It had been raining a week straight and everything including the roads was soaking wet. On the second sunny day Arthur and his best friend Leon went to the nearest village buying goods. To get back home took almost a half day, because the roads had become a one big muddy hell. Their horse-pulled wagon kept getting stuck in the mud all the time. Arthur and Leon had to push that damn thing all the way back, but at least they had fun doing it; they opened a mead barrel in mid way. They had been cursing, laughing and slipping on the muddy road for miles before they reach close enough to their home. They just waited there drinking and hoping that someone would see them and send help. Finally, a guard at the wall saw them, and sent some slaves to help the young lads to get back home.
Uther and Gaius came out on the yard watching those young men pushing wagons inside their walls. They could not help but smile when they saw Arthur and Leon practically covered with sticky dirt.
"Did you boys have fun at the market?" Uther asked almost giggling and covered his mouth with his fist.
Arthur and Leon stepped in front of the older men breathing heavily and taking a look at each other with a grin on their faces. They both looked ridiculous with all that mud.
"The market was just fine. I think those damn horses made us do all the work just to get back," Arthur laughed.
Leon greeted older men by nodding his head.
"You should send Arthur more often to the market. He made great bargains and saved lot of money. Those old seller ladies just love him."
Gaius smelled the odor of mead from young men's breath, and was even more amused of the whole muddy situation.
"My Lords, I believe it would be better if you satisfy your thirst for the rest of the day just with plain water."
"Get yourself washed and meet me inside," Uther said and was going to tap Arthur on the shoulder but decided not to get his hands dirty.
The muddy duo cleans the most of the dirt off them by the well, and went to their homes to take a long nice bath after the hard day's work. When Arthur was getting dressed up, he heard a woman screaming in panic outside the house. He threw his shirt on and ran out to see what was happening. A young slave girl called Kia was crying in the middle of the yard, and there were guards and some other slaves with her. Uther was getting there too.
Arthur ran to the slave girl, who looked like had been crawling in mud and cried the whole day. The girl was limping with her left foot, and tried to get to Arthur when she saw him in the yard. Arthur grabbed her from shoulders softly and tried to understand what she was saying under her tears.
"Somebody bring her water!" Arthur shouted out to people who were just standing there. "Kia, tell me what happened?"
Girl was sobbing, afraid to look the young lord into his eyes.
"They took her… They took Lady Morgana," Kia answered whispering and bowed her head down. Her whole body was shaking.
"Who took her? Kia, who have taken Morgana? Where did this happen?" Arthur asked, and his voice turned to more serious tone. Another slave brought him a mug of water, from which he gave a sip for Kia. She was not able to hold it by herself.
"We were picking mushrooms in the eastern forest… Those men came, slave traders… They killed sir Darian. Morgana fought them and told me to run, to get help… I'm sorry, I twisted my ankle… I get here as fast as I could."
Arthur stood on his place for a few seconds just trying to think clearly. One of their knights was killed, and his own sister was taken by slave traders, and there was no telling for how long it's had been. He looked at his father behind him, who looked as shocked as he was.
"Bring the horses! Now!" Uther cried out with a voice that echoed in the yard so loud that no one could have avoided hearing it.