Merlin and Aria were pushing the hand cart, that was carrying Gwen underneath a bed sheet, behind Gaius as they hurried down the hallway.
Gaius turned a corner, noticing two knights ahead and turned to face Merlin and Aria.
"Uh, keep up, you two. Keep up" Gaius said loudly so the knights would hear.
The two knights glanced behind them and moved to the side as Merlin and Aria came quickly down the corridor, pushing the hand cart.
"Are you alright?" Gaius asked as they turned a corner.
"She's a lot heavier than she looks," Merlin strained to say
"That might very well be grounds for treason" Gaius warned.
"I know"
"Uh oh" Aria muttered as Gwaine and Mordred came round the corner and smiled when they noticed the trio.
"Ah, Gaius, Merlin and Aria" Gwaine greeted
"And a borrow of linen, " Mordred said smiling at Aria.
"Sir Gwaine, Sir Mordred" Gaius greeted.
"Planning on changing a bed?" Gwaine joked
"Or perhaps to run up some clothes?" Mordred reached to touch the cloth hiding Gwen.
"I wouldn't touch that!" Aria exclaimed as she at Merlin quickly pulled the hand cart away.
Mordred and Gwaine looked confused and slightly shocked.
"Not unless you want to risk an attack of red thrush fever," Gaius warned glancing back at Aria and Merlin.
"I've never heard of it" Gwaine states.
"Then you're fortunate indeed. More fortunate than the young man who's just died in these very bedclothes." Gaius explained. "They have to be burnt immediately. The last thing Camelot needs is an outbreak of red thrush fever, is it not?"
"Yes, of course, sorry" Gwaine and Mordred stepped to the side and let Aria and Merlin through with the hand cart. Gaius quickly followed.
"Gaius?" Gwaine called out.
The trio stopped and turned around.
"Sire?"
"What is the name of the unfortunate young man? So that I may send something to his family?" Gwaine asked.
"Timothy" Gaius answered.
Gwaine smiled, patted Mordred on the shoulder before walking off. Mordred was about to leave as well but he caught sight of Gwen's hand falling out from beneath the blankets. Aria quickly covered it again while muttering a quiet "oops". The trio then walked off.
Mordred looked confused and followed after Gwaine.
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In the forest, Arthur was stood waiting, now dressed in his chainmail. He turned around when he heard someone approaching and saw Gaius walking towards him but Aria and Merlin were nowhere in sight.
" Where's Aria and Merlin?" Arthur wondered.
"It's alright, Sire. They come" Gaius answered
Arthur then heard the sound of the handcart and Merlin and Aria came into view pushing the cart up the hill.
"What kept you?" Arthur asked walking towards them.
" Do you have any idea how... steep those slopes are?" Merlin quickly covered the fact that he was having trouble pushing the cart even with Aria's help.
The two dropped the handles of the cart once they had reached Arthur and Gaius. Arthur removed the cloth showing Gwen's face and he gazed down at his wife.
"She looks so innocent" Arthur muttered "Perfect"
"She still is, Sire. The only evil in her is Morgana's" Gaius told the king.
"Come on, we'd better get going" Aria suggested.
Arthur removed the sheet fully handing it to Merlin before be picked up his wife bridal style and walked over to where the horses where stood tied to some branches. Aria followed, untied and mounted Majesty.
Merlin gave a quick hug to Gaius before following the others.
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The sun had now risen and the trio was racing through the forest on their way to the cauldron of Arianrod.
The trio eventually came out of the forest and was now in a rocky plain with mountains in the distance.
"The sorceress lives at the westernmost peak" Merlin explained.
"That would be the highest"
"Always is, isn't it?" Aria joked
Merlin gave a chuckle.
"Better get started then," Arthur said.
"Wait" Merlin suddenly looked behind them. He felt as though they were being watched. He stared at a rocky hill as if he expected someone to jump out from behind it.
"We're being watched" Merlin stated
"One of your funny feelings again?" Arthur asked
Merlin nodded
"It's alright then" Arthur muttered.
The trio then continued to ride through the rocky planes.
Aria glanced behind her at the rocky hill Merlin had just been staring at and she could have sworn she saw a mass of dark curly hair quickly duck out of sight. She shook her head dismissing it and claimed she was just tired and seeing things.
"Tether the horses here it'll be quicker on foot," Arthur said dismounting. Aria followed suit dismounting Majesty and gently petting her nose.
"What about the supplies?" Merlin asked getting off his horse.
"You'll manage," Arthur said tethering his horse.
" I can't take it all" Merlin states
"I'll help you, Merlin" Aria offered
Merlin nodded at her in thanks.
"And I'll be carrying Guinevere," Arthur said
"She's half the weight of that lot" Merlin went to grab some of the bags.
"Are you suggesting that I risk the safety of the Queen and carry even more?"
"I can take her, and - -"
"She's my wife" Arthur interrupted Merlin
"I'd be careful," Merlin said
Aria just stayed quiet and watched as the two argued trying not to laugh.
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Once Arthur and Merlin had stopped arguing over who would carry what the trio set off again. Arthur carrying Gwen and Merlin and Aria struggling to carry all the supplies. Even though Merlin had insisted that he carry more Aria was still struggling and stumbling as they walked. The trio was walking along the ridgeline of a huge gorge.
Arthur was in the front with Aria and Merlin stumbling behind them.
"These funny feelings of yours..." Arthur said.
"They're not funny," Merlin muttered.
"Stupid then" Arthur resorted " where do they come from, you think?"
Merlin didn't answer.
"You still there, you two?" Arthur asked "don't tell me you've gone into a sulk, Merlin"
"I'm not sulking" Merlin shook his head.
"No, we're just carrying a load even a horse would struggle under" Aria grumbled.
"Do you both good."
"How come it wouldn't do you good?" Aria wondered
"I'm already good" Arthur replied
"Well, maybe I - -" Merlin didn't get to finish his sentence when he suddenly slipped at fell down the side of the gorge.
"Merlin!" Aria cried out in worry, dropping the bags she was carrying.
Arthur turned around and saw Aria on her knees, peering over the ridgeline. Arthur quickly but gently placed down Gwen and joined his sister's side. He saw Merlin laying at the bottom of the gorge, knocked out cold.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled. His voice echoing throughout the gorge.
Arthur thought for a second before turning to Aria. "You stay here, take care of Gwen. I'm going down"
"But- - "
"Aria, just do as I say!" Arthur snapped
Aria nodded and stepped back from the edge.
Arthur began to descend down the rocky wall of the gorge but his foot caught a loose rock and he slipped and fell.
"Arthur!" Aria screamed as she saw her brother hit the floor below.
Aria glanced back at Gwen, seeing she was still asleep before she too began to descend down the wall. She clung to the wall for dear life and screamed in fright a little every time she would fall a little. Then of course just like the boys, Aria slipped and lost her grip. She tumbled down and hit the bottom hard. She banged her head on a rock and everything went black.
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Arthur groaned as he woke up and looked around confused for a second before he spotted Merlin and Aria still out cold. He noticed a trail of red running down the side of Aria's face.
Blood.
Aria had cut her head open when she fell.
Arthur began to try and get up but he saw that his arm was caught between two large boulders. He attempted to move the boulders but it was a little difficult with only one hand. He was stuck.
"Merlin?" Arthur called kicking his manservant slightly trying to wake him up as he was the closest to him. "Merlin!"
Merlin didn't even stir. So Arthur tried to call out to his sister.
"Aria? Aria, wake up!"
Aria too remained unconscious.
Arthur had to think of a way out on his own. He attempted to try and pull his arm free but failed. So he unsheathed his sword and got ready to cut his arm off when he heard a yell from on top of the cliff.
"Arthur!"
Arthur looked and saw Mordred with a bunch of rope smiling down at him. Arthur let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the young knight.
"Check on Guinevere"
"I already have, Sire. She sleeps soundly" Mordred answered before throwing down the rope and climbing down the wall.
Mordred grunted as he lifted the boulder off Arthur's arm freeing him.
"Thank you, Mordred" Arthur smiled rubbing his arm as it was aching slightly from being wedged between two rocks.
Mordred smiled before he rushed over to Aria and gently caressed her cheek. Mordred picked up Aria gently as Arthur picked up Merlin and the two climbed back up the rope and out of the gorge.
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Night had fallen when Merlin and Aria finally woke up. The group set up camp with a fire going and Merlin was now treating Aria's head. Aria was sat beside Mordred and Arthur sat across the fire from them.
"There you go. Just a good nights rest and you'll be all better" Merlin said standing up as he finished treating Aria's cut.
"Thank you, Merlin" Aria smiled and lay down, facing the fire, to try and get some sleep. Merlin then went and sat next to Arthur.
"It doesn't seem possible," Mordred says " The queen has the sweetest of natures"
"It was never her. Just Morgana" Arthur replied "I'm sorry I didn't confide in you"
"It's best you didn't. " Mordred said " if I hadn't had my suspicions, I wouldn't have followed you. Merlin and Aria acting strangely"
"Is that so unusual?" Arthur asked with no humour in his voice.
"And the levy route being changed"
"You had a funny feeling," Arthur says to Merlin
"My lord?" Mordred looked at Arthur
"I'm glad that you did, Mordred. Without you, I fear I would have lost my arm at the very least and Aria would be in far worse conditions. " Arthur looked great fully at the young man.
Mordred smiled and glanced at the sleeping beauty beside him.
"I would have woken. " Merlin cuts in
"Merlin if I had to rely on your timekeeping, I'd of lost both my arms and my legs to boot," Arthur responded causing Mordred to chuckle.
"It's good to have you with us," Arthur said to Mordred "Fours always better than three, isn't that right Merlin?"
"Of course" Merlin then glanced at Gwen and went to get up " It's time"
"I'll do it" Arthur got up to give Gwen two more drops of Belladonna to keep her asleep.
"Two drops only" Merlin reminded as he handed Arthur the tincture and sat back down.
As Arthur went over to Gwen, Mordred glanced at Aria before getting up and kneeled beside Merlin.
"You don't trust me, do you, Merlin?" Mordred asked seriously
"I believe you to a - - fine knight" Merlin responded
"But not one to be trusted."
"... I am trying to trust you more" Merlin admitted
"Why? What changed your mind?"
Merlin glanced over at Aria who was still sleeping soundly, Mordred followed his gaze.
" Aria made me promise that I would give you a chance. " Merlin told him.
"Of course she did" Mordred muttered to himself smiling. He then turned back to Merlin.
"I know you have Aria and the King's best interest at heart. I only wish you'd believe that I do too. One day, I shall prove my loyalty to you and to the king. Then I hope we may be friends"
Mordred then got up and sat down beside Aria again, moving a strand of hair gently behind her ear and staring down at her with pure love and adoration.
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