A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I present to you a chapter in celebration of 2013 and having restarted my other fic (Bound Together).
Chapter 22: "A Typical Patrol"
The flames blazed higher, completely blocking his usual path to the king's quarters and causing the line of impromptu firefighters to jump back.
"Keep working!" Merlin shouted to them before grabbing a bucket of water from one of them and upending it over his head.
Ignoring the frantic mass of confused knights and citizens he began scaling the wall to Arthur's balcony. The decorative protrusions made fantastic hand- and foot-holds.
Someone should probably do something about that.
Reaching the door he found it to be locked- and hot.
Cursing and waving his scorched hand in the air he then removed his wet neckerchief, wrapping it around his damaged member before proceeding to knock the glass out of the door frame.
"Arthur!" He had barely finished his shout before the smoke began to choke him and he coughed.
Briskly shaking the glass shards from his wet scarf he then pressed it to his face and searched the flames desperately.
There.
He must have been looking out the window when the odd flaming boulder had crashed into the castle as he now lay sprawled partially beneath a collapsed section of wall near his usual lookout spot.
"Arthur! Merlin!"
Gwen's anguished scream from outside snapped the servant from his momentary panic and he leapt forward, pushing stone off his king with hands and magic. That done he attempted to rouse his friend, patting him on the cheek and calling loudly.
"Arthur... Arthur! You need to wake up, I can't carry you and climb down the wall at the same time!"
The royal, however, did not stir and Merlin worriedly checked his pulse and breathing, finding them strong and constant.
"Just being lazy then? Fine." The younger tied the neckerchief around the elder's mouth and nose, trying to ignore the speed at which the water was evaporating. With a grunt of effort he hauled Arthur to his feet and half-dragged him to the relative safety of the balcony before re-entering the blazing inferno.
Searching under the largely fire-free bed he located the coil of rope he had once used to help the prat escape from his own window in the middle of the night.
"Here we go again." He muttered to himself, coughing into his sleeve.
Back on the balcony he tied the rope around the prone king, securing him as well as possible before he leaned over the railing and called to the knights below.
"Be ready to catch him!"
The billowing smoke was making his eyes and lungs burn but Merlin firmly grasped the other end of the rope, hefting Arthur's dead weight up onto the balcony railing and, seeing the knights waiting expectantly, began gradually lowering the man to their waiting arms. Then he reached the end of the rope, with the king dangling a few feet above his loyal subjects.
How could he have forgotten that it was too short?
His arms and legs were screaming with effort, but he leaned over the edge as far as he could and called down once more.
"There's no more rope- I have to drop him!"
The men below responded with various shouts of readiness and Merlin released his hold just as an explosion rocked the castle anew. He barely had time to register the fact that he was falling before his body decided that enough was enough, gently sending him into unconsciousness.
"Merlin?"
He could only cough in response and he felt strong arms turn him on his side as he began to hack up black mucus.
"Ugh" was all he could say when he had finished.
"Here." Someone handed him a cup of water and helped him sit up to drink it.
Burning throat now partially soothed he turned to thank his caregiver only to be shocked.
"Arthur!" He looked the man over but found no sign of injury beneath the dust and soot.
"Are you okay?"
The king huffed.
"You're the one who decided to pass out and take a swan dive off my balcony."
Merlin's eyes narrowed.
"And you're the one who was buried in rubble, all set to burn to death in his own bedchambers."
Arthur regarded him with an odd, almost-guilty expression, then he relented.
"Yes, I'm fine. A bit bruised but otherwise unharmed. You, however, need to be seen by Gaius."
The servant waved his hand dismissively.
"Just a bit of smoke inhalation. I'm fine now."
Another coughing fit undermined his assurances.
"Right. Gwaine?"
The knight was at Merlin's side instantly- had probably been there all along, the servant realized- and pulled him to his feet. Arthur stood on his other side and the two warriors half-carried the slight man between them.
"I can walk on my own, you know."
The king opened his mouth to retort but was beaten to it by Gwaine.
"Just let us help you, Merlin."
The next part he whispered into the servant's ear.
"Princess woke up just as we caught him- nearly had a heart attack when he saw you falling. We all did, truth be told."
Merlin was touched, and he smiled at Gwaine before turning his grin on Arthur.
The king looked at him suspiciously.
"Enough chatter, let's get to Gaius before we all die of old age."
"Of course, Sire" Merlin's grin only grew wider at Arthur's scowl.