Arthur's Bane

Hello, hope you are having a good day.

One cold winter day, Merlin, Arthur, Balinor, Leon, Elyan, and some knights went to find Gwaine, Percival, and the other knights. When everyone was on the hill eating. Merlin went to sit alone.

"Hey, Merlin, what is it?" Balinor asked quietly.

"I just want to be alone. I don't want to talk about it. Please, just let me be." Merlin sighed softly.

"Ok. Just remember to eat. You haven't eaten since we left. We don't need you getting sick."

"Ok."

Then Merlin sat by himself. When Merlin was sitting alone Arthur saw it and looked at Balinor who was staring at Merlin.

"Why's he by himself?" Arthur asked concernedly.

"He won't tell me. He's probably thinking." Balinor answered quietly.

He's been like that since we saw that village."

"He has compassion. Seeing all those people hurts him. It hits him deep."

"I'll go talk to him."

SO he did when he got Merlin to come with him Merlin sat next to his father. He talked and ate but not a lot. Then they went to sleep. Merlin had a nightmare about the man who would kill Arthur. He woke up screaming. Balinor went to Merlin and pulled him into a hug. Merlin kept struggling.

"Hey, Merlin, wake up. Everything is ok. Shh." Balinor hushed loudly. Then Merlin woke up. Most of the knights had woken up and were not happy. Merlin stopped struggling in his father's arms. Arthur, Leon, and Elyan watched Merlin and Balinor.

"I'm so scared." Merlin panted tearfully.

"Shh. Shh. Go back to sleep." Balinor whispered softly. Balinor helped Merlin lie down and in moments Merlin was asleep. Balinor covered Merlin in blankets and then went back to his sleeping bag.

"What was it?" Arthur asked quietly.

"I don't know. It wasn't good though. It's the second nightmare he had since we left Camelot. But he'll be ok." Balinor sighed.

Everyone went back to sleep. In the morning as everyone was fighting Merlin went to Leon to help just as he ran there someone sliced him on the ribs to the shoulder. He gasped painfully but still went over to Leon. When he saw Arthur get hit he grabbed Arthur and left. Balinor helped Merlin. When they got to a safe place, Merlin and Balinor put Arthur down on the ground. Balinor got some wood to make a fire. While he did Merlin looked at his wound. He saw that he was bleeding a lot. Then Balinor came back.

"Here let me have a look. How do you feel?" Balinor quietly asked. He started the fire and went to Merlin.

"A bit tired. I'm really cold." Merlin moaned breathlessly.

"Look at me. Don't fall asleep. We need to find someplace warmer. You're losing some blood but not a lot. Still, enough to lose consciousness. Ok. Hey, look at me." Balinor explained softly as he looked at Merlin's wound. Merlin did as he was told with difficulties. When Balinor was done he helped Merlin warm up. Merlin lost consciousness from exhaustion. When Arthur woke he saw Balinor waking Merlin up.

"What happened to him?" Arthur asked groggily.

"He got wounded. When I was looking at his wound he lost consciousness. He's starting to wake up. As soon as he's awake we can go." Balinor sighed quietly. A couple minutes later Merlin woke up. Then they began to walk. It was evening. They were near a hill when…

"I think I'm missing a toe." Arthur said.

"I'm missing Camelot. Missing my food. Missing my bed." Merlin moaned and fell onto the hill and curled up in a ball.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"Settling in for the night." Merlin groaned quietly. Arthur found a cave. He pointed at the cave and looked at Merlin.

"There. We'll use that."

"I just want to sleep."

"Not there. You'll freeze to death."

Arthur grabbed Merlin and pulled him to the cave. Balinor slept next to the boy's feet. When Merlin got back to the cave he slept on the inside.

"Nope, Merlin, this isn't going to work." Arthur explained as he stood up.

"What?" Merlin asked angrily.

"I always sleep on the left."

Merlin moved over and Arthur took his spot. Merlin had his arms crossed and was shivering a lot.

"Merlin." Arthur groaned.

"What?" Merlin shivered quietly.

"Your breathing."

"Sorry."

Then the 3 went to sleep. During the night Arthur's sword dug into the skin of Merlin right leg. Merlin felt the pain and woke up yelling in pain. Balinor and Arthur woke up as well. Arthur sword went deeper into Merlin's skin the more Arthur sat up.

TBC