The palace of Camelot glows in the light of the full moon. It's sliver light bounces off the white walls giving it an other worldly look. In a tower high above the city, a gentle breeze enters a small chamber through an open window.
The chamber is messy, clothes covering the floor and most of the weathered furniture. Large piles of assorted books stand on several rickety tables dotted amongst the mess. The largest book sits on the battered bedside table under a silk cover.
Next to it a thin young man slumbers soundly in his bed, lying on his front, his arms hanging over the sides and feet sticking out of the bottom of the thin blanket that covers him. His pale face almost seems to glow in the soft moonlight that shines through the window of his chamber. His black hair is messy, stuck up wildly on one side. Under his hair, his eyes move wildly under his pale eyelids. No one would have believed that this boy was a illegal sorcerer.
An older voice permeates the silence of the night and the young mans chamber.
"Merlin!" yells the voice.
Its barely audible over the boys low snuffling snore and the thick wooden door only deadens the sound. Merlin's eyelids flutter as he registers the noise, but it's not enough to wake him from his deep sleep.
"For the love of Camelot… MERLIN!" calls the voice a second time.
This time it's much louder and much closer than the last. Merlin's eyes shoot open and for a moment he looks dazed and confused. He looks around his room, sitting up and turning over, tangling himself up in the blanket. He looks first at the window and then at the door to place the source of the sound that woke him. He sits up straighter and yawns wildly, stretching his limbs like a cat.
A cloud passes over the moon making the room dark. Merlin's eyes begin to droop and he is about to settle back down again, when the door of the chamber bursts open to reveal Prince Arthur of Camelot stood perfectly framed in the doorway. He looks at Merlin darkly from under his eyelids. Even dressed in the slightly shabby hunting clothes, he still manages to pull of a regal air.
Merlin blinks a few times, just staring up at him, shocked by his masters very sudden appearance in his room. Gaius the court physician is stood behind Arthur wielding a battered lantern to illuminate the room. From behind his white hair he gives Merlin a sympathetic half smile. Arthur begins to walk slowly around Merlin's room, a slightly disgusted look on his face.
"My God Merlin, have you never heard of a cupboard?" he asks rudely.
He sneers at Merlin who, though still very confused, frowns back.
"I spend the whole day putting your things away, do you really expect me to tidy my own stuff away at the end of the day?" he asks, equally as rude in his tone.
Arthur lets it slide, choosing to give him a withering look. He walks slowly around the side of Merlin's bed, kicking items of clothing aside to create a clear path. He leans down so he is inches from Merlin's face.
"Tell me, Merlin, is there anything that you've forgotten?" Arthur asks straightening up and folding his arms.
His blue eyes glitter under his blonde hair as he stares down at Merlin waiting for the penny to drop. Merlin, looking nonplussed, rubs the back of his head, smiles gently and shrugs. Arthur grinds his teeth in annoyance, a spasm of anger crossing his face.
"Do you think I'm dressed like this for the good of my health, Merlin," Arthur asks emphasising the use of his servants name, "You were supposed to meet me in the courtyard an hour ago you complete idiot."
Merlin's face falls in shock and his mouth flaps wordlessly.
"I-I forgot." he mumbles, looking sheepish.
"Evidently," Arthur snaps, rolling his eyes, "Just get dressed."
Arthur turns on his heel and strides from the room giving Gaius a nod of apology as he leaves. Merlin stares after Arthur as the door to the main chamber snaps shut.
"What time is it?" he asks looking out of the window as the cloud moves away from the moon allowing it to shine once more.
"Lets just say I had barely dropped off to sleep myself." Gaius replies grumpily.
Merlin falls back onto his pillow and groans.
"You'd best get dressed." Gaius adds a smirk playing on his lips.
Merlin heaves himself up and props himself up on his elbows. He gives Gaius a goofy, lopsided smile.
"Do you think it'd ruin our destiny if I accidentally on purpose turned him into lets say, a squirrel? The Great Dragon didn't say anything about Arthur being a human when he becomes king…" he says jokingly.
Gaius smirks but gives Merlin a slightly disapproving look.
Darkness envelopes the courtyard except for one corner which is illuminated by a large flaming torch fixed to the castle wall. Underneath it in the pool of light, Arthur's hunting party is assembled, their horses ready for them just out of the light. They talk and joke loudly about the coming days hunt.
Arthur is stood apart from them his arms folded against the slight chill in the breeze that gusts around the courtyard. He pats his horse on the flank in reassurance as the breeze ruffles its mane and its ears go back. Arthur looks up at the night sky to see a bank of cloud cover the moon entirely. He drops his gaze and sighs loudly as a messily dressed Merlin rushes across the courtyard to join him.
"Arthur, I'm really, really sorry. I-" before Merlin gets a chance to finish his sentence, Arthur cuts across him.
"Save it, just get on your horse." Arthur snaps.
Merlin obliges and mounts his horse a little clumsily in his sleep deprived state, beside him Arthur mounts his horse smoothly. In seconds the hunting party is mounted and ready to ride. They move forward into the darkness leaving the safety and warmth of the castle into the night, Arthur leading the hunt forward.
A light mizzle falls through the beams of watery, dull early morning sunlight that shines through the thick canopy of trees illuminating the forest floor with its weak light. Behind a huge trunk of a fallen tree, Arthur and Merlin are hidden from view out of the relentless rain. Arthur is alert, taking in his surroundings and listening for the distinct sound of pray, ever the hunter.
Beside him though, Merlin isn't faring as well. He is slumped against the trunk of the fallen tree, his knees tucked up tight to his chest, his head is so low in sleep that his forehead is almost touching them. His hands are lying limply on the ground either side of him buried in dirt and leaf mulch. His breathing is shallow and rhythmic in sleep. Without turning, Arthur begins to whisper to him.
"Pass me my crossbow." he commands gently.
There's no reply from Merlin who is still slumbering gently. Arthur turns and, rolling his eyes, punches Merlin hard in the thigh to wake him. Merlin yelps in pain as he is rudely awoken by the sudden painful blow.
"You complete and utter fool, pass-me-my-crossbow!" Arthur slowly hisses.
"I don't get why we've been here all night. You've been staring at the same spot for hours and you still haven't caught anything." Merlin hisses back passing the crossbow over.
"You really don't get the subtle art of hunting do you, Merlin? The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." Arthur replies.
"I don't get the subtle art of anything this early in the morning, no." Merlin mumbles thickly.
Arthur shakes his head and ignores his servants quip. Merlin yawns silently and quickly stretches his aching limbs out, his joints painfully cracking. A high pitched, echoing scream reverberates through the forest causing Arthur to curse loudly as his prey runs off into the deep undergrowth and out of sight. Merlin jumps to his feet in utter surprise and Arthur drags him back behind the trunk of the tree roughly. He forces Merlin to face him, keeping a firm grip on his arm so he can't run off.
"What do you think you're doing?" he yells, all thought of the hunt erased from his mind.
"Whoever that is they are in trouble!" Merlin yells back.
"Merlin!" Arthur growls warningly.
But Merlin breaks away from Arthur's grip before he can say anything more. He tries to make a run for it but Arthur tackles him back to the ground before he gets far.
"You clotpole," Arthur spits, holding Merlin down firmly, "Every time I've gone to rescue someone in this forest I've either been attacked or enchanted or walked into a trap. Not this time!"
"That's because you're a prat and you don't look before you leap!"
"And that's exactly what you're doing!"
"So you're going to let whoever it is die?" Merlin asks, still scrabbling to break free.
"No… Fine! But if we get ambushed it's entirely on your head." Arthur grimaces letting him go.
Merlin sits up and nods furiously, bits of twig and leaves falling out of his hair. In seconds they're both on their feet, racing towards the screams. They skid to a halt at the edge of a grassy clearing. A woman in a tattered red dress that was once very beautiful, is huddled in a ball in the middle of the clearing. Her pale arms are wrapped around her body and her ebony hair covers her face. She's out cold. Around her a small ravenous pack of wolves circle her.
"Sire, we heard screams!" calls a member of the hunting party from behind Merlin and Arthur.
Arthur assesses the situation, sizing up the wolves in comparison to his men.
"Attack!" he yells drawing his sword and rushing towards the largest of the wolves.
The pack shift their attention to the hunting party, launching themselves at their attackers. Merlin ducks behind a tree and watches the fight, keeping back as any attempt to help would mean he'd only be getting in the way. He watches closely as Arthur drives the leader of the pack away from the girl with a barrage of heavy blows. The sound of swords hitting flesh, the snap of jaws and the whines of the injured wolves fills the air. As soon as the wolves are far back enough from the woman not to be a danger, he runs to her side.
He crashes to a halt beside her and turns her over. Her hair falls away from her face, there are several scratches and bruises marking her pale skin. Merlin freezes as he hears a growl behind him. He turns slowly to see a huge grey wolf staring right back at him, its fangs bared. Merlin stares at it intently for a few seconds, until it begins to advance on him.
"Healden bæk oþþe gefaran." Merlin mutters, holding his hand out at the approaching wolf.
Merlin's eyes turn a shining gold for a second and the wolf stops in its tracks. It stops growling and looks at Merlin hard. It gives a low whine and begins to back off, turning and running at full pelt through the trees, it's tail between its legs.
Merlin sighs and looks back down at the woman. He frowns as he looks down her body to check for other open wounds of which there are several along her arms and legs. Arthur joins him at her side leaving his men to deal with the remainder of the pack. He is covered in dirt and blood, his sword hanging limply at his side.
"Is she alright?" he asks gasping for breath.
Merlin shakes his head grimly. He strokes back the stray hair away from her face and frowns as he revels a gold chain around her neck. Arthur crouches down to get a closer look. Merlin pulls at the chain and his eyes widen in shock as he sees the pendant glinting amongst her dark hair. Arthur looks at it curiously and then looks up at Merlin in puzzlement. Shining in the watery sunlight is a pendant in the shape of the Golden Dragon of Camelot.