AN: Thanks to all my reviewers, sorry for the wait! (Special thanks to Beta Sess and Mysterious Gamma.) Sudden OC's! Tell me if you like 'em so far.

Merlin quickly discovered that riding on a floating horse was not only much more efficient than riding normally, but also a lot more fun. Enbarr galloped over uneven terrain like it was nothing. When they met the river that the stream they were following branched off of, they simply rode over it.

At first, Enbarr shied away from the water. Merlin's heart leapt into his throat as the horse came to a jolting stop, nearly throwing him. But one hoof at a time, Merlin edged him forward until there they were standing flush over the middle of the river. The clear, yet cold water rushed powerfully beneath them, loudly flowing over rock and earth. Merlin noticed with delight that he could feel water splashing them, yet they were unaffected by its movement. With this power, Merlin could ride over the very seas themselves!

It took Merlin a few more days of travel, but he finally reached a well-traveled road stretching North and South. There were many fresh tracks and he could even see someone traveling away from him southwards. Well, this road certainly led someplace important. Merlin had only ever seen roads this wide in Camelot where whole caravans and processions of people could travel. Merlin ducked out of the trees and lead Enbarr onto the road, remembering only at the last moment to lift the enchantment from the horse. Enbarr seemed delighted to have his hooves on the ground again.

They followed the road up the crest of a hill, having before only been presented with a view of trees and horizon. But now, they could look out across the landscape, and it took Merlin's breath away. An impressive town swelled around a powerful ridge. This ridge was higher than all the others around, so that Merlin had to look up to see the crest of it. Beautiful white stone stood atop it, the foundations for what would surely be an incredible castle. The ridge was split on each side by sheer valleys which had been cut over centuries by ocean water.

Yet it was the cliffs by the ridges and valleys that most impressed him. They were an incredible, shining white. The blue of the ocean crashed against the cliffs and he could smell the ocean spray even though he was still about a league from it.

Today, apparently, was market day. Merlin dismounted and led Enbarr into town, where hundreds of booths and stalls and caravans had been set up for buyers and sellers alike. There was shouting and singing and so many people all rushing about. Merlin could see massive ships with billowing sails strung on the docks in the distance. Trade sailors and merchants brought foreign goods and spices to the marketplace. It was overwhelming for the simple country boy, but delightful nonetheless. Merlin had seen Camelot and its marketplace, but Camelot was not a port city. Camelot was nearly as different from this place as it was from Ealdor.

There were so many colors everywhere, too. People tried to sell him linens from some place called Egypt, pots and vases from the Mediterranean, spices from India. Besides all the foreign imports, local farmers and craftsmen tried to sell fresh vegetables and wares. There were even street performers dancing and singing, acting troupes, and side shows. Merlin was briefly reminded of the type of show King Alined's jester and magician Trickler had put on, but Merlin had yet to see any magic. Was it not safe here either?

"Watch yourself, boy!" shouted a deep and hearty voice, and Merlin wasn't sure if it was directed at him until he made eye contact with the speaker, a tall and toned man who looked to be in his thirties, with a neat brunet beard and moustache cropped around his face, almost hiding the wrinkles at the sides of his mouth where he must have spent many years smiling, "Or ye'll find yerself the victim of pick pocketing. It's rampant 'round these parts!"

He gave a grin and a wink and tossed a familiar coin purse at Merlin, which the boy scrambled to catch, but dropped, and had to stoop to pick up.

"Hey!" shouted Merlin indignantly, "How'd you-?" but the man only laughed and tapped the side of his nose, and Merlin found himself smiling in return.

Merlin thought he looked a decent enough man, so he asked the question he was dying to know the answer to: "What kingdom is this?"

"Kent, o' course! Belongin' to King Vortigern," he made a gesture to the top of the hill, upon which stood the white stone foundations to what would surely become a mighty castle, "How could ye not know?"

Merlin blushed and made to retort, "Well, I-" but the clear sound of a gemshorn and trumpet burst through the crowd and the man he was talking to slipped away. Merlin moved forward in the ring that surrounded the open caravan which made a makeshift stage. He could see three men and a woman, one of whom was the man had been talking to, his bright, loose clothing matching those of the other caravaners. As for the other two men (actually, at second glance, they were still boys, perhaps 14 or 15 summers old- just very tall), each had an instrument- the gemshorn and the trumpet. The woman skipped up to the man Merlin had spoken with, bells jangling around her ankles and her feet bare, and danced in circles with him, their forearms clasped together. The music came to a close and the crowd cheered, to which the quartet grinned and bowed (or curtseyed, in the woman's case). The man came forward to talk.

"My good people! We, the Merry Troupe of Garlot, present for yer entertainment, brothers Toly and Iohannes!" he gestured with both hands to the boys, who danced forward, playing their horns and then, in unison, both stopped and bowed. They told jokes and performed a bit of comedy, to which the crowd was greatly amused. Merlin even chuckled at the slapstick humor, for he was reminded of all the times Arthur had thrown things at him.

He felt guilt roiling in his stomach, suddenly. He was here for a reason, wasn't he? To help whoever had summoned him, called for his help. He should take care of it, then return to Arthur.

Merlin didn't notice the brothers closing their act, but a vase was being passed around for the crowd to drop coins into. "Penny for our trouble? Penny for your smile?" Merlin fished out a coin and dropped it into the hat, for politeness' sake. Merlin didn't want to spend any more coin, however, nor did he want to waste any more time, and staying here would surely make him do both.

Emrys, is it you? Merlin froze and looked about the crowd. What? What was that? Merlin answered back: Who's there?

Next, the man stepped forward and introduced the woman as Lady Elaine. When she stepped forward, Merlin finally got a good look at her. There was a sweet innocence to her face, and though she smiled for the crowd, her eyes were solemn. Merlin thought she might have looked straight at him, but then she was sitting before the crowd, and plucking a lute she had brought out. He became distracted again, as he always was around pretty women.

Lady Elaine sang songs of chivalry and courtly love, sometimes thumping her foot to jangle the bells around her ankle. Merlin thought she was lovely, her long, wavy blonde hair draping down her back and light blue eyes averted downward modestly. Her voice was clear and strong. Merlin realized he was distracted again, and cursed himself. Obviously, the speaker wasn't here or he or she or whatever it was would have come out already, although with this crowded marketplace, he couldn't be sure. He took a step back and nudged Enbarr to leave, but then a voice cut into his head, ringing even over the murmuring crowd around him, Good morrow, Emrys. Pleasure to see you. I've heard so much about you.

Merlin started and looked around again. This voice had been different than the others he had heard back in the woods. It sounded amused. Merlin's eyes finally settled back on Elaine, and he saw that she was gazing right at him and smiling, still singing sweet notes. "Car a vous, conpaignete, ay mon cuer einsi doné. For to you, my sweet beloved, I have thus given my heart."

She paused at the end of the song, and the man walked up and announced, "One last song from our beautiful Lady, if it please you all!"

The crowd cheered at this and the Lady nodded. Her fingers moved to the appropriate position on the neck of her lute, and she began playing a slow, sweet tune.

In the yesteryears of Kings of Old

The ancient King of Garlot

Had three daughters fair

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

One was clever yet quite cruel

The second, noble yet naïve

The third was true yet silent

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

It was a little difficult to hear all her words, and at first Merlin didn't know quite what to make of the last line, but after hearing her repeat it, he recognized that it was the language of the Old Religion. He roughly translated the line as "Lo, sing I of the sisters' prophecy." Was there magic being woven in the song? Merlin kept listening.

The sisters met a powerful man

A man who lived to aid our land

As foretold in prophecy

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

The first did scorn him and revile him

The second, she betrayed him

The third did make him wary

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

She warned that those who seek the truth

Must sacrifice naivety

And shear their childhood bliss

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

All sisters three were killed by he

Yet all the lands united

For it was destiny

Nú, ic i ágæle þára

sweostor forebícnunge

The song came to a close, and there were murmurs among the crowd, and a smattering of applause. Some of the crowd had dwindled off, but the troupe did not seem to mind. Elaine stood and curtseyed with one hand, the other holding out her lute, then turned and left the stage. The man approached, passing around the hat again and began juggling four or five varicolored sacks probably filled with sand, and grinning brightly.

"Lastly, I am poor Dagonet."

He brought out a bucket and soaked all the sacks in a liquid. Then, with steel and flint, he lit each sack, throwing one in the air while he lit another, and finally juggling all the burning sacks. The crowd gasped. At this point, many of the people who had left returned, and even others walking by were drawn in. He continued juggling and began dancing and doing all sorts of showy gymnastics and tricks, even flipping backward and cart-wheeling. Meanwhile, the brothers tossed more juggling sacks at him and Elaine played a raucous song on her lute. The crowd clapped in time to the music.

When Dagonet had finished his performance, the hat was passed around a third time to choruses of "Penny, penny, for our trouble, for your smile?" Although their audience eventually dispersed, Merlin remained.

He had not merely stood and watched Dagonet's stunts. Rather, he had focused on Elaine, mermaid hair swaying as she danced and played and seemed for all the world to ignore him. But he had heard her, talking in his head. Merlin wanted answers. He led Enbarr towards the stage as the troupe was packing everything up. Toly rushed by, carrying a large chest, but paused when he saw Merlin lingering. "Ey, she ain't comin out, lover boy. The madrigals is over."

His brother, Iohannes, came by from the other direction, carrying two buckets which may have been filled with oil, "The cheap tavern's that-a-way," he jerked his head to the right, and then both brothers disappeared into the caravan. There was a sudden clanging and some muffled shouting before Lady Elaine emerged, an angry energy frazzling about her. But when she turned her clear, blue eyes to him, she seemed to calm, and a genuine smile lit her face.

"Emrys…" she breathed. Elaine seemed content to just stand and look upon him.

Merlin felt a bit out of his territory. He blurted the first question that popped into his mind, "How do you know me?"

"I am observant," she returned.

Before Merlin had the chance to respond, Dagonet strode from the caravan and right up to Merlin. "Sorry about the boys. We've had a bit of trouble with lurkers in the past."

"Oh, it's no-"

"Tea?"

An hour later found Merlin sitting on what might have been a drum in the troupe's cozy caravan, sipping an exotic tea. The boys were off tavern-hopping, not so much to drink as to spread news of the troupe as well as gather news from the loose lips of sailor, soldiers, and fellow merchants. Elaine and Dagonet joined him in conversation. He quickly learned that both of his companions had the ability to perform magic. In fact, Dagonet had heated the tea with just a word, uttered frankly and fearlessly.

Their conversation had started out small, but had come to the point where Merlin became really interested, "So, you're not afraid to do magic?"

Elaine leaned back against the wall, which issued a slight creak, crossing her legs at the ankles, which still had jingling bells strapped around them. The barrel she sat on wobbled slightly. Merlin had to admit that he'd never seen a woman adopt such an un-ladylike position. She responded softly, "I'd say we're all a little afraid, living in such times in Albion- even those who wish not to acknowledge it."

"Ye won't find many practicin' it outdoors, is what she means," replied Dagonet, who was sitting on the floor, one leg straight, one bent, and his arm resting upon it.

"Why not?" asked Merlin, "Isn't it legal here?"

"Sure, it's legal. But that don't make it safe. Not that Elaine and I got much to worry about."

"What's dangerous about it?" Merlin realized that was a silly thing to ask, and corrected himself, "I mean, what's dangerous about using magic here?"

Elaine clasped her hands nervously, "The King is getting desperate."

Objects in the caravan began rattling slightly. Merlin's hand flew down to clutch the rim of the drum, realizing that he had unconsciously tangled them in his neckerchief. Before he knew it, everything was shaking and tumbling. Elaine and Dagonet were already on their feet, securing everything with arms and legs, rushed words and flashing eyes. But the rumbling only got worse. Merlin was afraid they would topple over. His mind glossed quickly over anything that might help, but then he was stuck on the thought that the horse was tied up outside, probably stamping nervously. The horse! If it was alright to use magic, surely he could help these people not to lose their livelihood? Merlin shouted the same words he had some days ago, causing the caravan to float up in the air. The tumult ceased. For them, at least.

Dagonet cracked another grin and let out a sigh of relief, "Thanks for that, mate!"

Elaine, on the other hand, had a strange type of dread on her face, and she hissed, "Why did you have to go and do that?"

Merlin was taken aback by her quick change of tone. It reminded him of Arthur, who was forever scolding him. Had she been Arthur and not a Lady, he may have impulsively bit out, "Well, it helped didn't it?" Unfortunately, he didn't have time to come up with an explanation because there was suddenly a thunderous rapping from the door.

"We are the King's men! We demand a thorough search of this residency and detainment of those who occupy it, by order of the King. Any resistance shall be met with imprisonment and prosecution."