Saving Destiny (A Merlin Fanfiction)

iv | the legend of king arthur

'The Legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table,' she read in her mind, her eyes constantly following the words on the book. 'It is one of the most baffling stories in the world, for many speculations point out that the legends were true, while skeptics laid down claimed facts that they were, in fact, merely myths and Arthur as a hero of a fictional story.'

Giggling echoed in the library, but the princess forced herself to continue reading.

'Whether true or not, Arthur was regarded as an epitome of lightness in the dark, of how good always conquered evil, and the never-ending struggle between these two forces on earth.'

More giggles and Merlin gave a quick, scathing glare at the bumbling teenagers on the table across from hers and her bodyguard. 'Oh honestly,' she thought in dismay, closing her book a tad forcefully. A week had not yet passed, and she should have expected that the news that she was in the school would have spread by now. And although she was the star in this little band of hers, it was her bodyguards that have attracted too much ruckus, much to her dismay. Apparently, the students, specifically the female body of the university, deemed the boys as good-looking and had been fawning over them ever since.

Merlin caught Gwaine sending a wink at one of the student. She rolled her eyes – Gwaine was especially accepting with their newfound popularity.

"Grab whatever book you need and we will leave, for heaven's sake," the exasperated princess ordered. She curtly stood up from her seat, sent another cold stare to the noisy group, before turning on her heels, expecting her bodyguards to follow her quickly. In doing so, her eyes briefly landed onto Arthur's form and she swore she saw him smile.

__________

They reached her favourite oak tree and Merlin daintily sat down, breathing in the fresh air. "Peace and quiet," she proclaimed, as her bodyguards followed suit, some of them chuckling in amusement. "You should all be lucky you are my bodyguards," she told them. "I would have ditched you by now."

"Come now, princess," Elyan cajoled. "You will be stuck with us forever."

Gwaine showed some mock hurt. "Elyan, my man," he said. "There is no forever."

Arthur rolled his eyes at their ridiculousness. "Quit it, you two," he berated. "Why don't we all just peacefully finish our essays?"

Gwaine readily jumped up from his seat and made a flourished bow towards Arthur. "If you say so, King Arthur," he mocked, a twinkle in his eyes.

Merlin observed as her Head Bodyguard merely raised an eyebrow, looking more amused rather than irate, as what she would have expected. Arthur looked at her briefly, and she narrowed her eyes as he smirked, now looking down at his book.

'What is with him?' she screamed internally, itching to finally ask him questions and relentlessly proceed to until he finally cracked and spilled all those answers that she demanded.

The princess closed her eyes and took a deep sigh. She wasn't that close to Arthur yet. If she were to know answers from him, maybe she should earn his trust first. She has his loyalty, of course, having pledged to protect her as her Head Bodyguard. But trust from him would be a different story.

She decided to distract herself and first focus on the essay given to them by Professor Gaius. It was due tomorrow, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was somehow procrastinating. She was never really good in having an effective time table. She could remember Madame Margeaux shrilly yammering to her about the importance of a good time management and its application to being the future Queen of the country, and Merlin did not really have the heart to take it all in.