Chapter Text
Fuck."
Merlin lay sprawled out on the forest floor. Mud and sticks and leaves and bugs squelching and poking and squirming beneath him. Slim beams of light came down through the thick canopy allowing him to see a little.
"Urgh, where am I?" Merlin groaned as he propped himself up on one hand and held his pounding head with the other. "Well a forest obviously Merlin," he told himself.
Looking around, this wasn't any forest he recognised. Not even one that Arthur had dragged him to on some quest or hunting trip in the outskirts of Camelot (and there were alot of those). It wasn't familiar in any way. The trees were thick and dark. They were also enormous. Unlike any trees he had ever seen before and they just kept going and going for what looked like eternity.
Fully, sitting up now, Merlin patted himself down to assess any damage. Nothing broken, thank God, but there were a few bruises and scratches all over his body as well as some mild rope burn on his wrists and ankles. There was also a large lump on the back of his head about the size of an egg.
He inhaled sharply making a hissing sound and quickly jerked away his hand. "That explains the pounding headache," he sighed. Checking his fingers in the dim light, Merlin noted that his head wasn't bleeding. "Good, I don't need anything else to worry about."
He no longer had a horse or a bag. No horse or bag meant no food, water or any other kind of larger supplys that he may need. His pockets were also empty. He had turned them all inside out at least twice, but all that was left was some stray fluff and dirt. Any and all emergency medical supplies, as well as his map and money, were gone. Stolen.
Arthur was also missing.
Shakily, Merlin attempted to stand up. Although they weren't particularly steady, his legs supported him despite not being used for... well, he couldn't be sure how long but it had to have been a few days at least.
Finding a long 'Y' shaped stick that he could use as a cane whilst his legs became used to working again, Merlin began to stumble his way through the forest.
~~~~~~~~~~
They were surrounded on all sides.
"Arthur! A little help over here?" Merlin said anxiously whilst fending off two men, much taller than himself, with one of Arthur's old shields. The two had been on a hunting trip, as per Arthur's request, when they were suddenly ambushed by a group of about 10 armed bandits. They were now being attacked by all of them simultaneously.
"Can't you see I'm a bit busy myself Merlin?" Arthur shot back with a tang of annoyance in his voice. He was currently dodging blows from one man on horseback, and another who was injured on the floor but still putting up a good fight.
Merlin and Arthur were also keeping an eye on the rest of the gang whilst fighting. They were forming a circle around the two, penning them in. Noticing what they were doing, Arthur called for Merlin to stand with him back-to-back. At least that way neither could have someone sneak up behind them before they or the other realised. This gave them a better position to fight, but it also gave their enemy time and space to form the ring around them.
"Shit, theres too many, I can't take them all," hissed Arthur.
"Oh, charming. I can fight you know," Merlin scoffed. Of course that prick would try and take all the glory.
"Oh come on Merlin, we both know you barely know what to do with that thing."
"I could take them all in one go!"
"Oh really. You don't even have a weapon!"
"Who said I needed a weapon?"
'Oh God. No. Why did I say that!!!,' Merlin thought. He instantly regretted what he just said. Arthur still doesn't know about his magic and he just gave himself away.
"Just duck down," he ordered. That gave him a startled look from Arthur.
"Did you just -"
"Just do as I say for once would you?"
At that, Arthur ducked down. Although, Merlin could still hear him grumbling about how he should not be taking orders from his manservant and if he were his father Merlin would have been executed for disrespecting the king. Good thing Arthur isn't like Uther.
Holding the hand free from his shield out on front of him, Merlin uttered a spell under his breath.
"Forbairn ypile."
As he spoke, his eyes flashed gold and flames flew from his hand creating a burning ring around him and Arthur. They were safe, for a while at least. He hadn't spotted any sorcerers amongst the bandits so Merlin assumed none of them could reach the pair.
"What the bloody hell was that? Are you a sorcerer Merlin?" Arthur questioned. Merlin could not place whether it was anger or hurt in Arthur's voice, but right now he did not care.
"You're welcome and ask questions later. We don't have time right now." Merlin replied.
Just as Arthur stood back up and opened his mouth to protest again and likely go on some long spiel about how Merlin shouldn't be speaking to him like that, Merlin heard a whisper coming from one of the trees around them.
"Forbearnan firgenhalt"
Before either had time to react, a branch fell from the oak above them, hitting them both square on the head and knocking them out.
~~~~~~~~~~
A sharp jolt startled Merlin awake. Opening his eyes, he saw, well, he felt, that he had been tied up and thrown on the back of a wagon. A thick rope bound him by his wrists and ancles and there was a piece of cloth tied around his mouth. A sheet that let in very little light had been thrown over him.
He could feel heavy breath on his face. Luckily, his gag had not been tied particularly tight as if the bandits thought they would have been knocked out alot longer than they actually were. Merlin spat the cloth out of his mouth. It now loosely hang around his neck.
"Arthur?" He breathed, loud enough for the body next to him to hear but hopefully quiet enough to not be heard by the group around them. Arthur gave back a muffled confirmation. "Are you able to get your gag out? I never thought I'dsay this, but I kind of need you to talk right now."
He heard Arthur using his tongue to push his gag out of his mouth and the scraping of his face against the bottom of the wagon they were laying in. He figured Arthur was using the friction the push the fabric down.
"Got it. Now, what the hell is going on?" Arthur whispered. "First you start ordering me around, then you use magic! And now we are laying in the bottom of an old wagon bound and gagged!" Arthur's voice rose louder than Merlin liked. He now regretted his previous statement. Arthur was obviously angry but now was NOT the time to be passionate.
"Shhh, we can't let them hear us," Merlin whispered.
"Bullshit!" Arthur said. Ok, now they had definitely been heard. "I am the crowned prince of Camelot! I demand to know what is going on!" Merlin was not entirely sure if Arthur was addressing him or their captors, but at that point, the sheet over them was torn back.
As his eyes adjusted to the bright light, Merlin caught a glimpse of Arthur, bound and bloodied. The branch to the head had opened a would somewhere under his hair. Arthur also looked slightly less dignified that normal just laying there like a wet fish. That gave Merlin at least a little amusement.
"Well done your royal idiotness," He said before, yet again, they were hit over the head with something heavy and knocked out cold.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next thing Merlin remembers was waking up abandoned on the floor of the forest.
He now sat on a fallen tree with a fire at his feet and his makeshift cane propped up on a tree to his side. As far as canes go, this one was pretty handy. Other than being used as a walking cane, it was sturdy enough to be used as some sort of weapon if needs be. After walking for a solid day, Merlin figured he deserved a bit of a rest. Throughout his expedition, he hadn't been able to find any water. His mouth was very dry and all he wished for right now was a stream, or even just a puddle. He also hadn't been able to secure any food for himself. He was reminded of this every time his stomach let out an audible grumble. Whilst walking, Merlin had heard plenty of sounds, however the they seemed to come from creatures far too big and dangerous to be suitable for food.
At least he had his fire. It was deathly cold in this place, not to mention damp. He did not want to die from some illness. Especially not out here.
Crack
A twig snapped not too far away from him. Merlin was now on high alert, head whipping back and forth looking for the source of the sound. He grabbed his stick and brandished it in a way that he hoped seemed somewhat threatening. Suddenly behind him a voice spoke his name.
"Merlin..."