TITLE: Into the Woods
CHAPTER/TITLE: Thirty Six/ The Mission
RATING: T (just to be safe)
A/N: Since this is already AU, can we please pretend that "A Servant of Two Master's" happened BEFORE "The Wicked Day". I mixed up the episode order and already wrote the last chapters as though Merlin had been under the effects of the Femorrah before and I use dialogue in this chapter of Gwen talking about the Femorrah. So...um...can we play pretend pretty please?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Merlin or Robin Hood.
Chapter Thirty Six: The Mission
Arthur and the others had spent the day splitting into teams and scouring the forest. Alan and Little John had both offered suggestions of known rock ledges and other places that could be used for dwellings. And yet, but the day's near closing, there had been no success for any of the search parties.
They had agreed on a meeting place, each group having one member of Robin Hood's gang to navigate the woods and lead the outsiders to the secret location. It wasn't the gang's base of operations, but they had established it as a meeting grounds long ago and it also acted as their emergency secondary home, in case their hideaway was ever discovered.
The final pairs were just gathering with the others when a certain outlaw broke through the trees.
"Robin!" Much exclaimed, leaping to his sore feet. "We've been looking everywhere for you and Merlin!" The servant stopped short, eyes scanning behind his master. "Where - where is he?"
"What happened? Where's Merlin?" Arthur demanded, not unkindly, stepping forward.
"The witch has him," Robin informed the others after a pained pause. "He used his magic to save me, but he couldn't save himself. She has used something. A magical creature of some kind to take hold of Merlin's mind. To use him against us. To control him."
"What?" Allan scoffed. "How's that possible? That can't be right."
"No," Gwen shook her head, "it's true. I've seen something like it before. Remember, not long before he left, Merlin went missing after you were attacked by those mercenaries? He wasn't just missing. Something was done to him. He wasn't himself. He tried to kill you, Arthur. There was this thing inside of him. Gaius figured it out. It's like - a parasite."
"Morgana called it a Femorrah," Robin nodded.
"Well, what can we do?" Djaq questioned.
"We have to kill the creature," Robin answered apprehensively.
"We tried that," Gwen shook her head. "Gaius cut the thing out of Merlin's neck and threw it in the fire and another just grew back in it's place."
"No," Robin corrected, "not the one infecting Merlin. We have to kill the mother." Robin echoed the dragon's words. "Only then will he be free from Morgana's hold over him."
"So where is this beast?" Gwaine gripped the hilt of his sword.
"In a hut in the forest where the witch was holding us," Robin replied.
"So, to get to the creature," Will swallowed, "we have to get through Morgana?"
"Morgana doesn't does in any one place longer than she has to, unless that place is the thrown of Camelot," Arthur explained. "She may not even be there anymore."
"Well then," Gwaine grinned darkly, "what are we waiting for? Let's go kill this thing."
"Wait," Robin held up a hand, "travelling in such a large group will be dangerous. Since our escape and Morgana's betrayal, the sheriff and Gisbourne and their men will be out looking for all of us."
"So we're being hunted by our friend, a witch and the sheriff," Alan summarized. "Great."
"If we move through the forest," Robin continued, "we should do so in small numbers. But most of us should stay here."
"What?" Will protested in unison with Gwaine and Arthur.
"It's safer here," Robin urged. "Listen. We are all in danger, but the sheriff's targets are Morgana, and the king and queen. Morgana's target, is Arthur. And Merlin's target, is Arthur. Not only are you the one that is the most at risk," Robin addressed the king now, "but you are also a king. If Morgana's true goal is to rule over Camelot, we will only make her task that much easier if we let you get killed."
"He is right," Djaq nodded. "We have never used this place since Merlin has joined us. I do not believe he knows of it. The sheriff and his men and Morgana don't know of it either. This is the safest place for you," she turned to smile softly at the queen, "both of you."
"I will take one of my men and one of yours with me to find this creature and destroy it," Robin announced.
"Leon," Arthur nodded at his friend. "Go with him."
The knight bowed his head in response, walking over to join the outlaw.
"Allan," Robin motioned for the man to join him.
"Are you sure taking him is a good idea?" Little John grunted, thrusting an accusatory thumb at the former traitor.
"He's coming with me," Robin replied firmly.
"Then so am I," Much stepped forward, hands planted stiffly on his hips.
"Much -"
"No," the servant interrupted his former master. "Where you go, I go. Especially if where you go, is where he goes," Much pointed at Allan, "then it's definitely where I go."
"Alright, fine," Robin lifted his hands. "Everyone else, stay here. If you're found, you know where to go," he look poignantly at his friends.
"They get to have all the fun," Gwaine crossed his arms.
"Destroy this beast," Arthur shook Robin's hand. "And be safe."
The king patted his knight's shoulder after clasping his hand.
They all finished their farewells and then the others watched as the four disappeared into the forest on their mission.