Falling Down (Will You Be There?)
By
Numb3rsfan
Rating: T
Warnings: Violence, Language, Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Beta: Loopstagirl
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. This story is just for the entertainment of the fans!
Summary: Merlin is poisoned and taken away, but not everything is as it seems. The warlock has some choices to make. Will he make the right ones? –Set mid season 4-
-Chapter One-
Merlin knelt down by the small stream washing out the pot, plates and utensils. He, Arthur and the Knights had finished eating the vegetable stew he had prepared and now it was up to him to clean up the dishes; as always.
Behind him the young warlock could hear Gwaine's usual annoying banter with Elyan and Percival, while King Arthur was quietly mumbling something to Sir Leon.
"Merlin once you finish up do not forget to feed and water the horses." Arthur said.
Unseen by the King, Merlin rolled his eyes a little at the order but he did reply with a "Yes Sire," moments after the King spoke.
He knew Arthur hated to repeat himself which was why the young warlock had given the indication that he had heard the order.
After finishing with the dishes, Merlin stowed them away before taking the feed he had packed away, bringing it over to the horses who were tethered to the tree branches a little ways away from the campsite.
"Do this Merlin, do that Merlin. Bloody hell, why don't you just do it yourself?" Merlin muttered under his breath as he fed the horses.
By the time he had finished with his chores, a quick glance back at the campsite told him that Arthur and all of the Knights were fast asleep. Raising a hand to cover his mouth, the young warlock yawned. He too was tired. It had been a long and trying day filled with horseback riding, hunting and fighting for their lives.
Sometimes running in to a band of renegades who promptly decide they want to kill you really takes it out of a person!
Lowering his hand Merlin then shook his head to clear out all of the mental cobwebs. It was time for sleep; no doubt about it. Picking up the bag of feed, Merlin had just taken two steps towards the camp when he felt something sting him in the side of his neck.
"Aahh." He murmured, dropping the bag on to the forest floor. Swiftly he raised a hand to the side of his neck, feeling something sticking out of it.
Knees growing weak Merlin slumped to the ground. Numbness which started at his neck slowly made its way down the entire length of his lean frame.
"Arthur…" Merlin whispered softly, hoping against hope that his King and friend would hear him. When it became apparent that Arthur hadn't heard him, the young warlock tried one more time.
"Arthur!"
Merlin's eyes crossed as a wave of dizziness swept over him. Even as the darkness moved in to claim him he could hear Arthur, Gwaine, Percival, Elyan and Leon calling his name. He barely felt hands touching his shoulders and head before he completely lost consciousness.
MERLINMERLINMERLIN
"Arthur!"
King Arthur had been in the midst of a lovely dream involving Gwen when he had heard his name being called. Opening his eyes Arthur immediately sat up, his eyes going to the form of his fallen man servant. Even in the growing dark Arthur could tell that something was terribly wrong with Merlin.
"Merlin?!" Arthur asked, jumping to his feet. The way the King had said Merlin's name, not to mention the sheer loudness he had said it in was enough to jar the Knights from sleep. As one, Gwaine, Percival, Elyan and Leon jumped to their feet and grabbed their swords. It was their duty to defend their King; that thought was foremost in all of their minds until they all saw Merlin's limp form lying on the ground with something sticking out of his neck.
"Merlin!" They all proclaimed, sheathing their swords and rushing over to the fallen man. Gwaine and Arthur gently rolled the boy on to his back while Elyan removed the wooden dart from Merlin's neck.
"What is it?" Arthur asked, glancing briefly at the dart in Elyan's hand. He watched Elyan sniff the tip of the dart before the Knight grimaced and turned his head away.
"I'm not sure Sire. Whatever it is, it is very potent." Elyan said.
From where he was positioned, Gwaine shot out his left hand and plucked the dart from Elyan's hand, taking a moment to sniff it as well.
"Poisoned." Gwaine said with disgust, dropping the dart on the forest floor. Hearing that Merlin had been poisoned caused Arthur's blood to boil.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yeah. I've been around so I've heard about many poisons. The one that's on the dart is particularly dangerous because it's lethal and there's no cure for it." Gwaine replied, glancing up at Arthur, watching as the King took everything in.
The poison whatever it was had no cure? That is impossible. Everything had a cure. All one had to do was find it.
Arthur shook his head, placing a hand on Merlin's clothed shoulder. He wouldn't let his man servant die without at least trying to save him.
"Pack up. We ride for Camelot in ten minutes." He said, eyes never leaving the face of his unconscious man servant.
"I think not, dear King."
Arthur immediately stood up, drawing his sword as he got in to a fighting stance over Merlin's body. He wasn't going to let anyone touch him again and from the way the Knights had also responded to the voice, they all were thinking the same thing.
"Identify yourself!" Arthur demanded in to the darkness. He watched several figures walk out of the mist and in to the fire light of their small camp.
"Step away from the boy and we won't kill you." The large man who was obviously the leader of this gang ordered, his own sword held out and at the ready should Arthur decide to attack.
"That isn't going to happen!" Gwaine shot out at the newcomer. Everyone watched the man shrug his shoulders in an uncaring fashion.
"Fine. Then let his death be on your hands. I know what has poisoned him and only I know where there is a cure." The man said.
From the look on Arthur's face it was clear that the King wasn't convinced that the stranger's statement was true. "And you honestly expect me to believe that without showing me a shred of proof?" he asked. The man smirked, obviously expecting Arthur's remark.
The wind whistled through the trees, gently whipping everyone's hair around but no one paid it any mind. Wind was wind and right now they had more important things to worry about than their hair getting in to their eyes.
With a keen eye and somewhat bated breath the King watched the stranger reach in to his pocket and withdraw a tiny glass bottle with a clear liquid inside.
He took a step towards Merlin but stopped when Percival and the other Knights tightened their grips on their swords and took up a fighting stance around their King and their fallen comrade.
"This is only to show you my dear King that what I am saying is true." The man said evenly.
King Arthur took a moment to respond. Finally he gave a nod to his men. Stiffly Elyan and Leon moved aside so the gentleman could have access to Merlin.
"If you try anything that will hurt Merlin in any way I swear to you now that you won't live another day!" Gwaine told the man as he walked past.
Kneeling down beside the unconscious lad, the stranger brushed the boy's hair back from his face in a gentle fashion. Merlin's hair was soft and smooth and smelling of soap as if he had recently washed it. Smiling a little the man took the bottle and removed the cork before gently lifting the boy's unconscious head. Pressing the bottle to slack lips, the stranger tilted it up and allowed the liquid to flow in to Merlin's mouth. He then had to stroke the warlock's throat to trigger the man to swallow the liquid.
Almost immediately the unconscious lad groaned, a bit of color returning to his cheeks, however he still didn't wake up. Standing up the man re corked the bottle and stuck it back in to his pocket as he rejoined his own men.
"Proof enough my King?" he sneered.
Gwaine and the rest of the Knights rolled their eyes and glared at the man before they looked towards their King for guidance, only to see Arthur hesitate.
"Sire, you can't seriously be thinking…" Sir Leon began, but a quick glance from the King was enough to shut him up.
"How do I know that you won't just leave him to die if I do turn him over to you?" Arthur asked the man.
The stranger looked from Arthur to Merlin and then back before he replied, "I will not leave my son to die."
At that statement the entire world seemed to stop. Arthur blinked several times as his mind tried to wrap around what the stranger had said.
"Merlin is…" Arthur began, seeing the stranger nod his head before he could finish his sentence.
"I have been searching for him since the day he was stolen from me. He was only a year old; all he could do was cry. Still I didn't hear them when they came in the middle of the night and stole away my only son." The stranger said.
"What makes you so sure that Merlin is your son?" Sir Elyan asked, his sword still pointed towards the stranger.
"He is from Ealdor yes? His mother is a lovely woman by the name of Hunith. She was my one true love until he came, that damn Dragonlord and stole her away from me." The stranger said. He watched Arthur and the Knights give each other confused looks. Only Arthur knew Merlin was from Ealdor and that his mother's name was Hunith; he had never told the others that information.
"What do you want from Merlin?" Gwaine asked. None of the Knights really trusted the man but they also knew that time was running out for the unconscious warlock. They were so far out from Camelot that it was still up in the air as to whether or not they'd be able to get Merlin there in time, and if this man truly did have a cure to whatever had poisoned Merlin…
"All I want is for my son to know his father; to know who he truly is. If after that he wishes to return to you, King Arthur of Camelot, then I will not stop him." The stranger said.
Arthur bit the inside of his cheek. All of his instincts were telling him to take Merlin and ignore the man but what if he was telling the truth? What if he was Merlin's father and what if he could in fact help him?
"I'll release him to you on one condition," Arthur began, "One of my Knights goes with you."
The stranger thought about this arrangement for a moment before he nodded his head. "Agreed." He said.
Arthur nodded his head and turned to face his men but even as he did so he didn't see the unspoken command issued by the stranger, for suddenly the men behind the stranger lifted up their crossbows, aimed and fired at Arthur and his group.
They really stood no chance because within seconds Arthur and his Knights were each sporting a dart to their necks. As dizziness overtook them and they all slumped to the ground, none of them could do a thing as the stranger and his men collected Merlin and promptly disappeared in to the night.