CHAPTER 37

BROKEN TRUST

Arya threw herself inside her own tent, and after her failed search for Iseldir around the camp, she decided to beckon him mentally instead. It wasn't like her to use her powers like that, however, she needed to talk to her uncle now. Right now. It took her a minute to focus, in her rage she couldn't even keep a single thought straight before going down in a spiral of anger, but sooner rather than later her magic had found his uncle's and without even giving him a chance to repeal her from his mind she entered.

Iseldir, come to the tent. Now. It's urgent. Arya managed to share mentally as some feelings managed to spill through the bond too, like fear, impatience, and fury before cutting the connection with a movement of her hand. She gave a frustrated yell. She just couldn't believe it!

Arya paced around her tent for several minutes and with each one she just grew more and more irritated. Finally, her uncle arrived.

"Arya, are you—"

"He lied to us," Arya turned in a swift motion, pivoting so fast on her spot she almost fell, her uncle walked inside her tent closing the drapes. She motioned to the vase on her table, "Emrys is lying to us. How dare he come to us looking for help and lie about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I—?!The name! The person he's helping!" Arya said angrier now, "I had visions of him coming to the camp with the once and future king. He didn't just lie about the vase, he lied to us about him. His name is not Edmund and he's definitely not just a man from Ealdor, isn't he?"

Arya waited for more information but Iseldir kept quiet after that, manner stoic as always and Arya lost it.

"Do you have any idea who are they trying to help?! Uther! Uther Pendragon!" She spat the name as if the name itself was the worst curse that could be ever said.

"I have come to realize this, yes,"

"I can't believe you are accepting this!" Arya said outraged, "He killed my father! Your brother! Uther Pendragon does not need salvation or help. Let alone from us. This is really the Emrys you taught us all to respect? To wait for? The warlock that is supposed to bring magic back to this land? I just can't believe it! You must be confused!"

"The very same. He must have his reasons, I'm sure."

Arya, who was a kind-hearted woman, was anything but that at the moment, she felt betrayed, the person she had wanted to meet for so long had lied to her to save a man she hated, "A traitor, that's what he is."

Iseldir sighed, "Arya, you must understand his situation—"

"He comes to our sanctuary for help…and he brings with him the very child who brought destruction upon our people. I saw them in my dreams, the once and Future King and the greatest sorcerer to have ever lived walking together inside our camp. I never thought it would be possible. And no—I don't fear or hate Arthur, he was a child when all this happened, as I was. However, I do not trust him, neither do I have hope for him either. The child of a murderer and Emrys being actual friends?" Arya moved around with crossed arms, "And, miraculously, against all odds, they are here together, and what do they do? They come here in hopes to have us all fooled!"

"They are scared, Arya, and—"

"I don't care! Arthur's birth was the reason magic was banned. Our people were slaughtered. I have no grudge against him but I do not trust him, what do you think he will do once he goes back to Uther Pendragon with all the information he just gathered by being here? How do we even know he's not using Emrys? He… he is a really marvelous man, I can't believe he would be doing this if he knew," Arya said trying to give Emrys the benefit of the doubt, "Emrys wouldn't help Uther if he knew," She said resolutely. "The prince is doing this selfishly, I'm sure, I know it. Maybe going as far as use Emrys,"

Iseldir was quiet for a long time after that, looking at Arya like he couldn't recognize her, "Arthur is his friend. Wouldn't you want to help your friend if you were in the same situation?"

"But is not the same situation," Arya said gravely, "And I can't even stand the idea now of Arthur and him being friends! Arthur might kill him once they are away from here!"

Iseldir shook his head, "I know it looks impossible, but Emrys and Arthur are good friends, you can doubt their reasons, that's fair, but don't doubt a friendship, Arya. I thought you of all people would understand."

Arya had lost part of her fury now, "But this would mean… that Emrys… that he's agreed to lie to us,"

"He did lie, yes, but yet you told him you would help." The old man looked to the vase silently as he folded his hands in front of him.

"This is a druid object. It belongs to us, "Arya sighed annoyed, "And we can't use it safely until I discover how it works."

"So you will help them?" Iseldir asked marveled, "Even when you don't want to?"

"I don't know, I don't want to, why should I?" Arya huffed before looking at her uncle with a firm stare, "Do you want me to?"

"Of course," Iseldir said seriously, "I trust Merlin, and even though no one does I trust Arthur. He has shown kindness in times of darkness. He brought Mordred back to us, and right now you might not understand how important that was, or how brave he was, but I do."

"So you don't care they are lying to our faces?"

"I believe in the future they will create. I too would be scared too if asking for the salvation of my father mean going to the people he had hurt." Iseldir shrugged, "I'm not saying is right, all I'm saying is that Arthur is human and is comprehensible."

Arya hummed deep in thought, "You have always favored this prince and you are not going to tell me how exactly that happened? You never tell me about this future you think you see so clear,"

Iseldir smiled, "I don't want to force you into doing anything, Arya. Unlike the last time I saw Emrys I can't be of help this time, the solution of the vase falls in your hands and your hands alone."

The silence was thick for a moment before Arya finally uncrossed her arms.

"Would you support me? Whatever I choose to do...? Even if it means the death of Uther Pendragon?"

"I think you know me well enough to be asking me such a question, dear,"

Arya grumbled, she hated when Iseldir talked like this, "I'll think about it, but no—don't smile like that, I'm still not even halfway convinced,"

Iseldir nodded with a soft smile, as he had expected this exact answer.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Merlin soon realized that his quest in finding Arthur was going to be a bit more difficult than he had planned. When he had entered the camp along with Mersan he had paid little mind to where were they heading. Now, in the middle of a mess of tents and people coming and going and kids running around his legs he realized he might as well just ask for help.

However, somehow saying: 'Hello, sir, have you seen my friend walking around? Dark hair? Prattish attitude? Obnoxious voice? Thinks he owns this land?' didn't seem of much help in itself.

Merlin thought of going back to ask Arya or Iseldir about Arthur when he saw a flicker of red hair. He perked up at that. It was Linorien, the healer, who was walking with long strides. Merlin was smiling before he could stop himself and he instantly followed the figure that disappeared inside a rather large tent. A faded announcement in wood outside it said something about medicines and remedies.

After some consideration, Merlin shrugged and he peeked inside the tent.

Linorien didn't even bother to look up from the book she was reading, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as with another hand she was stirring something in a vial.

"Saimri, if this is about you wanting to skip Mersan's class—" Linorien raised her eyes as she heard a soft laugh. She almost dropped her book.

"Emrys,"

Merlin smiled his characteristical grin, "Hello! Uhm Linorien, right?"

The red hair nodded as she motioned Merlin inside, "Sorry, I thought you were one of my ronins, usually they should be in practice at this hour of the day,"

"Not very fond of classes, aren't they?" Merlin smiled good-naturedly as his eyes quickly glanced inside. Now this was his kind of tent. Tables filled with books. A potion brewing softly in a corner that smelled strong of cinnamon, several weird vases with different liquids inside and a table filled with different plants and roots of all colors. It reminded him of Gaius's room in Camelot.

"I'm afraid not," Linorien said vaguely, "Is Edmund hurting again?"

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, "Who?"

"Edmund, your friend, is he hurting again?"

"Who—uh, no," Merlin gave a tiring smile, "Actually that's not why I'm here… you see, I'm uh… I'm a bit lost."

Linorien blinked, "Lost?"

Merlin smile disappeared and turned into a grumble, "Or more like: I lost my friend in the camp and I can't find him."

Linorien laughed, "It's a big camp, do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

Merlin looked around and gingerly raised a vase, sniffing before coughing, "I have no idea, but if he left maybe he's with Mersan. Might have gone somewhere to… train— is this Madraks' Blood?"

Linorien hummed in silent appreciation, "Indeed, very rare these days, it's a magical creature in danger of disappearing. Its blood has healing properties, you see, and it's hunted by sorcerers and mortals alike, but well, you know this,"

Merlin felt a thick silent envelop him as he placed the vase down, suddenly feeling out of place, no, he didn't know this. "I uh, actually…" Arthur's voice sounded in his ears, he needed to act like he knew things, like Emrys. Merlin sighed, "Well, sorry to interrupt I will just keep on looking,"

Linorien nodded, "If he's with Mersan they might be on the west side of the camp, just follow the path down this road and at the blue tent turn left, follow that direction for a minute, you will see a few trees and few high rocks there, there's no way of getting lost,"

Merlin thanked her and exited the tent with a gloomy feeling. Looking down 'the path' that looked anything but. He was going to be lucky to find Arthur before the day ended.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Arthur had never been a self-conscious kind of man. Uther had thought him from a very young age to not doubt himself (looking back maybe this was a very bad decision or at least Merlin was always saying that) anyways, certainly standing under the keen eyes of the druids students he did feel something close to self-doubt. Just close.

The kids were lined up, all wearing different levels of annoyance on their faces as they stood in silence waiting for Mersan to talk. Actually…. They had all been silent for over five minutes now. Arthur couldn't understand this but Mersan was a strange teacher and so he followed the silent rule. The prince was standing at the side a few steps away along with the 'Whisperer of Dragons' or something of the like, a girl who could barely reach his hip.

After another minute of silence Arthur turned down to the girl with raised brows, Elaine giggled and whispered to him, covering her mouth with her tiny hand.

"Training won't start until all the ronins are here, one time Damian was missing for a whole hour and she made them stand in the sun in the middle of summer," Elaine whispered with a giggle, "She's evil," She informed him as she looked at Mersan… who had definitely heard and was now throwing her a look. Elaine pouted and rolled her eyes, looking the other way trying to look innocent and failing. Arthur actually chuckled at her reaction.

Mersan shook her head but resumed to look back at her students, there were five in total, aligned in a lazy formation and Arthur realized Elaine was right seeing that there was a spot almost in the middle that was empty.

There were two girls on the left, almost identical, and they watched him with not so well hidden curiosity, they looked agile and ready to sprint and Arthur wondered if they were hunters or archers. One girl stared at him up and down several times and Arthur— shaking away the feeling that they knew something that he didn't—moved his eyes down the line. There was the empty space and then, standing taller than the rest for an entire head, was one slim and dark-skinned boy, definitely not the hand-to-hand combat type but he could be an excellent swordsman.

The one next to him was a red hair and Arthur thought the boy could do with a few fewer pancakes in his diet, the boy was chubby as it best, however, he was tall enough to intimidate and with those arms he looked like he could break a kid in half, not fast, granted, but he would be a great asset in advancing positions in a war.

Finally, his eyes traveled to the end of the line in calm anticipation until they landed on Mordred.

Mordred. The druid kid he had saved so many years ago. The same kid who hunted Merlin's thoughts. A kid Merlin had confessed he would've let die. And the blue eyes of the prince lingered longer.

Why?

Mordred and him crossed eyes from across the little field. Mordred seemed to look him up and down too for a moment and Arthur felt as if something was meant to happen, anything. Should he say something? Mordred moved his weight to his left foot.

In that moment something happened indeed, however not exactly what Arthur had imagined.

Someone came running in a flash of gold and green and everybody was startled except Mersan, one of the girls with black hair, and himself.

Lyaa, the blond girl from before, who had found them in the woods and had accidentally tried to kill Arthur with an arrow (Arthur had to remind himself it had been an accident), swaged as she filled the spot on the line, placing her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

All of her comrades gave her a look while Mersan looked up to the sky, as compelling it to give her patience and finally the teacher spoke.

"Very well, I see you are all here, good." Mersan said cordially, "Even you Lyaa."

"What on earth took you so long?" One of the girls complained.

"Ask your sister," Lyaa almost spat as she gasped for air,

"Why waste her time when we all know you were just lazing around?" Mordred said from the last spot.

There were giggles all around the line as Lyaa rolled her eyes annoyed.

"I was hunting, alright? Thank me once you eat something today,"

"I was hunting too and I was on time, now you are just being annoying," The tall, dark-skinned boy said and another role of laughs followed. Lyaa looked ready to either shout or impale the kid with her arrow. Arthur saw the tension on her body and he knew what was going to happen before it happened, he took one step forward to do what exactly, he didn't know, however, he shouldn't have minded.

"Damian, duck!" One of the twins said and the boy did exactly that when Lyaa swung her crossbow just above his head.

"That's was cheating!" Lyaa said before Mordred interceded,

"Everything is valid in war," He mocked her from their previous time and Lyaa calmed a little as a light blush covered her cheeks. God, she hated when people used her words against her.

"Alright, that's enough," Mersan said and just as if she had shouted everyone stood straighter. Arthur was really impressed. His knights obeyed him but he needed to shout at them more times than he was willing to accept.

Lyaa scoffed lightly when Damian nudged her on the ribs,

"What?" She whispered annoyed, however, she caught up fast when Damian shot her a look. What was Edmund doing there? She threw a look at the twins who shrugged but were staring at Edmund too, both with different looks on their faces and Lyaa sighed.

She was so screwed.

"Well, since you keep staring I will introduce him, this is Edmund, a friend of ours who is at the camp as our guest—"

"Our guest?" The tall boy, Damian, asked with a twinkle in his eyes, "Who is he friends with? Is he a sorcerer?"

"He's one of Ealdor's best warriors and today he will help you all with training," Mersan said simply to cut the conversation but apparently the kids weren't having that as an answer. Not today.

"Ealdor?" Damian asked with crossed arms and a well-placed smirk. Arthur narrowed his eyes, "Isn't that the village in which Emrys was born?"

"I see you have been reading your history books," Mordred joked easily and Damian swatted him on the arm.

"Do you know him?" The red hair, Thomas, asked Arthur directly, "Or his mother? Does he have a brother? It's really true that his Father was a Dragonlord? A story says he was an evil sorcerer but dunno,"

Arthur blinked at that, "I… uh…"

"Seriously boys, not because they were born in the same town means they know each other," Saimri defended, "Magic was banned remember? Emrys probably fled the country, they probably never met,"

"I have a feeling he does!" Damian declared, all snarky smiles and attitude as he pointed his chin towards Arthur, "Don't you, Ed?"

The little field was quiet for three seconds as the teens exchanged looks,

"Alright, who told who?" Mersan demanded.

"What are you talking—"

"Start talking or instead of one lap around the camp it will be ten," Mersan said deadly.

There was a collective groan from the kids and Arthur smirked while Elaine giggled from her spot.

"Lyaa told me while hunting," Damian said as he kicked an invisible rock with his foot, "She kept saying something great had happened and I wanted to know what,"

"This is the last time I tell you anything, "Lyaa complained before turning to Mersan, "For what is worth he promised not to tell, now we know who, in case of being kidnapped, would spill the beans first, so I propose we take him out first,"

"Wait, what are we talking about?" Thomas asked confused.

"Nothing—" Mordred tried but now the truth was out.

"Thomas, Emrys arrived at the camp," Shuri answered flatly while Thomas did a perfect personification of a fish.

"Emrys, Emrys?!"

"What other Emrys there is?" Saimri asked with a laugh.

"Wait, everybody knew?" Thomas turned towards Mordred with hurt eyes, "And you didn't tell me?"

While the kids bickered and argued about who had told who, and who had found first (While Thomas argued about being kept in the dark by his own friends) Mersan turned towards Arthur in silent mortification.

"They won't stop asking questions now, I'm afraid," She let him know

Arthur shrugged, "They were going to find out sooner rather than later,"

Mersan nodded and clapped her hands twice, "Ronins, calm down, I don't care who found out first or who told who—" there was a collective sigh of relief, "you are all still going around the camp doing ten laps. That's for disobeying orders."

And then, quick as light, she threw Damian a knife, hitting him with the blunt side on the head. Arthur had gasped out loud at that. This woman wanted to kill them or train them?! However, he seemed to be the only one that had made such a dramatical reaction.

"Ow! What was that for?" The boy said as the others threw him mocking stares.

"Never betray a comrade," Mersan said softly but something in her tone made Arthur realize she was being serious, incredibly so. "If you had stayed quiet I would have forgiven this. You failed your own test."

Damian massaged his sore head and nodded,

"I don't get it," Mordred said under his breath, he will never understand Mersan's ways of teaching, "I will never get it."

"Now listen. Today we have weapons practice—" (There was a collective groan)" -go and pick your favorites ones from the armory," ("The armory is on the other side of the camp!' ''Shuri didn't you see this coming?!' 'I don't need training! I just went hunting!') Mersan ignored them in favor to look at Arthur with raised brows, "Edmund, would you say you would be able to fight against any kind of weapon? Against any of my ronins?"

Arthur was convinced that in a fight one on one he could take all these teenagers, however, these were druids kids so Arthur, for whatever reason, as if looking for confirmation, looked behind his shoulder, almost expecting Merlin to be there to give him a silent nod. Feeling stupid he turned to face Mersan and nodded.

"I think I can,"

Mersan hummed and then turned to her students, "Very well. Listen, this was supposed to stay a secret for a while longer, but I will trust you with this information; its true Emrys arrived at the camp but it also true that Edmund here does know him, actually, they are close friends—" There was a general gasp as questions started to form on their lips"—so let's make a deal. For every well-landed blow you get on Edmund you may ask him one thing about Emrys, how does that sound?"

Arthur had never seen kids move faster in his entire life.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Very well, who will go first?"

The ronins were facing Arthur now, all of them holding different weapons as they huddled together on the other side of the field. Arthur was standing in the middle, holding a sword that wasn't anything near as good as the sword he had left hidden in the forest but it would have to do. He raised a brow. They had been incredibly eager before, now, though, they looked almost afraid. He chuckled at the sight.

"Well?" Mersan asked with a smirk, "Edmund here will get tired of waiting,"

"Is magic allowed?" Called Thomas out of the blue as he weighed his mace on his hand.

"No," Was the rotund answer of Mersan, "Remember, if you want our identities to be safe no magic is allowed unless is necessary, but in this case it won't be so I expect all of you to keep your magic in check, if you don't you know the consequences,"

By the way they all paled Arthur felt a bit curious to ask but it made him feel incredibly safer that at least he wouldn't have to watch out for magical attacks.

Finally, after several glances, the first to step out was, of course, Damian.

No surprises there.

Arthur eyed Mordred, he had been kind of disappointed when he didn't step out first, but it was a smart move at least. While Damian had the benefit of the doubt and surprise so did Arthur, and he was going to lose that the moment they start fighting, while the rest could learn a bit of how he moved.

Damian walked until he was standing a few feet away in front of the prince. On each hand he was holding a medium pointy sword. Arthur was mildly impressed, ambidextrous. He looked up and down at Arthur a few times before he spoke, "Y—you really know Emrys?"

Arthur nodded, "Sadly, yes,"

Damian blinked at that before he continued in a whisper, looking at Mersan who raised her brows interested, "Can he really go back and forth in time?"

Mersan rolled her eyes and turned around to give them space to fight. Elaine going with her to sit high on a boulder.

Arthur almost laughed, these kids will be severely disappointed once they find out that the idiot could barely walk without ending on the floor. Instead, Arthur readied his feet and raised his sword to tap it against Damian's left one gently, "Just one way to find out kid, ready?"

"Don't call me kid," Damian said with a low growl as he looked back at his teammates. They were all watching interested but were giving him a thumbs up and some cheers. Lyaa flipped him off while Mersan yelled something about two more laps.

"Don't get your ass kicked!" Mordred called and Arthur's eyes snapped to his form. Mordred grew quiet but the smile didn't quite leave his face. He was watching Arthur as if he knew something and it was getting under Arthur's skin. Arthur couldn't see, couldn't understand what was so dangerous about this boy that joked along with his friends, but he intended to find out, so the faster he took Damian out the better.

"Ready?" Mersan called from afar and Arthur readied himself, teens or not he was not going about to lose to this Damian kid just because he wasn't paying attention.

"Ready!" Called Damian while Arthur just nodded.

"Begin."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Arthur didn't want to call the kids a pile of human bodies, but that's exactly what they looked right now and, somehow, Mersan was a bit pleased with this, Damian had been swordless in less than five minutes, Arthur had given him a few chances to show off but then he had grown tired of the desperation in Damian's attitude and the prince finished him quickly and fast. And so Damian had left the field with all his questions unanswered, grumbling the entire time.

One of the twins, Saimri, had been next, this one had been quicker on her feet and had landed a very good blow to his chest, and so Mersan granted her a question. Arthur had been ready to lie if needed be but the question was simple enough,

"How old is he?"

Damian, from across the field, yelled outraged at her poor choice of questions.

Arthur chuckled, "Around twenty-five or something, I'm a few years older actually,"

At that everybody had looked confused and Arthur supposed they had been expecting someone old. However, he didn't give the quick girl much time after that, taking her daggas away from her fast before she could start more questions.

Soon, grumbling along with Damian, was Lyaa, Saimri, and Thomas. The only two left now was Shuri and Mordred and neither looked too eager to start a fight, eventually, it was Mordred who shrugged, taking a step forward.

Arthur looked him up and down for the tenth time that day as Mordred walked to be at level with him, one large sword on his left hand and on his right a shield. He had been the only one to bring a shield along and Arthur instantly knew he was smarter than the rest. They had all been prepared to attack him—and they were mildly good, Arthur will give them that, each of them could hold their ground—but not one had brought anything to defend themselves with.

Finally, Mordred and the prince faced each other and Arthur was almost expecting to find what was wrong with him by just looking, or what, according to Merlin, was wrong. The soft curls on his head just accentuated the fact that this kid was just that, a kid. He was smiling softly to Arthur as if waiting for him to tell him if it was alright to start.

He didn't doubt Merlin, but the more he watched Mordred the more Arthur thought there was something off here. Something out of place, because the druids could be many things but at least the ones here didn't strike him as evil. Somehow Merlin thinking a child could be evil and dangerous was kind of unsettling to the prince.

Mersan called them to their positions and Arthur readied his sword.

Mordred was resourceful and quick on his feet, every time Arthur brought him down Mordred scurried away, jumping and going around the rocks of the field as part of the fight, clever, always use your surrounding in your advantage. Soon the other warriors were yelling in encouragement every time Mordred dived for a blow just for Arthur to stop it at the right moment.

So far Mordred had landed three good blows and yet he had declined every chance to ask him something about Merlin, Arthur had been quite taken aback by this—something his other friends were grumbling about in their corner.

Why? He thought as Mordred went back a few steps to regain his breathing and Arthur let him. Why is this kid choosing to not ask things about Emrys when is basically everybody's dream to meet him? Arthur couldn't understand and every time Mordred refused this privilege—even Mersan was confused about this— he looked at Arthur as he was meant to understand something. Like he was sharing a private joke with him leaving Arthur oddly left out.

Soon Mordred went for a blow again, Arthur doubled over and raised his sword above his head to avoid his swing, it worked but instead of stopping Mordred ran past him, up a boulder and turned around, now standing three good feet above the prince, ready to jump off the rock to try and impale Arthur all in a quick succession of movements, however, Arthur was ready as he moved to face Mordred, the moment Mordred jumped he would roll to the side and taking advantage of the impact and momentum of the jump Arthur would go from behind to place his sword firmly against his back to call this match over.

However, the blow never came.

In a flash of gold, Mordred, who was in the middle of jumping, sword at hand and mouth open in a scream suddenly went stiff. Inhumanly stiff. His feet froze on the stone, in a position that by all means would have him tumbling down and yet he stood there, eerily quiet. Sword raised above his head and eyes growing huge as comprehension dawned on Mordred faster than Arthur could begin to process what the hell was going on.

Next second Mordred was thrown back, Arthur heard a few yells and gasps but all he could do was stare as the body of Mordred soared through the air, colliding against a rock several yards away. He heard the distinctive crack of a bone breaking. Mordred couldn't even move or yell, froze in this magic he was trapped in. Arthur saw it all happen in slow-motion, even if in reality everything had happened in a few hurried seconds.

The rest of the Ronins stared scared at Mordred's limp body, some already on their feet doubtful of what to do next, sharing anxious glances between them and their teacher, who was looking at the newcomer in quiet and frozen in shock as if rooted to the ground herself. Her huge gray eyes growing troubled with each passing moment.

The next second, everything flowed back and Arthur turned around, sword up, ready to fight and face whatever or whoever was causing this, his instincts kicking faster than his state of shock, and when he saw him he was left speechless, arms going numb for a second, but a second only.

The field, which had fallen in an imminent silence, soon shattered as Arthur broke out of his stupor. He moved in quick strides towards Merlin who was standing a few yards behind him, arm raised, trembling from the effort, or anger, or what exactly Arthur couldn't care less.

"MERLIN KNOCK IT OFF!"

But Merlin wasn't listening.

The eyes of his friend were set on Mordred and he was about to move his arm as if meaning to pull Mordred across the field again. His eyes were still shining gold by the time Arthur— feeling all his frustration and anger finally get the best of him— tackled him to the ground, arm across his chest to push his shoulders back hard enough to hurt. Merlin huffed as the air left him and his back found the earth beneath him. He blinked several times and the prince watched as his eyes faded from gold to blue, somewhere above his shoulder Arthur heard the cry of pain from Mordred as finally Merlin's magic stopped having an effect on him but Arthur didn't dare look back.

"What is wrong with you?!" Arthur yelled, almost spitting in his anger and his need to get words across because he had never, ever, wanted to kick Merlin as much as he did at the moment. What was Merlin thinking?!

"He was—he, HE WAS TRYING TO KILL YOU!" Merlin said in shock as he pushed Arthur away from him with strength Arthur didn't know he possessed but Arthur was up on his feet faster than Merlin could even begin to think to hurt the kid again.

"WE WERE TRAINING!" Arthur yelled as he controlled himself to lower his voice, he looked around, the kids were all congregated around Mordred now, he couldn't see him from around the bodies but at least from the look on their faces he knew the kid must be alive, Mersan was inclined over him, and Arthur forced himself to look back at Merlin, "What the hell were you thinking—"

"I hope I hurt him—," Merlin was saying in a low voice, ignoring Arthur's little rant as he throws a hateful glare in the general direction of Mordred. He took one step forward, meaning to walk past Arthur, who just pushed him further and further back with his hands firmly on Merlin's shoulders, Merlin colliding against his chest as he fought loosely with him, "Did you look the glint in his eyes, Arthur? He was dead set on—"

"Merlin—Mersan asked me to help her! Look around,there are kids here!" Arthur hissed harshly as he stopped the advances of the sorcerer. Finally, Merlin's eyes locked with his and Arthur saw as Merlin lost some of his anger as he breathed heavily, "You are out of your mind, you are using my own name, Merlin, get it together." Arthur urged him, frankly quite scared of seeing Merlin reacting this way, he was not vindictive, not evil and yet… he looked about as ready to kill Mordred. "Merlin… you… you—you almost…"

We all have done horrible things, Arthur.

Arthur couldn't form words after that.

Merlin blinked several times as a silent conversation passed between them, both of them were startled when Linorien came rushing inside the field, Lyaa hot on her feet as she carried several satchels along with her. It was then that Merlin started to realize what had he done, his eyes travelling to the druids congregated around. Arthur watched realization hit him like a ton of bricks and Merlin lost the little color he had left as his legs hobbled under him.

Arthur felt torn between supporting Merlin or just kicking him back down himself, the prince had never felt two more different emotions within him. A part of him wanted to shake Merlin and yell at him for what he had done while the other part of him wanted to hug him at seeing the teary face of the idiot. Merlin looked like if someone had kicked his favorite puppy in front of him.

Arthur finally lowered his arm as Merlin was left there gingerly standing.

From afar Arthur caught sight of the eyes of Mersan who had stepped back from her students, her always calm aura finally broke a little as she walked a few steps towards them, so many feelings swirling around in the field it was impossible to describe them all.

Mersan stopped her strides a few yards away. Merlin was unable to make eye contact anymore, holding his head in his hands, blue eyes stuck on his feet. Mersan didn't need to ask for Arthur to understand what she wanted to know.

"He—he thought I was in danger, I—" Arthur tried once she was close enough to talk, yet too far away to make Arthur feel like if he was talking into the air, "It was never our intention— we are sorry,"

When Mordred gave another yelp she only turned around, didn't even make a motion to let them know she had somehow listened to their excuses. She sprinted towards her students, ordering them around in her unwavering voice as they all seemed to be in shock themselves.

"What did I do?" Merlin said in a whisper to Arthur as his eyes rose to meet his, apparently, his brain catching up with what had happened and what this entitled, "Arthur, for the love of—what do we do now? I—"

"Arthur?"

Merlin and Arthur both froze before swirling on their spots. Elaine staring up at them with her huge green eyes. Confusion showing on her face.

"Who…. How?" Merlin eloquently asked, paler now that the girl had referred to Arthur, as well, Arthur.

The prince had totally forgotten about her at this point and he felt like the world was crashing around him and it wasn't even making a sound. He looked back at Elaine who looked beyond confused with everything that was going on before throwing one last look at the mess of people moving Mordred into a magically made stretcher.

He took a decision in a moment.

"Let's go," He said as he took the sword from the floor, he didn't know what was going to happen but being away from here seemed like the best course of action. He took Merlin's wrist as he went to drag him along but Merlin seemed to be catching up fast as he began walking hurriedly beside him.

They didn't look back as they left the little field, leaving only Elaine to stare at their backs as they ran away from the mess that they had caused.

They stumbled down the path and around the trees before making their way to the tents, running at full speed at this point. They needed to get out of there, they knew now. They knew Arthur was here. Merlin had almost killed one of their students. And even if they could have a chance to explain Arthur doubted they wanted to hear anything coming from him.

As they moved around the camp they stopped their frantic running as to not scare the rest of the druids, but Arthur was holding his sword so tight he doubted any of them were fooled. However, no one got in their way to their tent and Arthur was grateful for that.

They will pick up the bloody vase and be out of there. This had all been a terrible idea and Arthur just wished he would have listened to Merlin. Just for once in his life. He should have bloody stayed in the tent but it was too late to cry over it now.

Arthur and Merlin entered Mersan's tent in a hurry, picking up Merlin's satchel from the floor as Arthur stayed by the entrance, peeking from around the curtains just in case someone had followed them. Merlin turned to look at Arthur in palpable fear when he lifted his lighter satchel.

"Arthur—the vase, I don't have it!" Merlin said in a whisper, "Arya does, she was going to work on it," Arthur cursed under his breath and whirled around on his spot ready to tell Merlin to sneak inside Arya's tent but the words never left his mouth.

Merlin saw as the frantic movements of Arthur stopped short, eyes huge for a second before they steeled, taking two long strides until he was standing beside Merlin, Arthur quickly grabbed his arm and pushed the sorcerer to his feet with enough force to make Merlin whine.

Merlin's eyes followed the prince's stare, questions dying on his lips as the sorcerer felt something close to raw defeat as he watched that standing beside the table was one of the druids twins that should be, by all means, with the rest of the ronins fanning over Mordred.

But what caught their attention was the person sitting in the middle of the table. It was Arya.

Arya for God's sake.

Shuri, Arthur quickly realized as he stared at her with cold eyes, this had been the only kid he had not fought today and while the twins looked exactly the same Arthur remembered the battered state her twin was after fighting him. Well, it seemed she had caught up faster than the rest and had left to do what any other respected warrior must have done.

Advise their leader.

The tent was quiet for a long moment before either of them noticed that Elaine was there too, staring at them with anger mixed with confusion that only a child could pull off. How the two of them had gotten here first Arthur didn't question, what he wanted to know was if they could take them out to make his escape or not.

His thoughts faltered as suddenly Arya placed the golden vase on the table with a thump that somehow managed to resonate around the place.

"I think it's in everybody best interest if we all sit to talk," Arya said quietly but Arthur could feel the steely edge on her voice and Arthur knew it was going to be futile to even try to have a conversation. This girl had already made up her mind, she just needed something as confirmation.

Confirmation to what, Arthur didn't know.

"And don't even think about running, that scenario already played in my mind," Shuri said with cold blue eyes staring up and down at them. Arthur narrowed his eyes, not entirely sure what this meant, but Merlin gasped, eyes growing huge and Arthur knew it was bad news. "So unless you do something creative that I have yet to see," The girl said pointing to the chairs in front of Arya, "You will sit."

A/N: Hello there! Long time no see! But I'm back with a new chapter, time and inspiration have been evading me but finally, this happened. As always, it was way too different from the way I envisioned it in my mind but well, I think it's alright.

Every week I'm having less and less time to sit and write so I'm trying to condense the chapters and move the story forward faster, this is a story I really, really want to see finished.

Thank you all again for your reviews! You are awesome and they are the reason I keep on coming back! I can't express how much I love them. As for the guest who is pretty bored and cold in Belgium, I loved your country! But cold has never been my friend so lots of hugs and hot cocoa for you and well, this chapter that I hope you enjoy.

And for the other guest who asked me about my trip to Europe send me a private message and I can tell you all about it! From which countries I visited and how much did my little dream cost.

And lots of hugs and thank you's for everybody who had stuck and read up to this chapter, hope wherever you are you are having a great day.

Unrelated A/N: (Xmas is coming!) (And Fantastic Beasts was awesome!)