Fey Caves and Fell Falls
Authors Note: Yes everyone is expecting the next chapter of Hellfire. You'll get it. I'm working on it. But I've been sitting on this one for a while and it's getting uncomfortable. I own nothing Review.
1. Attacked, By Bandits Who Else?
Merlin grumbled, pulling his brow jacket closer around himself. If this wasn't for Giaus he would be back in bed sleeping like the rest of Camelot. But Giaus had needed his help so here he was ridding off before the sun even rose to gather herbs from the foothills of the White Mountains. They were about half a day's ride from Camelot and very important for some of Giaus' more potent mixtures.
Morgana jerked awake screaming. Gwen, who had been asleep in the servant's quarters next to her room, rushed in.
"My lady? What's wrong?" Morgana trembled and shook her head.
"Merlin. We have to find Merlin!" She trembled and refused to explain as Gwen helped her dress at top speed. When they were finished they raced off to Giaus' chambers. The sun had barely risen and the castle was beginning to stir. But Merlin, perpetually late Merlin, should still be asleep. But as they entered the room they saw Giaus at his work bench. He smiled at them, but his eyebrows drew together in concern. Morgana was crying.
"Giaus!" She ran into his arms sobbing.
"My lady what is the matter?"
"Where is Merlin, Giaus please tell me Merlin's here."Giaus had her sit down and breathe.
"He's out picking several special herbs for me. What happened Morgana?" She sniffled and scrubbed at her eyes.
"I had a dream, another nightmare. Merlin was out somewhere with lots of rocks, white rocks. He was doing something with a few plants and then someone shot at him. They missed but then there were twenty men around him. And they were all armed. They… They beat him Giaus. A… and o… one of them grabbed him and … Giaus we have to find him!" She dissolved back into tears. Giaus nodded, he knew that what Morgana had seen was true for he had not mentioned where he had sent Merlin. The White Mountains were aptly named.
Arthur woke to the curtains being yanked open. He grunted and rolled over.
"Go away Merlin!"
"Sire." Not Merlin. Arthur sat up so fast he almost got whiplash.
"Giaus, what's happened? Where's Merlin?"
"Well sire. It will take some explaining. Early this morning I sent Merlin out to get some supplies. However, shortly after he left a man came to my infirmary with several broken bones. He claims to have been attacked by a group of bandits near the White Mountains." Arthur nodded, brain still fuzzy with sleep not quite understanding what this meant yet.
"I sent Merlin to the white mountains." It took a moment for that to sink in. When it did Arthur vaulted out of the bed and dove for the wardrobe, cursing under his breath.
"Idiot! Always getting in trouble." He muttered something about breakfast as he threw on his clothes.
"Couldn't do me a favor could you Giaus?"
"Of course sire."
"Find Leon, or have someone else find him. Send him to me and if you run into one of the other servants send tell them to bring me breakfast?" Giaus bowed slightly.
"Of course sire."
Merlin stretched and readjusted the strap on his bag. He loved being out here, as much as he complained about having to get up before sunrise he actually enjoyed the mountains. He had been to them twice and found a love of climbing the raw cliff faces that were scattered across them. His magic ensured that he wouldn't fall and he loved the thrill it gave him. It was the closest he'd ever come to flying.
His horse was tied to a bush at the bottom of the sheer rock. He was about halfway up the cliff and his eyes burned gold as he surveyed the trees and fields. Like the bird he was named for he loved high places, he would sometimes sit and stare out the window of his room and wonder what it would be like to fly in the clouds with the birds, free to do as he pleased without fear.
With little difficulty he scaled the entire cliff and stood on top for a moment simply taking in the view. Then he sighed and hopped off the other side of the rock into the clearing a few feet below. Giaus had said he used to visit this place when he was younger. He could see Giaus coming here for the herbs but imagining Giaus as a young man was difficult. Merlin readjusted the bag and bent down to pick some taro root that grew here. It was healthier here than it was at lower altitudes.
It was lucky he had bent down when he did for if he hadn't the crossbow bolt would have struck him between the shoulders. He whirled but not fast enough. The club smacked into his side, sending him flying into the rock he had stood on only minutes ago. He gasped as his ribs protested and laughter echoed around him.
"I expected more from this one after seeing him climb that cliff. Guess you can't judge a mark by his climbing skills." The voice was gruff and sadistic. Merlin, unable to stand just yet due to the searing pain in his side, looked up and saw he was surrounded. There were twenty of them at least each wielding a weapon and a sneer.
"This one won't be much fun but we'll take what we can get." A tall man with a scar stretching through his obviously blind left eye to his chin growled venomously. Finally catching his breath Merlin rolled as the club came down where his head had been. He was cornered unless he really did want to try his luck at flying. But plummeting to his death didn't sound like that much fun, so he faced his opponents weighing his options.
No Arthur meant magic was a viable option, but he ran the risk that one of them would get away and turn him in. So it was bandits or the pyre.
'Bandits it is then.' He thought. They advanced grinning. Merlin risked a bit of magic and struck out at one of the smaller ones hitting him square on the jaw. There was a crack and the man reeled away. As their companion fell the rest of the thugs attacked in earnest. The fight was almost pathetically short for Merlin refused to use any noticeable magic, lest he be discovered. By the end of it two of the men held his arms and forced him to his knees. The man he had punched stood and rubbed his jaw.
"Bastard! You're going to pay for that." He pulled a knife and Merlin froze. Maybe magic was not such a bad idea after all. The severely pissed off bandit advanced and Merlin summoned a mental spell, struggling a bit. It was hard to concentrate with all this pain. The man pressed the knife to Merlin's face, not hard enough to break the skin but enough to show intent.
"I'm gonna cut off those fingers of yours boy." Merlin refused to show fear.
"I'd like to see you try." He laughed and the bandit drew back and punched him in the face then again in the stomach. He gasped and coughed, all concentration lost. But as the man reached for Merlin's hand with the knife another hand closed around his wrist.
"Keenan. Wait, I recognize this boy. A tall dark haired man with darker eyes, bulging muscles and more scars than Merlin cared to count peered closer at his face. He had never seen this man before.
"Yes! Well boy's we've made quite the catch today. Prince Arthur's manservant."
"So what Marcus? I want revenge for my jaw!" The man, Marcus, glared at him and within a blink he had Keenan's own knife up to his throat. Without word or taunt he drew the knife through the air and blood filled the air as Keenan fell. Marcus twirled the knife and used it to point around the clearing.
"Anyone else want to question me? No? Good, you're learning. Now for those of you who think as Keenan did, this boy is our way up in the world. Think about it men, Camelot. Rich and prosperous and the princes secrets now lay in our hands." Merlin glared and spoke at last, defiance winning over pain.
"Never!" He spat it and Marcus grinned kneeling in front of him.
"You say that now, but you'll be singing a different tune soon enough." He cupped Merlin's chin in his hand and forced him to turn his head.
"Who knows, boy as pretty as you we might get some ransom off the prince. Of course you're still a dead man. But don't make any mistake, you will sing like a bird before you die." He turned Merlin's head back toward him and Merlin spat at him. Blood and saliva hit Marcus directly in the eye. He exclaimed in disgust and drove his fist into Merlin's face with the force of a charging boar, tusks and all.
Marcus watched as the boy's head lolled to the side. He yanked the cloth around the boy's neck off and used it to wipe at his eye. Then tore off the corner he had used, pocketing the rest. He carelessly dropped the used corner.
"Bring him." And Marcus led the way into a nearly invisible crack in the stone. Merlin's jacket caught and tore on the opening but no one noticed. They left their fallen comrade where he lay. They were confident no one would find their hideout and no one would come looking for the serving boy for several days.
But they were wrong. Uther acted quickly, dispatching Arthur, Sir Leon, Sir Richard and Sir Mathew to deal with the problem.
Morgana watched them go feeling deep down that they were too late. Merlin was either dead or nearly so. She reached out and Gwen was there to comfort her. She prayed her dream had been just that.