A/N Since It has been WAY too long since my last update, here's a "what's happened so far"
1. Arthur met Merlin the thief
2. Arthur discovered the mysterious robin-hoodish Emrys and Merlin are one in the same
3. Arthur jailed Merlin
4. Arthur helped Merlin escape
5. Arthur finds a 9-headed dragon-like creature who spews fire
6. Said creature spewed fire :)
All right folks, on with the show!
The forest was on fire.
Arthur's mouth hung agape for only a few seconds before the huge billows of smoke he was breathing in caused Arthur to double over and cough hard, hands on his knees and head hung below his shoulders. The danger of Arthur's current predicament caught up with him and the prince tried to regain his composure. Arthur stood up straight, smoke stinging his eyes and only taking shallow breaths through his nose, and bolted into the forest away from the creature.
Arthur wasn't sure if he was running towards or away from his castle, but he knew that he needed to get away from the creature. Arthur could finish it off another time– when he had the proper equipment.
The thought suddenly occurred to Arthur that the monster could be following him. Arthur could be leading destruction back to his kingdom. But no, Arthur quickly glanced behind him to discover that the creature decided that pursuing its attacker wasn't worth the trouble. Arthur's pride stung a little at that thought, especially coupled with the fact that Arthur was currently running away from the creature.
Arthur shook the childish thoughts from his head. He was doing this to protect Camelot, not his pride.
Arthur stumbled over rocks and ducked under branches, sure that he would have a few good scrapes and bruises after he got back. He had to pick himself off the ground many times throughout the retreat.
After getting a good distance away, Arthur started to slow, his lungs still burning from the smoke and his stomach twisting from hunger. He had skipped his midday meal. Arthur's mind was far to occupied to think of food at the time, and he had had a large breakfast.
Checking behind himself again to search for the absent creature, Arthur stopped and sat down, leaning against a tree to regain his breath, dropping his crossbow to the ground beside his. He couldn't even see the smoke from the fire that hopefully was dying down in the lush forest. He could feel the rough bark scraping against the back of his head. He was breathing hard, almost gasping for air.
What was that creature? Arthur had never seen anything like it before. It looked similar to a dragon, but the differences were too large to say that they might be related. Nine heads, being the primary difference, and also the creature didn't feel like a dragon. It didn't give off the aura of power that Arthur somehow knew dragons had. Shaking his head, as if to knock the strange thoughts out of his head, Arthur tried to think logically. Gaius would know what it was; he was good with these sorts of strange occurrences.
Arthur craned his neck back in an attempt to regain his bearings. The area of the forest he was in seemed to be much thinner than where he had spotted the creature. He was no longer surrounded by thick roots and low-hanging vines. He was nearing Camelot, and the creature was nowhere to be seen.
Arthur's heart starting slowing to a normal beat and he braced his hands against the tree behind him to push himself to his feet. As he started to stand, a sharp pain shot up his left leg from his ankle, making him fall back against the tree with a soft shriek he would later deny. He gently removed his armored boot, careful not to jar the newly revealed swelling purple ankle.
"Just what I needed" Arthur muttered to himself bitterly. He must have hurt it while running through the forest and now that the adrenaline wore off, the pain was starting up. Arthur glanced around for anything he could use as a crutch. A thick, sturdy branch would work nicely, he thought as he squinted in the almost non-existent daylight, but walking all the way back to Camelot like this will be torture.
"Need any help? Ooh, that doesn't look good" came a familiar voice from behind Arthur. Arthur turned his head to look at the castle thief and found himself strangely relieved that it was Merlin who found him; not relieved that it was someone to help him instead of some bandit, just relieved that it was Merlin. Merlin had been examining his bruising ankle with a worried look on his face.
"I'm not sure," Arthur replied good-humoredly "whenever you show up, trouble seems to follow". Arthur let a small smile escape, which seemed to fuel a larger one on Merlin's face.
"You need to get your cause and effect in order, your highness" Merlin joked. He crouched next to Arthur and slung Arthur's left arm over his neck. Merlin slowly rose, supporting Arthur with left hand covering Arthur's and his right anchored at Arthur's ribs. Once Arthur was standing, he had Arthur support himself against the tree as Merlin gathered Arthur's boot and crossbow expertly in one hand. Once Merlin was situated with the bow and boot, he returned Arthur to his previous stance, left arm draped over Merlin's shoulders taking the pressure off his injured left foot and leaning on Merlin.
"Did you see the dragon-creature?" Arthur asked Merlin once they started walking in the direction of Camelot, throwing a glance over his shoulder in the direction the creature was. Arthur didn't notice Merlin's muscles tense and eyes widen in surprise and worry.
"D-dragon? You saw a dragon? Are you sure? There aren't any dragons left! Maybe you just knocked yourself in the head, a dragon is a little far-fetched, don't you think?" Merlin replied quickly, nervously. Walking Arthur in the direction of the castle, he attempted to nonchalantly glance up, looking for a winged, white outline against the darkening sky. He wasn't sure if he should be happy or worried at not seeing one. If Arthur had seen Aithusa… well, he and Arthur weren't that good of friends. He obviously hadn't killed what he saw, but that doesn't mean he's not going to. After Kilgarrah, Aithusa was one of the few friends he had left. Merlin doubted that he'd let the last dragon in existence live in peace, and if he found out Merlin was harboring that dragon? Arthur may have saved him from the guards, but he knows how Camelot feels about magic. That's why he doesn't live there; it's just too dangerous for someone like him. Arthur's voice startled him out of his reverie.
"I did not hit my head, and I know what I saw." Arthur injected indignantly "And you don't need to worry, Merlin, there are no more dragons left to hurt you after the Great Purge. Though what they'd want with you would be anyone's guess. You'd barely constitute a toothpick." Arthur said mockingly, glancing at Merlin's thin frame. "Honestly, do you even eat?"
"Maybe I'm just trying to be courteous. You know, in case I ever hurt my ankle or something and need someone to lug me across the forest." Merlin grunted under Arthur's weight, for good measure.
"Are you calling me fat?"
"Of course not, your highness, I never said anything of the sort." Merlin replied lightly, a smile playing at the ends of his lips.
"Anyways, I didn't say I saw a dragon. It just looked like a dragon. It had nine heads, for god's sake. Sometimes I wonder if there is anything rattling around in that head of yours." Arthur smiled.
Merlin let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief at knowing Aithusa was safe and chose to ignore Arthur's last comment. For a few moments, all you could hear was the leaves crunching beneath their uneven footsteps and their heavy breathing. Merlin had his left hand steadying Arthur's arm around his shoulders and his right positioned below Arthur's right ribs, lugging the boot and crossbow and trying to keep pressure off of Arthur's injured ankle. Merlin's shoulders started to feel sore after bearing Arthur's weight, but he ignored it. They would be arriving at the castle soon, and Arthur and he would part ways. Merlin glanced at Arthur's swollen ankle.
"You should really have Gaius take a look at that when you get b-"
"-Do you live out here?" Arthur interrupted.
"What?" Merlin asked, surprised at Arthur's sudden question. Merlin stopped walking and turned to face Arthur, confused. Neither seemed to notice their lack of progression.
"Out here, in the forest. Do you live out here? You certainly don't live in Camelot, and there are no other kingdoms close enough. Do you live in the woods? Are you with a group, just passing by?" Arthur pressed.
Merlin started walking again. It was getting late; he needed to Arthur home, Aithusa may start to worry soon. She's really still just a child, even though she's already more than twice his size.
"If it pleases your highness," Merlin started jokingly "I do live in the forest and I'm certainly not just passing by." Merlin smiled lopsidedly "Not getting rid of me that easily, I'm afraid."
"So you are with a group? And you're what, the group fool?" Arthur ribbed, the corners of his mouth twisting up slightly.
"Group, no." Merlin ignored the last comment "There was one group; they gave me the name Emrys. I thought I'd fit in with them but… it didn't work out that well. Now it's just me and – um – but I like it out here, and Camelot is amazing." Merlin seemed to be talking to himself more than Arthur, but Arthur decided not to press the issue. Merlin snapped out of it when he saw Arthur staring at him strangely and quickly changed the subject.
"Here we are! Home sweet home." Merlin said. Arthur hadn't noticed it until Merlin had pointed it out. Merlin had attempted to point with the hand holding the crossbow and boot, but when he went to place his hand back on Arthur's side, he accidentally rammed the bow into Arthur's right leg, almost making them topple over.
"Idiot" Arthur said, rubbing his newly injured leg with his free hand, the one not nearly choking Merlin as Arthur regained his stance. He was glad that he managed not to put any pressure on his left ankle.
"Prat" Merlin replied reflexively, with a large smile. "Well since I can't enter Camelot without being arrested, thanks to you-"
"-your own fault, and don't act like you won't be returning anyway-"
"-you'll need to leg it from here." Merlin finished. He dropped the boot and crossbow on the ground and bent down to pick up a nice, long branch for Arthur to use as a crutch, keeping Arthur supported as he did so. When he straightened back up again he had a branch in hand. He stuck one end into the ground and put his weight on it, testing its sturdiness. When he had deemed it safe enough, he ducked his neck out of Arthur's hold and replaced it with the make-shift crutch. Merlin grabbed the discarded equipment off the ground and handed it to Arthur.
"Off you go then." Merlin mentioned to the castle. Arthur nodded a goodbye at started off towards his home.
"And, I suppose, thank you for helping me back." Arthur turned to glance back at Merlin, but he had already left. As is starting to become habit, Arthur pressed his hand to where his gold pouch had been. Arthur's hand felt empty space.
He smiled.
A/N All right, this is where I get on my knees and apologize for how long it took to update. I'm working on a Young Justice one-shot and I had really lost my muse for this story. But it's back now! I'll try to be better at updates. I hope the slightly longer chapter made up for it a bit. Anyways, I thought Aithusa was a girl, but now I'm starting to doubt that. But, I like her better as a girl, so. REVIEW! It takes 2 seconds and ups my happiness!
