Katie reappeared at Gwen's house in trousers and a baggy shirt, her hair tied up and looking ready for a long journey. Merlin looked dazed. Morgana was stood in front of the door and Gwen was stood beside him. "You would do the same for us." One woman said as Katie entered.
Merlin stared at the new entrant and raised his eyebrows. "You're coming, too?"
Katie shrugged. "Why?" He asked, Morgana and Gwen wanted to ask the same question.
"I'm a good fighter, you'll need my expertise. Plus, this means I get a free favour off of you." Katie grinned and Merlin laughed nervously. "Well, lets get your mother and go." She added, before moving out of the man's way. The man walked past her and grinned before leaving and shutting the door.
"Alright, why are you coming?" Morgana asked as Merlin went out of earshot.
"Exactly the reasons I said." I lied. Because if he is my destiny I have to make sure he doesn't die on me.
They soon made their way towards Ealdore. Morgana and Gwen took a horse each but Katie offered hers to Hunith, "I can't, Lady Kathryn."
"You have no choice in the matter." She replied kindly, "Besides, I need a walk." She helped the woman up. "Merlin?" She turned to the boy.
"I shall walk too." He smiled.
"Take my other horse." Katie demanded. "I don't even know why I have two." She grumbled.
"You-"
"I will not hear it. I have walked all over the country. Now get up on Dandelion or else." Katie half laughed, half threatened. Gwen and Morgana giggled to themselves.
Merlin obliged, reluctantly. The gang trotted and walked for hours. Katie started to feel more and more tired, her feet started dragging. The man in the group hung back. "Swap with me." Merlin told her softly.
"No, I'm fine." Katie said stubbornly, although she was starting to feel light headed.
"I'll walk beside you."
"No." Her breathing was ragged.
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
Because I need to protect you. "You evidently don't know me very well." She gasped for breath and sat on the floor.
Merlin held out his hand. "Come on."
"Brings a new meaning to 'if you can't beat them, join them.'" She breathed, taking the man's hand, pulling while spinning in the air and kicking the air over the horse's head.
Merlin blushed as she sat as close as possible to him. Katie's cheeks burned and she moved forward feeling something she only had heard existed on a mans body.
The group trotted along together before stopping for the night, in the middle of a forest.
Katie tossed and turned, she was as comfy as she could possibly be, on the forest floor, but the prospect of someone (or something) ambushing the group was keeping her awake.
She eventually threw the covers (well, a blanket) off of her and went to sit by the dieing campfire. "Palnae." She whispered, her eyes turned hazel and the fire burned brighter, showering her with warmth.
"Hey." A quiet voice greeted the girl. At first she panicked slightly, before realising it couldn't be anyone threatening or she would have already been killed and it couldn't be anyone who didn't know her secret or they would be overreacting.
"Hi." She smiled, turning to see Merlin.
"Can't sleep?" He asked, admiring the fire as he sat down.
"No, forests make me nervous. You?"
"I've grown used to a bed." He laughed nervously.
There was a short awkward silence where Merlin just stared at the girl who was staring at the fire. "Thank you." He said suddenly, startling the woman.
"For what?"
"Everything, letting my mother have your horse, letting me have your other one, coming to help the village."
"I'm led to believe that if it was the other way around then you would do the same for me." She sighed, "I guess you'll prove them all right, one day." She threw another stick into the fire. "I'm just sorry that Uther didn't send you anymore help and that Arthur didn't come."
Merlin smiled sadly, "He is the prince, he has to do what his father says."
Katie hummed, dissatisfied, in reply.
"Tell me about yourself." He said. "I'm afraid I know nothing of your background." He smiled.
"There's not a lot to tell." She lied.
"Of course there is." He smiled, not taking the 'I don't want to talk about it' hint in her voice.
She was silent for a little while, He's your destiny, you can tell him. "Ok," she sighed, getting herself comfy, "well-" She suddenly stopped, hearing a snap of a twig. "Wait here." She demanded.
Katie unsheathed her sword and twirled it in the air, getting used to it again. She took a defensive stance and stalked off towards the noise. Merlin appeared beside her.
"What are you doing?" She mouthed.
Before he spoke she placed her index finger on his lips. He crossed his eyes looking down at her finger, hoping the darkness would stop her from seeing his face turn bright red. She placed the same finger on her own lips and gave him a 'keep quiet or die' look.
They moved forward, Merlin holding his sword awkwardly. There was a noise and Katie separated from Merlin, without even realising it.
She heard the sound of a sword hitting air. "Merlin?" She whispered. She then heard a voice, much huskier than the boy's. "Merlin." She started running towards the two voices, ready to strike anyone in her way.
She found the two men and stopped when she noticed who it was, "Arthur?" The man smiled and she embraced him tightly, slightly worried about how she had reacted to Merlin's potential death.
"Don't ever do that to me again." She whispered into Arthur's shoulder, ignoring Merlin's awkward and slightly sad glances at the pair. She finally let the prince go and dragged them back to the campfire.
She looked at Merlin and decided she should retire to bed to give the men time to talk. "I'm off to bed, good night." She grinned at Arthur, "It's good to see you." She meant it in a friendly 'we're gonna need all the help we can' get way, not that Merlin and Arthur took it that like that.
She tried to sleep but heard Arthur say, "How far is it to Ealdore?"
"A few hours walk."
"How many men does Kanan have?"
"Um, I'm not sure. From what my mother says, I think as many as forty." There was a pause, "Thank you."
"You better get some sleep, we've got a long day tomorrow." Katie did not doubt a word Arthur said.
Please review, the more reviews I get the quicker I will write. Saying that I won't be writing anything till the end of next week, very busy weekend I'm afraid.