Author's Note: Yes, I have been gone. Yes, it has been over a week. Yes, you may shout at me very loudly, so loud I can hear you from where I am, sitting with my laptop. Yes, I give you my full permission to send me as much annoyance-mail as you like. I am very sorry *hangs head in shame*. I was staying at my grandad's so I suppose I have a kind of excuse… My internet didn't work! Honest! But here's another chapter as rare as it is, so please don't be angry! And I'll upload another one straight after this one to make it up to you guys - that OK? : ) Review to let me know that all my readers haven't just upped sticks and left me, though I don't blame if you if you have o-o So yeah, review? x

Just a little concern…: There's been a couple of reviews that have been very polite but have said that they will be no longer reading my work (I really do mean a couple, I'm just that paranoid!) THIS IS FINE! I don't mind people telling me that they don't want to read my stories anymore, in fact, I'd rather they told me than just faded away. But there has been one that caught my eye and just made me think… Oh, you know what, I'm going to come out and say it. 'Jaded' what was all that about? I appreciate you might have just been trying to tell me that you didn't want to read my story any more and, as I have said, that's fine. I was even understanding until the last bit. Why d'you have to go add that on the end? OK, I admit I may be overacting but hey, bit uncalled for huh? And I am sorry for writing your name on here for all to see but come on, you're better than that. Rant OVER!

Disclaimer: I still do not own any characters of Shine and the BBC's TV programme Merlin (wish I did!) but any added characters and plotlines were completely my genius! All mistakes and splelnig errrors are also my own, which are not so genius…

Chapter Forty Six

Anxious

Arthur was getting anxious. A whole day had passed without there being any word of Emrys. The whole city was on edge, just waiting for Emrys to jump out of the shadows on top of them. His Knights had been training vigorously all day and had thankfully retired just half an hour ago, all dripping with sweat and panting heavily. Arthur felt cruel having to push them like this. He dreaded having to tell them that there was another day full of it tomorrow. But they had to be prepared. He didn't have any idea what Emrys was doing but he knew that he was planning something. Something big. Something against Camelot. And Arthur would have to be ready for it.

~xox~

They had been in the saddle now for about an hour since they had left their camp after a brief stop in the night for a two hour sleep. They had been up most of the night enlisting the help of some other magical beings that bore a grudge against Arthur. They had procured the help of a group of Hippogriffs, all of the Wyverns of the Isle of the Blessed and Vampires of the Forest of Ascetir. Today Emrys had promised Ceira they would only have one more stop before they could return to the Darkling Woods and prepare from there. They were heading north today, towards the border of Mercia. Emrys had told her there was a small wood in that area that a certain group of creatures inhabited. They were only about half an hour's ride away now. The clump of trees in the distance was looming ever closer. Ceira willed them on, wishing she could get back to the sanctuary of the Darkling Woods as soon as possible.

Finally they reached the dark ceiling of braches that blocked out most of the early morning light. It was just like in the Forest of Balor, the light being drowned by darkness. The horses, remembering what had happened the last time they had entered an especially dark forest, were even more reluctant and therefore slower than before. As soon as they entered into the trees, everything was silent. The only sound was the horses' nervous hoof steps over the leaf litter layering the ground. There were no birds trilling from the treetops, no rustles of woodland animals in the bushes, not even a breath of wind. Nothing. Emrys had told Ceira that this was only a small wood, but all the more deadly. It took them only a few minutes to reach the centre of the wood. It was almost pitch black here. Ceira whipped round as a sudden rustling sound slipped passed her. It had made her jump as she had become accustom to the silence. Emrys also spun round in the saddle to see what had made Ceira jump. It had been like something smooth sliding through the undergrowth just next to her. She shook her head apologetically to Emrys. He turned and carried on through the trees. Suddenly, something huge rose up from the part in the trees in front of Emrys. Griffin snorted alarmingly and rushed backwards. Emrys pulled back sharply to stop him and stared at the huge figure rising up in front of him. Griffin unwillingly stopped and also stared up at the mass. Ceira came up a little closer to Emrys. It had a thin body compared to its huge head. Or should that be…heads. It was like a colossal snake but with way more than one head. It had a thin body with scales armouring it all over. Its ten huge heads rose up just higher than Emrys, even with the added height of Griffin. Each of the heads' mouths were gaping open and hissing violently. Each of the fangs that filled every one of the mouths were lined with a yellowy-tinged venom. The eyes were ever staring and blood red, the pupils nothing more than black, vertical slits piercing through the crimson. The scales were black as night, no shine reflecting off them. They seemed to absorb any light that hit them and extinguish it inside the darkness. Every one of the snake heads were about the size of a normal snake, apart from the middle one. This one was at least double the size of any of the others, its scarlet tongue flicking in and out.

"What are you doing here? Why are you in our territory?" The hissing voice emerged from the middle snake's snarling mouth, if a snake could snarl. Emrys swallowed nervously and looked directly into the eye of the snake.

"We have come seeking help…from the Hydra. I am hoping you will be able to do a favour for us."

"We know who you are Emrys…but who is this girl?" Its unblinking gaze shifted across to Ceira. She breathed in sharply and gripped the reins tighter. Emrys glanced back at Ceira but then turned back to the snake.

"She is my friend. Ceira. Now, who are you?" Emrys said.

"I am Aspidéla, leader of the Hydra. What is this favour you ask from us?"

"I want you and your family to help us fight against Arthur Pendragon. I know that your species are not friendly with the Pendragon family. This is your time to get revenge," Emrys offered. Aspidéla looked thoughtfully at him.

"This is very true… OK Emrys. You have a deal. Now when will this battle be?"

"Tomorrow, at nightfall on the field just outside of Camelot," Emrys clarified. Aspidéla nodded and slithered backwards.

"I and my family will see you then Emrys and Ceira." And then it was gone as soon as it had appeared, vanishing into the undergrowth. Emrys turned Griffin round as soon as it had gone and started heading out of the forest. Ceira followed a little bewilderedly.

"So I'm guessing you're going to tell me what that was?" Ceira asked.

"It was a Hydra, creatures that look like snakes with ten heads. They have nine immortal heads, all smaller than the immortal middle one. If a mortal head is cut off, two grow in its place. It is virtually impossible to kill," Emrys explained.

"So it would be pretty valuable in our revenge battle?" Ceira asked.

"Yes, so was that worth a couple more hours of saddle-sore?"

"Yep, definitely."

~xox~

Author's Note: So I guess if you're reading this then you haven't lost all hope in me and left me all on my own in the plotline climax. Huzzah! Thank you very much. And just to make sure I'm not just typing to no one, fancy giving me a little review? Just a little one : ) x