Prompts: Darkling Woods

Summary: Arthur is hiding from Vivian and Merlin is dragged along.

Hiding Out

"Why are we trudging through the woods at this time of the morning?" Merlin asked as he wiped the dew from some leaves above his head.

"King Olaf is coming to Camelot today." Arthur said as he let go of a branch causing it to hit Merlin in the face.

"I don't understand I thought he wasn't mad at you anymore." Merlin said.

"He's bringing Vivian." Arthur said and then ducked under a fallen tree.

"Oh! So we are in the damp dark woods because you are hiding out from a woman. Isn't that great?" Merlin shook his head. "Did you ever think that the spell on her has been broken by now?"

"Vivian has a true love?" Arthur laughed. "There is no way that's possible. She is awful."

"Even awful people have true loves, Arthur." Merlin told him. He grinned. "You have one after all."

"Merlin, do you want to spend some time in the stocks?" Arthur turned to face him as he waited for an answer.

Merlin thought for a few minutes before answering. He gave Arthur a cheeky grin. "Does that mean I get time off from you?"

"Merlin, there are a lot of other servants that would love to take your place." Arthur said.

"Name one." Merlin folded his arms in front of him and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know their names." Arthur huffed. He grabbed Merlin by the arm and started walking again.

"Where are we going anyway?" Merlin asked.

"There is a cave. Leon and I found it on patrol once. We are going to hide there until Olaf leaves." Arthur said.

"What is your father going to say?" Merlin asked.

"It was his idea." Arthur shrugged. "He thought it best that I was out on a hunt or patrol or something."

Merlin laughed. "So we are banished to a cave in the Darkling Woods because the King of Camelot is afraid of a mere girl."

"A mere girl under an enchantment." Arthur corrected. "That's very serious. It almost caused a war. That wasn't the worst part. It made Guinevere not talk to me for a whole week."

"We can't have Gwen mad, now can we?" Merlin chuckled. "That is definitely worse than a war."

"Shut up Merlin." Arthur growled. He pulled Merlin behind him into a crack between two rocks. "Welcome to our accommodations for the new few days."

Merlin's eyes adjusted to the change in the light as he looked around the cave. Merlin sighed. He watched a spider come down a strand of silk and then go back up again.

"Arthur, there are spiders and other nasty things in here. Are you sure we should stay here?" Merlin wrinkled his nose.

"It's either stay here or be chased by Vivian." Arthur said.

"She can't run that fast in all those skirts." Merlin said as the spider came down and looked at him again. He was sure he saw it wink at him.

"You would be surprised." Arthur sat on a rock in the middle of the cave. Arthur looked up at Merlin staring at the small spider. "That spider isn't poisonous, Merlin."

"But it's still creepy." Merlin said. He sat on another rock next to Arthur. "You should face your enemy not run, you know."

"Vivian is not an enemy. If she was, I wouldn't be hiding." Arthur said. "We shall just wait here until they are gone."

"Arthur, if we are hiding here, then how will we know when Vivian and King Olaf are gone?" Merlin asked.

Arthur looked at Merlin. He hadn't thought of that.