Fireheart (A Merlin Love Story)

Chapter 18, Part 2

Ariella's P. O. V:

We stop to rest that night and Arthur and I wake up early the next morning. When we were ready to go, Merlin was still fast asleep.

"Merlin!" Arthur says as he takes his water skin out and pours the contents on Merlin's face.

He immediately wakes up with a start and waves his hands around as he gasps, "Bleh! Awe, what's happening?!" He blinks his eyes a few times and sees me standing next to Aurelia, stroking her neck and trying not to giggle. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Long enough," Arthur responds.

"Did you get some rest?" Merlin inquires, seeing that I, however, look well rested.

"Couldn't sleep," Arthur answers as he puts the water skin back in his bag.

Merlin says as he sits up, "I've never seen you like this. About anyone." Arthur glances at him. Merlin looks at me as he adds, "Not even about Ari, whom you've known pretty much your whole life and are engaged to."

"What are you to talking about? You know I have to marry Ariella."

"Gwen," Merlin says pointedly. Arthur doesn't say anything as he closes his saddlebag. "You really... care about her, don't you?"

Merlin looks at me carefully but I pretend to not care as Arthur responds, "What I care about is not wasting anymore time talking. Let's get moving." Arthur takes Torrento's reins and starts leading him away.

I take Aurelia's reins and start to follow after Arthur, but Merlin stops me when he gets up and approaches me, hair and face wet from the water, and blanket in hand. "Are you alright? I mean, about the way Arthur's been acting..."

"Yeah. I'm fine. He's just worried about Gwen, like we all are," I reply, though I will admit it hurts me a little that Arthur is like this around someone who he isn't engaged to. He's definitely never been like this around me before.

"I know you're upset by this. You know you can talk to me, Ari," Merlin tells me.

I say seriously, "We should hurry if we're to save Gwen."

Merlin lets out a sigh as I tug Aurelia forward, after Arthur, feeling the warlock gazing after me longingly, before he goes to pack up his stuff.

Hours later, we tie the horses up at trees in a small clearing, and Merlin and I go to Arthur as he turns away, walking toward three caves ahead of us, and pausing, looking at a map.

"The ransom was supposed to be delivered to The Veil of Danaria. If they're holding Gwen anywhere, it has to be there!" He points to a spot on the map. "Which means..." We look up at three caves branching off in front of us. "... we save a day's riding if we cut through... The Tunnels of Andor."

We look at the tunnels, and I feel very weary, having read about them in different books and maps growing up.

I say to Arthur, "You've got to be kidding me! The Tunnels of Andor?! Isn't there another shortcut we can take, Arthur?!"

"Unfortunately, Princess, there is not," Arthur responds curtly. "None that are shorter, anyway."

Merlin sees the grim expressions on our faces and immediately becomes fearful, his face paling. "Oh, no! I know those faces! I'm not gonna like this, am I?! What's in the tunnels?"

I stare at Merlin with a weary expression, and tell him as Arthur rolls up the map, "They're... infested with Wilddeoren." Wilddeoren are giant, hairless rats that are completely blind and hunt by sense of smell. They are known to hunt in packs. And they feast on human flesh.