Chapter 10: Drinking Game

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"And no one noticed when Merlin decided to slink off on his own?" Leon and Bryant shook their heads a bit sheepishly, meanwhile Gwaine shrugged as if it was something of a non issue. It was very well an issue. Something always seemed to happen when Merlin disappeared, it didn't make it much better that Carrow had disappeared with him. Though her exit had been a bit more advertised what with the linen vendor chasing after her for stealing one of his scarves.

It had been the very same one she had wanted to get for Merlin, so Arthur took that to mean she was running off to find Merlin but didn't want him to follow. He hated that he was beginning to understand the way her mind worked, he found it unnerving. Before she left, she had told them to have a drink at the tavern. He imagined that was where they would reconvene, but he didn't like the idea of simply letting her do whatever idiotic thing tickled her disturbed little mind. Her antics were going to catch up with them before long, he could feel it.

As he thought this, of course, the vendor - winded - came towards Arthur with anger in his eyes. Arthur clenched his jaw, realizing he'd have to clean up this bloody mess. He apologized and paid for the scarf, knowing that it would probably find its way around Merlin's neck.

"Well, the lady said to meet her at the tavern, I think that's probably where we should go," Gwaine said, always happy to have a pint or five. While Arthur was no huge drinker, his head had begun to throb from frustration and a drink may do him well. But he didn't like the idea of sitting on his arse while Merlin and Carrow got into trouble.

"Bryant, Gwaine, you go to the tavern. Ask around about druids but be tactful about it. We're not here as knights of Camelot, remember. We're just looking for information. Leon, you're with me," Arthur said. Bryant and Gwaine nodded heading in the direction of the tavern, a larger place with a thatched roof and a sign that read "Pig & Whistle." Arthur realized it may have been a bit stupid to send Gwaine with Bryant rather than Leon, but Arthur didn't see his headache improving with the younger knight by his side. Leon's habitually taciturn nature made him more ideal for this particular venture.

"Where are we headed, sire?" Leon asked. Bless his obedience. Arthur didn't like to play favorites, but very often he regarded Leon as his choice knight.

"I was going to start with a few of the vendors. It's market day, they get all sorts. At least that's what I'm hoping," Arthur replied. Leon nodded and then strayed toward a questionable looking caravan that seemed to be selling jewelry.

Arthur chose a farmer, working at a vegetable cart. A squat woman with a ruddy complexion, she looked positively exhausted and Arthur thought he ought to tread lightly. "Hello, I was -"

"Potatoes are only a crown per stone, sir. Oh and these tomatoes are wonderful," she started, wiping the sweat from her forehead and offering him a smile.

"No, I'm sorry ma'am, I was wondering if perhaps you knew anything about druids, if any lived around here?" Arthur said. The woman's smile was replaced with a distasteful frown.

"What would I have to do with people like that! If I were you, I'd reconsider whatever it is you're doin'," she replied, whirling around to straighten her wares. Arthur took that to mean the conversation was over.

After talking to four other people with variations of the same opinion on the matter, he found someone who was more willing to speak. A little girl, not thirteen years old with a mane of frizzy brown locks and a wide gap in the front of her broad smile. She motioned to him shyly.

"You been askin' about the druids?" she said. She had been helping her mother hang laundry up on a line and Arthur hadn't noticed her watching him. He tried to smile at her, but it didn't feel particularly sincere. She, however, was fooled, and came up to him.

"There en't any real ones 'round here, you know," she said.

"What do you mean by that?" Arthur asked.

"There's just that funny man what came here a couple weeks ago with his fire haired daughter," she replied. "Mummy says that they're a funny sort and I shouldn't consort with 'em. But Risa's nice, she let me help her make muffins. They've got all sorts of funny little doodads, too."

Arthur bent down to her level, his smile softening. "What sort of doodads?"

"Pretty things. Boxes and shiny pendants. She tried to hide it before I could see, but there was this one necklace that glowed!" the girl said.

"Glowed like magic?" The girl looked away sheepishly then, realizing she probably shouldn't have said that.

"Isabel! What are you doing? What have I told you about talking to strangers! I'm so sorry, sir, she doesn't know what she's saying," the girl's mother said, having noticed her daughter talking to Arthur. She shooed the girl into the house. The woman was older, but had a warm heart shaped face which was probably beautiful when she was younger. She blew a bit of hair out of her face, eyes narrowing as she saw Arthur.

"But you're - you're the bloody Prince of Camelot!" she said loudly. Arthur's eyes widened. He hadn't realized he might be recognized this far from Camelot. The woman must have been there at some point.

"Please, ma'am, keep your voice down," Arthur said glancing around to see if she'd afforded him unwanted attention.

She covered her mouth, "I'm so sorry, your highness. And please disregard anything my daughter said, Risa and her father are pleasant enough people, I swear."

"I mean them no harm, ma'am. I simply need to speak to the druids on an unrelated matter," he said, trying his best to reassure her. He wondered if she were more frightened of them than him. Perhaps she thought they may curse her if something happened because she told him something. She bit her lip. "Nothing will happen to you either, I swear it."

She didn't look completely satisfied by that as she nervously wrung her hands on her apron. "I really don't think Risa and her father mean anyone any harm, but… but Ealden's brother, if he is his brother, is a frightening man. Violent and angry. Caused quite a stir when they first arrived. He… became attached to one of the women, hurt her something awful. We tried to arrest him, but he got free and disappeared. I'm fairly certain he had… magic," her voice lowered as if it were a sin to even say the word. Arthur clenched his jaw at the tale. It was no wonder people were afraid to speak of it. The village didn't want to incur a witch hunt. It would cause hysteria which always had the potential to tear the village inside out.

"What was his name?" Arthur asked, trying to remain calm.

"Gerrard, I believe. Are you going to try and find him?" she asked hopefully.

"Well we can't let men like that wander freely, can we?" Arthur said, trying to provide her some comfort. After all, she really only wanted to protect her daughter. The woman brightened.

"I've been so impolite! Can I please get you some tea, your highness?"

"No, thank you, but could you direct me to where this Risa and Ealden live?"

The woman did so gratefully. She may have offered Arthur tea, but that didn't mean she really wanted to invite him into her home. She neglected even to offer her name. Arthur rarely realized how uncomfortable royalty could make peasants and he never apologized for it. He was the sort that felt people ought to adapt to him, not the other way around. Though recently he'd been getting a lesson on that.

He was, of course, surprised to hear of a druid that was violent. Perhaps his father had been right? Or was this an isolated case? Or was he a druid at all? His head buzzed with questions which he hoped that this Ealden might be able to answer. As he arrived at the man's door, it opened abruptly, swinging outward and nearly smacking him in the face. He jumped out of the way just in time. Carrow and Merlin stepped out, Merlin with a lovely new scarf around his neck.

"I ought to be more surprised by this, I know," Arthur grumbled, allowing the two outside and glancing in to see a smug looking red head closing the door.

"We were just - we… well," Merlin stammered, clearly unsure where to begin. The man's ears turned a slight shade of pink as if he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Arthur had no idea what that was about, but he was hoping someone would be of the mind to fill him in on what the two had been doing so covertly for the past hour and a half.

"Druids, sweet prince. Sorry you were not invited, we didn't want to spook them with that queer look you get around magic folk," Carrow offered. She had that far off look about her, as though she were planning something. He looked at the home again, instinct to arrest its inhabitants. He saw her point.

"But how did you even know, we hadn't been here thirty minutes and the both of you ran off," Arthur said. "You could have said!"

"They came to us," Merlin said. "Ealden heard us asking, thought I looked the least… horrifying, motioned for me to follow. Carrow's right, we just didn't want to frighten them off." Arthur wasn't quite pacified, but he realized this probably wasn't the issue right now and waved off the explanation.

"Well? Did you ask them about necromancy? How we can defeat Keldor?" Arthur said, putting a hand on his hip.

"Um," Merlin looked at Carrow as if she might have something to add, but she wasn't even looking at them. She was muttering to herself.

"Merlin," Arthur pressed.

"Right well, they didn't seem to know much about necromancy. They're only half druids or… something diluted to that effect. Ealden and his daughter, Risa, live more like nomads, but they came here looking for some sort of stone - which they found, but Ealden's -"

"Bastard brother, Gerrard, took it and vanished?" Arthur finished.

"…Yes. How did you know?" Merlin asked.

"Because our dearest prince has been using that funny little brain of his!" Carrow said, ruffling Arthur's hair and then flouncing away in the opposite direction. Arthur took a deep breath before following, trying very hard not scream in frustration.

"I do believe the cogs in her funny little brain have short circuited," Merlin said, starting to follow after Carrow. Arthur grabbed Merlin's arm.

"Hold on, what does the stone even do?" Arthur said, praying that it was some sort of elegant paper weight coveted by art collectors.

"Grants immortal life," Merlin said hesitantly.

"Fantastic," Arthur muttered, he looked at Merlin's scarf. "And you're welcome for that."

Merlin fingered the scarf with a self satisfied grin on his face before following Carrow, who clearly had an idea about the stone. Of course she had said that Keldor had something of a hankering for immortality, but he was dead. It was a bit late for that. And even if it wasn't, what did she plan on doing with it? Offering it up as some sort of leverage for the other ghosts? But of course the woman knew something that they didn't. He supposed if he had some knowledge of magic, he might be able to think more outside the box, but as it were all of this was making Arthur's head spin.

"She hasn't told me why it's made her happy, of course," Merlin said.

"No, but then she wouldn't, would she? That would be too easy. Communication, pfft! Who needs it!" Arthur said, now a bit irate. He saw now that she was heading to the tavern, and it occurred to him he had to find Leon. He thought about forcing Merlin to do it, but then… Merlin probably needed to be part of whatever conversation they were about to have, didn't he? He decided he would send Bryant.

Of course, as it turned out, Leon was already at the bar where Carrow was ordering herself a very large jug of mead.

"I'll need you pay for this, by the way," Carrow said to Arthur as she took a seat beside Gwaine. She began drinking and Gwaine watched her with what looked like awe. Arthur grimaced at the sight, and put several coins up on the counter.

The barkeep jerked his finger at Gwaine, "Him, too," he barked. Arthur rolled his eyes, trying to remind himself that these people had saved his life, he owed them a drink. It did nothing to remedy his irritation, however.

"Here, have it all," Arthur said apathetically, putting a few more coins on the counter, which the barkeep quickly swept away.

Leon, shook his head with a smile as Carrow finished off her drink, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. It occurred to Arthur that in spite of her unconventional personality, this was the first thing she had ever done that struck him as unladylike. At least for her.

Merlin tried to fill Leon, Bryant, and Gwaine in on what he had just told Arthur, who wasn't sure he'd even gotten everything. They'd been gone over an hour, but what they'd said would have filled the space of fifteen minutes, tops.

"Would you like a refill on that, sweetheart?" Gwaine said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at her.

Ignoring the comment, Leon said, "Gerrard, yes one of the farmers I spoke to told me of the trouble he'd caused. Said he'd managed to avoid the gallows somehow, he'd been roundabout with the rest though. Are we certain this Ealden is trustworthy? I think we ought to round him and his daughter up to interrogate further."

"No, but we don't have time to deal with him at the moment if we hope to find his brother," Merlin said. Arthur was of the opinion they ought to arrest both druids as they sounded like liars and thieves to him. Working for some sorceress to find a stone which could make the wearer immortal? Treason if he'd ever heard it. His fist clenched at the idea.

Carrow put a hand on his arm, her eyes imploring him to calm down. Arthur took another breath, surprised that this simple motion did seem to ease his anger. It disturbed him that one moment he could be so deeply frustrated by her, the next she could somehow soothe him.

He took his arm off the counter.

"What use is this stone, then? Are you planning to bring the bastard back to life?" Arthur asked.

"Precisely!" Carrow said.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard," Gwaine said. "How could that possibly help?"

"No, listen. The problem with necromancy seems to be well, we don't know anything about it. And even if we did, it's difficult to do anything, because whatever we know - Keldor will know ten times more, he can combat it. But he's stuck on the spectral plane and can't affect much in the physical realm. He wants to come back through, yes?"

"Yes, and even then he'll still have control over the spirits," Merlin said.

"Which means we need to find a way to completely incapacitate him," Carrow said, nodding.

"And allowing him back into the physical realm and giving him a magic stone will do that?" Arthur asked.

"That's only the first half of the plan!" Carrow said.

"Once he's back in the physical realm, what are we supposed to do?" Bryant asked.

"We trap him. We can't let him die, he'll just do all this over again. We have to keep him alive. But we have to keep him alive forever, incapacitated forever - that's where the stone comes in," Merlin said, eyes widening as he seemed to be catching up to Carrow.

Arthur's headache was back.

"Hold on, I haven't even caught how we're supposed to bring him back to this so called 'physical realm,'" Gwaine said.

"I'm still working on that," she said after a moment. Arthur could tell she was lying, her voice sounded detached and she wasn't meeting their eyes. He had a sinking feeling she had indeed, already worked that bit out.

"Yeah, you haven't worked that or how we're going to trap some powerful bloody necromancer or how we're going to get this stupid stone from another supposed sorcerer," Bryant said, breaking his usual glowering silence.

"So it's not a plan. More of a half baked scheme," Carrow said, shrugging. "I think we should stay the night here, though and head out in the morning. I'll figure a way we can track him." She gave Merlin a look, which irritated Arthur. Whatever the two had done, they still needed to talk about it and they were being secretive. Why? What could they possibly have secrets about? He resolved to corner Merlin, inarguably the weaker minded of the two, and get him to tell him what that was all about.

"I'm guessing that means more magic," Leon asked wearily, lowering his voice. Arthur sympathized with the knight.

"Unless you know something I don't, good sir," Carrow said, smiling at him.

"Fine, I'll get us a couple rooms," Arthur said. Carrow nodded and Gwaine ordered another round of drinks, which Arthur rolled his eyes at. Regardless, he took one of the tankards and downed it, hoping it might settle his head.

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They'd spent the next couple hours drinking and leaving their impending journey to the wayside. They needed to recuperate, have a decent meal, let the ale warm their bellies. Gwaine had dragged them over to another table after one of the locals challenged him to an arm wrestle, which Arthur had warned him against. Until, of course, Gwaine lost (due mostly to being inebriated) and Arthur felt the need to win back his own money.

"Pretty boy thinks he can best Fergus, eh?" said Fergus's bucktoothed friend, a farmer that smelled of sweat and piss, much like the rest of the tavern. Fergus himself only seemed to communicate in a series of grunts.

Arthur put his arm up on the table, Fergus met him.

"Right then, mates. Ready? Go!" Arthur pushed against the other man. It was a fair match, as Fergus was only slightly larger than Arthur. Colwyn did not boast many thugs compared to other places Arthur had visited. Even Fergus seemed to be an even tempered man all things considered. Overall the tavern was very good spirited.

Through the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed Carrow get up to leave. That momentary distraction cost him the match. Fergus slammed Arthur's arm down. Arthur swore under his breath.

"Aw, poor kid. Better luck next time, mate!" Arthur thought of asking for a rematch, but then thought better of it. He had to talk to Carrow alone, and this would probably be his best chance.

"Merlin, give it a go," Arthur said, clapping the always malnourished servant on the back affectionately. Merlin glared at Arthur.

"Where are you going?" Merlin asked.

"I need to ask Carrow something," Arthur said. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't question any further.

He followed after Carrow, who was heading up the stairs towards the inn portion of the tavern. Arthur had booked them two rooms. He, Merlin, and Carrow in one, Gwaine, Leon, and Bryant in the other. He had wanted one more, but the tavern was booked. Gwaine argued it ought to be he and Carrow in one, the rest in the other but one glare from Arthur stopped that argument.

"Getting an early night?" he asked coming up behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I was actually going out back to dance naked in the moonlight. You know what a full moon means to us witches - I thought it'd help track Gerrard," she said. "You're welcome to watch - or better yet, join in." Her eyes twinkled mercilessly in the darkened corridor, candle light dancing across her face. Arthur took this to mean that she was joking.

"I know what you're thinking," Arthur said, tone serious.

"Do you now?" Carrow said, staring intensely into his eyes. "What am I thinking, sweet prince?"

"You're going to let Keldor use you to cross into this realm," Arthur said, crossing his arms.

"Wrong! I was wondering how you'd look dancing naked in the moonlight, but thanks for trying," Carrow replied, turning around and walking into their room. "You and Merlin can share that one." She pointed at the bed on the right, taking a seat on the one nearest the door. She started yanking off her boots. Merlin would definitely end up on the floor.

"Carrow."

"Oh we're doing that again? Very well: Arthur."

She dropped her shoes neatly on the floor in front of the bed and then went over to the basin set up in the corner and began to wash her hands. He knew she would make this difficult, but there was no way in hell that he was going to let her think that she would get to fulfill the martyr role in this story, something she kept trying to force her way into. It just wasn't going to happen. He didn't care that she blamed herself for what happened to Thomas.

"I'll figure something else out," Arthur said.

"You will, will you?" Carrow said, cocking her head to the side as she flung her hands out in the basin to dry. "While you work on that, I'll work on figuring out how we'll trap him, deal?"

Arthur pursed his lips at her.

"Gwaine's not going to be thrilled you left early. I think he was going to challenge you to another drinking competition," Arthur said. "Shall I tell him you were cheating?" After that first one she'd had, which no doubt she'd had after she realized the only way she'd get Keldor back from the dead would be to give up herself, she'd made the ale disappear magically. Gwaine had been too busy getting pissed to notice her doing it.

"You saw that?" she said, smiling at him.

"Yes," he said, turning to leave. "Remind me to arrest you after we're done saving the world."

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Merlin had been listening in on Arthur and Carrow's conversation, his heart sinking all the while. After Arthur went back downstairs, he slinked into the room, walking in on Carrow trying to change her shirt.

"Oh sorry!" Merlin said, averting his eyes and backing out of the door.

"All done, Merlin," Carrow replied calmly. Merlin turned his head slightly, peeking at her through the corner of his eye. She was now dressed in a freshly laundered muslin shirt and pants. "I stole a few things from Risa." Merlin raised an eyebrow. Apparently theft was a thing for her.

"Oh don't look at me like that. She won't miss them," Carrow said, waving him off.

"How did you even manage that?"

"Have you got any ideas as to how we might trap Keldor?" she said, ignoring his question. He wondered if she had used magic. But he would have sensed that. He looked outside the bedroom door to check if Arthur happened to be lingering. He supposed the prince hadn't quite finished drinking his frustration away. Merlin hadn't quite drank his fill either, but he didn't fancy the idea of being impaired at the moment nor did he fancy a hangover the following morning. None of the other men seemed to care. But then Gwaine must be used to it.

"What? Are you being serious now?" Merlin said.

"Unfortunately." She sighed, crossing her harms and sitting on the bed.

"You can't give yourself to Keldor, I think I could probably get him through," Merlin said.

"We're not talking about that. You've got to keep him busy once he's, well, alive again. Get that amulet around his neck. I was thinking maybe we'd put him in a box," Carrow said. Merlin shook his head. He thought perhaps Carrow was underestimating his power. He wasn't sure how he would get bring Keldor back yet, but he knew he could figure it out. He wished there was some way he could contact Giaus and ask for advice. "Maybe that box that the amulet had been kept in, though you'd have to strengthen the spells. Evidently they weren't that powerful if Gerrard could get in."

Merlin frowned at her. "We still have to find him, you know."

"Which should be easy enough with you leading the way. You've still got that ring of his Ealden gave you before we left?" Carrow said. Merlin nodded, patting his jacket pocket. "You'll have to make a show of it for Arthur's sake." Carrow grimaced.

"You'll have to tell him before this is over, the longer you wait the more incensed he'll be about the whole thing," Carrow said. Merlin sighed. He knew she was right, but the idea of telling Arthur made his stomach churn. If he wasn't so distracted, Merlin knew that Arthur would be arresting Risa and Ealden. In fact, the prince might be planning to send guards back first moment he got. For all he knew, he'd have Carrow arrested.

He knew that wasn't fair. Arthur had been… well, he'd certainly been able to take it all in stride. But all the same, Merlin had had nightmares where Arthur found out. It hadn't gone well. Most of those nightmares ended with Arthur looking at him as though he were a complete stranger, disgusted and mortified. Then Uther had shouted "Sorcery!" and Merlin would wake up just as he was being carted off to his doom.

"You don't give him enough credit, my dear," Carrow said. "When we first met I asked Arthur how far he'd go to save you. He'd give his life. For you, a simple servant. I remember thinking him a such a lying fool. But you're his best friend."

"That's what makes it worse though," Merlin said.

"Oh poppycock! It's like pulling a knife out of his back! Get it over with already," Carrow said, slapping him upside his head. "Stop all this silly angst! You're grown men for godsake!" Merlin rubbed the back of his head, suddenly grinning at her.

"We'll figure it out, one step at a time, Carrow," Merlin said.

####

"So how does this work?" Gwaine asked Carrow as he offered her a hand up on their horse. Arthur had been able to acquire them several horses, but Carrow was forced to share with Gwaine, meanwhile Merlin was riding with Bryant and neither were looking thrilled about it.

"Locator spell. The ring will act as a sort of compass for us. It's more complicated than that, but we'll get there," Carrow said. Arthur rolled his eyes, wishing one of the locals might have just been able to tell them where he went. He was already worried that this Ealden might have somehow warned Gerrard that he was being chased. Besides that he didn't trust that this ring even belonged to the man. What reason did the druid have for speaking the truth?

"Stop it, Arthur," Carrow said.

"Stop what?" Arthur said.

"Bristling. Thinking those dark, cynical thoughts that will stir you into some foul and irritating mood," she said. Gwaine chuckled.

"She's right though, you were definitely bristling," Merlin said.

"Bryant, have Merlin walk," Arthur said. The knights laughed.

"Which way then, Carrow?" Gwaine said.

"West," came the reply.

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I personally hated the last chapter, especially after I read it again. I thought of redoing it, but I felt it might be too late for that, unfortunately. I do hope you'll forgive me for it!

But yes, this was kind of a segue chapter. But we needed a nice slow one to put everything into place and bring everyone up to speed, didn't we? Thank you for all your kind reviews and keeping up with me! And special thanks to Chavva for warning me to pace myself!