Doing it Over

On Patrol

            "Arthur stop bouncing," Merlin laughed, but the little boy shook his head.

            "I can't, I'm too excited!" Arthur exclaimed, "I'm going with daddy today!"

            "I know you are," Merlin laughed, trying to finish getting the boy ready. The king had decided to take his some around some of Camelot's borders today. There had been no reports of anything bad happening and it had been so long since Arthur had been outside Camelot's walls.

            "Are we sure this is a good idea?" Gwen asked, coming up behind Merlin, "That guy is still out there." He knew she was referring to the sorcerer who had changed Arthur was thankful the boy was not paying attention.

            "The king wouldn't take him if he thought it was too dangerous," Merlin assured her, "Besides, there'll be tons of knights and guards with them." She nodded, still not wholly convinced, but she couldn't help laughing at the obvious excitement radiating off the boy. Merlin finally managed to get him ready and he took the boy's hand, leading him outside.

            "Here we are," Uther said as Merlin and Arthur walked down the steps. Uther lifted his son onto his horse and climbed up behind him. He nodded at Merlin and then he and the guard rode off.

            "Where are Sir Leon and the others?" Arthur asked.

            "They rode off earlier, we're going to meet them on the road before we return," Uther told his son. Arthur nodded and smiled widely as they made their way out of Camelot's gates.

            The day went along peacefully, with nothing strange or unusual happening. They were approaching their meeting place with Sir Leon and the others when everything suddenly went wrong as men jumped out of the trees, weapons swinging. The horses bucked and all the riders went flying. The knights clamored to their feet and drew their swords, ready to defend their king. Uther had gotten to his feet and immediately tried to find his son. He spotted Arthur a little ways away where the boy was peering out of a bush. All around him the knights were falling and Uther started to make his way over to his son. Before he got there though, he felt something sharp pierce his back. Uther fell to his knees and as everything started to go black he heard a voice screaming.

            "Daddy!"