A hidden threat

Chapter three

I know it's been a bit disorganised recently with regards to updates, but as of next week it will be more ordered. Thanks for the reviews, they are much appreciated! Also I forgot to mention last time that this is set towards the end of series two. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! And remember to review!

Sir Leon breathed in, collected his thoughts and stared at the massive oak doors in defiance, which then melted to anxious worry in anticipation of what was to come. Another deep breath and he then threw the doors open and strode up to the head table. It would of looked dramatic, had he not been surrounded by fire eaters and gymnasts, no one even turned their head, apart from one person. Arthur. He met Arthur's face for under a second, but the fear on his face must have been obvious as the prince seemed to translate what Leon was feeling onto his face. He wished the banqueting hall was longer, he wished he had more time to prepare, actually he wished this problem would just go away. He finally reached the head table to be met by the face of Uther and his son. He wanted to turn round and run back the way he had come.

The night was in full swing, the food was great, the entertainment even better. Even Arthur was enjoying himself, but that might have been because he was slightly drunk. He had discovered that after drinking a bit Princess Meredin became quite funny. He was beginning to believe that the "spoilt princess" persona was just an act, this theory was quickly dispelled when he heard the way she spoke her maid servant. She demanded that she was to retire to her chambers immediately, the prince tried to compensate Carmen for the contempt with a sympathetic glance, which she returned with a look of gratitude. Arthur had decided, he liked Carmen. Suddenly sir Leon burst through the doors, something about him made Arthur sober up. Arthur had known Sir Leon for years, he had come to know the man's habits and mannerisms. He had learnt that the knight, like all of Arthur's men, was very good at hiding his true feelings, the prince could not recollect many occasions when he had seen his friend become emotional. But now as Sir Leon strode towards the table Arthur noticed something unfamiliar about the man. Fear danced across his face. And that meant one thing, something was seriously wrong.

Leon felt his heart hammering against his chest, he wasn't sure what he was more scared of, his possible imminent death or the king's wrath.

"Yes?" The king enquired after finally noticing the young knight standing before him.

"Sire, I apologise for the interruption." He started, trying to disguise the crack in his voice, he wasn't fooling anyone. "But I'm afraid I have grave news."

The king's previous jovial expression evaporated, replaced by one of authority and stature.

"Continue." That one word, the tone, could have made grown men weep. However Leon carried on, seemingly unaffected.

"An army has been spotted, it is approaching Camelot at speed. It will be here within a few hours and their numbers far exceed ours." Sir Leon was hiding something, Uther noticed this, so he continued.

"Under which banners do they march?" This was the moment the knight had been dreading.

"Sire, that's just it. Their banners, they're… well they're…" Sir Leon couldn't form the words. He had never found himself speechless before but on this occasion all vocabulary had escaped him.

"Sire, their banners are black, completely black, no seals, no indication of any house, nothing."
With this Uther's face dropped, all the authority and power bled from his face. The king seemed to drift off into his own thoughts, his son and Sir Leon tried to rein him in.

"Sire?" Sir Leon began, tentatively, "What do we do?" There was no response from the king, so his son tried.

"Sire? Sire?" still no answer. "Father, please." Arthur's voice seemed to take on a more childish quality with these two words, he was genuinely scared. Not of the approaching unknown threat, but of the fact that his father was losing control. His father had always been the one that Arthur could turn to, knowing he would offer him a steady hand. He had never seen his father so scared before. Seeing his king like this and this terrified Arthur. But these words seemed to bring the king back to the real world. He once again adopted an expression of indifference and authority. The mask was back on. He turned his attention to Sir Leon.

"Ready the guards, prepare the knights. Sound the warning bell, put out the fires, everyone who is not needed is to return to their chambers, they are not to leave without my express permission. No one enters or leaves the castle. Tell Gaius to be prepared, he's going to be in for a long night. Tell everyone in the lower towns to stay inside. The streets must be completely clear."

The orders comforted the two men, for a moment they saw something that they didn't like. They saw their monarch and he was scared. But now he was back.

Leon made his way out of the hall, Arthur went to pursue him, but he felt someone pull him back. He looked down to see his father's hand on his arm.

"Arthur," he began his voice shaking, "Please, be careful, promise me."
Arthur was confused. Did his father really have that little faith in him? He promised anyway. Although Arthur couldn't understand what was so terrifying about this particular army. Camelot had faced invasions before and they had always come out of it relatively unscathed. So why was Uther so scared? But Arthur knew at that point that that didn't matter, he had a job to do, so he followed Leon out of the hall with Merlin in pursuit. It was going to be a long night.

…

The warning bell had been sounded and the corridors had been emptied. Merlin was carrying a pile of swords and shields to the armoury. He was trying to be as quiet as he could. They had been told that the first of the soldiers had made it inside the castle walls, and from the little Gaius had told him these particular assailants were not to be messed with. He passed out side Princess Meredin's chambers just as the door flew open. Revealing the same servant, who he had bumped into not an hour before. Her face was the picture of manic rage. But on seeing Merlin her expression softened to a smile.

"Hello you." She cooed, softly.

"Hello," Merlin replied, "You're making a habit of this, am I being followed?" He asked teasingly.
Carmen laughed. Then she noticed the pile of armour in Merlin's arms and her expression changed again to one of confusion.

"What's that for? Arthur organised a midnight hunt?" She enquired.

"You haven't heard?" Merlin was surprised, he'd thought that everyone would have known about the approaching army. But then he remembered that Princess Meredin had demanded to leave, about twenty minutes before the incident with Sir Leon had occurred.

"Heard what?" Carmen was expecting a reply, she didn't get one.

Merlin was no longer looking at her, but instead at the stretch of corridor over her shoulder. He was listening for something. Suddenly he grabbed Carmen by the arm and dragged her into a side passage, he was still carrying the pile of weapons. Carmen was completely bemused as to what he was doing, she tried to protest but he just shushed her. After a few seconds of straining her ears she realised what had panicked the young man, there were two sets of foot falls approaching, and the unmistakeable sound of the hilt of a sword hitting chain mail. Merlin put the pile of weaponry down on the floor quietly, and drew back a pair of swords. The pair were approaching quickly.

"Can you handle a sword?" Merlin whispered while handing her the sword, cautious not to be heard.

"I'll manage." She replied with a sly smile.
The footsteps came closer and closer and…

The two soldiers had been marching towards the armoury as instructed; they had been informed that the corridors would be empty. So they barely had time to draw their swords as two servants emerged from the shadows wielding their own.

Carmen was not just managing, she was phenomenal, Merlin observed. She handled a sword with such prowess and precision Merlin had seen matched by none other. Well, maybe one other. She blocked every single blow that the soldier dealt her, ducking and parrying. The soldier was starting to flag while Carmen was just getting started, she was clearly more physically fit than him, and she used this to her advantage. As quickly as it had begun, the soldier was lying on the floor, unmoving, his sword metres form his hand.

If Merlin had not been trying to avoid getting his head cut off he would have been impressed. He eventually overcame his assailant. And the next few seconds were filled with drawn breath and laughter. When they finally regained their composure Merlin exclaimed, "That was amazing! Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Oh you know," she replied nonchalantly, "You pick things up along the way." This made Merlin smirk, "Now are you going to tell me what's going on?" Carmen demanded. But before Merlin could answer realisation struck him.

"They were heading for the armoury." He stated, slightly panicked by this point.
"And?" Carmen replied, not cottoning on.

"Arthur!" Before the word was barely out of his mouth, Merlin had disappeared down the corridor from where he had come at speed. Not knowing what else to do, and not overly happily about the thought of being left alone with two dead bodies, she made to follow him.