Hidden prince

The elder behind the waterfall

The next morning, everybody got ready to pack. They are going to villages to gather supplies and more people because some of the knights were hiding in their home villages. Merlin and his friends were going to Hé and then to Shān. Their journey was silent, without Alatan. Even Gwaine and Greg were silent. They noticed how close Arthur and Merlin were and smiled. Finally they told each other that they love each other.

"I'm bored." Gwaine finally said after a two days ride.

"You're always bored." Percival teasingly answered.

"We are almost there." Merlin said, rolling his eyes. Soon they could hear a waterfall and after a while they saw it. It was a huge waterfall, splitting in three falls.

"Wow." The Camelotian knights said.

"Where is the village?" Arthur asked.

"We better leave our horses here." Merlin said and soon they dismounted their horses, Merlin then walked towards the lake underneath the waterfall.

"We need to swim."

"What? No way!" Gwaine snarled, he didn't want to swim and then that water in his mouth. Why can't it just be mead?

"Yes, or you stay here and wait for the creatures to kill you." Merlin said, rolling his eyes.

"Alright, you win!" They all jumped into the water and swim on the other side of the waterfall. Surprisingly, they didn't feel the pressure of the waterfall above them. When they surfaced they saw a cave. The old gray walls were painted in different blue colors. A wooden platform was waiting for them and from there a wooden staircase led upstairs. The wood was from an oak tree. The stairs led to another platform that was connected to other platforms by a rope bridge. Some supported by wooden posts while others were built against the wall. On the platforms there were all small huts made of dark wood. More and more stairs lead upwards to more and more platforms until the last cabin barely touched the ceiling. Behind them was the blue waterfall that reflected the light of hundreds of candlesticks in the cave. People in blue clothes were talking to each other and children were playing with each other. Some men and women also played along, but what was especially noticeable was the old man with his dark gray eyes and hair. He looked old and so fragile, but still young at the same time. His eyes found the newcomers, and they were only now seeing how much wisdom was in his eyes. The wrinkles were already clearly visible on his face which has a friendly display. When he spoke, his voice was low and cracking, but it was loud enough to make it echo throughout the cave.

"Watashitachi no mura e yōkoso. Watashi wa taki no ushiro no chōrōdesu." (Welcome to our village. I'm the elder behind the waterfall.)