Chapter 10

Merlin sighed as he picked the leaves from the herb he needed.

"That's a heavy sigh," said Dean, making Merlin jump. Merlin spun round, holding out his dagger, to see Dean leaning against a tree. "Whoa!" Dean said, holding his hands up. "Put that away, before you hurt someone."

"Sorry," Merlin apologised, turning back to the plant.

"What are you doing?"

"Collecting different herbs that might help your friend."

"Friend?" Dean said, worried. "We told you we didn't know him."

"I've seen the way you both keep watching him. Besides," he said, straightening up. "it's a coincidence that he happens to appear at the exact same moment you and your master did."

"I… that is to say, we…" Dean stuttered as he tried to think of a way out of the conversation.

"Look, I won't tell Arthur," Merlin reassured him. "But you have to also keep my secret, if I'm to keep yours."

"I swear, we won't tell a soul." Merlin's face drained as he heard one particular word of what Dean said.

"We? Does Sir Sam know as well?" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, a sudden feeling of dread coming over him. "How could you possibly know?"

"You're kind of a legend where we come from." Dean shrugged.

"A legend?" Merlin grinned. "Really?" Dean nodded. Merlin thought for a moment. "And, where you come from…. Is magic allowed there?"

"I wouldn't exactly say allowed," Dean said after a moment. "But it doesn't carry the death penalty. A lot of people where I come from don't even know it exists, or believes it exists."

"They don't believe magic exists?" Merlin felt incredulous at this statement. "That's impossible. It's a part of life itself. How can they not believe in it?"

"They've lived without it so long now they don't need to believe in it I guess."

"I couldn't live without magic. I'd rather die than be in a world that had forgotten about it."

Dean, sensing the sadness in the young warlock and, hoping to avoid any more questions, pointed to the plant cuttings in Merlin's hand.

"What are you gonna do with those?"

"Oh, these?" Merlin started to walk towards the light of the base camp. "These will help stop the bleeding. He took a bad blow to the head."

"Was he hurt anywhere else" Dean asked, pondering the condition of his celestial friend.

"Not that I can see. Give me a hand." They walked into the base camp where Arthur and Sam sat by the fire, talking. Merlin took Dean over to Cas, who was lying there, unmoving and pale. "When I say, press on the wound." Merlin reached up to take the temporary bandage off the head so that he could apply the herbs. As the bandages moved, though, he could see no sign of a head wound.

"That isn't possible," he whispered, looking at Dean. He lowered his voice so that Sam and Arthur could not hear him, even if they wanted to. "What is he?" he hissed.

"He's an angel," Dean confessed. Merlin knitted his eyebrows together.

"An angel?"

"Yeah, you know, an angel." Merlin shook his head. "Like a fairy, only much bigger, and more powerful." Merlin glanced down at the unconscious body before him.

"He's a giant sidhe…" he breathed. "That would explain a lot."

"How's the patient?" Arthur's voice made them both jump as he and Sam strolled over.

"Fine," Dean said. "Sire," he added hastily after a quick look from Sam.

"I thought he had a head wound," Arthur observed, looking closely at the almost unmarked face.

"It was just a small scratch," Merlin lied quickly. "Gaius taught me that head wounds bleed a lot. It just looked worse than it did."

"He seems to be cleaned up well. Maybe you're not so useless at everything after all Merlin," Arthur gave his head a patronising, but affectionate rub, messing up his hair. Merlin tried to swat him off.

"Now," Arthur turned to Sam. "It's time to be honest with me. " He led the taller man back towards the fire. "I know you know this man." He held up his hand as Sam tried to deny it again. "I'm a hunter, Sir Sam, I'm taught to pick up on certain signals. Why did you say you did not know him when you clearly do."

Sam's mind raced as he tried to think of a believable lie he could tell. In the end, it came to him.

"His name is Castiel," he said, sounding resigned. "He is my other man servant."

"How did he get like this?" Arthur motioned to the figure of Cas, with Dean and Merlin huddled over him.

"It's quite embarrassing actually," Sam admitted, the ideas coming to him thick and fast as he lied. "We sent him up into that tree to check out the area and he fell out. We denied knowing him because we were ashamed of him. He's not very good."

Arthur laughed and clapped Sam on the shoulder.

"I know all about an incompetent servant, don't I Merlin?" he directed the last part of the sentence at Merlin who, along with Dean, was coming to sit down by the fire. Merlin chose to ignore him. It's something he's used to.

"Don't worry," Arthur said, conspiratorially to Dean. "I know you know him. I know he fell out of the tree. It seems Sir Sam has a better chance with a servant who can stay in trees." They all laughed, Sam and Dean's maybe slightly more nervous but Arthur never realised.

"We should sleep," he said after a moment. "We must leave at first light it we are to make it to Camelot before sunset. You are welcome to stay in the castle for as long as you need."

"Erm, thanks," said Sam as Arthur stood up.

"We should get some sleep," Arthur said, looking around for a soft piece of ground. "We leave at first light."

One by one they got comfortable and drifted off to sleep, even Sam and Dean. A little known fact about demon and angel travel, mused Dean, is that it makes you incredibly tired. His last thoughts were of how much he wondered Camelot looked like the TV show and whether or not that pretty one, Gwen, would be there. He realised all this was truly awesome as sleep finally claimed him.