Disclaimer: I still do not own Merlin!
Sorry still ended up having problems downloading chapter two so it merged with chapter one Oops! Hopefully better luck with this one!
Yes there will be Arwen and Gwana and also a chance of Merya so keep watching this space.
With no more delay I give you chapter three, hope you enjoy it!
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Chapter Three
A week or so later the crew had got used to the base, the squadron and their aircraft and the squadron also got to know the crew.
That day they had taken Excalibur up on the last of their local familiarisation flights. Then W/C Tristan asked to see them. They arrived outside his office making sure they had every button done up before Arthur knocked on the office door and they all heard the command, "Enter." They filed into the office and stood to attention.
"At ease." Tristan said the crew relaxed.
"Don't panic chaps, we have more important things to worry about than an undone button." Tristan said with a smile.
"Thankyou sir." They chorused.
"How have you settled in?" He enquired.
"Very well sir, we have just done our last familiarisation flight this morning and are looking forward getting into the real thing." Arthur replied.
"Yes, that might happen in the next couple of days, so keep working together as a team and you will do well." Tristan told them.
"Thankyou sir." They all said.
"Right I'm sure you have some letters to write or something else to do, off you go and good luck when the time comes." Tristan nodded as the crew came to attention and excited his office.
After they had decided to meet up after lunch they all headed back to their respective messes. Arthur went up to his room, sat at his desk and got a pen and some paper out. He sat up straight, took a deep breath and started to write:-
Dearest Father,
If you are reading this it means I did not make it back.
I am sorry I disappointed you and joined up instead of joining your chambers. I know you think I have wasted my time doing my degree only to go off and fight but believe me father I would not be able to look at myself in the mirror in the mornings if I did not help fight this war.
My crew are a great bunch of lads and have come from near and far to fight. They have a diverse range of backgrounds but get along really well together – wealthy and worker alike.
Even though we parted saying unkind things to each other please know that I am proud to be able to call myself your son, and I hope in time you can be proud of me.
Yours
Arthur
Arthur let out another deep breath, folded the letter and put it in an envelope and addressed it. He then put it in the desk draw to give to the Adjutant before they next took off. He then went and met up with Leon and Gwaine for lunch.
After lunch they all met up and sat around for a bit watching as things went by. After a while Gwaine started to get a bit bored, he got up and started to walk around just looking, then with a "I thought I saw it there." He bent down and picked up a football. "Anyone for a kick around?"
With a chorus of "Okay's" the other six soon got up and they started firstly just kicking it around in a circle to each other. After a few minutes they soon got sick of that and started to divide into teams.
Leon said, "Better watch out boys Skip used to play at Oxford."
"Thanks." Called Gwaine as he swiftly cut Arthur off from the pass from Merlin.
Arthur smiled and shook his head. He watched as Lance dribbled the ball towards goal, he then picked his moment and took the ball off Lance in the blink of an eye. He then started towards the goal and fired a shot that Percy was able to save from the makeshift goal of their jackets on the grass.
Elyan got the ball from Percy and Arthur went in for the tackle and got the ball and Elyan a bit hard, the next thing Arthur felt was a sharp pain in his left ankle.
"Oh hell!" he yelled clutching his ankle.
Everyone crowed around. "You OK Skip?" Merlin asked before anyone else.
"Think I've sprained my ankle." Arthur said. "Dam!"
Leon asked "Can we get you to stand up Arthur?"
"Give it a go." He said.
Percy and Lance got either side of him and put their hands under Arthur's armpits and on the count of three gently raised Arthur to his feet.
"How does that fell?" Leon asked.
"Not as bad as I thought it would." Arthur confessed.
"Try take a couple of steps." Leon advised.
"OK." Arthur took a deep breath, "Here goes." He gently took a step with his left leg. "Not bad."
"Ok Arthur, but it's going to hurt when you put all your weight on it." Leon told him.
"Well there's no time like the present to find out." Arthur said and took a small step with his right leg, "Ouch!" he said.
"How bad?" Leon asked.
"Oh I know it's there but I can do it." Arthur told him.
"Well how about we take you back to your room where you can rest this afternoon, and see how it is at dinner time?" Leon suggested.
"Sounds like doctor's orders to me." Arthur grinned at him.
Arthur made it back to the mess slowly but under his own steam, he was hobbling but he was mobile. When he got to the stairs to go up to his room Leon and Gwaine were close by but he was able to use the banister to pull himself up when he needed to.
When he got to his room Leon helped take his boot off. The foot was swollen and some bruising was already starting to show. Arthur was able to move his foot but painfully.
"Not too bad." Leon said to Arthur. "Elevate your leg on a pillow and keep a cold flannel on it," Gwaine had got a bowl with four flannels in cold water. "To reduce the swelling when the flannel gets warm replace it, here are a couple of painkillers take them."
"Yes Doctor." Arthur said with a grin.
"Well I'm only six months short of sitting my finals." Leon replied.
"Rest up Arthur." Gwaine said, "And we'll see you at diner."
A couple of hours later there was a knock on Arthur's door he answered with a sleepy, "Come in."
Leon stuck his head around the door, "How does it feel?" he asked.
"Better thankyou, I managed to have a short nap, what else can you do when you're stuck on your back in bed?" Arthur replied.
"Can I have a look at it?" Leon asked.
"OK you can give me your expert opinion." Arthur grinned.
Leon came to the bed took a coolish flannel off Arthur's ankle. The swelling had gone down a bit and the bruising was becoming more noticeable.
"It does look better, but the real test will be how it feels when you are standing on it." Leon informed him.
"No time like the present then." Arthur said turning around to sit on the side of the bed.
Arthur then gingerly stood putting more weight on his right leg, once he was standing he gradually transferred some weight onto his left leg. "Ok, not as bad as before." He said.
"Try taking a couple of steps." Leon suggested.
"Right here goes." He gently took a small step with his right leg. "Better than I expected, but still sore." Arthur told him.
"Well that's understandable after what you did to it!" Leon replied. "How about coming down for supper?"
"OK." Arthur said sitting back down on the bed to put his shoes and socks on.
"I would elevate your leg when you go to bed tonight and it might be an idea to get it strapped in the morning." Leon told him.
"Good idea, thanks."
He got up and gently made his way to the door and smiled at Leon. "Thanks again Leon."
"No problem I have to keep the Skipper going don't I?"
Arthur made it down to the mess, and had bread and jam and a cup of tea with Leon and Gwaine. After supper they talked for a while then Arthur headed back to his room where he followed Leon's orders and also took a couple of painkillers.
The next morning it felt better still but he thought to make it more stable he would get it strapped, so after breakfast he made his way to the base medical flight.
