"so, what are you saying? that you're in love with lia?"

[2.4 — Lancelot and Illyria]

After everything she had gone through, Morgana felt the need to visit her father's grave. Normally, she was only accompanied by Gwen and a few guards, but this time, she asked Uther's permission for Lia to accompany her. Of course, Uther was never one to turn Morgana down, and so he gave Lia the day off to join them on the trip. They were all gathered in the square, getting ready to mount their horses and head off. After Arthur helped Morgana on to hers, his gaze fell on Lia. The pair stared at each other for a moment before Lia turned to look at her saddle.

"I hope your trip isn't too upsetting," Arthur told Morgana.

"Thank you, Arthur," she said.

Then Arthur turned to one of the guards accompanying them, Sir Robert. "Make sure you return to Camelot before dusk."

"Yes, Sire."

Lia allowed herself to glance back at Arthur as they rode away. She didn't know whether to be pleased or saddened by the fact that he was already watching her with a longing look. Knowing that she needed to focus on the trip, she faced forward, doing her best to shake thoughts of Arthur from her head.

Evidently, she hadn't done a great job at hiding her inner turmoil over the Prince.

"You look troubled, Lia," Morgana noted.

"I'm fine," she said, shaking her head and smiling.

"You're very secretive these days," Gwen added. "I'm beginning to think there's a man involved."

Lia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "When do I get to meet any decent men?"

"Hey!" A few of the knights and guards protested, earning a laugh from Lia. In her line of work, she met plenty of men as they came to her injured, all of them decent. They just weren't who she was thinking about.

"Let me guess," Gwen said, smirking. "Sir Leon?"

"No," Lia said, laughing. "We're only friends."

"But you gave him your favor at the jousting tournament," Gwen reminded her.

"As a friend," Lia stressed.

"Does he know that?" Morgana asked.

Lia simply rolled her eyes. It seemed no one but Leon and herself understood their relationship. Perhaps there were mutual feelings at the beginning of their friendship, but they faded on both sides. They loved each other, just not in the way everyone liked to think.

Morgana and Gwen, along with some of the guards that were friends with Leon, continued to tease Lia. She stopped protesting after a while, simply grinning and shaking her head at their taunts. It put a smile on Morgana's face and made the trip pass faster, so Lia did not complain.

However, their fun was interrupted by shouting. Several armed men, some of whom were on horses, raced at the party from all sides. The knights and guards immediately began fighting them off while the ladies, who were unarmed, stayed on their horses, watching the chaos with worried looks.

"My ladies, you must follow me!" Sir Robert yelled at them. However, a moment later, he was shot in the back with an arrow.

Then bandits ran up to Morgana and pulled her off her horse, others doing the same with Gwen and Lia. They struggled in their holds, and a few moments later, one of the knights rode past and killed all three of the men. Once she was free, Lia rushed to Morgana's side.

"Gwen! Morgana! Head for the path!" she ordered, pushing Morgana in the right direction. They ran up the steep hill as fast as they could but were cut off by more men, who were waiting for them. One wearing a face-covering got off his horse and approached Morgana, who stood her ground.

"I warn you. I am Uther Pendragon's ward. He'll have your heads if any harm comes to me," she said.

The man pulled his mask down and smirked. "I have no intention of harming you. At least not yet. You're much more valuable to me alive, Lady Morgana."

The bandits roughly grabbed the girls before leading them to a camp that was not too far. Whatever they wanted with Morgana, they had been planning it for quite a while. Lia saw how many men were in the camp and lost hope. There were far too many for them to fight off. The girls were shoved into a tent, which was guarded by two of the armed bandits.

Once they were left alone, Lia wasted no time in coming up with a plan. She'd do anything to make sure that Morgana and Gwen escaped. They could not risk waiting for Uther to find out Morgana had been taken and send men after them. Once their escape plan was thought out, they carefully watched the leader of the bandits from the opening of the tent — Lia had heard someone refer to him as Kendrick. They watched as he spoke to another man for a few minutes before heading towards their tent.

"He's coming," Morgana said. She glanced at Lia. "You know what you must do?"

"Of course," Lia whispered.

They all backed up as Kendrick opened the tent and smirked at Morgana. "I trust you are comfortable?"

"I demand to know where you're taking us," Morgana said.

"You'll find out soon enough. We've a long journey ahead of us. Get some rest," he said before leaving them once more.

However, Morgana marched out of the tent after him. "I wish to bathe."

"You wish to bathe?" he asked, turning to face her.

Morgana did her best to ignore the looks that the men were giving her. "I am the King's ward and accustomed to certain standards. I am sure you are quite content to stink like a pig, but I am not."

"The Lady Morgana wishes to bathe!" Kendrick announced to the whole camp. "Who wants to help me guard her?"

Lia hated the way that the disgusting men laughed, but there was nothing she could do about it yet. Kendrick and two other men accompanied Morgana, Gwen, and Lia to the river. They all stood to the side, watching Morgana critically as she removed her cloak.

"You may find the water a little icy," Kendrick said, smirking.

"I'm sure I'll manage," she muttered. Then she glanced nervously at the men that each had a hand on Lia and Gwen. "If you were any kind of gentleman, you'd give me some privacy."

"Well, unfortunately for you I am no kind of gentleman," Kendrick said, taking a menacing step forward. "Now get on with it."

Hesitantly, Morgana removed her gown, leaving her only in her underdress. Too focused on her state of dress, the guard holding Lia removed his hold on her. None of the men saw the smirk that adorned her face as she eyed his sword which was so close to her hands.

"You can at least turn your backs," Morgana said, holding her dress up to her chest for some modesty.

"So you can make a run for it. Do you think I'm that stupid?" Kendrick asked.

"I think you're absolute fools."

Of course, it was too late for the men to realize what Lia had meant. She grabbed the sword and plunged it into the first bandit's back. While he was distracted, Morgana rushed to Kendrick and punched him in the face. Lia then killed the bandit that was holding on to Gwen. Morgana knelt down and stole his sword before they backed away from Kendrick, who was slowly getting up off the ground.

"Run!" Lia shouted, pushing Morgana and Gwen ahead of her.

They ran through the trees, knowing it would not be long before the other bandits figured out they had escaped. Lia did not let Morgana and Gwen out of her sight, not wanting to get separated. While Gwen was searching for enemies through the trees, she did not notice the branch on the ground. She tripped and fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

Morgana turned back to check on her, and Lia was already at her side, helping her stand.

"Put your arm around my shoulder," Lia instructed. "Come on."

However, Gwen could hardly take a full step before collapsing again. "No, no, no. We'll never outrun them, you must go on without me!" she told them.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Morgana protested.

"Morgana, help Gwen," Lia said, suddenly passing her off to Morgana. "You two go. I can hold them off. Get back to Camelot."

"NO—"

"Go, Morgana!" Lia shouted in an authoritative tone.

Morgana hesitated, but as Lia shouted at her once more, she turned and ran, pulling Gwen along with her. As the bandits approached, Lia moved to hide behind a tree. She pressed her back up against the bark, waiting for the bandits to get closer. As soon as she heard his heavy breathing, she jumped out and plunged her sword into his chest.

Morgana heard the man's scream ring out through the trees and she paused, Gwen, leaning weakly against her. She looked back to where she had left Lia with a guilty expression. She wanted nothing more than to run back to her but knew she needed to listen to Lia. Then, as she heard even more screams of men sound, she and Gwen continued to run.

| | |

Arthur, Merlin, and the two knights that accompanied them arrived at the scene of the attack. They looked around at the dead bodies, most of which were wearing the garbs of Camelot. Arthur slid off his horse to go and see if he could find any of the girls.

"Check to see if anyone's alive!" he said to the knights. Merlin followed Arthur and watched as he picked up a sword off a dead bandit. "It's Mercian craftsmanship."

"Arthur," Merlin called. He approached the body of Sir Robert, who had a piece of paper pinned to him with an arrow. He skimmed the writing with a frown. "It's a ransom note! They've taken Morgana hostage."

Arthur searched the path for any signs of where they could've gone next. "Tracks lead off this way," he said, drawing his sword.

Quietly, they all snuck through the woods. When Arthur heard footsteps approaching from the distance, he exchanged his sword for a crossbow. He crept towards the sound of crunching leaves and hid behind a tree for a moment before jumping out. Arthur wasn't met with bandits as he thought. He faced Morgana, who was injured and missing her dress, looking terrified. Gwen, who was limping, leaned heavily against her. He thought they would be relieved at seeing him, but the fear on their faces remained.

"Where's Lia?" he asked, his eyes searching the trees for her blonde hair.

And then Arthur felt like he couldn't breathe as Morgana simply shook her head. She was gone.

| | |

"Do not let this one out of your sight!" Kendrick ordered. He harshly shoved Lia towards two bandits who grabbed her arms. Kendrick continued to shout at his men. "How could you let her escape? You let the blonde bitch kill thirteen of you before catching her! A servant took out half my men before you brought her to me. She is worthless to us!"

Kendrick glared at Lia with a new hatred. He couldn't believe that Morgana and the other girl had managed to escape. He couldn't believe that a woman who looked so weak and harmless had killed so many of his men. It annoyed him that she did not even look scared as he glared at her. But then, he studied her more carefully, and an idea popped in his head. He stalked forward and roughly grabbed Lia's face, examining her features. Then he grabbed Morgana's abandoned dress from one of the bandits.

"Put it on," he commanded, shoving the purple garment into Lia's hands.

"What are you going to do with me?" Lia asked, narrowing her eyes. Truthfully, she didn't understand why she wasn't dead yet.

"Hengist has never met the Lady Morgana. For all he knows, you could be Uther Pendragon's ward," he told her. "You may be just a servant, but you look fair enough to be a lady."

Lia scoffed and shook her head. "I will do no such thing—" Lia cut herself off when Kendrick pressed his sword to her throat.

"You can put on the dress or die where you stand," he said in a dark tone.

Lia winced as he pressed the blade into her skin, lightly cutting into it. She could feel warm blood trickle down her throat. Lia's eyes fell down to the dress in her hands, knowing that she had no other choice.

| | |

Once the rescue party had returned to Camelot, Morgana ran into the council chambers to see Uther, Gwen quietly trailing behind. He rushed to Morgana straight away and hugged her.

"It's such a relief to see you safe. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone harming you," he told her.

"The bandits still have Lia," she said, worried for them.

"I believe they were Mercian," Arthur told him. He was doing his best to remain level-headed, despite the fact that the only thing on his mind was Lia. "We've received reports that Hengist has crossed the border."

"Hengist?" Uther repeated.

"You must send a rescue party," Morgana insisted.

"If Hengist is holding her, it would take a small army to rescue her," Uther said, frowning.

"We can't abandon her!" Morgana insisted.

"How many men would you have me sacrifice to save an apprentice?"

"As many as it takes!" Morgana snapped. "Lia sacrificed herself so that Gwen and I might escape. She stayed back to fight off the men while we ran. I owe her my life!"

Uther regretfully turned away — he could not risk the lives of his men for one person. "She did so willingly, and she will be honored for it."

"I don't want her honored, I want her rescued!" Morgana shouted, grabbing Uther's arm. Tears began to stream from her eyes as she thought of Lia. "She is more than just an apprentice. You've no idea how much she means to me. I cannot bear to lose her."

"An apprentice is of no value to these bandits," Uther said. "I fear she's dead already."

There were many reactions throughout the room. Gaius looked to the ground in pain. Arthur sucked in a sharp breath. Merlin clenched his fist angrily, not allowing himself to believe Uther's words. Even several of the guards in the room who knew Lia grew sad at the thought she was lost.

Morgana downright refused to accept Lia's fate. "No! We cannot give up hope!" she shouted, pulling herself away from Uther's grip. Frantically, she searched the room until her eyes landed on Arthur, who was avoiding looking at her. "Arthur? I'm begging you. You have to do something—"

"My father's right," Arthur interrupted, staring forward. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."

"How can you say that?" Morgana asked angrily. Gaius slowly approached her to lead her to the physician chambers. She struggled against his hold and continued to yell. "How can you live with yourselves? All of you!"

| | |

Lia felt disgusted as she was forced to put on Morgana's dress and cloak. Kendrick put her on a horse and his men surrounded her on all sides as they rode towards Hengist's fortress. As Lia was escorted through the street, Kendrick kept a tight grip on her, not wanting for her to attempt to escape again. They approached a large man who was sitting on a wooden throne, but he stood when he saw Lia.

"Kendrick," Hengist greeted. "I was beginning to think you'd failed me."

"May I present the Lady Morgana," Kendrick said, gesturing to Lia.

Hengist chuckled and bowed before her as he leered at her. He yanked back the hood of her cloak and studied her. "You're as beautiful as they say, Lady Morgana."

"I demand that you release me immediately," Lia said, trying to mimic the authoritative tone that Morgana often used.

"Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays your ransom." Lia swallowed thickly, knowing that Uther would not be paying any kind of ransom for her. "In the meantime, you'll be my guest."

"Do not flatter yourself," Lia said, keeping her chin held high. "I am not your guest. I am your prisoner."

"As you wish," he told her. "Take her to the dungeon."

A guard roughly grabbed Lia and dragged her away. She knew that she had to keep up the ruse of pretending to be Morgana. The longer that she stayed alive, the better chance Merlin had of saving her. She only hoped that her friend was already on his way.

| | |

Morgana burst into Arthur's chambers with fury in her eyes. "How can you be so heartless?" she shouted. "Lia is the most kind, loyal person that any of us have ever met, and she has been more than a friend to both of us! And you would leave her at the mercy of those animals—"

"Morgana..."

"Have you no shame?" she continued, ignoring him. "I can't believe I thought for once that you might have cared for someone other than yourself."

"Morgana..."

"I knew you were many things, Arthur Pendragon, but I didn't know you were a gutless coward!"

"Morgana!" Arthur said, finally raising his voice. "Perhaps if you would stop shouting at me for one second, you would notice that I am packing."

Morgana froze and looked from Arthur's bag to the chainmail she hadn't noticed he was wearing. He was already preparing to leave. "You're going after Lia?" she asked, suddenly bashful. She felt foolish for yelling at him.

"Of course I'm going after her. Leon and I both are," he said, grabbing his things. "What do you take me for? I couldn't disagree with Father in public."

"Arthur?" Morgana called before he could leave his chambers. "I cannot lose her. Bring her home."

Arthur nodded in assurance. Morgana was not the only person that could not go on without Lia. Whether Uther cared or not, they would not give up hope.

Merlin was also preparing to leave. As he exited his chambers with a packed bag, Gaius was waiting for him. Merlin paused and sighed, unable to decipher his blank expression.

"I suppose you and Arthur are going after Lia," Gaius said.

"Gaius, don't even think about telling me not to go. There's nothing you can say that will stop me," Merlin told him. "Lia is my best friend in the world, and I cannot let her die. You can't stop—"

"I wasn't going to try and stop you, Merlin," he said, shaking his head. "All I ask is you make sure you come back safely, along with Illyria."

Gaius hugged Merlin, who promised that he'd be back with Lia. He also received a good luck from Gwen, who was getting her sprained ankle treated by Gaius. Then he met Arthur and Leon, and the trio snuck out of the castle. Once they reached the square, they hid behind a cart and eyed the guards at the exit.

"We'll fetch the horses," Arthur told Merlin. "You distract the guards."

"Wha - how do I do that?" Merlin asked.

"I don't know," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Do I have to think of everything?"

Leon gave Merlin a sympathetic grin before following Arthur to the stables. Merlin grumbled and turned back to the guards. He chanted a spell to roll a barrel towards the two guards, who were startled by the movement. He watched as they approached the barrel, perhaps expecting someone to jump out of it. Then Merlin used his magic once more to stand the barrel upright, which frightened the guards. He chuckled before muting another spell, sending a whole group of barrels at the guards. Merlin winced as they crashed into the guards, knocking them unconscious.

"What did you do?" Leon asked as he and Arthur approached with the horses. The two of them looked at the unconscious guards with shocked faces.

"I said distract them, not knock them out!" Arthur snapped.

Merlin shook his head and held back a smile. "There's just no pleasing you sometimes."

| | |

Lia had been forced to attend a feast with Hengist and his men. The hall was loud as men tore at their food with their hands. Lia sat uncomfortably at Hengist's side, aware of the hawk-like gaze that Kendrick had on her. He was making sure she did not screw everything up.

"Silence!" Hengist shouted. The thunderous noise ceased as everyone listened to him. Lia tensed up as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Our royal guest, Lady Morgana has grown bored! She needs entertaining."

The men laughed boisterously as Gengist nodded to someone. On the opposite wall of the room, there was a large cage. A gate on the inside opened and a large warrior entered from a tunnel, making the crowd cheer. Lia frowned, figuring that she wasn't going to like the kind of entertainment that Hengist had planned.

"Bring on the challenger!" Hengist ordered.

Then, another man came through the tunnel, and Lia felt her heart stop. He was dressed in worn chainmail and his hair was shorter. Time seemed to slow down around her as he turned his head in her direction. Their eyes met across the room, neither quite believing that the other was really there.

But he was. It was Lancelot.

"Only one of you will emerge from the cage alive," Hengist announced, not noticing the moment that passed between them. "Do you accept the challenge?"

Lancelot tore his eyes from Lia and bowed to Hengist. Lia bit her lip and watched worriedly as the cage match began. Both men fought roughly, and at one point, the other man had Lancelot pinned to the bars of the cage. Lia had to hide her worry, not wanting to give away the fact that she knew him, but a sigh of relief escaped her lips as Lancelot maneuvered away.

As the fight went on, Lancelot managed to get the upper hand. He hit the sword out of the other man's hand. Then he punched him in the face and knocked him to the ground. Lancelot stood over him with his sword raised, ready to strike a fatal blow.

And then he glanced at Lia, seeing her horrified face.

She shook her head in disbelief of what Lancelot had become. This was not the kind and noble man that she knew. The Lancelot that she had cared for would not fight for money and strike down an unarmed man. Her heart broke to see him as he was now.

Hengist had caught the small moment between the two, a bit confused. And then, Lancelot shook his head and stepped away from his opponent. The crowd booed as Lancelot spared his life and exited the cage. Lancelot approached Hengist, careful to keep his eyes off of Lia. Hengist tossed him the sack of coins for winning the match.

"What is your name?" he asked him.

"My name is Lancelot," he replied.

"You have proved yourself to be a skillful warrior," Hengist said. Then he glanced at Lia and smirked. "I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana."

Lia kept her face blank, and Lancelot did his best to hide his surprise. Slowly, he bowed to Lia. "My Lady."

Hengist laughed before turning back to Lancelot. "Next time you fight, do not expect any mercy. Release the Wilddeoren."

Lia watched as the cage door opened and a large creature, a Wilddeoren, crawled from the tunnel. She had never seen such a beast, but clearly, the warrior had as he backed away, screaming in fear. The creature squealed before attacking the man. Lia shut her eyes and turned away in horror, not able to watch as the man was eaten alive.

Her eyes fell on Lancelot, who stared right back. The man that stared back at Lia was a different one than she had come to know. Something had changed in him — she could see it as she stared into his eyes which used to be so warm and comforting. Lia could only hope that he wasn't completely lost.

| | |

While Lia had been unexpectedly reunited with Lancelot, Arthur, Leon, and Merlin were racing through the woods towards Hengist's fortress. They had ridden all through the night, not stopping to rest at all. The journey was beginning to get to Merlin, who was exhausted.

He hadn't even realized that he had dozed off until he fell from his horse, hitting the ground hard. Arthur and Leon stopped the horses to check on him.

"What are you doing, Merlin?" Leon asked, staring down at him.

"I must've.. fallen asleep. I'm exhausted," he mumbled. "I can b - barely keep my eyes open."

Arthur looked down at him with an unimpressed expression before he opened his canteen and poured water over Merlin's face. The servant's eyes snapped open.

"Thank you. I feel so much better," he muttered.

"Lia's life is at stake. We cannot afford to waste a second."

Merlin groaned before getting to his feet and crawling on the horse. Leon at least had the decency to give him an apologetic look — he was just as tired as Merlin. The problem was that Arthur had convinced himself that his companions didn't care as much about saving Lia as he did. Which of course, annoyed Merlin to no end. Lia was his best friend — his sister. He wouldn't know what he'd do if they got to Hengist's fortress and she was already dead as Uther feared. But he also knew there wasn't much that could be done until they got there, so Merlin wasn't going to take his worry and frustration out on his traveling companions. It seemed Arthur wouldn't be extending the same courtesy, no matter how much they complained. Nothing they said got through to the Prince, so they pressed on.

| | |

After the feast, Lia had been confined to a cell in the dungeon. It was dark and cold, and she sat curled up on the cot wrapped in Morgana's cloak. She heard footsteps approaching, but not from the door.

"Lia," she heard Lancelot softly call.

Lia looked around until she spotted a small opening near the top of her cell. She stepped up on the bed and stared at Lancelot through the window.

"Lancelot," she breathed out.

"I could not believe my eyes when I saw it was you," he said, unable to hide his smile.

"I thought my mind was deceiving me," Lia whispered. "But you're here. You really are here."

"Why does Hengist think you are Lady Morgana?" he asked. Lia glanced nervously at the door of her cell, making sure the guards could not hear.

"He believes he's holding Morgana to ransom," she explained. "When no ransom is paid he will realize the truth and then he will throw me to those beasts."

"I will not allow that to happen," he told her.

Lia studied his face carefully. "What are you doing here? Are you one of Hengist's men?"

"No," he denied, though he avoided looking at her.

"What became of you after you left Camelot?"

"There are few opportunities for men like me. So I've been earning a living the only way that I know— with a sword in my hand. It seems it is my destiny to entertain men like Hengist."

"I don't believe that of you," Lia said, shaking her head. "You are a far better man than that. You were so full of hope."

"I was wrong," Lancelot told her. "The world is not like that."

Lia grabbed the bars of the window and frowned. "I still see the hope in you. I do not accept it is gone."

Lancelot smiled sadly and stared at her hand. Slowly, he laced his fingers with hers. "I have thought of you often. Have you thought of me at all?"

"I have," Lia admitted, smiling. But then another flashed in her mind. "But I thought I would never see you again." They heard the sound of a door being unlocked, and Lia pulled her hand from Lancelot's. She looked at the door of her cell. "Someone's coming," she whispered.

"No matter what it takes, I will find a way to get you out of here. I will," Lancelot promised. He stood, and Lia watched as he ran off. She could only hope that he could keep his promise.

| | |

Regardless of the urgency, Arthur had allowed them to stop and get some rest. Despite their worry, Merlin and Leon had managed to take a nap — they knew they would need to be wide awake for when the time came to save Lia. Arthur, however, could not bring himself to shut his own eyes. He was anxious to get on the road again, meaning he did not allow the others to sleep long.

He walked up to Merlin and Leon who were sleeping at the base of a tree. He nudged Leon with his foot while pouring water over Merlin's head, calling each of their names.

"What's happening?" Merlin asked, waking quickly. When he realized that Arthur was the one to douse him in water, he glared at the Prince. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Long enough," Arthur said as Merlin and Leon got to their feet.

"Did you get some rest, Sire?" Leon asked him.

"Couldn't sleep," he muttered, fixing the saddle on his horse.

Merlin narrowed his eyes and studied Arthur. "I've never seen you like this. About anyone. Not even Morgan when she was taken by the Druids."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked, pretending to not understand.

"Lia," Merlin specified. "You really care about her, don't you?"

Arthur ignored the knowing looks that Merlin and Leon were giving him. "What I care about is not wasting any more time talking. Let's get moving."

| | |

Lia sat stiffly on the cot in her cell. As her door was unlocked, Hengist entered. Slowly, she stood and eyed him carefully, wondering why he was there.

"I've not yet received word from Uther that he intends to pay your ransom." Lia swallowed thickly but kept her face clear of worry as Hengist stalked closer to her. "I was informed that the King was extremely fond of his ward. Are you not surprised he is content to leave you here to die?"

"How can I know the King's mind when I am locked in your stinking cell?" she asked, refusing to show fear.

"If I do not hear from Uther by dawn tomorrow, this stinking cell will be the last place you ever see," Hengist threatened.

He cackled as he left the cell, slamming the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Lia let out the breath she had been holding and slumped onto her cot. Whether it was Lancelot or Merlin, she needed to be rescued, and quickly.

| | |

Arthur had come to a stop to read the map of the land, trying to figure out the quickest route to Lia. "The ransom was supposed to be delivered to the Veil of Denaria. If they're holding Lia anywhere, it has to be there. Which means, it'd save a day's riding if we cut through the tunnels of Andor."

"You can't be serious," Leon said, as Arthur eyed the entrance to the tunnels.

Merlin looked between the worried expression on Leon's face and the determined one on Arthur's. "Oh, no. I know that face. I'm not going to like this, am I? What's in the tunnels?"

"They're infested with Wilddeoren," Arthur told him.

"What are Wilddeoren?"

Arthur held his arms out as far as he could. "Well, they're like giant—" Arthur cut himself off when he saw the fear on Merlin's face.

"Baby rats," Leon cut in.

Arthur quickly nodded along. "Baby rats."

"Baby rats?" Merlin repeated, not believing them for a second. But he managed to convince himself that Leon wouldn't lie to him like Arthur would. "They don't sound so bad."

"They feast on human flesh," Leon added after a moment. Arthur elbowed him in the stomach, wishing he had left that part out.

"Alright," Merlin grumbled. "Well, how are we meant to save Lia if we're eaten by flesh-eating baby rats?"

In response, Arthur simply approached a bush and began to inspect the bright red berries on it. Leon and Merlin shared a confused look.

"Uh, what are you doing, Sire?" Leon asked him.

"Wilddeoren are completely blind," Arthur began to explain. "They hunt by sense of smell. Gaia berries will put them off the scent. So, if we smear ourselves with them, perhaps we can pass through the tunnels undetected."

Merlin and Leon shared a look, figuring that Arthur knew what he was talking about. They followed the Prince's lead and grabbed some of the red berries and smeared them on their faces. As soon as the putrid scent hit their noses, they both cringed.

"Oh! Oh, these stink! Oh, they're really bad," Merlin moaned.

"Perhaps you'd prefer to be eaten alive," Arthur said, rubbing some berries on his neck.

"Pass me some more, will you?" Leon immediately said. Arthur grabbed a handful of berries and shoved them in the knight's face, making Merlin laugh. Of course, that drew attention to himself, and Leon smushed some into his hair.

Once the three of them were thoroughly coated and smelling absolutely foul, they started towards the entrance of the cave. Deep down, all three of them were worried about the beasts inside, but they knew it was a danger they would have to face. They had to get to Lia.

| | |

Later that day, Lancelot once again snuck to Lia's cell. He crouched down and peered through the small window, catching sight of her curled up on the cot. She looked cold as she wrapped herself up in Morgana's cloak, and he wished he could've gotten her a blanket somehow.

"Lia," he called softly.

Lia quickly got up and moved to the window, sighing in relief when she saw him. "Lancelot."

"I was terrified I might find your cell empty," he admitted.

"There's been no word from Uther," Lia said, shaking her head. "And there will never be. I fear Hengist is growing suspicious. I won't be long before—"

"No," Lancelot interrupted, not even wanting to think of the alternative. "You must keep up the pretense. I will not allow you to die here."

"What about you?" Lia asked. She was worried about his safety and the danger he was putting himself in for her.

"I have little to live for," he muttered, looking away.

"Do not say that!"

"It's the truth. For all my words, for all that I believed, I have come to nothing."

Lia reached for his hand through the grates in the window. "Never say such things, Lancelot. You are everything that is right with this world."

Lancelot gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "I did not know you felt that way," he said softly.

A type of warmth filled Lia as Lancelot stared at her with such love — one that she hadn't felt in a long time. Somehow, she had managed to forget the butterflies that would erupt in her stomach when Lancelot looked at her in such a way. Arthur had made her forget, but Arthur wasn't there, crouching outside her cell, holding her hand, and promising to free her.

"I'd forgotten that I could feel this way about someone," she whispered.

Lancelot's smile was so bright and hopeful, and Lia could see a flicker of the old him in his eyes. "Then you have given me a reason to live. Be ready. I will come for you before nightfall."

| | |

All three men were glad to finally reach the end of the tunnels of Andor. Somehow, despite a close call on Merlin's part, they escaped unscathed. As soon as they were out of the tunnels, they all rushed to a nearby stream and scrubbed the horrible-smelling berries off their skin.

"Gaia berries worked," Arthur mused, sounding surprised. "Huh."

Merlin and Leon both froze in their movements. Both of them looked to Arthur in disbelief.

"You didn't know if they worked?" Leon asked with wide eyes.

"Not for sure," Arthur replied casually while standing back up.

"Now you tell us?" Merlin asked, scoffing. "Oh! Oh, what's that Wilddeoren eating? It's alright. It's just Merlin. Are you trying to get us all killed?"

Arthur chuckled as Merlin fussed at him, and even Leon managed to smile. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't've risked your lives like that. At least Leon's not freaking out like you."

Merlin nodded and looked to the ground before smirking to himself. "Well, they do say love makes you do strange things."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked, narrowing his eyes. Leon stayed silent but he admitted that Merlin had to be pretty brave to bring up such a subject.

"Why can't you just admit your feelings for Lia?" Arthur simply scoffed, making Merlin smile. "It's so obvious. A blind man could see it. Is it really that hard to admit you like her? Just say it."

However, Arthur walked away and continued to deny it. "I do not like Lia. Don't be ridiculous." Leon, who was watching from the side, could not help but loudly scoff. Arthur turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have something to add, Leon?"

Against his better judgment, Leon did have something to add. He was completely fed up with Arthur's attitude and the entire situation. "Do you know why I never asked Lia to court me, despite the fact that practically all of Camelot, Lia included, expected me to?"

"Why?" Arthur aside stiffly.

"It certainly wasn't because I did not fall for her."

Merlin watched nervously as the two men stared each other down with almost challenging looks on their faces.

"So, what are you saying? That you're in love with Lia?" Arthur asked in a low tone.

"Maybe I was at one point, but I stepped back because I saw what you could not. It's not like you're very subtle, My Lord. You look at her as if she hangs the stars in the sky each night. So, I'd at least appreciate it if you could admit it to yourself that you have feelings for Lia."

"I can't!" Arthur suddenly shouted. "How can I admit that I think about her all the time? That she's the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last before I go to sleep? That I'd do anything to make her smile? Or that... I care about her more than anyone else in my life? How can I admit that I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?"

Merlin was stunned — he hadn't expected Arthur's feelings to run so deep. "Why can't you?"

"Because nothing can ever happen between us!" Arthur shouted before his face fell. "To admit my feelings, knowing that, hurts too much. That's why I can't admit it to her or to myself, Leon."

"Who's to say nothing can happen?" Merlin asked.

"My father won't let me rescue her," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Do you honestly believe he'd let me marry her?"

"You want to marry Lia?" Merlin practically exclaimed. Arthur would certainly need to be coming to Merlin and asking for his permission before he asked that of Lia.

Arthur shocked all of them when he didn't deny it. "It doesn't matter," was all he said. It didn't matter that he could so clearly picture Lia in a regal gown, at his side, with a crown on her head — he could picture her as his Queen. "It's all talk, and that's all it can ever be."

"When you're King, you can change that, Sire," Leon told him.

Arthur shook his head. "I'd be a fool to expect Lia to wait for me. No, one day, whether it is you, Leon, or another knight, or even bloody Lancelot if he ever returns to Camelot — one day, she will belong to another."

"If she feels as you do, she'll wait for you," Merlin assured him.

Arthur did not want to give himself hope though. "We don't even know if she's still alive."

"She's not dead," Merlin said, shaking his head. He would not let himself think about it. "Lia is alive and we are going to find her."

Arthur did his best to force a smile. "Come on. We've got a long trek ahead." Arthur began to head to the path, but stopped and turned back to face Merlin and Leon with a pointed look. "Oh, and Merlin, Leon... if you dare tell anyone about this, I promise I will make your lives a living hell."

"You mean, more than you already do?" Merlin asked, smirking.

Arthur matched his smirk. "Yeah." Then he turned and started walking towards the path.

"We could talk about your feelings while you walk," Merlin called after him.

"Shut up, Merlin," he muttered.

Leon chuckled and clapped Merlin on the back. "Stop pushing your luck. I'm surprised he hasn't stabbed you yet."

"Not to stir the pot or anything, but I'm sure Lia would've agreed to court you had you actually asked."

"Merlin," Leon said, glancing at Arthur's back which had grown tense, "that's the exact definition of pot-stirring."

| | |

As morning came, Lia was abruptly awoken by Hengist's men barging into her cell. They each grabbed an arm and dragged her all the way back to the main hall. She was helpless as they tossed her into the cage, the same one that Lancelot had fought in. Hengist was waiting for her in there, simply leaning against the bars.

"Morgana. Morgana!" he greeted in an angry tone, slowly approaching her. "I keep asking myself, why does Uther not pay the ransom? He's a rich man, why would he leave his beloved ward to suffer a slow and terrible death?"

"I don't know," Lia breathed out. She was terrified as Hengist took more threatening steps towards her. "Please. Please—"

Lia backed into a corner, but Hengist reached out and roughly grabbed her hand, pulling her close. "It must be very upsetting to know that Uther has abandoned you. It seems like no one in the world cares for you."

"I don't know why he doesn't pay. Please, I don't know," Lia said, shaking.

"Take her to her cell," Hengist suddenly said. He roughly shoved her out of the cage and into the arms of a guard. Just before they turned the corner, she heard Hengist's words to one of his men. "Bring Kendrick to me. Perhaps he can tell me why the Lady Morgana has the hands of a serving girl."

He was going to find out, she realized. Years of hard work in Ealdor had given her away. As the guard dragged her back to her cell, fear crept up on Lia. It would not be long before Hengist returned, this time to kill her. As Lia was thrown to the ground, she curled up in a ball and cried. All she could picture was that man being eaten alive by the Wilddeoren — that was how she too would meet her end.

Unknown to Lia, Lancelot could hear her terrified sobs. His heart broke for her but he also was all the more determined to save her. Lancelot positioned himself over the grate above the guards outside of Lia's cell. Slowly, he lowered a line of thread down to the pot of stew that they were cooking. Using it, he added several drops of a drug that would knock them out.

It was not long before both of them got hungry. After one mouthful, both guards began to get drowsy, and eventually fell unconscious. Lancelot quickly stole the keys off one of their bodies and ran to Lia's cell.

Lia sat up, shocked as Lancelot ran in — her fear had managed to convince her that he wouldn't be able to save her in time. He offered her his hand with a charming smile. "We haven't a moment to lose."

The pair ran through the dungeons as quickly as they could. Lancelot led Lia around each turn, clearly having planned the escape route beforehand. Eventually, they made it to the tunnels under the fortress, but they knew Hengist's men were not far behind.

Which was why Lia was so confused when Lancelot stopped running. "Follow this tunnel. It will take you out beyond the castle walls. I will buy you as much time as I can."

Lancelot tried to pull away, but Lia would not let go of his hand. "I am not leaving you."

"You must," he insisted.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I will not leave you here to die. Not for me!"

"I would die for you one hundred times over." Lancelot tenderly held her face, as if committing her to memory — as if it would be the last time he ever saw her. "Live for me, or everything that I am has been for nothing."

With tears in her eyes, Lia stood on her toes and kissed him. As her lips moved against his, she tried to convey just how much she loved him and could not stand the thought of leaving him. Lancelot smiled sadly as he pulled away.

"Why is it that when I kiss you, it is always goodbye?" he whispered, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade," she promised.

Against every bone in his body telling him not to, Lancelot let her go. "Run. Don't stop running until you are well away from here." Lia hesitated, not wanting to take her eyes off of him, but they could both hear the approaching bandits. "Run," he ordered. "Run."

Lia fled through the tunnels, doing her best to see through the dark. As she got farther and farther away, the less she could hear the bandits. But when a loud yell of pain sounded throughout the tunnels, she could not help but pause and look back.

She could only pray that it was not Lancelot.

| | |

As night fell, Arthur, Merlin, and Leon had finally reached Hengist's fortress. They carefully observed the perimeter from the woods, searching for the best way in. It was called a fortress for a reason after all.

"We'll have to scale the walls," Arthur finally decided.

"Maybe there's another way in," Merlin suggested. He wasn't quite sure he'd be able to climb that high.

"Why don't you go and knock on the front gate?" Leon suggested, grinning.

"I'm sure if you ask nicely, they'll hand Lia over to you," Arthur added, rolling his eyes. He and Leon moved through the trees and towards the castle, Merlin silently following.

"We're coming, Illyria," Merlin whispered to himself. "Please be alive."

| | |

Laughing, banging, and shouting filled the room. All of Hengist's men were crowded around the cage, where Lancelot was held. His arms were tied behind his back and he was forced onto his knees, keeping his eyes to the ground. 

As Hengist approached the cage, the room grew quieter. "Before you die, I can promise you the most unimaginable pain."

Lancelot ignored the laughter. All that mattered to him was that Lia was safe. He could die peacefully knowing that, with only thoughts of her on his mind. "You can do what you will with me. I do not care. You can do no harm to Lia."

"Oh, was that her name, huh?" Hengist asked with an unnerving grin. "A serving girl? And you really believe she's worth dying for?"

Lancelot let out a singular, breathy laugh before looking to the ceiling. He closed his eyes and pictured Lia's face smiling sweetly back at him. "She is worth more to me than you will ever understand."

The bandits simply laughed at his sentimentality. And then, to Lancelot's horror, Hengist nodded to his men and the gate to the cage opened. Two bandits dragged Lia into the cage, forcing her on her knees next to Lancelot. He shook his head, wishing more than anything that she could've escaped.

"You thought she got away," Hengist said, chuckling. "No. You failed her. And that must hurt you more than I will ever understand."

The bandits laughed as Hengist mocked him. Lancelot turned back to Lia, who had tears in her eyes. She could not say anything before she was roughly grabbed. Then, she and Lancelot were moved back to back and their hands were tied together. They could do nothing as the bandits watched them as if they were their prey.

"What do you say?" Hengist asked loudly. "Shall I spare them?"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" the men shouted, beginning to beat on the bars.

"I am sorry," Lia whimpered, trying to look at Lancelot over her shoulder. "This is my fault."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You reminded me of who I am. I will die with faith in my heart. That is worth more than anything."

Lia trembled and shut her eyes as Lancelot intertwined his fingers with hers. At least if she was to die, she would not be alone.

"Release the Wilddeoren!" Hengist ordered.

A cry of fear left Lia's lips as the large, rat-like beast crawled out of the tunnel. It moved around the cage, using its nose to guide the way. She struggled against the ropes, but there was no way either she or Lancelot could free themselves.

And then their saviors arrived.

Two men, who Lia thought were bandits, suddenly jumped into the cage, swords drawn. However, they quickly pulled down the masks that had been covering their faces.

"Arthur! Leon!" Lia shouted in disbelief.

Arthur quickly cut through their bindings, and Leon tossed Lancelot a sword. The three men quickly moved Lia behind them and faced the Wilddeoren.

"What are you doing here, Lancelot?" Arthur asked as he attacked the large beast.

"I came to save Lia," he said, stabbing the Wilddeoren. "What about you two?"

"Likewise!" Leon told him. He noticed the bandits behind the bars clawing at Lia, and he pulled her away. "Get behind me."

The four of them in the cage were too focused on the giant beast to notice Hengist, who had grabbed a crossbow. He loaded the arrow, prepared to take them all out. Luckily, Merlin noticed and quickly muttered a spell. The chandelier over Hengist's head crashed down, but he managed to dodge it.

"The tunnel — that's our only chance," Arthur told them, knowing they couldn't make it through all of the bandits. He then searched for his servant, who was crouched under a table. "Merlin! Don't sit there cowering, let's go!"

As Merlin crawled into the cage, the five of them fled through the tunnel.

"Take Lia! I'll hold them off," Lancelot said, staying near the entrance to the cage.

"No!" she shouted, trying to run back to him. She could not stand to leave him again.

Arthur, however, had other plans. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the tunnel, Leon following. "Lia, we have to go!"

"I'm not leaving without Merlin and Lancelot!" Lia yelled. She tried to pull her grip from Arthur, but Leon simply picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down, Leon!"

"Would you just be a damsel in distress and quietly let us rescue you?" he asked, rushing through the tunnels after Arthur. Then he caught sight of Lancelot's torch over his shoulder. "They're right behind us. Don't worry."

Lia calmed down in Leon's arms once she saw the two men. The five of them ran until they reached the end of the tunnels, which were closed off by a grate. Leon finally sat Lia down on the ground and Arthur pried at the lock on the bars.

"Good to see you three," Lancelot said. "Where are your other knights?"

"It's just us." Arthur did his best to ignore the shocked look on Lia's face. Instead, he focused on breaking the chain keeping the grate closed. "Got to keep moving."

Once the grate was opened, Lancelot turned to Lia and offered her his hand. She smiled a relieved smile and took it, getting back to her feet. While she may not have noticed the almost jealous look of realization on Arthur's face, everyone else in the tunnel did. But the moment passed as Lia escaped into the woods, the others following.

"Thank you, Arthur," Lancelot told him. "We owe you our lives."

The five of them ran until they were far away from Hengist's fortress and deep into the woods. Only once they assumed they were safe enough away, and the sun was close to rising, did they set up a camp. Once a fire was lit, Lia curled up next to it, wrapped in Leon's cloak to help stay warm. She leaned against Merlin's shoulder, glad to be at her best friend's side. Lancelot sat on her other side.

"I'm surprised you would undertake such a rescue mission with just the three of you," Lancelot pointed out. He wasn't blind — he could see the pouty expression on Arthur's face each time he glanced at Lia.

"My father would not risk the lives of his knights for an apprentice," Arthur muttered, keeping his eyes on the fire.

"And yet you disobeyed him and came here anyway," Lancelot noted.

Arthur shrugged and shook his head. "Truth is, I only came because Morgana begged me."

Lia's eyes watered as she heard him speak in such an uncaring tone — as he admitted that he didn't actually care for her as she had fooled herself to believe. Lia bit her lip and stared at the fire, trying to not let any tears fall. In doing so, she missed the surprised looks on both Merlin and Leon's faces, the knowing one on Lancelot's, and the overwhelming regret on Arthur's.

"I think I will get some rest," Lia said in a quiet tone. She forced a smile as she got to her feet.

"We should all get some rest," Arthur muttered, getting up as well. Lia wished he wouldn't have followed.

"I'll stand guard for a while," Lancelot announced. Leon nodded in thanks and got to his feet as well.

Perhaps Lia would grow to regret the action, and blame it on her hurt, but she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Lancelot's lips. As Lancelot tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she missed the heartbroken look on Arthur's face — perhaps she might've felt bad if she had. Instead, she focused on Lancelot. Lancelot, who helped save her not because he was begged by someone else to do it but because he loved her.

"I'll just... sit here, then," Merlin said, as he was left alone by the fire — Lancelot went off to check the perimeter. Despite the fact that everyone had walked off, the uncomfortable and awkward tension still lingered.

| | |

Later, after Leon, Arthur, and Lia had all managed to fall asleep, Merlin went to find Lancelot. He was leaning against a tree, thinking deeply about something, but stopped as Merlin approached, sitting on a log near him.

"Is it true that Arthur came to rescue Lia because Morgana begged him?" Lancelot asked him. The sad smile on Merlin's face told him all he needed to know. Lancelot nodded in understanding. "He has feelings for her, doesn't he?"

"What about you? Do you have feelings for Lia?" Merlin asked though they both knew the answer.

He loved her, Lancelot wanted to say. And he knew he would never love another in the same way. But he was far too fucking noble to say as much anymore. "My feelings do not matter. I will not come between them. Tell Lia — tell Lia that she has changed me forever, but some things cannot be."

Merlin knew Lia would be crushed and heartbroken, but he could not change Lancelot's mind. So, once again he watched as his friend left. Merlin continued to keep watch even after Lancelot was long gone. The first to wake up was Arthur, who upon learning of Lancelot's departure went for a walk around their camp — really, he just didn't want to be there when Lia woke up and found out that he left.

As Merlin put out their fire, Leon gently shook Lia awake. She smiled and handed him back his cloak, thanking him quietly. Then he went to fetch Arthur.

"Where's Lancelot?" Lia asked Merlin. Her smile faded when she noticed the grim expression on Merlin's face. "Where is he?"

"He's gone," he regretfully told her.

"No," Lia said softly, shaking her head. Her lip trembled and her eyes watered. "He can't be gone again."

"He said that some things can't be. He wanted you to know that you've changed him forever."

Lia turned away from Merlin as a tear slipped down her face. Quickly, she wiped it away. Leon and Arthur watched from afar, not wanting to interrupt. And yet, they had to go.

"We have a long walk ahead of us," Arthur said after a moment.

Merlin glanced at Lia's back for a moment, listening as she sniffed and tried to hold in her tears. Slowly, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, silently letting her know that she would at least always have him by her side.

| | |

It was a mostly silent ride back to Camelot. Of course, Merlin had lectured her at length about not ever getting captured by bandits in the future, which she promised not to do. Lia felt as if it had been months since the last time she saw the walls of the city, even though it had only been a few days.

Morgana had been at her wit's end waiting for them to return safely with Lia. She barely slept and hardly ate, no matter how hard Gwen tried to get her to. Lia was the only thing on her mind, and she spent most of her days staring out a window waiting for her return.

"Morgana." She had been so consumed with her worry that she hadn't noticed Arthur approaching her on the stairs. Morgana looked at him expectantly, and Arthur could see in her eyes that she couldn't hear any bad news. "There's someone here to see you."

Arthur stepped to the side to reveal Lia. A gasp of relief left Morgana's lips and a grin covered her face. She rushed to Lia and pulled her into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Lia!" she breathed out. Happy tears welled in her eyes. Morgana pulled away from their hug for just a second to kiss both her cheeks before hugging her even tighter. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Lia had shut her eyes upon hugging Morgana but slowly opened them after a second. The smile on her face slipped away as she met Arthur's gaze. She couldn't understand the look in his eyes as he watched her carefully — all she could hear were his words back at the camp. He only came to save her because Morgana begged him.

With the memory fresh on her mind, she looked away, breaking whatever moment the two had been having. She had Morgana. She had Merlin.

Lia did not need Arthur.