Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter one: The northern waste lands.

Hey, just to let you know, this is the follow on from 'Life outside of the shadows' but you do not have to read that story in order to know what's going on in this story. Any character who are of my own creation or those mentioned in the previous story, roles will be explained as part of the story and reference to the previous story will be made. So all of you who haven't read the previous story, do not have to read it, but any who do, just go onto my profile and it'll be there.

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In a time of myth and a land of magic the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man, his name... Merlin

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Merlin raced through the castle, he wasn't even Arthur's servant anymore and Arthur still had him running around the castle. He was the king of the druids for goodness sake! He had much better things to be doing with his time, than running around the castle, looking for Gwen, who had gone 'missing' as Arthur put it.

"I swear..." Merlin grumbled as he run. "I'll..."

Merlin and his wife, Freya, had been enjoying a pleasant breakfast with their three children, along with Gaius and Alice. When suddenly Arthur burst into the physicians chamber, panicking and yelling something about Gwen having not been there when he woke up that morning and being unable to find her and an important council meeting was to start any moment.

Merlin smiled as he thought of Freya. After Merlin had saved Isolde's life, with magic, after she had been fatally wounded by Helios. Merlin had been taken from Camelot, by Alator, and given the task of restoring the perilous lands. Once that task had been done, the druids announced him to be their king and he had been crowned king of the druids. As part of a peace treaty with Avalon, Merlin had been forced to marry and the one he married was none other than the lady of the lake, Freya and she became his queen.

After the battle, in which Merlin had killed Mordred the dark, Alice happily informed Freya she was pregnant and six and a half months later three children were born. Two girls and one boy, named Sibella, Hunith and Balinor.

Merlin face fell as he remembered his mother, she had died when Mordred's forces attacked, Freya was lucky to escape with her life... But even she had been gravely injured.

Merlin burst into Gwen and Arthur's shared room.

"Gwen?" He called. "Gwen!"

Merlin quickly left and continued looking, he run through the castle and entered, he quickly cheeks Gwen's private chamber and the council hall, but still can not find her. Merlin rolled his eyes, he knew he should have just used a spell to find her. But as Gaius kept reminding him, he couldn't rely on magic to solve all his problems.

"This," Merlin mutters. "Is the last time I agree to help Arthur with anything... I have much more important things to be doing with my time."

And truth be told he did. More and more reports of people going missing in the north were coming in and many patrols from Peryglus (name of the perilous lands) had also gone missing and Merlin along with the council were trying to work out what was going on. But ever patrol they sent to spy on the area never returned. Merlin himself couldn't go until Zafira, the last dragon to be hatched before the great purge, returned.

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Knights dressed in amour and red cloaks, made there way towards the throne from all over the castle and city. Merlin ducked, dived and dodged out the way of servants and castle staff as he raced towards the throne room, he hoped for George's sake Gwen hadn't forgotten about the round table meeting, if she had, Arthur was going to be in one foul mood for the rest of the day. Merlin himself was thankful he was no longer Arthur man servant, he didn't think his head would be able to take another goblet, or piece of amour, or any other object which was capable of being thrown, colliding with it.

Merlin slowed down as he reached the corridor leading to entrance to the throne room, he couldn't help but feel out of place in his royal blue cloak, which he had summoned for warmth. For some reason it was always cold in the throne room, no matter what time of year it was. Arthur looks round as he sees Merlin approaching out the corner of his eye.

"Well?" He asks, as Merlin stops beside him.

"I've searched everywhere." Merlin answers, still out of breath.

"Merlin," Arthur speaks, annoyed. "It's not just me you're keeping waiting."

Merlin stares at Arthur. "How is it my fault!?"

"The Queen can't just disappear!" Arthur answers.

"Well," Merlin replies. "Where is she?"

Arthur glares at Merlin. "That's what I sent you to find out!"

"Do you know how big this castle is?" Merlin demands.

"Funny enough, I do."

"Then perhaps you should have a look."

"Merlin," Arthur asks. "Is there anything you're actually capable of doing?"

"Putting up with you!" Merlin answers, with a glare.

"Oh, well..." Arthur begins only to be cut off.

"Ahem." A voice above them coughs.

Merlin and Arthur look up to find Gwen walking down the stairs, followed by her maid servant and Arthur's man servant George.

"Guinevere." Arthur greets, relief evident in his tone.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Gwen apologises, as she stops beside Arthur.

"Late?" Arthur asks. "Not at all. Plenty of time."

Merlin just rolls his eyes, as Arthur and Gwen enter the throne room side, followed by George and Gwen's maid servant. Merlin quickly enters the room after them and makes his way over to his seat is between Gaius and Arthur. It had been three years since the ban on magic had been lifted and Arthur had yet to get a court sorcerer and with Merlin spending as much time in Camelot as he did Peryglus, the people of Camelot went to Merlin if they ever needed magical help. And so merlin became the un-official court warlock of Camelot.

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Merlin smiles slightly as he sits down, it seemed no matter what changed in his life he always had three jobs. He had been Arthur man servant, Gaius dogsbody and the secret protector of Camelot. Now he was king of the druids, a member of Peryglus ruling council and Camelot un-official court warlock. Merlin frowns slightly, it still surprised him, he was a member of two courts in two different kingdoms as well as the king of a religious group. But travel between the two kingdoms wasn't hard, Merlin had enchanted a door in Gaius's chambers to lead straight into Merlin's work room in Peryglus.

Merlin was suddenly pulled from his musing as Arthur began to speak.

"Noble knights of Camelot, countryman, friends. I welcome you to this meeting of the round table." Arthur begins getting to feet. "For three long years, we have been blessed with peace and prosperity... But now, it seems, a shadow has been cast across our lands."

Arthur pauses as he looks around the table, many seats were empty.

"Sir Gwaine set off for Ismere, some six weeks ago. With him went three score of our finest men. here has been no word of them since."

Merlin glances at Arthur sharply. He knew Sir Gwaine had gone missing, but Arthur had failed to tell him it was Ismere where they had gone missing.

"At my request, Sir Elyan led a search party to the frozen wastelands of the north. He found no trace of Sir Gwaine or his men. It is as if they have vanished from the face of the Earth."

Five weeks ago.

Gwaine walked slowly through the snow, before coming to a halt and looking round. Snow caught in his hair, his face was pale and his lips were slightly blue from the cold. His red cloak was white from frost and snow in many areas, it was completely stiff and hardly moved in the snowy wind. One of his hand was gripping the hilt of his sword tightly and he glanced over his shoulder.

All around him the land was covered in snow, nothing grew and there was no sign of animals... The land was empty and lifeless, it was a wasteland. As snow continued to fall around him. Beyond a snowy ridge, Ismere stood tall and dark against the snow backdrop which surrounded it, even the stormy sky offered little colour. The only colour for miles around was Sir Gwaine's red cloak.

Behind Gwaine, Percival and the other knights of Camelot finally catch up with him. As Percival stops level with Gwaine, a fierce growl fills the air.

"Run!" Gwaine yells, upon seeing the creature which had made the growl.

As everyone runs, a pack of wolves chase them, fangs barred and backs arched.

Gwaine soon finds himself separated from the rest of the knights and knowing he can no longer out run the wolf, he turns and draws his sword.

A wolfs howl fills the air as Gwaine lies on the ground next to it, unconscious.

Morgana, dressed in black fur, approaches Gwaine and kicks him on to his back before looking round and smirking to herself.

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