Chapter 27

Arthur and Merlin scout ahead to search for the entrance to the labyrinth and any other unexpected obstacles that may appear, leaving Morgana and I hidden alone together near the edge of the Castle boundaries, close to the ocean but still hidden by the wild green. I think I'm more nervous about being alone with her than the idea of sneaking into a well-fortified castle. Not to mention she has magic and Merlin is too far away to help me.

"I know what you are," she says. I turn to meet her gaze, keeping my own innocent as I can. Her eyes seem to pierce my skull, through one end and out the back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I retort, turning back to the slowly shrinking figures of the men. Her hand grasps my arm tightly, sure to leave a bruise and tugs the sleeve of my shirt back on my right arm up high. I try to struggle but before I can do much, the mark is revealed.

"Who is it?" she hisses, holding my own arm up to me as though I've never seen it before, but I know she's referring to the sorcerer.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I restate, though firmer in my defence. I try to snatch my arm back again, but her grip tightens, earning a small whimper of pain from me.

"Who is it?" she asks again, her face leaning in, in an attempt to intimidate me.

"Someone I met on my travels," I answer quietly, figuring my lying skills are decent enough. "They forced me to. The only way to break it is to die."

"I don't believe that," she seethes but lets my arm go. I hold the arm close to my chest, pulling the sleeve back down. I find my eyes flickering back to her in curiosity.

"Morgana," I say, hesitating before I manage to spit out what I want to ask. She glances at me, the glare still as sharp as ever. "If you know, why haven't you said anything?"

Her glare drops for a second, and for a moment I feel as though I'm actually seeing the true Morgana. Not the one filled with hate or the act of a loving daughter of Uther but the side that she hides from everybody including herself.

"I don't know," she answers, her eyes going back to being glued towards the ocean. "You're like me I suppose. I want our people to be free and I'm hoping that you'll see that what I'm doing is to help us."

I contemplate her words, not in agreement, maybe a little shock but there's a passion behind her words. I don't say anything in retaliation, knowing it will get me nowhere but my mood drops, if it is even possible, knowing that both her and Merlin are fighting for the exact same cause, just from opposite sides.

Arthur and Merlin come back shortly after and they lead us back to the tunnel entrance, which is facing the ocean, which is decorated by large grey rocks rather than sand.

"Here we are. Stay close," Arthur warns us. Doing as he says, I put myself in front of Merlin, holding my sword out so I'm both watching Arthur's back, and acting as a blockade for Merlin.

The tunnel is dark even more so the further away from the entrance we get. It is littered with massive hanging cobwebs. I duck, almost in a squat to miss the ones that I don't cut away with my sword. I hear Merlin splutter behind me and we look back, watching him.

"Blech, augh," he grunts, swiping the thick webs off him but they settle in his dark hair.

"Quite a look you got there," I say to him, keeping my voice low. Merlin frowns, his hands ruffling through his hair.

"Stop worrying about your hair, Merlin," Arthur says. Merlin rolls his eyes, dropping his hands.

"Very funny," he huffs.

"It's a good sign. Means that no one's been down here."

I use my sword to brush away a particularly thick bunch of webs. As I do, something pops out from behind them. I hold in my scream, thrusting my sword at it but I leap back at the same time, missing it. An arm wraps around my waist from behind, pulling me close to their chest.

I breathe out in relief as Arthur holds out a torch, revealing the thing to be a skeleton. At least this one isn't alive. Arthur drops his hand from my waist, lighting Merlin's torch with his own.

We move forward, only to be greeted with even more skeletons.

"Caerleon's last stand," Arthur observes.

"Where's Morgana?" Merlin asks but not a moment after, the witch comes from around a corner.

"I'm here."

"Stick together, everyone. We need to keep moving."

All in silent agreement, Arthur and I hold out our swords, leading the way with Merlin and Morgana in the rear and we press onwards. Arthur leads us towards another tunnel and I almost have forgotten that is a maze as well as hidden tunnels.

Footsteps that do not belong to the four of us echo off the wall, coming from the direction we are heading.

"Quiet," Arthur hisses. "Quick, this way." He leads us back up to another tunnel but Cenred's men are closing in on us from all directions. They know exactly where we are. But how? Morgana hasn't had the chance unless that is why she was missing for a few moments as we entered.

"Arthur, they're everywhere," I say to him, holding my sword up higher in a defensive stance. We circle around one another, Arthur's side brushing up against mine.

"How did they know we were here?" Merlin questions.

"Maybe they saw us come in?" Morgana offers. I hold my tongue, saving my energy for the oncoming men.

Arthur runs forward, striking first with such force that I'm almost taken off guard by watching him. I hold my own sword, blocking a sword. I'm not sure what Merlin is doing but he has his own sword. I do try and keep an eye out for Morgana to see what she does, but she is also engaging in a battle that doesn't look staged.

We kill off the men, but they keep coming and my arms are already getting tired as they strike hard and heavy. I don't know if they want Arthur captured or killed but I know they don't care for mine or Merlin's life and I find myself standing with him, blocking off anybody that dares come near him as well.

I hear a feminine cry and I spare a glance at Morgana who has a sword to her throat but ignore it. If she is in on this, they won't kill her. Arthur has other ideas though and stops fighting, holding his hands out in surrender.

"Elena!" he exclaims, catching my attention. As my focus falls to him, a metal strikes the back of my head. My face smacks against the dirt, imprinting itself with whatever is on the ground beneath me.

I'm not rendered unconscious, but the world is fuzzy for a good while. Sounds, both loud and quiet pass over my ears but my brain is too muddled to try and figure out the words. My arms are picked from behind me, forcing my body off the ground. Merlin's face is in front of me and we stare at each other. He is also being held back by two people, his shoulders moving as he pulls at their vice grip. His mouth is moving, presumably talking to me but the words seem to drift off before they reach me. It doesn't matter anyway as I'm pulled away from him, my feet dragging along the ground.

They continue dragging us into an ever-familiar room, the same people as before standing in it. I'm pulled between Arthur and Merlin. The men bring me to my knees, my hands shackled in front of me. I'm not expecting them to let go of me so suddenly and I fall to the floor again, still dizzy.

I push myself up, slowly bringing my eyes up to Cenred.

"Well, well, Arthur Pendragon," he says, standing in front of the Prince. "How kind of you to pay me a visit. And look, you bought some friends with you." He stops in front of me, giving me a snarl. "Do you still have that snarky mouth on you." Gathering up both the courage and energy, I spit up at him. He sneers, stepping back. "I'm guessing so." He moves along, barely glancing over Merlin. "Oh, and the Lady Morgana, no less."

Morgana leans back in disgust. "Don't so much as breathe on me, you pig," she hisses but again, the act fools no one except Arthur.

"Well, more the merrier, I say."

"I'm the one you want, Cenred," Arthur says tiredly. "Let them go."

"You're right, that would be only fair. But fair's for fools," he cheeks. "Take them away!"

Hands grab at us again and I watch Merlin be dragged away in front of me and I follow his path, kicking and screaming as I do. I look back at Arthur who is fuming, struggling against three men.

"I won't let you harm them! They're innocent!" he cries out. I kick harder, wanting nothing more than to run back to him.

"Innocent? No friend of Camelot is innocent!"

The shackles on my hands are taken off by a guard who sneers gleefully at me. My eyes are glued to the sword at his waist. My sword. He pushes me back into a cell and I falter as I step back to try and keep my balance but eventually gravity wins over.

"Elena?"

My neck twist to the source of the voice.

"Castor?" I breathe out in slight relief. "At least they kept their promise to keep you alive for a week." I push up off the floor, watching as Castor walks over to help me. He favours his left leg. "What happened?"

"One got me good," he says, looking down at his leg. I notice a small patch of blood on his lower thigh but there is part of his shirt tied around it. "What are you doing here El?"

"Rescuing you," I snort, leaning against the wall.

"Well, thanks but you might want to work on the getting out part," he huffs, leaning back with me. "You're doing well on the getting in part though."

"Arthur's here," I say, ignoring his insult. "So is Merlin and Morgana."

"Morgana?"

"Indeed. They've been taken off to a different cell." I can feel Merlin not too far away.

"What do you think he wants? Cenred I mean."

"Secrets about Camelot," I answer, playing with the dirt underneath my fingernail.

I inform Castor that I've bonded with Merlin again, realising I never actually told him in the first place and we pass the time with idle chatter that has nothing to do with the events around us. I think we're the same in that way, being able to ignore everything just by talking. I do ask Merlin how he's going, and he replies that Arthur has a plan. Well, not so much of a plan as such he adds, but an idea. I pass the information onto Castor and we wait, not having anything else to do.

Out of nowhere, there is a commotion outside, swords clanging against each other and I take notice of how close Merlin feels. I listen in by the door but there is nothing on it to look through. My arm warms and I know Merlin has used some magic. There's a little more talking that I can't make out, but I can hear Arthur loud and clear.

"Know what your problem is? All mouth and no trousers!"

It's an odd thing to say but there is no time to contemplate it as the door smashes into the cell, barely missing Castor who is standing in the middle. I thank the stars that I was too the side of I would have been pummelled by it. There is the body of the guard lying on the door, unconscious. The same one that took my sword.

Arthur enters, bending down and unsheathing my sword. He holds it out to me with a playful smirk.

"You need to stop losing this," he says. I take it, shaking my head with a disbelieving laugh.

"When do I ever listen to you?"

Arthur smiles, shifting his attention to his knight. "You alright Castor?"

The knight nods, holding a hand to his leg. "Good to see you, Arthur. I'm fine but I've got a bad leg."

Arthur looks around the cell. "Where's Morgana?"

"Must have taken her somewhere else," I say. We exit into the corridor, looking down both ways for an exit and any sign of Cenred's men. Arthur places a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"Take Elena and Castor with you. Guard them with your life," he instructs.

"Arthur!" I cry. "Where are you going?"

"To get Morgana," he answers, already beginning to walk away.

"No, you can't!" Merlin exclaims. "It's too dangerous."

"Sorry, Merlin. I'm not leaving without her." He runs towards the corridor intersection, checking around a corner before jogging back to us. He walks up to me, placing a hand on my cheek.

"Get to the horses and ride straight to Camelot." His eyes search mine and I'm sure my own are flickering with panic, my head already beginning to shake. "Don't wait for me. Promise."

"No," I deny. I will not leave him, not when he would never leave me.

'Promise," he demands. I sigh, knowing that this would be a never-ending argument if I continue. I don't say it, but I nod, resigning. Arthur smiles sadly, running off in the direction he checked. I look at Merlin, already knowing that he's going to go.

"I can't," I tell him. "I've got to help Castor out."

"I know," he replies. "Look after each other."

"With my life," Castor promises. Merlin hands the knight his sword, giving him something to protect himself with and I still hold my own out. Neither of us argues, knowing Merlin's strength doesn't lie in a sword.

"We'll meet you out there," I say, a silent promise to stay, rebelling against the Prince. Merlin nods before running after his master. I turn back to Castor lugging his arm over my shoulder, relying on him to keep himself stable as my free hand holds my sword out.

We only run into a small patrol of men and we take them down easily enough and I lead him to the secret entrance to go back through the tunnels. I thank Arthur and Merlin for likely taking all the attention on themselves, but it is also going to make it just that much harder for them to escape.

We struggle over the rocky path back to our camp but with no men chasing after us, I count it as a blessing. The ocean wind blows against us harshly, the salt drying out my hair and it frizzes wildly against my head.

Castor lets out small grunts of pain every now and then, but I can see the brave face he is putting on. Whether for my sake or his own I don't know. We reach camp and I feel Merlin using magic.

Castor drops his arm from my shoulder.

"Sit down, I'll get the horses ready," I tell him. "But keep an eye out."

I use this time to distract myself, fiddling with all their saddle latches. It not until some time passes that I notice the closeness in the tug to Merlin and I search out through the forest in excitement.

"Merlin?"

"We're okay."

My hand rests of my chest in relief and shortly after, Arthur and Merlin appear through the trees, Morgana carried over his shoulder.

"I thought I told you to ride for Camelot," Arthur says as he puts Morgana down. I shrug innocently.

"When do I ever listen to you," I counter. My smile drops as there is movement behind him. "Behind you."

Arthur spins around, unsheathing his sword and quickly takes down his attacker. Another appears near Merlin.

"Merlin!"

I throw my sword to him and he catches it mid-air, swinging it down. Though his attack isn't exactly skilful, he does manage to kill his attacker in one strike. Arthur scoffs in disbelief.

"You're on a roll today, aren't you?" the Prince exclaims, patting Merlin on the back. Merlin watches him without amusement.

"Thanks," he replies, handing my sword back to me.

With the horses ready to go already, we don't waste any time mounting them. None of us, want to stay out here longer than necessary, eager to get back to the comfort of our own beds and warm food in our bellies. Well, except maybe Morgana. Castor mounts my horse with me, trying to take the reigns but I'm sitting in front and hold them forward out of his reach.

"No!" I scold, moving them to the left as he reaches around my right.

"I want to lead," he complains.

"No! I've got the reigns, I'm in front and I've got the stirrups," I say. For a moment I think I've won the argument but suddenly the horse takes out from underneath me as Castor nudges it into a canter. I pull the horse to a walk. "Castor!"

He laughs, taking too much amusement out of this for his own good.

"Fine," he says and I can practically hear the pout on his lips as his hands drop, resting around my stomach. We walk in silence for a few moments but once again the horse takes out from underneath me.

"Castor! I will make you ride with Arthur!" I exclaim, pulling the horse to a complete stop, my head turning over my shoulder to glare at the knight.

"Or you could ride with him and I can ride by myself," he suggests. He leans in closer to my ear to whisper. "Win-win right?"

"I think that would be a good idea," Arthur says, riding up next to us. I look at him exasperated but he doesn't look to be in the argumentative mood. I drop the reigns, swinging my legs over the front to dismount.

"Whatever," I sigh, walking over to Arthur's horse. He holds a hand down and I take it, letting him pull me up behind him. It's a little more uncomfortable, considering he has his chainmail on, but I'll take it over Castor childsihness any day.

Castor smirks gleefully, riding onwards and I resign to fate, encircling my own hands around the Prince to keep myself stable.

There's more silence in the ride and I smile softly, resting my head against his back and take the time to appreciate the world again. Even just for a moment, we have peace. No men chasing after us. Merlin, Arthur, and Castor are safe. And Arthur isn't married.

Arthur usually takes the lead, which is why I find it slightly surprising that when I take notice, we've moved to the back on the group, letting Castor lead. Arthur has one hand on his reigns, the other resting on his leg.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to let him up the front?" I whisper to him. "I'm not sure he even knows where to go."

He shrugs. "Merlin's paying enough attention."

Figuring that I'm worrying too much I settle back down, resting my head back on his back. Arthur's hand moves off his leg to his stomach and I can't see it, but I feel his hands rest over mine which are clasped in front of him. I smile, glad that my face is hidden as his hands glide over mine, softly rubbing them before settling to a stop in the middle, just holding them in his.

Using my arms, I squeeze his middle softly and he squeezes my hands in response.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"We go to the end of the world for the people we love," he replies, restating my words from the day before.

Have I finished writing the third book - yes! I wrote for over six hours today just so I could put it down. I just want to emphasise that this IS a FIRST DRAFT. There will be plot holes, points where writing drops terribly (long hours) and cringe-worthy, terrible dialogue but it is written. But, it is done and Book Four can be started shortly.

Hey again! Thank you for the reviews again, I love reading them. And I have finished writing this book so you can be sure that updates are coming lol! I just want to emphasise that this is a first draft meaning there are spots where writing drops from long hours of writing to odd-sounding dialogue but it is being written!