Merlin BBC - The darkest hour is the one before dawn

It came to be a shiny new day, first day of spring with an outstanding dawn. As he woke up, Merlin had taken care of all the chores he was entrusted with.
"I'm off "- Merlin shouted to his mother, thinking of going in the nearby forest.
Even the blind old man from the closeby corner could realize that a troop of knights bearing the imperial sign of Camelot had established a tent in the village. Merlin, curious as always, resigned his plan for the time being to find out what the knights were there for. He went to talk to the village elder and..
" Not even 1 knight has set foot on this ground for ages, what on earth could they desire from us now?" - said Merlin enthusiastically but at the same time scared.
" They are here for their year-check, my boy. Our great king, Uther, fears that magic users might live eating his very own bread on his very own blasted land!" - the elder said with a soft voice.
Then the princess, Lady Morgana, broke from the crowd of knights and Merlin's eyes were a mistery to him as he couldn't trust what he was just seeing.

"They're almost savages, Lady! You must remain in your tent!"
Morgana heard those words all day. They crawled to her ears and made ner nose twitch with contempt as she hissed. "Such ignorance. They're not savages, by Light, they're Uther's faithful people!"
She hit a pebble with the top of her cotton shoes. "Just like those boasters that surrounded Arthur. No brain, nor courage, only muscles and combed hair! And they call themselves knights! It's quite a shame, really" the Lady thought fiercely as she let the time pass while wandering along the camp.
Suddenly, her blue wide eyes caught the glimpse of a different face, merely unsual. She turned to watch the boy better, straighten her back and trying to seem not just in name "Lady Morgana, Princess of Camelot".

" Excuse me, my Lady, I do not wish to disturb but you seem different from the others, like.. gold in a field of rocks!"- Merlin said counting the stones
" Why do you, a princess, stand up for us "dirt eaters"?."
At the same time, he was very cautious to watch out for his house. If the guards were to find the book he hid, he would have most assumingly met a bitter end by being hanged for sorcery.

Lady Morgana smiled, suddenly interested by this new boy - whoever he may be. Her comportament intrigued lots of people, but not even one of them ever thought to ask her why.
"I fear my opinion about reigning and dominating are quite abnormal, according to most people. I think that the one who rules should be nothing more than a sacrifice for the people he -or aswell she- watches upon. Being King or Queen is not about hiding from the ones that serve you, from the ones that die for you, and surrouding yourself with flatterers and liars."
She stopped and bit her lip, looking down as her cheeks turned softly pink.
"I'm sorry, I sometimes ... get carried away. I put a lot of heart in what I believe in, I'm afraid."

"Truly, the rumors were true! The kind Lady Morgana, they called you, and you truly have silver forged thoughts!"
"If your father had the same beliefs, he wouldn't hunt down sorcerers, his own people, that seeded their blood on this land.." - Suddenly Merlin stopped his tongue as he forgot that he was talking to the King's daughter
"How is the city life? do you have to eat carrots covered by mud and take naps with pigs there as well? Because thoughts are crawling to my head to hit the road and make it for Camelot." - Merlin said expecting an encouraging yet obvious answer

Morgana arched her head back and laughed, nodding her head.
"Sleeping with pigs? That was not quite on my Princess duties, but I shall look forward to it."
She smiled as she looked down, thinking on how unsual this boy was. Bold and daring, but not disrespectful. Smart, with a future ahead of him, and above all, he made her laugh.
"Well, Camelot is sure ... -"
A yell that called her name cut her off, and she raised her head to look away in wonder. She did recognize the voice, but it was not quite ... yes, it was.
Arthur aproached them with large steps, his blonde hair ravaged and his cotton shirt yet, but yet still a gorgeous boy - a man.
"What on the Light are you doing over here, Morgana, Gods help me? I reckon you're quite damn bored, but there are certain boundaries ... -"
The Prince stopped and noticed Merlin, his looks measuring the boy from head to feet.
"You are one brave bastard, lad. Flirting among the mud and weeds with the future Queen of Camelot - my sister!- like she was a back alley tramp ... ". Arthur smiled without any warmth in it and shook his head.
"My congratulations. You pitiful fool. I can command my men to grab you in a second, and you'd regret the day your whoreish mother kissed your drunk father."

" Forgive me sire, I didn't mean anything bad just a normal talk to the princess of Camelot." - he said with fear in his eyes
" But, even if you're the oh prince of Camelot, you may still take a wooden plate and eat some of our fresh pig crap, sire!"
Merlin made himself scarce, but the guards were chasing him till he managed to hide behind a rock in the forest.
" Bene læg gesweorc" - he whispered and a foul mist fell over the ground leaving the guards lost in it
He ran back to his house, put everything he needed into a bag and went to his mother:
" I must leave, I have to go.. I must reach Camelot. Gaius will be expecting for me." - he said very sure of his words
He took the road to Camelot only to see Arthur and Morgana on their way back to the city and overhear their talk..

Despite her brother's threats, Morgana couldn't help her laughters.
"Oh, my, I'm afraid I'll fall off my horse." she mumbled among giggles, catching her breath.
Arthur frowned and gazed at her with anger - and something beyond. Perhaps shame?
"Drop your worries, I'll push you down instead, if you don't quiet yourself."
Morgana responded with a high sounded laugh.
"But even if you're, oh the prince of Camelot, that doesen't mean you can't grab a wooden plate and eat some of our fresh pig crap, Sire!" she quoted, arching her head back and laughing again. "Oh, that title droped at the end, it just kills me!"
"You're impossible." Arthur replied startled, in a low voice that was almost drown by the horses' steps.
"I am." Morgana agreed, nodding her head and gazing around.

Merlin let a small laughter escape his lips and thus he ran away as he was shot by the idea of being heard. When he escaped every eye, he took the path to Camelot once again. But on his way, his mind darkened, every road he took was gloomy and every light was for a glimpse of an eye, lost. His doubts about entering Camelot were great, he knew that one mistake will be grave and he would have to pay dearly for it. His secret is what sealed him from quick conclusion but yet, as always he shed light in the cloud of his mind, as he has always been one who did not back down even if peril would lurk under his beaming eyes.
" I should reach Camelot in two days by foot if I walk like this " - he said flying like an arrow to the north
A day had passed and Merlin got himself to Camelot sooner than he had expected and as he set foot into the city, his body had given his bones a second of trembling. But he went to the point where he was supposed to meet Gaius.
" The wind will blow many times before Gaius gets here ", Merlin said impatiently between other glasses of his mind