Kings And Queens

Stranger

Time travel, a million sci-fi stories were going through his head right now. After saying goodbye to the farmer he went back to the forest, right now he was sitting against a large tree, the sky dark, a fire going in front of him.

At least he wasn't completely useless where he couldn't make a fire, five years of boy scouts had taught him something after all.

He looked at his watch and laughed bitterly, it said it was only three in the afternoon. Three in the afternoon in Beacon Hills, or the Wild hunt since being in a pocket dimension could have messed up time somehow.

There wasn't really a point in keeping time now, so he slipped it off and threw it in the fire. Everything he was wearing could have been considered old in 2017, but here it wasn't even in fashion. Maybe he could start the trend of jeans and flannel in the 700s instead of the tunics, trousers, and dresses.

He paused, it was now eerily silent, the bugs silent, the only sound coming from the fire. Then there it was, a crunch of a foot stepping on dried leaves.

Not taking the chances, Stiles stood up, kicking dirt onto the small fire, smothering it, leaving him shrouded in darkness allowing him to see it. Torches in the hands of knights wearing chainmail, armor, and long red cloaks with a dragon crest on it, and swords too which Stiles found both very cool and also terrifying.

Stiles looked around wildly for some place to hide, then he looked behind him and saw the tree. If they were trying to catch him, they wouldn't be able to climb up the tree because of the armor.

Being as quiet as possible, Stiles put his foot on one of the lower branches and stepped up, for once thankful for being a hundred forty seven pounds of pale skin and fragile bone, allowing him not to break any branches and or much sound.

Finally he got high enough where he wouldn't be seen unless they lifted their torches high enough to see his silhouette.

He laid himself down on a long and wide branch, staying still and keeping his breathing even. The bark was rough against his cheek, he tried to find a balance on the branch without using his hands or his legs to keep himself steady.

Risking it, he lowered his hands ever so slightly, laying them flat against the bark, and he found the balance and he shoved down the urge to sound his relief.

"Look here," The knight Stiles assumed to be the leader said, pointing at what was his fire still the hot coals still producing smoke, he looked around,"He couldn't have traveled far, it's still warm."

"If this person is in fact a sorcerer he could already be a thousand leagues away," An absurdly large knight, who reminded Stiles of Ennis, said.

Sorcerer? And how were they looking for him? How did they know that he was here? Did Emrys tell them? Who were these guys? Too many questions and no one to answer them left Stiles frustrated.

"It pains me to admit it, but you're right, Percival," The leader said,"But still, search this area, see if you can find any tracks. That messenger boy said that the man he saw wore attire unlike he's ever seen before. Use that as a guide."

Stiles remained silent, a gust of wind making the branch above him tickle the back of his neck with the leaves and he bit down to keep himself from moving as the leaves continued to sway across his neck. Making it more difficult not to reach up and itch it.

"Go in pairs," The leader said,"You don't want to fight a sorcerer alone, not with the power they have. But only attack if attacked first. The Queen's orders."

"Yes, sir," They said at once, before going off into the forest, leaving Percival and the leader alone.

"I don't like this, Leon," Percival stated, looking around the darkness of the woods, watching the soft glow of the torches belonging to their fellow knights venture off,"Why now? After all these years. We've heard of magicians appearing across the kingdoms but this is the first one here since Merlin left us."