AU: So I decided that everytime Merlin tells his story you will get flashbacks, I might however let there be flashbacks without him telling his story idk... Oh my gosh so many reviews! Yay! Guys you might not realize it but I really really love reviews and they keep me going, now I could be evil and not post this and part of me wants to BUT because I got so many reviews (also I don't want to die) I'm posting this: please read and review
"Sir Thomas!" Merlin said angrily as he walked out of the woods and Thomas turned around to see his prince, an angry expression on his face. Percival, taking advantage of Thomas's distraction grabbed the other knights arm and twisted it behind the mans back, making him drop the dagger. He then pushed Thomas off of him and sprung to his feet, amazingly gracefully for his size, and drew his sword, holding it to Thomas's throat. After a second of heavy breathing and Thomas watching him wearily Percival sheathed his sword and offered Thomas his arm to help him up. Thomas eyed it for a moment before taking it and hauling himself up. percival then turned to Merlin who glared at Sir Thomas who had the decency to look slightly embarrassed
"I went to- erm- relieve myself and I come back to you holding your dagger to Sir Percival's throat! Why did you attack him?" He asked and Thomas smiled at him sheepishly.
"Sorry Sire, i just didn't know where you were and well-" he trailed off
"Well," Merlin began, "now Percival knows and I have to explain everything. You shouldn't just assume something and attack people!" Merlin fumed "also what have I said about titles?" Merlin asked, giving him a stern look. Percival looked between them in confusion as Thomas apologized again.
"Um, Merlin." Percival began slowly "I think you have some explaining to do." Merlin sighed and nodded.
"But first we need to wake Gwaine."
-Line break passing through-don't mind me- just keep reading-excuse me-pardon me-
*Flashback*
Merlin woke, his leg burning with pain. He vaguely remembered getting a wound in his leg but he couldn't push past the fog in his brain to remember how or why. He groaned and sat up. Looking around he expected to see his room but was met with a very different site. He was in a clearing, the clearing was small, only 5 people might be able camp there comfortably. It was surrounded by trees and would be hard to see from outside of it but easy to see out from the inside. He recognized the woods as the forest right outside the city.
His mother, the Queen, sat near a crackling fire, tears staining her cheeks. As he watched her Merlin noted that her fine dress was torn in several places and she had a nasty gash on her arm but was otherwise unharmed.His eyes then drifted of to the side where a knight that Merlin recognized as Sir Mathew, one of his father's closest advisors, stood.
The knight was tense and his eyes flitted carefully across every inch of the camp, watching. For what Merlin wasn't sure. He held his sword in his hand, it was covered in blood, some fresh looking, some appeared to be several hours his arm there was a white cloth being soaked through with blood, his blue cloak was torn in several places and there were several stains that might have been blood.
As Merlin struggled to sit up both pairs of eyes flitted toward him and his mother sighed in relief. Sir Mathew just looked at him sadly.
"What happened?" he asked his mother, fresh tear sprung from her eyes and he turned to the knight expectantly, he studiously avoided the young prince's gaze. Realizing no one was going to talk Merlin, resolving to find out on his own, stood and a sharp pain shot through his left calf, making him fall. Just before he hit the ground however Sir Mathew's strong hand came down, steadying him, he then gently pushed Merlin down, making him sit. The knight then stood in front of him and crouched down on his hind legs so he was looking his prince in the eye. As he looked Merlin in the eye Merlin saw a look or sadness and grief but also one of anger and rage.
"You are the heir to the throne" he began gently, his green eyes staring into Merlin's blues ones beseechingly "we had to get you out."
"Get me out? What do you-" Merlin began but stopped as everything came flooding back to him. Being woken by the alarm bells, Sir Richard carrying him, being shot, Sir Richard killing the shooter and then- oh gods then Robinson dying while protecting him. Richard carrying him to the Physicians chambers, him demanding to fight, the potion for the pain and then-
"You drugged me!" he yelled angrily, he balled his small fist and swung at the knight who caught the young Prince's hand in his own worn, strong hand, and looked at him sadly.
"The Kingdom has been taken."
*End Flashback*
Percival, Merlin, Thomas, and Gwaine sat around the fire talking. Merlin had just finished telling Percival his story and was waiting for him to react to the fact that Merlin had magic. After a minute of Percival not saying anything to ask.
"So" he began cautiously "You- you realize I have magic?" Percival looked at him, not at all surprised.
"Oh, I figured that out awhile ago" he said calmly and Merlin stared at him in astonishment. Merlin didn't know what he had expected for Percival to run him through? For Percival to look at him like he was a monster? maybe. maybe even excepting him but this wasn't even in the range of possibilities.
"How did you two know?!" he demanded and Percival and Gwaine just looked at each other and shrugged.
"You weren't very subtle mate." This was Gwaine.
"I figured it out during the doracha attack, no one could have survived what you did, you should have dies." Percival said calmly and Thomas tensed and turned to Merlin
"You almost died?!" he exclaimed, slightly angry but Merlin simply waived him off.
"It wasn't the first time and it certainly wasn't the last or the worst." Percival and Gwaine both raised an eyebrow at this and Thomas' face darkened, Merlin knew he would eventually have to elaborate but now wasn't the time or place. He then turned to Gwaine expectantly.
"oh," he began, realizing all eyes were now on him "I figured it out during the quest to the perilous lands-" he was cut off by Thomas then.
"You went to the perilous lands?!" Thomas exclaimed, staring at Merlin in astonishment and slight anger "you could have-" he began again but was cut off by a look from Merlin that clearly said "shut-up-I-will-explain-later'. Thomas nodded but his expression remained dark at the though of his prince being in danger.
"anyway" Gwaine said, dragging out the word and shooting Thomas a look "I figure it out then, the big clue was the dwarf." Gwaine scowled at the memory of his sword being turned into a flower "and when he said the whole 'magic, strength, and courage' thing I knew I was strength and Arthur definitely wasn't magic which left only one choice." Gwaine finished.
"It was also the entire getting out of impossible fights, random falling branches, bandits dropping swords, spears and arrows missing targets they really should have hit or the spears and bandits hitting other bandits..." Percival trailed off and shrugged and Gwaine just nodded. Gwaine stretched and yawned.
"Well, I don't know about you three but I'm going to sleep." Percival and Merlin both nodded in agreement and the three went to sleep while Thomas kept watch.
-Line break coming through-excuse me-don't mind me-
The next day as the knights and Merlin packed up camp Percival helped with Merlin's chores as well. Over the next week the knights of Aria and the knights of Camelot bonded slightly.
As they were riding on the seventh day, having had no obstacles, Merlin let a happy grin cross his face.
"What's up mate?" Gwaine asked, seeing Merlin's grin. The rest of the group turned and looked at Merlin expectantly.
"Nothing," Merlin replied grinning and, seeing the doubtful expressions on the knights he rolled his eyes "We haven't run into any bandits or anything which proves that it's Arthur whose the trouble magnet not me." As he finished Gwaine sighed and drew his sword."
"Merlin, you just jinxed us." Percival said as he too drew his sword. The knights of Aria had also drawn there swords the secong Gwaine drew his, and were eyeing him and Percival cautiously.
"No I didn-" Merlin began but was cut off by a large group of bandits pouring out of the woods with a loud war cry.
I'm sorry... Not. I just couldn't leave you with a satisfying end to a chapter. The more reviews I get the sooner I update (hint hint) I hope the length of this makes up for the cliffhanger. No? Ok, I'll just run now...