A few days later and Aria was now standing with the other knights as they waited for Gwen and Elyan to return from visiting their father's grave. She was sitting on a boulder playing with her hair. She had decided to leave it down and unstyled.
Aria could see Gwen and Elyan walking back down the grassy hill and when they reached them, everyone got on their horses and started the ride back to Camelot.
" I think he'd be proud, " Leon states talking about Gwen and Elyan's father as the group rode through the forest.
" Particularly of Elyan" Gwen added
" Me?" Elyan asked in a surprised tone.
" Not just because you're a knight, but because of the man you've become. " Gwen elaborates
" I don't think so" Elyan disagreed
"She's right," Percival speaks up
" Absolutely" Gwaine agreed" You're outstanding. Especially when it comes trying to sweet talk the ladies if nothing else."
" Don't listen to him" Elyan resorts
Aria began quietly giggling as the others teased Elyan.
"No, Elyan loves only one woman," Percival smirked
" Who?"
" You!" Elyan answered his sister.
" Tell me, I'm your sister" Gwen tried to persuade him.
" Did Arthur not say?" Gwaine asked
" Arthur never tells me anything, " Gwen replied
" But he did tell you who Gwaine's in love with" Aria spoke up with a smirk.
" Himself" Gwen looked at Gwaine and everyone laughed.
" Shut up" Gwaine groaned
Everyone eventually stopped laughing but Aria was still giggling slightly.
" Pack it in, Aria! Everyone knows who you're in love with after your little displays of affection with Mordred during training"
Aria blushed and stopped giggling making the others start laughing as they entered a field.
The horses suddenly started to panic due to some snakes hidden in the grass.
Leon's horse reared back and flung Leon from its back. Leon lay face first on the ground hard and a snake slithered on top of him and bit him.
" They're after the Queen and Princess" Elyan realised as the snakes continuously went for Aria and Gwen.
" Get through the trees. Go!" Elyan yelled at the two royals and Aria and Gwen galloped away into the trees.
The two rode as fast as they could but stopped when they noticed Morgana standing in their way. So they quickly turned around and rode the other way. They would have gotten away if Morgana hadn't used her magic to forcefully pull Gwen from her horse making Aria stop and turn around to help her.
Aria climbed off Majesty and ran towards to unconscious sister in law.
" Gwen? Gwen!" Aria cried shaking her, desperately to try and wake her up as Morgana got closer and closer.
Morgana walked towards them and kneeled in front of Aria with a soft smile on her face.
" Sleep, Aria," Morgana said as her eyes glowed gold and Aria fell to the floor beside Gwen, unconscious. " For it could be sometime before you both do so again"
____________________________________
Back in Camelot Leon and Percival were taken to Gaius' chambers after they were both bitten by the snakes and hadn't woken up.
Merlin placed lit candles on the tables as Gaius examined the two knights.
" Merlin, hollyhock" Gaius ordered.
" One dram?" Merlin asked as he went to collect it.
" And Dianthus, two drams" Gaius replied
" Lungwort?"
" Three grains"
Arthur, Violet and Mordred burst into the room.
" What happened?" Arthur demanded
" We were riding. We came upon a nest of snakes" Elyan answered gesturing to his unconscious friends.
Arthur looked around the room and noticed that Gwen and Aria weren't there.
" Where's Guinevere and Aria?"
At the mention of Aria missing, Mordred and Violet looked around the frantically.
No one answered Arthur's question. Mordred noticed that everyone looked at each other sad.
" Where are they?" Arthur repeated.
" I told them to get away." Elyan finally answered, " They both fled."
Arthur looked at everyone in the room with worry before he and Mordred stormed out of the room with Merlin following.
" Arthur!"
" We ride at dawn" Arthur informed his servant as he and Mordred continued down the hallway.
Merlin looked back to the door of Gaius' chambers to see Elyan and Violet. All three of them shared worried looks.
____________________________________
Merlin walked into Arthur's chambers quietly. Arthur looked up as he closed the door.
" Learn to knock will you" Arthur grumbled
"Sorry, sire" Merlin replied " I wanted you to know that Leon and Percival are safe. They are well onto the road of recovery."
" That's good news" Arthur muttered
" Arthur, there is evidence of sorcery. Gaius suspects Morgana is involved. " Merlin informed
" You can go, Merlin," Arthur says quietly as he looked down worried.
Merlin turned to leave.
" I lost Guinevere once before," Arthur said causing Merlin to stop and turn around to face his friend.
"You're not going to lose her or Aria."
Arthur looked unsure.
" Your not," Merlin said as he approached Arthur again. " We will find them. I swear"
Merlin held out his hand to Arthur. Arthur and Merlin clasped arms.
" We'll bring them home" Merlin smiled at the king.
____________________________________
Mordred was walking down the hall, worried out of his mind about Aria. He reached her chambers and slowly opened the door.
Ruby perked up when she saw Mordred enter but didn't move from where she was laying on Aria's bed.
Mordred went over to the dog, sat down on the edge of the bed and gently petted Ruby who let out a sad whine.
" Don't worry, girl. I'll bring her home, I promise" Mordred said quietly as he stroked Ruby's head gently.
The next morning, the knights, Merlin and Arthur set off to rescue their Queen and Princess.
____________________________________
Deep in the forest, Gwen and Aria were lying side by side unconscious as Morgana kneeled beside them and gently stroked Aria's face waking her from her slumber.
Aria looked around panicked. She was still in her armour and cloak. She nudged Gwen, waking her from her slumber as well. Gwen bolted up and they both faced Morgana who was smirking at them.
" Good morning, my ladies" Morgana sneered
Gwen and Aria then noticed that their hands were bound by rope. Aria thought it was strange but her ropes felt a little loose. Aria also noticed that she didn't have any of her weapons with her as she had left them with Majesty.
" What do you want with us?" Gwen asked
" I thought we could play a little game," Morgana smirked.
" A game?" Aria raised an eyebrow at her older sister.
" To find out just how much Arthur loves you both. And to also find out how strong Mordred's feelings are for you dear sister" Morgana replied venomously
" It won't work" Gwen shakes her head.
" You underestimate their feelings. "
"They're not stupid, 'Gana!" Aria snapped
" They'll know you've taken us. They'll know it's a trap"
Morgana's smirk faltered slightly when Aria used her nickname and Aria noticed.
" They will. But they'll still come" Morgana then walked off back to her horse.
Gwen turned to Aria who hadn't noticed the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.
" Don't worry, Aria. We'll be ok. We'll make it out of this" Gwen soothes and hugged her younger sister in law as best she could with her hands bound.