Secrets [] Merlin

01|A Girl In The Woods

Gaius was out gathering herbs one day and he went out farther than he normally would for the reason of getting more herbs and possibly even some new ones.

What he didn't expect was to end up by a small pond, where charms were hanging in the trees and Gaius recognized it for what it was instantly. "Another druid shrine." Gaius murmured softly and he was stepping away at once. Gaius turned back around and then he could suddenly smell smoke.

Gaius saw that smoke was rising from farther along the woods and his eyes were widening to the size of small moons, and he was stupidly running towards the fire as he could have sworn that he had just heard a scream.

Gaius left his herbs behind and he was suddenly surrounded by flames on three sides, leaving only one direction to run in and he took that route swiftly and the herbs, they were all long-forgotten and left behind.

Gaius dove into a nearby river and the fire had suddenly stopped at the borders of the riverbanks. Gaius turned to look at the wall of fire, which hadn't moved an inch to further itself along the bank. When he was wading to the other side of the river, he was stunned to see that there was somebody in the woods on the other side. Eyes glowing and in the reflection of the glowing eyes, Gaius could see that the fire was slowly creeping forward.

"Run. Run. Now!"

Gaius heard the unmistakable voice inside of his mind as he burst out of the river and he ran hard, feeling almost like he was flying through the woods as he ran as fast as he was able to and then suddenly, he hit something and he was staggering back.

"Gaius?" He looked up at the surprised voice and when he blinked, the face that was studying him with some clear concern was finally coming into focus. "Gaius, are you all right?" The young girl in armor asked and Gaius blinked, before he was accepting the hand up from her.

"Thank you, Princess." Gaius said and once he was on his feet again, he bowed to her. Princess Lynella Pendragon stood in front of him, second in line to the throne and she sighed at the deep rooted mannerisms that she detested seeing whenever she was outside of her father's court.

"Gaius please, we are not at court for the moment. As such, you truly need not bow to me, for I am not the heir and certainly I am not my brother." Lynella remarked and Gaius laughed at the very notion as he stood back up straight and he looked to her.

"And I thank the heavens for that." Gaius replied and briefly at the words, Lynella was stunned and Gaius worried that he had spoken out of turn. At least until Lynella burst out laughing at the words and she was nodding.

"Where were you headed in such a hurry, Gaius?" Lynella questioned and Gaius' eyes widened when he remembered about the fire. "What is the matter, you look like you have seen a ghost?"

"There was a fire... And I saw somebody else there." At the words, Lynella retrieved her horse and she held out a hand to him, as Gaius accepted the hand up and the charger was galloping through the woods towards the direction that Gaius had been running from.

Lynella gathered up the reins as the charger slowed until coming to a complete stop at a few footsteps away from the riverbank and at the sight of the devastation, Gaius saw that the horror on her face was evident. But the strangest thing of all, was that the trees, leaves and bushes were burned to a crisp or completely gone... But there was a young girl who seemed untouched by the flames, who was passed out in the middle of the devastation.

"Who is that?" Lynella asked as she dismounted from the horse, followed by Gaius and she draped the reins over a nearby branch and the steed waited patiently, as Lynella and Gaius were carefully checking over the young girl for injuries. However, she seemed to be perfectly fine and nothing seemed to be wrong. Except for the fact that she was passed out in the woods. "Gaius, what is she?" Lynella asked softly.