It felt like seconds later Merlin was shaking her awake. "Wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty. Sorry, Willow. I wish I could let you sleep longer, but we're ready to go. Come get some food before we start."

She nodded and let him lead her to some food. She rallied a little after eating. Enough to help them carry bundles of medicines and equipment down to a carriage. Soldiers ran to and fro all around them in the halls and courtyard. Apparently Uther was taking the message as seriously as Arthur. Gaius rode in the carriage, but Merlin and Willow each mounted a horse. They had six guards to accompany them as they rode back to Crab Tree. The military preparations made it hard to get out of the castle but eventually, they managed.

They hadn't been riding long before Willow felt herself nodding in the saddle. Merlin rode up beside her. "Watch yourself or you'll fall off your horse. And don't expect me to catch you." He made a hand motion going down, accompanied by a descending whistle, then spread both hands out suddenly. "Splat."

Willow laughed. "I don't know why I'm so tired. Yesterday's ride after the previous night's cold must have really taken more out of me than I realized." She sobered as she realized the shock of almost being raped and killed might have something to do with it, or building a shelter and dragging five dead bodies away from it.

Merlin smiled. "Or it was you and Arthur up gabbing all night," He used a falsetto voice. "Oh, Arthur your sword practice really defines your muscles."

Willow laughed and glanced around and was pleased to see that the group had spread out enough to give them a little privacy. "Will you stop going on about that. The only thing he said all night was your name. That and groan."

Merlin nodded. "I have noticed that. Arthur does seem to have a limited vocabulary. You must have been doing all the talking then." He raised an eyebrow at her.

She laughed grateful he was helping her stay awake. "Oh, yes. I figured this was my only chance to bend a royal ear with all the things I'd like to change about how the kingdom's run, that I kept myself awake all night talking and talking at an unconscious perhaps dying prince just in case he lived and remembered what I said. Very likely, Merlin. Very likely." She harrumphed.

Merlin shrugged. "If you were to marry a prince rather than be a spinster you could change all the things you wanted in the kingdom." He raised an eyebrow.

She laughed. "Merlin, you are so ridiculous." Then she raised her own eyebrow. "Is that what you'd like to happen? Me marry a prince?" She was enjoying this game of pretending to subtly flirt. Oh, how she liked his company. She could tolerate a regular dose of this.

"Well," he seemed to think. "It's better than you wasting away as a spinster." Then he grinned, "But I could think of better people for you to marry than a pompous prince."

She laughed at his boldness. "Really? Like who?"

He shrugged. "A farmer, a blacksmith, an apprentice healer, a town guard, a latrine scrubber, really anybody would be better than–"

She grinned wickedly. "Merlin, are you proposing to me?"

He choked on his laugh. "I–no, I–what? I wou–well, I–"

Willow laughed. "Relax, Merlin. You sound like you're having a conniption. I was just teasing."

He blushed. "I knew that." When she continued to laugh at him, he laughed, too and his eyes twinkled. "What would you have said if I was?"

It was her turn to blush. Then she laughed. This was a dangerous game to play for a spinster. "That might just challenge my plans for spinsterhood, but you'd have to ask to find out, now, wouldn't you?" She felt a little flushed.

One of the guards riding ahead of them came galloping back. "King Urien's soldiers are on the road ahead."

Willow's first thought was 'Thank goodness we got out of that conversation.' Then the guard's words registered.

Merlin, suddenly serious. "How many?"

"Four," Tobias said. Fear lines showed around his mouth.

Willow had such lines around the mouths of expectant fathers as their wives went into labor and the parents of deathly sick children. "Perhaps this is another scouting party checking on the fate of the first one."

Merlin nodded. "Perhaps. Tobias, alert Gaius in the carriage." Tobias nodded and continued on past them.

Merlin turned to Willow. "You should go back with the carriage and Gaius."

She frowned. "What about you?"

"I've been in many battles beside Arthur. I'm good at making myself discretely useful to our soldiers as they fight. I'll go ahead to help Rogier."

Willow nodded and dropped back to ride beside the carriage. Gaius stuck his head out the window and expressed concern. "Where's Merlin?"

She rode beside the carriage window. "He went forward to help the guards."

Gaius scowled. "But he doesn't know how to fight."

Willow shrugged. "He was confident that he could help."

Gaius clenched the edge of the window opening. "The idiot. He's going to get himself killed."

Willow heard the concern hidden in Gaius's angry remarks. He was worried Merlin's magic would be discovered. She forced herself to smile despite her own fear. "Don't worry, Gaius. He'll come back to you."

Tobias took two more guards and rode forward to help. Two guards stayed behind with the carriage. There were several tense moments while the carriage continued rolling slowly forward so as not to give away the fact that they knew King Uriens's soldiers were ahead.

The sound of fighting began ahead, somewhere out of sight. The carriage stopped and waited. Swords clanged. People yelled. Willow heard Merlin shout a warning once. Then it grew quiet. Willow hated waiting and not knowing. She wished she knew more magic besides talking to birds and healing.

After a while, one of the guards rode back and waved them forward. "We've subdued them and are interrogating the one still alive. There are some wounded. Gaius nodded to Willow. She motioned to the driver. The carriage started forward again. Soon they reached the place where wounded soldiers lay on the ground.

Willow glanced around looking for Merlin. She didn't see him anywhere. Gaius looked around too as he climbed down from the carriage. "Where's Merlin?" He demanded.

A guard waved toward the trees. Willow rushed over in that direction. She found him stretched on the ground holding his leg. "I've got him, Gaius," she called. She went straight to Merlin while Gaius treated the others, including the captured enemy soldier.

Willow asked, "Merlin, what happened?"

He smiled then grimaced. "Sword cut to the leg."

Willow ripped the pant leg open to reveal the wound. "It's deep." She put pressure on it to try to slow the bleeding. Merlin groaned. Willow smiled. "Is this how you always help Arthur? By taking an injury meant for someone else?"

He glared at her. "Your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. Do you criticize all your patients while you try to heal them or am I just a special case?"

She glared. "Merlin, you know you're always special. Were you able to help at all?"

He nodded with gritted teeth. "I was very helpful."

She raised an eyebrow. "Good. I'd hate to think you put yourself at risk on a fool's errand."

He glared at her. "Do you disapprove of my helping in the fighting?"

She grunted then smirked. "Who am I to come between a boy and his deathwish?" When he made a confused face, she snorted. "Pay me no mind. I'm probably just jealous that I couldn't help as well. It's terrible waiting. Not knowing what's going on."

Merlin groaned. "I could work with you on that. See what you're capable of."

Willow grinned, excited by the offer. "Is that a promise?"

Merlin beamed at her. "At the first opportunity."

"I plan to hold you to that, Merlin." She let up on the pressure to check on the wound. "The bleeding seems to be slowing down. Now for the painful part."

"Truly, your bedside manner sucks." Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Only the best for you, Merlin." After the wound was treated and wrapped, Merlin was able to hobble around. Willow and Gaius both suggested he ride in the carriage. He insisted that he would ride. Willow found it painful just to watch him mount his horse. "Merlin, if you're trying to impress me by acting tough, you're not. I'm more impressed by good sense. He ignored her and mounted anyway. With a snort of disapproval from Willow and a grunt of resignation from Gaius, they rode on. Merlin's pain was clearly written on his face.