A/N Happy Friday everyone! Have a fabulous weekend and hope you enjoy this chapter :)
***
'I don't think we're in Camelot any more,' Rose looked out of the window.
They were locked in an attic in a house on a busy street. From their window they could see people hurrying to and fro and stall owners crying out their wares.
Rose guessed from the clothes that everyone was wearing that they were probably in the 1700s or 1800s.
'What do you think's going happen?' Rose turned to look at Oliver. They had tried the door and found it firmly locked.
'Don't know,' Oliver rattled the door handle one last time and gave up.
They decided to change back into their clothes from Camelot because it wouldn't make them stand out in a crowd so much – it was more similar to what people in the street were wearing. Even with their cloaks around them, it was still cold in the attic room so Rose had put on her jodhpurs from the 21st century on under her dress as well as her jumper. With her cloak on top of that, she was definitely warming up. Oliver had followed her example and layered up too.
'The wizard obviously wanted Tom, not us,' said Rose. 'So maybe he'll just let us go?'
She and Oliver sat down against the wall, huddling together for warmth. It was getting dark outside and the light in their room was fading.
'But how would we get home?' asked Oliver. 'We don't have magic to open the time-door-thing in the stone circle and,' he paused. 'Don't you think we'd be more useful as hostages to him?'
'But that's assuming that Tom knows where we are...'
***
'I don't know where they are,' Tom sat at a table in the royal apartments with his head in his hands.
'Well, find a way!' snarled Will, who was pacing up and down, occasionally aiming a kick at any furniture that got in his way.
'Calm down,' said Storm firmly. 'We will think of a way, but you're no help to anyone in that mood.'
'Rose could be anywhere!' Will shouted. 'You don't understand, she's like a sister to me and if she's hurt...' he trailed off.
'I said we will find them,' said Storm steadily. She steered Will out of the room and set off with him down the corridor, still speaking in a calm and steady voice:
'Gaius is looking through his books for a tracking spell now, the king and queen are helping him, Merlin and Torrent have gone to look for any clues back at the circle and you can come with me to the library and search through the magic books there.'
Will ground his teeth together but followed Storm into the thankfully empty library, picked out several books at random, slammed them down on the table and began to turn the pages viciously.
He looked up when Storm removed the books from him and took hold of his shoulders.
'Will,' she said. 'I promise you we will find them and that they will be alright. If it's any consolation, the wizard will not want them hurt or dead, because he will soon discover that he does not have Tom and will want to keep them as hostages. I know you're scared for them but the only thing you can do to help them is keep calm and help us look for a tracking spell.'
Will calmed himself down and apologised sheepishly. Storm rolled her eyes and gave him a book to search.
***
Rose woke with a start. They had both fallen asleep for a few hours propped up against the wall. Oliver had his arm around her and was still asleep. A thrill went through her as she remembered their kiss and then she heard it again – the noise that had woken her: someone was unlocking the door from the other side.
'Oliver!' she nudged him awake. Immediately, he realised what was happening and they both scrambled to their feet.
Oliver felt Rose's hand creep into his and held it tightly, needing as much support as he was giving.
The door swung open to reveal the cloaked figure that had been in the centre of the stone circle.
This time, though, his hood was down and they could see he was a man in his late thirties with a scar that ran down the side of his face.
Well, thought Rose, what's a proper villain without a scar?
'Can we help you?' she asked politely.
The wizard ignored her and stomped over to Oliver.
'Turn around and put your hands behind you back,' he commanded.
Oliver did so, reasoning that at least they would find out what was going to happen to them now.
He felt his hands being tied tightly and then was spun around and dragged out of the room.
Looking at Rose over his shoulder, he saw her give a reassuring smile that didn't quite hide the worry in her face before the door was slammed behind him.
He was led down the stairs of the house they were in and shoved into the kitchen where the man slammed him into a chair. Oliver shifted uncomfortably but froze when a woman entered.
She was dressed in a black dress and had long red hair with an evil glint in her eye. She strode over to him and grabbed his chin so she could stare him in the face. After a few seconds of her eyes searching him, she grunted and wheeled around to smack the wizard who had brought him in in the face.
'This isn't the boy, you fool! Does he look like the son of King Arthur to you?'
Oliver gasped as he realised what had happened: the man had thought he was Tom!
The wizard, who had seemed so formidable at first sight, cowered at the wrath of the woman.
'Sorry, so sorry, Your Ladyship,' he scurried from the room.
'Ladyship?' frowned Oliver.
The woman turned back to Oliver, 'I am Morgana le Fey.'
Oliver swore inwardly. He remembered Tom talking about her – she was one of the most dangerous enemies of Camelot. And now he and Rose were her prisoners. Great.
'Where is the boy?' she demanded.
Oliver tried to look innocent, 'which boy?'
'Prince Thomas!' she hissed. 'I gave specific instructions to that fool; the gas should have knocked you all out! Why did he only bring you and the girl back?'
Oliver hesitated. He and Rose had worked out earlier that it was probably because it didn't affect anyone with magic, although it didn't explain why Will wasn't with them.
However, he had been silent for too long and Morgana le Fey had lost patience with him.
'Tell me!' She gave him a slap across his cheek which sent him flying off the chair and he landed on the floor, gasping. He tried to push himself to his feet, which was not easy with his hands still tied behind his back.
'I-I don't think the gas worked on anyone with magic,' he stammered. He managed to stand up and faced her defiantly.
At his words, Morgana le Fey stood stock still. Then:
'So it would appear. No matter – it is probable that Thomas will come and find you in any case.'
'You're going to keep us as hostages?' Oliver felt his heart sink. But, he thought, at least it will make it easier for Tom and the others to find us.
She ignored him and shouted for the man with the scar, who came hurrying back in.
'Take him back upstairs,' she instructed.
Oliver was taken back to the attic room and shoved inside. Rose caught him, her eyes narrowing as she saw the mark on his cheek.
'What happened?' she demanded, untying his hands.
'That man – he's not really in charge, I've just met Morgana le Fey, Tom was saying that she was one of the really bad guys- anyway, he thought I was Tom and now they know they haven't got him, we're going to be bait for him if he can find us.'
Oliver realised what he had said and his eyes met Rose's.
'If?' she said.