Author's Note:

Hi everyone!:)
Okay, I don't really have time for a huge A/N right now. I'm really really sorry I didn't update sooner- first I was abroad, then I did NaNoWriMo, then all teachers decided to write exams at once and suddenly it was Christmas... anyways, I wrote this during NaNo (in November), but didn't want to post it until I had edited it. Which I haven't. But I'm already late for a New Year party, so this is my last chance to postsomething in 2013. Sorry in advance for any mistakes... I've tried to fix them all, but I have the feeling that I've overlooked some.
On another note, thanks for the reviews, alerts and favs! They make my day :).
Enjoy- and a Happy New Year! :D

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Chapter 9: Planning

Prince Arthur Pendragon was bored. Seriously, terribly bored.
He sighed. You would think that getting captured by a group of evil magic-users would be more... adventorous. But since Emrys' speech to make Arthur trust him, the Prince hadn't heard- and much less seen- anything from outside.

It couldn't be more than a day (after all, Freya had promised to check on him), but it felt like two at least. Plus, his stomach was demanding food loudly.

The Prince glared at the wall, resisting the urge to punch it and/or leap to his feet. The first would only result in an injured hand and the second was plain impossible with the wound he already had.

Arthur was just about to risk it and get up (he would become crazy if he had to stare at that wall much longer), when suddenly steps sounded from the passageway that led down to the cave. Instantly, his heartbeat quickened and he moved to sit upright, his back against the wall to steady him.

The steps were too loud to be Freya's. They belong to someone heavier- a man, probably. His gaze fixed on the entry, Arthur waited.

He had been right- it was a young man, maybe a little younger than Arthur himself. Brown hair that matched the simple shirt and trousers. When he noticed the Prince's gaze, his already grumpy face turned into an angry grimace.
Arthur felt a pang of disappointment. Whoever this man was, he didn't look important.

But he had two sets of chains in his hands. The Prince's stomach churned, whether from hunger or the sudden nervousness, he didn't know. I'm going to be moved.

Why else would the man need chains for an already chained captive? This is probably the best chance to escape that I'll get.

The man was still standing in the doorway, seizing him up. Arthur met his gaze defiantly and he grimaced, before finally coming closer. He took his time, only speaking when he was about a metre away from the Prince.

"I have to move you, which is why I'll bind you with these" he lifted the chains in his hands "and then undo the one that binds you to the wall. Now, we can do this the easy or the hard way. Either you follow me, preferably silently, or I'll make you follow me." Arthur couldn't suppress a snort at that and the man glared at him. "Believe me, you're in no condition to put up a fight. Plus, I've all the badass magic on my side." He wriggled his fingers meaningfully and Arthur lifted his chin, unwilling to give in, even though he had nothing that compared with magic. The man sighed.

"Let's get that cleared stright away- I don't want to be here. I don't like or trust you. And I've chosen a few other druids who feel the same way and who wait outside, in case you think you're very clever and try to attack while I chain you."

"Well, then we've already got two things in common" Arthur replied, hoping to sound casual. "I don't want to be here or like you either."

"We have nothing in common, Pendragon."
The man's voice was barely more than a hiss and Arthur raised a brow. What was wrong with this guy? After all, he wasn't the one kidnapped and hold captive.

"Who are you, anyways?"

The man shot him a look, obviously wondering whether he should tell his real name or not. Arthur waited as patiently as he could and even withstood the urge to make a comment about how the other obviously couldn't remember his own name. If you are caught, don't anger your captor.

"You can call me Will," the man said finally, kneeling next to Arthur. With a few quick movements he bound the Prince's hands, keeping one end of the chain in his own hands, before he unlocked the chain around his left foot. Arthur didn't move, but instead observed the other man.

'Will' (if that was his true name) had unruly brown hair and a somewhat roundish face that made him look more like a peasant than a sorcerer. His clothes were equally plain- brown trousers and a shirt of the same colour. Only his eyes were different from those of the peasants Arthur had met so far. They shone with a stubborn resistance. Seems like Emrys has got himself a little rebel.

"Why?"

'Will' glanced at him, obviosuly torn from his own thoughts. "Why what?" he asked back, gesturing him to stand. Arthur didn't move.

"Why the sudden decision to move me? Has something happened?"

The man averted his gaze. "That's none of you concern. I was told to move you, to guard you, and that's all I'll do."

"So something has happened." Arthur frowned, thinking hard, until realization dawned him. "My father?"

This time, William didn't answer, but instead pulled hard on the chain to make him stand. It told Arthur all he wanted to know and a small smile split his face for a second. He didn't resist anymore but tried to get up, grunting as he moved his stiff limbs. Sharp pain shot through his hip halfway and he narrowed his eyes, unable to do anything but crouch as his breathing quickened. Obviously Freya's spell was wearing off.

Will seemed to notice what was happening and, after a moment, reluctantly offered his hand, which Arthur grabbed just as reluctantly. Still, it took them three minutes until he was ready to walk.

The rough ground of the cave didn't make things easier, but finally they reached the entrance, Will dragging Arthur along behind him like some sort of cattle. The passageway was short and soon the Prince stepped outside, breathing deeply as he smelled fresh air. It was different from Camelot- smelling like forest and smoke- but still so much better than the stale air in the cave.

He didn't have much time to enjoy it, however, as Will walked towards the treeline without pausing. When they passed the trees though, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

The whole place looked like it was from one of the fairytales the maids would tell him when he was little. The village, all colourful tents that seemed to be made out of whatever peace of cloth their owners could spare, sprawled inside a small valley- the forest on one side and a cliff, underneath which a small lake lay, on the other. Right now it was bustling with people of all ages and genders, rushing from one tent to the next and loading everything on small carts that, once full, were pulled and pushed up a trail to one side.

Will, who had paused with him, now sighed and continued down the hill- crossing the village. Even though everyone seemed busy, silence spread when Arthur was led through and people stopped whatever they were doing to stare at him. The Prince felt uncomfortable, but tried not to show it, returning their gazes.

Still, the minutes they needed to reach the carts seemed endless and Arthur couldn't help but sigh in relief when Will led him to a cart on the side and wound the chain around its railing before he locked it, gesturing Arthur to push it. The Prince's brow rose, but he didn't argue, seeing as Will went to the other side of the cart and started to pull. They didn't use magic for everything, then.

His amusement quickly passed as he looked at the hill in front of them though and Arthur groaned. Great.
The car jolted and he hurried to follow, laying his hands on the wood for good measure as he shuffled along the trail- mind far away, caught up in escape plans.

Merlin was standing in the middle of the place where there camp had once been- now only marked by a cold fireplace and spots of light grass where the tents had stood- and sighed.

Twenty minutes ago, Will had woken him, telling him that he had to meet the council. Fifteen minutes ago, they had announced that they had to leave and travel further north, into the forest. There was a safe place- of course they had one- that no one would find. It was protected by a thicket of thorn bushes, as high as a man, and hidden away behind veils of spells spoken years ago and renewed regularly in case of an emergency.

He should be content. They had managed to pack everything and leave in record time. The druids were on their way to the hidden shelter, while the knights were still about ten minutes away- more than enough time to make this place look like it had before their arrival. Well, if one was Emrys, anyways.

But all he could feel right now was frustration- they would never have had to leave this place, the place that had become their home over the past three years, if it hadn't been for those idiots kidnapping the Prince. It had been perfect here- deep in the forest so no one would find them, a stream nearby for water, always enough room to expand and find place for more tents whenever he brought more sorcerers and druids... and now Uther ruined everything once again.

Because in the end, it was always the King's fault. Without Uther, he would never have to live the life he did. He wouldn't have to hide, risk his life to save others, fear that they would have to flee any time... there would be no need for Emrys, the mighty druid leader. He could have led a normal life, have friends, a family.

He could have lived an actual life.

The though made Merlin want to hit something, but he only waved his hand and made the fireplace disappear, knowing that he couldn't make the clearing explode without raising suspicion- and the druid were still on their way to the shelter. Plus, they might want to come here again.

A whispered spell and fresh grass grew on the pale places, making it seem like a natural meadow. Saplings appeared between the blades of grass as normal for a clearing.

Merlin looked around, noting even professional readers of tracks wouldn't be able to tell the difference, and nodded contentedly. He had to believe that everything would work out. The knights would disappear again once they had searched everything and they could move their camp back to this place. The Prince didn't know the way here- so he wouldn't find the Shelter either. And even if he did, it was impossible to enter without using magic.

"This way! There is a clearing. Druids prefer clearings."

"Qiuet now! We don't need to be told and you will only alert them to our presence."

The voices tore Merlin from his thoughts and he startled, quickly slipping behind a tree and making himself as small as possible. When he peered round the trunk of the tree, the warlock saw a man in Camelot's red cloak stand in the middle of the clearing. He gesped, leaning with his back against the trunk, his thoughts racing.

It had been a close call. The knights were faster than they had expected- and also quieter. He should have heard a huge group of people searching the forest, even if he had been deep in thoughts. If one hadn't made the mistake of speaking up... well, it wouldn't have ended all that well.

Merlin looked to the left, pressing one side of his face through his hood against the trunk, the rough surface calming him slightly. Then he froze, noticing his staff that was still prepped up against a tree in plain sight. It had been a gift by Iseldir to his tenth birthday- plain yet beautiful with its smooth dark wood, a crystal that helped to amplify and direct your powers sitting on the top. He hadn't used it in ages but had started again lately, all the powerful magic he had had to do since the Prince's arrival draining him. That was also why the staff was still here- he had wanted to use it to teleport to the Shelter after he was done hiding all signs of their presence.

Merlin closed his eyes for a second, trying to concentrate even though his mind was spinning like crazy. He hadn't slept properly for the past few days, and that with all the magic and chaos made him dizzy. But if he made a mistake- if the knights saw the staff- they wouldn't stop searching this area. And while the Shelter was safe, they had to leave it every once in a while to hunt and gather fresh herbs.

Even the thought of living his life confined to the place, only able to leave by teleporting, made his stomach twist.

The warlock peered around the trunk again, waiting until the knights were facing into another direction- having started to search the thicket at the other side of the clearing- before he murmured: "Ábregdan."*

The staff moved around the tree, stopping at the side that faced away from the knights, and Merlin hold his breath for a few painful seconds, before it became clear that the knights hadn't noticed anything. Then he slowly moved forward to kneel on the floor, looking into the direction of the staff.

He couldn't risk to run or even teleport to the staff. The tree it was leaning against was too thin to hide even his lean frame and he didn't want to take any risks. Nor could he simply summon the staff to his hand, as he had done before- humans were made to see movements rather than unmoving objects and it had already been dangerous enough moving it around the tree. Plus, the are between him and the staff was covered by bushs, branches of trees making it near to impossible to navigate the staff past them fast enough.

He had to make it disappear and then appear again next to him.

Again Merlin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and then opened his right hand.

"Áslúpan ond ábregdan tó mín bráde."**

The feeling of smooth wood, gripped at the same place for years until it had started to shine, made him relax and slump down.

So far so good. Now all he had to do was teleport to the Shelter and make sure the others had arrived safely.

*Ábregdan. – Move away.

**Áslúpan ond ábregdan tó mín bráde. – Disappear and move to my hand.

Hope you liked it :). Please point out any errors- and review? *puppy-dog-look*