The Moment of Truth (Part 1)
(MERLIN'S POV)
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"Arthur what are you doing." I ask, sneaking up on the crown prince as he sat crouched behind a rose bush. He jumped at my question not expecting me to suddenly appear out of no where. Placing a hand over his heart he glared me down, a scowl upon his prattish face.
"Merlin don't do that." He snapped angrily, and honestly you can't blame me for biting on the worm he just extended to me. He makes it to easy. Composing my face I attempt a serious expression as i fold my arms politely behind my back.
"Sorry sire. I would have thought, with you being the best knight in the kingdom, that you would have noticed me. I guess even big strong knights can be scared by a lowly maidservant." He sputtered at that. Frantically attempting to rescue the pride I just shattered.
"Of course I saw you coming. Like you could actually sneak up on me. I just wanted to make sure you weren't trying to sneak up on anyone else."
"Than why did you jump." His mouth flapped like a fish on dry land as he desperately searched for words i already killed. After a moment he composed himself turning from me in a failed attempt to hide his embrassment.
"Don't you have chores to be doing." He huffed returning to hiding behind the bush as his eyes scanned the area. A hint of fear in his eyes.I frowned at that but decided not to question his wierdness. For now anyway.
"Actually I wanted to talk to you about that. I was wondering if starting tomorrow I can have the next few days off." He snorted at that not even bothering to look up as he continued his sweep of the castle grounds.
"What so you can spend the time in the tavern getting drunk." I rolled my eyes at that cursing Gauis for coming up with that lame excuse.
"No actually my moms birthday is coming up and I was hoping to travel home for a few days to celebrate with her." He instantly fell silent at that. An almost sad expression flickering across his eyes as he no doubt remembered all the birthdays he would never spend with his own mom. After a moment of silence he spoke. His voice softer than it was.
"Of course. You can have the week off. I will have a stablehand saddle a horse for you in the courtyard." I smiled throwing myself at him and wrapping him up in a hug.
"Thank you so much Arthur. Thank you. Thank you." I sang holding his stunned body close. Suddenly I stiffened as I realized exactly who I was currently hugging. Squeaking in embrassment, cheeks flaming red, i leap away from him. Avoiding his gaxe as I awkwardly begin walking away from the shocked prince.
"Er anyway I will see you later. Lots to pack." I nervously stammered bolting out of there as fast as possible. Only when I was safely back in my bedroom with the door shut and bolted I realized. I never did find out why Arthur was hiding behind a bush.
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The next day I was heading toward the court yard, where the horse should be waiting, when i paused. Brow creasing in confusion as I noticed both Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen sitting a top a horse each waiting for me. Beside them was another horse already saddled and ready for me.
"Um whats going on? Why are you three here." I ask approaching and hooking my bag onto my horses saddle.
"Well seeing as you can't even walk 2 feet without tripping over your own feet. I figured I should come along just to make sure you don't fall off your horse and kill yourself on the way there." Arthur claimed smirking at me atop his black stallion. I narrowed my eyes seeing right though his weak escuse. It took me a while but I figured out shortly before dawn why Arthur would be behind that bush. I can also guess that would be the reason for his presence.
"Oh and I assume it has nothing at all to do with you avoiding a certain scarlet haired princess?" I hummed smirking as he blushed tomato red.
"Of course not. Princess Annabeth has nothing to do with it. I merely want to make sure I don't lose my maidservant to her clumsiness. It would be a right pain to have to train a new servant after all." He retrotted attempting to hide his embrassment. Causing my smirk to widen into a grin.
"Of course sire." I mocked before turning to the other 2.
"What about you my lady. Why are you and Gwen tagging along?"
"Oh I am just tired of being cooped up in the castle. Besides I think it would be lovely to meet your mother Merlin, and Gwen is coming as my companion." Morgana happily chirped. Smiling and shaking my head at the 3 amigos I swung myswlf into the saddle before following Arthur out the city gates.
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"What are you doing Merlin?" Morganaenquired sitting beside me by the fire. Looking up at my friendI smiled before going back to my project.
"I'm making a gift for my mom." I anwsered not even bothering to ask why she wasn't asleep like Gwen.
"A gift?"
"Yeah I'm making a bird out of wood. She once told me I recieved my name from a golden eyed bird called a Merlin. She said it was her favroite animal for how beautiful its eyes shone in the morning light. So I decided to make one for her to keep." I replied a soft smile on my face as I focused on my project. Only for it to vanish into a scowl at the prats voice.
"Why not just buy a already made carved bird instead of taking so much time to make one?" I rolled my eyes at how naive and oblivious the prat is.
"Well sire for one thing. I don't have the money for something like that. It usually cost about a month worth of my paycheck. Even than I would be short."
"Than why not just ask me for money. I could have he... eep" He yelped as I threw a small pebble at him. Not large enough to hurt him, but big enough to shut his mouth.
"Because you prat if you paid for it than it would be your gift. Not mine. Besides I like to take the time to do it myself. I feel like it means more when you sacrifice time out of your busy schedule to do something nice for another. It shows that you care. At least thats my opinion anyway. There I'm done." I triumphantly crowed passing the little figuren to Morgana who examined it with awe in her eyes.
"Where did you learn to carve so well Merlin." Morgana curiously asked carefully passing the bird to Arthur for his inspection.
"Well for that I will have to explain a little about my life thus far. You see I grew up with out a father and a mother who struggled just to put food on the table. I was often seen as a little demon by the other villiagers as I was born out of wedlock. So they kept their distance. The adults were afraid my "curse", if you will, of being fatherless was contagious. They were worried it would spread to their children any they would also grow to sleep outside of marriage. So for the most part my mother and I were on our own. We had very little money so on times of celebrations the best we could do was scrounge up maybe a second bowl of porriage rather than one, and my moms birthdays were all but forgotten. I was 6 when I decided I wanted to give my mom a gift. I didn't want her to go another year doing so much for me without so much as 1 present. I got the idea when a traveling peddler showed me one of the carvings he was selling, but when I asked I found they were to expensive. Not that I had any money anyway. Disappointed I retreated to the woods. I was wandeting around wallowing in self pity when I had the idea. Why not make a carving myself. I admit I am not proud of what I did next, but in my little kid mind I justified it with making my mom smile on her birthday. As I was little I wasn't actually allowed to play with sharp knives, but I knew where my mom kept her favroite knife. So when she was busy I snuck in and took it. When mom noticed it gone she freaked out crying and tareing the place apart looking for it. I was terrified I would get in trouble. I didn't understand why my mom was so upset until after I had returned it with the gift. It was the last thing my dad left mom before he left." I paused letting my words sink in a moment before I continued.
"I was worried I would get in trouble for taking it so Instead of fessing up. I kept quiet justifying yet again that once the carving was done I would return it and my mom would forgive me. It took me longer than I thought to figure out how to do it. I didn't actually finigure it out and finish a semi decdnt one until after a whole year had past. I cut myself more than I could count but I alwattold my mom i tripped. Don't think she believed me but she didn't press the issue. Just bandaged my hand. During that time the loss of the knife weighed heavy on my moms heart. I felt bad for taking it but I was convinced my mom would forgive me once she saw the carving. She did but I was grounded for 2 months after. On the day of her birthday after I finished the carving of a bunny rabbit I gave it to her all smiles.She at first was awed by my gift but after a moment of looking at it her eyes narrowed and she began questioning me how I made it. Thats when I admitted to taking the knife and returned it. She was relieved to have it back but was furious I took it as I could have been hurt. She walloped my backend so hard I couldn't sit down for a week begore grounding me for 2 months. It was when I was 12 on my birthday that she gave me back the knife deciding i was now old enough to care for it. She than told me the story of how my dad before he left was into carving figurens too. It was a favroite past time of his. When he left he gave my mom his carving knife as a promise that when it was safe he would return. He never returned. So every year on her birthday since I got the knife back I have made her a different animal from wood." I explained taking the bird from Arthurs outstretched hands.
"But why did he leave in the first place?" I jumped slightly as Gwens quiet voice joined the conversation. Her slim figure appearing from the darkness to sit beside Arthur on the log across from us.
"He had no choice. A very bad man who were after my dad sent some people to raid our villager searching for my dad. My dad worried my mom would be caught in the cross fire left promising to return once Ut.. i mean once that man stopped looking for him, but he never did stop looking so my dad never returned. He didn't even know my mom was pregnant with me when he left. Anyway I am going to turn in. See you in the morning. Thats all I really know of my dad though as its a sore topic for my mom so she preferred not to talk about him to much. I don'teven know his name, only a knife to rememberhim by becauseof a man who couldn't let a peaceful man go even beyond borders." I sighed giving away more than I intended. Not that they would connect the dots that it was Uther who drove my dad away. I can only assume my dad also haf magic and thats why he was chased. Though why uther was so desperate to capture him even after crossing to cedrics territory is beyond me.
My heart weighed a bag of bricks by now as thoughts of what could have been if my dad wasn't forced to leave, danced through my head. Walking a way before they could respond. I curled up under my ratty old blanket bybthe fire and closed my eyes. I could hear the others quietly whispering as they discussed what i just said, but I ignored them in favor of blocking out all thoughts a tear sliding freely down my cheek.
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"Merlin when you told us about your home village I admit I expected it to be.... I don't know more populated" Morgana stated. A frown on her flawless face as she scanned the seemingly lifeless town. Not a single soul could be seen on the street. If it weren't for the eyes stealthily peeking out their windows I would have started wondering if we had entered a ghost town.
"Mother." I whispered worriedly racing away from the others toward a little cottage at the edge of the forest. I could hear the others following but I ignored them in favor of focusing on getting to my mom.
"MOTHER!" I yelled flinging the door open and startling the poor woman half to death as she stood washing dishes.
"Merlin?" She whispered shocked. Wiping her hands on her apron she approached me tears pooling in her blue eyes.
"My baby girl." She cried leaping into my arms when close enough. Pulling slightly away I gently cup her bruised cheek. Staring worriedly into her swelling left eye, and split lip.
"Mother who did this to you." I whispered horrified at her battered form.
"Kanen." She whispered closing her eyes as a tears slid down her abused flesh. I gasped in shock my trembling hand releasing her cheek to cover my quivering lips.
"Kanen, but no one has seen him in years." I whispered terrified remembering the day the villagers chased him away.
"I thought he was dead."
"We all did my dear, but he appeared in the village yesterday with a band of men demanding our harvest. We refused of course so he sent his men to attack us. Beating people, and killing a few of the men. When he was satisfied he ordered his men to retreat. He told us he would return in 3 days and if we still would not surrender the harvest he would take ayoung woman for each of his men." I shivered in dread at that. I couljust imagine what he would do with those girls he took.
"Who is this Kanen fellow?" Arthur piped up alerting us to his and the others prescene. Nervously licking my lips and wringing my trembling hands together. I gazed into his ocean
eyes as I explained.
"He used to be one of the villagers who lived nearby, but than he attacked one of the young women in her home. The girls dad tried to stop Kanen but was killed for his troubles. He was banished and chased from the village soon after. That was 5 years ago and until today everyone thought he had died as we hadn't heard from him. Obviously not since he is now the leader of a group of bandits." I replied shivering as the young womans tear filled eyes and bruised and battered skin haunted my memories.
"And the girl. What happened to her?" Gwen hesitantly asked taking a careful step toward me. I turned away at this crossing my arms protectively over my chest in an attempt to hide my pain filled eyes.
"She killed herself a week later." I softly anwsered not realizing I had started crying until Morgana had pulled me gently into her arms. Her chin resting atop my black curls.
"I'm so sorry Merlin." She whispered pressing a comforting kiss to the top of my head as she held me close. Its in this moment that I truly understood what it meant to have a sister as Morgana held me close, and Gwen rested a gentle hand on my trembling shoulder. Arthur unsure how to deal with my tears stayed glued in the doorway awkwardly running his fingers through his golden locks. After a moment he cleared his throat attempting to gain control once more.
"Well no matter, he will not succeed. If you will allow me I will like to help."
"And how do you plan to do that your highness." A cold voice asked behind Arthur. Spinning around Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen stared wide eyed at the intruder. While my mom merely sighed in exhaustion, and I gasped in joy.
"WILL!" I happily exclaimed taking a step toward him. Only for him to lift his hand to stop me. His hateful eyes never leaving the prince's.
"Well?" Will prompted a snap in his tone. After a moment Arthur shook off his surprise straightening his posture as he composed his face.
"I thought i could start by training the men and teaching them to fight." Will scoffed at that, causing Arthur compose to crack slightly before he once more composed himself.
"Sorry to disappoint your highness, but the men here are farmers. They aren't fighters."
"Maybe not but with a little bit of training anyone can learn to defend themselves." Arthur calmly anwsered only for Will to roll his eyes.
"It won't make a difference. Those bandits are stronger and more experienced. It don't matter if you train us. It will still end with Kanen killing the villagers just like he did my dad. So why don't you just butt out and mind your own business. Its what you royals are good at after all." He spat turning on his heel and disappeafing through the door.
"What was that about. I thought you said kanen only killed 1 person and assualted another?" Arthur demanded not connecting the dots as he turned his frustration on me.
"He did, and that was Wills dad and older sister."