A/N I'm sorry to say My updates will be less frequent. When I started this story I had some free days to do stuff for school. I have the oncoming weeks many test so i can't update every day. I hereby promise you don't have to wait longer than a week for one chapter!

I want to thank everyone who read,favorite,followed,reviewed this! it really motivates me to keep this going!

disclaimer:I don't own Merlin

beta'd by samerys707


The first thing Merlin thought, when he woke up, was that he must have had A LOT of rum. His head was throbbing, and it felt as though there were two people pulling his head ,from different angles.

He opened his eyes and his whole world spun as he tried to adjust. He felt nauseous and closed his eyes again, trying to remember what might have happened, to make him feel this bad.

Flashes of blond hair, gorgeous blue eyes and white teeth sauntered through his mind. Then his vision changed into one of fists and a man with long hair. Merlin remembered pain, a horrible, bone crushing pain. Poundings on his head, yells and screams. He remembered black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

Merlin eyes shot open and his heart beat erratically. Disoriented he tried to get up and run away, away from the violence, away from the yells and screams. Just go somewhere safe and quiet.

Merlin gasped, his whole body shaking, he took slow deep breaths. He realized there was no fighting and slowly lowered himself in a laying position. He looked around his eyes frantically searching before he realized he was in a luxurious hut.

The person this hut belonged to obviously likes the color red. Almost everything in this hut was red. Merlin was almost surprised that the floor wasn't. Next to him was a king sized bed. It had fluffy pillows and thick, luxury blankets, which were all red. What he wouldn't do to be able to lie in such a bed instead of laying on the floor. Wait...why was he laying on the floor instead of in his hang mat?And where was he? He had never seen this hut before, and he was certain he would have remembered. And he would also have told the owner that he should put more blue into it.

Still, Merlin thought, that didn't matter now. He was tired and, he had slept on far worse places than this.

His childhood had not exactly been easy for him. His mother had raised him on her own as his father had gone to sea. When Merlin was still a baby, he never was the man in the house or had to earn the as he grew up he had to help his mother earn the rent. It had never been easy, but with begging and stealing they managed to survive.

Still, then that cold winter came. They had barely enough money for anything as survived drinking rainwater. Merlin had begged and begged for money, yet no one gave it. He even went as far as crying in the night before rich people's houses, until they threw a few coins outside. Still it didn't help. His mother became weaker, the constant undernourishment and under cooling had become fatal.

Merlin, without a job and his mother's earning, had not enough money to pay the house. A few big strong men, came to kick them out. He only had a few seconds to grab his belongings, before they threw him on the street.

Weeks he had slept on the streets, asking people for jobs or money. It was out of pure desperation he had signed up for the golden lion. His mother had made him promise to never go to the sea like his father, leaving her behind. Yet since there was no one left for him there, he had grabbed the chance to go away from that place. It held nothing but sad memories.

He closed his eyes and let himself drift into the darkness yet again.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO XOXOX

Arthur had stood in the doorway when he saw Merlin's eyes shoot open, he had a panicked expression on his face. The idiot looked like he wanted to run away. Couldn't he see he was in a cell? Merlin's face grew confused and lost as he looked around.

Arthur wanted to say something to him but thought better of it. No need to frighten him further.

Shaking his head Arthur walked further in his hut. He jumped on his bed, liking the way he bounced a little.

Arthur stared at Merlin, where he was lying asleep now. It didn't look comfortable, laying on the wood. Merlin's face looked troubled as he kept frowning and turning over. Arthur had this strange urge again, to protect Merlin. It didn't make sense. Merlin had betrayed Arthur, even though there was no sense of loyalty, in the first place. Merlin had attacked Arthur, his enemy. Why wouldn't he? If you put it that way,it did make sense, that Merlin attacked Arthur, who just boarded Merlin's ship. So why did Arthur feel so betrayed?

What was he supposed to do with Merlin? He couldn't leave him in that cell forever. It just felt wrong. This trip could continue months.

Besides, if Arthur had been in Merlin's position he would have done the same. It was a bit unfair to punish Merlin for something, Arthur would do too. Of course Arthur wouldn't wait until the attacker had his back turned, he had some honor. But looking at Merlin's size, he couldn't blame him.

Maybe he could leave Merlin in the cell. A couple of days at least. Just to teach him a lesson. And after that he could do some chores. Scrubbing the deck, helping the cook make food and then bringing food to the men.

Arthur smirked wildly, pleased at himself for finding a solution to the 'Merlin situation'. He yawned, suddenly feeling tired before closing his eyes and drifting into a slumber.


A/N: sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I had lot's of school work. I will try to write/update chapter 5 faster.

reviews are ALWAYS welcome ;)