Merlin is not mine, sorry to say.
In The Line Of Duty
Chapter 1
Merlin was tired. Arthur had been surprisingly too enthusiastic since he was woken up this morning. The prat had been readied and fed breakfast within an hour of Merlin's fake-cheery version of,"Rise and Shine!"
After which King Prat instantly declared that they were going hunting. At nine in the morning! Merlin was surprised, to say the least. And annoyed beyond belief. He had to hurry all around the castle, gathering supplies, informing Arthur's Five Elite Knights to join them in the hunt—to which Gwaine had replied with a, "Sure, mate. What better way to start a day than killing some innocent animals". Merlin had replied with an exasperated, "Oh, believe me. It was not my idea!"—and getting the horses ready at the stable.
Merlin was positively panting like he had run a marathon by the end of his duties. Only then did he remember that he had to pack his own bag. He had hurried to his room, made sure to pick up everything he needed and was just out the door when Gaius came walking down the corridor to the Physician's chamber.
"Ah, there you are, Merlin! I want you to grab these herbs from the forest."
"Sure thing, Gaius. Arthur's just going for a hunt. I'll get them on the way."
Merlin said between gasps for air, snatched the list in the old man's hand and stuffed it into his overflowing bag hurriedly.
"See you later, Gaius!"
With that Merlin went running to the palace courtyard where the knights and Arthur were waiting for him.
"There you are, you big idiot! Where have you been?"
"Well, unlike some supercilious clotpoles who order people around, I have been doing some actual work."
Merlin muttered quietly while strapping his bag to the saddle and mounted his horse, Llaria. Then they had all taken off at a gallop to the forest.
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But now Merlin wished, if only they hadn't.
