A/N – Hello again!
As requested, I'm going to try to make this chapter longer than my usual 1000 words.
As my UK friends will know, the snow just got serious. It's currently blizzarding (if that's a word?). If you don't hear from me again in a week, I've died like in The Day after Tomorrow.
"There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."
― The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
The rain had finally stopped. Every so often, a single droplet of water would slide down the window like a tear. Rustling softly, the trees in the distance comforted Merlin. He had always been comforted by trees – something about the beauty and the sturdiness of them seemed to calm him.
He fully opened his eyes and groaned slightly.
"Merlin! You're awake!" Arthur rushed to the side of the bed and knelt down.
"Really? I hadn't noticed," said Merlin.
"Don't make jokes when you are injured. Your wit is greatly impeded."
Merlin pushed himself up with his hands and his head began to spin. He looked over at Arthur and saw that there was something wrong; the usual happiness in Arthur's eyes had been replaced by a sad, desolate look. Merlin felt dread rise from the pit of his stomach.
"Arthur? Wha- what's wrong? What's happened?"
Arthur turned away, and his shoulders seemed to fold in on themselves as if he was trying to shut out the world. He said nothing.
"Arthur. Tell me." Merlin was beginning to panic.
Arthur sighed, and turned to face Merlin.
"Gaius told me not to tell you until you were healed, but I think it would worry you more not to know. Merlin, I'm so sorry..."
Merlin, who had been watching this all with interest, suddenly realised that he had lost a rather large amount of blood. His vision went black and he collapsed to the floor.
The knights immediately started to move towards him, but Gaius stopped them all with a shout.
"No! You must secure the prisoner! I will look after Merlin, but I need to get him back to my chambers."
"Ignitrus' soldiers are still out there, and they don't know he is captured. They would kill you on sight," Leon interjected.
"You could make Ignitrus walk in front of you at swordpoint, then they would have to let you through," Gwaine suggested.
"No, too risky. He is a sorcerer and could easily escape if we take the sword from his throat," said Arthur. "Take Leon and Percival with you. They are capable of fighting off any guards you come across. We will stay here – a small group is less likely to be noticed, and though we will have to fight eventually our main aim at the moment is to get Merlin to safety."
Gwen's voice rang across the room. "I want to go."
"No way. I am not letting you go out there when it is so dangerous." Arthur retorted.
"Please, Arthur. I can help nurse Merlin, and I cannot bear to be in this cell any longer."
Gaius looked up. "Sire, we may not have much longer to help Merlin! We can't waste this time arguing!"
"Fine then, go!" Gwen rushed past Arthur as Percival heaved Merlin over his shoulder.
"Gwen!" Arthur shouted after her. "I love you!"
"And I you, my darling."
A tear rolled down Arthur's face and dripped from his chin onto the bedcovers.
"Go on." Merlin's voice was barely a whisper.
Leon ran in front of Percival, who was travelling impressively fast for someone bearing twice the weight as the rest of the group. Gaius was running alongside Gwen, just behind them. She was holding his hand and urging him onwards – he was old and malnourished, so it was hard to keep up.
Just as the group reached a corner, Leon skidded to a halt.
"Get back! Hostile guards ahead!" As everyone pressed themselves to the wall, he raised his sword cautiously, breath forming clouds in the cold air.
Slowly, Leon eased himself round the corner. Seven guards stood with their backs to him, sharing a drink from a flask. He raised his sword and sprinted towards them, roaring.
The first two fell with a swing of his sword. And the next.
When the blow came, Leon didn't feel anything.
Percival peered round the corner and gasped when he saw his fallen friend. Throwing Merlin to the ground, he gripped the hilt of his sword and bared his teeth.
"No." Gaius whispered, grabbing his shoulder. "There is no way you'd survive. We need you here."
They were silent for a moment as the guards spoke.
"Must have been alone. I bet Ignitrus let him loose as a training exercise! You know, the one he was talking about yesterday."
"I think you're right. We should leave the body here so the next patrol knows we've got him."
"Yeah!" He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that almost made Gwen retch.
"We need a distraction!" Gwen whispered to Gaius.
"With Merlin unconscious, there is no way to make one. We'll have to find another way," Gaius said, looking over at Percival. "Percival! We need you to be alert."
Percival turned to Gaius, tears in his eyes. "He's dead. There's no point."
"There will be a time for grief, Percival, but this is not it. You must be strong." Gaius said.
From further down the corridor, past the guards, a shout rang out -"Guard change!"
"This is our chance!" Gwen gasped, "Arthur explained this to me – the castle guards work on a rotation system. The new guards will come from behind us, and the ones in front will move to the next post. The corridor leading to your chambers is in between the two posts! We have to go now!"
As the guards around the corner began to move away, they followed them. Percival picked up Merlin and they crept round the corner then quickly ran down the corridor. Reaching the body of Leon, Percival turned his face away and continued past him. Gaius looked sadly down for a moment and then followed Percival.
When Gwen reached him, she stopped. She quickly knelt down and pressed her slim fingers to his neck.
"There's a pulse! He's still alive – come back!" Gwen looked closer at the wound on his head. It was a mess of blood, but it looked like the sword that had struck him had only knocked him out.
What happened next, Percival only remembered in slow motion. He remembered running back down the everlasting corridor. He remembered seeing Leon in Gwen's arms. He remembered the next guard patrol arriving behind them. He remembered a crossbow bolt. He remembered blood. He remembered the light leaving Gwen's eyes. He remembered screaming.
A/N – Okay, I was going to do a bit more but I've been really busy this weekend!
See you soon.