Earth & Magic

ØØØ. Prologue

    By the time he was ten Merlin had been to Prauth with his mother quite a few times. They would stay for several days to trade their crops for clothes and other goods. On this occasion, Merlin had been sent out by his mother to get some breakfast, and he quickly became lost. Nothing looked familiar, then he turned a corner and the castle came into view. He ran towards it knowing that the hostel was on the west side of the castle. He came to a training field and paused. Many knights were practicing as a group of children his age watching.
    "I'm going to become a knight one day so I can protect you, Natalia," one of the boys shouted with pride.
    "I won't need any knights to protect me; I can protect myself," A girl in boys' clothes spoke as she poked the boy in the chest. Smiling with a plan, she picked up a wooden sword and hit the boy.
    "Hey," they started to chase each other with the swords, only to cheered on by the children around them. After a few minutes, the girl knocked the sword out of the boy's hand.
     "I let you win!" He clenched his fists in embarrassment as the girl laughed,
     "Sure you did Eli." The boy ran after her and she ran towards Merlin, laughing even more. Merlin stood there watching her barrel past him.
     "You can't catch me," She turned back and looked at the boy. The boy shoved Merlin to the ground 'saying get out of my way'.
     "Hey!" She shouted at the boy. He ran at her with purpose. The girl looked around her for some weapon and settled on a small rock. She held it as if she would throw it at him if he came a step closer. The boy stared her down before turning away and mumbling about letting her win. She dropped the rock and ran over to Merlin as he dusted himself off.
     "Are you alright?" the girl must have been her age, but she spoke as if she were an adult. Merlin smiled,
     "I'll be fine." She nodded and held out her hand,
     "I'm Natalia, what's your name?"
     "Merlin," he shook her hand. Merlin explored the castle with Natalia and learned that she was the princess. They quickly became the best of friends as children do, but this was a friendship that would outlive the both of them.
      Merlin would always go to the castle when he was in Prauth. Natalia made time to see him no matter how busy she was with training to be the perfect woman or ruler or daughter. She always asked him what his home was like, what was in the woods surrounding it. She wanted so badly to live the 'simple life'. Merlin teased her by saying, 'You couldn't last a day of farming'. He actually thought that she would be very good at it, but knew she couldn't last very long sleeping on the type of bed he had.
     They often met on the training field at night and Natalia would show him what new fighting tactics she had learned from her secret training with the knights. Her mother had forbid her from doing something 'so unladylike'. At the time, Natalia wasn't one to listen to anyone but herself.
Three years after they first met, Natalia's plans came to a halt. Her brother, Charles, was born. Her parents started to think it might be better to have her marry in order to expand the future lands that Charles would.
     "You can choose who to marry," Her mother, Queen Marie, had thought this was a generous offer, "as long as he's a prince." Natalia had scoffed and responded in a fiery tone,
     "You would rather me be a pawn than be a great ruler on my own?" King Gerald, her father, quickly realized how unfair this was to spring on his daughter after the promise of a kingdom.
     "Do you want to rule Pruath for the rest of your life?"
     "It is the only future I can imagine for myself."
     The next day, she was officially made the crowned princess of Prauth. Many kingdoms ridiculed them for this, but the people of Prauth loved Natalia, trusting that she would be a great ruler.
     Another three years passed and Merlin decided to move to Prauth to learn some sort of craft. He found a job in the castle kitchen. Natalia had a large part in making that possible. He became a gifted cook and would always bring Natalia something new for her to try. It only took a few months before Merlin slipped up and Natalia caught him practicing magic. Natalia's first response was to ask if he could make fire.
     Merlin didn't stay for more than a year before his mother sent for him. Their village had been attacked by some thugs and they needed to rebuild almost everything. He wouldn't have said goodbye if Natalia hadn't already been in the room with him. He simply threw his things in a sack and was ready to go.
     "Send word when you get back if you can," Natalia threw her arms around him, "and tell me if you need anything." Merlin smiled,
     "You worry too much." He held he close knowing he may not see her for many years again.
     "I'll always worry about you Merlin. Now," she pushed him away, "Go, I'll let Tilda know that you left." Merlin thanked her and walked out the door, then reappeared,
     "Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." Natalia laughed,
     "Me, in trouble? Never."
     "I'll miss you, Natalia." With that, he was gone.
     A year passed and both of them had become strong and intelligent young people. Merlin's magic grew with each passing day to the point where he could no longer hide it from the people in his village; so he left. Heading for Camelot, not before sending a letter to Natalia. Telling her where and why he was going. Natalia received the letter and was sad to know that there was a possibility that she might not see him again.
     She couldn't dwell on it for very long. Her father became ill. She took on the role of sole ruler in an unofficial capacity. Her mother, Queen Marie, was still the crowned queen and refused to give her power up. Natalia was proving to be very dedicated and capable.
     A year later when the King finally passed, many of the other kingdoms saw this as an opportunity to attack, thinking that the kingdom would be weak. They tried to take the kingdom by force but found that Natalia was not to be reckoned with.