Merlin's POV:
I started to crawl away, pain shooting through my body.
"Where do you think you're going?" He snarled at me.
"No where." I whimpered, waiting for him to strike again. He did, his boot connecting with my ribs. I heard a crack, and felt another sharp pain. He continued to hit me, leaving what felt would be multiple bruises and lacerations all over my body. I lay there, drifting in and out of consciousness as he hit my over and over again, pounding his booted foot into my body, moving onto hitting me in the stomach and back. He left, and I stayed where I had fallen, finally falling into complete unconsciousness.
"Merlin. Merlin, wake up." A voice whispered.
"Mother." I whimpered.
"Merlin, you need to get out of here. I have your things packed up and a horse waiting. Come on." My Mother whispered, pulling me up.
"Alright." I said, groaning in pain. I hobbled towards the horse, slowly pulling myself up. I climbed on the horse, and I rode off towards Camelot. After a day, I reached the city. The pain had been there the whole time, increasing gradually until it was almost unbearable. As soon as I reached the gates of Camelot, I couldn't handle the pain anymore. I remember the men guarding the gates asking me who I was, and then after that, it was a blank. I must have fallen off the horse, because I had a splitting headache when I awoke. The chambers I awoke in where unfamiliar and I felt a bit of panic when I didn't recognize them.
"Where am I?" I gasped in pain.
"You're in Camelot, in the Physician's quarters." A man replied.
"Gaius?" I whispered.
"No, I'm Arthur, but Gaius is our physician." He replied. I rolled over a bit to look at him, gasping in pain as I did so. He had blond hair, light blue eyes, and an untroubled face.
"Arthur. Why are you here?" I whispered.
"I was on my way out to do a bit of hunting when I saw you lying on the ground. I decided to have you brought here." Arthur said.
"Thank you, sir." I replied.
"How did you get this way?" Arthur inquired. I stiffened, now wanting anyone to know what my secrets were.
"I was attacked by some bandits on the way here." I whispered, hoping my lie wouldn't show.
"Bandits did this to you?" Arthur said, obviously wondering what bandits could want with me.
"Yes, bandits." I answered.
"Alright." Arthur said hesitantly.
"Where's Gaius?" I inquired.
"Getting more water. What's your name?" Arthur asked.
"It's Merlin." I answered.
"Merlin. Where are you from, Merlin?" Arthur said.
"Ealdor." I replied. At that moment, the door opened, and an older man walked in.
"So our mysterious patient is awake!" The man, I assume it was Gaius, exclaimed.
"Gaius." I whispered, relief at seeing him.
"How do you know my name?" Gaius inquired.
"You know my mother, Hunith." I answered.
"You're Hunith's son?" Gaius asked.
"Yes, I am. There's a letter for you in my bag." I said, pointing towards the little brown bag that was hiding in the corner. Gaius walked over to my bag, searched inside for the letter, pulled it out, sat down and started to read it. Halfway through, he let out a sharp gasp and looked at me, his eyes wide. I didn't know what the letter said, but I could assume that it mentioned what my father did to me.
"Merlin here was attacked by bandits on his way here." Arthur said. Gaius shot me a look, and I pleaded with him with my eyes, not wanting Arthur to know the truth.
"Well, Merlin, they certainly were able to damage you. You have several broken ribs and you're going to be sore for a while." Gaius said. He came over to me, and I instantly felt a rush of fear. I didn't mean too, but I shrunk backwards, trying to get away.
"Merlin, are you alright?" Arthur inquired. Gaius took one look at my face and his eyes instantly held worry.
"Arthur, he's scared. You need to calm him down." Gaius said. Arthur came over and kneeled on the other side of my bed. I looked over at him and his eyes captured mine.
"Merlin, it's going to be fine. Gaius isn't going to hurt you. He needs to take a look at your ribs, okay?" Arthur whispered. The tone of Arthur's voice was gentle, and I was so scared that I couldn't even think clearly. The kindness in his tone just took over, and tears ran out of my eyes. Arthur very slowly and carefully wrapped his arms around me. I sobbed, and Arthur held me. I felt safe in Arthur's arms, so safe that I fell asleep. I started to dream, to have a nightmare about what my father did to me. About how he started off screaming at me, and then ended up beating me.
"No, don't hurt me!" I whimpered in the dream, which was unusual. I always tried hard not to make a sound, doing that only made him angrier.
"Merlin, wake up!" A voice called. I listened to the voice, and opened my eyes to see Arthur there.
