The Destiny of Love

Chapter 51 ~ The sundered veil

We have been riding for three days, and I haven't stopped worrying about Merlin every single day. Arthur has been unusually quiet as well; he and I are walking ahead of the rest. Arthur and I walk past a hive.

"Can you hear that?" Gwaine asks.

"Bees?" Leon questions.

"Food," Gwaine states.

I turn and look back at Gwaine; he takes his gloves off and walks to the hive, "Because that's going to end well."

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Leon asks.

"We're riding to our deaths anyway," Gwaine says.

"Comforting," I mumble.

Leon walks over to us, "It's good to give the horses a rest." Arthur nods. "You're quiet."

"That's what happens after three days of listening to Gwaine," Arthur says.

"You did the right thing, you know. Merlin couldn't have continued with us," Leon says.

"He's right. Arthur, Lancelot, and Jules are taking him back; he's going to be okay," I say.

"I should've saved him," Arthur says.

"We both should've saved him," I say.

Suddenly Gwaine shouts and groans. We all look back at him; bees surround him. He starts running away and tries to flick the bees away with his gloves. We all laugh at him.

"If anyone can get Merlin back to Camelot, Lancelot can," Leon states. He puts his hand on Arthur's shoulder then walks away.

I smile at Arthur as he looks at me.

"I'm glad you're with me, Liv."

"I'm happy I'm here too," I say.

We let the horses rest a little longer then ride off again. We weren't riding for long when we stop at some caves. It was almost night. Arthur gets off his horse the rest of us follow. He starts walking down the hill.

"By dawn, we'll be on the other side of the mountains," Arthur says.

"You can't be serious," Gwaine says.

"What, you scared of some caves?" I ask.

"These tunnels are crawling with wilddeoren," Gwaine says.

I stop next to Arthur at the bottom, "What are wilddeoren?"

"They are like giant..." My eyes widen, "Baby rats."

"Oh, okay, cool, what's the problem with wilddeoren, Gwaine?"

Gwaine looks at Arthur, and he gives a slight shake of the head to Gwaine, "I'm just worried we won't get far with the baby rats."

"These tunnels are going to take days off our journey," Arthur states. "We'll cover ourselves in Gaja berries."

Gwaine scoffs, "Sounds great."

"It's your choice, Gwaine. Wilddeoren or Dorocha," Arthur says.

"Why do I feel like you lied to be about what wilddeoren... wait, are those the things that tried to eat me when I was kidnapped?" I ask.

Arthur slowly nods.

"Yeah, no, I'm not going in there," I say.

"Come on, Liv," Arthur says.

Everyone but Gwaine and I walk into the cave; I hear a dorocha scream coming from behind us.

"Yeah, no," I quickly walk into the cave.