1 week earlier…
"Thankyou very much…" Caddoc chuckled, holding out a bag of gold coins.
"No… Thankyou." Grinned Brad, he reached to grab the coins. Caddoc withdrew his hand and sent Brad flying into the wall. Brad laid still, his eyes open and a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.
"Stupid peasant!" muttered Caddoc. Now to Maridor, I must have this pendant!
Caddoc pulled himself up onto his jet black horse and rode towards Maridor.
M~M~M~M
"Finally a village!" cried Arthur in relief, food, mead and a warm bed for the night.
"…And something for my leg, not that it's important or anything!" muttered Merlin.
"I liked it better when you were half conscious!" Grumbled Arthur.
The knights groaned, it had been like this all the way there.
The village leader approached them and bowed.
"Prince Arthur and knights you are most welcome!" He said enthusiastically.
"Oh yeah, just ignore me!" cried Merlin.
The Village Leader raised an eyebrow.
"Please excuse my manservant. He got injured while we were crossing the mountains…" Arthur said awkwardly.
The Leader approached Merlin and examined his leg.
"That is rather nasty. The first building on the right is where our Physician lives." Said the Leader.
"Thankyou." Replied Arthur gratefully, As Sir Peter headed over carrying Merlin to the Physician.
"Please make yourselves at home." The village leader said humbly.
"We are extremely grateful for your hospitality." Replied Arthur nobly.
The village leader went on to talk about when lunch would be served and where they could stay for the night. After that Arthur went to see Merlin. When he got there the room was very small and cramped, but somewhat homely. The Physician was busy bustling around, he stopped and turned to face Arthur. He bowed and said " I presume you've come to check up on your servant, sire."
Arthur nodded and walked up to the bed Merlin was laid on. His head had been redressed and his leg had been bandaged.
"This is the calmest I've seen him in days…" muttered Arthur.
"Well. You can hardly blame the boy! His leg's currently infected from where the fractures had been left untreated. This would have been extremely painful, especially combined with his head injury. I take it he acted out of character when he came round the first time?"
"Yes. He was certainly that! He also had amnesia but that was only temporary." Replied Arthur.
"I think it best if he stayed here in my care for a couple more days." Suggested the Physician.
Arthur pulled a face he was already behind schedule, his father would be going out of his mind with worry.
"I suppose." Grumbled Arthur. The Physician looked at Arthur and quickly tried to make himself busy.
A couple of hours later Arthur returned. Merlin grumbled in his sleep, Arthur sighed this is my fault! Merlin opened his eyes and groaned he placed his hand on his head and tried to stop the room spinning. Once he'd got himself focused he turned to look at Arthur.
Arthur placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder and cleared his throat looking towards the door then at Merlin.
"Planning your escape already?" Said Merlin grinning.
Arthur scoffed "And why would I need to escape?"
Arthur then turned to the Physician, "What'd you give him? He's…He's happy! It's making me uncomfortable!" He said sarcastically.
"Very funny!" retorted Merlin.
Suddenly the village leader burst into the room.
He started speaking to the Physician with deep concern, the Physician followed the leader to the door.
"What's going on?" Arthur asked concerned.
The village leader turned to the two, he said and replied "There's been a murder."
Merlin and Arthur looked at each other. Merlin then lent over the side of the bed nearest the wall and pulled out two wooden carved crutches.
"Oh no you don't!" Said Arthur sternly.
"And since when have I ever done what I've been told!" Retorted Merlin.
Arthur groaned and allowed Merlin to get up, they then followed the village leader.
The Knights were already there with most of the village people. The people moved to let the village leader and the other through.
"Looks like a traveller." Muttered the Physician.
"Hey… Arthur!" said Merlin.
"What?"
"He looks a lot like that peasant who came and informed us of the pendant." Replied Merlin.
"He does? He does! I think your right Merlin he's heading in the right direction."
The Physician spoke up again, "It looks like he was thrown into the wall with possibly magic, yes, very strong magic indeed, this body's been here a few days possibly a week."
Everyone gasped. A sorcerer! They should have known!
"There was a very suspicious character around here earlier. He had a long black cloak, tall and thin with a jet black horse." Muttered the leader.
Caddoc was a sorcerer who loved to leave nasty surprises for his victims. Brad sat up his eyes open and dead, he screamed falling forwards and dragging himself towards the strongest power source, Merlin. Before sinking into the ground.
"Well. That was disturbing." Mumbled one of the knights.
Arthur stared at where Brad had sunk into the ground and shivered slightly. Merlin was also staring at the same spot. His heart was still beating hard against his rib cage.
Brad's hand then shot up out of the ground and grabbed Merlin's good leg. As Brad's corpse tried to pull itself up out of the ground, his head came up above the surface his dead pale face glared up at Merlin.
"HELP ME!" It shrieked, the flesh on Brad's flesh melted away leaving a skeleton. Arthur was fixed in place, Merlin was staring down in horror at the thing not being able to move.
Arthur pushed the shock aside and reacted, he kicked the skeleton making it scream and let go sinking into the ground once more and there to remain. Merlin lost his balance but Arthur steadied him.
"You alright?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah." Breathed Merlin.
"What was that all about?" Asked one of the knights.
"I don't know. But if Brad has told this sorcerer about the pendant we could be in trouble. This sorcerer will be at least a day ahead, we have no time to waste! We have to get there before he does!" replied Arthur. He turned to Merlin and sighed.
"Merlin, your going to stay here. I can't risk your injuries getting worse."
Merlin looked Arthur in the eyes. "Ok." He said calmly.
Arthur looked shocked, No rebellious behaviour? No insulting? He's just going to do what he's told!?
The Physician approached them,
"We should get you back to bed." He said strongly.
Merlin nodded and shakily turned on his crutches to follow the Physician. Arthur also followed, he made sure Merlin was left comfortable and as happy as he could be in his current state. Arthur then left and found the village leader.
"If your going to go after this sorcerer. Then I suggest you borrow some of our horses." The village leader strongly suggested.
Arthur sighed, "You've already done so much for us. Looking after my servant for one."
"Well we could hardly ignore a Pendragon could we?" Chuckled the village leader.
The two men laughed, then enough horses for each of them were brought out.
"These are the finest stallions that we own." Said the village leader proudly.
"Thankyou." Replied Arthur shaking the village leader's hand.
"We will see you again in a couple of days. I hope my servant won't cause you too many problems, he can be a handful sometimes!" laughed Arthur.
The knights then left the small village, looking forward to returning. Later on when it was pitch black and everyone had gone to sleep, Merlin was laid on the bed the carved crutches lent against the wall. The Physician was snoring, finally a chance to follow the others! Thought Merlin. He silently picked up the crutches and hopped to the door, he carefully opened it and crept out. Merlin sighed with relief, he knew he would have to wait for Arthur and the others to leave as Arthur would never have allowed him to accompany them.
"Where do you think your going?" Asked the village leader a hint of sarcasm could be traced in his voice.
"Please I have to follow them and…" Protested Merlin.
"I know young Emrys, I had no intention of stopping you!" chuckled the village leader.
"You know who I am! But, everyone in this village hates magic!" cried Merlin in shock.
"It's always wise to choose your friends carefully, my village physician is a Druid." Explained the village leader.
"I thought there was something different about his technique." Replied Merlin.
"There's a horse with a nameplate outside it's stable called Midnight Storm. He's my horse, but you can borrow him." Said the village leader.
"Thankyou." Replied Merlin graciously.
Merlin hopped round to the stable and located Midnight Storm. The horse was already tacked up, a young stable boy lead the horse out for Merlin and the village leader helped Merlin onto the horse.
The crutches were given to the village leader to return to the Physician.
"Good luck." Said the village leader and clicked his tongue which set the horse moving.
Okay here we go then… I guess… thought Merlin as he rode out of the village and towards Maridor…