We entered the King's court. Arthur first than me, the knights, the porteges and Theia (Amilea which ever). The King began to speek before we could take our places. The music made it difficult to pay attention to the King's speech. Everyone was in their best clothes as usual except for Theia/ Amilea. she chose to stay in the rages we found her in. Morgana offered a when she first heard that we'd found a girl but I said Gwen had already offered. Now that she and Morgana are face to face she doesn't look hurt about it.

"And who might you be?" The King said as arrogant as ever.

"I am Amilea Gryphon."

"She's dead. You can't be her." Morgana said faking astonishment.

"Actually we only speculated it was her. Years had gone by already and we were going on rumors." Gaius stated.

"Still." Uther said trying to dismiss it.

"I can prove it." Amilea chimmed in.

"How?" Uther asked with such dismay. Like the notion he could be wrong was a crime in itself.

"My second middle name."

"The princess doesn't... didn't have a middle name." Gaius said furrowing his brow.

"Uther and i established a second name. A safe word if you will. To be used in times of kidnap or seige."

"What is the name?" Uther demanded.

She stepped up to Uther and whispered something in his ear. He pulled away with a mix of surprise and disbelief on his face. Soon the element of fright faded to warmth and he pulled her into a bear hug. Amilea soon resummed a place next to me and stood at attention.

"What the name?" Arthur asked.

"It's a secret." Urther said.

"He is the once and future king. Infact I think everyone in this room can be trusted." Amilea said.

"Good point. Go on than." Uther prompted.

She changed Uther's mind. She's becomeing more inpressive by the minute.

"Swan. Amilea Elizabeth Swam Gryphon..."

AESG. It wasn't dragon tongue carved into her forearm. I was reading it upside down. Clotpole.

"Why Swan?" Arthur asked obiously thinking out loud.

"It was a bit of a nod to her arrivel to Camelot." Gaius jumped back in. "And from your blank expressions I can see I'll need to elaborate. We estimated that minutes after her birth Amilea was thrown into the river. I found her on the banks of the mot with nothing but the cloth she was swaddled in and two swans whch presumably guided her here." Gaius smirked at me at the beginning of that sentance; but I don't think anyone noticed.

"Ygraine and I hadn't had Arthur yet." Uther began. "We took her in and care for her like she was our own."

"That explain why my last name is Gryphon." Arthur said. "I thought it was a taunt the the many creatures you seek to destroy."

"Why Gryphon at all." Owain asked. I'd almost forgotten about the knights.

"Gryphon was stitched on the blanket I arrived in." Amilea took a turn. "The story goes my father fought alongside the patrol as a boy in the days when Uther was a prince. Rumor was he had a habit of tagging along with the patrol because the report said the patrol was attack by a colllection of mythical creatures. They struck each knight and my father. My father had a fascination with mythology and was able to persaude a gryphon to carry them to safety. Unfortunately after only carrying a few knights and my father to safety the rest of the partol had died of their wounds. My father was given the highest hoonors and the last name Gryphon. He deid in battle leaving my mother pennyless."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Uther asked unaware he was prying.

"It's a long story." Amilea said forcing a smile.

"Come now, it's your mother." Morgana said in that breathic angelic tone that uther ate up.

"It's a very long story not worth telling. I'm here now."

"Did you know you weren't Arthur's sister." Elyan asked from somewhere in the sea of knights behind me.

"I was always told the truth and kept away from the politices."

"I hope you understand..." Uther asked in a mix of defensive and sorrow.

"I never thought ill of you. I know how important your image is to you and your reign."

"How did you find her." Uther asked regarding Arthur.

"We found her unconscious in a sealed cavern. There is no way to know jut how long she'd been there or how she survived but in this case I think it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Why did you run away?" Uther asked.

"It's a long story from far too long ago. Besides I don't believe I'm the reason we're gathered here."

"Come now, just tell me." Uther continued to pry.

"Would you like the long version?" Amilea asked with a small laugh in a last ditch effort to ditch the topic.

"Pease."

Oh my lord. Uther just said Please

"I'd lost my dance slipper and so naturally the guards insisted on a full search. Turns out I'd dropped it in Morgana's room. I began to apologize for the distubance but before I could finish an explosion tore through the room. I was thrown out the door and was passed out. When I woke up I was consummed by so much negativity. Everything felt toxic. Given that that is the reach of a childs rational I ran. I later sought answers elsewhere."

"That doesn't sound like you. We trusted each other and Gaius with everything." Morgana said laying on the princess act so thick it was hard to look at her with anything more than concempt.

"No." The King muttered.

"What is it my lord?" Gaius stepped in.

"No daughter of mine would behave so recklessly."

"I was a child." Amilea said but her heart wasn't in it anymore.

"Take her away." The King beckoned for the gaurds.

That is when all hell broke loose. The knigths stumble around unsure of what to do.

"Don't you think you're being a bit rash my lord." Gaius spook up over the chaos.

I stepped up to block to the guards path and I was thrown acros the room in a heartbeat. But I've taken my fair share of hits to the head so I wasn't dazed for long. I slipped out the door durinng the chaos and began to tail the guards who had taken Amilea.

As they headed for the dungeons the warning bells sounded. Many guards passed me unnoticed with an expression that said. We only just caught this one. Will we never get a moment of peace.

I reached the stairwell before someone grabbed my shoulder. I held my breath as I turned to see what I should have expected.

"I'd take you to the dungeon but we're aready here." Arthur chuckled.

They put her in the furthest cell. Which gave us time to hide in a gap in the wall the size of a postage stamp. We nearly made it to the cell when Elyan stopped us. "The King demands your presents in the lower town."

We walked with him for a few paces before Arthur slipped me his keys and I crept back to the cell.

I whispered "Amilea," as I tried to find the right key.

She heard me she only look up a for a moment than stared off.

I'd finally found the right key, hurried in knelt down next to her.

"I'm sorry," She said. She wouldn't meet my eyes.

"For what?"

"False hope. I tend to scare people away, I don't know why I thought this time would be different."

"Don't say that, Uther is blind to Morgana's true nature. It was all to easy for her to plant doubt in his mind."

Some prisoners were causing choas around the corner. Mostly shouts and clanging metal. One shout sounded like. "Put her in my cell."

"Hey. Don't think on it." I said hoping she'd at lest raise her head. She didn't.

"Do you remember the first thing I said to you."

She didn't raise her head but I saw a smile playing on her face.

"You'd defeated the odds again by waking up only to be greeted by a wild animal attack and come out unskaved. I turned to you and said. 'It's ok. No one will hurt you' and I intent to keep that promise."

Around the corner more noise sounded from the guards this time. I got up and walked out of the cell but not before I gave her a cross eyed smile. The last thing I saw was her pleasent smile before the music conusummed me head again. It took conciderable effort to look out my eyes.

Strangely I'd never noticed the music when Amilea was present. Like it yells utter nonsense, but when we're apart it whispers the most profound things into the back of my head.

I returned to Arthurs side on the outskirts of the lower town. Uther, Gaius and Arthur were gooking at a tiny pair of footprints. While Uther and Gaius deliberated I pulled Arthur aside and asked. "What's so flabborgasting about small footprint?"

"There was a brutal murder here. Obviously a beast of some sort. But the ground is soft and all we found are these footprint."

"Do you believe it was magic?" I asked slitly concerned for my safety.

"My father is convinced by I just don't know."

Uther turned back to Arhur and demanded. "Lock up all those we have under suspision."

"I'll see to it right away." Arthur said that turned and walked away. If I wasn't paying attention he would have disappear around the corner.

When I caught up to Arthur he said. "Something's wrong with the knights."

"They're knights."

"No." He obviously didn't appreciate the sarcasm. He pulled me up the stairs and out of earshot. he leaned in and said. "Their eyes are dark."

"Well not everyone can have brillant blue eyes."

"I mean they are full of hatred. Ever sense we left the empty village they have been acting so rude and secretive and closed off. You remember, we saw them gambling." The pain in his voice surmounting.

"I can't believe I didn't notice this."

"And Merlin." Arthur leaned in even closer. I was worried he might hear my pulse. "If you breath a word of this to anyone I'll string you up myself.

"If I spook a word about this to the knights or the king they'd slice me up and feed me to the dog before I got to the next word. So no worries."

Arthur creaked a smile, but I knew it wouldn't last so I took advantage of the moment and slipped away before he could stop me. And I didn't dare look back.

Later that night the prince had dinner with his father to to discuss the proteges. He returned with a handfull of paper which he just stared at. I was keeping myself busy with work, trying not to think about Amilea when Arthur piped up.

"So I take it we're breaking Amilea out of the dungeon."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"Don't be silly Merlin. You've done the same for Morgana and Gwen and me many times. It practically our second job."

"I'm surprised they haven't been sacked yet."

"So what should we do? Drug the guards, break a window, sneak her my keys." Arthur said a little to earerly.

"You know at the beginning of this conversation I felt moderatly safe." I said trying to sound funny, but it came out more pathetic. "If we're too clever they will suspect the traitor. If not we may not get her out in time."

"I'll speak with my father, learn his intentions. Then meet Amilea and you in her cell."

I nodded and headed for the door.

"Not before you finish this." Arthur said tapping his glass.

Once he got fead up staring at papers I cleaned up giving Arthur time with his father. I later grabbed a plate spouting something about food for the prisoner and headed stright for the dungeon.

When I saw a guard and spouted the line again and I was in. Serious have they never notice the connection between the rare occasions when prisoners receive food and escapes.

When I first reached her cell I feared I had the wrong one. Soon my eyes adjusted to the dim light and saw a small figure in the fetal position behind the bench. I rushed to open the door but frumbled and chattered the key. She jumped and tried to inch away in space that wasn't there. I knelt beside her and gently coaxed her out from hehind the bench. I gave her the plate but she wouldn't touch it. I tried to place the tray in her hand but she rest shook her head and push it back.

With her arms outstretched I saw something different. I held her arm in the light and saw the defensive wounds. The new ones.

"You've been beaten."

"It was part of the sentance."

"I've never heard of Uther passed torture as a sentance."

"Neither have I." Arthur said approching from the door. "That's because he never has."

"What?" She said in a small voice.

"Amilea. Who did this to you." Arthur said firmly.

Hesitantly she point across the hall towards one of the guards I didn't recognize.

"Montague!" Arthur called out.

The knight turned and approched the cell sending Amilea a hard look which bordered on arrogant.

Arthur stood to confront him but Amilea took his arm and said. "It's my word against his. Uther will never believe that of a stranger in his dungeons vs that of one of his knights."

Montague glared at us as to say Listen to her.

"You forget the evidance." Arthur said tapping her arm gently than stood to confront Sir Montague.

"Did you order to have her harmed." Arthur didn't let him get a word out before saying. "Chose your next words very carefully, Sir."

"Of course not Sire."

"Than why is there evidance that she has come to conciderable harm while here. I can and I wil have Gaius confirm when the abuse took place but I am all but certain it took place under your watch."

Arthur turned back to us leaving Montague wandering for a retort.

"Is this all he did?" I asked.

She look up and choked out the words. "Not just him."

Anger boiled in me but I did my best not to make a scene. I only said. "I'm going to get you out of here."

Amilea looked like she was about to protest but Arthur beat her to it. "No. I'm about to imprison a knight. If a prisoner escapes so soon she will be suspected. But be ready to leave. And just so you know my father was very broken up for the longest time after you ran away. And I think this has just opened an old wound. He will most likely come visit you tomorrow so be gentle, stick to your story and avoid anything to do with sorcery at all costs, you know how he get."

"Thank you."

"Merlin we better go." Arthur said.

"I'll be back tomorrow." I promised practically dragged out of the cell by Arthur. I felt horrible leaving her alone in that cell but Arthur let go of me and I hurried after him like I always do.

"Do you belive she is who she claims to be?" I asked at Arthur's side while he took Montague to the cell furtherest from her.

"She has information only Amilea could know. And she was always clever. If anyone could survive alone it would be her. But those years would take their toll and you can see it on her face." He was careful to walk away before saying. "Yea we're getting her out of the city."

"Not a chance. This is her home and she has been away for far to long." I said without thinking. "I think I know where we can hide her until we can change his mind."

"Your full of good ideas today Merlin."

I didn't reply. I just took it and ran.

"You'll sneak her out tomorrow during shift change. Come down with Gwen in a cloak but make sure they know it's her. Give Amilea the cloak and you'll leader her out during the change. Have Gwen stay behind till after shifts are settled. The key will be to hide in plain sight, walk like it's routine and DO NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELVES."

"Got it."

Arthur headed back to his chambers. I was hoping to go right to bed but of course Gaius was right there ready to intercept. "Your in a hurry."

"Running around for Arthur all day. Aren't I always."

"Merlin." Gaius glared at me. "I can always tell when your up to something. Don't bother hiding it."

Reluctanly I told him our plan.

"Uther suspect everyone is a traitor. Sercurity is doubled, tripled at night. It's our best shot."

"I still say it will never work. But if you're going to go through with it anyway I have something that will help." He stood up and began burrowing through the armoire. He had too look hard for it but soon he pulled out a dark cloak. I tried to focus on the cloak but everytime I tried me eyes would evert themselves. Like it didn't want to believe it was there."

"What is it." I said after deciding to focus on Gaius and not the cloak.

"It was made by the druids to elute attention if they suspected the reign was dangerous. Only those who respect live like a druid or respect the druids are uneffected. To others you will be, not invisable just unnoticeable. In the heart of Camelot well..."

"But you and I have trouble seeing it."

"We do seve under a man whoseeks to destroy them."

"Uumm," I muttered in response and he handed me the cloak.

I took to my room and collapsed on my small bed pondering our chances od success. My eye lids quickly drifted close. The last thing I saw was what Amilea's face might look like under the cloak.

That morning I rose before the sun. I meet Gwen and brought her to - practically dragged her to- Arthur's chambers to discuss the plan.

"So let me make sure I understand this." Gwen started. "We go down to the dungeons with a cloak just before shift change you sneak out during and I walk out later and say thank you good night. This is ubsurd."

"Uther is one bad day away from inforcing a curfew. If he does we'll never we'll never get her past the courtyard." Arthur said.

"It's only a back up plan." I stated. "Uther is going to meet with Amilea later today. If all goes well he might release her."

"Are all boys naturally insane or do you two work at it."

We glared at her in unison.

"Ok. So theorically once she's out I assume she'll be staying with me."

"Actually I was thinking she would hide in the catacombs beneath the castle."

This time they glared at me in unision.

"Security is top priorite. Uther sees a potentiel traitor in everyone right now."

"Well that's bloody brillant. How do you suppose she will get food." Gwen asked with glaring irritation.

"We'll take turns bring down food, water and candles." Arthur suggested.

"No. If it's best if I do it alone." I said trying to sound confidant. Like I definatly wouldn't get caught.

We nodded solemnly, it felt like that moment of silence cleared the air.

Gwen and I hurried out of the rom. I was closing the door behind me when Arthur said. "If you really don't want to be suspisious you'll need to do your job. Speaking of which I need you to: polish my armor, muck out the horses, clean my room, do mt laundry, fetch breakfast and prepare for training."

"Training?" I blurted out.

"Oh Merlin. You've got the easy part. You just stand in the middle of the Arena with the ring above your head ready for me to strike." The way he said strike made me flinch.

Chapter 4

Fav Follow andREveiw please

Sorry for the wait

Enjoy