Fireheart (A Merlin Love Story)

Chapter 28, Part 1

Just imagine the girl with white blonde hair and blue eyes—->

Ariella's P. O. V:

I gallop Pegasus through the chilly woods, leaves strewn across the forest floor. I'm wearing my sleeveless black shirt and half skirt and breeches with my tall black boots and blue cloak as I ride the stallion, the dagger Arthur got me for my birthday strapped to my right waist, black gloves on my hands.

Recently, my husband had unleashed a goblin and it had possessed Gaius, almost sending Merlin to the executioner's block because he'd betrayed him. The goblin had tried to steal my rose quartz crystal necklace and could've hurt Mira, when Merlin had shown up in time and whacked the goblin away with one of my thicker books I was reading during that time. That had happened before Gaius became possessed, and lots of crazy stuff happened, such as me nearly losing my husband, before the evil goblin was finally caught and put away somewhere safe and dark.

Arthur had gained the ears and voice of a donkey, which I found was hilarious! Even when they'd gone away, my husband had left some of its voice in Arthur, and I only found that out while training with him and the knights the day after, when he'd laughed and the donkey bay came out.

I'd met Merlin's eyes and knew it was his doing. I hadn't let Arthur live it down since, though I have sort of started to.

I'd left Mira in Naomi's and Gsius's care so I could take Pegasus out for a ride. Merlin and Arthur are currently on a hunt. I didn't go with this time as I'd wanted to ride on my own, seeing as I haven't really been able to much this past year.

Pegasus and I burst through some trees and come upon a quaint village. I decide to stop here for a tankard of mead. I find a tavern and halt Pegasus at a hitching post. I dismount and tie him up with the pink lead rope that used to be Aurelia's, before I give him a pat and sugar cube.

I then turn and head inside the tavern for a drink. Or two.

I enter, ignoring the few heads that turn in my direction as I head for an empty table. A second passes, and a large lady with dark, curly brown hair holding a notepad approaches me.

"What can I get for you, love?" She asks.

I smile as I reply, "1 tankard of mead, please." She nods as she writes it down before returning to the bar.

As I wait, a tall, clearly drunken man comes up to my table and takes a seat next to me. I notice from my peripheral vision that the man with shoulder length, shaggy brown hair from before is looking at the man beside me curiously, while I remain unfazed.

"How 'bout you get a drink with me, little lady?"

I just say calmly, keeping my hands in my lap, "No, thank you. I'm good."

"Come on, darlin'! I bet you want some good company?" The man drawls as I see his hand resting on my leg, near the inside of my thigh. My right hand slowly reaches for my dagger, but I'm stopped short of impaling his hand to the chair arm when the brunette man from earlier comes up to us and rests an arm over his shoulders, smirking.

"The lady said no thank you. Now, if I were you, I'd leave her be."

"Eh? And I should I?"

"Because you're a smart man. You know when to back down. The drink's on me, eh? But only if you leave the lady alone," The brunette says sternly, a hard look in his dark eyes, despite the smirk playing at his lips. The two men seem to stare each other down, until the brunette squeezes the other man's shoulder tightly.

The man becomes a little fearful before he jumps to his feet and grumbles something incoherent. The brunette just smirks at him as he yanks his arm back and the other man wanders to the bar.