The Rise of Merlin

THE MARK OF NIMUEH (1)

Here's the next chapter! I'm surprised I finished it in time since I've been spending a lot of time playing Mario Kart. I found it a bit weird writing this episode because we all know what happens in "The Mark of Nimueh." Just want to say that I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy right now. 

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In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young girl. Her name: Merlin.

The first thing she was aware of was something cold and wet pressing into her cheek. Groaning, Merlin opened her eyes and was met with a panting Artie, who let out a sharp bark when he noticed she was awake.

Pushing his head away from her, Merlin sat up from her bed and asked, "What is it, boy?"

Outside she could hear Gaius moving around frantically, and Merlin frowned at the sound. What was getting the old man in such a fuss? she thought, as she left the comfort of her bed in order to get ready for the day. After running her fingers through her hair, Merlin tied her frayed ribbon into her hair and walked out into the main room with Artie following behind her, bumping into the back of her legs to make her walk faster.

"Morning, Gaius," she called out to the old physician as she moved to grab a bowl of porridge that Gaius had made the night before, however, the physician stopped her before she could serve herself.

"Good, you're up. We don't have time for that, girl. We're needed in the lower town right now."

With a deep frown, Gaius walked over to her and held out a bag that she could see was filled with glass vials, and feeling a bit lost, she took it from him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, as she pulled the bag over her so she could free her hands.

Instead of responding to her, Gaius turned and walked out of the room. Baffled at the old physician's sudden departure, Merlin grabbed a piece of bread from the table and gave half of it to Artie. Before she could do anything else, Gaius called out for her and giving Artie a confused look, they made their way out of the room and caught up to the old man.

As they walked down to the lower town, Merlin tried to question Gaius about what was happening, but to her dismay the old man stayed quiet, except when he told her to hurry up. Sighing, she followed behind him and ate the rest of her bread in silence.

Hearing the bells ringing overhead, Merlin was reminded that she still had to attend to Arthur, but she had a feeling that she was going to be late again. If so, she figured she should start working on her excuse for the prince, even if he was used to it at this point.

Just as she finished her piece of bread they made it to wherever Gaius was leading her to, and she immediately had to keep it from coming back up when she noticed the body laying on the floor.

When Artie walked closer to the body, Merlin pushed him back and said, "No sniffing, Artie." Ignoring the look that Gaius gave her over the use of name, Merlin looked down at the man sprawled faced down on the floor and asked, "I-is he dead?"

Gaius knelt down next to the body and after checking him over, he sighed and said, "I'm afraid so."

"What do you think happened to him?" Merlin asked, running her hand through Artie's fur as she watched Gaius turn over the man onto his back so they could get a clear view of him.

When she caught sight of him Merlin gasped out in shock, and Artie let out a low whine and pushed against her when she tried to walk forward in order to get a closer look at the unnaturally pale man. "Gaius?" she said, as the physician continued to look over the dead man.