His Love

Chapter 9

The next day dawned bright and clear. Merlin was awoken by Arthur peeling his cheast from his back and releasing him from the embrace he had maintained all night. Despite the already warmth of the dawning day the absense of Arthur's personal heat made him shiver. He got up and dressed noticing that Arthur had remained shirtless as he freed the map from the saddle bagds and poured over it intently. He took the oppurtunity to admire the sheen of sweet forming on Arthur's body from the fire and the heat and also Marlin's bodyheat.

Thay ate quickly and left on their hourses, riding away from the rising sun and towards Haepsfleet and the beast they were fated to destroy. They rode hard into the mornig sun in the shadow of the forest until they reached the crest of a large hill and stopped.

"Look, that's the quarry of Haepsfleet" said Isabella gesticuling with the grand sweep of her hand to the quarry which could be seen distanly. Merlin could see a great gash in the land, white rock carved out of the ground and he could imagine all the fields and forests that much have been destroyed for such a thing. He sighed at such destruction of nature.

"We will be there by nightfall" Arthur said and clicked on his horse down the hill and back into the woods with Merlin and Isabella following on their horses. They had become quieter and quieter as the day wore on, and, as if to mirror their emotions, the clouds finally closed in over the sky, obscuring the brilliant sun that had shone for so many days at a time and causing the air to become thick with moisture. And as they improached the quarry where the Chimera lay in hiding, all cocerned abour their own futures and each other.

It was dark by the time the trio pulled up by the quarry. They tied their horsed to a nearby cluster of trees. Carrying their torches they approached the quarry quietly. On the ride they had come up with a plan to fight the chimera. Isabella had mentioned that it was a heavy sleeper and so they decided that the cover of the dark night would afford them there best chance to kill the beast. A twig snapped gentley under Merlin's shoe and Arthur shooshed him.

"This is supposed to be a stealthy approach Merlin" he whispered and Merlin pulled a face. Arthur, Merlin and Isabella stood tensly in the silence of the night. Not even a cricket stirred or bird chirped in the distance. The silence was total. Suddenly a great sound shredded throgh the air, not a a roar but almost a scream of a thousand souls in hell. From the darkness of a cave at the far end of the quarry was the chimera, emerging dreadly and angry from its slumber.

"Get bejind me!" Ordered Arthur as he pulled out his sharp sword and stepped towards the danger. To his left, Merlin saw Isabella draw hers too. He swallowed down his fear and followed his prince. It was his destiny to protect him and Merlin would not abandon him to monsters.

"On me!" screamed Arthur as he charged forward and he was too quick for Merlin, and for Isabella, but now for the chrimera, and with one terrid swipe of its paw, Arthur was sent flying, landing in a sprawling heap, with a crunch that made Merlins heart sick.

"N-no!!" Merrlin cried and started toward Arthur's limp and shallow body as it lies on the rough ground but with a tremousdous leap and skid the chimera is blocking his path and gravel is sent flying in all directions. Itr reared up onto it's back legs, heads snapping in all directions and prepared to strike. Merlin gathered his magic and prepared to blast into it's soft underbelly but suddenly Isabella shouted

"Duck!" and indistingly Merlin crouched the ground. Leaping from the ground, and launching herself off of Merlin's shoulder's, Isabella mounted the beast's back, hacking with her sword, she parried into the animal's flank. At that moment, the snake head tail reared up and struck with furocious might, claiming her in its jaws, as posion seeped into her.