Jaya stood where she was for a moment and then cleared her throat. When Freya looked at her, Jaya tapped the hilt of the sword that rested against her right leg. "I'll use these for you again, you know that right? No matter where we are."
"But you would get into trouble if-!" Freya started.
"Uther has no reason to come after you, Fey. And if it comes down to it, we'll leave together. You're safe, Freya. There's no need to be panicking."
Freya looked at Jaya and shifted slightly. "I know."
"Then act like it." Jaya smiled at her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Stop looking so worried. I don't think that Morgana's going to have nearly as hard a time convincing Arthur as she thinks she will." she lightly gripped Freya's chin lightly and shook it slightly.
Freya giggled softly and nodded. "All right. But I will continue to worry until you come back safe. Go on."
Jaya winked, pivoted on her toes, and rushed out of the room.
"What. Wait no. What happened to Freya that had her all messed up like that?" Gwaine wondered, tilting his head. He barely was able to catch the marmalade before it dripped off his chin with the slice of toast that he was eating.
Jaya sipped her tea and shook her head. "Gwaine!"
"Aw come on! This has got to be good."
Jaya smirked. "It is. But it will be good later. Let me finish one story will you?"
"You have! This is like...story number three!"
Jaya tilted an eyebrow.
Gwaine giggled and bit his lips together. "Right. All right. Go on."
Arthur walked into his chambers and stopped slightly when he saw Morgana looking out his window. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Morgana turned to face him.
"Sorry about all this," he gestured to the table that was still strewn with the dinnerware and leftovers from the previous meal. "I'm without a servant today."
Morgana walked over to the table and her fine hands wrapped around the top of the nearest chair. "Poor Merlin."
Arthur's eyebrows twitched. "Yeah."
"To offer up his life to save Gwen's. I can only hope that some man will love me the same way."
"I certainly can't imagine that either." Arthur couldn't miss the chance to jab playfully.
Morgana smirked and her eyes twinkled slightly. "Merlin's a lover. Which you would never understand."
"Maybe I just need to find the right girl." Arthur retorted.
"Mmm. We might never know. Seems no matter where I turn I can't find a man large enough to fit into his shining armor. Are there any galant men left willing to do the right thing despite the consequences? Like you. So busy shining your armor you're willing to let an innocent girl die."
Arthur smirked. Leave it to Morgana to come up with some manipulative insult to get his blood boiling to the point he wanted to prove her wrong. She had been using them since they were kids to get him to do what she wanted. And no matter what Arthur did to try to steer the conversation so that she couldn't do it, she somehow always managed to get to the point where she could toss the insult and there he would be, like he was now, itching to prove her wrong so that she would realize that he wasn't like the others and he really did care about whatever it was that she wanted help with. Of course, this time he knew it was about Gwen. And he already knew that he was going to help her, long before Morgana appeared, but he figured he'd let her have the thrill of "convincing" him. "And what do you suggest that I do, to...dirty my armor?"
Morgana looked over at him and smiled.
Arthur walked into the stable and looked around. He had sent Morgana on her way, after establishing that he would meet her and Merlin in the square after he found Jaya. In all the excitement, he had almost forgotten that he had agreed to meet her at the stable after the evening feeding. Between listening to Morgana's plan for killing the Af-whatever-it-was-creature, and the duties that he had to carry out and be sure were carried out before dinner time, the time just flew by. Now he was free and would soon have Jaya with him. Arthur wondered momentarily if he should have asked the last stable boy he saw where Jaya's grey charger was kept. He usually only went to his personal stable, so, after muddling through the first two barns of horses he was starting to wonder if he would ever find her. He looked around again. Ah! There he was. Arthur walked over to where the big grey stood and inspected him up close. He could see why Jaya was so fond of him. He was a beautiful horse.
"I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to show up." Jaya greeted, ducking under Courage's neck, Ridire conspicuously missing.
"Yes, well, I got held up. There were some last minute things that I had to take care of. We have a plan though." Arthur held out a hand for the big grey to sniff.
Jaya leaned against Courage's shoulder. "And what's that?"
"We're off to clear the water supply of an...Af-creature."
"Af-creatur?" Jaya smirked "I think you mean Afanc." Jaya supplied. "Well then, let's not waste any time. We have to save Gwen." Jaya stood up and started toward the door of the barn.
Arthur followed her out, and pointed her toward the square where Merlin and Morgana would be waiting. He walked quickly next to her, not bothering to talk, his long leather coat waving slightly in the wind that he created.
Jaya smiled a hello at Merlin and nodded to Morgana. "Let's go clean the water supply." she said quietly, so no one but those she was with would hear.
They walked quickly toward the small gate that lead to the tunnels that wove around the pool of water, every-so-often checking to make sure that no one had noticed they were walking that way and started to follow them curiously.
Once they got to the heavy old door, Merlin pulled the key from his pocket and turned the lock with less effort than Gaius had required a few hours earlier. He smiled at them triumphantly and gestured for them to go inside.
Jaya stepped through the door after Arthur, Morgana hanging back until after she was through the doorway and into the dark. Jaya pulled a torch out of the wall sconce and lit it, her body shielding the slight glow of silver as the magic shot out of her to start the torch. And handed it to Merlin as soon as the door was shut.
"If you're not right about this Merlin..." Arthur warned as they started deeper into the tunnel.
A loud growl echoed off the walls, bouncing off the rocks, making it impossible to pinpoint where it came from.
Morgana gasped and looked at Jaya wide-eyed.
Jaya smiled tightly and shook her head to downplay the worry that she felt might show on her face so Morgana would relax.
Arthur turned and looked at Morgana. "You should stay here."
"Stay here?!" Morgana disagreed. "So I can get eaten by some monster because you're off somewhere else?!"
"No." Arthur shook his head, the firelight from the torches Arthur and Merlin held dancing off the golden strands of his hair. "Because you'll be outside the tunnels."
"Scared I'll show you up?" Morgana challenged.
"My father is going to toss us both in the dungeon if he finds out that I let you get hurt." Arthur protested.
"Well, I'm certainly not going to tell him. Are you?!" Morgana pointed out.
Jaya rolled her eyes and looked around them to make sure that the creature she had seen before she had to jump on Ridire to make sure he didn't try to go after it wasn't sneaking up on them. "Maybe now isn't the time for this?"
"Morgana! I don't have time to argue with you. Go now so you won't get hurt!" Arthur sounded exasperated.
"How could I get hurt? I have you with to protect me." Morgana announced, starting past Arthur.
An amused look danced across Merlin's face, and it only got brighter when Arthur rolled his eyes.
"We best get moving along then. I don't want to be snuck up upon." Jaya pointed out.
Arthur quickly moved so he was in front of Morgana again and Merlin moved to cover the rear. They started down the tunnel that led to the pool, warily looking around them.
"How are we going to find it?" Morgana asked, her voice a loud whisper.
"I just hope we do before it finds us." Merlin muttered.
Arthur suddenly spun around, looking at Jaya and mirroring her nod. "Stop." he hissed.
"What?" Merlin asked as they looked around and couldn't see anything.
Arthur shook himself slightly. "It's just a shadow."
They pressed on toward the water source, Jaya hurrying up to walk with Arthur, looking around nervously. She could feel that they were being watched, but she couldn't tell from where. It didn't take them too long to reach the cavern where the pool was, moving as fast as they were. Once they were out of the tunnel they all seemed to relax a little bit.
"We need to fan out." Arthur suggested, looking around the four different tunnels that shot off from the main cavern.
The four of them slowly moved apart, each looking around warily. Arthur heard a growl coming from the closest tunnel, he walked up to it, and when he didn't see anything he turned toward the others. It was only his fighter's sixth-sense that kept him from being hit when the great claws swiped at him from out of the dark.
Arthur stumbled a step away from the tunnel and peered into it, half glaring.
Morgana hurried over to him and looked over-well, around-his shoulder at the tunnel. "Arthur?" she asked, her eyes half-wild. "What happened?"
"You all right?" Jaya clarified, sparking a look at Arthur between searching the tunnels closely.
"Yeah." Arthur brushed her off slightly.
"Did you see it?" Merlin asked, moving the torch around pointedly.
"Yes." Arthur didn't sound like he was sure if he believed himself.
"What did it look like?" Jaya asked, jerking around to look at the tunnel that her back had been to a moment before.
"It's-it's quick." Arthur shrugged, looking around helplessly.
The air was split with Morgana's scream, the sound making the hair on the back of the other three's necks stand up.
Arthur charged toward the creature that had reared up in front of Morgana, but was foiled again when it ducked out of the light and into the deep shadows before he could get to it. "Where did it go?" he demanded, looking around.
"I think it's this way." Merlin nodded down one of the tunnels.
Morgana grabbed the torch from his hand and walked off down it.
Arthur, Jaya and Merlin rushed after her, and quickly circled around her, trying to keep from getting separated or attacked.
Jaya suddenly gripped Morgana's arm and pulled her to a stop, the boys quickly stopping too.
The creature that had so far been eluding them stepped out of the shadows that all but hid the corner and squared off in front of them. It was nearly as tall as Arthur on all fours, and had nasty fangs that dripped water. The whole thing looked as if it had just had water poured over it. Even now, as it stood still for a moment, water started to puddle around its feet, tipped with large claws.
Arthur didn't waste any time and charged it, swinging his sword.
The Afanc followed the sword with a swipe of one of its front claws and roared in challenge or pleasure when Arthur's sword went pin-wheeling away from him. It's next swipe was at Morgana, Jaya still had hold of her arm, and caught sight of the movement just as it started and flung the two of them backwards almost carelessly. The torched dropped to the sandy floor and flickered twice before going out completely.
"Are ya hurt?" Jaya asked, between Morgana and the rough wall of the tunnel.
Morgana looked at her wide-eyed. "Are you?"
Jaya brushed off her concern, slowly taking in a breath and blowing it out between her teeth.
"Use the torch, Arthur!" Merlin called over the next roar.
Arthur circled the Afanc one more time and jabbed at it with the torch.
If she hadn't been watching, Jaya would have completely missed the flash of gold in Merlin's eyes. As it was, she still almost missed it. She didn't hear the spell, but she caught the last movement of his mouth, so she assumed that he had just finished it.
Suddenly a strong wind blew from behind them. The flames blew off the torch and licked at the Afanc. Once the fire started, there was no stopping it. The wind drove it over the rest of the Afanc that screamed in anger, or pain.
Arthur backed up with the torch, now burning like it had been when the Afanc had stepped out of the shadows. He looked back at the other three and quickly whipped around when another roar came from the creature.
The four of them backed up collectively when, in one last desperate attempt, the Afanc launched itself at them. It fell heavily to the floor, flames sizzling against the wet dirt, steam mixing with the smoke. As they watched, the Afanc went from a creature to just a pile of damp dirt. They didn't move for a few minutes after the last few tongues of flames sputtered out, not quite sure if they should trust that it was actually dead.
Arthur was the first one to move. He walked over to where his sword had fallen, going out of his way to avoid the pile of dirt, and joined them again. "Does this mean that the water is safe to drink now?" he wondered.
Jaya shrugged, and looked at Merlin with Morgana and Arthur, though she was the only one with her eyebrows up.
"I think so." Merlin offered.
"Well, that's great." Arthur smiled.
"Shouldn't we bring a sample to Gaius before we tell the King that the water is good to drink again?" Morgana asked.
Arthur turned to her and smiled like she was the smartest person he had ever met. "You're right. Merlin."
Merlin looked around confused slightly and started to pat his pockets. "Right...where did I put it now?" he muttered, playing for time.
"Other pocket, Merlin." Jaya pointed out, a moment after her eyes flashed silver quickly.
Merlin pulled out the small glass vial with a relieved smile. "Thank you." he grinned.
Jaya looked at him and winked.
Merlin hurried over to the pool of water and quickly scooped up some of the water. He pushed the stopper back in place and held it lightly. "Now what?"
"We get out of here, Idiot." Arthur intoned, looking at him like he was shocked that Merlin was able to do anything by himself.
Merlin half glared at him and pursed his lips. "I meant about Gwen, thank you though." his voice was dry.
Arthur grinned brightly. "Glad to help."
Morgana sighed and stamped her foot. "Let's go! We don't have much time."
Jaya looked over the pool critically. She wasn't completely satisfied with the fact that the Afanc was destroyed. She wanted to know where it came from in the first place. She vaguely heard the conversation the other three were having. Just as she was about to toss her two cents into what everyone was saying when something caught her eye. She squinted slightly. It was resting on the bottom of the pool.
"Jaya-" Arthur's voice started, "What are you doing?" he wondered.
Jaya paused with her arm in the pool, the water up almost to her right shoulder. She looked over her shoulder at him, her hair slipping off the fabric of her dress and falling to float on the top of the clear water, slowly twisting around her arm and sinking. "Don't just stand there like a useless lump. Bring the light over here. While you three were insulting each other, I found something useful. There's something down there." Jaya's eyebrows twitched and she smirked when Arthur's face contorted into something like disapproval, and Merlin's too-large ears reddened slightly in embarrassment.
Morgana, hurry forgotten, rushed to Jaya's side to lean dangerously over the edge to peer into the water to see what Jaya was after.
Arthur walked over stiffly, still stinging slightly from Jaya's poke. "What is it?" he asked, his voice gruff.
"Don't be such a baby. I wouldn't pick on ya if I didn't like ya." Jaya winked at him and dipped lower into the water, more of her curls getting soaked and fanning out in the small ripples that the movements Jaya's arm made. "Oi! I touched it. It's slippery." Jaya muttered, her whole shoulder, and the bottom half of her hair now underwater.
"At this point it would have been faster to swim for it." Arthur muttered.
"Got it!" Jaya rejoiced, suddenly standing upright, water sluicing down her arm and off her wrist and elbow as she held up her catch. She looked sharply at Arthur. "Would you risk your face in that water?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the right.
"You were almost up to your neck in it!" Arthur pointed out, tipping his eyebrow at her, his voice testy.