Merlin stood, helping around the camp when the princess suddenly stood next to him.

"Princess?" Merlin asked, hoping she would tell him what was wrong.

"Good morning, Merlin," Mithian greeted.

"Can I help you with something?" Merlin wondered

"I hope so," she replied wistfully.

She was cut off by what ever she was going to say when Hilda moved to watch them. He watched as she stumbled to grab her waterskin

"I need this refilling please," Mithian said hurriedly.

Merlin quickly grabbbed his own, not wanting to leave the princess alone with Hilda. "No need. Here, you can have mine."

"I'd prefer my own. If you don't mind," the princess persisted.

Merlin reluctantly took hers. "Not at all."

"Thank you," Mithian said almost relieved.

Merlin laid his cane on the ground as he carefully crouched down. He placed the waterskin into the creek. As he filled it up he looked around, thinking Mithian might have left a sign of some sort.

His eyes quickly landed on a rock with the name 'Morgana' etched into it.

Merlin quickly abandoned the waterskin and his cane, momentarily forgetting that he needed it. He yelled "ARTHUR."

Before he had a chance to say anything else, he found himself flying through the air toward a nearby tree.

He felt his head connect with one of the roots that is sticking out of the ground. The warlock quickly ignored the pain and turned around. Before he could even think of a spell to cast Morgana's magic was choking him.

In his haze of pain and lack of oxygen to the brain, he tried to move the invisible hand that was choking him.

A few seconds later he lost consciousness. The last thing he heard was Arthur calling his name.

Mithian watched in horror as Percival carried unconscious Merlin in his arms.

"What happened?" Arthur demanded.

Percival laid Merlin down on some bedrolls that had been left out. "Hilda found him."

"He was down by the river. He must have fallen," Hilda informed. "His cane was by the water and he was laying against a tree. Perhaps he tried to walk on his own?"

Arthur studied the older woman. Now, he was positive something was not right about her. Merlin would not have been so stupid to leave his cane unless he found something out that could put everyone in danger, and had to get back quickly. He then looked over at the elderly physician tending to Merlin. "Gaius?"

"He's taken a heavy blow to the head," Gaius informed.

"But he'll be alright?" Arthur asked.

Gaius nodded. "He should be fine Sire, but there is no telling when he will regain consciousness."

Arthur quickly formulated a new plan. "We can't wait for him. Not if we're to stand a chance at reaching Rodor before Odin's men. Gwaine and Hilda stay here with Merlin and Gaius. The rest of us make for Nemeth."

Hilda didn't have a chance to protest. She could just slip away when no was paying attention

Once they were a safe distance away from Morgana, Mithian stopped everyone and spoke up. She told what really happened, who Hilda really was, and that she was unwillingly leading them into a trap.

Arthur nodded and took the information in stride. "Continue leading us to where your father is being held. We'll storm the place together, so no one gets separated."

Gwain paced back and forth, anxiously glancing between Merlin and Hilda. "He should have come around by now.

Gaius glared over at Hilda. She played a hand in this. "It's unusual, certainly."

The nobleman crouched. "Just a blow to the head, you say? What about his older wound. Could it have reopened? Or be causing bleeding on the inside?"

"There's some slight bruising by the wound. There's nothing to suggest anything wrong on the inside," Gaius explained as he rubbed his hand over Merlin's. He was becoming cold. The physician looked at Gwaine. "Can you go check on Hilda. Make sure she is doing okay? I fear she may have been traumatized by finding Merlin the way he was."

Gwaine nodded, understanding what Gaius was going to do. "I'll go do that."

Gaius waited until Gwaine had led Hilda away from him and Merlin, before he took out a swall twig cover on withered leaves that released healing properties when magic was used. He began to slowly wave it above Merlin's body while incanting Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare.

The dead king's tomb came into sight. Mithian told Arthur that the tomb just lies east of the river

"We're about to cross the Camelot border into Nemeth," Arthur reminded. "This is Odin's land now. Stay alert."