Rated M for future chapters.
I own nothing but the plot.
The Legends have claimed Merlin and so have the BBC.
Wiping the sweat of his brow, Arthur squinted up at the sun, silently cursing, not for the first time, his father and the ridiculous quests he sends him on. Paying no attention to the newly-acquired knights behind him, Arthur jumped, gracefully, off his horse as they came to the edge of the clearing, trying to stay calm as he heard the knights follow his lead in a much nosier manner. It confused Arthur to no end as to why his father insisted on knights going with Arthur, definitely new ones who could be training with Leon. Knights tended to slow him down, make a simple task, like checking out a possible highway man, so much more difficult than it should be.
"Set up Camp." Arthur ordered over his shoulder before grabbing the hunting crossbow off his horse and heading into the forest without so much as a backwards glance. He knew he was being a git; it's not exactly their fault the King ordered them to come along, but still, he was the Prince, he didn't need protection.
x
Despite pretty much living off and in the forest Merlin has never been a fan of hunting animals, he's never quite got how people can kill an innocent animal so easily. However, as he crouched behind a moss coloured bolder, gazing upon a blonde haired Adonis who was currently silently stalking a young stag, crossbow at the ready, as silent as a mouse; Merlin couldn't help but feel mesmerized by the sheer gracefulness, the beauty, of the boy (man?) before him. Not moving a muscle as he fired at the stag, as it fell, already dead, as it hit the ground. Seeming pleased with him-self, the hunter walked up to the (now dead) stag, slinging it over his shoulders and heading back the way he came.
Cautiously, Merlin followed him, being careful to make sure he was silent; eye's focused on the strangers back as his shirt started to ride up, exposing slightly tanned skin. After a few minutes of silent stalking a loud yell echoed through the forest, causing the hunter to drop his catch and dart off towards the sound of clashing swords, Merlin not far behind, drawing his own sword as he darted in and out of the tree's.
Arthur ran into the clearing sword in hand and quickly analysed the scene before him. Seven men, dressed in hooded black, were bearing down on his knights, using their numbers to press consistent attacks.
Sighing, Arthur ran up behind one of the men, effectively sticking his sword threw his chest, making it 6 men who are also aware of his presence and from that moment on it quickly turned into a bloodshed. Whilst Arthur got another lucky stab, bringing the black clothed group down to five, out of the corner of his eye he saw one of his knights fall and the other receive a nasty slice on his arm.
Arthur knew this was going to end badly, they couldn't out-run them, and it seemed unlikely that a barley trained knight (who was also injured) and himself would be able to beat the five assassin like swordsmen. Their swings were timed, strong and calculated. Whilst Arthur wasn't finding them exactly hard to deflect or counter, he could see his knight was. Untrained as his knight was, his determination was admirable, well admirable before one of the black clothed men managed to accurately hack off the knights already injured arm. It was almost like slow-motion as the colour drained from the knights face; his sword slipping from his hand to grasp his mangled stump. Falling to the floor with, even in slow motion, a quickly growing pool of blood around them.
And just like that the slow-motionness stopped. Quite quickly all the assassins turned towards Arthur, a few with sadistic smiles whilst the others with determination on their faces. He was dead. The Crown Prince of Camelot was going to die by a group of assassins, or what his Father will think of as a lowly highway man. Deciding that he: 1) Would kill at least one more of them, to even the numbers. 2) Won't go down without a fight. 3) Will remember to wear armour next time he leaves Camelot. (If he survives this anyway.)
Putting himself in a position to fight he looked at the assassins, willing them to come at him, wanting them to – "Er, excuse me?"
x
Merlin had waited until he couldn't see the huntsman before, attempting to, running properly, only to trip over a rather thick tree trunk, two cleverly hidden ditches and a stream, yes a bloody stream, before making it out into the clearing, and to say the scene before him wasn't pretty would be an understatement.
Merlin watched as ,what he guessed the huntsmen's, men fell to the ground, not yet interfering due to the fact he was, again, mesmerized by the sheer gracefulness of the blonde huntsman. It was only when it was the huntsman alone about to fight, five, others that he seemed to snap out of his thought and strive forward.
"Er, excuse me?"
Six pairs of startled eyes drew towards him. Well five startled and once pair annoyed.
Not too sure if anyone was going to answer him Merlin started talking, "Well you see I think it's highly unfair for five people to go up against one and have decided, since I'm in a fairly nice mood to give you two options. One being you go off on your way and leave this man be or," Merlin took a deep breath before drawing his sword, "You die. It's your choice, though it seems fairly obvious what you should do."
The assassins seemed move as one, their stances going from lax to defensive in a second.
Shaking his head, Merlin walked up beside the huntsman before muttering, "Don't say I didn't warn you."
xxxx xxx x
Arthur looked over his shoulder in annoyance, thinking that it was now six against himself, only to see that it was a young man with raven black messy hair which framed both his large ears and unnaturally large blue eyes that matched his shirt. Intrigued, he could only watch and listen as the boy spoke, "Well you see I think it's highly unfair for five people to go up against one and have decided, since I'm in a fairly nice mood to give you two options. One being you go off on your way and leave this man be or," The boy took a deep breath before continuing, "You die. It's your choice, though it seems fairly obvious what you should do."
The boys' eyes seem to darken as he walked towards Arthur, muttering under his breath as he positioned himself. In all honesty, Arthur wanted to laugh. Sure he seemed to be able to hold the sword up but he doubted he had any skill. The young man clad in blue didn't look like he possessed any form of muscle!
It was as Arthur took a step forward to re-start the battle that the boy moved as well. However, instead of being clumsy, the boy seemed to move light lightning. His movements a blur as he cut down the others at an inhuman speed. His sword sliced through the men as if they were air! Arthur could only stare, jaw on the floor, as the men just dropped like flies around the boy. It was both the most unnerving and the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Even after the boy had finished, he went straight over to the fallen knights before announcing, "We need to get this one," He nodded to the knight with the mangled arm, "Out of here. When these lot do not return they will send more out." He looked up at Arthur expectedly before grinning goofily at him, "I'm Merlin, and you are?"
Arthur just stared.
Grin fading, Merlin sighed before picking up the wounded knight, eyes flashing gold, the dead Knight levitated behind him.
Arthur stared harder – sword still clasped tightly in hand.
Rolling his eyes, Merlin started walking into the forest, levitating knight and all, before shouting over his shoulder, "Are you coming or do you fancy your chances with the next wave of fighters?"
Seeming to snap out of his frozen state, Arthur looked at the dirt road leading back to Camelot and then at the mysterious stranger called Merlin. However, before he could look back at the road the sound of galloping reached his ears. Making up his mind rather quickly, Arthur, sword in hand, ran into the woods not stopping until he was in step with the, rather attractive, sorcerer.
This is meant to be an almost 'Robin Hood' like take on Merlin. Not the TV series, mainly focusing on the one line, "Steal from the rich and give to the poor."
Reviews are welcome :D
THERE WILL BE A DELAY IN THE UPLOADING! My Laptop has decided to be a complete bastard and muck up. I'll make sure i can upload a chapter as soon as possible!
