Dame || A Merlin Fanfic

Chapter One

Things in Camelot had finally gone back to normal, or at least as normal as they could manage to be. King Uther was still a deeply broken man, but Prince Arthur was showing a fine example of leadership in his stead. Except for the usual scrimmage that broke out while soldiers were on patrol, things were peaceful. Training remained as vigorous as ever for the knights, but it seemed even more vigorous to poor Merlin who had to tote equipment, run with shields, and hold striking bags. Today, it just happened to be javelin practice, which meant that Merlin had to run with a giant wooden shield on his back while the knights laughed and tried to knock him over. It was his fear that one day the shield would crack and he would be impaled. It was not so: he just kept falling over.

The jeering stopped when Leon asked, "Who's that?"

"I dunno. I've never seen her before," Elyan answered.

"I'd have remembered," Gwaine commented. "She's a bit odd-looking."

Merlin squirmed out from under the shield and looked where all the knights were turned. Some unfamiliar girl was marching towards them. She had auburn hair that was almost shoulder-length. The front was a braided crown to keep it out of her face, save for the fringe that curled just at her eyebrows, leaving her eyes in full view. As she drew closer, they could see that her face had several scars: on her lower lip, under her eye, and even one along her left jaw. She was dressed in trousers and a grey surcoat embroidered with crossed swords under a blue-grey riding hood.

Merlin watched the girl closely. Strange encounters like this never ended well. Usually, they ended up with a challenge or enchantment, and because it had been only two weeks since the attack of the Dorocha, he was more cautious than ever. This girl, however, had no sword, armor, or staff: just a scroll tucked into her belt and an eight-inch blade of sorts in a scabbard.

When she reached the knights, she asked, "Prince Arthur?"

"Here," Arthur said and stepped forward.

The girl gave a low bow. "My lord," she said in a formal tone, "I am Diane, daughter of Lord Aston, House of Boyne."

Arthur donned an equally formal tone, responding, "Hello, Lady Diane. I don't believe we have had the pleasure of meeting before."

"No, we have not," Diane said, straightening. She handed Arthur the scroll in her belt. "These are my credentials. I am here to become a knight of Camelot."

The knights looked confused. This girl who looked no more than seventeen with no weapon? A knight?

Arthur tried to hold back a sympathetic smile when he asked, "I'm sorry, but how old are you?"

"Twenty," Diane answered, but the bystanders hardly believed it.

"And does your father know that you are doing this?" Arthur asked, carefully inspecting the credentials. It wouldn't be the first time that someone had presented him with a false identity.

"He does," Diane replied a bit stiffly. "The First Code of Camelot is that a knight has to be of noble blood, a code which you thankfully now overlook. I am of age and the heir of a lord, so I wish to be tested."

Arthur almost looked impressed. "Do you know how to fight?" he asked.

"I do," Diane replied.

"Where is your sword?" Arthur asked.

"I don't have one," Diane replied.

"You cannot be a knight with only a dagger. How do you expect to fight without a sword?" Arthur asked.

"I'll get one," Diane answered. "When does training begin?"

"Woah, woah, hold on," Arthur said quickly. "I must warn you that you will not be treated differently because you are a girl."