"Time for what business?" Karishma frowned.

"For you to answer a few questions that we have." Gaius said.

Lifting off a pile of clothes he held up an familiar looking book to me.

"That's my book!" Karishma exclaimed.

"Or rather, our book." Gaius said.

Karishma frowned at him confused.

"See, me Merlin and I had this book. Merlin said a spell and then it vanished. We look inside your bag and then we find this. How did you get it?" Gaius asked.

"How could you have it? I had it before you." Karishma questioned.

"What do you mean?" Merlin said.

"I had just taken it from a shop, where I got this." Karishma indicated her burnt leg.

"What do you mean, took it?"

"There was this person, he wanted the book for some reason, it wouldn't be for something good so I decided to get it before he did, only, it turned out we went to get it on the same night." Karishma told them.

"So you stole the book?" Gaius asked in disbelief.

"What was I supposed to do?" Karishma said in her defence, "I couldn't afford to buy it so the only other way to make sure he didn't get it was to get it myself."

Gaius grunted. It was clear to Karishma that although he didn't approve of it, he understood why she did it.

"How did the guy do that to your leg?" Merlin asked her.

"He created a fireball and flung it at me. I didn't have time to create a big enough shield to defend myself." Karishma told them.

"So he was a wizard?"

Karishma nodded. "Yes. He's been a nuisance for a while now."
"You know him?" Merlin asked.

"Yeah, he has a thing about ganging up on people who use magic. He wanted me to join his group or something when I first found I could use magic but when I declined his offer, well, let's just say he has wanted me dead." Karishma told them.

Gaius and Merlin looked at each other. "Do you know his name?" They asked.

"Only that he's called Mr Hilltop." Karishma shrugged putting her legs down wincing.

"You need to relax and get better." Gaius told her

Karishma shook her head. "No, I need to do something." She said grabbing a couple pieces of large wood.

"lignum, quaeso flectere voluntatem meam" Wood, please bend to my will Karishma felt the wood's life force flow through her veins.

Closing her eyes she made the wood into crutches then drained some of the life force to substitute for the energy used up.

When Karishma opened her eyes she had two crutches in her hands and the two men were looking at her in surprise.

"You know Latin?" Gaius asked.

Karishma nodded. "When I first found i could use magic I learnt a few simple words in Latin and then learnt more as I went along."

Gaius lent forward towards her. "Not many people know Latin. It would be best if you don't tell anyone about it. And rest. Tomorrow we can look at your leg."

Karishma nodded and carefully for back into bed. Tomorrow wouldn't come sooner for her. She needed to get into a library and get some information on where she was.

Karishma found unfortunately that she became bed bound for the next few days, the infection in her leg and the combined exhaustion of using so much magic had taken a large toll on her body.

So, on the fifth day in the strange land Karishma was finally able to get out of bed and walk (on crutches) around the castle with Merlin.

"Go where Merlin goes, and don't use any magic!" Gaius warned Karishma as she went to the door.

"Don't worry, I've been hidden for some time now, I know what not to do." Karishma reassured him.

Limping past the servants with Merlin, Karishma was given many odd looks and stares. When she asked him why, he whispered that she wasn't wearing a dress. It was expected for a woman to wear a dress.

After following Merlin to different places that he needed to go and give medicines to the people of the castle in the day, it was time to go to King Uther.

With rhythmic thuds and three footsteps in close proximity of each other echoed through the halls and then stopping by two guards outside of a set of grand large doors.

"Halt, who goes here?" A gruff voice asked dressed in full armour.

"Merlin and Karishma would like to be addressed to enter." Merlin said.

"Karishma's last name?" The guard asked.

"King Uther already knows Karishma." Merlin told him.

The guard nodded to the other guard who began turning. "Step back and wait whilst I introduce you."

Merlin nodded and walked back to me.

The guards opened the doors and one introduced us to the king.

Merlin nudged me gently and then walked into the court.

We bowed when we had both entered as the doors were closing.

"Karishma, Merlin. It's good to see you." Uther greeted smiling at me. "Come, both of you, sit with me. We have a few things we have to talk about."

Karishma and Merlin quickly sat down. Karishma placed her magically made crutches to one side.

"So tell me, Karishma, how is life here in Camelot?" Uther asked pouring out a glass of wine.

"It's great here." Karishma said. "The castle is so big, and there's so much to do."

"Korya! Please can you fetch up some food." Uther called.

A woman hurried into view. "For how many sire?" She asked.

"Just one."

The woman bowed and left the room quickly.

"So what would you say about having a job here?" Uther asked Karishma.

Karishma blinked. "Here? In the castle?" She asked.

Uther nodded. "Of course."

Karishma nodded "it would be nice. What job would you be offering?"

"A job which would require you to help Merlin look after my son."

Karishma stared in shock at him.

"Arthur has been telling me that you can spend days on end in the taven. As gratitude for saving his life I won't be firing you any time soon. But my son does need someone to help him when your not there Merlin." Uther told him.

Merlin bowed his head going a deep red in colour. "Yes, your majesty."

"So starting with as soon as she's able, you will show Karishma some of the jobs that she will manage." Uther told Merlin.

"Of course your majesty." Merlin said with his head still down.

"You two had better go. Get some rest Karishma, and Merlin, look after my son." Uther dismissed them.

Getting up awkwardly, they left the room quickly and hurried away.

"I didn't think you were the type to drink!" Karishma grinned at Merlin as they walked.

"Another story for another time." Merlin muttered.

Karishma laughed. "Alright then." When she reached the large winding stairs she didn't laugh as much. With help from Merlin, it was about ten minutes before they got to the top.

Breathing heavily Karishma had to take a minute to compose herself and ate some bread to keep up the illusion, then with a nod to Merlin, they walked into Prince Arthur's private chambers.

"Merlin." Arthur said as they walked in. "And Karishma! What do I owe the pleasure of you?"

"I am your man-servant sire" Merlin grinned.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Karishma." Arthur said.

Merlin looked at Arthur sarcastically for a second. "Meet your second personal servant."

"What?!" Arthur looked at Karishma in shock and anger. "What do you mean?"

"Your father just told her." Merlin said.

Arthur turned to her wanting answers.

"It's true, but I don't mind, I'd rather help someone who most probably saved my life than have a job with someone that hasn't. I need a job anyway." Karishma added at the end confirming what his father had said.

"I don't believe it! My father thinks that I need a woman, of noble birth! -to care for me. This is disgraceful to Camelot!" Arthur ranted.

"No, I'm not of noble birth!" Karishma protested. "I should have started working years ago, it is high time for me to work, let me at least work with Merlin until I can find a more suitable job for me."

"Merlin? Work with him? You had better not get his sense of humor." Arthur sighed clearly not amused.

"I shall try my best, sire." Karishma nodded.

Merlin snorted sarcastically. "You know you like my sense of humor."

"Oh really?" Arthur turned to Merlin with a smirk on his face. "Well, I'd better not get in the way of your lessons, hey, I have a great lesson to start with, and, as a bonus, you can teach Karishma here."

"May I ask what this lesson is?" Karishma asked.

"Polishing. I know it's Merlin's favorite chore." Arthur grinned.

Merlin looked at Arthur with a scowl. "Of course sire, and after I can show Karishma how to put a hole into belts." Merlin grinned at me.

"Are you calling me fat Merlin?" Arthur asked him.

"Oh no sir, not yet, but I do have to show Karishma everything I have to do for you." Merlin said before ducking when Arthur threw a pillow at him.

Karishma giggled at the two boy's little argument having a feeling that they did this often. She couldn't help herself from laughing at them and for the first time in days relaxed a little.

Arthur turned to Karishma to ask why she thought it was funny but stopped. The girls pearls of laughter rang out of her as her eyes sparkled in joy. The very light blue hues looked even more stunning with her grinning mouth and Arthur found that he didn't want her to stop.

It was only when Karishma's laughter died down and she began composing herself again did Arthur realize he had been staring at her for slightly longer than he should have.

Coughing to clear his throat he spoke feeling out of place. "I'd better leave you two to it then." Glancing to Merlin whilst scratching the back of his head, Arthur exited his room leaving the two servants on their own.

"Right, well. Polishing it is then." Merlin said to Karishma.

Karishma smiled back, her eyes followed Merlin as he got the things they needed.

Mr Hilltop hand gripped his glass of whiskey tighter as he remembered the events earlier on in the week.

It had been a chance meeting that he saw the young witch Karishma exiting the same vintage shop that he'd been in a few days prior to her.

He had thought there was only one thing that she would have looked for in there and his thoughts had been confirmed when the shop keeper rang, as promised, about someone else who'd been interested in the object of interest.

There was nothing else he could of done. He wanted that book, no, needed that book so he had decided to get it that night before she could get there.

It was only the bad timing she had that she was there before himself.

The man took a gulp of his drink feeling the cool liquid run down his throat and the ice cubes in the glass meeting with his top lip.

Lowering his hand he stared angrily into the fire place, at the flames and continued to remember his bad fortunes.

The stupid girl chose not to give him the book even when he'd hurt her leg badly so he decided to kill her. He'd shown her mercy each and every time they'd battled and she'd made him lose his cool. He could always collect the book after she was dead after all.

But just as his death blow went shooting towards her he noticed light coming off of her. No, the book, he corrected himself.

When it had vanished he was left in the burning building on his own.

Mr Hilltop jumped up suddenly, throwing his glass at the wall in rage. He breathed heavily and clutched the fireplace mantle.
The girl would pay. He didn't know she'd gone, but he'd find out.