Percy walked out into the cool night air, his skin was hot from the kitchens and he was hungry. But that didn't matter, what mattered was finding Gwaine. Hopefully he wouldn't be reacting to this like he normally would, because Percy didn't think he'd have the heart to pull Gwaine from a girl's bed.

Assuming, of course, that it was a girl's bed he found solace in. From what Percy knew of Gwaine, and from what Catigern had hinted at, Percy was no longer so sure that Gwaine only liked the fairer sex.

He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on finding his friend. If Gwaine wasn't in the mood to show his face, where would he go? Maybe the tavern? Percy decided to go to the tavern anyway, even though it seemed most likely that Gwaine wasn't there.

He wandered through the stone streets, looking around for any alleyways he might have to check later on. There was a lull about the city now, not many people were still out. Most of the troops had collapsed in their small cots, which was something Percy was very much looking forward to. He doubled his pace and soon arrived outside the only lit building on the street.

The tavern had a wooden door, like most of the shacks in the district, but this one was black. It as said that the door was made from a tree that had been struck by the force of the bombs and survived it. It was a local good lucky charm, so anyone with problems came by here a few times a week.

Percy pushed the door open and looked around the crowded room. There in the corner was someone he recognised, but it wasn't Gwaine. The blonde was huddled into a booth with his unofficial boyfriend, the dark haired Irish manservant. Merlin was in here a lot, with Arthur usually in tow. He walked over to the table and smiled at his commander, his prince.

"Hello Arthur."

"Perce!" Arthur grinned, moving over. "Come, come. Sit. Merlin and I were just discussing what happened on the patrol before I was called back for the... Uh, thing I was called back for happened. And you could tell him what it was like without me."

Percy shook his head, "I can't, even though I'd love to. I'm looking for Gwaine, he was upset earlier and I was just wondering if anyone here had seen him."

Merlin, who was Arthur's manservant for all intents and purposes, was a lithe black haired lad. Probably about Percy's age, maybe even older. He was several years younger than the prince but they seemed to have formed a bond that most people spoke of only behind closed doors. He spoke up, his gorgeous Irish accent making Arthur pay extremely close attention. "Gwaine was here about a half hour ago. Ordered more drinks than I've seen anyone do in my whole life."

Percy nodded, "Sounds like him. Did you see where he went?"

"I'd assume back to his room, to sleep it off." Arthur shrugged.

"Uh, he said something about going for a swim..." Merlin muttered, "But he probably went back to his room, yeah. There's no swimming pools around here."

Percy frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. "But there's a lake."

Arthur's face became stony and serious. "You go now, I'll get the others and see if we can find him at the lake. If you find him, take him to the barracks. Merlin will stay there with Elyan while we search."

Percy nodded, taking orders was a lot easier than making his own plans. He turned and walked out of the door, his legs already moving father than usual. He urged himself into a jog, and then a sprint. He was barrelling down the paths, lucky there was no one around to get in his way.

He turned a sharp corner and pummelled down the road that led to the lake. Not many people came here, it was mainly for funerals. The road was deserted, but there was a fresh track of footprints in the muddy road. Percy found himself running harder, pumping air in and out of his lungs until his throat burned.

He skidded to a halt by the lakeside. There was no one around. The lake was a basin of water than was fed by two rivers coming down from the cliff, it in turn fed one that connected to the sea. Nobody knew how deep the lake was, any attempt to survey it had resulted in destroyed equipment. These failed attempts had spawned a local legend that there was a colony of mutants in the water, so no one came by here anymore.

The sun had set and there was no light but the moon. The water was black, and reflecting the silver of the moon it looked dead. There was no life growing around the lake. Percy couldn't see into the lake, the water was rippling too much.

The water was rippling.

Percy kicked off his shoes and waded into the water. The waves that his entry caused spread about half way across the water before dying. The cold that climbed into his bones made him gasp, he was already shivering. Percy blocked it out and waded into the water until I reached his chest, taking a deep breath he dived into the water.

Everything was lit by the silvery moon, there were too many shadows in the water and Percy couldn't see anything. He swam out into the middle of the lake and looked around him. Nothing. The water was pushing down on him from all sides, his chest was on fire.

He broke the surface of the lake and gasped for air, his lungs were killing him. He cast around himself desperately. Swallowing another lungful of air he dropped back down under the surface, going deeper. His eyes searched the black waters desperately, Gwaine had to be here somewhere.

There!

There was something, over there. A light that was too bright to be the moon. Percy swam for it, hoping it might be something metal Gwaine was wearing reflecting the light. He was shivering while he was swimming, dragging himself through the water. He couldn't breathe but it didn't matter.

The light wasn't Gwaine's chain. It was a woman's eyes. She held the long haired Knight in her arms, cradled like a child. Her hands were webbed, she had a tail and strong legs that kept her still in the water. She was beautiful, and her smile was sweet until she looked at Percy.

When she saw Percy, all the beauty that had been cloaking her was torn away; her face was terrible, sharp cheekbones and a high forehead. Her lips pulled back in a cruel smile that showed her sharp teeth. Her eyes glowed silver, echoing the moon above them.

Percy didn't care that his lungs were burning and that his mind was screaming to him that he was going to die down here in these waters. He didn't care that his body was getting slower and slower as the cold leached his life away. He didn't even care that he might not have the energy to make it back to the surface.

He did care that Gwaine was in the arms of a mutant, one that had killed before.

"I will not give him back." She hissed, her voice was like honey and poison. "He is mine, he came to me willingly."

Percy swam closer, unable to say anything. He reached out for Gwaine's arm. Her tail flicked around Percy's wrist. It was barbed, cutting into his flesh. Percy yelped, the oxygen escaping his lungs.

She looked at him for a second, breathing in the water that had mixed with his blood. Percy felt his lungs constrict. He couldn't keep this up, not any more. He was getting tired, his eyes closing for longer and longer when he blinked. He knew he had to ask her for one thing, just one thing before he gave in.

"Please..." Percy muttered, looking the woman in the eyes, using the last of his breath to plead for Gwaine's life. He swallowed the cold water of the lake and gave his body to the current. He slipped into unconsciousness as his body sunk through the depths.