The Rise of Arthur Pendragon

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

A/N: Hey! Sorry I deleted the next few chapters earlier... I realised I'd made a continuity mistake so I had to rewrite parts... Again so sorry! Thanks for bearing with me :/

Silence. Merlin didn't know what to do. He desperately wanted to ask the girl who she was and how she'd found him but at the same time he didn't want to risk exposing himself. After all, Emrys had made many enemies in the past years. "Who are you? And why are you searching for Emrys?" "I will tell you when you prove to me you are Emrys.", the voice answered. The girl had still not revealed herself and her voice kept coming from different directions. His mind racing, Merlin told the girl; "First you must prove to me that I can trust you. Only then shall I tell you if I know anything about this Emrys." There was a moments pause and then, seemingly out of nowhere a large dragon, consisting of roaring flames, shot out of the trees towards the young warlock. Instinctively, Merlin threw out his hand before himself and yelled; "Dragorn. Non didlkai. Kari miss, epsipass imalla krat. Katostar abore ceriss. Katicur. Me ta sentende divoless. Kar... krisass", and the creature disintegrated an inch away from his face. "Is that proof enough, Emrys?" This time she spoke from his left and he turned to find her standing a few paces in front of him."Who are you?", Merlin asked once more. "My name is Alia and I need your help."

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A while later, Merlin and the no longer unnamed Alia were sitting around a fire beside a stream a couple of miles outside of Camelot. "Arthur is going to kill me when I get back.", Merlin muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. He turned his head to look at Alia, who was sat on a log next to him. She was young, no more that fifteen. Her chestnut hair reached half way down her back and she had braided two strands away from her face. A piece of her skin was showing and Merlin saw that she bore the mark of the Druids on her neck. Alia lifted her head to stare at Merlin and he saw for the first time the similarities between them. They had the same blue eyes, pale skin and goofy smile which was now plastered over her thin face. "You don't know who I am do you?", she asked quietly. Merlin shook his head sadly and replied; "You seem so familiar but I just don't know. I'm sorry." Alia was still smiling but her eyes showed that it hurt her to hear that. For the third time that day Merlin asked; "Who are you?" "That is not relevant right now Emrys.", she answered sombrely. "But-" "Not yet Emrys. Someday you'll know but that day has not come yet." Merlin knew she would not tell him more so he let it go, even though he was desperate to know. "You said you needed my help. What's wrong?" "As you may have realised by now I am a Druid and my camp was attacked by Aragons men. Everyone is dead. I have no one, except you.",Alia's eyes were filling with tears, "Please let me stay with you." Now the tears were rolling down her hollow cheeks but she hurriedly wiped them away with her sleeve. She cleared her throat and continued; "I can work at the palace! I know how to cook and clean. And you can teach me so many things! Please Emrys, help me." The sorcerer watched the young Druid girl, who stared up at him imploringly. Merlin knew he couldn't just leave the poor, disheveled girl in the woods so, with a sigh, he declared; "All right, but first of all you must never call me Emrys. I am Merlin here, remember that. Second, you must not tell a soul that Emrys and I are the same person.", he gave her a stern look, "And last of all you must never use your powers for petty, selfish things. Understood? Magic is a gift and you should be immensely grateful that you possess such a gift." In reply, Alia threw herself at Merlin and embraced him in the tightest hug he had ever experienced. "Thank you Merlin.", she whispered her voice flooded with gratitude, "Thank you so much."