The Future of Camelot

Finding Who They Needed, and Another

The party set out carefully the next day. They crossed the border into Cenred's kingdom early, so they were constantly keeping an eye out for patrols.

"Why don't you just - " - Gwaine made intricate, flailing gestures with his arms - " - the enemy?" Everyone stared at him. Morgana nudged her horse beside Merlin's and loudly whispered,

"Was that his impression of magic?" Gwaine harumphed and rode to the front. Merlin grinned at Morgana.

"I think you offended him," he laughed. Morgana raised her eyebrows, but her serious façade didn't last long. Her lips twitched slightly. Merlin grinned even wider, and Morgana's smile broke through.

"I know you're laughing at me," Gwaine called back at them without turning around. Merlin and Morgana glanced at each other and burst out laughing.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny," Gwaine pouted. This only caused the other knights to laugh as well.

"You know, I don't know why we don't take Gwaine on more trips. He's quite entertaining," Leon realized. Gwaine turned around at exactly the wrong time, because right in front of him, a branch crossed the road at chest level. It knocked him out of the saddle.

"I know why we don't," Elyan laughed, steering his horse around Gwaine. "Because he's an idiot." Percival chuckled, but he reached down and grabbed his bumbling friend, standing him upright. Lancelot trotted around them and grabbed the reins of Gwaine's horse. Soon the teased knight was back on the horse and laughing in self-deprecation with everyone else.

Morgana stopped laughing abruptly. Merlin looked at her in concern.

"What is it?" he asked. She was staring straight ahead, through the trees and at the small village appearing. Merlin used his magic to see the path ahead, until he saw what she must have.

There was a stake in the middle of the town square. Tied to it was a woman, struggling against her bonds. Merlin gasped when he recognized her.

"Merlin? What is it?" Arthur asked.

"Is that - " started Morgana.

"Yes," Merlin affirmed. "It's Mithian." The princess was dressed in rags and smeared with dirt and possibly blood, but she was as beautiful as ever.

"Mithian!" Arthur gasped. "What is she doing?" Merlin didn't answer, only spurred his horse ahead and galloped to the village, Morgana close behind him. The knights followed, still unsure of what the witch and the warlock had seen. They just knew it was bad.

0O0O0O0

Mithian struggled against her bonds, but to no avail. They were so tight, she almost couldn't breathe.

"Please," she gasped. "Please don't do this." The man in front of her growled at struck her cheek with the back of his hand. She winced at the sharp impact and turned away.

"Would you rather your father suffer your fate?" he asked. Mithian bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. They came anyway, stinging as they found the tiny cuts on her face and neck.

"No," she whimpered. "Don't hurt him."

"You and your father could be let free," the man said, bringing his face uncomfortably close to hers. She could feel his disgusting breath on her face. "If you swear your loyalty to the true ruler of this land."

Mithian leaned in even closer to the man, overcoming her fear to show her resolve. "Never," she hissed, then spat in his face. The saliva landed under his eye. He recoiled, glaring at her.

"So be it," he said quietly. He motioned to some villagers, and they approached the princess. Mithian struggled, but nothing stopped them from coming up to her with logs. These they placed around her feet. Someone else drizzled oil on the wood and on Mithian. They all seemed to be in a trance, as if their minds weren't their own. A woman handed the man a torch. He held it dangerously close to the logs.