Power of the Storm

Chapter Sixteen

16. I Can See The Real You

Merlin came into the chambers covered in rotten fruit she couldn't hear their conversation but it peaked her interest when Merlin began to speak of a beautiful woman named Sophie who seemed to have caught the eye of the Prince, "She has?" Gaius looks over at the girl as she stands, closing the book and placing it on her bed before walking  forwards, "I sensed dark magic entering Camelot, I was hoping it was gone by now."

"They are from a far-off kingdom, they are guests of the king," Merlin explains remembering she wasn't at Uther's side when Arthur and he had brought them in from the woods, "Arthur has really taken a fancy to her."

She says nothing more as she leaves the room heading off towards Uther who had summoned her. She walks into his chambers he asked her to go do the laundry and polish his sword which she begins to grab with no words, "What has gotten into you?"

Her head whips around to look at him, "There are dark forces at play, and I fear what shall happen when it comes to acting on whatever dark purpose it has come to Camelot with." she says no more before walking from the chambers and down  towards the armory, which passes  the rooms the guests were staying in. 

"Forgive me. The door was open. I thought someone may have broken in," she hears Gaius say she can feel his small but dark amount of power growing angry so she quickly enters. 

"Looks like they have!" the angered voice of the source of the darkness, Gaius looks at her curiously and the man turns to glare. 

"That would be my fault," she says motioning the door, "Uther asked me to make sure you had everything you needed to make your stay comfortable. I unlocked the door but guess I forgot to lock it back up my apologies." 

"Who are you?" he asks still glaring at the girl with an untrusting glare. 

"No one of consequence," she says bowing to him mockingly before meeting his harsh glare with one of her own, "not yet anyway." 

"Are you threatening me?" he asks more angry now then he had been not that his power frightened her, but Gaius was still in the room. 

She lets out a small giggle shaking her head, "No, trust me, when I threaten you," her face loses all expression and emotion as she takes a threatening step forward, "you will know." She points her head at the door, motioning to Gaius to go first, she keeps eye contact with the man until she slips out of the door and closes it. 

"You shouldn't have done that," Gaius says once they were far away from the room, "they are guests of the King. And whether you are bound to him or not he can throw you in the dungeons. Again." 

"You worry about you-you have much to research about the markings on the staff and how his eyes flashed red," she says before parting down towards the armory while Gaius continued onto his chambers. 

She quickly finished the sword and placed it away, then headed with the basket out towards her shared chambers to do his laundry. As she left something ran into her making her fall and the laundry, "Sorry Magdelena," she hears the Prince says, she looks at him to see he was looking lovesick. 

"You should be. You are just lucky these were already dirty," she says as she begins to pick them up and throw them into the basket once more, "I would have forced you to help me, taking time away from your precious Sophie." 

"You don't like her?" he asks throwing the few clothes that had fallen on his side into the basket before grabbing it and handing it to her as she stood up on her feet. 

"I don't trust someone who uses people," she says looking at the floor, "Just be careful Arthur, even though she is beautiful she could easily be using you to get something she wants." 

"I never knew you cared Maggie," he says with a smug smile, "I appreciate the concern, but I can handle myself. Besides I think she fancies me, why would she want to do me harm?" 

"You know what they say love is blind," she says lifting the basket on to her hip before walking past him only to hear him run and catch up to her making her scowl. He didn't even know she existed until Merlin came into town. 

"Are you in love with someone Maggie?" he asks nudging her side making her send him a raised eyebrow. 

"No, I barely have time to read," she says, "let alone meet a decent man. I'm too busy cleaning the Kings laundry." 

"You know me, and my father," he points out. 

"I said decent men," she says smirking at the look of hurt that crossed over his face. 

"My father and I are decent men!" he says racing to catch up with her having stopped at her words, "Why would you say that?" 

"I barely know you but from what I have seen in the years I have lived here," she trails off allowing him to finish the sentence in his own head, "I mean you never noticed me before my brother came into town and hurt your feelings, saved your life." 

"I do believe you helped in that life-saving part," she looks at him confused she didn't help stop the witch that was all Merlin, "You wrapped my head which was bleeding." 

"You remember that?" she asks staring at him confused, "You didn't even know who I was." 

"I am aware that you have lived here for two years prior to your brother," he says, "you didn't have any friends. My knights often spoke about you though I never knew who they were talking nor did they know your name." 

"You asked around about me?" she says with a small chuckle as they continued to walk not really having a destination in mind.

"No," he says coughing to cover up something, "I asked about you at the feast when you entered with Morgana," he explains he looks at him with a curious glance. 

"Morgana decided to wear that maroon dress," she says with a remembering smile, "She got everyone's attention." 

"Not before you took most of the men's, including some of my knights," he says making her chuckle shaking her head, "I swear, many had seen your hair in the forest when they were on patrol." 

"Your knights are rather creepy," she says with a chuckle, "At least they are observing things in the forest." 

"You seem content being unnoticed," Arthur points out, she tilts her head and scrunches her face at him. 

"I always have been, even before I came to Camelot," she explains, "Merlin liked the attention and I was happy to be stuck in the shadows." 

"I can assure you, you aren't completely unnoticed," he says making her stare at him with a funny face, "I noticed you at the party."

"Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot, noticing a servant girl?" she shakes her head, "You noticed me because I walked in with Gaius and Merlin, a strange girl who you had seen maybe twice, both with Merlin who had tried to fight you." 

"That is not fair," he says going to say more she places a hand on his shoulder making him go silent at the coldness and tingling sensation he felt where he touched him.

"You probably don't remember what I was wearing, and that is how it should be," she says before removing her hand and rushing from him towards her chambers as to begin the laundry she had almost forgotten about while talking with the Prince.