Arthur listened as Sir Richard provided him and the others with copious reports on all of the bandit's activities – another curious revelation, bandits that did not rob or terrorize the people. These men terrorized the army, striking direct attacks on the kingdom itself; thefts from the armory, a failed kidnapping and two apparent attempts on the lives of the King and his advisor. Each one met with a surprise raid of their hide out that was not a surprise to the outlaws and easily outwitted by the force camped somewhere in the heart of the Black Forest.
"They know our tactics, how we fight and they always seem to know when we are coming. The King and I believe that there is a traitor, a saboteur amongst the army," Leofrick stated.
"My men are loyal to the crown," Sir Richard replied. Arthur knew his mood had not improved since last night, but Leofrick's accusation only made it worsen. He felt some pity for the man's plight. It is not easy to watch the one you love be handed over to another by their father.
"Your men are ineffective. They have failed to defeat these ruffians under your leadership."
"What would you know of leadership," Richard retorted.
"Sirs, please. It solves nothing to argue about how we find ourselves here," Arthur broke in. "Thank you Sir Richard, for all the information. We will leave as soon as-"
There was a loud clash as the doors to the council room violently swung open. The young man was about to speak, but his first word was swallowed by the tolling of the bells outside.
"What is it boy," the angered advisor demanded to know.
"It is the Princess, my Lord," the air escaped his lungs, breaking in between his words. He took a full breath and his chest puffed out. "She has been taken." Everyone stiffened. Leofrick's face paled, while Sir Richard grabbed the boy's arm.
"My Lord," the servant screamed in pain, falling to his knees.
"Sir Richard, please." Another of the Bernician knights said, imploring him to let the boy go. He complied. "Go on. Tell us everything that you know," the knight continued.
"Her maids went to her chambers this morning. She was not there, but as she often goes riding very early, it did not alert anyone at the time. When they returned mid morning to complete their chores, one of them found this. He handed Richard the parchment.
He read the note. "They have taken her south towards Deira. It is a little more than a full day's ride with our quickest horses and no rest."
"What do they want for her," Leofrick asked.
"Gold." He handed the note to the King's advisor. "The King will pay the ransom. He would give anything for her." Richard said, his voice cracked and he swallowed hard.
Leofrick glared at the knight, who returned the stare in earnest.
"Perhaps this is good fortune." Arthur stepped in sensing the growing tension in the room. "If their numbers are as you say Sir Richard, they would not have all gone to Deira with the Princess. They know the King will pay the ransom and he will send it with his army. Richard, you should go on to secure the return of the Princess while my men and I will try to find their camp. A division in their ranks should give us the advantage we need to overtake them."
Arthur stood waiting as neither man spoke.
After a moment, the advisor agreed. "I will go to the King and make the preparations for my wife's return." He left them in the room.
"My men will be ready. Good luck to you, Prince Arthur." Sir Richard stormed out with his knights, leaving just Arthur and his men in the room.
"We will need to be careful, Sire," Sir Leon said.
Arthur nodded in agreement.
In no time at all, Sir Richard left with much of the Bernician army and satchels filled with gold. They rode south. The knights of Camelot made ready their horses and left a short while after riding in the same general direction.
The sun was just past its highest point in the sky when they entered into the thick brush and dense cluster of trees that outlined the edges of the Black Forest.
"Arthur."
"What is it Merlin," he replied.
"We should not be here. I do not have a good feeling about this." Merlin had already voiced this opinion, but felt it was necessary to restate his worry. The woods were still, not even the sounds of nature spoke up and it made the hairs on the back of the neck of the watchful servant stand at attention.
"Be quiet Merlin," Arthur said. It was not that he was not listening to the young man that insisted on pointing out the obvious dangers of the precarious mission; it was that he could have sworn he saw a shadow moving in the distance. The Prince raised his arm, halting the army. They stood, motionless, listening. There was no sound again. No movement, except the eerie noiseless swaying of the branches of the trees. Arthur's stomach tensed, the muscles tightening as they always did whenever something was not right.
There was nothing. He dropped his arm and allowed his horse to begin the march again. It took one step before a sound was detected. He froze again. The cooing noise was an alert, a not so subtle message between an invisible scout and his yet undetected army. A response came moments later from the other side of Arthur's men.
There was a loud rush of breaking branches and stomping feet coming from all around them. The first rush of men went for the knights on the outside of the formation. They pulled them from their horses when they could and fought them from below if needed.
Arthur jumped from his saddle and drew his sword. No one had attacked him. He spun around to see Merlin being pushed back into the trees by Gwaine, who sparred with another man who did not appear to be trying very hard or was just not very good. There was a loud horn and Arthur felt the ground shake below his feet. Once, once more and then another. They were footsteps, but who or what could make such things with their feet.
Camelot's sole heir turned to see a fearsome shadow cast over his face. Eyes and mouth wide open, he inhaled in wonder at the size of the man that stood before him, blocking the little streams of sunlight shooting down between the canopy of leaves.
He could not be human. The man that stood before him was a giant from legend. He could not be human, Arthur thought again.
"Give up, little Prince." His voice sounded human, pleasant really. "Your men are surrounded and most of them are without their swords." He grinned in delight.
Arthur looked around. There were bandits everywhere and in the shadows of the trees he saw more standing, watching, waiting. All the normal sounds had returned to the forest: birds; beasts; the smallest of creatures behaving as they should once more.
Every face was shrouded, giving the wearer just enough of an opening to see – except the man before him; a mask would do him no good, there is no other man like him on earth. There is no hope in this fight. Arthur gripped the steel handle of his sword and took a defensive stance.
The tall man, who he only just now noticed was not armed, laughed. "You are a Pendragon if I have ever seen one."
"Then you should know that I will never surrender to the likes of you," Arthur replied to the giant.
"Yes little Prince, we know," he said.
Moving his thick, cloth wrapped fingers to his mouth he whistled and took a single step backwards. In an instant, an arrow screamed through the air and landed at Arthur's feet. The young Prince's heart was racing, but he steadied his expression.
"The note is for you Your Highness," the goliath's words were soft, respectful.
Arthur looked at him. A group of men came out of the woods where he last saw Gwaine and Merlin. They had swords drawn to the backs of his friend's. They were captured, but not bound. His men, all of them were outnumbered and overtaken by this force that seems to be of the forest itself; sprouting from the dirt and carried upon the breeze, falling from the tops of the trees like leaves in autumn.
He slid the note over the brown and red fletchings of the arrow and read it. It was clever. He raised his stare to look at the man in front of him. "Take me to your leader," Arthur muttered as the paper had instructed him to do.
The enormous man bowed and gestured to him the way. "As you wish Sire."
A/N: I've decided to wrap this quick piece of fiction up in the next week or so. It's forcing me to write and edit on a shorten schedule, which is something I thought I should try just once. Look out for the next chapter tomorrow.