A/N: I recently joined the Heart of Camelot, an awesome website for all fandoms but mainly Merlin, and at HoC there a lot of cool writing challenged and things to participate in...so I started doing these drabble challenges. They're really fun to write, and I hope you enjoy reading them as well. =) Please review and tell me what you think!
"An Interesting Use For a Scarf – At Least the Horse Likes It"
Getting attacked by bandits at some point during every single patrol was beginning to get slightly repetitive.
Repetitive enough that, in fact, it really wouldn't be a Camelot patrol if they weren't ambushed in the middle of it. It certainly wouldn't be the same if Merlin didn't just barely avoid being skewered, trampled, stoned or otherwise disposed of during that desperate fight for survival…
So, it really wasn't a typical Camelot patrol, this time, because for once, Merlin didn't make it through completely unscathed.
He wasn't injured, of course; if that were to happen, then it just might have been that the Camelotians' universe would have been turned upside down completely. No, the spear that the snarling bandit had wielded only grazed the side of Merlin's neck; it had been aimed precisely one inch from his actual flesh, instead piercing through the shabby red scarf that he wore so diligently.
Merlin cursed as he felt the fabric tear, ripping off his neck, but didn't have a chance to turn and look for it as the fighting continued onwards. There was always another tree branch to nonchalantly drop, or an additional sword to oh-so-casually heat to scorching temperatures…
Afterwards – once the bandits were inexplicably vanquished, and Arthur was busy marveling at their stroke of luck at all of those opponents being so conveniently clumsy and prone to throwing their weapons halfway across the forest – Merlin began to pace the trampled clearing, looking for his scarf.
It didn't take long to find it, and when he did – "Arthur!"
Arthur stomped over, twirling his sword vainly. "What is it now?"
"Your horse is eating my neckerchief!"
"Really? Huh – I was wondering when you'd come up with a good use for it. I'm sick of that horse constantly chomping at the bit."