*peeks around corner* AH! *dodges tomato* I'M SORRY! *peeks again* EEP! *dodges watermelon* OH COME ON GU- WHAT THE- *dodges car*'IF I'M DEAD I CANT UPDATE *chrashing stops* ok no- *fails to dodge one last tomato* alright alright I'm soooooooooo story this took so long, soon after I last posted I flew down to Orlando to say goodbye to my grandpa, he passed away the day after Christmas, we actually flew back Christmas Day so we weren't there and it was really hard and then this is my Senior year in High School and my step mom has frontal temporal dementia so that's been an issue, I've kinda just stayed at my moms house but now that my step mom moved out (she moved in with her sister she just doesnt know how to a lot of stuff anymore) and I kinda need to help my dad around the house cause I'm he only one home and he has a bad back and will soon be going for a MAJOR back surgery. Oh! And I need to find a new home for my cats and say goodbye to them and well yeah, a bunch of stuff, so again sorry for not updating also sorry for that rant aaaaaaaannnnnnnnnyyyyyyywwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy it's a shortish chapter but at least I updated enjoy and please review!

Sir Richard stood to the side as the druid quickly moved around the small tent gathering various herbs and putting them into a small bowl. The Knights of Camelot had objected to Richard being the one to stay in the tent with the prince but Iseldir insisted it be Richard for which he would always be grateful. The second Richard had set the young Prince down he had gently taken off his shirt and was shocked at what he saw.

All over the prince's chest and back were scars that looked to be from a variety of things, some could only be gained from torture others were stab or even spell wounds. The two biggest was one large circle that took up most of the prince's chest it looked to be some kind of burn mark. The second was on his back it was also large and round but the difference was that the center of it was red and splitting off from the center were tiny black lines going to the edge of the scar, there was only one thing that made a mark like that. Richard had seen it on many dying and dead men, no one survived it no one. It was a serket sting.

Richard stared at his Prince in shock for several minutes before getting angry and vowing that he would learn the story behind each and every scar and take any revenge he could. But for now he could only watch the druid work as he mashed all the herbs together to form a thick green paste and spread it on Merlin's wound. Richard watched with interest as Iseldir finished spreading the paste.

"Ahlúttre pá séocnes. Purhhæle bræd" he muttered, holding his hand over the wound and his eyes flashing gold. Richard watched as the wound started to seal closed, it didn't completely close though. "that is the most I can do for now, I am not as strong as others who have cast this spell." He said, picking up white bandages and wrapping them around the Prince's middle.

Richard finally decided to ask the question that had been at the forefront of his mind for sometime now.

"Why didn't the Prin- Merlin," he quickly corrected himself, you never knew who was listening "want to come to you? He said the druids know his secret. What secret? I can tell its something more than him being the Prince." Richard swore to himself slightly as he finished, he really hoped no one heard that. Iseldir looked at him with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"It's not my place to tell his secrets, ask your prince yourself when he wakes up, which should be tomorrow morning. Oh and don't worry there is a silencing charm around this tent." Richard relaxed slightly at the good news but furrowed his brow at Iseldir's answer. What secret would his prince be keeping from him? Still pondering this question he made his way out of the tent and motioned for Sir Owen to come talk to him.

"He'll be fine by morning but I want you to guard this tent until Nathan takes over. Got it?" Richard asked in a low voice, Owen nodded once before quickly moving in front of the tent, hand resting on his sword. The Camelot knights watched in confusion but said nothing. Richard then sat down at the campfire, accepting a bowl of soup from Sir Elyan.

"He'll be good to go by tomorrow morning." Richard answered to the question that everyone was thinking but no one was asking.

The rest of the night was quite and uneventful and the knights soon set up there beds for the night. The Knights of Aria on one side and the Knights of Camelot on the other.

Merlin groaned as light seeped in from the tent flap- wait- tent flap? Merlin sat up quickly and winced as he was made aware of the wound on his abdomen. He looks down at his bare chest and found thick white bandages wrapped around him. He made to try and stand but the flap suddenly opened and Iseldir walked in.

"Don't try and get up yet Emrys, your wound is still healing."

"Iseldir!" Merlin cried in joy. He quickly tried to remember what exactly led him to this situation and when he did he froze. Iseldir, seeing him starting to panic spoke again.

"Don't worry Emrys, I'm the only druid here, I have kept your secret safe." Merlin relaxed slightly. "there's something I need tell you before you leave Emrys" Merlin looked at him expectantly and Iseldir continued "In the next few months there will be a lot of trials but you must remember that you and Arthur must work together no matter what and you must stand together. One more thing, all is not as it seems with your uncle."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, furrowing his brow. Iseldir simply shook his head.

"That is all I know Emrys, I was told that by a soldier I found, he was severely wounded and the that was all I managed to gain from him before he died." Merlin, now propped up on his elbows nodded.

"ok, and Iseldir?" the druid turned as Merlin flashed one of his huge grins, "thank you" Iselder smiled back and nodded before exiting the tent, leaving Merlin alone to ponder what Iseldir's message could possibly mean.

oh and the spell in this chapter is he same spell used by Balinor to heal Arthur. Again sorry for the wait and the short chapter also sorry if Iseldir seems OOC