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The day she met Merlin was the day she decided she didn't like the girl. Merlin wasn't anything but nice to her. She wasn't anything but nice to most people anyway. But there was something off about the girl. The way she treated Prince Arthur as her equal- her equal. She was a servant and a girl, but she treated a man, much less a prince, as her equal. The NERVE for her, had she no shame? More than once she had slipped and just called him Arthur. More than once she had heard Merlin say it to his face, without stuttering apologies or Prince Arthur looking angry.
What’s worse, Merlin wasn’t unaccomplished. The girl could read, many conversations in the kitchens were held about how they crossed Merlin reading, leaning back on a wall. Noble Ladies very rarely read, and a serving girl reading was preposterous. Absolutely unnatural in every single way. She had an understanding of medicine, a Noble Lady having the time to dabble in herbs, flowers and scents would try to make perfumes and face paint to make herself look more beautiful, but she, she made medicine. She was practically an apothecary, and a girl had no right to be an apothecary. Absolutely repulsive. No girl had the right to be more talented than a boy. No boy would ever want a girl like her, especially not the Prince.
But that was not the only outrageous thing. She wore pants for goodness sakes, not that her figure made them very scandalous. Her breasts were an average size at best and you could see the outlines of her hipbones from her shirt some days. She was just your average peasant girl. If you didn't look at her beautiful face, lily white skin or charming blue eyes. She was perfectly average. Nothing for a prince to look at, surely.
There were rumors from the very beginning. Such things were to be expected, when a handsome noble and an attractive serving girl meet. But nobody truly believed them. The girl was lanky and clumsy, tripping over everything. Her limbs were always flailing and her stupid goofy grin was spread across her face. Her hair was never brushed, and while it was black and curly, it was not the soft ringlets of Lady Morgana, it was wiry curls that went in every direction. Every proper girl would put it in a braid or a bun, but Merlin just let it flow.
Then King Uther, may he rest in peace, died. Then everything seemed so obvious. Sometimes Merlin would touch King Arthur's shoulder, bite her plump bottom lip, and just shake her head with her eyes soft and caring. This happened when King Arthur was at his worst, or about to be there. He would just stand there, yelling at everyone for something. Sometimes King Arthur would heed her looks, which was more than anyone else could manage, but most times he would just glare at her and huff off. Merlin would always follow.
Sometimes the King would gently touch Merlin's wrist, looking like he was so sorry it hurt. The girl would just pull away softly and grin as large as ever, even though something sad lurked beneath the surface.
Once or twice a serving girl sworn they saw them kissing. But they attributed it to too much mead. Deep down everyone knew what was going on between the king and the servant girl. But nobody wanted to admit it. Because some thought Merlin wasn't worthy, like she did, and others thought she was too much so. No one thought she was perfect for being queen.
Merlin was a strange girl. Fought with knights and went off to war. Weird things would happen around her. She was bad luck.
A curse to Camelot, and all who called Camelot home.
And then she had married the King.
And she continued to fight.
And she sneaked down to the kitchens to talk.
And she would blow off nobles.
And she would laugh.
And she would grin like an idiot.
And she would do things so nice people said she hadn't changed.
And she would do things so smart nobody believed she was the same person.
And she would keep the king sane.
And she would save the kingdom.
And she would prove everyone wrong.
BUT SHE WAS STILL JUST A COUNTRY GIRL!
So WHY? Why did it have to be HER, a girl as wild as wind, a girl as stubborn as the land itself.