The house of Tregor is a royal family that had been a trusted ally of Camelot for many years. I'm sure you've heard of how they were killed by invaders. But how did a troll and her servant get a hold of the Tregor royal seal? Which they used so that the troll could impersonate the late Lady Catrina in an attempt to take control of Camelot. Well what if I told you the real Lady Catrina had a daughter? One she'd sent away with their royal seal before the invaders attacked. A daughter who was found by the troll and her servant. Who stole her seal and made her a slave. Can Stephanie of Tregor find the courage to reveal the truth? Or will she be to scared to? What happens when a young warlock offers her a helping hand? What happens to her once the troll and her servant are defeated? Lets find out.
(Cave) Steffy's POV
I cower in the corner as the Troll eats as her servant Jonas makes some sort of potion. Chanting a spell under his breath. It'd only been a few days since mummy sent me away from our home. She gave me our seal and told me to guard with my life. To go to Camelot, she said the king there would protect me and that she'd meet me there.
But the first night away from home. I was ambushed by a troll and her servant. They took my seal away and kidnapped me. I don't know why. The servant stops steering and ladles some of the potion into a vial. He walks over to the troll. "Mistress" he says and she pauses in her eating.
"Is it done?" she asks him.
"Yes, Mistress, the potion is prepared" he tells her handing it to her.
"Then Camelot and all its riches will soon be mine" the troll says. She drinks the potion. Jonas takes the bottle from her human hand. She looks at me and I freeze. She smiles. "Hello deary, don't I look just like your mother?" she asks in mummy's voice.
"The king won't be fooled" I tell her.
"Oh but he will, thanks to this" she states holding up my seal. "And you are going to keep your mouth shut if you ever want to see your real mother again" she sneers. I nod mutely.
(Camelot)
We arrived in Camelot. I rode with the troll's servant, Jonas. They treat me like a slave. In fact that's who I am supposed to be. Just another servant. I pray that King Uther will see through the troll's lies and be able to free me. Anyway, we're in the lower town when Jonas grabs the arm of a young man with black hair.
"Please, we seek Uther Pendragon. Where can he be found?" Jonas asks him. He presses my seal into the man's hand. "We have urgent business with the King" he states. As an old man appears beside the young one.
"I'm sorry, any business you have with the King will have to be pursued through the usual channels" the old man states taking the seal. He looks at it and frowns. "But this is the seal of the House of Tregor. Where did you get this?" he asks Jonas.
"It does not belong to me" Jonas states and turns to the troll who is impersonating my mother.
"It belongs to me" she lies. I go to say something and Jonas glares at me. I bow my head.
"My lady" the old man says bowing to the troll. "Merlin" he says to the younger man and he to bows to the troll. The old man then looks at me. "Is this princess Stephanie?" he asks.
"No, she is the daughter of my maid" the troll lies.
"Her name is Nia" Jonas adds. "Will you take us to the king?" he asks the old man. Who nods his head and takes us to the palace. Where we are granted an audience with the king.
"Lady Catrina, is it really you?" the king asks looking at the disguised troll.
"I can hardly believe it myself" the troll tells him.
"We had tidings from the north that the House of Tregor had fallen to invaders" the king states. Invaders? Does that mean my mother and grandfather are dead?
"All that you heard was true, My Lord, and worse" the troll tells him.
"Your father and daughter?" he asks.
"Gone, sire" the troll tells him. "The enemy attacked without warning. We were outnumbered five to one. My father, the king could not endure. I would never have survived, nor would of my maid's daughter Nia. Had it not been for my faithful servant Jonas. But we did survive, and we have made it this far" she explains. She pretends to stumble and the king catches her. "Forgive me, My Lord. I fear my trials have taken a toll" she tells him.
"Your sufferings are beyond imagining, My Lady. It would be an honour to help you in any way we can" Uther tells her.
"A bed for the night would be most welcome" she tells him.
"And consider yourselves our esteemed guests. It's the least we can do" he tells her.
"Thank you" she says. Merlin escorted us to the trolls bedroom. He apologized for it not being up to the standard she is used too. "Well, Merlin, considering we spend last night in a cave, this will do very nicely. Thank you" she tells him.
"Well, if you need anything, just ask. My master's chambers are only upstairs" Merlin tells her.
"My mistress and I could not be more grateful for the kindness you've shown us" Jonas tells him.
"You're welcome" Merlin says. "Nia, is it?" he asks smiling at me. "Perhaps you'd like a tour?" he offers.
"No" Jonas and the troll say together. Merlin looks at them confused. The troll puts on a sweet smile. "That is a kind offer Merlin, but I am sure Nia is very tired from our long journey" the troll states.
"Of course, another time" he states and bows before leaving. Once he was gone, the troll hunches over complaining about the smell of the room.
"Do not worry, Mistress. I will find you somewhere more suitable" Jonas assures her. She breaths on the fruit left out, turning it rotten and starts to eat it. He grabs my arm and drags me from the room. "Come we must find a place more suitable for our mistress" he states.
"Your mistress, she is not my anything" I tell him. He back hands me and I cry out in pain holding my cheek.
"She is your mistress and you will do as you're told" he snaps. "Now follow me" he orders and stalks off. I sniffle as I follow him praying that someone will come to save me.
(Physician's chambers) Third Persons POV
Gaius is making a potion as he thinks about the newest guests. "There's something really different about the Lady Catrina" Merlin states. "Most of Uther's guests just treat me like I'm dirt in their shoes, but she was really nice, even after all she's been through" he tells Gaius.
"Yes. She always was very gracious" Gaius agrees.
"You've met her before?" Merlin asks him curious.
"Oh, it was many years ago. I doubt that she would remember. Now, Merlin, I've got a job for you" Gaius tells him.
"Does it ever end?" Merlin asks sarcastically.
"Give this to the Lady Catrina with my compliments" Gaius says. Handing Merlin the finished potion. Merlin asks what it is. "She'll know what it is" Gaius assures him. Merlin frowns and leaves for Lady Catrina's bed chambers.
(Catrina's room) Steffy's POV
Jonas and I had found a place for the troll to sleep. When we returned to her room a plate of fruit was delivered. My stomach rumbled, I hadn't eaten in nearly two days. I eye the fruit longingly. Jonas notices and rolls his eyes grabbing an apple. Tossing it at me. I managed to catch it and start to eat it hungrily. "Filthy pest" he grumbles and just then the troll appears.
"What's that?" she asks Jonas as she sits in front of the tray of fruit.
"Compliments of the King" Jonas tells her.
"Revolting" she says and makes the fruit become rotten. Before digging in. "Uther's so stupid, so blinded by pretty things. Already he falls for me. I can see it in his eyes. It's only a matter of time before he is completely under my control" she declares.
"Excellent" Jonas says. Just then Merlin appears and the troll wipes her mouth.
"Jonas, you must take these back to the kitchens, it's, er, it's perfectly rotten" she tells him.
"I--I'm sorry. I did not mean to intrude" Merlin tells her.
"That's, er, that's quite alright. At least I wasn't undressing" the troll assures him.
"Er, the court physician asked me to give you this" Merlin states holding up a bottle. The court physician? Could he mean Gaius? Mummy told me about him once. He was the one who diagnosed her bone illness and he'd make her a potion for the pain. This could be my chance for freedom. I remain silent watching the three people.
"What is it?" Jonas asks Merlin.
"Gaius prepared it for you" Merlin states.
"I am terribly sorry, there must be some mistake. I requested no medicine" the troll states.
"Oh. Oh. Are you sure?" Merlin asks her.
"Quite sure, thank you. I am in perfect health" she tells him. He nods and goes to leave. But pauses looking at me.
"What happened to Nia?" he asks.
"Ran into a wall" Jonas lies. "Isn't that right?" he asks giving me a pointed look. That Merlin can't see. I nod mutely and Merlin leaves.
(Physicians chambers) Third Persons POV
"She didn't ask for it. She didn't need it. She didn't even want it" Merlin tells Gaius. As he placed the bottle on the table.
"Interesting" Gaius says as he removes his glasses.
"If you say so" Merlin mutters.
"When I treated her as a child, it was for an incurable disease. Catrina had a rare bone disorder affecting her joints. She often had difficulty walking, especially after a long ride. My tonic was the only thing that brought her relief" Gaius explains.
"She walks as well as you or I" Merlin says confused.
"So I noticed" Gaius tells him.
"So...the tonic was some kind of test?" Merlin asks.
"Indeed. And I'm starting to wonder if the Lady Catrina is really the Lady Catrina at all" Gaius states. "Especially as Nia looks remarkable like the Lady Catrina from when she was a young girl" he adds.
"You think Nia is Princess Stephanie and that the seal was hers. That this Lady Catrina is an imposter and stole the seal from her for Jonas?" Merlin asks.
"I do" Gaius says.
"Then we must find a way to prove it and save the princess" Merlin declares. Gaius agrees. "I think they hurt her" he adds.
"What?" Gaius asks.
"I saw her in the Lady Catrina's room. She was in a corner and one of her cheeks was red, like she'd been hit. Jonas said she ran into a wall, but what if she didn't?" Merlin asks.
"Then we must act quickly, to find out who the imposter is. What they want and expose them" Gaius tells him. Merlin nods his head.
(Time skip) Steffy's POV
Merlin was in our room this morning. When he and Jonas weren't looking. I slipped a note into the basket of laundry Merlin had brought. A silent cry for help. Neither noticed and Jonas handed Merlin the basket before he left. I pray Merlin finds it and can help save me. And Camelot from the Troll and Jonas.
(Another time skip) Third Persons POV
Merlin had seen the troll's true form. Though he'd been caught by Arthur, who believed him to be a peeping tom. Anyway, he went straight to Gaius not noticing that Jonas had seen him see his mistress. Merlin told Gaius what he'd seen. "What you saw is seldom seen, Merlin. Trolls despise all other living things, especially humans. They prefer to lurk in the darkness of their nests, feasting on rotten filth" Gaius explains.
"And Jonas? Is he a troll too?" Merlin asks.
"Who can tell what manner of creature he is" Gaius states.
"It makes no sense. If trolls like to lurk in their caves so much , what's this one doing in Camelot? Why kidnap Princess Stephanie?" Merlin asks him confused.
"Trolls are greedy. Lady Catrina's like the rest of her kind; she lusts after wealth and power" Gaius explains.
"Uther's wealth and power" Merlin states.
"We've reached the point of no return. Uther has to be told and we must free the princess" Gaius states.
"You're going to tell Uther that his lady friend's a troll? That she kidnapped the grand-daughter of his old friend?" Merlin asks him.
"That's exactly what I'm going to do" Gaius tells him. Merlin wished him luck. Gaius went to Uther. Who didn't believe a word he said about the troll being an imposter or Nia being the true heir of the house of Tregor. So now he and Merlin had to find a way to reveal the troll's true form.
Steffy's POV
I don't know why Gaius or Merlin haven't done anything to stop the troll. She is now marrying the king who is under her spell. This will be the end of Camelot and she will soon have no more use for me. And will surely kill me. Which is why when everyone was distracted by the wedding. Including the troll and Jonas, I ran. I escaped the room I was locked in and ran.