Chapter 3- Centaurs and an Escape

2 Weeks Ago

Centaurs were peaceful creatures. They didn't like men, and found the wars of men petty and beneath them. The centaurs had lived in the Darkling Forest for centuries, passing by relatively unnoticed. They lived in an enchanted glade, hidden to everyone who did not possess magic They were free to wonder the woods at will, and generally waited until the cover of darkness to do so. It was during this time one such creature was spotted by Morgana.

Unsure of what she had seen, Morgana had crouched low in the bushes and followed silently behind. That was how Morgana had found the little glade, and how, after studying them for a few hours, got to know their temperament. These creatures were the kindest; most peaceful creatures she had ever come across. The way they chatted and laughed together, even the way they pulled plants up from the ground was tender and considerate. They were creatures of magic, of this there was no doubt. She couldn't help but also admire their strength and health. Their four long legs were capable of speeds exceeding a regular horse, their arms and upper body, strong and tough after a life of living in the forest. These creatures were perfect, just what she had been looking for. Morgana had approached the creatures, and made her proposal.

"My name is Morgana Pendragon"' she had said, "And it is my mission to take my rightful place on the throne of Camelot. For too long Uther, and now his son Arthur, have persecuted those with magic. I need an army to help me take Camelot, and help restore magic to the kingdom. Arthur Pendragon must die. Will you be this army?"

Her spiel was met with silence. All the centaurs were now facing her; expressions blank and impossible to read. After a minute or two, a dark centaur, taller than the rest, stepped forward and stood directly in front of her. He was intimidating, and Morgana fought to contain her fear.

"My name is Jarvis," he stated in a deep calming voice, "And your boldness surprises me. You dare come into our sacred glade uninvited, and bring with you an offering of only violence and death? We do not dwell nor participate in the matters of men. Our peace is our most valued possession, it will not be thrown away for the sake of a bloodthirsty witch. Now, priestess of darkness, you must go."

Jarvis turned his back to her and waked away. Three younger centaurs walked up, carrying logs picked up from the ground. They used these as a barricade, walking towards Morgana holding them outstretched. This forced her away, and back into the woods, shaken from the confrontation.

It had taken her a week, locked away in her hut, scouring what books she had manage to collect. Finally, she had reached a passage about an ancient stone, with the capacity to steal a piece of a creature's soul, and for those stronger enough to wield such a stone, it could of their choosing. Morgana had travelled to the fabled cave, and brought the stone back with her. She practised the incantation over and over again until it was perfect, and travelled again to the glade of the centaurs.

Morgana lurked in the shadows, looking at the creatures graze. She reached into her bag and pulled out the stone, placing it gently on the forest floor. She closed her eyes and meditated on their energy, focusing on every trait that made the centaurs such mighty creatures. She found their peace, and let it wash over her, immersing herself in the feeling. She started chanting, and put her hands on either side of the crystal, slowly lifting it off the ground. She pulled all that peace towards her, and through her, channelling it into the crystal. She finished her enchantment with a burst of energy, opening her eyes with a flash of gold. The crystal had changed, with the peace of the centaurs swirling within.

Present Time

They were all packed, horses were saddled and ready to head out for the hunt. Merlin knew he would have to choose his time carefully. Until Arthur and the knights were distracted by a deer, he would have no chance to slip away. Everyone mounted their horses and started walking out through the gates and into the forest.

It was a particularly gloomy day, with no sun and no warmth. The birds were singing as always, but it felt like even they had lost some enthusiasm for their song. The knights were quiet, careful to make as little noise as possible so as not to scare off their prey. They continued riding for 20mins, keeping to the ready -made tracks and searching for any recent signs of animal activity. A branch snapped off in the distance, and Arthur held up his hand to halt the knights. He dismounted and crouched low, walking slowly forward, the others followed his lead. Merlin lingered behind, making sure he was the last to dismount his horse, and allowing all the knights to go before him.

Gwain stopped and turned, "Coming Merlin?" he asked.

Merlin stretched his back up, pretending to be sore. "Yeah, just a sore back from scrubbing the floors. Got to limber up before hunting!"

Gwain scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, but rolled his eyes and moved on. "Don't fall behind" he whispered.

Merlin continued to pretend to strength, as usual relying on his halfwit persona to get past the knights suspicion. He sometimes wondered how obtuse they really must be to not see him he really was. But, he supposed they just valued him enough to not assume the worst. They couldn't all truly believe that he was an idiot could they?

He heard a shout from ahead; rushing noises of feet trampling grass and leaves, the clanging of swords, and the screams of pain. Merlin's heart leapt into his chest, as he knew the all too familiar sounds of a bandit ambush. He followed after the knights, careful to stay hidden behind a tree as he watched over the battle taking place in a small gully. Arthur was fighting bravely as always, his sword passing its way through the stomachs and chests of 3 bandits before one crept up behind him. Merlin muttered under his breath, and with a golden flash of his eyes, a branch crashed from a tree overhead, and land on the last bandit, knocking him out cold.

Arthur was safe once more, and Merlin knew that this would be his only opportunity to slip away. He ran from the spot, hurtling as fast as he could deeper into the forest. He found a stream, and followed the rocks along the banks, so as to leave as little a trail as possible. He knew that Arthur and his men would try to find him. Eventually he came to a small cave, and concealed himself inside. He enchanted some vines lying on the forest floor to intertwine themselves across the entrance, completely hiding himself from view. All he had to do was wait for a few hours, then Arthur would have no choice but to go back to Camelot until then morning, and Merlin would be free to find Morgana.

A/N: Thank you for reading this far! I really appreciate it!

If some readers wouldn't mind, I would love to read some reviews and see how this story is being received. I'm not sure if it is enjoyable or kinda boring, and I will try to make it more interesting if that's the case!