Author's note: Happy New Year everybody! To start the year off properly, here's another chapter. As the title suggests, we now check in with the other characters. Hope you enjoy it and leave me a review!

Meanwhile

Meanwhile back in Camelot, Morgana did not find her victory as sweet as she had imagined. From the moment Agravaine had been exposed and captured, nothing had worked like they had planned before. The siege draining both the resources of her men and those of Camelot itself, Arthur's humiliating peace offer which she had refused and thus had cost her the support of the majority of sorcerers she had brought with her as well as Arthur's successful escape dampened her mood considerably. That and the fact that the people of Camelot still refused her their loyalty.

"Burn their crops. Let's see how they feel once their children starve," Morgana said coldly.

"You are sure you want to do this? Maybe you should try and win their loyalty by ending their misery. If they see you're actually caring about them...," Alvarr suggested but Morgana cut him off.

"Caring is a weakness. I am not going to make that mistake ever again. I am their queen now and they will learn to obey me or they will face the consequences. Now give the order."

Alvarr inclined his head in mock surrender: "As you wish, my dear. But breaking them might take longer than you think. And we may not have that time."

"What do you mean?" Morgana pretended not to know what he was implying.

"Arthur. You know better than I do that he will never accept this defeat."

"Agravaine is tracking him down and he will not fail me this time."

"If he knows what is good for him," Alvarr replied with a cheeky grin on his face, "The people of Camelot will rue the day they tried to defy you."

"Not as much as our captives," Morgana added maliciously, "Time to find out what Gaius knows about Emrys."

Two guards entered with Gaius in their mid. His hands were tied together behind his back. The guards dragged him before Morgana and forced him to his knees. Gaius groaned.

"It's time for the fun to begin," Morgana greeted him.

Gaius met her gaze and replied: "Get on with it, Morgana. Whatever you want to do, just do it now. I'm not afraid to die."

Morgana scoffed: "Dying is the easy part. I wouldn't be in such a hurry if I were you. Before I am going to kill you, you are going to give me some information. Some information you might be a little reluctant to give. About a mutual friend of ours. I want you to tell me where Emrys is."

"I don't know anyone called Emrys," Gaius replied without flinching.

"Oh, I think you do."

"Do what you will. I will never tell you anything, Morgana."

"I am going to enjoy this, Gaius."

She signaled the guards to step away and then stretched out her arm to cast a spell: "Ligfyronbærne swiþe."

Her eyes glowed and a circle of flame rose around Gaius.

Gaius groaned in pain.

"You can end this anytime. Just tell me what I want to know. Who is Emrys and where can I find him?"

With gritted teeth, Gaius replied: "Never." He pulled himself together and took a deep breath. Ignoring the pain, he focused on Morgana and countered her spell: "Acwence þa bælblyse!"

The flames died down. Morgana laughed: "You really think your pathetic little magic can stop me? Fyr wiþere!"

Her spell strengthened the flames into a high blaze. Gaius screamed. He struggled against her magic but with his hands bound and his resistance wavering, he was not able to counter it. He crumbled to the floor.

"Tell me about Emrys."

Gaius, however, remained steadfast. With a cruel smile on her face, Morgana watched him writhe in pain. Then all of a sudden, the fire had gone. Morgana looked stunned. She turned around and looked at Alvarr who had stretched out his arm and ended her spell.

"Why did you stop me? I almost had him!"

"You almost killed him. He is no use to us dead," Alvarr replied.

"This was not your decision to make," she shouted at him furiously.

Equally heated, he shouted back: "Your emotions are clouding your judgment. You need to control yourself."

They stared at each other for some moments until Alvarr finally looked down.

He stepped towards her and said more calmly: "I didn't mean to shout at you. We have just come too far to just throw it all away for petty vengeance."

Morgana took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. As she opened them, she forced herself to smile at him. Alvarr knew that this was not over but for now at least, he had won the argument.

"Fine. We'll do it your way," Morgana conceded. Turning to the guards, she demanded: "Take him back to his cell."

As the guards dragged Gaius towards the door, Morgana looked at him and threatened: "This is only a reprieve, Gaius. You are going to tell me what I want to know before I am done with you."

Meanwhile in the forest, Leon, Percival, Lancelot, and Guinevere had continued towards the east. They had, of course, heard their followers charge at Arthur and Merlin but they had kept on going. By dusk, they reached a small brook and made camp. Lancelot and Percival went to collect firewood while Leon and Gwen filled up the water-skins. After some time, they sat down around the little fire they had got going. Nobody spoke, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

"They'll be all right," Gwen finally broke the silence. It was half a question, half an attempt of reassurance.

"Arthur knows what he is doing. We need to trust in him," Leon stated more confidently than he actually felt.

"We should get some rest. We have a long way to go. Worrying about possibilities doesn't help," Percival pointed out in his typically calm voice, "I'll take the first watch."

Lancelot woke up in the middle of the night and sat up. Leon, who was currently keeping watch, looked at him and smiled.

"You should get back to sleep. You still have like an hour before it's your turn," Leon said quietly.

"No, it's all right. I'm awake now. You can lie down," Lancelot replied as he stood up and stretched.

"If you're sure. I am really tired."

Lancelot walked around the camp. Everything was peaceful. In the distance, he heard an owl screeching.

"You couldn't sleep either?" he heard Gwen's voice behind him. She stepped up to him. Lancelot did not look at her but continued to stare straight ahead.

"You should try and get some rest, Milady. The next days are going to be exhausting," he stated tersely.

"Lancelot," Gwen said. There was unease ringing in her voice as she put her hand gently on Lancelot's arm. He flinched from her touch. It took all his willpower to meet her gaze. She was watching him attentively with her brown eyes.

"What is it? Ever since the siege you have been distant and curt with me," Gwen asked looking at him worriedly.

"Milady, please. Let's not do this. Not now, not here," Lancelot replied stepping away from her.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No, of course not." Lancelot hesitated.

"What is the matter? Why so formal? You can tell me, Lancelot."

"Some things should be left unsaid. Guinevere, please."

"Fine. If you don't want to talk, then don't," Gwen said and turned around to go back to the fire. She obviously felt hurt.

Lancelot closed his eyes briefly before he stated: "It has something to do with protection. I want you to be happy, I hope you know that. But seeing you and Arthur together, it hurts too much. I know that I shouldn't feel this way but I do."

"I'm sorry," Gwen replied without looking back. She went to the fire and lay back down.

In the morning, the four of them continued onwards towards the Forest of Essetir. Neither Lancelot nor Gwen spoke of what had passed between them the night before.