Super shit beginning to this chapter, and I'm not entirely sure I'm confident in my ability to write it either. Oh well, I hope its decent enough for you guys to enjoy. Oh and for now this will be all the Freya interaction we get… that could change but Melrin now knows her previously so his love for her is a bit more grounded and not entirely love at first sight.

Merlin woke up in a tent. He was relieved that all that had happened wasn't a dream. He was saved. He was okay. He wasn't dying, he had no cuffs on. This was turning out to be a good day, night, he wasn't really sure though.

He looked around the tent, and that's when he saw that he wasn't the only person in there. He rubbed his eyes a few times, the other person, a woman he figure out, was asleep. He looked at her for only a few seconds more.

Merlin sat up, and immediately regretted it. His brain decided to fall to his feet when he did that. He grasped it a little, but he was going to get up, and walk, and he was going to eat something, because Aredian liked the idea of him not eating. He was starving.

He stood up looking around the tent, there were herbs, and other things that were probably for healing. Merlin made his way out, when he heard something shift. He turned back and it was just the woman. He headed out, it was early morning from what he saw.

He noticed a fire going and sitting at it was Mordred, before he even had the chance to go to it he heard, Hello Emrys.

Merlin sat down beside the boy who was eating something out of a bowl, his stomach growled with envy. Merlin wished he could shush his own stomach. He looked at Mordred, they were within the same vicinity before people woke up they were going to talk, partially because Merlin hated the talking to him in his mind, it freaked him out. "Please just call me, Merlin."

Mordred looked at him, his face not showing acceptance or denial of the request. Mordred's face could be very easy to read, but it could also be impossible to read. The young druid boy was very mysterious, and not just because of what he could do.

"Why do you dislike me?" the boy asked, his face looking a bit scared. Merlin knew better though, Mordred had very little fear for all he had seen as such a young boy.

Merlin stayed silent for a minute, "I,"

Mordred cut him off, "Don't lie to me, I know you do."

Merlin was now trying to comprehend the fact that Mordred was speaking to him, and he prayed that the druid boy could not read his thoughts. He sighed, "You told me that I was prophesied about."

The boy nodded. Merlin took to examining his wrists as the talked. Mordred's eyes were unsettling to him. The way he could pierce you with just a look was something Merlin did not wish to see right now. His wrists were cracked and dry, but with the salve Mildred gave him they were scaring over, but she could do nothing to rid him of the scars. Merlin looked at the fire for a second then back to his wrists, "You have been prophesied about too."

Merlin looked up at Mordred, and the boy seemed interested. Mordred seemed reaffirmed. Merlin didn't know why that was, but he supposed it had something to do with his power. However Mordred said nothing so Merlin continued, "I don't know what the prophesies say, but I was, warned, against you."

Mordred tilted his head, "That's why you were late that night when Arthur was saving me."

Merlin knew Mordred knew why. He saw that look Mordred gave him when he explained why he was late. Though that could have also been because Merlin truly was a bad liar, a good hider, bad liar, and good truth avoider. But what Mordred said affirmed what he thought.

He looked down, "Yes." He then looked at Mordred, he wanted the boy to know he wasn't lying. "It wasn't a decision that was easy to make."

"You judge me without even knowing the future."

Merlin looked at the fire again, "And I have the future of magic depending on me." It wasn't a great argument, Mordred was too smart for him he was quickly deciding. "I'm sorry."

Mordred gave him a half smile.

Merlin really was starting to dislike the dragon. Only helpful for certain things, and not when hard decisions had to be made. Telling him a little kid was evil. Merlin decided that Mordred wasn't evil, not yet. And if Mordred wasn't evil, and he showed him kindness now then things can't get all that bad. He needed more people on his side, because everyone and their mother wanted to kill Arthur.

They had been sitting in silence for a while when Mordred asked, "Can you show me?"

Merlin looked at him, "It's banned." He was so used to hiding it, that he wasn't really willing to just show it to someone who asked. He looked at Mordred and regretted it, the kid was using him. He knew, he sighed. He took a stick that only had a few embers on it. He blew on it, the embers flew into the air.

With a light voice that was almost a whisper he said, "Drakon." The embers took the shape of a dragon, and Mordred was mesmerized. Merlin smiled. And set the stick down. He looked at Mordred again, "Can, you, show me?"

Mordred looked at him and frowned. Merlin nodded, "When you're ready then?" Merlin gave a half smile. Merlin wanted to see someone else who had powers like him, powers that came at a young age.

"What are you doing up?" It was Mildred and she was coming over to the camp fire, and she was not happy. Merlin looked at Mordred but the kid was running inside a tent. Merlin almost thought he had disappeared.

"I," Merlin stammered.

"You should be resting in the tent." She scolded and hit him in the back of the head, she was Arthur and Gaius combined, and Merlin had a bad feeling about his recovery process. "Go on now, get, back to the tent."

Merlin was observing something about Mildred she definitely seemed much more lively than the rest of the druids, her red hair flaming about her.

Merlin made his way back to the tent, and back in bed. She gave a smile, "I'll be back with something for you to eat."

Merlin nodded, and when Mildred left the woman who was asleep was now awake and looking back at him. Merlin gave a weak half attempt at a smile. "Hello."

"Hello," she greeted. "She was very worried about you when she saw you were not in here."

"I, em, went to look for some food." His stomach didn't growl, it was betraying him.

The woman nodded in disbelief at Merlin. "I'm Freya, by the way."

"Merlin."

The conversation was cut off because Mildred came back and handed Merlin food. She then moved to Freya, "You need to rest or those herbs I gave you wont help."

"I don't think they are Mildred," there tones were hushed, Merlin tried not to listen, but he was notoriously bad at not eavesdropping. "It still happens, though I will say I remembered who I was."

Mildred smiled, "That's something to be thankful for. That and for Mordred for sticking up for you."

Freya nodded, "I'm sure you did too."

"Those kinds of things happen to the best of people," Mildred said with a motherly wisdom. "Now do get some rest." She looked at Merlin, "And you finish eating and stop listening in on private conversations."

Merlin decided to take a big bite of food, to prove he had not been listening to their conversation. But he did want to talk to Freya again. Ask her about what he heard. Freya looked at him, a sad smile before she lay down again.

Merlin had finished his food, and stomach he knew was thanking him. He looked at Mildred, "Thank you."

In the distance there was a whistle. Merlin looked around, and noticed Mildred seemed uneasy. "Come on," she said getting him, and ushering her out of the tent. "We have to get you out of here."

"What?" Merlin asked. "What's going on?"

Mildred looked at her, "That was a warning, someone who is not friendly is coming."

Merlin looked at her his eyes betraying him, "Let me stay, I can help."

She shook her head, "No, I have reason to believe that they are looking for you, so do a number of the others, you need to be kept safe, now come on."

"What about Freya?"

"She will be fine."

Merlin ran with Mildred into the woods, but not before he got a warning, be careful Merlin.

Merlin had no clue where Mildred was leading him, but they were going somewhere. He wondered if the Druids had anticipated something like this. Merlin didn't have much time to think about it when he saw an arrow show past him, and he ducked in time.

Mildred looked around, as did he, but they saw no one. Hunting with Arthur told him that not seeing anything didn't mean that people weren't there. Merlin used his senses, and magic to get a better look at the situation. He saw men, from Cenred's kingdom.

Merlin froze in his place, his blood running cold. Mildred knew something was off, "Come on," she urged.

Merlin followed her again, but he was tense. He did not want to be captured again. He saw another arrow and had to push Mildred out of the way. He felt a knife at his back, and he knew they were surrounded.

"Looks like we found him," one of the knights laughed.

Another one said, "What about her?"

Merlin looked at Mildred, his eyes wide. "Keep her safe, and I'll do what you want."

The knight smirked, "On your knees, slave." Merlin looked towards Mildred and got on his knees, "Let her go."

The knight who ordered him to the ground smirked, and Merlin was out cold.