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"Merlin, ready the horses and retrieve the Round Table nights- we are going Hunting."
Merlin loved Arthur, most of the time, but sometimes he could be a real… a real dollop head. It was a well known fact that Merlin wasn't a huge fan of Hunting- yes when it was necessary for survival but the way Arthur and his knights did it for fun had always caused an ache deep inside the warlock.
A short time after, sounds of galloping hooves vibrated throughout the forest- bouncing off of the trees and echoing into the rivers. Animals scattered from the path of the group of horses as red cloaks on horseback raced through the woods around the Camelot citadel.
A loud, "WOOHOO!" could be heard from the front man as his horse jumped over a fallen oak tree in the path. The thud behind him signaled his companions had also jumped the oak, only a few seconds behind the former. This continued for some time, the group expertly weaving between trees and jumping bushes, tall plants and unusually short trees. After a while of riding, Arthur pulled his horse to a stop in a beautiful clearing. It was big with a tall rocky hill on one side, and the rest lined with trees. Beautiful flowers bloomed in the early summer sunlight as water from the nearby stream trickled down the rocks, almost magically. The sky was a vibrant blue and small fluffy clouds that dotted the sky were the only mark on the horizon.
The group dismounted, Merlin tying their horses up to a tree after letting them refresh and drink from the stream, and the knights unloaded their hunting equipment.
Largely their day was unsuccessful. Hunting was messed up mainly by Merlin's inability to keep quiet- which was why when the group approached they went undetected by the seasoned knights and King. The first they were made aware of the attack was then a battle cry was yelled into the dipping sun and a team of around 27 different people. Though they may have been Knights of Camelot they were quickly overwhelmed, their small group of 7 quickly overwhelmed by their numbers- even with Merlin openly using his magic. If anything, that made the bandits fight harder. Branches fell down on a few bandits heads, some were forced back by something invisible, and all of it came from Merlin.
Arthur was facing off against what was most likely the leader- dressed in dark colours but a large stamp of a crest sitting at his shoulder. They were almost as good as each other, blade for blade- clash for clash. The metals of their swords clanged loudly when they collided but was drowned out by the shouts and sounds of the fighting around him.
However, even as everything was going well, something went wrong. It always did- honestly it should have been predictable at the point. Merlin had forced another group of aggressors back, magic tinging the air and making it smell of apples and cinnamon, and was making his way to help his king when one of them took him by surprise. The butt of a sword landed in the back of his neck and- stumbling slightly- the warlock crashed to the floor.
Merlin woke- hands and legs bound together and away- not an hour later. His head was pounding and everything hurt but he quickly got his bearings again. Gwaine was to his left, eyeing him worriedly as much as the brunette could without obviously turning his head. Lancelot was on his right, also bound, but was more obviously studying Merlin if the worry and relief painted on his face was anything to go by. The large boots sticking out from around the tree made it obvious Percy was next to Lance, and the darker skin visible next to Gwaine signified Elyan was also with them.
“Everyone okay?” Merlin muttered, loud enough for them all to hear. He couldn’t see them all, but the sounds of agreement were reassuring enough.
“You were the only one harmed, Merlin mate.” Gwaine supplied, this time turning to face his friend. “After you went down we all kind of got… protective. Their leader has Arthur over there.” The knight nodded to the left, and Merlin could see on his second attempt the red of a Camelot cloak tied to a post that its owner really wasn’t too happy about. Worry pooled in his chest but Merlin ignored it, instead locking his eyes on the man in front of Arthur. Fear coursed through him and somewhere above them the tree they were tied to groaned in effort.
The trees all around them started to sway, the wind picking up quickly and birds squawked and fled. Magic bled out of the warlock, and the knights were worried.
“Merlin- Merlin- hey, Merlin! You gotta calm down mate, Arthur is okay- but you won’t be if you don’t calm down! ”
Fear was evident in his friends eyes when Gwaine turned to nudge him- molten gold filling them. Merlin was doing magic- though clearly not intentionally. Sucking in a deep breath, Merlin quickly calmed down and the raging elements slowed to a stop. The gold disappeared- leaving the boy’s eyes a deep blue again, but they couldn’t help but be relieved all the same.
"I know him, that's Barron Nighlox from the outlining towns. His land lies along the border of Camelot and Cenred's Kingdom." Merlin informed, his voice kept low to avoid their captors from overhearing- and if there was a slight stutter in his worried voice nobody had the heart to mention or tease him about it.
"He was appointed by my father, and is renowned for being a supporter of the Great Purge." Leon filled in, shifting in his bonds to move around the tree. He had been situated at the back, out of Merlin’s sight, so it was little surprise when the boy jumped slightly at his voice. . He looked less than pleased, face screwing up in badly hidden disgust as he said the man's name.
"That explains this attack. He must by trying to remove you from the throne, Arthur. Must be praying to the Triple Goddess the next ruler reinstates the ban on magics.”
A flash of gold was all it took. With the Barron’s attention stuck on Arthur, Merlin was free to get them out of their bonds. The Knights had seen Merlin use magic many times since he told them his secret, but it never failed to take their breaths away when his usually so cool eyes turned to hot gold. The ropes around their hands and legs dissolved, turning to dust within seconds, and the group quickly wriggled free.
Finally, Barron Nighlox noticed their escape. Drawing his sword, the pasty man was faster on his feet than the knights were and it wasn’t a moment later that the imbecile was holding his blade to the king's throat.
The knights froze, their hands half way to retrieving their swords.
“Take another step, and your king dies.”
The Barron was clearly older than them all, honestly he looked older than Dragoon, but was clearly still spritely. Not the type to hold empty threats. Backing away, the group pulled their hands to the sky.
“You don’t want to do that, Nighlox.” Merlin stated, voice calm and not reflecting the clear and utter panic and fear he was feeling for his king- his friend- his crush. The man he loved.
The older man laughed, or what was presumably a laugh it was hard to tell, and seemed incredibly unfazed by the obviously threatening aura Merlin was emanating. “And what are you going to do, boy? How could you hope to threaten me ?”
Simply cocking an eyebrow, the next thing Merlin said the group had no hope of understanding. A language older than time itself left his lips, and in a second the roots of all the trees surrounding the clearing were launching themselves at the Barron. He managed to dodge the first few, sending swipe after swipe at Merlin with his sword that the warlock simply deflected with a flick of his wrist. One final blow from a tree sent the Barron to the floor, sprawled out far away from the knights and king.
"Who are you?" The man stuttered, fear lacing his voice as Merlin stood tall- unafraid- in between his friends and the danger the man befeld.
"I have been called many names. Emrys, the Last Dragon Lord, Camelots Protector, Morgana's Ward- but I am Merlin. The strongest man to ever walk this earth and you shall not harm my friends." Merlin's hand was outstretched now, gold tinging the edges of his eyes as his magic tried to break free- to protect his own.
"Camelot is under my protection."
Barron Nighlox shivered on the ground before the warlock, but it wasn't from the cold. The Barron nodded, afraid to meet eyes with the Dragon Lord- and even as Merlin was shorter than him when they were a full height he towered tall above the man. Lowering his hands in a show of mercy, Merlin stepped away and Barron Nighlox stumbled to his feet and turned tail- taking off at a run and only stopping briefly to glance back at the group.
Merlin turned back to face his king and the knights of the round table with an awkward smile. They all smiled back and began to sheath their swords that they had acquired while Merlin was attacking the Barron with the shrubbery, the sound echoing out across the quiet green forest. As it was early summer, sunbeams were spilling through the vibrant green leaves that clung to the deep brown of the tree branches.
The knights turned to begin packing up from the mess made during the frey, when Merlin cried out. A sharp pain could be felt, beginning from the middle of his back and straight through to the other side, before the pain began to seep into his everything. Everything hurt, from the skin on his forehead to his toes. He groaned and the knights turned to face him.
Looks of shock and then anger washed over their faces in seconds, and in less than that, Arthur was by his side, his own blade protruding from the Barron's chest.
As the blood soaked his clothes, Merlin's legs gave out and he fell into Arthur's waiting arms with a cry. The pain was unbearable as it began to get worse. He knew if he didn't die from blood loss he would at least pass out from it.
Arthur seemed to know that from his eyes. Those crystal, sapphire, blue eyes that are (on this occasion) flooded with gold. His magic was trying to save him.
But it was already too late.
"Merlin, Merlin please- stay with me you adorable dollophead!" Arthur yelled at his lover who was physically dying before him. Rivers of crimson were staining his red cloak a deep brown- the same colour that was seeping into the rivets of chainmail and armour the man had spent time and time again cleaning.
"It's too late" Merlin managed to mutter, the pain building even from that. "Arthur listen to me, I won't be here for much longer but you have to keep going- keep fighting for everything you believe in." Merlin managed to choke out. He could feel death beside him, ready to take him away to Avalon. As he could feel the last bit of life leave him, Merlin managed to say one last thing to the man he had fought proudly to protect.
"I love you"
Tears were falling from Arthur's eyes in rivers of pure and unrefined sorrow, like nothing he ever felt before. He had lost so many men, watched the life leave his fathers eyes, seen murder and destruction but this cut deeper than ever before. Merlin was dead. His Merlin. The warlock who had saved his life so many times, and the man he loved, was dead in his arms. He just couldn't believe it.
Luckily, he didn't have to for long. As Arthur cried into the love of his life's shirt, ugly sobs wracking his body, a soft golden glow filtered out from under Merlin's eyelids. The glow flowed, making it way until it pooled around his mid chest, back, and the entire wounded area. The glow intensified, and soon skin began to knit back together, muscle re-joining with stitches of magic and blood replaced itself quickly. Soon after, Merlin gasped air into his lungs.
He should have felt relief, happiness, joy at being alive- but in pure Merlin fashion his first action was a snippy line.
"Well that sucked."
All around him, eyes snapped forwards. Each knight, each friend, shared the same look of pure joy and shock. It was mildly comical and Merlin would have laughed if his everything wasn't still hurting quite so much.
Pulling himself up, Merlin only then realised he had been laying in Arthur's lap. He grimaced at the blood that had dried on the rivets of the armour- well aware he would most likely have to clean that upon their return to the Camelot Citadel.
As soon as Merlin had staggered to his feet, Arthur was beside him. In a fluid movement Arthur had spun Merlin around gracefully before pulling him in. Almost instantly, their lips met. The kiss was passionate and beautiful, deepening by the second as the two moved in sync. Merlin had his arms around Arthur's neck while he had his arms around Merlin's waist, keeping them as close together as possible. Somewhere behind them, Gwain whistled in congratulations and the group of knights clapped- cheering and laughing.
Took the pair long enough.