AN: Okay, I'd like to apologize for not updating in about a year. I really shouldn't have started so many stories at once, I won't make that mistake again, but now I have a big enough surplus of chapters to officially take this story off hiatus. This chapter is told from Primrose's point of view. Just to recap, since it's been so long, an experiment gone wrong since Merlin and Arthur to future where Katniss' daughter, Primrose who had been living in the woods, was tasked with finding them so they could be sent back to their time...
I take a piece of dried deer meat out of my bag and stick it in my mouth. I've haven't stopped walking since I left the cottage, was up all night, and had only had a tuber for breakfast. I figure I can chew and walk at the same time. I'm almost there, just a couple more miles. I think I hear something to the left. I load my quiver and turn around in time to see a bob cat leap out at me. I shoot it right into the bob cat's heart, and it falls to the earth with a thud.
I walk over to the creature and kneel down in front of it. It's breathing has slowed and the light is leaving its eyes.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, as I pull out my knife to finish the job. I hate killing for anything else then food. It just seems like a waste. But it was about to kill me, and I don't have time to butcher it, so what else can I do but cut its throat and go on?
The next few miles aren't that difficult and before I know it, I'm at some sort of cave. It's an odd place sort a cave; there's no mountain there, or nearby, maybe I'm wrong about what it is, but it's there, and that's where they are, and I have to go in. I load the quiver again and walk in carefully. I look around, but by the time I'm in the middle of the cave I still haven't seen anything. Suddenly my foot hits something. I quickly jump back and look down and an unconscious young man about my age. He's thin, with hair as black as coal, which I have to admit contrast rather nicely with his skin, which is as pale as moonlight, and overlarge ears which are rather cute. I look a bit to the left and see another man beside him, this one with hair the color of dead grass. I kneel down in front of the dark-haired and shake him gently. His eyes flutter open slowly and he looks disoriented for a minute. He groans.
"Are you hurt?" I ask.
"I don't think so," He says in accent I've never heard before. It actually quite nice. He looks around , bewildered, as if he's noticed where he is for the first time, then he looks at me, his pale blue eyes bewildered. "How did we get here?"
"It's kind of a long story," I say, not really sure where to begin.
"It's not like we have anywhere to go, " He says.
"We should probably get your friend up, first," I say, gesturing towards the blonde man.
The one already awake looks stricken and then starts to shake the unconscious one frantically saying, "Arthur, Arthur, wake up! Come on, wake up!"
The blonde one, well, Arthur, I guess that's his name, starts to stir and lets out a groan much like his friend did, and looks around. "Where are we?" He asks, the same accent as his friend's. "And how the Hell did we get here?!"
"She was about to tell me that," The first one explains.
"And who exactly is she?" Arthur asks, a bit harshly.
"Primrose," I say.
They both turn to look at me. "What?!" Arthur exclaims. So far he seems very loud.
"My name is Primrose," I elaborate.
"That's a lovely name," The dark-haired one, the one that so far I like best out of the two of them, tells me, "I'm Merlin and this is Arthur."
"Those are nice names too," I say, not really sure how to respond. Apparently four years in the woods hadn't done my social any favors. "Now, as to how where you are in how you got here, you're in the Republic of Panem."
They both looked confused and exchange glances. "How come we have never heard of such a place?" Arthur asks.
"That's because it probably hasn't even been formed yet where you're from." I answer, "You see, you're not just in a different place, you're in a different time."
Merlin's eyes widen. Arthur makes a half-way decent attempt at appearing stoic, but I can tell this had thrown him for a loop, too.
"How-how is that possible?" Merlin asks.
"There's this group called the Private Science Guild," I explain, "They were building a device to get radio signals from the future, please don't ask me why because I don't know and they didn't say, but instead it wound bringing actual objects from the past, and this case, you. They came here to come get you, and I volunteered because I know the woods better."
"And what happens to us when you deliver us to them?" Merlin asks.
"They send you back to wherever you came from," I answer, "Where did you guys come from anyway?"
"Camelot," Merlin answered, "The year 524, if that helps."
"Wow, you guys are a long way from home." I say. I've never heard of Camelot, but I know it's been a long time since it's been the year 524.
"Oh, enough of this," Arthur pipes up, "Just tell the truth."
"Arthur..." Merlin begins warily.
"Come on, Merlin," Arthur exclaims, "You can't honestly believe any of this rubbish?"
"What reason would she have to lie?" Merlin asks, "And why would she make up such an outlandish story if it wasn't true?"
"She would say anything to cover up her sorcery," Arthur reasoned, getting to his feet. He quickly pulls a sword from his side and puts it up to my throat. I gulp.
"Arthur!" Merlin exclaims, getting to his feet as well.
"Now," Arthur said, "What is the real plan? Who are you working with? Surely there much be coconspirators in a plan such as this."
"Coconspirators," I say, taking a step back, despite the risk, because I've had just about enough of this guy, "That's a big word for someone who right now seems like an idiot."
Now I've got him going. There's rage in his eyes and his nostrils are flaring. "How dare you-" He begins, his voice dangerous.
"Oh, I dare," I say then grab on to his sword and use every ounce of my strength to pull it from his hands and through it to the side, even though it leaves a cut on my hand. "How did you- " He begins. I am so tired of him talking. I'm so mad I barely hear something topple over. My eyes moved over and see that poor Merlin was so startled he leaped back a few feet and tripped over a rock, falling to the ground. I notice the red scarf around Merlin's neck and something just clicks in my head.
When I look back I this moment later I realize I could've handled it better, but at the time I was so angry I wasn't thinking strait.
I reached down and rip the scarf off Merlin's neck, grab Arthur by the collar, and drag him kicking and screaming deeper into the cave.