The Once and Future Queen || Arthur Pendragon

ix

It was a bright sunny morning in Camelot with only a hint of the cool winter wind creeping in amongst the air. The trees were barren of all their leaves but the ground was a vibrant mix of autumn shades from the fallen leaves that had detached from their branches and drifting to the ground, only to be swallowed by the snow that would cover their beauty. Winter was fast approaching the kingdom. The season's change bringing forth cold nights which meant firewood was in desperate need for the castle.

Kara hauled her stack of firewood up the hill, walking alongside Merlin and some of the other servants in the forest. Her back was sore, and her arms ached under the weight. She had stupidly offered to collect the firewood for Morgana's hearth, however, so her aches and pains were entirely her fault. Kara supposed she should be used to hard labour after the hard years of her life but her body certainly didn't believe so at that moment.

Both Kara and Merlin broke away from the group and took a seat upon a nearby hilltop overlooking Camelot for a much-deserved break. The two servants had been awake since the crack of dawn to haul the best firewood they could for their respective master and mistress; who were probably still asleep with their warm blankets and soft pillows. The thought of being a noble had never looked so appealing to Kara.

The smoke of the fire below wafting through the air caught their eyes. With a small smile, Merlin held out his hand, "Hors, beride þá heofonum," He whispered, his eyes flashing gold. Kara smiled, and unashamedly giggled as the smoke transformed into the figure of a horse. She watched entranced beside Merlin, wonder shining in both their eyes. Magic was such a wonderful thing. After a few seconds, the horse faded back to smoke but those few seconds manage to lift the spirits of the two sorcerers.

Out of nowhere, Kara felt a strong grip on her arm and she turned to see a terrified woman staring up at her, "Did you see it? The smoke, did you see it?" She questioned, her voice cowering with fear. Kara's eyes widened in alarm at her words, realising that the woman had seen the image in the smoke.

"No, I saw nothing," Merlin denied quickly and the woman turned to Kara.

"It's just smoke," she shrugged casually, trying to reassure that there was nothing.

The woman stared at them in disbelief, "Are you both blind? You were right there! It was magic, I tell you. There's sorcery here. We must tell the king," She stated before she ran away.

"Wait!' Merlin and Kara yelled after her but the woman was already gone. They glanced at each other, fear striking their hearts as they realised with absolute dread what their few moments of joy had done.

~*~*~

Kara stood fidgeting behind Morgana as the women from the woods talked to Uther in the throne room. She had gone straight to the king and Kara was extremely worried that her name and Merlin's would be brought forth into the accusation. "It was sorcery you saw, and you're certain of it?" Uther questioned her and the woman nodded.

"Yes, Sire."

"And you swear this before your King?"

"I swear it," Merlin and Kara shared a fearful glance. If they were found out, they would be killed with no questions asked. The thought alone was terrifying. Kara's hands clenched the skirt of her dress until her knuckles glowed white.

"Perhaps, your eyes deceived you, a trick of the light," Arthur suggested from behind his separate throne, the prince leaning against the back of it casually.

The woman shook her head, "The smoke was alive, I tell you. I feared for my life." Kara clenched her jaw slightly at the woman's words. There was a horse in the smoke. It was nothing dangerous, but this woman was acting like it had appeared to hurt her personally. She blamed Uther for the deep-seated fear of magic in the people. Kara wished that it would change, that they could see the good in magic and how natural it truly was. Magic flowed through the land, the sea, the sky. It was woven into the very fabrics of the universe. How could anything so innocent and natural be harmful? It was those who wielded it in a wrongful manner that should be feared. However, Kara knew her thoughts on the subject did not matter and never would as long as Uther sat on the throne of Camelot.