Once & Forever
It's Time
"Another one?"
"Yes, Sire, it appears so."
"And the cause is the same?"
"Yes, Sire. Their throats were cut and all their valuables are missing."
"This could be the work of bandits." Uther Pendragon turned to address the small crowd he'd assembled in the grand hall. "How many does this make?" His eyes turned toward his son, Prince Arthur.
Arthur cleared his throat. "Sixty-six, now, Father." He clenched his hands tighter in front of him, trying to quell his own anger at the steadily rising loss of their men.
Uther nodded in silence, his eyes now cast to the floor. "I think it is time," he said, lowly. The court in front of him perked up.
Arthur didn't quite understand what they seemed to glean from his words. "Time for what?" His blonde brows furrowed. His blue eyes caught sight of his manservant, Merlin, out of the corner of his vision. He seemed as eager for the answer as Arthur was.
Uther nodded again, and raised his eyes to address the court. "Send out the men. It is time to call in the Mercenary."
"Mercenary? What mercenary? Why? I will go out with the next patrol, and we will catch those who are responsible. Why send for an outside job?" Arthur was baffled.
Uther nearly snorted. "Arthur, you want me to send you out there with more of our men to try and capture a band of ruthless bandits? No, you're foolish. The Mercenary is the best in the land. Every kingdom uses them to quickly, and discreetly, put an end to a dangerous situation. I believe this is one of those such situations."
"Well, what about the men you are sending in to bring in this mercenary? What if they are attacked just as the patrols have been? They need protection. Let me go with them to meet with the mercenary." The prince's hand rested on the hilt of his sword upon instinct. He was ready to do whatever it took to protect the knights, and the men of Camelot. He glanced at Merlin, and his servant returned his stare with a nod. Merlin would come with, even as useless as he was on such occasions. But if this was more than a days ride away, he would need someone to clean his armor, and prepare his meals for him; not to mention someone had to tend to his horse. After riding all day, he simply couldn't be expected to do it.
The king of Camelot sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, fine. But set out at first light; I do not want you caught out there, come nightfall."
"Where exactly are we going?" Arthur asked once the court had been cleared out of the room. It was just him, Uther, and Merlin. Though Gaius was probably not far outside of the hall's doors, waiting for Merlin, to give him some strange advice for the trip. Arthur never quite knew what was going on between the physician and the boy.
"You will ride south for half a day, to a clearing in the center of the Forest of Agaar. Have one of the men send an arrow of fire toward the sun. Then you turn around, and ride back to Camelot. You should be safely returned, just as dusk falls. I don't want to worry about you being attacked by these savages, amongst everything else that is going on right now."
Arthur wasn't sure what the 'everything else' was that his father was referring to, but he nodded in agreement and bid his father for goodnight, before retiring to his chambers. Merlin entered after, presumably, having a talk with Gaius. "Do you know who this mercenary is?" he asked, as he prepared Arthur's night clothes.
He couldn't help but scowl slightly. "Of course not, you knob. If I did, I wouldn't be asking stupid questions, like you are right now."
"Gaius seemed to know who Uther was speaking of. But he wouldn't tell me any of it. He seemed concerned, though." Merlin turned to the side as Arthur ducked behind his dressing wall to change for the evening.
"Probably only concerned because you're coming with me, and I have no doubt you will find a way to royally mess up, as you always do." He was half kidding, half serious. Merlin remained quiet. "What, no bumbling retort from you?" Arthur poked his head around the screen to find the boy in a pensive staring contest with the floor. "Oy." Arthur tossed his worn shirt at Merlin's head.
"Wha? Ah, yes, yes, I just might," he replied, somewhat absentmindedly. Sometimes Arthur felt like Merlin knew more than he was letting on.
"Go to bed, Merlin. I need you fresh for the morning. You heard my father, we can't waste any day time."
His servant left without more than a peep. As Arthur climbed into his bed, he stared at the canopy above. Something about all of this didn't sit right with him, almost like it didn't seem to with Merlin either. It was a restless night for the prince.
"Yes, Sire, it appears so."
"And the cause is the same?"
"Yes, Sire. Their throats were cut and all their valuables are missing."
"This could be the work of bandits." Uther Pendragon turned to address the small crowd he'd assembled in the grand hall. "How many does this make?" His eyes turned toward his son, Prince Arthur.
Arthur cleared his throat. "Sixty-six, now, Father." He clenched his hands tighter in front of him, trying to quell his own anger at the steadily rising loss of their men.
Uther nodded in silence, his eyes now cast to the floor. "I think it is time," he said, lowly. The court in front of him perked up.
Arthur didn't quite understand what they seemed to glean from his words. "Time for what?" His blonde brows furrowed. His blue eyes caught sight of his manservant, Merlin, out of the corner of his vision. He seemed as eager for the answer as Arthur was.
Uther nodded again, and raised his eyes to address the court. "Send out the men. It is time to call in the Mercenary."
"Mercenary? What mercenary? Why? I will go out with the next patrol, and we will catch those who are responsible. Why send for an outside job?" Arthur was baffled.
Uther nearly snorted. "Arthur, you want me to send you out there with more of our men to try and capture a band of ruthless bandits? No, you're foolish. The Mercenary is the best in the land. Every kingdom uses them to quickly, and discreetly, put an end to a dangerous situation. I believe this is one of those such situations."
"Well, what about the men you are sending in to bring in this mercenary? What if they are attacked just as the patrols have been? They need protection. Let me go with them to meet with the mercenary." The prince's hand rested on the hilt of his sword upon instinct. He was ready to do whatever it took to protect the knights, and the men of Camelot. He glanced at Merlin, and his servant returned his stare with a nod. Merlin would come with, even as useless as he was on such occasions. But if this was more than a days ride away, he would need someone to clean his armor, and prepare his meals for him; not to mention someone had to tend to his horse. After riding all day, he simply couldn't be expected to do it.
The king of Camelot sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, fine. But set out at first light; I do not want you caught out there, come nightfall."
"Where exactly are we going?" Arthur asked once the court had been cleared out of the room. It was just him, Uther, and Merlin. Though Gaius was probably not far outside of the hall's doors, waiting for Merlin, to give him some strange advice for the trip. Arthur never quite knew what was going on between the physician and the boy.
"You will ride south for half a day, to a clearing in the center of the Forest of Agaar. Have one of the men send an arrow of fire toward the sun. Then you turn around, and ride back to Camelot. You should be safely returned, just as dusk falls. I don't want to worry about you being attacked by these savages, amongst everything else that is going on right now."
Arthur wasn't sure what the 'everything else' was that his father was referring to, but he nodded in agreement and bid his father for goodnight, before retiring to his chambers. Merlin entered after, presumably, having a talk with Gaius. "Do you know who this mercenary is?" he asked, as he prepared Arthur's night clothes.
He couldn't help but scowl slightly. "Of course not, you knob. If I did, I wouldn't be asking stupid questions, like you are right now."
"Gaius seemed to know who Uther was speaking of. But he wouldn't tell me any of it. He seemed concerned, though." Merlin turned to the side as Arthur ducked behind his dressing wall to change for the evening.
"Probably only concerned because you're coming with me, and I have no doubt you will find a way to royally mess up, as you always do." He was half kidding, half serious. Merlin remained quiet. "What, no bumbling retort from you?" Arthur poked his head around the screen to find the boy in a pensive staring contest with the floor. "Oy." Arthur tossed his worn shirt at Merlin's head.
"Wha? Ah, yes, yes, I just might," he replied, somewhat absentmindedly. Sometimes Arthur felt like Merlin knew more than he was letting on.
"Go to bed, Merlin. I need you fresh for the morning. You heard my father, we can't waste any day time."
His servant left without more than a peep. As Arthur climbed into his bed, he stared at the canopy above. Something about all of this didn't sit right with him, almost like it didn't seem to with Merlin either. It was a restless night for the prince.