Living Nightmares/Nightmares In Camelot: Chapter 1
Hey guys, yes, this story is under two names now. Chapter 1 is now up, (duh!) so I hope you enjoy. I have been reading books lately as well as fanfiction stories so I'm going to experiment with structure in this story, but don't worry, it won't get in the way!
Chapter 1: The Mark of Freddie
ARTHUR
Something was wrong with Merlin. When Merlin came to work today, he was early! He got on with his work, without the usual banter, and when Arthur tried to make an argument for him, he let the prince win. He never lets the prince win! Arthur's breakfast was hot, and not too cold, and the room was tidy before he had even got out of bed.
Training however, was entirely different. Merlin was pale, but not in a sickness pale. Arthur swung his sword to try and get his manservant down, but Merlin blocked every one of them. His movements were faster and more at ease. Seriously, who trained him? Suddenly, Arthur's sword flew from his hand. His hands went up in surrender when he realised Merlin has his own, blunt sword held at his throat.
"Merlin, you win. You can put it down now." Arthur said slowly as he backed up to a tree. Merlin's eyes showed mixed emotions. Anger and confusion were racing across Merlin's face and if Arthur looked closely, fear. What was Merlin so scared of? Why did he look tired? It took a few seconds for Arthur's words to get through to Merlin, but each second was like a minute, one agonising minute. When Merlin did come to, he threw the sword down and looked at Arthur will an apology etched across his face.
"I'm sorry, sire. I don't know…I just need…oh…" Merlin stammered as he crouched down, head in hands. The prince stared at his manservant, confused. What had got his manservant so worked up?
"Merlin, go home and rest. You are obviously not well, so I'll get another servant to get everything." The noble said softly.
"No…I can't…" Merlin said, his voice trembling on every word.
"Merlin, you can and you will. That is an order." Arthur said, making his voice sound demanding. Merlin looked at Arthur and nodded.
"Okay, sire." Merlin whispered as he slowly stood up and walked away. Arthur sighed and watched after his servant. He would visit him later.
MERLIN
Merlin ran. That's all he could do. His lungs burned, but his adrenalin-filled veins moved him through the forest, sprinting and weaving through tress, jumping over logs and ditches. He stumbled and regained his balance quickly. He had to. He needed to live. He wanted to live.
"I'm coming for you." A deep throated voice sounded, before an evil chuckle gave it away. Merlin cried out, there had to be someone there, someone to help him. Why wasn't anyone helping him?
The forest cleared and Merlin soon found himself running up the lower town of Camelot. He felt like fainting now. He tripped over on a loose piece of rock, which sent him sprawling on the ground. The servant cried out and scrambled up as fast as he could.
"You can run, but you can't hide." The man laughed, his shadow creeping around the corner, his unrealistic hand showing, terrifying the young man. "I'm coming for you Emrys." Merlin stifled a sob, and continued to run.
He ran past the courtyard and into the building. He needed to hide, but he couldn't without risking anyone else's life. He ran through all the corridors of the castle, looking for a way out, but this man was closing in on him, closing in on him fast. Suddenly, his run ended. He couldn't breathe and he couldn't run. Trapped…
…Merlin turned around slowly, feeling the corridor turn cold. Standing at the other side, was the man. Who are you? Merlin wanted to ask as he backed up.
"I have you now Emrys." The man chortled. "Welcome to your worst nightmares."
"No…please." Merlin was barely audible. The man stepped closer; bringing his hand to Merlin's face, slowly running a metal finger down the side of Merlin's cheek. Merlin shivered at the gentle, but chilling gesture.
"I'm not strong enough to kill you now." The man laughed, as he began to scratch along Merlin's jawline, barely drawing blood. "But I will be, eventually."
Merlin barely had time to register when he was roughly flipped around, his hands held above his head. Material ripped and the servant shivered when his back was suddenly exposed. "I can hurt you though." The man laughed menacingly. Then Merlin screamed.
ARTHUR
Arthur knocked on Gaius' door and crept inside. The room was soundless, apart from the gentle crackle of the flames in the fireplace.
"Arthur, how can I help you?" Gaius asked, looking up from his book.
"Sorry, Gaius, I just came to...see if Merlin had come here. I haven't seen him since training at noon. It's almost twilight, so I came to find him." Arthur said, trying not to sound too worried.
"Yes, Merlin is here, but I cannot get him for you." Gaius said, looking over to the bundled up figure near the fireplace.
"Why can't you?" Arthur asked, looking over to Merlin, his brow knitting in confusion.
"He's sleeping sire, but he's in a nightmare. It's best not to wake patients in nightmares. They could harm themselves. You're welcome to stay and wait for him." Gaius said nodding his head towards the stool by Merlin's beside. The prince smiled in thanks but shook his head.
"No thank you, Gaius. I have reports to catch upon from this afternoon's meeting. Be sure to send him to me as soon as he wakes though, okay?" Arthur said, turning to leave.
"Of course, sire." Gaius replied, turning back to his book. Arthur nodded and stepped towards the door…
…and that's when he heard it, the faint scream come from the fireplace. The royal turned around to look at Merlin, to find him thrashing in the bedcovers, his face etched in pain.
"G-Gaius!" Arthur screamed in shock, immediately running to Merlin's side.
"No, don't touch him! You could endanger him more." Gaius explained, also rushing to Merlin's side.
"We can't just sit back! He could hurt himself…look…Gaius, did you see that? That line has just appeared on his law!" Arthur asked in astonishment, trying hard not to listen to Merlin's faint cries.
"There may be nothing we can do now." Gaius sighed, sitting down. "Just wait for him to wake up."
All Arthur could do was watch as his serv-damn it, friend go through his sleeping torture. He looked at Gaius and back down at the boy.
"How long have these been going on for?" Arthur demanded.
"They've just started, but it has never been as bad as this." Gaius said truthfully. "All Merlin got was a little shaken." Merlin screamed, interrupting them both. It was pain filled and it sounded exhausted.
"Gaius! Look at the bed…its turning…its turning red! Look at his hands!" Arthur exclaimed in pure shock.
"Help me roll him over. We need to stop his pain. I don't think this is a normal dream." Gaius said, panic edging in on his voice. Arthur gently grabbed Merlin who flinched away from him. When he finally got Merlin to turn over, his hands were coated in blood but, so was his back. Arthur's eyes widened in shock from it all, and so did Gaius'. Merlin's eyes snapped open, releasing his tears of pain and terror.
"Arthur, comfort him while I clean and dress his wounds. Careful though, he may pass out again." Gaius warned as he fetched a dish of warm water, a cloth and fresh bandages from the other side of the room.
So that's how the prince of Camelot ended up, sitting on the floor, carefully ruffling the serving boys hair, talking words of comfort to make Merlin calm down. Merlin's breath was hitched and short while Gaius worked on cleaning his back. His hands have been bandaged to the best of Gaius' ability, but fresh blood was already seeping through. Then, the prince heard Gaius gasp.
"What is it Gaius?" Arthur asked, staring at the frozen face of the elderly man. Arthur carefully stood up and also gasped at the sight of Merlin's back.
There were blood stains all over from where the blood had been the worst, but the skin has been shredded, from the waist down to his hips. Above that wound, the blood was still running, linking patterns in the young man's back from one other wound. It was if someone had retrieved a blade and written, well obviously this…monster had, written on Merlin's back in blood.
"Someone did this." Arthur gasped, reading the words on Merlin's back.
Freddie has returned…