A/N:

Soooo… It's been a while. Not sure if anyone still reading seeing as I'm pretty sure its been about six months at least since my last update but, apologies. Shout out to NewtPhoenix for favouriting this a couple days ago and reminding me that people are still interested in the story.

It is still my intention to finish this, do not doubt.

Enjoy!

Ilandrae

Disclaimer: Don't own Merlin. Dreams though right?

CHAPTER 10 – THE FIFTH RIDER

The Woods

Comet was the only reason that Mel didn't fall off. The star of a horse drew Merlin's attention with a worried neigh as the girl started to nod off, exhausted by her all-night ride through the woods and refusal to stay behind.

"Mel!" the girl threw her arms around Comet's neck as Merlin's call jolted her awake, pulling herself back into the saddle.

Wide green eyes met Merlin's "Whoops…"

"Come ride with me for a bit Mel," Merlin shifted back in his saddle to make room "Have a nap, you've had a rough couple of days."

She hesitated; Mel had always liked to take care of herself. Stubbornly independent to an arguably unhelpful degree.

"Now Mel," Merlin ordered "You'll be no good for the village if you're falling out of the saddle"

Reluctantly she nodded. Leon and Percival had watched the conversation in silence but now started to slow their horses.

Merlin waved them on, "Don't bother"

"But-" Leon's confused question broke off as Mel kicked her feet from her stirrups "Mel what're you-"

"Shhh!" the girl shushed him as she stood on her saddle, Comet still trotting beneath her. Merlin put down his own reins and Mel stepped from her horse to his without even a wobble. As she slid to a seat in front of him Merlin reached for his reins again.

While Leon and Percival still stared wide eyes at the girls display of horsemanship skills Leon voiced his other concern "The horse-?"

"He knows to follow." Merlin said and indeed Comet had neither slowed nor turned away but continued with the group.

"Oh ok," Percival muttered to himself "so now you can talk to horses."

"It's not talking Percival," Merlin said with a grin "It's understanding."

Merlin turned back to Mel who had settled and was leaning back against him, "Sleep Mel. We still have a bit to go". The girl nodded wearily as she slipped into an exhausted sleep.

Merlin had another funny feeling. Something her sensed but couldn't quite put his finger on. The warlock had been using his magic to feed the horses and keep them riding all day and through the night, far longer than they would have been able to without his aid. But that nagging feeling had nothing to do with the drain he was feeling on his magic.

Mel who had startled awake at in the early hours of the morning sat tensely in Comet's saddle, no doubt fearing for her home.

But after the initial adrenaline and fear had worn off, and his mind had settled somewhat, it had been there for hours on end. Like a sound just out of earshot, or the feeling of eyes on your back. As his irritation with the feeling peaked, he finally turned his attention to figuring out what it was.

He cast his mind out searching… seeking.

And was pleasantly surprised when he found a single rider a short time behind them. Even more so when he recognised exactly who it was and what secret he happened to be hiding.

Oh… this is going be very interesting.

But he said nothing to his companions, and they continued riding.

A short time later Leon urged his horse forward and said quietly to Merlin, "We think we're being followed".

The corner of the warlock's mouth twitched, "I know".

As the knight cut him a sharp look Merlin reigned in his horse and called out into the woods, "I know you've been following us! I sensed you hours ago!" he ignored the additional sharp looks from Leon and Percival. Mel just smiled.

"It's too late to send you back now anyway. You may as well just ride with us"

There was silence.

"Why did you inv-" Leon started but then broke off as a single solitary rider rode towards them.

"Morning Sir Percival, Sir Leon," Art said as he rode towards them.

The knights were only staring at him, unable to formulate any sentences so Merlin was not surprised when it was Mel that broke the silence, "You're that kid that was with the fancy lady at the castle"

"Excuse me?" Art's tone said he wasn't accustomed to being called 'that kid' nor hearing someone refer to the Queen as 'the fancy lady'.

"I'm Prince Arthur" the young prince looked a little offended. Mel wasn't impressed by the title.

"EXACTLY!" Leon found his voice, "So why in the name of Camelot are you out here? You are the crown prince Art; it is much too dangerous for you to be out here with no protection!"

"I wanted to come," Art said defensively, "I had to come".

"Sorry Art," Percival said, "But Leon's right. What did your mother say about this?"

Art cast his eyes downwards, "She said I couldn't go".

"Art," Percival signed "you can't jus-"

"It doesn't matter now anyway," Merlin interrupted them and spurred his horse on, Mel following suit. "It's too late to send him back now, do you want him riding back to Camelot all by himself? Cause we don't have time to take him back ourselves".

Art urged his horse after them with a smug smile as Leon and Percival realised the truth in Merlins words.

"Besides," Merlin joked, "he's probably safest with me anyway. I've had plenty of experience keeping idiotic Princes of Camelot from getting themselves killed".

Art frowned, "I feel like I should be insulted… but I'm not?"

Merlin laughed, "He even has a sense of humour!"

Leon grumbled to Percival but said no more. Merlin's glance back showed the two knights discussing something in a whisper. Knowing the knights of Camelot, they were making a protection detail for Art.

He gave a quick smile to himself but then he glanced at the boy in question.

The boy. The boy who looked exactly as Merlin would have pictured if he'd been asked to imagine a ten-year-old Arthur. That blond hair, those blue eyes, the steady weight of responsibility that even at ten Art showed.

So much had happened in the past day that he hadn't really had time for it to hit him. Arthur had a son…

How had he not known? How had Arthur, even in his whispered words not told him?

But he remembered Arthur's words as he had stood on that rise, in that moment of uncertainty: he's going to kill them; Save them; save him. Words which in the rush hadn't impacted fully on Merlin's mind now made complete sense.

Again, Merlin glanced at Art, there was no way he could think of him as Arthur, and he was again amazed at how similar they looked. Right down to the guarded yet compassionate expression.

Art was riding silently, looking at no one. But Merlin got the impression that just as he was stealing glances at Art when he wasn't looking, the boy was doing the same to him.

He then thought about the other thing he come to realise when he had sensed Art. He had his own theory as to how it came to be but even so, it could make things very interesting in the future.

Merlin shook himself out of his meandering thoughts. Enough about what the future might hold. He had to focus on what was happening now.

No more stopping. No more delays. Those bandits were going to pay.

A/N:

Just want to take the chance to say that 2020 sucks. And that even in this train wreck of a year, there's always some good. Hopefully with writing I can do my bit and bring some extra bit of light to this year.

That being said, I'm probably going to add another chapter in the next couple of hours as well.

Thanks and stay strong people,

I ;)