-17-

Ryll had nearly forgotten her encounter with Morgana the night before when she awoke the next morning, but then she remembered the fear behind her friend's eyes. Something was wrong. Something to do with nightmares. Ryll wondered why Morgana had stared at her as if Ryll were the one haunting her dreams, causing her nightmares. Self-doubt crept into her mind again, reeling around like a sickness. What if she was dangerous? She touched the ring around her neck and, not for the first time, felt a flicker of fear. How little she knew about herself. Did she really have any proof that she wasn't dangerous? How had she survived so many years ago when everyone around her had died? Was that about to happen again? She thought of her friends dying and found that she couldn't bear the thought of it. She would die along side them. Cast the ring aside and join them in eternal sleep. A life alone with everyone you knew dead was no life at all. This had to end now before all she had come to care about disappeared.

She dressed quickly, pulling on Arthur's altered clothes and donning a few extra layers for the chilly morning. She made two detours on the way to the stables – one to the kitchen to snag water and provisions and the second stop to the armory where she reclaimed the weapons that had been taken from her the day of the tournament. She had belted her sword around her waist and had her quiver in one hand and bow in the other when she heard footsteps. It was too late to hide or leave, so she stood her ground, hoping for the best. One of the knights rounded the corner, his eyes alighting on her at once. She couldn't quite remember his name. He had curly brown hair and matching brown eyes and looked friendly enough though suspicion lurked behind his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked her. "The king has forbidden your use of weapons."

"I'm not using them. I'm just taking them back," Ryll said, trying to skirt around the truth.

He narrowed his eyes. "I was told not to let you reclaim your weapons."

"That's not fair. They're mine. I made the bow myself and this sword belonged to my father."

"I'm sorry. I have no say in the matter, but I must carry out the king's bidding."

"Look, the prince set off this morning on a dangerous journey. He forbid me from coming to keep me safe, but if I do not go then there is a chance he will not make it back. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please, trust me on this. Pretend that you did not see me and let me go." She didn't know if telling him the truth would help her or hinder her even more. Perhaps he would go to the king and tell him that she planned on going after his son. The knight studied her for a moment, and she could see his resolve disappear.

"If you really think you can help him then I will let you go. I do not know exactly why he goes on this quest only that it might help the people of Camelot and those who have fallen ill." He hesitated and then said, "No matter what anyone else thinks, I was impressed by your skills in the tournament. Perhaps you entered under a false identity, but you can fight. I wish I could fight along side you, but I fear the king would never allow it."

Ryll looked at him, surprised by his honesty. "Thank you," she said. "I appreciate your candor. Thank you for not judging me as a woman but as an equal."

He bowed his head slightly. "I believe that traditions are important, but I also believe that there are many worthy knights out there who don't fit with Camelot's standards."

"I think you're right. Perhaps some day that will change. What is your name?"

"Leon," he replied.

"Well, Sir Leon, I thank you for your understanding. Maybe some day we will fight along side one another as equals." She smiled before sliding her unstrung bow into her quiver and slinging it over her back. "I will see that our prince returns in one piece."

When Ryll reached the stables she quickly saddled her horse noting that Arthur and Merlin's horses were already gone. She would track them east with ease, staying a little ways behind until it was too late for them to send her back. She grabbed the reins and led Owl out of the stables. Before she could get too far, she found that a figure stood before her, dressed similarly in pants and tunic and dressed for warmth.

"Morgana, what are you doing?" Ryll asked, dumbfounded to find her friend standing there.

"I'm coming with you," Morgana said, her pale eyes determined. She had braided her long black hair down her back and wore a warm cloak. There was a dagger at her side.

"You don't even know where I'm going."

"You're going after Arthur and Merlin. I heard Arthur speaking with Uther this morning. They're going after the thing that's been causing the sickness. I want to help."

"It will be dangerous."

Morgana smiled. "I think I can handle myself. We girls aren't defenseless after all."

Ryll smiled back. "That's very true. Alright, I could use the company." She waited while Morgana saddled a beautiful dapple-grey horse. Then they were off, riding out of the gates of Camelot and heading east. They rode in silence for awhile as the sun rose completely in the sky. Then Morgana turned to Ryll.

"I'm sorry about last night. I'd just had a nightmare. It unnerved me. More than it should have. But I realized that I needed to help you. There's something about this wraith that Arthur spoke of – something that has to do with your childhood. Am I wrong?"

"No. You're not wrong."

"Is it what killed your parents?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. That must have been awful. I can see why you want to go after it."

"I want to see it dead. I'm just so afraid that the same thing will happen. That everyone I know will die." Ryll's voice caught slightly.

"We won't let that happen," Morgana assured her.

"I know." Ryll fingered her ring. She felt Morgana's gaze.

"Where did you get that ring?" she asked.

"My mother gave it to me before she died. She said it would protect me."

"And it did."

Ryll didn't want to lie to Morgana anymore. "It has the power to heal," she said quickly before she could change her mind. "I never said anything before because I know Uther hates all magic."

"Uther's opinion of magic is very one sided," Morgana said, a bitter note in her voice. "He would believe that all magic is evil even if one only uses it for good."

"I've only ever used it to heal. I didn't even realize it had a power until recently."

"Can you heal the people who have fallen ill?" Morgana asked.

"Yes. But not without casting a lot of suspicion on myself. Or Gaius or Merlin. And the wraith would make them ill again."

"Arthur said that in order to kill the necromancer, the wraith must first be released from its bond. But how do we do that?" Morgana asked.

"We find whatever is holding it captive and destroy it. Apparently it will turn on its master. It's like putting a humbata on a chain. It doesn't appreciate it very much."

"I don't understand why a necromancer would want to destroy so many people."

"To gain power. For every life taken, he gains power. I guess my village was one of the unfortunate victims."

Morgana cast her a sympathetic look. "We'll kill it. Both of them."

Ryll tightened a hand around the pommel of her sword. "Yes, we will," she said.

…

After riding hard all day, they decided to camp for the night. The sun was drenching the sky in shades of blood and fire and they were close to catching up with Merlin and Arthur. Ryll was a skilled tracker having had to train herself to be able to track animals when she was surviving in the wild. The hoof prints of the Camelot horses bore unique horseshoes and no wild horse would be running around with fancy shoes. There were other clues such as displaced stones or broken branches. As they made camp, Ryll could smell the scent of fire a ways off and could picture Merlin making dinner for Arthur. She smiled to herself. Poor Merlin. She and Morgana worked together to set their own camp and managed to come up with a halfway decent broth to share.

After they had finished their meal, they lay down on their blankets, keeping close to the small fire they had built. "What will you do when this is all over?" Morgana asked her.

Ryll thought for a moment, taken aback by the question. She hadn't ever thought about her childhood horrors being over. Obviously she would never be able to forget something as horrible as watching her parents die, but to have some sort of closure... "I'll visit my parents' graves. Just to tell them that it's over," she said finally. "What will Uther do when he finds out I've gone with Arthur?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. He'll be furious with me too." Until then, Ryll hadn't given much thought to her actions or rather what would come from them. Her mind was set the moment she'd overheard Merlin and Arthur discussing the creature that had killed her family and where it could be found. But would she be welcome back in Camelot afterwards? Uther would not be so forgiving no matter what Ryll's excuse was. "I won't let anything happen to you," Morgana promised her.

"But I've used magic. I've broken laws. I've gone off on a quest I was forbidden to go on."

"All to help Arthur and the people of Camelot," Morgana amended. She took Ryll's hand. "Uther has to see that you're trying to help. We're not just going to sit around and let the knights have all the fun." She smiled at Ryll who couldn't help but smile back.

"You've been like a sister to me ever since I came to Camelot," Ryll told her. "I didn't grow up with a family and your friendship means more to me than I can say."

Morgana squeezed her hand before letting go. "You're like a sister to me too," she said. "Let's not worry about Uther now."

They fell silent as they each drifted off to sleep and despite the hard ground and cold night, Ryll found comfort in the familiar outdoor setting that she had slept so many nights in throughout her life. She realized how much she missed the open air and open space. The castle walls could feel constricting at times. There were too many rules and formalities. In the wilderness there was nothing but the trees and the wind and the sky. She sighed, letting sleep wash over her. For once her dreams were not of darkness.

…

They planned the next morning when they would show themselves to Arthur and Merlin. It had to be at a point where it was too late for them to turn back, Ryll suggested. Morgana was pleased with this idea, eager to see the look on Arthur's face when he realized that Morgana and Ryll were more than capable of tracking them through the wilderness. Ryll realized that Morgana had the same desire to prove herself capable too. She carried herself well despite the danger that lay before them, her pale eyes determined. She obviously felt undermined by Uther and by Arthur.

"I'd just like to be heard for once," she told Ryll as they rode on, having decided to wait until close to the end of the day to catch up to Arthur and Merlin. "It seems like any opinions I have that might differ from Uther's are ignored or turned into some sort of joke. I may be his ward, but he has no respect for what I think. No matter what he says, he acts as if he's always right. He may be king, but that doesn't make him right about everything." The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable.

"I'm sorry that he's not a better father to you," Ryll said.

Morgana let out a derisive laugh. "He's no father to me," she said. "In fact, I blame him for my father's death."

"Why?" Ryll looked at her friend in surprise.

"My father was fighting in a battle and Uther promised him reinforcements. They never came. He might not have even sent them. My father died that day because of Uther."

"What if he sent them but they didn't get there in time?" Ryll asked.

"Then he should have sent them sooner. Uther tries to act like he's my father, but he doesn't realize that he never will be." Morgana's tone had grown angrier. "Sometimes I wish he were dead." Ryll felt alarm at her words. This was not the Morgana she had grown to know. She knew there was resentment and anger between Morgana and Uther whether Uther realized it or not. But wanting Uther dead was a whole other matter.

"You don't mean that," she said.

Morgana looked over at her, her eyes hard. "Maybe. Maybe not. I just can't forgive him for what he did." She left it at that. Ryll didn't know how to respond and so a silence fell between them as they rode into the afternoon. It was nearing evening when Ryll suggested they catch up to Merlin and Arthur.

"It's too late for them to turn us back now," she said. "Not that Merlin will object to us being there." Morgana nodded but didn't speak. She had been dour since her confession earlier, and Ryll hoped her rash thoughts had subsided.

They urged their horses into a gallop, Ryll leading the way. They only slowed them when Ryll held up a hand to listen to the silence around them. There was a crackle up ahead and she motioned for Morgana to follow her at a walk. They caught sight of movement. Two horses were tied to a tree in a clearing, dancing around with nervousness at having been left alone. Ryll shook her head.

"They think they're being clever," she said. "They'll jump out at us in a moment."

Sure enough, Arthur stormed into the clearing, sword drawn, a few moments later. He stopped short at the sight of Ryll and Morgana. Merlin appeared at his side, looking guilty. Arthur looked at him, his eyes stormy. "Care to explain this?" he asked.

"Nope, not really," Merlin replied. Arthur glared at him.

"Merlin had nothing to do with it," Morgana replied. "I overheard you speaking with Uther and told Ryll. We want to help." Arthur turned his glare to Morgana.

"We don't need any help. Now we're going to be worrying about you two."

"We don't need anyone to worry about us," Ryll retorted. "We can handle ourselves just fine."

"We're coming," Morgana insisted.

"It's too late to send them back; we're nearly there," Merlin said.

Arthur sighed. "Start setting up camp. We start up again at first light." He sheathed his sword irritably and stalked away to gather firewood.

"Well, that went reasonably well," Merlin said when Arthur was out of earshot.

"If you say so," Ryll answered.

"He's just mad because you tracked us this far."

"Yes, well, we can't all be knights, but that doesn't mean that I can't be good at everything a knight is good at," Ryll said. She stopped speaking as Arthur returned.

"Well, are you going to all sit around or are we going to get a camp set up?" he asked moodily. Merlin and Ryll exchanged a glance and then set to work. Morgana tended the horses while Ryll set out blankets and Merlin prepared a meal. Arthur sat fuming after having made a fire. Ryll went to sit beside him, not speaking at first.

"I know you're angry with me," she started. "But you have to understand why I needed to come."

Arthur looked over at her, the firelight flickering in his eyes. "I do. But you have to understand how dangerous it is."

"I know that. You can't deny that I am more than capable of protecting myself."

"That's not the point."

"Arthur, this thing killed my parents. It's making your people sick. We both want to kill it. At least respect my need to avenge my parents."

Arthur studied her for a moment, his eyes softer. "I can respect that," he said finally. "But you follow my lead."

"Alright." Ryll smiled slightly, glad that they were no longer fighting. Arthur's lips turned up in a slight smile too though he tried to hide it. His fingers brushed hers for a moment before he went to join Merlin and Morgana in front of the fire. Ryll watched them for a moment, speaking quietly as Merlin dolled out the broth he had prepared. In that moment, before the danger and darkness that awaited them tomorrow, she felt a surge of happiness. Her life had taken her so many places, but it was here that she was happy. No matter the king or the castle or the traditions that kept her from pursuing her dreams – she was with friends. These people cared about her and she them. Arthur might be angry with her for having followed him, but he wanted to protect her. She'd been protecting herself for so long that she didn't know how to handle someone wanting to protect her for a change.

Arthur looked over at her, smiling. She got up, smiling back, and went to sit next to him by the fire. Despite what was to come the next day, Ryll forgot her revenge for a moment. They talked until their eyes grew weary and the fire turned to embers. Then Ryll found herself curled between Arthur and Merlin, feeling the warmth coming off of both of them as they huddled close for warmth. Even if they were with a day's ride of the necromancer, out in the open, Ryll felt safer than she had in a long time. Even though she could protect herself, knowing that Arthur lay next to her, ready to fight for her was a comfort. Tomorrow the four of them would walk into the dark citadel of Scarath and face the foe that had caused her so much grief. Tomorrow the sick people would recover because if the wraith was not dead by tomorrow, Ryll was not leaving.