Okay, so the horrible has happened and my laptop's power cord no longer works. So, I'm just posting the chapters that have already been written in an attempt to make the battery last longer. However, if my power cord takes too much longer in getting here, I may not be able to post for a while.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! I think Percival is one of the hardest to write!
Disclaimer: IDOM
~MERLIN~
Despite waking up in a completely different part of the forest from where he had fallen asleep, Percival remained calm. He was always calm, something he prided himself in. It gave confidence to those around him, and had a calming effect on those he worked with. At least it did with most people. Arthur, Gwaine, and Merlin seemed to be the exception, but Percival was sure Merlin was an exception because he knew how to take everything in stride.
Instead of lounging about, waiting to see if the others would find him, Percival saddled his horse and led the way into the forest. He had seen the uneasy way the others had glanced about the forest once they learned it was magical, but he didn't feel the same. To him, this forest felt peaceful, and he truly believed the woman when she promised no harm came to those who stayed here.
Unlike Arthur and the others, Percival didn't really have a problem with magic. Sure, he didn't agree when people used it for wrong doing, but he had grown up far enough away from Camelot to have seen it quite often as a child, and he had seen some spectacular things. Butterflies made of light, dancing smoke, and healing charms that worked. He had even had his leg healed once when he was eight and had fallen from an apple tree and broken it. This was also why he and Lancelot had gotten on so well. The other knight had seemed to not mind magic as well, and even traded stories with Percival about a sorcerer he knew who had done some amazing things with magic, although he never disclosed who the sorcerer was, or where he lived. Percival had just assumed this was to protect the magic wielder, and left it at just listening to the fantastic stories, telling a few of his own to Lancelot.
So, all things considered, while Percival didn't like the fact that Merlin had been kidnapped, he was fairly confident no harm would come to his friend. He was also confident that he would find the others soon.
That's why, when the woman of the forest began walking beside him, Percival did nothing but wait for her to speak.
"I am glad to see Camelot has not ruined your views on magic," the woman spoke lightly. "Of course, me kidnapping your friend probably hasn't improved your views on magic any either."
"No, it hasn't," Percival said.
"Would you believe if I told you it was necessary?" the woman asked.
"From what I understood, we are all here for a reason, so yes," Percival replied.
The woman smiled. "Something is troubling you, though, isn't it?"
Percival hesitated for a minute before speaking. "We all may be here for a reason, but I do not understand why Merlin could stay here, with us."
"I offered him a choice," the woman replied.
"One option, to go with you. What was the other?"
"That is between Merlin and myself."
Percival nodded. He didn't like the answer. Didn't know what other option the woman had given Merlin to make him choose to leave them, but he could live with that answer. For now.
"Tell me Sir Percival, why do you hide your opinions on magic?" the woman asked after they had walked in silence for awhile.
Percival cast her a curious glance. "You know Camelot's laws on magic," he replied.
"I do," she answered. "But I want to know why you don't say anything about it."
"I'd like to keep my head," Percival said.
"Surely you don't mean to tell me you couldn't trust anyone with your opinions."
"It's easier this way."
"Is that really all there is to it?" the woman asked.
Percival thought for a minute, then turned to answer. But instead of coming face to face with the woman of the forest, he came face to face with Gwaine.
Gwaine grinned. "Was wondering how long it'd take for you to realize we were standing here," he said.
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Any luck finding anything?"
Percival shook his head.
"Sire, we should find Sir Tristan before we continue our search," Leon said.
"The luck we're having, I'm sure we'll walk into him soon enough," Arthur said.
~MERLIN~
