Hi I must thank you all so much for being patient I never meant for this to take so long. J
Chapter 6
Merlin rode towards the lake. Arthur, he was thinking, was in a much better mood compared to the one he had previously been in. Although the prince clearly still considered Merlin a complete idiot, for even presuming that an evil sorcerer was going to turn him back, he did give Merlin's loyal attitude some credit.
Merlin himself was nervous, but not at the thought of meeting Dellarux. Somehow something in his magical instinct told him that Dellarux would not hurt him, but his worry was that Dellarux would not help Arthur. That was the very purpose that he was doing this for, Arthur.
He gazed down at the Albino snake who was asleep in the cloth bag on the side of his saddle, and smiled. Arthur woke up when he sensed he was being stared at. He looked at Merlin, his forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth.
"What are you looking at?" Arthur enquired.
"Nothing, just like watching you sleep," Merlin replied. "You look like a roll of Gwen's hand woven carpets when you curl up like that," he joked.
Arthur looked at him to one side, before catching on. He used his tail as per usual and gave Merlin's hand a slap.
"Ow! Hey, that wasn't fair," Merlin grumbled, making Arthur's scaly face crinkle.
"I'm still a prince whether I'm a snake, oak or man, and you will show me respect!" Arthur boasted.
"You're as thick as an oak," Merlin muttered under his breath. Then he whimpered as Arthur slapped him again.
"Do you ever learn, Merlin? I have much more sensitive hearing…" Arthur drawled. But his voice trailed off as Merlin looked dazed suddenly.
"Merlin…Merlin…?"
"I think I agree with you Merlin," it was Dellarux entering Merlin's mind, again.
"I thought I had to invite you in?" Merlin replied.
"You didn't give me time to break the lock and connection," Dellarux shot back. His tone was not unfriendly, but rather uncertain.
"Have you given any more thought to turning my friend back?"
"Yes…but it isn't that simple! I can sense you are near the lake – lets discuss this when you're here…please." Dellarux's tone had changed abruptly to a softer one with a pleading element behind it.
"I'm almost there, an hour away at most," Merlin replied.
"I know…" he sighed. "I'm waiting in the forest by the redwood tree on the East bank of the lake."
"Thanks – erm – I guess I'll see you soon, then!"
"Yes, see you soon, no doubt. Please, one thing: make sure Arthur shuts his mouth. I really don't want a lecture from a royal. The last time that happened I had nothing but trouble for five centuries after."
In spite of himself and his worry about Dellarux, Merlin could not help but smile at that.
"I can't promise that. He opens his mouth whether I tell him to keep it closed or not. But I'll try."
"Thank you," came the reply.
Suddenly, Merlin's focus drifted back to reality.
"Merlin…oh, for goodnessss sssake, Merlin! Wake up! Why do you alwayssss have to passsss out on me when I'm trying to talk to you?" Arthur's concerned snakey voice brought Merlin back to reality quickly.
He tried to sit up, having realised he was on the floor, but cried out and winced in pain slumping back to the ground.
"Well, what do you expect when you fall off a horssse like that?" Arthur hissed.
"Ah – oww – oh, my neck. What happened?" Merlin moaned.
"I jussst told you, idiot! You fell off your horssse," Arthur's reply was backed up with a chuckle.
"Hey, it's not funny. I think I've broken my neck!"
"Ssssometimesss I wonder if that would be a good thing. At leassst I wouldn't get kicked all the time," Arthur snorted.
"I can't move my neck at all…owww!" Merlin tried shuffling around but it didn't work. He was amazed he had not felt that whilst communicating with Dellarux.
"Can you get up?" Arthur asked, concerned for once.
Merlin tried…
…and failed miserably.
Arthur grew even more worried when Merlin fell completely silent and his breathing slowed.
"Can you move your armsss?" he asked.
Again Merlin tried, but his face crinkled into a mask of agony and he stopped.
"Can you move anything?" Arthur hissed desperately. He needed to keep Merlin occupied and focused.
All he received was a groan, and then nothing.
"Okay, try again in a couple of minutes!" Arthur ordered. "You're not paralysed. At least, I certainly hope you're not," he added under his breath.
The prince kept Merlin trying for a couple of hours, every few minutes, but there was no success. It did not take a genius to work out Merlin was seriously injured. Gradually, as night fell in, Merlin seemed to give up even listening to Arthur, much to Arthur's great annoyance.
Another few hours passed by, and night had fully drawn in now. There was no light or fire because Arthur could not start one, partly because of his current condition and partly because Merlin had not brought any oil for fire lighting.
Merlin was still sprawled on the ground, though Arthur had managed to try and move Merlin's arm. He had being forced to stop at Merlin's cry of pain.
Arthur noticed his servant was solidly shivering now, and it was cold on a night this far north. Slithering back to the horse that had settled down obediently beside a puddle of water to drink, and being very careful not to disturb it, Arthur pulled a blanket out of the bag he had inhabited and dragged it back to Merlin.
The horse had gotten used to the snake because 'since Arthur just had to come along' – as Merlin had put it – and because he had introduced the horse to Arthur gradually. Now the horse did not run from Arthur, but was still wary of him.
With great difficulty because of his size and shape, Arthur unravelled the blanket, using his fangs to tear through the bindings. Once it was fully laid out, ten minutes later, Arthur pulled the blanket over the shivering Merlin, using his tail to make sure it covered him completely.
Merlin stopped shivering as much once Arthur was done, but still continued to nonetheless. Arthur wondered if the horse's body heat would help, but faced up to the fact that he could not control the horse towards Merlin. So he gave up on that idea.
Perhaps branches with leaves could help?
"No, it would take to long," he muttered.
That meant there was only one thing left. Himself. Hoping that Merlin was fully asleep and wouldn't remember this, Arthur crawled under the blanket and slept curled around Merlin's chest and neck. It was a long night for Arthur. About three hours later he heard footsteps approaching.
His eyes snapped open and he slithered out of the blanket. Sure enough, a shadow of a tall man loomed overhead. Arthur made to bite the man. He was fairly certain, as he had not had the poison milked out of him for a couple of days, he was very able to defend them. But a few words silenced him.
"Peace, Arthur, I am not here to hurt you. I'm here to help Merlin, and I daresay you as well," the voice was silky and rich. Arthur did not recognise it.
"Yeah right, like I'll believe that!" he hissed angrily and rose up to bite.
"Astryce!" the man said, and Arthur fell to the floor, pinned there by an invisible force.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? Ssshow yourssself!" Arthur cried, outraged.
A small orb of light appeared above the man's head, revealing a tall, well built man, with dark hair and sharp eyes.
He bent down towards Merlin and studied the sleeping servant.
"Leave him alone!" Arthur snarled.
"I only want to help. He's hurt…no!" the man replied quietly. He whispered a soft spell, and Merlin groaned and cried out.
"Stop it!!! What do you think your doing???" Arthur shrieked.
Hi everyone soory I've taken so long to update complications arose. Hope you all enjoy.