So I was planning on uploading more one-shots tonight, but none of them are ready and I had this chapter just sitting here because I was going to wait until I finished the story to upload it but I'm just going to give this to you now.
"Rise and shine," Merlin says cheerily as he shoves the curtains open. Arthur groans. "Come on," Merlin pulls on Arthur's leg, Arthur kicks at air absently and pulls a pillow over his head. "I have breakfast," taunts Merlin. When Arthur doesn't respond Merlin looks at his breakfast and grins. "Alright," he sighs. Crunch, Arthur throws the pillow off. He looks up to see Merlin eating his apple.
"What are you doing?!" Arthur exclaims astonish and horrified.
"Well," Merlin says, chewing, "since you don't want to get up in time for breakfast I thought," swallow, "it shouldn't go to waste." Crunch.
Arthur's mouth drops open and he looks in shock, then he jumps out of bed. He snatches the apple from Merlin, "its not going to waste, and its mine." Arthur takes a big bite and sits in his chair at the table, frowning. Merlin smirks.
After Arthur finishes he stands, "we're going hunting today. Have the horses ready in an hour." Merlin glowers, he hates hunting. Why does Arthur take him? He's load and clumsy and scares off most the game.
~(o)~
Arthur rolls his eyes as Merlin crashes through the forest behind him. They had caught nothing. Every time they came close merlin sneezed, or coughed, or fell into a tree. Arthur was getting irritated at Merlin, sometime ago he blocked out the endless chatter and crashing, when Arthur notices something.
Silence, to much silence. "Merlin? What's wrong? Did your jaw finally get tired of its nonstop yapping?" A bird twitters, almost in warning. Arthur looks behind him, but there is no Merlin. Arthur tries in vain to hide his panic as he calls for his -friend-servant. "Merlin? Merlin! Where are you, you idiot?!" Arthur runs down the path that they had been traveling on. There had been no reports of Bandits in these parts, but Arthur was taking no chances especially with Merlin.
Arthur see's a flash of raven hair near the ground and quickens his speed. Then Arthur stops abruptly, and... began to laugh. He can't seem to stop, Merlin scolds at him. Merlin had fallen into a rather large mud hole, and was attempting to haul himself out.
Arthur simply reaches down, grabs Merlin's forearm and yanks him out. Sending Merlin stumbling past Arthur before he makes an ungraceful crash to the ground. Arthur chuckles and pulls Merlin up. He pats Merlin on the back what he thinks of as gently. Merlin scowls.
Side by side they walk back up the path.
For Merlin time seems to slow down to an agonizing rate as he watches an arrow slice threw air, he watches, helpless, as it pierces Arthur's left shoulder. Forcing a loud cry to escape from Arthur's lips. A triumphant shout comes from the trees as a dozen men explode from them. Time resumes as Merlin shouts, "NO!" Arthur falls to his knees, before gripping the bolt and tearing it out with a grunt. He stands and draws his sword. Arthur pushes Merlin back towards the trees behind him.
Merlin finds a tree and presses his back to it, extending his hands.
Arthur yells and starts fighting.
Merlin see's a horse loping toward Arthur and throws out his hand. Clenching his fist he yanks his hand back, which in turn throws the rider back and the horse runs past Arthur, harmless. While Merlin was distracted someone grabs his arm in a bruising grip and pulls him sideways. The man raises his hammer, and Merlin stomps as hard as he can on his instep, the man yells. Merlin gets pushed forward and Merlin's eyes glow gold, the man goes flying.
Merlin is hit from behind, he stumbles and spins to face the attacker. A large man is grinning down at him. He swings his sword at Merlin. Merlin ducks and the man kicks out, sending Merlin spiraling too the ground. He swings his sword a second time, before Merlin can cast a spell Arthur's sword appears out of nowhere and blocks the blow. Merlin scrambles up.
A fist buries it's self in Merlin's shirt, yanking him backward. A hand covers Merlin's mouth before he can cry help or warning to Arthur. Arthur battles others, thinking he got out of the way. Merlin is dragged farther into the trees to a group of five men. "We're going to have a bit of fun," snickers the leader. He draws back his hand and hits Merlin. Splitting his cheek just under his eye.
Merlin bites the hand covering his mouth. The man yelps and draws his hand back from Merlin quickly. Merlin's eyes flash gold and the men go flying in all directions. Three of them slam into trees, the other two hit the ground. All snapping their neck or breaking their back, Merlin looks regretful but he will do whatever it takes to protect Arthur and he can't protect him if he's not there.
Merlin runs, finding Arthur surrounded. His weapon on the ground. Merlin hides behind a tree to watch and help when possible. He sharpens his hearing with magic and hears the obvious leader of the bunch say, "...-your name?" Arthur just glares at him stubbornly. He hits Arthur's stomach with the butt of his axe. Arthur grunts but says nothing. The man looks triumphant, "yeees, you will do very well for Laken, very well indeed. We may have even caught him a new champion, and a knight of Camelot at that! He will be very pleased with me. You will do him well in the arena."
"I will never fight for you," Arthur snarls.
"Oh, I think you will," he nods to someone behind Arthur. Arthur turns as someone pushes forward.
One of the men had a dagger to Merlin's neck.
Merlin looks at Arthur with guilt, but Arthur looks farther into the blue eyes and sees fear. He also sees determination, it takes all he has not to groan. Instead he closes his eyes for a moment.
"I'm sorry," whispers Merlin. The dagger presses harder at his voice, causing red droplets to bead at his skin.
Arthur's eyes see only a color redder than the blood but does not can not do anything, it will only result in Merlin's pain. He could never succeed and keep Merlin alive at the same time. Arthur hangs his head.
"NO!" Merlin looks horrified as Arthur collapses from a blow to his head. He glares at the man, if looks could only kill... Before those crystal clear eyes could blaze gold sharp pain fills them and they roll up into his head.
Sorry I was so hard on poor Merlin. :-( and next chapter will be much longer, I promise!