What If? {Merlin}

The Lady of the Lake

Third POV

Merlin had been with Gaius on a house call when he had seen a dark haired girl locked in a cage, "Gaius," he called his uncle.

Gaius looked where he was looking and sighed, "She's fallen prey to a bounty hunter," he said. Merlin looked on in disbelief, "She's only a girl," he commented.

"She'll still fetch a good price, though," Merlin couldn't believe Gaius even said that. He didn't know yet, but because he was a known figure amongst the druids, known as Emrys, he would be a bit more protective over druids. Morgana was the same, that's why there first instinct was to help Mordred when they had seen him. "Someone's going to pay for her?"

"Uther offers a handsome reward for anyone with magic," Gaius said. 'Why is he still friends and working with the man?' Merlin thought.

"There must be something we can do."

"Merlin, bounty hunters are dangerous men. They're not to be meddled with. You of all people should understand that," Gaius reminded him. When they had reached the physicians chamber that night, Gaius had fallen asleep so Merlin snuck out to find the girl again.

The girl was startled when he found her, "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he spelled the cage door open and stepped inside, putting his hand over her manacles and muttered another spell to break them off, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the cart just as the ounty hunter exited the tavern. Merlin muttered another spell, and made the tavern sign break off and whack the bounty hunter in the face, he then ran off with the girl until they reached the tunnels under the castle. "They won't find you here," he told her, "Here," he handed her his jacket only for her to shrink away from him again.

"Sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just thought you might be cold," he quickly said.

"Why did you do that?" the girl finally spoke.

"What?"

"Help me."

"Well, I saw you and...it could've just been me in that cage. You'll be safe down here. I'll come back in the morning with some food and candles. Will you be alright till then?" Merlin asked. The girl had nodded and Merlin remembered he didn't know her name, "I'm Merlin, by the way," he introduced himself.

"I'm Freya," she replied.

"Freya," he repeats. He handed her his jacket again and she took it that time, "I'll see you in the morning, Freya," he said as he began to leave the tunnels. "Thank you," he heard. Little did he know, but a prince and two wards of Camelot were watching him.

The next morning, Merlin was trying to find some food for Freya, only finding some stale bread and an old apple, he then decided to exchange some of Arthur's food of meat, bread, and cheese. Then, he woke up Arthur, "Breakfast!" he announced, opening the curtains.

"Oi! Where's the meat? Cheese?" Arthur questioned although he knew where it was going too. "That's the new breakfast menu," Merlin said.

"This isn't enough," Arthur argued.

"We, we've got to keep you in shape," Merlin countered.

"I'm fighting fit!"

"But we want to keep you that way."

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, offended, "Is there somewhere you have to be?"

"Of course not!"

"Good. 'Cause I've got some chores for you to do," Arthur listed off things, knowing the girl his servant is hiding is about to get visitors.