The Golden Age

34. Lancelot, Colette and Guinevere (Part II)

Arthur and Merlin were looking at a map.

Arthur said, "The ransom was supposed to be delivered to the Vale of Denaria. If they're holding Gwen and Colette anywhere, it has to be there. Which means, it'd save a day's riding if we cut through the tunnels of Andor."

"Oh, no," Merlin stated, seeing Arthur's expression. "I know that face. I'm not going to like this, am I? What's in the tunnels?"

"They're... infested with Wilddeoren."

"What are Wilddeoren?"

"Well, they're like giant... baby rats."

"Baby rats? They don't sound so bad."

"They feast on human flesh."

"Maybe we should go over the mountains." Arthur walked over to inspect some bushes. "Er... what are you doing?"

"Wilddeoren are completely blind, they hunt by sense of smell. Gaia berries will put them off the scent. So, if we smear ourselves with them, perhaps we can pass through the tunnels undetected." Arthur smeared his face with the berries.

Merlin started to smear some berries on his face too. "Oh! Oh, these stink! Oh, they're really bad."

"Perhaps you'd prefer to be eaten alive."

"Pass me some more, will you?"

---

Merlin and Arthur walked through the tunnels as the former exclaimed, "Ah! I just stood on something."

"That was my foot," Arthur told him.

"Oh, sorry." He removed his foot. "How much further is it?"

"Shh! Wilddeoren coming this way."

The two hid.

"Whatever happens, keep completely still," Arthur said.

---

Lancelot snuck up to Gwen and Colette's cells and called, "Gwen. Colette."

"Lancelot," Gwen and Colette said.

"I was terrified I might find your cells empty."

"There's been no word from Uther," Gwen told him. "Colette and I fear Hengist is growing suspicious."

"You two must keep up the pretence. I will not allow either of you to die here."

"What about you?" Colette asked.

"I have little to live for."

"Do not say that," Colette and Gwen told him.

"It's the truth. For all my words, for all that I believed, I have come to nothing."

"You are everything that is right with this world," Gwen said.

"I did not know you felt that way."

"I didn't even know I could feel this way about someone."

Colette smiled as a certain blue-eyed, blond-haired Prince crossed her mind. While she didn't love him, not yet, she certainly cared for him deeply.

"Then you have given me a reason to live. Be ready. I will come for you two before nightfall."

---

Arthur and Merlin were washing off the Gaia berries by a stream.

"Gaia berries worked," Arthur noted. "Huh."

"You didn't know if they worked?" Merlin asked.

"Not for sure."

"Now you tell me?! Oh! Oh, what's that Wilddeoren eating? It's all right. It's just Merlin. You trying to get us both killed?"