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Chapter Ten

The warlock stared, mesmerized, at the one solitary cat. It had a long tapering head, its large ears triangular and wide at the base. The slim, muscular body was lithe and elegant; its fur glossy and fine. The animal's coloring was white with smoky gray extremities and face; the almond-shaped eyes a deep sapphire in color.

"I know, I know, I spent too much time on this one," Justin said, "I'll work faster."

"Um, no, this one will be enough," Merlin replied. "You need to ride back to Camelot now."

"I need to - what?" the artisan asked, confused. "I thought I had until sundown."

"I did too, but I failed to take into account the clouds moving in and the skies darkening," Merlin said. "It's bright sunlight they don't like." He explained to Justin about looking back as he rode off and seeing the goblins attacking the camp.

The raven-haired young man was about to discover that his artistic friend with the gentle manner also had a stubborn streak. Justin was reluctant to leave him.

Half-hour earlier, encampment

Kurogk wanted the yellow-haired warrior and the dark-haired one who'd helped him escape, and his second assault on Benarik and his companions was largely motivated by that. One of the goblins caught a glimpse of Merlin as he rode off, and he excitedly yelled at the lead goblin over the clash of weapons. Kurogk immediately demanded that four of the goblins ride after him and bring him back alive. This turned out to be a tactical error on his part as he had just reduced his fighting force by fully a third.

The combined forces of Captain Benarik and Lord Radborne soon either killed or put to rout the remaining goblins. Though pleased at the unexpected turn of events, Benarik was nevertheless perplexed. Why had the loathsome creatures made such a stupid blunder? A sinister reason soon presented itself to his mind. They were following Merlin - and they were after the prince.

Stone structure

The artisan finally agreed to leave on the condition that the warlock animate the single cat first. Although Merlin had his doubts about the small feline weighing what? - six or seven pounds - stopping even one repulsive monster in its tracks, he readily agreed. Anything to get Justin safely out of there.

"Yáta, bebiede þe arisan cwicum." The first detectable movement was her whiskers, vibrating perhaps with a faint current of air moving through the room. Her ears swiveled next listening to sound only she could hear, and her wedge-shaped head turned, regarding them with eyes the color of deep blue sapphires. Justin had wasted no time painting steps; the animal leaped gracefully to the floor.

Merlin was diverted in spite of himself. The elegant creature was beautiful, and he told his artistic friend as much. "All right, Justin," he said, getting down to business, "I've done what you asked. Now for your end of the bargain."

The son of arguably the most powerful noble in the kingdom gave him no more argument. The two of them gathered various jars and brushes together, and Justin mounted his horse, and taking his leave of the warlock, rode off. He hesitated only once. He looked back over his shoulder some distance off and saw several of the vile goblins rushing into the open. Merlin had magic, he thought, and he had the cat. The two would have to be enough until he, Justin, could find the prince.

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"Ic þe wiþdrífe," Merlin intoned, hoping to delay the goblins enough until Justin was safely out of reach. He immediately realized his mistake.

"The magic-user!" one of them yelled, as two of them were flung backwards by his spell, and a third fell to one knee. "Take him alive!"

They were never after Justin, Merlin thought, they were after him. A goblin suddenly vanished and reappeared just to his right. The warlock stepped hastily further away and tried a different spell. "Awendaþ eft wansæliga neat."

The goblin closest to him careened violently into a tree with a satisfying snap. One down, he thought, if not dead, at least out of commission. His attention had been diverted long enough for two of the remaining goblins to move in closer. The third had vanished.

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The prince had met up with Gwaine and Lancelot at a prearranged meeting place, and the three of them had ridden ventre à terre through the forest. When they slowed their pace to a walk, Gwaine finally broached the topic that had been puzzling him.

"I'm fairly sure I had a deep sword cut - here," the rakish knight said, touching his side. "Anybody got a big secret they want to share with me?"

"Not now, Gwaine," Arthur said, "I need to get to Merlin before someone else manages to kill him first."

"First?" Lancelot queried.

"I'm guessing that our boy didn't ask permission of his royal highness here before riding off," the other knight replied, with a toss of his long hair. "Merlin's not a slave, Arthur. He doesn't need your permission for every little damn thing he does."

"Shut up, Gwaine."

Stone structure, exterior

The warlock looked around frantically, watching for the third creature to materialize. One of the other two goblins took advantage of his distracted state to blind-side him with magic that picked up the warlock and hurled him backwards where he fell heavily to the ground rolling over and over. Merlin tried to pull himself to his knees when another spell catapulted him into a large branch which had fallen to the ground. He slumped to the ground, desperately trying to hold on to consciousness as something wet and sticky seeped from a cut on his temple. The last sound he thought he heard was a hiss. It wasn't a very loud hiss. Strange sound for a goblin to make.

a/n: Justin painting a Siamese on the wall was an anachronism as the breed which originated in Siam (Thailand) was not introduced into the UK until the late nineteenth century.