Hunting… Merlin grumbled, why is it always hunting? He stumbled behind the knights of Camelot, weighed down by the catches of the lord prat himself. Merlin sighed as Arthur beckoned him closer and motioned to the bow that was strapped to his back. Merlin looked past the King and saw the majestic deer grazing on the long flowing grass. As Arthur notched the arrow back, battle cries filled the air and Merlin turned quickly, his eyes widening as the sight of bandits reached him. Dropping the carcases quickly, Merlin drew the sword usually kept by his side and threw it towards Arthur, already turning towards the bandits again. Percival, Gwaine and Leon fought side by side, swinging at the multiple bandits, blocking each other ferociously.
Arthur swung at the bandit widely, catching him on the side and sending him plummeting to the ground. What is this? His mind raced through possibilities as another bandit came at him from the right.
"Arthur!" He heard Merlin yell and Arthur cursed as he took out the bandit, spinning towards the source of the yell. Moving forward with purpose, he surveyed the area for his bumbling manservant and as he locked eyes with Merlin, another yell escaped his lips.
"Arthur!" Frantically, Arthur moved towards his servant, ignoring his knights which followed close behind.
"Let him go." His voice boomed, sending a shiver down Merlin's spine as the sword was pressed ever closer against his chest.
"The great Arthur Pendragon, caring for a servant?" The voice carried far over the now eerily silent battle field and Arthur shuddered as he turned to face his half-sister.
"Morgana." He spat out, sword rising to his eye-line. Morgana stood where the deer had stood with a smirk and raised her hands in response. "Is that any way to greet family dear brother?" Pulling a face, Arthur moved forward slightly, away from Morgana and closer to Merlin. "Ah Ah brother, not another step!" Arthur turned quickly as Morgana raised her hands and spoke again, "Hleap on bæc" and Arthur and the knights sailed through the air.
Merlin looked on in horror as Arthur and the knights flew through the air and crashed into the surrounding forest floor. Standing helplessly against a bandit, Merlin could only shout, "Arthur!" And promptly begin to run forward.
Arthur blinked his eyes heavy and looked up at his sister and began to get his feet slowly. As Arthur made to go back and confront his sister, a horrific scream penetrated his consciousness. Time seemed to slow as Arthur turned to face the origin of the scream. He watched in slow-motion as the sword swung veraciously towards Merlin and sliced through several layers of skin on Merlin's abdomen and come away sheathed in silky, wet blood. Arthur continued to watch on in horror as Merlin's face contorted in such pain, he brought his hands to the wound and collapsed to the ground with a thump.
In the heat of the moment, Arthur never saw the large sword come towards him until it was too late. Feeling it contact against his chest plate, Arthur could only watch as Merlin rolled over in such a way that would aggravate his wound even further and throw a dagger towards the bandit. The Bandit fell to the ground wide eyed and suddenly all who was left to fight was Morgana. Getting to his feet with the help of Leon, Arthur brushed the dirt away from his back and turned to Morgana whose eyes were like a fire and she screamed with anger. "You fools!" Her eyes turned cold and she spoke again, "Bedyrne ús! Astýre ús þanonweard!" and she disappeared in a flurry of wind. Arthur turned hurriedly and locked eyes with Merlin as he stuttered, "Ar-Arthur…"
His normally vibrant midnight blue eyes were alight with pain and fear yet oddly pleased. His face was like that of a ghost and his hands and shirt were laced with blood. Merlin teetered on the edge of consciousness and then his eyes rolled back into his head and his head lolled forward and hit the ground heavily. For the first time in a long while, Arthur felt a stab of true dread.
"Merlin!"
Arthur scrambled towards his manservant, feeling for a pulse, screaming orders at his knights as he watched for the calming rise and fall of Merlin's chest. Seeing the fraction of movement, Arthur's mind went into overload. "Merlin come on you fool, wake up. Please! I may call you useless and horrible but I need you! Please just open your eyes and wipe away the blood and call me a clot-pole and a cabbage-head and a dollop-head and a prat… Please Merlin, wake up!"
Slowly, Arthur ripped his own shirt into makeshift bandages and wrapped them tightly around Merlin's abdomen. In a daze, Arthur could only watch as Percival gently lifted Merlin off the ground and attached him to Arthur's horse. "Sire?" The voice was muddled to Arthur and his eyes became unfocused as he looked at Leon who was beckoning Arthur closer. "We must make haste Sire, if we are to save Merlin." At the sound of Merlin's name, Arthur was suddenly filled with purpose and he mounted his horse without a back glance and began to ride off in the direction of Camelot.
