The great hall of Camelot was alive with the buzz of nervous chatter. Red hangings covered the ceiling- rich in their colour- bearing the crest of the Pendragon family. There stood a once great king; still broken from the events which took place a year ago today.

At his right stood a pretty woman- too young to be his betrothed, to simple to be his ward. To his left stood his most trusted adviser who beholds a morbid look on his aging face. The kings' knights stood strong-together- in the centre of the hall and the villages stood at the rear.

"It has come to my attention that Mor- the witch Morgan le Fay, has begun to build an army of powerful sorcerers. Arthur; I want you and your knights to ride into any village that is suspected of harbouring any sorcerers and kill the said suspected- it is the only way to keep Camelot safe from harm." Uther ordered his son. Vengeance could be seen in the king's dead eyes.

"Surely we wouldn't have to kill them all, some might not even have magic; we'd be sending them to their slaughter, on both sides." The Prince stated." Don't question your orders from your king. Now go!" Uther turned away and stroked out of the hall, leaving nothing but silence in his wake.

Everyone started to abandon the hall one by one; all who remained was: Gauis, Gwen, Merlin, Arthur and his Knights. It was Gwaine who was first to speak. "Yano, I really don't like being know as Arthur's, it not very becoming is it!" Everyone in the room glared at him in annoyance. "Is it too soon for joking around?"

That question went un-heard or more likely ignored by the rest; for they had to much on their minds; to kill for the safety of Camelot, or to kill the innocent, either way there'd be reprimands for their actions.

The Prince sighed deeply. And there it was, the answer to everybody's unasked question; they were going on the hunt... for people.

"Please Arthur, think about this; you could end up killing innocent people, all because of your fathers' hatred for Morgana." Merlin didn't want this to happen- if it did- he would have to watch- he could take it anymore; he had to get out of that room, that stupid hall where all the murders happened.

****MERLIN****

Merlin stormed off in haste, leaving everyone in shock at the sudden, unexpected, exit.

"I'll go see what's wrong with Merlin." Lancelot proceeded fast so no one could object. He travelled down the halls of the castle; looking in every alcove as he passed, until he found the boy sitting in distress, by the armoury room; his head on his knees, arms wrapped around his knees. He looked up when he heard the heavy footsteps coming towards him.

"What's the matter Merlin?" Lancelot came and sat next to his friend and put his knees up and arms on his knees, copying Merlin. "It's nothing" Merlin answered. Lancelot gave a disbelieving glance towards his friend. "It's... it's just... I'm going to be forced to kill my kin; I don't want to do it- not again."

The knight sat there in shock; not once had he thought about what the mission meant for Merlin, what he would have to do and to watch. "It's not just that, my home, the village; it's on the suspected list. my mother she's on the list, she's going to die." Merlin began to bawl again; his body heaving with the sobs. Lancelot did the only thing he could thing of; he enclosed Merlin into a tight embrace.

It wasn't long after that Gaius, Gwen, Arthur and the rest of the knight found them. "What's wrong?" Gwen asked when she caught sight of the two boys, she came to kneel beside Merlin and wrapped him in her arms- taking over from Lancelot- Merlin just cried more.

Lancelot gave a look to Gaius, Arthur and the other Knights, signalling for them to follow him.

After they were a safe distance so no one could hear, Lancelot began to speak. "Merlin's upset, because of the mission."

"What about the mission, why would he be upset about that? I know he's sensitive but..." Arthur trailed off, confusion laced his voice.

"Yeah... Why?" Gwaine repeated.

"Because, his home, his village... his mother; they're all on the list." Silence clung in the air; realization hit them all like a blow to the gut.

Then we shall start in the forest, as far away from Eldor as possible." Arthur commanded and everyone nodded in agreement.