The Royal Scandal *Book Two*

For as Long as We Both Shall Live S2 E11

The night had turned cold before we knew it, icy gusts of air biting at our skin so hard that even the fire in front of us was struggling to warm us. We had separated off from the rest of the camp, Arthur making sure we were as far from Alvarr as possible and had set up a small area where we could sleep. However, as Arthur made it very clear, I was to sleep on one side of him while Merlin was over on the other, "I don't want any funny business while I'm here." As if we'd actually do anything with Arthur right there; who did he think we were? Did he really think us to be that desperate? Either way, we did as he requested, Merlin sat on the log staring into the fire while I was on my back, staring up at the cloudless sky, trying to create some sort of pattern in the stars.

"Merlin, check that the horses are fed and watered," Arthur told Merlin, as he sat down on the ground next to me. Merlin didn't say anything in response but when I looked over at him, he was rubbing his head as though he had a headache or something.

"Merlin, are you alright?" I asked, sitting up from my place and looking over at him.

"Sorry?" Merlin apologised, his voice sounding small and fragile.

"Not the right answer," Arthur commented, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"What?" Merlin asked, lowering his hand from his head, and looking over at us.

"Something on your mind, is there?" Arthur inquired.

"It's just when we entered the camp, it was a trap, wasn't it? They knew we were coming," Merlin pointed out to Arthur.

"Yeah, so?" Arthur shrugged, but I didn't believe he was that stupid that he couldn't see where Merlin was going with this.

"How did they know?" Merlin asked.

"Well, they're sorcerers, aren't they?" Arthur responded, making me resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Probably used magic or something." Arthur then took the crystal from me that hadn't left my sight since it had been obtained and chucked it over to Merlin. "Now, I need you to guard this with your life."

"Why me?" Merlin asked.

"I can't hardly very well guard it while I'm sleeping, can I?" Arthur remarked. "And the same goes for my sister, who may I remind you did a pretty good job of guarding it earlier." I smiled slightly at the latter comment.

"But I can't guard it while I'm asleep either," Merlin reminded him.

"Who said anything about you sleeping?" Arthur challenged.

With that, Arthur laid down and got comfy on the ground. Looking over at Merlin, I could see that something was still worrying him so after checking that no one was looking, I muttered an incantation under my breath while my hand hovered over Arthur. Instantly the spell took effect, and Arthur's body visibly relaxed as he fell into a deep slumber. After checking once again, I walked over to Merlin's side and sat beside him on the log.

"What's wrong? And don't say it's about the renegades, I know it's about something more than that," I said.

"How can you be so sure?" Merlin asked, his eyes still fixed on the fire.

"Because I know you probably better than you know yourself," I answered. Merlin looked back over at me so I gave him a small smile. "You can tell me anything, Merlin. So... what's on your mind?"

Merlin looked down at the crystal before he handed it over to me.

"Ever since we found that crystal... I keep on getting this—this urge to hold it. It's used to see the future, Chelsea, I don't want to see the future. But it won't go away, this urge," Merlin told me.