Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter Three:

"We believe they approached from the gorge at Westhay and tracked the ridgeline all the way through to the ford at Rushwick," Leon explained to Arthur as he pointed to the map set out on the table in front of them.

"We can't allow our supply routes to become vulnerable," Arthur said, leaning on the table as he studied the map, trying to decide the best course of action. "I want extra patrols dispatched to the west and the north of the Citadel."

"I will send out extra patrols at first light," Leon nodded.

"Leon," Arthur said seriously. "I need not remind you we're at war."

Leon nodded again.

"They'll be prepared," Leon promised.

"There is something else I wished to discuss with you," Arthur gestured for Leon to move closer. "The upmost secrecy is required."

"Of course, Sire," Leon answered.

"Morgana has a spy in Camelot," Arthur rested a hand on the box on the table beside the map. "When King Sarrum visited, he gave me a gift."

Arthur opened the box and pulled out the glowing stone, Leon stared at it in surprise and looked at Arthur with wide eyes.

"It glows in the presence of magic," Arthur explained. "There is magic at the heart of Camelot."

"Morgana's spy," Leon concluded.

Arthur nodded, placed the stone back in its box and shut the top, before handing the box to Leon.

"They need to be found," Arthur said. "We cannot afford to keep losing valuable supplies to Morgana, especially in time of war. I trust you to take care of this, Leon."

"Yes, sire," Leon bowed, taking the box and quickly moving over to the door and exiting the royal chambers.

"Arthur," Gwen greeted the King, as she entered the royal chamber a few moments later.

Arthur glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the map on the table in front of him.

"What's troubling you?" Gwen asked in concern as she approached him and rested a hand on his arm.

"Morgana's men attacked only a few leagues away from the Citadel," Arthur sighed, leaning forward on the table and shutting his eyes for a second… This wasn't good news for his people, they had already suffered enough at Morgana's hand.

"She is brazen," Gwen rubbed Arthur shoulder comfortingly as she stared at the map on the table.

"She does not fear us," Arthur stated.

"Then she's more foolish than I thought," Gwen replied.

"She has sorcery on her side," Arthur pointed out.

"And you have the strength and love of your people, Arthur," Gwen told him, they had Merlin on their side and he'd never let Camelot fall. "When you became King, you gave them something to fight for. That's the most powerful weapon of all."

)o(

Mordred walked down a hallway, limping and wincing with every step he took. He'd returned to the forest the previous night, but he'd been attacked before he could reach the raided carriage. He'd taken a crossbow bolt to the leg and whoever it was who'd attacked him, had fled before he'd had a chance to see who it was.

He'd removed the bolt from his leg and healed it the best he could, before beginning his slow and painful trek back to Camelot. He'd been forced to rest every few steps and breathe through the pain the best he could. He was currently limping his way towards the Physicians chambers, in hope Gaius would be able to treat his leg and if he couldn't… Well, Mordred wasn't looking forward to explaining how he'd come by the injury.

Turning round a corner, Mordred starts as he saw Merlin leaning nonchalantly against a doorway further up the hallway. Merlin looked up as he sensed Mordred's presence.

"Where've you been?" Merlin asked.

"Nowhere," Mordred lied.

"You're lying," Merlin said, pushing off the doorway and walking towards Mordred.

Merlin stopped just in front of Mordred and stared at him.

"You went back to the woods," Merlin stated.

"I had to know if-" Mordred began to defend himself.

"No," Merlin cut him off. "You didn't have to go last night. You could have gone today, when you had someone to watch you back and daylight to see your enemies by. You could have been hurt, Mordred!"

Mordred didn't answer and his hand automatically reached for his injured leg.

"You were injured," Merlin said, eye widening slightly as he caught sight of Mordred's bloodstained trouser leg.

He quickly dropped to his knees in front of Mordred and reached for the torn material, damp from the blood still oozing from Mordred's wound. Mordred let out a wince as Merlin pressed down on the skin around the wound, which was red and irritated and reached out with one hand to lean on the wall beside him.

Merlin quickly glanced round and upon seeing no one in sight, he quickly rested a hand over Mordred's wound and muttered a spell. His eyes glowed gold and a bright flash filled the hallway and Mordred let out a choked off scream.

"It's crude but effective," Merlin said as he sat back on his heels. "The heat of the spell burns out any infection whilst sealing the wound."

Mordred just nodded as he let out a shaky breath.

"You'll still need to go and see Gaius," Merlin told him, as he got to his feet. "He'll give you an ointment for the lingering pain… Trust me, Mordred, you'll need."

Mordred just nodded again.

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice suddenly echoed down the hallway.

Merlin glanced over his shoulder, before turning to Mordred and waving for him to go. Mordred quickly turned and walked back the way he'd come, vanishing from sight, his limp barely noticeable as he went. Behind Merlin, Arthur turned into the hallway and caught sight of his wayward manservant.

"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded as he approached Merlin.

"I'm like a swan," Merlin answered, turning to face Arthur, who looked at him with a confused expression. "It seems like I'm not doing anything, but there's a lot of work going on underneath."

"Hmm," Arthur hummed. "Interesting. I see you more as a head-louse."

"Right..." Merlin said slowly, not sure he was liking where Arthur was going with this.

"Useless," Arthur explained. "Irritating. Come on."

"Where are we going?" Merlin asked, as Arthur turned and walked back up the hallway.

"We've going hunting," Arthur replied.

"But we went hunting yesterday!" Merlin protested.

"I am the King, Merlin," Arthur answered, as he disappeared round a corner.

Merlin cursed his luck and glanced over his shoulder, towards where Mordred had gone.

"Thank you, Emrys," Mordred's voice echoed through his head.

)o(

Merlin carefully dismounted and looked round the forest as Arthur walked off into the undergrowth, leaving Merlin to tie both their horses to a low branch. Arthur, for some unknown reason, had deemed it his duty to teach Merlin to track… But why now, after all the years Merlin had worked for him, he had only just decided to do it, was anyone's guess.

"Merlin!" Arthur suddenly called out having seen something. "Here."

Merlin almost sighed as he walked over to Arthur who was knelt in the mud, examining the ground.

"It's all about staying alert," Arthur said. "What do you see?"

"I see a pair of breeches that need cleaning," Merlin said, eyeing the dirt Arthur was kneeling in.

"Come and have a look," Arthur said, grabbing hold of Merlin's arm and pulling him to the ground beside him. "Now what do you see?"

"Brilliant," Merlin exclaimed, jumping to his feet and brushing off as much mud as he could. "Two pairs of breeches that need cleaning."

"On the branch!" Arthur gestured towards it.

"It's broken," Merlin shrugged one shoulder slightly.

"What does that tell you?" Arthur asked.

"Something left the trail," Merlin replied, looking up he caught sight of a deer not far from them, watching them as it chewed some leaves.

"It's recent," Arthur nodded.

"An animal," Merlin said.

"You think so?" Arthur asked, still examining the branch.

"A deer," Merlin answered.

"It would have to be a big one," Arthur pointed out.

"With very big antlers," Merlin agreed.

"What makes you say that?" Arthur turned to look at Merlin.

"Because it's looking right at us," Merlin said, pointing towards it. "It's all about keeping alert."

But suddenly something else caught Arthur attention on the ground and he pushed back the undergrowth to reveal a boot print.

"That's not a deer," Arthur muttered and he began to follow the trail of footprints.

It didn't take them long to reach the raided carriage, the bodies had been cleared away by the patrol Arthur had sent out as soon as they had arrived back in Camelot and the bodies of the Knights and solider had been returned to Camelot for burial, they had found the previous day.

"Merlin…" Arthur called out, drawing Merlin's attention to the boot prints, which continued to lead away from them.

"They're from when we were here yesterday," Merlin said, guessing they were Mordred's footprints, unaware Mordred had never made it this far, from where he was looking at the bodies of the Saxons which had yet to be moved and buried in unmarked graves… None of them had the tattoo Merlin was looking for.

"It was dry yesterday, it rained last night," Arthur pointed out. "These marks are fresh."

"Your men have been patrolling this area night and day," Merlin pointed out. "It's probably one of them."

"Who?" Arthur asked. "I had their reports. No one's been through here, Merlin."

Merlin cursed under his breath as Arthur continued to follow the trail, he had no choose but to follow Arthur. What if they found the crossbow bolt which Mordred had removed from his leg? What if they followed the trail all the way back to Camelot? What if there was blood? No one could walk away with a wound like that and if they did, they wouldn't make it far. Arthur would know magic was used…

"Arthur!" Merlin hissed as they reached a narrow gorge and Merlin realised they weren't heading towards Camelot.

But Arthur didn't reply, he just drew his sword and kept moving forward.

"Don't hurt me," A voice to their right suddenly pleaded.

Arthur and Merlin turned to the source of the voice to see a young women, sheltering in a small alcove in the side of the gorge. Merlin gaze was drawn instantly to the tattoo on her wrist. It was the same one…

"Careful, Arthur," Merlin warned Arthur, as he moved towards her and he hesitated.

"Please," The woman pleaded. "I mean you no harm."

Arthur slowly lowered his sword and approached the woman and Merlin watched her movements carefully… Maybe the tattoo was just a coincidence, but he couldn't be too carefully. Arthur's life could be at stake. Suddenly the woman draws a knife and lunges at Arthur. Merlin's eyes flash gold and the weapon is thrown from her grip and Arthur quickly restrains her.

"You would've killed me," Arthur said, angrily.

"I'm only sorry I failed," The woman snapped.

)o(

Hey! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.