Merlin heard a twig snap behind him. He doesn't look ignoring it. He continues to pick herbs for Gauis. He hears another snap and looks up. He doesn't see anything but he knows that someone could be hiding. He braces for someone to come into view. After a few moments,
Merlin goes back to his job. He quickens his pace. Before he can pick his things to go back to Camelot, a bandit materializes in front of him. Merlin gets up and hears some people behind him. He turns and sees them.
Why can't I go somewhere without anything happening? He wonders.
He sees an opening and begins running. He hears a noise and an arrow lands on a tree in front of him. He tries to run faster but he sees a bandit in front of him, knocking an arrow. He stops but before he can get away safely, the bandit fires. He feels the arrow pierce his legs and he falls. He hears the bandit come closer so Merlin uses his magic to blow him away. He hears some people coming and tries to use his magic to drive them away. He feels weak and the last thing he sees is the bandits coming closer.
An hour later
Merlin woke up to see a roof in front of him. He senses that he's lying on a bed but it feels vague.
"Am I dead?" he wonders aloud.
"No." A woman's voice replies.
He looks and sees a woman with straight, dark brown hair. Her hair falls softly around her pale face. Her bright blue dress brings out her bright hazel eyes. Her dress shows curves and a tall frame. She smiles at him. He notices she holds a bowl and bandages in her hands. That is when he senses his pants are gone and a throbbing pain in his leg.
She comes to him and removes the previous dressing on the wound. She redresses the wound, working quickly and carefully.
"Are you an angel?" he asks without thinking.
"No, but thank you for the compliment," she said still smiling.
"What happened?"
"You were attacked by bandits. We managed to get there in time before they did any fatal damage."
"Who's we?"
"My friend, Edith, and I."
"And who are you?"
"The name's Morgain."
"Merlin."
"Nice to meet you Merlin."
"Why'd you do it?
"Do what?"
"Save me?"
She laughs. "It's my job to help people. Also, I wasn't exactly going to leave you to die. I wouldn't be a very good healer if I did."
Merlin sat there for a second and wondered what they saw, worried they saw him use magic.
As if reading his mind, Morgain says, "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."
"What about Edith?"
"She's trustworthy also."
Merlin sat quietly. He didn't know whether or not he could trust Morgain and the unseen Edith.
Morgain sighed. She dropped the bowl but made it levitate a few inches above the ground. "Like I said, your secret is safe with me. Also, Edith's a druid."
Merlin looked at her, shocked. Morgain laughed.
"Is it unusual for a Druid to be outside of their people?" Morgain asked.
"No. It's just, uh, j-just," he stammered.
Morgain looked at him, as if expecting an answer, and then smiled. "I'm just kidding. I know it's unusual."
Merlin just looked at her. Morgain then got up.
"Okay, I'm going to leave the room for two seconds to get some sleeping potion for you. While I'm gone try not to get into trouble."
She started walking away when Merlin said, "Sleeping potion? But I can't stay here, I need to get back. I have duties, people expecting me."
She turned around. "You're not getting anywhere with that leg I can tell you that. And besides, you've been out for an hour already."
"An hour?" he exclaimed. He started to get up. Morgain pushed him down hard.
"You're not going anywhere, you hear me? You've lost a lot of blood and you won't be able to walk. You might the wound worse if you do and I wouldn't exactly be doing my job if I let you leave with a gaping hole in your leg." Morgain said rather harshly.
"But I live with a physician in Camelot. He can help. I just need to get back."
"It would be better if you didn't argue with her."
The voice came from a woman with short, curly black hair that framed her tanned skin. Her light brown dress loosely hung around her and wrapped around her bare feet. Merlin was a bit awed about what he saw. He never saw someone as beautiful as her, including the Lady Vivian.
"You'll never get anywhere," she continued.
Merlin didn't reply still starstruck by what he saw. He then heard Morgain laugh. He looked at her. She just shook her head and smiled.
"W-what do you mean don't argue with her?" Merlin asked.
Edith looked at him and said, "I just said, you'll never get anywhere. She's as stubborn as a mule and once she's decided something, you can't change her mind."
Merlin looked at her and then at Morgain. "So I can't leave?"
Morgian shook her head. "Not yet. Not until you get better."
Merlin sighed defeated. "All right."
Morgain smiled and got up. She was about to leave when Edith held out a potion bottle out to her.
"Here I guessed what you were going to do, so I brought it here."
Morgain took it. "Thanks. It's like you read my mind."
Edith didn't reply, just smiled and looked at her.
"But wait, before you give him the potion, shouldn't he at least send a message to wherever he needs to be telling them he's all right? So that they won't send anyone out looking for him?" Edith asked.
Morgain stopped to think about it. She nodded. "Yes, he probably should. We've already had enough problems with soldiers."
Edith nodded and then left the room. Morgain walked over to Merlin and put the potion down next to him.
"Once you're done writing the message, drink this okay? And I'll check to see if you did. Cause you won't get any better if you don't."
Merlin looked at her. "I'm not a child, you know."
"Well sometimes, adults can act like children, especially when it comes to medicine."
Merlin was about to reply when Edith came back with parchment and paper. She gave it to him and then handed him a block of wood. He looked at it questioningly.
"It's so you can write," she said all matter-of-factly. "Call me when you're done. I'll send it right away." She then left the room.
Morgain got up and walked away. Before she left, she turned around.
"Make sure that you write where the letter needs to go." And with that, she left.
Merlin thought of what to write. Finally he got something and started to write.
I know you're probably worried about me right now. I'm writing this to tell you I'm safe. I was attacked by bandits and got injured. These two girls saves and right now I'm healing. They won't let me leave till I'm better. Their names are Morgain and Edith. Morgain says she's a healer, maybe you know her? Anyways, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll be back soon. –Merlin
He thought of maybe telling Gauis to tell Arthur, but he knew that Arthur would probably go to Gauis wondering where he was. Edith then came back into the room.
"Bu-But how did you know I was finished? I didn't say I was."
"I was just checking to see if you were or were still writing."
Merlin looked at her. He senses that she was hiding something but he couldn't figure out what. He wanted to ask but he didn't feel like it. Instead he said, "Well yeah. I'm done now."
He gave her the letter. She looked at it and then looked at him, irritated.
"Who am I suppose to give it to?"
He realized that he didn't write down who he wanted it to be delivered to. "Oh, sorry. Gauis, the court physician in Camelot."
She nodded then took back the block of wood. "Drink that or else Morgain'll get angry," was the last thing she said before leaving the room.
Merlin picked up the potion and looked at it. He wondered whether or not he should drink it. He then remembered how Morgain acted when he wanted to leave and drank it. He didn't feel anything at first but then started to feel drowsy. He then fell asleep.
When he was fast asleep, Morgain came in and put everything in order and covered him with a blanket.
"It's going to be cold tonight," she said to the air. She then left the room.
3 Days Later
"Wake up sleepy head, " Morgain said, prodding Merlin awake.
He opened his eyes and sat up.
"Today's a good day for you, Merlin. You're well enough to go back."
Merlin grinned widely, "Really?"
"Well you should be."
He then quickly got up. When he stood, he swayed a little. Morgain grabbed his arm.
"You shouldn't have stood up so fast," she said laughing.
He saw little black dots swimming in front of him. Morgain held his arm until he could stand without tipping over.
"You'll have some difficulty walking at first and there will be some days where your leg will hurt. But other than that you'll be fine."
He nodded. He walked a little and felt the stiffness in his leg.
"We have a horse for you, it's not safe for you to walk a lot on that leg, at least for the first few days."
"How will I give it back?" Merlin asked.
"When you reach the castle gates or whatever, just turn the horse loose. He'll come back."
He nodded. They went outside and mounted his horse. Morgain handed him the reigns.
"Do you think I'll see you again?" Merlin asked.
"I'm sure of it," Morgain said with a smile. "Now go."
"Till we meet again," he said before galloping at full pace.