The next morning, Mordred arrived back at the castle after Kara insisted that she would be alright.
Mordred was looking for Aria when he was stopped.
"Where've you been?" Merlin asked leaning against a wall.
Mordred turned to look at him. He still held his cloak, from last night, in his hand
" Nowhere"
"You're lying"
"What right have you to question me?" Mordred asked.
Merlin just shrugged his shoulders.
"Merlin, I know about my destiny and believe me when I say, I hate it. But everything I do, you think the worst. Even after you gave Aria your word that you would trust me-"
"I said I would try to trust you" Merlin cut him off, no longer leaning against the wall and approached Mordred. "And I saw you let a Saxon go. Maybe I should tell Arthur?"
"Merlin-" Mordred said debating on where to tell him or not. "She's a druid. I knew her. She was wounded what could I do? Let her be captured? She had an arrow in her leg. She cannot walk"
"You're taking a risk," Merlin said
"I can't let her die... She's my sister" Mordred confessed
"Where is she?" Merlin demanded.
"She needs a few days. She'll be gone. She means no harm. Please, you mustn't tell anyone" Mordred begged. "You know if Arthur catches her, she'll be killed. Please, Merlin. I beg you. She's one of us. Promise me?"
"Your secret is safe with me. You have my word" Merlin promised " but does Aria know about this? I'm not keeping any more secrets from her, not anymore"
"Aria knows. I told her everything last night." Mordred answered.
" Can you do me something in return for keeping your secret?"
"What?"
" Find out from Ari, what I have to do to gain her trust back. Please, Mordred. I beg you. All I want is her forgiveness" Merlin begged desperately.
"I'll see what I can do" Mordred smiled causing Merlin to smile back in relief
"Thank you"
Mordred nodded " But know that in future, don't keep things from her that she has a right to know about"
"Merlin" Arthur called out from down the corridor. Mordred then walked away as Arthur came round the corner.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asked as he walked up to his closest friend.
"I'm like a swan" Merlin randomly said turning around. " it seems like I'm not doing anything, but there's a lot of work going on underneath."
"Hmm, interesting. I see you more as a head louse" Arthur restored teasingly
"Right?" Merlin looked at Arthur confused
"Useless, irritating. Come on. We've got a patrol to map" Arthur said as he turned around and walked away with Merlin following.
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Aria was down in the training fields with Ruby. She was wearing her pink dress and she had her hair down with a braid across the top of her head.
Aria giggled and knelt down as Ruby ran up to her with a stick in her mouth. Ruby put the stick down by Aria's feet, wagging her tail excitedly. None of the knights were training that day, so Aria had the field to herself
Aria picked up the stick and stood up straight. "Ready, girl?" She asked her dog who gave an existed bark in response.
"Ok, girl. Fetch!" Aria threw the stick and smiled as her dog chased after it. Aria's vision suddenly went black and she tensed up, panicked.
"Guess who?" A voice said from behind her. Aria relaxed when she recognized who it was.
"Hmm, is it a tall, dark stranger, come to sweep me off my feet?" Aria smiled playfully.
"Oh, you mean like this" Mordred picked Aria up bridle style and started spinning around with her in his arms causing Aria to cry out in surprise and start laughing. Mordred started laughing also as Ruby abandoned the stick she was chasing and ran up to the young couple and began jumping up at Aria in Mordred's arms. That only made them laugh even more.
"So, did you find your sister last night? Will she alright?" Aria asked when Mordred finally placed her back on her feet.
"I did and yes she'll be fine in a few days" Mordred replied taking Aria's hands in his and placing his forehead on hers, "I told her about you and she said she'd like to meet you in person"
Aria's eyes lite up in excitement" Really? When?"
"Tonight " Mordred nodded, "She said she wanted to see what about you made me "falling at your feet" as she put it"
Aria chuckled before she turned serious.
"What if she doesn't like me?" She asked anxiously.
"She will, I promise." Mordred smiled.
"Well then, I can't wait" Aria smiled back and kissed Mordred passionately. Mordred and Aria both closed their eyes in bliss. Aria's hands found their way to the back of Mordred's neck while Mordred's circled around Aria's waist.
"I ran into Merlin on my way here," Mordred said when they finally pulled away.
"And what did he want?" Aria asked.
"He found out about Kara" Mordred explains" and he wants to know what he can do to earn your trust back"
"Well he can be more honest with me for one" Aria sighed
"Are you still angry with him?" Mordred asked.
"No." Aria shook her head.
"Are you sure?"
Aria nodded" I thought I was still angry at him but I'm not. I'm just hurt that he never told me"
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In the forest, Arthur was looking at something on the ground while Merlin tethered the horses to a low tree branch.
"Merlin, here" Arthur beckoned him over. Merlin walked over as Arthur knelt down by a bush getting wet mud on his trousers.
"It's all about staying alert." Arthur told him "what do you see?"
"I see a pair of breeches that need cleaning," Merlin replied
Arthur signed and stood up. "Have a look" Merlin looked at the bush.
"Closer" Arthur pushed Merlin so he was now kneeling down in the mud. Merlin sighed annoyed trying to wipe some of the mud off of his trousers.
"Now what do you see?" Arthur asked
"Two pairs of breeches that need cleaning" Merlin stood up and looked at his friend annoyed.
"On the branch," Arthur said
"It's broken" Merlin pointed out the obvious.
"What does that tell you?"
"Something left the trail," Merlin replied. He looked up and spotted something in the distance.
"It's recent," Arthur said not noticing what Merlin was looking at.
"An animal?" Merlin questioned still staring at something in the distance.
"You think so?" Arthur asked looking at him.
"I do"
"It'd have to be a big one," Arthur said
"With very big antlers"
"What makes you say that?"
"Because it's looking at us"
Arthur finally looked in the direction Merlin was stating at and saw a stag staring right back at them while chewing on something.
"It's all about keeping alert" Merlin teased playfully and gave Arthur a nudge. "Come on"
Arthur wasn't listening thought as he had spotted something in the mud. It was a footprint. The one Mordred had not realised he left last night while he was trying to find Kara.
"That's not a deer" Arthur muttered.
Merlin didn't say anything. He guessed that the footprint belonged to Mordred and he had to somehow keep Arthur from finding Kara.
_________________________________________
Arthur and Merlin made their way all the back to the area where the patrol had been attacked.
"Merlin" Arthur said pointing to some more footprints in the mud as it started to rain.
"They're from when we were here yesterday," Merlin said trying to keep Arthur from finding Kara. He didn't know where she was but he knew she had to be close if they were finding what Merlin guessed to be Mordred's footprints.
"It was dry yesterday, it rained last night. These marks are fresh."
"Our men have been patrolling this area night and day. It's probably one of them."
"Who?" Arthur asked turning to face Merlin " I have their reports. No one's been through here."
Arthur then walked off with Merlin following.
Eventually, Merlin and Arthur came across the cave hidden by overgrown ivy. Arthur drew his sword and approached the cave.
"Arthur" Merlin whisper shouted at him trying to stop him but Arthur had already entered the cave.
Merlin entered too but stayed by the entrance while Arthur walked further in. Kara then poked her head up from where the had hidden behind a huge boulder.
"Don't hurt me" She pleaded
Arthur and Merlin stopped when they saw her and Merlin could see the resemblance she had with Mordred. He wondered if Arthur could see it too or was it just because he knew they were related.
Kara them began to painfully limp towards them.
"Careful," Merlin told her
Arthur looked suspiciously at the girl and didn't lower his sword.
"Arthur, she's wounded," Merlin pointed out.
"Please. I mean you no harm" Kara begged.
Arthur finally gave in, put his sword away and approached Kara to help her walk. But when Arthur wasn't looking, Kara took out a dagger and went to stab him. She would have killed him if Merlin hadn't seen what she was about to do and stopped her with his magic.
Kara's dagger fell to the floor as Arthur grabbed hold of her.
"You would've killed me" Arthur stared at the girl in shock.
"I'm only sorry I failed" Kara snapped
Arthur and Merlin just stared at her in shock.
_________________________________________
Night had fallen by the time Merlin and Arthur reached Camelot with Kara.
Mordred watched from around the corner as two guards led his sister to a cell and locked her in.
He stayed hidden behind the corner as the guards left then he walked out and stared at his sister in the cell. He looked down and clenched his fist. He thought Merlin had betrayed him when he had given his word. Mordred then walked off to find the one person who could hopefully help his sister.
_________________________________________
Aria was in her chamber brushing her hair as she got ready for bed. She was already in her nightgown and she sat on her bed next to a snoozing Ruby. Violet had already gone home for the night.
Mordred burst into the room looking frantic. Aria immediately jumped up and rushed to her lover and Ruby shot awake, startled by the sudden noise.
"They found her. They found Kara" Mordred rushed over to Aria with tears in his eyes.
"What?!" Aria exclaimed, "How?"
"Arthur and Merlin found her while they were out mapping out the patrol" Mordred explained, " She tired attacking the king and now they're going to kill her, I know they will."
"Hey, hey, " Aria said gently hugging Mordred. Mordred hugged her back tightly, burying his face in her neck.
"I can't lose her, Aria. She's the only family I have left" Mordred muttered into Aria's neck.
"And you're not going to lose her. No matter what happens, we'll get her out of Camelot. One way or another." Aria held Mordred as close as she could and shushing him gently to try and calm him down.
_________________________________________
The next morning, Merlin was walking down the corridor when suddenly Mordred came out of nowhere and pinned him against the wall roughly.
"Why?!" Mordred yelled at him. Staring at the sorcerer with nothing but anger and betrayal.
"I didn't tell him" Merlin immediately said.
"You gave me your word!" Mordred growled.
"I swear" Merlin pushed Mordred off of him.
"You did it because you hate me" Mordred approached Merlin again but Merlin held up his hand stopping the young knight.
"No," Merlin told him.
"This time you've gone too far. You'll pay, Merlin" Mordred growled angrily.
"What's going on?"
Merlin and Mordred turned their heads to see Gwaine, Aria, Violet and Leon walking up to them. The three knights were wearing their amour and cloaks and Aria had her hair in a ponytail.
Leon and Violet were holding hands and Aria was starting at the two with concern.
"What's this about?" Leon asked.
"Nothing " Mordred replied giving Merlin one last firm look
"Mordred!" Aria called out as Mordred stormed off. Aria turned to look at the others "I'll talk to him"
Aria then rushed off to after Mordred.
_________________________________________
"Mordred?! Mordred?!" Aria called out as she walked around the palace looking for Mordred.
Aria turned a corner and saw Mordred sitting on one of the windowsill's with his head in his hands.
Aria walked up to him looking at him sadly. "Mordred"
Mordred wiped tears off his face before he looked up and Aria could clearly see that he had been crying as his eyes were red and puffy and his cheeks were still wet from his tears. Aria smiled sadly at him and sat down next to him and took his hand in her.
"Hey, remember what I said last night. One way or another, we will get Kara out of Camelot. I promise."
Aria kissed Mordred's forehead and hugged him tightly.