See Chapter 1 for info & warnings

Author's Note: This part is pretty much entirely focused on two original chars, so… sorry about that for those of you who aren't thrilled with OCs. Thankfully most of you seem to love Robert as much as I do.

Tracking Sir Robert was, as it turned out, more difficult than Henry had
assumed. As reported before, the man hadn't come back to his own castle. The
servants were worried. Apparently their master was a good man. He had to be if
he inspired such love in the few people who worked for him. They expressed too
that the boy, Merlin, had been nothing but kind. Sad, lost, but a dear boy who
they hoped was well. Henry tried to offer his assurances that he would be found.
He could promise no more since he knew what Uther would do to the boy if he did
turn up.

Henry bid his leave of them quickly and went instead to the town where Robert
and Merlin were last seen. Someone had to have seen the former knight. They
might have lost track of one boy in the crowd, but Robert wasn't unknown in
their village.

Sir Robert was a miserable sight to anyone who might have known him. The usually
refined and coiffed former knight was now dirty, unshaven, and despondent over
his situation. He sat in a tiny cell, glancing up at a barred window through
eyes wet with tears. /I never should have brought Merlin here. Now he's lost,
and it is all my fault./

"You will release him NOW," a commanding voice ordered from the front room of
the jail. Henry's face was a thundercloud of anger as the guard led him to the
cell that housed Sir Robert. "A friend of the king treated thus... you are lucky
that his majesty has requested only that I free him." He glared at the man, who
quailed under the young knight's gaze while he fumbled to unfasten the lock.
Once the creaky iron door swung open, Henry strode inside. He tried not to wince
at the man's condition or the dank smell inside the cell. "Sir Robert." Henry
bowed with the utmost respect despite the circumstances. "The king has sent me
to find you. I can only beg your forgiveness that it took this long to complete
my duty. You are to be released to my care, Sir."

Sir Robert had all but given up hope of ever being found yet alone regaining his
freedom. He could have easily used his magic in order to escape, however that
would have made him (and Merlin by proxy) appear that much more guilty. He
peered through narrowed lids at the handsome young man who had arrived to
release him. At first Robert believed he might be hallucinating... But, at the
mention of the king, a twinge of real fear gripped his heart. "Uther sent you?"
Was he to be taken back to Camelot and executed on the order of his old friend?

"I am to take you to your castle," Henry agreed, letting Robert absorb that fact
for a moment before he added, "and once you are settled, I have questions. About
the boy, Merlin. The evidence, the witnesses... it's... rather damning for him,
I'm afraid." The knight held out his hand to Robert. "Come. Before we talk about
anything, Sir, I think that you should be home and rested. Your servants are
very concerned for you."

After a moment of uncertainty, Robert nodded and eased his hand into Henry's. It
was warm and strong and surprisingly gentle despite the fact that Robert had
initially thought the knight had come for his head. "Thank you," he whispered,
almost too exhausted from his prison stay to even move. Robert leaned heavily on
Henry for support, and he was so dazed that he didn't even realize he was being
lifted into a horse.

The man had obviously been to hell and back. Henry sat behind him on the horse,
holding fast to Robert's barely-conscious form until they were safely back at
his castle. It was a cruel joke that the man had been so close for so long and
yet unable to reach safe haven. The villagers were fools to have kept him so
without telling the king. That would be their misfortune in time, Henry
suspected. As it was, his first concern was to see to Sir Robert's safety. The
man was a hero and well worthy of respect no matter what the situation.

At the gates, the servants all but pulled Robert from him. They were in a hurry
to see to their weakened master and bid Henry take the room next door so that he
would be at the ready when Robert was prepared to speak to him further. Henry
bristled at the further wait but consented reluctantly and lay down, finally
realizing his own exhaustion after such travels.

It was only after Robert had been bathed, fed and rested did he have enough
strength to summon Henry to his chamber. His servants protested that he wasn't
well, but Robert was adamant and sat up in bed as the knight who had released
him was shown into his room. "Merlin is innocent!" he exclaimed at once. "You
must take my word for that. We were accosted, and he defended me. Whatever else
you have is simply untrue!"

Henry sighed. He hated this. He hated trying to turn someone's friends against
them. "I am going to speak more freely to you than I might to others. I have
never heard you called anything but an honorable man, and the esteem in which
your servants hold you tells me that as much is true." Henry stood beside the
bed wishing he could simply hold his tongue, but it had never been his strongest
suit. "The young man... I never knew him as anything but Arthur's servant. He
was a bit foolish, very young, but I never saw any harm in him or unkindness."

Henry gritted his teeth and added, "The King has been dreadfully embarrassed by
all of this. If the boy does have magic, then someone practicing the old ways
was living under him all of this time and he knew nothing. I am to deal with it
all quietly." /I should shut up. He'll never tell me if he knows.../ But Henry
couldn't find it in himself to lie. He met Robert's gaze evenly, the man's eyes
bright and strong despite the weakness of his body. "The King wishes his son not
to learn of what has happened, how he was deceived. I am to take care of the
matter quietly, but I must find the boy first."

The last thing that Henry wanted was to chase down some foolish servant boy and
carry him back to his mother. What would she or anyone else in their village
think about Merlin returning to their care wrapped in cloth when he'd been sent
to Camelot to make his way? It was easily the most unpleasant task he had ever
been given, but Henry knew his duty. "I cannot disobey my king."

Robert sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I understand," he
murmured, his eyes falling to his hands which rested in his lap. Still weak from
his ordeal, the former knight shivered even with the warm bedclothes around him.
"However, your duty and Uther's order will not prevent me from making a plea for
Merlin." His eyes were wet with tears. "It is my fault he ever came to be in
such a precarious position. And I take full responsibility." Robert would
happily be stripped of his title and his holdings if it meant seeing Merlin safe
again.

Henry sighed himself. He understood what the man was saying. Robert had been a loyal
knight, and he was an equally loyal friend. It hurt him that he had to punish
anyone for so noble a characteristic. "You cannot save him. Please, Sir Robert,
think of your own safety. If the two of you are truly friends, protect yourself.
When I find him, at least allow me to tell him that you are safe and well." If
Robert put his neck out too far, Uther would be left with no choice but to
prosecute him as well, and the thought made Henry sick to his stomach.

"No, I shall tell Merlin myself," Robert decided, glancing back up at Robert
with renewed strength. "He would not be in this predicament if it were not for
me, and I intend to do everything in my power to help him." Before Henry could
protest, the former knight swiftly added, "Whatever the consequences might be, I
cannot abandon him. I'm coming with you to find Merlin, and that is final."

Henry sighed again but nodded his agreement. "I hope that you understand what
you are asking. It is my duty to see to the boy's execution whatever I may think
of it. I... I could not let you interfere." Part of Henry hoped that they would
discover that the servant was missing because someone had already taken on the
duty for him. The idea of killing someone who was little more than a boy simply
because he dabbled in the old ways pained Henry. They were illegal, yes, but if
Merlin had done no harm- /That is not my decision to make./ "We will not
travel until you are well enough to ride comfortably."

Again, Robert started to protest. But, his attempt to leave the bed utterly
failed and he sank bank into the pillows with a nod to Henry. "Very well, then."
There was something akin to desperation in Robert's eyes as he caught the
knight's gaze. "Only promise you won't leave without me? I could not bear if it
if I did not at least try and help Merlin." /How can I be of any aid to him
when I cannot fathom where he might be?/

"I swear that I will not set foot out of this castle until you are with me,"
Henry promised solemnly. He hated the whole situation, wished that he was doing
anything else, that he'd met the former knight under other circumstances. "I
know that you cannot think well of me with this duty at hand, but I... I do only
what I must. I hope that in time you may forgive me that."

Robert felt genuine sorrow for the knight, who seemed torn over the royal
command burdening him. "I do not hold any ill will toward you," he assured
Henry. "Remember I was once a knight myself, and there were many orders I simply
could not disobey." Exhausted though he was, Robert offered the other man a warm
smile. He settled back as if to sleep, only to motion for Henry to come closer.
"Stay with me a while? Tell me about yourself."

Henry relaxed visibly at the news that Robert understood. He supposed he should
protest that the man needed rest, but he didn't have the energy himself to
fight. Besides, he wanted to stay and talk. So much time on the road alone had
left Henry craving coherent, intelligent conversation. "I fear there is little
to tell. I was raised in my father's household. He thought to make me lord of
some of his lands, but I wanted to serve Camelot and managed, after a time, to
secure myself a place among the knights. It seems that the prince appreciates
someone who can knock him on his arse," Henry added, eyes twinkling with a hint
of mischief.

Despite his fatigue, Sir Robert could not help but chuckle. "And quite a lovely
arse it is, too." He smiled softly at Henry, wondering aloud, "I trust I have
not shocked you? My admiration for Arthur is probably the Kingdom's worst-kept
secret." His thoughts strayed back to Merlin, and Robert reflected on how taken
he became with him in such a short amount of time. Not knowing where the boy was
or how he was being treated soured his mood again. Deciding to change the
subject from the prince, Robert gazed at Henry and inquired, "Tell me, are you
taken? It's a silly question, isn't it? Of course one as handsome as you must
have someone special."

Henry considered simply refusing to answer the question, but after a long pause,
he gave a slight shake of his head. "It is important that I keep respect among
the other knights, and..." /Why am I even thinking of telling him so much?/
Henry shook himself internally and finished rather lamely, "There is no one
special. My duty keeps me too busy to worry over such things."

"Forgive me, but I find that incredibly hard to believe," Sir Robert replied,
his eyes warm as he gazed at Henry. "You are much too attractive to not have a
long line of admirers." Exhausted though he was, it was second nature for Robert
to be flirtatious-especially with someone as handsome as Henry. Although he did
not agree with the knight's blind duty to obey orders, Robert would have surely
tried to bed him if circumstances were different.

Henry flushed at the words and tried to keep his composure. He was so used to
hiding that it startled him to find someone so obviously at ease with their
attraction to men. "I... forgive me. I have spent a great deal of time
preserving my... my reputation among the knights." Henry faltered, embarrassed
and uncertain of just how much he should tell Robert, what he would be safe in
revealing to the former knight.

Robert found Henry's bashfulness and the way in which he easily flustered
endearing. In some ways it reminded him of Merlin, and that opened up the wound
in his heart. Sighing softly, which seemed to exert all of his energy, Robert
gently told Henry, "There's something we must settle post-haste. My guests are
treated with respect, and I always encourage them to be themselves. Whatever
happens-or is said-shall not leave these walls."

Henry squared his shoulders and mustered the courage that he did indeed possess.
"Then I will be blunt," he agreed resolutely. "My interest has never been for
pretty girls, and as it is hardly something that is openly encouraged at
court... I keep my private life free of incident." In other words, he had cut
himself off rather painfully from romance because finding the love that he
sought might mean being robbed of his standing as a knight. They were expected
to be loyal, virtuous, and always ready to take the favors of a beautiful woman.

"I appreciate your honesty," Robert said softly, his suspicions about the
handsome knight confirmed. "And I assure you, it will remain between the two of
us." Another faint smile lit up his features as he confessed, "If you had not
seen me at my worse, I would be finding an interesting way to reward you for
your rescue."

The image of what might constitute the reward flashed into Henry's mind and some
of his somber demeanor melted as he smiled himself. "I am sorry for the way that
we met... even more so now." There was little that either of them could do about
it, but it seemed a shame that he was sitting across from a man that he
respected and found attractive but that the circumstances of their meeting stood
too firmly between them to bridge the gap. "I'd change all of this if I could."

Robert detected the genuine feeling in Henry's words, and it pained him that he
might ultimately have to deceive the alluring knight in order to secure Merlin's
safety and freedom. "I believe you, and I appreciate how honest and kind you
have been with me. It shall make our traveling together that much more
pleasant-even if our objectives are at odds." His energy spent, Robert gave a
weary sigh and apologized, "Do forgive me, but needs be I must rest. I shall be
ready by morning, then we set off."

"Of course." Henry rose from the bed and bowed at the waist. "Rest well." He did
not look forward to the task ahead of them, but he hoped that they might find a
way to maintain some sort of friendship whatever the outcome of their journey.
For a moment Henry hesitated and then gave a slight shake of his head before
retiring to his own room. His thoughts were troubled, but exhaustion overrode
his nerves and Henry slept soundly through the night.

He rose with the dawn and strode over to Robert's room. The knight knocked
smartly. "Sir Robert? Forgive me, but I wanted to see if you cared to eat
together this morning."

Although still not quite himself, Robert's determination to find Merlin had
afforded him enough energy to haul himself out of bed and bathe. It had proven
to be an arduous task, especially when the warm water cascaded over the whip
marks he had endured from the villagers as punishment for conspiring with a
sorcerer. Without a second thought, Robert greeted Henry at the door wearing
nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. "Good morning, I trust you slept
well?"

Henry found himself staring openly at Robert for a moment only to realize his
rudeness a beat later. "Yes, very well, thank you." He was about to invite the
other man down to breakfast when Robert turned just slightly. "My god..." Henry
reached out before he could think better of it and put a hand on Robert's
shoulder to urge him to turn so that he could see the lash marks better. "They
did this to you? The villagers?"

In his haste to ready himself for the search for Merlin, Robert had all but
forgotten about the angry marks crisscrossing his back when he'd answered the
door. Now he stood there flushing with deep shame and also a reckless arousal
from Henry's touch. "Yes, their tactless punishment was only slightly more
accommodating than the special hell of their prison."

"I... had no idea. The men who did this can still be punished." Henry said
nothing more, unwilling to do anything without the knight's go ahead. There was
nothing that he could do to help Merlin, but it was in Robert's hands whether
the villagers would suffer Uther's wrath or not. Realizing that his hand was
still on Robert's warm shoulder, Henry flushed and let it drop. "Do you have
some salve? Something that might hasten the healing?"

Robert almost hesitated in his reply of, "Yes, plenty-there beside the bed." He
kept a selection of salves and oils on hand for his romantic conquests, and for
what seemed like the first time in a long time, the former knight actually felt
somewhat bashful pointing out the multicolored jars for Henry. "As far as the
villagers are concerned, leave them be. They were frightened of something they
could not possibly understand, and I pity them."

"It is your decision," Henry allowed, though in his heart he wished that
something could be done to remind the people of how they should truly treat
someone of Robert's standing. It wasn't that the man was noble - it was that he
was a good man. He had served well and fought hard for the people of the lands,
and this was how they repaid him. Selecting a salve that was tinted with the
scent of mind, Henry urged the other man to sit once more on the edge of the
bed. "It's the least that I can do," he assured Robert before gently slicking
some of the pungent salve over the angriest of the wounds.

Robert hissed softly at the initial caress, but Henry's touch was remarkably
gentle and the former knight felt himself relaxing almost immediately. "You must
have some experience administering such tender care," he observed, his tone
pleasing and sensual. "I take it you must have looked after your brother knights
in battle?"

"Yes. Even in practice, we get bruised and bashed up more often than not," Henry
allowed with a faint hint of a smile. Knowing at least some basic first aid
could mean the difference between a night of sleep and a night of unending
agony. And then there were the more serious times, the days when it could mean
the difference between someone making it to Gaius for treatment or dying on the
field. It was impossible for Henry not to notice that the other man was strong,
muscular- /And injured,/ he reminded himself sharply. "I hope that it is
easing the pain somewhat."

Robert fairly startled, nodding and murmuring, "Yes, it is-thank you." He had
been dangerously close to losing himself in Henry's touch; indeed, his body was
responding in a way which tented the towel wrapped around Robert's waist. "I
think you may have missed your calling. You have a true talent... for this."
/You have no time to waste here-no matter how much you might like to indulge.
There's Merlin to think about.../

A smile flickered across the man's face. He was enjoying the contact far more
than he cared to admit. Indeed he was glad that Robert couldn't see or feel just
how hard he was. His hands continued their work until the wounds were all
covered, and then he rose from the bed, turning away from Robert to give himself
some privacy - not realizing they both needed it. "I'll see you downstairs for
breakfast, and then we ride."