Author's Note: I'm sorry for such a long delay! I was in Portland for a few days visiting a friend and then I got addicted to the show Revolution and then I worked a lot and then I just kind of got apathetic. But I'm back in a writing mood! I'm nearly done with part two of this story, so I'll probably take a short break after chapter 40 to get an idea for part three and finish up another fanfiction that's going nowhere. Anyway, enjoy!

-37-

Merlin was gathering wood for Arthur that morning. It was chilly out and some of the other wood-gatherers had built bonfires to keep warm as they collected wood in the forest. It was a long and unforgiving job that Merlin dreaded whenever the firewood grew sparse within the castle. He'd have to watch his time if he wanted to make it back to the castle in enough time to meet Ryll. Arthur had noticed his distraction that morning, but Merlin had brushed it aside, claiming he hadn't slept well the night before.

He had an armful of wood now and started back toward the horse and cart he had borrowed to collect wood. A few pieces of wood escaped his grasp, however, and he fumbled and dropped half the pile. Sighing to himself, he set the rest down, sitting on a log for a moment to rest. Arthur's wood could wait. For a moment he gazed off into the distance at the smoke from one of the bonfires. Just a little fun. He reached out a hand and muttered a few words. The smoke rose up and formed the shape of a galloping horse, wading slowly through the sky. He smiled, enjoying the neat little trick, and then dropped his hand. The horse vanished, fading back into the thick grey smoke. He got up, bending down to collect the fallen wood. An insistent tug on his jacket startled him and he turned to face a frantic woman.

"Did you see it? The smoke? Did you see it?" the woman asked. She looked frightened out of her wits. Merlin felt a stab of fear mixed with anger at himself. What had he done?

"No, I saw nothing," he lied, trying to force an innocent expression.

The woman looked beside herself. "How could you not see it?" she asked resentfully. "You were right here! It was magic. There is sorcery here, I tell you." Merlin shook his head, trying to dissuade the woman, but she was insistent. "We must tell the king," she said, gathering her skirts and running off toward the castle.

"No wait!" he called out, but she did not stop. Merlin looked after her, terrified by what he had done. She could have seen him. She could have realized that he was the sorcerer. He got lucky, but he wasn't sure his luck would hold out.

…

"You're sure it was sorcery?" Uther asked the woman later. The throne room was filled with people and the woman stood before Uther having just told him the details of what she had seen. Merlin stood beside Gaius feeling distinctly guilty. The physician kept casting him disapproving glances, and Merlin was sure he suspected who had cast that smoke-horse in the sky.

"Yes, Sire," the woman vowed.

"And you swear this before your king?" Uther asked.

"It could have been a trick of the light," Arthur suggested. "Or perhaps the smoke was caught up in the wind."

"The smoke was alive, I tell you," the woman insisted. "I feared for my life."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Uther said. "You will be rewarded for your loyalty."

"Thank you, Sire," the woman said, bowing before she was escorted from the room.

"This must stop," Uther said gravely.

"I will hunt down those responsible for this," Arthur assured him.

"No," Uther stopped him, "stronger methods are called for." He turned to one of the knights. "Call for the witchfinder," he said. His words hung in the air. Merlin didn't know who the witchfinder was, but whoever he was, he would bet it wasn't good.

The people in the court gasped and Gaius stepped forward. "Sire, is it necessary to resort to such measures?" he asked.

"The witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius," Uther said sternly. "His help will be invaluable."

"Of course." Gaius stepped back. Merlin glanced between Uther and Gaius wondering why Gaius had spoke against Uther on the matter. He followed Gaius out of the court after they were dismissed a minute later. Gaius was building up a lecture, he could tell. As soon as they reached the physician's quarters, Gaius rounded on him.

"How many times, Merlin?" he asked. "How many times must I drive this into that thick skull of yours that your magic is a secret to be guarded with your life? What were you thinking?"

Merlin sighed, shutting the door behind them. "I wasn't thinking," he confessed. "I was just having a bit of fun."

"But someone saw you, Merlin. Someone saw your magic!"

"I know, I know. It won't happen again," Merlin swore.

"It had better not. We need to hide anything that might tie you to magic," Gaius told him, shuffling around the papers on his table.

"Who is the witchfinder?" Merlin asked.

"Someone you never want to meet," Gaius told him.

"It's nearly noon!" Merlin realized suddenly. "I've got to go meet…someone."

"Not now, Merlin!"

"I've got to go. Sorry, Gaius!" he was already halfway out the door and running toward the kitchens. He was going to be late.

…

Merlin met Ryll at the stables a quarter after noon. She had two horses already saddled and was waiting impatiently, afraid Arthur had found some reason to detain Merlin.

"Sorry I'm late," he told her, setting down a large basket before her and panting a little. "I had to go collect wood for Arthur and then there was some upset over a funny-looking smoke cloud. Then the cook thought I was stealing food, so I had to explain that I was having a picnic with a girl. Then she was all too happy to help but she wouldn't shut up about it. I only just got away." He said this all in one breath.

Ryll laughed. "You've had quite the morning then. Well let's hurry before you're delayed anymore." Merlin tied the basket on the back of his horse and they mounted, leaving the city behind and heading toward the forest. Merlin led them toward a clearing by the river where he had been before. They rode in silence for a while, taking solace in their time away from the normal hustle and bustle of the castle.

"I never thought I'd get the chance to do this," Ryll said softly after a time. "To spend time together, to ride through Camelot a free person. Maybe years from now when everything had changed, but not now. I keep thinking something bad is going to happen or that I'm going to wake up and find this was all a dream. Maybe I'm still out in the wild, freezing in the snow somewhere and this is a vision before I die."

"Don't say such things," Merlin said, sounding alarmed. "This is real."

She looked over to see his blue eyes alight with worry. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't mean to be so dark. I've been trained to believe that anything good will eventually be taken from me. I just need to get used to this life. It's all I've ever dreamed of. I just can't seem to let go completely of the past."

"It will take time," Merlin told her. "You're not just going to forget. Just don't enter into anymore tournaments," he added, grinning.

"The thought hadn't crossed my mind," Ryll replied, smiling. "But don't think I'm going to stop practicing sword-fighting and archery in the mean time."

"You should challenge Arthur – just for fun. It will be like the tournament only you won't be thrown in the dungeons if you beat him. He could use a good beating."

"You think? Alright. I'll ask him this evening."

They continued on in companionable silence until they reached the site where Merlin wanted to set up for their picnic. It was a beautiful clearing that overlooked the slowly moving river. The sun warmed their backs as they sat down on a blanket that Merlin spread out on the grass. The flowers were now in full bloom, and Ryll could smell their essences on the breeze that wafted past them. They set their horses loose to graze, and Merlin laid out the food he had packed.

"You don't think about it when you eat like this everyday, but when you live on broth and bread for half a year, food like this is a miracle in and of itself," Ryll commented, helping herself to a grape.

"Is that all you ate in Meldoran?" Merlin asked. "I guess I don't do much better, but at least Gaius and I have a few more options."

"Sometimes I hunted for deer and hares, but basically we lived on slightly flavored broth. I guess I should be grateful we had food at all. I've nearly starved before. I've seen people starve. I almost feel guilty eating food like this. I'm sorry," she laughed. "I'm ruining the mood. Let's change the subject."

"How is Morgana doing?" Merlin asked her.

"She's doing well as far as I can tell. She told me of the druid boy she helped escape Camelot. She said you and Arthur helped."

Merlin hesitated a fraction of a second. "Yes," he said. Ryll frowned at his tone.

"You don't sound happy about it," she said. "Did he do something wrong?"

"Not yet."

"What do you mean?"

Merlin seemed to realize what he had said. "I mean, no, nothing. Just a feeling, that's all. Forget about it."

"Morgana said she felt a bond with the boy. Like she was meant to save him. I'm surprised Arthur would have helped save a Druid boy. Druids are a magical people, are they not?"

"Yes, they are."

"Is that why you hesitated? Because he has magic and he shouldn't have been saved?"

"You know I would never judge a person because they have magic," Merlin said, sounding hurt.

"Of course." There was a tense silence. Ryll had unwittingly reached a tender subject. Something about that druid boy set Merlin on edge. What could a little boy have done though? What would he do? Merlin had said 'not yet' when she had asked him if the boy had done something wrong. What had he meant by this? She did not bring the subject up again, but sought to lighten the mood. "So Gwen and Arthur," she started.

Merlin cocked a brow. "What about them?" he asked.

"Arthur went all the way to Hengist's castle to rescue her without his father's permission. He doesn't do that for just anyone. I know he said he was doing it for Morgana – and I don't doubt he would – but this is something more."

"He's in love with her," Merlin said.

"And she loves him. She mentioned that Arthur stayed with her during a tournament. He used a decoy so that no one knew it was him. She said he was so ungrateful at first, but he really tried hard after she was honest with him."

"Nothing can ever happen between them. Uther would never allow it."

"There's always hope," Ryll said quietly. "If they are meant to be together, they will find a way."

"Like we did."

Ryll smiled. "Well, I think we had it a little easier. You're not a prince, and I am most certainly not a princess. No one can tell us who to love or who not to love."

"Good." He reached over and took her hand.

"What time is it? I've got to meet Morgana later this afternoon." Ryll looked up at the sky.

"You've got to go right now?" Merlin asked.

"Not right now. I just don't want to be late. Like some people," she teased.

"Then I can have you for a few more minutes," Merlin said with a mischievous grin. He grabbed Ryll around the waist and pulled her down on the blanket next to him. She laughed, landing half on him so that if she held herself up on both hands, she could look down at him. Her golden hair had come loose from its braid and a strand dangled down. Merlin reached up and tucked it behind her ear.

"I never want things to change, Merlin," Ryll said. She bent down and kissed him and then situated herself so that she was lying next to him, her head rested on his shoulder. His arm was wrapped around her waist so that she was protected against him. There was something underlying in the gesture. Merlin's thoughts seemed elsewhere for a moment.

"Everything must change with time," he said finally, his tone filled with regret. "But that doesn't mean that we have to." He smiled down at her and she smiled back.

…

"I'm sorry Morgana, I lost track of time in the forest," Ryll said as she was let into Morgana's room following the picnic. Despite her good intentions, Ryll had ended up staying too long with Merlin. Their time together was short as it was. It was hard to part from him when they were together.

"Have you heard?" Morgana said. The fear in her voice stopped Ryll in her tracks.

"Heard what?" she asked. "What's wrong, Morgana?"

"Uther has called the witchfinder to Camelot. A woman sighted what she thought was a sign of sorcery this morning."

"Who's the witchfinder?" Ryll asked. The name was foreboding, but she'd never heard of such a man.

"He comes into towns and cities and hunts down whomever he thinks is guilty of sorcery. Like Uther, he's not so concerned about whether they are truly guilty, just whether or not he can find some incriminating evidence. Most fear him."

"But we don't have anything to worry about. You didn't practice magic this morning, did you?" Morgana shook her head. "And I certainly didn't. What was it the woman saw?" she asked.

"A horse rising from the smoke. She says that the very smoke was alive."

Ryll frowned. Merlin had mentioned some funny-looking smoke this morning. Is that what he had meant? He hadn't mentioned a witchfinder. "That's hardly a dangerous bit of sorcery," Ryll said. "It was probably just the wind – remember watching the clouds when you were a girl? Figuring out which animal each cloud resembled?"

"She seems certain it was sorcery. Uther won't take chances if he thinks there's someone practicing magic in Camelot." Morgana sat down on the edge of her bed. She was trembling, Ryll realized. She sat down next to her and took her hands.

"Morgana, conjuring smoke creatures in broad daylight is a far stretch from having fore dreams in the privacy of your own room. No one is going to find out about you." Morgana nodded, but she didn't stop trembling. "I won't let him come near you," Ryll promised. "You don't have anything to worry about."

"Will you stay with me?" Morgana asked. "I don't want to be alone."

"Of course. Of course I'll stay."

…

Night had fallen when the witchfinder arrived. True to her word Ryll stayed with Morgana. Gwen joined them also. They stood at the window, watching his arrival. Morgana could still feel her heart beating quickly at the thought of the witchfinder. She knew that the chances of him finding her out were slim – she wasn't even sure she had magic – but she could not fight the feeling of fear that lay in her heart.

"Is that him?" Gwen asked. Morgana envied the lack of fear in her voice.

"Yes," she said softly.

"What's that cage for?" Gwen questioned. Behind the man on the back of his horse-drawn cart was a metal cage big enough to fit nearly ten men.

Morgana simply shook her head. "It's for whomever he finds who exhibits signs of sorcery," Ryll answered. "This is all ridiculous."

Morgana did not take her eyes away from the window. Then the witchfinder raised his own eyes and it seemed that he met hers. She gasped, taking a step back from the window. It was as if in that one glance he had pierced her very soul and gleaned her secrets.

"Don't let him frighten you, Morgana," Ryll said. "Anyone who wears a hat like that deserves no fear." Morgana appreciated her light-hearted attitude, but she couldn't bring herself to laugh.

"I only hope he doesn't start accusing innocent people," Morgana said.

"I'm sure he knows what he's doing," Gwen said, turning to leave. "I'll see you in the morning."

Morgana did not reply. Her gaze was still set on the window. "Get some sleep, Morgana," Ryll told her. "And don't worry. I'm right next door if you need me." Morgana nodded to show that she'd heard. She watched until the witchfinder walked out of her sight. She finally turned from the window, glancing at the candles on her bedside table fearfully. The one thing she had not told Amaryllis was that not a week before the kidnapping, Morgana had lit those candles with her mind and had set her room on fire. And that was something you could not keep a secret.