Anywhere, I Would Have Followed You
It hadn't been an interesting day, not by a long shot. Nothing had been out of the ordinary on the patrol around the castle. Birds tweeted and flew about. Squirrels scurried around with puffy cheeks. The end of fall was near and the animals of the forest were preparing for the winter ahead, but everything was pleasant.
Mordred's mind was starting to wonder. The not too cold, nor not to hot weather had his mood lifted. Surrounded by the Knights of Camelot and the King- dare he say, his friends, made him hopeful. Things had settled down and the past couple of weeks had gone rather smoothly, and he was happy.
And then Arthur motioned for them to stop. Mordred's attention snapped back and he looked ahead. His eyebrows knitted in concern, as a pair of bloodied barefeet tree came to view. They were attached to the body of an equally bloody girl, laying halfway hidden by a tree.
"No," Mordred gasped, his blue eyes wide. His heart recognized to girl before him before his mind did, and the word slipped out. He jumped off his horse, nearly falling in the slight daze he was in. Mordred landed on his knees by the girl.
"Mordred?" His king asked, sliding off his horse too. He kneeled by the women, glazed over her, and then surveryed the area, trying to fit the pieces of what happened together.
The younger boy reached out his hand, the thought in mind to touch her neck, to see if there was a pulse, but terror filled him and he froze. She couldn't be dead, but Mordred was so scared she was.
Noting his hesitancy, Arthur checked whether she was alive.
"She's alive, we need to take her back," Arthur commanded, and relief so strong flooded Mordred he let out a loud breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.
"Mordred?" he asked again, "Who is she?"
Mordred swallowed, hard. "My king... she's my sister. I don't- I don't know why she's here," he answered, eyes bright with worry.
Arthur watched him for a moment, before nodding, "Let's get her to Gaius."
The two of them lifted her carefully onto Mordred's horse and they galloped back to the castle.
Ari? Mordred asked her silently. Arianna, why are you here?
But there was no answer. Of course there was no answer, she was unconcious, but he sent her thoughts the whole way back to the castle nonetheless.
You are going to be okay, you are going to be okay, Ari. It'll be okay.