Unfortunately the Characters of Merlin are not mine but the adventure they go on(and a certain arrogant but sexy desert princes) Is. Review and enjoy.
P.S. This isn't set in any definitive timeline(season) but Arthur's still a prince, Gwen's father is dead, but her brothers is with her and a knight( too lazy to make up how that happened) and she and Lancelot know about Merlin's power and Morgana is evil.
Chapter 1
"Okay, this is not Arthur's bed."
Merlin could confirm the fact without even opening his eyes. For one the thing, the bed on which he lay was way too comfortable; the mattress and pillows stuffed with feathers and swathed in, cool, silk sheets. A polar opposite to the straw filled sack he'd been sleeping on for the past two weeks. Also the room smelled nice. Where as Arthur's cabin had been filled with the scent of sea water and damp wood, this room was laced with the soothing fragrance of jasmines and lilacs, as if Merlin were in a fresh Spring garden. And if the sorcerer still had any doubts, the fact that he was naked beneath the heavy comforter, got rid of them quick.
"What pervert took off my clothes?"
"PERVERT!" A raspy voice shrieked.
Merlin's head whipped to his left and his gaze was captured by a pair of vermilion eyes. The eyes belong to a bird, that looked like a small hawk, with emerald colored feathers tipped with silver.
"PERVERT!" The bird squawked, shuffling on the golden perch on which it sat. As it moved its feathers changed to a light purple, with gold lines that crisscrossed to make a diamond pattern.
If this was his first time seeing the bird, Merlin would've been amazed, jaw dropping in awe at the change. But this wasn't his first time seeing the bird. And when he did, everything had went to hell….
"One more snigger," Arthur growled. "And I'll have you dragged over the side!"
At the threat, Merlin tried to school his features into a blank mask of indifference, but failed when Arthur lunged over the rail, once more, emptying the contents of his stomach into the frothing water.
"I didn't know you get seasick." He grinned.
Arthur looked back at him with a glare. "I. Am. Not! Something must have been bad at last nights dinner."
The cook-who'd been walking by with a bucket of fish-looked offended, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "What ever you say, your majesty."
Finding out about the royal Pratt's stomach situation was the most satisfying, and entertaining, discovery Merlin had ever made. Though it didn't quite atone for all the humiliation he'd been put through, watching Arthur suffer did bring a smile to his face.
Guinevere then appeared with a cup of light brown liquid.
"Here, your majesty," She said. "This always helps me when I have tummy troubles."
Arthur accepted the drink with a mumbled "Thank you. Gwen.". But as he pressed the mug to his lips his face flushed green and he whipped back to the railing.
Merlin had to bite his lip to keep in his chuckle. Gwen hid her grin with a hand. But Gwaine made no attempt to hide his amusement and let it show through a long, booming, laugh.
"Don't worry my princes," He said clapping Arthur on the shoulder. "This will all be worth it when we get to Claudainia!"
At the mention of the kingdom, Merlin's mirth died.
Claudainia was a chain of islands in the southern sea, ruled by the Claudain family. Two weeks prior a Claudainian, royal, messenger had arrived at Camelot with a proposal: A proposal of marriage, to be exact.
Apparently the Claudainian king was on his death bed and thought that marrying his only daughter, crown princess Daphnia, to Arthur would insure the security of his kingdom when he passed. Though a small nation Claudainia was a powerful trading port that Uther longed to have. And so he sent Arthur, and his knights, to retrieve princess Daphnia and bring her to Camelot. Everyone was surprised, but Merlin was crushed.
"Is something wrong, Merlin?" Gwen asked, noticing the boy's pained expression.
"Nothing," Merlin lied, shaking off the girl's questions and making a brisk walk back to Arthur's cabin. Once there he locked the door and threw himself upon his "bed" and buried his head in his arms. "Why couldn't it have been three months ago?"
When Merlin still thought that Arthur was a royal Pratt that fate had cruelly saddled him with. When he dreaded each step he took to his chambers to wake him up in the morning. When he didn't…love him.
"Is this to be my destiny?" He asked bitterly, tears rolling down his cheeks. "To watch the person I love be with someone else? Have children? Be happy while I stand in the shadows, miserable and alone?" When no answer came Merlin cried harder.
His sobs were interrupted by a soft thud on the bed beside him. Looking up Merlin's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Atop Arthur's pillow sat a small hawk-like bird with white feathers speckled with pink spots. As the young sorcerer watched the bird ruffled its feathers, changing them to a black and blue checker-board pattern.
"FOUND! FOUND!" It chirped.
"How'd you-" Merlin's question was cut off as he was suddenly tossed against the wall by, what sounded like, a clap of thunder. Before he could get up another clap sounded, making the room shake and floor tilt sharply.
"Pirates! Pirates!" A man cried in the distance. The cry was soon followed by the sounds of battle and the smell of burning wood.
Merlin shot to his feet. "I have to find Arthur!"
But as he dashed towards the door the bird blocked his way.
"FOUND! FOUND!" It shrieked, hitting Merlin with its wings.
The servant threw his arms up to protect his face from the punch-like blows, staggering backwards in an attempt to escape.
"Leave me alo-Oh!" His knees had hit the edge of Arthur's bed and he fell upon it, the bird following him down.
"FOUND! FOUND!"
"That's IT!" Summoning his magic Merlin hit the bird with a blast of energy that sent it slamming into the wall. Finally free, Merlin leapt back to his feet and went to the door, undoing the lock and flinging it open, only to try to close it once he saw what stood on the other side.
The 'what' was a man, who filled the doorway with his height and build, and wore a face mask. The mask had been painted to look like the snarling face of a demon, and coupled with the black robes he wore and the smoke curling around him from the open doorway, Merlin-for a few moments-thought that, that was what the man was.
"Oh no you don't, my little gem!" The man said, shoving the door open with one hand. The door banged against the wall and Merlin was sent falling onto the bed once more.
Scrambling to the head, the servant watched with fear filled eyes as the man stepped into the room. "W-who are you?" He trembled. "What do you want!"
The man drew closer but stopped when Merlin cringed against the headboard. "Don't fear, little gem, I mean you no harm."
From the corner of the room the bird got to its feet and flew to the man, perching upon his shoulder.
"Good job Sadar," He cooed. "A full bowl of ruby berries for you when we get back to the ship."
The bird chirped in delight.
As the man conversed with the bird Merlin saw something over his shoulder that had his heart racing: Lancelot. The knight put a finger to his lips as he pulled his sword from his sheath and posed to run the man-who was still cooing and congratulating the bird-through. But just as he made to do so the man whipped around, grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward. Then the man drew a dagger from his belt and plunged it three times into the knight's back.
It took Lancelot a few seconds to realize what had happened and when he did he let out a gurgle gasp and fell to the floor. For a moment Merlin stared at his friend, laying still in a growing pool of his own blood, before letting out an angered roar.
"You! BASTARD!"
Sight turning red as his eyes blazed gold Merlin lunged for the man, the beginnings of a nasty spell on his lips. But before he could even touch him there was a sharp pain in his neck and Merlin fell to the floor beside Lancelot's body.
He tried to get up but found he was too weak to do so, his head falling back into the blood that stained the floor. As darkness began creeping around his vision Merlin reached out and took Lancelot's hand in his, giving it a squeeze. Before he passed out he felt a, weak, squeeze back.
In the present Merlin pressed a shaking hand to his mouth, hot tears prickling in his eyes. "Lance."
"Was he your lover?" A chillingly familiar voice asked.
Lounging in a chase, a few feet from the bed, was a man. He wore a pair of black pants and a red vest, left open to show off his muscled arms and torso. His skin was a dark brown, silver eyes seeming to glow beneath the wispy bangs of his shoulder length black hair. He was-Merlin reluctantly admitted-handsome, with clean facial lines and firm lips.
"He wasn't my lover!" Merlin said, wiping at his tears. "He was my friend!"
The man rose to his feet. "I apologize for killing him then."
"I don't need your apology!" Merlin snapped. "Who the hell are you and where am I!"
"Now, my little gem," The man tutted. "There's no need for such coarse language."
"I'll show you coarse!" Anger burning red and hot, Merlin thought of a spell that would turn his captor's blood to acid, set his skin ablaze, and summon a legion of crows to peck out his, infuriating, silver eyes! But when he opened his mouth to cast it he found he couldn't.
Not because he thought it was wrong or anything but because he couldn't find his magic.
"What?"
Mouth widening in a grin-that showed off his straight white teeth-the man tapped at his neck.
Confused, Merlin touched his own neck and froze. What felt like a metal collar-insulated with cloth-encircled his neck a smooth, round, stone set in the middle. As Merlin tried to gather his magic again the stone grew hot.
"What is this!"
"I don't know the name," The man replied, striding towards the bed. "But it came from a stone that fell from the heavens centuries ago. As you have probably realize, it absorbs magic."
"Take it off!" Merlin demanded, clawing at the lock that held the choker closed. As the man climbed onto the bed Merlin threw himself sideways in an attempt to escape.
"Nah, ah, ah, little gem!" The man said, grabbing the boys ankle.
Merlin kicked out with his other foot, hoping to get the man in his nose or eyes, but that was caught in the same powerful grip. With one, swift, yank the sorcerer found himself pinned beneath the man, his bare skin protected by only a thin layer of silk.
"Get off me!" Merlin shrieked, thrashing beneath the man.
"GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME!" The bird repeated.
Pinning Merlin with one arm across his chest the man snapped his fingers and pointed to the window.
"To the kitchen with you Sadar!" He snapped. Sadar squawked and flew over to the window, undoing the latch with his beak and flying out.
"Now," The man grinned. "Where were we?"
"Get off of me!"
"But little gem, how can I do that when you feel so good beneath me?"
Merlin grimaced as the man ground his hips into his. "Stop it! Let me go right now or I'll-"
"You'll what? As long as this collar is around your pretty neck you're as helpless as a new born kitten." The man gloated.
Merlin closed his eyes as he tried to beat down the rising panic. "Breathe. Just breathe."
"Please, at least tell me who you are." Knowing something about the man was better than knowing nothing.
"It's Basil. Third prince of Namair."
Merlin gasped. Namair was a kingdom located in the center of a vast desert. For centuries stories were whispered about the countries' power and warring skills, saying that the people were the descendants of the desert spirit.
"What did you do with the crew of the ship I was on?" Merlin found himself asking.
Basil shrugged. "The ones that were left living we set in a boat to drift. The women and that blonde wisp of a warrior, that you called master, was with them."
Merlin let out a sigh, relieved that Arthur was safe. "And how long have I been asleep."
"The sun has risen four times since your slumber began."
"WHAT!"
"Yes," Basil winced, his ears ringing from the sorcerer's shriek. "I fear the sleeping dart worked a little too well."
"A-are you saying that my friends have been drifting at sea for four days? They'll surly die in this heat!"
"Not if a merchant ship picks them up, the season is good for it."
"And if they don't?"
Basil shrugged again. "Then they die."
"They can't!" Merlin panicked. "You have to go back for them!"
Basil's face turned stern. "I don't have to do anything, little gem."
Merlin shook his head. "You don't understand. That "blonde wisp" is the crown prince of Camelot. If he dies you'll be plunging your country, and mine, into war!"
"I highly doubt that. Your prince's men will make sure he survives and Uther will have no reason to declare war."
"No reason!" Merlin spluttered. "You attacked his son and kidnapped me! He'll-"
"Do nothing. Uther would have to be a fool to risk the lives of his men just to retrieve a servant boy."
Merlin opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Basil was right. Gwaine and the other knights would do everything they could to get Arthur back to Camelot and Uther was never going to wage a war just to get Merlin back.
The hopelessness of his situation settled on the boy like a weight.
Seeing the fight leave Merlin's eyes, Basil removed his arm and let the boy sit up. Merlin hugged his knees to his chest, body shaking.
"If I'm so insignificant, then why did you risk the lives of your men to get me?"
Basil sighed, settling back against the pillows. "In my country," he began. "A prince's power is measured by his harem. The larger it is, or the more beautiful the concubines in it are, the more respect he gets. My harem is the grandest of all my father's thirty son's and was host to the most stunning creatures to ever walk the earth," His mouth curled into a scowl. "Until my third youngest brother brought home a trio of amazons. Not to be upstaged by the brat I set out to look for a beauty that could surpass them."
After two years of searching, with no results, I was about to return home until I heard a rumor," He looked at Merlin. "A rumor of a powerful sorcerer in a northern kingdom with skin kissed by moonlight, hair colored by night, and eyes like two sapphire's set ablaze." Merlin shrank back as Basil's eyes filled with lust. "When I heard of such a beauty I was determined to make him mine, no matter what the cost."
Though Merlin didn't speak-to shocked to form words-inside his head he was screaming: "Arthur! Help me!"
Arthur's eyes snapped open and he looked around him, startled and confused.
"Are you alright, my prince?" Percival asked.
"Merlin!" Arthur gasped. "Just now I heard him call for me! Calling for help!"
Percival shook his head. "You were just imagining things, my prince. Merlin, he's…."
"Gone!" Arthur's mind finished. "Carted off by that demon masked barbarian and you did nothing to stop him!"
"I tried!" Arthur cried, setting all eyes on him. "I tried." He repeated, closing his eyes against the questioning stares.
The attack had come from no where. One second Arthur was puking his guts out over the rail and the next he was flung to the deck, watching a cannonball tear a sailor to shred. By the time they'd recovered from the blast the ship had been boarded by the pirates, all wearing demon mask. Arthur had fought bravely, but when he saw Merlin draped over the shoulder of a pirate-the only one of the sea thieves who wore a crimson mask-he'd gone berserk.
His sword had been a blur of silver as he hacked through his opponents, sea sickness forgotten as he flew to the side of his man servant.
"Let him go you yellow bellied coward!"
The pirate had only scoffed. "Out of my way boy. The day has been long, and I want to get this tasty little prize back to my ship."
Hearing the big eared klutz be referred to as a 'Tasty little prize' stunned Arthur, but only for a moment. "Let him go, now! Or I'll run you through!"
The man let out an amused chuckle. "Watch your tongue, little prince! The last knight who tried to bring me down is now bleeding to death on your cabin floor. What was his name? Lance-something?"
"You BASTARD!"
Arthur had charged him and then…then everything went dark. When he'd woken up he was in a life boat watching as the pirates sailed away from the burning wreck of their ship. The red masked pirate stood on the deck, a sleeping Merlin cradled in his arms. As Arthur watched he removed his mask and laid a kiss upon the boy's cheek.
"I'll hunt him to the ends of the earth!" Arthur growled.
"Are you alright, your majesty?" Gwen asked, laying a hand upon his shoulder.
Arthur shook off her hand. "I'm fine, Gwen. Save your worry for Lancelot."
As the ship had sailed away the cast-a-ways had found the knight clinging to a barrel, and to life. Lancelot now lay at the back of the boat, a canopy made of cloaks and swords shading him from the harsh sun that glared down at them.
"Merlin! M-Merlin?" He groaned.
Leon placed a hand on the ailing knight's shoulders. "Ease yourself Lancelot," He said, then to the others. "We need to get him to a healer, it's a miracle he's held out this long."
The ship's cook scoffed. "We should throw him out. He's wasting space and food."
"He's right," Said the foremen. "The boys bound to die soon. Giving him to the sea would be the humane thing, really."
Shocking them all, Gwen pulled a dagger from her belt and pressed it to the foremen's throat. "No!" She hissed. "The humane thing would be to slit your throat and free us all of your insistent whining!"
"Gwen! Put the knife down!" Cried Elyan. Shocked by his sister's murderous behavior.
Gwen ignored her brother, pressing the dagger deeper into the man's flesh.
"Gwen, put it down!" Arthur ordered.
Gwen hesitated but obeyed her prince and sheathing her weapon, leaving the terrified man to sit by Lancelot's side.
"G-Gwen where's Merlin? We have t-t-to help Merlin…."
"Shush now Lance," She soothed. "Save your strength."
\ "M-may I have s-some water? I-I'm so thirsty. And tired. So tired."
Gwen bit her lip to keep back the tears brimming in her eyes. "Of course you can, Lance."
Galahad reached into the ration box and pulled out the water skin, glaring at a sailor who made to protest.
"Thank you." Gwen said taking it, pouring a bit of the water on a rag that she pressed to the knights lips. Lancelot suckled it like a hungry baby. "We're not going to die here." She stated. "Help will come."
The sailors rolled their eyes at her hope and the knights looked unsure. Arthur believed her. He had no choice.
"If I die I'll be leaving Merlin to that bastard's mercy."
An image flashed into his head: Merlin, naked, and crying as the pirate ran his hands over his body, calling out for Arthur as he was defiled in every way possible.
"I can't let him go through that. I'll-"
"A ship! A ship!"
Whipping his head up Arthur almost cried. Slicing through the waves was a sleek ship waving the Claudainian flag.
"I told you! I told you!" Gwen wept, cradling a smiling Lancelot.
"They must have gotten suspicious when we didn't arrive on time." Gwaine said with a grin. "Hey! Over here!"
Everyone in the boat began shouting and waving their hands, hopes soaring as the ship drew closer.
"Thank you!" Arthur gasped as he was pulled abroad, collapsing to his knees upon the deck. "I didn't think we'd last another day."
"Are you alright, your majesty?"
Arthur whipped his head up and his mouth dropped in shock. "G-Gaius?"
The castle healer helped the stunned monarch to his feet and sat him upon his chair. "Are you hurt, my prince."
"I'm fine!" Arthur said. "Gaius, what are you doing here?"
Gaius opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a well dressed red haired man.
Damn it!" He cursed. "We just missed them!"
"Just missed-Who are you?" Arthur demanded.
"Daniel Claudain," He answered. "Crown prince of Claudainia."
Arthur's mouth hung open. "B-but I thought princess Daphnia was an only child."
"Princess Daphnia," Daniel growled. "Does not exist!"
Cliffhangers, gotta love 'em! If you want to know what happens next review.