Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter Nine:

Mordred entered what appeared to be a dungeon. The Saxon on guard glanced at him briefly, before turning his attention back to the only cell in use. Walking forward until he stood in front of the cell door, Mordred stared down and the bloody and injured form of the man held within. The man was dressed in grey, bloodstained robes and his head was shaved and the way his head was tilted as he rested revealed tattoos in a strange pattern upon his neck.

"Alator of the Catha?" Mordred asked, reaching out to the man before him with his mind.

The man stirred and opened his eyes before he slowly turned his head to look at Mordred.

"I am he," Alator answered, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper.

Mordred glanced at the Saxon on guard to see if he had noticed anything, but they weren't paying them the slightest bit of attention, before answering.

"I am Mordred," Mordred said. "Emrys and Finna are here, we came to rescue you."

Alator slowly sat up, wincing at the pain the movement caused him.

"You should not have come," Alator replied.

Mordred turned to the Saxon on duty.

"Unlock this door," Mordred ordered. "Morgana has demanded his presence."

"The mistress gave orders not to be disturbed," The Saxon on guard answered.

"Are questioning orders?" Mordred demanded, trying to hide the unease he was brining to feel.

He had passed a large number of Saxons before he'd finally found where Alator was being held, if the Saxon on guard worked out Mordred wasn't a Saxon and he was here to rescue Alator, he didn't think he'd be able to fight his way out on his own, let alone with an injured Alator, the number of foes was just too great.

The Saxon stared at Mordred for a moment before he moved forward and unlocked the cell door. The fear of what would happen if he disobeyed an order from Morgana making him act without questioning Mordred further. He opened the cell door and Mordred stepped into the cell and quickly grabbed hold of Alator and attempted to pull him to his feet. But Alator collapsed to the ground unable to keep his feet under him.

"Get to your feet!" The Saxon snarled at Alator, moving past Mordred and aiming a kick at Alator's chest.

Mordred didn't stop to think, he just reacted. His eyes flashed gold and the Saxon was thrown into the cell wall and he landed on the ground on the other side of the cell, unmoving. Mordred bent down and grabbed Alator by the shoulders and pulled him up the best he could, before dragging him towards the door of cell.

"Emrys," Mordred called out to Merlin. "I have found Alator. He's injured. I cannot support him alone."

"I'm on my way, Mordred," Merlin answered.

Mordred stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, before he continued to half carry half drag Alator away from the cell, when suddenly he and Alator were thrown forward by powerful magic. They crashed to the floor and Mordred groaned, beside him Alator lay unconscious. Mordred tried to move, but found himself frozen as footsteps began to approach them from behind.

)o(

"Mordred?" Merlin called out, as he hurried through the abandoned castle as fast as he could without causing the pain in his side to become unbearable.

"Emrys," Mordred answered. "There's someone here. I can't move."

Merlin cursed his luck and his eyes flashed gold and he was suddenly standing over Mordred and Alator. He almost cried out in pain as the transportation spell tugged at his injured side. But his attention was quickly drawn to the sorceress who had frozen where she had been approaching Mordred and Alator.

She was dressed in a purple dress and emerald green cloak and the material indicated she was of high status, a Lady or a baroness. Her face was hidden by a hood, but flowing brown hair was visible from where it had fallen loose from under her hood. She threw up a hand and sent a fire ball straight at Merlin, which Merlin extinguished with a wave of his hand and a flash of gold eyes, before turning and fleeing.

"Emrys…" Mordred forced to himself to feet.

Merlin quickly moved to help him, but Mordred waved him off and gestured to Alator, who Merlin quickly knelt beside.

"Alator?" Merlin called softly, as he quickly checked Alator's injuries.

The majority of Alator's injuries were from multiple forms of torture and the others were from beatings. A few were impact injuries, no doubt from being thrown through the air. Alator let out a pained groan as he regained consciousness and Merlin carefully helped him sit up, mindful of his injuries.

"Alator?" Merlin questioned, as Alator blinked rapidly and let out another pained groan.

"Emrys?" Alator answered slowly, turning his head towards Merlin.

"Come on," Merlin got to his feet. "We need to get out of here. Mordred, help me."

Together Merlin and Mordred pulled Alator to his feet and supported him between them. Merlin bit down on his lip as the movement pulled at his injured side and Alator threatened to drag all of them to the floor as the movement caused him to lose consciousness again for a second.

"Ready?" Merlin asked.

Suddenly the sound of running feet reached their ears along with shouts.

"Bedyrne ús!" Merlin quickly chanted. "Astýre ús þanonweard!"

A whirlwind engulfed them just as a group of Saxons charged into the abandoned castles dungeons. When the wind around them died down, they were standing in the middle of the forest where they had left Finna.

"Finna?" Merlin called, he didn't dare speak out loud in case any Saxons passing heard him.

Finna stepped out of the trees and rushed over to them. She quickly helped Mordred support Alator as Merlin collapsed to the ground clutching his side in pain.

"Emrys!" Mordred exclaimed.

"We need to get out of here," Merlin said out loud keeping his voice low, drawing his sword and using it as an improvised walking stick. "I don't know how long Morgana will remain unconscious for."

)o(

Morgana woke with a start. She quickly sat up and looked around the throes room. Emrys had been there and once again she had been bested by him… But now she knew for certain that the old man she had dreamt about and seen and battled, was just a disguise to hide his true identity.

"Beroun!" Morgana yelled, but she received no reply.

"Mistress!" A female voice exclaimed.

Morgana looked up to see a woman dressed in a purple dress and emerald green cloak with brown hair, rushing towards her. She quickly knelt beside Morgana and reached out to grip her shoulders, but Morgana batted her hands away and got to her feet.

"Mistress!" The woman said. "You're bleeding!"

"Leave me," Morgana snapped.

"You are hurt-" The woman tried to continue.

"Leave me!" Morgana repeated more forcefully this time.

"Yes, mistress," The woman bowed her head and quickly got to her feet and left.

"Beroun!" Morgana screamed, her voice gaining a dangerous edge.

"I am here, mistress," Beroun appeared, followed by a small group of Saxons.

"Find him!" Morgana ordered.

"Who, mistress?" Beroun dared to ask.

"Emrys!" Morgana yelled in reply. "He was here! I want him found! And I want him dead!"

The Saxon's quickly left and Beroun approached Morgana.

"Should I prepare your horse, mistress?" Beroun questioned.

"Yes!" Morgana snapped.

Beroun quickly bowed and all but fled from the throne room. Morgana's rage wasn't something anyone would remain present for willingly. It wasn't long until Morgana was mounting her horse and riding after Emrys with a small army of Saxons. It wasn't long until they caught up with the scouts who'd been sent ahead by Beroun.

"What news?" Morgana demanded, as she glared down at Beroun from her horse.

"The hounds have picked up a trail," Beroun informed her.

"How far?" Morgana looked round.

"Less than a mile," Beroun told her. "They are traveling on foot."

Morgana nodded and the party continued on their way. They followed the trail for almost ten miles, when Morgana raised a hand signalling the Saxons to halt.

"We should have caught up with them by now," Morgana stated as she discounted from her horse.

"They cannot be far," Beroun ordered. "Fan out!"

"Wait!" Morgana held up a hand, before kneeling down beside the tracks and placing a hand over them. "Neosie þu þa swaþu..."

Morgana's eye's glowed gold and she could see the path ahead in her mind's eye. The tracks led for a few more miles, before they suddenly stopped.

They had been tricked!

She had been tricked!

"Emrys!" Morgana screamed.

)o(

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

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.