Arthur's Sons (Book 2)

The Last Dragonlord (Part 2)

Arty is usually a heavy sleeper, much like his father, and much like his father when they're away from Camelot he becomes incredibly alert in his sleep and can be woken by a damn butterfly flutter. So naturally, the moment he senses the door to their room disturbed on almost silent hinges his electric blue eyes are wide open and ears sharp as a fox. The intruder slinks past the end of Arty's bed and heads for the satchel on the floor by the side of his parent's bed, as the man passes Arty turns very slowly before sitting up behind the man.

Arty unsheaths his dagger from beneath his pillow before quickly grabbing the man and pulling him into a headlock with the blade at his throat. The man's startled cry awakens his parents who shoot up disorientated. "What's going on?" Arthur asks blearily before noticing the man his son is choking with a blade to said man's throat.

"Do you know what the punishment is for theft?" Arty growls in the man's ear as his father stands and draws his sword levelling it at the man's chest.

"No, please. I've got children to feed." The man chokingly begs as Arty holds him with unnatural strength.

"Tell me where to find Balinor." Arty demands sharply as the man tries to struggle free.

"Balinor?" The man asks dumbfounded.

"What do you know of him?" Arthur commands fixing the man with a cold blue gaze.

The man lets out a small cough before shaking his head. "Nothing. I..."

Arty cuts him off by choking him harder and pressing the dagger to the intruder's jugular hard enough to draw blood. "Do you value your life?" Arty asks wickedly.

"It's been many years since I saw him!" The man shouts suddenly, again trying to struggle free from Arty's inhuman grip.

Merlyn stood from the bed eyes alight with anger but also thinly-veiled interest. "Do you know where he lives?" She asks firmly.

The man swallows thickly looking between the Prince and woman before him before sighing in defeat. "You must travel through the Forest of Merendra to the foot of Feorre Mountain. There you will find the cave where Balinor dwells." He answers.

"See that wasn't so hard." Arty purrs before shoving the man away toward the door.

The man scrambles to his feet holding his throat before pausing at the door to give them a hateful look. "But don't get your hopes up." He warns.

"Why?" Merlyn asks with a cocked brow.

The man snorts. "He will not welcome you. Balinor hates everyone and everything. A cave's the best place for him." He spits venomously before running out of the room like the devil was after him.

Arthur places a gentle hand on Merlyn's shoulder at the troubled expression creasing her brow before putting his sword away and gently guiding her back to bed while Arty casts a spell on the door to keep it locked against any intruders before turning in.

---

Merlyn barely slept after the attack the night before as the man's parting words turned over in her mind, Merlyn's mare bumped her gently in comfort clearly sensing her distress at the thought of her father rejecting her. They were walking on foot leading the horses as they searched for Balinor's cave when movement caught her eye and she lifted her head in time to see Arthur stumble.

She frowned in concern. "It's all right." Arthur tells her with a wince and Merlyn rolls her eyes before grabbing his arm to stop him.

"No, it's the wound. Let me have a look." She demands and Arthur stops with a dramatic sigh before crouching a little so Merlyn can inspect the wound.