic, then she could have killed everyone in a mile's radius, maybe. Probably not, but there was a chance.

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come on." He said, winking in a mocking way. She kicked him straight in the chest, it was slightly impressive the first few moments but it was all lost by the fact she had the strength of a newborn bunny and instead of him stumbling backwards, it was her who fell straight on her rump. She muttered a curse and stood slowly.

"Whoa!" The knights said, wondering how somebody could go from stupidly brave to stupidly clumsy so fast.

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that."

"What, who do you think you are? The King," She asked, scoffing. Realization came upon everyone who had witnessed the event. It wasn't her defying the whole of Camelot; it was simply her newcomer mind.

"No. I'm his son, Arthur."

Recognition dawned on her face too late.

She could be flogged, or worse. She could use her magic to escape, but that would probably make her the source of endless witch hunt.

So she sighed, and let the guards take her to a cell in the dungeon.

She really needed to learn how to shut the heck up.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline awoke to the horrible voice again.

"Merline, Merline,"

It's took her awhile to realize where exactly she was, then she remembered the dungeon. Really, you think that a city a fine as Camelot could afford nothing but the best for their insane criminals. She was scared of the voice, which had been coming what seemed from the floor; she jumped up and pressed herself against the wall. She cupped her head in her hands and just wished for it to go away. She wondered if she was going crazy, heck, she might not even have magic. Maybe that was a delusion too.

But that was just too much to hope for.

"Merline,"

She lowered herself to the ground to inspect the floor. Maybe there was somebody down there. She doubted many people knew her name, and the ones who did didn't seem to be into these pranks.

"Merline," A voice yells, and she could tell it didn't belong to the ancient and powerful voice she had heard earlier. She jumped up as the cell door opens and Gaius walked in.

"You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot."

"He was asking for it-" She looked over to see his face and gulped nervously, "I-I'm sorry."

"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She said, squealing slightly and bringing her hand up to her mouth. "I won't forget this."

"Well, there is a small price to pay."

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Being pelted by various rotted plant matter was not fun. Merline now knew that as an overly ripe tomato hit her square in the face, dripping its juices into her mouth. She spat. She never had tomatoes, as they weren't something you could get back home, but she now knew she loathed them. Even more than the gloppy monstrosity that is porridge.

The children soon left laughing to get more supplies to spite her with. She did not like the feeling of something on her face she couldn't wipe off. It was utterly disgusting.

A girl with skin tanner than she had ever seen soon approached and nodded her respect to the girl.

"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid."

"Right, I'm Merline the great." She said, laughing at her own joke, "I'd shake your hand but I'm covered in plant matter…"

Gwen laughed as Merline tried to lick her face clean, a task that would take much more than an average sized tongue.

"It was brave, what you did."

"Nah, it was stupid."

"No it was brave. Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."

"Hmm, really?" Merline asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah,"

The children came back with even more rotten fruit than before and Merline cringed, "Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting." With that, Gwen left laughing all the while. And the children began to pelt her once more.

"Aim for my ears!" She joked, "They're an easy target!"

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline sat down to eat and braced herself for more scolding.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asked innocently, though it was obvious he was joking.

"I know you're still angry with me." She said, glaring down at the table. She didn't want to see another vegetable for months.

"Your mother asked me to look after you."

"Yes."

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?"

"That I was special." Merline grumbled, stabbing at her plate. I don't like being 'special', she thought.

"You are special; the likes of which I have never seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was...elemental, instinctive."

"What's the point if it can't be used?" She spat, rubbing her temple.

"That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin." Gaius said, sighing. Great, I'm a question and a freak, she thought.

"Did you ever study magic?"

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago." Gaius said, edging around the real answer.

"Why?"

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."

"What? All of them?"

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it. Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice."

Merline ate the rest of her food in silence, thinking about what exactly she could do with her powers. Once she finished, she took a bottle of strange liquid from Gaius and walked to Lady Helen's chambers. She walked into the room, realizing nobody was there; she walked over to the vanity and put down the bottle. Then she noticed a strange book, she was about to reach for it when Lady Helen burst through the door.

"What are you doing in here?" She sniffed, looking at the bottle.

"I, I was asked to deliver this." Merline stuttered, handing her the bottle and quickly running off.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline was walking through the square when she passed Arthur and his goons. She ducked her head and walked quicker, hoping that they would just ignore her. She did not want to be covered in crusty plant matter again.

"How's your knee-walking coming along?" Arthur chuckled and Merline just kept walking, "Aw, don't run away!"

But to Arthur's surprise she just shrugged, scoffed and kept walking. Arthur ran to catch up with her.

"Hah, I didn't know you were dumb and deaf."

"Look, I'm sorry I called you vermin. You're clearly not."

"Thank you," Arthur said sarcastically, putting his hand over his heart.

"You're a prat." She laughed, "And a royal one too."

"There's something about you Merline, I can't put my finger on it." He said, surprised he remembered the stupid girl's name. Merline gulped visibly and ran off yelling,

"I've got to… Do stuff yeah, goodbye!"

Merline was scared he had somehow found out about her magic. As the king's son he would have her executed without a second thought. Arthur was glad that he had made her nervous, though how he wasn't sure. He had to admit though, the girl could run.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

It was the middle of the night aand Merlin was laying awake in bed. She found herself expecting something to happen, so she couldn't fall asleep. No matter how hard she tried. Soon she gave up on the attempt to sleep and just stayed in place.

"Merline, Merline,"

OK, OK she thought, let's go see what this glorious voice is. She got up and snuck past Gaius and into the square.

"Merline,"

"Ok," She whispered, "Shut up you annoying voice."

She walked down a wrought iron staircase and into a room. She noticed two guards playing some game with dice. She held back her laughter as she rolled the dice away from them and they went after them. Yeah, she thought, that's a lot more important than something you're paid to guard for some reason.

She grabbed a torch and lit it, walking into a rocky cave.

"Merline," The voice boomed, laughing.

"Where are you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and waving the torch about. Then a giant dragon flew in front of her. She gaped, falling backward, "Whoa."

"I'm here. How small you are for such a great destiny."

"Why? What do you mean? What destiny?" She couldn't believe it; some crazy dragon was telling her that she had a great destiny. Yeah, right, she couldn't even walk properly, let alone have some great destiny.

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason." The dragon explained. Merline snapped her fingers and looked away scowling.

"So there is a reason."

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion."

"Right and I am Lady Percival." She scoffed, and the dragon laughed.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike."

"I don't see what this has to do with me." She shrugged.

"Everything; without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion."

"No, no you've got this wrong." She started to freak out, her making something that would alter the world forever. She couldn't believe it. She didn't believe it.

"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't."

"But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand." She joked, though she doubted she would be killing anybody anytime soon. It just didn't seem right to her.

"None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it." The dragon said, and Marline cursed him for being so darn logical.

"No. No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot!"

"Perhaps it's your destiny to change that." With that the dragon flew off and Merline stood there in wonder.

"Wait! Wait! Wait, stop! No, I, I need to know more!" She screamed, and stood there while longer. But she got the feeling she would not see the dragon again today. So she soon slumped off to bed and fell asleep instantly.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Gaius entered Merline messy room and threw some of her clothes that she had scattered on the floor at her.

"Hoy!" Gaius said, waking Merline from her somewhat peaceful slumber, "Have you seen the state of this room!"

"It just happens." She shrugged, yawning.

"By magic?"

"Yeah,"

"Yes. Well, you can clear it up without magic. And then I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares." Gaius tossed some more clothes at Merline and then left.

"Huh, I know the feeling." She said, thinking of last night conversation with the dragon. Her life was now a never ending nightmare. She looked down at the floor and wondered aloud, "Since when did I have this many clothes?"

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Merline walked up a flight of curved steps into Lady Morgana's chambers. She opened the door to see Morgana walking behind the changing screen.

"You know, I've been thinking about Arthur. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you Gwen?"

"Oh, here," Merline said, putting the dress over the screen, "And sorry, I'm not Gwen, I'm delivering Gaius's medicine for your nightmares?"

"Oh right, put it over there."

"You know, I'm not sure I would touch Arthur with a lance pole either, you know?"

Morgana laughed and said, "I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the King's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it?"

"I don't think so; I mean if you don't care for him you shouldn't have to spend time with him."

"I suppose. If he wants me to go, then he should invite me, and he hasn't." Morgana sighed and shook her head.

"That's just him being a prat as usual." Merline said and the two girls burst into laughter.

"So do you know what that means?"

"No?"

"It means I'm going by myself."

"That's fantastic."

Morgana came out from behind the screen holding a low cut maroon dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and then put the maroon gown in front of her, seeing what it would look like.

"So, it's whether I wear this little tease, or give them a night they'll really remember."

Morgana nodded her regards to Merline and a moment later Gwen came bursting through the door. Her dark curly hair was messy from running.

"Sorry I'm late, Milady. I needed to take care of-" Gwen notice Merline and gave her a strange look, "Merline?"

"Well, I best be off, medicine to deliver and all that." She lowered her had to Morgana and started to leave when Morgana said,

"Merline, I think we'll be good friends."

Merline gave her a toothy grin and walked away, waving goodbye to them both. She'd never had friends who were girls before. It made her feel all giddy inside.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Arthur was joking with his friends about fighting when Morgana walked into sight. The dress was indeed low cut, and every male either avoided looking at her completely or full on stared.

"Have mercy…" Arthur coughed, staring at Morgana. Merline glared at Arthur for a long while. Arthur didn't notice this, but he did feel a murderous aura directed at him.

"Merline, remember, you're here to work."

"Huh, yeah, sure," She muttered, but continued to glare at Arthur.

Morgana walked up to Arthur and said her greetings, and Arthur said, "Morgana, you look well..."

"She looks great, doesn't she?" Gwen said, walking up to Merline.

"Yeah,"

"Some people are just born to be queen."

"Really," Merline gasped, she felt sorry for Morgana if she was going to have to marry Arthur one day. Her gaze softened and she looked over to Gwen.

"I hope so. One day. Not that I'd want to be her. Who'd want to marry Arthur?"

"Really Gwen, you seem like the type to like the prat-like save the world kind of men."

"Oh, no, I like much more ordinary men. One's who wouldn't ignore you if you were saying something of importance. What about you, you seem like the type to like oddities."

"If I liked oddities I'd be kissing a mirror right now. No, I don't know what type of man I like. I mean, I've had petty crushes before but they were just that. I don't think anybody really has a type. I mean; you fall in love with who you fall in love with. You don't just pick somebody who fits into a box and then marry him. It depends on how things play out."

"You're smarter than you look, Merline. You just gave me a lot of questions about myself."

"Gee, thanks," She said, rolling her eyes.

"I didn't mean it like that… Uh… Sorry I guess I did."

"Forget it; let us enjoy catering to the many a whim of nobles."

"Let us."

The two locked arms and giggled quietly; trying not to bring unwanted attention. After all the food was served Merline was standing in the corner, alone.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

The entire room burst into applause, the music began an Arthur and his court took their seats. Lady Helen began to sing, it was the most beautiful thing Merline had ever seen or heard. Soon everyone except for Merline began to drift off into sleep. Merline put her hands over her ears, to prevent the enchantment that was taking place. Cobwebs began to form on everyone except for her. It might not affect her at all, but she wasn't taking any chances.

Merline saw Lady Helen staring at Arthur as she walked forward. She pulled a dagger from her sleeve and Merline silently cursed. Merline forced the chandelier to drop with her magic as the woman raised her arm. The court members awoke, muttering. Uther and Arthur stood to see the old women who had threatened him a few days before. Merline gasped as the woman raised herself enough to throw the dagger. Merline slowed down time and pushed Arthur out of the daggers reach. As she stumbled, time began to return to its regular pace.

The dagger then hit the wall exactly where Arthur's head had been a moment before. She shrieked in fear at the fact she was still touching Arthur, and that her destiny had apparently just begun. She pushed herself away from him and started to mutter about how the world existed to only spite her.

Arthur looked at the girl strangely, where had he… Great, he thought, it's the idiot from before. He didn't get why she had saved his life, or how. Perhaps it was dumb luck. Also, he didn't get why the girl hadn't been affected by the spell. She was certainly strange, and he had to hold back laughter when she shrieked, pushed him away and started to mutter about spite.

"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well…" Merline paused, knowing that whatever the repayment would be she wouldn't like it.

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness." She twitched, but in the faded light of the room she doubted anyone saw it.

"No, absolutely; this merits something quite special."

"Really…" She started again, but the king spoke.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's maidservant."

The entire court burst into applause, though whether for what she had done or the king's words Merline didn't know.

"Father,"

He couldn't believe it; he was making an incompetent girl who simply got lucky his servant. He doubted she could do anything the servant of a prince should be able to do. He looked over the Merline, who was twitching like a mad woman. They both exchanged a look of dislike and turned away from each other unhappily.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Gaius knocked on Merline's chamber door and entered. Merline was sitting sadly on her bed while sighing heavily.

"Seems like you're a hero," He said, patting the girl on her head.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" She asked, giving him a mocking smile.

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life, remember?"

"But… That was magic."

"And now, it seems, we finally found a use for it."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw how you saved Arthur's life."

"Oh, no," She said sighing, holding her breath angrily.

"Perhaps that's its purpose."

"My glorious destiny, to save a prat's life and get a terrible job for it,"

"Maybe, this book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me."

She gasped as he handed her a book wrapped in cloth to her. She unlatched it and looked inside, "But this is a book of magic."

"This is why you must keep it hidden,"

"I will study every word." She said solemnly. Somebody knocked on the door of the physician's chambers.

"Merline, Prince Arthur wants you right away." What she presumed was a guard's voice said.

"Your destiny is calling. You'd better find out what he wants." Gaius said.

Merline sighed and walked off to cater to the royal prat.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

The Dragon's Call, END

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

I hope it wasn't too terrible… Yeah, this is so fun to right because all I have to do is rewrite it in a slightly different way.

NO PLOTTING, OMG #smileyface.