One Shots

Merlin - Wild World

Arthur was moaning. It wasn't a typical, expectant grumbling. It was a moan.

Gwaine was talking. It wasn't the everyday chat or gossip. I was a non-stop talk.

And Merlin…

Well Merlin was the only one who was vaguely paying any attentions to his surrounding. Again.

"Shut up Gwaine!" Arthur whined stopping his horse to look the knight in the eye.

"Oh come on Princess, why did you even come all you've done is moan the whole time!"

Merlin sighed and looked over the flattening land, there was a small settlement just beyond that crop of pine. Merlin knew it. He recognised the drift of the auburn clouds on the horizon as the night beckoned. The horses were beginning to tire and Merlin was urgent to get to Ealdor before the moon pulled its way above the near horizon.

"Arthur, Gwaine please, lets just get to Ealdor, then you can fight, where ever in a pig pen for all I care!" Merlin hardly ever snapped, but today he was at the end of his tether with Arthur and Gwaine. Arthur probably shouted some abuse and Gwaine probably did to at Arthur for abusing Merlin, but Merlin wasn't listening, he was riding. Fast, he galloped down the last hill and in to the croppy woodland. He looked down at the beloved horse beneath his seat and the way he thundered over the pine needle carpet like it was air, it was like magic.

Drawing to a breathless stop, the bay under Merlin, shook his mane and snorted contently, Merlin reached down to give him a pat. Both stopped and focused, a twig. Snap. With bated breath Merlin straighten up in the saddle and grouped for his sword, 'Thank god for Arthur's persistence' Merlin told himself as he drew the unfamiliar blade.

"Merlin…" Merlin spun around in the saddle, "Mother!" he cried!

Leaping off the horse and dropping the useless blade Merlin took up his mother in a long awaited embrace, she was fragrant with the pine wood and herbs in her basket and Merlin finally felt like he was safe. "Merlin, what brings you home?" Hunith laughed.

"Well it's Winter Solstice, we've been planning this visit for year, mother its going to be my twenty-fifth winter!" Merlin grinned.

"And.. Avery's and Gregory's and…" Hunith drifted off.

"Will's too…" Merlin looked to the forest floor. Hunith longed to break the silence, but it wasn't long before the sound of hooves entered the forest. "That'd be Gwaine and Arthur!"

Merlin turned back to the clearing he came from and Hunith picked up the basket she had put down. The drumming seemed to stop. Merlin had defiantly heard hooves, he began to worry. That awful feeling soon ceased when the sight of a horse can in to view. "Arthur fin…" Merlin stopped and his heart skipped a beat. Arthur was gagged, blindfolded and his hands were tied roughly to his reigns and as too was Gwaine whose horse had bustled in to the clearing.

Merlin snapped in to reality and jogged towards the knights, but just as he was about to take Arthur's dark horse in to his reach, he stopped to a chilling feeling and the feeling of being watched. It wasn't long before Merlin's suspicions were confirmed. Shouting and stampeding down the clearing edges can a herd of men, each wielding maces, swords and a few arrowing up bows. Merlin froze, his sword, he'd left it.

Then with no appropriate warning can a shot of pain, dark claws encased Merlin's thigh and he shouted out, the coiling dark snake was spreading all over his left leg, suffocating it and sending it in to a point of unimaginable pain. Hunith, blurred, "Merlin, No!" The call was far and Merlin latched on to it as he felt his knees hit the carpet of the forest. He blinked multiple time to keep himself awake and as quickly and they appeared the herd of rampaging beast disappeared and Hunith was at his side.

"Poison…" Merlin whispered throat suddenly dry as he recognised to tight sensation beginning to restrict his throat. "Merlin, no quickly call The Dragon, use your gift, they cannot see" Merlin felt the warm drop of a tear hit his face and she closed his eyes and let the pain fade in to the darkness with him.

"Hello Merlin!" Arthur or Uthur, life of death, Merlin could not tell. "Hey, you prat, I risked my royal neck to save you… Again!" Merlin managed a small smile as all became clear.