Another Merlin fic. I don't own it, BBC does though. This came to me after much reading of Merlin fanfiction. (I've become obsessed with Merlin fanfiction.) It will be slightly dark, not sure how dark, but there will be some violence and of course lots of smut, though that's later in the story. [sigh] I just love this pairing. Again I don't own these Merlin characters and be warned that this is a YAOI story, so don't read if you don't like that style.
Until Next Time
~Reiya
Chapter 2.
"Well, we can figure it out later. For now Gaius, he needs your attention. It looks pretty bad from what I can tell." Arthur said, eyes going back to the now unconscious male. He looked to be only nineteen or twenty years old.
Gaius nodded and stepped up to Merlin. Kneeling down next to him, he stared to examine him, checking his vitals. "This isn't good." He turned to one of the knights. "You. I need you to go and cut down two young saplings and to find some long strait branches. We need to make a splint for his leg before we can move him on a makeshift stretcher."
"So what's the verdict?" Arthur asked, looking down at them both.
"It's bad. Not only is his leg broken in two places, infection has started to set in. He has also caught pneumonia from being soaked by the rain. We need to get him back to the castle so that I may be of better use for him." Arthur nodded and went to help the knight that had been ordered to find the wood.
They soon had everything ready and Gaius got to work splinting Merlin's leg. He didn't even once twitch as his broken bones were set back into place. Finally he gave them permission to move him onto the makeshift stretcher, just a blanket tied between two young saplings.
They carried him down the worn path, each end held up by a knight as they headed back to Camelot. He never once stirred during the jarring ride.
"Carefully. Carefully." They set him down on the cot that had been placed there for just that purpose. "Now, I need you all to please leave. I must have peace and quiet if I am to help him." He saw Arthur hesitate. "Sire, there is nothing more you can do for him. Let me get to work so that you can talk to him afterwards." He nodded finally and shut the door quietly behind him.
Gaius turned to look at the unconscious figure. "Oh Merlin, what have you gotten yourself into now." When no answer was forth coming, he nodded to himself and went over to his table. He had a long day ahead of him.
xXx
Arthur looked out the window, into the court yard below. It seemed to be a quiet day, for there were few people walking about in the fading light. "Arthur, are you even listening to me?" An annoyed female voice demanded behind him.
"Yes, I'm listening." He replied to Morgana, his Father's ward.
"Than tell me who that person was that you and your knight's brought back with you." She demanded. He sighed and turned back to her.
"I'm not sure." He finally answered her.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked though her voice wasn't as harsh as it had been.
He sighed again. "We were out checking traps when we stumbled upon one that had been sprung, but nothing was in it. When we followed a blood trail, we found him huddled in the base of a tree. I called Gaius out, but when he saw who it was, he apparently recognized him as the son of an old friend of his. But…" He stopped, unsure if he should continue.
"But what?"
"Gaius said that some years back, their village had been attack and both killed in a fire. And yet he appears out of nowhere. All Gaius could say was that his name was Merlin."
Morgana just stared at him for a moment before she gave a soft sigh. "Looks like we have a mystery on our hands. I wonder what he'll say when he wakes up." 'So do I.' He thought to himself. "Well no use wondering. Dinner will be ready soon and Uther wants you to dine with us tonight." He just nodded his head and watched her leave, his mind occupied with the mystery of Merlin.
The first thing he realized when he had started to gain consciousness, was that he was still alive, though he hurt too much for that not to be true. His leg felt like someone had stuck hot pokers in it while his lungs felt like hot lead had been poured down his throat and into them. I felt like with each breath, more was poured down and he could hear his own breath rattling in his cheat.
He than realized that he was warm. Something to his right was giving off a nice warm heat that helped his body to relax. He could feel clothe under and over him, but that just confused him. It had been years since he had last slept on clothe, let alone in a bed.
As his hearing started to come back to him, he could hear something muttering in the background. He tried to focus on it, but his mind was unable to comply to his demand. Deciding to open his eyes, he struggled with that for a few minutes before they finally opened slightly, letting him see a blurred image of wooden beams and stone.
This was not the forest. It was a strange place and he must not be here. His leg forgotten, he felt adrenalin course through his body as fear made itself know to him. He had to get out, back to the forest where it was safe.
His body moved before his mind knew what was going on and as he tried to take weight on his broken leg, it buckled, sending him the cold stone floor. He heard a clatter as something else fell in the room, and hurried foot steps behind him.
His mind went into a panic when he saw someone come towards him. He back peddled, moving until his back hit something hard and unyielding. He felt himself shaking in fear as he stared at the person who had come over to him. It took him a moment to realize that the growls he was hearing were his own.
The man was tall, and well built with blond hair and blue eyes that stared back at him. Why did they look so familiar? And than he heard him speak, his voice soft and calming as he held his hands out, showing that he wasn't here to harm, but he couldn't understand what was being said. He knew he should, but the words just wouldn't make sense.
He heard another voice, further back in the room and he turned to look and just continued to stare. Why did that man look so familiar. His features seemed to be trying to force a memory out from some dusty and unused storage in his mind. He knew this man, but he just didn't know how or why.
"Merlin." The man spoke to him softly. Merlin, yes that had been his name so long ago. But how did this man know that word? All who had known it were either dead or thought him dead. Than another piece of the puzzle clicked in place. This man was from before it had happened, but he still couldn't remember a name. He continued to stare, waiting for him to say more.
"Merlin" Gaius called to him. He watched the boy turn to look at him, a puzzled look on his face.
"I don't think he understands you, Gaius." Arthur finally said as the silence seemed to stretch on. Merlin just continued to sit there and watch them. He seemed to have finally calmed down and was relaxed as he leaned against the wall. It was almost as if he was waiting for something. For what though, he had no idea.
"This can't be good. Merlin, do you remember me? My name is Gaius. I was your mother, Hunith's friend." He seemed to react to that. His eyes seemed to take on a glazed look, as if he were trying to remember something.
Than he was shaking his head. His hands went up to clutch his head and he curled on himself, still shaking his head. They can see his mouth moving, shaping words, but nothing emerged. It was as if he had no voice with which to speak with.
"Merlin." Arthur reaches a hand out to him. He just shrank away from the touch, curling into as small a ball as possible. Tears slide down pale gaunt cheeks, and he just laid there, soft sobs escaping every once and a while.
He just sat there and watched him. The silent broken person, unable to even voice his grief. It was a few hours later that he realize that Merlin was no longer sobbing, or crying. His chest rose and fell in even measures. He'd fallen into an emotionally exhausted sleep.
Motioning to Gaius, he walked over to the still form and picked him up slowly, trying not to wake him, but he was surprised when all he did was curl in closer into his chest. Trying to ignore the tightness in his chest, he brought him back over to the cot that Gaius had gotten ready for him. Setting him down, he pulled the covers back up and went to the other side of the room to talk with Gaius quietly.
"Gaius, can you explain any of that to me?" He asked, confusion clear in his voice.
"I'm not sure exactly. I think…I think he may not be able to talk. Something has caused him to seal his voice off. And I think he doesn't wish to remember. It almost as if he's become wild so that he doesn't have to remember. I wish I knew exactly what happened that day?" Worry was clear in his voice, as he stared at the sleeping boy.
"It does make you wonder." Arthur said to him. Nodding to the physician, he left before the emotions coursing through his chest could become too much to bear. Why this pale stranger could elicit such emotion from him, he was unsure, but he did agree with Gaius. He wanted to know exactly what had happened that day, the day Merlin's life supposedly had ended.
Arthur handed the sealed message to the runner. The man was already mounted on one of Camelot's fastest mounts. He had his instructions though. This was to go to the village of Ealdor, and it's head man. If he was able to talk to the man, than he was to give him that message. What ever he told the messenger was up to him, but he hoped it would give some light to this mystery that was before him.
Nodding to the messenger, he stepped back and the man spurred his mount forward. It would take him a day to get there and about two to get back, depending on how easy it would be to get the information he wanted. Would Merlin talk before than? He wasn't sure, but he was taking precaution anyways in case he didn't.
xXx
And now the second chapter is here. I actually decided to make Merlin unable to speck before I started to type this. I wondered what it would be like if he couldn't say what was really on his mind, but knowing Merlin, he'll find a way. Oh, and it's not like he's a mute or anything like that, he just doesn't remember how to talk. He doesn't want to remember, like I typed earlier.
And what is Arthur feeling, not sure yet. Just a little extra I decided to add. I don't think this story will be very long, most likely under ten chapters. The next chapter should reveal a lot more. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Until Next Time
~Reiya
