Giant baby rats. That's how Arthur had described them. Well, faced with creatures that were much more 'giant' than 'baby', Merlin decided that Arthur was terrible at describing things.
Sure, they snuffled around like rats, crawling across the dirt floor of the cave as their claws scratched into the earth but they were far from harmless babies. Their noses twitched as they hunted their gaia berry covered prey.
Merlin felt Arthur freeze next to him as the beast shifted closer. His armour clanged against the rocks and the wilddeoren honed in on the noise. Their eyesight might be abysmal but turns out their hearing worked just fine. His nose ghosted Arthur's face as it attempted to sniff out whatever poor creature had walked right into their home, and as Merlin watched from the corner of his eye he was sure Arthur was holding his breath with how still he was.
The wilddeoren's giant teeth, giant face, giant everything was so close Merlin could see the wrinkles of its skin even in the near darkness. It was terrifying to say the least, but as quickly as it found them, it changed its mind and turned away.
"That was close." Merlin whispered into the silence and the silence whispered it right back. The words echoed off the walls and bounced eerily through the cave.
His eyes widened the moment the words left his mouth and seconds later the wilddeoren was back, more determined than before. It bounded into the open space, long tail slapping against the rock in its haste, and all of a sudden, the gaia berries weren't so effective after all.
The beast found Merlin easily. It's large body rounded the rocks they were hiding behind and pounced instantly, it's weight almost crushing him as it's paw landed on his chest.
Merlin couldn't scream, he could barely breathe. His vision tunnelled as his brain was only able to register the leering face inches from his own. Something scratched his arm, digging deep under his skin causing blood to well up immediately. The sharp pain registered somewhere in the back of his mind — along with his magic screaming at him to be used — but his attention was captured solely by the terror flooding his veins and the crushing weight on his lungs.
This giant baby rat was going to kill him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Just as his chest started to get tight enough for dark spots to start dancing across his vision, he heard a noise from his right. A shuffle of movement across the sand and a grunt of exertion as a sword pierced flesh.
The wilddeoren cry was unexpected and short lived. A roar of pain, cut off from reaching its full bellow as Arthur twisted the sword in deeper, ending the beast's miserable life. It dropped to the floor at Merlin's feet and he watched with a detached sort of curiosity as the animal that had been moments away from ending his life now lay still.
"We've got to go." Arthur whispered urgently into the rediscovered silence. "Killing that one is going to attract the rest of the pack."
The pack? Merlin was having trouble moving past that fact as Arthur grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. Just how many of these creatures were in these tunnels?
The further they travelled through the tunnels, the darker it got. Arthur still had a hold of his sleeve as he navigated the path they needed to take, which Merlin was grateful for. His legs felt shaky beneath him and he could barely make out the back of Arthur's head through the dense blackness.
Jutting out in sharp peaks, the cave walls were jagged and rough and he knocked into the rocks more times than he appreciated. He was definitely going to be covered in bruises by the time they found the exit and he tried to stifle a groan, clasping a hand to his forehead, as it caught a low piece of ceiling that Arthur obviously hadn't seen. He squeezed his eyes shut as he folded forward, his free hand gripping his knee for support as if the change in altitude would make it hurt less.
Arthur stopped abruptly, turning to see why they'd stopped, and Merlin struggled to determine if he was talking over the throbbing in his brain and the ringing in his ears. A hand gripped his shoulder and suddenly Arthur was down at his eye level, his brows drawn low into a frown. "Are you okay?"
"Define okay?" Merlin grumbled as he pulled his hand away to inspect for blood. He needn't have bothered, it's not like he could have seen if there was any with how dark it was. It didn't feel wet though so he was taking that as a good sign.
Just as Arthur was about to respond, a roar sounded in the distance. The echo of the cave distorted just how close the source of the noise came from but they weren't going to stick around to find out.
Merlin kept his head ducked low as he allowed himself to be dragged through the never-ending tunnel system once more. At least it felt never-ending. Up until the point where it ended. Sunlight streamed through the hole in the distance, the golden beams navigating their path to freedom.
The haunting echoes chased them out of the caves and back into the world and Merlin had never been happier to see colour before. Greens, browns, blues. They welcomed him to safety and even his magic felt grateful to be reconnected with nature.
Arthur was less than content. The daylight alone was not enough to ensure their safety. He didn't look back as he instructed Merlin to keep going, just a little further through the trees and —more importantly — away from the tunnel opening.
The shining lake that cut through the dense thicket of trees gave them a sense of calm and safety and finally Arthur allowed them to pause.
He rounded on Merlin instantly, eyes roaming across his body in search of injury, pausing when he found the growing patch of blood at the top of his sleeve. The material was ripped cleanly which Merlin found he was oddly pleased about — it would be much easier to fix that way. It was only as Arthur moved the sleeve out of the way to expose the scratch did he suddenly feel it. Maybe the escape had been more pressing than his injury in that moment but now, seeing the torn flesh, the blood running in rivulets down his arm and staining his skin, he felt very light headed. Arthur must have noticed the sudden change as he led Merlin over to one of the larger rocks at the water's edge and instructed him to sit down.
Merlin's arm felt heavy as he took a seat, an unnatural burning sensation sitting under his skin as Arthur took a closer look. He winced as Arthur held his arm slightly wrong, his fingers pulling at the skin and causing a fresh dribble of blood to join the rest.
It was only was he watched Arthur's work did he notice the red still coating the prince's face. And only now did he feel uncomfortable about the same slimy gunk covering his own.
Arthur ripped a piece of material from the bottom of his tunic without thinking and any other time Merlin would have appreciated the gesture had a realisation not suddenly dawned on him.
"I thought you said gaia berries worked?" He glared at Arthur accusatorially and the prince paused in his action of tying the material around Merlin's arm to glance up at his servant.
"…Well, I hoped they would work." He replied, only looking guilty for a moment before continuing his ministrations with the confidence of someone who knew what they were doing.
Well, that wasn't good enough for Merlin. "Hoped? I went in there with this all over my face because you hoped it would work?! That thing almost killed me!"
Arthur rolled his eyes as he scooped some lake water into his hands to wash the berries off. "Don't be so dramatic, Merlin. It barely scratched you."
"Barely?" Merlin scoffed as he risked another glance at his arm. The makeshift bandage was covering the cut completely but the memory of the wound was enough to make him a little queasy. The wilddeoren's claw had pierced his skin with ease, digging deep to leave a long and nasty gash that would definitely need to be looked at once they returned to Camelot.
They feast on human flesh, Arthur had told him and suddenly he didn't want to think about would have happened if Arthur hadn't have killed it.
He leaned over to mirror Arthur and wash the berry remnants away, noting silently that his hands were trembling just slightly and his heart was only just now starting to slow its relentless hammering against his chest. Glancing over at Arthur, he was pleased to see the prince pre-occupied with the remaining bits of berry still clinging to his skin. No need to give him something else to make fun of.
The water was cool against his skin and once his face was clean he took the opportunity to have a few sips before they continued on their journey. He had no idea how much further it was to Hengist's fortress but the sooner they reached Gwen the better.
The walk was long and tiring and Merlin was barely paying attention for most of it. The trees blurred into one and the sun beat down on them from the sky and most of his concentration was taken up by the pulsing of his arm no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.
He tried to encourage Arthur to talk about his feelings as they walked to help pass the time but the prince very quickly shut that topic of conversation down. Funny how he was able to talk non-stop about the chores Merlin needed to do or the mistakes he was making, but the second he was asked about a certain young maid, he refused to string two words together about the topic.
They were both incredibly happy when the castle came into view. If you could call it that. It didn't quite have Camelot's grace and elegance — or size for that matter. The few guards milling around the entrance looked ready to fight any innocent onlooker who happened to pass by, their stance brutish and their faces pulled into a permanent snarl.
Arthur briefly suggested scaling the side of the castle but the thought instantly made Merlin's arm ache ten-fold. He told Arthur as much with more sarcasm than was probably necessary. Instead they edged towards the entrance, stumbling slightly on the steep terrain as the forest trees sloped down steeply to meet the dirt path that circled the castle.
"You distract the guards, I'll knock them out." Arthur whispered from where they were crouched behind a tree.
"How do I do that?" Merlin retorted, watching a plan form behind Arthur's eyes. Lucky for some he supposed.
Arthur sighed loudly, still watching the guard's movements. The one stationed by the entrance looked fed up as he glanced around halfheartedly. The other two were more alert, pacing just further away, their paths never quite meeting their third companion as they made their way back to the middle.
"Do I have to think of everything?" Arthur scolded and then he was gone, crouched low as he attempted to move closer without being spotted.
Merlin watched him go with a scowl. It's not like he could just walk up to the guards and pretend he was lost and hope they didn't kill him on sight. Unless that's exactly what he did. Arthur was nowhere to be seen as he scanned the forest but he just had to hope that he wouldn't have to distract the guards for long before the brave, strong prince swooped in to save the day.
He stumbled again as he made his way over and as he reached out to the nearest tree for support he momentarily forgot which arm to be careful with. He groaned louder than even he expected but it did the job of distracting the guards. The two in the outer edges spotted him instantly, making their way over to their third who was also now paying attention. Their snarls, if anything, had deepened and their eyes were screaming stab now ask questions later.
Wanting to get a word in before that happened, Merlin fully made his presence known with a cheery smile. "Sorry to intrude, you don't happen to know the way to the Vale of Denaria, do you? I'm incredibly lost and have managed to get myself injured as well."
He turned his arm towards them to demonstrate his point, desperately trying not to allow his eyes to dart to the right as he spotted Arthur in his periphery. The guards closed in on him further, seemingly confused about his presence despite the excuse he had just provided.
They didn't have a chance to question him though as out of nowhere a rock flew through the air behind them and struck the guard to Merlin's right cleanly on his helmetless head, sending him straight to the ground.
The other two barely had time to voice their confusions before another rock speedily hit its next target, sending him to meet his friend on the ground.
By now it was pretty obvious where the rocks were being thrown from and so the third man immediately drew his weapon and stormed in Arthur's direction. Only, the moment he rounded the corner he was given no chance to defend himself as the prince was waiting with his third and final chosen rock.
If Merlin was closer, he would have criticised Arthur's cockiness in only choosing three rocks. Who did he think he was, some expert rock thrower? What if he'd missed? Where would that have left Merlin?
Unfortunately, he was not close enough, and as soon as Arthur felled the third and final guard he didn't wait around. He ran into the castle with only a quick backwards glance to ensure Merlin was following.
The halls of the castle were empty and the ruckus emitting from a nearby room gave a clue as to where everyone was. Both men followed the noise to a large banquet hall with its door ajar. There was a cage in the middle and a lot of jeering people, but it was only as a small gap formed in the sea of bodies did Merlin spot Gwen in the cage tied back-to-back with someone else. A knight maybe? Or a fighter at least, the chainmail told him that much.
The crowd cheered loudly as the grate at the back of the cage opened and something entered. Merlin couldn't make out what it was but something told him that they needed to be quick. He didn't even have a chance to ask Arthur what the plan was before the prince was pushing his way through the crowd and scaling the cage wall like it was nothing.
He dropped to the floor and drew his sword, the action thrilling the crowd further as the hubbub grew louder. From all except one. Merlin spotted a large man dressed in furs and a thick cloak rising to his feet, yelling to the guards standing nearby, anger twisting his features. Hengist – Merlin guessed – parted the crowd with ease looking for a way in to stop the intruder so Merlin did what he was best at. His eyes glowed bright as the chandelier dropped from the ceiling and, though it missed its mark, it stopped Hengist long enough for Merlin to enter the cage before him.
Gold glazed over his eyes once more as he locked the cage door behind him, delighted to watch Hengist's men fail to yank it open but his joy was short lived. A low growl behind him followed by the all too familiar snuffling sound almost had him freezing on the spot.
Slowly, he turned his head and the sight that greeted him sent his heart racing. The crowd had hidden the creature but now that he was in the cage alongside it, he had a full view of what he had just locked himself inside with.
The wilddeoren snarled as it lunged for Arthur, the prince edging backwards to draw its attention from the pair in the middle. Its feet stomped as it chased him, head swinging from side to side as it tried to attack against the sword he was wielding. Merlin didn't have time to be surprised at seeing Lancelot in the middle of the cage before Arthur was shouting at him to help them. Rope hung loosely from Lancelot's wrists where it had been cut but not removed completely, but he was clearly more concerned about Gwen. Her hands were free but the rope around her ankles was still tightly intact, binding her legs together.
Lancelot used a sword – that he'd somehow acquired amongst all the mayhem – to slice through the thick coil, eyes darting up every few seconds to see how Arthur was faring. The crowd continued to jeer loudly from the other side of the bars, excitement ramping further every time the wilddeoren went for a bite whilst Hengist and his men yanked tirelessly at the door. The cacophony of noise was jarring and Merlin could feel his hairs stand on end as his heart thumped against his ribcage. Head whipping around, he searched desperately for a way to help but he couldn't concentrate, his attention being pulled back towards the wilddeoren with every ugly screech that left its mouth.
He wasn't a stranger to fear but he had always been able to control it whenever his friends were in danger. Push it down, focus his mind, draw up his magic and save the day. So why was today any different? Why was this magical creature any different?
The beast roared again causing Gwen to yelp from where she was cowering against the bars that were keeping them trapped. She looked terrified, powerless. She looked just how Merlin felt, except Merlin wasn't powerless. He could hardly use magic to stop the wilddeoren, but he could use it to get them as far away from it as possible.
He watched from the corner of his eye as the two knights continued to strike the creature to no avail. It roared, unrelenting, its head banging against the cage in frustration and every noise had Merlin twitching as he tried to focus.
The door they entered through was a no-go, it would stop the wilddeoren from following them, yes, but the crowd that would instantly block their path was hardly ideal. So that meant the large metal grate leading to a long dark tunnel. The tunnel from which the wilddeoren entered from, presumably. His arm throbbed at the thought of there being more of them down there but surely that wouldn't be the case? It was an impressive enough feat for Hengist's men to have captured one of them, there was no way he had more lurking in the depths of the castle, right?
Another menacing roar from over his shoulder had him near jumping out of his skin but it helped make the decision for him. Staying in the cage meant certain death and he couldn't let that happen to Arthur, Gwen or Lancelot so closing his eyes and taking a breath, he wordlessly willed the grate to lift off the ground and seconds later the metal clanged as it rose, raising enough for them to duck underneath with ease.
"Let's go!" He shouted to no one in particular, hoping they wouldn't question how an escape hatch had magically opened up for them. Gwen was first, instantly running past him with Lancelot hot on her heels as they both entered the tunnel. Arthur tried to follow but was knocked to the floor by a large paw, his back knocking against the bars as he fell. He gave a grunt of annoyance as his chainmail rattled against the stone but in true knight-of-Camelot form, in seconds he was springing back to his feet, ready to aim another blow.
Merlin had to do something. They didn't have time for the wilddeoren to give up on its prey and he could hardly imagine Uther's face if they returned to Camelot with two servants, an exiled knight and a dead Prince. He had to give it something else to hunt. And what better quarry than the vile man already trying to claw his way inside the cage.
With a tiny nudge of his magic, the door pinged open with ease allowing Hengist to force his way inside. He seemed unfazed by the large, murderous creature he had willingly trapped himself with, apparently more concerned with stopping his prized kidnappings, and well, Merlin wasn't complaining. If Hengist thought himself above the peasants he offered up to his imprisoned wilddeoren, then let that be his downfall.
Arthur picked up on the plan quickly and unquestioningly, bounding away from the creature as Merlin locked the cage door behind Hengist. The wilddeoren, confused at the new presence in his enclosure, looked between the two. Did he continue his pursuit of Arthur or did he try something new?
He was clearly a creature of habit.
Saving Hengist for later, its large feet clambered as it changed direction, its nose sniffing frantically to determine where Arthur had run off to. Only, Arthur had already made it through the open grate, his long legs making light work of the short distance, which left just one person standing in the wilddeoren's way.
With the looming creature bounding towards him, Merlin froze. Like, actually froze. The sight of its huge teeth and sharp claws turned Merlin's legs to stone. For that brief moment he had been so focused on getting the others out that he'd forgotten about himself. He'd forgotten that leaving last would leave him face to face with the creature.
His breath caught in his throat as the memory of mere hours earlier flashed in his mind. Claw meeting flesh, paw crushing bone. The fear that had flooded him in the cave – the certainty that he was going to die – slammed into him once again, pinning him to the floor. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't move, couldn't scream, couldn't even will his magic to help him as the giant baby rat headed straight for him.
His eyes squeezed shut involuntarily, a move of self-preservation to save him from witnessing his impending demise. His heart was beating so fast he could almost feel it crashing against his ribs, the deafening pulse in his ears nearly drowning out the wilddeoren's screech.
A scream nearly – finally – forced its way out of his mouth as something touched him, the firm grasp a shock to his tensed-up shoulders. He had been expecting claws and teeth, sharp scratches tearing at his skin, so for a moment, his brain couldn't comprehend the grip on his arm pulling him backward nor the hand forcing his head down, protecting him from the grate that was just not high enough.
Something about the shock of it all sent his magic rushing back in full force. Like a little cloak of protection, it took over on instinct and trapped the wilddeoren, the grate slamming back to the floor so forcefully Merlin was surprised it didn't break in two.
The wilddeoren let out a piercing screech as it encountered the obstacle in its way, its claws scratching at the bars, infuriated. Each movement made Merlin jump, his heart beating hummingbird fast in his chest despite some logical part of him knowing that he was safe.
Two hands grabbed his shoulders as he was turned to face Lancelot, the knight's concern shining through even in the dim light.
"Are you alright?" He asked firmly, eyes roaming over Merlin's front to ensure the wilddeoren hadn't done any damage. The creature continued to make its horrid noise, but it was like Lancelot didn't even notice, his priority being the man in front of him.
Merlin opened his mouth but he couldn't bring himself to voice an answer. In fact, he was trembling so much he wasn't sure he'd be able to.
"We need to go." Was Arthur's only command before he was off down the tunnel, their heavy footsteps the only proof that anyone was following him.
The way out was much darker than the way in, a single torch snatched from it's hook on the wall as their only source of light. Their shadows played tricks as they danced against the stones and Merlin winced as Hengist's screams echoed off the tunnel walls, the sounds of bones crunching following them all the way to the exit.
He almost felt guilty. He was the reason the man had ended up locked in the cage. But one glance at Gwen and he knew in his heart that there was no one to blame for Hengist's fate except the man himself. He was an odious brute who had thought of no-one else but himself when he'd made the choice to kidnap an innocent woman. And he paid the price.
They reached another grate at the end of the tunnel, smaller this time, that thankfully didn't need Merlin to open. He watched as Arthur practically forced it off its hinges, heard as Lancelot questioned where their backup was but thanked them both for coming nonetheless, witnessed Arthur's silence speak a thousand words as Gwen took Lancelot's proffered hand for help.
But it was almost as if he was experiencing it all through a bubble. Like there was an invisible barrier between him and the real world. He could hear Arthur's whispers as he lead them back through the forest, could feel the sharp ache running down his arm whenever it caught a tree. But it all felt slightly off, as if it wasn't actually happening. And stuck inside his bubble with him and his shaky hands and tight chest was a constant loop of wilddeoren cries playing over and over in the back of his mind.
The fire crackled in front of him, little sparks of red and orange jumping off the flames and into the sky. It left strange shapes on the back of his eyelids when he scrunched his eyes shut, as if he'd been staring into the heart of it for far too long. It was only as he registered how bright it was, did he also notice the heat warming the night air around them. It rested atop of his skin like a welcoming blanket. Who had lit the fire? It certainly hadn't been him.
"…probably add an entire day to the journey, if not more, but it would avoid any more wilddeoren."
The words were muffled, as if he was trying to listen to them underwater.
"It'll be light soon. We should get some rest before we have to leave…"
"…more water from the river if need be."
But the longer he sat there, watching the flames flicker, the more his awareness seemed to push through this invisible veil.
"It was quite deep, but if she's cleaning…"
The soft breeze ruffling his hair, the voices of his friends from somewhere nearby, the bone-deep exhaustion that made him want to find a soft piece of earth to have a nap next to the fire. The pain in his arm.
"…check on Gwen as well. The sooner we get to Camelot, the sooner…"
"Ow." Merlin jumped as his brain finally registered how much his arm was stinging, which in turn made Gwen jump, almost knocking her off the log they were both sitting on. A glance down at his arm revealed that Arthur's makeshift bandage had been removed, the flesh exposed and still damp from where Gwen had been cleaning it. The bleeding had long since stopped but the skin around the gash looked angry and swollen, a mess of reds and purples underneath the dried blood that had stained his skin.
"Hey." Gwen smiled softly, her expression unreadable as she studied him for a moment too long. "Sorry, I didn't meant to hurt you."
"Th—" His voice was thick from disuse and he had to cough roughly a few times to unstick the words. "That's okay."
Her free hand cradled his elbow as she continued wiping at the wound, her brows pulled low in concentration as she cleaned away the last of the blood. He watched her gentle movements, mesmerised by the repetition, and soon realised that he was glad her actions were forceful enough for him to feel it. There was something grounding about feeling that she was there with him, some kind of tether he hadn't realised he needed.
She patted away the last of the dampness and began to re-wrap the wound. The new makeshift bandage was already resting in her lap so its origin was unclear but the vast difference between the rough material and her still-intact silk dress told him that it hadn't come from her garments at least.
It was strange to see Gwen in such an opulent dress — a rarity for those in their station — yet she wore it beautifully. She looked like Morgana, like a princess. And in any other circumstances, he was sure she would have secretly enjoyed the feeling.
But right now. He wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to see that dress again.
"Are you okay." He whispered into the night, his voice barely louder than the fire.
Her smile didn't reach her eyes as she nodded silently. The light of the flames kept half of her face out of the shadows but the weariness there was clear for Merlin to see. He couldn't imagine what it had been like for her inside that awful place with those awful people.
"I'm just glad to be out of there."
She leant behind him to grab something and it was only as she pulled it over his shoulder did he notice that he was only half wearing his jacket, his good arm covered while the other was growing cold. He let her guide his arm into the garment hole, wincing quietly as the movement pulled at the wound and once he was dressed, he clasped her hand still resting on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, hoping the comforting touch would help her just as it had him.
There was movement behind them, a rustling of leaves as two pairs of footsteps grew closer, and Gwen glanced back to watch with a guarded expression. It was hard to tell whether she knew anything of Arthur's feelings for her — or Lancelot's, come to think of it. But he was sure he saw something after they had escaped the wilddeoren, a passing look between them all.
It was quite a decision to make. The prince or the exile.
"We'll be back in Camelot by tomorrow evening." Arthur's voice cut through the silence. "Morgana will be pleased to see you."
His knee knocked against Merlin's as he took a seat on the other side of him, almost deliberating putting a barrier between himself and Gwen, and Merlin was reminded all over again of their earlier conversation. Nothing can ever happen between us. To admit my feelings, knowing that, hurts too much.
"We should get some rest." Lancelot added, standing just behind them. He clasped Merlin's shoulder as he spoke and the firm grip seemed to blow the last of his mind's cobwebs away, the echoes of wilddeoren finally being drowned out.
It was hard to see his friends hurting, to see them unsure of how to act with each other, but sitting there next to the fire he was just glad they were all there together. The day could have ended so differently, and though he never wanted to see another wilddeoren again, he was just pleased they had all made it to the end.
His mind felt calmer and the weight that had been crushing his chest since he first laid eyes on the wilddeoren was finally loosening. Tonight he would sleep soundly in the knowledge that he was safe, surrounded by his friends and with time the fear he felt would be a distant memory.
