A/N: Hey, less than a week and I've got another chapter up and ready for you! I got a little carried away whilst writing for this story, managed to get several chapters ahead of myself. So, here is the next one early! Also, apologies if I have missed any spelling or grammatical errors.

I slowly got myself changed for bed. I didn't have a rush in me, I was just feeling so fed up and bored with everything that was going on around me. I wanted to be able to go outside with Arthur, to go riding on Nebula and just have some fun. I wanted to be able to enjoy myself without the fear of something happen. As if that was ever going to happen.

Eventually I had managed to get myself changed, and dragged myself over to my bed. As I lay down, everything that had happened started flooding through my mind, and I knew that I couldn't go to sleep with all that worry about my uncle playing on my mind, it would just make things worse.

"Merlin? Are you still awake?" I called to him, knowing that I needed to at least talk to someone.

A few moments later, I heard his voice in my head. "I'm here, Isabella. Is everything all right?"

Already I could feel the tears building again. "Not really. Have you… have you heard?"

"I heard that a messenger had a letter for you, from your uncle." At least he was being honest with me, he wasn't trying to lie to me or keep things from me.

"It's… a little worse than that, Merlin. My uncle… he… he knows I'm here. In that letter, he described a dress that I've worn recently. Basically, he has made a threat, hand me over or Camelot will suffer." I was failing at holding the flood back and the tears were rolling down my cheeks.

"Isabella, everything is going to be okay. Arthur would never hand you to him."

I couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Neither will Uther. We've already told him, and even though I offered to go back home to my brothers, Uther has told me I'm pretty much stuck here until my uncle is caught."

"And you're unhappy with that?" I knew Merlin was a little confused, which was fair enough.

"What I'm unhappy about is the fact that because of him, I am always hiding. I can't go outside of the castle because of him. Arthur is having more guards around the place, all because of me." I couldn't help but let out a sigh as I threw myself back on my bed. "It's like I'm a prisoner, Merlin. He might as well just thrown me in the dungeons and be done with it."

"Well, if you want, I can suggest that to him in the morning?" Merlin suggested, as a joke, I hoped.

"Oh, shut up, Merlin. I'm depressed enough as it is. You're really not helping you know." I was hoping that he might be at least a little sympathetic, not suggesting that I get thrown into the dungeons to keep safe from my uncle. "I really hate the way this is all turned out." Yes, once again I was moaning.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you think, Isabella." Merlin said, obviously trying to assure me and having no idea how bad the situation had really turned.

I let out a sigh as I crawled under the covers on my bed. "Arthur is going to be acting as my 'personal guard' for the next few days. Still think it isn't that bad, Merlin?"

Silence. I knew that he was actually thinking about that, ever that or laughing at what Arthur had to do, babysit me basically. "Okay, yeah, that is bad."

"I'm just so fed up with all of this. I can't go out, I can't just go for a walk. I have to be escorted every time I leave my chamber. My life would just be so much easier if I wasn't a stupid Princess." I knew Merlin didn't exactly have an easy life, but it was a little simpler than my own. Gwen had a good life, she didn't have the worry of someone trying to kill her. "Well, I'm going to try and get some sleep now. Maybe I can forget all of this is happening."

"Everything will be all right, Isabella. Arthur will not let anything happen to you." I knew that Merlin was right, and I knew that he would be there to protect Arthur, like Arthur protected me, but it still made me feel rather helpless.

"Course it will, Merlin. Goodnight." I shut my eyes tightly, trying to think of anything but my uncle.

I started to fill my head with thoughts of Arthur, of that arrogant man that I had first met in the forest, of the way that he threw me over his shoulder and refused to leave me there. I remembered the time when I really noticed his eyes for the first time, when he was leaning against the doorframe, and his eyes were just blue gems.

He really had changed since I had met him, and it was a good change as well. Arthur showed that he did care, and he was trying to look after me. The Prince was doing his best to make sure that I ate properly and didn't get myself sick again, he tried to encourage me to eat more but didn't get angry with me if I didn't.

For the first time since my family had died, since my life turned into nothing but misery, there was someone out there who actually cared about me. But it wasn't just Arthur, in Camelot I knew I had Merlin as well, and not to forget Gwen and Morgana. Best of it all, my brothers were alive. They may always be so far away while I was stuck in Camelot, but they were alive.

I actually fell asleep thinking of all the good things that I now had in my life, and not a thing about my uncle. I thought of Arthur and Merlin, of Morgana and Gwen, and I thought of my brothers. There were some good things in my life, thrown in amongst all of the bad.

I was woken from my slumber by a soft thud coming from outside of my chamber. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, and in all honestly, I didn't really care. I was tired, I wanted to sleep. I had been having such a nice dream, about spending some time with my brothers in Camelot. I didn't even bother to open my eyes, I just let myself drift back off once more.

Only, I wasn't going to get any more sleep. My chamber door slowly creaked open, and I just assumed that it was Arthur or Merlin, coming to check on me to make sure that I was asleep and that nothing was wrong. I should have paid more attention, because it definitely wasn't Arthur, and it most certainly was not Merlin.

Before my eyes could open, there was a hand over my mouth. "Shush, little Princess, we wouldn't want to wake the Prince now, would we?" A low voice growled into my ear.

I tried to pull away from him, but he just grabbed a tight hold of my wrist in his free hand. I kicked, my feet were just hitting whatever was in their reach, and most of the time it was nothing but air. I tried to scream, but it was muffled by the brute's hand.

There was a rather large smirk on his face, and it scared me, it really did scare me. "Come on, Princess, I wouldn't want to have to hurt you. There's someone who wants to see you, but unfortunately he wants you alive."

My eyes widened as suddenly it all fell into place. This man, the man who was dressed as a Camelot guard, was a spy, a follower of my uncle. That just made me fight him even harder, and I did almost manage to get out of his grip.

He didn't like my struggling, he wanted me to just go with him quietly. A stinging sensation flooded through my cheek, and the tears welled up in my eyes. "I warned you, didn't I?" He growled at me. He had hit me around the face, hard, and it really hurt.

Now he had made a mistake, because now I was free to talk. "So, are you the only spy that my uncle has here? Or is there more?" I spat at him, trying to sound like I had courage, that I wasn't a scared little girl.

"Oh, I'm not the only one. Camelot is filled with traitors. Uther has made a lot of people very angry, and he will pay for it, just like you and your pathetic brothers." The smirk was starting to make me feel sick. I had to do something, I couldn't just stand there and have a conversation with the man who believed in my crazed uncle.

I watched him carefully, before making a break for the door. I had just reached out and put my hand on the door handle when a pair of strong arms grabbed me from behind. "Get off me!" I shouted, before his hand was back and over my mouth.

"Did you really think that would work? That you can escape?" He whispered in my ear. "You've got no one to save you, little Princess. You belong to Lord Donald now." Hearing that name made me feel sick, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

The fear made me lash out again, and I tried, I really did try to get out of his grip, but he was strong, and there was no way I was going to get away from him by struggling. I wished I knew how to use my magic, because at least then I had some way of defending myself. I wanted to scream, to make as much noise as I could to get someone's attention.

My head was yanked back sharply, my hair being pulling on. "I'd be careful, little Princess. Lord Donald wants you alive, but I can still hurt you." The man snarled at me. The tears were rolling down my cheeks, and the way he was tugging at my hair was hurting. "Now, we're going to leave quietly. You will not make a sound, otherwise…" I felt a sharp pain on the top of my left arm. When I looked I saw the blood trickling down, and the blade he was holding, dripping with the sticky red liquid. "Understand?" All I could do was nod at him. I wasn't allowed to make a sound.

It was better for everyone if I went. Maybe it was a good thing that one of my uncles little thugs had found me and was taking me away from Camelot. With me gone, everyone else would be safe, and that was what I wanted after all. It didn't really matter what happened to me, my bothers would get over it, like I had to get over the loss of them. Arthur would move on as well, he'd end up with Gwen.

"Now, we're going to take a little walk, Princess. You go where I tell, go it?" Once again I nodded at him and nothing more. "Good girl. When we leave, you walk away from Prince Arthur's chamber. Understood?" I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "Off we go then."

I opened the door, wincing a little as I did because of the pain I was feeling in my arm. He didn't seem to care that the blood had seeped through my nightdress, and that the white was now stained red. As soon as it was open, I saw what had caused the soft thud early.

There was the body of a guard, slumped against the wall, not moving, a pool of red coming from his side. He had been there guarding me, just like Arthur had promised, and he had been killed because of me, just like my uncle had promised. I knew how serious this was now, and I knew I had to leave if I didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"Come along now, Princess." The man whispered to me, giving me a little shove past the guard.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I was forced to walk along the corridor, away from Arthur. My head was still telling me that it was a good idea, that going with him would keep everyone I cared about safe, but something else was telling me to put up a fight. I had to make a choice, and I had to do it quickly.

"Merlin? Merlin, you have to help me." I called to him, trying not to let him sense my fear. He was getting pretty good and judging how I was feeling when I spoke to him like that, and it made things more difficult for me to hide things from him.

But there was nothing. It was the dead of the night, he was most likely fast asleep now, like I wished that I was still. The tears were building in my eyes once more, he was my only hope of surprising the man. Any noise I made, I was going to be punished for.

I needed to buy myself some time, and come up with a plan or hope that we crossed someone else's path. My legs were moving, but I was taking slow steps. There was no way that I was going to rush, I didn't want to see my uncle, I didn't want to leave the safety of Camelot, and so I was going to take my time.

Unfortunately, he didn't seem to appreciate that and so he gave me a shove. "Quicker!" He hissed at me, putting his hand on my back and forcing me to move.

I dug my heels in, I was not going to let him push me around. But my disobedience cost me, and he gave me a much harder shove, causing me to trip over my own feet and land on the hard, cold, stone floor. I only just managed to get my hands out in time to stop my face from making contact.

A low growl escaped from the man, and a hand wrapped around my arm tightly, right where he had slashed my arm. I couldn't help but hiss from the pain, which resulting in yet another slap around the face. "Well, I've tried to be nice, but clearly that isn't going to work." His grip on my arm tightened, and the tears started rolling again. "Looks like we're going to have to do this my way."

Suddenly I was moving, being dragged through the corridors. "Merlin, please. Help me, please help me." I begged, wanting someone to come and save me. I was so scared, scared of what the man would do, scared of my uncle. "Please… please, Merlin, please…"

A sob escaped my lips, even though I was trying my best to contain it. He didn't like that I had made a noise, and his hand was wrapped around my throat. "Not a sound! Do you hear me, you stupid little girl? Not a sound."

My hands grasped at his, trying to pry it away from my neck, trying to stop him from crushing my throat. When he eventually let go, I crumbled to the ground, my hands rubbing my throat, my lungs desperate for air. But I didn't have long to recover, as he yanked me up, pulling me along again.

"Wake up, Merlin! For the love of Camelot, wake up!" I was screaming at him now, desperate for him to wake up, for him to come and save me, to stop this man from taking me to my uncle.

"Isabella? What's wrong? What's happened?" His voice suddenly called back. I wanted to let out a sigh, I wanted to smile at the fact that he was awake.

"Merlin, please, you have to help me. My uncle, he… one of his spies, he was a guard." I told him, trying to work out where in the castle we were now. I hadn't been able to pay attention to the way we were going, I had no idea where I was. "He's… he's taking me to him. I don't want to go, Merlin, please, I don't want my uncle to kill me." I held back a sob, scared of what would happen if I made another sound.

"Where are you?" I could hear the panic flooding his voice now, and I knew he was going to try and find me.

I looked around, trying to find anything that I recognised, anything that would help me work out what part of the castle we were in. "I… I don't know, Merlin. He's dragging me around, I'm still in the castle somewhere, but I don't know where." That little bit of hope I had was quickly fading. "He took me from my chamber, and led me in the other direction to Arthur's."

"I'll find you, Isabella. I promise you, I will find you." Those were the word that I wanted to hear, I wanted him to find me, to save me. "Just keep talking to me, tell me if you recognise anything."

"I thought… I thought I wanted to leave, to get away from Camelot. I thought that if I was gone, Camelot would be safe, you and Arthur would be safe. I started thinking that it would be better if I gave myself up to my uncle." I told him, just rambling a little. "But I don't want to, Merlin. I want to stay here. My uncle will just kill me, I don't… I don't want…"

I knew that Merlin could sense my fear. "Isabella, he is not going to get you, I swear."

"After this, I really think you need to start teaching me how to use this stupid magic." I called to him with a slight chuckle in my head. "Then you wouldn't have to come and rescue me like I'm a damsel in distress."

Merlin chuckled at that as well, I heard him. "You, a damsel in distress?"

"Hey, I don't have a sword so I'm helpless. I can't control this magic, I don't know what to do with it. Also, I am a damsel, and I'm in distress." I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and I tripped.

My heart pounded in my chest as the man tugged my arm, tightening his grip and looking at me with rage in his eyes. "No more warnings." He hissed at me, making sure to squeeze the part of my arm that was cut, causing me to wince again in pain.

"You really need to hurry up, Merlin." The man began walking again, taking me with him. "He's… he is really scaring me and… and I know he is not afraid to hurt me."

"Isabella, I need you to let me in." He said, completely confusing me. "If you let me in, then I can try to see where you are. I could be walking around here for hours trying to find you, and by then it could be too late."

He was right. I didn't know where he was leading me, but I knew he had to get me out of the castle somehow. The moment I was out, there was less chance that he would reach me in time. "Okay. I don't exactly know how to do it, but I'll give it a try."

I focused one Merlin, and only Merlin. I thought about all the times he had saved Arthur's life, of everything he had ever done for him, and all the things he will do for him. I thought about him waking me up in the morning by making as much noise as he could, of the names he would call Arthur. I just thought of Merlin, the young man who would become the greatest warlock ever.

"I've got you." His voice rang through my mind, but it was louder, clearer. Something felt different, like there was something else in my head. "It's only me, Isabella. Just stay calm. I know this is difficult, but just keep calm."

"I am keeping calm. I just got a warlock stuck in my head while I'm being led through the castle and to my deranged uncle who will simply kill me." I joked. "What reason do I have not to be calm?"

He chuckled at me again. "Even when you're being kidnapped, you still act strange, Isabella."

"Well, of course. Where would be the fun in being normal? Normal is boring, Merlin, remember that. Being different is always a good thing." Yes, I was starting to ramble once more, it was the only thing I could do to keep calm. "I hope you're not going poking around in my head too much. I don't want you to see all the things that Arthur and I get up to behind closed doors."

I could actually feel him tense up, which was totally weird. "Yeah, I really don't want to know any of that. I'm just trying to see where you are, Isabella, that's all, I promise you."

"It's okay, Merlin. I trust you."

There were a few moments of silence, before I felt Merlin pull away a little. "I've found you, I know where you are and I think I know where he is heading. I'm going to get Arthur, and then we'll come and get you."

"No, there isn't time, Merlin. You need to come get me now." I wanted Arthur there, of course I did, but I knew there really wasn't time. Merlin needed to take him out quickly and quietly, and then he could go and get Arthur.

"Isabella…"

"Please, Merlin. I am scared as anything right now. Please, just come and save me." I was desperate. The grip on my arm was still tight, and he was completely focused on where we were going.

I had to buy Merlin some time. He knew where I was, but I didn't know how long it was going to take him to get to me. It was time for me to be stubborn, even if it did result in me suffering for it. "Please, don't do this." I said in a whisper, causing the man to whip his head around and look at me. "Please, why do you have to do this?"

"I thought I told you to shut up?" He snapped at me, his anger flaring. "You really are very disobedient, aren't you? I need to teach you a lesson." I froze, watching as he pulled his dagger back out. "Oh, does this scare you?" He asked me, edging close to my face with the blade. "Maybe you should have thought of that before." I felt the cold metal against my cheek for only a second, before it was replaced with a burning sensation.

Instantly my hand flew to my face, touching where it hurt. When I pulled my hand away, it was covered in that sticky red liquid that had soaked through the torn sleeve of my nightdress. I forced the tears back this time, I wasn't going to cry anymore because of that man. As far as I was concerned, he was a coward, taking orders from a man who was intent on killing his own family so that he could get what he wanted. He was no better than my uncle.

"Every time you disobey me, you get another." He told me, showing me the blade. "Move."

We went back to walking again, and his grip was just getting tighter and tighter. Every time I slowed down, he dragged me forwards. My face was hurting, as was my arm. I knew the blood was trickling down my face, and I wanted to reach up to wipe it away, but I knew I couldn't.

I was starting to wonder how long it was going to take for Merlin to get to wherever we were. That was soon answered when the man stumbled over nothing. He landed on the floor, taking me with him. I landed awkwardly on my hand, sending a shooting pain though my wrist. Just another injury to add to the list for the night.

When he got to his feet, he was seething. He eyes bore into me, accusing me of doing something. I backed away from him in fear before he had a chance to grab hold of me again. And then I saw him, I saw Merlin hiding in one of the alcove, and I could feel the relief wash through me.

"It's going to be okay, Isabella." He assured me, creeping up behind the man with a sword in his hand.

"Hmm, yes, because you really know how to use a sword, don't you, Merlin?" I said sarcastically. Everyone knew how useless he was with a sword, he could barely even hold it properly, let alone use one in a fight.

"Who says it's for me?" Before I could ask him what he meant, he was out of the alcove and had gotten the man's attention. The moment he had, Merlin tossed the sword, which I was quick to catch.

"You stupid boy!" The man yelled, lunging for Merlin. But Merlin was smaller, and quicker, and he ducked out of the way. "You're going to pay for this!" It was easy to see that the man was more than just a tad angry now.

"No, you are." Merlin said, before the man was suddenly thrown back against the stone wall right beside me, causing me to let out a yelp of surprise as I darted out of the way. The sword slipped from my hand, and my legs gave way. Merlin had found me. "Isabella, are you okay?" He asked me, looking at my arm and my face. I simply nodded at him, before bursting into tears.

He wrapped his arms around me, comforting me while I let it all out. I had been more scared than I wanted to admit. I had thought that the man was going to do more than just cut my cheek or my arm at one point. He had scared me, and the thought of what my uncle would do scared me even more.

All of a sudden there was the sound of heavy, rushing footsteps, and more than just one set. I could hear the clanking of metal armour as well. I couldn't see anything, my vision was blurred from the tears, but I heard Merlin speaking.

"Get Prince Arthur, now!" He shouted. "That man tried to kidnap Princess Isabella." The sound of rushing footsteps went the other way, but only one set. "It's okay, Isabella, someone's gone to get Arthur." He told me softly.

My head nodded, and I felt Merlin tug at the torn sleeve, taking a look at the cut on my arm. I didn't care about that, all I cared about was seeing Arthur. And I didn't have that long to wait, as the rushing footsteps came back, one set that I somehow recognised.

"Isabella…" I heard Arthur say, causing me to look up. I knew I looked a complete and utter mess, but I really didn't care. I forced myself to my feet and stumbled over to him, wrapping my arms around his middle and crying even harder. "It's all right, Isabella, you're safe now." He assured me, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

Then I heard a groaning, and my whole body tensed up. "You stupid girl!" That horrible man spat at me. "You won't stop him. He knows you're here."

I held onto Arthur even tighter, not wanting to look at the man as I buried my face into Arthur's chest. "You are under arrest. You will stand before the King before you are executed." I heard the Prince tell the man, his voice firm and full of anger. "Take him away."

"You'll pay for this, all of you will. Next time, she'll be dead." He shouted, as the guards dragged him away.

"Isabella, look at me." Arthur urged, pushing me away from him slightly. "Please, look at me." I slowly lifted my head and my eyes met his blue ones, which were full of nothing but worry. "I am so sorry, Isabella." He said, a hand gently reaching up and wiping away some of the blood from the cut on my cheek. I couldn't help but flinch a little, even though I knew he wasn't going to hurt my.

"It's not your fault." I managed to tell him, my voice wavering a little. "None of it was your fault."

Merlin cleared his throat, causing both of us to look over to him. "You should really see Gaius, Isabella. He needs to look at your arm and face." There was worry etched all over his face as well.

I nodded at him. "I will, thank you, Merlin." I pulled away from Arthur and stood before my serving friend. "You saved me, Merlin. If you hadn't have found me… thank you." I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. If it weren't for him, my uncle would have gotten me. Merlin was the one that saved me, he found me, and he saved me.

He was a little reluctant to hug me back, but eventually he did. "It's okay, Isabella. I'm glad I found you."

"Come, Isabella, you really do need to see Gaius." Arthur said, gently tugging me away from Merlin. That was when he noticed my wrist, the swelling and the bruising that had started to form. He frowned a little as he held onto it carefully. "What happened, Isabella?"

"I… I don't want to talk about it right now, Arthur. Please, can we just go and see Gaius?" My eyes were pleading with him. I knew it was going to have to relive it when I told Uther what had happened, which was bound to happen, I didn't want to do it twice.

He must have seen the fear still lingering in my eyes. "Of course, Isabella." He said, gently raising my hand and lightly pressing his lips against my swollen wrist. "You will be staying with me for the rest of the night. I don't want you to be left on your own."

"Good. I don't want to be left on my own." I told him, as we started walking towards the physician's chamber, with Merlin having gone off ahead to warn Gaius that we were coming. "I was so scared, Arthur. If I made a sound, he… he…" I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. "I was so lucky that Merlin was around. He really did save me, Arthur."

"I'm wondering why he was even wandering around during the middle of the night." He replied, a slight frown on his face. "But I am glad that he was."

"Me too." I let out a small laugh. "Merlin, the hero. Who'd have though that would ever happen?"

I noticed a smile creep onto Arthur's face. "With you around, anything is possible."

He was right, I was just completely impossible, and so was everything that happened around me. But Merlin was always a hero, even when Arthur didn't know it. He was always doing impossible things and saving people, mainly Arthur, but he never received any of the recognition for it. But this time, this time I was going to make sure every knew that he was the hero, that he was the one that saved me, that Merlin, the clumsy servant who picked up after the Prince of Camelot, took on the thug that was trying to kidnap a Princess.

A/N: Ta da! After not knowing if I was going to be able to update this story on time, I've managed to update it early! Yay for you all!

I did mention in the last chapter that Merlin was going to start to be more involved in the story, and this is just the start of it. Future chapters will have more Merlin, and more sass from Isabella.

Now, I would like to thank and welcome all of those who had favourited/followed the story. Hello! Glad you all like it, hope you continue to like it as well. Although there are new followers, the average number of reviews has sadly dropped. Big hugs and thanks to those of you who do leave reviews, you really are awesome. I'm not going to beg for reviews like some people do, or withhold chapters until there has been a certain number of reviews, I'll just say that reviews are more than welcome!

Phew, that was a long one, and it probably looks like I'm ranting. As I said, the next chapter is ready and waiting, updating will be on time! Until then…

Pippa.