Hi another chapter, because the last one didn't have the response I had hoped for and I felt guilty for leaving Merlin out, so this one is a little strange but a filler. It will lead to more Merlin!WHUMP for next chapter :)

Ceara walked over to her bed and laid her pale face down. She had never had any form of maid or helper. Vivienne and herself had lived in poverty, keeping as low a profile as possible. That coupled with the stories told from her grandmother's youth, left her no desire for a maid now. If she had have had a maidservant. Ceara would be looking for a friend in her. However she could never hope to be friends with someone forced into service to her.

Almost as soon as her head hit the fluffy depths of her pillow she was sound asleep. No dreams plagued her mind, no nightmares either. Just the bliss of the darkness and relief.

The rope around Merlin's wrists and ankles prevented the blood flow to his feet and hands. It was a cold night and the weather was biting. Combined with the lack of warm blood to his limbs Merlin felt cold. All over, and inside.

Where was his king? How could he be left here? These and many other questions like them haunted Merlin through every night. For him there was no shortage of nightmares. Well that was when he got to sleep. They lurked in the dark that lay behind the light. They crept through the shadows, blending in with the night. The darkness caused his eyes to strain and he was soon see things that were not there. Pale dots that floated through his vision, flicking as he moved his eyes. There was no way he could focus on them.

Outside of his walls, Merlin could hear the crunch of leaves under the feet of creatures unknown. He watched the cracks in the door filter light through them and cast beams of light onto his face. They illuminated the inside of the caravan in stripes. Then the beams became lower. The sun was setting. If he pulled himself forward and dragged his cold limbs like logs, then he could just about make out a faint glow of a fire. He felt none of its warmth though, it was a torture that one knows only when they are freezing.

The cold which had stopped him from sleeping for a time, was now beginning to lull his brain into a hibernation mode. The cold closed around him and he could barely feel his fingers. The only position he could maintain with out killing his arms and legs was an awkward position on his back. He had to try to keep the limbs from the ground where from their heat would be removed.

It was like this that Merlin felt his eyelids droop, and he succumbed to sleep

Arthur was sat on a log with his head on his hand, stubble glowing golden in the sun. It was morning and the birds were chirping. Arthur had a neckerchief in his fingers and he was sliding it through them. He looked thoughtful and concerned. The knights were asleep so the prince was on watch then. Merlin could not see where he was. Normally these dreams were in third person. So where was he?

Then it struck him. This was recent, the horses that he had been feeding were there, all of the bags they had used THAT day. This was either the future or a flashback of his soul-brother's. Arthur looked back at the sleeping knights, then he stood and walked to them.

He reached out and patted Gwaine on the shoulder. The knight's reflexes kicked into action and he stood up comically, arms poised for a fight.

"We need to start looking again now Gwaine. Help me get the others up and we will get going soon." Gwaine nodded and the alert posture slipped from him. The action in his eyes died as well. The long-haired knight walked with long footsteps around the knights prodding them with his toes, effectively waking them up.

All of the knights gathered around the embers and lined up for cold leftovers. There was no mood in the camp. At all. Nobody could decide to be sad, depressed guilty or angry. At each stop there had been a different mood but now there was none left. They were shells now, they had felt it all now.

Then there was laughter and a young boy entered the camp, closely followed by another. Merlin. His large ears were covered by dark locks that blocked his eyes partially. The knights looked up and saw the boys. Some of them saw it was Merlin and they watched in awe. Then there was the giggles of the little boys. They ran in front of their King, joking and playing. They began tugging at the royals sleeves and dragging him over. Arthur bent down to play as well, a smile on his face.

There was a whistle through the air. Before anyone knew what was happening, an arrow embedded itself in young Will's back. He screamed loudly and collapsed into the arms of the King. Whispering soothing words of a father-figure Arthur pulled the arrow from his back and tried to stop the bleeding. As he did this a lean figure stepped out of the bushes. A crossbow in had.

The figure wore a tan coat and boots that fit him snugly. And a purple neckerchief...

He raised the crossbow and took aim again. At the unwary king.

The trigger was pulled back slowly and the arrow met its mark with a solid thump.

Merlin turned to look at the knights, there was no remorse in his face. The young man didn't even look at his king, he just grinned.

His eyes glowed red like coal in a dying fire.

The red irises morphed into those of Ceara.

The knights fell to their knees in front of the girl and she laughed.

Laughed.

Laughter, it was laughter that awoke Merlin from his dream- nightmare. He blinked the dust from his eyes, trying to clear his blurred vision.

The guards of Ceara were back for him again.

So what did you think?

Phoenix