Merlin

I sat slouched at the table gaining the odd looks from Morgana and Uther which made me cough nervously and sit up straight. I smiled shyly and they both smiled back and I sighed a sigh of relief as some servants set out the plates and poured some drinks. I smiled and thanked them politely. Uther just smiled at me and then looked at me with curiosity.

"How is it, Lady Sarah that...a servant like Merlin can have such noble cousins?" Uther asked.

I almost choked on my drink but stopped myself, it would of made me look so much more suspicious! I went to reply but cleared my throat before sitting up straight again and smiling politely.

"Well, you see My Lord...I must confess" I said.

Think, think, think...I got it!

"We aren't actually related...when I was very young my mother and I fled our homeland. We were invaded you see and my father didn't want us in the country. Friends of my father offered to ask his sister who was in Ealdor to hide us and so we went. I was very young so I'm surprised I remembered Merlin even as I grew up. The last time I saw him before now was when I was ten years old. " I smiled.

"Huh...and you were close as children?" Uther asked.

"Yes! Very...I was one of the youngest in the village and since I wasn't from that town I was bullied because of my accent. Merlin stuck up for me and looked after me till I left" I explained.

I felt the guilt eating away at my conscious...how would I remember all these lies? I had to write it down somewhere later before I forgot!

"How long did you stay there?" Morgana asked.

I pretended to only be calculating the years I'd spent there when I was actually trying to work everything out!

"About four years. The raid lasted long, and when we returned to our hometown we had to go back for another few months before we could go home and stay home. I only called Merlin my cousin as we became like a distant family." I lied.

"That must of been a hard time for you and your family" Uther said.

"Yes...but I made new friends and well we've lasted for about fourteen years now" I smiled.

"So your what age now?" Morgana asked.

"I'm.." I froze and started to cough to cover up the fact I couldn't tell them my age straight away.

I felt my face heating up. I took a sip of water and cleared my throat - doing the calculations in my head.

"Forgive me My Lord and Lady" I coughed.

"I'm turning twenty later this year" I blushed.

"Are you alright?" Morgana asked.

"Yes I'm fine" I nodded.

"So your the same age as Arthur and Morgana then" Uther smiled.

"I believe so Sire" I smiled.

The door walked in and I smiled.

"Speak of the devil" I said.

Arthur pounded into the room wearing his armour and looking extremely peeved. I hoped everything was OK.

"Arthur?" Uther asked.

"What?" He replied.

"Don't speak in that tone to me!" Uther raised his voice.

Arthur was about to reply before taking a breath and sighing. Uther relaxed.

"What happened?" Morgana asked.

"Nothing." Arthur said.

Everyone was quiet.

After breakfast I met up with Merlin and I hugged him tight.

"Please...don't leave me...I'm so bored just walking about the castle with nothing to do..can I help you?" I asked pleadingly.

"Uh...if you really want to" Merlin smiled.

I grinned back at him.

"Well, I'm just going to muck Arthur's horses out...its really messy...and smelly..." Merlin scratched the back of his head.

"It's fine, I love horses!" I smiled.

As we walked to the stables I couldn't help but think how different the village was from the castle, how what the villagers had was basically nothing to what King Uther and Prince Arthur had in the castle, but what the villagers had was worth more in sentimental value. Even though times were hard here, they loved their life and worked hard everyday, taking nothing for granted. But that's all we do...did...still do in my time.

The smell hit me first and I gagged, Merlin laughed at me and I frowned playfully. Once we went in the horses unsettled but I just stared in awe at them.

"Wow...they're gorgeous!" I said petting a white stallion.

"They're Arthur's" Merlin said and started to work.

"Can I brush them down?" I asked.

"Uh...if you want" He said.

I grabbed a brush from off a box and gently started to brush the stallion. I told Merlin about lunch and told him about the story I made up and he congratulated me for actually putting a story together that sounded believable! I smiled happily and then looked at the window where I saw a dark figure. I narrowed my eyes.

"Who's that?" I asked.

Merlin turned and the figure ran. We ran out of the stables to see if we saw anyone running; we didn't.

"What did it look like?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not sure, they had a dark green cloak on and the hood up, their face was shaded" I explained.

Merlin nodded and told me to stay there in the stables.

"Wait!" I grabbed him getting scared form all tension in the air.

"What i-if they were just looking in out of curiosity?" I asked.

"What if they weren't?" Merlin asked.

I bit my lip not liking this suspension one bit!

"Stay here" He repeated.

Merlin left and I sighed, looking at the horses and the abandoned shovel and bag..I sighed again.

"Why not"