Phoenix Fire

12 - An Unexpected Talent

KAENA

"Well," Gaius said standing up, "you were very lucky. Any deeper and you wouldn't have made it. You definitely need to rest now."

"But I have to go." My throat felt rusty, "Hale needs me." 

"You'd be no use to him now my dear." Gaius shook his head, "I think you may be prone to infections, this new wound is definitely infected and you're running a fever. It's a good thing I can cure this type of ailment, other physicians aren't so skilled."

Merlin had explained the whole situation now to Gaius. Since saving Merlin's life, I think Gaius had come round to Merlin's argument to look after me seeing as I'd saved him from more danger than I'd put him in. Since Merlin had saved my life I knew I could trust him. He had magic, and now I knew his secret we were even. 

"He's right Kaena." Hild said gently. "Hale would much prefer you in one piece." 

I groaned and rolled my head away from them. Since the cut had been to my stomach I wasn't able to sit up and was forced to lie in bed like a plank of wood. I'd been out a day and a half and only woken up half an hour ago.

"I shall leave you now, the King has required my presence." Gaius said, gathering up some things. "And Merlin," he said roughly, "I am still not happy with you. You put yourself in danger and you put these girls in danger. It was a foolish thing to do." He shook his head and left.

"Merlin, where did you get that magic from? That kind of thing is supposed to take years of training?" Hild said.

Merlin sighed. "I was born with it. I could move objects before I could talk. I don't know. Gaius gave me a book, that's where I learnt the spell you saw me perform, but it just comes naturally to me." 

I turned back to face them. "Hild what is a Kobold?" I asked. 

Now it was her turn in the hot seat. "It's a humanoid magical creature, like a pixie of a sort. Some are earth bound, some are water found. Sometimes a few are fire bound. I was always setting things on fire at home. Chairs, beds, sometimes even whole houses but those were accidents. Kobolds can live in households, and sometimes attach themselves to humans of their choosing. Normally the gifts they give are small things, like stolen money, or food. But this one decided to give me something he thought I would really like." She open up her hand and her breathing slowed. Her eyes flashed orange, and a flame started to dance in her palm. She closed her hand into a fist. "It's more a curse than a gift though. As I told you, it's dangerous. I've set myself on fire trying to use it before and well." She turned to Merlin, "You know how it is. I could be killed for something I didn't even ask for. It even changed my hair colour."

"It changed your hair colour?" I asked. I couldn't imagine her without red hair. It fit with her light green eyes so well. I thought she must have been from up north of the continent, or maybe from the isles to the west.

"It used to be brown. A bit lighter than yours." She explained. 

"But all you can do is... fire?" Merlin asked.

"Wait you can do more things?" Hild asked back.

Merlin looked at a pot and we both watched as it sped forwards towards us before stopping on the edge of the table.

"That is awesome. My magic is much weaker since it comes from another being. I can basically do party tricks compared to you. Even the flame in my hand tires me out. But that is amazing." Hild smiled, but then it faded quickly. "We have to promise. None of us will tell. On our lives. Or Uther would have us all dead. No telling Arthur." I nodded.

"Gaius already knows." Merlin looked down at his hands, "but you're right. As Gaius always tells me I'm going to get myself into trouble if I use it too much."

"What did you guys say to Arthur?" I asked them. He'd been in to visit me when I first woke up and had been acting a little odd. I knew it was partly due to me saving his life, but I guessed there was more to it.

"It was me." Merlin said. "I told him about how you'd run away, everything about that. I said that he had to tell the King that you, as Lona the bounty hunter, had helped him in slaying the chimera and you should be given chambers in the castle for as long as you needed in reward, and a job should you want it. He agreed very willingly. He wants to keep your secret safe. After all, you did save his life." 

In my head I said, great, another person knowing my secrets. Well at least I'm in no danger of him accidentally telling Uther now, and a place to stay while I figure out how to save Hale is definitely a good thing. Out loud I said, "Thank you Merlin. What about Hild?"

"He's asking for her to stay too."

I nodded. I felt like I wanted to sleep again, but at that moment Arthur walked in.

"Sire." Hild and I said. Hild had obviously remembered her manners now too, or maybe Merlin had spoken to her about it. Either way we were being cautiously polite.

"My father allowing you both to stay." Arthur sat down. "You'll both have to work, but I think we can find some suitable jobs for you." 

"Thank you sire." I said, and kicked Hild as best I could from a lying down position.

"Yes, thank you sire." Hild mumbled. 

"It should be me saying thank you. I am grateful to you both." He stood up again. "Now, Merlin, tell me, is my armour polished?" 

Merlin groaned and stood up, saying his goodbyes he left with Arthur.

"All I know is how to fight." Hild said miserably.

"I can teach you some things. I learnt how to embroider when living with my father." Hild made a face. "Well you have to be good at something domestic."

"I really don't want to." She groaned.

"Stop being a child." She was really getting on my nerves now. She had to be about two or three years younger than me. Not much older than I was when I ran away.

"Fine." She grunted. "I can sing."

"You can what?" I asked. I did not expect this wiry little fighter to sing. From the little she said she'd grown up with a group of mercenaries, being called to fight for different armies or hired by private landowners. Her brother would dress her up as a boy when they went out in public as a group. The rest of the time they trained with one another. 

She cleared her throat and began to sing.

"It's a narrow, narrow make your bed,
And learn to lie your lane;
For I'm ga'n oer the sea, Fair Annie,
A braw bride to bring home.
Will her I will get gowd and gear;
Will you I near got nane.

But what will bake my bridal bread,
Or brew my bridal ale?
And what will welcome my brisk bride,
That I bring oer the dale?"

She finished, blushing. I knew the song, I'd heard it sung a couple of times at court in Bernicia. It was called Fair Annie, about a man telling his mistress he was going to find a new bride.

Her voice, and I couldn't lie to myself even if I wanted to, was beautiful. It was one of those voices that made you wish you could sing with her. She sang with the soaring tones of a bird. It made me think of the time back in the woods when Hale had made me shut up and pointed out a blackcap in the trees. She sung like that. It made you want to stop everything to listen to her.

"Wow." I gasped.

"The boys would get me to sing to them in the taverns at the end of the night." She was blushing even more now, "They'd get me to stand on a table and wouldn't shut up until I'd sung a ballad or two."

"Well." I adjusted myself on the bed, "I certainly think Uther will have to give you a job once he's heard that."