I'm getting these chapters done a lot faster than usual because I'm really sick (with mono – lucky me!) so I've got nothing better to do than write. It's a good thing I love writing!
I hope you like the story so far – please review! Bye, for now!
After leaving Corinth the group set off toward their beloved home, Camelot. The beginning of their journey back was simple enough and a lot of ground was covered before the shadows of night began to cast their way across the land. The creatures of the day found themselves sinking into their home's and shelters, some of them burrowing deep beneath the earth. All the while nocturnal animals scurried out into the moonlight. Arthur decided to make camp once the sun was finally hidden behind the White Mountains. Everyone thought it was going to be alright, that for once everything had turned out okay. How terribly wrong they were…
It was unexpected, terrifying, and completely horrible. Arthur and his companions were simply enjoying themselves by a small fire, talking nonsense and making their usual banter. Merlin had been feeling off all day, a feeling of dread sitting in the pit of his stomach – he blamed himself for not listening to his senses.
Without warning bandits were surrounding them – it was always bandits! Elyan and Leon shielded Giaus and the threesome was quick to get out of there, the knights objective being to protect the aging physician. Percival was throwing their attackers around like toys before they suddenly became too much and he had to take after Elyan and Leon. Merlin was blowing the enemy away, sending them flying into the air and letting them crash into tree's or fall heavily on the ground. Arthur and Gwain were working together watching the warlocks back.
"We need to get out of here, Merlin!" Arthur shouted, "There is too many of them – we need to lead them away from the others!"
Merlin nodded in agreement before creating a path for them. He wasn't doing any complicated magic, but the warlock was tired and the action was draining his energy faster than usual. "When we get back to Camelot, I am definitely not going to let Gwen tell me off!" Merlin muttered under his breath while leading the king and knight through the trees.
"What was that?" Arthur didn't understand what he said.
"Nothing – just don't ever talk to Gwen before a long journey – she'll jinx it!"
They were running in a direction away from Leon, Percival, Elyan, and Giaus. The bandits were chasing them relentlessly, only slowing down when Merlin threw an obstacle into their path. The three jumped over rocks and fallen branches, dodging trees and large boulders; all the while looking back to see whether or not their attackers were gaining on them. It was going surprisingly well, and for a short moment Arthur thought they were going to get out unscathed and the bandits would loose their trail. However, the worst of things happened – an agonizing cry ripped through the chilled night air. Gwain and Arthur stopped in their tracks to see Merlin falling to the ground, an arrow in his chest, and blood already staining his blue tunic.
"Merlin!" Arthur ran to his fallen friend and fell to his knees lifting the warlock up into his arms holding him against his chest, "hold on!" Arthur lifted him up and saw Gwain signaling for them to join him behind a large mound that would keep them hidden for a short while.
Merlin...
Merlin was gasping for air, but every time his chest rouse to catch his breath it burned with pain. He felt a thick, sticky liquid spreading across his skin. He felt it oozing from his leg as well; the cause must have been from the fall. That is what he guessed anyway.
Suddenly a familiar blonde king was over him and Merlin felt himself being lifted, the contact felt so warm and comforting the warlock just wanted to close his eyes and lay like that forever. "Hold on!" Merlin heard a familiar voice order. He figured it must be Arthur, the king was asking him to hold on, to not give into the darkness that began to take over everything… So he tried, Merlin tried so very hard to hold on to the last string of life he had left.
He felt himself being lifted off the grown and brought somewhere before being set down again. Everything was a blur, a big haze, and the dark dots dancing around in his line of vision were starting to grow.
"Merlin! Merlin!" The warlock recognized the voice that was calling out his name, it sounded like Gwain. The knight who had become one of his greatest friends, who had accepted him just as quickly as Lancelot had, the one to constantly put a smile on his face. However, the warlock couldn't tell his friend any of those things, nor thank him. He felt so utterly exhausted. Then to his inconvenience, Merlin felt himself being shaken and heard his name continuously being yelled out like that – He just wanted Gwain to stop, to let him sleep.
"Hold on!" That was Arthur again, demanding he hold on to something. What was it? Merlin concluded it must be life his king so eagerly wanted the warlock to hold on to.
"H-he's g-gone…" Merlin heard Gwain whispered sadly; the ex-servant only recognized his friends by their voices now, his sight was gone. The warlock still heard what the knight said, but he didn't understand the statement. He was still alive – barely – but still alive all the same. Why did they think him dead when there was still breathe in his body?
"They are… we… now…" Merlin was only hearing bits and pieces of their conversation at this point, "we… leave him… come…"
The warlock was panicking now. He couldn't speak or see, but from what he was hearing he knew his friends were leaving him. His friends were leaving him for dead, all alone to draw his last breathes. His dream, no his nightmare, was warning him of this moment all along – it was all completely and horribly right – and he hated them for it. 'N-no… no, don't leave me!' Merlin thought helplessly as his hearing soon disappeared as well.
Arthur and Gwain...
Arthur set Merlin down as carefully as possible, resting his head down onto the hard ground.
"Merlin! Merlin!" Gwain shook the warlock trying to keep him awake. There was so much blood, just like last time they were in a situation like this. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were heading home happily, without any burdens of a failed mission or sadden thoughts due to a lost comrade. The group was intended to be back to Camelot the next day where they would see everyone's smiling faces and be relieved that they had made it home unharmed. Now, everything seemed lost… Merlin was dying.
"Hold on! For god's sake Merlin, just hold on! Please!" Arthur begged, it wasn't a kingly thing to do, but he did it nonetheless. He was also tearing apart the bottom of his red tunic to try and use the piece of cloth to stop the blood flow.
Before Arthur could even bring the ripped piece of clothing to either of Merlin's wounds, Gwain stopped him. The knight had his fingers to the warlock's neck checking for a pulse – there was none. "H-he's g-gone…" Gwain whispered so the words were barely audible. He let his head fall in disbelief, because Merlin couldn't die, it wasn't right.
Arthur fought back tears and gave his dear friends hand a squeeze before reluctantly standing. "They're coming… We need to leave now," the king was trying with all his might not to let the sound of his sadness seep into his words as he continued, "We can't bring him, we'll have to leave him here… Come, we must leave before the bandits find us." He couldn't hold it anymore and a single hot tear slid down Arthur's cheek.
"I'm sorry, my friend…" Gwain shut Merlin's glassy eyes and stood shakily, "Let's go…" the knight ushered his king toward a path through the trees.
Guinevere was carrying water to the kitchens when suddenly Arthur and his knights road into the citadel. She looked at them happily not seeing any of them injured, and she was overwhelmed with joy that they were finally home safe and sound. However, her smile faded when the last horse road in carrying a teary eyed physician. Gwen dropped the bucket and the water spread across the cobble stone ground but she didn't care, she ran right through it.
"Where is he?! Where is Merlin?" Gwen asked wearily frightened for the answer. She was hoping Arthur or one of the knights would laugh and joke about how worried she was and tell her that Merlin was simply falling behind or had to take care of some business in the lower town. To her disappointment and utter shock, that's not what came.
"He…" Arthur took in a sudden breath trying so very hard not to break down, "He is no l-longer with us…" The king scolded himself – it wasn't proper of him to stutter. He could picture Merlin jumping off his horse and making some wayward joke about how Arthur shouldn't the one to call him a girl when the king couldn't even keep his emotions in check.
"W-what… He's lost – Or did he have to stay behind f-for some reason? What do you mean?!" Gwen's sight was already cloudy as tears formed in her eyes.
Arthur dismounted his horse and turned so he was facing her. He was about to tell Gwen that her best friend had died and he couldn't do anything to stop it. "He… was shot. An arrow in his chest… I couldn't save him…"
"No – No, you're lying! I-I told him he was going to come home… I said I was too g-give he a hug on h-his return j-just to prove his worries wrong… He was scared to go and I assured h-him nothing bad would h-happen!" She began to fall to her knees and Arthur steadied her. Gwen suddenly couldn't hold it in anymore and her tears began to stain her cheeks. Elyan quickly went to his sister's side and took her in an embrace, her whole body shaking as she cried. "I-I lov-loved him…" Guinevere managed to say in between sobs.
"I know… Shh… I know." Elyan gently rubbed circles on her back trying to comfort her.
Arthur beckoned the stable boy over to them to tell him to take care of the horses. Then with reluctance, the king turned to face Giaus for the first time since the incident, "I – I am so sorry."
The old man attempted a smile, "I know you tried, sire... That clumsy boy may have been like a son to me – but I know more than anything, that you two had the bond of brothers," Giaus looked down to the ground composing himself before continuing, "Now, if you will excuse me my lord, I should begin writing a letter to inform Hunith of the recent events…" Everyone felt like they had been punched in the gut by those words. Giaus was about to write a letter to a woman saying her only family had just perished. The knights seemed to break a little more thinking of how she would react, and Gwen simply cried even harder.
Arthur didn't want to admit it, but the court physician was right. Arthur's best friend and brother had just died, and suddenly, the world didn't seem so right anymore.
Ahhhh the whump! ;)
