The song used in this chapter is not mine. Details at bottom. Enjoy.
Lay Low
Chapter Two
The sound of a motor moaning stirred him awake.
Blinking his eyes open, he found himself staring at...what looked like the roof of a car.
He slowly lifted his head and looked round.
He was in a car. Lying down on his back in the back of the car.
At first he panicked and yelled "Let me out! Who are you?!"
The car suddenly stopped in a forest.
The driver was blonde who moved, got out the car and walked to the back door. After he opened it, the driver was revealed to be a worried Arthur.
"Merlin, Merlin, baby it's me. You're safe. I got you out of there. We're far away from there."
"What...? How?"
Four hours later
"Put that fucking down." he said in a dangerous tone. "And step away from Merlin."
The man looked at the intruder with wide eyes as he dropped the needle like it burned his hands and backed away, eyeing the gun in Arthur's hand.
"Yeah. You've got it. You're bodyguard gladly handed me it. After a little persusasion occured. Now." He raised the weapon so it was aiming at the man's forehead "Why don't you release the bonds thats holding my husband in place, then you will let us go freely, I will drop the gun and you and your thick thugs leave us the fuck alone. Capisce, mate?"
The man slowly nodded as he walked over to a now unconscious Merlin (passed out) and pressed a button that released the iron bonds.
Merlin gasped.
Arthur hurried over to him and picked him up bridal style.
"Any one of your cronies follow us, a round will wedge itself in their brain."
With that, Arthur ran out the room, but missed the last thing the man said in his earpiece "Heading your way. Kill the blonde, but keep the warlock alive and uninjured. Bring him to me."
Bang after bang was heard down the corridors of the facility "Fucking bastard" he muttered.
"Arthur?"
The blonde found an alcove which he ducked into.
Looking down, he found Merlin looking at him with half lidded eyes, but behind that he could see love and trust "You came for me." he whispered.
Arthur kissed his forehead "I'll always come for you, love. No one else can have you. You're mine." He kissed him on the lips, which Merlin gladly responded to.
A shout broke them apart "PENDRAGON! GIVE US THE WARLOCK AND NO ONE GETS HURT!"
"Arthur do it."
He looked at Merlin like he just lost his magic "What?! Merlin why would you even say that?"
"Do you trust me?"
"With my life, babe. You know that."
"Then please. Walk out and face them, but make it look like you're about to hand me over. Please."
Arthur nodded.
He took a deep breath and came out from their hiding place.
In front of them were seven armed men. A fat black slicked hair man wearing a deep blue suit.
"Give us the boy."
"Ok, but before I do, you promise me you will not hurt him."
He started to laugh "I can't make that promise. I've already broken it."
Arthur raged inside. How dare they do that to his Merlin.
Very slowly, Arthur walked forward just as Merlin reached a hand out to them and to them and yelled "Swefe Nu!"
A huge wave of magic exploded out of the warlock's hand and knocked all the men down at once.
Arthur laughed with madness, but that changed to concern when he looked down and saw his husband with his eyes closed and his breathing shallow.
"Merlin? Merlin! Fuck"
Without thinking, Arthur threw the gun and just ran for it.
Present
"Then I laid you down and drove off." Arthur crawled into the back and closed the door "We're miles away sweetheart. Just you" an arm round his waist "and me." a hand cupping his cheek. A gentle kiss.
"Just the way it's supposed to be." Merlin whispered
"Are you okay ? You really worried me when you passed out after that spell."
"I'm sorry. It took alot of power. But don't worry, I'll tell what he did later. Right now, I just want some time with my husband."
Feeling safe in Arthur's arms, he kissed his prince like he hasn't seen him in years.
Soon it was becoming night.
Merlin fell asleep so Arthur went into the forest to pick some wood for a fire.
After an hour, Merlin woke and panicked when he saw no Arthur.
As it was dark, he couldn't see. So he felt around for the door handle.
Finally finding it, he pulled the door open and stumbled out onto the forest ground, landing on his knees
"ARTHUR!"
No answer.
He broke down crying. Alone. Scared. Alone. And thinking the worst.
He called again, but this time he got something back "Merlin?!"
A concerned blonde came running out the bushes "Arthur" he breathed, as the man in question ran to his love and gathered him in his arms, hugging him tight.
"You're alright, babe. I'm here. I'm here." He kept whispering endearments as Merlin cried on his shoulders.
"I-I thought they found us a-and took you away from me."
"No. No darling. It's just us. Come on." He helped him to his feet "Follow me."
Merlin frowned "Where?"
"It's alright." Arthur grasped his hand and led him into the thick bit of the forest.
What he saw made him gasped "Arthur?"
"I'm sorry for worrying you. Just thought this would cheer you up after what you've been through."
A fire burning bright with two logs. Not much, but simple.
"Sit down."
They both sat on a log and stared at the fire, saying nothing.
Then Arthur stood up, causing Merlin to question "Where're you going?"
He bent down "Just to the car. Won't be long."
With a passionate, but loving kiss, he left.
After a few minutes, Arthr appeared holding a guitar.
The very same one which Arthur proposed with. Serenading a song, asking will you marry me.
"Thats..."
"The very same."
Setting it next to him, he sat back down and held his husband's hands.
"Now, before I tell you why I have that, I think some explaing is due. For me and for you. Merlin, what the hell happened to you two weeks ago. Morgana saw you being bundled into a black van by two thugs. Then I found you five hours ago with that...bastard. Merlin, love, tell me please."
The warlock took a breath and explained "They said they want to drain my magic. They think by doing that, the goverment will have a powerful weapon in their hands. I told them magic cannot controlled like that, but they wouldn't listen. For a week, I was in a cell, fed warm water and cold lumpy porridge. Every hour, every day, the man in the white lab coat would come and take me to that room you found me in. I fight, Arthur. Fucking hell do I put up a fight, but they always sedate me. I can feel it. When night came, sleep wasn't an option. I felt my magic fade day by day. If you didn't find me, love..."
Merlin couldn't finish, instead he cried.
He cried harder when he felt arms wrap round him "Don't think about the what if's, Merls. I did find you. T'was bloody hard, but I promised myself that I would not stop until you were safe in my arms."
He pulled away and cupped Merlin's cheeks, kissing him hard.
"It's nearly gone, Arthur. One more needle and I'll be weak. Helpless. I might as well crawl in a cardboard box and disappear."
Arthur grabbed his shoulders and gripped them hard "Arthur, you're hurting me."
"You listen to me, Merls Don't you ever say that again. I didn't marry you because I wanted someone around the house in case I got bored. In case I got frustrated and wanted a fuck toy. No. I put that gold band on your finger because thats means you taken. Means that I love you more than words, presents anything could say or do. I love everything about you Merlin."
Tears sprung in his eyes "I love you too."
They kissed that felt like a promise.
"You now Arthur. What have you got to explain?"
"We're homeless."
Merlin stared at him as he shoved his hands off his shoulders.
"What?"
"We're homeless."
"But...we can't be. We own that be house at the end of the estate."
"After you were taken...our house was brought by one of those thugs who took you. I tried to stop them, but no. I managed to save our belongings and the car, so I put in the boot and stayed with Morgana."
"I can't believe this. Two weeks ago we were happy, at home, not a care in the world. Now here were are sitting near a fire. What do we do?"
"I don't know, babe." he sighed "But we'll sort it out. We always do. But right now, we're on the run from the goverment, in the middle of nowhere with a car, guitar and each other."
Merlin scoffed "The hippies of the twenty first century."
Arthur hummed. He kissed Merlin softly on the cheek "I won't let them take you, sweetheart. You still have your magic, okay maybe not full capacity, but it's there."
The warlock nodded.
"Anyway, for now lets just enjoy each others company."
Arthur took the guitar and started to play and sing
"I wanna drive until my cell phone
Runs out of range and every bar is gone
Cut through the woods another hundred miles
And disappear for a while
I wanna hear raindrops fallin down on an old tin roof
I wanna find a front porch rail and prop up my travelin boots"
Arthur looked up and smiled
"See your silhouette in that firelight
Feel your body lyin next to mine
Spend a few days together alone
And just lay low"
He sang some more then they both fell asleep next to the fading fire.
A twig snapping woke Merlin from slumber.
Another made him panic and sit up.
"Arthur?" he whispered, trying to shake him awake.
"Hmm?" he answered sleepily.
"I heard a noise. A twig snapping like someone stepping on it."
With eyes closed, Arthur blindly reached for Merlin's hand and squeezed it.
"It's the wood, Merls. Animals live here. Probably just a fox or a squirrel. Go back to sleep, love."
Merlin nodded, still a bit unsure and laid back down.
But just as he was closing his eyes, another sound wakes both of them.
"Check over there!"
Merlin looked at Arthur "That..."
"...was no animal." Arthur finished.
The warlock started hyperventilating "Arthur!"
"Shhhh!"
More awake, Arthur slammed a hand over Merlin's mouth.
Both silently getting to their feet and picking up the guitar, they crept backwards to the car, but they didn't get anywhere as The Man came out the bushes.
Merlin froze, while Arthur threw the guitar at his face.
"AHHHHHH!" he yelled.
"RUN, MERLIN!" They sprinted off in a different direction.
"Well don't stand there. Snatch them."
Plan failed.
Arthur was being cornered by four guys as a crying, struggling Merlin emerged, being held by The Man who was smiling in victory.
"Well, well. Look at this. We meet at last."
"Merlin?"
"Arthur!"
"SHUT UP!" The Man growled, making Merlin whimper in fear.
But he wasn't listening to what he was saying.
Being so close to him, he was able to contact some of his magic, so he could silently talk to Arthur.
'Arthur?'
He looked at Merlin confused, but got a small smile back.
'Being close to him, I'm able to get to my magic.'
'How?'
'In his pocket is the needle which he used to extract my magic. I need you to jam it in my right arm and press down.'
'Again, how?'
Before Merlin could respond, he was shaken.
"Are you listening to me?!"
He kicked the back of Merlin's knees making him cry out in pain and fall on them.
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!" Arthur cried out, but was held back before he could run to him.
"Tut tut, Pendragon. So much fight within him. Tell me, Arthur, can I call you Arthur? Tell me, can you see your life with this pathetic creature without his magic?"
Silence.
"Ooh, the silent treatment."
He walked over to Arthur, but having quick reflexes, Arthur kicked The Man's pocket, making the needle jump out, into the air, but that also resulted in kicking him in the dick, making him cry like a girl and fall down clutching his crown jewels.
What happened next was so quick.
Arthur jumped and backflipped, causing the grip on him to break. He punched both guys in the face, grabbed the precious item and rushed over to his husband.
Jamming the needle in his right arm, he manaaged to press it down just before he was pulled away from him.
"Let go me!"
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
Everybody except Arthur, Merlin and The Man got blown away, miles away from them.
Arthur started laughing when he saw Merlin stand, but he kept his head down.
"Arthur, love?" he said in an innocent voice.
"Merlin, darling?"
"Behind me please."
The blonde obeyed.
"What the hell his going on?"
"If you're going to kidnap somebody, never under any circumstances, kidnap a warlock."
"And why not?"
With that, Merlin raised his head revealing two golden eyes.
"Because you will never stand a chance." Merlin growled.
He raised a hand, aiming it at The Man's head.
"One thing you should know about me. Never threaten, attack or even hurt my prince. My name is Merlin, but most people call me Emrys and you my friend has fucked off a very powerful warlock."
Narrowing his eyes, he yelled "Folge min bebod!"
The End
Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for spelling mistakes. I did check, but I'm sorry if I missed any.
The spell was used by Alvarr in The Witch's Quickening.
The song Arthur played and sang was Lay Low by Josh Turner.
More stories coming :)