Merlyn's Final Truth

The Hunter's Heart P3

Unedited

Almost despite himself, Arthur was enjoying the hunt. In the early dawn, a thin mist had spread across the trees, the eerie beauty quickly trampled by the blast of the hunting horn as he galloped through each clearing, focused on what prey may lie ahead. A buzz of excitement washed over his men. Here, he didn't feel so alone.

Merlyn would have complained. There was something about wild creatures that had always tugged on her heartstrings, a protectiveness she didn't often display when battering their- her- enemies. Mithian, on the other hand, seemed delighted, sharing the rush he felt at the eager shouts of the crowd, wielding her crossbow expertly. They hadn't caught much, but Arthur didn't mind. It wasn't exactly the prey he was hunting for.

"Deer!" Leon shouted, kicking his horse into action. Arthur followed, Mithian close behind him, his knights relieved to have something to chase.  They raced through the trees, the deer unusually nimble as it darted away, desperate to outpace the horses. Eventually, however, his men surrounded it, Leon's weapon trained on the animal.

"It's yours, sire." He lowered his bow, begrudgingly nudging his horse so Arthur would have a clearer shot. He was a good man. A good knight. He knew how to best serve his realm.

Arthur nodded in thanks, training his own crossbow on the deer. He squinted at the animal, pausing for a moment. In an odd way, it looked familiar, something about its face making him rather uncomfortable. Part of him didn't want to shoot it, but he had to impress Mithian. He could not risk everything he had planned due to one odd feeling.

Before the bolt even left his bow, he knew it would strike the deer cleanly, right in its heart. Arthur felt his stomach drop, suddenly sure he'd made a terrible mistake.

Filled with regret, Arthur could only watch as his arrow flew true. Merlyn had really changed him. And yet, as the bolt reached the deer, it changed course, suddenly ricocheting into the ground. Arthur frowned. If he didn't know any better, he would've said that the deers eyes had glowed golden, if only for a moment. It stared at him, its blue, sad eyes overwhelming his senses.

Mithian, however, didn't seem to feel the same somberness, oblivious to his dismay. She aimed her own bow, the deers eyes still fixed on his- a familiar shade of blue...

'I thought you were a good shot, my lord." She smirked, firing a bolt before Arthur had a chance to stop her. "A gold sovereign says she's hit."

Arthur urged his horse after hers, shaking his head. He had to stop thinking of her, seeing her in everything. She wasn't here, had moved on. He was being ridiculous. It was just a deer.

She was long gone.

~

Merlyn did not appreciate being shot.

Waking up in an unfamiliar body had not been part of her weekend plans. Nor had she particularly fancied running for her life through the forest on shaky legs, chased by Camelot's finest men and an unfamiliar, but incredibly beautiful, woman.

Granted, whomever the woman had been didn't know that she wasn't really a deer. She couldn't really blame her, although Merlyn couldn't say she liked how close she'd been to Arthur. He was going to move on one day, she supposed. Why would he stay loyal to someone he hated?

It shook her, if she were honest, how Morgana had Arthur hunt her, how she worked in such potent metaphors. She'd always been clever, but even now, Merlyn was always surprised by her callousness, yearned for the friend she'd once had. Morgana was right about a lot of things, perhaps even Arthur, but Merlyn refused to give up on him now. She knew who he was. She'd have to try.