Summary: Merlin accompanied by Arthur, Percival, Guain, Eliot, and Leon go on a hunting trip in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. There they meet a girl of fourteen who claims her name is Emrys. *enough said*

The Second Emrys

"Merlin would you just quit whining!" Arthur gave out a sharp sigh, trying to lose Merlin as he picked up his pace down the long hallway.

"No, no I would just love to go with you on a hunting trip Arthur, so you can accidentally hit me like the last time." Merlin remarked sarcastically, rubbing his arm where he now had a scar from Arthur's crossbow.

"I know you may find it hard to believe but I actually did do that accidentally." Arthur snapped back, surprised Merlin was accusing him of hurting him on that level. "Besides it's only for three days."

"Yes, two days in the Valley of the Fallen Kings!" Merlin shouted, "That place is bad luck and nothing good ever happens there!"

"Oh please, Merlin stop being such a girl. That's just an old legend."

"Oh really, is that why we were attacked the last time we were there and I barely escaped with my life?" Arthur swung around to look at Merlin directly and noticed he had glazed over fear in his eyes instead of his normal cocky smile and sour sarcasm.

"Merlin, one stop being a girl, two stop being an idiot, and three all those old legends seem to only apply to you." Leaving no time for Merlin to comment, the annoyed prince raced down the hall. Merlin thought about following but decided that would be useless and turned around to go to his room.

"Those old legends only apply to you." He mumbled under his breath as he entered the old room that constantly smelled of herbs and spices. Gaius was hunched over a desk hard at work mixing different lively colored liquids together. Merlin tip toed as quietly as he could into his small room that was actually used for storage before he came. Of course he only found that out about a month ago when Arthur started teasing him about it. Gaius smiled at Merlin's failed attempt to go unnoticed but decided it would get him down if he said anything.

Merlin set himself to work packing three red shirts, three brown pants, three purple scarves, and two night shirts. He also packed a bunch of bandages and an apple in case Arthur decided not to feed him again. "I shall not be unprepared this time." Merlin said with a smile of satisfaction on his face.

"Then you'll need this." Gaius said having stood in the door way the whole time. Merlin, startled, dropped his apple which then rolled under his small bed. Gaius held a compass in his outstretched hand.

"Wow," Merlin said, confused about how to work it while the thing inside just kept spinning and spinning in circles. He frantically spun around in circles with it. Gaius just laughed and snatched it back.

"It's a charm, it doesn't point north, it points to the palace." Gaius explained. Merlin just set his attention to finding his missing apple instead. Gaius sighed and left the room. "You're welcome," he called.

"Thanks," Merlin called back, still unable to reach far back enough to retrieve his apple. He did however toss the compass into his pack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~They're Lost~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Who Else Saw That Coming?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Just admit it Arthur, we're lost. Just use the compass." Merlin groaned holding out the compass Gaius had given him. The needle has stopped spinning and Merlin desperately wanted to go home. The group, which includes Arthur, all the knights, and Merlin had been lost for one and a half out of the three days.

"Merlin would you stop? I'm not lost and I'm not using a compass that doesn't point north!" Arthur shouted sitting high atop his horse with Guain, Eliot, Percival, and Leon while Merlin had to walk.

"Hold on guys, Merlin can have my horse for a while." Guain stopped the group and hopped down from his horse before helping Merlin get up. Arthur protested strongly while the rest of their party clapped. Guain held up his hand to get them to stop though he clearly loved the attention. Merlin rolled his eyes when no one was looking as Guain led the horse. Still happy to be out of the Valley of Fallen Kings, Merlin decided to look around at the scenery that he had never seen before. Still more proof that they were lost. The horses trotted besides a running river covered with a forest of birch trees.

A snap in the bushes ahead made Arthur stop his horse. When the second snap came a large rabbit ran across the path between a large birch tree and another leaning against it. It is a small prize but the first game I've seen so far, Arthur thought to himself. He un-braced the crossbow from the side of his horse and galloped along after the small creature. The second Arthur's horse trotted through the two trees one fell on top of him. With a loud yelp both he and his horse went down.

Merlin frantically leapt off his horse to aid the prince while accidentally pushing Eliot into yet another trap. His feet lifted from under him as he dangled from a rope tightly coiled around one leg. Seeing what had happened Guain ran to help Eliot when five arrows shot at him, two successfully hitting him in the arm and leg. Pinned to the tree with pain shooting through his arm and leg a frantic Guain tried to remain as still as possible. Percival and Leon had their swords unsheathed in an instant, their eyes darting through the forest.

"Merlin don't just stand there, help!" Arthur yelled, trying his best to get out from under the tree and not getting very far. Merlin stepped back to examine the situation when he heard a huge snapping sound from behind, he turned only to be pushed out of the way by Leon who was lying on the ground with a dart in his neck. Quickly Merlin checked his pulse and determined he was asleep. "Merlin just stop moving!" Arthur commanded. Merlin froze, scared any movement would set off a deadly trap. "Just turn around, go to the supplies and get something that will get me out of here." Arthur said furiously while trying to get free of the tree lying on top of him. Merlin turned and Percival followed. Merlin lifted up a green sack full of spare weapons they had brought along.

"Merlin hurry!" Guain called with blood staining the arm of his shirt.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Merlin called swinging around to face them when he heard the clank of metal and a loud thud. Slowly turning to look over his shoulder he saw Percival lying on the ground with a newly formed bruise on his forehead. Merlin stepped back quickly and a moment later he found he was hanging in the same fashion as Eliot except he was sent in a slow spin.

"Merlin I have determined it's not this forest that's bad luck… It's you." Arthur said regrettably.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~About An Hour Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~