***4 months later***

It was an hour before dawn and the stillness of the Darkling Woods was disturbed by a figure moving quietly between the trees, a long cloak of moss green fabric drap over their lithe form and hiding their face in shadow. They rolled up their bedroll and packed up the remains of the cmp. No fire had been lit due to the heatwave rolling across the land which has scorched the earth dry. The blossoms had long faded from the many trees leaving only crisp leaves which had browned to early in the domineering heat of the sun, overbearing the sky. The figure approached their horse who was grazing idly nearby on whatever could be found to eat. The horse raise it's head at the approach and smorted gently disturbing the still dawn air.

"Hush, Faremane, we will be there soon" They said and saddled the horse ready to leave. They had one last look around the lonely campsie but it looked as though noone had ever been there. they gazed wistfully back in the direction they had come, then in one graceful movement, mounted their horse an set off determindly for Camalot.

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Merlin sighed in delight with a small smile playing on his lips as the hot wind ruffled his hair. He stood upon the parapet leaning on the ivory walls of the Camelot castle. He was enjoying the freedom of the late morning sunshine as he had been up since dawn running errands for Gaius. In the courtyard below he could see the knighst finishing their training for the day but he was disappointed to not see the figure of the man that he was interested in seeing amongst them.

Suddenly, as he was lost in his wondering thoughts and peaceful calm state of mind he was seized from behind by a strong and armour clad pair of arms.

"Ahh!" Merline cried as he wriggled ineffectually at his attacker, an attacker who he now realised was laughing heartily at him. Merlin felt a blush inflame his face as he was spun around and realised it was Arthur emprisoning him in his embrace.

"Merlin, don't be such a girl!" he smirked and swooped down to plant a kiss on the very tip of Merlin's nose. Then he was gone and Merlin fel the burning sun on his face once more.

"Come on Merlin, you need to get me out of this armour" Arthur called over his shoulder. He reaced for the door but before he could lay a hand to it it was flu g open from the other side by Sir Leon.

"Sire! Come quickly!" He said then disappeared once more into the aparture. Arthur threw a concerning glance over he shoulder a Merlin and followed Merlin hot in his heels.

They reached to courtyard just a stranger in horseback arrived wearing a long cloak and a hood that shaded their face from the sun, but also from view. The horse was a large palomino; the rarest of all horses, and it's coat was ruffled and sweaty in the heat, as if from a long ride.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" commanded Sir Leon from the steps. The rider cast bak their hood to reveal themselves.

"I am Isabella of Haepsfleet." She proclaimed tossing her hair over her shoulder. it caught the sun and shone like a river of molten metal flowing down her back in delicate auburn waves.

"What buisness have you in Camelot?" quizzed Sir Leon. Isabella of Haepsfleet dismounted her patiently waiting horse and strode towards the knight with purpose. She had been taught like all women of her town, that a woman had as much right to hold court with nobles as any man.

"I am here to seek the aide of the king. My town is under seige from a Chimeara which we cannot defeat alone." She declared her voice strong.

Even standing on the staps below Merlin thought she stood tall with a proud tilt to her chin. Her delicate elfin features were marred with dirt, and she had a clean cut on her cheek that he could tell had been treated with some skill. Her embossed leather jerkin was wellworn but her shirt underneath was torn and frayed in places and her riding breeches were clearly high quality but had seen better days. Her boots were caked in mud. Sir Leon looked to Arther for confirmation and he nodded, she would be llowed to see the king. Merlin's eyes followed her as she passed and she caught his eye and offered him a small smile. She had regal bearing so Merlin was surprised that she paid him any mind, him being a lowly servant. He felt a blush creep into his cheeks in response.

Merlin followed the party to the thorne room through the winding corridors. He was intreged by this woman, but he worried for her too. Uther was not did not tend to take well to anyone as forthright as her manner suggested that she was especially when that outspoken person was a woman- he had lost count of the shouting matches that had occured between Uther and Morgana for that very reason. When they reached the doors to the thrown room, the guards opened them for them. Isabella strode into the throne room and Merlin saw how her presense filled the space. Uther looked up and glowered at her darkly but she met his eye unflinchingly. Arthur stepped forward and announced:

"Father. This is Isabella of Haepsfleet, she has come to seek our assissitance as her town is under attack!" He then stepped back again to allow Isabella to present herself to the king.

"Speak" Uther dictated with an air of easy power. Isabella stepped forward.

"10 days ago the men of my town began to mine in a quarry that had previously produced precious metals. They hoped to find a new vien and become rich men overnight. However what they found has ruined the lives of many people. They came across a druid markiing stone, but as the druids have not been seen there for many ages, they cast it aside thinging it naught but rubble. But they were wrong. There was a catastrophe rock fall and several men were crushed, but a cavern was exposed, in the rock, and from there came a fell beast more foul than anything we had seen before. It had three head, all different, one a lion, one a serpent, and one a goat. It had the body of a lion aslo, and its tail was that of the seprent. It killed the remaining men then rampaged through the town, destroying everything it saw. As dawn broke it returned to the caven and we were able to look upon the carnage. many good people had perished. Since then it has returned, every night, but our knights have dwindles so that now we cannot fight it for we have not the strength. I ask for you help greath Uther king, to rid my town of this, most evil malady."

A deep hush fell over the hall as her tale came to an end. Her wide emerald green eyes glittered with unshed tears, she had been riding ever since and had barely slept and speaking of the teror opened the wound afresh. She held herself in check, there would be time enough for tears later.

Arthur gazed at her while she told her story, mad breathless by the vivid image of the beast and it's attacks. He felt the pain and danger of losing so much to such an evil, and marvelled at her stoic delivery though he could see the deep hurt that she felt. Her voice carried through the hair, both light and strong, and he found himself hoping to hear her sing.

"This is very troublsome news indeed Isabella. And how is your father, the Marquis Sebatins?" Uther pointed as if deep in thought and pointed to emphasis his question.

"Well, my father is most well, or mostly well, you may say" said Isabella, she sighed with a purpose.

"Of course do continue" Uther said sitting up straight and resting his head on a curled fist.

"But there is the pressing concern of the Chimeara. While you are holding court and parties my fathers livielihood is being ripped about by a beasy fowler than the tales I have heard of your temper" she told Uther. A hush fell over the thorne room as everyone who was in there held there breath. No one had ever spoken to Uther like that, except maybe the lady Morgana, who often told him exactly what she thought. Uther's frwn depend and he leaned forward on the throwne, his icy blue eyes piercing into Isabellas very soul but she was not cowered by his gaze. She stood bravely in the face of his eyes his gaze was fiercer than the burn fire of a dragon's breath ravaging a village in the dark of a cold midwinter night.

Merlin worried for Isabella, it seemed he had been right about how forthright she was, surely Uther would not stand for this and now never help her town. He looked across the room at Arthur trying to catch his eye but Arthur did not see him, enraptured as he was by Isabella and her forthright nature. Suddenly a low chuckle sounded in the throne room. Arthur broke his eyes from Isabella to look at his father aghast, he never expecting this reaction. The low chuckle became an amused laugh and then a grand roar of hilarity that boomed though the air of the large space. The court breathed a collective sign of releif. The natural enchanting woman had charmed all of the courtiers.

"I like you Isabella, you will be our honored guest" Uther said with a beaming smile.

"I would be honoured, sire, we could dine together tonight and speak more, I am exhausted from many days of long journeying, and will need to bathe" answered Isabella with a polite curtesey.

"Of course. I am sure Aurthur would be happy to take care of you for the duration of your time with us, wouldn't you Arthur?" Uther gestured to Aurthur with a kingly hand and Arthur looked from him to Isabella in quick succession his mouth gaping like a fish.

"Yes, of course, most certainly!" He said with his most charming smile and Isabella smiled at him in return. It was a genuine smile that seemed to light the room and transformed her features fromthat of a delicate princess to radient angel.

"Then you are dismissed" Said Uther resuming his reading of a scroll.

Arthur held out an arm to indicat Isabella should go before him ina gallant gesture that was again rewarded with her winning smile. They left the thorne room with Merlin and ascended the steps towards the guest chambers in the eastern castle. As they walked Arthur offered her his arm in a noble gesture. She smiled from the corner of her mouth and as she declined his arm she stepped a few paces before him then turned to face the prince.

"My lord I have been brought up to be led by no man no matter how noble his intentions." she explained. Arthur was taken aback. It was a rare thing for his offers of chivalry to be declined. But he could not find it within him to be angry.

"Now. I really do need a bath," Isabella leaned in as if telling Arthur a deep secret.

"Right! yes. Let me give you a bath - I mean, let me have a bath given to you - I mean, we will..." Arthur stammered, a flush creeping up his neck and turning his face crimson. He cleared his throut. Isabella let out a charming snort of laughter at Arthur's discomfot. He blushed more deeply.

"Merlin." Arthur said with a horse voice.

"Yes sire?" Said Merlin with a practiced air of inddiference though he could feel Arther's betrayal slowly crushing his heart in a vice like grip. He was acting like Merlin wasn't even there and he'd neve been like that, not even before they confessed their true feelings for oneanother.

"Have a bath drawn for Isabella." Arthur instructed, clueless to Merlin's unhappyness.

"At once sire." Merlin clipped, turning on his heal quickly, and storming away, hot tears growing in his eyes, an threatening to spill down his smooth pal cheek. A dredd deep as a pit had opened up in Merlin's stomach and it felt as if he were about to plunge in heart first. His head swirled with the fear that this could be the end; the fear was all consuming and the pit was bottomless. He had never seen his love act this way to anyone Arthir was self-assured and confident and to see him blush like a young boy in the first flushes of youth was new and worring. The pit in Merlin's stomach deepened.

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"...and after I returned with the head of there leader the wildoren never bothered my town again. It's a shame really, their hunting made good sport" Isabella finished her tale, so caught in reliving the glory of the fight that she paid little attention to the enraptured faces of her two person audience. Her hair was like spun sugar, thought Aurthur, glimmering gently in the candlelight, almost translucent, like the threads of caramel crafted by the most skilled of Camelots cooks. Uther laughed heartily at her enthusiasm. He had caught the way Arthur had been looking at her all day and a soft hope bloomed in his heart that finally his son might find himself a suitable wife.

"Well I am tired, I must retire to my chambers" he declared, stnading and pushing his chair back with his legs. Arthur and Isabella stood too out of respect to their soverign. He bade them both goodnight and left with a smile on his face not sparing a glance at Arthur's man servant who had been stood loyally in the corner after serving them that evening.

"More wine, Merlin!" called Arthur over his shoulder. Merlin sighed. The jug was sat next to Arthur's elbow. He stepped forward and poured the pair a glass of wine, as he did so Arthur turned to him and looked at him sharpyl clearly having picked up on Merlin's displeasure. He turned back to Isabella.

"You mustn't judge all of Camelot on the quality of her servants." he said smoothly. Merlin scoffed disgustedly earning him a quick cheeky smile from Isabella.She appreciated his lack of deference as is was very refreshing and showed a true bond of deep trust between the servant and his master. Her easy charm eased the pain in Merlin's chest like a soothing balm.

"I've never enjoyed a bootlicker of a servant myself. Besides, we have more important things to worry about... to our alliance against the Chimera," she responded with a charming smile as she raised her gobelt to Arthur's. As the goblets met in the middle of the table, they clinked, and Arthur stretched out his finger and ran it over hers.

With the mud of many days travel cleared from her face, he could see how smooth and pale her skin was like pure alabaster or marble. The candlelight cast a flattering light that highlighted her cheekbones and the curves of her face. In the flickering light her face was a myriad of expressions but always smiling genuinely. The dress she had borrowed from Morgana hugged her figures and Arthur could see the lean muscle she had developed from many years of hunting and riding, she waas not one of those ladies who spent her days wafting around the castle doing nothing nd helpingno one. The emerald green of the fabric shimmered and highlighter her emerald green eyes surrounded by long sooty lashes that cask long delicate shadows down her face. Isabella put her goblet down.

"I too must also retire" She said as she stood from her chair. Aurthur stood also.

"Tomorow we will talk more of plans to rid your town of the beast that plauges it" Arthur said and Isabella smiled at him and left, gliding quietly over the cold flagstone. Arthur watched her go with a stupified smile on his face but was struck from his reverie by a large clatter as Merlin began to clear the table. Arthur's smile faltered slightly at the sight of Merlin's scowl but did not dim. He sat back down.

"She is an interesting woman, I would like to know her better" Arthur said to Merlin.

"I'm sure you would sire." Merlin responded acily.

"I've never met a woman with such tales of hunting!" Arthur continued as Merlin continued to clear up, apparently as loudly as he could.

"You'd think you'd never met a woman before" he mutered with his head tucked down refusing to meet Arthurs eyes or look at him. Arthur frowned at him the smile finally falling from his face in consusion.

"Whatever is the matter with you Merlin, you'd been so trunculant all evening" he queried trying to catch the other mans eye but failing. Merlin finally looked up with all the plates and goblets stacked in his hands.

"If you don't know Arthur then I'm not going to tell you" With that Merlin stormed out of the room to the kitchens, not so much as looking back, even though Arthur called after him several times. The door to the kitchens closed with a bank and Arthur was left along in the thorne room.

"What did I do?" He asked the open air.