Hello again! Hope you enjoyed my last story and I hope you enjoy this one to. Hope you enjoy it and please review, alert, favourite and anything else. And I don't mind what you say in your reviews!

Also I so wasn't expecting the great turn out that this actually got I was so shocked! Thanks to you all, who alerted, favourited and reviewed (Every time I got an email I squealed like a mouse and it annoyed my family.

Also there will be lots (And I mean Lot's) More ArthurXMerlin on it's way.

And there's more Uther in this chapter, so those of you that are worried about what he may do, I might let you find out this chapter.

Thanks again. Enjoy x

"So Merlin."

"Yes Arthur?" Merlin replied. "What is it?"

"Well you know how we were talking earlier about danger in the woods and hunting."

"Yes Arthur I know. You wouldn't shut up about how great you are at hunting until I asked you if we could stop for a minute, because I was about of breath from saying you're name to try and ask you to stop. I can remember that conversation very, very clearly, so just get to the point of this Arthur!" Merlin shouted, before quickly regretting it as his ribs and chest screamed out in pain.

Arthur had guessed that that might happen when Merlin had blabbed on and was already ready to stop. So he did and luckily he had remembered to take a hold of Mystery's rein's he could stop her as well.

He carefully lifted Merlin off Mystery and placed him up against a big log that was sat in the forest.

Merlin's breathing was heavy and that didn't help at all. Arthur, on the other hand, couldn't breath and had to force himself to keep breathing. His panicked state wasn't helping either.

Gaius had said that this might happen, but that it was nothing to worry about.

Try saying that to Arthur.

"Merlin are you alright." Arthur realised his mistake and slapped himself, literally slapped himself in the face. Merlin giggled at Arthur actions, never before, had Merlin seen Arthur do that.

He nodded anyway just to let Arthur know that he had heard the question and was, as Arthur had asked, alright.

A few minutes later Merlin's breathing was back to how it should be and Arthur was calm again.

The two got back on their horse's. Llamrei snorted disapprovingly at Arthur getting back on. Merlin giggled and Mystery let out a sound of delight, Arthur guessed that that was Mystery laughing at him, and he wasn't wrong.

Merlin found his magic very useful sometimes like when you want to understand what animals are saying. He gave Mystery and pat on the neck and she brought her neck upwards towards him to help. He wondered what Arthur thought Mystery and Llamrei were saying.

At least he knew. And that was the reason for his secret little smirk as the black cob licked her lips with her pink, slobbery tongue, before Merlin and Arthur set off again for Ealdor.

Uther knocked on the great wooden door, how much he hated knocking. It was only something he did when he was going to see Arthur, after all the boy was his son.

He knocked for a third time and still got no answer, so he forced the door open instead. The room was empty. Uther walked over to the window by Arthur's bed and peered out.

He saw Leon talking to a stable hand, before he then started to walk up the steps of the castle and in through the door. What was Leon doing talking to the stable hand?

That he had to find out. And he would he'd just find Leon before he found Arthur unless he ran in to Arthur first, although that was unlikely.

He was about to leave when Leon walked in the door and froze as Uther spun round to face him.

"Ah Sir Leon what brings you here?" Uther asked wondering exactly what Sir Leon was doing today. Talking to a stable hand, walking in to Arthur's room unexpectedly and when Uther thought about he hadn't seen the knight at all since the night of the feast when he had sent him to see if Arthur was okay. He hadn't come back to the hall. "And why were you talking to a stable hand?" He added.

"I was getting something Arthur asked me to give to a stable hand, he stopped me and reminded me." Leon said picking up the piece of paper that lay on Arthur's table. "Goodbye my Lord." Leon bowed before rushing out the door in pure hurry to reach the other knight's at the training ground.

Uther had to get to the bottom of this and quickly, so he decided that he would speak to all of the knight's and they'd most likely be at the training field.

"So Arthur what were you going to say earlier?" Merlin asked as he and Arthur walked down the final hill that would take them in to Ealdor.

"I was going to say that you remember that you said about something bad happening."

"Yes Arthur get one with it."

"Okay well I think the worst thing that can happen is back in Camelot not here."

"By that you mean?" Merlin quizzed.

"I mean my father is that something bad." Arthur looked at Merlin and smiled happily. He liked Ealdor when they'd last came here even though it was under attack he'd liked it and hopefully he'd have a week with Merlin all to himself.

"You're in a good mood." Merlin asked quickly knowing what mood Arthur was in just from his smile.

"I'm not entirely happy."

"And why's that?" Merlin asked intrigued

"Well I'm unhappy, because you're hurt and I'm happy, because you're here with me and we're going to Ealdor."

"There good reason's."

"Yes they are." Arthur nodded. "I'm glad you agree."

Merlin and Arthur walked happily in to Ealdor with big smiles on their faces.

Hunith was sat at a table in her house talking to her two friends who were talking about their son's and daughter's, so she was thinking about Merlin and Arthur back in Camelot while she listened to them.

Suddenly a small child ran in very excited. The three adults turned to face him as he stood in the doorway panting as three more children (One male, two female) stood just behind him.

"Hunith guess what." He said excitedly telling everyone, not just Hunith even though he only said her name.

"We won't be able to guess what it is, so you can just tell us what it is. Don't keep us in suspense." His mother said.

"We've just seem two horses enter Ealdor." His sister burst out.

"Two horses. Oh gosh what are you going to tell us now? Well whatever it is just hurry up and say already." His mother replied.

"Okay okay." He started. "The two horse's are being ridden by Prince Arthur and Merlin! Can you believe it they've come back!" He shouted excitedly. "Come on I'll show you." He said as he ran out the door. The other three children signalling the three adult's to follow.

So they did.

And he was right. Two horse's walked towards them as everyone looked up. Simply because they'd heard Mystery's giant feet plodding along. (You couldn't not her them really.)

"It is Merlin. There you go Hunith Merlin's back."

Everyone looked shocked Merlin and Arthur had come to Ealdor, but why?

Mystery and Llamrei came to a stop a little way away from the people who were eying them strangely especially Arthur.

Merlin's smile lifted even more at the sight of his mother and all the people he knew from Ealdor.

Arthur noticed this and if he admitted it he was very happy too. There wasn't anything not to be happy about apart from Merlin's injury's, which Gaius had informed Arthur it was more like three or four ribs rather than two. And it was Arthur's fault.

Merlin jumped off of Mystery a little too quickly. (Why couldn't Merlin follow a few simple order's - like don't talk for ages and don't jump or move to quickly e.c.t.) As soon as he hit the ground he regretted it as his ribs once again screamed at him in pain.

Arthur quickly jumped off of Llamrei and ran to Merlin's side catching him just before he hit the floor. Arthur landed on his knees, but didn't feel the stones of the pathway digging in to his legs he was more worried about Merlin, who once again was struggling to breath and was getting hotter by what Arthur could see, in two ways. (You can guess them if you think about it)

Hunith, her two friends and the four children ran over as well the children looked at Arthur with conflicted emotions which made Arthur shiver.

Anger, Fear, Frustration, Hatred, Incensed, Ire, Prosperity, Exasperated, Jealousy and longing.

He had an idea why they might feel like that he was the son if Uther who sometimes had killed innocent people who were suspected for sorcery or for conspiring with a sorcer.

He understood why they might fear him. Hunith had a real good reason to especially since Merlin's a sorcerer and so she could executed for just allowing Merlin to live with her and be her son.

"Don't hurt him please. And now tell us what happened to him." The young boy demanded. Oh how Arthur loved the spark of energy in that boy.

"Will." Merlin mumbled the boy flicked his head to Merlin and was completely shocked at how pale he was. "Arthur did nothing, so let it go."

The four children looked at Arthur again, but this time he could see that their emotions were different.

They weren't afraid of him anymore.

"He'll be alright." Arthur said as he picked Merlin up carefully and turned to Hunith and the whole of Ealdor.

"Come this way." Hunith said motioning for him to follow her in to her house. Arthur remembered it very well.

Arthur placed Merlin down on to the bed as Hunith looked at how carefully Arthur was moving her son.

He wasn't this careful last time.

"Your more careful Arthur."

Arthur looked confused for a minute before he replied. "Yeah well a few things happened over the last week."

"And what things were they by any chance Arthur you were always a quick thinker and quick mover, so why the sudden change?"

"Well you see last week there was a feast in Camelot the night of that terrible storm."

Hunith nodded as if for him to continue telling the story he was about to tell.

"Well I asked Merlin to go and check on the horses and well I got this new horse and it got really jumpy even though I was told by the guy I brought it off of that it had lovely manners and it hurt Merlin and I'm so sorry. Well Merlin's still hurt as you just saw quite badly and I'm just so sorry Hunith I don't know what I can say to help you forgive me if you want Merlin to stay here that's fine I mean I would be able to understand and well, well."

"Arthur." Hunith cut him off. "I forgive you it wasn't you're fault and you said well a lot."

"I didn't know what else I was supposed to say I mean well."

"You said well again."

"Sorry we- I forgot I mean we- Gaius said that saying well like I was is a sign of hesitation or nervousness."

"Then he's right." Hunith said placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I forgive and I know that Merlin does too."

Arthur nodded. He'd liked Merlin's mum when he came to Ealdor before.

Arthur looked to Merlin he was already asleep. Riding must have taken more strength than Arthur had thought.

"So Arthur you seem happy."

"I am Hunith very happy."

"Any particular reason?"

"There is one." Arthur replied smiling.

"And that is?" Hunith asked.

"Your son, Merlin." Arthur smiled as he stood up. "I should see to Mine and Merlin's horse's now if you'll excuse me."

"Of course Arthur. It will give me some time to think."

Arthur nodded as he walked out of the door the same four children as earlier were sitting by the two horse's that were still stood in the same place. Mystery looking at Arthur her big eye's following his every move. Llamrei on the other hand took no interest in him at all and was eating all the grass in her eye sight.

Arthur walked over and grabbed the two horse's reins and began walking with them and once again the four children followed excitedly.

"What do you want?" Arthur asked surprised by his tone of voice. He'd wanted to sound angry not like someone who was slowly losing their voice for some reason or other.

"We want to speak to you." Said the little girl. She was the smallest of the group and had a very bell chime like voice. Her voice had sounded sweet and considering. Arthur could tell that she had no intention of making him feel bad.

Arthur's stomach churned as he thought about the question "we want to speak to you." it kept repeating in his mind. What could they possibly want to speak to him about?

"Yes we do and we want to ask a few question's." Said the other boy who he also didn't know the name of.

"About?" Arthur asked nervously the feeling in his stomach intensifying.

"Just about Merlin and why you came to Ealdor." The other girl said. She was the second tallest and had a voice not much different to Gwen's.

"Oh." Arthur muttered as he continued to walk again after (For the third time already) pulling Llamrei's head up from the grass. The group of children giggled at the horse as it gave the almighty Arthur a hard time.

"Okay first things first." Will started. Arthur knew his name. He was the one who had tried to have a go at Arthur, but Merlin had told him to just let go of the situation and not to bother Arthur about it being his fault since it really wasn't in Merlin's opinion, but in Arthur's it was. It really was.

"Just get on with it." Arthur stated once again having to fight Llamrei to get her head up and keep her walking. Why couldn't she be more like Mystery?

"Okay what are you doing here? What happened to Merlin? Does your father know you're here? And lastly why were you so protective of Merlin?" Will asked.

"What do you mean?"

"We mean." The small one started to talk again. "When Merlin collapsed earlier Will had kept his eyes on you. The second Merlin fell you'd disappeared of you're horse and were on the floor with him."

"And you want to know what?" Arthur asked the feeling that there was more to this conversation than just that welled up inside him.

"We want to know why you did that and everything you know about Merlin now tell." Will demanded. Arthur was beginning to wish that the group of friends weren't as inquisitive as they were.

"Where is he?" Percival moaned as he walked up and down the training ground

"He's here now Percival, so can you please stop pacing?" Sir Owain asked.

Percival stopped pacing and the knights joined together in a circle.

"So what did he say in the note?"

"Give him a chance Percival!" Sir Edric said.

"Arthur has said that we are to make sure his father doesn't find out where he's gone and he said one of us must tell the stable hand acts like Llamrei and Mystery are still here and we are to train as normal."

"So we are to act as we would normally?" Sir Aldof questioned.

"Yes." Leon confirmed.

"I'll go and tell the stable hands to act as if Mystery and Llamrei were still here." Ozrick said as he ran off towards the stables.

Percival, Aldof and Edric went back to training, but Owain was more interested in asking Leon something.

"So what did Arthur say?"

"I don't really know he didn't go in to all of the details, but he did ask me to thank you before I forget."

"Thanks, although it should be Arthur I say that to." Owain had helped Arthur out this week as well making it easier for Leon to not look suspicious. "So about Mystery them?" Owain asked in an interested manner. He'd heard from Leon Arthur had a plan of some kind that involved the black cob.

"From what he said this morning he." Leon sentence was cut short.

"He what?" Uther asked as he stood facing the two knights. "And where's Arthur?"

"He wrote us this note and said he's gone hunting." Sir Owain remembered Arthur had told him to say that if his father asked where he was.

Uther's face turned in to a serious thinking face considering what had just been said and what he'd overheard.

"Who did he take with him?"

"Merlin and two horses." Leon told him.

"Hmm." Uther wondered. His son had lied to him all week. "Leon, Owain." He said he said while looking at them. "A word in the court room now!" He said as he turned away towards the castle court room with Leon and Owain following nervously, exchanging glances on their way.

Please review x

You people are absolutely great!

Reviews - 5

Favourites - 5

Alerts - 8

I was so happy I jumped around for ages and my family were telling to sit down and stop jumping. X

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter I'll try and update every Saturday or Friday. I'll probably update on Thursday or Friday next week since Friday is Christmas Eve and Saturday's my mum's birthday and Christmas day, so no updating on Christmas day.

We'll find out Uther's plan next chapter, so I'm very sorry for the worring Cliff-hanger.

Please review x Bye for now x