Chapter 35
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or the BBC. I do however own my knights Sir Richard and Sir Liam, who will be back!
Thank you for all the people who reviewed, pressed favourite, followed and just plain read this.
Previously.
The rest of the night past quickly with the four of them discussing the kingdom that Merlin had never known. Before he knew it Merlin had to go back to Camelot to face Arthur and hid decision.
After having such a nice evening the day before; Merlin wasn't looking forward to traveling back to Camelot where no doubt Arthur will be watching him with an eagle eye. Merlin didn't think that he would be able to work in secret anymore; maybe he could convince Gwaine to distract Arthur while he took down the rouge sorcerer or whoever was attacking either Arthur or Camelot. That is if Arthur was going to allow him to live in Camelot after finding out the truth about him. Merlin had been thinking about what would happen if Arthur had decided to on the best case scenario; banish him from Camelot. If that did happen then Merlin would go quietly and come back with a magical disguise to help Arthur anyway he can.
Merlin had the right spell to do that but only as a last resort; he really didn't want to trick his friends in such a way that it might damage his friendships. Not that would have been a problem as technically he would have been banished and therefore his friends should give up all ties to him. If Arthur picked the worst case scenario; burning or beheading Merlin then again he would escape from Camelot's dungeons the night before and change himself into some one that is unrecognisable to everyone, even Gaius. He wouldn't want his guardian in any trouble with Arthur or the knights.
Knowing that there was no point in delaying the journey back to Camelot; Merlin finished tying his pack to his horse and turned back to say his goodbyes to both his mother and Liam. After thinking it over he was less angry with the other two, he understood that in their own way they were just protecting him but he still had a right to know everything that they were keeping secret from him. Giving his mother a large hug she pulled him back to take another look at him before he left, whatever she was thinking she kept silent. Giving a firm handshake to Liam he mounted his horse and with a last wave at his mother he kicked his horse into a trot with Gwaine following him. Right before the forest Merlin turned around seeing his childhood home one last time before heading back to Arthur and his destiny.
Heading through the forest Merlin was tuning out Gwaine as he rattled on about how it would be good to get back to the city where there was a great tavern that he loved to go to; not just for the ale but also for the bar maiden that he fancied. Part of Merlin wanted Gwaine to stop talking but the other part was happy just to hear his friend natter on as if nothing had changed between them. Not that it had, but Merlin couldn't help but think that Gwaine will start to hate him either for the Magic or that he is royalty. It was only a matter of time. Shaking his head trying to clear those doubting thoughts out of his head; Merlin turned to look at Gwaine only to find the knight silent and watching him with a smile on his face.
"So what do you think?" Gwaine asked cheerfully.
"What do I think of what?" Merlin asked confused.
"You weren't listening to a thing that I was saying. Were you?" Gwaine asked frowning.
"Yeah, you might say that." Merlin said sheepishly.
"Oh Merlin what are we ever going to do with you my friend." Gwaine chuckled.
"So what did you ask?"
"I was wandering where we were going to stop for lunch? Maybe by that lake over there?" Gwaine repeated pointing at a lake to Merlin's left.
"Gwaine we just had breakfast; how can you still be hungry?" Merlin sighed.
"Breakfast was over 5 hours ago." Gwaine answered staring at the warlock.
"What? We only just left." Merlin said in disbelief. "It couldn't be more than an hour out of Ealdor!"
Squinting up in the direction of the sun Merlin was shocked to see that it was directly overhead making Gwaine the correct one out of the two. Merlin couldn't believe that he had been so caught up with his thoughts that he had ignored Gwaine for over 5 hours. An hour; yes; maybe two, but 5 just seemed too much. He had the sneaking suspicion that his friend knew that he had be tuning him out from the beginning, but Merlin felt bad finding out how long for. Now that he thought about it his stomach was grumbling, as well as he was becoming saddle sore it would be good to get off his horse and stretch his legs. Plus he should give the horses a rest. Looking over at the lake, he couldn't help but sigh. It was the lake that he buried Freya in. One part of himself wanted to tell Gwaine to move on to someplace else but in the end his stomach choose that moment to make its self-know to Gwaine.
"If I didn't know any better I think that your stomach has a mind of its own." Gwaine chuckled at Merlin's reddening face. "Come on I know that your legs are as stiff as mine."
Gwaine nudged his horse off the trail heading over to the lake: Merlin followed his with a sigh, as there was no arguing with Gwaine logic. After dismounting and securing his horse Merlin gathered up the lunch that his mother had prepared for them this morning. The lake simmered in the sunlight as they gazed out over the water eating their lunch in blissful silence. It seemed like the calm before the storm. That was until Gwaine had to break the silence.
"You know when we get back to Camelot; I'm going to buy you a drink." Gwaine said happily earning a snort out of Merlin.
"If you are still trying to convince me to get drunk with you, then I think that you are wasting your time."
"Yeah probably but there is no harm in trying, is there?"
"Your incorrigible you know that." Merlin sighed.
"Oh you'd miss it if I stopped and you know it." Gwaine chuckled.
"I suppose in one way I probably would." Merlin said eating the last of his lunch.
Getting back up Merlin went to prepare the horses from the next leg of the journey leaving Gwaine to finish his lunch alone. After feeding and watering the horses, he went about checking the straps and buckles. Merlin was halfway through the straps on his own horse when he heard Gwaine shout a warning.
"GWAINE! GWAINE ANSWER ME!" Merlin shouted.
Turning away from his horse Merlin sprinted over to where Gwaine had shouted from moments ago. He came to a dead stop at seeing Gwaine standing there with his sword out wildly looking around for something. On heightened alert Merlin walked closer to his friend.
"Gwaine?" He asked quietly.
"Shhh there's something out there." The knight said.
Quietly Merlin looked around but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary but that didn't mean a thing when the countryside was swarming with bandits. Merlin however was beginning to doubt that there was anything that was out there meaning harm to the two of them. The rustling in the bushes to his right however caused his heart to start pumping harder in anticipation for whatever was coming towards them. Not ten seconds later what appeared to be a rabbit hopped out into the clearing. Merlin couldn't help it; he started laughing startling the rabbit. It ran off.
"Gwaine I never realized that you were afraid of a bunny rabbit." Merlin laughed.
"How was I supposed to know it was a rabbit? There I was sitting there eating my lunch and the next thing something hit me in the back but the time that I looked around it disappeared. If I knew that it was a stupid rabbit I wouldn't have shouted like that." Gwaine grumbled.
"Yes well, I'm going back to finish checking the horses, but if another big bad bunny rabbit comes back scream and I shall come running." Merlin teased.
Turning back to the horses Merlin heard Gwaine grumble under his breath which he couldn't help but chuckle at. This would be the perfect opportunity to get back at the knight for all the teasing that he did. Just wait until the rest of the knights hear about Gwaine's Bunny rabbit incident. Pay back was a bitch. Continuing where he left off after Gwaine's alert, Merlin was soon finished. Double checking his bridle, Merlin was interrupted by Gwaine's shout once more.
"If it's another rabbit, I swear he will pay." Merlin grumbled under his breath while making his way back to his friend.
Upon reaching where he had last seen his friend he discovered no one around. No Gwaine; no rabbit. In fact there was no normal animal or forest sounds to be heard. One part of Merlin wondered if this was one of Gwaine's pranks but he doubted it as soon as he spotted his friends boots sticking out a bush. Giving a cry of alarm Merlin rushed over to check his friend, he barely managed two steps towards him when he felt a presence behind him. It was too late as he felt an arm grab him around the middle and another force a horrible smelling cloth over his mouth and nose. Struggling with the man was becoming tiresome while he held his breath. Merlin knew that he couldn't continue this forever, gathering up his magic he prepared to strike out at his attacker. A loud click sounded followed by another and Merlin couldn't help but gasp out loud as his magic disappeared.
It just wasn't right, he had always had magic. It was a part of him, part of his very soul. Merlin could feel whatever potent concoction on the cloth starting to work. He hadn't ment to breathe it in but the loss of his magic had him gasping. He was worried about Gwaine, considering that there had been now sign of his friend he could only assume that he was hurt. Contrary to what Arthur and the other knights thought, he had been paying attention to training that he had helped them with. Merlin managed to release his hands from the captors hold in one swift move. Even though his hands were still shackled together he twisted out of whoever was holding him. Now facing his attackers he saw one of the largest men in his life. He was bigger than Percival. The other man however was a lot shorter and didn't consist of muscles like his partner.
"I hope that you have taken care of the other one." The skinner one said to the larger one.
"Yeah, you don't have to worry bother. I dumped his body in the lake. There's no way that he could survive."
"NO! GWAINE!" Merlin shouted for his friend.
"It seems that you couldn't handle this one alone dear brother." The big one said.
"Yeah yeah. I am surprised that he can actually stand let alone speak considering you took away his magic. Don't worry he shouldn't give us any more trouble, he inhaled the herbs, it won't be long now." The shorter one pointed out.
"What have you done to my friend?" Merlin demanded. This was not good. I can feel my limbs starting to go sluggish.
"I really wouldn't worry about him; he's as good as dead." The giant one chuckled.
"Whaaat havvvve you doneee with himmm." Merlin slurred. He was beginning to lose feeling in his face.
"I told you already he's dead. You should be more worried about what's going to happen to you."
Everything was starting to take its toll on him. It was taking everything that he had just to continue standing there. He was in no shape to fight. Trying to reach his magic once more all he could feel was a small spark that was gone in an instant. His hope died in that instant. What was worse was the numbness was spreading rapidly. Taking one last step backwards seemed to overdo it and the nest thing that Merlin was aware of was that he was staring up at the sky through the treetops. He didn't know how long he lay there; all he knew was that he couldn't move. He was completely paralysed. He could breathe but not talk. The sun was blocked out by the arrival of his attackers standing over him.
"Finally! I thought that he would never go down." The skinny one said.
"Come on let's get going. She doesn't approve of being late." She? They can't mean ….
"True I heard the Lady Morgana kill someone for being a minute late." Oh god. I'm going to die. How the hell did she find out about my magic?
"Nah you're making it up."
"No I swear, I heard it from the guy in the pub."
His two attackers continued to bicker as they picked Merlin up by under his arms so he was in a standing position with his legs dangling underneath him but not supporting him at all. Not that he was paying any attention. All Merlin could think of was that he had gotten his best friend killed and it was his entire fault. Morgana had been targeting him and Gwaine had been there at that unfortunate time.
Oh god Gwaine, I am so sorry.
AN: Yeah ….. Don't hate me! I know that I haven't updated for a bit but I had a case of writers block and not up to writing. That said it was a lovely 44 degrees Celsius here yesterday which is about 111.2 degrees Fahrenheit. That is to say bloody hot. Anyway I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, please review. Till next time.
Mushushy.