"Arthur you are not serious." Merlin gaped when he saw the statues marking their passage.
"What else did you have in mind?" Arthur laughed as the princes approached the valley with their usual knights.
"Anything!" Merlin exclaimed, "Nothing good ever happens in the Valley of the Fallen Kings no one in the right mind would go in there."
"Exactly." Percival grinned.
"The routes are secret, that's why we're using them." Arthur chuckled.
The laugh was cut short by a yell, which was followed by a huge crowd. Merlin groaned as he saw two dozen or so bandits make their way down the edges of the gully they were currently riding through.
"What was that?" The warlock taunted.
"No need to get cocky!" His brother growled as he unclipped his cape and drew his sword. They were at an advantage being on tall horses, Merlin slashed as people grabbed at his feet in the stirrups and he couldn't help but laugh as Percival knocked down a group like pins. The moment of amusement ended when he saw Arthur dragged from his horse and busy fighting his attacker to notice the man running for him on a hoirse he'd stolen from one of the knights.
"Arthur!" He called but he paid him no heed.
Quickly glancing at the other knights to make sure they were occupied before thrusting his hand out and the man was knocked from his steed.
"Yah!"
Merlin turned to face the sound seeing another bandit riding toward him swinging a sharp edged mace, he didn't have time to act he could only look in shock. The mace slashed across his chest, right above his heart. All the sounds of clashing swords and yelling were cut out almost instantly his ears were met with nothing but silence and the sound of his struggling heart beat. He found himself only vaguely aware of the fact that he was stumbling to the ground before the whole world went black.
...
Arthur turned just in time to see Merlin fall.
No...No! Oh God please don't be dead!
Acting on pure instinct he ran forward and placed his brothers arm over his neck and carried him off into the trees. He could see the other knights taking the same route, they would have to catch up later. He half dragged Merlin to a hiding place among the roots of a tree as the bandits roamed the hills in search of them.
"They need to work through their anger." Merlin joked darkly.
"They just did," Arthur replied, "On you."
They spent much of the afternoon jumping from place to place, Merlin winced with every movement, the injury sent waves of pain all down his side. He was sure it was infected, bandits were not know for the cleanliness of their weapons. Finally they settled down for the night by a log and Arthur was finally able to inspect the wound close up.
He bit his lip when he saw it, the chest was partly sunken, broken ribs and bits of bone would be splintering into the muscle and internal organs with every movement, that included breathing.
"Seen worse,' The eldest prince said finally, "Defiantly seen worse."
"On a dead man?" Merlin laughed then winced.
"You're not going to die Merlin. Don't be such a coward." Arthur hissed.
"If I do die will you call me a hero?" The younger asked.
"Probably." Arthur shrugged.
"But whilst I'm alive Im a coward." Merlin surmised with an annoyed tone.
"That's the way things work, you get the glory when you're not around to appreciate it."
Merlin laughed then winced, taking deep breaths in an obvious attempt to calm himself and distract from the pain.
"You will not die." Arthur repeated, more for himself than his brother.
"I've done it once." Merlin muttered, "Ah well, better me than you."
"I wish you wouldn't say that. You're the worlds most powerful sorcerer, you're Emrys." Arthur growled, "Haven't you grasped that you're just as important as I?"
"You're the Once and Future King though." merlin smiled, God he was infuriating.
...
The snapping of a twig woke the princes the next morning, Merlin's condition had deteriorated, Arthur could tell just by looking at him he couldn't stand on his own.
"I'd love to say we could stay here but another five minutes and we'll be mercenary mince meat." He hushed as he pulled Merlin up and over his shoulder.
"Leave me." Merlin begged.
"Now's not the time for jokes." Arthur replied.
"Please leave me?" Merlin tried.
"Sure, whatever you say." His brother replied sarcastically and began to carry him through the forest.
After a few minutes of walking Arthur found the mossy rocks and boulders that marked an exit out of the valley toward Camelot. Unfortunately it was blocked by two mercenary guards who spotted them immediately. Gently as he could Arthur put Merlin onto the ground and fought. He took down the two men expertly while Merlin watched on from his place on the ground. Horror filled the older prince as the cries of more bandits filled his ears, they were coming.
Thankfully they ignored the injured warlock and rushed straight for him, he struck a defensive pose ready to take them on even though he knew there were too many for him. Some how over the din created by the rushing bandits Arthur heard a whisper of magical tongue he didn't recognize, his eyes met Merlin's which were glowing gold and then the rocks began to fall.
"MERLIN!"
But it was too late, the rocks had completely sealed off the gully, Arthur safe on one side and his brother injured and surrounded on the other.
Sorry this is a tad short but I wanted to keep Morgana for the next chapter :P