Defying Destiny - A Merlin Fanfic

Chapter 1

It was around midday and the sun was shining brightly. A little way from the castle there was a beautiful glade filled with lush green grass and wildflowers. The glade was surrounded by tall trees with leaves swaying slightly in the gentle breeze.
A magnificent mare with a saddle on its back stood in the shade of one of the surrounding trees grazing silently on the grass.

Amongst the grass and flowers, soaking in the warm sunlight, sat a beautiful young woman.
She was about 20 years of age, with beautiful long, wavy, golden hair that was resting freely over her shoulders with some of it pulled back and was blowing gently in the calm breeze. She had beautiful blue eyes that rivalled the cloudless sky above. She was dressed in a beautiful, expensive looking, pink gown that was fanned out around her.

The young woman had a book open in her lap in which she was reading intently, with a small smile on her face.

The peacefulness of the glade was interrupted by the distant sound of galloping hooves prancing through the forest towards the glade.

Another horse that was pitch black, burst into the clearing with another woman as its rider. This woman also had blond hair but had chocolate brown eyes and was wearing a simple blue dress. Her hair was in gentle waves with a part held back by a butterfly pin. It was a birthday present from the women in the glade.

"My lady?!" She called out, still on her horse, to the young woman in the glade who's head shot up to look at the other women with a surprised look.

The young woman closed her book but kept her hand inside the pages so she didn't lose her place.

" Yes, Violet, what is it?" The young woman called back.

" You should have been back at the castle hours ago, the council meeting is about to start!"Violet yelled with urgency.

Immediately the young woman quickly got up, shut her book fully and ran over to her horse, Majesty, mounting her and riding off into the forest, and back to the castle in the distance. Violet on her pitch black horse, Raven, not too far behind her.
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Once the young woman and Violet had ridden into the castle courtyard, they practically jumped off their horses and ran inside the castle to the council chambers, where the knights had already started enter with King Arthur standing by watching them.

King Arthur's servant Merlin suddenly appeared beside Arthur, out of breath from the all the running he had recently done around the castle.

" Well?" Arthur asked as he turned towards Merlin.

Merlin raised his arms in confusion
" I've searched everywhere" Merlin panted still trying to catch his breath.

" Merlin, it's not just me you're keeping waiting" Arthur nodded to the sea of red cloaks entering the council chambers.

" How is it my fault?" Merlin asked the king

" The Queen and Princess can't just disappear" Arthur answered back

" Where are they?" Merlin wondered

" That's what I sent you to find out!" Arthur snapped at Merlin getting annoyed with his servant.

" Do you know how big this castle is?" Merlin snapped back also getting annoyed

" Funny enough, I do" Arthur answered sarcastically

" Then perhaps you should have a look" Merlin shot back at the king who had put his face in his hands in frustration.

Arthur looked back up at Merlin with his hands together looking extremely annoyed.

" Merlin is anything your actually capable of doing?" Arthur asked him getting close to full on shouting at his manservant.

" Putting up with you " Merlin shot back at the King who was about to say something back, but the bickering between the two was cut short by a cough from on top of the staircase.

Queen Guinevere stood at the top, with her stunning red dress slightly lifted as she descended down the steps. Her maid, Sefa, behind her holding up the back of the dress.

" Guinevere," Arthur said, happy to see his wife

" Sorry I'm late" Gwen apologised as she reached the bottom of the steps.

" Late? not at all. Plenty of time " Arthur reassured her causing Merlin to give him a look.

" Have you seen Aria by any chance? I haven't seen her for hours, I thought she may be with you" Arthur asked Gwen as she took his arm ready to go into the hall

Gwen looked confused and shook her head.

" No, last I saw of her was just after lunch. She had her nose in a book like usual" she answered causing Arthur to sigh as he knew his sister had gotten too engrossed in her books and had completely forgotten the council meeting.

Just as Arthur was about to say something else Aria burst through the doors, panting, Violet just behind her.

"Sorry I'm late!" Aria yelled as she ran down the stairs as quick as her long dress would allow her. The book she had been recently reading was clutched to her chest, tightly, by one hand as the other was used to lift up her skirt slightly to help her run faster.

Aria faced the others, completely out of breath. Her hair was slightly messy from the quick journey but she patted it down making it look more presentable.

Arthur faced his little sister with a serious expression.

" You forgot again, didn't you? He asked in a stern but almost teasing manner.

Aria looked extremely embarrassed. She looked up at her brother with a sheepish smile.

The two siblings both stared at each other for a few minutes before they both burst out laughing which made everyone else start laughing.

It wasn't unnatural for Aria to be late. She always was and she used to get into trouble with her father for it.

" Come on then, " Arthur said gesturing to the hall as everyone finally stopped laughing.

Arthur and Guinevere went in first,
followed by Aria who held out her book behind her for someone to take, thankfully Violet noticed and quickly took the book from the princess before Aria entered the council chambers.

Then finally Merlin, Sefa and Violet walked in behind the Royals. The three servants all shared a smile and slight giggle as they noticed Aria's muddy boots peeking out from beneath her dress.