Merlyn's Final Truth

The Hunter's Heart P1

Unedited

Merlyn had never been so angry.

It had taken a while, of course, for that twang of love to fade from the forefront of her mind. Her heart still yearned for him, she knew that, couldn't help it, but that feeling was souring. Perhaps it wasn't his fault. She'd tried to convince herself that she was being irrational, that it wasn't really his fault, that Uther...

No. He couldn't hide behind his father anymore. This was his decision, his hatred for her kind. If he had been different, he never would have thrown her in that cell, never even have thought to build a pyre. It was clear to her now that Arthur had never loved her as much as she had him. She never could have been so cruel.

It hadn't taken her long to find a druid's camp, almost as if they had been waiting for her. They'd welcomed her with a homely sort of kindness that had warmed her. It was strange, something she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before. Even if her first few weeks were carved by misery, a raggedy heartbreak which she wasn't sure would ever truly heal, it still made her smile to see small children gasping in awe as she made sparkling butterflies appear, watching as they swooped around their tents in absolutely glee. She helped with the cooking, kneeding the bread as if it has harmed her in a past life. It was easy, really, to see how all of this could be hers.

Still, she missed her friends. The camp was on the eastern border, not far from Ealdor. Merlyn hadn't dared face her mother, to tell her that she'd failed. Camelot, on the other hand, was far more reachable.

The first time she saw it, she could go no further. Looking up at the white walls, feeling the tears threatening to fall, she could only stare. She'd stayed there until early morning, when she'd heard the first scatterings of life, finding her senses and returning to camp. No one asked where she had gone, and she was glad for it.

Eventually she made it past the walls. She saw Gaius, Gwen and Gwaine, ensuring to avoid him. She saw Percival, mostly from a distance, but occasionally she could leave them small gifts, tokens of thanks for what they had done for her. Usually it was small bundles of flowers that reminded her of them- Gwen's were usually purple- and whilst she didn't dare linger for long, it warmed her heart to know that they were safe.

And then, after her latest adventure, she had seen one of the camps elders awaiting her on the edge of the last line of tents. He watched her approach, something solemn in his gaze.

"This has to stop, Emrys. It's tearing you apart. You need to move on."

His lips didn't move, but Merlyn heard his voice echoing through her head.

She felt the tears roll slowly down her cheeks as she nodded, knowing he was right.

"I know." Her voice was hoarse. "I know."

It was doing her no good seeing them. She needed to move on.

Not long after, rumours began to flow thick and fast, men cloaked in red searching the forest, golden dragons adorning their shields. Everyone knew what they were looking for; Merlyn could tell by the way conversation stopped when she was near. Her time here was coming to an end, she knew that.

"I think it's time for me to go." She announced one morning, pretending not to hear the sighs of relief from the elders. "Your hospitality has been so generous. I hope I can repay you all one day."

"Nonsense, Emrys." One of the elders murmured. "The honour was ours."

The others nodded their agreement. None of them, however, tried to stop her as she left, unsure of where exactly she was heading.

That was how she ended up in a small farming village a couple of miles over the boarder of Essitir. It reminded her a bit of Ealdor, god, she missed her mother, although the people here seemed rather cold. Given that, they didn't ask many questions; she didn't want to put anyone in danger if she could help it.