Previously on Merlin...:
"Emrys."
Merlin froze, his every muscle locked into place, his mind chanting at him like a mantra to not react, not to turn around.
So he spun around wildly, eyes frantically darting from face to face. But everyone was moving, bustling past him, talking loudly and walking quickly. Had no one else heard it? Did no one else care?
It must have been in his head, he concluded as he listened to his heart pounding frantically in his ribcage. Someone was trying to talk to him. He paused, but then closed his eyes and tried to focus his mind, tilting it slightly to the side, searching for the whisper of the low voice. He was barged roughly in the shoulder, and staggered for a few steps, again breaking his train of thought. Once more he composed himself, unsure of what exactly to do.
Wait. There. A faint trail, almost a whisper of thought could be heard right on the edge of his consciousness, slowly getting further and further away.
Wait, he thought desperately. Who are you?
Aloha! Oh yeah, it's time... The moment you've all been waiting for... FISTICUFFS Part 2! Can I hear a woop woop? Oh yeah.. (I am just, once again, assuming that you did indeed woop.)
Ahh, I have a maths exam tomorrow, and I am 100% sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that I will fail. Or at least get a C. But that's not failing, so I can't be 100% sure... emm, I will go with 75%.
Anywhoos, onwards with the chapter! What oh-so exciting things are about to occur, I wonder? Oh, that drama! :)
Author: Catherine
Fisticuffs At Dawn (Part 2)
All of a sudden, Merlin felt a rough hand clamp down on his shoulder. He instantly turned, his expression somewhere between hopeful and apprehensive, and before he could even make out the person before him, his head exploded with pain.
Merlin staggered to the side, bringing one hand sharply up to press against the side of his head, mind reeling. He gasped for breath and blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears that had sprung to his eyes. He heard gasps from people around him, but barely registered it. His head…. Who could punch that hard?
Turning sluggishly back around to face his assailant, he shook his head slowly as he turned, but suddenly felt a force crash into his stomach which sent him piling into the dusty ground. He struggled to retaliate as the attacker pushed a rough hand onto his stinging face and pushed it into the dirt. He couldn't breathe, Merlin realised. He couldn't breathe….
After what felt like hours, but was most likely only seconds, the pressure was abruptly lifted off him and he instinctively curled into a ball, sucking in deep breaths of air. Merlin stayed like that for a few seconds, already feeling his body aching, before clumsily struggling to his feet. Standing, he faced the gathered crowd, who all look back at him with varying expressions of pity and surprise. But what most of them were looking at wasn't him, but their attention was focused just behind him. He could hear the other man now, causing a fuss, but was apprehensive about turning to face him. Just when Merlin had mustered the courage, the other man spoke.
"Let go of me!"
Merlin spun around as fast as an arrow, his face in complete shock. Because he recognised that voice, and sure enough, when he finally looked at the man who had punched him, Merlin stumbled back a step.
"A-Arthur?"
The Prince stood before him, a wild fire in his eyes and a fierce grimace on his face. Despite being restrained by Sir Leon and another knight, Arthur was still struggling furiously, trying to break free. "I order you to release me!" He commanded.
The knights shuffled uncomfortably, clearly not at ease disobeying their leader. Hesitant, they all impulsively turned to Sir Leon, who glanced between them and the back to the Prince, before very slightly shaking his head. Seeing this, Arthur swore and began to struggle with even more determination.
"Arthur, what are you doing?" Merlin questioned, taking a small step forward. He had never seen his friend look like this, even in the midst of battle. Arthur's face was complete and utter hate.
"You are just a servant!" Arthur yelled, ignoring the knight's attempts to talk him into reason. "A worthless, useless, good for nothing servant! She doesn't want you tailing her around!"
Merlin looked to one side, taking a breath. That had hurt. He was used to Arthur's ready supply of insults, but they had always been given in a good hearted way, like an inside joke the two of them had shared. But not like this. Arthur didn't say it like this, in front of everyone and spoken with so much loathing. Then he frowned, a thought suddenly striking him.
"Wait…She?"
Arthur scoffed bitterly, a mad smile on his face. "Stop playing stupid, you know exactly who I am talking about."
"But, Arthur, it's never been like that… I mean, she…" Merlin trailed off awkwardly, not wanting to implicate Gwen when there were so many Knights around.
"Don't even say her name!" Arthur roared. "She is a noblewoman and you are nothing!"
Merlin was too confused to even note the harsh insult. "…What?" He questioned rather meekly.
Just as Arthur was about to answer, his attention snapped quickly to the left. Still stuck between the knights, Arthur couldn't move, but his face unexpectedly twisted into a distorted picture of happiness. Merlin, the knights, and the entire watching crowd turned to see who was coming.
It's funny, Merlin realised, that you don't realise how much you missed something until you see it again. And as soon as Lunette's face appeared through the throng of spectators, Merlin's breath hitched in his throat. For a moment it seemed as if time stood still as she stood so perfectly, a small lock of hair misplaced down the side of her cheek. He watched with adoring eyes as Lunette surveyed the scene before her. With a small smile she looked between them, and Merlin felt like the luckiest man in the world. And then she blew a kiss. Softly, sweetly and full of meaning. She blew a kiss.
At Arthur.
Fury bubbled up inside Merlin, and he spun back to face Arthur. His eyes gleamed of hate as he watched Arthur's lovesick expression as he tried to blow kisses back to Lunette, still wriggling piteously in the Knight's grasp.
This fool needed taught a lesson.
Taking a deep breath through his teeth, Merlin clenched his fists. Oblivious, the Prince smiled stupidly at Lunette once more. "My love," he exclaimed.
Merlin charged.
The crowd gasped as the scrawny serving boy ran towards the Prince, letting out a ferocious roar that didn't sound anything like him, and would not have been believed had it not been witnessed. He bowled straight into the prince, catching him in the stomach, and the pair tumbled to the dusty ground.
Sir Leon and the other knights recoiled in shock at Merlin's aggressive outburst and stared uselessly as Arthur, now free of his restraints, began fighting back just as viciously as before, the two men both landing blows on each other.
Suddenly emerging out of the rapidly forming dust cloud, Merlin scrambled to his feet, stepping back and glancing around frantically from something to defend himself with. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a startled shopkeeper cowering beside one of the stalls, broom in hand.
"Don't mind me," Merlin gasped as he yanked the broom clean out the man's hands before rolling it experimentally in his hands as he turned back to face a now standing Arthur.
The Prince grinned and tensed his legs slightly, years of battle training serving him well. He had to admit, Merlin had managed to land a few blows, and they made his arms ache as he flexed his muscles. Suddenly, with the lithe of a cat, he sprang at his servant, but received a sharp bash on his temple by the end of the broom. Wincing slightly, he shook his head drowsily, before spotting the broom swinging back towards his head. He ducked quickly, and swung on his heel, grabbing the end of the handle and pulling it sharply, causing Merlin to let go and stagger sideways with the momentum.
Arthur used his foot to pull the end of the broom off and twirled the staff in his hands expertly, feeling more confident already. Merlin, on the other hand, was found weapon-less and as Arthur sauntered towards him, backed quickly into the side of a vegetable stand.
"You know, Merlin," Arthur began, his tone far too nonchalant as he spun the broom faster and faster in a spiral, "I once owned a dog that was smarter than you."
Wiping his now bleeding nose, Merlin clutched the side of the stand and glared at the Prince. "He must have taught you everything you know."
The staff almost struck Merlin straight across the face; however he flung himself to one side and managed to only receive a sharp rap on his shoulder. Desperation coming through, Merlin snatched up a handful of potatoes from the nearby stall and began flinging them one by one at Arthur, while all the while backing quickly away from the Prince.
Arthur growled in annoyance as he attempted to dodge the onslaught of vegetables, and swung his weapon uselessly, but Merlin was too far away.
Merlin reached his last potato, and came to the realisation at the same time as Arthur. The Prince let out of murderous grin and closed the distance between them, only pausing briefly when a final potato bounced sharply against his forehead.
Panicking as Arthur stormed down the distance between them, Merlin stumbled backwards and grabbed the nearest thing he could and flung it at the Prince's face, before turning his back and running around the side of the stalls, pushing his way between the crowds.
Arthur instinctively snapped his face away as the chicken collided with the side of his head, its sharp claws scrabbling for something to hold on to. With nimble side steps, Arthur dodged its flapping wings and spat out a feather from the corner of his mouth, gripping the broom tightly with white knuckles. "You are going to pay for all this, Merlin," he growled, before advancing once more on the boy.
Merlin took a deep breath and turned back to face his adversary. But now, he had a broom too, and the Prince watched with calculated eyes as he removed the brush and held it uncertainty with both hands.
Arthur's eyes narrowed and he began to circle slowly to the left. "No one picks a fight with me and gets away with it. I have more skill and training than anyone in this city."
Matching his strides carefully, forming a perfect ring, Merlin titled his head to one side. "Yeah, I know. And I would be in real trouble if you ever used them."
The Prince swung sharply, and laughed cruelly as Merlin barely dodged the stick. "This can only end badly for you, Merlin. You should have thought about that before you tried to take things that didn't belong to you."
Merlin opened his mouth to retaliate to the taunt, when all of a sudden he felt a cold shiver pass over him. As he continued to circle, he realised what had changed. Lunette had gone. And suddenly, Merlin realised that he really didn't want to fight anymore. It was strange, but one moment ago he was completely intent on seeking revenge on the Prince, and now… he felt sick. And tired, and his bones ached. He made to purse his lips, but the taste of blood running from his nose stopped him.
Merlin just wanted this to end.
"Arthur," he reasoned, "Arthur, listen. Stop this. This is stupid. What are we doing?"
But his friend gave a vain and spiteful laugh, and looked at him with scorn. "We are settling the matter once and for all. You aren't even fit to be in her presence." And with that he broke the circle and pounced at Merlin.
Arthur's attack was brutal and Merlin could barely defend himself, let alone retaliate, he found he was being pushed further and further back and Arthur was pressing with more intensity than Merlin had ever seen in him before. He began to fear that if Arthur won this fight, he may not leave it at that.
Suddenly, the Prince faltered. Seizing the moment, Merlin jumped to the side and used his broom to attack Arthur. Seeing the move coming, Arthur lifted his stick up to meet his. But the counter attack was slow and Merlin thrust his broom down, a disarming move he had seen the Prince do on more than one occasion. The broom caught the edge of Arthur's at an awkward angle, and it gave way, falling to the ground nosily, as Merlin drew on the last of his strength to swipe the handle under Arthur's legs, sending the Prince sprawling into the street.
Arthur lay there, completely winded, as Merlin stood above him, his weapon now held loosely in one hand, clearly no longer needed. The Prince's face was hard to decipher, and Merlin wondered what was running through his friend's head. As if in all of a sudden, Merlin became conscious of the situation, and the fact that there were over forty people staring at him in complete silence.
As he looked at them all, he caught eyes with Sir Leon, who was stood to one side, a look of incredulity written on his features. A silent understanding passed between them, and Merlin took one last piteous glance at Arthur before turning away, casting his stick roughly down on the ground beside.
He had barely made it five steps before the entire spectating crowd gasped, and he felt the air dash past him as the ground rushed up to meet his face. Merlin landed heavily on his stomach and felt his head rap painfully on the earth. He quickly pushed his hands in front of him and rolled onto his back, and froze at the sight of the glistening blade.
Arthur towered above him, an expression of pure malice on his face, mud and feathers matting in his hair giving him a wild look, and his sword held steady as a rock.
"You never learn, do you?" He whispered with menace, but the silent street allowed the words to travel to everyone present. "Never…" the sword picked his skin sharply, "turn your back on an opponent."
"Sire!" Sir Leon stepped forward from the masses, clearly concerned for Merlin's safety. Arthur paused to look at him, before seemingly taking in the situation for the first time, and glancing briefly at the crowd. He reverted his eyes back to Merlin once more, who lay frozen to the spot like a frightened rabbit, the end of the sword nicking his skin cruelly.
There was a beat of absolute quietness, before Arthur drew his sword away from his servant, paused, and then kicked him roughly in the side.
"Put this worthless dog in the cells!" He commanded loudly as he turned back to the horrified crowd. He said nothing, but watched with tight lips and a white face as the guards picked Merlin up of the ground, gently, aware of his predicament.
As Merlin hung limply from the guard's arms, he raised his head as Arthur walked up and looked at him closely, before whispering quietly so only Merlin could hear.
"Never speak to the Lady Lunette again."
Whey-ho! That was fun! Well, for me at least, I don't think Merlin had the time of his life... Poor muchkin.
Oopp, review reply! - Merlin Fan for Life, hello again. Thank you for your review, I hope this chap lived up to your expectations, and you have managed to untie yourself to read it :) And of course Merlin is nice to Andeline, have you ever seen him be mean to someone for no reason? Nooo.. He's far too adorable. Thank you again, hehe
So...to sum up = Arthur is mad, Merlin is sad, Lunette is bad and Sir Leon is emm... scantily clad.
Okay, maybe the last bit was a lie, but I couldn't think of anything that rhymed.
Next Chapter: Punchbags and Purple Juice.