Hello Merlin fans!
Just some info before we start: I'm still working on the sequel to my previous story, but I needed a break since there are some issues I have to deal with. This is pretty much the result of my 'break'. It was supposed to be a one-shot but I kind of failed and... well, I wrote this three-chapter story.
I know there have been many AUs to this particular episode and I was really trying to come up with something original. It's not a miracle but I enjoyed writing it, so I hope it's not a complete disaster (I think I'm getting insane, 'cause when I read it in the morning I'm like "thats good" but when I open it again in the evening, all the words seem so wrong!). Well... that's me :-)
Special thanks to my beta-reader TheSilverSleeper. Honestly, without her, the following lines would be hardly readable. Thank you!
Chapter one - Broken Wings
The ground was wet. It was the first thought that came on Merlin's half-conscious mind. He could feel it underneath his lying body; the water in his tunic getting slowly warmed by the heat of his skin. It was the only fact that filled his hazy world and for a couple of moments he just laid there, still and peaceful, not able to move or think straight.
The sound of heartbeat was present in every single part of his body. Loud and wild and yet, calming and friendly. He felt the blood running through his veins, and with every other beat he could perceive the little tremors in his chest spreading further all over his body to the tips of his fingers. His heartbeat vibrated through the muscles and bones, reminding him that he was alive.
Merlin was drifting between the two worlds for some time, standing on the edge and fighting with the nagging voice that was telling him to open his eyes and face the reality. Almost like the state he was in was the only acceptable one for his broken body; being alive and yet, not alive enough to feel the pain. However, he couldn't hold back the flow of memories that suddenly started arising from the back of his mind. He was slowly waking up at the images of the previous events, piece by piece putting together the whole story of the last hunting trip. And even though he wasn't quite aware of what happened, his patience was getting low as he couldn't sense anyone around him. No steps, no broken branches or rustling in the fallen leaves. He knew he should try to find out what happened and where he was, but not now. He was all too tired to move, even if it would mean such a little movement like opening his eyes.
He was completely motionless, trying to rest at least for a couple of moments and maybe just a bit longer, till his strength comes back. He felt the heaviness on him, almost like he was chained to the hard earth, his body completely embedded in the shape of the ground with all the sharp stones and rough roots. As if he was already a part of the place; like the woods completely embraced him in its arms and it was never going to let him escape.
He must have lost consciousness after the spell that caused the rock fall. He remembered the mercenaries shouting at each other and Arthur's desperate scream that kept echoing in his ears. It was exhausting, both mentally and physically, but he was sure his effort didn't come in vain. More than anyone else, Arthur was worth it.
He wanted to take a deep breath to bring more oxygen to his weary brain but something was blocking his lungs from stretching out. Somewhere under his left collarbone he felt a sharp stab, suddenly reminding him of the wound caused by the mercenary's flail. It was by chance the same type of weapon Arthur chased him with the first day he came to Camelot. This time, however, Merlin couldn't use magic to protect himself and as a result, he experienced the full impact of it; the real power of a weapon which was until now just one of the unpleasant stuff Arthur used on the training yard.
The urge to find out what happened forced Merlin to calm his breath again. He could hear the typical hum of the forest. The sound of leafs flying in the air, the tree branches making the strange creaky sound when the wind grew stronger. And the silence that was familiar to him but at the same time so different from what he knew. This silence was impatient and heavy, as if the woods were expecting something to come and destroy the beautiful world of peace and balance. After a slight hesitation, Merlin opened his eyes, a bit languorously at first, but a few slow blinks made his vision clear.
He was in the woods right on the place Arthur left him, in the manger of the Valley of the Fallen Kings. It was still day time since the sun was shining through the tree crowns; he couldn't have been unconscious for a long time in the end. But still, he couldn't estimate what happened after the rock divided Arthur from the mercenaries and what could have forced the attackers to leave. Was it really that simple that they just couldn't find any use for him and therefore, he was left behind? Why didn't they kill him when they had the chance? Or did Merlin become valueless because they managed to hunt Arthur after all?
Trying to sit up, Merlin realised he couldn't keep his head up. His neck was stiff and his head seemed to be too heavy to detach from the ground. The fact he was so weak to make such a little move made his stomach turn in fear. There was almost nothing he could do now but wait. Wait for Arthur or worse, for the mercenaries to come back and finish their job. He hoped Arthur managed to get into safety with the knights, but the truth was he couldn't be sure. There were too many attackers against such small group and even though the Camelot knights were the best in the land, they were in a big disadvantage, having been attacked unprepared on the open road. In a blink of an eye they were encircled and outnumbered, with no chance to escape. Merlin could still hear the wild screams of the mercenaries, the ringing sound of swords clanging against each other and the horse hooves stomping the soft forest ground. Everything was suddenly back in front of his eyes again.
He knew someone must have betrayed them. Again. They weren't carrying anything valuable which would entice the mercenaries and provoke them to attack and gather the prey. No, it was something more. Whether they wanted to kill the king or just capture him or the knights, Merlin didn't dare to guess, but he was sure the aim of the attack was not about gold or food. He wondered whether it was going to open Arthur's eyes to finally see what kind of person Agravaine was.
Thinking about Arthur's uncle, another realisation crossed Merlin's mind, spreading panic through his chest. Agravaine was Morgana's ally. And the probability he would engage the mercenaries to attack the patrol of his own accord was pretty low. It must have been on Morgana's command, which again totally failed. In addition Merlin knew, that if she found out he was still here, alone and injured, she would come back and deal with him by herself.
Merlin decided to check his shoulder, bringing slowly his right hand to his tunic and carefully getting under the fabric. He immediately noticed the unnatural wetness suggesting that there was no difference from the last time Arthur looked at it. He brought his hand in front of his eyes, watching the dark liquid dripping from the tips of his fingers. The wound was still bleeding.
He remembered that the moment the flail hit him, the pain wasn't that bad. Maybe he was just too distracted, too surprised with the quick blow to have time to feel it. The power of the weapon crushing his chest knocked the air out of his lungs, his knees buckled and he fell. The pain was something he expected, but it actually didn't really come until he got the opportunity to calm himself again. First, he thought that the bones were sprained or broken because there wasn't too much blood, but now, he must have rethink his conclusion. He didn't know how he managed to make his shoulder bleed again, if it happened because he used the spell or the mercenaries tried to kill him before they left. But it didn't matter after all. He needed to stop it as soon as possible.
His options, though, were limited. He was weak and tired and the more he thought about the injury, the more painful it was actually getting. The realisations he made didn't add much comfort to him. Quite the opposite - the nervousness that embraced his body accelerated his breathing, which was causing the stabbing pain somewhere between his shoulder and upper chest whenever he wanted to suck the air in. Trying to find some relief, he managed to get his quick shallow gasps under control.
Carefully placing his right hand on the wounded area, the warlock whispered one of the healing spells he remembered. The effect was almost instant and after a short burning that engulfed his shoulder, the bleeding reduced, maybe even stopped completely. His tunic though was soaked with the blood, and Merlin feared it would stick to the wound. He could imagine how unpleasant it would be to remove the fabric that got dried to a half-healed wound. Merlin decided that covering it with his neckerchief would be sufficient enough to keep it from further damage, at least until he gets a proper medical treatment.
...
The sun moved on the sky further to the west when Merlin opened his eyes again. Falling asleep was not exactly his plan, but his body was too tired to win the battle between the painful consciousness and healing sleep; somehow he ended up in the short slumber.
His breathing was a bit more difficult in comparison with his previous state. Thinking about what could have caused such reverse Merlin realised it was probably his right arm, which remained lying across his chest when he pressed the neckerchief on the wound. But before he could put his hand back to relive his confined lungs, something disrupted the silence of the woods.
Merlin focused for a moment, trying to listen as thoroughly as possible. From what he could hear, it was a voice. A man's voice. And he wasn't alone. His stomach clenched at the thought the mercenaries came back to finish their job or bring him to Morgana. But at the same time he knew the best for him was to remain calm and not to jump to conclusions without any evidence. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hold back the gasps which suddenly started to escape his throat.
Somewhere between the indistinctive shouts Merlin recognized one sentence that caused chills on his back.
"Over there!"
Merlin's position didn't allow him to see whose steps were whirling in the fallen leafs and actually it didn't make any difference after all. He was not able to fight and running was not an option either. It was too late to hide.
A strange person was quickly approaching to him. He came from behind, making his way down between the moss-covered rocks.
"Merlin!"
He knew the voice, he would recognize it everywhere. Turning his head, Merlin saw the typical red cloak and blond hair of the king of Camelot. The feeling of great relief completely overtook his body and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to take control over his ragged breaths again.
"Merlin," Arthur repeated, kneeling to him and carefully watching his friend's prone body. His eyes were full of concern and a few wrinkles appeared on his forehead.
Merlin nodded, forcing himself to smile to show he was not in such bad state as it looked.
"He's alive!" the king shouted, putting down his gloves. "Good, you're alive," he repeated again, this time just for himself. The relief in his face was obvious.
There were more knights; Merlin could hear their talk but he couldn't see them. He presumed they stayed up on the border of the manger. Before Merlin could say something, Arthur silenced him, bringing a skin with water to his lips.
Having been distracted by so many things, Merlin completely forgot that he should be thirsty. He hadn't drunk for a few hours now and his throat was dry like tinder. However, his instinct told him not to drink too much, as there was a possibility his weak body wouldn't accept a bigger amount of water and he would throw it up.
"Thanks," he whispered, his shaky breath reflecting in his voice.
Arthur nodded, squeezing Merlin's good shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Gaius is on his way."
The physician was already standing behind Arthur's back, holding his medical bag and a blanket under his armpit. Arthur quickly stood on his feet, giving him the required space.
One look was enough for Gaius to find out what was wrong with his ward. Without further words, he knelt down to Merlin, tearing a small hole in the blood-soaked tunic and slowly revealing the scared skin under the neckerchief. Merlin didn't know how it looked like now; he didn't have the chance to look at it properly but from what he could read on Gaius's face, it wasn't that bad. Maybe by stopping the bleeding, Merlin managed to heal the worst of the wound as well.
The king was standing a step away from him, looking up to the other border and watching thoroughly any unusual move. Merlin could see his impatience and nervousness, maybe even anger that caused the old-looking wrinkles on his face.
Suddenly, another person stepped in his view. It was Leon.
"Sire, you shouldn't stay here for too long. We don't have a clear look at the surroundings. If someone would attack, I'm afraid we won't be able to get you out of here," he said, expecting orders from the king.
Arthur nodded in understanding. They were in a valley with stone slopes on both sides. One way out was now barricaded with huge rocks and the other one lead in the opposite direction than their horses were. Under other circumstances it would be a great place for hiding but now, when the mercenaries knew Merlin's exact position, it was probably the most dangerous place in the woods. It wasn't wise to stay there. Arthur turned his attention to the physician. It was him who had the final word now.
"Gaius?"
"I need a moment, sire. There are actions I need to take before we seat Merlin on the horse." He was spreading the blanket over Merlin's body. He wasn't cold, even though he felt the cool wet fabric on his back; he wondered if it was because he had a fever.
"Should we make fire?" Leon asked, looking at Gaius. The answer, though, came from the king.
"No. No fire. We don't need to draw any attention," he said strictly. "Cover the area as wide as you can. Watch carefully every move and send someone to track the mercenaries. I want to know which way did they leave and from where we could expect their possible return. Keep as silent as possible. I'll stay here with Gaius, the other way out is still not safe."
Arthur knew that the most effective way to keep them safe was to follow every suspicious move, every broken branch and every shadow. But with five knights, it was hardly possible. As long as they stayed there, they were all in grave danger.
Their talk somehow dulled in Merlin's ears, slowly becoming a distant and indefinite mixture of voices. The time stopped as Merlin's eyes dropped to Gaius. And even though Gaius had this skill to hide any emotion that could influence his professionalism, Merlin would bet there was a tear in his eye. Then the noise of the world completely disappeared and Merlin found himself drifting into sleep again.
"Oi!" Gaius raised his voice, patting Merlin's cheek, "no sleep," he ordered. As soon as he made sure Merlin was back with him, he bent his head, giving the full attention to the wounded shoulder again.
"I'm sorry," Merlin's voice sounded strangely dry and lazy. "It's just- my brain hurts," he explained, not really caring how stupid it sounded.
"I know; you'll have enough time to sleep soon. Until then try to stay awake," Gaius reacted, calming Merlin with his typical peaceful voice.
"I'll do my best," Merlin wanted to smile but a sudden move of his arm changed his face into a painful grimace.
"Are there any other injuries I should know about?"
"No," Merlin whispered, his mind too busy with the shoulder to feel anything more. If he was hurt somewhere else, he didn't have the chance to notice.
Merlin looked around; Leon was already gone and Arthur was pacing around. He looked like he didn't really know what to do. There was a short moment when his eyes met the fallen rocks not far from them. It was strange to watch Arthur's face reflecting so many emotions - a combination of anger, confusion and regret with questions that would probably never be answered.
Arthur knew he had the greatest part on this; he couldn't bring Merlin back to Camelot after the rocks divided them and as a result, he was now endangering the lives not only of his knights, but the court physician as well. The positive thing that lightened his mind was Merlin, who was alive and as far as he could see, not mortally wounded. But being here, on the open air without any backup, he couldn't let his senses rest.
Merlin was watching Gaius's focused face, feeling his hands pressing deftly around his shoulder joint. They didn't say a word to each other but they didn't need to. It was just Gaius's presence that kept Merlin safe, however, his ragged breaths were getting louder as Gaius moved his left arm in a different position, sending shooting pain in his arm.
Being not sure what to do, the king lowered himself to his servant, kneeling on the mossy stones on Merlin's right side. He adjusted the blanket on his legs, trying to cover his whole body. He didn't know why he was doing that; he never before experienced the urge to take care of someone in this way. That just wasn't him. It was always Guinevere who offered help with the patients if Gaius needed. It was her who was helpful and compassionate, making no difference between treating a knight or a beggar. Arthur admired her for it, but right now, for some reason, he needed to show that he cared. That he always cared.
Merlin noticed Arthur's dark eyes staring somewhere in the distance. He was visibly worried, rubbing his forehead and breathing heavily. Merlin knew he cared about him; even though he was always struggling to admit it, his concern and responsibility he felt for him was obvious.
"You've brought the whole army," Merlin whispered, trying to encourage his friend and distract him from all the problems that afflicted his mind.
"They're here of their own accord. I tried to stop them, but it was in vain."
Merlin smiled. "They came for me?"
"Don't be so fond of yourself. We're here because it's a beautiful day for a ride. We are hunting, you know, gathering herbs, mushrooms... and servants," he explained, trying to sound indifferent but the hint of joy couldn't escape Merlin's attention.
"Then you're lucky. I've heard it's difficult to find a servant in the woods. They're pretty rare."
"You're right, they are. We're gonna celebrate our success after we return."
Merlin hissed, as he felt his arm being pulled from his body. Gaius was trying to fix the bones, but he was being very careful. Merlin watched him doing it a few times to some patients, but he was never working so warily as now.
"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, watching Gaius in concern, placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder as he saw his pained expression.
"The bones are dislocated, but that's not what bothers me," the physician explained. "The first rib under the collarbone could be broken and by moving the arm, I could easily make it worse."
Arthur frowned, not really understanding Gaius's statement but he trusted his skills more than anyone else. He was impatient; everyone would be, not knowing how long they would have to stay there, but he decided not to interrupt Gaius with further questions. The physician, though, noticed his inquiring look.
"Making Merlin ride a horse in this state would be extremely painful. If nothing more, I have to put the bone back in place. I'm working as fast as I can but it would take some time."
Arthur nodded, his eyes meeting Merlin's for a short moment. He seemed to be unfocused, staring somewhere up in the tree crowns, his eyes slowly closing and then opening again. The king was almost sure Merlin hasn't moved since the moment Arthur was forced to leave him there and plunge into a fight with the mercenaries. He still felt the regret, replaying the scene of the falling rocks in front of his eyes. The desperation that filled his chest that moment was still present with him, the consuming feeling when he had no choice but to leave Merlin there with so many people who wanted to hurt him. He was actually forced to betray his friend and Arthur knew it would take him some time to deal with it and get over the memory, even if Merlin was alive and everything was on its best way to be all right again.
"I'm going to check something. I'll be back in a moment." Arthur pointed to the other end of the manger, on the way he and Merlin came before the mercenaries found them. He still couldn't understand how it all happened; it almost looked like someone caused the rock fall for a purpose, trying to prevent the attackers to reach him whatever the cost. But it was no use to think about it now; he needed to make sure the opposite way was free in case they would have to run.
Gaius gave him a worried look, not fully agreeing with his decision. He shouldn't walk in the forest alone. It could be dangerous, not only for him but for Merlin and Gaius as well. But the king didn't seem to be waiting for permission from the physician. He had to do something, make himself useful and not only sit and wait. Without further notes, he left Merlin and Gaius alone.
"I noticed you've taken care," Gaius spoke when he made sure Arthur couldn't hear them. He pointed his eyes on Merlin's wounded shoulder, impressed with the current state of it.
"I tried to stop the bleeding," the warlock whispered, holding his breath to steady his voice.
"The wound is almost healed with no sign of infection. You did very well, Merlin." Gaius gave his ward a satisfied smile. He was proud of him, knowing how complicated the healing spells could be.
"That's good," Merlin whispered again, closing his eyes. The skin was maybe healed, but the bones were far from being all right, stabbing him regularly with every breath he took. "It still hurts."
During Gaius's long practice, he came across many dislocated bones. It wasn't one of the more serious injuries, and even though it was very painful, the patient usually pulled through without any further consequences. But if there was something he had learned, it was one particular rule - once the bone got dislocated, it was better to set it as soon as possible. However, Merlin was left with the injury for a couple of hours and as a result, the muscles around the joint got stiff. With every second they waited it was getting more difficult to fix it.
Gaius turned around, grabbing his bag and looking for something. A second later, he was holding a small bottle with a clear liquid.
"Careful," he ordered, bringing the potion to Merlin's lips, "you'll feel a bit tired but it's for the sake of both of us."
Merlin swallowed the liquid without saying a word, welcoming everything that could lessen the sharp pain in his upper chest. He wished he knew some useful spell to heal himself but from his previous experiences he was sure it would never be that easy.
"This doesn't mean you have my permission to fall asleep, Merlin," Gaius added, noticing Merlin's eye lids becoming heavier than before.
"Yes, sire," the warlock smiled.
He realised that Gaius had come in the woods full of mercenaries just because Merlin was hurt. And he didn't really have to do that; it wasn't his duty. He could simply wait in his chambers for the knights to bring the wounded ward straight to the bed. But he decided to go in the woods on a mission that was not quite safe and that could easily end up with a life-and-death fight. In addition, Gaius was never fond of a horse seat; he never actually confirmed that, but Merlin knew he was willing to ride a horse only if necessary. Merlin's heart was suddenly filled with a strong feeling of gratitude. He couldn't imagine how the way back would look like if he was condemned to ride a horse in his current state.
"You will feel better soon," Gaius soothed him as he carried on examining the position of the bones.
"Agravaine-... is he here?" Merlin asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer but he presumed a conversation was the only thing that would keep him awake.
"No," Gaius answered, "Arthur wanted him to stay in the castle. Agravaine was quite shocked when he was told what happened. He tried to hide it but he looked like he saw a ghost when the knights returned almost at full strength."
Merlin frowned. What if he was meant to be left behind? What if it was Morgana's strategy to use him as a bait to entice Arthur and all the knights in the woods? With Agravaine inside the castle, her way to Camelot will be free. Maybe Merlin was not a mistake but a part of a sophisticated plan that would finally give Morgana the throne. If it was so, he managed to bring them all in a trap.
The warlock looked at Gaius, wondering whether he should share his thoughts but as soon as the physician looked in Merlin's eyes, the boy realised he probably knew.
"Don't worry about it now. Arthur knows there is a traitor at the court and still he was willing to go on this quest. There is nothing to stop him if it comes to you. You should have seen him when he returned back to the castle. He was desperate to find you," Gaius tried to encourage Merlin. He felt the uncertain feeling that there was something strange on their situation but he also knew that thinking about all the possibilities and scenarios would be a waste of time.
"It doesn't surprise me; he's usually not able to get dressed on his own. Without me, he won't be even half of the king he is now," Merlin explained, imagining Arthur hearing what he just said. He pictured his offended face and the discordant notes that would throw the ball on Merlin's field again. And then, they would argue and Merlin would probably end up with some extra work for the evening; or maybe not. Maybe, Arthur would just throw something on him. It would depend on his current mood.
"You shouldn't say that to him," Gaius reacted, not able to keep his smile down.
"I think he already knows," Merlin chuckled.
"You're having fun," Arthur suddenly interrupted their discussion. "It's nice to see."
The king sat back, leaning on one of the huge stones and raising his head to check the position of his knights. He could see Percival on the right border and Gwaine on the left but nothing more. Gwaine was eating something, an apple probably but he couldn't be sure. Arthur was truly in a bad position and in a case the attackers would come back, there won't be much time to get up to the horses.
"It could be a trap," Merlin spoke again, this time with more tired voice than before. His face was marked with pain and his breathing was becoming too loud. It was not a pleasant sound to listen. But Merlin needed to be sure that Arthur was fully aware of the danger that came from his decision. He was risking too much for a servant, and Merlin knew that Arthur would never forgive himself if anything happened to his knights.
"Don't worry, Merlin. You have guardians," Arthur said, watching his servant clenching the teeth as Gaius pulled the shoulder again.
"I-" Merlin breathed out, "don't worry about myself. It's you they wanted."
"We've won the fight. Now the mercenaries know they shouldn't try the knights of Camelot. It would be silly of them to come back."
"What makes you think they're not silly," Merlin reacted, suddenly gasping in pain. His oxygen supply had been limited for the last couple of hours and he was becoming desperate to breath properly. Every time he tried to take a deeper breath, the sharp stab stopped him, leaving him gasping for air. And now, as he was trying to control the pain Gaius caused him with his actions, it was even more difficult to keep his composure on a certain level.
"I'm sorry Merlin. I'm trying to be gentle." Gaius waited for Merlin to catch his breath again, lessening the pressure on the shoulder for a moment and massaging the muscles to release the tension. "Try to relax."
Merlin was aware of the little twitches of his muscles whenever was his sore limb moved, but he didn't really have it under control. Knowing he would be against himself if he fought Gaius, Merlin was trying to be as relaxed as possible, even though the position he was held in was not comfortable at all. He couldn't hold back another moan as he felt the bones taking a slightly different position. He whispered a silent apology but his breath was so shallow he couldn't be sure someone heard him.
It was his fault. The fact they were here now was just a result of his slow reaction when he was attacked. And now, Morgana could come and kill them all. He didn't even know if he would able to use magic to protect them.
"Let me try something," Gaius offered, hearing Merlin's raspy voice. The dislocated bone was pressing on Merlin's lung and with all the sore bones that had been hit by the flail, it must have been difficult to breath. "I'm going to turn you on your side, it should ease the breathing."
A silent groan escaped Merlin's throat followed by long exhale as his stiff body changed the long-standing position. Gaius bent Merlin's legs to keep him in balance and added another blanket under the warlock's head. The heavy feeling of someone sitting on his chest immediately disappeared and Merlin could finally take a little bit more air in. It was not what he would wish for, but it had to be enough, at least for now.
However, he couldn't enjoy the little comfort that pervaded his body for long. Gaius used the new position to try another way how to set the dislocated shoulder. He grabbed Merlin's left arm again, bending it slowly somewhere behind his body, creating an unnatural angle that forced another groan from the boy. It was painful as he felt his whole ribcage stretch, all the sore bones and muscles being pulled in one direction. He couldn't stop himself from uncontrollable gasping as the pressure even increased. He instinctively brought his right hand to his shoulder in a weak attempt to find any way to lessen the pain, but Gaius didn't let him, replacing Merlin's hand with his own.
"Hold on," he whispered with his soft voice. Merlin knew he was trying to help him but at the same time, there was a slight impatience in his words. But he understood. They both wanted this to end quickly. And after all, Gaius was right; there was nothing he could do but hold on.
Trying to silence the little whimpers escaping his throat and distract himself from the intensive sharp pain, Merlin concentrated all his thoughts on his lungs, imagining the air filling the space in his chest, awakening all the cells of his body and then, leaving through his nostrils. It worked for a couple of moments, until another move of his arm brought him back in the reality. The damaged skin on his shoulder was burning like a fire when Gaius stretched his arm. Merlin was glad that his position didn't allow Gaius to see his face strained with pain.
Suddenly, the king stood up, looking up to the border and turning around in a half circle. He brought his right hand to the hilt of his sword, as if he was making sure it was on its place. Merlin welcomed the little distraction, trying to forget about the pain that was numbing his mind. His eyelids were heavy, almost like his body wanted to save him from suffering by leading him into the sweet unconsciousness.
"Sire?" Gaius noticed Arthur's quick movement as well, raising his head to the king.
It took a several moments before the king shook his head, looking back at Gaius and the servant.
"It's nothing," he said as an explanation. "Just a feeling." Arthur wanted to stifle the undying voice in his head repeating to get out of the hole as fast as they could. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of it, constantly thinking about Morgana and the traitor who revealed their secret. He didn't know whether he saw someone behind one of the huge tree tribes or whether he was becoming paranoid. It was confusing.
Gaius was giving his full attention to Merlin again, examining the position of the bone with his fingers of his left hand, while the other held the arm in the right angle. Merlin's face was pale and sweaty, his eyes half opened as well as his mouth, which was releasing small gasps.
"What is it?" Merlin asked, sounding strangely distant, even to himself. He wondered how his voice seemed to Gaius and Arthur.
The king leaned on one of the huge stones on Merlin's right side, sticking the tip of the sword on the ground, not knowing what to do with his hands. "It's the silence. I don't like it."
"I could scream if you wish," Merlin reacted, feeling a tear drop escaping his eye and burrowing in the blanket. He wanted Gaius to just stop and leave him there. And even though he knew he probably wouldn't be able to stand on his own feet, he felt an unimaginable desire to run away. Run from Gaius and Arthur, run from the pain and the pernicious feeling of fear. Leave the damn place behind and forget.
The king chuckled. "That would certainly be like you, maybe more than you can imagine."
As a knight, Arthur was used to watch injuries on the battlefield. He grew up amongst knights, and he knew it was a part of their lives to get hurt sometimes. But Merlin was not a knight and such burden was not meant for him. It was not fair.
He noticed Merlin's smile; it wasn't the usual annoying smile he wore when he was pleased with himself or when he wanted to irritate Arthur. It was like he was trying to reassure him that he was all right with what happened. His lips were too pale, taking over the colour of his white face. He looked like he was drifting into sleep again, slowly closing his absent eyes for a moment but before Gaius could notice, he opened them again, impassively watching his right hand lying on the green moss.
"There," Gaius whispered to himself and Merlin had to do his best not to actually scream as he felt another pull to an angle he would never expect it was possible to bend his arm. He instinctively pushed his head backwards, trying to ease the way for the air to get in his lungs. The constant sharp pain was becoming too big to bear and Merlin found himself fighting with his own body as the muscles on his legs began plucking to make him move somehow. He had to push his right hand down in the moss to keep himself from fighting.
"Gaius-," Merlin pleaded, knowing that he was losing the battle, his eyes were closing of their own accord. He couldn't fall unconscious. He would become another problem on the list if he couldn't be able to keep himself awake. But at the same time, he didn't trust himself he's going to hold on like this any further.
"I know my boy," he said reassuringly. "One more move-"
And then it stopped. It wasn't more painful than any of Gaius's previous actions and suddenly his shoulder was back in place, feeling strangely normal and loose.
Merlin released the longest breath in his life. He closed his eyes, enjoying the freedom of a proper breathing. Arthur carefully narrowed his legs, making him lay straight. Merlin could feel the last tears rolling down his temples and a touch of Gaius's hand in his left palm.
"Try to press my hand."
And Merlin did. It was a pretty weak squeeze, but it was one, and that was important. The nerves weren't damaged.
"Good," Gaius breathed out in relief. "Sire, if you could," he spoke to the king, suggesting him to help Merlin to sit. "I need to bandage it."
Merlin's head fell on his chest as he was put in the sitting position. He had trouble to keep himself up but Arthur supported him, holding his shoulders as Gaius put his bruised arm into a tight sling.
"Gaius," Merlin suddenly whispered, trying to turn his head towards the physician. "I need-" he couldn't finish the sentence, his voice suddenly giving up. The pain in his shoulder dulled, but he was still too tired and all his body felt like a one huge stone pinned to the ground. The painful weakness of his muscles suddenly took over him, his head was spinning around and his stomach felt like it was full of something hard and heavy. Even though he had just a gulp of water in the last few hours, he could fell a slight urge to throw up. There was a hum in his ears, slowly turning into a high tone that made him sick. His vision became blurry, dark dots dancing on Arthur's face as Merlin raised his head to him. And then, there was nothing.
...
The next thing Merlin saw was a beam of the sun making its way through his eyelashes, slowly awakening his mind. He focused on the strange game of lights and shadows, the blinding brightness making his eyes water. The fresh air coming in his lungs was mobilizing his senses again, enabling him to feel the chill, hearing the words around him and feeling the strange patting on his right cheek.
"Really? After all this time you decide to fall asleep?" Arthur noted as he watched his servant opening his eyes and blinking a few times to get rid of the tears that smudged his vision.
"I wasn't sleeping," Merlin groaned, turning his head on his right side. He was still sitting, Arthur's strong arms holding him up as Gaius worked on bandaging his shoulder.
"Here," Gaius said, giving his ward a water skin, "you must drink, Merlin. You are exhausted. Take deep breaths and don't make quick moves unless you want to black out again. We'll have to take breaks on our way back, sire," Gaius faced Arthur, obviously concerned about Merlin's health. "Just to be sure."
Arthur nodded. Merlin was still to pale and weak and Arthur felt uncertain whether he'd be able to guide his servant back home. It was a long journey ahead.
"All finished." The physician tied the sling behind Merlin's neck and then started folding the blankets. "Careful now," he added, looking worriedly at Merlin.
"Right. Let's go." Arthur was not sure whether he should ask Merlin if he could walk or take him directly in his arms. However, the servant could read the hesitation in his face and decided that the best choice was to stand up and try what his legs could do. He placed his right arm around Arthur's shoulders, not bothering with asking for permission.
"What- Merlin, wait," Arthur was surprised with his servant's sovereign action, being not ready for such a quick movement. In the blink of an eye Merlin was standing on his feet.
"Are you sure-" the king asked in astonishment, feeling Merlin's unstable form leaning on him. He was bending forwards a bit, and Arthur had a strong suspicion he was going to fall over.
"You don't want to spoil me, do you?" Merlin interjected and took the first step. His legs were a bit shaky but surprisingly strong considering the circumstances.
"All right," he breathed out, "Gaius, please, go ahead, Elyan should be waiting at the horses. Tell him we're going home."
Gaius gave him a concerned look, almost like he didn't trust him he would be able to guide Merlin up, but eventually he obeyed, taking his bag and blankets and heading up to horses. Even though Gaius was an old man, he managed to get up quite quickly, looking back at Merlin and Arthur behind.
"Hold tight, I don't want you to fall back down there," Arthur said, supporting his servant as they climbed up between the stones covered with the green moss.
"Don't worry. If my legs give up, I'll make sure I won't fall alone," Merlin joked, tightening his hold on Arthur. The king was glad his friend hadn't lost his sense of humour, even if he was visibly in pain.
Suddenly, there was shouting coming from the distance. Arthur turned back, watching Gwaine running to him. He was breathing wildly, trying to catch his breath and when he finally spoke, his voice was wheezy.
"Leon saw a man not far from here and he followed him," he announced, taking huge breaths between the words. "He's found the mercenary's camp."
Arthur gave him an inquiring look, not really knowing where was his knight pointing and why was his face so shocked. It was Arthur's order to find out where are the mercenaries dwelling but something was telling him it was not the only news Gwaine wanted to say.
"They're getting ready for something, Arthur," the knight continued, shaking his head like couldn't accept it himself, "and Morgana is with them."
To be continued...