The next week went along as usual, except that Merlin was a girl, of course. Many a towns men were giving her looks that she/he wasn't used to receiving and some openly flirted with her. The problem was Merlin was beginning to enjoy it, flirting. That worried him. He also noticed while the knights were practicing one day, how handsome many of the looked (especially a certain blonde one with a title.) Maybe this woman body changed not just his appearance, but his mind. Then always after thinking this, a question would bubble up. How had this happened?
"Merlin," whispered the king, urging her forward. They were on a hunt, and as usual, Merlin carried the game and extra weapons. Arthur took the cross-bow from her and aimed at a sound from the high bushes. There was a deathly silence, until a cross-bow bolt went whizzing through the air. Arthur had not launched it.
With a cry, several men jumped out, startling them. Everyone pulled out a weapon, but their adversaries only had their eyes on two people: Arthur and Merlin, who was shielding him. One man stepped forward, raising a sword and bringing down across the servant's throat.
"One move and this pretty thing gets it," he said, very close to Merlin's face. Arthur tensed behind to her. No one moved. Except Merlin, whose hands were behind her back. Arthur felt them touch his waist line. He felt his heart flutter. Merlin really felt that way? But why would she decide to tell (well, basically) him here? Was she afraid she might not get the chance later? Was- he felt his knife being pulled out of his belt. Oh, that's what she had been searching for.
"Now, King Arthur, if you don't want your girlfriend here to-" the man never finished his threat as Merlin gutted him and he fell. The other bandits (was that what they were? They were usually) started at their supposed dead leader, looked at Arthur and the knights, and whipped out their swords.
Arthur easily deflected first man that came at him. He glanced at Merlin, surprised to find the servant surrounded by fallen men and tree branches. He would question that later. Right now, he had to fight two Percival-sized men that had strange tattoos all over their shirtless chests. He slashed his sword at them, trying to disarm, but succeeded in getting one of their chests. The injured one let out a roar and stabbed his sword at the king, but the latter was too fast. Arthur quickly got behind him and stabbed. Now where was the other one?
He met the ground. Someone was on top of him. Long, black hair interfered with his vision; Merlin. What was that useless servant doing now? Strong arms pulled her off of him and he got to his feet. The second tattooed man was dead at his feet, along with the rest of the assailants. The battle was over.
Arthur grinned, and turned to face his men to give a victory speech, but a sight stopped him. Blood was on his chest, but it was not his own. Merlin had pushed him to the ground. Merlin had laid across him, shielding him. Merlin had been stabbed by the tattooed man, who had been stabbed by a knight. Merlin's blood was on him.
So okay, maybe not as action packed as I anticipated, but whatever. And who thinks I should kill Merlin off?