Destinies Intertwined (Mordred/OC Merlin BBC Series) - IN PROGRESS

Chapter 1

I came to a sudden stop when I saw the glorious castle. The same one I knew my good friend was in. I knew that castle was dangerous, but I already had a plan for if I was caught wandering. I was only nine, so they wouldn't expect a small, innocent little girl to just come up with a lie quite like this one. It was, to say the least, quite elaborate.

It didn't take much effort to sneak past the first few sets of guards, and using my magic allowed me to see where I should be headed, so I knew where I was going. It seemed almost too easy. I began to sneak into the castle to his chambers, when of course, I was stopped by a knight. I should've known my luck would run out.

"Excuse me little miss, but what are you doing here so late at night?" He asked, crouching down to my level and giving me an accusatory glare.

"I-I..." I choked, tears forming in my eyes. "I was traveling with my sister from my village," I lied easily. "She fell into a hidden trap and was wounded. Before she d-di-died, sh-she told me to come find the c-court physician named G-Gaius to see if I could st-stay with him. Sh-she said he was a-a-a good f-friend of mummy befo-fore she died, and she sa-said that our friend Mer-Merlin was the-ere..." I said, pretending to hiccup from the tears. I knew Gaius' name from the many conversations I had with Merlin, though I'd only seen him face-to-face once since he rescued me from the lake.

The look of pity the man held on his face made me feel guilty for lying, but I didn't have long before the Druids moved again, so I knew I had to be swift - and careful, unless I wished to be killed. And here, if I was caught lying, it would land me in an interrogation, and I'd be lucky to evade execution. The castle was dangerous for Druids like myself.

"Come little one," he said, taking my hand and standing. "I will show you the way to Gaius' chambers."

The man walked to another, and I pretended to continue to cry while they spoke. The second man gave me a look of pity before he nodded and whispered something back to the first knight.

"I'll be back as soon as I know she's safe," the first knight called to the second as he began walking me into the castle. We ran into a few more knights on our way to the Physician's chambers, and I tried not to grow impatient when we were stopped a fifth time and I heard my story told and re-told, and I was asked a few questions. At least I was certain I'd have my story straight after hearing it this many times and figuring out the details on the spot.

It felt like forever before we made it to an old wooden door and the knight knocked with a purpose, likely managing to wake everyone within the chambers and next door.

When the door opened, I saw an old man who I assumed was Gaius. He looked at us, obviously worried as to why he was awakened so close to midnight.

"Is anything wrong?" the old man asked, looking both befuddled and confused. The guard opened his mouth to tell him the tale I had woven when I saw the door on the other side of the room open, and out stepped a befuddled young warlock.

"Merlin!" I called, excited as I ran to him and jumped on him, holding onto his waist tightly.

"Ariel?" he said, pulling me away slightly and looking down at me, putting his hands on either side of my face and tilting it upward to see it. "Ariel, what in the world are you doing here?"

"Thank you for bringing her, sir," I heard Gaius say. "But I'm sure we can take it from here."

I had never been so thankful for an old man in my life.

~:~:~:~:~

I had spent the next hour sitting in Merlin's lap and talking with him and Gaius, observing Merlin's very large hands. I wondered if one day Mordred would grow to be as big as Merlin, and what he'd look like then. I wasn't sure I could imagine Mordred as a man with calloused hands like Merlin's.