Merlin stood by the creek with Gaius helping refill the water skins. "It doesn't make sense. Mithian had told Arthur that she had escaped. She never said anything about being captured."

"She was in shock Merlin," Gaius reasoned, but slowly beginning to think Merlin really wasn't just over thinking things.

"So that's quite an important detail to leave out of your story," Merlin pressed, wanting Gaius to believe and not think he is going crazy due to lack of duties to perform.

"Why would she lie?" Gaius asked.

"Because she didn't want me to know how she really got that burn on her wrist. Gaius, there's something not right here. That burn is less than a day old." Merlin stated.

Before Gaius could reply Arthur showed up behind them. "We have to reach the border by nightfall. Move out!"

Merlin sat down next to the king, still pretending to take on the role of the loyal servant. "Arthur? Are you sure this is the right thing to be doing?"

Arthur poked the fire. "Ah. You're funny feeling again, is it?"

"Something like that," Merlin replied. "Have you talked to Mithian?"

The king threw the stick into the fire. "I tried, but Hilda kept watching. But something does seem off. Mithian looks at Hilda and instantly looks like a scared little girl, who just broke her grandmother's vase."

"Do you think it is still safe to go and get Rodor?" the warlock questioned.

"Odin is a plague on this land," Arthur reasoned. "I can't just stand by and let him murder Mithian's father as he murdered my own."

The two of them sat on silence for a moment, wondering what there next move would be, if it all was some kind of elaborate trap.

Just then Hilda let out a short scream of pain as she grabbed at a nearby wall.

"Gaius!" Merlin called out as he got up to help Hilda.

Gaius helped hold her up. "It's alright. Just breathe in." Gaius demonstrated the slow breathing "That's it."

Hilda started breathing a bit easier "I'm fine."

Gaius nodded "Of course. Let us be sure all the same."

That's was when she started to push away. "It's really not necessary."

That's when Arthur decided to speak up. "Hilda, if you're unwell you must let Gaius help you."

"Well, if you insist," Hilda gave in.

Merlin stood off to the side as best he could in the curtianed off area of the camp, and watched Gaius check over Hilda.

When Gaius finished his inspection, he simply sighed and said, "Well, no obvious problems that I can find. You're in excellent health Hilda."

"Thank you Gaius," Hilda said as she nodded graciously.

"Better shape than me at any rate," Gaius pointed out as he and Merlin exit the area. "Merlin, it's amazing. Her blood. It flows with the strength and vigour of someone half her age."

"How is that possible?" Merlin questioned.

Gaius gave him a look of complete loss. "I'm not entirely sure. All I know is she's better preserved than anyone her age has any right to be."

Mithian began to move away from the camp, hoping to break away from Morgana.

"Going somewhere?" Morgana questioned in a cold tone.

"I need to wash," Mithian stated.

"Do I need to remind you what fate awaits your father should you try anything foolish?" Morgana threatened.

"I need to wash. That's all," Mithian insisted.

"Don't be long," the witch warned.

Mithian turned and headed toward the nearby river, with every intention of washing and leaving a message.

Once she arrived at the small river, she took off her cloak and unwrapped the flint stone she had hidden away in the hood. She quickly found a rock with a flat enough surface and etched a name into the stone, hoping she could get someone to see it and would understand.

After she finished her message, she tossed the flint stone into the woods on the other side of the creek. She quickly start to clean the grime off her face and out of her hair.

A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating. I've just been so completely emotionally and physically worn out that I haven't even bother to touch my phone except to talk to someone. I promise to get the next chapter, which has been finished along with the rest of the story, up in the next couple of days. I will start working on the sequel once I finish this up. I need to get back to doing this. It's one of the few good things I have right now and I have been ignoring it.