"Maybe we should stop soon" Merlin complained from his position, sat on the horse behind the prince.
As it turned out no one had to ride the horse backwards, mostly because they couldn't. It took several falls before the reddening, flustered prince declared they needed to change tactics. Both boys rode one in front of the other. The royal prat had the privilege of sitting at the reins. All he had to do was hold his shackled right arm by his side. Merlin on the other hand had to stretch his body awkwardly so his top half was rotated enough so his left arm was at the prince's right side too.
They rode like that through the night into the morning, only stopping to switch horses. No stops were allowed for any other reason except to keep their two stolen mounts in functional shape. Merlin, of course, tried to fight this but Arthur, being the codpiece he was, had several good arguments. The knights would wake up at some point and it was in their best interest to intercept them before they reached Camelot. They had not released any horses as Merlin had originally planned. Bors and possibly Garret would need transport across the border to medical care and if neither were capable of riding by themselves, they would also need to rotate horses to get there in time. It was a calculated risk. If either man were fit to ride alone, that left at least one horse to cross into Cenrid's lands and get potentially magical backup. Reinforcement in the shape of sorcerers would have no trouble catching up or finding them. They were still much closer to Essetir than they were the city of Camelot and thus closer to danger. "There will be no stopping unless absolutely necessary, Merlin!" As the prince had so kindly put it earlier.
"No." Arthur said dismissively.
The prince had been almost human yesterday, what happened to that? His compassion must have dried up like all the water in the sorcerer's body.
Smacked lips, then, "but I'm thirsty"
"I'm thirsty too. Deal with it." Impassive, the ass.
"The horses might be thirsty" He tried.
"They are not."
"You can't know that!"
"Yes! I can!"
"How?"
"I'm a prince, I'm much more educated than you." Arthur said in an overly serious tone.
"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard" the warlock spat.
The royal took a deep steadying breath, "If I hand you some food from the saddlebag, will you shut up?"
There was a moment of silence while Merlin pondered if he was willing to accept the offer. They provisions they stole had empty waterskins as they discovered hours ago. He was hungry too. One hearty meal in a week of starvation was not enough to satisfy soul deep hunger but he was so dehydrated that any food in his mouth might turn to dust. Maybe that was a bit dramatic.
"Yeah, alright." Better to be just thirsty instead of hungry and thirsty.
There was shuffling sound as Arthur had to strain a bit to reach the bags with his free arm, leaning forward against the horses neck to maintain balance as he did so. There was an "Ow! watch the wrist!" behind him. A smirk lit up the prince's face and he made sure to jostle the chains even more. It also irritated the wrecked skin under his own shackle but it was well worth it. The complaints only cemented his theory that the peasant had not seen much actual combat time in the 'slave army'. Eventually a sack of dried meat was passed to the annoying simpleton behind him.
Blessed silence, finally. That idiot had been chattering since sunrise about everything yet had still managed to say nothing of importance. 'Wait. What was that?'
"DO YOU HAVE TO CHEW DIRECTLY IN MY EAR?!" Arthur exploded, it seemed he only traded one grating sound for another. Wet chewing on the leathery meat replaced inane nattering.
"No, of course not. I'm only hunched in an uncomfortable position behind you, chewing directly in your ear because you are being an arse and won't switch spots with me." The whole sentence was garbled around a semi digested hunk of meat.
Merlin enjoyed watching the prince's patience visibly dissipate as he fell back into his unprincely habit of grinding his teeth while all the blood seemed to collect behind his face. Maybe that was why his head was so big, because it was constantly swollen?
Merlin was bored and uncomfortable and exhausted. Though it was starting to feel like exhaustion was his new equilibrium, almost not worth mentioning anymore because it was one the of the only constants in his life. There wasn't much to distract himself from the burgeoning ache and in his back and the aging enervation except to converse with the prince, so that is exactly what he did, "So-"
"-Not this again," the royal muttered under his breath.
Merlin carried on as if he hadn't heard the interruption "-What is Camelot like?"
"Why do you care?" Arthur did not like where this line of questioning was leading.
"Just trying to start a conversation. Also trying to manage expectations, it might be my new home after all." The delivery was casual, as if the worst news hadn't just been dropped on his companion and left him gaping like a fish.
"What?! No!" Arthur spluttered.
"Why not?"
"Why not?!" He would think it would be obvious that Camelot didn't just welcome enemies and criminals, "You could be a spy for all I know"
"Do you really believe that?"
No. It was a possibility that the knights had been walking around with their own agent posing as a prisoner so they could capture any Camelot noble they came across and "accidentally" release the two together. Then, the under cover Esseterian could build a rapport with their fellow captive and remain friends upon return to the castle thus becoming a good source of information to Cenrid. It was pretty far fetched. A plan like that relied too heavily on several unlikely scenarios converging. Besides, Merlin didn't seem capable enough and Arthur was sure that such a plan wouldn't result in the sacrifice of two noblemen.
"Of course not, you hardly seem cunning enough to be a spy."
"Well you hardly seemed smart enough to inherit the crown but here you are" the warlock tossed right back.
Elbowing the peasant behind him wasn't worth it. He tried earlier and almost threw them both off the horse; he'd have to settle. "You can't live in Camelot, future king's orders."
"After everything we have been through together?"
"Shut up."
"Can we stop, ther-"
"-NO."
"Alllllright then."
"..."
"Can we at least switch? At this point I'm not sure I'll ever be able to straighten my back ever again" The crumpled warlock thought it was a fair trade. Arthur was unwilling to stop their punishing forward progress. Merlin would compromise a humane amount of rest to end the pain in his back.
"No point in switching then, the damage is already done."
The jesting tone Merlin used was quickly deteriorating.
"Don't be such a prat."
"We've been over this, they could catch up with us at any moment."
"Fine." Merlin spat. Prince Prat had a point. Besides the obvious and very valid points that Arthur was the better fighter and more knowledgeable of the area, thus should be at the reins with a free arm, Merlin was not in top form. He had certainly seen better days. Right now he was feeling the effects of too little sleep. His hurts were amplified, his hunger was insatiable, he felt feverish and his eyes felt dry and swollen. On the bright side though, the burning pain in his wrist was no longer distinguishable from the pain radiating down his shoulder and up his back. Maybe he shouldn't dwell on his discomfort born of the Prince's annoying practicality, better to shift his attention externally.
"The tavern situation is good then?" asked an intrigued Merlin.
"It would seem so." Arthur said simply.
An incredulous look accompanied the words, "what does that mean? You don't know?"
The royal sighed, "A prince can hardly be seen getting drunk at the tavern everyday, people would lose faith in my ability to rule."
"Or it might make you seem relatable and not so stuffy." he suggested.
"I'm not stuffy." was argued back.
"Non stuffy people don't have to explain that they aren't stuffy." Merlin dismissed.
"I'm not stuffy." Arthur practically growled.
"Sure," Merlin agreed sarcastically, "when's the last time you had a pint with friends?"
"I don't see why that matters?"
"You cant remember!" Merlin accused, "Because you're stuffy"
"I am not."
"Let's stop at a tavern on the way to Camelot then."
"Why on earth would I want to do that?"
"Stuffy." Merlin concluded.
"Arthur?" Merlin whispered.
The prince made no move to acknowledge it. There was no way he hadn't heard him either, being one foot in front of him, trapped on the same horse, with nothing to do except listen to his fellow escapee breathe.
"Arthur?" A stage whisper this time.
Still no response. The blonde head remained steadfastly pointed forward, determined to stretch out the meager quiet a little bit longer.
"Prince Arthur of Camelot?" It was escalating in volume.
A grin split Merlin's face as he saw the back of the prince's neck start to glow a brilliant red and his posture stiffen.
"Maybe I got the name wrong, let me try again" Merlin mumbled, "Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince of Camelot, son of Uther Pendragon and Ygra-"
"-WHAT?!" Arthur finally exploded.
"A bit touchy are we?" Merlin asked amusement coloring his words.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
Merlin suddenly dropped the teasing now that he had the Prince's attention "We need to stop soon. The horses need water and we need rest. Don't know if you recall but we didn't sleep last night"
Arthur groaned, scrubbing at his face with his only free hand, "Fine, we will stop as soon are in range of a Camelot patrol."
"How would I know where a Camelot patrol would be? We would essentially be stopping whenever you wanted because I have no idea where that is!"
"You'll just have to take my word for it." Arthur said leaving no room for argument.
"You made me promise that we would work together so why don't I have any say in this?" Merlin challenged.
"Your opinion is invalid if it could get us killed."
"We need sleep. And water! If the horses refuse to take us any further, then what?! We'll be much more vulnerable walking on foot!"
"A compromise then, hmm? Will that shut you up?" the noble offered.
"Yes." The deserter said, shifting uncomfortably, trying to alleviate pressure on his back.
"We'll stop at nightfall."
"It's noon!"
"Fine" Arthur sighed again, "we take a break early evening and make camp at nightfall"
"Deal" No sense in negotiating any further. Merlin was sure the prince was just as determined to keep going as he was to stop, but the prat had the energy to fight for it and he did not.
"You're not even making sense anymore, just shut up."
"What?"
Merlin was delirious. Out of the past ten days he must have only gotten four full nights of rest and that was cumulative, he certainly hadn't slept the entire night since his escape. (The first escape, not the most recent one.) Not to mention the amount of ground he had covered in that time, most of it on foot. It wasn't surprising that his head kept nodding or he found himself startling awake from sleeps that never happened or losing time.
"You just repeated yourself twice, then said 'I went' and trailed off. It seems after hours of nonstop talking you finally ran out of things to say. Instead of filling the silence with more nonsense, just please, shut up. Let us ride in silence for one minute." he begged.
Merlin hadn't noticed he was repeating himself or not finishing his thoughts. Odd. Well it wasn't odd, it was alarming. He should take Arthur's advice and rest. Their first negotiated stop was in over an hour. Merlin could be quiet until then. Quiet was better for resting anyway.
"Rude."
Silence filled the forest for the first time in hours. Merlin's squabbling had finally died off. Arthur was content to pretend the man wasn't breathing down his back. Strategies and contingencies needed planning for the possible war with Cenrid. The insane plan to pay a criminal for information would be excluded from the debrief with his father. Arthur was a man of his word. He intended to follow through with the strange bargain they struck but he was certain that his father would order him to break it. As there was no need to dip into the coffers for their deal it could easily be kept a secret. Plus he owed the man. Merlin had saved his life at least twice during the fight with Bors, not that he would ever admit that once they got back to Camelot. It seemed to be pure luck on Merlin's park but Arthur wasn't one to ignore a debt no matter how it was accrued.
Arthur considered asking the ex-soldier for more information on Cenrid's movements and motives in Camelot. He certainly seemed talkative today. Helpful? Maybe. Earlier he had been so desperate for the man to shut up that he had not even considered getting more information out of him. Now that he finally went quiet, there was no way he could bring himself to goad the idiot into talking again.
"Arthur?" came softly from behind him, interrupting all his planning.
Damn it all! his headache was just starting to recede, "What?"
"I really need some water. Let's stop now it's almost time anyway." Merlin sounded detached from the conversation.
Arthur's frustration was reignited, was there no end all the talking? "Can you not wait any longer?! We stop in one hour. It is no wonder you didn't make it in the army"
Arthur waited a for the inevitable retaliation but there was none. Another beat of silence. He was being ignored. Suddenly a light thump was felt on his back. Arthur craned his head around. He saw Merlin slumped and ever so slowly tipping out of the saddle.
"Hey!" Was all Arthur had time to shout before Merlin's momentum snatched him from atop their mount.
Notes:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
There is a moment where Arthur says 'shut up until we get there' and Merlin is like 'I should take Arthur's advice'. That wasn't a little plot hole where I accidentally deleted advice from Arthur and forgot to change Merlin's thoughts there. I wanted to show how not with it Merlin was. Arthur says shut up and he totally misunderstood the context of what was being said because he is so messed up. I myself have pulled many all nighters so I can attest to how weird they make you.
I used to work 2 night shift jobs while going to school in the day. I had to quit one of the jobs after I blacked out while driving and almost t-boned a car. The longest I went without sleep was 3 days in a row but that was preceded but like 4 hours of sleep. I thought my teeth were falling out, they were not. I had a final project due that week. Got an A. I sound way more interesting here than I really am. I promise that I don't do much of anything.
I really liked writing this chapter. I like making the boys banter. I am super excited to continue this fic! When I first started writing it, I was trying to get to this part. This is the part I had planned out the rest had to be built up to here.
At some point Merlin refers to Arthur as the crown prince. He isn't crown prince yet. Arthur just sees no reason to correct him lol. Don't want anyone pointing out my plot holes.