The knights rode behind Uther as they travelled to the meeting point. Gregory trailed behind on another of Rupert's horses, while leading another horse for Arthur, and Gaius trotted next to him on a placid white pony. None of them were talking. Uther now and again issued instructions, to speed up, slow down, or pause for water. Gregory wished he hadn't been ordered to come, but Uther, on some sudden sadistic whim insisted that Rupert bring him along. Gaius naturally came in case Arthur was injured. Uther didn't mention Merlin but Gaius brought enough equipment to deal with both of them, if it was necessary.

The four knights were looking around nervously, assessing the landscape as they passed through. The wind rippled around them, and the horses snorted on occasion, but there was no chance of any surprise attack. The area they were passing through was open country. Any areas of brush were assessed carefully but the exchange location had clearly been chosen so neither side could mount any sort of surprise ambush.

"I think I can see them," Sir Bors said, being someone in the possession of very good eyesight. It was why Leon had thought to bring him.

"How many of them?" Leon asked, peering at the figures in the distance. He could see what appeared to be a group of people, but could not discern numbers too clearly.

"Ten, no make that a dozen, two of them are kneeling down," Bors said calmly. Uther growled while in contrast Gaius sighed in subtle relief. If one of the people kneeling was Arthur, then the other was likely to be Merlin, which meant he was all right. Or at least alive, which was something.

"Sire, maybe two of us should ride in front," Leon suggested to the king. Uther turned his head to glare at him, Leon didn't know whether to hold the gaze or look away. He managed to maintain eye contact for a moment before turning his head in the direction of the waiting party, and then he glanced back again. "Just for safety."

The king shifted in his saddle, glancing around, and assessing the landscape. The grass rippled in the breeze, the trees nearby lashed about caught in the same power, dried leaves snapping free from the branches and swirling about in the air.

"I led the army into battle here once," he mused. Leon blinked, unsure what to make of that comment. It probably didn't require much of an answer, so he chose not to give one, and Uther continued to talk. "I didn't cower away then, I will not now."

At least they got a reason for the sudden comment, the answer to Leon's suggestion was no. It was, Leon reasoned, sometimes quite easy to forget that Uther had battled to win Camelot. The king now was a little hard to equate with a younger man who would fight battles, and win wars. But that person still appeared to be in there, simmering under the surface.

Uther clearly didn't want to delay the confrontation he kicked his horse forward at a furious pace and the rest of them followed, galloping the last short distance to the waiting group. Uther yanked his horse to a halt, the gelding's feet skidding in the soft ground as he responded to the harsh yank. He gave a disgruntled snort and jerked his head against Uther's hands. Uther didn't notice, he was glaring at the scene in front of him. Arthur looked at him warily, knowing his father wouldn't be pleased with any of it.

The two captives still looked in a very sorry state. They knelt in the long grass, their hands still bound and the rope around their necks. Barak still held the end of the lead in his hand, a smug expression on his face. He stood a little to the left of and a pace or so behind Arthur. Merlin knelt on Arthur's right, also watching the scene carefully. He locked eyes with Gaius, feeling surprise at his guardian being there. Gaius's eyes asked a silent question and Merlin gave a subtle shrug in response. It made his back flare with pain again, it felt hot and cold, and the ache in his shoulders was adding to his misery. Merlin glanced at Arthur.

The prince was pale, but that was probably fury as opposed to pain. His target was most definitely Barak. Merlin could see Arthur's eyes flickering in the bandit's direction as they had waited, watching the party ride towards them. Merlin's eyes had widened as he recognised the leader of the party. A few of the bandits had shifted uncomfortably, looking at each other as they realised the King himself had come to deliver the ransom. Merlin blinked, his mind rolling over the fact that Uther had come, rather than leaving it to someone else. But on the flip side, Arthur was his son, his only child and heir to his throne. That somehow made it very unsurprising.

No one moved for a moment as the party dismounted. Leon stepped forward to take the reins of Uther's horse as he took several steps forward. His eyes strayed to Arthur.

"Arthur."

"Sire," Arthur replied politely to his father's greeting. Merlin lowered his head a fraction, being seen but not heard. They could have been greeting each other in the throne room rather than on a windy moor. Barak jerked the rope, hauling Arthur back, which made him wince but that was the only reaction he gave. He again stopped the ripple effect hitting Merlin. I'lian gave Barak a brief glance before he stepped towards Uther, to meet him halfway. They stood still and assessed each other for a long moment.

"Sir I'lian," Uther greeted him, making the name sound like he was tasting something particularly unpleasant.

"My Lord."

"I hardly think I am your lord," Uther said. I'lian smiled.

"No, no I am not."

"I've brought your payment."

"And also reneged on the terms. I said four people."

"You said four knights," Uther countered.

"And you don't see the others do you."

The glaring match was broken as Arthur huffed and shook his head.

"Something to say, prince?" Barak demanded.

"Yes, your cousin has no room to talk since he spent most of the time calling my servant 'servant' until I corrected him. His name is Merlin. You didn't think that when you allowed him to be beaten, did you? He's not a person to you, so don't think you can try and make yourself better than my father."

Merlin winced as Arthur was cuffed around the head by Barak. Arthur's jaw clenched, he shook his head and looked up at I'lian.

"Correct me, if I'm wrong," Arthur said.

"Maybe you're not, but what would my son be like if I had let him grow up around you," I'lian snapped.

"I think that is an argument for another day. Just take the money and go, I think I'm done with you."

"Arthur," Merlin reproved in a low tone. Arthur's head tilted in his direction. They both stopped arguing as Uther took another step forward. He motioned to Rupert. He was carrying the first load of coins. Without a word he handed over the pouch. Uther threw it at I'lian.

"That's not enough!" Barak snapped.

"Be silent, cousin!" I'lian snarled.

There was a reason this area was chosen. Just on the small rise, as the mild slope crested upwards, was a flat stone, a grave many people speculated about, but no one knew. I'lian emptied out the coins and then counted them back. Then Uther nodded at Sir Bors.

The process went on. Everyone looked bored until the fifth, and last pouch. Gregory hung his head as he took it forward and handed it over, scurrying back and the scuffling made I'lian look up and assess him.

"Gregory?"

"My Lord," Gregory said, and then he glanced at Uther, who glared at him. Gregory looked back, his eyes wide.

"I didn't mean that, I… erm. Sire."

He turned to Uther and bowed, backing out of the scene in confusion. As he turned he tripped on a rock and went sprawling. Rupert didn't dare move but as Gregory struggled up he met his eyes. None of them wanted this situation and if his poor servant had kept his mouth shut he wouldn't be in this mess. As Gregory huddled behind him Rupert refused to move. He couldn't do much but he could protect his servant.

Arthur and Merlin exchanged a long look. Merlin frowned at Arthur who shrugged, as best he could, and shook his head. This fight was best fought another day. Even Merlin carefully kept his mouth shut, not wanted to antagonise the situation further. His goal was to get Arthur out of here, if they paid the money they got Arthur. As simple as that.

"We have the money," I'lian said.

"Then release my son."

The bandits started to cheer, celebrating the victory. Until Arthur was cut loose and thrown forward, he crashed face first into the ground. Merlin yelped. Arthur rolled, winded by the fall, he inhaled heavily wincing as his ribs ached, but he struggled up; and then felt the air rush from him again as he looked towards Merlin.

Barak had grabbed him, hauling Merlin up and pulling him back. Merlin struggled but he was still tied and collared and Barak put his hand down hard onto Merlin's back making him cry out. Merlin's knees buckled and he slammed down onto the ground, gasping for breath.

"How much is your servant worth?" Barak asked.

"What is this?" Uther snarled. Even he looked outraged at the turn of events. Arthur moved, standing in front of Uther, facing the bandits.

I'lian looked from Arthur to Barak and glared. "Cousin, you do not do this. The exchange has been made."

"Yes, we bargained for the prince, not the servant. How much is he worth Prince? What do you think I can get for him?"

"Let him go!" Arthur huffed. Several of the bandits had pulled their swords. Arthur didn't need to look to know that the knights behind him had done exactly the same. He could hear the snorts of the suddenly tense horses, and the light thuds as they stamped their feet. None of them would bolt, all of them had been trained to respond in battle, but their bodies reacted to the sudden tension in their owners.

Barak, in what was, Arthur realised, a very deliberate, provoking gesture, took hold of the rope around Merlin's neck, and pulled. Merlin coughed, and struggled, kicking his legs in an attempt to get his knees under him. He was not getting to his feet in a hurry, but if he didn't want to choke he had to get up. Barak hauled him, slowly, letting Merlin struggle, his breath ragged, hitching in panic. Tears flooded into Merlin's eyes as his back muscles tensed and the fire and ice sensation pulsed through his body.

"Stop that!" Arthur yelled, he stepped forward but paused as the two bandits flanking the scene raised their crossbows. Arthur turned his furious gaze to I'lian, who was watching the scene with an impassivity that stunned Arthur. The man had seemed to at least care, but Arthur's mind rippled with an image of I'lian's face as he had ordered Merlin beaten. It reminded Arthur, quite worryingly, of his father.

Arthur wasn't armed, and he wasn't sure if he could risk rushing in. The bandits had the money, if they killed him now then they didn't lose. But Arthur wasn't about to watch Merlin struggle like that. Merlin's body jerked as he continued to struggle, then miraculously the rope around his neck snapped. Merlin flopped to the ground, landing heavily and probably knocking any hard won air out of his lungs. Arthur almost darted forward again but there were too many people now around Merlin. Four of the bandits, including Barak, were flanking him, watching him as he lay face down on the ground.

Merlin gasped, whimpering on occasion as he dragged as much air into his lungs as possible, his body drawing it in desperately, despite the pain it was causing. His throat was burning just as much as his back, searing with pain every time the air rushed in, but his body was not about to be refused what it needed. Merlin couldn't control his desperate gasps and as he was hauled onto his feet he could hardly take in the scene around him.

Arthur's jaw tensed as Barak hoisted up a now limp, but gasping and feebly, moving Merlin. He held Merlin against him, wrapping an arm around Merlin's waist to pin him against his chest, making Merlin's struggled intensify as the pressure increased on his back, and his other hand forced Merlin's chin up. Merlin's eyes were not entirely focused.

"Merlin?" Arthur said, with a sharp edge to his voice. Merlin blinked.

"How much is he worth? Twenty gold pieces?" Barak asked conversationally. "Bring the money back here, in two days, and I'll give you back what's left of him."

Arthur snarled, from behind him he heard Uther announce, coldly.

"We will not pay a ransom for a mere servant."

He watched Barak's eyes glitter as he heard Uther's announcement. He had refused to pay for Gwen when she had been taken instead of Morgana. There had been a very big row between father and son when he and Merlin had returned with her. Arthur's final piece in the argument had left Uther stunned, and possibly a little confused, since he told Uther he had only done it because Morgana would never have forgiven him. Uther's clear disregard for Gwen had enraged Morgana. Arthur had gone for his own reasons, but he wasn't about to tell Uther that.

It was for his own reasons that he now turned to his father, backing up and moving closer to him, leaning in towards him. He wasn't going to change Uther's mind, but Arthur was not leaving Merlin.

"Father, I cannot leave him with them!"

As he stared at Uther, Arthur tried to ignore Gaius' stricken face. He could see the old physician in the corner of his eye, hovering just close to them. Arthur wondered what had possessed his father to bring Gaius in the first place, but he had greater concerns than that.

"He's a servant, Arthur, and not, by what you say, a very good one. We cannot start bargaining with these people. The only reason this ransom was paid was because you are my only heir."

Arthur blinked, the hint clear. His father baffled him at times, seeming to care about him so much, he was his son, but then sometimes there just seemed to be very cold reasons for that care, and love. It had left Arthur confused, and a little lonely at times. Which was why he was not, under any circumstances, leaving Merlin.

"Father!" Arthur objected, putting a firm hand on his father's arm. Uther glared at him, using his own free hand to grab Arthur and remove himself from his grip, which Arthur allowed and he turned.

The metal glinted in the sun as Arthur casually tossed it into the air. It caught the eye of every person in the vicinity, barring Merlin, who was still struggling for breath, and trying to work through the pain. There was so much he couldn't entirely bring it all into focus. His head did turn as the sound of metal crashing against stone.

I'lian took a step back as the gauntlet hit the stones just by his feet, a little to his right, so it bounced in Barak's direction. Only a little, but it hinted enough. Arthur folded his arms and waited, eyes fixed on the former knight. Whether or not he denied it, I'lian still tried to follow some of the codes, and wouldn't refuse the challenge. Something of the former personality lingered deep down, it surfaced on occasion, fighting through the bitterness of his situation.

"Well?" Arthur asked through the tense silence. I'lian looked up at him, his eyes straying momentarily to Uther, who was now behind his son, fuming so much that Arthur could almost feel the heat radiating from him. Because he as well enforced the strict codes, and would not, could not, intervene now that Arthur had made the challenge, stealing the king's gauntlet to do so.

"If you are not prepared to accept the challenge yourself," Arthur said steadily. "Then release my servant, or choose your champion."