"We should head to the White Mountains" Adiana suggested "That's where this seasons clan meet is, we can decide what to do about it there"
"How did you know what was happening just by a wolf howling?" Asked Leon cocking an eye brow
"Spirits have their ways" Amnres explained quickly "Atremus is out in the forest at the moment, he would of heard the call…"
"Let us go look for Artemus" Offered Arthur "Merlin, Leon and I know our way and if we get caught nobody will harm us"
Amnres looked conflicted at this, no doubt she didn't want Merlin out of her sight. Adiana was much the same.
"Mother let me go as well" She pleaded, "You can't send Merlin off and not me"
"My Magic is stronger than yours Adiana and you know it" Merlin insisted "We need to go, you and Mother head for the clan meet, I will meet you there in a few days I promise"
Amnres nuzzled her son affectionately, "be careful" She whispered before scooping Adiana onto her back and turning toward the north, Adiana looking back over her shoulder uneasily.
"Don't worry! We will look out for him!" Leon called giving Merlin a slap on the shoulder making him jump. Adiana smiled and turned forwards as her mother began to run and they were soon lost among the trees.
"Lets head back in the direction of Camelot, I have a feeling that's where they coming from" Merlin muttered somewhat bitterly, Arthur hated that he was probably right. Merlin shared Arthur's horse as they rode to the south towards Camelot, after an hours hard ride they began to spell it, smoke. Within a few minutes they could see the forest burning only half a mile away, it stank not just of burning wood but also of bodies.
Carefully tying their horses to trees they carefully snuck through the thick forest, off the normal pathways.
"This is taking a long time" Said Melrin frustrated "I'm going to keep a look out".
With that Merlin quickly scaled a tree as easily as he would walk down a street and began jumping from branch to branch along the same route Leon and Arthur were walking.
"That explains why Adiana didn't leave any tracks" Mumbled Leon as they ran off after Merlin "It's a smart idea really"
"Remind me to ask how he manages to do that but can't hold a sword to save his life" Arthur replied. He was about to ask Leon if they should of bought the horses after all when Merlin dropped straight infront of him, cause Arthur to smack straight into him and send them other sprawling.
"Merlin!" He bellowed "You couldn't give me some warning?"
"Stay quiet!" Merlin hissed "Look down the hill"
Merlin indicated to the steep hill a few meters away, laying down on their stomachs they peered over. It looked like a war zone.
Bodies of large oddly coloured animals laid everywhere, deers, wolves, boars, even birds. There were human bodies too, some looked like they were children's. Arthur's stomach twisted, Please don't let my father be behind this… He pleaded desperately, his pleading appeared to be in vain. He could see the bright red uniform clad with a yellow dragon.
"How is this even possible" Wondered Leon aloud "Those knights would of had to ride through the knight to get back to Camelot and they would of had to set out only a few hours afterwards for things to get so far"
"Why would they do that?" Asked Merlin
"I, I dont know" Replied Arthur not able to take his eyes off the carnage his fathers knights and soldiers were wreaking. There were people, of all ages stuffed into more iron cages, all clad in the clothes of Children of the Forest.
Some of them had been killed also, Arthur could see the bodies laying on the charred ground.
"Why is he doing this?" Mummbled Arthur "I don't understand"
"Your father!" Exclaimed Leon "Sire look!"
Sure enough down in the valley away from the carnage standing with the knights was the King, dressed in full battle armour.
"Something is wrong here, besides the obvious" Arthur concluded "Lets see if we can get closer without being seen"
Carefully the trio crept down the hillside staying behind burnt shrubs and tree's as much as possible. The air stank of burning. Suddenly Arthur felt Merlin freeze beside him in shock.
"Merlin?" Arthur turned to face him
"What if Fathers's down there" He shook as he spoke. Dam Arthur didn't think about that, Artemus have obviously left somewhere this morning, he could of been caught in the fires too.
"Well, I can't make you go" Arthur started but he was cut off by a yell from further down the hill. A girl was struggling against two soldier who had bound her hands and were trying to drag her back to the iron cages holding the others. The girl was crying, she couldn't of been more than 12 years old, she was desperate to get to something infront of her. Arthur's stomach churned when he saw the body of a huge white mountain lion that had been speared through the chest.
"Let me go! Mother! Mother get up! Please!" The girl begged
"onsælan" Whispered Merlin, eyes flashing gold quickly. The bonds tieing the girl suddenly untied themselves and fell to the ground. With a burst of energy she rushed from the guards grips and flew across the burnt grass to the body of her mother. She gave the body a quick stroke and then fled into the forest, guards on her tail.
Arthur smiled, he knew they wouldn't catch her. His smiled faded however when the king came storming over.
"How could you let her go!" He roared "I want as many human captives as possible"
"Sorry My Lord" the guards stammered "She used magic"
"I don't care what she did!" Uther continued "The more captives we have the better chance we have of finding out where Arthur is!"
"Those knights must of told Uther we were captured or something" Leon cursed "Cowards"
"My father is doing all of this...because of me?" Arthur whispered, he felt terrible, if it wasn't for him his father wouldnt be here now, killing all these innocents. His stomach gave another jolt when he realised this is how people with magic had been treated his entire life. How could he not of seen this cruelty before?
"I need to go out there, he might stop this attack" Arthur Suggested
"We both know he wont" Merlin hissed back "He will just send you back to the castle"
"But we can't let this continue!" Arthur hissed back
"Who's there!" Boomed Uther's voice. Obviously the two hadnt realised they were talking so loud. Their eyes widened as Uther drew his sword and began to walk towards their hiding place behind a thick singed bush.
"æmnitta cædmon gewítan ræd" Merlin whispered hurriedly
"What are you-" Leon started to whisper before his jaw dropped, as did Arthur's as now all three of them were sporting blood red iris's instead of their usual blue.
"Play along" Whispered Merlin hurriedly.
I hope this works...
Bit of a cliffy :P I hope you like this chapter cause I had to write it out twice since it didn't save when I wrote it the first time!
Some very interesting things are gonna happen in the next few chapters, ive already started planning them out
Stay tuned and as always tell me your thought!