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The gates of the city were a welcome sight, even with the extra guards posted along the walls. The small party was ushered inside and the large portcullis clanked to the ground behind them.
Stable hands were standing by in the courtyard, ready to receive the horses.
Arthur stood on the steps with a grave look on his face. He gave them each a nod. "Tell me you have news of my son."
"Not exactly, Sire. But, Aylass and Cai do have information on who he possibly is…and why he may have taken the prince."
"Follow me." The king commanded. He turned and stalked into the castle without a glance back.
They were all exhausted and in need of a good meal, but they followed him nonetheless. Leon happened to cast a look over his shoulder and saw his wife standing at the edge of the courtyard. She waved subtly, while he nodded and smiled in acknowledgement.
Tapping Cai on the shoulder, he pointed toward Lisanor and noted the sigh of relief she exhaled when her brother turned around. Motioning after the king, he saw her frown.
"Something is wrong," Cai said, reading the tension in his little sister.
"We can't worry about it until after we brief the king."
Reluctantly, they climbed the steps into the castle. Cai gave his sister what he hoped was an encouraging smile, attempting to convey that he was torn between the desire to greet her and by his duty to the Crown. Soon, he mouthed and saw her shoulders fall in sadness.
"Has Merlin returned yet, Sire?" Leon asked when he had caught up to the quick moving monarch.
"No. Morgana hasn't been able to make contact with him for a few days. She's beginning to get worried, as am I. We received word from Mercia recently, asking for our assistance."
"I thought Bayard didn't want to deal with us anymore because of the treaty with Lothian?" Gwaine gave Arthur a confused look.
"It appears that King Bayard might be dead."
Leon's eyebrows shot up in worry. The treaty had been a major sore spot for the past year. Lately, with the state of the wild growth throughout all the lands, it had become harder to know what was going on in other kingdoms. The fact they had not heard from Mercia in months had been disturbing. Then, Leon remembered the outpost they had come across where they faced the man-eating plant.
If the areas beyond that, deeper in Mercian territory were worse... He shook his head of the image that presented itself. "Sire, what do you mean?"
"Refugees arrived just after..." Arthur's face fell for a moment before he shook his head and seemed to regain his senses. "From what we were able to ascertain, Bayard sent out a sizable force to check out a ruined castle near the border of Camelot that he suspected Lothian forces had taken residence in. They were slaughtered to the last man by an army of magical creatures.
"The beasts then turned their attention to Bedfordshire and quickly overran the city. One of them said he saw a man wearing antlers on his head...like something out of druidic folklore."
The knights stopped and looked at each other. It sounded like the thing that had kept Aylass and the others captive. They had suspected that he had an army, but hearing about how it had nearly razed the Mercian capitol was almost beyond comprehension.
"He's called Cernunnos." Aylass said in a timid voice.
Arthur cast an evaluating gaze over her. He licked his lips. Finally having a name to put to the culprit didn't make it easier, but it gave him hope that Aylass might be able to fill in some of the gaps. "He is the one you believe has Duran?"
She looked at Gwaine for support. He gave her a nod and squeezed her shoulder. "He...uh...he spoke of a wanting to find a child with the blood of his enemy."
Arthur held up his hand to silence her. "We will continue this in front of the council."
They reached the Council Room and were surprised to see so many in attendance, considering the late hour. Arthur took his throne. Not even a heartbeat had passed before he called Cai forward and bade him to speak.
"Welcome back to Camelot, Sir Cai." The king said in a tight voice that betrayed the amount of strain the king had been under since the abduction. He turned to his Knight Commander. "Sir Leon, what news do you have?"
Leon moved forward and bowed formally before his king. He had looked around when they entered the Throne Room and taken note of who was present. Most of the older nobility who were still in good standing after the incident with Bran's head were there. He wondered about the empty throne next to Arthur.
"Thank you, My Lord." He began telling Arthur the details of their journey – from reaching Helva and meeting with Cai, to their brief stop in the Southron kingdom and the various other townships along the way. He then let Cai step forward to describe the state of the tunnel into the Perilous Lands, as he was the only one who had been through that region.
"The tunnel is completely impassable now, Sire. Due to the overgrowth and the cave-in there appears to be no other way in that region to be able to access the lands beyond."
"How bad is this 'overgrowth?'" Arthur asked. He shot a glare at Gwaine when he heard the man give snort. "Perhaps you can tell me, Sir Gwaine?"
Coughing into his hand, Gwaine tried to cover up his embarrassment. "Bad, Arthur. It's even hard to find the roads that were once well-traveled trade routes through the area."
"Things are so bad, Sire," Cai said, bringing the king's attention back to himself. "…That Gwaine nearly found himself flower food in the most literal sense."
Gwaine rolled his eyes and grimaced. He knew that the story would soon begin to spread and his time at the tavern would be filled with jokes at his expense.
Cai went on to describe rescuing Aylass from the ravine and the subsequent battle with the wolves.
"Alvarr is dead?" Arthur asked, and all three men nodded. He had already known about the altercation from Morgana's communiqué with her husband, but he needed to have it said publicly for the court to hear. "You are certain of this?"
"We are, Sire."
"This Enmyria is now leading Merlin to my son?"
"We assume so...or, at least, to the keep where this Cernunnos was living. He had been keeping Prince Bran, Tristan and Aylass imprisoned there for the past year or more."
Arthur turned his gaze onto the girl who was standing half hidden behind Gwaine. "Please, I know this must be difficult for you, but I need you to tell me everything you can about your time in this keep. The more information you can give me about this Cernunnos, as well as the fates of Prince Bran and your father, the better chance I have of saving my son and my kingdom."
"My Lord." Aylass surprised herself at how even she was able to keep her voice. "We left with Prince Bran to help him reclaim his kingdom and found our way through the smugglers' tunnel in the mountains south of the Forest of Ander. As we began crossing through the Perilous Lands, we were surrounded by wyvern, but they did not attack.
"The sorcerer, Alvarr, was suddenly there among them. He was planning to kill us when…he appeared." Her second uttering of the word 'he' clearly told everyone listening that she was referring to someone other than the sorcerer, and that it was someone to be feared. "I didn't know what to make of him, at first. He was tall and had antlers, like a stag, that were actually growing out of his head. His face is like a cross between a man and a deer. He stopped Alvarr and took us all back to the keep. He kept calling me Florie and acting like I was his daughter.
"He threatened to kill my father if I didn't obey him. In some way, I have to thank him, though. Because of him, Alvarr was never allowed to lay one of his filthy hands on me."
Morgana stood next to her brother's throne. She cringed, recalling when she had been taken in by Alvarr's smooth words and powerful charisma.
There were nods and murmurs of agreement all around. Alvarr's reputation had always spoken of more than just his outlaw ways. Amidst the rumblings were questions. Sirs Vortimer and John had returned, yet neither had made any mention of Alvarr or being captured. John had fallen ill shortly after and had died. No one was able to give a plausible explanation as to how or why none of the treatments from the healers seemed to work.
"Please, tell me more about him and if you know anything about why he would have taken my son."
Aylass shifted nervously. "I don't exactly know, Sire. I thought I had heard mention of a ritual that he was planning to perform."
The lines around Arthur's mouth tightened. He noticed Morgana's eyes widen and made a note to speak to her later. He never claimed to understand magic, nor did he really want to. However, the thought that his son might be used for some vile ritual chilled him to the core. He was thankful that Guinevere was not in the room, as fear began spreading through the crowd.
"When?" Morgana demanded, "When and where is this ritual taking place?"
Aylass faltered under the piercing gaze of the dark-haired woman. "I don't know. I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
"Shhh," Gwaine whispered, as he rubbed circles on Aylass' back. "Let's get you out of here."
Aylass nodded; the tears receding as numbness crept in. She had given her statement to the king. Everything was questioned again and again by not only Arthur, but members of his court. The midnight bell had tolled a few candle marks past, by the time they released her from the deposition. She had been forced to relive her days of captivity and how she had watched her father wasting away under Cernunnos' imprisonment. Each overheard conversation was scrutinized until Aylass wasn't even sure she knew what she was saying.
She was so tired that she hadn't even realized they had left the castle until Gwaine began rapping lightly on a house door in the Lower Town.
"Gwaine!" The woman inside whispered loudly and flung open the door. She wrapped Gwaine in a warm embrace, before releasing him and turning to Aylass.
"Hey Clare. I know it's late, but mind if we come in?"
"Of course!" Gwaine's twin sister ushered them into the small house.
Aylass couldn't even find it within herself to smile in appreciation. She was glad that Gwaine had brought her here instead of to a chamber in the castle. She couldn't stand the thought of spending the night alone. The bedchambers in the castle might have been more comfortable, but after the evening she had experienced, she wanted to be as far away from the place as possible.
Gwaine sat her down in a chair and she vaguely noticed his sister flitting about her kitchen.
Clarissant stoked the fire and hung a kettle.
"You had your baby?" Aylass finally asked as she began to feel warmth seeping into her body.
Smoothing down her robe, Clarissant smiled and glanced down at her slender form. "Yes, awhile back actually. Twins."
"Hey." A deep voice said in surprise from the open doorway that led into the only other room of the small house. Percival came out, clad only his trousers, to greet the guests.
"Thought you would have been at the castle when we arrived." Gwaine clasped his brother-in-law's large arm in greeting.
Percival shrugged, "I just got back around the time the bell rang. We've been searching day and night for any sign of the prince." He glanced over at Aylass and gave her a smile. "Good to see you back. This one's been sulking over your absence for too long now."
"I don't sulk." The smaller man protested.
Aylass couldn't help but smile, and feel her spirits lift. The house, although small, was warm and welcoming, as were the people in it. She cupped her hands around the broth that Clarissant had set in front of her. Brushing her hair out of her face, she grimaced at her dirt covered hands. Aylass realized how awful she must have appeared, but either no one noticed or they didn't care.
"So, what happened?" Percival asked, accepting a cup from his wife.
Gwaine shook his head and gave his friend a pointed look. "Plenty of time for that later." He reached across the table and brushed Aylass' hand.
She slipped her fingers into his calloused palm, thankful in more ways than she could express for his strength.
"All we can offer you is a bit of floor space if you would like to stay here tonight."
Aylass smiled at the woman. Gwaine had told her that his sister had been held captive in that same keep. It gave her comfort to know that she wasn't alone. "I'd like that. Thank you."
Not long after that, Clarissant and Percival excused themselves back to the small room near the rear of the cottage. Their two children remained sound asleep in their own pile of bedding.
Staring at the fire, Aylass' mind began to wander. Although Tristan had been unconscious when she escaped, a piece of her heart held out hope that Merlin would find him in time to save him. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she recalled saying goodbye to him.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. I have no home, no family…"
A strong, tanned arm wrapped around her. "You have me."
Gwaine's presence allowed her to push the thoughts from her mind. There was nothing she could do for her father...if he was even still alive. A low rumbling sound against her back made her smile. "What?"
He never imagined a woman actually capturing his heart the way she had done. He'd never expected to have even the slightest urge to ever settle down. It was Merlin's fault, of that Gwaine was certain. Since the moment that the crafty little servant had come into Gwaine's life, his life had begun changing. He had become a respected knight. Relations with his family had drastically improved. Now, he was curled up in front of a fire with a beautiful woman.
There had been plenty of women over the years who had warmed his bed and listened to his raunchy songs, but none had been as innocently beautiful as the woman in his arms. From the first moment they'd met, when he had rescued her from Alvarr, there had been a fire lit inside of him.
Prior to meeting her, he'd had a rather narrow set of labels for women. Friend. Family. Enemy...or Fun. Aylass had broken through his stagnant views. Laying with her now, he certainly wanted to have some fun, but it was no longer about pleasing himself. She was unlike anyone he had ever known.
She turned her head and stared up at him with her fathomless, blue eyes. He leaned in and kissed her gently. She reciprocated and moaned softly against his lips. He kissed her again...and a third time. Each one simple and light. "Never dreamed of meeting someone like you."
Aylass grinned and rolled over so her back was against him. She tucked her arm under her head and snuggled closer into the warmth of his body. "I'm one of a kind. What can I say?"
Burying his face in her hair, he grinned. "That you are. Hell, even my horse likes you. Now, that's saying something."
The Throne Room echoed as the last of the council departed, leaving only Arthur, Morgana, and two of Arthur's most trusted men. Arthur implored his sister to speak with a simple wave of his hand.
Morgana moved to Guinevere's throne, and sank into it with a heavy heart. "I don't know what type of ritual would require the blood of a one-year-old prince. Some of the darkest Blood Rites do demand a human sacrifice. Most that I am aware of either require a generic life for a life, or demand a newborn. Either of which, this Cernunnos could have obtained elsewhere and we would have never known about it."
Leon shook his head when the king looked to him. He knew even less about magic than Arthur did. "Cai and I were wondering if it might be something about the royal bloodline specifically."
The king turned to Cai and bade him to elaborate.
"I know very little about Blood Rituals involving humans myself. Most of the Catha training I received focus on other things. I can send word to Alator and see if he might know something more about this." Cai offered.
Morgana nodded her agreement. "I'll go ask Alice and Gaius. They would the best source of information that we have available here in Camelot."
"It doesn't matter what they know." The king stated firmly. "We will get my son back before he has a chance to perform this dastardly ceremony. Sir Leon, we need to be ready to move out first thing in the morning. I will take the entire army out to confront him."
"But, Sire?! We have only just returned." He never would have spoken out so blatantly under Uther's rule, but Arthur was different in that he listened to his advisors.
The city was in a state of chaos. He'd witnessed the upheaval when they had entered. The locked gates and searches had put the entire city on edge. No one understood how the young prince could have gone missing in the middle of the night. His guards had been killed without a mark on them. One young knight, who Leon didn't fully trust, had been the one to discover the bodies.
He could feel it in the air. The people were on the cusp of panic. Arthur was a man of action. He was a great king in times of war and peace, but the entire situation had left him floundering and grasping at shadows. Leon noted the way Arthur never relaxed back into his throne. He couldn't blame him. He would be the same if it had been his own infant son. But, Leon didn't have the responsibilities that the king did.
Taking a deep breath, Leon bowed in apology. "Sire, I do not know what our current compliment of soldiers is, nor if all the provisions have been seen to. If you want me to be at your side and lead our forces towards this demon, I need to know what we have available. I will not fail you, if this is your desire, but all I ask is for at least one day to make certain we will be ready to face him.
"We can't afford to rush off half-cocked, Arthur. Let me help you. Let us help you. We need to prepare the kingdom for your absence. What if he isn't in the Perilous Lands anymore? And after what happened to Bedfordshire, can we leave the kingdom so unprotected? If he sees us coming with a full complement of soldiers, then who knows what this beast is likely to do."
For the first time in nearly a week, Arthur truly paused and contemplated the words of his knight. Leon had known him longer than almost anyone else, except for perhaps Cai. Unlike Cai, Leon's presence had been a constant throughout the years. Although, it was Cai's next words that really brought a new light to the situation.
"The queen should be informed of the situation. That way, she is fully aware of the circumstances while we are away. She will need to be brought up to speed on the status of the guards and whoever may be left behind to protect the city." Cai stood at the bottom of the steps, with his hands clasped in front of him. His dark hair brushed fell limply on top of his shoulders. His dark leather jerkin matched the color of his hair, and a similar monochromatic tone flowed down to include his breeches and boots.
For a moment, the dark garb reminded Arthur of when the Lancelot's shade had appeared in Camelot. As much as Arthur wanted to, he did not turn his head toward his sister. He understood now that it had not been her, but Morgause that had summoned the formerly dead knight from the realm beyond. Looking upon Cai, however, the king could see one extremely visible difference. Despite the exhaustion of his training and travels, Cai's eyes were filled with life.
Even in the shadowy light of torches and candles, the green orbs held a spark that was unmistakable. Arthur's mind began to mull over the thoughts these two knights had presented him with, as well as others.
There was a good possibility that in his emotionally heightened state, he'd overlooked things. Guinevere wasn't in a position to rule in his absence. He honestly couldn't say if his army had organized enough provisions to move out and perform a massive scale attack.
He needed to step back. The council of his knights...his friends...reminded him of his own place in the order of things.
His son's life was on the line. He had been grasping for information and ready to rush out in a massive rescue attempt. But, he had neglected the truth that was suddenly laid out in front of him. Mercia had been all but destroyed as far as he knew. Bayard's army had been larger and stronger in manpower than Camelot's, even though it had been divided by the recent issues along the Lothian borders.
Despite the danger to Duran, Arthur could not leave his kingdom unprotected.
"One day?" He asked.
Leon shot Cai a glance. One day would be difficult to organize everything, but the army had already been at least half-way prepared for a siege. They just wanted to make certain that no major details had been overlooked.
Cai shrugged but didn't seem wholly put off by the tight timeframe.
Arthur watched the interaction and was awed by how well the two men seemed to read each other. "One day, it is. I won't delay any longer than that, even if it means I will go out on my own to find him."