In a land of myth and a time of magic the destiny of a great kingdom

Rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name

Merlin.

It was another night in the Royal Castle, it was a quiet night while everyone was asleep dreaming sweet dreams. Everyone was fast asleep after a very eventful feast that night. So no one heard the bandit coming in to the castle with a mission to kill the King of Camelot… Arthur Pendragon.

Merlin tossed and turned in his bed hoping he could just fall asleep. He was extremely tired but he couldn't seem to fall asleep. There was this feeling in his gut that something was going to happen but he couldn't pinpoint what it was so he kept tossing and turning in his bed hoping it was nothing and he would just fall asleep. Sadly that didn't happen, so he decided he would get dressed and take a walk through the castle to make sure everything was ok. He first went by King Arthur and now Queen Guinevere's chambers to make sure they were alright and didn't need anything.

Before he could even open the door he felt dizzy and his vision blurred. Powerful magic was in Camelot and it was close and by close it was down the hallway. Merlin saw a dark figure making its way down the hallway. He hurried and opened the door and hurried to wake the King. Merlin didn't want to risk exposing his magic if he didn't have to, and if he didn't and this new magical bandit defeated him before he could tell Arthur then the bandit could kill Arthur before Arthur could even open his eyes to see what was coming.

He hurried to the King and Queen's bedside to wake them up but they were already awake from the sound of the door opened. Arthur already had his sword in hand thinking there was an intruder in his chambers. Before Arthur could yell at Merlin for waking them up by barging into their room Merlin started to quickly inform them of what is happening.

"Arthur there is an intruder on his way to you right now and I think he has magic. He will be here any second."

He was right, the intruder walked in as soon as Merlin finished his sentenced.

"Gwen.. Merlin, stay behind me." Arthur told his wife and servent.

Merlin grabbed Gwen and got her and got behind Arthur like they were told and made sure that he was in front of Gwen to protect her.

"Whoever you think you are leave while you can. By walking in here you have threatened the lives of my wife, friend, and the life of myself and I will not have that." Arthur warned the intruder.

The intruder just stood there and smiled while he took out a small dagger. Then he attacked. Arthur's blade crashed into the intruder's dagger and they each got in a few blows before the intruder had enough of their fight and knocked Arthur backwards with his magic. Arthur was to dazed to get up. The intruder started towards Arthur to finish his mission to kill him.

Merlin saw Arthur on the ground and the intruder began to get closer to strike him. He was expecting Arthur to get up and take him down like it was nothing but that wasn't going to happen. Merlin didn't even hesitate he ran in front of Arthur before the intruder could strike him. That gave Arthur a distraction to take down the intruder and restrain him so when the guards got there then he will be ready to take to the dungeon and to be questioned.

As soon as Arthur restrained the intruder Gwen ran into his arms making sure he was okay.

"Arthur are you hurt? Are you alright?" Gwen asked

"Gwen I'm fine we are all ok, we are safe now. And now that we are safe I get to yell at my favorite idiot." Arthur told Gwen

Arthur turned around expecting to see Merlin in front of him ready to argue with him, but instead Merlin was bent over leaning against the wall for support.

"Merlin? Are you alright?" Arthur asked nervously

What Arthur saw next made Arthur more scared and worried than he has ever been in his life. Merlin moved his hand away from his stomach, there was blood on his hand and as he looked down he noticed there was a pool of blood where Merlin stood. Arthur rushed to his side and removed his other hand that was covering his stomach. There was a knife wound bleeding profoundly. Arthur knew no one could survive such a bad injury.

"Arthur we have to get him to Gaius!" Gwen said fearfully

"Gwen I need someone to stay with our uninvited guest here until the guards show up. He is unconscious so he can't hurt you. Could you stay with him? I need to get Merlin to Gaius but I cant have him unwatched."

"Of course and Arthur… save him"

Arthur gave her a nod and went to Merlin and picked him up bridal style which Merlin would yell at him later for. As soon as he picked Merlin up he groaned in pain and Arthur muttered an apology to him and headed to the physician, Gauis's chambers.

Gaius woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. Before he could even say come in the door flew wide open and he saw what he hoped he would never see: Arthur carrying an unconscious bleeding Merlin. Out of habit Gaius hurried over to Arthur and helped him carry Merlin to the small bed.

" What on earth happened!? I didn't even know he left the chambers!" Gaius asked while looking at the cause of all the blood that was leaving Merlin's body.

There was so much blood, the wound was deep. So that meant he had to work fast if Merlin wanted to live.

"Merlin came into my chambers saying there was an intruder in the castle on his way to kill me. But by the time Merlin told me that he was already there. We fought and he was so close to killing me until Merlin got in front of the blade. He saved my life." Arthur told Gaius.

" Of course he did," Gaius muttered. " I need you to keep pressure on his wound while I gather my supplies. The wound is deep and needs cleaning before I can start closing it up."

Arthur gave Gaius a nod and did as he was told. As soon as he started to apply pressure Merlin started to groan in pain. Gaius came back not even 5 minutes later, supplies in hand.

" Okay, Arthur we need to clean out the wound and it's going to be very painful. Try to keep him as still as possible."

As Gauis cleaned out Merlin's wound his screams could be heard throughout the castle.