chapter two!
002. secrets do behold

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

    SHE MADE sure she wasn't late the next morning. Up at her usual estranged hours, Odette slipped into the Lady Morgana's chambers while her mistress was still asleep, setting up her breakfast as she usually did. The King's Ward's chambers were beautiful. Despite being like every other room in this castle, Morgana has made the entire room her own extravagant beauty in silk curtains, sheer, embroidered drapes by her ginormous double bed, sanctioned off with intricate designed screens and many vases of flowers that Odette often collected. There was something peaceful and lovely about Morgana's chambers▬something that showed the pure kindness within her heart.

     As expected, the Lady Morgana wasn't really sleeping. From her soft pillows, her eyelashes fluttered and intelligent eyes gazed upon Odette as she moved around her centre table, pouring a morning glass of water. An amused smile donned her lips to see her, "Well, good morning," Morgana chuckled.

     Odette glanced up, and flushed, "Good morning, My Lady▬did you sleep well?"

      Morgana sighed, pushing herself to sit up and her long black hair fell down her back in waves, "You and I both know the answer to that question," she muttered bitterly. Her gaze wandered to the door to the side, where the antechamber resided, a place Odette often slept since she had nowhere else. But last night she swapped her shift with Guinevere while she slept in the servant's quarters down the hall▬of course, Odette would never say a word to Morgana, but sometimes, she needed a full-night's sleep instead of being woken up by each nightmare her mistress was plagued with. "Should we wake her? After what I did to her last night, she deserves a sleep in."

     "You shouldn't blame yourself Morgana," breathed Odette kindly, setting down the water jug to frown at her friend. "Did you take your sleeping draft?"

      The King's Ward scoffed and swept her legs out from beneath her covers, "It doesn't work."

      As if she knew they mentioned her, the door to the antechamber opened. There appeared a young, beautiful lady already fully dressed▬not an ounce about her showing as if she had just as much of a broken sleep as Morgana had. Guinevere Smith had been working for the King's Ward even before Odette had been taken in. She was the Lower Town Blacksmith's daughter, just a few years senior to Odette herself. Dark-haired, dark-skinned and dark-eyed, she was the embodiment of gentle beauty with a sweet smile and an even sweeter gaze.

     Morgana breathed an apologetic smile, "Gwen ... how are you?"

    Even if she had lied, Gwen was always polite▬she never spoke a bad word about anyone, "I'm perfectly fine, My Lady. How are you?"

     "After yesterday's events?" Morgana stood up and made her way over to the table. She started to pick at the fruit prepared for her. Guinevere made her way over to Odette and smiled brightly at her dear friend in greeting. She smiled back, softly nudging Gwen. "I believe anyone would have a hard nights sleep." The Lady sat down with a sigh, shaking her head with lament. "That poor woman ..."

      Gwen's brows furrowed, "The ... the woman that threatened Prince Arthur?"

      "I can't imagine what it is like to lose a son in such way," said Morgana, meeting their gazes. She looked weary with sadness. "Whatever threat she made, it was purely from the grief of her heart. Sorceress or not, she's a mother."

     Guinevere pursed her lips. She shared a glance with Odette before moving around to make Morgana's bed. The young handmaiden watched her before her gaze wandered to the window as she remembered the morning of the previous day▬what brought forth her frown was not the execution, or the mother's deadly threat, but of her own foolishness in the form of the secret she was harbouring below the staircases and back to Gaius's chambers. It started to weigh upon her shoulders as she realised she couldn't tell anyone. Not Morgana, not even Guinevere, about Merlin's talents. Odette swallowed harshly, hoping she hasn't signed her death sentence already.

     The frown still on her face, Odette swept towards the other end of the room, grabbing Morgana's buttoned over-dress that she often wore for official greetings that had been thrown over the side of her screens. For the festivities tomorrow, the famous Lady Helen of Mora was to arrive by evening later today, and Morgana had to be presentable to greet her. Odette was excited. She was invited to the feast▬well, she would be serving at the feast; pouring wine and placing food upon the plates of the Royal Household. But she was thrilled nonetheless, waiting with bated breath to hear the voice of the Lady Helen that was said to be that of an angel's from heaven. The last time they had a feast of this grand size would have been the King's birthday earlier in the year▬and Odette remembered the jesters, the flushed cheeks of invited Lords and Ladies of the Court, and the food Morgana had stolen to feast with Gwen and Odette away from the hall, chuckling amongst each other about Arthur's embarrassing fall from his chair after he had tried to stand.

     Odette pondered with silent laughter to herself over what possibly could happen in just a few nights.

     As Morgana expressed the story of her short spat with Uther last night before dinner to her two handmaidens, scoffing the usual insults as she feasted on her grapes, Odette carried the heavy coat to the open window. She needed to air it and shake the dust from it before she could give it a good wash, and it was easy to do it from the window rather than shaking the settling dust within the room.

     The morning sun had risen over the rest of Camelot now, and brought forth a bright Spring day. From here, Odette could see each and every person that resided within her home go about their daily business, and it made her smile. She forgot about Morgana's dress for a moment to just set her elbows down and peer out▬the gaze of a wistful daydreamer coming across her pretty features.

      Her daydreams of sunlight, happiness and naivety came to a halt at the loud, boisterous demand that immediately took away her smile.

     "Where's the target?"

     Odette recognised his voice easily. It was the loudest (and most annoying) of them all. She sighed, her fingers grabbing the fabric of Morgana's drape again as she narrowed her gaze down upon the small training session happening just outside the courtyard. She often wondered what joy Arthur got out of tormenting people▬his manservant, in particular. She didn't understand what pride and nobility there was to be given in doing so▬but he did it with a chuckle and a glance at his fellow knights beside him as if to receive their approval. Odette has watched it plenty of times. Watch him boast and make a joke, before checking to see whether they had laughed. Watch him win a fight in a tournament and glance upwards to his father to see whether he had impressed him. It disappointed her ... though what was the disappointment of a servant worth to a Prince?

      Though that disappointment grew, but was not surprised to see Ronyn amongst them. Odette's shoulders slumped, shaking her head slightly at him standing there in his green tunic and brown leather jacket. He and Arthur had been close when they were kids, and still were▬and they shared quite the amusement in making arrogant fools of themselves.

     "There, Sire?" his servant pointed to the target set up on the other end of the small set up, uncertain. His name was Morris. He's been the longest serving manservant of the Prince, and that would be▬if Odette's calculations were correct▬an entire total of five days.

     "It's into the sun," the prince stated, laughter escaping his throat. A few of the knights behind him shared a scoff. Morris flushed.

    "Well ..." he shuffled on his feet, "it's not that bright...?"

    "A bit like you, then?"

     Odette pursed her lips at the chuckles that ensued. With effort, she shook the heavy material and watched the dust breech upwards in the light of the day▬floating almost like they had wings; tiny fairies that glittered as they slowly settled somewhere else.

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

     Arthur nodded and so, Morris began to move the shield target. He struggled to hold it against his arm and up over his shoulder. Odette scowled down at Ronyn as an idea struck him, and his eyes lit up. He walked up to Arthur and muttered something to him in his ear. The Prince momentarily frowned. He glanced at the knife he twisted in his fingers as Ronyn expressed his idea to the rest of the knights▬and when they all laughed, Arthur glanced back. The frown on his face turned into a hesitant grin. "Yeah ... yeah ..." he nodded to himself and spun his dagger. "This'll teach him..."

     In a split second, the Prince of Camelot threw the dagger. Morris let out a high-pitched squeak when the blade imbedded itself in the target. His head popped up out from behind in horror, "Hey! Hang on!"

     Arthur laughed at the look on his face, "Don't stop!"

    The boy moved slightly to the right. "Here?" he asked with a breath of a whimper.

    "I told you to keep moving!" Arthur threw another knife and Morris shielded himself just in time. "Come on! Run! We want some moving-target practice!"

      "Odette?" the young handmaiden didn't hear her mistress call her, slightly confused as to why she stood so still at her window. Morgana frowned, arching a sharp brow. "Odette?"

     When she didn't respond, Guinevere walked over. She shuffled in beside her in the open window▬causing her to gasp in surprise and almost drop the dress. Gwen grabbed the fabric to stop it, frowning down towards the small training ground Arthur had set up only to sigh in understanding. "Does he always have to treat Morris as such?"

     At the name of Arthur's manservant, Morgana was quick to join them as well. All three girls glanced down and there was an identical scoff of disapproval between them.

     "Arthur," grumbled Morgana as if that was all of an answer there was needed▬and perhaps it was. "He's so obnoxious. Always has been, always will be, I say."

     Odette shook the dress again, troubled. It wasn't as if Morgana wasn't wrong▬she knew Arthur around the same time the lady arrived at the castle when she was ten-years-old after her father had perished in battle, and there had been times before she visited. Not that she remembered Odette from that age. Up until she was fourteen, she followed Ronyn and Arthur around like a lost duckling (an ugly duckling, as the Prince used to tell her)▬and sure, they spent most of those years trying to lose her; tricking her into following them into the stables and startling the horses, or hiding up in the deserted chambers in the higher towers and locking the door so she couldn't get in. But they never pushed her away because she was the daughter of a serving girl, but because she was a girl and they▬as boys▬wanted nothing to do with the girl younger than them. They still let her in after she slammed her hands long enough on the locked door, or let her find them in the end after chasing for a good hour. Arthur would still play cards with her when he was a teenager (even though she beat him each time). The obnoxious and immature he was then was nothing like the immaturity and arrogance he showed now. That grew from the moment age became a real barrier between a serving girl and two boys of noble birth. A Prince's childhood always ended early.

     Odette could say all she wanted about Arthur▬curse his arrogance, curse his immaturity and everything he did, but she couldn't help but still hold hope for him. How could she not? Just like she still wished Ronyn would talk to her in a way that was not from sympathy. Odette still held those days when they were younger close to her heart.

     She watched as the target rolled away, landing at the boots of a familiar acquaintance. Odette's eyes widened and she leaned a little out of the window to see Merlin place his foot on top of it, and the laughter died down.

     Guinevere recognised the look on her friends face. She squeezed in more to lean forward as well. The two young friends ignored Morgana's amused chuckle at their antics. "Do you know him?" whispered Gwen with a wide-eyed look. She caught the blush rise on Odette's cheeks.

     "No," she said quickly. "Well▬I mean▬yes, sort of▬not really, actually..."

      Gwen's lips quirked up into a knowing smile.

    "Hey, come on, that's enough," said Merlin. Both servants set their gaze back onto him, startled he'd speak so freely.

     Arthur held a similar mindset. He turned back around, setting his gaze upon a meek, thin boy who he's never seen before in his life. He glanced him up and down, frowning at his dirty tunic, his scuffed boots and tattered scarf around his neck. "What?"

     "You've had your fun, my friend," smiled Merlin and Odette's brows shot up.

     Arthur gave him a strange look. He shared a brief glance with Ronyn who shrugged, just as bewildered before he walked up to Merlin. "Do I know you?"

     "Uh, I'm Merlin," he held out his hand. Arthur just glanced down at it.

     "So, I don't know you."

    "No."

     "And yet you called me ... 'friend'?"

     Gwen quirked a brow▬she wasn't sure whether to be impressed or concerned by the breath of stupidity this stranger seemed to hold. She leaned in close to Odette who still watched, a very similar expression upon her face. "You know this boy?"

      Silent, she nodded▬as if she now regretted it.

    "That was my mistake," went on Merlin quietly, pursing his lips▬but he did not back down from the Prince's stare.

    "Yes, I think so," replied Arthur, waiting for an apology and for the both of them to go on about their day. Merlin had other ideas.

     "Yes," he agreed smartly, "I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass."

     The chuckles that arose from the Knights watching were no longer filled with amusement▬but in disbelief that someone of such low standing would be so brave (or stupid) to say such a thing to the future King of Camelot. Odette felt a breath of relief to see Merlin start to walk away, but Arthur wouldn't let him go.

     As soon as his back turned, the Prince held a grin that was more than amused▬it was pleasantly surprised, like the idea of someone telling him exactly what they thought was a refreshing moment of his day. "Or I one who could be so stupid. Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"

     The young warlock glanced back. He paused, before holding up his chin and stating, "No."

     "Would you like me to help you?"

     Merlin let out a small chortle, "I wouldn't if I were you."

     "Why?" the Prince snickered. "What are you going to do to me?"

    "You have no idea."

     "Be my guest!" Arthur held his arms out▬though Odette knew it was all out of ridicule. Even giving himself in like this, she knew he could block any attempt Merlin made. "Come on. Come on..."

     Merlin clenched his fists. Odette thought▬for a small moment▬that he wasn't going to do anything and just walk away. However, the young boy wasn't going to be that smart▬he grunted and threw a punch towards the Prince. It didn't take much on Arthur's end to take his arm before it could reach his face and twist it behind Merlin's back.

     Odette winced, hunching up beside Gwen. She felt a fury rise up in her as Arthur shoved Merlin over to the guards▬it boiled in the pit of her stomach and made home in her chest. Perhaps it was because she knew his secret, but a fierce impulse to protect her new acquaintance made Odette take a sharp breath through her nose and gather up Morgana's dress.

     Guinevere stepped aside, watching her with a breath of curiosity as she folded the fabric gently into the nearby basket. Odette balanced it against her hip and started to the servants door. "I'll get this washed and dried for tonight, My Lady."

     Morgana glanced up from her breakfast, confused at her sudden departure. She barely got the chance to say, "Oh, all right▬see you soon, Odette...!" she turned to Gwen for an explanation as their mutual friend rushed out of the servants entrance, and the blacksmith's daughter could do little more than shrug, an incredulous smile gracing her beautiful lips.

     Odette knew this castle back to front▬better, even, than the palm of her own hand. She grew up here; she took her first steps in the antechamber of a travelling princess, spoke her first words in the kitchens, sprained her ankle running up the winding steps to the tallest towers and snuck away from her mother to follow Ronyn to sword training. She knew the quickest way to be where she wanted, carrying Morgana's clothes in her basket▬though she was not heading to the kitchens to wash it, not yet.

    She rushed down the steps, going round and round, following a route that was barely lit with torches▬spiders spun their webs in the corners, rats scurried away from their feasts on small birds that often got stuck in the servants' hallways and could never find their way back out. Odette used to be scared of these corridors, now, they had basically become her home.

     It didn't take long for her to find the doorway she wanted. Even before she opened the door with some effort, she heard their laughter from this mornings spectacle. Odette grunted as she shoved the wood out against the grass▬using her back to get all the strength she needed to push it outwards and blinked, blinding by the sudden sunlight after emerging from such a dark passage.

     Her struggle brought the attention of the nearby knights enjoying the rest of their practice, retelling Arthur's mockery of Merlin as the highlight of their day. Their chuckles faded, startled, only to look away as soon as they recognised the presence of just another servant. Though, one did not. While his friends went back to their amusement without a second thought, Lord Ronyn of Vecentia kept his gaze upon the girl who knew exactly what she was doing▬and he knew exactly what she had come to say.

     He clenched his jaw, telling himself to ignore her. It was the best thing to do for the both of them▬he couldn't treat a servant as someone close to him, even if he had begged his father the day her mother died to invite her into their household as their Ward, he now knew why he had said no. Odette wasn't the daughter of anyone, she wasn't the sister he felt her to be deep down, she was an orphan▬she had little to give, and nothing to behold in a prestigious household. Ronyn didn't risk just himself by giving into his childhood memories and ignoring what his father said to give her a better home, he risked her. What would they say about an orphan serving girl being seen around a Lord such as himself? He knew exactly what: someone would accuse her of enchantments, and feel no regret when Uther sentenced her to death for something she never committed.

     But the side-eye she was giving him as she continued to push the door open, Lord Ronyn couldn't ignore.

     So, he quietly excused himself and walked away from the knights▬a title he once wanted to hold ... until his father passed and his entire household had been thrusted upon him.

     Ronyn was glad no one paid him any attention as he marched up to Odette. She might not be his sister by blood, but she sure knew how to act like an annoying little sibling. As soon as he reached the door, he pushed it open completely with a simple heave and watched Odette struggle to stay on her feet, not expecting him to help so abruptly.

     "What?" he asked her. "You tell me to go away yesterday morning and now you try to embarrass me?"

     "Embarrass you?" Odette played sweet innocence. "I would never try such a thing, My Lord Vecentia." Her gaze wandered around him. "I thought Prince Arthur would be here to enjoy the celebration of his spectacle of Merlin."

      Ronyn glanced behind them before giving her a slight shove back into the servants' corridors. He closed the door behind them and soon, they were met with the familiar darkness and smell of years of settled dust (and rats▬Lord, he hated the rats...). "Why don't you go annoy him, then?"

     Odette peered up at him with her piercing gaze, "What joy do you get out of the misery of others?"

     Ronyn made a face, "The boy Merlin? He should've known better than to speak like that to royalty."

     "No▬well, yes, that, too▬" Odette hugged her basket with Morgana's dress for what Ronyn assumed was tonight, "▬but I mean Morris. You gave the suggestion for Arthur to use him as moving target practice! I know how immature the both of you are but I never believed you to be so that much."

     The young Lord sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Odette," he chided the handmaiden, "Morris was in no real danger."

     "He's a person, not a target."

     There was no point in arguing about it. Odette knew▬with a brief sadness▬that Ronyn wouldn't see it the way she did. All he's known was the actions of people who thought themselves better, all she's known was what it was like to be on the receiving end of those people. The silence that settled between them made her huff and look away, chewing back the many words she wished she could say to him, but even she didn't dare to defy him that much. Even Ronyn had his limits.

     So, in a gentler voice, she asked the question she came here in the first place to know the answer for, "He hasn't thrown him in the dungeons, has he?"

     "Who?"

     "Merlin."

     The look on Ronyn's face told her all she needed to know. Odette's anger sparked again. "Merlin's not from here," she said, meeting the Lord's gaze, "he didn't know who Arthur was."

      Ronyn frowned at her, taken aback by her actions▬for her to come and see him for a boy who's barely been in Camelot long enough to know who the Prince was? It was unusual. He wanted to ask her why she cared, but he stopped himself. Instead, he crossed his arms and arched a brow at her, "You want me to ask Arthur to free the boy that attacked him?"

     "The boy he taunted. And yes, that would be very much appreciated."

      He could do that▬Odette knew he could, but when she saw the mischievous look in his gaze, she knew Ronyn was going to be difficult on purpose. "Go and ask your Prince yourself."

     Odette slumped, giving the young Lord who used to be like a brother to her a withering look, "Seriously? He won't listen to me. I doubt he remembers who I am let alone actually hear what I have to say."

     Ronyn frowned at her▬his amusement turning soft, and in that second, he looked just like he used to: kind, gentle, understanding▬the boy he was before his father died. In a soft whisper, he said, "You really think that?"

     Odette didn't meet his gaze. She pursed her lips and said in just barely louder than a murmur: "You might as well have ... and you're a Lord, he's the future King, he has no time for someone like me."

      Her old friend's shoulders sagged▬and grief dragged down his features. Ronyn looked as if he wanted to say something, and Odette waited with her breath hitched, hopeful ... until he didn't, and he cleared his throat, looking down at his feet. He kicked away dried, dead leaves. He chose something else to say: "I'll talk to him."

     Odette's eyes glanced up, surprised. "Y▬you will?"

    Lord Ronyn nodded. He took a few slow steps backwards to the door. He should have left it there, but he couldn't stop himself. He missed talking to her. He glanced back just before he went to push open the exit, "See you soon, Odette."

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

    MERLIN...

    The young boy stirred from his slumber on a stone floor covered with days old straw that itched at his nose. Merlin was no stranger to sleeping on nothing but the cold, dusty earth▬back home in Ealdor, he had no bed, no pillow, and barely a blanket that could keep out the cold winters, but there was something far less comforting spending the night in a dungeon below the daylight. He didn't know how he managed to sleep until the sunrise, but somehow he must've, for the strange whisperings of his name jolted him wide awake.

    He stayed there, shivering under his feeble jacket and staring back at the iron bars in front of him▬he was sure to have imagined it. Only a mad-man heard voices where there were none, and while others might believe otherwise, Merlin was sure he was yet to join the likes of the insane.

    But there it was again. Merlin ... It drawled in his mind, mysterious and ancient▬echoing through his bones and shocking him to his feet. He stumbled to the far corner of his cell, breathing heavily with a sudden spike of fear. He recognised that voice▬it had been the same voice he heard spur him from his slumber just the night before. He didn't know where it had come from▬it felt as if from everywhere. In the stoneworks, underneath his feet, rooted within his mind and his very bones with such power it was unsettling. Every time Merlin preformed a trick▬made time slow down, moved a bed or made a tree branch bend in the wind ... it gave him that feeling, like what he created, he was made very much of the same ...

    What such thing could be calling him that held such familiarity to the gifts he possessed?

    Merlin...?

    He knew he wasn't imagining it now. Merlin frowned, peering at the straw surrounding his boots. He brushed it away, revealing old stonework and tiles that were chapped and stained with markings he did not wish to guess how they came to. Slowly, the young warlock got to his knees. He pressed his hands on the stone, wondering if he could feel the voice vibrate up through his arms, but there was nothing. Merlin pressed his ear to the ground, desperate to hear it again. He didn't know what it meant, or what it could be▬or how it knew his name, he just understood one thing: he needed to find it. It drew on him like he was attached to a string tugged from its other end at afar.

    "Merlin!"

    Gaius's voice made him jump. He pushed to be on all fours, glancing over his shoulder as the dungeon door was unlocked and the physician marched in. Merlin breathed a grin, relieved to see him and he scrambled to his feet▬until he saw the look upon his new guardian's face and Merlin pursed his lips, immediately setting his gaze anywhere else.

    The Court Physician scoffed in disbelief, "You never cease to amaze me▬" he exclaimed and Merlin scratched the back of his ear, "▬the one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot!"

    Merlin hung his head. He nodded▬the last thing he wanted to do was to become a burden to a man who was not only just taking him in, but also keeping his secret at risk to his own life. "I'm sorry."

    "You're lucky," said Gaius and Merlin's gaze shot up, curious. "The Prince has inexplicably decided to change his mind and have you released."

    Merlin's eyes widened. Joyous relief swelled up within him and he breathed a cry of, "Oh! Thank you! Thank you!"

    "It wasn't me," his guardian shook his head, still rather disapproving and Merlin's excitement faltered like a snuffed out flame. "Though you should be grateful for whoever did persuade him ..." another thought seemed to cross the physician's mind. "Well, perhaps not ... there is a small price yet to pay." He chuckled, and the warlock's brows furrowed in worry, but Gaius did not say another word as he led the way out of the dungeon cell.

    Merlin found out his small price to pay soon enough.

    He's gotten into trouble before▬quite a lot of it, actually. But never once has Merlin found himself chained in the pillory by the Lower Town markets at the mercy of excited children and their rotten fruit. He wasn't sure whether he preferred a cold night on a cold stone floor, but he certainly did not like the feeling of rotten tomato juice running down the tips of his hair and spitting out seeds that had gotten into his mouth. A good two hours he faced. Two hours of this misery!

    (At least Gaius enjoyed it▬the physician wasted no time in visiting him and laughing with the rest of them).

    Finally, the children had run out of their tomatoes and lettuce, and were off at a run with their baskets to gather more. Merlin huffed out in his soon short-lived break, not quite noticing the hesitant figure approaching him in a modest dress and tunic slip she had made herself, fiddling with the edges of her cloak until she stood right beside him.

    Merlin glanced up, and it was not who he expected. He frowned, surprised, but not exactly in a bad way, intrigued by her shy wave. "I'm Guinevere," she spoke in a soft voice, "but most people call me Gwen. I'm one of the Lady Morgana's maids." She smiled. "Odette mentioned you."

    He sort of wished he wasn't covered in rotten fruit at the moment. "Right," he struggled to hold out his fingers from their chains so he could meet Guinevere's hand. "Well, I'm Merlin..." she chuckled and shook his fingers. "Although, most people just call me 'idiot'."

    Gwen's eyes widened and she quickly rushed out, "No! No, no, I saw what you did. You're so brave."

    Merlin tried not to let himself feel a breath of confidence at her kind words. He just shook his head and said, "It was stupid▬" and he was right. Now he was in the stocks. Even if he regretted not a word he said to the future sovereign, he wouldn't want to be in this position again if he could help it.

    "Well, I'm glad you walked away," went on Guinevere, "you weren't going to beat him."

    "What?" he wasn't expecting those next words. Maybe his pride will get in the way, but he couldn't help it. Merlin made a face, scoffing, "Oh, I▬I could beat him."

    Gwen just frowned at him, "You think? Because ... you don't look like one of these big muscly kind of fellows."

    He wasn't sure what to make of that. "Uh ... thanks?"

    With a short gasp, Guinevere realised the words she spoke, and she flushed with embarrassment. Quickly, she flung out her hands in a desperate apology, "No! No▬I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just▬erm▬well, you know ... Arthur's one of these real rough, tough save-the-world kind of men and, well ..."

    "What?"

    She inwardly winced as the rest of her sentence flowed out, "... You don't look like that..."

    Guinevere pursed her lips, meeting his eyes with that same hesitance, regretting what she said immediately. Merlin chuckled, shaking his head and motioning her with his chin to get in closer. She frowned, but obliged. Once she had shuffled in close enough, Merlin joked: "I'm in disguise."

    Her brows slowly lifted, and then, she broke out into wonderful laughter▬and all was forgiven. Guinevere shook her head at him, by far bemused. "Well, it's great you stood up to him," she decided to say as her chuckles ceased.

    Merlin tilted his head at her, admittedly happy to hear that, "You think so?"

    Gwen nodded, "Arthur's a bully and everyone thought you were a real hero." A glint sparked in her warm brown gaze. "One individual in particular, I'd say."

    The young warlock felt his heart flutter▬he hoped she meant who he believed she meant. To think that the young and beautiful Odette he had met thought him brave made him want to do it all over again now, and damn the consequences. "Oh, yeah?"

    Seeing right through him, Guinevere nodded. She hummed, trying very hard not to chuckle all over again.

    "Do I hear treason in the name of our Prince being a bully?"

    The new voice startled the both of them. Guinevere turned around, and in an instant, she dropped down into a polite crusty, bowing her head in the presence of a young man that struck Merlin as familiar, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it. He frowned as the stranger drew closer, hands clasped behind his rich doublet and his brows bouncing in delightful mirth to see Merlin in his predicament.

    "My Lord Vecentia," addressed Guinevere, surprised. She shuffled backwards, but the Lord rolled his eyes.

    "Come on, Gwen," he said, "I've known you long enough to not bow to me in the markets."

     Lord Vecentia was handsome▬a perfect embezzlement of a statue sculpted by an artist with sharp features, a sharp jawline and an even sharper copper stare that was glittering with silent laughter. "So," he said to Merlin as Gwen slowly stood up. She eyed the Lord warily, as if not sure whether to be casual or formal. "This is the boy who I persuaded the Prince to release from the hellish dungeon." He grinned. "Still as cocky as you were yesterday?"

     Merlin recognised him now. He was with the knights that had witnessed him fail in throwing a punch to the Prince. He wasn't afraid of him, either. "Others call me brave."

    Surprisingly, Lord Vecentia laughed. "I admit," he reached out and picked at the rotten fruit in Merlin's hair. He made a face, not expecting it, "it was hilarious to see someone like you try to stand up to Arthur."

    "... Thanks ..."

    The young lord peered at him sideways, like he was examining something under a very scrutinising gaze▬searching for imperfections under a looking glass. "I suppose I see why Odette is suddenly so intrigued with you. You're both ... how shall I say it? Impulsive."

    Merlin frowned at him, "You know Odette? She asked you to get me out of the dungeons?"

    "Her mother worked in my household when we were kids," shrugged the Lord, still examining him▬rather protectively. "I'm Ronyn. I suppose we should at least get acquainted."

    The name rang a bell. Merlin remembered Odette mentioning Ronyn▬he tried to imagine her running after this noble Lord as children; it was hard. He wondered why he thought the need to come down all this way to become acquainted with him, a boy nothing in comparison▬perhaps he felt obligated to, or perhaps there was something else to Lord Ronyn he wasn't quite showing.

    Merlin didn't get the time to find out as out of the corner of his eye, he saw and heard the chatter of children, their baskets filled to the brim with more rotten fruit. "Oh," he swallowed harshly, "excuse me, Guinevere and my Lord Ronyn▬" there was a small, surprised smile from the young lord at such casualty to his title, "▬my fans are waiting."

    Gwen's eyes widened, "Oh▬"

    Ronyn grinned, "Enjoy, brave Merlin," he ushered Guinevere along with the brush of a touch and Merlin barely had any time to wave farewell before soon enough, a fat, rotten tomato splattered right against his forehead.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

    WHEN SHE heard of Merlin's release from the dungeons, Odette was surprised. She despised how she was shocked that Ronyn went through with a promise, but in many years, she had lost faith in their once friendship that defied the barriers between a lowly daughter of a serving girl and the son of a wealthy lord. It made her hover by the windows of the Lady Morgana's chambers, gazing down upon the Lower Town that was alive with the afternoon markets, and wondered what cause he used to change the Prince's mind. Arthur was a stubborn ox on his best days▬turning his mind around over something in relation to his pride was real work; impossible work, even. Perhaps Ronyn made a bet, perhaps he'll be seen in the stocks next and Arthur will be the one throwing the tomatoes▬for even as close as they were, Arthur wouldn't just go back on his rulings because Ronyn asked him to.

    It made her keen, as soon as Morgana dismissed her of her duties with some errands for the markets (purely because she could tell the eagerness her maid held to make her way down there), to rush onwards into the Lower Town. She was still tying her cloak by its thread over her shoulders, hoping to find him still in the pillory. Or perhaps not▬she wasn't too sure what would be best.

    Her slippers were silent as she tattered down the front steps of the Camelot Castle into the main courtyard▬not an ounce left of the execution that had happened merely two days previously. But the guards were double; the King was still wary of the witch's promise.

    "Odette!"

    Hearing her name be called with such delight and surety took her off-guard. Odette spun back around, and her face brightened to see Merlin rush down the steps to meet her. He must've just come back from a wash▬his hair was wet against his forehead, and his clothes anew; not an ounce of rotten fruit was left on him.

    "Merlin," she greeted pleasantly, linking her fingers together in front of her skirts as he came to a stop in front of her.

    He grinned at her. There was a breath between them where neither said anything, and just stood there in slight awkward silence, stealing glances and biting the insides of their cheeks. Until Merlin pointed out to the drawbridge in front of them, "Are you heading to the markets?"

    "Yes!" exclaimed Odette▬perhaps a bit too excitedly. She flushed, and added in a more casual voice, "Yes▬I am. Would you like me to show you around?"

    The warlock nodded, still grinning. Odette went pink and spun on her feet. Together, the two teenagers started their walk out of the courtyard, down under the open drawbridge and towards the road past the Upper dwellings and straight to the Lower Town.

    It took a good minute of walking in silence before Merlin spoke up again. He watched Odette beside him, and felt something swell inside his chest knowing that Guinevere said she thought him brave. "I▬uh▬heard what you did for me. Asking Lord Ronyn to persuade the Prince in getting me out of the cells. Thank you."

    The young handmaiden met his gaze, and blushed under the sincerity. "Oh," she hunched up, her lips puckering in her attempt to dismiss his gratitude, "it was nothing. Being thrown in the dungeons was a harsh punishment▬I believed I could do something about it, so ... I did."

    "But still," he urged as they neared the beginning of the Lower Town, a maze of wooden and cobblestone foundations, with smoke from open-wood fires, blacksmiths, bakers and homes▬the average dweller of Camelot living their lives; it was simple, and yet it was lively. Something that could never quite amount to the slight loneliness there was in within the palace walls. "We've barely just met and you've done more than I could ever ask of a stranger." She soon realised they weren't talking about the dungeons. Merlin's voice dropped to a mutter, "You could have told the King about me ..." he glanced around them, "... helping Gaius, but ..." he smiled, grateful, "... you didn't. Thank you, Odette."

    She matched his glance with a ferocious one of her own. It startled him for a moment. "There are people out there who are the reason the laws are in place," stated Odette in a fierce whisper, "and it is because of them I respect and agree with what is in place for the time being. But that doesn't mean I agree with the execution of all magic. There is magic out there that needs to be stopped▬evil magic. But there is also ordinary men and women out there, children too, who are just like you: those that don't deserve to be hunted for something they use for the purpose of good."

    Merlin nodded. He kept gazing at her in a way that made her falter in her steps. She frowned at him, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    The warlock jolted himself out of his trance. He cleared his throat, blinking his eyes, "Uh▬nothing▬" he pushed onwards, and Odette was left to catch up, unable to stop the slight upwards quirk of her lips.

    The two acquaintances that's friendship was starting to blossom with the Spring flowers continued their way through the Lower Town towards the markets. Odette pointed out places she knew▬Tom's blacksmith's shop, the apothecary, the butchers and the local taverns. As they reached the stalls, she pulled him along with her errands for Morgana, and the two enjoyed themselves looking at not just fresh produce, but exotic items from far travellers, artistry in the form of live clay wheels and needlework. Merlin grabbed a silk shawl and jokingly wrapped it over her head, and Odette laughed, forcing it off her and back to the salesman▬being sure to apologise for Merlin's antics.

    They passed many townsmen and women▬everyone flocked to the markets, even those of higher birth to see what travellers had brought, and even that of the Prince and his friends.

    Odette staggered briefly to see Arthur so close▬walking so freely amongst his people, looking at weaponry and complimenting a woman on her whittling. He chuckled at something Ronyn said, his hair sun-kissed by the afternoon. She was quick to look away, for even if Arthur somehow met her gaze, Odette was sure he wouldn't recognise her.

    She linked her arm with Merlin's and tugged him gently along, hoping they'd just pass by. If she kept her head down, perhaps there would be no trouble▬no reoccurrence of what happened yesterday, but also no time to let herself be stuck in her past. Like the next sunrise, she looked onwards to the future.

    But even if she did not look, sky-blue eyes found her anyway. Brushing past a collection of maces, Prince Arthur Pendragon noticed her like a swan amongst ducklings▬pure and bright with waves of a Summer's dawn. He stopped, gaze watching her pass and remembering days upon which he saw her, and turned up his nose in disgust. Now, there was no disgust at all.

    "What is she doing with that idiot?" he muttered before he stopped himself to Lord Ronyn, who arched a brow at his sudden comment.

    He quickly glanced to see what he was looking at, and rolled his eyes. "Odette speaking with someone? Oh, Lord have mercy on their soul."

    Arthur shot him an annoyed look. Recognising the way his dear friend just raised his brows, the Prince scoffed, "Truthfully, I'm not surprised. Annoying individuals find each other. In fact▬"

    Before the two could get too far away, the Prince called out to the young boy who had an eventful morning in the pillory, "▬How's your knee-walking coming along?"

    Odette glanced at Merlin to glimpse his reaction. At the set of his jaw, she did her best to keep them going.

    Arthur was not pleased. He ignored Ronyn's attempt to steer his attention away, but the Prince was determined to gain the regard of a girl to which he deemed a thorn in his side his entire younger years in the best way he could: making a rile up out of her new close friend. "Aw, don't run away!"

    When Merlin stopped, his grin broadened. "From you?" the young boy countered.

    "Ah, thank God," said Arthur. "I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

    Odette grew concerned at the scoff that escaped Merlin's lips. She tugged his sleeve gently, whispering a, "Don't," but it was futile▬she just watched as he turned back around, not making any effort to stop the insult that flowed off his tongue with ease, "Look, I've told you you're an ass. I just didn't realise you were a royal one."

    He gazed upon the knights Arthur had with him, and then upon the Lord Ronyn, and couldn't help but click his tongue with a mocking breath, "Ooh, what are you going to do? You got your Daddy's men to protect you?"

    Odette glanced between the pair of them, unsure on what she'd be able to do to stop it. One warning was enough, she didn't think she'd have the ability to get Ronyn to persuade Arthur a second time.

    Arthur laughed at Merlin, finding him absolutely hilarious. "I could take you apart with one blow."

    "I could take you apart with less than that."

    Odette let her head fall into her hands. She failed to see the brief glance Arthur sent her way▬just as eager to see her reaction as he was his knights. "Are you sure?" he queried, intrigued to see how far this Merlin was prepared to go. And when he made a split-second decision, taking off his dusty old jacket with one swift move, Arthur lost it.

    When he took the mace handed to him by Sir Geraint, a skilled swordsman amongst the laughter of Sir Kay (his untimely companion who both have been in the knighthood almost as long as Arthur has himself), Odette surged forward to say something. But a hand grasped her elbow and tugged her gently back into the crowd; she reluctantly obliged.

    "Leave it," whispered Ronyn.

    She forced her elbow from his grip, but she did not move, "He's going to hurt him," she argued.

    "And you think you'd have a better chance at stopping this?"

    Odette knew he was right. But that didn't mean she preferred it. Still, she stood rooted in her place in the crowd and sealed her lips shut, wincing as Merlin barely caught the mace Arthur chucked him. He brought out his own with a flick of his wrist▬and like that, its swing followed with years of skill.

    "Come on then," nodded Arthur, biting back a grin. He swung the mace around his head, and Merlin shuffled backwards to avoid the way it swiped dangerously close to his chest. "I warn you," said the Prince, striding closer, "I've been trained to kill since birth."

    Merlin swallowed back his slight fear and quipped, "Wow ... and how long have you been training to be a prat?"

    Arthur's mace dropped momentarily as he scoffed, not sure whether Merlin was stupid, or something even worse. "You can't address me like that."

    "Sorry," replied the warlock without a beat. "How long have you been training to be a prat?" He dipped his head, shooting a mischievous grin upwards at the Prince. "My Lord?"

    Arthur forced a laugh. Merlin's grin grew, looking very proud of himself. But that smile was wiped straight off his face when Arthur took a strong swung of the mace at Merlin's head who ducked just in the nick of time.

    Odette winced and hid her eyes behind her fingers. But she couldn't help but peer out of them, calling out a weak, "Go Merlin!" that died out amongst the gasps of the crowd that soon gathered, beginning to follow Merlin who stumbled backwards in his dire attempts to avoid the swooping swings of the Prince's mace work.

    "Come on then, Merlin," taunted Arthur, stepping up onto a wagon. "Come on!"

     Merlin continued to step backwards, barging into a hanging basket of hay. His mace tangled. Odette and Ronyn both grimaced. The warlock had no choice but to abandon his weapon as the Prince took another strike, stepping off the wagon at its downfall. He missed by inches, smashing a small crate of food where Merlin had been just seconds prior.

    "You can do this, Merlin!" Odette called through her fingers▬but at everyone's estranged glances, her voice faltered yet again. She blushed. She glanced at Ronyn, shrugging at his incredulous frown.

    "Whoa▬!" Merlin's feet twisted around piles of fruit, and he tumbled backwards over the fresh produce, landing painfully on the other end of the stall. He scrambled to his feet and managed a breathless grin at Odette amongst the crowd.

    Arthur clenched his hands and surged forward to leap over. Merlin's face dropped and he yelped, breaking out into a run as the Prince followed him into the open storehouse▬before he tripped over.

    "He's just ..." Ronyn couldn't think of the proper words as Odette sighed in her disappointment. In the end, he settled for, "actually hopeless..."

    The Prince of Camelot shuffled into a stance in front of Merlin, swinging his mace in circles. He chuckled, "Heh▬you're in trouble now."

    Then, the most peculiar things happened in Merlin's favour. With a crazed amount of luck, Arthur's mace just happened to swing a bit too wide overhead, and before he knew it, his weapon wrapped itself around two scimitar blades.

    The people laughed at Merlin's luck. Odette, however, crossed her arms, suspicious of the smile he held to himself as he got to his feet and raced further into the back. The prince let out a cry of frustration. He pulled heavily against the swords and his mace came flying out. Turning to Merlin, he charged.

    Odette saw him use magic this time. In the shadow of the storehouse, Merlin's eyes flickered gold, and a crate moved sideways on its own accord, halting right in front of Arthur's foot. Ronyn matched the spectators gasps of delight, wincing as their Prince hid his grunt of pain through clenched teeth.

    "You're so mean," Odette scolded him.

    Ronyn frowned at her, "What▬? Who was it just growling in her disapproval of our dear Prince?"

    The young handmaiden couldn't help the squeal of short laughter that escaped her lips as Arthur tripped over some outstretched rope. She quickly covered her mouth, surprised at herself. Ronyn shook his head at her, deeply disappointed.

    While Arthur gathered his bearings, trying to push himself back onto his feet, Merlin quickly took his mace from the ground. Arthur scrambled backwards from his swing, stumbling over his own feet, staring at Merlin in disbelief.

    "Do you want to give up?" Merlin asked him.

    Odette noticed Arthur's glance towards the crowd watching. His confidence faltered at their laughter and jeers▬his people; he looked completely humiliated. All of her amusement fell away, and instead of feeling a sense of sick pleasure, Odette felt pity.

    "To you?" said Arthur, slowly travelling backwards. He eyed the mace that swung dangerously in Merlin's hand.

    "Do you? Do you want to give up?" the warlock demanded once more and Arthur tripped over a bucket, falling onto the ground.

    Odette couldn't stand it anymore.

    "Merlin!" she called out from the front of the crowd. "You can stop now."

    His eyes found hers, and instantly, the mace dropped to his side. She shook her head and he sighed▬an exchange was shared between them, where Odette knew he understood she was right. But his gaze soon focused on something else behind her▬he shrunk back. She frowned before turning around. Odette's gasp turned to a sheepish hunch, for even she couldn't stand the look of disappointment on Gaius's face, even if it wasn't directed at her.

    She turned to see Ronyn's reaction, but as soon as Gaius appeared, the young Lord had rushed off into the crowd. She threw her hands up, annoyed. "That▬" she stopped the word she wanted to say and settled for something far more mild, "▬petticoat," she grumbled after him.

    All of the sudden▬before Odette could comprehend anything▬Arthur was back on his feet. He struck Merlin with a broom on the back of his leg. The warlock staggered around and was met with a second to the gut, and finally, a hard one on the back, and Merlin collapsed to the ground.

    Arthur bit his lip, victorious. He spun the boom the right way and smugly swept some dust Merlin's way.

    But as his adversary was dragged to his feet by a pair of guards, there was a switch in Arthur's gaze. He frowned to himself▬and then, he did something Odette didn't expect. He held out his hand, "Wait▬" he told the guards and they turned to him, just as surprised, "▬let him go."

    They let go of their grip. Merlin glanced at them each, confused. Arthur approached him, the frown still etched on his brow. "He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one." The Prince eyed the warlock, and Odette recognised that intrigue he held▬it was the same one she wore the moment she laid eyes upon Merlin in the courtyard. "There's something about you, Merlin," he muttered.

     "I can't quite put my finger on it."

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

     a/n:

     no one:

     ronyn: *sees a disapproved gaius* oop- gotta fly -🏃🏽🏃🏽🏃🏽💨💨💨💨

     also Arthur is like: hnmmmm imma figure out your secret merlin and doesn't see it even when merlin's magic is bloody right in front of his face this oblivious himbo istg-

    chronicles part two of odette being turned on by merlin's cheekbones while arthur is just standing there like uh- 

     i'm so sorry i'm so inappropriate i should stop

     will I tho? probably not sorry not sorry. 

     also telling you my characters' Hogwarts houses for no other reason than its completely off topic but merlin so not at the same time: 

     odette is my soft loveable gryffindor with such disguised courage and daring that just starts to show up again like it did when she was a kid as she grows <3 precious baby. her and arthur are gryffindor hubbies. 

      ronyn and adelynn being idiotic but intelligent ravenclaw siblings is cute you'll see. guinevere holds their collective braincell though ... out of everyone lets be honest.

      morgana hufflepuff rights thanks. her arc is literally her doing whatever it takes for a fair and just world she believes she will create in her own mind that becomes twisted. a hufflepuff strives for fair play, honesty and just ways - it might not be fair and just in societies mind, but it is in their own. she's also incredibly loyal to those she got the chance to be with before she got betrayed or lost them. morgana is a hufflepuff this is my scientific justification.

      merlin is obviously a slytherin and it's so obvious in the show like merlin is such a secret cunning ass hole. also like he's merlin, so.

     (sort of edited i dunno it's late, I'm tired and I have work tomorrow but I'm hyper fixated so merlin it is--)