Defying Destiny - A Merlin Fanfic

Chapter 3

" it's prime ambush territory" Aria informs making the men look at her surprised with her knowledge.

Violet was not so surprised and knew that the princess knew much from all of the books she had read over the years.

" What? I'm not entirely brainless, I do know things" Aria shrugged

Arthur was the first to snap out of his shock and got straight back to business.

" Take some men, follow the ridgeline," Arthur ordered, gesturing to the edge of the gorge.

Elyan rode off with some men while everyone else entered the gorge.

The only sounds that could be heard were the whistling of the wind against the rocky walls and the sounds of horseshoes along the grassy path.

Aria was once again up front with Arthur, gazing at her surroundings with interest. Violet was behind them with Merlin looking a little bit nervous.

Merlin noticing the maids nerves smiled kindly at her in hopes of cheering her up. Violet smiled back at Merlin but still looked nervous as she glanced up at gorge walls towering over them.

Aria's gaze went from the gorge walls to the path in front of her when she heard Elyan and his men approaching from further up the gorge.
Aria and the others stopper their horses when they met halfway.

" Something you need to see," Elyan said

They all followed Elyan to what appeared to be an abandoned village that was built into the gorge walls.

They all dismounted and gazed at the village.

Aria let out a loud gasp and stumbled backwards slightly once she saw the lifeless villagers on the ground and felt pity for them.

Arthur glanced back at Aria when she gasped then followed her gaze to the bodies littering the grassy floor.

All the knights had drawn their swords and started looking around the village so Aria and Violet copied their actions. Aria had gotten out her bow, knocking an arrow while Violet drew her sword, that she had been given by Aria, from its sheath.
Violet didn't have much experience with a sword so she was incredibly nervous and tried to stay near someone in case something happened and they had to fight.

Unlike Violet, Aria looked around the village feeling sorrow in her heart for the villagers but also a sense of fascination with how the people managed to build inside the gorges rocky walls.

Merlin had wandered off on his own, exploring the village when a faint whisper in the wind called out

" Emrys..."

Merlin looked confused before ignoring the sound and continued looking around the village. But the voice called out again

" Emrys "

Merlin's head shot around to find a little archway venturing deep into the walls of the gorge.

The voice seemed to get louder the further he went into the cave.

" Emrys"

Merlin finally came to a little pool inside the cave where an old man lay on the side with one hand in the water of the pool. The man was pale and appeared to be dead.

Merlin looked over the man curiously before noticing a druid mark on the man's wrist. Only this druid mark had a yellow coil running through it.

As Merlin was staring at the mark in confusion the man suddenly burst to life and grabbed hold of Merlin's wrist, startling the sorcerer.