Dragon's Child {Merlin}

CHAPTER FIVE

She slowly drifted back into consciousness, semi-aware of what was going on.

"What the HELL do you want with this girl?! She's innocent; undeserving of whatever pain you plan on inflicting," Arthur roared.

Emrys smirked at his choice of words. "What happens to the lady is none of your concern, Lord Prat."

"PRAT?! I'll show you, you idiot! I can take you skinny ass apart with one blow."

"I can take apart you fat one with less than that." Emrys countered with a smirk.

"Care to test that?"

Emrys rolled his eyes. Seriously, this clot-pole thinks he can best a god?! He flicked his wrist and muttered a spell. Arthur fell to the ground in a cold sleep, just like the princess he was.

Something weakly shuffled in the corner. Emrys returned to his forgotten lady. He pulled her onto his lap. Astrid's eyes cracked open and she looked up at him weakly.

"Hey there stranger," she mumbled with a weak smile. Then her beautiful face contorted in pain, "Oh gods, Merlin, I'm so cold!"

All he could do was pull her closer to him. "Hey, hey, I'm here Astrid. Shhh. Don't worry, I swear I'll fix this," he purred in her ear. This was his fault. He should have kept a closer eye on her. Damnit! Astrid was an innocent woman who now lay dying in his lap.

The echoing of foot steps brought Emrys back to the present. The man shifted uncomfortably, obviously wanting to say something. "What's wrong Sir Knight, can't stand the sight of a warlock caring for another?" Emrys sneered.

"What? No! I- There must be something we do... I can't just let her die," Lancelot stated.

Emrys looked up at the knight known as Loyalty; his eyes wild with desperation and something else. Hope. "I can think of only one place where this is possible. We must ride for the Lake of Avalon, perhaps the sidhe king would be willing to heal her."

"Why in the name of Zeus' lightning would he do that?!"

Emrys smirked, "Because, Sir Loyalty, I'm his favorite nephew."

...

The next morning, a small party of four set off in the opposite direction of the Isle of the Blessed. Lancelot had volunteered to accompany Emrys and Daegal in their quest to heal Astrid. Deagal rode first with Emrys holding Astrid behind him; Lancelot brought up the rear. Deagel couldn't help but notice that you could cut the tension with a butter knife. Eventually, he couldn't take it so he rode back next to the Camelot knight.

"Why did you join my Lord and I on our mission?" Daegal had to remind himself not to divulge which son of Awan Emrys was. And that these knight thought his prince's name was 'Merlin'.

"I couldn't stand by and do nothing as an innocent woman lays on her deathbed. I may have done wrongs in the past, but I know that this was the right choice."

"Then you truly are the noblest of the Knights of the Round Table," Daegal offered simply. They slipped into a more comfortable silence after that. The troop rode on, stopping only when the darkness drew close.

They made camp in a clearing by a river. After gently laying Astrid by the streambank, Emrys went off into the woods; probably to relieve himself. Lance moved to sit by Astrid and removed his cape for her. He noticed that her hand was in the water, but when he tried to remove it, the entire creek started to glow. Little globs of water floated upwards and one of them started talking in a lilting voice.

"Lancelot... Lancelot... We mean you and your companions no harm, Lancelot."

"Who or what are you?"

"We are the Villia: Spirits of the brooks and streams." Merlin chose that moment to return from his little excursion in the woods. "It is good to see you again, young prince. Our Lord sent us to heal your Lady; her time among mortals is not yet concluded."

"Thank you, I am grateful for you help. Extend my gratitude to my Uncle, would you?"

"Certainly. Rest now, we will watch over you until the morning comes. She will be fine tomorrow."

"Thank you again." The Villia simply smiled before melting back into the water. Golden mist surrounded the clearing blocking the party from the lurking ghosts. Satisfied with the barrier, Emrys settled Astrid head onto his chest before closing his eyes for the night.

...

Astrid awoke from her nightmare with a start. Those damn things had made her relive all the worst things in her life. Being an utter brat, condemning her maid to death, watching her father die...

She stood up to stretch her cramped muscles, and decided to go for a walk. The forest was beautiful, vibrant hues splashed with golden sun. She couldn't wish for a better day. But that didn't stop the dread in the back of her mind; they really ought to be off to catch up with the other party. She wasn't going to let that clotpole waste his life like that.

Astrid made her way back towards the men deciding to do some fishing for breakfast along the route. She didn't want waste any time, what was to come was too important.