Merlin One-Shots!!

Temptation of the Knight

I may have gotten a little carried away...but hey now you guys get an 11k word story after weeks of inactivity. So consider yourselves lucky lol!

Anyway I hope you enjoy, this is probably one of my favourite stories to date. Mordred x OC because I haven't included him enough

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It had been a week since the act of rebellion from the once and future king. Slipping through their grasp like sand, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Some of the group’s best men were lost that day. But Ragnor wasn’t one for sentiment. The bodies were left to rot in the snow as they continued to the citadel. So when the fallen soldier miraculously awoke there was no one to aid him in his recovery. Alone in the wastelands with no supplies, an arrow to the leg and a horrible case of hypothermia, the soldier was left to fend for himself.

The boy struck his dagger against a rock sending sparks flying into the kindling. The campfire cracked to life, spitting embers at the wounded mercenary’s feet. The soft warmth of the flames supplied much needed relief from the harsh winter night. It is the type of coldness that creeps into your bones, freezing you from the inside out. Without the aid of fire the boy would have surely perished long ago.

He curled into a ball wincing at the movement that sent even more rips through his leg. His tears were long since used up, now all he felt was numbness. Fitting for such a remote climate really - it allowed him to suppress all the pain and anger.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep a distant voice echoed on the breeze. Despite his injuries the boy leapt to his feet and scoured the black canvas for signs of life. Three shadows broke away from the horizon, drawn to the boy like a moth to a flame.

“Hello?” His voice was shattered, cracking more than once from disuse.

“Orion is that you?”

"Ragnor!" Orion staggered over to the man and collapsed into his arms, unable to keep himself upright any longer. Ragnor held him tightly, biting back a gasp at the boy’s ghastly appearance. In the space of a week his cheeks had hollowed out, his eyes sunken and dark from lack of sleep. When he rubbed his back he could feel every rib and the divet in between. It was like hugging a skeleton and that sickened Ragnor.

"Everyone thought you were dead. You had no heartbeat dammit." Ragnor exclaimed

"Guess the gods weren’t done with me yet.” Orion joked lightly trying to break the heavy tension.

Having used up all his energy, Orion rested his head against Ragnor’s shoulder. Taking the hint Ragnor guided him back over to the fire where his company had already settled. Helion and Noah, two of the best trained assassins Ismere had to offer. Orion looked around weakly then stared up at Ragnor.

“How did you find me?”

“The fire. We had been tracking the escaped slaves when we saw it.” Helion threw Orion his waterskin and the boy chugged down the contents in one desperate gulp. Noah rifled through his own bag and produced a husk of bread. Despite the very apparent mould Orion wolfed it down, although that did nothing to settle his churning stomach.

“Escaped slaves?” Orion asked through a mouthful of bread.

“There was a breakout at the keep. Apparently the king and his servant helped to free the Camelotians. Amidst the chaos others took the opportunity to escape as well. Not that we had many men to spare.” Orion froze mid chew and stared at the three men in shock.