DRUID | Merlin Fanfic | ABERTH • Book 1

Chapter 3

After it had been determined Merlin had had enough rotten vegetables thrown at his head, he was released. Gaius gave the siblings another stern talking to, before sending them both off on individual errands. 

Melda was gathering herbs in the market square when she heard more commotion. She made her way towards it, praying that it wasn't Merlin and Arthur...

If there was a deity, it hated her, she decided, seeing as her brother was currently being chased around by a mace wielding prince. She muttered a curse under her breath and followed the pair. Merlin was giving it his all, but Arthur was a trained knight. Melda spotted some small flashes of gold in Merlin's eyes. 

Arthur stepped backwards into a pocket and tripped. Merlin laughed, but froze when he saw Gaius in the crowd. The prince tried to take advantage of his momentary distraction to hit him with a broom, but was blocked by Melda with her broom. He looked confused for a moment before his eyes narrowed. He swung again, and Melda parried.

They began a brief duel with the broom handles, Melda using her quickness to her advantage. But once again, Arthur had more training than her, and Melda couldn't use magic. The broom was knocked from her hand and the other handle held against her throat.

"I yield," she said, not missing the flicker of amusement across the prince's face. Guards grabbed her arm, and had already started leading Merlin into the castle when Arthur commanded them to stop.

"They may be idiots, but they're brave ones. Let them go," he said. Melda looked at him, confused. The prince just raised a challenging eyebrow. "I look forward to a rematch, Miss..." 

"Meldalin," she blurted out, surprised. "But everyone calls me Melda."

"Well then," Arthur said. "Try to keep that one out of trouble. There's something about the two of you. I can't put my finger on it." He turned away and walked back towards the castle. Melda frowned after him, confused. Was the prince really this changeable? If so, his fickleness had worked in her favor, this time. This time around she and Merlin probably wouldn't have been let out after a short time in the stocks.

Gaius came over, Merlin trailing behind him like a scolded puppy. Melda tried for a smile, but knew she was in a world of trouble.

-

"First you punch the prince, now you duel him?" Gaius asked, sounding like a cat owner herding his pet. Melda was in a chair, a put-out expression on her face.

"He was being an arse," she snapped. "And he was going to attack Merlin."

"You're lucky he didn't have you arrested again," Gaius said grumpily. "I should punish you both, not let you attend Lady Helen's singing performance tomorrow."

"Something strange about her," Merlin commented. 

"Be polite," Gaius scolded. "We are all permitted our oddities." Merlin made a face, but stayed silent.

"It's late," Gaius said finally. "Go to bed, both of you. Your sulking is unbearable."

"Night," Melda said, making her way into her room. She lay down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Sleep came, but it wasn't a restful one. Nightmares, the usual ones plagued her. A new one joined the usual fare tonight. 

It was a surprisingly clear image. She was staring at her own arm, the druid tattoo she bore dark against her skin. 

"How could you?" An angry voice asked. Melda looked up and saw a figure who looked like Uther. The figure stalked around her, form shifting. Now Gaius, now the prince, now Merlin, now her mother. The voice was the same, asking the same question over and over. "How could you?"

Melda awoke, sitting bolt upright. Her head knocked against something else. That something else turned out to be Merlin's head.

"What?" she hissed, annoyed at being woken and confused from the dream. Merlin pressed his index finger over her mouth, and seemed to be listening to something. He jerked his head, indicating she should follow him. Melda frowned, but did so.

The pair crept through the hallways, going down into the dungeon. Merlin lead her through a doorway that opened into a small cave.

"Merlin," a voice said. "Meldalin." 

"Who are you?" Merlin asked. "Where are you?"

A large dragon emerged from behind a rock outcropping. It landed before the two of them. Melda brushed the hair out of her face, suddenly regretting she hadn't slept with it in a braid.

"I'm here!" The dragon cried. "How small you are for such a great destiny." The siblings exchanged a confused glance, before Merlin spoke up.

"What do you mean? What destiny?" 

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason," the dragon said. 

"So there is a reason," Merlin said, sounding hopeful and apprehensive at the same time.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion," the dragon said grandly, like he expected them to applaud our cheer. "But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike."

"I don't see what this has to do with us," Melda said. The dragon gave her a sharp look.

"Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion," the dragon said, looking at them.

"No," Merlin said. "No, you've got this wrong."

"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't," the creature said sagely.

"Start making sense!" Melda snapped, then realized that she was yelling at a huge lizard capable of breathing fire. Luckily, the dragon only seemed amused.

"None of us can choose our destiny, and none of us can escape it."

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

"Perhaps it's your destiny to change that," the dragon said, before flying off to its hiding place again. The siblings stood in stunned silence for a long moment before turning to look at each other.

"What was in that soup we had for dinner?" Melda asked. "This can't be real."

"Well, mother always said we were special," Merlin joked weakly. "Turns out she's right."

Melda didn't respond, left hand slowly tracing the tattoo hidden under her sleeve. Merlin caught her wrist gently.

"We'll fix it," he said softly. "We will." Melda laughed bitterly.

"I'm the older one. Shouldn't I be comforting you?" She looked up at Merlin. "Let's go get some more sleep. Maybe this'll all make sense in the morning." Merlin took her hand, and they made their way back up to Gaius's room.