Profound Bond

Chapter 12- Dinadan's Woes

 Spring was now fully advanced, and a certain cheerfulness had spread across Camelot. People were out in the streets, kids were running around, and everyone seemed to be smiling. Feeling glad to have a few minutes away from the castle, Guinevere, Merlin and Bella had ventured down to the meadow that lay in front of the Darkling Woods.

With the end of the winter, also came warmer weather. The sun was bright and warm, illuminating the wild colours of the meadow. The strikingly green grass was sprinkled with flowers that blew to and fro gently whenever a breeze came.

Once a good deal into the meadow, Bella flopped down onto the grass and sighed. A lock of red hair fell over her face and she brushed it away with annoyance. Guinevere laughed a little and sat down beside her. 

"Why can't the weather be like this all the time?" Bella asked as she squinted up at the sun. 

"Because I do not think Merlin would be very happy about it," Guinevere said, smiling at her. Just at that moment, Merlin arrived behind the girls and let out a particularly loud sneeze.

"Why did I have to come down here?" He asked, dropping his satchel onto the grass. He sneezed again.

"Gwen and I wanted fresh air," Bella said, propping herself onto her elbows and looking at Merlin. "And because Arthur looked absolutely murderous this morning. Was it something you did?"

"I may or may not have forgotten to make him breakfast," Merlin said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, I'm not sure about the two of you, but I'm going to pick some flowers," Gwen said, smiling sunnily and getting to her feet.

She walked several feet and stopped beside a bunch of gleaming snowdrops. She leant over and picked a few, one-by-one, tugging at the stems gently.

"Achoo!" Merlin sneezed, and then grumbled something about spring and pollen. Bella chuckled a little, and then leant back into the welcoming sunrays. It was so kind of Morgana to have let her and Gwen out for a few hours. The weather was so lovely, it would be a shame not to be out and enjoy it. A strange cry snapped Bella back into reality.

She looked up at Merlin and asked him, "What was that?" He shrugged.

"Bird maybe?" Merlin wondered. It had sounded a little like a bird...

"I don't know," Bella said skeptically. She turned her head slightly and gazed out across the meadow. There wasn’t anything particularly unusual or out of order. There was another cry. It was shorter and louder, but still sounded a little like a bird. Bella was convinced it was more than that, though. By this time, Guinevere had stopped picking flowers and both her and Merlin were looking across the grass as well.

"There," Bella said, sitting up and pointing at the woods. She had noticed a figure emerging from the trees. Broad shouldered and hunched over, the person whom she assumed to be a man, limped closer. Bella got to her feet and stared at the person.

Merlin stepped closer to Bella and cast her a concerned glance before looking back at the woods. The man cried out again and hobbled closer.