Destined to Be | Arthur Pendragon

Safe and Sound

The sun was high in the sky when Leon, Gwaine, and Johnathan swapped with the morning patrol to make their daily trek around the city walls. The morning patrol gave the three a quick rundown of what they'd seen over the last few hours, (which wasn't much) then made their way back into the city.

Together, the knights trotted their horses to the entrance of the nearby forest, the one place Arthur asked them to search specifically that day. The grass was already browning after dozens of rounds the patrols had made over the past several days, but for some reason, the prince was adamant on the forest being searched.

"How many more of these pointless patrols do you think we'll be given?" Gwaine moaned, not even ten minutes into their route. "This is getting ridiculous."

"I could have your head for saying such nonsense," Johnathan glared at the long-haired knight.

"Look, all I'm saying is it's been, it's been....how long have we been at this? All the days have melded together?" Gwaine asked, losing his train of thought.

"I don't care how long it's been," Johnathan pulled ahead of the two Camelot knights, who clearly thought their time would be better suited elsewhere. "My sister is out there, and I am going to find her with or without you."

"Forgive him," Leon brought his horse up beside the man. "Ever since Thalia left, he's been insatiable. Not saying that's an acceptable excuse, but we haven't had any better luck with our other duties either."

"What other duties," Gwaine appeared beside Leon. "All we've been doing is patrol after patrol. My ass is sore from being on my horse all the bloody time."

"How you became a knight is beyond a mystery," Johnathan mumbled under his breath. "Come on, Arthur wants us to focus on the areas by the streams."

"I thought he said-"

"Keep your mouth shut, and we won't have any problems," Johnathan shot Gwaine another look.

"Who pissed in your goblet this morning?" Gwaine commented once more before averting his gaze to the treeline. They were in for a long afternoon. Again.

The sun was nearing the horizon by the time Johnathan, Gwaine, and Leon completed their final check of the forest. Once again, nothing was out of place and no lost princess was to be found. The forest was empty save for the animals crossing their path every now and then. Gwaine was sure he spotted a water nymph the one time they passed the lake, but Leon and Johnathan claimed he was insane.

"I don't know about you two, but I am ready to devour the dinner the kitchens have prepared for us," Gwaine said once the castle was in their sights.

"You are always eating," Leon rolled his eyes, wishing the man would shut his mouth for five minutes. He and Johnathan tried their best at blocking him out over the last few hours, but were unsuccessful. The long-haired knight was too oblivious to pick up on any of their hints either. "And if you're not eating, you're drinking."

"Too right you are, Leon," Gwaine answered with a cocky grin. "And if I'm doing neither of those, I'm-"

"Halt," Johnathan held out his hand to stop the two, his gaze set on a small jumble of bushes rustling up ahead of them. "Something's in there."

"It's probably another boar or something," Gwaine claimed. "I've lost count of how many we saw today."

"No," Johnathan stopped his horse, hopping off the steed quickly. "It's much too big to be a boar."

Leon and Gwaine exchanged looks before following. They were almost done for the day. What was one more search in the grand scheme of things? Quietly, they unsheathed their swords, tip-toeing towards the continued rustling sound coming from the bushes. With a finger to his lips, Johnathan prepared to attack when a body all but fell into his arm. Not just any body, but the body of a woman. Her hair was a tangled mess of brunette waves, bruises spotted her pale face with eyes wide in fear. Johnathan knew those eyes in an instant.