Authors Note: I'm so sorry. I did not intend to make you wait this long for the next chapter but, being the Merlin level klutz I am, I injured the thumb joint on my writing hand. You should know that typing with one hand is a pain in the ass and I'm only doing this cause your reviews make life better. So yeah. You've all begged for it, going so far as to demand the shoving aside of my social life, ha you think I have one, so here it is. I own nothing.
12. Loyalty at Last
Sir Evan arrived just as Leon and Arthur were about to attack. He leapt from the tree line and engaged the greasy man in battle, drawing him away from the door. He nodded to Arthur who took his hint and he and Leon dashed inside the grimy little inn. It was mostly dark inside, lit only by the dull grey light that forced its way in through the grime covered windows. They crept along the hall, pausing as they heard confident footsteps above them. Arthur nodded and Leon, who was in the lead, moved forward. As such he was unable to help Arthur when the door between them burst open and a young man attacked the prince who easily parried.
"Go Leon! Find Merlin!" Leon didn't hesitate. He knew the worry in Arthur's voice was rare and now was not a good time to question the prince's authority. Instead he raced to the end of the hall and turned left toward the flight of stairs there, those footsteps from before had to have been Lord James. He thought he heard the creaking of a bed frame and went faster. There were three stories to the inn and Leon was so focused on getting to the top of them that he missed the second floors landing entirely. Only when he heard a muffled scream from below him did he realize his mistake and vault back down the stairs.
Lord James ran the flat of his blade along his angel's cheekbone, down to his neck and on down to his chest where he drew a slim slice along the boy's prominent collarbone. His angel was not untouched by life, as the large burn scar on his chest plainly showed. He really didn't mind it; it added more character to this piece of art. He chuckled as his angel twitched in his potion aided sleep. Several cuts already littered his chest where they bleed sluggishly. Lord James gently brushed the blood away from his angel's collarbone.
"I don't enjoy this at all my angel. But you have to learn that you have to listen to me." He was only lying a little. He did enjoy holding power over this beautiful fey like creature. He began to drag the knife slowly along the line of the boy's ribs. He reached his free hand up to caress the scared skin when something banged against the door.
"I said I did not wish to be disturbed!"
Sir Leon slammed his shoulder into the door once again. This time it gave way and he did not pause to take in the scene in front of him. He did not stop to process Lord James leaning down towards the bound and unconscious Merlin with the intent that was very much against the knight's code. Instead of pausing to notice any of this he launched himself across the room to do something about it.
Lord James leaned in for another kiss on the sweet lips of his angel when he felt a sharp pain push him off his beautiful pet. He snarled and managed to roll to his feet, bloody dagger in hand. One of the knights of Camelot stood in front of him, sword drawn his slightly curly hair soaked and dripping from the rain that fell outside.
"I think it's sweet that the knights care so much about a mere servant but he's mine now!" Lord James lunged and Leon pared the blow easily. The ominous gleam in the lord's eye confirmed to Leon that he had indeed gone completely mad. He didn't bother answering the lords taunt for there was no point indulging a mad man.
This was inconceivable. This no name knight was beating him. He would not allow anyone to take his angel away from him but even he could see that he would lose this battle and soon. But if he could not possess this beauty then no one could.
Leon did not see it coming when the lord suddenly dodged around him and lunged for Merlin. He feared he would be too late and he was. The lord brought the knife down in a swift arc towards Merlin's heart. Leon blinked. A millisecond later when he opened his eyes again he saw Lord James looking down at Merlin with wide eyed fear. The knife had stopped two inches above the boy's unprotected heart. Lord James tried to yank the knife away but it would not budge.
Lord James could not comprehend it. His angel really wasn't of this world. He'd never heard of someone performing magic in their sleep. But magic was evil; his angel could not have magic. But before he could do anything else he felt a sharp hot pain run through him. Warm blood dripped out of his mouth as he coughed.
"He's a better man than you could ever hope to be, magic or not." Came the voice from behind him. It was the last thing Lord James ever heard as he gasped choked on the blood in his mouth and went limp.
