Out of Time
xStarletx
Chapter 1: Out of Kindness
A/N: Here it is, the second installment in this reboot. Enjoy the epic cuteness that is Merlin and Addison, and Addison and Arthur. Trust me, I've turned up the cuteness on these guys. Don't forget to tell me what you think ;)
Merlin didn't have the best first day in Camelot. His mother had sent him there to be safe, to learn from Gaius who she hoped would teach him how to use his great gift for magic. He was forced to conclude that his mother had no idea what was going on in Camelot. Sure it was beautiful, but it was much more dangerous than he had thought it would be. It's king, Uther Penndragon, had banned all use of magic and it was the execution of a man accused of practicing witch craft that Merlin witness his first few moments in Camelot. If Merlin was found out, he had no doubt he would lose his head on the chopping block.
But it wasn't all that bad, after all, he had a temporary job, running potions for Gaius and for the first time he felt like he could very much, possibly, belong here. He was out on his first delivery on his second day in Camelot, having decided that he could be a new person here, not the spastic klutz who was always in trouble like he had been in his home village, when he saw it.
He had made it all the way to the lower barracks in his desire to just explore the city when he found a group of knights practicing their target skills. They were led by a tall blonde in red tunic with bits of shiny silver amour on his shoulder, his neck and his arm. He was forcing a shrimpy servant to run with his target as the blonde threw knives at him.
The poor kid was running about completely terrified as the blonde laughed at him forcing him to run faster. The blonde threw the last dagger with such force the poor servant fell down and Merlin had seen enough. Merlin had always been against such tyranny, especially since, as a shrimpy guy himself, he was constantly on the wrong end of that sort of tyranny. With his own little secret up his sleeve, he could probably best this guy before he even knew what had happened to him.
Merlin knew it was rash and stupid but he just had to stand to the muscled bound knife wielding prat. "Okay, that's enough."
The blonde turned to him, shock on his pointed face. "What?" he snapped.
"You've had your fun my friend," Merlin told him.
"Do I know you?" The blonde asked, striding towards Merlin. It took all of three of his large powerful steps and he was right across from Merlin.
Merlin offered him a hand to shake. "Oh, I'm Merlin."
"So I don't know you," the blonde clarified. "And yet you called me friend?"
"That was my mistake, I could never have friend who could be such an ass," he said softly with a casual shrug of his shoulder.
The blonde's eyes widened at the insult, but he regained his composure and smiled pointedly at Merlin. "Or I who could be so stupid," he shot back. "Tell me Merlin do you know how to walk on your knees?
"No," Merlin answered quickly.
"Would you like me to teach you?"
"I wouldn't if I were you."
"Why?" the blonde asked with a smug grin on his face. He seemed to be enjoying this, if only he knew who he was up against. "What are you going to do?"
"You don't want to know," Merlin snarled.
The blonde turned his joyous smile to his group of friends and laughed his surprise to them and it was at that precise moment that Merlin saw her for the first time. The little brunette in a sky blue dress who came bounding out of nowhere, she stopped just short of the blonde and peered over his shoulder to Merlin with curiosity in her bright blue eyes.
"Come on! Let's see what you got!" The blonde crowed.
Merlin was only half interested in the blonde now that his eyes were locked with the brunette's. There was a look of urgent worry on her pale face as she shook her head back and forth in a silent warning. After a moment's silence the blonde turned and the girl, noticing his stare, tore her eyes off of Merlin and lowered her eyes bashfully at the blonde.
"Do you want something?" he asked her. The brunette shook her head slowly and he pushed her away from him. "Then go do something useful."
Merlin frowned, it was one thing to be throwing things at a helpless servant, but pushing around a beautiful brunette for no reason was just going too far. Merlin threw off his jacket, catching the blonde's attention. "Alright mate, it was fine when you were just insulting me, but no one pushes around a lady!" Merlin warned.
The blonde spread his arms out, inviting Merlin to hit him with all that he's got. "Come on then!" he snarled.
Merlin threw the strongest punch he could muster, only to have the blonde catch the hand in the air and twist it so Merlin was forced to spin around as the blonde's twist kept his arm at an awkward position behind his back. Merlin yelped and the blonde continued to twist. "I'm going to throw you in jail for that," he hissed into Merlin's ear.
"Who do you think you are the king?" Merlin snarled.
"No, I'm his son..."
He was going to tell him his name when suddenly a timid voice broke through their conversation. "Arthur?"
It was a hesitant cry and immediately Arthur turned, taking Merlin with him. Together they took at the brunette who was clutching her hand and shaking. There were big crystal tears in her eyes as she blinked rapidly and stared at the blonde.
"I went to get your knives... to be useful and it slipped and... and..." she whispered baring her hand to him. A red crimson leaked from her palm and in that heart wrenching instant Arthur let him go to be at her side.
Merlin dropped to the ground, not expecting to be let go so soon. He stood quickly and walked over to where Arthur was taking care of the girl, he stood on the outside wondering if there was something he could do to help her.
He took a hold of her hand and looked over the damage, but nothing could be seen through the dark red leaking from her. "Why? Who was supposed to be watching her?" Arthur asked. He had her hand in his as his eyes bore holes into the knights accompanying him, all of them were avoiding his eyes. None wanted to tell him that it was he who was supposed to be watching her.
The girl on the other hand was looking right at Merlin again, mesmerizing him. She was urging him to do something but he didn't understand what it was she wanted him to do. Arthur turned quickly and ripped Merlin's neckerchief off of his neck and began to wipe away the excess blood from her fingers.
There was a moment's silence before Arthur turned his surprised eyes at her. "But... there's no cut..." he whispered.
The sighed heavily and looked to Merlin. "Alright then, plan C," she cried. She ducked quickly before Arthur could grab her. She gripped both of his legs and pulled back knocking Arthur over. The girl was up before Arthur, she grabbed onto Merlin and began to pull him away.
"Don't just stand there... run!"
She took off, her still sticky hand intertwined with Merlin's. His cheeks were flushed at the contact. Behind him Arthur roared a single name. : Addison! And the girl merely giggled.
She pulled Merlin down the busy streets, eventually stopping behind a jewellery stall. She peered out at the crowd breathless but smirking. She turned to Merlin and shook her head to him. "You're lucky I was there to save your butt!" she cried.
Merlin bristled at the comment. "I didn't ask for your help," he growled. "I would have been fine in the end."
"You would have ended up in a cell," she said matter-o-factly standing up. "Well, come on, you can escort me to the castle."
Merlin stood but was hesitant to go anywhere with her. "Who exactly are you?" he asked. "I mean, that was Prince Arthur, and he seems oddly attached to you, are you, like, his princess bride?"
She blew a sarcastic raspberry at him. "God no, my name's Addison and I am far from royalty."
"And you gave the prince the slip again?" the old jeweler asked peering at them from behind thin spectacles. "What shall I tell him when he inevitably comes this way?"
"The truth of course, no point for you to get thrown in the dungeon for a lie you need not tell," she said softly.
She offered her arm to him and Merlin took it. He liked the idea of walking the streets of Camelot with the beautiful Addison in his arms. "So if you're not royalty, what are you to Arthur?"
She shrugged softly. "His ward, I suppose. He's supposed to look out for me and as you can see I take great joy in making that task difficult."
"And the blood on your hands?"
"A simple splash of wine and berry juice," she responded with a wave of her hand. "Had you noticed the cue you would have understood to run while I had him distracted."
"Well thank-you for deciding to help me," Merlin whispered. "Uh... my name is Merlin by the way, I'm Gaius' new apprentice... for the time being anyway."
"Ah, it's about time he found someone to assist him. I'm afraid we work him rather hard here," Addison whispered.
Merlin was enjoying the walk back to the castle. She was an easy kind of person to talk to, the sort of person who could talk anyone into revealing their deepest secrets. She was someone he'd have to be careful about, especially with what he did or said around her. When they reached the castle Merlin found himself frowning.
Addison was fidgeting and looking around. "Would you mind waiting with me? I'm not really allowed to wander around on my own," she said softly.
Merlin grinned mischievously. "Oh? And why is that?"
She winced a bit. "It's kind of a long story," she said waving it off. She was chewing nervously on her lower lip pinkening it. "Usually Arthur finds me by now. It's not like him to lose me for this long."
"Addison!" came a booming voice and then Uther was storming towards them.
Merlin shrunk away from him, not wanting to catch the King's attention, not with his special abilities. Addison took in the glare on the king's face and backed away from him. She curtsied as he approached her, she was no longer the happy girl Merlin had been getting used to but instead she looked terrified as he bore down on her.
"What's this I hear about you embarrassing Arthur out at the gates?" he asked stopping in front of her. Addison tried to respond her words mixed with stutters and Uther cut her off. "If he will not teach you to respect him then I will!"
He pulled back his arm to strike her, and she was already cringing as she awaited the blow. Merlin wanted to step in but he didn't have to. Just as the first was about to strike, Arthur appeared to catch the arm.
Uther ripped his arm out of his son's grasp as Arthur swept Addison behind him. Father and son were suddenly caught in a staring match. "I asked Addison to distract me. She is still the only willing person who will try to catch me off guard," he snapped. "It's good practice. Not all my opponents will be as clear cut as in training."
"Then how did she end up without you as her chaperone? I told you if you couldn't control her you wouldn't be allowed to escort her out," he whispered in a stern and dangerous tone.
"That was not her fault, the boy, Merlin, took her with him when he ran from his arrest. I supposed he thought she was in danger too," Arthur responded.
For the first time Uther's eyes found Merlin and the guards took a hold of his upper arms. "What did the boy do?"
Addison bowed her head against Arthur's back, causing Arthur to straighten. Her slim fingers gripped the red fabric, holding onto him as if he could keep her grounded. "He insulted me, attempted to defend Addison's honor, which did not need defending by the way, and then threw a punch at me. Clearly I deflected it, Addison chose that time to execute her plan and the boy, now free, took off with her."
"Hmm," Uther said dismissively. "Well, take them both to the dungeon."
At that moment two more guards appeared and took a hold of Addison. They pulled her away from Arthur and towards a side door by the stairs to the castle. Merlin watched as Arthur's lips twitched into a frown as she was taken from him and soon Merlin was following after her. They travelled down several staircases until they came to the cells. Merlin was shoved into one and as the door shut he grabbed a hold of the fabric of Addison's dress to still her as she went by.
Miraculously the guards halted and Addison turned to him. "I'm so sorry!" he said to her. "It's my fault you're down here.
Addison giggled. "No it's not," she said with a smile. "I live down here."
There was a click of a key in a lock and then the guards were ushering Addison away. Merlin stood there blinking his eyes surprised. The Prince's ward was kept in the dungeon? Something told him that he would have to get that long story out of Addison, no matter what the prattish Prince wanted.