"This is where you live. Really?"
"For the first, and last, time, Yes, only when I'm travelling about and can't sleep outside. Prat."
Arthur looked around the hovel-called-house with disdain before perching on the unoccupied chair, watching as Merlin fumbled around hazardously built drawers until he pulled out bandages, a clean cloth (Clean? In this place?) and a water pouch, which he passed to Arthur.
"Could you fill this up? There's a stream just behind here." Merlin asked before going over to the injured knight and examining the wound, clearly expecting Arthur to do as he says: which he doesn't.
Crossing his arms, Arthur glares at the Raven haired boy, "I'm not a servant you know."
Without looking up Merlin shrugged, replying with, "Yes I know as I commented earlier that you are a Royal. Not stop standing there looking pretty and help." Again, not bothering to see if he had complied, Merlin went to another set of drawers and pulled out an old dusty tomb and started reading.
Xx MERLIN xX
Sulking, Arthur stomped outside. He honestly couldn't believe that he, Crown Prince of Camelot, was being ordered around, of all things, being treated like a servant! Sure, Merlin didn't know he was called Arthur, let alone he was The Arthur who is in line to the throne of Camelot.
Walking around the boulders, the Prince followed the sound of water before dropping down in front of it. Arthur would be lying to himself if he said Merlin didn't intrigue him. The fact someone so clumsy and skinny possessed both the speed and power Merlin did amazed him. He, Arthur, had no doubt that Merlin was the young boy who had killed the female Sidhe, the boy who had watched his mother die than ripped her murderer to shreds.
Unable to repress a shudder, Arthur attempted to rid the pictures his imagination was supplying him. A women standing tall in front of blackened figures, a bone chilling laugh and the women was no more. A pair of children, one distraught another enraged. Glowing golden eyes filled with a rage a child should never behold. The quick, but disturbing, ripping apart of another's soul. Arthur shook his head and closed his eyes firmly, wishing his eyelids would act as shield from his own thoughts.
Picking up the water pouch, Arthur uncorked it and stuck it in the flowing stream, watching as bubbles escaped its leather confinements. When the bubbles stopped Arthur took the pouch back out of the water and put the cork on tightly before standing up and turning swiftly on his heel back towards the hovel. Only to be stopped by a sword pressed to his stomach.
"Well, what have I got here?" A deep voice purred directly behind Arthur, who had, despite constant training, frozen when he felt a body press behind his. "To think, I came here to find a black haired beauty only to find a," A rough hand grabbed at Arthurs jaw, "Blond one instead."
Arthur didn't understand why he couldn't move. It was like he was under a binding spell, but as the thought crossed his mind, his body snapped out of the trance. Moving forward slightly only to jerk back and elbow his attacker in the gut, ducking with a forward roll as a sword swiped towards him.
As Arthur rolled he realised that the weight of his sword didn't accompany him so upon straightening up, he grabbed the closest 'weapon' around him, a rather chunky stick, and twirled round to face the smirking stranger.
"A blond with brains. Interesting." Remarked the attacker with a flirtatious smirk.
"Who are you?" Arthur demanded, taking in the slightly hooded figure, from the ginger curls sticking out of the thin hood, to the half-darkened face in which the lighter parts revealed half a badly scarred face. One sword was in the sheath whilst Arthur's own was being twirled in the ginger haired mans fingers.
The strangers smirk widened, "Well Sire I bet you would like to know. However..." Smirk turning to down-right devious, "I have business to attend to, and that business is the unfortunate end of you."
And without another word, Arthur's sword was hurtled towards its un-expecting owner, but instead of the sword impaling the crowned prince it stopped a few centimetres in front of him.
"How poetic of you Edwin. Though I must ask what brings you to this part of the woods." Both Arthur and Edwin jumped at the sound of Merlin's voice, neither having realised that Merlin had joined them. Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur saw Merlin walk forward so he was standing level with him, Merlin's own eyes tinged with gold. The only evidence that showed it was Merlin who had stopped the sword from running-through Arthur.
"Ah, Merlin. How nice of you to... show up..." The attacker, Edwin, drawled, though more tense and less confident than before Merlin showed. Eye's unconsciously sliding from Merlin to Arthur, a coy smile sneaking onto Edwin's mouth as Merlin moved to stand protectively in front of the blond. "And it's you who brings me here." Edwin reached into the bag strapped to his side and took out a light blue rag and tossed it at Merlin. "Aulfric sends his... regards." A Malevolent grin found its way onto Edwin's face.
Arthur watched the expressions flit across Merlin's face as the Warlock caught the old cloth in one hand, the once guarded expression now showing pain, hurt, an un-human rage and for once, looking vulnerable.
A few minutes of tense silence went by, Arthur watching Merlin stare at the cloth with hints of worry on his face whilst Edwin wore a goading smirk.
Still staring at the cloth, Merlin's eyes started to glow gold. A gurgling sound was emitting from Edwin who fell to the ground clutching his throat. Alight eyes still fixed firmly on the item in his hand, the Warlock spoke in a surprisingly calm, though carrying voice, "Tell Aulfric that if he really want this, then so be it. Tell him that it's his move and tell him that this is between him and myself. That it's the cowardice of a mortal to use an army to protect him." Still golden eyes snapped up, "Now LEAVE before I change my mind."
The gurgling noise stopped abruptly, Edwin scrambled back to his feet and took off into the forest. The look of up-most terror attached to his face.
Xx MERLIN xX
It was deafening silence that filled the hovel. After patching up the still unconscious Knight, Merlin sat un-humanly still next to the bed. Eye's empty and fixed, still, on the blue cloth.
Arthur wanted to say something, anything, that would break the silence, but what was there to say? Sorry that bastard Sidhe was toying with you? What does that rag in your hand mean to you? Who in the fuck is Edwin and why did it sound like he hits on you? Not that it matters to Arthur who hits on the blue eyed Warlock; it's none of Arthur business.
There was a sudden groan from the bed as the Knight began to stir and within an instant Merlin was by his side, checking his temperature and checking the bandage wrapped stump.
"Blondie, what's his name?" Merlin's, surprisingly calm, voice asked.
Arthur opened his mouth to reply but stopped short when he realised he didn't know either of the knights names! In his defence they were new, annoying and hadn't had a training session with him yet, so naturally the only reply he could form was, "Err..."
Merlin slowly turned to face Arthur, a look of pure disbelief on his face. "You don't even know his name?" Arthur slowly shook his head. "What about the one that didn't make it? Do you know his name?" Another slow shake of the head. "You are fucking kidding me right."
Arthur looked at Merlin's tense and disbelieving form in shock. He didn't expect Merlin to be the type who would curse. However, unexpected cursing or not, Arthur was a Prince, he had to defend himself. "In my defence this was the first day had met them. I'm not expected to know the names of everyone I've just met!"
Deadpanned, Merlin asked, arms folding across his chest, "What's my name."
"Merl-" Came the half-automatic reply. Not recognising the trap until he had sprung it.
Smirking, Merlin walked up to Arthur and poked him in the chest, "Arrogant. Arse." A poke for each syllable.
"How dare you speak to me like that!"
Merlin, ever the sarcastic, corrected himself. "Sorry. Royal, Arrogant Arse." Before turning his back to the red faced Prince to check on the blearily blinking un-named Knight, who was looking up at Merlin with up-most confusion on his face.
Annoyed switching to calm within seconds, Merlin asked in a soft voice, "Sir, what's your name?"
The knight threw a quick glance at Arthur, who gave him a small smile, before saying in a weak voice, "Sir Kay." he cast another glance around the room before his eyes landed on the still knight in the corner. Eyes wide he muttered, "Ewan? Is he...?"
"I'm sorry." Was all Merlin could offer.
Arthur, studied the Knight before adding, "His death was unjust, but he showed courage in not backing down. He will be remembered." Arthur could see Merlin giving him a strange look out of the corner of his eye, but kept his eyes on the still-in-shock Knight.
"Th-Thank you Sire." Sir Kay's head dipped in a slight bow before shooting back up with eyes wide, "Sire? How did you overpower the attacker?"
If Merlin found the constant use of 'Sire' odd he didn't say anything, but upon mention of the fight he busied himself and started rifling through the lower cupboards. Arthur, who noticed Merlin's sudden shyness, gave a quick but accurate re-count of what happened, though leaving out Merlin's magic, but adding that it was Merlin who had also patched him up.
The Knight's face clouded in slight confusion, head seeming to still, "Patch me up?" Very slowly, Sir Kay looked down at his stump, only seeming to remember that it was just that, a stump, no longer an arm.
Kay looked up at Arthur and managed a weak smile before promptly fainting.
I have a question for you awesome readers, would you be apposed to a little Gawain/Lancelot lovin'?
Reviews and such are welcome, constructrive or not!