The light filtered through the trees in tiny streams, here the forest was dense, easy for Borden to hide in. Merlin wished these were the light airy forests he and Elena had ridden through over a year ago. The knights stumbled upon yet another old fire, this one was stone cold.
"He must of left in the night." Arthur announced.
"No horse tracks either." Gwaine sighed.
"He's covered them." Confirmed Leon.
Merlin threw his hands out in frustration, "We had him! We were so close!"
The angry warlock checked the sun and headed off.
"Where are you going?" Arthur asked, "We don't even know where he went."
"He's heading east." Merlin informed him
"How do you know that?" Arthur questioned, Merlin left his eyes skip over the knights.
"Because I can sense it." He replied.
Arthur gave a small nod of understanding. By 'sense' he meant 'magical things I can't say in front of knights'.
"Alright, I trust you." Arthur sighed, "Let's go."
They walked for a few hours before the forest opened up and they began walking along a rocky creek bed that had dried up. Merlin felt like cursing the druids when the creek bed ending in a low cave.
"It's a dead end." Arthur sighed, "We'll have to go back."
"What about the cave?" Merlin offered
"We're wasting our time brother." Arthur insisted as he turned to leave.
"Wait, sire!" Percival called from his spot by the water, "Look."
The knight was pointing at a large sunken footprint in the mud. Merlin grinned, Borden was close! The cave was dark, they entered with swords drawn.
"Merlin this is ridiculous, where is he headed?" Arthur hissed in the darkness.
"There's light ahead." Merlin replied, "The druids told me to go this way."
"Druids?"
"I'll tell you later..."
Surprisingly the cave was not deep and soon the roar of a waterfall was echoing through the stone walls. It did not take the group long to locate it, Arthur went first, tentatively placing his hand through the spray to make sure it was safe. On the other side was a forest just the same as before, only now marginally colder due to the fact that they were all soaked.
"And they wonder why nobody's ever found it." Gwaine moaned.
Arthur emerged from the trees and found himself on the top of a grassy hill, Merlin gaped at the spectacle before them. A huge stone tower, twice the height of Camelot castle stood before them. The walls were aged and grey but was still magnificent, there were no windows or doors in sight, defiantly looked impenetrable. All they had to do was walk through roughly two or three miles of forest and they would be there!
...
Merlin was wary as they entered the gully, he hated having high walls on either side of him. It was too easy for somebody to ambush them from above. Unfortunately he was broken from his thoughts by Percival crying out as an arrow sunk into his leg.
"Take cover!" Arthur ordered, dragging Merlin to the walls. Percival groaned.
"You alright?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah." he winced, ducking as another arrow embedded itself in the log by his head.
"I'll draw his fire, get him to safety." Arthur whispered to Leon before he ran out from the cover of the walls. Another arrow whizzed through the air, landing in the soft ground by Arthur's feet while Leon dragged Percival into the safety of the opposite wall.
Merlin's eyes raced over the edge searching for something out of place, finally he saw it, a glint of metal in the trees.
"Arthur!" He whispered urgently, nodding tot he place where Borden was hiding.
The elder prince took a deep breath and ran out of cover to reach the slope. Merlin could see Borden aiming at his brother, a flash of the eyes and his cross bow was flying through the air and snapping against the trunk of a nearby tree. By the time Arthur was at the top of the slope, Borden had fled.
"What happened where did he go?" Arthur yelled as the other knights emerged from their hiding places.
"Perhaps he ran out of bolts?" Merlin suggested slyly before hurrying off after Borden.
"Careful!" Arthur chided, grabbing Merlin by the collar, "Who knows what he's left lying in wait for us!"
"But-"
"No buts Merlin, we're making camp."
...
Merlin had never felt so frustrated, every time they got close to Borden they had to stop. Arthur had sent him to get firewood while they served up dinner, just so he'd have something to do other than stamping around the campsite, why the time he returned they were all fast asleep.
"Typical." he growled, dropping the firewood on the ground loudly. Nobody stirred.
"Well, if they think that this will get me to do the washing up," He mused as he picked up the pot to serve himself, stopping mid sentence when he noticed a small bundle of strange smelling cloth. As if on cue Arthur gave a strained breath, followed by all the other knights.
Poison!
Quickly he checked his brothers pulse and breathing, both strained.
"Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare!" He whispered, Arthur's breathing smoothed almost immediately.
The young prince sighed in relief and made his way to Leon.
...
While the others were still unconscious and resting Merlin raced through the trees, obviously Borden was expecting them all to be dead so he must be going into the tomb now. He paused outside the huge structure, awed by its staggering size but he quickly snapped out of it. He had a dragon egg to save.
Were it not for Borden's coat tails catching the wind Merlin may never of found the door. He watched from the shadows as Borden carefully placed the Triskelion in the oddly shaped keyhole.
"No!" He yelled remembering the druids warning about traps. Borden just gave him a smug look before entering.
Only in the few seconds he had his back turned he didn't see the thick white gas being delivered into the air and walked right into it. Merlin watched slightly sickened as the man collapsed, spluttering and coughing and the toxic fumes poisoned his lungs.
GOD this episode is boring but necessary! I can't wait till I can upload my chapters after this one.