*PoV Arthur*

Morgana looked at me as I sat down.

Gaius went to get a supply out of his cupboard and she walked closer to me. "You saw the mark of the druids. Why didn't you have us arrested?"

"Because I believe you have done nothing wrong," I said.

"You've been to Merlin's grove."

I nodded. "Is it a real place? Am I just going insane?"

"You have a special spirit. Only the purest can enter, and that isn't many. Emrys is the guardian of the grove, protecting it from attackers that wish to steal its fruit. In return, he gets to live there, and he gets to eat its fruit. But it is in danger of being attacked by the-"

"-monkeys."

She gave a small smile. "Yes, that's what Emrys calls them. They are knights, with the insignia of a golden simian. We druids do not fight, and Emrys is scared that it will come down to that if the knights don't back off. They were given fruit from the grove as a peace offering many years ago, and the king must have run out. The fruit has a strange power over men; I'm surprised you do not wish to go after it."

"I know to take only what is given. Merlin lets me eat the fruit if I'm peaceful. The first time I met him I tried to take one, and he had me hanging by my toes from the branched of the tallest tree. He really takes his job seriously. I couldn't walk for the rest of the day since my feet hurt. I thought it was a coincidence, but I suppose not?"

"No. Emrys has the power to manipulate peoples' minds to feel pain when they have done wrong in the grove. He is quite serious about protecting it."

"Why?"

"When Emrys was young, his parents were killed in a great fire that the knights of Camelot set on the druid camp. He ran until his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground. He felt like he was dying. His lungs were burning, he was weak and his heart was about to burst. He breathed in the scent of the Cara fruit, the blue spiral one, and he felt safe. He crawled to the base of the tree and fell asleep. When he awoke, the branches of the tree above him were moving, weaving themselves into walls. The roots sprang from the ground and connected with the branches, making a wonderful garden. The branches weaved down and bared their fruit at his feet.

"Soon, the knights realized that some of the druids had escaped from the fire, including Emrys, one of the most powerful littles. They got closer and closer to the grove, and Emrys got more and more frightened, fearing the knights would find him. But the grove protected him. It lowered its branches to him, waiting for him to climb on. He did, and the branch lifted him into the air, high above the knights' heads. They left the grove unharmed. They didn't even notice the strange fruits. The grove closed its gates to all whose spirits were un-pure; whose hearts have evil in them. Emrys could come and go as he pleased, but he never left. The grove is an immense place, and even Emrys himself hasn't explored the entire place. There was always a new place for Emrys to sleep, for Emrys to have fun, and to play when he was younger. The tree's respond to him, but they don't exactly bend to his will. They coincide with him, and they have a happy existence.

"The grove protected Emrys, gave him a home. And Emrys would give his life to protect that garden."