So I'm back :)
For this chapter (and the next, because it was too long for one) we're still in the past (between the end of season 4 and the Grumpy King). Personally I love Merlin and Arthur's random hunts gone wrong, hopefully you do too...
A/N: I don't own Merlin and many thanks to bedshaped3 for being an awesome beta!
Chapter 4: A Stroll in the Woods
The day everything started to change could be considered usual or unusual according to various standards. It wasn't a turning point, nor a setback. It could be considered a coincidence, a fluke, a chance or just pure luck. Kilgharrah would have called it Destiny. Merlin called it stupidity. Both were right of course from a certain point of view...
"Merlin, go fetch some hunting gear. Guinevere brought it to my attention that I'm in dire need of some fresh air." Arthur ordered as he absentmindedly played with his quill.
"You don't need to hunt in order to get some 'fresh air'. You could just step out of the door, like a normal person."
"Just fetch it, Merlin. Oh, but before you go, she, um, mentioned you would want to write a letter to your mother. I'm sending Percival on a diplomatic mission to Ealdor." Arthur stated casually. If he wanted to take Merlin by surprise he certainly succeeded.
"What?"
"It seemed like a perfectly nice little village the last time we went there."
Merlin's brow furrowed.
"Okay it was peaceful until we went there, but still, I'd like to keep it that way. I'm sending Percival and some other knights to ensure that."
"I get that, but seriously: Percival?"
"Well, I think his style of diplomacy is well suited for the situation there." Arthur grinned, thinking back at the time when Percival talked possessed-Elyan into lowering his dagger.
"Right, I'm off then…writing a letter." Merlin said and exited the room, but immediately popped his head back in.
"And Arthur, um, thanks."
"Don't mention it."
"Nothing says love like bringing back a dead animal." Merlin remarked ironically as he trotted after Arthur. They were hiking for a few hours now and Arthur hadn't spotted a live one yet. Merlin had never been in this part of the forest and that was saying much. But he estimated there were close to the Valley of the Fallen Kings.
"Shut up Merlin, if I want advice, I'll ask someone else." Arthur responded, irritated.
"You'd get bored if I'd shut up every time you ordered me to."
"Yes and less annoyed." Arthur said, trying hard to concentrate on finding promising tracks.
"You do realise you just agreed on something I said, right?" Merlin retorted happily. His day was definitely improving as it progressed. Firstly, he had actually been given time off to write to his mother. And now, Arthur was becoming more and more irritated due to the lack of killed animals – something Merlin rejoiced about since he ended up carrying the carcasses back. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Arthur started blaming him, so Merlin was enjoying himself while it lasted.
"Merlin, shut up will you? You're scaring away all the prey." Arthur snapped a bit harsher. What was up with Camelot's wildlife, he thought, they were unusually absent in the forest.
"I'm sure it's my talking and not your strutting through the bushes that's scaring them." To make his point more substantial, Merlin adopted Arthur's stance; walking regally and extremely loudly in front of the already annoyed king.
"I'm not strut-" Arthur started indignantly before he unexpectedly banged into his servant, who had stopped walking abruptly.
"Shut up, did you hear that?" Merlin said with earnest worry, after he had grabbed Arthur's arm for balance and almost sent them both toppling to the ground.
"Merlin, you can't use that against me!"Arthur huffed, pushing his servant out of his personal space.
"Yeah, yeah, but listen. Don't you hear that?" Merlin waved his protests away and pointed in the general direction of where the sounds came from. His magic was on alert, which had always spelt trouble in the past.
"What?" Arthur nearly shouted.
"That!" Merlin shouted back pointing again. How could Arthur miss it, he thought, but concluded that his question just answered itself.
"I think Gaius should check you out when we get back." Arthur commented shaking his head rather worried. His servant had gone mad for good this time...
"It sounds like bells jingling." Okay, really mad, Arthur thought, but then he heard it too when the wind blew the sounds in their direction again. It was like the soft tinkle of small bells, resonating between the trees followed by its eerie echoes.
"So?" he shrugged.
"We're in the middle of a forest." Merlin emphasized trying to convey some of his concern.
"It doesn't sound dangerous."
"Famous last words."
"We'll check it out then."
"I'm pretty sure that if someone or something is creating beautiful, creepy music in the middle of the woods, it's in order to lure you closer. The smart thing to do is not to…" Merlin started but Arthur didn't listen. He had already walked away, towards the sounds.
"Why am I even trying?" Merlin asked himself out loud, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation.
"Arthur, wait! If you're about to do something stupid, I want to watch!"
The sinister sound of the bells kept getting louder and louder as the forest itself became more impregnable by each passing minute. Merlin felt like he had lost all sense of direction from the moment they had moved towards the sound. Something, which again by all standards, was troubling. After a while he lost track of time as well. It could have been ten minutes later or two hours before they finally stopped. A couple of metres below them was the bottom of a dark hollow. Arthur silently signalled Merlin to follow him. A gesture which made Merlin roll his eyes. With some effort they found a narrow path and carefully descended, aware that one error would at the minimum result in an embarrassing fall.
"Yeah, yeah, right behind you. As always." Merlin mumbled. They reached the bottom, where the air was chilly – probably due to the lack of sunlight.
"It looks like it's coming from in there." Arthur pointed toward the entrance of a cave. He hadn't seen it from the top of the hollow as it was slightly hidden behind some big rocks.
"Arthur, you can't be serious!" Merlin said worried, knowing well what would be happening next. His mind was already going over all the worst case scenarios, something that required less imagination than it did a few years back – which was a sad fact in itself.
"Afraid of the dark, Merlin?" Arthur grinned.
"Just so you know, this is the moment where I'm going to point back to and say: What the hell were you thinking?"
Nonetheless, Merlin followed Arthur. How could he not? They clambered over the rocks to get to the entrance. As they slowly entered the cave, Merlin almost tripped. Arthur started to snicker but that died down very quickly as they both saw the cavern floor. It was filled with discarded bones and skulls.
"That's encouraging." Merlin mumbled.
"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur snapped. He wouldn't admit it, but he was nervous. He feared Merlin would be right in the end. It was getting pitch black very rapidly as the daylight couldn't reach much further than the entrance. They had to rely on their other senses.
"Listen." Merlin grabbed Arthur's arm again before the latter could venture any further.
"I don't hear anything." Arthur said a bit puzzled.
"Exactly."
The creepy music had stopped. The cave was quiet, much too quiet. The only sound they heard was the sound of their own breathing.
"Get out?" Merlin asked nervously.
"Yeah, go quickly." They carefully backed up simultaneously, step by step, eyeing the dark in front of them with the utmost distrust. A loud growl emerged from within the deep caverns. It reverberated off the walls and made Arthur's unsheathed sword sing.
"Right, Merlin, get out!" Arthur shouted and they both turned and ran side by side as fast as they could. As they neared the entrance Arthur grabbed Merlin by the back of his shirt and with one hard push shoved him out first. A move that probably saved him as both of them were propelled towards the rocky ground of the hollow the next second when the creature jumped them from behind.
Merlin landed hard on the forest floor and immediately felt the beast's heavy weight leave as it rolled off their backs because of the speed of its attack. Merlin tried to push himself up on his elbows, but he still felt dazed from the impact. He eyed the creature warily as he shook his head in order to stop his ears from ringing. The beast was something he only wished to encounter in one of Gaius' books. Preferably during the daylight with a nice blanket to keep him warm. It looked like a lion but at the same time it was the complete opposite. It had something revolting and slimy, something a lion could never exhibit. The beast started to circle them and hissed, carefully sizing up its prey.
"Arthur, get off me." Merlin used his elbow to shove Arthur aside as the latter was still partly lying on top of him. "You can't exactly protect me from the ground."
There was no reaction. Instantly Merlin got on his knees, rolling Arthur on his back.
"Arthur!" Merlin yelled panicked as he saw Arthur's pale face. The king wasn't moving. The left side of his face was grazed and already started to darken a bit.
"Arthur, wake up!" Merlin shook him. "Arthur! You prat! Now is not the time to start laying about." A thundering roar interrupted Merlin's attempts. The lion-like creature charged ahead with full force.
Merlin's eyes glowed gold as he instinctively flung a fallen tree trunk towards the beast. Instead of showing any attempt to dodge the lethal projectile, the beast didn't waver or alter its course as the tree slammed against it. On impact the beast dissolved into slender strands of smoke for a second, during which the tree shattered against the rocks behind it, before materialising once more. This time even more determined than ever to slay its prey.
"Ácwinc!" Merlin shouted as he scrambled up to face this threat head on. He scraped his boots deeper into the ground and prepared for the inevitable impact as it soared towards them.
"Ácwinc!" He cried more desperately. With a last shattering wail the creature vanished midair only a foot away from Merlin's outstretched hand.
That... was unexpected, Merlin thought as he sagged onto the ground. The spell he shouted so instinctively was supposed to make the beast go away, not to make it disappear entirely. Gaius will know, Merlin supposed. For now, he was just too relieved to pounder more about the issue. Besides he still had an unconscious prat to worry about...
An unhappy grumble disturbed the quietness.
"Arthur, you're alright?"
"What just happened?" Arthur asked confused.
You didn't listen to me, that's what happened, Merlin thought.
"Didn't you see?" He said instead, as always anxious for the answer. One day Arthur will see too much, it was just a matter of time.
"Of course not, Merlin, that thing knocked me out. Now, where is it?"Arthur replied annoyed. He wasn't feeling very patient right now. Luckily he was wearing mail but his left side felt tender and bruised, as did his back which had to bear the full force of the attack. And to make matters worse, Merlin had been right again!
"Oh, well…um there was this bigger beast – as large as a house, with fangs and claws and scales… Really scary and it ate the other thing…" Merlin started, making it up as he went on. The puzzled look on Arthur's face told him he wasn't spinning a successful story.
"You seriously want me to believe that a bigger beast came, ate the other one and just left?" Arthur exclaimed disbelievingly. Okay, when said like that it did sound rather farfetched, Merlin admitted.
"Yes?" he answered unsure.
"So where are its footprints?"
What? Come on! Since when had he stopped being so gullible? Merlin thought as he frantically sought a plausible explanation.
"It…flew away of course. Didn't I tell you it probably had wings too?" he tried.
"That must have slipped your mind. Really Merlin, what happened to your observational skills?"
This was so ludicrous Merlin couldn't help but burst into laughter. Arthur looked at him as if he had gone mad, again, but the corners of his mouth twitched already and not long after that the two men were happily sitting on the forest floor, trying to recollect some dignity as they laughed.
"This reminds me of the good old days." Arthur finally managed to utter.
"Yeah, the good old days when strange things try to eat us." Merlin commented still grinning as he silently finished his trail of thought, Arthur gets knocked out and I use magic to save the day. "It's weird that I miss it."
"It's feeling alive, Merlin. That's what it is." Arthur sighed content.
"How's your head?"
"Fine, how's yours?" Arthur retorted.
"Thanks, Arthur, glad your wit is still with us." Merlin sounded slightly annoyed, but he didn't mean it. He was too relieved for that. "You're not going to find something to hunt here, not with that beast scaring off the prey. I told you it wasn't me." He continued and got on his feet, brushing dirt and leaves from his clothes.
"Well, we have a good story at least." Arthur said with a smile standing up as well with a bit more difficulty. He could just imagine the looks of his knights ... and Gwen. His smile dropped. "Although on second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't tell Guinevere. She'll worry."
"She married you, Arthur. I'm sure she knows by now what lucky run-ins you tend to have." Merlin supplied and started to walk back from where they came.
"You're right. And I'll just blame it on you if she gets mad."
"What! This wasn't my fault."
"Didn't you call the jingling sound to my attention? Setting this whole ordeal in mot-"
"Stop. Do you hear that?" Merlin said grabbing Arthur once more by his arm.
"Not again, Merlin." Arthur sighed dramatically. But Merlin wasn't listening to him. Instead he was trying to identify what exactly he was hearing this time.
"Arthur, someone's crying." Merlin said after a few moments of silence. Arthur immediately turned serious.
"It's coming from over there." Arthur said a couple of seconds later and motioned Merlin to follow him quietly, which for once his servant actually managed to do without protest.
Again they found themselves treading through impregnable bushes, further away from Camelot.
"Look there." Arthur whispered as he spotted a small child sitting on a tree trunk, hidden behind some less concealing branches.
"Hi, down there." The king tried as he moved closer, but the only reaction he got was a loud sniff and more tears. The child couldn't be much older than five years. He had blond curls and his frail shoulders shook with each shattering cry.
"Are you lost?" Arthur went on as the kid didn't react.
"Geez Arthur, I'm sure he just likes sitting in the middle of a dangerous forest crying for his parents. Of course he's lost! Of all the dumb questions..."
"I can see that. I was just trying to make conversation." Arthur defended.
"And how's that working out for you, dollophead?" Merlin remarked as the child still stared at them wordlessly.
"Maybe someone closer to his age should try, Merlin?"
"Wow, really mature."
Suddenly the child chuckled. He had stopped crying and looked at them expectantly.
Their display of... well, foolishness had helped.
"Well, 'Chuckles', do you know where your parents are?" Merlin asked with a friendly smile.
The child nodded and pointed in the direction of the cave.
"You don't think...?" Arthur hushed quietly as he turned towards Merlin. He remembered the array of bones the beast stored in there.
"No, no. Not here, but somewhere that looks a lot like it?" Merlin quickly answered and confirmed his own growing suspicions as 'Chuckles' nodded.
Then it dawned for Arthur as well: it was a druid child.
It was at moments like these that Merlin realised again how well Arthur and himself were attuned to each other. With a few looks they decided to take the child back to its parents. And equally silent they decided on a most likely route to find the Druids: as far from Camelot as possible.
Arthur carried the kid Merlin had dubbed 'Chuckles' through the forest. At first they were all walking, but the child was completely exhausted so he had offered to carry him. Arthur was surprised when the child had smiled in response and felt a little unnerved when the boy kept staring at his face. Maybe that was something typical for druid children. The child rested his hand on the nap of his neck. It was strangely familiar to Arthur and for the first time he imagined himself with one of his own children. Arthur knew he wanted a child, not just an heir.
Suddenly Arthur stopped at the edge of a clearing. Across it were more than fifty druids standing amongst the trees.
"We've found them." Merlin said, stating the obvious.
"I can see that." Arthur retorted. He didn't feel threatened, but overwhelmed was a close enough description. He didn't like it one bit.
Chuckles became restless in his arms and Arthur put him on the ground. The child ran across the clearing and disappeared.
"So" Merlin began "That was it I guess, maybe we should-"
But he stopped as Chuckles ran back. When the kid reached them he looked up expectantly and tugged Arthur's sleeve, leaving him with no choice but to kneel down.
"Thank you." The child whispered and unexpectedly gave Arthur a hug before running back, leaving the king of Camelot a bit shell-shocked.
Merlin laughed behind his hand at Arthur's dumbfounded expression as he slowly got up again.
Across the clearing the druids brought their right hand to their heart and lowered their heads as a sign of respect before retreating into the shadows of the forest. One druid lingered a bit and looked at Merlin directly before disappearing as well.
It's almost time, Emrys.
Merlin hardly had any time to ponder about those silent words before Arthur uttered a surprised gasp as they started their long walk back.
"Merlin, my head, it feels fine now!"
"I thought it was already feeling fine."
"I'm being serious here. Look, it's healed." Arthur continued and turned his head. He was right. The ugly grazes were gone, the bruising was faint at best and looked as if it were to vanish any second.
"The boy used magic." Arthur realised abruptly stopping in his track.
Arthur studied the side of his head once more and carried an odd expression on his face. It was a mixture of horror, doubt and ...curiosity.
"He thanked you, Arthur. What do you want to do? Turn back and kill 'Chuckles'?" Merlin was on edge. This was a rather unexpected turn of events and he honestly didn't know what Arthur would do.
"Of course not. We're heading back home."
The king was pacing in his chambers. When he didn't pace, he walked around the castle deep in thought. The servants were wary to cross his path and even the knights were highly aware that their king was brooding about something. He was so distracted during training, he had left Sir Leon in charge.
It all started when the king and his servant returned from their hunt two days ago just after dusk. They hadn't brought back anything, not even one meagre rabbit. Merlin was trying to look unconcerned, but those who knew him saw he was wrestling with something as well. No one exactly knew what happened so the castle dwellers were left to their own imagination to fill in the blanks. And soon the rumours began.
"Merlin, I found that beast you described." Gaius carried a heavy book to the table where Merlin was eating. He wasn't exactly eating, he just stirred the porridge, took some on his spoon, dropped it in his bowl again and started stirring once more.
"Merlin, stop playing with your food, it's quite distasteful. I've found the beast." Gaius went on, but he did get any reaction "Merlin! Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"
"What? Yeah, um, no. Sorry Gaius."
"Arthur still hasn't said anything?" Gaius asked knowing well that the magical creature was the least of their worries.
"You mean has he said something about the Druids? No, but he definitely hasn't lost his voice on the 'let's give Merlin some more chores' front." Merlin dropped his spoon with a clatter and sighed."I just wish I knew what was going on in that messy head of his."
"Have you asked him?"
Merlin stared at his bowl.
"You didn't did you?"
"I'm afraid I might not like the answer." Merlin confessed reluctantly.
"You can't keep postponing your destiny, Merlin, eventually it will catch up with you."
"Have you and Kilgharrah been chatting behind my back?" Merlin tried to joke but was met with one of Gaius' famous stares. "Okay, okay, I'll ask."
"Arthur, you have to make up your mind." Merlin announced as he entered the room. Arthur was leaning against the windowsill and gave no indication that he had heard Merlin.
"Gwaine's latest addition to the rumour mill involves a band of foreign singers and pair of magical boots." Merlin continued, sounding as carefree as he could manage. But he was tense. This was the first time Arthur encountered Druids who displayed magic. Innocent magic, but magic nonetheless.
"He was just a child, Arthur." Merlin tried as his friend kept staring out of the window to the courtyard below.
"I know, Merlin." Arthur finally spoke up still staring in front of him. "And I know what I must do; what I'm honour bound to do."
"And what is it? Because I'm hanging in the dark here, Sire."
"The child, he reminded me of all those children who were killed because of my father's orders, because of mine." Arthur swallowed hard. Merlin knew exactly what he was talking about and sighed, relieved. If Arthur was thinking about this then he could hardly be planning the next slaughter.
Suddenly Arthur swung around gazing upon his servant.
"I'm going to offer the Druids my protection." he stated with a confident look in his eyes, the first in two days.
Merlin smiled widely. "That's a very good decision, Arthur."
"Well, seeing as I already acquired your agreement I suppose the rest of Camelot will accept it easily." Arthur said sarcastic and run his hand through his hair. He knew in his heart he made the right decision. Actually he made that decision the moment the child had hugged him, but voicing it aloud brought a certain finality with it. He was making the right decision, he only hoped he didn't lose the support of his subjects on this matter.
"Can you send for Leon?"
"I'll fetch him immediately, any clues where he's currently?"
"Last I heard, he was taking Guinevere around the Lower Town to speak with the people. And ask Guinevere if she'll come too."
He'll probably only admit it to her, but he really needed Gwen's support as well.
The next morning Arthur was nervously pacing in his chambers again.
"You really think this is a good idea?" he finally asked.
"Yes and you do too otherwise you wouldn't have sent Leon and my brother as envoys already." Gwen said as she took his official robe, the one with the shimmering Pendragon seal, out of the closet.
"You must believe in us as well. The people of Camelot will accept it. We have trust in you." Gwen continued as she stood before him fastening the robe. "There, now you look like a King."
"God, I love you." Arthur said taking Gwen's hands into his own, kissing them gently."I wouldn't know what to do without you."
"Well, Merlin will keep you on your toes, Gaius will make sure you're eating and Leon and the others will make sure you always come back alive." Gwen answered jokingly.
"And yet you're able to do all that." Arthur confessed leaning in to kiss her.
"The councillors are all wait-" Merlin announced as he barged into the room. "Um, I could tell them to wait a bit longer." He continued as he turned around swiftly and left the room with a large grin on his face.
"He is an idiot, but an idiot with timing I'll give him that." Arthur sighed. "Come with me?"
"Always."
"My Lords, I've called you together this morning to share with you my latest decision concerning the welfare of our realm." Arthur started as he stood before his throne.
"In the last months Camelot has proven to be a safe haven for everyone in need of a home. This is the right of any citizen of Camelot. And I believe it's the right of anyone who has the misfortune to live in lands scarred by war and banditry." At this he received quite some approving murmurs from the present lords.
"After I became King, I soon realized my father was right when he said I couldn't save everyone. But damn me if it were for a lack of trying." Arthur with strength in his voice and then paused. Gwen briefly squeezed his hand for reassurance. Right at the back of the room Merlin nodded encouraging.
"So if you agree, I'm expanding this right to the Druids."
And? What do you think? Please review and ease my stressful day :) Next chapter will follow soon...