𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑣𝑒 - 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡

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"So you take advantage of your situation to talk to pretty girls."

Merlin, his head bowed over a bucket of water, shirtless, his soaked hair dripping as he washed, looked under his arm to see the upside-down silhouette of his sister. He stood up and turned to see Millicent standing with her arms crossed in the frame of the open bedroom door.

"I saw you talking to Guinevere earlier," she said, raising an eyebrow as she approached him.

Merlin shook his hair, sending drops of water onto Millicent, who hid behind her hand for a moment before giving him a moralising look.

"Guinevere ? Oh no, I wasn't flirting with her !"

"Yes, of course." Millicent tossed her brother a towel to wipe his hair.

"It's true !" he insisted, clearly embarrassed.

"Anyway, it's not like you know how to do it."

As Merlin wiped his hair, he straightened up, frowning, clearly offended by his sister's remarks. "What are you trying to say, that I don't know how to talk to girls ?"

"You're the one who says it..." she said with an innocent look, taking malicious pleasure in annoying him.

"Millicent." Guinevere's voice echoed from behind her, the young maid standing at the entrance to the court physician's quarters.

Millicent glanced at her new friend before turning back to her brother. "I must leave you Merlin, I have things to do."

Merlin frowned. "Things ? What kind of things ?" It was almost lunchtime. The sun had reached its zenith, what could she possibly have to do ? And most importantly, what was she going to do without him ?

"Things, Merlin," Millicent repeated, a grin on her face, leaving her brother in the dark. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. See you at dinner."

Without another word she left her brother and joined Guinevere before leaving the tower.

Millicent accompanied Guinevere to Lady Morgana's apartments as it was time for dinner. She needed to stay with her to see how things were going. Guinevere informed her that Morgana could dine with Arthur and the King in the Council Chamber, but that they could also dine separately, each in their own rooms. It might even happen that the King, overwhelmed by his duties, would not eat at all.

Frankly, Millicent found it hard to feel sorry for him, for she could easily imagine that one of his meals was equivalent to three meals for his people.

Much to Millicent's delight, she would not have to see the Prince again, or the King for that matter, as Morgana, apparently angry with the King, had decided to have her dinner alone in her room. Millicent didn't know what the argument was about, but she was willing to bet that Morgana was right.

Millicent had tried to wriggle out of the task the first time Guinevere had mentioned it to her, telling her that the most competent of the castle's maids would hardly need a novice like her at her side to bring in a simple dish. But beneath her angelic exterior, Guinevere was a girl more stubborn than Millicent could have imagined.

She had insisted, mainly on the grounds that it would please Lady Morgana to see her. Frankly, Millicent couldn't see why. But Guinevere was such a person, so kind, with such a good heart, that it was hard to refuse her anything. And Millicent had finally given in.

Not to mention that Gwen had come up with an unstoppable argument in case her smile wasn't enough to convince her new friend. Since Morgana had done her the pleasure and honour of taking her into her service, Millicent couldn't afford to avoid her. And even if she did, she wouldn't be able to do so indefinitely, so she might as well face the issue now.

Gwen told her that she might even be treated better than the other servants who did all the work in the castle. Serving one person has its advantages. Since they were with her most of the time, there were some opportunities.

Millicent was not very convinced by the way Gwen tried to sell her work as something wonderful, but she did not contradict her.

As Guinevere and Millicent entered Morgana's quarters, Morgana was sitting by the window, her gaze lost in the distance. When she heard the door open, she turned slowly towards them, smiling at Guinevere before turning her gaze to Millicent.

"Ah, there you are at last," she said as Guinevere set the table. It was true that although she had spent most of the day with Guinevere, she had barely seen Morgana and had not exchanged more than a simple greeting.

Millicent raised an eyebrow, unaccustomed to being greeted with such interest.

"I doubt my absence has been so burdensome, my lady."

Millicent had not been able to hold back the comment, though she had tried to make it as non-ironic as possible, but Morgana did not seem to take offence. On the contrary, she let out a small laugh. "Perhaps not, but I thought Guinevere had kidnapped you for herself."

"She's persuasive," Millicent admitted, glancing at Gwen with a smile on her lips, both amused and proud to have dragged her friend all the way here, as she finished serving dinner.

"Oh, I'm well aware of that," Morgana replied amusedly. "She has a gift for making us believe that everything is simpler than it seems."

Gwen smiled and placed a plate in front of Morgana before turning to Millicent. "You should sit down, there's no need to remain frozen like a statue."

Millicent's eyes darted from Morgana to Guinevere in a split second. Sit down ? Why should she sit down ? She was only supposed to serve the meal. Or rather, watch Gwen do it. But she quickly realised the trap she had walked into. She had been brought here to talk.

At no point was it supposed to be part of the job.

Millicent hesitated, glancing at Morgana who gave her an encouraging nod. Then she took a seat opposite her, feeling a little strange sitting down when she was supposed to be serving.

Morgana took a bite before turning her attention back to her. "So tell me, how do you find life at the castle ?"

Stressful, exasperating, restless.

"Is it living up to your expectations ?"

She hadn't imagined anything. And yet it was worse.

Millicent thought for a moment before answering, choosing her words carefully. "I suppose it depends on what expectations we're talking about. But to be honest, I never thought I'd end up here." She opened her eyes a little wider, staring at the wood of the table, her gaze slightly lost, as if suddenly annoyed by the thought. "Even less as a servant," she added in a murmur intended only for her ears, with obvious irony.

Morgana raised an eyebrow in fascination, not having missed a word of what the brunette had said. "And what would you rather have been ?"

Millicent replied mechanically, without realising it, her mouth speaking before her brain could even think. "Free, I think."

Millicent was still thinking when she said those words, and once they were out of her mouth, she realised the situation. She looked at Morgana, who had a smile on her face. She was... different from what the witch had expected. At the King's ward's attitude, Millicent allowed herself a wry smile.

There was a moment of silence, then Morgana nodded, a hint of understanding in her gaze. "I think I understand."

Guinevere, sensing that the conversation was taking a more serious turn, intervened gently. "Millicent is still getting used to it, but I'm sure she'll do an excellent job."

Millicent took advantage of Guinevere's intervention to leave her chair and stand up.

Morgana looked at her for a moment before turning back to Millicent. "I have no doubt. But I'm not only interested in her work, I'd like to get to know her. After all, we're going to be spending a lot of time together."

Millicent met Morgana's gaze and nodded slowly. "In that case... I suppose we'll have a chance to talk about it."

Morgana smiled in satisfaction. "I suppose so, yes."

Millicent began to fidget with her hands again, as if nervous. She took a breath before speaking to Morgana. "I know I haven't been working for you very long, but... I'd really like to check on my brother."

Liar. She had just done it.

Guinevere raised an eyebrow and looked at her, but said nothing. Millicent decided it wasn't a lie. Yes, she had checked that Merlin was still in one piece, but she had not, strictly speaking, checked on him.

Morgana nodded in understanding. "Yes, go on, I understand. And besides, I don't need you at the moment. I don't think Gwen has had time to explain everything to you, so you can go."

🎕

Millicent arrived in Gaius' quarters to find him and Merlin sitting at the table. "Am I late for dinner ?"

"Not at all," Gaius replied as he served her a plate. "I was about to ask Merlin if he wanted some vegetables with that ?"

Merlin glanced sideways at his sister as she giggled, then glanced back at Gaius, but couldn't help but join her in laughing. "I know you're still angry with me."

"If he is not, I am," Millicent said.

"Yes, I would have thought so. Did you like it ?" asked Merlin, his tone a little accusatory, referring to the tomato his sister had thrown in his face earlier in the day.

"Very much, it was very satisfying," Millicent replied without a trace of remorse before taking another spoonful of her food, ignoring her brother with a glance.

Gaius didn't know exactly what was going on, but he could easily guess. Merlin didn't seem angry. In fact, it made him laugh a little. He knew he deserved it, so he wouldn't reopen the case.

"Your mother asked me to look after you." Millicent and Merlin stopped their teasing as soon as they heard Gaius mention their mother, the conversation taking a more serious tone.

"Yes," Merlin whispered in a guilty tone, understanding the message behind it. He had to be more careful.

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts ?" As soon as Gaius uttered those words, Merlin could feel his sister withdrawing into herself.

Knowing her well enough that she wouldn't answer, he took the floor. "That we were special." Millicent rolled her eyes at the words.

"You are special," Gaius confirmed. He stopped himself when he heard a sarcastic sneer. He turned his head to look at his niece. "What ? You don't believe it. Yet you use magic."

"Used," Millicent corrected him abruptly, as soon as her uncle spoke. "We're not special, just a few wizards among others."

Gaius shook his head negatively, obviously disagreeing with his niece's words. "No, believe me, I can assure you, you are special, both of you."

Millicent shook her head slightly as Gaius spoke before suddenly slamming her hands down on the table, startling Merlin and Gaius. "I don't want to be special, okay ?" Her voice seemed to be taken over by emotion for a second before she regained her composure. "I want to be normal." There was a silence before she spoke again, loudly and with an anger deep inside her. "Being special ? That won't get me too far. And for something illegal here, you talk a lot about magic !"

After her outburst, she stood up, almost knocking over the bench she and Merlin were sitting on, almost causing her brother to fall, and left the table, her plate still full, before walking into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Merlin slowly closed his eyes as he sighed. Of course she had to react that way. Gaius, still in shock at his niece's reaction, remained silent. He could never have imagined Millicent struggling so much with her condition.

Gaius gave Merlin a questioning look. "It's... it's complicated." Merlin could only answer that because he didn't know much more than Gaius. "It was just... complicated."

After an awkward silence, Merlin broke it to satisfy his curiosity. "You said we were special..."

"Yes, the likes of which I've never seen before."

"What do you mean ?" Merlin asked, intrigued.

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells, it takes years of study. What I saw you do was... Elemental. Instinctive." Millicent, leaning against the other side of the bedroom door, could hear their voice faintly.

Instinctive... If only Gaius could know how much that wasn't such a good thing.

"What's the point if it can't be used ?" Merlin seemed at once flattered and mostly frustrated.

"That I do not know. You, and your sister are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin."

"Did you ever study magic ?" asked the boy, fascinated. Gaius seemed to know a lot, even Millicent noticed. How ? And yet he was close to the king who had banned magic. The latter knew all the knowledge his court physician had on the subject.

"Uther banned all such work 20 years ago."

"Why ?" Millicent, still listening to the conversation through the door, didn't like the hint of interest she could hear in her brother's voice. She abhorred the way the king treated sorcerers and witches, but... she could perhaps understand why he banned magic. Perhaps if he did, it was for a good reason, and that was another reason not to use it.

"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."

"All of them ?"

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in the cave deep beneath the castle. Where no one can free it."

A dragon in the cave deep beneath the castle...

Suddenly, Millicent couldn't help but think of the voice that had woken her the day before and returned to disturb her dream last night.

"Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice."

Merlin stood up. "Before I'm going to take Millicent back."

When she heard that, Millicent almost jumped on her bed and pretended to look through the windows as Merlin entered the place. She looked at him. "What ?" she said in an annoyed tone.

"You need to eat. And I promised you no more talk of the forbidden word."

She got up and walked beside Merlin to the table. "All right, but only because I'm hungry."

As Millicent sat, Gaius turned to her. "Millicent."

"Don't worry, I fully intend to accompany him." She said of accompanying Merlin as he took the preparation to Lady Helen. Gaius, surprised that the girl had read his mind, understood that she had heard their entire conversation.

"Do I have a babysitter now ?" began Merlin, slightly vexed by this lack of trust.

"No good behaviour, no choice," Millicent declared, leaving no room for debate. Gaius nodded in agreement and Merlin sighed in resignation before finishing his meal.

🎕🎕

Gaius placed the preparation for Lady Helen in Merlin's hand. He looked at his sister, still annoyed. "Don't look at me like that, look how it ended the last time I left you alone."

"I don't need to be watched over."

"Oh, you think so ?"

Gaius interrupted again, the twins arguing. "Do you not have duties to Morgana ?"

"Not today."

Merlin shot a questioning look at his sister. What the hell had happened in his absence ? "I'll explain, you missed a lot," Millicent replied simply, before pulling on her brother's arm and dragging him out of the room.

When they reached Lady Helen's chamber, Millicent waited outside while Merlin crept into the room to give her the preparation. Millicent could easily tell that Lady Helen was not in her apartment, for she saw her coming directly in front of her.

Lady Helen slowed her pace when she saw Millicent standing by the open door of her room. "What are you doing here ?" she asked, suspicious.

"My brother..." Millicent didn't have time to finish her sentence as Lady Helen's eyes moved from her to the open door and suddenly rushed into her chamber.

Millicent frowned slightly. "Okay... That was weird," she whispered to herself.

A few moments later, Merlin came hurrying out of the room, looking a little worried. He stopped beside his sister and looked over his shoulder at the door. He seemed confused, disturbed and uncomfortable.

Millicent noticed it. "Are you all right ?"

"Yeah, it was..." He looked at his sister, hesitant to share what he had seen. "Nothing, it was just weird."

Millicent wasn't entirely convinced, but Merlin's attitude changed. "Come on, let's go for that walk in the city we couldn't do yesterday." Without giving her time to react, he took his sister's arm and led her as far away from the door, the room and the person sleeping in it as possible.

🎕🎕🎕

"So you're going to serve this Morgana ?" Merlin sniggered, hands deep in his pockets, a mocking gleam in his eyes.

The cobblestones echoed under their feet as Millicent and Merlin walked through the busy streets of Camelot. The smell of warm bread wafted from the shops, mingling with the more pungent scents of the working smithies. Millicent kept her eyes straight ahead, trying to ignore her brother who, judging by his mischievous smile, was enjoying the situation a little too much.

Millicent rolled her eyes in exasperation. She didn't need him to lay it on thick.

"Yes," she whispered with a weary sigh, resigned to her new situation.

He couldn't believe it. His sister, a maid. And not just any maid : the King's ward. He knew better than anyone how much Millicent despised the nobility and everything it stood for. And being the King's ward meant being close to Uther and Arthur. He could already imagine his sister being forced to rub shoulders with them, and he didn't know whether to laugh or feel a pang of pity. After all, he himself avoided these authority figures as much as possible. But the thought of Millicent now trapped in this castle, doing the bidding of a noble lady, made the last twenty-four hours a little more bearable.

Merlin shook his head as if he could hardly believe what he had just heard.

"And you ? You accepted ?"

He paused, glancing at his sister, who was striding along with her shoulders slightly stiff. He knew what that meant : she was swallowing her pride.

"You cannot refuse, Merlin."

Millicent kept her gaze fixed on the path, her fists clenched in the folds of her tunic. She had tried to find a way out, of course. But between Guinevere and Morgana, she quickly found herself trapped. And deep down she knew it was pointless to fight. Her situation was already far from glorious, so it was better to serve one person than to be at the beck and call of the whole castle.

Merlin let out a mocking little laugh, shaking his head with undisguised amusement : "Serving a high-born lady, that's a first."

He savoured the moment. He turned his head slightly towards her, expecting a scowl or a sharp retort. Millicent, on the other hand, gritted her teeth, took a deep breath and remained silent, even though she desperately wanted to ram her elbow into his ribs.

As they walked side by side, Merlin and Millicent saw Arthur Pendragon approaching, once again accompanied by some acolytes, but this time also followed by guards.

Millicent immediately turned to look at her brother. "I-"

"Don't worry," he cut her off. "I'll pretend he's not there, royally ignore him, and we'll continue on our way."

Millicent wrapped her arm around her brother's, partly to maintain some control over him, but also because the gesture brought her comfort. Not to mention the fact that she enjoyed physical contact with those closest to her.

She nodded firmly. "Exactly. And don't look at him."

Surprised by her remark, Merlin raised his eyebrows slightly before turning his head towards her. "Why is that ?"

Millicent straightened slightly and walked with a sure and measured stride, looking ahead and ignoring Arthur who was dangerously closing in. "The look in your eyes says a lot about what you're thinking."

Merlin let out a small chuckle and shook his head in amusement. "And you're the one who says that to me ?"

Millicent smiled wryly, aware of the irony of the situation. "Well, I'll grant you that.. I'm the same," she admitted.

Their paths finally crossed. Millicent and Merlin passed Arthur and walked through the middle of the group without saying a word. Millicent quickened her pace slightly, as if to put some distance between them and the subject of their conversation, still holding her brother's arm tightly.

But it could not have been that simple. Arthur recognised them, a smile appearing on his face as he followed them with his gaze before finally stopping to call out to them. Or rather. To provoke Merlin.

"How's your knee walking coming along ?"

"Ignore him," Millicent whispered into her brother's ear.

Millicent could see that Merlin was trying hard to listen to her, but that was without expecting another comment from Arthur, a theatrical side to his way of speaking. "Oh, don't run away."

That was all it took. Merlin stopped suddenly. Millicent turned to him and shook her head vigorously. "No."

Merlin looked at his sister and she could see the anger in his eyes. Merlin clenched his jaw, even biting his tongue. He fought not to open his mouth. Millicent almost begged him with her eyes.

"From you ?" Merlin finally replied.

Millicent rolled her eyes. And there they went again.

"Oh, thank God, I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

No sooner had Arthur spoken than Millicent turned halfway round, glancing over her shoulder to give him a withering look. It had to be said, he knew how to drive people mad. He was annoying and provocative, but as long as Merlin hadn't turned to face Arthur, who had taken a few steps forward, Millicent still clung to the hope that her brother would remain in control and they would avoid another incident. But that damned prince wasn't making it easy.

But when she saw the smile that had just appeared on her brother's face, Millicent knew it was too late. Arthur was approaching again, his friends still following, when Merlin replied in the same tone as the blonde. "Look, I've told you, you're an ass. I just didn't realise you were a royal one."

To underline his comment, Merlin turned to Arthur and locked eyes with him. Millicent stifled a small chuckle, for even though the situation was disastrous, Merlin had made a very good comeback and, most importantly, he was right. She turned as well, still standing beside her brother but letting go of his arm.

Arthur raised his eyebrows and looked over his shoulder at his mates. Merlin could have stopped there. He should have stopped. But he didn't.

"Oh, what are you going to do ? Get your daddy's men to protect you ?"

In any other context, Millicent might have been proud of her brother, but now she felt like knocking him out with the first thing she could get her hands on.

Arthur burst out laughing, his two friends behind him also giggling, probably more to keep up with Arthur or to make fun of Merlin's stupidity rather than really being amused by the situation. Millicent was resigned to the situation. She had to deal with a mixture of stupidity and male ego.

"I could take you apart with one blow."

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

"Are you sure ?"

Merlin didn't answer. He seemed to be thinking. And after a brief and strange silence, he suddenly began to remove his jacket, provoking chuckles from Arthur and his friends. Millicent's eyes widened and her eyebrows raised. Was he serious ? He was really going to fight and stoop to this level of immaturity.

Millicent wrinkled her nose and looked at her brother, stunned and as embarrassed as possible. At that point, she understood why Arthur was making fun of him. It was completely ridiculous, and from the look on his face, it was easy to guess that Millicent was judging her brother harshly. She would have expected that from any boy, but not Merlin.

And for the first time since the beginning of the exchange between Arthur and Merlin, she spoke. "Merlin, what are you doing ? You don't even know-"

"Please don't say that in front of him," he cut her off, preferring not to give Arthur another element to make fun of. But Millicent ignored his plea.

"It won't change the fact that you don't know how to fight."

Merlin threw his jacket at his sister, who stepped back and watched it fall to her feet. Yes, it had just lost its effect, but if he thought for a second that she was going to pick up his jacket like a good little girl, he was kidding himself.

Arthur laughed before throwing a weapon at him, which he caught clumsily and miserably. "Here you go, big man. Come on then." If it had been ridiculous before, it was now becoming dangerous to engage in this fight. Millicent didn't even know the name of the weapon.

Millicent stood facing Merlin, her back to the prince. "If it was stupid before, it's getting suicidal now !"

"It can't be that hard," Merlin said, trying to convince himself at the same time.

"Then why do you think he's been training for years ?" It was clear that Merlin had no acceptable answer.

"And you, get away, you don't want to get hurt."

Millicent turned to Arthur, who was waving his weapon over his head in exasperation. "Excuse me, I'm talking to my brother." She shook her head, annoyed, before turning her attention back to Merlin.

Arthur opened his mouth slightly, a little indignant at the way the girl had just rebuffed him, but he just smiled. He lowered his weapon and looked amused as he crossed his arms in front of him and began to wait impatiently.

"Your sister is worried about you. And she's right." Millicent breathed loudly through her nose, annoyed that the prince was trying to interfere in the conversation and especially that he was talking as if she wasn't there or didn't exist.

"I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth," he continued. Millicent rolled her eyes in disgust at such pretension and arrogance.

Surely he had received a prestigious education, had they never taught him to be quiet ?

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat ?"

Arthur shook his head, both amused and baffled, and chuckled to himself, wondering if this boy knew how to remember anything. "You can't address me like that."

"Sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, my Lord ?"

The Prince's friends let out little gasps, pretending to be impressed. Arthur nodded with a sneer and suddenly pulled Millicent's arm, catching her off guard and off balance, and shoved her behind him to bring his weapon down on Merlin, who dodged brilliantly.

Millicent fell on Arthur's friends, who caught her. She got to her feet immediately and shook them off. "Don't touch me," she said unpleasantly, without thanking them, before following Arthur and Merlin, who had walked down the street without interrupting their confrontation.

There was a large gap between the two fighting boys, and Millicent quickly positioned herself directly between them. This time she had her back to her brother, her hands outstretched towards Arthur as if to signal him to stay away and stop. She closed her eyes for a moment, afraid that Arthur's weapon would hit her, but it didn't. The prince threw the large spiked ball at the end of his weapon backwards.

Millicent breathed a sigh of relief before straightening up, regaining some composure and tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm taking the liberty of intervening again. I know he can be really stupid and he's a real idiot, but I really prefer my brother alive, so you understand I can't let you kill him."

Arthur feigned a concerned look. "Oh really cute, your sister is protecting you Merlin." This mocking phrase, phrased in a way that made Millicent feel invisible, annoyed her greatly.

Merlin wanted to shove his sister. "Let me kick his ass."

She turned to him, stopping him with one hand. "No, Merlin. Apologise and give up. Remember what Gaius said. If you are in trouble, you can sully his reputation."

"Your sister has a point," Arthur intervened again. If he went on like this, Millicent would take that strange weapon from her brother's hand and kick the prince's ass herself. "I see one is smarter than the other, but Gaius is a loyal friend of my father's, so you need not worry."

Every time she found an argument to convince Merlin, Arthur came up with a counter-argument. He was clearly eager for this fight. And he clearly didn't know as much about the art of not interrupting a conversation as he did about the art of holding a weapon.

Millicent turned to him. "Allow me not to trust your words entirely." Then she turned back to her brother. "Apologise."

Merlin took a step back. "What ? Never. Why would I ?"

"Whether he's an ass or not, he's still a prince, Merlin."

Arthur frowned, staring at you, shocked at the way you allowed yourself to talk about him. "You..."

Millicent looked over her shoulder at Arthur. "Oh, sorry," she cut him off. "He's a royal ass, we all get that, but it won't change anything if you fight with him. And this time you're the one provoking him."

"What ?!" Merlin was outraged. "But he's the one who..."

"Ok, he made a stupid comment, but you're the one who started insulting him. You asked for it."

Merlin looked at his sister in disbelief, feeling deeply betrayed. "Oh really, you're on his side now ?"

Millicent rolled her eyes in annoyance. Why was she involved in this mess again ? "Oh, stop being such a crybaby. I'm just saying that this time you have a reason to apologise."

Merlin seemed to hesitate, and Millicent's hope that he would make the right choice was rekindled. All it took was one last push, just one. She clung to his arm a little tighter, her voice becoming more urgent. "Merlin. Do it."

A mocking sneer reached them, cutting through the air with contempt. "You take orders from your sister ?"

Merlin clenched his fists, but his jaw remained clenched. "No, I don't."

"Are you sure ? From where I'm standing, it looks like you do. What kind of men are you, to need your sister to protect you."

Millicent could feel her brother's body tense. She knew exactly what was going through his mind at that moment, and it was exactly what she feared. She tightened her grip on his arm, trying to distract him.

"Ignore him." Her voice was meant to be firm, but reassuring. She met his gaze, trying to anchor her calm in his.

Merlin looked at her and she could see that he was really pissed. "He's insulting me."

Millicent took a controlled breath, holding back the anger that threatened to overwhelm her as well. Her brother had always been impulsive, but in this situation the slightest mistake could cost them dearly. "And he will probably not be the last one. Are you gonna fight with each stupid person you meet ? Royal or not ?"

Although deeply annoyed and her nerves tested, Millicent managed to find the strength to calm herself as she felt her irritation rising. Merlin was unable to do the same. Millicent kept her cool. And in the midst of this commotion and this more than compromising and chaotic situation, her voice emerged as the voice of reason and Merlin managed to focus on the calm but firm voice of his sister.

"If you are man enough, Merlin, be my guess."

Millicent gritted her teeth. She could see her brother wavering, caught between his anger and his reason. All it would take was one word too many, one provocation that was just a little too well placed, for him to take the bait. She took a breath and anchored her feet to the floor.

"Merlin, if you respond to their provocations - which only hurt one thing at the moment, your ego, but it won't last if you fight with him - you will be no better than they are."

She saw her brother blink, as if her words had brought him back to reality for a moment. But the other one wasn't going to stop there. "Come on, show me you don't take orders from a girl."

Time seemed to stand still.

Millicent froze. A heavy silence fell, so heavy that even the sounds of the city seemed distant. She straightened up, lifting her chin slightly, and a dry chuckle escaped her lips.

Merlin, who knew her better than anyone, felt his stomach tighten. The irritation that had bubbled up inside him a few seconds earlier suddenly evaporated, replaced by a much more urgent alarm. His blood ran cold.

Shit.

He felt his breath catch. Why did he have to say that ?

"What did he just say ?" Merlin winced. It wasn't a real question.

"Milli, don't-" But she didn't even give him time to finish. She ignored him completely, her attention focused on the other person.

"What have you just said ?"

Arthur was a prince. He could have been gallant. Or, failing that, intelligent. But no. He made the fatal mistake of replying when it would have been better to remain silent. "Didn't you hear me ? If it wasn't for your brother, I might have wondered if he was deaf." Millicent blinked in disbelief. Was he really digging himself in deeper ? He continued unperturbed. "I said that..." He finally stopped himself. "Never mind, I didn't mean to offend you, but you're a girl and..."

Merlin closed his eyes instantly, feeling a wave of despair wash over him. He was fucked. He could almost hear the gears turning in his sister's head, just before she decided to explode.

With a sharp movement, Millicent raised her hand, cutting Arthur off in mid-sentence. "Shut up."

Arthur's eyes widened as if he couldn't believe his ears. "Excuse me ?"

"Stop talking, I've heard enough," she said coldly before turning her head towards her brother. She fixed her gaze on Merlin and ordered with unrelenting calm, "Kick his ass."

"What ?!" the two boys exclaimed in unison, equally stunned. Millicent, who had worked hard to defuse the conflict from the start, was now ordering her brother to fight ?!

Arthur, still in shock, tried to regain control. "You can't talk to me like-"

With a sudden movement, Millicent turned towards him, a false angelic smile on her lips. "Sorry," she said in a honeyed tone, before turning her attention back to Merlin. "Kick his royal, conceited ass."

Merlin blinked, still incredulous. "But I thought..."

Millicent waved away his hesitation impatiently. "Forget what I said before. Teach him a lesson," she repeated relentlessly. Merlin stared at her, dazed. She was serious. She really wanted him to fight.

"You said yourself, I did not know how to fight with that," he said showing the flail, suddenly finding his previous idea of fighting with Arthur very bad.

"Well, it didn't seem very important to you a moment ago." He, who had insisted so much, could not refuse now that his sister was asking him. Millicent moved next to him to look at Arthur, then fixed her eyes on the weapon. "Do your best, it can't be that difficult," she added before patting him on the shoulder in a sign of encouragement.

Merlin looked at his sister in disgust, still not comprehending the turn of events and her sudden change of behaviour. A few minutes earlier, when he had had the audacity to make similar remarks, she had wanted to tear him apart. Now she was encouraging him.

Millicent stepped aside, no longer standing between the two boys. "Go on, I won't stop you this time. Kick his ass. Make him eat dust." She moved a little further away, then looked at Arthur. "You can start again."

Arthur exchanged a startled look with his companions, then, without further thought, raised his shoulders and eyebrows before charging again at Merlin, who was caught off guard.

The fight resumed and moved to a small square not far from where there were several stalls. Arthur didn't care about the equipment, he attacked and it was up to the others to get away. A small group of people began to form in the area, watching the fight and shouting at each attack, which were only attacks by the prince.

So far Merlin had done nothing but dodge the blows, and fortunately for him, as Millicent let Arthur's weapon break the surface of the wood of one of the stalls, she imagined what it would do to the bones of her brother's body. She winced as Merlin narrowly dodged a blow. He was doing... miserably.

Arthur didn't seem to be joking. He continued to chase her brother around the small market, not caring much for the food he was wasting when his weapon struck a cabbage. Millicent's eyes flashed as she saw this.

She held her breath as she watched Merlin fall to the ground, unable to dodge the next blow. But as if by magic, Arthur's weapon wrapped itself around two sickles. Millicent opened her mouth slightly before looking at her brother, who gave her a look of despair. He knew that if he came out of this fight alive, she would kill him.

He had just used magic. In front of everyone !

And he was doing it again.

Millicent had to admit that it was very satisfying to see her brother regain the upper hand, somewhat ridiculing Arthur in his series of blunders, and to see people starting to support her brother. The witch allowed herself to think that people were too focused on the fight to notice anything out of the ordinary, whereas perhaps her brother could make an exception for once and the use of magic wouldn't be harmful.

Millicent crossed her arms and let a small chuckle escape her lips. Suddenly she was startled by a voice she recognised. "What's going on ?"

Millicent turned her head in horror to see Gaius beside her. She tensed immediately. "Well..."

Gaius didn't really want to know any more, he could see the situation clearly. "Why didn't you stop them ?'

"I swear I tried," she defended herself immediately, although she felt a pang of guilt as she said the words. It was only a half truth. Or a half lie. No, it was both a truth and a lie.

It could all have ended very satisfactorily with Merlin regaining the upper hand, Arthur falling, at the mercy of Merlin who, instead of attacking him, asked him to surrender, but Merlin had the misfortune to look away from the blonde. He saw Gaius standing beside his sister and his face froze. Millicent grimaced a sorry smile.

Embarrassed, but most of all ashamed to make such a spectacle of himself in front of Gaius, Merlin paused for a moment. Millicent saw Arthur stand up. "Wait..." But before she could warn her brother, he was dealt a treacherous blow to the back.

"Coward !" Millicent shouted angrily, forgetting that she was addressing someone of royalty.

Soldiers came to put Merlin on his feet, ready to arrest him. Millicent looked worriedly at her brother as Gaius grabbed her wrist to stop her from interfering. Surprisingly, Arthur ordered Merlin to be left alone. Millicent immediately felt an immense sense of relief.

Gaius joined Merlin as the crowd began to disperse, disappointed that the fight was over. Arthur, meanwhile, was about to leave when he passed Millicent. He slowed down, then stopped. "You must be disappointed that he didn't «make me eat the dust», but he did pretty well for a crap."

Millicent turned her head towards him, locking eyes with unfeigned confidence. "Perhaps it's only a matter of time."

Arthur chuckled softly and shook his head. "So you're threatening me now ?"

She shrugged slightly, putting on a false air of innocence. "When have I ever done that ? And me ? A girl. Threatening you ? Who would take that seriously ?"

Arthur smiled. Well done. He probably deserved it.

He paused for a moment before continuing, curious. "I suppose you still won't tell me your name."

Millicent raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Why should I ?" she challenged him.

"I am your prince," Arthur blurted out as if it were an unanswerable argument, but his tone betrayed a hint of mischief. Millicent, for her part, still seemed unconvinced. "I didn't have your brother arrested."

"But you did yesterday."

Arthur sighed slightly. "He deserved it."

"Maybe today, but not yesterday." She paused, staring hard at him. "And you pushed me. I won't forget that."

Arthur crossed his arms, putting on a false air of hurt. "I was protecting you," he corrected her.

Millicent laughed in disbelief. "From your own attack."

He sneered again and looked at Millicent as if fascinated. "You and your brother really are two strange birds, Millicent." As he said her name, almost in a whisper, he leaned close to her ear. He straightened and smiled with a certain satisfaction at the surprised look on the girl's face, then walked away without saying anything more.

He knew her name. Then why all the fuss about her telling him herself ?

She turned to follow Arthur's gaze. Merlin brought her back to reality as he passed her, scowling, followed by an angry Gaius, presumably on his way to the castle.

Oh, she and Merlin were going to have a really bad time.

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Hey ! Sorry for taking so long to update :/

Please give me the strenght and the motivation to finish the next chapter because I struggle with it😭​😭​.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter ! Have a good day/night <3