Author note: Another chapter what do you think? Please let me know?
Arthur was exhausted. He had been up most of the night searching Camelot for Melissa and Merlin, he hoped that the pair had escaped somehow and were hiding in the woods somewhere but due to the lateness of the situation and the state of panic in Camelot it had prevented the knights and the prince from leaving the walls, this morning Arthur had to explain to Uther that Melissa was gone.
He was beyond nervous as he approached his father a bowed his head in respect.
"You have news?"
Arthur nodded. "It seems there were minor injuries around town but no fatalities."
The king smiled kindly. "Of that we can be thankful." He replied. But Arthur continued with a heavy heart.
"Unfortunely, Melissa was taken, along with my servant Merlin." Many heads bobbed up around the room at the mention of the names. Uther ignored the mention of the servant but his eyes widened at the mention of his niece.
"Who are they? How dare they!" Uther roared his voice filling the hall.
Arthur shook his head. "We don't know yet. We were hoping Merlin and Melissa may have escaped. But there is no sign of them around the city."
"Could she be in the woods?" Arthur was disturbed by the lack of Merlin in this sentence.
"Of course. But-"
"Look, you will find her."
"Of course my lord."
Uther's face was straight and serious.
"You better find her or god help whoever her captors are!" most of the people in the room trembled Arthur remained calm.
"Merlin will keep her safe." He didn't know why but he knew he meant it. The King raised an eyebrow.
"Your servant? You expect me to rely on your servant?" Arthur shook his head nearly laughing at the thought.
"Of course, not I just mean...I would trust Merlin with my own life and Camelot's, he will keep her safe until we find THEM" Arthur made enfaces on the word them to make it clear Merlin was also important. However he may deny it Merlin was one of the only true friends he had and he wasn't going to lose that due to his own pride.
The king could've taken this better, but it could have been worse.
He simply glared and with a "you better be right." He stormed out of the great hall.
Just brilliant now Camelot had a grumpy angry slightly insane king.
Arthur could only hope that his two missing friends were safe.
(SPACER)
Merlin slowly opened his eyes; he sat up and attempted to rub his head. His hands were tied and the ropes burnt his wrists.
He fluttered open his eyelids, the blonde girl was leaning on a true opposite him, her arms also tied.
She looked over at Merlin who was now wide awake. "Are you okay?" She said softly. Merlin lifted his head towards her.
"Where are we?" Melissa shrugged her shoulders.
"James said we are about 3 days off wherever the hell we're supposed to be..."
Merlin raised an eyebrow, "James?"
Melissa made an "oh" with her mouth, "James is one of the guys who abducted us."
Merlin raised his other eyebrow in a way that would make Gaius proud. "How long have I been out cold?"
Melissa shrugged again. "All night."
Merlin looked up he hadn't realized how light it was and the sun was just rising.
"We needed to get out of here." Melissa gave him a sarcastic oh really face,
"I've tried to release our ropes but I can't do any spells." Merlin nodded and then grinned.
"Your not me." He closed his eyes and when he opened them again they flashed gold.
"Sos no Scruthan." He said the words with such a strong accent and all of the ropes began to burn. Melissa's eyes widened.
"How did you do that!" she whispered "I tried everything!" Merlin grinned again.
"there's quite a bit you don't know about me, and I'll tell you everything when we're safe come on." He took Melissa's hand and helped her up.
She lifted her skirt so she could run freely and followed Merlin as he scuttled slowly. They heard a loud shout that Melissa recognized as George. She felt Merlin tug on her hand at that moment and his grip tighten around her hand.
He dived into a gap in the tree's pushing Melissa in front of him, he whispered to her.
"Run."
They both did.
They ran as fast as they could, they had no idea where they were going but they thought it would be away from the thugs.
Melissa ran out and nearly splattered head first into a stream. She paused to check behind her, Merlin was gone.
She thought about shouting but she knew if the men were after them they would find them faster. She could attempt using magic but she had tried earlier and failed she still had no idea how Merlin had enough power to cast over the spell blocking her own.
Her eyes darted back and forth searching for a way out. The only way seemed to be over the stream she had just pushed out her first foot when she heard a voice behind her.
"Where are you going to go?" She turned and James was facing her, his blonde hair falling across his face, his green eyes piercing through.
She swallowed; taking steps backwards she was now standing in the stream her now bare feet clawing against the rocks.
Her eyes were fearful and they rushed towards his, he had the power now. Whatever he decided to do she would live by.
"You can't return to Camelot. She will find you again."
Melissa looked up at him, her face full of confusion.
"I don't understand."
"the lady Morgana asked us to kidnap you and Emrys. If you escape she will expect you to return to Camelot. She will find me."
"why do you care?" Her voice was full of spite.
He smiled kindly in amusement. "Because I'm going to let you go, for that she will probably kill me but if I die letting you go, I at least want to know you'll be safe."
Melissa didn't know if she should feel touched or safe or not.
"Your letting me go?" the man nodded.
"I knew as soon as we got to Camelot it was mistakes...go now and I'll distract the others."
"What about my friend."
"Emrys?"
"His names Merlin." James nodded.
"They are the same person. I'm sure he will explain."
He laughed and turned to walk away.
"Does that mean he'll be safe?"
"Trust me Emrys can take care of himself." He turned back towards her before he continued speaking. "I hope we meet again." he turned and ran back into the forest.
Melissa heard him shout to the other men. "They must have gone the other way! There are not even tracks!"
Melissa didn't need to be told again she turned and she ran, she just hoped that Merlin had made it to.
(SPACER)
Merlin continued running, when he stopped he no longer heard footsteps beside him. He had lost Melissa.
He lifted his free hands to his head...what could he do? He couldn't return to Camelot without her? How would he explain her disappearance? And there was no way he could leave a friend alone in such a situation what if one of those thugs had recaught her? What if they were doing unimaginable things to her?
Merlin didn't think about it any longer he turned and he ran, he ran as fast as he could. Even if he ended up back at the camp he didn't care he had to find her.
In true Merlin style he caught his foot on a log and found himself tumbling down. When he looked up Two pairs of blue eyes stood over him. One cold and careless the others warmer and kinder. The two men were blonde one had his hair slicked back the others hair was scattered over his pale face.
The one with slicked back hair smiled at the sight of him. "And we thought Emrys was supposed to be clever." He pulled Merlin up, despite his appearance he was strong and probably much stronger then Merlin it would be foolish to try and over power him.
The other man, looked down at Merlin and shook his head. Both men must have been at least a foot higher then Merlin and they had a fierceness about them. But it was different on the one with warm eyes. He didn't seem happy to see Merlin but he did at the same time.
"Come on James, Let get him back to camp."
Together the men lifted Merlin and dumped him back down to where he had been before.
A larger man with a scar came and tied Merlin's hands and feet and then he saw the men converse about something.
The two remaining men seemed angry at James who Merlin supposed was supposed to be on watch when they had escaped.
James's twin and scar face went inside a tent probably for sleep and then Merlin watched as the blonde haired man stepped over to him and bent over before him.
Merlin could now get a better look at the pale boy. His skin was sickly and his eyes looked tortured. Merlin now noticed a druid tattoo on the boy's chest similar to that he had seen on mordred. This probably meant the boy was special or that he had just been born a druid.
"You are Emrys" he said looking into Merlin's eyes. Merlin nodded and James laughed.
"I used to have dreams of meeting you, the mighty Emrys, as you know your quite a legend. A bit of a bedtime story."
James pulled out a knife and Merlin closed his eyes scared of what was going to happen but the druid simply cut the warlocks ropes allowing him to move freely.
"Your friend the pretty one, she headed north, last time a saw her she crossed over a river." James held out a hand and Merlin shook it gratefully.
"thank you."
James nodded and smiled "its okay. I believe that you will help us all one day. But I must ask one more thing."
"Yes?"
"punch me down. I cannot look like I let you go." Merlin nodded and pulled back a fist before he hit him he whispered to the druid.
"I will repay you." He then brought his fist thumping into james's pale face knocking him to the ground before he sprung up and sprinted north.
Melissa was safe, he was escaping. He knew Arthur would be looking for them, for once things seemed to be going well for Merlin. Maybe a little too well.