The Dragon, The Sorcerer and The Witch Out of Time

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Page count: 12

"Your Highness..."

"I assure you both, I am not leaving the grounds. I only wish to have a private discussion with my friend, and once we are done, I shall be retiring for the night. I will not be alone as I have Akela by my side. I don't require your guard for the rest of the evening and you are excused for the night. It has been a long day and I'm certain you are both tired."

Michel and Emerick glanced to one another.

"That is what I thought. Off you go and I shall see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"You will not leave the castle grounds?" Michel asked with a slightly narrowed gaze.

"I will not leave the castle grounds," she promised. "Now, goodnight."

"Your Highness," they both bowed before turning on their heels and leaving her at her door.

Once they'd rounded the corner and were no longer in sight, she headed in the opposite direction and made her way through the castle and towards the physician's chambers with Akela by her side. Upon reaching her destination, she wrapped her knuckles against the door and then stepped inside, not being surprised that Gaius wasn't present as she'd heard the King say that he would be having a discussion with him after dinner.

"Hermione?" Merlin grinned as he stepped out of his rooms and made his way over to her. "What are you doing here?"

She smiled at him. "Well, I've finally settled in and found my footing, so I thought we could make a start on your training." His grin widened and he all but shook with the excitement he was radiating. "Akela hasn't had a good hunt since arriving in Camelot, so I thought we could kill two birds with one stone and take a walk through the wooded area on the grounds. Akela has the opportunity to hunt, we will have a quiet space where no one will be able to stumble upon us and I'll be keeping my promise of not leaving the grounds, therefore not needing a guard or escort, therefore Arthur will have no reason to be mad at me."

"You've thought this through," he replied amused.

"Of course, I have," she smiled. "We wouldn't want the dear Prince to have a meltdown, now would we?" She said and he chuckled at her, shaking his head. "Are you ready?"

Rather than answering, he all but darted around her and out of the door, leaving behind her laughter. She and Akela were quick on his heels and once they fell into step, conversation flowed easily and they greeted any who they passed, whether it be servants, knights or guards. Soon enough they stepped out of the castle and onto the grounds that were bathed in the late evening sun, Hermione knowing it would soon be getting dark and it would give them extra cover.

She allowed Akela to lead the way and he took them across the training grounds and to the woods at the back of it, she and Merlin stepping into the cover of the trees, Akela immediately leaving them behind as he spotted sight of a rabbit and they continued walking until they were a little further into the trees and they found a small clearing.

"This will do," she said, lifting her dress and lowering herself to the ground, folding her legs beneath her and smoothing out her dress.

"I can't imagine the seamstress would be pleased if she were to see you now," Merlin commented amused as he lowered himself onto the ground opposite her, crossing his legs and clasping his hands together.

"Perhaps not, but I paid for her services and the materials used. Besides, this is one of my physician duties dresses and it is easy enough for me to spell it free of dirt."

At the mention of magic, Merlin's eyes lit up at the reminder of what they were to be doing that evening.

"Before we begin, I must make it clear that I am unsure if my methods will be successful for you. As I've said before, we practice vastly different forms of magic. I doubt I will be able to aid you in any casting of magic that originates from the Old Religion, but I will be able to teach you the art form that is my magic, but in doing so, it may inadvertently be what you need to control your magic."