Thank you for reading. I'm sorry that I didn't update last week as usual. I was just having a hard time with this chapter. Thought it was best to take a little more time with it than rush and have it be bad. The next few chapters may also take two weeks to update. They have a lot of action that I wont to get right. Hopefully after that it will be a easier and back to once a week.

Straight gate: There will be a Merlin/Morgana relationship I promise. It is just taking time. I wanted it to make sense. It would take a lot of time to build trust again. As for Gwaine and Morgana I always liked those characters and they never got to interact in the show really. So I wanted to add that here. I have to be honest it worked out better than I thought and I came to really like writing them. It developed more than I thought it would. I hope it hasn't put you off the story. There will be a lot of Merlin and Morgana coming up.

The trees blurred past Eylan as he sped by. Not slowing down for a second, giving his horse a moments rest until they reached the castle almost at the heart of the thinly walled city. The thumping of his heart was in time with the horses hooves pounding the ground. Both drummed in his ear. It was all he could hear and hard to tell which was the louder. All he saw was a few feet ahead, down the path that lay before him. Glancing up only briefly. To make sure he was staying on the right path.

The young knight tried not to think of anything but returning home. Warning Arthur and Gwen what was coming. Seeing them, knowing they were alright. Rationally he knew they were safest where they where. That right now at least they were safe, but the nagging in the back of his head didn't lessen. They were his family. The last family he had left. He couldn't lose them too. The knights were his family too, of course they were. This was just different.

Maybe it harassed his so much because he hadn't been there the last time. When his father died he wasn't there. To his deep shame he wasn't even sure he knew where he had been when his father. Who he loved and respected, wanted to make proud of him, breathed his last breath. When his sister was left alone in a what must have been a lonely city. His sister who was more like a mother to him.

He had no real memory of his mother. Her holding him, smelling of bluebells. They grew around their house in the warmer mouths. Whenever he smelled them he thought of her and his childhood. Gwen had that same smell. Even though she no longer lived in their old home, a new family lived there now and she wore proper scents as a lady of the court and future queen now. Under that to him she still smelled of bluebells. It was also Gwen's face he saw when he though of his mother. Their father had always said she looked like their mother.

The two knights that had set out to pass through the as many villages as they could on their way back to the city made slower pross than they had expected. They never slowed to anything less than a steady run. Yet they had only been able to pass through one village. only three men had agreed to come to the aid of Camelot. It was frustrating but they understood. Not everyone had made a oath to fight for Camelot as they had. Most of the men had families to support. If they died what would become of the family left behind. They couldn't expect men to put their lives on the line when they had no clear proof that their lives were in any danger.

The men that had agreed to help had been told to head string for the city and make their presence known at the castle. While Leon and Percival headed for the next villages. They could just see the villages up ahead. Getting closer, but sill seeming so far away. They weight of their armor started to weigh them down. Each step forward took more and more effort.

It seemed to be so much effort for such little gain. Each of them debated in their head if they should bring this up. Voice their concern and frustration. That maybe they were of more use heading back to Camelot as fast as they could. Neither would say it though. They wouldn't be the one to give up. Because that would be what it was giving up. If they headed back now without more help it could be the deciding factor in the coming battle.

Leon's feet dragged on the uneven ground. Losing his footing for a moment he quickly caught himself.

"Alright." Percival stopped to ask.

Leon nodded and they carried on.

Gwaine kept up a constant stream of light chatter. Lancelot added a few words when he couldn't get away with not doing so. He knew the slightly shorter man was only acting like this because he was nervous and didn't want to show it. To distract himself he talked. It was a habit he knew well. Eylan he knew did the same thing, but when he was truly frightened he became uncommunicative. He wondered how the younger man was fairing. He hoped he was if not back at the city by now he at least could see it ahead of him. He also wondered how Leon and Percival were fairing at their task.

If he was honest he worried a little more about them than he did Eylan. Neither Leon or Percival were what he would consider affable. They were not the most easy to talk to. They kept their feelings guarded and seemed to be mostly unaffected by most things. Able to continue to move forward through life as a steady pace. How many men could they convince to leave their loved ones and put their life in danger to stop a enemy they had never encountered themselves.

Eylan would have been better suited to that job then they were. He was warm and amiable. People liked him quickly, they felt comfortable with him. Trusted him. Like his sister.

Everyone standing around the round table had instinctively wanted to protect the youngest, gentlest of them. That was why they gave him the task that they hoped would keep him the safest. At least for now. He had no doubt that Eylan knew what they had done. There was truth in it though. He was the fastest rider.

By rights Gwaine would have been the one to go with Eylan to the villages. The knight walking quickly beside him had an almost endless reserve of energy. Energy that he was using now to push himself onward without stopping. While dealing with people was a task better suited for his nature, Lancelot knew that Gwaine would never have been discouraged form taking on this task. It was not at all that he wanted to do it, he simply didn't want anyone else too. More specifically, he didn't want to have to worry about others doing it. It was trying to get away from that fear, that worry which kept Gwaine constantly moving forward. Regardless of what that was moving towards.

Unlike the nervous chatter or the tense silence of the two pairs of travelling knights Merlin and Morgana fell into a balance of the two. They were mostly silent, but exchanged words on how best to get to where they were going. It was not a long journey but it seemed to drag on. They would have expected that their nerves would have made it fly bye.

Merlin was a little surprised by how easy it was to talk with Morgana, to plan what they would do next.

Then he realized that she was placating him.

Reaching out he grabbed hold of her arm. "What are you planning."

She scoffed "To betray you and Arthur of course."

Morgana expected him to flinch, seem angry. He just looked at her, staring her down. He didn't believe her. He saw through her act. "Morgana." He sounded worried now.

"The only plan I have is to make her suffer before I rip her head off and put it on a pike."

She pulled her arms free and carried on.

"Tell me your not planning on doing anything reckless." Merlin called out remaining rotted to the spot.

Morgana stopped and turned to face him. "No more reckless than walking right into her army." She said bitterly.

Feeling a like more understanding he walked forward to met her. "He'll be fine."

"You don't know that."

"No-"

"Merlin you can't know if he, if any of them, anyone is going to be fine or not."

"Morgana-"

"Even my dreams can't tell us anything."

Reaching out again he placed a hand on her shoulder. He expected her to shrug it off, but she didn't. She let him offer what little comfort he could. Only for a moment though, before she turned away and carried on.

There was an odd atmosphere in the castle. It seemed too quiet. Like the calm before the storm or the taking in of a deep breath before you began a significant physical task. Gwen had tried to shake the uneasy feeling. Leaving the castle to visit the market after she had made sure Arthur had eaten the breakfast she brought him. He had seemed a little better when she left him, but she had learned over the years that sometimes it was best to leave him on his own. Let him work through the worst of his frustration. Any ideas on how to fix the problem would not be well received right away. He needed to work through it himself first. Then he would listen to others input.

She was only glancing over the stalls as she made her way through the market. There was nothing that she was specifically looking for. Her wedding dress was practically finished, but it still felt to her like it was missing something. She couldn't put her finger on what it was. She hoped she would know when she saw it. So far she hadn't found it yet. She had only been through just over half of the market so far so there was still time to find it. Whatever it was.

Deep down she knew what was missing from the idea she had of her wedding, who. All of them, but didn't let herself think about it.

In her back of her mind she did feel guilty about spending time on such a frivolous thing when her fiancé was under so much pressure. It also began to dawn on her that she hadn't seen any of their friends all day. That was not normal. The castle could be a very lonely place, but you were very rarely alone in it. Today it felt like she was alone in it.

Worry began to swell up inside of her as she stopped in the middle of the street a constant stream of people moving all around her. She felt more alone, but trapped.

Gaius too tried to keep himself busy, preoccupied. He couldn't tell why but he felt an uneasy feeling creeping over him as the morning wore on and in to the afternoon. Unable to sit still the old man began to slowly and methodically clear the various bottles, jars and other objects that filled his shelves. A thin layer of dust covered almost everything. Growing thicker the higher the shelf. Standing on a chair, and reaching up as high as he could he was just able to reach the top shelf. This would be much easier if Merlin was here.

He would most likely not be doing this in the first place if Merlin was here. He would not need to distract himself from worry then.

His mind wondering now to where Merlin was and what he was doing, Gaius's elbow knocked over a bottle that he had only moments before cleaned and returned back to its place, as he brought down the fist jar from the highest shelf.

The brown glass bottle exploded on the stone floor.

Gaius stood for a moment looking down on the broken glass on the floor. The liquid that had been inside the bottle pooled and spread along the groves in the stone floor. Placing the jar in his hand on the closest shelf Gaius carefully lowered himself down to sit in the chair he stood on.

He only meant to rest for a second. Once sitting surrounded by broken glass however he couldn't seem to make himself move.

The woods around them seemed to drew in closer the further into it they walked. For someone that could feel confined in the large halls of the castle in Camelot Gwaine felt it keenly. As if the walls where closing in on him. How much of this was all in his head. A reaction to what he was heading towards and how much was the woods its self, he didn't know.

Lancelot who walked at the same pace beside him seemed to be having the the same feeling. The normally calm and steady knight had a nervous energy coming off of him that Gwaine had never felt before.

He began to feel a little guilty. Lancelot had he was sure picked up on his nervous energy and frustration growing as they stood around the round table. He had known that he was going snap or do something reckless. So Lancelot had spoke up first. Stopping his friends from suggesting a more dangerous course of action and to make sure that he did not go off alone. He was grateful for his fiends kindness, but felt greater guilt.

He stopped and waited a few seconds for Lancelot to do the same. When he did he turned to look back at his fellow knight in confusion.

Gwaine offered words of thanks to which Lancelot simply nodded, before quickly moving forwards again.

Both men not needing to say anymore. They knew without saying it that they could rely on each other to get themselves out of whatever danger they were about to walking into. Just ahead now visible through the trees seemed to be a large stone fort. They knew it was half destroyed from years of neglect. Not that that mattered to the witch and Sarrum that was drawing them there to join their army.

As they came upon the next village Pericaval was surprised to see how empty the village seemed. Something was not right.

The closer they got the clearer it was what had happened.

Many of the house had there door busted open and there windows broken. The knight's hearts began to sink as they saw the hastily abandoned objects that had filled the morning of the inhabitants of the village. Something had happened that had made them leave in great hast. Luckily they did not find any evidence of any fighting. Which was a great relief. Whatever had happened here they hoped, as they saw no sign of blood, that the innocent people that called this village home had been hurt. They had been able to make a quick exit before the hostile force had descended on them.

Drawing their swords they made their way through the villages slowly.

A loud crash erupted.

Turning round they saw the back of what seemed to be a man of average height running between two houses to their right. Exchanging a brief look they moved to follow.

As they turned into the narrow street, Leon in front they saw the back of the figure running away. Leon called out but the man didn't stop or turn to face them. Exchanging a look Percival moved quickly to cut the man off and Leon carried down directly after him.

In a few minutes they had the man cornered. Once he saw clearly who they were. That they were knights of Camelot. He quickly told them what had happened. That not even half an hour ago a large army had been seen not far away. The village was small, the people here farmers. They wouldn't stand a change against any hostile force. So they had chosen to leave. Hope that the army would pass by them unseen. He, being one of the younger men in the village he had volunteered to return and see if the army had passed by.

The knights felt their hearts sink. They were already to late to mount much of an additional force to add them. They could only hope Eylan had already made it back to Camelot.

His feet seemed to carry him onwards. Not stopping for a second if he did he would think. Think of her. Where she was, what she was doing, Who she was with, was she actually with anyone. He didn't like to think of her alone, but he also didn't want to think of her with anyone else. All these thought and many more, hundreds more he kept at bay by focusing solely on putting one foot in front of the other.

Glancing up rarely and only briefly to make sure that he was not about to walk into a tree, body of water or over a cliff. More likely into a village. He didn't want to see anyone.

Mordred almost laughed. Kara had left because he wanted to find a place to settle down. Now he wanted to keep a distance from everyone.

The next time he glanced up he saw the city of Camelot before him. He hadn't know that this was where his feet had been carrying him.

Lost in his own thought he didn't notice the large group of people moving quickly along the main path to the city to his right. It was only when they were feet away he heard the chatter and sounds of feet moving quickly over the beaten path. They seemed anxious and nervous to reach the city quickly. Most of them were getting on in age and clearly pushing themselves on beyond what they were comfortable with.

He waited for them, asking them what was going on when they reached him. He was only able to hear a few words over the sounds of the group rushing forward. It hadn't been his intention, but he allowed himself to be carried with them towards the city.

The king paced his chambers. He felt like a pent up ball of energy that was going to explode if he didn't find a way to focus it into something soon. Talking to Morgana hadn't helped much. Arthur had been avoiding it, pushing the idea away when it crossed his mind. Which was happening more and more recently. He had to talk to his father.

His pride had kept him from reaching out to the former king. He wanted to handle this on his own.

Arthur also feared that informing his father that his old enemy was once again targeting Camelot would only result in reigniting his hate for magic. If he was going to find a way to work, exist in peace with those that had magic. Not be at war with them. Then he knew Uther could have nothing to do with it. Morgana would become hostile and Arthur had to work with her on this. He needed to keep the peace.

He was ill-prepared to face an army. He knew that. Knew too his father had experience in that field. But he couldn't turn to him. He was not alone in this fight. That had to be enough.

Though he didn't focus on it he knew as well that he was keeping his father in the dark about what was going on to keep him safe. He was getting old. He would not survive a battle.

He stopped pacing and looked out of his window. Down onto the court yard. A little in the distance he could see the crowed in the market. There seemed to be more of then that normal. Looking closer he thought they were moving in the one direction. Before he could see what was going on his door burst open and Eylan rushed towards him as he rushed out what he had to.

The crowds began to be getting larger. Gwen felt like everything was closing in on her. Anxiety began to grew as a steady muttering began to build up. She needed to get out of the crowd. She needed to breath and she was starting to feel like she couldn't take in a real deep breath. Growing more uncomfortable she lifted her arms and began to push her way through the crowd.

Just as she was about to pull free the crowd suddenly shifted. It suddenly began to pull her violently to the right. Back towards the castle. The muttering grow sharply, but she could only make out a few words. Nothing that made sense.

Trying to break free from the current of people moving, but it was to strong. Gwen gave up and tried to stand her ground. Let the stream of people pass bye her.

She was not strong enough to stand against such force and after just a few seconds of standing she was knocked down to the ground.

Pain shoot through her leg as someone tripped over it. Then almost right after someone kicked it. Hitting the same place. She tried to pushed her self up, something knocked into her back and she was forced to the ground again.

Closing her eyes Gwen covered her head and hoped it would pass quickly.

Hope you liked it. Sorry if it was boring or anti-climatic. I just felt this was the only opportunity to write more about the knights that I haven't do much with before the action starts.