Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. Student teaching is sucking away all my time. But I'm trying to schedule in time to write, I promise! Thank you for reading!

-5-

After she was mounted on her chestnut mare, Ryll began to realize how silly this quest of hers was. Her arm had hurt so badly that Merlin had been forced to practically lift her into the saddle. Ryll felt helpless, a feeling she did not much like. Merlin had mounted a deep bay horse with quite a bit more ease than Ryll. They made their way out of the castle gates as the setting sun began to spill orange and red streaks into the sky. They pushed their horses into a canter, heading straight towards the forest. They were silent as they rode, Ryll's eyes set on the path before them, looking for any hint of silver. She felt Merlin's eyes on her periodically and could imagine his questioning expression, dark eyebrows lifted and blue eyes dark and quizzical. She ignored him, keeping her eyes firmly on the path. They had traveled nearly to the place where the beast had attacked them, when Merlin suddenly pulled back on the reins, bringing his horse to a halt.

Ryll turned her eyes to him, throwing him a questioning look. "What? Why'd you stop?" she asked, feeling impatient at the delay. Something she couldn't explain told her it was imperative she find her ring.

"I thought I heard something," he replied, eyes dark as he surveyed the forest.

Ryll, too, looked around, her ears and eyes alert for anything that might be watching them. After a moment, a feeling of being watched crept over her. She turned to gaze behind her, but could see nothing. "Come on. The sooner we find my ring, the quicker we can leave the forest," she urged Merlin, touching her heels to her horse and walking on. He trailed after her, eyes intent on the forest.

They reached the spot where they had been attacked, and Ryll saw something silver gleaming in the undergrowth. "My ring!" she dismounted and untangled the silver chain from around a spiky bush. When her fingers brushed the ring itself, she felt a pulse spread through her, tingling down her arm like a current. She absently placed a hand on her injured arm. It no longer hurt. A revelation came over her, and she looked down at the ring. "Merlin, I think-" She was cut off by a horrid screeching that came from the woods. She whirled around just in time to see a second beast similar to the first charging toward them. This one was smaller and did not have antlers but looked just as deadly.

"Gaius warned me they traveled in pairs!" Merlin shouted to Ryll. "Come on, we need to get out of here!"

Ryll quickly clasped her necklace around her neck and leapt onto her horse. She could hear the beating of the horses' hooves in her ears and feel it under her skin. It was as if time slowed as she leaned low over her horse, hearing the beast screaming behind them.

"We can't just lead it back to Camelot!" Ryll cried out to Merlin.

"I don't have a sword!" he shouted back.

Ryll had her bow though. She quickly drew two arrows, keeping her legs tight around her horse so as not to lose her balance. She twisted around in the saddle and aimed straight at the beast. The arrows hit right in the center of the chest. The creature faltered, but did not stop. Ryll notched another arrow, drawing the bow back to her jawbone and aiming lower this time, at the beast's front leg. It struck just above the knee. Another arrow embedded itself in the other leg and the creature went down. Ryll wheeled her horse around. Merlin shouted after her, but she rode back to the beast, two more arrows drawn. She aimed these straight at its head, releasing them before the beast had a chance to get up.

"Is it dead?" Merlin asked, riding up to her.

"I think so," Ryll said, dismounting and approaching the creature. Something in her warned her to stay back, but she had to make sure it wasn't going to come after them again. She belt down beside it, studying its glassy eyes. "It's-"

Without warning, the beast blinked, raising its head one last time to retaliate. How it was still alive, Ryll could not imagine, but she did not have time to move. The beast showed a row of fangs heading straight toward Ryll. Something flashed past her, and then the beast was dead. It happened so quickly, Ryll did not understand what had happened.

"Are you alright?" Merlin was at her side. He knelt next to her, and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"I thought it was dead," was all she could whisper.

"It should have been."

"How did you? I mean, what did you do?" Ryll stumbled over her words. She found she was shaking. Merlin put an arm around her.

"Nothing. I mean, not much. It was already mostly dead. I think it just died before it could attack you." He scrambled with his words, and Ryll narrowed her eyes.

"There is something more to you than meets the eyes, Merlin," she said. She had suspicions that grew in the back of her mind, but she did not voice them. "You can trust me," she said softly.

"I know I can," he said after a moment's hesitation. "But really, it was nothing. I didn't do anything."

Ryll did not press him further, unsure of the truth. Instead, she got to her feet and pulled Merlin into a hug. "Whatever you did, thank you," she said quietly. He seemed surprised, but pulled her closer to him. When she pulled away, she saw relief in his eyes. She knew he was hiding something, but she also knew that he would tell her when he was ready.

The sun had all but faded from the sky, and they mounted quickly, heading back to Camelot. Their shadows disappeared as they blended in with the night, quickly casting Camelot as a ghost against the night sky. They rode through the gates and into the courtyard where an angry looking Arthur stood. Ryll could hardly suppress a smile as Merlin's face turned to an expression of horror. He was in for a chewing out, she was sure. Before Arthur could do more than open his mouth, Ryll spoke up.

"I lost my mother's ring in the forest earlier. It means a lot to me. It's the only thing I have left of her. I asked Merlin to come with me into the forest. He was only looking out for me." She looked pleadingly down at Arthur whose expression did not soften.

"You could have been hurt," he said, his eyes clouding over with anger. "Who knows whether or not there's another one of those beasts roaming around out there."

"Oh, well…." Merlin trailed off as Ryll cast him a glower.

"We didn't think of that, Arthur. I'm sorry. I did not meant to cause you worry." Ryll felt suddenly ashamed. She never meant to burden anyone. Of course people would worry if she just disappeared. She stopped at this thought. How long it had been since anyone had worried about her. To know that Arthur cared meant more to her than Ryll could ever voice.

Arthur's eyes softened at her words and he held out a hand to her. She took it, dismounting easily. "Is your arm feeling better?" Arthur asked, furrowing his brow. Ryll realized she had taken his hand with her injured arm which no longer hurt.

"It hurts a bit," she said, pulling it protectively toward her body.

"You should get some rest." He turned to Merlin. "I'd like to talk to you," he said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Don't get him in trouble because of me," Ryll asked, placing a hand on Arthur's arm.

Arthur cast Merlin an annoyed glance. "At least you kept her safe," he finally said.

"Which I didn't need," Ryll said stiffly. Arthur looked down at her bandaged arm, and she blushed. "Alright, maybe a little."

"Just don't go off into the forest alone, alright? I'm going out tomorrow with some knights to make sure there isn't any more of them out there."

Merlin and Ryll exchanged glances. "Right, we'll I'm off then," Merlin said.

"Wait a minute. I still need my armor polished, or had you forgotten?" Arthur said, detaining Merlin.

"I had forgotten. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's alright. Why don't you just worry about it later. I can just go to the ceremony dressed like this." He motioned to his tunic and brown coat. Hardly fit for a ceremony.

"Good idea." Merlin seemed to like that idea.

"In fact, why don't you just take the rest of the week off. There's not really anything else I need you to do." Sarcasm dripped from Arthur's words.

"That is a great idea." Merlin grinned at him.

"Maybe when I have some time, I could do your chores," Arthur continued.

"Okay, now you're just teasing me."

"No. I don't know what gives you that idea." Arthur stepped forward and gave Merlin a soft slap to the head before turning to head back into the castle. Merlin rubbed his temple before following after him.

"I'll see you later," he told Ryll. She waved after him, handing her horse off to a stable boy.

Ryll made her way back to her room, laying down on the bed when she reached it. Then she sat up, remembering her arm. She unwound the bandage and looked down. The wound was entirely healed. There was not even a slight marking or scar where it had been. Her heart beat quickly in her chest as she ran a hand over where the wound had been. Then she unclasped her necklace and laid it on the bed before her. The silver ring was simple with a pale purple stone. It felt cool to the touch. As she touched it, the stone seemed to light up ever so slightly. Did this ring have the ability to heal her? She looked down at the ordinary piece of jewelry. There was nothing interesting about it. She looked on the inside of the band. There she found a set of small runes etched into the silver. She squinted, trying to read them, but she could not understand the language. Perhaps the strange runes were the key to solving whatever mystery lay behind the ring.

She sat pondering this for at least an hour, losing track of time somewhere. The night had grown late. She didn't feel tired even after all she had been through that day. Weary perhaps, but her mind was wide awake, pondering the ring's strange power. Had her mother known of this power? Is that why she had given it to Ryll. Is that why – Ryll gasped as she realized something. Is that why only Ryll was able to avoid the disease that ravaged her village? She was the sole survivor. Had the ring saved her life? Could she have saved others with its power? She clutched it in her hand, memories washing over her like waves of sorrow. They came to her now as they hadn't in years – memories she had kept locked away, deep inside of her. But no, she couldn't think of that now. She pushed them away. Some memories were too painful to remember.

Suddenly she needed to talk to someone. She grabbed the necklace in her fist and left her room, winding down the corridors until she found the physician's court. She opened the door slowly, realizing how late it was.

Inside she could hear Gaius snoring from his cot. She felt ridiculous sneaking into his and Merlin's quarters late at night just to share her worries with Merlin. She hesitated on the threshold. Well, she had come this far. Somehow she knew Merlin wouldn't care. She had to speak with someone. She tiptoed into the room, carefully shutting the door behind her. It creaked slightly, and she cringed, but Gaius did not stir. She crept across the floor to where she had observed Merlin's room was. It was dark, and she carefully nudged the door open. He was asleep, his face highlighted slightly by the moonlight that edged through his window, half-hidden behind clouds. Ryll bit her lip, hesitant to wake him. She felt like a child, coming to her parents after having a bad dream.

She came to the foot of his bed and crept around to the side. Before she could change her mind, she touched his shoulder. He awoke at once, his eyes popping open. He looked up at her in confusion.

"What is it? Did the beast come back?" he asked groggily.

"No, Merlin, this isn't a dream. I'm sorry to wake you." She sat on the edge of his bed. "I just needed to talk to you."

"What is it?" He sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and looking at her. He was wide awake now.

"It's just. You know how I heal so quickly?" she asked. He nodded, narrowing his eyes. Ryll hesitated, stalling for time. She looked up at him, taking in his dark hair, disheveled from sleep and his pale skin, cast into an even paler pallor with the moonlight. "I think it's my ring," she blurted out. "I think it might hold some sort of healing power. After I lost it, I didn't heal, but as soon as I touched it, my wound healed. Look." She pulled back her sleeve to show him her wounded arm.

She heard him intake a sharp breath. He touched her arm lightly with his fingers as if it were all just a mirage. She shivered slightly at his touch.

"Have you heard of such a thing?" she asked.

"Can I see the ring?" She handed it to him, and he held it up to the moonlight, studying the runes on the inside.

"Can you read them?" Ryll asked.

"No, I'm not sure what language that is. But it looks like it might be enchanted. I wonder if it works on everyone or just you."

"There's only one way to find out." Merlin looked at Ryll, comprehension dawning on his face.

"I'd have to injure myself somehow to test it."

"Don't do that. Maybe I can test it on someone who's already injured."

"Just a nick." He took a knife from his bedside table. Ryll grabbed his arm.

"You don't have to do that," she told him.

"Don't worry." He took the knife and nicked the tip of his thumb. Blood welled up. He held the ring up. Within seconds, the wound had healed itself up, the blood disappearing altogether. "Wow. I've never seen anything like it," he said.

"Me neither. I've had it all these years, and have never known…. I could have saved so many people."

"Don't blame yourself. You didn't know. That's too big a burden to place on yourself." He handed her back the ring, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"When I was a child," Ryll started. Her voice caught, and she hesitated. "When I was a child, a mysterious disease spread throughout my village. It killed…everyone. My parents, my neighbors, my friends…. No one knew what had caused it. I was the only one immune to it. Had I know what this ring could do…. My mother must have known. Why didn't she tell me? I could have saved so many people. I could have saved her." She realized she was crying and put her hands over her face, ashamed. "Up until now, I'd never told anyone. I'd blocked that memory until it came back to me in dreams."

She felt Merlin pull her toward him until her face was buried in his chest, and his arms were around her back. She cried silently, clutching the front of his tunic, feeling oddly comforted by this servant boy she had only just met. But he was more than that, she knew. There was more to him than anyone seemed to realize. She only hoped he would open up to her now that she had opened up to him. She felt so raw but so relieved as if the memories had been drowning her until she had spat them out.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," Merlin told her. "Don't blame yourself. It's alright."

Ryll felt her tears begin to dry, but she didn't want to let go. Merlin didn't pull away. He held her close to him as she pulled herself together. Finally Ryll pulled away, smiling up at him. Unsaid words passed between them, and Ryll knew that she had finally found someone she could trust.