Chapter 8 – Trouble

“Where are they?” Merlin asked, spinning around to get a 360 degree view of the area.

“They can’t have gone far.” Elyan said, raising his sword a little higher as he scanned the trees. “They went that way.” Leon said suddenly and everyone turned to stare at him.

“How do you know?” Arthur asked and Leon simply pointed at the ground with his sword.

“Because those are footprints and in particular, those ones are Percival’s.” Leon said pointing at a set of prints. “How do you know?” Merlin asked.

“One, how many people do you know with feet that big? And two, they are marked. Gwaine carved ‘Big Foot’ onto the bottom of his boots a while back as a joke. And the chances of someone else with big feet and ‘Big Foot’ carved into the bottom of their shoe coming along here is very unlikely. So, they went this way.” Leon explained before setting off through the trees, leaving the others stood, shocked, and slightly confused, behind him.

"Shush!" Arthur hissed, holding up his hand to stop the others.

"What is it?" Merlin asked in a loud whisper.

"Shush!" Arthur hissed again.

"Only asking" Merlin muttered under his breath. The men slowly moved into hiding behind the trees as they waiting in silence. The sound of footsteps grew closer and closer and Arthur signalled to the men. He counted down on his fingers from three…down to two…then one…and on one the men charged out from behind their trees, swords drawn. There were gasps of surprise and the quick sound of swords being draw before Merlin cried “Stop!” Both groups suddenly stopped as they realised who the others where.

“Oh hello, fancy meeting you here.” Gwaine said with a smile before putting his sword back into its sheath. Gwaine’s smile faltered a little as he looked at the others confused faces before turning around to see what they were staring at. He smiled again as he saw Percival carrying Scarlet and Robin holding Katalean. He turned back to the others and smiled. “Oh yeh, this is Robinette-”

“Robin!” Robin cut in, pressing her sword threateningly into Gwaine’s back.

“As I said, this is Robinette, Scarlet and Katalean. I said they can come with us to Camelot.” Gwaine said coolly. Arthur sighed, lowering his sword but keeping it at hand. “Honestly, we leave you alone for one minute.” he muttered

“So…let’s get going, the tavern is calling.” Gwaine said before walking past Arthur and back towards the path. “Last one to Camelot is a dollophead!” Gwaine called back to them.

“Oi! That’s my word!” Merlin complained as they group began to follow Gwaine.

“Yes, and it suits you perfectly.” Arthur said.

“Oh haha very funny.” Merlin said sarcastically.

“Sarcasm to the king is punishable by a day in the stocks.” Arthur told Merlin sternly.

“You just made that up.” Merlin said and Arthur smiled.

“Doesn’t make it not true.” Arthur said. Merlin was about to reply but thought better of it, he intended to get back to Camelot and have a huge dinner….not have that dinner thrown at his face. So instead he just stayed quiet and followed the others back towards Camelot.

“The lady Morgana wants to see you.” Isis said as she opened Griffin’s door.

“Why?” Griffin asked, looking up from where he had been staring out of the window at the masses of men assembling in the court yard outside. “Go and find out.” Isis said and Griffin sighed before getting to his feet and following Isis out of the door.

“So what’s the deal with you and Morgana?” Griffin asked as they walked along the corridors of the castle. “Lady Morgana to you. And there is no deal, I was born to serve the goddess, as was she and she is my protector, she taught me the ways of the old religion.” Isis said blankly, no emotion in her voice. “I see.” Griffin said quietly as Isis opened two large wooden doors. Griffin entered the room and walked towards the thrown where Morgana sat. “You wanted to see me.” Griffin said and Morgana smiled.

“So I did.” Morgana said, getting up from her thrown and walking down towards the boy. “The time has come for you to pay back my hospitality.” Morgana said with a smile that made Griffin’s insides churn. “I understand you have a gift.” She said.

“No.” Griffin said immediately.

“Come now, there is no reason to be afraid.” Morgana said softly.

“It is no gift, it is a curse.” Griffin said, looking down at the ground, ashamed.

“Call it what you will, but I need it.” Morgana said.

“Then I am afraid I cannot help you, I can’t control it, it is of no more use to you than it is to me.” Griffin said and Morgana’s smile widened.

“My dear boy, how wrong you are.” She said and suddenly her eyes flashed amber as she began to mutter the spell. “In iumentum vocat te” She said and Griffin cried out in pain, falling to his knees by Morgana’s feet. Morgana smiled as the scene played out in front of her and soon it was no longer a boy before her, but a huge, black, winged cat. Morgana smiled, her weapon was primed, her army prepared, her plan slowly falling into place.

“Robin, may I ask exactly what you are doing out in the forest? And what happened to the boy?” Arthur asked as they walked along. Robin sighed and looked back at Scarlet laying in Percival’s arms. “We are running my lord.” She said sadly.

“From who?” Arthur asked.

“From my husband.” She said, looking up at him. “I was sold to him, my family had nothing and he took a fancy to me so I was sold so my family could eat.” Robin said. “I was his third wife; Scarlet’s mother was the first. Katalean; she is my daughter.” Robin explained. “My husband is a bad man sire; he hurt me, and the children. We could not take it any longer. In our escape Scarlet was injured by one of the guards. Please sire, we need protection.” Robin pleaded. “Don’t worry, no harm will come to you in Camelot, I promise you.” Arthur said.

“Thank you my lord, if my husband were to find us, he would kill us.” Robin replied.

“You say that so seriously,” Gwaine suddenly put in. “Loads of people want to kill me, but look at me, I’m still cheery.”

“Yes, but to be honest Gwaine, I would happily lend one of those people my sword and cheer them on just to stop your chatter.” Arthur said, and Gwaine grinned.

“Aww thanks.” He said sarcastically and Arthur sighed.

“Hey, how come Gwaine doesn’t get told off for being sarcastic?! But I get threatened with the stocks?!” Merlin moaned.

“Because the stocks would completely ruin my gorgeous hair.” Gwaine said, giving his hair a flick. “Because Gwaine is a knight Merlin, even if I do sometimes wonder why I condemned us all to his chatter, but he is a knight none the less.” Arthur replied.

“So just because I am not a knight that means its ok to throw rotten fruit at me?” Merlin asked. “Exactly.” Arthur said.

“That’s so not fair!” Merlin moaned.

“Arthur!” Elyan suddenly called from where he stood at the edge of a small cliff, looking down towards Camelot. “What is it?” Arthur asked as he came to join him.

“Trouble.” Elyan replied as Arthur looked down to see the army, marching straight for Camelot. “Merlin.” Arthur said, “I think the stocks are going to have to wait.”

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Hi..........

Right u must all hate my guts right now for not updating in like 3 weeks...and for always not updating in like 3 weeks....SO sorry! But you know with all the school, sleeping, tv and homework its been hard to have time to just sit down and write this! But now its half term! Yay! Halloween soon! Yay!!!!! (I LOVE Halloween....in my mind its better than easter, christmas and even birthdays! its the best!) Right so anyway i hope u liked this chapter! What did you think of Griffins gift/curse??? Remind you of someone....?? Lol and omg an army marching on Camelot!!!

Lol thanks so much for reading and being so patient! Please do vote and comment! Your all so amazing!

                                                                 HazelJ :)

P.S. I have cast Colin Ryan as Scarlet! He played Lorenzo in BBC Leonardo and i dont care what anyone says i think he is cute! :) (pic at the side)

Also if the chapter title made Taylor Swift's song Trouble get in your head and its really annoying you then....join the club! ~~~~And if it hadnt until you read this then....sorry... :)