Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Seventy-Five: A Daughter And A Father

Merlyn had resorted to silence on their journey back. She didn't want to have to deal with everything she had come to face. Her father was not the man she had hoped for and she was lost to say the least. Lost on how to process the information, lost on what that meant for Camelot. It was all just too much so the young witch left it. She closed herself off and buried herself into her thoughts, trying to find a way to stop Kilgharrah. There had to be a way!

However, Arthur certainly had noticed Merlyn's quietness and really didn't like it. They had finally stopped their horses for a short time to camp with Merlyn having set up the fire and unpacked their bags. Arthur was sat watching her sort them out, he sighed heavily. Merlyn was as quiet as she was on the way to Engerd but Arthur couldn't think of what he had done wrong.

"I always thought that silence would be a blessing with you but I find it just as irritating" he commented in the hopes of riling some reaction out of the young woman. But she didn't even turn her head to acknowledge him. So Arthur chose to start again. "You're a riddle Merlyn."

"A riddle?" Merlyn replied, the words having no emotion behind them. But she had at least responded.

"Yes, but I've grown to quite like you" Arthur continued clinging onto the fact Merlyn had indeed replied to him. It meant she was at least listening.

"Yes?" Merlyn said as she emptied the bag finally of all it's items.

"Now I realise you're not as big a fool as you look" Arthur finished with a smirk. Though it was quiet he heard the scoff that came out of Merlyn which he knew had been occupied with a smile.

"Yeah, I feel the same" she said, bringing Arthur to narrow his eyes at her, there was something more coming and he knew it. "Now that I realise, you're not as arrogant as you sound."

"You still think I'm arrogant?" Arthur sighed, only half joking. He was genuinely worried Merlyn believed him to be arrogant.

"No. More ... supercilious" she said causing Arthur to laugh at the use of such an obscure word.

"That's a big word Merlyn. Sure, you know what it means?" he teased getting Merlyn to look over her shoulder at him and give him that look she wore when he was being a pillock.

"Condescending" she then spoke.

"Very good" Arthur nodded. But Merlyn had begun so she was going to finish.

"Patronising."

"Doesn't quite mean that" Arthur said shaking his head. Merlyn gave a humourless laugh.

"Oh no these are other things you are" she reiterated as she began to attend the fire again. The movement causing her pulled back braid to slide over her shoulder.

"Hang on!" Arthur replied with a frown in place. But his words didn't get any further as he suddenly heard movement in the woods to the right of them. The snapping of twigs catching his hunter abilities.

"Overbearing" she continued completely unaware of the danger that Arthur had spotted.

"Ssh" Arthur ordered as he picked up his sword and began to creep towards the noise.

"Very overbearing" Merlyn repeated, frowning as she truly thought about his actions at times.

"Merlyn"

"But you wanted me to talk" she retorted back with a shake of her head before more twigs snapped catching Merlyn's attention this time. Grasping her sai Merlyn began to follow Arthur towards the sounds before she heard rustling behind her. Spinning around with her sai raised she stopped short at the sight of an unexpected person.