I have to explain the goat thing from last chapter: it was intentional. 'Whatever floats your boat' is too mainstream.
This is the last chapter you will get untill after the fourth. I'll been on vactation 'till then...
As for all the foreshadowing, ALL WILL BE EXPLAINED! Eventually. For my Trekies out there, this chapter's easter egg IS FOR YOU!
Enjoy!
The bustle of the lower town threatened to swallow Mordred whole, so he gripped his uncle's, Samuel, hand tighter. The swirling colors flooded the streets and the sound of braying donkeys reached the young boy's ears. They walked through these crowded streets with their hoods pulled tightly over their heads.
They had come to Camelot to purchase a rare herb that couldn't be found in Tarra. It was for a sick little girl in Mordred's camp. Her name was Kara, the girl Mordred had a crush on.
The man they bought the cyper from had always been a shady soul. Did whatever he could to get all the money he could. He handed Samuel the small pack the rare plant. The vender looked the older druid in the eye and muttered, "I'm sorry."
There was a clunking sound from the street they had just come from. Samuel looked on with a pained understanding before grabbing Mordred. The sprinted down the narrow street, blood cloaks hot the their tails. Samuel yanked the boy towards the castle. A blood cloak tried to kill them, but only succeeded in slicing Mordred's arm. Samuel threw the man against a wall before turning the his nephew.
"Go Mordred. Find Lord Emrys. Go!" he screamed at the young boy before shoving him towards the gates. Mordred stumbled through and the heavy gates swung shut with Samuel's magic. The guards found him shortly after. The druid was apprehended and thrown into jail until he could be executed.
Quintus had heard the boy's scream in his head, as he was sure Emrys had. He had to be a druid. And hurt by the sounds of it. He stumbled into the courtyards to find a large commotion. Guards were running everywhere in search of the little boy, to no avail. Quintus spotted the kid's teal cloak and ran towards him.
Mordred looked at the man running towards him with wide eyes. The redhead hauled him to his feet and pulled up his sleeve. Mordred saw the young man's symbol and heaved a relieved sigh.
"Don't worry," the man murmured into his ear. "My name is Quintus. You're safe; just play along."
Quitus pulled Mordred to his side and casted a simple glamor over the boy, silently thanking Emrys for teaching him it. He pulled the boy past the guards. They all assumed that the child was another one of Gaius' patients.
Quintus tugged the child along, only to be intercepted by Lady Morgana.
"Quintus!" she exclaimed.
"My Lady?"
"Who is the boy with you?" Morgana asked with a warm smile at Mordred.
"Ahhh… This is my young cousin, Peter. He was injured by a guard earlier in their search for the druid boy. I'm taking him to Gaius to get patched up," he supplied. In all actuality, he was going to heal the boy and then seek Emrys' help in getting him out of Camelot.
Morgana nodded and smiled warmly once more. With one last glance, Morgana sauntered off. The secret druid heaved a sigh before carrying on towards Emrys' chambers. He didn't notice when Morgana turned and started to follow him.
He rapped on Emrys' three times before slipping in. The boy he gripped visibly relaxed when he saw who was inside. Morgana slipped to the door and listened, immensely happy that the east wing was rarely visited. She could hear the conversation happening within.
"My Lord, I found the boy in the courtyard. He is a druid in Camelot. What would you have me do?" Quintus spoke. Morgana listened with bated breath for the next part. There was slight shuffling, probably Merlin bending down to look at the boy.
"First of all, how many time do I have to tell you? You don't have to use titles with me."
The redhead snorted. "I'm sorry, Sir Knight."
Merlin and Quintus chucked a bit. Merlin's tone grew serious as he address the boy. "My name is Merlin. I'm not going to hurt you. Did you come here alone? Where's your family?"
The boy mumbled something in response.
"Right," the raven said. "Don't worry, I'll get your uncle out. Quintus will heal you. And then, I will take you safely back to Tarra and the rest of your clan."
Peter mumbled something else.
"Have you still got it?" More whispers. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Merlin yanked the door open and Morgana looked like a cornered deer. She quickly collected her dignity and stared at the Lord of Tarra. "I want to help," she demanded.
Merlin gave her a hard look. He didn't know if he could trust the King's ward, but he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. After all, she had just heard the entire plan. The raven heaved a sigh and ushered her into his room, where they spent the next hour deciding how to go about this business.
"Hello? Kilgharrah?" the raven called. The scaly beast shot down from his previous perch.
"What is it, young warlock?"
"There's a boy, a druid, in Camelot. Something about him screams to me. I feel a bond with him, not unlike what I have with Arthur. Does this have to do with me being Myrddin? Or Emrys?"
"Bit of both, I'm afraid. While he is Arthur's doom, he is also your greatest ally in returning the Knights of Old," the dragon rumbled.
"So what do I do? Do I save the boy who is my king's downfall? Or do I forsake an innocent druid?"
"Follow your heart, young warlock, for you already know what path you will take." Merlin's brows furrowed as he thought of his options. He mindlessly wandered out of the dragon's cave, obviously stressing about what is to come. Kilgharrah gave the knight he was bonded with a sad look before flapping his wings to return to his previous perch.
He knew that the young man faced a hard choice. The dragon also knew the lord he was bonded with well enough to know his decision was the right one.
She huffed a strand of hair out of her face. Gwen knew of the druid boy, and Morgana had told her that she was hiding him. The lady had said that he had come to Camelot with his uncle to find a rare herb. Normally, Gwen would think about defying the laws, but for an innocent boy, she would help.
The maid walk down the alley of vendors, looking for one in peticular. Harcourt Fenton Mudd, but most people just called him Mudd. He was a dealer of exotic things; meaning the herb the boy needed. He would do anything, for a price. Even look the other way.
She shuffled up to the man's both and plopped a wrapped package down on the table. Morgana's old jewelry rattled inside, causing the fat man's eyes to light up with greed. His blotchy skin was further marred by the setting sun.
"Well now, well now!" he grunted while pulling his thick mustache. "What came I do for a pretty young lady like you?" He smiled, showing his rotting teeth.
Gwen leaned in towards the disgusting man. "I heard you were selling cyper. A friend is sick and needs it. I'm willing to pay. Handsomely," she whispered, shoving the metal towards the man.
"Well now, well now. Cyper's hard to come by. But for a sweet lass like you, I'll give you half of my stock." The bulbous man skittered around his tent in search of the plant. Gwen glanced over her shoulder to check for guards, but covered it up by stretching her back.
"Ah ha! Here we are, my dear!" he exclaimed, shoving the red flower into her hands. She mumbled a thanks and scuttled off. Mudd just turned to his next customer.
Gwen made her way back to Morgana's chambers only to discover a note for her sitting on the table.
Gwen,
Just stepped out to visit Lord Merlin and Peter. When you get back, bring the new fabric you just bought to me. I want to show it to the boys.
Morgana.
Gwen knew that Morgana was with the druid in Merlin's room. But they had to be careful as to not arouse suspicion. Gwen lifted the basket of cloth that had the cyper tucked safely inside of it and made her way to Merlin's chambers.
Mordred's arm had healed nicely. The older druid, Quintus, had a gift for healing magic. Mordred was happily sitting in Lord Emrys' quarters, toying with the hem of his bloodied shirt. His uncle might've still been in prison, but come morning, Emrys and his companions will have set him free. Then they could return to Tarra and the protection it provided.
The future queen slipped into the room with a basket. Digging inside, she produced a small pouch filled with what Mordred knew to be cyper. She handed it to Morgana, who in turn brought to him.
"Here," she mumbled. He grabbed the bag a stuffed into his belt.
Morgana turned back to face Gwen and Quintus. "Merlin said to meet him in the Stone Clearing."
Quintus spoke up, "I will take him there. I don't think Merlin would want you two tagging along into danger." Morgana looked like she was going to protest, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded.
The young knight slipped through the castle with ease. They needed to think about hiring better guards for this place.
The dungeon guards were playing dice when he came across them. It was too easy: with a flash of his eyes, he sent the oblivious guards to sleep. He toed one of theirs hands to be sure before continuing on.
He found the older druid curled in on himself in a shabby cell. He banged lightly on the bars. The man sat up and looked at Merlin with relieved eyes. "Emrys!" he breathed.
"Thing are going to move fast now, so I need you to do exactly what I say. Stay still" The raven blasted the bars off and gripped the druid's arm.
"Ready?" The druid nodded. Merlin closed his eyes and let the shadows pulled him in.
The warning bells sounded. Quintus took a deep breath.
"Well, that's my que. Wish me luck!" The women nodded and Mordred took his hand. The two druids made their way to the hidden door in the armory. They slipped through the tight hole and landed on the street.
Quintus cased a quick glamor over the both of them and pulled his hood down farther. The boy squeezed his hand as something in the shrubbery glittered. A spectral knight stepped out. Mordred instantly knew that Myrddin had come to the rescue.
Several blood cloaks rounded the corner and saw the three figures. One of them shouted "OI! You!" Another one drew his cross bow. Myrddin knocked them with a sweep of his hands.
"Time to go!" he boomed. The specter-knight grabbed the two druids' arms and all three melted into the shadows.
They landed on the soft grass of the clear Quintus first met Emrys in. Before them stood Samuel, the boy's uncle. Myrddin was nowhere to be seen.
Emrys melted out of the shadows to join the group. "You are free to leave Camelot. The boy has your needed plants. Next time you need to come to Camelot, tell Sir Bowen or Captain Lancelot and they'll help you."
Samuel gave Merlin a slight bow. "Thank you Emrys, you saved me and my nephew. Today, you once again lived up to your name." Merlin gave him a small smile. Samuel took his nephew's hand and they were off. One thing he knew for sure, Mordred's encounter with Emrys would make him very popular among the druid children.
Merlin watched them go with a masked look. For good or for ill, his trials with the boy had just begun. Then he remember something.
Shit! He thought Arthur's gonna kill me for not showing up to training today. Dammit!
Alternate Title: Wherein Arthur isn't even Mentioned 'till the End Because the Author Forgot him.
Y'all find the easter egg? Couldn't help myself, it fit SO good!
Untill after the fourth, BYE! My Faithful Readers.