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Merlin grabbed her crossbow and arrows. She had made a cut in her green dress on the back so she could carry it. She made a cut on the right sleeve to conceal a dagger, should she not be able to reach her bow in time. She tied her long, black hair with a thread of yarn, and net fashioned into a hair tie. She wore a green dress that tied in a zigzag in the back, and tied with a bow.
She used her long sleeves to conceal her dagger in case of emergency. She put enough food, supplies, and arrows in her bag to last a week. Arthur didn’t know about her archery skill as she kept it hidden under the bag she put on the back of her dress. She had instinctively shot an arrow into the attacker’s neck, thus saving Arthur’s life and landing her as a maidservant to the King’s son.
Merlin lied and said she just grabbed whatever was near her as she didn’t want to see the prince die. It had worked and Arthur still didn’t know about her little secrets. Her secrets being the magic and the skill in archery of course.
“We’re going on a hunt Merlin.” Arthur told her as she joined him.
“Oh, we are? Great!” Merlin smiled. She was itching to go on the hunt, itching to use her bow. She froze when Arthur put his hand against her forehead.
“Sire?” She asked with confusion.
“Are you feeling alright Merlin? You’ve never been this happy to go on a hunt before.” Arthur asked with concern.
“It’s just that…I’m terribly bored and I need to get out for a bit.” Merlin lied.
“Well alright. Come on.” And with Merlin was on her own horse as Arthur and the knights joined them on their hunting quest.
They traveled downstream when Merlin got off of her horse.
“Where are you going?” Arthur asked, surprised when she suddenly dismounted.
“I can handle a walk by myself. I’m not a child!” Merlin complained as she pretended to storm off. She continued until she was out of their vision and that was when she hid in the bushes as she grabbed her bow.
She waited for something to show and soon enough she saw a deer perk its head up.
Carefully pulling the string back, she put the arrow in the bow and shot it in the heart. She frowned when the blood got on her sleeves. After putting her crossbow inside the back of her dress, she tied the cut to hide her crossbow, and once she did that she washed the blood off of her dress.
She soon dried it out and she put it back on, placing her dagger under her sleeve and her crossbow in the slit in her back, pushing it down until it was concealed.
She then cut up the meat and put it in her bag. She watched as Arthur appeared in the distance and ran over to her.
“Merlin!” He gasped as he ran over to her.
“Sire what’s wrong?” Merlin asked, seeing his worried expression.
“You’ve been gone for hours and—hold still.” Arthur told her as he patted the leaves out of her hair.
“What was that for?” Merlin asked.
“Well, you can’t go around with leaves stuck in your hair now, can you?” Arthur smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair. Eventually the leaves were all out and Arthur noticed a faint scar on the right side of her forehead.
“Merlin?” He asked as he helped her onto his horse.
“Yes, sire?” She asked, seeing the curious expression on his face.
“How’d you get that scar on your head, if you don’t mind my asking?” He asked with curiosity.
“Oh, I fell off a horse when I was a kid. It hurt really bad.” She told him.
“Is that why you wear your hair the way you do?”He asked. Merlin nodded as they headed back to camp.
“Man, I couldn’t find anything to eat.” Gwaine sighed.
“Here.” Merlin got the deer meat out of her bag.
“Where did you get that?” Elyan exclaimed.
Merlin could hear someone in the trees and without thinking she reached for the crossbow inside the back of her dress.
“What are you—“ Arthur gasped when Merlin shot an arrow at the sky from her crossbow as a bandit fell from the tree.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that? It’s amazing!”Arthur exclaimed.
“I’m a peasant. I had to get food somehow or do you think all peasants are thieves? Is that it?” Merlin growled.
“I was only asking.” Arthur muttered, scratching his head. Merlin reached under her right sleeve and pulled out her dagger.
“Why do you need that?” Leon asked, completely surprised that she had such a thing.
“Well, I can hardly use a long ranged weapon in close combat, can I?” Merlin sighed.
“Have you had to use it before?” Gwaine asked.
“I’m not completely helpless you know.” Merlin sighed.
“Where did you learn to shoot?”Arthur asked.
“Before I came here my mother and I slept in the woods. I had to learn to shoot or we’d starve. Hunith had taught me to defend myself with a blade and in return I taught her to shoot.” Merlin told him.
“You never wear anything different. Always the same green dress.” Arthur exclaimed.
“Are you saying you don’t like the way I dress sire?” Merlin asked, completely offended. Christ. How could he be so stupid.
“I like it, it’s just… you never wear anything else.” Arthur told her.
“You do remember that I’ve never had a home?” Merlin reminded him.
“Are you saying that’s the only dress that you own?” Arthur gasped.
“Yes Arthur. I am a peasant after all.” Merlin really didn’t understand why he wasn’t getting this.
“Right when we get back to Camelot, I’m giving you enough money to get yourself a new dress.”Arthur told her.
“So you do think my dress is ugly!” Merlin laughed.
“No Merlin.” Arthur sighed.