Arthur quietly waited by his horse as it was being prepared. He also tried to ignore the fact that the man he cared for was emanating an odd glow. Arthur turned to the knights accompanying them. One was taller than the others with short brown hair and he seemed awfully quiet. Arthur figured his usefulness would be in battle, not conversation. That wasn't necessarily a fault.
Everyone, servants and knights, had been careful about their words in front of the visiting prince since his presence was revealed. Arthur had previously spoken to the knight with dark ebony skin and shockingly blue eyes. He hadn't been outwardly rude but like almost everyone in Sythian, did show his disapproval for the laws in Camelot. He did, after all, wield magic.
"Have you seen the maid Annalisa since yesterday?" Arthur decided to ask the black-haired knight since he seemed the least troubled by the prince.
"She left yesterday to travel home." The knight answered evenly. "She was scared."
Arthur didn't say anything, only felt himself resisting the guilt that pulled at him.
"She knows you wouldn't hurt her." The dark-skinned knight told Arthur.
"Then why is she scared?" Arthur asked him.
"…she called you her friend." He answered. "Your father would disapprove of that friendship. He'd have her killed regardless of any favor she'd done you. She fears your king, not you."
"I don't want to be feared." Arthur replied.
"Then I hope to live and see you become king." The knight nodded. "Perhaps then, our kingdoms can become closer allies."
Again, Arthur was lost on words. It wasn't the way a prince should be but if he'd learned anything from Anna, it was that status didn't determine whether someone was right or wrong. Everyone should have a voice. That was the kingdom Arthur wished to lead.
The knight with black hair rode at the front with Arthur just behind him followed by the other prince and Merlin. The last two knights brought up the rear and kept a cautious eye out for anyone who might want to attack the prince of Camelot.
The hour-long journey was quiet but oddly relaxed. The six men dismounted their horses at a small clearing in the woods. Arthur glanced around the site to make sure it was the same place. The dark cave with damp leaves and thick moss covering its walls a few yards away assured him.
"Uric, we'll need torches." Garrick told the knight with magic.
Sir Uric retrieved two torches from his horse and one from the tallest knight's before setting fire to their heads. He handed one of them to the dark-haired knight and one to Garrick.
"Do you know how deep the cave is?" Garrick asked Arthur.
"I didn't go inside. I threw it in." Arthur told him. "It'll take hours to find, even if the cave is small."
"Just wait here." Garrick told him. "Derris, watch the area."
"Yes, your highness." The tallest knight uttered with a light tip of the head before turning to face the perimeter.
"We won't be gone long." Garrick assured Arthur but the blond prince wasn't convinced.
Uric led the way into the cave with Merlin behind him and the others following. The cave was deeper than they had imagined and while it wasn't as slick as the previous cave Merlin had been in, the stones were wet and moss squished freshly under their steps.
"So how good is his toss, do you think?" the dark-haired knight asked.
Merlin slipped on an uneven stone and Garrick caught him from behind while Uric's suppressed snickering bounced against the cave walls.
"You know what I meant." The other knight sighed but he was amused as well.
"We only need to be deep enough in that Arthur won't take notice." Garrick said and the knights decided his tone was too serious to make a joke of.
"If he does, I'll claim its source." Uric said.
"It's not a well-kept secret, is it?" Merlin said more than asks.
"Nothing in Sythian is." the other knight confirmed.
"So it seems." Garrick sighed. "This should be fine."
They stopped at the center of one flat boulder. The walls around them were visible in the torchlight. They'd reached the end of the cave.
"I'm still new to this one." Merlin said as he recalled the act he'd been practicing this morning, one that didn't require incantation.
The three others were silent as Merlin closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, the gold glow of magic shined out and images of the cave's every nook, turn, and hang reeled through his mind. He searched thoroughly. Every second the stone was not found, he began to worry. Was this really the right cave? The gold melted from his eyes as he looked to Uric.
"I don't think there's enough light." Merlin told him. "The stone is dark. I need to see it shining but there isn't enough light."
"I-I think I can do that." Uric nodded and he began to incant a spell that Merlin was familiar with.
A transparent sphere of blue light formed overhead as Uric continued to murmur the words fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Merlin again searched the cave. Now in one far corner of the cave, a faint glint of light shined in Merlin's sight. He traced a path from the light back to him before stepping in its direction. Uric kept the light held in place while Merlin knelt down and lifted the stone from a thick patch of browning moss. He smiled as he wiped it clean with his thumb. It shined wholly without a scratch, something truly magical.
"I found it." Merlin beamed as he walked back and held the stone up for the others to see.
"There was ever any doubt?" Garrick grinned and rubbed Merlin's shoulder.
"Then one of us will take it back and the rest will carry on to Camelot?" the dark-haired knight asked.
"Uric," Garrick said as he received the stone from Merlin. "I think you should be the one to take it back."
"…I understand, sire." Uric nodded as Garrick handed it to him.
"The stone is safer in your care and you're safer in Sythian." Garrick said. "Tell my sister that I'm very happy for her and Eldon. I wish to converse with him when I return."
"Of course." Uric nodded. "It's in safe hands."
"I believe so." Garrick smiled.
After they'd all left the cave, Sir Uric mounted his horse and started his ride back to the castle to deliver the stone and Prince Garrick's message.
"You should ride behind Luther." Garrick told Merlin as they walked back to their horses. "Now that we're a knight down, I'll ride behind Arthur. We can make camp near the border but it's best to be in Camelot's territory before nightfall. Our breaks can't be too long or frequent but we can stop if it's too exhausting."
"Why are you telling me this?" Merlin asked and glanced at the other three men already preparing to ride.
"I'm worried you aren't in the best state to travel." Garrick said seriously. "Even though we're being rushed, don't ignore your health."
"I'm fine." Merlin said easily but his cheeks were already slightly flushed from walking through the cave.
"…tell me if that changes." Garrick nodded and pressed a soft kiss onto Merlin's forehead while Arthur was distracted.
Merlin smiled subtly and turned to his horse while feeling a bit recharged. The five men found the path again and headed toward Camelot. They only stopped twice, once for lunch and again when it had become obvious enough to Garrick that Merlin was too tired. After a rest and plenty of water, they continued their journey.
Arthur watched Merlin's back cautiously, already aware that he was looking a bit off, even with the relaxed posture of his shoulders and the reassuring smile he put on when Luther looked back to check on him. Arthur was curious to know but reluctant to ask about it. He probably didn't want to know. It shouldn't be any more painful than it needed to be. It would be better if somehow, after this was all over and Arthur was back home, he forgot about the servant. The fact that Merlin has been so present in Arthur's life until now would surely make it harder to accept Merlin's absence, let alone his affection for someone else. It already hurt more than he would admit.
They reached the Camelot border with less than an hour of daylight to spare. Garrick spent that time unpacking the supplies they'd need for the night while Merlin started preparing food by the fire that the other men had made. Even Arthur had gone to collect firewood.
The men eventually returned to camp with plenty of wood. After dinner, Luther went to rinse dishes in the creek and Merlin began to worry about how quickly they were going through firewood. He finally offered to go collect more. He left with Derris and Arthur remained at camp with Garrick. The two quietly occupied themselves. Arthur sat on his pallet while poking the fire with a long stick. At the same time, Garrick spread out a blanket big enough for both him and Merlin to sleep comfortably on. Arthur tried to find some distraction but to no avail. He then looked over at Garrick as he was straightening one corner of the blanket and turning over to sit.
"Thank you," Arthur said and disrupted the lone crackling noise of the fire.
Garrick let a brief smile through.
"For?" He inquired.
"For being so understanding, about the stone." Arthur added. "I'm grateful."
"…it's not like I dislike you, Arthur." Garrick replied. "I was harsh in the beginning but I've never wanted to bring you unnecessary trouble. I had an objective and you were in the way. That's all."
"But it's not like we don't have any personal conflicts." Arthur reminded him. "Surely Merlin's told you."
"He didn't have to. It's easy to see."
"And you're still treating me like it doesn't bother you."
"It does." Garrick said and Arthur was unsure of how they got to this but the other prince continued. "I wouldn't be able to say I love Merlin if I wasn't bothered by the fact that you're so close to him. It bothers me that the main reason Merlin is with me is because I'd die without him. It bothers me that of all other people to fall for him, it's you. Not because you're a prince or because you fight well or because you aren't unattractive but because you're Arthur. You two have a bond that nobody can deny or replace. There will never be a day when you aren't special to him. Of course it bothers me."
Arthur was a bit confused by the slight relief combined with slight pain turning in his chest. Garrick let out a deep breath and looked at the fire for a brief moment before speaking again.
"But that's exactly why I must treat you well." He told Arthur who listened seriously now. "You're important to him, just as important as he is to you. You have a great destiny together and if I truly believed he could be happy without you, I would have separated you from him without hesitance. The fact remains that Merlin needs you and I'm no one worthy enough to decide otherwise. I want him to be safe and happy. I won't be the one to pull you apart."
Arthur waited for something more but Garrick looked concerned with some thought that didn't leave his lips. Why say all of this now?
"Why are you telling me this?" Arthur asked.
Garrick looked up from the fire again and at the other prince. The words he had to say, the thoughts he had been trying to hide since Merlin first accepted his love, they were finally meeting their release.
"Because I have a favor to ask of you." He said.
By the time Merlin returned to camp with arms full of firewood, Arthur was already resting back on his pallet. Derris took the wood from Merlin to set in a pile several feet from the fire. Luther sat with his back to the camp. He was the first on watch.
"Tired?" Garrick asked quietly as Merlin sat down on the blanket he'd prepared.
"Very." Merlin nodded.
He lied back and Garrick lied down beside him while looking over as Merlin looked up at the sky.
"You know, maybe when we have more time in the future, we can go see my mother together." Merlin said.
"In Ealdor?" Garrick asked.
"Or maybe she'd want to come to Sythian." Merlin shrugged. "She could live closer."
"I could have a dwelling built just for her." Garrick nodded and Merlin looked over. "She could eat supper with us."
"It's something she'd have to get used to." Merlin told him.
"Of course." Garrick nodded again.
"But I think she'll be very happy for us." Merlin smiled. "She'll love you."
"I look forward to meeting the woman who raised such a kind-hearted person." Garrick said softly.
Merlin didn't say anything but let his smile speak volumes. After some minutes of contemplation, he turned over to face Garrick entirely and slowly began to doze off. Only ten feet or so away, Arthur lied awake with his back turned to the couple, not in bitterness but almost like a prayer. Merlin's hopeful thoughts had put a spear through the prince's heart. The words that Garrick spoke while Merlin was gone now rang constantly in Arthur's ears. He began to think he would do anything not to have heard them.