"A Westland Seeker in Prince Arthur's Court by Jodie and Vaidah 5/5
A Westland Seeker in Prince Arthur's Court by serendipityxxi and alorarose
Series: Legend of the Seeker and Merlin
Rated: PG
Summary: Richard and Kahlan hide the box of Orden and hangout in Camelot's dungeons a lot.
Genres: Drama, Romance, Crossover
Disclaimer: All your Seeker are belong to Disney and all your Merlin are belong to Arthur. We do not claim to own anything except the crazy crossover ideas that float around our brains. No moneh is being made off our crack either.
Spoilers: Episode 1x12 of Legend of the Seeker and all of Series 1 of Merlin.
Authors' notes: This fic starts at the end of 1x12 and assumes teh sexy!tiemz were.. uh not there (Blasphemy, I know!) as the tomb of the last Seeker in this story was not in some wonky Mayan temple but in Camelot instead.
Thank you to our lovely betas Leo and Luppy!
Chapter 1: Word count: 3126
Chapter 2: Word Count: 3288
Chapter 3: Word Count: 2773
Chapter 4: Word Count: 1555
Chapter 5: Word Count: 4454
"What do you think he meant by there's something down here?" Richard asked, hand on the hilt of his sword as they wound down the passage. Merlin had returned their weapons to them and agreed to wait for them back at the entrance to this tunnel. He'd get them out of Camelot once the box was hidden.
"This is a pretty small passage so we're not talking a Shadrin or anything like that." Kahlan surmised, grateful in the flickering shadows that her hands were no longer bound.
There was a sharp bend in the passage and then they were dumped out into a huge cavern, that seemed to be dimly lit by something other than their torches. "Maybe we should be reconsidering that Shadrin idea..."
At the sight of the torches the dragon glided down to land on the large boulder in the center of the cavern, flapping his wings once before settling them down at his sides. He was expecting either Merlin or Gaius, but the looks of the newcomers had him curious. He knew why they were there, of course, but he waited for them to speak.
Richard's eyes widened and he took an unconscious step back, stumbling directly into Kahlan who grabbed at his arm to keep him from falling over. Only Zedd remained unruffled.
"Is that..." Richard whispered to Kahlan, voice trailing off as his eyes took in the magnificent beast. He'd joked about dragons, but neither Zedd nor Kahlan had ever told him they were real. He was terrified and yet it was probably the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on.
The dragon kept looking at them, full of patience. He glanced at the tall man, his smell that of a wizard then glanced at the other two. The woman's scent was also familiar.
Zedd glanced at his two companions with a wry grin and then stepped forward. "Greetings to the guardian of the tomb of the Seeker Kieran." he called.
"I am no guardian," the dragon said, kicking out his leg to rattle the chains. "But tell me what it is that you need, Wizard."
"My most humble apologies." Zedd gave the dragon a swooping bow. "We are in search of the tomb of the Seeker Kieran."
"You made a great risk coming to Camelot," the dragon narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure this is the hiding place you seek?"
"If not here then where?" Zedd responded, spreading his arms expansively. "The treasure we possess could determine the fate of the world as we know it, we must keep it from falling into the wrong hands."
"There are worse things than the box you carry," the dragon said.
"What do you mean?" Richard asked, speaking for the first time to the dragon himself, round eyed, his face full of childish wonder as if he could scarcely believe he were talking to a real live dragon.
"There are many dark magics that have been locked away," the dragon explained. "And your foe will work his way down the list, one by one."
"Does that mean there is no point in fighting?" Kahlan demanded, "We do not seek to defeat him through denying him of his precious toys, we intend to kill him." There was steel in her tone, and for an instant Richard almost felt sorry for Rahl knowing that Kahlan was determined to defeat him.
"You misinterpret my words, Mother Confessor," the dragon snorted. "You speak of your determination and I wish to warn you about the will of the one you are after."
"Darken Rahl's will cannot be stronger than that of the spirits. It is destined for our Seeker to kill Rahl and rid the world of his tyranny." Kahlan replied fiercely.
The dragon shook his massive head and sighed. "It is not my intention to contradict the Mother Confessor. A prophecy is written in stone and cannot be changed. The path to get there, however, is ever changing."
"Will you help us to navigate that path?" Richard asked. "I cannot think of a better protector for something this valuable than the might and magic of a dragon."
"I will protect your burden but I make a request in return," the dragon shifted his weight on the rocks, regaining his footing.
"And what might that be?" Zedd asked quickly, before Richard could agree, knowing the requests of dragons could be quite tricky things indeed.
"Arthur and Merlin also have a destiny," the dragon began to explain. "But Merlin is stubborn and refuses to heed my guidance. I ask that you talk to him and get him to come down here so he could at least hear what I have to say."
"I cannot speak to the will of another," Zedd began "but I will do what I can to convince him to speak with you." he promised sincerely.
"All I ask is that you try," the dragon bowed his head. "Leave the box and I will make sure it rests where it'll never be found."
"Thank you," Richard said pulling the box out of his pack. He stepped forward and laid it on the stone close to the cliff.
Zedd inclined his head and Kahlan gave the great beast a tight lipped smile before they backed into the corridor.
Richard waited until they had ascended two flights of stairs before letting out a great whoop that echoed wildly off the stone walls. He grabbed Kahlan and swung her around. "We did it!" He exclaimed, surprising her with a swift kiss and then turned on Zedd. "Oh no, boy. I don't want a kiss." Zedd protested but returned the hug Richard seized him in warmly.
Richard laughed, and good naturedly ducked the swing Zedd took at his head. “We’re more than halfway there Zedd! We might beat Darken Rahl yet!” he crowed.
"We should go meet Merlin." Kahlan pointed out with a laugh a little giddy at the idea herself, and yet unable to shake the worry - what if the dragon betrayed them, what if Rahl killed Richard and not the other way around, the dragon had said he'd find other avenues.
~~~
"Thank you for helping," Merlin walked beside Gwen as they carried a change of clothes for Richard and Kahlan. After he had led them to the entrance to the tunnel that led below the castle, he had rushed to ask for her help. He didn't know how long they would be down there so he worked as quickly as he could gathering things that would help them get out of Camelot unnoticed. Most of the things Gwen had gathered though and he was grateful for her help.
"You know I'd do anything to help you, Merlin. You're being very brave following Arthur's orders like this." She said with a smile at the boy at her side.
"It'd be more brave to not follow Arthur's orders," he pointed out. "But... even if he hadn't ordered it... I think I still would have done something," he said quietly.
"I believe that." She said putting a hand on his arm. "You're not the kind to stand idly by while someone is being treated unfairly."
"Neither are you," he smiled at her. "Are you sure Morgana won't miss the dress?"
"Absolutely. This was a trial run of the actual dress Morgana has anyway, you know how she can be, changes her mind in the middle of every fitting I swear." Gwen's lips twisted wryly. She loved Morgana, she did, but sometimes the King's ward was more than a handful.
He laughed as he started down the stairs and hoped Gwen wouldn't ask why they were heading in a completely different direction from where the cells were. "They should be waiting for us just down here."
"Down there?" Gwen asked in surprise. "I guess you didn't wait for me to break them out did you?" She laughed.
"Ah," he laughed nervously. "Getting them out of the dungeon was the easy part. Getting them out of the castle is the hard bit."
Gwen nodded and bit her lip. "Do be careful, Merlin. If Uther's guards catch you..." her voice trailed off. They both knew what happened to people who Uther felt had betrayed his trust.
"I fear more what Arthur would do to me if I failed him," Merlin said, shaking his head.
Gwen laughed. "At this point Merlin, I'm fairly certain you could talk him out of anything you wanted. You've certainly learned to work your way around the young dragon."
"It's only because Arthur doesn't fully listen to what I tell him," he pointed out, glancing at her as they came to the bottom of the stairs.
"Say what you will Merlin, but Arthur has grown immeasurably with your influence. I'll be proud to call him king someday and that will be because of all you've taught him." Gwen said with finality. She stuck her head around the corner, peering into the shadows trying to spot the two strangers.
Merlin looked at her, baffled then quickly set it aside. He would have all the time in the world to ponder what Gwen had said after the two were safely out of Camelot. He stepped around the corner and whistled, keeping an ear open for them.
Richard heard the signal clearly in the silence of the passages under the castle. He whistled back and nodded at Zedd and Kahlan. They cautiously made their way to the rendezvous spot.
"It's good to see you Merlin." Richard said warmly. "I may be a tracker but even my skills could not have got us out of these catacombs." He laughed.
"It's a bit of a maze down here," Merlin agreed and set down the sack of clothes he had been carrying. "We've brought a change of clothes so you'll blend in well and some supplies." He handed Richard the guard garb he had packed and nodded to Gwen to give Kahlan the dress.
"Thank you, my boy." Zedd clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "I know it was not easy for you helping us. We will not forget it."
"Don't thank me until you're clear of the castle walls," Merlin smiled at him.
"Once we are clear of them, I will need to speak with you about something." Zedd informed him cryptically.
Richard listened to them with half an ear while he traded his shirt for one in the pendragon colours of red and gold then started putting on the chainmail. He always looked like a little boy playing dress up in mail he thought with a rueful twist of his lips as he pulled the hood over his head but kept the helmet off. He would put it on when he had to but he hated how hot it got and how much of his vision it restricted.
He was folding his own clothes into his pack which also held the Sword of Truth and scabbard that had gotten him into trouble with Uther in the first place when Gwen and Kahlan came back around the corner. The dress Gwen had found for Kahlan was a long sleeveless purple satin sheath with a sheer teal overlayer that made her blue eyes even bluer. The sleeves on the overlayer were in much the same style as Kahlan's confessor dress, with gold embroidery at the elbows and below the bust line. Gwen had pinned up her hair in similar fashion to the way Morgana wore hers and Kahlan touched it self-consciously now. It still felt odd not wearing her confessor's outfit, even when she was in her traveling clothes. But in this dress Kahlan could imagine for a moment what it could have been like if she wasn't a Confessor, if Richard wasn't the Seeker, if they were just happy citizens of Camelot. She shook her head at her foolish thoughts.
"Are we almost ready?" She asked Richard and Zedd who turned to her.
Richard's eyes widened a bit as he took in the full effect of the new outfit. It looked very much like the dress Richard had seen the Lady Morgana wear to dinner earlier that night, however Richard could not say that the lady looked better in it. He let his eyes convey his opinion of the dress to Kahlan who flushed a bit.
"Wow," Merlin breathed as he looked at her. "This plan might actually work..." He turned his head. "Gwen, you'll keep an eye on Morgana, keep her on the east side of the castle until we're well and clear?"
"She does make a good Morgana, doesn't she?" Gwen smiled at Kahlan and gave her hand a quick squeeze. "I'll do better than that and keep her in her rooms if I can." She promised Merlin, heading for the stairs. At the foot she turned around. "Good luck." She wished and was gone in a swish of yellow skirts.
Merlin watched her leave and waited until he couldn't hear her on the stairs anymore before looked back at the small group. "This way," he gestured and headed to one of the tunnels offshooting from where they were. "This will take us up into the town so we can make toward the gates."
The trek through the tunnels was all but silent except for the sounds of their feet on the stone. It didn't take that long but the tension was high as they finally made it out into the cool night air. It was late, much of the town was at home, except of course the guards patrolling the walls. Clouds scudded across the moon overhead. Zedd pulled up the hood of the cloak Merlin had brought him and that reminded Richard to put on his helmet which he did. Richard turned to Merlin then. "Through the square and right through the gates?" He asked.
Merlin looked around for any movement through the town. He was hoping there'd be someone heading out the gates, but at this hour they'd be lucky if they found anyone. He glanced at Kahlan then pulled out another cloak from the sack slung across his shoulders. He handed it to her then looked between them all. "We'll go out in pairs. You two first," he gestured to Zedd and Kahlan. "Wear your sack over your shoulder, if the guards ask, you were visiting friends and now are heading back to your farm in the western village. They most likely won't ask, it's not strange for people to be leaving this late. Anyone watching from the castle Kahlan, will think you're Morgana. In a few minutes Richard and I will follow. They won't question me walking out the gate. We'll meet at the treeline where the path curves south."
Kahlan accepted the cloak and the instructions with a nod. "See you on the other side." Zedd said squeezing Richard's shoulder and then the two were on their way, meandering slowly across the square as if they had not a care in the world.
Richard stood silently watching them go, palm itching for the hilt of the Sword of Truth. He held his breath as they came up to the gate and then passed through without incident. He let his breath out in a rush. "Guess we're up next." he said with a tense smile at Merlin.
"Not yet," Merlin whispered as he watched the gate, counting down the seconds in his head.
"Why aren't you gone yet?" Arthur hissed, causing a startled Merlin to jump. He inhaled sharply and glared at his master.
"We're about to go out the gate," Merlin frowned. "Have you been following me?"
Richard spun around at the prince's words, shocked to have been taken by surprise, particularly by this boy. "Thank you for letting us go." He told Arthur with feeling.
"I didn't let you go," Arthur scowled.
"And if you mention he did, he'll just deny it," Merlin finished for him.
"Well then I don't thank you." Richard said, clapping the prince on the shoulder with a smile.
"Hurry it up, Merlin," Arthur looked around. "It anyone notices you missing, I won't cover for you this time." He glared at his servant one last time before heading in the opposite direction of the gate.
"When was the last time?" Merlin mumbled to himself after he was sure Arthur was out of earshot. He looked back at the gate with a sigh. "Our turn."
"Ready when you are." Richard replied with a tight grin.
After one last look around, Merlin started to walk out into the open square. He wasn't too quick paced but it was clearly a pace with a purpose. He trusted Richard to keep up beside him and nodded to the guard on duty as he and Richard started through the gate. The guard nodded back then continued along the path of his patrol. He kept his eyes on the tree line and followed the path, keeping the same pace.
Richard matched Merlin's stride and was surprised at how little his heart sped up as they neared the guard. With all their narrow escapes since he and Zedd had left Westland apparently sneaking past one unwatchful guard was nothing. Richard laughed at himself mentally as he followed Merlin down the moonlit forest path. Their feet made hardly any noise, Merlin could be quiet as a mouse when he wasn't purposely trying to be and Richard figured all his attention was focused on listening for shouts from the watch. Soon they had turned south and Richard's whole frame relaxed as he spotted Zedd and Kahlan waiting just off the path.
Merlin relaxed also and then turned to look back at the gate through the trees. Now how would he sneak back in without alerting the guard to anything suspicious. He frowned when he realized that was a major flaw to his plan.
"No trouble getting through?" Zedd asked.
Richard shook his head. "None at all thanks to Merlin."
"We really do owe you a lot," Kahlan agreed.
"I hope the next time you come this way you'll be able to truly enjoy Camelot," Merlin said.
"I'm guessing the next we come this way we'll have to avoid Camelot, Uther seems the type to hold a grudge." Richard said with a wry smile.
"But at least now we can say for sure that the citizens of Camelot are as brave and honorable as their king is rumoured to be." Kahlan added.
"When Arthur is King, I pray you'll return," Merlin bowed his head respectfully to them. "I should... probably go figure out how to sneak back in now."
"Before you do, might I have a word with you, Merlin?" Zedd asked, clapping the boy on the shoulder and leading him a bit aways from Richard and Kahlan.
Merlin nodded then looked nervously up at Zedd, glancing behind them at the other two.
"It is a precious gift you have, my boy. Not many can claim your talent in magic. Had you been born somewhere else in the midlands you would have been called to the towers of Aydindril to study and perfect your art. I understand you are tied to Camelot and do not wish to try to persuade you to leave it, especially in these treacherous times." Zedd began, "but the dragon that lives beneath this castle can be a great ally to you Merlin. He can help you discover many things that even Gaius cannot. Magic is never easy my boy, especially not in the beginning. There are many hard lessons one must learn, it may make your teachers seem harsh but in the end its mastery is well worth it."
Merlin made a noise of disgust and stepped back so he could see Zedd's face better. "My mother almost died because of him. "Useful or no, he is no ally of mine."
"Because of him or because of actions you took without first considering their consequences, Merlin? It is always easier to think when it is to place blame and not so much so to think of consequences when we are in a hurry." Zedd pointed out.
"He knew what my intention was when I asked for his help," he said. "And he set me on a path to a result he knew was unacceptable, yet he said nothing. All he cared for was an outcome that suited himself best."
"Now you know of the orientation of his thoughts, Merlin, you can better judge his advice." Zedd pointed out. "I won't presume to tell you what to do, I can only say that ignoring a font of knowledge is like letting a feast go to waste, you may not be hungry now but in a few hours or a few days you may be ravenous and there will be nothing."
"Nothing is better than being betrayed," Merlin replied. "I wish you a safe journey. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sneak back in."
Zedd sighed. "Very well. Thank you for all your help, Merlin. You've done a great thing for all the Midlands tonight. And thank Gaius for me too. Tell him I won't let twenty three years elapse before contacting him again."
"Just make sure Arthur still has a kingdom to rule once it's his time," Merlin nodded before turning and running into the trees, heading a bit away from the main gate to find another section of the wall to try and get in from.
Epilogue!
Zedd returned to his companions and the three once more trudged off through the forest. There weren't very many hours of night left but it would not do to escape Camelot and be recaptured by its guards once Uther learned of their escape in the morning so there would be no sleep for them this night. Hopefully by midmorning they'd be far enough away they could find some nice caves or at least a shady clearing.
Kahlan smiled to herself as they walked. The box of orden was hidden where Darken Rahl could never find it and it lifted such a weight from their shoulders. She glanced at Richard, who was still wearing the armour, and couldn't help a giggle. "Those colours look nice on you," she teased.
Richard grinned back at her. "Not as nice as that dress on you, Lady Kahlan," he cut her a courtly bow without losing stride.
"Thank you," she curtsied in reply, inclining her head slightly.
"You might put the Sword of Truth back on if you don't want you and the Lady Kahlan to be eaten by wolves in the middle of the night." Zedd pointed out over his shoulder, making Richard fumble for his pack.
Gwen had furnished them well with supplies: in addition to his own clothes and the sword there was bread and cheese, a link of sausages and several green apples, traveling food. He tossed an apple to Zedd and shed the helmet and chainmail hood before closing his pack. He stood strapping the sword back in its rightful place.
"I should get changed," Kahlan looked around for an appropriate spot to do so. "I'll be quick."
"Maybe you should keep it on for a while yet," Richard put a hand on her arm. "We're still close to Camelot after all."
"Is that the only reason you want me to keep it on, Richard?" she grinned.
Richard blushed a little and said nothing but shot Kahlan a grin in return. Zedd, sighed loudly and stalked off down the path leaving the Seeker and the Confessor to hurry to catch up with him.
Epilogue
Merlin and Arthur stood atop the battlements of the castle silently. Arthur leaned on the top of the balustrade, hands clasped loosely together dangling over the stone wall. Beside him, Merlin tried to copy the prince's casual pose but only succeeded in looking as awkward and worried as he felt. Both boys gazed out onto the forest where the trio they'd rescued should be traveling through right now. There was a cool breeze coming off the lake to the north and it ruffled Arthur's hair with invisible fingers.
"Uther's going to be mad," Merlin couldn't stand the silence anymore and had to say something. He found he was a bit sad to see them go for he would have liked to have learned from Zedd. The man had helped Merlin feel more comfortable by giving him proof that there were others out there just like him.
"Yes, he probably will. I suggest you avoid him as best you can in the next few days, don't do anything especially dumb to give him any reasons to throw you in the stocks." Arthur shot Merlin a taunting grin.
"What?" Merlin stood straight and gave Arthur a look. "You think he'd automatically assume it was me?"
Arthur smirked at his manservant. "Well it obviously wasn't me! And you're the one that brought them here..." he let his voice trail off.
Merlin sighed and leaned back against the balustrade. "It can't be helped."
"Nope." Arthur replied matching his mournful tone. "Can't be helped at all."
"Arthur," Merlin looked down at the empty courtyard below them that was normally bustling with people during the day. "About what they said about this... Darken Rahl?"
"Let him come." Arthur replied decisively. "Let him come to Camelot and I'll make sure he meets his end on my sword before he touches a single one of my people."
"So... you're not worried then?" Merlin glanced at the young prince.
"Of course I am! I'm not a bloody great idiot like you!" Arthur exclaimed. "He's an evil sorcerer for crying out loud!"
"Yes, that evil part is a bit disconcerting," Merlin nodded.
"Merlin, you do have a talent for understatement, really." Arthur cuffed the side of Merlin's head affectionately.
He grinned and laughed softly before getting all serious again. "Wouldn't someone who... can use magic be able to defeat him?" he asked quietly.
"Well yeah but where are we going to find a wizard powerful enough for that?" Arthur shook his head. "Anyhow, Uther would never allow it. He'd rather see the kingdom in rubble than allow magic back in."
"You will think of something," Merlin nodded. He hoped Uther wouldn't be their obstacle in keeping Camelot safe.
"Well hopefully this Seeker fellow will take care of the whole mess for us and all your worrying like an old lady will be for nothing." Arthur announced. He pushed off from the wall and strode towards the stairs.
Merlin turned his head to watch Arthur go and it wasn't until his friend had disappeared down the stairs that Merlin realized he should be following him. "Ah, wait up!" he pushed back quickly from the wall and rushed after him.
Series: Legend of the Seeker and Merlin
Rated: PG
Summary: Richard and Kahlan hide the box of Orden and hangout in Camelot's dungeons a lot.
Genres: Drama, Romance, Crossover
Disclaimer: All your Seeker are belong to Disney and all your Merlin are belong to Arthur. We do not claim to own anything except the crazy crossover ideas that float around our brains. No moneh is being made off our crack either.
Spoilers: Episode 1x12 of Legend of the Seeker and all of Series 1 of Merlin.
Authors' notes: This fic starts at the end of 1x12 and assumes teh sexy!tiemz were.. uh not there (Blasphemy, I know!) as the tomb of the last Seeker in this story was not in some wonky Mayan temple but in Camelot instead.
Thank you to our lovely betas Leo and Luppy!
Chapter 1: Word count: 3126
Chapter 2: Word Count: 3288
Chapter 3: Word Count: 2773
Chapter 4: Word Count: 1555
Chapter 5: Word Count: 4454
"What do you think he meant by there's something down here?" Richard asked, hand on the hilt of his sword as they wound down the passage. Merlin had returned their weapons to them and agreed to wait for them back at the entrance to this tunnel. He'd get them out of Camelot once the box was hidden.
"This is a pretty small passage so we're not talking a Shadrin or anything like that." Kahlan surmised, grateful in the flickering shadows that her hands were no longer bound.
There was a sharp bend in the passage and then they were dumped out into a huge cavern, that seemed to be dimly lit by something other than their torches. "Maybe we should be reconsidering that Shadrin idea..."
At the sight of the torches the dragon glided down to land on the large boulder in the center of the cavern, flapping his wings once before settling them down at his sides. He was expecting either Merlin or Gaius, but the looks of the newcomers had him curious. He knew why they were there, of course, but he waited for them to speak.
Richard's eyes widened and he took an unconscious step back, stumbling directly into Kahlan who grabbed at his arm to keep him from falling over. Only Zedd remained unruffled.
"Is that..." Richard whispered to Kahlan, voice trailing off as his eyes took in the magnificent beast. He'd joked about dragons, but neither Zedd nor Kahlan had ever told him they were real. He was terrified and yet it was probably the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on.
The dragon kept looking at them, full of patience. He glanced at the tall man, his smell that of a wizard then glanced at the other two. The woman's scent was also familiar.
Zedd glanced at his two companions with a wry grin and then stepped forward. "Greetings to the guardian of the tomb of the Seeker Kieran." he called.
"I am no guardian," the dragon said, kicking out his leg to rattle the chains. "But tell me what it is that you need, Wizard."
"My most humble apologies." Zedd gave the dragon a swooping bow. "We are in search of the tomb of the Seeker Kieran."
"You made a great risk coming to Camelot," the dragon narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure this is the hiding place you seek?"
"If not here then where?" Zedd responded, spreading his arms expansively. "The treasure we possess could determine the fate of the world as we know it, we must keep it from falling into the wrong hands."
"There are worse things than the box you carry," the dragon said.
"What do you mean?" Richard asked, speaking for the first time to the dragon himself, round eyed, his face full of childish wonder as if he could scarcely believe he were talking to a real live dragon.
"There are many dark magics that have been locked away," the dragon explained. "And your foe will work his way down the list, one by one."
"Does that mean there is no point in fighting?" Kahlan demanded, "We do not seek to defeat him through denying him of his precious toys, we intend to kill him." There was steel in her tone, and for an instant Richard almost felt sorry for Rahl knowing that Kahlan was determined to defeat him.
"You misinterpret my words, Mother Confessor," the dragon snorted. "You speak of your determination and I wish to warn you about the will of the one you are after."
"Darken Rahl's will cannot be stronger than that of the spirits. It is destined for our Seeker to kill Rahl and rid the world of his tyranny." Kahlan replied fiercely.
The dragon shook his massive head and sighed. "It is not my intention to contradict the Mother Confessor. A prophecy is written in stone and cannot be changed. The path to get there, however, is ever changing."
"Will you help us to navigate that path?" Richard asked. "I cannot think of a better protector for something this valuable than the might and magic of a dragon."
"I will protect your burden but I make a request in return," the dragon shifted his weight on the rocks, regaining his footing.
"And what might that be?" Zedd asked quickly, before Richard could agree, knowing the requests of dragons could be quite tricky things indeed.
"Arthur and Merlin also have a destiny," the dragon began to explain. "But Merlin is stubborn and refuses to heed my guidance. I ask that you talk to him and get him to come down here so he could at least hear what I have to say."
"I cannot speak to the will of another," Zedd began "but I will do what I can to convince him to speak with you." he promised sincerely.
"All I ask is that you try," the dragon bowed his head. "Leave the box and I will make sure it rests where it'll never be found."
"Thank you," Richard said pulling the box out of his pack. He stepped forward and laid it on the stone close to the cliff.
Zedd inclined his head and Kahlan gave the great beast a tight lipped smile before they backed into the corridor.
Richard waited until they had ascended two flights of stairs before letting out a great whoop that echoed wildly off the stone walls. He grabbed Kahlan and swung her around. "We did it!" He exclaimed, surprising her with a swift kiss and then turned on Zedd. "Oh no, boy. I don't want a kiss." Zedd protested but returned the hug Richard seized him in warmly.
Richard laughed, and good naturedly ducked the swing Zedd took at his head. “We’re more than halfway there Zedd! We might beat Darken Rahl yet!” he crowed.
"We should go meet Merlin." Kahlan pointed out with a laugh a little giddy at the idea herself, and yet unable to shake the worry - what if the dragon betrayed them, what if Rahl killed Richard and not the other way around, the dragon had said he'd find other avenues.
~~~
"Thank you for helping," Merlin walked beside Gwen as they carried a change of clothes for Richard and Kahlan. After he had led them to the entrance to the tunnel that led below the castle, he had rushed to ask for her help. He didn't know how long they would be down there so he worked as quickly as he could gathering things that would help them get out of Camelot unnoticed. Most of the things Gwen had gathered though and he was grateful for her help.
"You know I'd do anything to help you, Merlin. You're being very brave following Arthur's orders like this." She said with a smile at the boy at her side.
"It'd be more brave to not follow Arthur's orders," he pointed out. "But... even if he hadn't ordered it... I think I still would have done something," he said quietly.
"I believe that." She said putting a hand on his arm. "You're not the kind to stand idly by while someone is being treated unfairly."
"Neither are you," he smiled at her. "Are you sure Morgana won't miss the dress?"
"Absolutely. This was a trial run of the actual dress Morgana has anyway, you know how she can be, changes her mind in the middle of every fitting I swear." Gwen's lips twisted wryly. She loved Morgana, she did, but sometimes the King's ward was more than a handful.
He laughed as he started down the stairs and hoped Gwen wouldn't ask why they were heading in a completely different direction from where the cells were. "They should be waiting for us just down here."
"Down there?" Gwen asked in surprise. "I guess you didn't wait for me to break them out did you?" She laughed.
"Ah," he laughed nervously. "Getting them out of the dungeon was the easy part. Getting them out of the castle is the hard bit."
Gwen nodded and bit her lip. "Do be careful, Merlin. If Uther's guards catch you..." her voice trailed off. They both knew what happened to people who Uther felt had betrayed his trust.
"I fear more what Arthur would do to me if I failed him," Merlin said, shaking his head.
Gwen laughed. "At this point Merlin, I'm fairly certain you could talk him out of anything you wanted. You've certainly learned to work your way around the young dragon."
"It's only because Arthur doesn't fully listen to what I tell him," he pointed out, glancing at her as they came to the bottom of the stairs.
"Say what you will Merlin, but Arthur has grown immeasurably with your influence. I'll be proud to call him king someday and that will be because of all you've taught him." Gwen said with finality. She stuck her head around the corner, peering into the shadows trying to spot the two strangers.
Merlin looked at her, baffled then quickly set it aside. He would have all the time in the world to ponder what Gwen had said after the two were safely out of Camelot. He stepped around the corner and whistled, keeping an ear open for them.
Richard heard the signal clearly in the silence of the passages under the castle. He whistled back and nodded at Zedd and Kahlan. They cautiously made their way to the rendezvous spot.
"It's good to see you Merlin." Richard said warmly. "I may be a tracker but even my skills could not have got us out of these catacombs." He laughed.
"It's a bit of a maze down here," Merlin agreed and set down the sack of clothes he had been carrying. "We've brought a change of clothes so you'll blend in well and some supplies." He handed Richard the guard garb he had packed and nodded to Gwen to give Kahlan the dress.
"Thank you, my boy." Zedd clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "I know it was not easy for you helping us. We will not forget it."
"Don't thank me until you're clear of the castle walls," Merlin smiled at him.
"Once we are clear of them, I will need to speak with you about something." Zedd informed him cryptically.
Richard listened to them with half an ear while he traded his shirt for one in the pendragon colours of red and gold then started putting on the chainmail. He always looked like a little boy playing dress up in mail he thought with a rueful twist of his lips as he pulled the hood over his head but kept the helmet off. He would put it on when he had to but he hated how hot it got and how much of his vision it restricted.
He was folding his own clothes into his pack which also held the Sword of Truth and scabbard that had gotten him into trouble with Uther in the first place when Gwen and Kahlan came back around the corner. The dress Gwen had found for Kahlan was a long sleeveless purple satin sheath with a sheer teal overlayer that made her blue eyes even bluer. The sleeves on the overlayer were in much the same style as Kahlan's confessor dress, with gold embroidery at the elbows and below the bust line. Gwen had pinned up her hair in similar fashion to the way Morgana wore hers and Kahlan touched it self-consciously now. It still felt odd not wearing her confessor's outfit, even when she was in her traveling clothes. But in this dress Kahlan could imagine for a moment what it could have been like if she wasn't a Confessor, if Richard wasn't the Seeker, if they were just happy citizens of Camelot. She shook her head at her foolish thoughts.
"Are we almost ready?" She asked Richard and Zedd who turned to her.
Richard's eyes widened a bit as he took in the full effect of the new outfit. It looked very much like the dress Richard had seen the Lady Morgana wear to dinner earlier that night, however Richard could not say that the lady looked better in it. He let his eyes convey his opinion of the dress to Kahlan who flushed a bit.
"Wow," Merlin breathed as he looked at her. "This plan might actually work..." He turned his head. "Gwen, you'll keep an eye on Morgana, keep her on the east side of the castle until we're well and clear?"
"She does make a good Morgana, doesn't she?" Gwen smiled at Kahlan and gave her hand a quick squeeze. "I'll do better than that and keep her in her rooms if I can." She promised Merlin, heading for the stairs. At the foot she turned around. "Good luck." She wished and was gone in a swish of yellow skirts.
Merlin watched her leave and waited until he couldn't hear her on the stairs anymore before looked back at the small group. "This way," he gestured and headed to one of the tunnels offshooting from where they were. "This will take us up into the town so we can make toward the gates."
The trek through the tunnels was all but silent except for the sounds of their feet on the stone. It didn't take that long but the tension was high as they finally made it out into the cool night air. It was late, much of the town was at home, except of course the guards patrolling the walls. Clouds scudded across the moon overhead. Zedd pulled up the hood of the cloak Merlin had brought him and that reminded Richard to put on his helmet which he did. Richard turned to Merlin then. "Through the square and right through the gates?" He asked.
Merlin looked around for any movement through the town. He was hoping there'd be someone heading out the gates, but at this hour they'd be lucky if they found anyone. He glanced at Kahlan then pulled out another cloak from the sack slung across his shoulders. He handed it to her then looked between them all. "We'll go out in pairs. You two first," he gestured to Zedd and Kahlan. "Wear your sack over your shoulder, if the guards ask, you were visiting friends and now are heading back to your farm in the western village. They most likely won't ask, it's not strange for people to be leaving this late. Anyone watching from the castle Kahlan, will think you're Morgana. In a few minutes Richard and I will follow. They won't question me walking out the gate. We'll meet at the treeline where the path curves south."
Kahlan accepted the cloak and the instructions with a nod. "See you on the other side." Zedd said squeezing Richard's shoulder and then the two were on their way, meandering slowly across the square as if they had not a care in the world.
Richard stood silently watching them go, palm itching for the hilt of the Sword of Truth. He held his breath as they came up to the gate and then passed through without incident. He let his breath out in a rush. "Guess we're up next." he said with a tense smile at Merlin.
"Not yet," Merlin whispered as he watched the gate, counting down the seconds in his head.
"Why aren't you gone yet?" Arthur hissed, causing a startled Merlin to jump. He inhaled sharply and glared at his master.
"We're about to go out the gate," Merlin frowned. "Have you been following me?"
Richard spun around at the prince's words, shocked to have been taken by surprise, particularly by this boy. "Thank you for letting us go." He told Arthur with feeling.
"I didn't let you go," Arthur scowled.
"And if you mention he did, he'll just deny it," Merlin finished for him.
"Well then I don't thank you." Richard said, clapping the prince on the shoulder with a smile.
"Hurry it up, Merlin," Arthur looked around. "It anyone notices you missing, I won't cover for you this time." He glared at his servant one last time before heading in the opposite direction of the gate.
"When was the last time?" Merlin mumbled to himself after he was sure Arthur was out of earshot. He looked back at the gate with a sigh. "Our turn."
"Ready when you are." Richard replied with a tight grin.
After one last look around, Merlin started to walk out into the open square. He wasn't too quick paced but it was clearly a pace with a purpose. He trusted Richard to keep up beside him and nodded to the guard on duty as he and Richard started through the gate. The guard nodded back then continued along the path of his patrol. He kept his eyes on the tree line and followed the path, keeping the same pace.
Richard matched Merlin's stride and was surprised at how little his heart sped up as they neared the guard. With all their narrow escapes since he and Zedd had left Westland apparently sneaking past one unwatchful guard was nothing. Richard laughed at himself mentally as he followed Merlin down the moonlit forest path. Their feet made hardly any noise, Merlin could be quiet as a mouse when he wasn't purposely trying to be and Richard figured all his attention was focused on listening for shouts from the watch. Soon they had turned south and Richard's whole frame relaxed as he spotted Zedd and Kahlan waiting just off the path.
Merlin relaxed also and then turned to look back at the gate through the trees. Now how would he sneak back in without alerting the guard to anything suspicious. He frowned when he realized that was a major flaw to his plan.
"No trouble getting through?" Zedd asked.
Richard shook his head. "None at all thanks to Merlin."
"We really do owe you a lot," Kahlan agreed.
"I hope the next time you come this way you'll be able to truly enjoy Camelot," Merlin said.
"I'm guessing the next we come this way we'll have to avoid Camelot, Uther seems the type to hold a grudge." Richard said with a wry smile.
"But at least now we can say for sure that the citizens of Camelot are as brave and honorable as their king is rumoured to be." Kahlan added.
"When Arthur is King, I pray you'll return," Merlin bowed his head respectfully to them. "I should... probably go figure out how to sneak back in now."
"Before you do, might I have a word with you, Merlin?" Zedd asked, clapping the boy on the shoulder and leading him a bit aways from Richard and Kahlan.
Merlin nodded then looked nervously up at Zedd, glancing behind them at the other two.
"It is a precious gift you have, my boy. Not many can claim your talent in magic. Had you been born somewhere else in the midlands you would have been called to the towers of Aydindril to study and perfect your art. I understand you are tied to Camelot and do not wish to try to persuade you to leave it, especially in these treacherous times." Zedd began, "but the dragon that lives beneath this castle can be a great ally to you Merlin. He can help you discover many things that even Gaius cannot. Magic is never easy my boy, especially not in the beginning. There are many hard lessons one must learn, it may make your teachers seem harsh but in the end its mastery is well worth it."
Merlin made a noise of disgust and stepped back so he could see Zedd's face better. "My mother almost died because of him. "Useful or no, he is no ally of mine."
"Because of him or because of actions you took without first considering their consequences, Merlin? It is always easier to think when it is to place blame and not so much so to think of consequences when we are in a hurry." Zedd pointed out.
"He knew what my intention was when I asked for his help," he said. "And he set me on a path to a result he knew was unacceptable, yet he said nothing. All he cared for was an outcome that suited himself best."
"Now you know of the orientation of his thoughts, Merlin, you can better judge his advice." Zedd pointed out. "I won't presume to tell you what to do, I can only say that ignoring a font of knowledge is like letting a feast go to waste, you may not be hungry now but in a few hours or a few days you may be ravenous and there will be nothing."
"Nothing is better than being betrayed," Merlin replied. "I wish you a safe journey. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sneak back in."
Zedd sighed. "Very well. Thank you for all your help, Merlin. You've done a great thing for all the Midlands tonight. And thank Gaius for me too. Tell him I won't let twenty three years elapse before contacting him again."
"Just make sure Arthur still has a kingdom to rule once it's his time," Merlin nodded before turning and running into the trees, heading a bit away from the main gate to find another section of the wall to try and get in from.
Epilogue!
Zedd returned to his companions and the three once more trudged off through the forest. There weren't very many hours of night left but it would not do to escape Camelot and be recaptured by its guards once Uther learned of their escape in the morning so there would be no sleep for them this night. Hopefully by midmorning they'd be far enough away they could find some nice caves or at least a shady clearing.
Kahlan smiled to herself as they walked. The box of orden was hidden where Darken Rahl could never find it and it lifted such a weight from their shoulders. She glanced at Richard, who was still wearing the armour, and couldn't help a giggle. "Those colours look nice on you," she teased.
Richard grinned back at her. "Not as nice as that dress on you, Lady Kahlan," he cut her a courtly bow without losing stride.
"Thank you," she curtsied in reply, inclining her head slightly.
"You might put the Sword of Truth back on if you don't want you and the Lady Kahlan to be eaten by wolves in the middle of the night." Zedd pointed out over his shoulder, making Richard fumble for his pack.
Gwen had furnished them well with supplies: in addition to his own clothes and the sword there was bread and cheese, a link of sausages and several green apples, traveling food. He tossed an apple to Zedd and shed the helmet and chainmail hood before closing his pack. He stood strapping the sword back in its rightful place.
"I should get changed," Kahlan looked around for an appropriate spot to do so. "I'll be quick."
"Maybe you should keep it on for a while yet," Richard put a hand on her arm. "We're still close to Camelot after all."
"Is that the only reason you want me to keep it on, Richard?" she grinned.
Richard blushed a little and said nothing but shot Kahlan a grin in return. Zedd, sighed loudly and stalked off down the path leaving the Seeker and the Confessor to hurry to catch up with him.
Epilogue
Merlin and Arthur stood atop the battlements of the castle silently. Arthur leaned on the top of the balustrade, hands clasped loosely together dangling over the stone wall. Beside him, Merlin tried to copy the prince's casual pose but only succeeded in looking as awkward and worried as he felt. Both boys gazed out onto the forest where the trio they'd rescued should be traveling through right now. There was a cool breeze coming off the lake to the north and it ruffled Arthur's hair with invisible fingers.
"Uther's going to be mad," Merlin couldn't stand the silence anymore and had to say something. He found he was a bit sad to see them go for he would have liked to have learned from Zedd. The man had helped Merlin feel more comfortable by giving him proof that there were others out there just like him.
"Yes, he probably will. I suggest you avoid him as best you can in the next few days, don't do anything especially dumb to give him any reasons to throw you in the stocks." Arthur shot Merlin a taunting grin.
"What?" Merlin stood straight and gave Arthur a look. "You think he'd automatically assume it was me?"
Arthur smirked at his manservant. "Well it obviously wasn't me! And you're the one that brought them here..." he let his voice trail off.
Merlin sighed and leaned back against the balustrade. "It can't be helped."
"Nope." Arthur replied matching his mournful tone. "Can't be helped at all."
"Arthur," Merlin looked down at the empty courtyard below them that was normally bustling with people during the day. "About what they said about this... Darken Rahl?"
"Let him come." Arthur replied decisively. "Let him come to Camelot and I'll make sure he meets his end on my sword before he touches a single one of my people."
"So... you're not worried then?" Merlin glanced at the young prince.
"Of course I am! I'm not a bloody great idiot like you!" Arthur exclaimed. "He's an evil sorcerer for crying out loud!"
"Yes, that evil part is a bit disconcerting," Merlin nodded.
"Merlin, you do have a talent for understatement, really." Arthur cuffed the side of Merlin's head affectionately.
He grinned and laughed softly before getting all serious again. "Wouldn't someone who... can use magic be able to defeat him?" he asked quietly.
"Well yeah but where are we going to find a wizard powerful enough for that?" Arthur shook his head. "Anyhow, Uther would never allow it. He'd rather see the kingdom in rubble than allow magic back in."
"You will think of something," Merlin nodded. He hoped Uther wouldn't be their obstacle in keeping Camelot safe.
"Well hopefully this Seeker fellow will take care of the whole mess for us and all your worrying like an old lady will be for nothing." Arthur announced. He pushed off from the wall and strode towards the stairs.
Merlin turned his head to watch Arthur go and it wasn't until his friend had disappeared down the stairs that Merlin realized he should be following him. "Ah, wait up!" he pushed back quickly from the wall and rushed after him.