Night had fallen and the trio was cramped under a small overhang to sleep. The wind was, noisy, strong and cold.
Aria was squished in between Merlin and Arthur as they insisted that she be kept warm. Her hair was once again out of its braid and was covering part of her face. She was shivering quite a bit, due to the cold and wished she still had her cosy red cloak with her but she had sadly left it behind when she, Merlin and Arthur escaped from Morgana and the Saxons.
Thinking Aria had fallen asleep Merlin starts talking to Arthur.
"Arthur?"
"Hmm" Arthur responded
"I need to tell you something. The man, the old man in the village..." Merlin started
" Just think about something else, Merlin" Arthur murmured trying to fall asleep.
" No, I need you to listen to me " Merlin insisted
" before he died, he tried to warn me; he told me that you were in danger and that the danger was close"
" He was dying, Merlin. It is what he would say" Arthur told him
" I think he was a druid seer," Merlin said
" You expect me to listen to a sorcerer?" Arthur asked
" Why would he tell me that? He had no knowledge that I even knew you." Merlin moved slightly to look at Arthur.
" We have to turn back" Merlin whispered
" I can't, even if what he said were true, it makes no difference" Merlin sat up fully to look at Arthur. Aria suddenly feeling the cold wind, curled up into a ball against Arthur's side to try and keep warm.
" Arthur, without you Camelot is nothing, all that we worked so hard to create, everything we've begun.." Arthur suddenly sat up to face Merlin.
Aria let out a little whine when he moved and curled into a tighter ball.
" Look no matter what adversity we face, we stand for what is right. To betray our beliefs, Merlin, that is what will destroy everything we've strived for."
" I swear I'm going to rescue my men or die trying, " Arthur said stubbornly
" and I swear I will protect you or die at your side and I'm sure, if Aria were awake right now, she'd say the same thing"
Arthur nodded gazing down lovingly at his little sister.
Aria, from where she was curled up, smiled at Merlin's words. She had been awake all this time and had listened to the whole conversation. Arthur saw her smiling and chuckled slightly knowing she was awake.
Arthur then smiled at Merlin before giving his servant a friendly bump on the shoulder and then laid back down and fell asleep with Aria once again curling up to his side desperate for warmth. Merlin followed shortly after but he didn't go to sleep, he just lay awake, thinking.
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The next morning, Aria woke up to the sound of hooves. She sits up slightly and shook Arthur to wake him up.
" What?"Arthur groaned opening his eyes
Aria quickly shushed him and pointed up towards where she heard the horses.
Merlin wakes up as well but before he could say anything Arthur reaches over Aria and put his hand over Merlin's mouth to keep him from talking.
" Don't just stand there, find them!" They heard Morgana order her men.
Aria froze at the sound of her sister's voice
Her once warm and loving tone was now one filled with bitterness and hatred.
" I don't care how long it takes"
When the sound of retreating hooves disappeared, the trio, deciding it was safe, got up from their hiding place and continued with their journey.
____________________________________
" If only we had a horse" Arthur grumbles as the trio walked through the forest
" Or a pig"
" You can't ride a pig, Merlin" Aria laughed.
" No, but we could roast it, with carrots, parsnips and apples "
" Merlin" Arthur said hoping Merlin would stop talking about food.
" No your right. We won't waste the apples, we'll put them in a pie" Merlin continued
" Merlin, stop it. You're making me hungry" Aria placed her hand on her stomach as it let out a low growl showing how hungry she was. Her hair was flowing gently behind her as she had decided to just leave her hair down and didn't bother attempting to put it back up again.
" I have to eat something" Merlin states
" Me too, but unless you can magically create food for us, then I guess we just have to deal with being hungry for now, " Aria sarcastically said but hid a little joke in her words that she knew would go over Arthur's head.
Merlin glared playfully at Aria's little joke about him having magic before he noticed something laying on the leafy ground causing the trio to come to a stop.
" Rabbits?" Merlin says confused and goes to pick them up but as Merlin bends down to grab them Arthur and Aria suddenly realise that it's a trap and rush forwards at the to stop him
" Merlin!" They both exclaimed at the same time.
Suddenly all three of them were caught in a giant net. Leaves fluttered to the ground from the giant net as the trio inside were squashed together.
" I got them," Merlin said pressed up against the rope of the net with Arthur and Aria. Aria was cramped in the middle of them along with the rabbits.
____________________________________
Hours later and Arthur, Aria and Merlin were still trying to break free from the net they had found themselves trapped in.
The net was swinging back and forth as the trio tried to find a way out.
" What are you doing?" Merlin asked Arthur
" If I could reach my sword, we'll be able to cut the rope. Aria, try getting yours as well" Arthur said trying to grab his sword.
" What do you think I've been trying to do this whole time?" Aria huffed trying to reach her sword but it was a little difficult as she could hardly move.
Merlin suddenly groans
" Don't put your knee there"
" Where?"
Arthur moved his knee exactly where Merlin told him not to move it causing Merlin to cry out in discomfort. The net started swinging more as Arthur, Aria and Merlin all desperately tried to move in the small space provided.
Arthur's and Aria's swords suddenly fell out of their sheaths and all of Aria's arrows fell out of her quiver, clattering noisily to the leafy floor below.
" Merlin!" Arthur yelled in fury and attempted to hit Merlin but was unsuccessful.
" That was your fault! That was your fault!" Merlin exclaimed as Arthur continuously tried hitting him making the net bounce and sway.
Aria lent against the rope of the net and sighed in defeat as Arthur gave up on trying to hit Merlin and did the same.
" Great, just great" Aria muttered
" Where'd the other rabbit go?" Merlin wondered.
____________________________________
The following morning, Arthur and Merlin were fast asleep against the ropes of the net with one of the rabbits wedged between them.
Aria was fast asleep on top of Arthur, with one of her arms falling lazily outside of the net.
The rope holding up the net suddenly snapped, causing the net to fall to the floor with a thud, waking the trio from their slumber.
Two men appeared and surrounded the little group.
" I'm sorry" A third man walked to towards the group and appeared to be the one in charge. He had a small dagger in his hand and was waving it around carelessly
"Did we wake you?"
Aria quickly tried reaching for Arthur's sword as it was the closest to her, but the leader stopped her from picking it up by placing his foot on the blade.
" Not so fast, sweetheart" The man laughed as he put his dagger away.
Aria let go of the sword looking annoyed
The man picked up Arthur's and Aria's swords and studied them.
" The king and princess of Camelot, you two will fetch a handsome price. Alive or dead." The leader pointed Arthur's sword at Arthur as he gave Aria's to one of his men.
" Any lasts requests?" The man asked kneeling down.
Arthur looks at Aria and Merlin.
" Let my sister and servant go, they don't deserve to die like this"
The leader laughed
" Well, we'll let your servant go, but I'm afraid I just can't afford to let such beauty escape my from grasp so easily," The leader said placing the tip of Arthur's sword under Aria's chin forcing her to lift her head up.
Aria and Arthur glared at the leader, disgusted.
Arthur gently pushed the tip of the sword away from Aria and kept his arm in front of her protectively.
"Leave her alone" Arthur spat at the leader who just smirked arrogantly and laughed at him.
The leader nodded to his men who stepped towards the group and grabbed hold of Merlin and Aria and one started dragging Merlin away as the leader prepared to strike Arthur.
Aria tried to run to her brother as a feeble attempt to protect him but was easily stopped by one of the guards restraining her and Aria was sure that she was going to have bruises on her arms from how tight the guard's grip was.
Merlin stops suddenly and rips his arm out of the other guard's grip standing strong against the leader.
" If you're going to kill him, you'll have to kill me first"
The leader smirked and turned towards Merlin, sword raised.
" Merlin" Arthur warns
" You'll have to kill me too " Aria added finding her courage, her head held high.
" Aria! " Arthur exclaimed
" Both of you step aside"
" You know we never do as we're told" Merlin fires back
The leader smirks and prepared to strike Merlin as Arthur and Aria desperately try to stop him but are restrained by the guards.
At the same time, someone shouts from the other side of the clearing.
" Stop!"
All heads turned to where the voice came from and they saw a young man walking towards them.
Merlin recognised him as the same man from the visions he saw. Dark curly hair, pale blue eyes.
As the guard was distracted, Aria manages to get out of his grip again and ran beside Merlin who instinctively stepped in front of her protectively while Aria glanced at him confused.
Aria then stared at the stranger with confusion and curiosity. The man looked so familiar to her like she had met him before, she just couldn't remember from where or when.
The man stopped when he reached the group.
" Shouldn't we leave it to the Lady Morgana to decide their fate?" He questions the leader who laughed and walked off somewhere with his men.
The man walked over to Arthur, who was still on the floor and held his arm out to him.
Arthur hesitantly takes it and the stranger helps him up.
" You don't remember me do you?" The stranger asked Arthur who looked at him confused
" You saved my life once, many years ago"
After hearing this Aria let out a faint gasp as she finally recognises the stranger.
The druid boy she had helped smuggle out of Camelot when she was a little girl. The boy she had become good friends with while he was hidden in Morgana's chambers.
Aria ignores Merlin despite tries to hold her back and took a cautious step towards the man.
"Mordred?" Aria asked shyly.
Mordred looked at Aria and smiled, recognising his childhood friend, before he looked back at Arthur.
" Hello Arthur "