Hope - Merlin Fanfic

S3 E13 P2

 I awake from my sleep by clattering and voices. Calming my breath, I slide my body upwards with my back pressing against the pillars. Reaching for my sword, I wait until the footsteps are right in front of the pillars that I stand behind. Gathering the courage, I roll around the pillar, facing the intruders.

"Who goes there?" I ask very quietly, but it is loud enough for them to hear. Their heads whipped around, and in an instant, they have their swords up and pointed at me. In the dim candlelight, I can just make out the faces of the three men. One with shaggy, long blond hair and another with short brown hair. But when my eyes flicker to the last man, my sword wavers and I step back into the pillar. Long brown hair and an all too familiar face.

"Drop your sword!" The blonde one shouts, and with a clatter, it falls to the ground.

"Lower your hood," the short haired one orders, but this time, my hands only raise so that the palms are pointing right at them.

"What are you doing here?" I ask them, uncertainty lacing my voice.

"We've come to seek shelter, but just for a time. We fight for the King of Camelot, so I won't ask again, lower your hood," he orders me again.

"One won't be happy with what he sees-" the blonde cuts me off.

"Do what he says!" A smirk plays on my lips, and my hands finally graze my hood.

"Alright. If that's what your want," I drag out and slip the hood off of my head, stepping into the candle light. "My name is Sariah, what are your names?" Gwaine, my older brother, takes a step towards me.

"Sariah?" He asks quietly. "Is it really you?" I bow my head, too ashamed to look him in the eyes. Ten years before, when I was nine, he and I got into a fight. He went one way, and I went another. I was caught by bandits and was used as a slave for seven of those years before they brought me here and left me to die. I had to learn how to defend myself, how to survive on my own, and I did. "Answer me, Sariah!" I huff at his remark and raise my head and glare at him.

"You want an answer! Fine then! My answer is no! I am not the same girl that I was ten years ago! And now you stroll in here and act like you are still my brother! But guess what! You lost that title ten years ago when you walked away!" I shout at him and try to push past him, but he catches my arm.

"You aren't leaving again," he pulls ruffly on my arm, tugging me with him.

"I will use it, for all to see."

"You wouldn't dare use it. That much I still know about you." I whimper and let him drag me to another room. Even though I am stupid, I am not stupid enough to show my magic in front of Knights of Camelot.

"Uh, Gwaine, you have a sister?" the short-haired one asks.

"Can we just drop it until we get back to Arthur, Lancelot?" I scoff under my breath. Of course, he just wants to showcase me in front of the King. He tightens his grip on me, reading my thoughts. One good part of the curse that the witch put on me when I was a baby. We walk through a doorway, to where the round table is placed, and I count five other men, one an old man, and a very pretty girl. I tense up at the sight of them. I haven't been around so many people since I was with the bandits. This time it is Gwaine who tightens up.

"Get out of my head," I whisper, so just he hears.

"Tell me about the bandits," he retorts, causing me to go quiet. "We found some weapons. They must've been left by bandits." Stiffening at the word, I force myself to think of anything but the bandits and the tools they used.

"And who's that?" the Prince asks.

"My younger sister," he says slowly.

"You never told me you had a sister," a skinny boy says very quickly.