It had been hard to accept Will's death, I still grieved for him even now and held some anger toward Arthur for his inability to accept Magick but I had also come to accept the fact that for now, it would have to remain secret. It seemed as though he were aware of my currently mixed feelings for him as the playful banter we had shared in Ealdor had become nothing more than a memory and I had become nothing more than a servant. Proven when he forced my ass out of bed at first light to go hunting with him and the Knights. I stayed well back behind Arthur and his Knights as they crept around a large rock. It may have been something to do with the fact that I was clumsy and had the worst timing when it came to blurting things out; I had already been told to shut up three times and we'd barely been gone two hours. Not that I cared, I had never paid much attention to Arthur's orders before and the Knights had been incredibly polite even helping me over some of the trickier terrain, not deterred even when Arthur would glare at them for it. Even without wearing a dress the forest was a nightmare to move silently in, roots and rocks constantly trying to trip you up. Well actually just me; no one else seemed to have any issues navigating their way through silently. I watched as Arthur silently commanded them to go the other way and I just stayed well back, hoping he'd leave me alone to just carry the bags and not get me involved someway like he usually did.

"Merlin." He whispered. So much for me being left out of it… I scrambled over, trying not to fall as the ground began to slant, not even bothering to try and quiet my steps anymore.

"What is it?" I whispered, hoping he was just calling me over to tell me to stay put. If he did I might be able to sit down for a while, maybe even take a nap…

"I don't know." Huh? Oh… he thought I was asking what he was hunting. Like I cared about that, the poor creature was just going to end up dead anyway. "We have it surrounded. I want you to go in there and flush it out." Is he having me on? Surely, he was joking.

"You want me to go in there? You just said you don't know what it is, it could be dangerous." Like… a wild boar or something.

"Let's hope so." I just continued to stare at him like he was mad. "Go." He urged. With a growl I started stomping over to whatever the hell it was. No point in me being quiet if I'm flushing the damn thing out anyway. I withdrew my sword, not wanting to get charged without anyway of defending myself, aside from the obvious of course but I doubted anyone would take the blame for me if I were caught using Magick again. Eventually I found the creature Arthur was hunting and I could feel my eyes widening in wonder… a unicorn. Its coat gleamed white and its cream coloured mane hung wild along its neck, the horn protruding out from between a gap in the mane, a beautifully twisted design that had grown to about the size of my forearm before sharpening into a point. It just watched me with an old, peaceful gaze and I let the sensation of peace its gaze brought wash over me in waves; ebbing and flowing as much in sync with me as my own heartbeat. It was the first time I'd felt real peace since Will…I placed my sword back in its scabbard before slowly walking toward it, as though its eyes were calling me to it. The sound of a snapping twig brought me out of my daze and I remembered why I was here, Arthur was going to kill it. I waved my hands toward it in a shooing motion.

"Go." I whispered, urging it to run. "Go." My whisper grew more fervid as it just whinnied at me, not willing to move from my side. "Please, go. Shoo." It just continued to stare. "They're going to kill you, please go!" I was ready to try and push it forward myself when I caught sight of Arthur high up on the embankment, aiming for the unicorn out of the corner of my eye. "Arthur, no!" I screamed, too late as I watched the arrow stick straight into the creature's heart and it let out a pain filled sound before falling to the ground on its side. I fell to my knees beside it, heaving its head onto my lap and stroking its muzzle as tears began to run down my cheeks. The Unicorn was silent now, using all of its concentration on breathing as its eyes hooded in pain. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I repeated through the thickness clogging my throat. Arthur laughed in exhilaration and triumph when he got down to the ground level where I knelt, the poor things head still in my lap.

"A Unicorn!"

"What have you done?" My voice was nothing more than a whisper, unable to mask the grief that had taken root in my heart. It had become a familiar feeling. I heard the running steps of the Knights but I refused to move my eyes from Arthur. Feeling the Unicorn's head cooling against my legs as blood stopped flowing around its body.

"Don't be such a girl, Merlin." My eyes went hot as fresh tears poured from them, this time in anger as well as sorrow but before I could scream them at Arthur I noticed a blurred figure standing slightly back. I blinked my eyes, clearing the tears and the form began to steady itself, allowing me to see an old man wearing robes of white with a wooden staff and I felt it… I felt the power that emanated from him. "What are you looking at?" The figure disappeared, literally, as Arthur and the Knights turned their heads to where my gaze had rested. Arthur shrugged off my weird behaviour, more than used to it by now but the Knights looked back at me in worry and Sir Leon was the first to reach out to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, I rested my own over his.

"Come on, Merlin. It's gone. There is nothing more you can do for it." I let him help me to my feet, turning my gaze away as Arthur bent beside the Unicorn. I did not want to watch him take his trophy. Sir Leon led me away.

I was made to carry it into the council chambers, the beautiful horn that I had admired rested atop a pillow, missing the beautiful creature that had once worn it with pride. I forced the tears back, I would not cry in front of Uther. Leon stood beside me, his disappointed gaze on Arthurs back. He knew that what Arthur was doing to me was… cruel. I had never thought it of him before but… to force me to carry what he deemed a trophy when he had watched me weep for its body was just wrong.

"Father! A Unicorn's horn to grace the walls of Camelot." The council were gathered, Gaius amongst them, and I met his gaze, letting him see the sorrow that lay there.

"Magnificent!" Uther crowed, striding over to where I stood holding it. I forced myself not to step back, not wanting him to touch it. "It's the first one I've seen." I let him lift the horn from the cushion, unable to stop him. I felt Sir Leon press his hand against the small of my back in comfort. "Gaius, look at this!" I watched as my mentor inspected it from a distance, unwilling to sully the horns perfection unlike the King who held it in his gloved, grubby fingers.

"It is very impressive, my Lord." Gaius responded out of duty, his real feelings of trepidation obvious to the few of us who really knew him. Uther happened to be amongst them.

"What is it, Gaius? Speak your mind." I had a feeling Uther was rolling his eyes.

"Unicorns are rare and mystical creatures. There is a legend that says bad fortune will come to anyone who slays one." That's a point… Unicorns were Magickal creatures, so why was Uther who feared Magick above all else, so pleased by its spectacular horn. I watched as Arthur shook his head, laughing silently.

"Nonsense." Uther muttered, never believing anything until he saw it with his own eyes. He practically threw the horn back on the cushion I still held, patting Arthur on the shoulder in pride. "We will be the envy of every Kingdom." Arthur seemed to glow at his father's praise and it worried me to think he relied so much on it. He would do anything to please his father… would that interfere with the great destiny he apparently had?

"I'm pleased you like it." That much was obvious.

I waited for the council to be dismissed, wanting to talk to Gaius about this legend he had mentioned. Arthur strode past me, head high, not even looking down at where I stood as he laughed to his Knights. All but Sir Leon joined him in cheer and I gave him a sad smile when he met my eyes as they went past. Eventually Gaius was released and we walked across the courtyard together, both of us more than ready to go home.

"I don't understand how Arthur could have taken any pleasure from killing the Unicorn." The man I had known… the one who had saved me from Valiant, risked his life to find an antidote to the poison that had been killing me and joined me in battle to protect my village seemed to have vanished with our arrival back here. Seemed to have vanished the moment I cast that spell in Ealdor, the one Will had taken the blame for… the man I had grown to love was becoming more like his father by the day and I didn't know how to stop it.

"Arthurs a hunter, it's in his blood." The same blood that ran through Uther. "Whereas yours is something entirely different." Yeah… at the moment the only thing coursing through my blood was pity.

"It was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen." Gaius was the only one I knew who would undoubtedly feel the same way as I had upon seeing its majesty. "I wish you had been there." He would have been able to stop Arthur, Gaius always seemed to know the right thing to say when either the King or Arthur were in one of their moods…

"It's a rare privilege; alas there are very few Unicorns still alive."

"Try telling that to Arthur." I grumbled, the anger I had felt toward him had melted to sorrow along the way. Sorrow and fear. Fear of what he may become.

"I can imagine it would be difficult." No shit. With a heavy sigh we parted way, I had spent too long waiting and would not be able to return to my chambers now until Arthur was fed, so I trudged down to the kitchens, debating putting some sort of laxative in his wine.

I stood in Arthur's chambers, staring out of his window at the courtyard below wondering when everything began to go so wrong whilst he prattled off a list of chores. "My horse lost a shoe, take it to the blacksmith, make sure he does a good job. And when you've done that you can polish my sa… saddle." His voice trailed off and I was glad for the moments reprieve, I longed for the silence of my own room. "Merlin?!" I turned to face him, his lunch still littered across the table from eating. "Have you listened to a word I've said?" Define listened… if you mean did I try my best to block you out and fail then yes. Ass. I just nodded. "You've got a face like a wounded bear since we got back from the hunting trip. Don't tell me you're still upset about the Unicorn." Of course I am! Amongst other things the Unicorn's pain seemed to spin through my head, joining the chorus of Uther's commands and Arthur's newfound obedience.

"I don't think you should have killed it." Was all I said, turning my gaze back to the window.

"Oh, really?" I heard his feet moving away from the table, a part of me expected him to come over to me, like he once had whenever I was sad but the footsteps grew more distant as he retreated to the other side of his bed. "Why is that?" Because it didn't need to die. What purpose was in the Unicorn's death? You couldn't eat it, or use it for medicine, it wasn't dangerous… it was just for sport. It was a just a waste of a rare, beautiful, living creature.

"It was doing no harm. What purpose did you serve by killing it?" I had not noticed until that point how disappointed my voice was, as though it had finally caught up with my emotions.

"We were hunting." Not for them… not for something so… I could not even think of the words. "That's what you do." In Ealdor you hunted animals for food, medicine, bedding or clothing. Not for fun. Perhaps I didn't belong here after all… "Have me bring it home as a pet?" I gritted my teeth in frustration at his callousness, glaring at his back. "Look at this!" He ordered and I wondered what the hell was bothering him now.

"What?" I snapped, walking over to where he sat. Well stood now I supposed.

"Do you know what that is?" He asked grabbing my head and forcing it down, like I was some bloody dog! "Rat droppings!" So what? A castle as large as this was bound to have rats somewhere or other. It was kind of obvious that one would end up in his chambers at some point. "My chambers are infested!" One rat was now an infestation? "You need to spend less time worrying about unicorns and more time worrying about rats!" That's it! I went to let him have it, a rant forming in my head but before I had even begun a knock interrupted us. "Enter." I watched as one of the Knight's opened the door, his face drawn down in worry.

"My Lord, the King requests your service as a matter of urgency."

"Find that rat!" Arthur ordered, stalking passed me and I was so tempted to literally kick him up the ass. I sat in his chamber for hours but the rat did not show, perhaps it had found another room to hole up in. I didn't particularly care either way so in the end I just headed back to my own chambers not particularly interested in Arthur's orders. Not anymore. Until he could prove himself to be the man I had thought he was… then I would be his servant, nothing more. I would still protect him with my life, his was worth a million of mine, but I would not try to be his friend, not until then.

"Any ideas what caused the crops to die?" I had never heard of something like this. Yes, on rare occasion something would happen in Ealdor that would destroy our food source but nothing that spread further than our own village. This was something different entirely. Gaius' equipment was bubbling away, tubes leading to some liquid or another as he worked on finding some answers.

"I've yet to complete all the tests. No disease I have heard of can spread through the entire Kingdom in one night." Tell me about it.

"What could kill all the plants other than a disease?" All I could think of was extremely heavy rainfall or a drought but neither had been the case of late.

"It's not killing all the plants; the trees and hedges around the crop fields are unharmed." Interesting… "Unfortunately you can't eat trees and hedges." Hmm… how long is it that you can go without food? Three weeks?

"It's only killing plants we can eat." Which meant only one answer; Magick. No disease or natural disaster could differentiate between plants that were edible and those that were not. It was impossible.

"It appears so." What else was there? Well, I suppose there was meat, providing the grass hadn't died too but it would take every Knight in the Kingdom to try and catch enough food for everyone, and that was only providing the animals hadn't moved on due to the lack of sustenance.

"If it's not a disease then it must be Magick." I stated, wondering why Gaius hadn't already came to that conclusion himself.

"We can't assume that, Merlin." It's not an assumption. It's common sense. "Perhaps there is something in the water or soil that can explain it, I can't tell the King it's caused by Sorcery until I'm completely certain." I'm completely certain and these tests were just a waste of time. Still, I knew trying to tell Gaius that was as much a waste of time. I decided to just go and find Arthur, he was obviously back by now if Gaius knew of this, at least it meant I'd have something to do other than stare at the pile of junk on Gaius' table.

"Merlin?" I turned at my name, spotting Gwen hovering by the water pump. "Is it true what they're saying about the crops? They're all dead?" I didn't want to worry her but she needed to know, if for no other reason than to try and conserve whatever she had at home.

"I'm afraid so. We may have to start tightening our belts." I warned.

"I'm sure Arthur will think of something." Doubt it, he was thicker than a lance pole sometimes. But with my help… he most likely would. Not that I'd get any of the credit for it of course.

"If he doesn't, I will." I winked, carrying on my way. Feeling a little more cheery for talking to her. I should have just visited her more often when I first got back instead of letting this grief consume my every waking moment.

"Merlin!" I heard Gwen shout me back, panic in her tone and I ran back the few feet I had gotten. The water pump… there was sand coming out of it. No water… just sand. Oh no. That took our three weeks down to three days of survival. There's no way Gaius would be able to explain this with science, I had been right to assume Sorcery was involved. But why? Was it possible that… I mean Gaius had said to kill a unicorn would bring dire consequences? Is this what he had meant? Had Arthur brought this upon us by destroying that beautiful creature? Or was Cara up to her old tricks again?

I had taken Gwen's bucket of sand back to my chambers, intent on telling Gaius but he wasn't home so I just moved them up to my room. My mouth already dry at the idea of going without water, I decided to search through the Grimoire Gaius had given me.

"Greot gecuman lec án." Nope. "Gecuman gé drý waeter" Nope. I began to turn the page, hearing footsteps behind me I slammed the book shut and turned behind me. It was just Gaius. "I… erm… I was just erm…" Dammit! Why did I have to be such a terrible liar?

"I was hoping you might be trying to turn it back into water." Oh. That's new… it was very rare that Gaius approved of me using my gifts. He must have seen the surprised look on my face because he carried on, taking the opportunity to sit atop the other side of my bed. "I know I've cautioned against using Magick but if ever there was a time to use your talents it's now." Well, that was all well and good but he might want to try telling my Magick that because bugger all was working.

"Well, I wish I knew how." The dryness in my mouth agreed wholeheartedly. "I've tried everything. If it is Magick, its more powerful Magick than what I possess." I admitted, begrudging. Not used to having someone more powerful than I was, not in this way at least.

"Do you think it could be Kara? You know she's been trying to destroy Camelot since I got here." Gaius' eyebrow drew down in confusion.

"Kara?" How could he have forgotten about her?

"Yeah, you know; she tried poisoning me only a few months ago." Realisation dawned on him and he shook his head in irritation although it seemed to be aimed at himself this time.

"Merlin… I had meant to tell you, I'd forgotten you didn't know. Maybe you don't need to know but if it is her or even if it's not and she hasn't given up… her name isn't Kara, Merlin." Yeah, I kind of guessed that but with having no other name for her it was that or witch. Being as I looked at myself as a witch I didn't really want to put us in the same company. "It's Nimeuh." Okay… bit of weird name. I think I preferred Kara.

"Okay… and how do you know this Gaius?" He sighed, putting his head down.

"I realise I probably should have told you this a long time ago but… I know her. Or, at least, I did. Before the great purge she lived here in Camelot. When you and Arthur destroyed the Afanc I went back down to the water supply and found the egg it had hatched from… it bore her mark." So… Sorcerers had been welcome here at some point? I just assumed that they had never been particularly welcome just… ignored. Until Uther took the throne and decided to execute them all that is.

"Okay… could it be Nimeuh?"

"It's possible." His tone said otherwise. He did not believe she was involved in this particular curse that had befallen Camelot and Arthur wouldn't believe me if I told him the most likely cause. The Unicorn. I doubted he would even care what I thought anymore.

"Gaius…?" I debated opening up to him, asking him what I should do about Arthur, let him know my worries…

"What is it, Merlin?" His voice was kind and I felt my eyes sting with the tears I had held back since the funeral after Will's death. It wasn't fair to Gaius, to drop all my own worries and doubts on him. Not when he had so much on his plate already with the crops dying.

"Nothing." I sighed, wondering if I would ever be able to open up to anyone other than Arthur.

I was going home again after another two hours spent searching for Arthur's stupid rat, I hadn't even noticed how dark it had gotten by the time I left so I hurried my way out. Not wanting to be caught after curfew. I hurried across the courtyard, making it about halfway before I heard my name.

"Merlin!" Arthur materialised out of the darkness and I felt my heart stutter in fear. Well, I think it was fear, who the hell knew when he was around? "You do realise there's a curfew." Oh so that's what all those Knights walking around are for, I thought sarcastically.

"Yes, I was in your chambers hunting for the rat." So don't start getting snotty with me you clotpole.

"Did you find it?" Well…

"No," I admitted, turning sheepish.

"So you have been outwitted by a rat?"

"They do say rats are very intelligent." He looked at me like I was an idiot but I had heard many people say as much about rats in the past to believe it to be true, besides whatever Arthur thought to be a load of crap I tended to believe. More often than not, just to annoy him.

"More intelligent than you it would seem." I felt my cheek twitch slightly in amusement. I had missed this; just throwing insults at each other, or laughing at each other or… any of the things we had done before. "Now go home. It would be embarrassing to have to lock up my own servant for breaking the curfew." Oh, how horrific that would be for you, ass. I watched as his gaze turned to follow something to my left. "What's that?" I turned to look where he was, not noticing anything.

"What –" Arthur grabbed my arm, forcing me to run with him in the direction he'd been previously looking and cutting off my question. What happened to me not being allowed out after curfew? Eventually my feet began to understand what was happening to the rest of its body and picked up the pace so eventually Arthur let go and I ran beside him. In the distance of the corridors I could see a figure in a white robe disappearing behind a door and down the steps, I took the steps as fast as I could, watching as Arthur just jumped each flight. Show off. When we got to the bottom the robed figure was nowhere to be seen. Arthur started waving his hand in my face, making odd jerky movements with his fingers. What the…? He began to walk off and I followed, not exactly sure what he'd been trying to communicate. He must have heard my footsteps because he spun on me; disbelief and irritation evident in his gaze. He started doing the same weird hand movements.

"That means you go the other way and cut him off!" He growled. I just followed his orders, rolling my eyes once I'd turned. How the Hell was I supposed to know? Why didn't he just say what he wanted me to do? He'd had no problems with it before. I jogged around in a circle, noticing a figure coming towards me. I picked up speed, intending to pin them to the ground and almost landing in a heap on the floor when the figure moved to the side and grabbed me just before I could fall. It had been Arthur. Oops. Before he could rant at me I noticed a shadow against the wall in which he had come from and pointed it out before he could begin yelling at me. He made the same hand motions again only this time mouthing the words for me to 'go that way' so I ran back the way I had come and met Arthur again by the stairs.

"Where is he?" How was I supposed to know? He'd been closer to Arthur when we'd split up. I just shrugged, as confused as he was.

"I didn't see anyone." I had even looked up the stairs briefly but it had taken us no time to get back here so I highly doubted whoever it was had managed to get back up the stairs in time.

"He was right here! Don't tell me you let him get passed you."

"Arthur, no one went passed me!" I lost my temper, irritated that he thought I was blind. There was nowhere to even hide around here!

"Are you blind?!" I was ready to throttle him when a voice broke into our argument.

"Are you looking for me?" It was the man I had seen in the forest. Just after Arthur had slain the Unicorn. "I am Anhora. Keeper of the Unicorns." Well, that explains a lot. Arthur just looked at me as if to say 'is he for real?' and I just gave him an 'I told you so' look back.

"Camelot is under curfew. What is your business here?" I shook my head behind Arthur's back, it was pretty obvious why he was here. That whole Keeper of the Unicorns thing said it all.

"I have come to deliver a message." The man's voice was old and I began to truly look at him; the hair that stuck out from beneath his robe was pure white and his skin was wrinkled with age but his eyes spoke wisdom; as though he had seen everything this world had to offer and none of it held anything for him.

"And who is this message for?" Jeez! And he says I'm an idiot.

"It is for you, Arthur Pendragon." Who else? Arthur stepped toward Anhora, threateningly.

"Is it you who is responsible for destroying our crops? Turning our water into sand?" I think his point is that it's you who's responsible. Prat.

"You alone are responsible for the misfortune that has befallen Camelot." See? I told you.

"Me?" Oh, dear Gods! "You think I'd bring drought and famine upon my own people?" He never said you meant to, moron. Why is it that as soon as someone accuses Arthur of doing anything he gets all defensive?

"When you killed the Unicorn, you unleashed a curse. For this, Camelot will suffer greatly." Gaius was right then. Wonder if Uther will ever start listening to what he said? Or if Arthur would ever listen to me? The irony was not lost on me, that Gaius and I shared the same thankless relationships with Camelot's royalty.

"If you have put a curse on Camelot you will lift it. Or you will pay with your life." Oh wise move Arthur, threaten the creepy old man. That's not going to bite you in the ass at all, is it? What an absolute moron! And this man was going to be King some day? We were doomed.

"The curse was not my doing." Bet he could still stop it though if he wanted. Arthur was obviously thinking along the same lines.

"Undo the curse. Or face execution." Arthur stepped to Anhora, obviously trying to be threatening but the old man's face remained as impassive as it had been to begin with.

"Only you can do that. You will be tested." Arthur made to grab the old man's staff. Obviously unhappy with the cryptic response.

"You're under arrest." I watched in disbelief and slight humour as Arthur went straight through him as Anhora vanished into thin air. It had not been graceful.

"Until you have proven yourself and made amends for killing the Unicorn the curse will not be lifted." I had spun at Anhora's voice, finding him stood at the very top of the staircase. "If you fail any of these tests, Camelot will be damned. For all eternity." So… my destiny is pretty much screwed then.

"You're an idiot." Was all I could think of to say after Anhora had vanished again. Arthur just looked at me like I'd grown an extra head so I decided to just leave him there and go talk to Gaius. I'd rather discuss what happened with someone who actually had a brain.

"And you believe what this Anhora said about the curse to be true?" Gaius had been asleep when I'd gotten in the night before so I'd been forced to spend the night tossing and turning in my bed, unable to sleep. It started off with thoughts of Anhora's words haunting me but progressed to the unicorn and eventually… Will. I had drifted in and out of consciousness all night, feeling even more exhausted when I awoke than when I'd gone to bed to begin with.

"You said there's a legend that misfortune will come to anyone that slays a Unicorn. It makes sense." I should know. I'd been thinking about it most of the night. Gaius laid our breakfast down in front of me; about three spoonfuls of porridge.

"Not much for breakfast I'm afraid we're down to our last few scraps of food." Nothing to be done about it… not unless Arthur pulls his head out of his arse to take a look around him. I picked up my tea to take a swig. Wait a sec…

"Where'd you get the water to make the tea?" I asked, watching the cup suspiciously even when everything else in me was dying to just down it in one. The flask of water I still had from hunting ran out yesterday.

"Fortunately for both of us, you forgot to empty your bath water yesterday." I spat the tea back into the cup after finally giving into the dry mouth that had been plaguing me all night.

"You're making tea from my bath water?" All the sweat and dirt I'd washed off from the hunt… was now in my tea. I no longer had any urge to drink it.

"It's not so bad. Perhaps a little… soapy." I put the cup back on the table. It wasn't the soap that bothered me. Maybe it would rain later? Was that possible with the curse? "What does Arthur think about the curse?" The same thing he did when you brought it up in the beginning; that it was a load of crap!

"He doesn't believe it's his fault. He's convinced Anhora's responsible for it." Even if he had been the one to curse Camelot… as the Keeper of Unicorn's, it was his duty. As much as keeping the people of Camelot safe was Arthur's.

"If you do not wish to drink bath water you'd better make sure Arthur see's sense." He said, eyeing my untouched cup. Convincing Arthur was going to be easier said than done though, unfortunately. Still, what other choice did I have?

Arthur hadn't said a word to me whilst he ate his own unusually meagre breakfast and had stayed that way whilst he dressed behind the screen, coming out to collect his boots. I just carried on cleaning up his mess whilst debating how to broach the subject of Anhora's curse.

"That… rat!" What? "It's eaten through my boot! Look at it!" A finger sized hole had been eaten away at the front. I tried not to laugh.

"Guess the rat must be as hungry as the rest of us." I couldn't help the leak of humour that seeped into my voice.

"You think this is funny?" Better to laugh than cry about it; my stomach grumbled in protest.

"Moderately." Arthur threw the boot at me and I caught it in surprising quick hands.

"Get it mended and find that rat!" Sure, as soon as I had enough food in me to give me the energy to jump around after it.

"Have you given any more thought to what Anhora said last night?"

"Well, he may have escaped last night but at least we now know who we're looking for. I told my father I'll find this Anhora and put an end to it." Oh yes, wouldn't want to disappoint your father now, would we? Pfft. How about actually going along with it and just doing what he says?

"What if he was telling the truth about the curse?" I asked, getting irritated with his unwillingness to accept the true likelihood of it.

"You think I'm responsible for bringing suffering upon my own people?" Why not? You don't seem to have any issues with bringing it on me.

"No. Not deliberately." Unlike with me. In the beginning it had always seemed like a challenge or a joke when he'd belittle me and give me a ridiculous list of orders. Now it just seemed like he was trying to punish me. Was it because of Will? Because he thought I had been best friends with a Sorcerer and not told him? Because I had called him out on the fact that he truly knew nothing about it? Or was it something else? "When you killed the Unicorn I saw Anhora in the forest." I admitted, doubting it would convince him.

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Because you don't seem to trust me anymore.

"It was just for a second and then he disappeared. I didn't even… well, I thought… that I was seeing things. But he was definitely there." I finished, irritated with how ridiculous that sentence sounded.

"It doesn't actually prove anything." Oh for the love of Camelot! Is he for real?!

"Doesn't it make you think he might be telling the truth?!" It's a bit of a coincidence for him to show up at the exact moment of the Unicorns death and then a curse is placed on the Kingdom. Safe to say, I didn't believe in coincidence.

"Because he was skulking about in the forest? It makes me trust him even less." Why did I have to be destined to help someone who was so thick?!

"Why would Anhora appear in Camelot and then lie to you?" My voice was getting shrill the angrier I got. Why did he have to be so stubborn?

"We had him cornered, he was trying to talk his way out of it by… blaming me." Are you kidding me?!

"He can disappear into thin air! He didn't have to talk his way out of anything!" I yelled, placing my hands on the table and leaning over him. He stood up, obviously not liking the way I was talking down to him.

"My father has warned me about Sorcerers like him. They won't rest until Camelot is destroyed." I shook my head, snorting in disbelief.

"Here we go again, you pretending to know anything about Sorcerers or Magick! You are just like your father! Ignorant! I believe what Anhora says because I've got an open mind! I'm not foolish enough to believe that I can guess people's motives! You would do well to learn the same!" My voice was a shout by the time I finished, enraged that he had learned nothing by our time in Ealdor, that he held his father to such high standards, that he still, after all the times I'd been proved right, didn't believe anything I told him. He was a fool and if he didn't start listening, he'd end up a dead fool.

"If you believe everything you're told then you are a fool. You cannot believe a single word a sorcerer says. You would do well to remember that." He spat back and I felt my eyes blazing in anger as I matched his stance, back straight and head high.

"One day, Arthur Pendragon, you will have no choice but to accept that you have no idea what goes on in the world around you. I just pray that when that time comes you haven't pushed all those who know better away." I turned my back, ready to walk out the door and not come back. I was so done with his crap!

"You will meet me by the store room tonight, after curfew. No doubt Anhora will make another appearance and this time I'll be ready for him. And you will realise that you are the one who has no idea what lies in a Sorcerer's heart." I laughed. I couldn't help it. The laugh was without humour, it was hard and full of grief.

"And Will? What do you think lay in his heart? Because the last thing I remember about my best friend was him saving your life." I kept my back to him, walking out when he gave no response. I was just glad I'd gotten over my own fear of Magick corrupting me because otherwise he words might well have broken me.

I said nothing to Arthur that night when I met him for what would no doubt be a failed attempt at capturing Anhora, just going to the position he had left to me and letting my exhaustion consume me. The lack of sleep the night before, small meals and lack of water taking its toll on my form, I was already beginning to feel the headache that marked the beginnings of dehydration. I'd even gone so far as to drink what was left of my own bathwater, grimacing the entire time at the soap and muck that was obviously in it, but it barely helped. My mouth was still dry and my head still pounded, not to mention that I'd barely peed all day. The hunger I could deal with, I had spent most of my life hungry, the small amounts of food we had in Ealdor never leaving you full but keeping you from starvation, it had become a feeling I was well aquatinted with. I had not gone hungry since arriving in Camelot but I knew I would be coping better than the likes of Arthur and Lady Morgana who had always ate food that left them more than contented. It didn't take long before my eyes began to droop and my head lolled back as I fell fast asleep, finally getting some reprieve from my pounding head.

…

OW! What the…? Something had hit me on the head, causing me to fall from my slumped position on the crate against the wall.

"Oh don't worry about keeping watch, Merlin You just make yourself comfortable." Ugh! Arthur loomed over me, a broom in hand and I didn't even have the energy to shout at him. My head hurt too much for that, the broom not having helped matters. I couldn't help but smack my lips, trying to work up some form of fluid to soothe the dryness that had become a constant companion. "And stop smacking your lips!" He shouted, walking away, not noticing me wince in pain as it sent shooting pains into my skull.

"I'm thirsty." I croaked, my throat having gone as dry as my mouth whilst I slept.

"We're all thirsty, Merlin." Yeah and we would continue to be until you accept what you have to do. I managed to drag myself up, grasping the wall as a wash of dizziness overcame me. "Psst." I heard Arthur hiss and I turned my blurry eyes to him, watching as he beckoned me to follow. "Someone's coming." He explained and I kept a hold of the wall as I walked over to him, not wanting to faint in front of him. He pulled me back as I looked around the corner, noticing a figure holding a torch go past. It was too quick for me to get a good look at them, I couldn't tell if it was Anhora or a guard. I followed after him, still keeping a hand on the wall for balance as he withdrew his sword. I didn't even bother with mine, knowing I would barely be able to move let alone fight if someone attacked. I'd have to rely on Arthur, the knowledge that I was pretty much helpless at the moment did not sit easy with me but I had no other choice. For some reason, the effects of dehydration seemed to be taking longer to affect him than it had me. Or more than likely he'd had water, it stood to reason that any water left in the castle would have been distributed to the royals. We came to the store room, bags of grain spread all around, they didn't even tempt me at the moment. Food had become a distant longing overshadowed by my thirst but I managed to pull myself up straighter, trying to look as able as possible under the circumstances just in case it was a looter who was ready to fight for the provisions.

"Show yourself," Arthur ordered, not seeming the slightest bit weakened. "Before I run you through." He warned as I stood behind him, leaning against the wall as slyly as I could. The first thing I noticed was a shovel appearing from behind the wooden storage container before a man followed it, his other hand held high in surrender. He was quite obviously a poor man, either from the lower town or an outlying village; his clothes were simple and dirty and I felt my heart swell with pity. He looked so afraid at that moment; afraid and desperate. "Who are you?" Arthur asked, obviously not recognizing the man either.

"My name is… my name is…" He began to mumble, looking to me for help.

"Speak up," I said, gently, trying to soothe his fear.

"My name is Evan, my Lord. My Lady." He replied, turning to each of us in turn. I didn't bother to correct him. I quite liked the respect he was showing me, it was very rare.

"I see you think you can help yourself to our grain reserves." Arthur noticed, a threat in his voice and I frowned at him in disapproval. It was quite obvious that Evan was terrified, no need to make things worse. "My father has ordered that looters be executed." Arthur met my gaze as mine challenged him to show me that I had been wrong, to prove to me that he was still a better man than his father. He looked away.

"Please, my lord I… I do not steal for myself I… I have three children at home… They have not eaten for two days. They are hungry." He was begging, his voice quivering in fear as Arthur began to advance on him.

"It is the same for everyone." No, it wasn't. Those of us in the castle still had food, even if the portions were small at the moment. Even those in the lower town had been given reserves, the people who were further away though… outside of the castle walls… they were the ones who were truly suffering.

"I… I know that it is wrong to steal… but I… I couldn't bear to see them starve." His voice quaked and he stuttered over his words.

"And could you bear for your children to see you executed?" Arthur's voice was not as hard as it had been but still, I went to step forward, intending to convince Arthur to release him but I had only made it two steps when my legs buckled, causing me to land in a heap on the floor. Both men turned to stare at me but I was too busy trying to work out how I'd ended up down in the dust. I felt more than saw Arthur coming over and helping me up, wrapping an arm around my waist to help steady me. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice turning worried. I just nodded. "Go home. If you are caught stealing again I will not spare you." Arthur warned Evan, sheathing his sword. I sighed in relief, allowing myself to lean into him whilst he supported me and watching when Evan's face lit up in relief and gratitude.

"Yes, my Lord. Thankyou." He uttered, placing the bag of grain by our feet and going to leave.

"Wait," Arthur ordered, managing to bend down whist still holding me up to pick up the small bag. He threw it to where Evan waited, catching it in surprise. "Use it sparingly, it might be the last food you and your family get for some time." I watched in wonder as Evan's fear melted away to something completely different, something I could not quite put my finger on.

"You have proved yourself to be merciful and kind, my Lord. This will bring its own reward." He smiled cryptically before bowing to both of us in turn and leaving. The words he parted on made me wonder… was it possible? Was that a test?

"Arthur…" I went to tell him what I had begun to suspect, the black dots dancing in my vision when I looked up surprising me. "I don't feel so good." I groaned, my head swimming and vision beginning to blur.

"Merlin? What's wrong?" I could see that he had paled slightly throughout the night, the very beginnings of dehydration finally beginning to get to him. But he was otherwise okay, or at least he seemed to be.

"My head…" I whimpered, the pounding doubling in its intensity, if not for Arthur's arms around me the pain would have brought me to my knees.

"Come on, let's get you back to your chambers." He stepped forward, supporting me as he did but it was no good. As soon as I took a step my legs crumbled beneath me, forcing Arthur to catch me in both arms for risk of me falling to the ground again. "Merlin, I'm going to carry you, okay?" I went to protest but my mouth had become so dry that I couldn't even form the words before he lifted me into his arms; my legs resting over one of his arms whilst he supported my back with the other. For lack of any other options, I let my head fall against his chest and between the sound of his rapid heartbeat and the gently swaying from his walk I felt myself begin to drift off again. Comforted by his strong presence.