Aria was currently sat on a log, looking down at her feet whilst Arthur stood in front of her with his arms crossed and looking very angry.
The other knights and Merlin have all huddled a few feet away from them. They didn't want to get in the middle of Arthur scolding Aria.
" Arianna, what are you doing here?!" Arthur exclaimed at his sister.
Aria didn't answer.
" I told you that you were not allowed on this mission and that you were to stay inside of Camelot! Why didn't you listen!?"
Aria simply shrugged her shoulders. Arthur sighed and placed his face in his hands.
" Where's your horse?" Arthur asked
Aria silently pointed in the direction of the horses.
" Great. Then you can go back to your horse and ride back to Camelot" Arthur ordered
" But Arthur..."
" No, Aria. It's dangerous here, you're going back to Camelot. Now" Arthur cut her off.
Mordred cautiously and silently approached the two.
" Sire, if I may?" He intervened
" Yes, Mordred?"
" I was just thinking that it would be safer for Aria to stay here with us. Because if she rode back to Camelot, she would be by herself, she could possibly be attacked by bandits and we wouldn't know" Mordred reasoned
Arthur stood there thinking for a moment while the others watched him curious as to what his next move was.
Arthur looked at Aria who was still sat on the log looking at him hopefully. Arthur sighed.
" Alright, you can stay but you're staying where I can see you and no wondering off, do you understand?"
Aria smiled and nodded excitedly whilst getting up from the log.
Arthur went to walk close to the cave and Aria followed. As Aria passed Mordred she whispered " Thank you" in his ear making him smile and blush.
While walking closer to the cave Merlin came up behind Arthur.
" My Lord"
" What is it, Merlin?" Arthur asked.
" This place is sacred," Merlin warned
" It's a cave, Merlin"
" It's more than that."
" Any one cave is the same as any other" Arthur dismissed
" You can't go armed into a sacred place" Merlin warned again.
Arthur stopped and looked at Merlin as if he was insane.
" You want us to go in there unarmed?"
Merlin stayed silent.
" of all the ridiculous things that you've ever said, Merlin. There's been a few. That's the most ridiculous. By far." Arthur then walked off with the knights and Aria following. As he passed Merlin, Mordred gave Merlin a worried look. He knew how sacred this place was and wanted to leave his weapon outside but didn't want to disobey his king.
Aria, on the other hand, waited until all knights had passed her before unsheathing her sword and placing it on top of a bush along with her bow and quiver full of arrows.
She smiled at Merlin before they both followed the others inside.
____________________________________
Inside the cave, it was dark and dingy. Hanging down from the ceiling were small, weird, wooden relics. One got in Percival's way so he ripped it from the ceiling and dropped it to the floor, letting everyone step on it and break it. Aria, on the other hand, cautiously stepped over it.
The group turned the corner to see three creepy looking women wearing cloaks with their hoods up covering their entire faces apart from their mouths. They had wooden staffs in their hands.
As they were entering Mordred turned to look at Aria.
" Stay behind me" He whispered
Aria nodded and smiled softly at him, following close behind him as he went and stood on the side of the group. Aria stood in between him and Gwaine, looking at the three women with curiosity and cautiousness.
" I am Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot" Arthur announced to the three women.
" I've come to know the meaning of this"
Arthur threw the rune mark to the ground where the three women could clearly see it.
" Grove of Breneved is in the kindome of Camelot. Subjects to its laws, its decrees. Every man, however humble, however noble, has the right to be judged only by his peers. Yet you judge me in my absence. Explain yourselves"
" We do not judge," the first women said
" We do not condemn," said the second
" We are but the internuncio of the one who presides over all," said the third
" Who sees all"
" Who knows all"
" The triple goddess," They said together in unison.
" And you, Arthur Pendragon, have angered her," The first women said.
" How so?" Arthur questioned " Have I not been an honourable king? Have I not made Camelot a fair and just kingdom?
" So much is true, but you have denied the old religion."
" Dismissed its faith,"
" Persecuted its followers,"
" Even unto slaughter"
" I fight against sorcery. Superstition. That's all." Arthur argued
" Embrace the ways of the old religion, Arthur."
" Or risk the ire of the goddess"
" The destruction of everything you most value"
" The end of your reign."
" The fall of Camelot itself."
" I refuse to be judged by those who do not know me! " Arthur exclaimed
" You are known, Arthur. You and your sister have always been known"
Mordred gently took Aria's hand in his to comfort her. Aria squeezed his hand nervously.
" And now, you come here to the most sacred of the sacred. To the very heart of the old religion. With all but one's weapons drawn!"
" trampling hallowed relics!"
" Treating our sacred space like you do your kingdom. With arrogance!"
" With conceit!"
" with insolence!"
" Enough!" Gwaine yelled stepping forward even with Aria was trying to stop him " you speak of the king."
One of the three women used her magic to send Gwaine flying backwards and the other knights drew their swords.
" On me!" Arthur yelled
One of the women threw their staff and it headed straight for Aria who stood there frozen and wide-eyed
It would have hit her if Mordred hadn't of intercepted it getting hit himself.
" Mordred!" Aria cried in worry as he fell to the ground.
" Merlin!" Arthur called to his servant and Merlin rushed forward to help the others pick an unconscious Mordred up and get him out of the cave.
" Fall back!" Arthur ordered and everyone but Merlin scrambled to leave the cave.
One of the women threw another staff but Merlin stopped it with his magic. The women who threw the staff looked up to reveal her black eyes staring directly at Merlin.
Merlin quickly hurried after the others out of the cave.
____________________________________
Outside, Merlin rushed over to where Aria and Arthur were huddled around Mordred who was slipping in and out of conscious. Aria had tears running down her cheeks as she cradled Mordred's head in her lap and caressed his cheeks gently.
Merlin quickly examined Mordred's wound.
" How is he?" Arthur asked.
" It's not a simple wound. Sorcery's involved" Merlin replies still examining the wound.
" Is there anything you can do?" Arthur asked again.
Merlin paused. He remembered what the dragon told him. If he had another chance to kill Mordred he couldn't fail. Merlin looked at Aria who was sobbing. He then remembered the vision Aria sitting in her bed with a baby in her arms and everyone smiling happily around her.
" This is beyond my skills, Sire," Merlin muttered, " We need to get him back to Camelot."
" That's a long and arduous journey. What if he doesn't survive it?" Arthur whispered quietly to Merlin not wanting to upset his sister more.
" Look, I fear that Gaius is the only one that can save him," Merlin whispered back
Arthur nodded then looked back at the other knights" Mount up. We ride for Camelot" He ordered.
____________________________________
That night, Aria refused to leave Mordred's side as he lay unconscious on the ground. She had stopped crying but they were still dried tears stuck to her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy.
Arthur had tried to coaks her into eating something but Aria wouldn't eat a single thing and Arthur was worried for his sister.
Merlin walked over and placed a hand on Mordred's forehead.
" He grows worse," Arthur muttered from where he sat beside Aria.
"...There had been little change" Merlin said staring sadly at the two siblings.
Merlin went to walk away.
" I should have never let him come" Arthur muttered
" He wanted to prove himself" Merlin replied.
" And he has. He saved Aria's life. " Arthur said staring sadly at the young knight.
Aria finally spoke up for the first time since the cave.
" It was my fault" She sobbed " He jumped in the way of the staff but it was meant for me. I should be the one like this not him."
Arthur pulled Aria into a gentle hug and let her sob into his shoulder as he quietly shushed her.
Merlin looked at them sadly. He was debating whether or not he should listen to the dragon if it saved Aria from this tortuous heartbreak.
____________________________________
Back in Camelot the next day, Mordred was imminently taken to Gaius' chambers where the old man was now currently examining him. Arthur and Aria sat by Mordred's side watching worriedly. Merlin was sat by the window also watching.
" Merlin is right," Gaius told them gravely " this is no ordinary wound. There is magic at play"
" Can you save him?" Arthur asked taking his sister's hand comfortingly
" I'm but a physician. There are limits to my knowledge." Gaius replied
" But there must be something that can be done?" Aria questioned hopefully
" Perhaps. I shall do everything within my power, Sire, my lady." Gaius replied
Arthur stood up from his seat and placed a comforting hand on Aria's head and looked down at Mordred sadly.
" Let me know the moment he improves, or... " Arthur trailed off looking down at Aria concerned.
" I shall," Gaius said
Arthur then left, closing the door behind him. Gaius turned to look at Merlin then at Aria who was still sitting by Mordred's side.
" Aria, would you mind going to fetch me some fresh water from the well?" He asked her.
" Can't Merlin do it? I don't want to leave him" She replied quietly.
" I know, but I need Merlin here to help me " Gaius reasoned
Aria nodded slightly and stood up from her chair. " I won't be a moment," she said quirky and reached over to gently kiss Mordred's forehead before grabbing a bucket and left the room.
As soon as Aria left, Gaius turned to Merlin.
" Only your magic can save him, Merlin"
" I cannot save the life of a man destined to kill Arthur" Merlin replied stubbornly
" If Mordred is destined to take the king's life why has he saved it in the past?" Gaius questioned
" I cannot ignore what the dragon says" Merlin continued to refuse.
Gaius sits up straight and crosses his arms. " What happened to the young boy who came into my chambers just a few years ago?"
" He grew up. And he learned the meaning of duty" Merlin answered
" Merlin, if you let Mordred die, I fear what may become of Aria," Gaius said worriedly causing Merlin to sigh as he had already thought of this. " You know how much she cares for him and you saw the vision of their future together."
" But would she care about him if she knew what his destiny was?" Merlin asked
Gaius sighed " I think she would try and find a way where both he and Arthur survived. Like your vision"
" You cannot change destiny, Gaius. No matter how much you hope to. I don't even know how the vision I saw would even be possible."
Gaius gave Merlin a knowing look." ah but, one thing I've learned from watching Arianna grow up into the women she is today, is to never underestimate a girl with hope"
No one said anything else as Aria came bursting into the room with a bucket full of water. She placed the bucket on the table and was straight back to Mordred's side taking his hand gently in hers.
From across the room, Gaius gave Merlin a pointed look that Aria didn't catch.