The Golden Effect

The moment of truth

Longest chapter ever! Okay, a bit of a record for me... :) Sorry for not updating, computer still hasn't come back to me yet, but never fear, my mother does have a replacement for me. I hope you like it..

Review. Comment. Make Observations. Ask Questions. I'm all ears. :)

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The Moment of Truth:

Despite the fact that she had been using magic from before she could walk, Merlynn had been four years old when she truly discovered her magical ability. She had trudged along with her mother until they reached a small clearing, the floors dying, the grass browning and rotten against the floor.

Merlynn plopped down to the brown grass and watched as Hunith foraged for the berries. She had been thinking about how pretty the place should have been and, as she played with the grass, it suddenly thickened and became a rich green.

As if she had set of a wave, the flowers blossomed, the air seemed to brighten and even the sun shone brighter into the clearing. Hunith gaped at her daughter in amazement, gazing into those gold eyes that had overtaken the previous cerulean orbs.

"Merlynn!" she gasped.

She froze. "Sorry! I didn't mean to, mommy." Merlynn stood on shaky legs and her mother gave her a light reprimanding look. "But aren't the flowers pretty?"

"Yes, they are." Hunith found that foraging for berries was easier now, what with them blossoming to the point of a fresh, plump texture. "Come along, we need to go back home. They're expecting us."

Later that night, while Hunith was bathing her daughter, Merlynn laughed and asked curiously, as all children did, "How did I make the flowers bloom, mommy?"

"It was you, Merlynn," Hunith responded with a proud, albeit troubled look on her face. "You were the one to do that to the man."

"But how?" she asked childishly, eyes wide in amazement.

"You are very special, my child. Not many have the gift you do."

Merlynn awoke and pressed her hand to her forehead, pondering as to why she had ever dreamt of that part of her life. Never had she truly dreamed about the past before, so why would it pop up now? She ignored it for the time being and stumbled from the bed and down the small flight of stairs.

Gaius, almost immediately, demanded that she got more water from the well. She grudgingly complied. It wasn't as if she could say no to him - it wasn't really allowed, she discovered.

As she pumped the water from the well, she noticed that her hands were paler than normal. Merlynn could see the blue veins in her slightly calloused palms. She hadn't really ever gotten much sun since arriving in Camelot, other than when travelling out on hunts or rescue missions. Too busy cleaning, mucking or being smacked around by Arthur.

Merlynn used to get a lot of sun back in Ealdor. When the sun did come out, she would be playing out with William in the fields. But now, there was no one to do that with. Surely Gwen had no time to frolick with her in the meadow right outside the forest.

"I can dream," she murmured to herself.

After she had filled the bucket, Merlynn knuckled her gritty eyes and began to take the long trek back to Gaius'. However, she noticed something that made her freeze. It was a woman. Merlynn normally wouldn't stop at the account of a woman, as she was a female herself, but this was different.

Those eyes. Brown, rimmed with a black ring, yet so warm and friendly that it sparked some sort of recognition within. Her stomach clenched. "Mother?" she sputtered in shock.