YOU CAN'T ESCAPE DESTINY | Arthur Pendragon [2]

The Druids

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

        "Anna!" I heard someone call as I walked down the hallway, and I turned around, only to see my brother running towards me.
        "Merlin?" I asked, confused at his urgent expression. "What's wrong?"
        "I think I know how to find the Druids," he finally said after a moment, breathing heavily.
        "What? How?" I asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him behind a pillar so that no one would hear what we were saying, seeing as if anyone did, we'd probably be hanged.
        "Arthur ordered his men to arrest anyone who is suspected of knowing any sorcerers," he started to explain, and I couldn't ignore the painful twist my heart gave when I heard that Arthur ordered anyone who even so much as knows someone... like me... arrested, "Or Druids," Merlin continued, and I looked up, "I got a look at the list. There's a woman, Forridel, who's suspected of consorting with Druids,"
        "But... Merlin, what can we do?" I asked, confused at his way of thinking.
        "We can find this woman, and ask her about the Druids,"
        "I thought you said she was going to be arrested," I said, my brows furrowing in confusion.
        "She is. Today," Merlin nodded, before glancing at the courtyard only a few meters away from us and then looking back at me. "But if we can save her..."
        "We can not only save someone who doesn't deserve to be arrested in the first place, but we can also get the information we need to help Morgana," I finished for him, a grin growing on my lips as he nodded, "Merlin... you are a genius!" I exclaimed.

*10 Minutes Later*

        Merlin and I walked quickly through the streets, looking around as guards broke into many people's homes and pulled them out on the streets, restraining them as they struggled. I felt a pit grow in my stomach. These people didn't do anything to deserve this! They only... They only knew people with magic.
        Merlin must have noticed me slow down just in the slightest, and quickly grabbed my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze but also pulling me along faster as we tried to get to Forridel's home before it was too late.
        "Over here," Merlin said to me quietly, before quickly pulling me onto the small front of porch of one of the houses, hiding us behind the sheets that were hanging on a string above our heads to dry out. As soon as we reached the door, I tried to open it while Merlin adjusted the sheet so that we were completely covered but so that it still looked natural, but it wouldn't budge. I glanced at Merlin over my shoulder, and silently let him know to keep watch as I looked back at the door.
        "Ic I Tóspringæ," I chanted quietly, feeling my eyes flash gold as the lock clicked from the inside, "Merlin," I hissed in order to get my brother's attention, and he quickly turned around before following me into the house and closing the door behind us. I then started to quickly walk through the house, not wanting to waste any time, and Merlin followed closely. We almost reached the end of the house, and the only other place anyone could hide at was the small space covered by sheets hanging from the ceiling, where one would sleep, but as we checked that place we discovered that it was empty as well. Merlin and I both sighed, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. Forridel must have been taken by the guards already. And that's what I thought, but only for a second. Because the next second, I felt the sharp texture of a sword press against my back, and judging by the way Merlin straightened up, the same happened to him.
        "Move, and I kill you both," I heard a voice from behind us, which was unmistakably female.
        "Forridel?" Merlin asked, raising his hands in surrender.
        "Who are you?"
        "There's no time to explain, we need to get out of here," I stressed, before taking a chance and turning around, only to see a very pretty young woman with blonde hair and green eyes, holding a sword in both of her hands. "The King's men are coming for you!"
        "Check in there!" we all heard a guard order from outside the house, and Forridel turned back to look at us again, fear flashing in her eyes as Merlin also turned around. She then, somewhat reluctantly nodded, before jerking her head and gesturing for us to quickly get out the back. "Open in the name of the King!"
        We slipped out of the house quietly, and Forridel closed the door behind us before swiftly moving to glimpse around the corner from behind the wall, Merlin and I doing the same, only to see the guards storming into Forridel's house.
        "How did you know they were coming for me?" she asked us quietly, turning around to look at us.
        "I'm Prince Arthur's servant," Merlin replied.
        "You took a great risk. Thank you," she said, her voice filled with gratitude as she glanced between us.
        "I'm just sorry we couldn't help the rest of them," I said quietly, and Merlin and Forridel both turned to look at me, but I was only looking at the people who were being mercilessly dragged out of their homes by the King's guards.
        "We'd better go," Forridel whispered, and proceeded to leave, only for Merlin to grab her arm in order to stop her.
        "No, wait. We need your help," he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and pressing her against the wall. "We're looking for a way to contact the Druids,"
        "I wouldn't know anything about them," Forridel quickly said, but the hard underlying tone in her voice betrayed that she was lying.
        "You don't need to lie to us," Merlin tried to persuade.
        "I'm not lying,"
        "If it weren't for us, you'd be under arrest," I finally snapped, though keeping my voice quiet as my patience wore out. I didn't want to be so harsh, but the image of Morgana looking utterly terrified and helpless was branded into my mind. I need to help her.
        "You know we're not spies for Uther," Merlin said as Forridel looked around the corner again. "We're friends of the Druids,"
        "We need their help," I said, and Forridel finally seemed to be convinced, though still reluctant, as she looked between us.
        "What do you want to know?" she finally asked quietly, and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

*Late Evening*

        "Morgana?" I called quietly as I knocked on the door to her chambers, waiting for only a minute before the door opened. I glanced over my shoulder at my brother, before slowly walking onto the chambers, Merlin following close behind me.
        "Gaius asked me to deliver this," Merlin lied quietly as we stood in front of Morgana, who looked beyond exhausted and terrified.
        "And I came to check up on you," I said, my voice gentle as I tried to silently reassure her that everything was alright. "Make sure you have everything you need for the night,"
        "Thank you," Morgana nodded, though the nod was shaky, and so was her voice, before looking at Merlin, "I don't need any potion, thank you," she said, before looking down as Merlin and I shared a subtle look, "Merlin, Anna," Morgana spoke up again, and we turned our attention to her, "Ignore what I said last night... I had a nightmare. I was upset," she tried to excuse, though her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip trembled.
        "I know," I tried to soothe. "Don't worry, we haven't said anything to anyone,"
        "I'm sorry," Morgana shook her head as her eyes filled with more tears, before quickly walking to the other side of the room, keeping her head down and her back turned to us. "You shouldn't have to deal with me when I'm like this,"
        "Morgana, it's alright," I tried to soothe again, my voice gentle, "Maybe we could help,"
        "I doubt that," she said, though I could detect in her voice that she wanted nothing more than for my words to be true.
        "You'd be surprised," Merlin finally spoke up, before moving to close the door as Morgana turned around to look at us.
        "Look..." I started gently. "I understand how frightening this must be for you, especially for you,"
        "Why especially for me?" Morgana asked.
        "You're the King's ward, you know his hatred of magic better than anyone," Merlin said.
        "That's what you think has been happening to me?" Morgana asked. "The dreams, the fire, you think it was magic!"
        "I'm not saying that," Merlin shook his head as I sighed inaudibly, wanting nothing more than to just tell Morgana the truth and help her through this.
        "But it could be, couldn't it?"
        "We... really wouldn't know, but..." I trailed off as I walked up to her. "There are people who do,"
        "Who?" she asked, her eyes wide.
        "What about the Druids?" I finally suggested. "They help people like you,"
        "None of their kind would dare show their face in Camelot," Morgana protested, and I nodded.
        "You're right," I said, before taking in a deep breath and saying what I've been wanting to say ever since I stepped into these chambers. "But we know where you can find them,"

I hope you liked this chapter! Remember, 15 votes for the next one!