The Rise of Merlin

INTERLUDE (2)

Writing is hard! (at least for me, don't know how it is for everyone else). I have so much free time right now, yet I have not been able to write anything. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to write since I actually started writing that one before I wrote this one. Hope you guys enjoy it :)

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 Merlin huffed in irritation as she pushed back a lock of hair from her sweaty face. "I can't believe he was serious about this," she grumbled as she struggled to lift the dirty straw onto the wheelbarrow, scrunching her face slightly at the smell that filled the stables.

Near her, a horse nickered and Merlin rolled her eyes. "Yes, the prince is a prat. At least you're aware of that." She huffed again as she brought the pitchfork down and scraped the remaining straw from the floor before throwing it into the full wheelbarrow. When it was all done, Merlin moved to cover the floor with new straw, feeling elated that she was finally finished.

"There, all done. I can finally get away from this stench," she muttered, as she took in her completed work, shaking out her hands and rubbing them to ease the pain.

A dark-coated mare that stood near the back of the stables turned to look at her and neighed, and Merlin grimaced and quickly said, "No offense of course. All of you were lovely company." The mare neighed again, and with a shake of her mane, the horse went back to eating the fresh hay Merlin had laid out for them.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief once she no longer had the mare's attention and jumped when someone spoke from behind her. "Don't mind her, Llamrei can be a bit temperamental to strangers," the person said, and when she turned around she gave a confused look when she recognized the knight that stood just outside the door that led into the stables.

"Right," she said, looking back at the mare before turning her gaze back to the knight. "Erm...you're Sir Leon. I don't know whether you remember me or not. You helped me out with Sir Valiant, but er...I'm M-"

"Merlin," the blond knight interrupted. "I know who you are. I have to say, you've made quite the impression around here." Merlin blushed at his words and moved to speak but Sir Leon continued. "Particularly with two of my fellow knights." Sir Leon chuckled as her eyes widened in surprise.

"I see that you are aware of who I speak of," Sir Leon said, as he leaned against the doorframe, watching her.

"Sirs Josef and Frederick?" she asked, although she already knew those were the knights Sir Leon was referring to.

The knight nodded in response and said, "How those two came to befriend someone who they personally put in the dungeons is beyond me."

Merlin laughed nervously, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she said, "I still find it hard to believe myself. I don't normally make the best impressions. In fact, the people in my village would be the first to tell you."

Sir Leon stepped forward, furrowing his brows in thought as he stroked one of the horses that had moved towards them. "This is my horse, Vortimer," the knight explained when he noticed Merlin's puzzled look.

"Oh, do the rest of the horses belong to the other knights?" Merlin asked, pointing to the rest of the horses that paid them no mind.

"Some of them," Sir Leon said. "Llamrei and Hengroen, that white stallion over there, belong to Arthur."

Merlin looked to where Sir Leon pointed and couldn't help but laugh as she noticed how grand the stallion looked. Only the best for Prince Arthur, she thought. Her amusement only grew when she remembered Sir Leon had called Llamrei temperamental, something she could clearly see in Arthur.