Almost thought I wasn't going to get this chapter up this quickly.

With all the projects at school it seemed impossible.

But here it is.

Please enjoy.

Betrayal

Everyone called him The Old Captain or just Captain. Barely any of them knew what his real name actually was and Felix Fedele was ok with that. He was the oldest of the group of fugitives. He had been around since before the purge. He had been a different man then. He had had a family and a good life. That all changed when the prince was born and the queen died.

He had heard the rumors about what had caused the purge and fury ran through his vanes. Because of one person's actions half the kingdom was hunted down and killed. Their numbers lowered at a horrific rate. Over the course of one year their numbers had been cut in half.

Felix had lost contact with everyone he had known back then. They were all either dead or deep in hiding like he was. He had almost been executed himself but was saved by this group of sorcerers who then made him their leader. They had done so much for him and he was willing to do anything to keep them all safe. They were his family now.

His wife had died before the purge had begun, he was grateful for that, but his children still had to endure that dark time's horrors. He had sent the youngest of them to a distant family member to keep them safe. They were still alive as far as Felix knew.

His eldest son wasn't so lucky. Magnus was his name. He had moved out a couple months before Uther had made the announcement. He had left to become an apprentice to a sword smith whose name was Narayan. Felix had been so proud of him.

None of his children had been sorcerers like he was so he thought that they would have all been out of danger. He had been sadly mistaken. A few years into the purge Magnus e was lost to him. He had never been one to sit back and watch helplessly from the sidelines. Felix had always scolded him about his recklessness, saying that it might get him killed some day. Felix wished he had been wrong.

Felix never got all of the facts about the night he died but he could guess that he had gotten himself involved with some sorcerers and they destroyed him for it. When Felix got the news it was the last straw. He could no longer hide away. They had to act.

Over the years their group grew as they freed more and more sorcerers. He had come to be called the Captain and his original name was lost. Felix thought it was appropriate though because to him Felix Fedele was dead.

Eris had joined their band of sorcerers a few years back. There had, however, been something quite odd about her, he could tell. A dark past circled her, one that she would not be willing to tell. She had shown quite a bit of skill with the dark arts. Some even said she was better then the Dark Witch, Morgana.

These words were said in hushed voices for fear of what Morgana might do to them. She had begun visiting them a few months ago, offering her support. She had helped them out of quite a few tight spots. Everyone knew that she wasn't doing this out of the kindness of her heart. Rumors had been circling that she in fact did not have a heart anymore because she had sacrificed it to a spirit of darkness. This of course was far fetched but they knew that eventually she would call in the debts.

It seems that time has come. Were they lucky that she had chosen them to help her take Camelot, Felix wasn't sure anymore. Taking the fortress would be easy but keeping it was going to be hard. Would Morgana let them go after she had what she wanted?

He only wanted to do what was right for the group. They had relied on Morgana's help too many times for his liking and now they were paying for it.

They had never done something so big before. Would they all survive? If he had the choice he would back out but Morgana would be even worse as an enemy. He wondered that if it were only him who would attack along side Morgana then he would say yes without hesitation. Felix wanted his revenge but not at the cost of the lives he had come to care for.

This is what he had been thinking about when he spotted Eris leaving the camp. He had half a mind to follow her and see what she was up to. This was not the first time she had slipped out of the camp into the darkness of the forest. Felix always waved it away with the excuse that she needed to be alone to think.

Eris reminded him a lot of his son with he air of recklessness. She rarely truly smiled and she always kept to herself. Felix could see the darkness swirling around inside her. Years of grief and betrayal clouded her eyes that may have once sparkled.

He had found Eris once sitting alone by the dying fire after everyone else had gone to sleep. She had been poking at it with a long stick, trying to keep it alive. But he could tell that her heart wasn't fully in it. A lifetime of not being able to save everyone showed itself through the simple movement.

Felix had sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a while, the silent question floating in the air. Eris was the one to break the silence.

"It started ten years ago." She began. "There had been five of us back then. We supported each other and our magic. We were happy. But I guess you know that nothing as good as happiness can last forever." Felix simply nodded in encouragement for her to continue.

"One of us died suddenly and everything changed." She continued. "We became distant from each other and eventually we all stopped meeting with each other. Gaia, one of the five, and I stuck together even after that. Without the support from the others we left the kingdom and traveled. In one of the kingdoms there was a war going on. I was never one to sit back and watch so I suggested that we fight as well. We were old enough and skilled enough. Magic wasn't banned there. So we entered the battle but…"

"But what?" Felix asked calmly.

"We had to choose a side and that is where things got complicated." Eris explained. "I knew which side I wanted to fight for but Gaia didn't agree. She believed in the other side. I tried to convince her that she was going to be fighting for the wrong side and I did manage to steer her over to my side."

"So what happened?" Felix pushed for more information.

"We had just engaged with the enemy when it happened." Eris looked like she was struggling to go on.

"What happened?" He asked again.

"Gaia stopped my blade before I attacked one of the enemy's soldiers. That's when I knew I had never convinced her. She had only said she was on my side so it would be easier for her to stop me."

"So she betrayed you." Felix summed up what she was saying.

"Well no." She tried to deny it but with one look from the Captain she broke. "Yes, she did betray me that day."

"So what happened next?" He didn't want to admit it but he really wanted to know what happened.

"We fought. I was so angry with her. She managed to disarm me but she hesitated. I took the opening. I didn't mean to hurt her." Eris bent her head in shame.

"There is nothing you need to be ashamed of." He scolded her. "Gaia betrayed you. As soon as she did that she wasn't your friend anymore."

"We promised to stay by each others sides and fight together to the end." Eris muttered.

"And she broke that promise. If anyone was in the wrong it was Gaia." Felix tried comforting her. "You don't betray your friends."

Eris nodded in understanding but she still seemed conflicted. Gaia had been her friend and Eris would never be able to get over that. Her doubts may someday be her undoing.

"Eris." He said soothingly. "I'm sorry for what she did to you. I understand what it feels like to be deceived. Do not make the mistake of trusting her again Eris. You will only open up old wounds."

Even with his words she still seemed conflicted. There was more to the story.

"She is still fighting against you, isn't she?" He knew what the answer would be.

"Yes." Eris stilled hadn't lifted her head. "I might still be able to convince her." She looked up to meet his eyes. Small fragments of hope floated in her eyes but they were slowly dying one by one.

"No Eris." He spoke sternly. "She has chosen her path. You can't trust her. She would only join you to betray you again. She isn't the friend you once knew."

"She has changed." Eris nodded.

"She may even decide to try to convince you to join her." Felix didn't like to bring up the idea.

"I would never betray you and the others. I'm not like her."

"No, you are loyal." They went to bed after that.

Felix hoped he had eased her mind. This explained much of her behavior. This friend of hers was the reason she was so distant, why she didn't smile anymore. How could someone do that to their friend? A friend's betrayal meant the end of a friendship.

That conversation had been about a month ago but Eris still seemed unsure of herself. That was how she had seemed when he saw her leaving the camp. He waited for her to return.

She returned as the sun reached its peak. Her dress dragged across the ground as she walked by him. He caught her arm, asking the silent question.

"I thought I understood Gaia's reason for fighting against me but the truth is I don't." Eris wavered for a moment still questioning her decision.

"Remember Eris, she betrayed you." He tried to snuff out any of her doubts. "She chose to work against you. It didn't seem to be a difficult choice for her to make."

"Sometimes I wonder if we were ever really friends." Eris bent her head like she had when they had sat by the fire.

The Old Captain reached out and lifted her chin so that they were looking into each other's eyes. "You are stronger then her Eris. You can beat her mind games. Do not doubt yourself for a second. That second may just be your last."

"Your right." She straightened, confidence flowing into her voice. "Gaia made her choice to betray me. I can never trust her again."

And with that she strode back to her tent, confidence in her step. Once again friends are placed against each other. The final battle was almost upon them and Eris would not loose.

"She isn't my friend anymore."

Thank you for reading.

Who do you think will win? Eris or Gaia?

Reviews help me write faster and I want to know what you would like to happen.

Do you think Merlin should find out about Gaia?