A/N: Yes, this is a very long chapter. Okay. I'm going to say I was hoping to bring the Merthur family back together in this chapter but it become too long so I decide to split it into two chapters. I haven't finish the other half but I'm hoping to finish by the end of this week. Plus, school is over so I'm hoping to post a new chapter every week now. And for those who read my other story "I will still love you tomorrow", good news, I'm continuing that story as well. I never intend to stop writing it bc I love that story so much and I have big plan for that story. It's just that school have taken so much of my time that I have to put a pause button on that story. Anyways, I want to specially thank my beta, kenya1234! She was really sick but she still manage to finish editing my story. For that, I'm very grateful for her. And I want to say thanks to all my reviewers! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I promise you more Merthur soon!

Chapter 14

Merlin woke up before the rise of the sun. It was not that he was unable to sleep or that he was having nightmares. It was not even because the floor was too hard. It was because he felt movement coming from his stomach. He never thought he would have felt stirring coming from the baby yet. It had only been about two weeks since he and Arthur slept together. 'Why was there movement from the baby already?'

He sat up and walked towards the nearby creek to wash his face. Again, he felt the baby move inside of him. He lifted up his tunic and looked at his once flat stomach thinking, "When did my stomach start to grow?" Merlin laid his hand on his stomach and then he felt a kick. A smile graced his lips. He continued in his thoughts until it was interrupted by someone approaching.

"So, how far along are you?" Merlin nearly jumped to the voice of Gwaine.

"What?" He said in response, trying to hide his surprise as their tour guide squatted down to washes his face.

Gwaine pointed to the wizard's stomach. "You are pregnant, right?"

"How did you know?"

Gwaine shrugged. "Travel with magic long enough and you will eventually start to notice things. A male pregnancy isn't something new to me. I noticed it the first time I laid eyes on you." He replied. "So, how far along are you?"

Merlin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe two weeks." He said.

Then Gwaine looked to the skies and squinted his eyes in calculated thought before responding. "About two and a half months then."

"What?"

"Surely you do know that a male pregnancy is different from a female one?" Gwaine stated, more like a question but was surprised when he realized that his new wizard friend did in fact not know that. "You didn't know?"

Merlin avoided making eye contact with Gwaine, feeling a little embarrassed by his own lack of knowledge about magic.

"Interesting." Gwaine said. "Well, I will tell you this then. I assume that you are a human wizard so your male pregnancy will go by faster than a regular females' pregnancy. One month in a woman's time will be like three months in a man's. So therefore, you will go into labor in three months—well, for you it will be two and half months."

"So that's why I am starting to show already? But the Lycan was pregnant for months now and he hasn't gone into labor." Merlin questioned.

"A Lycan is different. It takes a year for a Lycan to go into labor, plus they are not having only one child. They always have more than one." Gwaine answered before adding. "Though every species is different."

Merlin wanted to ask more questions but he stopped as he heard Lancelot yawning. They looked up and saw the wanderer coming their way—stretching his arms as he walked over with the sleepy warrior mouse sitting on his shoulder.

"Morning, gents." Matthias greeted jumping down from Lancelot's shoulder as the wanderer squatted down to wash his face.

"Morning." Merlin responded in greeting.

Gwaine sighed. "All right, now that we are all up I am going to explain how a journey to the Perilous Land works." He picked up a stick from the ground and started drawing three rings of circles in the dirt before continuing. "The reason why it is so hard to get to the Perilous Land is because the Perilous land is at the center of seven different lands. The different lands are what you would consider a barrier of the Perilous Land."

Gwaine continued as he pointed to the core of the three rings of circles. "The seven different lands circling the Perilous Land are like the layers of an onion, except that there are only two layers. The first layer," pointing to the outer ring of circle. "Has four lands and they will shift every three hours. Meanwhile the second layer," Moving the stick to point to the inner layer. "Has three lands and they will shift even faster—every one and a half hours. Each lands holds different levels of magic, different creatures, and different landscapes. It could be freezing, hot, wet, or dry. If we are lucky, we will only have to travel to two lands but if we are not, we could land on more lands or worse. Well you may not want to know what the worse case scenario would mean."

Merlin and Lancelot looked at Gwaine giving him the same questioning stare.

He grimaced. "Questions?"

"Yeah." Merlin started first. "It sounds like we may only have to travel into two lands. I don't see why we would have to venture through another land."

The wanderer nodded in agreement.

Gwaine frowned. "Okay, sorry, maybe I didn't make myself clear." Gwaine said while bringing his hands together and up to his mouth as he tried to think of the easiest way to explain. "Okay." He started as he finally thought of a way to explain. "So you all know about the theory of our solar system, right?" He asked, receiving nods in understanding before continuing. "Okay, well then imagine that the Perilous Land is like the sun and the seven lands are like the planets. Each land orbits around the Perilous land and like the planets, it turns. Which means, if we do not get to the inner layer in time, the outer land will turn forcing us back to where we started. We could either land on another outer land or—if we are lucky—we might land on another inner land though that would be unlikely to happen."

"So how will we know if we end up on an inner land?" Lancelot asked.

"The inner lands are usually hot and dry while the outer lands are cold and wet."

"But you are not certain?" Asked the warrior mouse.

Gwaine nodded in response agreeing with the warrior mouse. "No, but I have been to two different outer lands, all three inner lands, and has successfully entered into the Perilous Land three times."

Lancelot looked to his wizard friend. He was still quite worried about him and his unborn child. "How will we get back? Will it be the same way?"

Gwaine shook his head disagreeing. "Inside the Castle of the Fisher King, there is a portal. The portal will lead us out to the Bildungsroman Forest."

"Isn't the Bildungsroman Forest dangerous?"

Gwaine laughed, crossing his arms as if the question was definitely a stupid one before responding. "My dear travelers, after you've been to one of these seven lands, the Bildungsroman Forest will be a paradise."

Merlin inhaled and stood up having enough. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Hanthur backed up until he was back to back to Arthur. There were more than ten large werewolves surrounding them with hungry to kill eyes glaring down at them growling through snarling lips. He didn't know how they were going to get out of this one. Even if they did somehow survive, there was no doubt they would either have gotten bitten or scratched. As he and Arthur stared, he just knew that they were not going to make it.

He gave the man who will later become his father a nod, as though he was letting him know that the outcome from this will end with death no matter what. But at least, they would be going to their deaths fighting.

When they charged towards the werewolves, all ten came at them at the same time. Arthur concentrated on the one that came at him first and stabbed it with his sword made of silver into its heart just like Gaius had told him to do. He made sure the stab wound was deep enough to end its life rather than maim it. The next nearest werewolf was to his right. He easily dodged its claw from attempting to scratch him and pulled his sword from the dead werewolf and swing at the second werewolf's belly. The cut was deep and its intestines spilled out but it was not enough to kill it. The werewolf whimpered and retreated back as another three came yapping protectively of the injured one. Arthur let out a cry similar to the one he used in battle and charged at the werewolves.

Hanthur killed one werewolf at the first charge very much like how his father did, a stab to the heart. Then as he saw three more charging at him, he leaped up into the air as high as he could go and dodged one of the charging three werewolves while landing on the back of the second one. As soon as the werewolf noticed his presence, it started to thrash around to throw him off. Hanthur raised his silver sword up and stabbed the back of its neck ripping down its spine. The werewolf's limp body crashed into a large boulder sending him flying into the pond with the lovely koi fishes.

Arthur stabbed the last werewolf he was fighting in the heart and turned to find two werewolves hounding the pond with the koi fish that he and Hanthur passed by a while ago. Then he saw Hanthur surfacing from the water and gasping for air. "That idiot!" He started, and ran towards the pond; his mind was foggy with worry when he heard pounding footsteps from behind him.

"Arthur! Look out!" Hanthur shouted before one of the two werewolves decided to dive into the water to get him.

Arthur turned in time to grasp the werewolf's snapping jaw as it pinned him down. His sword dropped to his side. He wanted to reach for it but the werewolf's jaw was too powerful. One arm could not hold it while the other tried to reach for the sword. The werewolf backed up a little loosing Arthur's grasp before charging again. This time Arthur couldn't hold it. The werewolf bit into his shoulder and Arthur let out a scream in agony as teeth hacked deeply into his raw flesh.

"NO!" Hanthur yelled as he saw his father had gotten bitten, he roared loudly and angrily as he stabbed the werewolf who attacked him in the water. He quickly got out of the water only to be pounced by the other werewolf he had forgotten about and his sword slipped from his hand. One of the werewolf's giant paws was about to smash down across his face and he thought this was it. He was going to be wolf chow here in this estranged forest but the pain never came. He looked up and saw a confused look on the angry werewolf. It brought its paw back down on him but for some unknown reason the paw would not lay a scratch on him. He took this an open opportunity and reached out for his sword plunging it into its heart but the werewolf would not die. It was still snapping its jaw at him.

Seeing Hanthur pinned to the ground by another werewolf, the prince quickly grabbed his sword and stuck it into the stomach of the werewolf he was fighting and pulled it up to its rib killing it with a snarl of his own.

Blood was rushing down his shoulder and the pain was excruciating but he had to save Hanthur. If he was to die, he trusts Hanthur could and would finish the rescue mission. Just as the last werewolf was about to take a bite out of the younger man, Arthur swung his sword cutting off its head. The body of the hairy beast fell to the side as Arthur knelt down to the boy. "Are you all right?" He asked.

Hanthur huffed in relief as he nodded, taking his sword out from the werewolf's body. As he sat up, he saw blood trailing down his father's shoulder. "You are hurt." He said, gripping the prince's good shoulder and quickly sitting up to take a closer look at the wounds.

"Well according to Gaius, I won't turn unless it's the full moon, right?" Arthur said trying to laugh but regrets it as soon as the pain floods through his body.

Hanthur grounded his teeth together, painfully. How could he let this happen?! He promised not to let any of his loved ones die or get hurt but here he is—he couldn't even protect his own father. He furrowed angrily at himself but then realized something else and turned to look at the werewolves as he stood up. "Of course, I am such an idiot!" He muses, slapping a hand over his forehead as he finally sees it.

Arthur stared questionably and painfully at the boy. "What?"

Hanthur turned to him and pointed at the dead werewolves—"These are not werewolves!" he said cheerfully.

"What?" Arthur repeated, obviously confused.

"Werewolves cannot transform in the daylight, Arthur!"

It took a second but Arthur finally caught on letting out a wholehearted relieved laugh but feeling like an idiot just like Hanthur did. "We are both idiots." He said, still laughing. "What the hell are they then?"

Hanthur shrugged.

Arthur tried to get up but winced as the pain ripped through his body and decided against it for now.

Hanthur realized that even though the prince was not going to turn into a wolf that he was still severely injured. He quickly knelt down beside his father and took out his water pouch from his leather supply bag—which he was surprised he didn't lose. Though everything in the bag from the food to the medic supplies were all wet from his journey in the water. He cursed and threw the bag to the side. He then took off his shirt and started to rip it into strips. "Take off your shirt." He ordered the prince as soon as he finished.

Normally, Arthur would not let anyone but Merlin treat his injuries but right now he is so blinded by the pain that he did not have the strength to care. He lifted up his arms carefully as Hanthur helped him takeoff his favorite leather jacket and then his creamed tunic.

Wounds were nothing new to Hanthur. He has seen many injuries before and has even helped the future Gaius tends to some. The bleeding seemed to have stopped on its own leaving only the cleaning and wrapping of the wound itself. After cleaning it, he realized there were deep scratches from the claws on his father's back as well. He would need to sew the raw flesh back together. "I will have sew these." he told Arthur and the prince only nodded in response.

Hanthur took ten minutes to build a small fire and burned the needles to kill all the bacteria before pulling out the clear fish line from the bag in order to sew Arthur's flesh back together.

Every single time the needle went through a sensitive spot Arthur would grunt and his body would shift a bit. "So how did you and Merlin meet?" He asked, trying to distract the prince.

Arthur smiled warmly at the question. "He tried to punch me."

"Really?"

"Yeah but he didn't, of course. He was too bony and weak then."

"So he is not anymore?"

"No, he has more meat now that he works for me."

"So did he ever get a good punch in on you?"

"No, of course not. I can still easily hold him down."

Hanthur laughed and Arthur could only smile. And surprisingly, the pain didn't seem to hurt as much anymore. "Uh Hanthur," Arthur started; trying not to make the moment awkward. "What is Merlin to you?"

For a moment, the boy paused and tried to think of a way to reply. "He is family." He answered.

Arthur just hummed in response.

"What about you?" Hanthur asked. "What is Merlin to you?"

Arthur took a deep breath in silence. Hanthur wasn't sure if the prince was annoyed at the question or if he was still in pain but he hoped he could get Arthur to be more honest about his feelings. "He is everything." He finally admitted to Hanthur's surprise.

"Everything like everything?"

Arthur nods, not even sure why he confessed this to the boy. Probably because he has been holding it in for so long or probably because he is in too much pain right now. He just feels as though he needs to tell someone. "The first time we met, I got this feeling but I didn't know what it was because I never felt it before."

"How did you know then?"

"Hanthur, I—" Arthur did not want to talk about it but Hanthur gave him a stern look. He knows the boy is asking him these questions to keep him talking to keep his mind from the pain. He cleared his throat and reluctantly explained, "About three years ago King Bayard from another kingdom came to Camelot to sign a treaty. A sorceress camouflaged herself in with their group and poisoned my drink. Merlin tried to warn me but no one would listen so he took the drink for me. We then found out that he was telling the truth. It was then, when I thought I was going to lose him that I knew how important he was to me."

This was the first time Hanthur ever heard the story of how his parents met. Merlin never spoke of the love between him and his king. Hanthur always thought it must have been too painful to talk about his father. "I never met my father before." He said and Arthur looked at him, confused—how is his Hanthur's father related to this situation? "My mother spoke a lot of his greatness but never about the love that they shared. I believe he…I mean, she thinks it will make me weak if I seek such a thing. Even though she never said she loved me, I know that she did."

"Hanthur, I don't get it…"

"What I am trying to say here is that you should tell Merlin how you feel about him." he interrupted. "I mean, though I knew my mom loved me, sometimes it is good to hear it."

Arthur frowned. "It's not always that easy, Hanthur." He said.

Hanthur let out a sigh in relief as he finished sewing the prince up and started to wrapping. "You can trust me, Arthur." He assured and Arthur's eyes met his. "You are telling me this right now for a reason, right? So tell me."

The prince sighed. "I hurt him, Hanthur, that is what happened." He ran a hand over his face and through his hair in frustration. Hanthur could see that his father was really in distress. "I didn't do it intentionally. It happened during the hunt a few weeks ago. I know something occurred between us in that hut but I don't remember." He lowered his head down, ashamed. "We slept together."

Hanthur closed his eyes in mortification. He knows that his parents had sex due to Evelyn's water pouch but hearing it from one of his parents made it more real. "You said you have feelings for him. Why not just tell him?"

"I am the heir to the throne. I have a duty to my kingdom and to my people. I cannot be with him."

"But don't you love him, Arthur?" Hanthur asked sternly.

Arthur glared at him and willed himself to stop talking, knowing he had already leaked too much information about his personal matters but for days Merlin's unhappy face has been mentally eating him alive, the answer was automatic. "I love him." He admitted.

The boy looks relieved for reasons the prince could not explain. "Then why don't you just tell him?"

"Because I am a prince and my father would never allow it!" He said exasperatedly. "And it will put Merlin's life at risk. I could never ask him to go through that, not for me."

"Arthur, Merlin loves you. He would go along with you to the ends of the world and back again."

"You don't think I know that?! It is the very reason why I'm afraid to be with him because I know that as long as I said so he would be more than happy to come on board with me."

"Then what is the problem?"

"I am Camelot's future king, Hanthur, I will need an heir. No matter how much I wanted to be with Merlin, I can't. And knowing that, it hurts." Arthur reminded him reasonably. "Besides, there's Gwen, she's—"

"Wait. Isn't Gwen the maid? I thought it was against the law to marry someone without a standard?"

"I know that but Gwen…"

"Is like Merlin except that she is a girl and she can bare you an heir." Hanthur finished his father's sentence for him with a very disapproving tone.

Arthur doesn't react for a moment as he hears the truth out loud. He was always aware that he didn't really love Gwen, not truly—that she was more of a substitute for Merlin. Ever since the beginning, Gwen and Merlin always had a lot in common and had similar behavior traits. He admitted he never was attracted to Gwen until he realized his desire for Merlin and accepted that he could not have him. So when he noticed the similarities between the two, he chose Gwen.

"Arthur, what you are doing is wrong. You have to be honest with yourself, especially regarding your true feelings. If you keep going like this, it will eventually destroy you. If you really care for Gwen, you have to break it off now. The longer you wait the harder it will get for you. You might even lose them in the process." Hanthur explained firmly. "Just…just put more thought into it, Arthur. I don't think Merlin can handle any more disappointment from you. If you continue like this you will lose him for good." He said warningly.

Arthur considered him for moment, his face frowned a little bit knowing that the boy was right. If he keeps this charade going any longer, he really could lose them both. He knows he must choose one of them, but whom? Arthur raised a hand up and scuffled the boy's hair. "I guess you are right." He said, smiling gratefully at him. "Thank you."

Hanthur found it strange as his father thanked him. His lips were smiling but there was a feeling that he couldn't shake off, what was it? It was not anger or sadness. More like he was happy and proud. His eyes were getting glossy. So this was how it felt to be compliment from your father. He mentally said to himself.

"So." Arthur said, putting his shirt back on, trying to erase the awkward silence. "You never met your father before?"

The question snapped Hanthur back to reality but he was still smiling proudly. "No, he died when I was born."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The prince said genuinely and got up. The pain in his shoulder was still there but he refused to allow it to stop him. He knows now what to do in his situation with Merlin. Just wait a little longer, Merlin. I'm coming. He mentally said to himself before turning back to the dazed boy. "Come on, we have got to find Sir Leon and that servant." He started up the hill and Hanthur quickly packed the supplies that were not too wet and followed along.

As Hanthur watched the Camelot prince's broad shoulders, he noted to himself, I wouldn't let you die…father.

He stopped as soon as he saw the prince stop. Before he could ask he heard growling. They looked up and saw themselves surrounded by more werewolves—well, creatures that took the form of werewolves—once more but this time there were more—twenty—no maybe even more than that.

Merlin was a little annoyed with his wanderer friend's behavior. Lancelot would not allow the wizard to help carry anything and he constantly asked Merlin if he was all right. Merlin was pregnant not disabled. The only thing Lancelot allowed Merlin to carry was the warrior mouse on his shoulder, though he didn't mind that part. Matthias was very talkative on the road. He talked about his childhood growing up with the fairies in a hidden village protected by elves. Merlin was surprised to hear about elves. He didn't know that they still existed—well, he didn't know a lot of magical creatures still existed.

Merlin felt regretful for not knowing about the world outside of Camelot. He thought he knew all about magic from the little library Gaius had but there was more—so much more information about magic than he could have imagined out there in the world. From just listening to what Matthias told him, he learned that not all creatures with magic were evil. Plus, some of them did not have magic at all, like Matthias. Merlin realized he did stay in Camelot too long and that even when he hated Uther for executing whoever was suspected of using magic, he himself wasn't much different from the unfair king. Indeed, Merlin did not kill them but he did not do anything to prevent it from happening either and he involuntarily thought all magic was evil. He concluded at the end of his string of thoughts that he was actually ashamed of himself for being born different.

Lancelot noticed the troubled look on his wizard friend's face and asked, again, "Are you all right?"

Even though that was probably the thirtieth time Lancelot asked that question, Merlin was glad in this instance and answered truthfully. "No."

The sound of Merlin's saddened voice stopped Matthias from talking. Gwaine, who was walking ahead, glanced to them over his shoulder but remained quiet.

Lancelot placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder in reassurance before asking imploringly, "Tell me. What's wrong?"

"Everything." He answered calmly. "I just realized how little I know about my own kind when according to the Great Dragon, I am supposed to become this Great Wizard."

"You are, Merlin."

Merlin scoffed. "Don't tell me that when I know I am not!" He snapped. "Since I was away from Camelot and from Arthur, I have learned that I know nothing about magic or my own kind. I did nothing to help Arthur understand about magic—actually, I think I turned him against magic even more—plus, right now I'm pregnant and not knowing what I am suppose to do! As far as I know I am far from being this Great Wizard everyone claims that I am going to become!"

Everyone went silent as their wizard friend took a few deep breaths from his confession.

"Then change." Gwaine said simply when he felt that Merlin was done with his ranting.

"What?"

"Well, you just found out that you hated the way you things were and that it is not what you wanted it to be so make a change. I mean in my own personal opinion, Camelot is not the best place to learn magic. I don't know why you would even think could be was but it was a terrible idea to live there. And, if you felt that the place does not give you what you need to understand your magic and your kind then leave."

"I can't." Merlin said in a quiet voice.

Gwaine rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Why not? Is it because the father of your child lives there?" He asked and when he saw the wizard wince at the question, he realized he had hit a nerve. "I know it is not my place to say but I'm going to anyways. Merlin, you are an idiot and a selfish person. There, I said it."

Lancelot was shocked that this stranger who they hardly knew would say such thing about Merlin. "You have no right to say that to him!" He shouted defensively at the tour guide. "Apologize!"

Gwaine grimaced. "No," He said. "I did not say anything wrong and you know I am telling the truth. From what I hear from Merlin's complaint of how he lacked information of his kind but will not leave Camelot because of the father of this unborn child—which I assume the father does not know about—is a selfish act."

"Then what would you have me do?" Merlin asked.

"That is not up to me to decide, is it." He said but it was not a question. "Deep down in your heart, you know the answer to that question. It all depends on you and if you want to act on it."

"Merlin." Lancelot started but Merlin held up his hand to stop him.

"He is right." He looked at Gwaine gratefully. "I am a selfish person. Like you told me before. Arthur never really appreciated me and I still wanted to get rid of an innocent life for his sake."

"But—"

"I want to keep the child, Lancelot." Merlin said. He looks likes he is going to cry when Lancelot looks up to him. "I don't want to get rid of it."

Lancelot smiled in relief. "Then keep it."

"But what about Hanthur and Camelot?"

Lancelot walked up to his magical friend and grabbed both of his shoulders. "You have done enough for Camelot, Merlin, and if this Hanthur really is the true future heir as he claims to be then he will know how loyal you are to Arthur and his kingdom. But right now Merlin, right now, you need to do some 'me' time, okay?" Merlin nods back, swallowing over the lump in his throat as he tried to hold the tears that were threatening to fall. Lancelot just opened his arms and his wizard friend leaned in for a hug. "I will help you through this, my friend." He promised and with tight squeeze he let Merlin go.

Lancelot looked up to Gwaine gratefully without any word exchange. Gwaine then turned back to the road.

They walked slowly and chatted animatedly for several minutes before coming to a bridge. Merlin immediately noticed the magic surrounding the place. It wasn't dark—it was pure. "Where are we?"

Gwaine turned to them, smiling. "The Bridge of Prague," He answered. "It will take us straight to the outer layer lands."

"Ah back so soon, Gwaine." said a voice by the bridge. They all looked up to find a dwarf in front of the bridge. Merlin knew right away that this dwarf was not an ordinary dwarf. Lancelot held his sword out defensively but remained unsheathed.

Gwaine grinned as he knelt down to give the dwarf a hug—though he did not appear to appreciate being held. The rest of the group also seemed a little confused by their tour guide's actions. "Grettir, you look the same," he said and let go of the little man."Everyone this is the Keeper to the Bridge, Grettir. Grettir, this is everyone."

Strangely enough, Grettir only gives all of them a nod but when he looked at Merlin, it was as if he knew everything about him already. "It is an honor to meet the young Emrys," he said gracefully with a bow.

Merlin looked to Matthias and asked, "Does every magical being know who I am?"

"Only the ones with magic." Matthias answered.

Grettir turned to Gwaine. "I know you got lucky three times already but don't you think you're pushing your luck?"

Gwaine shrugged casually. "Not at all, Grettir. I think I've got another twenty more or so of these kind of trips left in me."

Grettir rolled his eyes and moved to the side. "Be careful."

They all nodded and passed through him one by one but when Merlin came by, he grabbed the warlock's arm. Lancelot unsheathed his sword as he saw the dwarf as a threat to Merlin but Grettir's eyes flashed gold and Lancelot's sword turned into a flower. "Don't be alarmed, I am not going to hurt him." Grettir assured the wanderer. Gwaine grabbed Lancelot's arm and shook his head—letting him know that going against the dwarf was not a wise idea. Grettir turned back to the warlock. "The Fisher King waited many years for this day. Do not deny him what he wishes." Merlin didn't understand why the Dwarf would tell him that but he nodded anyway. Grettir let the wizard go and he went straight to Lancelot. Grettir then added, "Remember," Halting the group from walking. "Nothing is as it seems."

The group did not reply to the Dwarf but continued on their way.

They walked for another hour until they met a dead end at the edge of a cliff when Gwaine finally instructed them to stop. "This is it." He said and everyone looked ahead seeing nothing but water.

"I don't get it," said Lancelot. "There is no land."

"Shh." Matthias (on Gwaine's shoulder now) hushed him just before they felt the ground rumble beneath their feet. Everyone with the exception of Gwaine, were awestruck as they witnessed a large piece of land sweep through the body of water, twisting clockwise sliding towards them. Lancelot pulled Merlin back as the moving land came crashing to the cliff where they were standing. Gwaine simply move a little to let the land settle in front of him. He sighed at the view of the outer land they were going to travel for the next three hours though. The land was mountainous made of blue icy rock with hovering thick black clouds. "This is the Land of Ice Giants."

"Ice Giants?" asked Merlin.

Gwaine nodded, visibly seeing the worry in his companions' eyes. "Don't worry. I've been to this land before. As long as we are quiet, the giants won't notice us."

Lancelot huffed. "And if they do?"

"Then we have to take the underground path, which will be longer so let's try not to make any noise, shall we?" He said and as an afterthought asked Merlin. "Merlin, could you cast a warming spell?"

Merlin seemed to be confused by the question.

"You don't know how to cast a warming spell?" Gwaine asked in surprise and Merlin flushed red. "Okay, just do your golden eyes thing and say…" Gwaine said the spell in ancient words and Lancelot couldn't understand but it seemed Merlin did. He repeated what the tour guide said and with his eyes flashing gold, all three of them had a slightly glowing yellow light surrounding them. "Okay, shall we go now?" Gwaine grinned and walked onto the land of ice.

"This land is different from the one we went to the last time," said Matthias. "Last time, it was the land of giant insects."

Merlin and Lancelot exchanged worried looks before following them onto the icy land, not knowing what fate awaited them. Surprisingly, they did not feel cold at all.

"C'mon!" Arthur pulled Hanthur back to his feet and they started running as the fake werewolves chased after them. They could hear one of the fake werewolves howl and more werewolves joining in. They didn't see a sharp hill and both of them fell down the high hill. As they got to the bottom, Hanthur hit his head on a rock, knocking the daylights out of him. Arthur scattered up onto his feet and was about to run when he noticed the boy was unconscious. "Hanthur!" He shouted but the boy did not move. He looked up panicking as saw the fake werewolves coming fast down the hill, but Arthur could not just leave Hanthur behind. He ran to the boy and throws him over his good shoulder and started running.

Arthur did not know how long he had been running but he had to stop when his left calf muscle started to cramp. He knows that soon he won't able to run carrying Hanthur anymore. As he looked around for any hiding spots he saw a cave ahead and took Hanthur over. Arthur could still hear growling and barking coming from the fake werewolves. They were still somewhere behind him. Arthur tried to get them in as deep as he could but he stopped in his track as he found himself standing on the edge of an empty dark hole. He laid Hanthur down and grabbed a stone dropping it into the hole but there was no sound to signal that it hit the bottom or that there was one. He had no choice, Arthur thinks; he has to leave Hanthur here. He quickly went out and grabbed a few branches and covered Hanthur with it hoping that fake werewolves did not have the same sense of smell as a real werewolf. "If I don't make it," he said to Hanthur, though he wasn't sure if he could heard him but thought he just needed to say it. "Please tell Merlin that I love him."

With a shape inhale, he ran off in the opposite direction, shouting, "HEY! HEY! OVER HERE!" To leer the fake werewolves away from the boy.

As he ran down another hill, one of werewolves barreled into him making him fall forward. He hit the ground hard as the werewolf swiped its head at him, bringing its claws down at him but he kicked out, his boot connecting with its giant head, and it bought him a solid second to escape being pin down. But he did not get far when another one lunged at him and he felt his stitches stretch and open. He grunted and swung his sword and got one of them in the eyes. It whimpered and backed away, but the other was coming. Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief. There were too many of them and they were coming at a very fast pace. Arthur felt almost as if time had stopped. He watched in slow motion as he waited eyes closed in defeat, waiting for the feeling of claws ripping into his skin.

But as he closed his eyes, he saw someone—someone important to him, who had that stupid short dark haircut, edgy but huggable body, brilliant blue eyes, and that goofy smile that always managed to brighten Arthur's gloomy day. Merlin. Merlin was held captive and he was probably waiting for Arthur to come and rescue him. He could not die now. He had to save Merlin—the person he cared for most and…loved.

He opened his eyes with purpose. I have to see him no matter what. He mentally told himself. That was what he needed to give him back his strength; saving the person he loves and has always been in love with. He stood up with his sword tightly gripped in his hand. He would not let Merlin down. He will save Merlin before it is too late.

He glared at the werewolves before lunging toward them but he stopped as an army of arrows came raining down plunging into all of the fake werewolves. Arthur didn't understand what was happening but he could hear the fake werewolves' whimper cowardly around him as they tried to escape.

He looked up the hill to find a woman with long wavy brown hair and glowing golden eyes. Standing behind her was a sickly-looking chocolate-colored man. As the fake werewolves scattered away, the woman finally look down at him—the color gold in her eyes faded and turn to emerald. Arthur held up his sword as the woman approached—knowing that she was a sorceress.

"Stop! Stop where you are!" Arthur demanded, backing up as they come nearer.

As they got closer, the chocolate-colored man recognized the prince. "You are Arthur, Prince Arthur." Said the chocolate-colored man, smiling as he knelt before a confused Arthur.

Arthur looked at them puzzled, but responded. "And you are?"

The woman with the emerald eyes remained the same with her expressionless facade.

"I am Elyan." Answered the chocolate-colored man.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise as the sickly-looking man told him his name. He never actually met Gwen's brother but she talked about him all the time. "Elyan? You're Gwen's brother, aren't you?"

Elyan smiled brightly, happy that the prince acknowledged his family. "Yes your highness, I am."

"Please, get up. Don't soil your clothes." The prince said politely and Elyan obeyed gladly.

Then Arthur remembered the sorceress was near. He held his sword up to her neck but she remained unmoved. He looked to Elyan. "Is she holding you hostage, Elyan?"

"No," He said. "She was actually helping me."

"Helping you? Don't be absurd! She is a sorceress!"

"With all due respect my prince, she is not evil." Elyan said sternly and looked away as the prince gazed down at him. There was no doubt Arthur's presence before him was intimidating.

He turned his sword towards her. "What have you done to him? Did you put him under a spell, you witch!"

"My name is Nyssa, I am a wooden nymph," she introduced herself, having no intention of hiding herself. "I don't think your silver sword will help you much." She said and with eyes flashing gold, the hilt of the sword burned Arthur's hand making him drop the sword on the ground. "Now, let me." She moved towards the prince, raised one of her hands toward his re-opened shoulder but Arthur fretted away as if she was going to attack him. "It will get infected."

"I am not an idiot. I'm not going to let you put a spell on me." Said Arthur.

Nyssa smirked amusingly. "You are a prince with so little knowledge of magic. Now I understand why Emrys is so weak."

Arthur stared at her, confused. 'Who is Emrys?' He thought.

Nyssa nods grabbing the prince's shoulder and whispering a quick healing spell before he could pull away. He was shocked to find the pain was no longer in his shoulder. He looked at it and his clothes that were still torn from the bite but there were no wounds or any evidence of a scar.

"How did you-?"

"Magic is not only black, your majesty," She replied but he still looked dubious. "Why are you here? Are you looking for Emrys?"

Again, Arthur did not understand why this wooden nymph kept assuming that he knows someone by the name of Emrys. "No, I am not looking for an Emrys." Then he remembered the werewolves that attacked the tavern and took Merlin. But now it seems that they took Elyan also. He turned to the chocolate-colored man. "You were captured weren't you?" He asked and Elyan nodded in response. "Was there a man with you? He has short dark hair, blue eyes, and very high and sharp cheekbones. I believe he was injured. His is name is Merlin."

Elyan knows the man the prince is speaking of was the other prisoner that was brought in with him. Lancelot did mention his name was Merlin. "Yes but Sire, he is no longer at the castle of Fyrien."

"What? Then where is he now?" Arthur demanded.

"He is on a quest to the Perilous Land of the Fisher King," Nyssa replied.

Arthur's eyes narrowed in fury. "On a quest? On whose order?"

"By my master's order." Said Nyssa.

"And who is your master?"

"Right now, he is the leader of the Lycans."

Arthur snarled and throws a punch at the nymph before he realized that he just hit a woman but he didn't care. He traveled far away from home to rescue the person who was most important to him, just to find out the Lycan had sent him off somewhere else. All reason is lost to Arthur now as he picked up his sword (the hilt has been cooled down) and raises it up above his head to bring it down into the heart of the nymph but a hand catches his sword just as it was only an inch away from her.

He looked up to find Hanthur staring at him with his tiring but stern blue eyes. His head was bleeding from where it hit when he tumbled down the hill earlier. He also noticed that Hanthur had his sword but it was not unsheathed. The boy pushed Arthur's sword away as he felt the prince was loosing up the grip. "You can't hurt her." said Hanthur, standing in front of the prince.

"She is with the werewolves and she is a sorceress! She cannot be trusted, Hanthur!" Arthur shouted.

Hanthur shook his head.

Arthur leaned forward to the younger man and hissed, "You wouldn't even kill the werewolves if they did murder Merlin? Werewolves are a vicious kind and my father was right to destroy them."

The boy glared up to the prince angrily. "They are not the ones that are vicious. It is us humans who are vicious for we are the ones killing them, and invading their lands like a plague."

"Then tell me why did they kill those innocents in the tavern?"

"Isn't it obvious? We are the ones who murdered their kind first?"

"Magic is dangerous."

"I don't remember werewolves ever using magic before my prince," he snarled irritably. "Why did they attack our kind? Same reason as humans do when an intruder enters into their territory. Is it so wrong for them to kill to protect their own kind when we are doing the same thing? We are not so different from each other."

As much as Arthur hated to be wrong, he couldn't ignore what Hanthur had said. He could not allow him to walk free after speaking ill of his father. He unsheathed his sword and glared at the younger man. "Draw your sword."

"Be reasonable, Arthur!" Hanthur shouted.

"Draw your sword!"

"No."

Arthur huffed out frustratingly. He could just knock Hanthur out while finishing off the wooden nymph but for some reason his body would not make any move to do it. "Why are you defending her? She has magic!"

Hanthur knows exactly why he has to protect Nyssa. He was shocked to meet the woman who will be his godmother here in this forest but he was glad that he woke up in time to save her from his father. "Just because she has magic does not make her evil! It is unjust to kill her without any evidence!" Hanthur huffed out, feeling very dizzy from the pain in his head but needing to get through to his father's thick skull. "You said to me you would be a better king than your father! I believed you; I believe you will one day surpass your father." He looked into Arthur's eyes full of faith. "But in order to do that, you will have to be true to your heart, Arthur. Look at her," He pointed to Nyssa. "Is she really posing a threat to us? She healed you and she helped Elyan escape from the castle of Fyrien."

Arthur looked to the sickly-looking chocolate-colored man who gave him a confirmation nod confirming that what Hanthur had said was correct. Slowly, he lowered his sword, considering. "What about Merlin?"

"There has to be a reason," he noted and turned back to Nyssa, who gives Hanthur a clouding stare. There is something about Hanthur but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. "Right?"

Without breaking her stare with him, she nods. Arthur finally sheathed his sword; deciding to listen to Hanthur's advice for once. "Who are you?" She asked as the boy helped her up.

Hanthur smile a little bit. "I'm Hanthur Penny," He answered. "Now, can you tell me what are you guys doing here?"

Elyan explained about him and Solomon running into a near-death knight who begged them to deliver a secret scroll to the Camelot king as Nyssa healed the deep cut on Hanthur's head. He briefly explained that the creatures that had attacked the tavern are the same type creatures that were chasing the prince and his companion. Also, he added that they were not werewolves but shape-shifters. Although, they were lead by a real werewolf.

Arthur finally understand why the dead werewolves in the tavern didn't turn back to their human form when they were dead and why Gaius make the mistake of thinking that it was werewolf. Shape-shifter has the tendency of mimicking their victims.

Elyan grieved deeply when Arthur told him about his companion's death. After a brief period of mourning, he explained why he was in the Bildungsroman Forest with Nyssa—including the Fomorroh that was implanted into his head and of the leader of the Lycans, Alastair, who sent him into the forest for protection. Then Nyssa also explained why Alastair sent Merlin to the Perilous Land of the Fisher King.

"So you don't know who this dark wizard is and you don't know what he is planning?" Asked Arthur after the wooden nymph explained about the mysterious wizard.

She nodded in response. "All I know is that my master is afraid of him."

"Did you see what was written in the scroll?" Elyan asked.

Arthur shook his head. "But if this dark wizard wanted something that belonged to Camelot then he is a threat to the kingdom," He said and looked up to Hanthur, who was washing the dried blood that caked over his hair. "What do you think, Hanthur?"

Hanthur looked up in surprise. He didn't think that Arthur would ask his opinion since his opinions have done nothing but anger the prince. Although, he already knows whom this dark wizard is, though he did not think it wise to tell his father that yet. "Well, it might get you angry."

"Try me." Arthur said dryly.

Hanthur sighed. "Your father created a lot of demons, Arthur," He said, looking at the prince carefully. He doesn't want to piss Arthur off twice in one day but when Arthur did not show any sign of emotion, he continued. "I believe this dark wizard is one of them."

"And what do you think we should do?"

Again, Hanthur was surprised that Arthur was asking for his advice. "I think that you should undo your father's mistakes—"

"You think what my father's doing is a mistake?"

"Look around you, Arthur," He said throwing his arms around their surroundings. "Can you see the lives of this forest? It's so beautiful, so different from the forest without magic. Yes, we met the angry Manticore and were chased by the madness of shape shifters—who they did not have any magic—but this forest has magic and has not done any harm to us. I know you love your father but he is not perfect. He make mistakes and one of those mistakes was banning magic."

Arthur rubbed his hands together as he thought of all the people with magic that were executed in Camelot. Thinking back, his father never brought any of them to justice. He killed them the same day they were discovered—some of them claimed to be innocent but they were never given a fair trial. In his heart, he loves his father but those lives that were taken leave Arthur with uncomfortable level of guilt hanging on his shoulders. Then the screams and begging for mercy from all the villages of the Druids, Dwarves, Elves, and many others from the war sounded in his head. What if it were them who hunted humans, what would Arthur have done? Arthur knew the answer to that question. He would have done the same thing; planned a war and took back what belonged to him—just like his enemy was doing now. But he is not going to admit that out loud.

"I'm sorry but we have to go," said Nyssa helping Elyan up. "Your highness," She said and Arthur turned to look at her. As if she had read his mind, she said, "I don't know if you are going to follow in your father's footsteps or make your own path but whatever that you chose, please chose the one who you will not regret." Then she turned on her heels and walking away.

Elyan bowed respectfully to his prince. "Please tell Gwen that I won't return home anytime soon. I bid you a safe trip back home, your highness." Then he followed Nyssa away.

As they were gone, Arthur and Hanthur fell into complete silence. Arthur did not talk, just stared into the space in front of him. Hanthur did not want them to go back to where they were in the beginning—arguing all of the time and not talking at all. Since Arthur broke the ice last time, Hanthur decided to do it this time. "My father was a great man, you know?" he said as he sat next to the prince. Arthur knows what the boy was doing and gives him his attention. "I never knew him but my mother and uncles talked about him all the time. They always told me stories of him; of how he would travel to unknown lands, facing great dangers, saving damsels in distress, and how he…united the five kingdoms." Arthur laughed at the last statement—thinking Hanthur was fooled by his mother and uncles but Hanthur only smiled, knowing that the man beside him would in fact achieve this one day. "Even though, I never saw him or talked to him before, I feel like I know him."

"How did he die?" Arthur decides to ask.

"He was struck down by a dark wizard while trying to protect his kingdom," He answered.

"You talk as if he was a king. Are you a prince, Hanthur?"

Hanthur looked at the man who will one day be his father with sad eyes. "No, but to every boy their father is a king."

Arthur thinned his lips and nods. "True," He said. "But there is one thing I don't understand."

"What?"

"If your father and uncles were killed by magic, why do you still believe that magic is not evil?"

'Because Merlin and many others who could wield magic in the future were not evil' is what Hanthur wanted in response but knows he could not. Instead, he said, "Because I see magic only as a weapon."

Arthur huffed out, feeling a little frustrated with the boy's opinion. "Well, you need you rethink it over." He stood up and dusted the dirt from his pants away.

"So where are you going now that Merlin is no longer at the castle of Fyrien?" Asked Hanthur as he also stood up.

Arthur took another moment of silence and then said, "First, we are going to go find Leon and that servant boy and then we are going to the Perilous Land of the Fisher King."

Hanthur smiled. "Sound like a good plan, your highness."

Arthur could not do anymore than return the smile. He was glad that he and the boy finally managed to get along.

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