A/N:

Hello! Thanks to all reviewers and I am so grateful that people are actually reading my story. Soz about the slight cliffy of last chapter and sorry again cause this actually happens at the same time as/before last chapter. Also I know it's a day late. But bonus because I feel bad you get TWO chapters today!

Enjoy!

Ilandrae

Disclaimer: I own nothing, literally I live with my parents I got nothing. Jokes, don't worry I got Mel, she's mine)

CHAPTER 3 - CLOSED MOUTHED VILLAGERS

Ameldry:

"Gaius couldn't have found a more specific location?" Leon said gruffly as he and Percival trotted down a forest path, "The Forest of Merenora is a big place, it could take us weeks to find the sorcerer. Camelot only has days"

Percival shrugged "Apparently when Gaius said he was from Camelot people clamped up. Refused to talk. The Forest of Merenora was as specific as he could get"

Leon sighed, "The map said there was a village on the outskirts of the forest. Ameldry, we'll start there"

"Sounds good" Percival said but then paused, "we should change out of our Camelot colours though. If being from Camelot stopped them from talking to Gaius, who knows if they'll even acknowledge knights of Camelot. We need them to talk to us"

"Good point" Leon dismounted and started fumbling with the tie of his cloak. When their bright red cloaks were safely stowed away, they continued riding.

When the two strangers entered his tavern Eran stared at them with distrust. All it took was one look and he saw that they didn't quite fit.

He'd never seen them before, a rare occurrence for the tavern owner, and though they were dressed as common mercenaries, they did not act like them. They stood with authority and though they attempted to conceal it, thy walked with a pride that some would consider arrogance. Their swords and armour too, the equipment was of too high a quality for that of an ordinary thug. Though one of them certainly had the muscles and sheer size for it.

Eran quickly averted his gaze as they turned to him. But still they approached the bench from which he was serving drinks. Eran glanced to where his daughter, Melisandrae, was showing the patrons her new cartwheel. She caught his eye and he motioned for her to go the back room.

"Good afternoon sirs" he said pleasantly to the strangers as they reached the counter, "what can I get for you? Mead? Wine? Stew fresh from the pot?" he nervously rubbed his hands together as he saw symbol that was at the pommel of the red-haired man's sword. The Crest of Camelot.

"How about information?" the red head asked

"Of what kind?" Eran asked hoping the answer wouldn't be what he thought it was going to be. His heart quickened when the stranger answered.

"We have heard that there is a sorcerer about these parts"

Immediately Eran's thoughts went to the Great One, or Emrys, as he asked the villagers to call him, which they didn't. Though the entire village near about worshipped the man, Eran was particularly protective of their resident sorcerer. When he had ridden in four years ago, he had dispatched the bandits which had terrorised the village for years, as easily as Eran went around his daily business at the tavern. Shortly after, Eran's daughter took a turn for the worse. The illness from which she had suffered from for her entire life advanced suddenly, and the village healer saying she only had days to live.

The sorcerer, when he had heard of this, had immediately come and offered his help. Eran had been so desperate that he had agreed. Never had he been so happy for a decision in his life. Melisandrae, who once couldn't spend more than a few hours from her bed, was now full of life and happiness. She was the gem of the village. Even the sorcerer had shown a soft spot for his bundle of joy. And thanks to his protection, Ameldry no longer suffered from bandits, sickness or famine. In fact, ever since this first healing people had come from far and wide to seek the sorcerers aid.

Those he deemed had the right intentions and causes he helped, earning him the title of Great One no matter how often he asked to be called Emrys. But he had one condition. He had only asked that tales of his deeds never be spread to Camelot, that no stories of miracles or of a benevolent sorcerer be told to Camelot citizens. Eran had always assumed that this was because of the laws forbidding magic in Camelot, but either way, he was never going to break his promise.

"Sorcerer?" he said feigning ignorance "haven't heard of a sorcerer in these parts for nearly a decade"

"We will pay" the large strong man said, sliding a pouch that clanked with the coins inside.

Eran steadily looked the knight in the eye as he slid the coins back across the counter to them "As I said, there has been no sorcerer in these parts for many years" he glanced again towards the Camelot crest on the man's sword. The man followed the movement and Eran saw him wince, quickly covering it with his cloak.

Eran cleared his throat, "if that is all I have another pot of stew to put on" he turned and walked to the back room where Mel waited.

"Papa" she said easily picking up on his anxiety "who are they?"

He put a finger to his lips and watched the men through the doorway as they approached another man siting nursing his mead.

Eran turned back to Mel "They are Knights of Camelot" her green eyes widened.

"Are they asking ab-"

"Yes" he hurriedly replied cutting her short with his urgency "You must go warn him. I told them nothing, but it is only a matter of time before they ask the right person"

She nodded and scampered out the door. Eran looked back to the strangers and saw them leaving the man they had been talking to and approach another, still with their gold. He could only hope that Mel got there in time.

He could only hope that Ameldry wasn't about to lose its guardian angel.

Don't forget this is chapter one of two for this week!

I ;)