Sorry for the long wait on this chapter - college has kept me busy! Hope you all enjoy and I aim to have the next couple of chapters written and uploaded within the month. Sorry again and enjoy!
"Merlin!"
Staring at the woman who had spoken, the King stood bewildered. His manservant was not so frozen and instead moved forwards offering a hand to the human bundle currently occupying the forest floor.
Having accepted the proffered hand the woman rose and brushed off the dirt from her cloth covered legs.
"Roughly the same place, huh?" She spoke to the first of the men to regain his footing; a tall, thin man in a long brown cloak of some sort.
After giving the blonde woman a withering look the man turned to Merlin with a friendly smile.
"How long has it been since we saw you last?" he queried.
Quirking an eyebrow and helping the second man to his feet the manservant replied: "Long enough. I didn't think I'd see you again."
"Lucky for you we fancied another trip." The second man broke in, offering a cheeky grin.
Finally deciding to speak up the King strode forward.
"What in god's name is going on here?" upon receiving nothing but blank looks he carried on "Merlin?"
Turning from the new arrivals the boy faced his master.
"Arthur, this is Rose, Jack and the Doctor. Beyond that, I have no clue."
Standing in the richly bushed forest Rose took in the men in front of her. Despite her travels it still amazed her when she met people who were legendary or in this case legend itself. And while meeting Merlin before had been exhilarating, seeing who she guessed was the King Arthur was another thing entirely. Plus, he was rather pleasing on the eyes, not that she noticed or anything.
"Arthur, this is Rose, Jack and the Doctor. Beyond that, I have no clue."
Looking at the Doctor she noticed that he wore his thinking face and glancing at Jack she realised his thoughts still lingered on the previous wonderings she had been occupied with. Who could blame him?
"We're travellers from London. I believe we told you this when we last met." Merlin's nod confirmed the statement but his silence urged for more explanation. "We were lost trying to find Camelot and ended up wondering through this forest and thought to look inside this rather splendid looking box. Nothing helpful inside there though and you arrived as we were exiting, intent on finding another way to find the fair kingdom of Camelot."
Silence fell in the forest and the Doctor looked beseechingly at Jack.
"Too much?" he queried.
"Not enough I'd say. But maybe we could lead you in the right direction. We are returning home after all." The young warlock still looked intrigued and the Doctor thought that without Arthur's presence a more intense interrogation would have taken place. Speaking of the young King, he remained standing beside his servant still wearing a dumbstruck, confused expression that the Doctor was familiar with. He often saw humans with such looks.
Arthur finally seemed to break out of his trance and gathering his wits, spoke with command and arrogance that could only belong to a monarch.
"Right. Off we go then. I shall lead you to the castle walls though I still don't trust your intentions. I'm going to keep an eye on you three." Eying the Doctor and Jack suspiciously, his eyes then fell upon Rose and widened in shock.
"You're a woman!" he cried.
"Last time I checked." She retorted, only to be elbowed in the side by the Doctor. 'What?' she mouthed, unrepentant.
Recovering he spoke again: "We still have some distance to travel. Merlin!" he yelled the last, despite the warlock's close proximity. "Give this lady your horse. You can walk behind."
About to protest Rose was silenced by Jack this time, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Literately."
The latter was said on a chuckle and Rose rolled her eyes at his lame attempt at humour before grudgingly moving away from her companions. She soon was swayed into pleasure though, when the handsome King offered her his arm and led her off out of the clearing.
"Why can't I get me one of those?" Jack muttered with a pout.
"Because no one's as good as me." The Doctor replied with a wink that set the two men laughing, seeming to forget the presence of Merlin.
"Don't mind me." The Warlock broke in. "Though you might want to follow if you want to actually make it to Camelot."
Acknowledging the truth in that statement the trio strode off out of the clearing, rounding the bend to see two horses slowly disappearing into the distance.
Seeing this Merlin turned upon his mysterious travellers and pinned them with a serious look.
"Right, now that we're alone you better start talking. Let's start with, who are you really?"
Looking at each other Jack and the Doctor seemed to come to some sort of agreement.
"Ok. Where to begin?"