Sorry about the wait guys, I finally graduated and I just got a little stumped on what to write, will update soon. Enjoy!
Richard watched the tent flap like a hawk, when he saw movement he immediately stood up but his shoulders drooped in slight disappointment. Iseldir looked at him in slight sympathy have before walking over to him, looking around before he spoke, Iselder spoke to the head Knight of Aria in a low voice.
"Your prince is awake and well, he will come out when he is ready." Iseldir smiled as he saw the relief wash over the man.
"Thank you" Richard said, his voice filled with gratitude and exhaustion. Iseldir simply smiled again and walked away.
Richard stared at the sky and breathed a sigh of relief, Leon came up to him a second later.
"How is he? And why were you told first? What is going on with you and him? You act as though you know him, You and the others protect him with your life's, who is he to you? And who are you to him?"
Richard stared at the knight in shock for a second before shaking himself and carefully answering.
"He is fine and should come out soon. I don't know why he told me first I was just the closest." Richard looked the Camelot knight that was looking back at him in suspicion in the eye and continued, "as to how I and the others are acting around him, he reminds us all of someone who we lost that was very dear to us. That's all nothing more." Richard only just managed to not flinch at the lies, he was a knight, he hated to lie but if it was necessary to protect his prince then so be it.
Leon scowled, obviously not completely convinced but nodded, accepting what the other knight said. Leon opened his mouth to say something else but what was interrupted by the sound of the tent flap moving again. Both of the head knights turned towards the sound and sighed in relief at the sight of Merlin coming out, grinning. He stepped out and winced slightly at the wound, he stumbled slightly as the blood loss hit him. Gwaine immediately came up and helped steady him. Merlin nodded at him in appreciation before standing up right again.
They both walked over to Merlin then and Leon spoke "how are you feeling Merlin?"
"never better" he said, one of his blinding grins lighting up his face but looking into his eyes Richard saw that something was bothering his prince, deciding to ask him later, Richard nodded and informed the young royal that the group was ready to leave. Merlin simply nodded and turned to Leon.
"I'm ready to go when you are" Leon nodded and walked off to finish saddling his horse.
Ten minutes later, after saying there farewells and thanks to the Druid the group started out again. Leon and Owen were in the front of the group. James and Thomas behind them. In the middle of the group rode Richard and Merlin, Gwaine and Percival behind them and Elyan and Nathan bringing up the rear.
As they road Richard and Merlin spoke softly to each other.
"were other knights really sent to all the kingdoms?" Merlin asked, curious if they knew he was in Camelot or if it was just luck.!
"yes" Richard answered simply, quickly elaborating under his prince's questioning gaze. "We had no way of knowing what kingdom you where in so we sent knights over most of Albion, we came to Camelot because it seemed like the most likely place for you to go because of your Uncle Gaius. We also have Knights scouring the country side in search of you and your mother, speaking of which where is your mother if I may ask?"
"We fled to a small town in Cenred's, now Lot's kingdom, it's name is Ealdor, it's where my mother grew up." Merlin answered. Richard nodded.
"When we get to Aria we will send men out to bring her home." Richard replied, "We don't know where your father is however," Richard continued, not noticing Merlin shifting uncomfortably, "After the Kingdom was taken over the king was rumored dead, but he was only severely wounded and several of us managed to get him out of the city.
Once we got him out of the city we realized that the wound was very grave. The king was unconscious at this point and knowing that he wouldn't leave willingly and we had no time to waste he was immediately taken to a group of Druids for him to heal. That was the last we saw of him. When he didn't return we feared the worst and traveled to the camp, when we got there we found that it had been raided, there was one survivor who managed to tell us that Balinor had escaped but that's all he knew.
We have been searching for him ever since but he remained in hiding, possibly because he was still healing and could not make the journey, or-" Richard cut himself off and looked over to Merlin, who was avoiding his gaze, "Merlin?" He asked quietly "What is it?"
"My father-" his voice broke slightly as he choked on tears but he straightened up and coughed to clear his throat "My father is dead" he said, his voice strong. He turned to Richard. He had a stunned look on his face as if someone had slapped him across the fac
"The king is dead" he whispered softly as a tear came to his eye for his king and his oldest friend. He then looked to Merlin, "Long live the King."
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Arthur sat in his study, thinking. He laughed slightly to himself to what Merlin would say if he heard that, the idiot would probably say something along the lines of him hurting himself by thinking too hard and the King would respond by chucking a goblet at the servants head.
For the past week and a half Arthur had been entertaining Queen Annis and was feeling exhausted. He had several piles of papers on his desk and something was nagging at the back of his mind but he didn't know what. It had started the day the Knights had left, like he was forgetting something, something about Aria, something important but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. His wife and queen, Guinivere was asleep in there bed already, she had been busy when the Knights of Aria had come and thus had not been at the meeting.
Sighing he stood up and made his way to his bed, as he fell asleep he decided to send George to the library and research Aria, maybe that would prove fruitful.
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That night Arthur had a strange dream. He was hunting in the woods with the Knights when suddenly the Knights disappeared and it was just him and Merlin in an empty white space. Nothing but white in all directions, then Merlin slowly faded away and in his place was a blinding white light and a voice spoke. It sounded more like thousands of voices all at once, men woman and children, boys and girls, young and old, the weak and the powerful, the loud and the quiet, it was overwhelming, but three voices stood out more than the rest. One sounded like a young woman, the second the voice of a mother and the third the voice of a crone. The each spoke in turn.
"Arthur Pendragon." The young maiden said.
"The time is coming." Said the woman.
"the time for change." The old crone finished.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.
"the time for peace." The young woman said
"a time of legends" the mother.
"and a time, for magic." Finished the crone.
Arthur tensed at the mention of magic "never! Magic is evil and will never have a place in Camelot!"
The three woman laughed, thousands of voices joining in.
"Tell me Arthur Pendragon, do you wish for your kingdom to thrive?" The young woman. Arthur looked confused but nodded.
"Then you must accept Magic." The mother replied.
"Otherwise Camelot will fall and burn, you along with it." Finished the old lady.
"Magic is nothing but evil!" Arthur yelled vehemently. "It has done nothing but harm me and my people time and time again!"
The maiden shook her head sadly "you are wrong young Pendragon."
"Magic has done more for you and your kingdom than you could ever imagine."
"And soon you will have a decision to make."
"either accept magic into your kingdom and heart" the young maiden said.
"and watch your kingdom florish" the mother took up.
"Or continue to deny it and watch your kingdom burn." The old crone said finally.
"Who are you?!" Arthur asked angrily and as one the three woman responded.
"We are the Triple Goddess, heed our warning young Pendragon or face the consequences."
With a blinding flash the white light disappeared and Arthur sat up in his bed gasping for breath.