We kept moving. Not looking back at the lost ones. There was nothing we could do now, but keep moving forward. Some boys couldn't help, but cry for their friends. I felt bad for them. They were too young, too innocent. They never properly learned how to deal with a death. I'm sorry I could help them.
For two days, nothing happened. We would ride around, eat meals, talk, and watch for danger. No troubles found us. Day five, we heard a girl scream. I gathered ten men and ran for the girls screams. We found a wolf snarling at her. I shout for the wolf. It ran for us, but one man stabbed its side, killing it. I walked towards the girl carefully. She was laying on the ground in a ball. Her dirty blonde hair covered her face. She was shaking. I kneeled down in front of her.
"Careful, sire," said one man. I turned towards them to find them watching us. I turned back to the girl. I gently touched her shoulder.
"Hello," She flinched away, "We aren't going to hurt you. I promise," no reply, "my name is Myrddin. These are some of my new recruits. I promise you, we mean no harm." She looked up at me. Her eyes were dark green and looking around terrified. I reached out for her hand. She took it, but then gave me a hug. I was shocked at first, but hugged back. I shushed her to quiet her cries. She sobbed into my shoulder. I knew then and there that I had to protect her. This was a dangerous forest for her to be in. I can't let anything happen to her. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her back to camp. The boys followed.
"Myrddin, what's happened?" Philip came running to me. He scooped up the girl from my arms and examined her for injuries on the nearest rock.
"She was attacked by a wolf," I replied as I kneeled down to her. "Can you tell us your name?" I asked gently.
"L-Lamia. That's my name," she said. I smiled at her.
"Nice to meet you, Lamia. Like I said before, my name is Myrddin. This is Philip. We will protect you from all harm, I promise." I explained to her. She smiled at me.
"Sire, may we speak with you?" One of the recruits asked.
"Can it wait?" I asked getting annoyed.
"No, it can't," he's voice shaking. I sighed as I stood.
"What's this about?" I asked them.
"We don't know who this girl is or how she came to be in the forest. For all we know she could be a monster as well," the tallest of the ten said.
"How dare you! Accusing an innocent girl. You better watch your tongue before it gets cut off!" I yelled at them in a rage.
"But, sir!" Pleaded the smallest.
"No buts! You are knights now. Act like it!" I yelled at them. "And if I see any one of you giving her a hard time, you are to be left behind and never return to Caerleon. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sire." They walked away with their heads down. How dare they. Lamia didn't do anything wrong. I looked to her as she stared at me. I smiled to her apologetic.
"I'm sorry, Lamia. I will make sure nothing wrong happens to you," I reassured her. Soon night fell and dinner drew in, but Lamia wouldn't eat anything. The next day we rode out to the east. Lamia said she knew of a safe place in the forest, and she wanted to help us like we helped her. Joseph and Thomas argued with me. They didn't trust her just like the other boys. It seemed like only Philip agreed with me. We had to stop half way for a small break. I took Lamia off my horse and she went to sit down by a tree as she played with her hair. I was about to grabbed a water skin for Lamia when I saw Philip walking toward her with his. I grew jealous. I walked in front of him and handed Lamia my water skin.
"What the bloody hell?" Philip yelled. I turned towards him. He was outraged, but I didn't care. I rolled my eyes and walked away from him. He watched me go with a glare in his eyes. We rode out for another few hours. Most of the boys talked amongst themselves, but I didn't speak to anyone. When we made camp, I was first watch with Thomas. I watched over Lamia more than I watched for danger though.
Throughout the night, I began zoning off. I jumped up when I heard a snap in the forest behind me. I grabbed my sword and quietly made my way in the forest. It took some time before I heard chatter.
"I've been waiting for you. You mustn't be afraid," a kind voice said. Lamia.
"Who said I was afraid?" Another voice replied. This one I recognize as Philip. I walked into the clearing and saw them close together.
"Philip," I said. He turned around to face me. "Get back to the camp." He scowled me.
"No, I'm talking to Lamia," He replied.
"You're next watch," I told him, "you shouldn't be straying from the group."
"I'm not straying. I was watching out for Lamia," he told me.
"Go to you post now," I threateningly replied.
"You may be the princess' betrothed and the kings favorite, but that does not mean you can boss me around!" He yelled at me.
"Actually, it does! I'm leading this quest which means I give the orders, and I gave you an order," I stated. We were face to face now scowling each other.
"I will not obey that order," he said. The anger brewing in me began to boil until it burst. Soon enough, Philip was on the ground. He stared at me in disbelief. He jumped up and attacked me. We fought and fought until I was on top of him. I punched his bleeding face multiple times before I felt someone's arms pulling me away. I tried to fight them off me, so I could finish what I started, but my attempts failed. I was too tired. Philip stood up and stood next to Lamia who had watching us. No emotion was in her face. "Why don't you want me to be happy, Myrddin? You have Aetheria! What are you to gain fighting me over Lamia?" I stared at him. Aetheria, my love. Why am I fighting Philip? I looked at Lamia and instantly, my feelings shifted. I like Lamia. I didn't say a word. I looked at who was holding me—Thomas. I shoved him off me. I looked to Philip and Lamia. Philip was facing Lamia now. She grabbed his arm and lifted up on the tip of her toes, kissing him. Philip shook. I looked at him strangely. He fell to the ground. Lamia's eyes turned snaky and shined bright green. I stared wide eyed. Thomas unsheathed his sword. Lamia wipped her arm up, and Thomas flew back, not moving a muscle after hitting the ground. I turned to Lamia. I unsheathed my own sword.
"Myrddin, we can be together now. No one can stop us," she lifted her hand for me to take. I had to shake the feeling of taking it. Aetheria, I love Aetheria, not Lamia. What was I thinking? I sliced my sword at her arm, but she quickly jumped back from the blade. She tried pushing me back with magic, and I thought I would, but I stood my ground. I stood confused. Shouldn't I have been pushed back? "No, but how? Only one man can do that!"
"Do what?" I asked her confused, but instead of answering, she let out a bloody scream into the air. I had to cover my ears before they burst. I almost passed out from the amount of pressure her scream put in. My eyes were dripping something, but I don't think it was tears. I shut them. She stopped, and I finally gathered the strength to stand up. A monster stood in her place, but it stood frozen, scared. I walked up to her, and without hesitation, I stabbed her straight threw. She gasped before she faded away. I never found out what she was talking about or why she screamed like that. For all I know, she was calling for an army. Before I knew it, my head began to fuzz, and I was on the ground, my eyes closing.
I gasped awake. Gaius burst through the door a few moments later with a vile. He tried to hand it to me, but I shook it away.
"No more, Gaius. Please," I begged him. "They won't do any good."
"Help me understand, Merlin. You know who did this to you, yet you won't talk," he stopped for a moment, "You won't talk to me anymore."
"Gaius, I," I didn't know what to say. I wanted to tell him. I wanted to confess what I did. I wanted the pain and guilt to go away. I wanted to live my new life in peace, but I couldn't. I'm guilty, and I don't know what would come of me if I confessed. "I," I couldn't find the words to tell him. I needed to lie.
"You can tell me," he reassured me, but he didn't understand. He would never understand. No one will.
"I have to go home," I stated.
"You have a job to do, Merlin. You already had a few days off to go home and came home with some girl," He told me.
"She's a friend of mine, Gaius, who was in a bad place. I had to get her out," I argued, "And as for my job, I can't- I just can't do it."
"Why not?" He asked.
"I need to get out of Camelot. I need to clear my head," I replied. He sighed and shook his head.
"I'm not going to win with you, am I?" He questioned. I shook my head.
"Please, let me go. I need some time away from Camelot," I argued. He nodded his head and started for the door. "When I'm gone, would you please give a reasonable explanation to Arthur? Not the tavern this time." I scowled. He turned around to face me.
"You aren't telling Arthur first?"
"No, he'll end up telling me I can't go." I stated.
"Very well," he replied, "I'll make something up." He smiled at me before shutting the door behind him. I got out of bed and started packing for my long journey that lay ahead of me.
-
The streets were quiet. Families lay in their beds fast asleep, dreaming of what ever their minds wished them to dream. It was coming close to dawn, but not quite. It was the perfect timing to sneak out of Camelot, but guards were guarding the gates. The forest that laid ahead held guards who were on patrol. Arthur had ordered a stronger security system within the past few weeks. He claims that something was coming. I don't blame him. It's been too quiet and with him finding out someone spelled me, he's been ordering more patrols.
I reached down to the pouch that hung from my pants. It held my daggers. My sword hung, draped in a blanket, on my brown bag, behind my back. I hid in the shadows, so no one can see me. I would have to go the long way because I won't fight Camelot knights just to leave the city. I headed back from where I had come.
The forest was soon in front of me. I turned around to make sure I wasn't being followed. I took a deep breath before heading into the dark.