"What's going on?" I asked Gaius as I joined him at a window looking at the courtyard.

"Knights caught a Druid trying to buy supplies." He explained as a man walked onto the platform with a stump in front of him and a basket in front of that. The crowd around him was already massive and kept growing as more came to see what he had done.

"So?" I asked looking down at the man. "Don't people buy supplies everyday?"

"Druid's have magic."

"And in his eyes anyone with magic is an enemy." I sighed and shook my head. How could people deal with this stupidity for 20 years?

"People of Camelot," I readjusted to see Uther and Arthur standing on a balcony looking down at the crowd before them. "The man before you is guilty of using enchantments and magic. Under our law, the sentence for this crime is death. We're still searching for his accomplice. Anyone found harbouring the boy is guilty of conspiracy, and will be executed as a traitor. Let this serve as a warning to your people."

"You have let your fear of magic turn to hate. I pity you." The man told Uther staring up at him. Uther raised his hand and the executioner grabbed the man's shoulder and forced him to his knees and his head to the stump. Uther lowered his hand and I looked away as the blade sliced through his neck.

"Uther wants to do the same thing to a child?!" I whispered yelled at Gaius as we walked back to his chambers.

"In the King's eyes anyone with magic is a traitor to the crown. No matter the age." I scoffed at his words before we went back to work.

We spent the rest of the morning working in near silence, Gaius giving me direction about which herbs to use and for who the potions were for. Merlin had come back up for lunch but seemed to be picking at it more than eating it.

"Do you know much about the Druids?" Merlin asked suddenly.

"Very little. They're very secretive people. Especially now they're being hunted by Uther. Merlin, please tell me you haven't got yourself mixed up in this." Gaius begged looking up from his writing quickly.

"Me? No. Mixed up in what?" Merlin asked and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Was that supposed to be believable?" I asked him and he tossed me a glare.

"For someone with such a big secret, you are a terrible liar." Gaius moved to the table Merlin was sitting at and Merlin quickly looked back up at him.

"Well, I haven't done anything." The brunette insisted.

"Merlin..." The pair stared at each other before Merlin finally gave in and told the truth.

"I heard the boy calling out. He was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear him... like he was inside my mind."

"Yes, I've heard of this ability. The Druids look for children with such gifts to serve as apprentices. While they're searching for this boy, you must be especially careful otherwise it'll be your head on the chopping block." My mentor warned his ward.

"I'm always careful. You know me." Merlin told him with a charming smile.

"Yes, Merlin, unfortunately I do." Gaius gave him a look before coming back to the table we'd been working at. Gaius quickly turned to Merlin who just stared back before Gaius returned to his work.

The days that had passed were a strain on the round Gaius and I would do during the day. The knights searched everyone to make sure they weren't hiding the poor Druid boy. All this and it hadn't even been 24 hours since the execution of the boy's guardian.

"This is ridiculous." I complained as we made our way back to Gaius' chambers.

"Until they find the boy their's nothing to be done, I'm afraid." Gaius told me as we walked in and saw Merlin walking around with a bag in his hand. "Ah, there you are. I need you to pick some heather for us."

"Er, can I do it later? I was just going out." Merlin told him as Gaius set down his potion bag, an open book on the edge of the table. I looked at it confused then looked up at Merlin. Why would he need to know what to use for infected wounds?

"Who set this book out?" Gaius asked curiously.

"It was me. I was doing some reading." Merlin answered quickly and I gave him a suspisious look.

"Oh? I'd given up hoping you might take more of an interest in my work." Gaius said happily.

"No. It's fascinating."

"Merlin, you are riddle wrapped up in a mystery."

"Or something like that." I grabbed the book and put it away giving Merlin a look. He just stared at me before looking back at Gaius.

"That's me. I was just getting some cleaning supplies. Arthur's been complaining about the state of his chambers." Merlin practically ran for the door, but Gaius wasn't done yet.

"I think Arthur's chambers can wait. I'm not missing the chance to begin your education."

"Really. I should go-"

"Sit!" Merlin did as he was told and sat in front of Gaius. "We'll start with some basic anatomy..." I nearly laughed at Merlin's face as Gaius dropped a large book in front of him.

I followed Merlin out of Gaius' chambers and stopped him in the hall.

"What are you planning?"

"I'm going to clean Arthur's chambers. Like I told you." I raised my eyebrow in disbelief and he smiled his charming smile at me.

"And now the real answer is..."

"The boy is hurt and his wound is infected." He finally relented. "He needs help."

"Show me what you have." He showed me the herbs he took from Gaius' chambers and I looked them over. "Well, let's go." I followed him to Morgana's chambers and she opened the door quickly to let him in, but froze when she saw me.

"I'm here to help." I told her and she slowly nodded before looking at Merlin.

"What took you so long?"

"Sorry. Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him." I sat next to the boy and smiled at him.

"Hello, my name is Katherine. We're going to get you all fixed up and back to your people, okay?" He just nodded and I started treating his would and checking for any other signs of infection.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Morgana asked me and I just smiled at her.

"I'm doing everything I can, Morgana." She just nodded worriedly. "He's going to be fine."

"I'll get you some more water." Morgana left to do as she said she would while I worked.

"Speak to me." Merlin said suddenly and I looked up at him confused before looking down at the boy.

"I don't know if he can't speak, or... he's just too scared to." Morgana said as she joined us again.

"Could be the trauma of everything he's been through." I told them. "Sometimes people just stop talking and never speak another word in their life. Others only speak again when they feel safe."

The next day, I went with Merlin to Morgana's chambers again to check on the boy.

"It's Merlin and Katherine." Gwen opened the door for us and I made my way to the boy.

"How is he?" Merlin asked the girls bahind me.

"He's getting weaker." Morgana worried. "Whatever you did yesterday, it hasn't worked. We have to ask Gaius for his help."

"No." I denied.

"After all you've done, you can't give up now! Please! If he doesn't receive treatment, he'll die!"

"No he won't." I told her. I saw Merlin struggling with something, but ignored it. "We don't need Gaius. Merlin, I need you to listen very carefully to what I tell you to get." I recited everything I needed and he quickly walked out of the room.

"Why is he getting worse. I thought you were training under Gaius and had trained somewhere else before that." Morgana pestered me.

"His body is trying to burn out the infection," I told her checking his wounds. "I had to work with what Merlin had taken out of Gaius' chambers. If we had gone back to get anything else we would have drawn his suspicion."

"We can trust Gaius." She insisted.

"And I do trust him," I told her. "But I won't risk another's life if I can help it. Once he's better we have to get him out of Camelot. He's not safe here and as long as we hide him, neither are we."

We spent the next few days nursing the boy back to full health before going through with the plan they'd made. Morgana was going to smuggle the boy out of the castle and back to the Druids.

"It'll have to do." Morgana sighed looking at herself in the broken mirror before turning to the two of us. "I feel I've put you two in danger without ever stopping to ask how you feel about it. I'm sorry."

"I know how it feels to face the threat of execution. And I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Gwen told her and I gave her a confused look before someone was knocking at the door.

"It's Merlin." Gwen went to open the door while Morgana went to the boy.

"We're going to get you out of Camelot. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise." She gave him a small smile before looking at Merlin.

"Are you ready?" Merlin asked her and she nodded.

"Did you get the keys?"

"Yeah. Er, the door is behind the shield at the far end of the armoury."

"I'll pack you some food and water for the journey. Be careful." Gwen told her as Morgana slipped from her chambers and into the dark corridor beyond.

"I promised that I wouldn't let anything bad happen." Last night, Arthur had caught Morgana trying to sneak the boy out through the lower town. The boy was taken to the dungeons and was now waiting execution in the morning.

"You can't blame yourself. You tried your best." Merlin told her quietly.

"It's not enough." Morgana said.

"He's in jail now. There's nothing more we can do." Merlin told us.

"Their's always something we can do," I corrected him and he gave me an exasperated look.

"I will not let him die. Can I count on your help?" Morgana looked between the two of us and we nodded. "Thank you."

Later that day, I sat with Morgana in Arthur's chambers waiting for him to return after his duties.

"Make yourself at home." Arthur said once he saw us.

"You can't let your father execute the boy." Morgana told him.

"You're lucky he's not executing you. Are you telling me he really was behind the screen when I came to search your chambers?" Arthur asked her and she nodded.

"You searched her chambers without seeing him?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought she was playing a trick."

"I know you believe your father's wrong to execute him." Morgana said bringing the conversation back to what we'd come for.

"What I believe doesn't matter. My father's made up his mind. He won't be talked out of it. I tried." He sighed going to pour himself some water.

"Then the time for talking is over." Morgana lept from her chair and stared at him.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's not going to happen." He told her moving to look out the window.

"We have to get the boy back to the Druids." I told him.

"No. Forget it."

"I can't believe you'd let an innocent child die!" Morgana cried.

"It's too late. He's been caught. I have no choice." Arthur sighed and I leaned my head back on my chair.

"And is this how you will rule when you are King? You're not like your father." Morgana tried again.

"I will not betray him."

"If I know you at all, you won't stand by and let this happen." Morgana said and Arthur just continued staring out the window with tense shoulders. "Please. If you won't do this for the boy, then do it for me."

Once we'd made our plan, Merlin walked in and saw Morgana standing beside Arthur who was sitting in a chair at the head of the table while I sat next to him.

"Sorry. Was I interrupting something?" Merlin asked us.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with. Go make yourself useful, muck out my horses." Arthur ordered, but Morgana stopped him.

"I trust Merlin." The pair shared a look before Arthur motioned for Merlin to enter.

"We're going to break the Druid boy out of the dungeons." Arthur told him.

"You can't do that." Merlin told us and I gave him a confused look.

"We have to. Uther's going to execute him at dawn."

"You told us you'd help." I reminded him with a look.

"I mean... it's too dangerous. You've already been caught once, and if the King catches you a second time he'll never forgive you." Merlin told Morgana.

"I'm not worried for myself." Morgana told us.

"You might not be, but we are." I said.

"Merlin's right. When my father finds out the boy's escaped, he will suspect you being involved." Arthur informed her.

"It's suicide." Merlin added.

"You must go to my father and apologise. Dine with him, he cannot hold you responsible if you're with him when the boy escapes." Arthur told her.

"You need me if the plan's to work. You can't do this on your own." Morgana told him.

"I can do it," I chimed in, but Arthur just shook his head.

"No, I might need you with me." Arthur told me before looking at Merlin. "Merlin will take your place."

"Me?" Merlin asked him confused.

"Why would you need me?" I asked him, but Arthur ignored us both.

"I'm going to take the boy out through the burial vaults." Arthur stood from his chair and walked around Morgana to Merlin. "There's a tunnel that leads beyond the city walls. Get two horses from the stables and meet us there. There's a grate that covers the entrance to the tunnel. Bring a rope and a grappling hook to pull it off."

"No- no, I can't..." Merlin stuttered.

"Merlin. Do you understand? If you're not there to meet us, we'll surely be caught." Merlin nodded his understanding before attending his normal duties.

"Why do you need me?" I asked again and Arthur turned to me.

"In case the boy needs tending to while we're looking for the Druids." Arthur explained and I just raised an eyebrow.

"The boy is fully healed." I told him. "And I'm not good with a sword."

"Just be ready." Arthur left after that and I rolled my eyes.

"Where am I supposed to be ready?" I rolled my eyes and gave Morgana a look. "What the hell was that?" Morgana just shrugged her shoulders before leaving. I looked at Merlin, but he just looked distracted by something else. "Merlin? You okay?"

"What? Yeah. I'm fine." Merlin left and I just stared at the door confused before sighing.

"What just happened?"

That night, Gwen gave me pants and a tightish shirt so I could easily move and fight. It was AMAZING to be back in pants! I never thought I'd miss an article of clothing before, but after over a month of nothing but dresses I missed the ease of movement. After I'd changed, I met Arthur near the dungeons and we descended the stairway in silence. We stopped halfway and he motioned for me to cover my nose as he did the same before lowering a smoking bag down to the guards. They coughed before passing out and we went down to them. Arthur grabbed the keys and we went to the boy's cell.

"Don't be scared." Arthur told him as he opened the door. "We've sent word to your people, we're taking you to them. You must come with me." Arthur held out his hand to the boy who looked between the two of us. The boy hesitated before taking Arthur's hand and I followed them down a tunnel checking behind us just in case. "This way." We ran to the end of the tunnel and saw the gate still in place and Merlin missing.

"Where is he?" I asked quietly looking around for him.

"Merlin! Merlin!" Arthur whisper yelled out for the warlock, but we heard nothing. "Don't worry, he'll be here."

A short time later, the warning bells started and I groaned in irritation.

"Still think he'll be here?" I whispered to Arthur who just pushed against the gate.

"Damn it, Merlin!" We heared a door open at the other end of the tunnel and Arthur quickly put out the torch.

"I think they went that way." I heard the guards say.

"Look over there. Look over there. Check in there."

"Yes, sir." Arthur drew his sword and handed me a dagger.

"You look down here." I heard a noise behind us and sighed when I saw a familiar goofy grin.

"Hey!"

"Where the hell have you been?!" Arthur asked him.

"I had trouble getting out of the castle." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Well, get this grate off, they're coming!" Merlin attached the grappling hook and pulled off the gate. We left the tunnel and ran into the forest. Merlin took us to where the horses were waiting and helped the boy onto Arthur's while I lifted myself onto mine.

"If my father asks where I am, I've gone on a hunting trip with Katherine. You'd better make yourself scarce, or they'll execute you in his place." Arthur and I turned the horses and galloped away from the castle.

A few days later, we met the Druids in a small clearing. Arthur had me behind him in case something went wrong with his plan, but I had a feeling everything was going to be fine. The boy left our side and moved to the other Druids.

"We are forever indebted to you, Arthur Pendragon and Katherine Anderson, for returning the boy to us." The Druid leader told us.

"You must not let it be known that it was we who brought him to you." Arthur told him.

"We will tell no one. You have my word." The Druids turned to leave, but Arthur pulled them back.

"Be safe." I called to them.

"Wait, I don't even know your name! At least tell me your name." Arthur requested. The boy looked up to his leader.

"It's all right."

"My name is Mordred." My eyes widened and my mouth went dry. You had to be kidding me!

"Good luck, Mordred."