"Please I beg you both, you must not go" Morgana said as Arthur moved down the steps with her husband, Merlin at his side. Arthur turned to face her, as did Merlin.
"Morgana, it's only a three day trip" Arthur told her. Morgana shook her head, turning to Merlin.
"Please. Something is going to happen, I know it is" she said. Merlin smiled and took her hand in his.
"Morgana, it was a dream, besides I'm a Dragonlord now remember, no harm will come to us I promise" he said. Morgana sniffed as he pulled her into a hug, then nodded over at Gwen.
"Just be sure to come back to me" she whispered.
"I promise" he told her as Gwen moved up and took Morgana's arm gently. Morgana looked at her, then back at the two brothers. Arthur gave her a smile, then hugged Gwen briefly.
"Take care of her" he said softly.
"I will" Gwen assured him. Arthur nodded and then, with Merlin at his side mounted his Unicorn, Merlin doing the same. Merlin looked back at her and waved, before the two princes set out.
"You think she's right?" asked Arthur as they left the confines of the city and hit the edge of the forest. Merlin looked at him.
"Truthfully? I never know what to make of her dreams" he said. Arthur grunted and rolled his eyes, the pair of them carrying on in silence for a few more minuets.
"So…" said Merlin softly.
"so?" asked Arthur.
"Have you spoken to father about Gwen yet?" Merlin asked. Arthur glanced at him.
"I've tried to, but whenever the topic has started to come up, something else has happened to side line it" he admitted.
"What will you do if he says no?" asked Merlin softly.
"I don't know. I guess I never figured it would matter what he thought" Arthur said. "He did let you and Morgana marry" he said.
"Morgana is a princess Arthur, it's a little different to Gwen" Merlin said. Arthur sighed and shrugged.
"Do you think I'm wrong to love Gwen?" he asked. Merlin chuckled at him.
"I think its none of my damn business" Merlin told him.
"Thanks for your support" Arthur replied dryly.
"Hey, look, it doesn't matter to me who you love, you'll always have my support" Merlin told him. Arthur looked over at him and smiled.
"I always knew I'd have you on my side at least" Arthur said with a grin.
"Its what brothers are for. Just don't expect me to give you pointers in the bedroom" Merlin said.
"As if I need help" Arthur said with mock annoyance.
"aha!" Merlin said with a grin.
"aha what?" asked Arthur.
"I take it you and Gwen have…" Merlin looked away seemingly interested in the trees they were passing.
"Merlin! I do happen to be a man of honour you know, I do have morals" Arthur said.
"Pah!" Merlin shot back. "You've not even had a look have you?"
"Not even a sniff, can we change the conversation now?" Arthur said grumpily.
"The tress are nice this time of year" Merlin commented to a dry look from his brother.
"You, Merlin, are impossible"
"I do try" Merlin said with a grin.
Uther looked up as Morgana entered the audience chamber, Vivienne doing the same, Morgana her self looked dishevelled.
"Morgana?" asked Vivienne concerned as the young woman moved quickly to her.
"Whatever is wrong?" asked Uther. Morgana looked at him, her eyes red.
"I'm just.. Uther I'm scared something is going to happen to them" she said.
"Did you dream again?" asked Vivienne gently. Morgana looked at her and nodded her head slowly.
"Have you spoken to Nimueh about it?" asked Uther.
"No, but this was different, I saw.."
"What did you see?" asked a gentle voice behind her. Slowly Morgana turned and saw Nimueh watching her kindly.
"I'm sorry, I should have come to you" Morgana said.
"I am here now child, now please, tell me, what you saw"
"Arthur. He was in pain" she said.
"Tortured?" asked Nimueh.
"Yes" Morgana said, her eyes watering. Behind her Vivienne and Uther looked at each other.
"Morgana, who was torturing Arthur?" asked Uther. Morgana let out a harsh sob.
"Merlin. It was Merlin" she said. Slowly Nimueh stepped forwards and lifted Morgana's chin so the younger woman was looking at her.
"Do you believe this could have been just a nightmare?" she asked gently. Morgana shrugged, obviously at a loss.
"if… if it was a nightmare as you claim" she said softly, suddenly. "Then why did I dream it was Arthur being tortured?" she asked. Nimueh blinked, having no answer to that question herself.
"Preposterous they care more for each other than any siblings I know" Uther suddenly said, breaking the silence that had suddenly hung in the air.
"We need to go after them" Morgana suddenly stated.
"no" Uther said. "We have no proof this is going to happen, I will not risk their mission for the sake of a nightmare" Uther said forcefully.
"That's the point, we need to get to them before it does happen!" Morgana yelled.
"Morgana enough!" Uther ordered her. Morgana looked at him, then, at Vivienne.
"You believe me don't you?" she asked, her eyes pleading. Vivienne blinked, but she could not answer. Morgana, crying turned to Nimueh.
"You?" she asked, her voice desperate. Nimueh sighed and looked at the floor. Morgana, let out a sob as she ran from the room. Uther stood to follow, but Vivienne held his arm.
"I'll go" she said gently. Uther nodded and then watched as his wife left the room. Slowly he turned to Nimueh.
"could she be right?" he asked softly. Nimueh looked at him and shrugged.
"the gift of the seer is both a blessing and a curse Uther. One must learn to sort between those visions which are true, and those that are just dreams" Nimueh told him.
"so there is every possibility she is right?" he asked.
"And equally, every possibility she is wrong" Nimueh said.
"could her condition be affecting her?" Uther suddenly asked.
"I do not know, pregnancy is a trying time for any person. Morgana is having to deal with both at the moment" Nimueh said. Uther sighed and sat back, watching as Nimueh looked towards the door.
"Merlin?" Arthur said pointing to a small fork in the road. Merlin looked over, seeing a small wagon there, a man in his forties, feeding his old horse. The path he was on was well known to lead to a popular spot for bandits to ambush unwary travellers. A man alone would certainly draw their unwanted attention.
"Hello?" Merlin called over, the man jerking up and looking at them.
"Gentle nobles" he greeted them with a bow. "May I help you somehow?" he asked.
"Actually we were wondering if you'd become lost" Arthur told him, as the man looked at the Unicorns.
"such noble steeds you have" he said, eyeing them, then he looked back at Arthur. "And I seem to be perfectly fine" he replied.
"you do realise that path is heading into Bandit territory right?" Arthur said. the man frowned and looked at the path, then back at Arthur.
"Really? I thought this was the way to Camelot" he said.
"That would be this path" Merlin told him.
"Then I do indeed thank you" the Man replied.
"What business have you in Camelot?" asked Arthur, eyeing the man.
"Ahh, please allow me to introduce myself, I am Sardor, purveyor of exotic wears from across the lands" he said.
"So you're a trader?" asked Merlin.
"I wear many titles, Trader, shop keeper, businessman" Sardor told him.
"I see" Arthur said, rolling his eyes slightly.
"You mock me sir" Sardor said, catching the look. "Please, allow me to show you a few examples" he said.
"Really that won't be necessary" Arthur said. the man looked at him, then at Merlin.
"Come on Arthur, what could it hurt?"
"Merlin we do have a duty to perform" Arthur said.
"It will take but a few minutes, five at most" Sardor said. Arthur looked at his brother then nodded.
"Fine" he said.
"Splendid" Sardor said opening the door to the cart and going inside. A moment later two large windows opened and he stood there, a collection of wares arrayed around him from exotic looking silks to battered clay pots. Arthur and Merlin got off their Unicorns and looked at the wares.
"The finest fabric from the land of Trela" he said fingering some of the silk.
"Looks expensive" Arthur admitted.
"People have paid a king's ransom to own just one suit or dress made of it" Sardor said. Arthur nodded and peered at an ugly looking mask on the wall behind him, while Merlin fingered some of the necklaces hanging from a hook, none of them extravagant in the least.
"A trinket for your lady love perhaps?" asked Sardor as he watched Merlin.
"She's probably kill me if I brought her something like this" Merlin said. Sardor huffed, then flinched when Merlin pointed behind him.
"What's that?" he asked. Sardor turned.
"What's what?" he said. "there's so much junk- exotic goods in here" he said.
"That purple crystal" Merlin said. Sardor looked at it.
"Ahh, that is not for sale I'm afraid" Sardor said.
"Why not?"
"That was my first ever trade. It holds.. sentimental value to me" Sardor replied.
"Not much of a trader then" Merlin said.
"What would you even use it for?" asked Arthur looking at it.
"I dunno, it just seems… I can't explain it" Merlin said. "Your adamant you will not sell it?" Merlin asked.
"I am loath to sell it" Sardor admitted.
"But?" prompted Merlin.
"If the price is right I might be persuaded to part with it" Sardor said.
"Would ten gold pieces be persuasion enough?" asked Merlin.
"Ten?" Sardor asked. Arthur for his part looked at Merlin like he'd gone mental.
"fifteen then" Merlin said. "Final offer"
"Fifteen gold pieces.. fifteen, that's more than I've made in the last two kingdoms I visited" Sardor said.
"Obviously you saw Merlin coming" Arthur muttered.
"Do we have a deal?" Merlin asked him.
"Yes. Yes of course we do" Sardor said happily taking the gold from Merlin, and handing him the purple crystal. "and I must say it has been a pleasure" he said. Merlin nodded and tucked the crystal away in his satchel.
"Well, Camelot is about half a day's travel west from here" Arthur told him. "As long as you stay on the path you should reach it before nightfall" he added.
"Thank you, lord only knows where I might have ended up" Sardor said. Arthur nodded and got back on his Unicorn. Merlin went to mount his but it whinnied and stamped its hoof into the ground.
"Hey, easy there" Merlin said softly, the Unicorn seeming to calm enough to let him on. Slowly they turned and headed on their way. Merlin's Unicorn still seeming to be a little jittery,
"I hope you're not planning on giving your wife a purple paperweight" Arthur muttered.
"Why? She likes that colour" Merlin said.
"Lets just say when she splits your head open with it I will not be mopping up the blood" Arthur said.
"You could have brought that mask for Gwen" Merlin said.
"Why would she want that?"
"So she doesn't have to look at your face when you kiss?" Merlin countered.
Sardor watched the two princes as they moved out of sight, the grin falling from his face as soon as they'd gone.
"Is it done Sardor?" asked a voice from the shadows near the doorway. Sardor turned to the shadows and nodded.
"The young prince has the orb" he said as his clothing changed from those of a ragged trader to black bellowing robes with intricate glowing runes on them.
"good, soon the princes will be at each other's throats, Camelot will be on its knees and then the Lady Morgana will be mine" the voice said.
"Remember our bargain Carrious" Sardor stated.
"I do, when Morgana is my bride you shall indeed inherit power beyond anything you've ever desired" Carrious told him. "But only if I possess Morgana" it warned him.