Merlin: the rise of Camelot

Chapter two

[Elletta POV]

I arrived in Camelot the same day as the dignitaries from another country. I hadn't planned it that way. It just sort of happened. I had to get away from my village. They were horrible to me, ever since the day I accidentally knocked a tree down on my neighbor's house with my magic. Fortunately, no one had been hurt, but the people in the village had become distrustful of me. I knew King Arthur was just as hateful and distrustful toward magic as those in my village, but I needed a fresh start.

I bumped right into someone carrying a pitcher of water, getting soaked through. I looked up to see a young man barely older than me. He had the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen and dark hair. He wore a blue tunic with a red scarf.

"I'm so sorry." the boy apologized. He attempted to mop up all the water he had spilled all over the floor.

"MERLIN!" An angry voice called out. "Where is that water!?" Someone who could only be King Arthur stomped into the room.

"I, er, spilled it. I'm going to go refill it." Merlin stammered. He looked guiltier than he had when he spilled the water all over me. I shivered. I was getting cold. Just my luck that the pack I carried with my other clothes had also gotten wet.

"I can-" I started.

"Nonsense. Merlin spilled the water. He's going to go refill it. Right, Merlin?" King Arthur said, looking pointedly at him. Muttering under his breath, Merlin walked off to the courtyard. "Who might you be? I haven't seen you before."

"I'm, er, new, your highness." I said, watching Merlin leave for a moment. "I would like to be a servant here. If it's not too much trouble."

"Of course. We always have need of a servant. My wife, in fact, could use a servant." King Arthur said to me.

"I was a servant myself once." Queen Gwen said to me as I made her bed.

"Really? King Arthur's father let him marry a servant?" I asked, fluffing her pillow.

Gwen shook her head. "No. He wanted him to marry a princess. It's a very long story, but suffice it to say that King Uther did not approve of Arthur and me. We married after he was gone." Queen Gwen replied. She smiled sadly at the memory. "But never mind that. What about you? What brings you to Camelot?"

"I caused a problem back in my village. I decided it was best if I part with them for a while." I replied. I picked up Gwen's laundry. "Will that be all, your majesty?"

"Yes. That'll be all. I'll let you know when I need something else. I'm sure Gaius could use some help in the infirmary." Gwen replied, smiling. "He's used to taking in strays anyway. He took Merlin in without any questions."

I left the room with her laundry and began scrubbing it. Fortunately, it wasn't too dirty. From what I knew of her she hardly ever left the palace except to visit the market or go on trips with the king. She had spent her whole life within the walls of the palace, being a servant. There was something she hadn't mentioned. Whose servant had she been?

"What's a pretty young thing like yourself doing washing the queen's laundry?" A voice behind me asked. There stood a man with a mane of dark hair, leaning against the door, munching on an apple. He had a mischievous look in his eyes, but he seemed harmless enough Get a haircut, I thought, looking at him.

"I'm the queen's new maid." I replied. "And believe me, it is far better than where I came from."

"Where do you come from? Surely you come from a palace where you get everything you desire." The man said, looking me over.

"No. I come from a poor village who doesn't know how to treat people who are different. I know what you are trying to do, and it's sweet. But I don't go for the roguish grin type." I said to him, hanging the laundry.

"No. I suppose not. Most of the girls around here prefer Lancelot and his gentle manner." The man said.

"What is your name?" I asked him.

"Sir Gwaine. I'm-"

"There you are, Gwaine. I knew I'd find you here." Another knight, brawny with close-cropped blond hair said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Arthur was thinking you'd gone to the tavern again." He turned to me. "Was he bothering you?"

"No. Not really." I replied. "We were just talking." I continued hanging Gwen's dresses.

"You're the queen's new maid. Merlin was telling me about you." The other knight said. "He said you spilled water all over him. Anyway, Gwaine. We need to go practice. We have several new squires to break in." The two knights returned to the castle.

I entered the infirmary. An old man crushed herbs while talking to Merlin. I couldn't hear what they were discussing.

"Gaius?" I asked. The old man looked up. "The queen sent me. She ran out of tasks to give me, so she sent me here."

Gaius and Merlin exchanged a puzzled look. "Of course." Gaius said, opening a cupboard. "I'll have you crush up some of these herbs. Those knights often come in here with injuries."

"Big surprise there. Always beating each other up with swords." Merlin said. A loud howling filled the air. Merlin and I looked around for the source of the sound. Out the window I saw some of the knights assembling, making a huddle.

"What is going on?" I asked.

Merlin shook his head. "Whatever it is, it's not good."