A/N: Hehe. About updating during the holidays... I mean, come on. During Christmas doesn't everyone have family stuff they get dragged into? Presents to wrap? Money to hopefully find in the couch? (For all us broke people procrastinating on gift buying, you know what I mean.) Over that time I had gotten a fuzzy outline so it didn't take that long to write this chapter. Plus, with all that math shizz I only found out I was supposed to do by the end of February sucks majorly. Let's just hope to God I get it done by then.
You guys will love this chapter. I spent a lot of effort on this and hope it's monster size will be able to satisfy your hunger.
Thanks to all my Followers, Favoriters(That's not a word, is it?), and Reviewers! And also to those who choose to view my work! Keep doing what you do!
Reviewer Spotlight:
Teekalin
-Thanks for that heads up on the PMing stuff... Although I have been reading on this site for years, I am still kinda new to all the stuff that goes with actually becoming a writer here. I do appreciate the continued support!
Laesk
-I should be thanking you for your review! I am thankful for the time you took to comment!
Enjoy the show! I promise that I'll start to build up the story from this chapter on!
IMPORTANT/EXTRA INFO:
Comparing this chapter with my previous ones you can probably tell my other ones were rushed, short, OOC, and complete crap. And NO, I swear if you people say I am being too hard on myself... Be honest. Just admit it. My other chapters were effing HORRIBLE. I'll be updating them soon so just a heads up. It won't deviate from the original story line that much, but it will have some modifications.
IDONTOWNANYTHING!STRICTLYFORENTERTAINMENTPURPOSES!
Last Chapter:
"Give me your worst."
And the nightmares began.
w... up...
"I was like you, Merlin. We were the same. Yet you stay quiet and let me die. You could have stopped this. Stop it from the beginning. What happened to you?"
Wake up.
"Doesn't matter now does it? We'll have to time to... 'sort it out' together sooner or later."
WAKE UP!
"See you in hell."
SPLASH!
Merlin sucked in a gasp and immediately curled his long lanky arms around his cold and throbbing legs as a wave of biting coldness rushed over him. He quickly realized that he was now soaking wet in a freezing and damp place with his legs wrapped in layers of blood stained cloth. By the way they were bandaged, he'd say the person was no physician. A shabby done job probably to just stop the bleeding. His thoughts however were torn off of his legs as and cursed silently as his other limbs started quivering. An instinctual thought sprung into his thinking to find out who the hell had wrapped his legs and pray to the gods above that he'd find some warm haven of some sort. Though when his head knocked against metal and his wrists ached and stung in protest of the movement, he sank to his knees, spine immediately stiffening and chest tightening in panic. He blinked blearily at smudged colors and shapes and quickly found himself feeling nails being hammered into his head. He groaned in agony and then promptly whimpered from the frigid wind that had started up.
"Calm down, eh? You're not gettin' out of tha' cage anytime soon."
His senses suddenly went into overdrive now processing the massive group of bodies surrounding an absolutely lovely looking fire that lit up the blanket of darkness that shrouded the area around them. In front of him: a surly seeming Scottish brute donning a flaming red beard. He could see even if everything seemed a bit blurry and his focus was mainly on plotting how to get near that fire- holy gods of Asgard, where could he find a proper physician? Also- did he just say-
"Cage-"
His voiced cracked from a lack of water and disuse and soon was sent into a coughing and spluttering frenzy as soon as he muttered a single word. The Scot sighed exasperatedly and turned to the men behind him.
"Ge' this one some water, Mal!"
"And into that freezing wilderness? Thanks, but, I'm good, Argus. "
A young man, barely five feet tall with messy blond curls shouted back, voice dripping in annoyance at the Scot known as Argus. The burly man glowered at his snappy comment and looked at him, nostrils flaring.
"The Commander will 'ave your head when he finds out tha' his precious resources 'ave died before he's even gotten them! So ge' off ye' lazy bum and get some water, Malwer!"
Unable to deny his logic (and those thick, hairy arms inching towards his presently sheathed sword), he stalked off with a scowl on his face to search for water. When the young man got further out of view, Argus turned back towards the rather small and squeezing cage Merlin realized he was in now that his eyesight had returned to him. After this realization, he made use of his fully functional eyes and glared daggers at the man who had drenched him in water when it felt like it was about to snow!
"Ay! Be thankful tha' I even bothered with you! I could have left you to bleed out and slip in to a coma for all I cared!" Argus frowned at his seeming ungratefulness and chirped in again saying, "Might not be much, but it somethin'. And besides," The giant gave him a knowing smile that made Merlin gaze wearily at him. "I'm sure you be able to magic yourself better when you regain some strength, Emrys."
Merlin immediately perked up when the man had mentioned two of his most well guarded secrets. His faced immediately darkened with suspicion and drowned out his initial annoyance towards the man.
"H-How do you...?" He forced whatever strength he could into a croaking and scratched voice question.
"Next time you fling a druid against a wall, make sure he's dead before walking away. Might be bad for business when an angry sorcerer turns up at your door for vengeance, you know?" Argus cut him off with his extremely nonchalant and surprisingly light toned comment. Merlin furrowed his eyebrows and questioned the man's sanity as Argus chuckled at the thought of having someone flinging him against a wall. "Seriously though. Careful next time. I might not have the time to throw up a protection spell."
Argus then pulled keys out from the chain around his belt and opened the cage. He then offered a wad of white cloth bandages and some salve- or well mushed up greenery. Merlin looked at him with weary eyes before carefully snatching his salvation out of his hands.
"What's in this?" Merlin gestured to the makeshift salve in the wooden cup he offered.
"Er... Yarrow in case of infections and Houseleek to speed things up? That's what army uses all the time. But were not physicians so-"
"Thank you." Merlin smiled gratefully. Argus nodded back.
As Merlin sat in his prison pondering the man's peculiar personality, he open his mouth to hopefully question him further without having a another fit but was cut off when the young soldier returned with water.
"Does this satisfy you, Captain?" The boy disrespectfully snipped to his outranking leader as his threw a water skin over to the cage, successfully hitting his captain's head before ricocheting to Merlin.
"I could kick your arse for that!"
"Really? So that whole speech about watching myself in battle and the quite touching i-care-about-you comment you made yesterday was nothing?"
Argus smirked and replied cheekily, "You're learning."
Malwer huffed in annoyance and turned away grumbling in distaste. The corners of Merlin's mouth twitched into a small smile at the exchange when Argus turned back to him holding a water skin.
"What are smilin' bout'!?"
"I've been alive for a long time, my friend." Merlin's grin faded before a another soft, nostalgic look replaced it. "Long enough to know a friendship like that doesn't come around as often as it should in a lifetime."
"Friendship? Must of lost a lot of blood there, Emrys."
Merlin snickered at his denial and opened his mouth but was cut of by an abrupt and forceful comment with an undertone of shut-up-or-I'll-kill-you feeling. "You should rehydrate. I'll be back in the mornin'. They'll off ya' if you're not back on yer' feet by the time we reach the city." His eyes darted to the wilderness around them as if something were about to leap out and whispered softly, "I'll...erm... accidentally leave the cage open when your healed up. I believe there's a druid camp a few paces north of here."
A sigh of relief escaped Merlin and the metal cage beneath him didn't seem so cold and hard anymore. "Thank you."
Argus stroked his beard before gesturing to Merlin saying, "About the water... Do mind if er'..." He waggled his fingers.
Catching on, Merlin answer quickly, "Please do."
Argus nodded in respect and warily gazed towards his comrades before mumbling a quick spell under his breath. His eyes burned like the sun before fading to their normal vibrant green. Merlin curled in on himself as he felt the warm presence of his magic wash over him. For a big, tough guy his magic felt like a warm blanket on a winter's night. A hug on a sad day. Tea and honey. You'd expect someone different from the six foot giant to have that magic. From that moment, Merlin knew his heart was pure.
"I'm sorry I can't do more. I'm absolute rubbish at healin' magic."
"You've done enough already. Thank you."
"Goodnight, Emrys."
He smiled and turned to walk back to the campsite. A steady crunching of leaves ran into his ears until wasn't.
"Argus...?"
"I still believe in that old druid tale as insane as it may be."
Merlin's mood sank drastically. A air of silence and disappointment resonated around him. He looked down at the bare, metal floor playing with the edges his bandages.
"Even when the Once and Future King no longer walks the earth. So what if he's dead? He's been king once. There's still the future. It's in the name, you know."
"How could someone still believe in him? After that failure of a Golden Age?" Merlin thought incredulously.
By the time he looked up, Argus was gone with the wind.
So he sat there for him to come back. He sat hoping his words were true.
That when all seemed lost, a stupid, blonde prat would ride in on a mighty steed, over the fields like the king he was.
A pitiful hope it was to Merlin. Crazy, sad, false even! It may have been all of that and more...
But it was hope.
So. Those last lines... He.
