Hey! I really didn't think that I'd be posting so soon after the last chapter, but the plot bunnies showed up early for work so I thought that I'd make them happy and do some writing! So I'm just gonna skip the weird into and just let you start reading now.

Wisegirl6

Chapter 13 ~Blueberries

Sage didn't believe him at first. "Don't be pulling my leg Merlin," she said nonchalantly as she pushed the stack of already clean plates to the side. "Joking about things like blueberries just aren't nice."

But Merlin wasn't listening. He had already leapt up onto the shore and was pulling the berries from the plant like he would never see them again. "I'm not joking, they're real!" he laughed, sounding as if he barely believed it himself.

Sage looked up, blinking when she saw the blueberries in Merlin's outstretched hands. "No way in bloody hell,' she whispered to herself as she tripped over scattered dishes in her desperation to get to him.

Merlin had already stripped half the bush by the time she got there and was busy stuffing his face. Since the warlock had given up his dinner for the other slaves he was more than famished; the last time he had eaten was back at the fortress.

"What should we do with them?" asked Sage as she pulled a few more berries and popped them into her mouth. "I mean, other than eat them."

Merlin looked at her weirdly. What did she mean by that? "What?"

"Well, are we going to just eat all of them now, or are we going to put some away for later or something?"

The warlock paused mid-bite. What could they do with these? There was at least three small bushes of them, enough to feed a large group of people. Then an idea struck Merlin. "What if we gave some to the slaves? The majority of them haven't seen a blueberry in years and would be more than grateful for even one." He lowered his voice a bit. "Which would be great if we wanted to gain some alliances."

Sage smiled delightedly at him. "Perfect! Now you're thinking like an escapee!"

So Merlin and Sage took turns picking berries and sneaking in and out of camp to hand them out. The other slaves were all too happy to keep quiet about what they were doing. After all of them had been eaten Sage and Merlin returned to camp, claiming that Merlin had fallen into the river and that's why they had taken so long. The guards had eaten it right up and Isobel hadn't really cared all that much, waving them away so she could get back to her conversation with Cavell.

The two slaves thought that they had their masters fooled pretty good, at least until Merlin went to go fill up some water canteens in the river and was cornered by an angry looking Jonah.

The lord's son seemed to step out of the shadows as he came out from nowhere and dragged Merlin behind a thicket of trees. Jonah kept a firm grasp on the material of Merlin's shirt, hoisting him from the ground with one hand. "I know my parents are clueless when it comes to the slaves but me? Not so much," he said with an evil, somewhat feral smile.

Merlin cringed back from the teen. "I don't know what you mean," said the slave boy, trying to feign innocence.

"Of course you don't," Jonah laughed, his dark grey eyes flashing dangerously. "I saw you and that little slave whelp in the river, and with the blueberries as well. Trying to 'gain some allies', hm? I wonder how my dear mother and father would feel about that?"

Merlin ignored the ploy about Sage and continued staring him down. He said, "What do you want, Jonah?" he asked, keeping his blue gaze away from the noble's cold one.

Jonah laughed sadistically. "You, to be my personal manservant for the rest of the stay in the kingdom."

The warlock cringed inside. Never in a million years would he serve such filth. The only reason he had ever served any of the other stuck up nobles that had ever visited Camelot was because Arthur had ordered it. But Arthur wasn't here right now to order him around anymore.

"Go. To. Hell," he rasped.

He expected Jonah to get angry. What he didn't expect was for him to start laughing like he'd said some marvelous joke. "Oh this is just perfect," he chortled, letting go of Merlin so he could grasp at his ribs. "I knew you would be perfect, just the kind of person I needed. That's why I chose you after all."

Merlin blinked.

Jonah erupted in a wave of fresh laughter at the expression on Merlin's face. "Oh, this is too good!" he roared. "You didn't honestly think my mother chose you based on good behavior, did you? I'm the one who got her to change her mind, the only reason you aren't still locked up in the fortress is because of me. I would be thanking me if I were you."

"I'd rather be there," he snarled, his lip curling in disgust. He hadn't put up with bullies when he was in Camelot, why should he stop now? "Anything to be away from an arrogant pig like you."

"I love this!" Jonah guffawed. He took a few steps back and threw his hands in the air. "Do you know what the best part is, slave? You have to serve me, you don't have a choice."

"And why wouldn't I have a choice?"

Jonah's smile disappeared and he turned back to Merlin, a dark smirk on his face. "Because, if you don't I'll tell mother what you said about gaining allies for a breakout. She surely wouldn't take well to that idea, she'll probably even kill you and your little friend." He paused. "Then again, I could just kill her myself and save the trouble."

Merlin had never wanted to launch himself at someone so much, but he held himself in check for Sage's sake.

Jonah regarded him cooly, knowing that he had beat the warlock. "So if I say, pack up my horse, you say...?"

The slave boy clenched his fists but kept them at his sides. "Of course, my lord," he glared up at the taller man.

"There's hope for you yet, boy," he laughed and walked off.

Merlin took a few deep breaths trying to calm himself. He hated Jonah, but he didn't want Sage to get hurt. If Jonah wanted to use him as a punching bag in return for Sage's safety, then by all means punch away. Because if there was one thing that had not changed about Merlin in his time as a slave it was this: he would do anything to protect the people he cared for

So that was basically just a filler chapter, well except for the whole 'Jonah/Merlin showdown. This won't be that last of him, I can assure you. ;)

Thanks to everyone for all of the reviews, you guys are still awesome. Thanks for the support too, I know that I'm a bit of an annoying rambler!

So I have a quick question: How are my chapter lengths? Its relatively easy to write these so I want to know if you guys would lkike the chapters a little longer. I won't be able to work it into this story (I'm almost done writing it) but you can maybe expect longer chapters in my later works.

Speaking of later works, please vote on the pollon my profile. It decides which story I write next so please check it out!

Wisegirl6