Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

-oo-

Chapter 3

The new day dawned and the three set out on their journey. Except this time it was a lot less cheerful, being that the two eggheads were plastered from their nights drinking and Merlin couldn't help but enjoy himself a little. He deliberately raised his voice and started talking.

"Don't you just love it when you awake fresh and ready for the days adventures?"

All he heard were grumbled replays from the two next of him. They were trying to keep their eyes open but every few moments they would lose the battle and Merlin would say something on purpose.

He saw them limping along and he couldn't help but feel smug pride at their jovial antics. They may seem like men with no fear or brains for that matter when they rush into unpredictable situations but he liked that they kept some of that reckless youth in them.

As they went along the beautiful forest observing the lush landscape, he couldn't help but wish that she was there with them. He still remembered when they used to ride together. A talentless group of misfits, but some were true warriors. Morgana, along with Arthur, was one of them. He used to joke with Arthur how he obviously was the girl in that family. He also used to get a hard pot thrown his way for such clever remarks.

But as much as he made fun of Arthur he also envied him. Most of them were forgotten children except for Arthur and Morgana. They had the same father and they came together when he first met them. Still they never spoke of the man and he never pushed too much.

Small victories about their origins were found when Arthur got drunk and would start spitting nonsense about him being royalty and how he and Morgana were of royal blood. He would laugh and Arthur would place a hand on his shoulder and say that it didn't matter where he came from, that his true family was here, among them.

Little poor Merlin gobbled it all up. An orphan child after Uther's forces invaded his small village. He never knew his father and his mother then and there became the victim of war. Another along the line. Because it was a bloodshed, and Merlin being a small scrawny child could only do so much. His magic wasn't strong enough back then.

Then came the king himself, leading the onslaught and until there was nothing left he swung his sword bloody. His mother ushered him into the woods and when the small group of warriors went to follow she stayed behind and he didn't want to go. So he stayed with her.

Used his magic, tried to help and guard them but as they approached in spite of it all Hunith tore him from her and yelled at him to go into the woods. Strangely he never heard his mother yell before - she was always a calm soul.

Then, before the soldiers got a chance to reach them she took the knife she had always carried with her and attacked them. What followed next was the horror he would never forget. The blades pierced her, the red staining her dress and all he could feel in his tiny body was this rage. A blindness overcame him and he was not aware of what he did but when he came to his senses he saw ashes all around his mother.

His mother that stared at him in fear. She who knew him best, on her death bed was afraid of him. As he ran to her he heard the words.

"No. Don't come any closer. What are you?"

He was stopped dead in his tracks. A child looking into his mother's eyes as they faded, while she held her knife before her to protect herself as he just stood there. A small boy who didn't know why his mother was afraid of him, why she rejected him until her very last breath.

So he stood there for what seemed like forever, until he heard the yelling in the background. A soldier searching and hunting, still hungry for blood. So he went to her and took the small blade as she watched with empty eyes, the blade that cut his palm to numb the pain.

He still had a scar on his palm and it still hurt. A phantom pain, like the monsters they hunt. It was an unusual blade, he remembered. For his mother was a commoner but her most prized possession was that blade. She used to say she got it from his father. It was enveloped in gold and rubies. A blade worthy of a queen.

Merlin stretched his hand and relaxed his palm still feeling it underneath the glove. When a shout came towards him he picked the blade up in panic and ran into the woods. He ran for what felt like days. Until he stumbled upon the druids. Mages without home, at one with nature. They took him as one of their own. Gave him a name.

Emrys.

"Stop Merlin."

He quickly snapped out of his daze to see Arthur and Gwaine alert and their heads up towards the sky. He also tried to see what they were intent on waiting and soon his patience was rewarded. A great creature was spreading his wings and flying over the portion of land.

Just their luck.

"How about we make it our dinner Arthur?"

Gwaine was obviously mental for that didn't look like a normal beast. Merlin turned to scold the man but then stopped when he saw Arthur pull his sword from the saddle and rush towards the clearing.

"First one to kill him gets the other to do whatever he wants."

Gwaine took off after him, his horse eating up the distance.

"I love you crazy bastard you know that!" he yelled as he also pulled out the sword and rushed forward leaving only Merlin to follow. Probably even save their behinds once more.

"I am surrounded by idiots."

Well, can't be helped.

Come on Merlin. Have a bit of fun and let's hunt.

She was just like Arthur. As he put his horse into gallop he remembered why he liked them. Reckless fools all of them but they were his family like Arthur said.

He took the blade from his belt and felt the adrenalin and his magic tingle at his fingertips.

"Hey wait up. I don't want to miss all the fun."

With that his blade was engulfed in fire as his horse flashed like lightning to get to the site.

What followed was a giant screech from the griffin as he prepared to land and meet his prey. He knew that this won't be a simple fight for griffin didn't have many weakness, or almost any when it came to two hunters ridding to the fray.

He said fun but now it didn't look like it, and slowly he started to concentrate on his magic. He will need it this time.

Merlin? How ridiculously awesome it would be to ride on the back of a griffin.

Yes if you disregard how deadly they are and impossible to kill.

No that's a myth.

What is?

Griffins being impossible to kill.

And how prey tell do you know that Morgana?

Because I am brilliant.

Naturally.

So…?

So what?

His weakness?

Ah yes. You should deal with it when the time comes and you will have me to back you up.

Meaning?

Magic Merlin. You need to connect things faster otherwise I will revisit me teaching you the basics of swordplay.

Ah.

Yes, that trick you showed me- how you can strengthen your blade with a spell-

Actually you and swords isn't actually a good- I'd go with poison. Helped by a powerful spell of course. You can finish him off with one blow.

Really?

Or you can die trying.

Is any of it even true Morgana?

Well, we won't know until we encounter one.

Hope we don't.

Now where is the fun in that Merlin?

Who would've thought he'd one day get a chance to find out if anything Morgana told him held any merit (or he would die trying).