Defying Destiny - A Merlin Fanfic

Chapter 28

The patrol was riding through the forest in search of Gwen and Aria when they came across their horses tied to a tree branch.

Elyan dismounted and examined Gwen's saddle while Percival dismounted and examined Aria's.

Gwen's saddle was broken but Aria's remained intact.

"Gwen must have been knocked from her mount by some force" Leon states.

" How come Aria's saddle is still intact?" Percival questioned as he showed everyone her saddle.

" When Gwen was knocked from her horse she must have stopped and dismounted of her accord to try and help" Elyan replied.

" Here!" Gwaine shouts " Tracks. They're heading east"

"Let's go!" Arthur ordered and they all rode off following the tracks into the forest.

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Gwen and Aria stumbled through the forest as they were tied behind Morgana on her horse. Gwen was gasping for breath and eventually collapsed from dehydration.

" Gwen!" Aria cried out in worry as she knelt down beside her sister in law.

Morgana stopped her horse, dismounted and strode towards the two with a canteen full of water in her hand.

" Here" She offered the canteen to Gwen but Gwen refused to take it.

" Is it too good for you now that you're Queen?" Morgana sneered coldly

" I don't want anything from you" Gwen breathed

" Just my crown" Morgana resorts
" Drink it. You may need it" 

Gwen looked appalled" Why?"

" I wouldn't be in such a hurry to know" Morgana smirked before holding the canteen to Aria

"What about you,?"

" I don't want any" Aria shook her head. If Gwen wasn't going to have any then neither was she.

"Fine then." Morgana snapped. She removed the cork and tipped out all the water in the canteen onto the floor in front of Gwen, torturing her. Morgana was hurt, thinking that Aria didn't take the canteen because she didn't trust her. But she didn't let it show.

Morgana then walked back to her horse and mounted it. They start off again and Gwen groaned as the two women were pulled forward.

A while later and Morgana was now dragging Gwen and Aria through a scorching desert. The two were stumbling over the hot sand as they approached a tall dark tower. Aria's eyes widened in pure fright. She recognised the dark tower from her books and knew it wasn't a nice place to be.

Morgana dismounted her horse then untied Aria and Gwen. Morgana frowned when she saw the red marks around Aria's wrists but she quickly masked it and smirked at the two women. " Come, my ladies"

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It was dark now and Percival was leading the patrol on foot with his horse beside him.

"It's getting too dark" He states as he squinted trying to see the tracks they had been following.

" We'll keep heading east" Arthur declared

" We've lost the trail" Merlin informed

But Arthur wasn't given up yet. " Then we'll retrace the tracks" He resorted turning his hose around and riding off.

" Arthur?" Merlin called out but Arthur just ignored him. " I'll talk to him" Merlin then followed after Arthur.

Mordred dismounted his horse and kicked a rock in frustration.