Arthur groaned as he woke to pain.
He opened his eyes to find that his one eye couldn't open, he slowly lifted his hand to the side of his face to feel something wet, it stung.
He hovered his hand above his eyes to find blood covering his hand.
He slowly sat up to find that he was in a tent, the sounds of night echoed around the tent.
Soon two figures appeared, carrying someone.
"Leave him over there, we'll question him later…" One ordered the other as they let the man fall onto the ground.
"Quiet the screamer isn't he…but not the talker tough…" One said as they walked out.
"Oh and he screams so nicely…" One grinned, the other chuckled darkly.
"Well, what do you expect from a prince like him, heard he's a good man to his people, all adore him, all even say he would die for them as they would for him…pfft, well it doesn't matter what happens, either way he will die…" One sneered.
Both laughed and soon where out of sight.
Arthur crawled over to the man.
"Hey…" He whispered to the man.
"Hello?" He called and turned the man around and gasped in shock.
There lay Merlin, bloody and ill.
"Oh god…no, what happened?" Arthur whispered to himself.
"Merlin…" He whispered.
"Merlin!" He called louder.
He placed his hand against Merlin's bloody face.
"Merlin, god please answer me, please!" He cried.
The man didn't respond.
Arthur felt sobs claw at his throat, he felt tears streaming down his face.
"What did they do to you?" He whispered.
"Why didn't I save you!?" Arthur wailed and pulled Merlin into his arms.
He rested his head against Merlin's and cried, rocking back and forth.
"D-Don't-t…cry…my…k-knight…" A soft voice whispered.
Arthur froze.
"Arthur, I'm so glad your awake…I thought…I thought they…" Merlin croaked.
"Shhhh…" Arthur whispered, giving Merlin comforting kisses on his head.
"It's alright, I got you, got you Merlin and I'll never, never let you go, not to anyone…" Arthur whispered against Merlin's ear.
"I…I love you…" He whispered.
Merlin chocked on a sob.
"I love you too!" He cried and hugged Arthur tightly and cried.
"I was so scared…you didn't wake up and they threatened to kill you so many times, they…hurt you, they used this magic to make me imagine you dying…in so many ways…so many times…to make me tell them the castles weakness…I didn't tell them but…god I wanted to!" Merlin cried.
Arthur gently moved Merlin so they were looking at one another.
"Merlin…don't ever tell them that, even if I'm dying, I'm not worth it, even if I am worth to you, don't do this, don't give out the secrets please promise me that, you can't, I would never forgive myself…" Arthur begged him.
Merlin hesitated but nodded.
Arthur gently smiled.
"Good…" He said and leaned down, kissing him.
When he broke off he found that Merlin was fast asleep.
Arthur sighed and let his fingers stroke Merlin's cheek.
he kissed Merlin's hair and moved Merlin so the man lay on top of him, Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist and brought him close, through the night he listened to Merlin's breath, his head rested over Merlin's shoulder, feeling each heart beat, when Merlin whimpered in his sleep Arthur placed small kisses along his neck and shoulder, whispering sweet, comforting words into Merlin's ear till he calmed.
The next morning he woke to people pulling his arms that wrapped around Merlin away.
The knight opened his eyes to see two knights from yesterday pulling Merlin from his grip.
"LET GO!" Arthur screamed and used his feet to kick them in the legs.
They didn't give up and one kicked Arthur in the face, the knight tried to hold Merlin close but it was no use, he was torn away form the knights strong grasp.
Arthur jumped to his feet and cried out in rage and ran to them.
Suddenly he felt something hard connect with his gut and blackness claimed him.
"Arthur..."
"ARTHUR!"
"WAKE UP!"
"Wake up...please..."
"No, STOP, STOP IT STOP!"
Arthur woke to chains, he was held up in a dungeon, Merlin was in front of him, his arms and legs chained, his skinny frame in the air.
He was sleeping.
Sometimes he would flinch and mumble desperate words.
"Merlin..." Arthur called.
The man slowly woke.
He looked up at Arthur.
"Oh, thank god..." He breathed in utter relief, a grateful smile hung proudly on his lips.
"Are you okay?"
"As i will ever be..." Merlin sighed.
Suddenly the cell door opened and a man walked in with a whip, both men flinched in fear as it crackled onto the ground.
He evilly smirked at Merlin and turned to Arthur, whipping the whip onto the cold stone floor.
"Get away from him..." Merlin hissed, low and dangerous.
The man ignored him and suddenly lifted the whip in the air and slashed, it cut into Arthur's shoulder, blood shot out.
"NO, STOP!" Merlin screamed.
"Merlin..." Arthur grit out.
"I'm a knight...i'm trained to endure these things..." Arthur said in a gentle tone.
"-But are you trained to survive..." Merlin's broken voice sobbed.
Arthur didn't know what to say but smile.
"It's going to be alright..." He reassured the man who wept.
"I'll always find you remember?" Arthur said.
Thats when Merlin looked up with shocked eyes.
Arthur smiled at him when suddenly the whip crackled.
Pain erupted in his chest.
"TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW AND HE'S FREE FROM THIS!" The torturer screamed.
Merlin made a startled noise but kept quiet, Arthur's words form last night echoed over and over again in his mind.
He whipped him, again and again till blood dripped onto the stone floors, thats when Merlin had enough.
A blast of wind knocked Arthur's attacker to the floor in seconds.
Merlin's eyes glowed gold and both men fell to the floor.
Merlin rushed over to Arthur.
He lifted the man into his arms, calling out his name in desperate sobs.
"Merlin..." Arthur finally called, his eyes opened.
"It's going to be okay..." Merlin said, giving Arthur small kisses.
"Does...the king...know you have magic?" Arthur whispered.
Merlin looked away.
"No..." He said quietly.
"I don't care...i don't care if you have magic or not...i love you no matter what...and if Uther lays a harmful hand on you i'll protect you...i'll protect you, Merlin...i swear...no, forget what i said before...i'm happy that you have magic, it just shows that your even more special than i ever thought you were...your amazing, Merlin..." Arthur whispered, laying his hand on Merlin's wet cheeks.
"We have to go..." Merlin whispered.
Arthur nodded.
Merlin lifted Arthur up and wrapped the knights arm around his shoulders and latched onto Arthur's hand, he used his other hand to hold up Arthur by laying his hand on his waist.
They slowly and cautiously made it out of the dark castle.
Merlin and Arthur finally walked out of the entrance and sneaked into the forest.
Arthur helped Merlin making a fire, Merlin laid Arthur down and tired to dress his wounds, Arthur told him what to do.
"You know, we make a pretty good team..." Merlin smiled as he laid Arthur's red (in more ways than one) cape on Arthur's wounded form, Merlin sat right next to him, trying to heat him up.
"Yeah, yeah we do..." Arthur said, laying his hand on Merlin's head and kissed his hair.
Merlin smiled.
Arthur parted the kiss grinned, his hand gentle massaging Merlin's hair.
"Your brave for a prince like yourself...princes don't need to worry about danger, but you know what to do when its the real deal...and in other things too...you help gather the crops, you sit with the cooks when they eat...your extraordinary...Were all so lucky to have you..." Arthur said.
He looked over to Merlin who was fast asleep, his head resting against Arthur's shoulders.
Arthur let out a small chuckle and wrapped an arm around Merlin's shoulder and brought him close and kept watch.
Morning shone around them, Arthur woke to Merlin cooking fish.
He turned to Arthur and gave him a smile.
"You're finally up..." He said in a tired voice.
Arthur nodded and sat up.
Suddenly they heard a bunch of horses galloping near them, suddenly they were in view and galloped past Merlin, one stuck his hand out and grabbed Merlin's arm and just like that they were gone without a trace, only Merlin's cries for his knight was the last thing Arthur heard when he shot up and ran to the direction where they took Merlin.
"I PROMISE YOU I'LL FIND YOU!"
