A/N: Sorry about the lateness of the updating, there was a bit of drama at home.
Anyway I hope you enjoy this, to me it isn't that great but the next few chapters are quite...interesting.
Chapter two.
By the next morning the fire has gone out and the camp is all packed up and the ground is returned to the condition it was found in. From what Aislinn could gather the knights practiced camouflaging their tracks, unlike the devastation they left in their wake tracks were different.
"Have you eaten?" Mordred asks appearing behind her, Aislinn glances over her shoulder at him "tell me the truth do you care if I have or have not?" she asks her voice taking on an accent Mordred had never heard. "Yes, I do now do you want it or not?" he asks becoming slightly angry with her; Aislinn looks over him for a few seconds and holds out her hand. Mordred passes her the bowl "thanks" she whispers dropping her gaze as Mordred lingers for a moment before he heads off towards Leon who is tightening the straps on his saddle.
"Hi Leon" Mordred says stopping at his side, Leon looks back at Mordred "oh, hi" he says tucking the strap of leather under the saddle before turning around. "You seem to be quite taken by her" Leon says and a look of confusion crosses Mordred's face "by who?" he asks "that girl" Leon laughs motioning towards Aislinn who is still leaning up against the tree. "Oh no" Mordred laughs "you confuse attraction for pity my dear friend" he says patting Leon on the back Leon laughs and then stops "I saw you two last night" he says with the sternest look on his face. "Uh, what did you see?" Mordred asks stuttering a little "that girl grabbing your necklace and both of you laughing."
Mordred's anxiety subsides and he sighs then laughs "don't worry, I won't tell Arthur" Leon whispers then winks at him and walks off "Alright everyone let's get moving" he calls and everyone begins to move off.
***
The last leg of the journey seems to take longer than what it originally took to get to that point before hand. Maybe it is because he knows as soon as they arrive at Camelot his childhood friend could possibly die, no she won't possibly die she will die and that is the law unless something changes. Smuggling is illegal and is punishable by death. The path through the lower town and up to the citadel comes into view and Mordred pushes his horse to pick up the pace, he and the rest of the knights fly through the town and up into the citadel.
Men and woman are going about their daily business. Women carrying baskets of clothing, men carrying barrels of ale and none of them are in the least bit phased by the arrival of the knights.
Mordred dismounts the horse and one of the male servant's rushes to grab the reigns of the horse and leads him away. Elyan grabs Aislinn's upper arm and leads her up the stairs into the castle with the knights in tow. When the group are met by the giant wooden doors that lead into the council chambers they stop waiting for the double doors to be opened. Aislinn gulps as the doors are pulled open and standing outside are allowed to see the room full of people. Sitting in two thrones sit King Arthur Pendragon and next to him his wife Guinevere in a gown as red as Aislinn's blood. Elyan brings her forward until she is a few feet from the thrones and forces her to her knees. Mordred watches as this happens and he bites his lower lip before heading over to a tall lanky boy known as Merlin, or in the druid tongue Emrys who also happens to be Arthur's man servant.
"Who is that?" Merlin whispers in Mordred's ear "her name is Aislinn I grew up with her, she was captured after a fight with smugglers" he whispers back and straightens up "she is a druid?" Merlin asks and Mordred nods in response.
"She was found with smugglers your highness" Sir Leon says to the King and he nods looking over Aislinn. The Queen shortly after, rises gracefully to her feet and looks down at Aislinn who looks so small and meaningless in front of her. "What is your name child?" she asks and Aislinn raises her head to meet Guinevere's gaze "Aislinn m'lady" the Queen purses her lips together and looks but to Leon then back to Aislinn. "Do you know what the penalty is for smuggling?" Arthur says before Guinevere can go to speak "yes sire" Aislinn responds quietly, Mordred isn't sure but he's pretty sure he can sense fear in her voice.
"What is it?" the King asks as Guinevere resettles herself on her throne, Aislinn raises her head so her eyes meet with Arthurs "death your highness" she in forms him simply her voice breaking a little on the word death. Mordred takes a deep breath as he watches Arthur turn to his wife and whisper something in her ear "under the laws of Camelot-" Arthur begins but before he can continue Mordred without thinking steps forward.
"Sire!" Mordred cries as he realises what he did and that all eyes are upon him, Arthurs gaze lifts so he is now staring directly at him "Yes Sir Mordred?" he questions. Aislinn has turned the top part of her body so she is able to look at him with a 'what the hell are you doing you idiot' look on her face. "When I was guarding her last night, I asked her how she came to be with the group of smugglers" he says quickly glancing down at Aislinn "she told me she was paid to protect their cargo, she isn't a smuggler... more so a guard for the smugglers loot" Mordred says struggling to come up with the right words "she only needed the money."
"What are you doing?" Aislinn's voice appears in the back of his head, Mordred looks down at her again trying to give her his best 'shut up and follow me lead look.' Anger flashes on her features and then disappears when she is addressed by Arthur "is that so?" he asks and Aislinn nods "yes sire" she says her voice slipping again "that is no excuse" Arthur says and Aislinn frowns a little. "I tried getting a job in Camelot, some paid just enough money to put a roof over my head.." Aislinn trails off "no one would hire me..and then..then they offered and I couldn't refuse."
Arthur looks back at Guinevere who has a sombre look on her face and then she stands up "I have a proposition, if you will hear me out" she says addressing Arthur. Arthur steps back gesturing for her to speak, the Queen cups her hands together and exhales "I know what it is like having to scrape around for money to get by." She looks down at Aislinn "although the occupation you acquired was not the right way to go about it." Guinevere again looks up at her husband and bites her lip, the look in itself tells Mordred and maybe the rest of the court that she is not sure she should do what she is about to.
"I am looking for a maid if you would like the position is yours" Aislinn's head snaps up with a look of disbelief on her face. "You're kidding?" she asks and Guinevere shakes her head "no, I am not" she says reassuring Aislinn who suddenly has a smile on her face. "I would be honoured" Guinevere leans down and helps Aislinn to her feet "then it is settled."
***
The sun disappeared behind the horizon around an hour ago and the streets are quiet, well almost quiet the only noise is that coming from the tavern where drunken men laugh loudly and play games.
Other than that and the sound of Mordred's feet against the gravel there is silence. "Mordred!" instinctively he turns around at the sound of his name to see a cloaked figure rushing towards him and he squints. "Aislinn?" he questions as the figure stops before him and her face is illuminated by the light from one of the windows.
"What's wrong?" he asks placing his hand on her arm as she removes her hood "nothing" she replies as they begin walking together "you startled me" Mordred admits and he hears Aislinn laugh a little.
"I startled a knight of Camelot?"
"Only a little bit" he says using his finger to indicate how much she had scared him, which wasn't a lot. "Really what I wanted you for was to say thank you" she says and Mordred stops "for what?" he asks but knows exactly why she wants to thank him "for covering for me, you shouldn't have done that" Aislinn tells him and Mordred shrugs then begins walking again. "It isn't the first time I have saved your ass Linn" he says chuckling to himself "I was always getting you out of trouble as a kid" , Aislinn smirks to herself and catches up to him "yeah well I can't really disagree to that" she says reluctantly agreeing with him.
"How are you finding working for the queen?" Mordred asks sweeping his eyes from one side of the street to another "I ask because I know that you hate taking orders from people". She rolls her eyes "it is alright, she is quite sweet... I guess I am not used people being nice to me" Mordred glances at her "yeah that was one of the hardest things I had to get used to, I wasn't sure whether it was genuine or they were being nice for the hell of it" he says and the Aislinn falls silent.
Mordred and Aislinn walk along the street in silence until she comes to a stop in front of a small house "well this is it for me" she says turning to him "goodnight." Aislinn opens the door to her house then turns back to him "do you want to come in?" she asks and the look on her face tells Mordred she isn't sure whether to ask or not. He shakes his head "I'm sorry, I am meant to be on duty" Aislinn's face drops "oh, well maybe another time" she says stepping inside and closing the door behind her. Mordred stands there for a few seconds "goodnight" he says before walking back up towards the citadel, again listening to the sound of his own footsteps.