2021 WHUMPTOBER

4. Taken Hostage - Merlin

The alarm bells rang loudly and suddenly, startling Merlin who promptly dropped the armor he was hauling up the stairs with a loud clang.

"What's going on?" he wondered aloud. 

He had not expected someone to answer.

"I assume they're looking for me." 

Merlin whipped around to find a rough looking man pointing a sword at his chest.

The man narrowed his eyes at him, "Any wrong moves and I run you through, got it? Now show me how to get out of here."

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, trying to decide if there was any way for him to use magic subtly enough to not get run through by the sword poking his back. 

"The name's Herold." he said shortly, "Now shut up."

"Yes sir," Merlin mocked quietly.

Not quietly enough, because he felt a sharp sting on his left arm where Herold had cut him with the sword.

"I said shut up." he growled, putting the sword back to Merlin's back.

Merlin decided to keep his mouth shut, for the time being. What made Merlin the most angry about this situation was not the guards' incompetence, but the fact that he couldn't find any way to use his magic. Especially with his luck, someone would walk around the corner and see him with gold eyes. He'd be on the pyre by morning. 

So Merlin tried or a different tactic. He decided to try and lead Herold to some area where guards would notice them or he could call for help. 

Yes his plan might get him hurt or killed, because Merlin was fairly sure that his idea landed under Herold's "wrong move" category, but Merlin finally remembered who the man was and refused to let him escape.

Not for what he did.

Arthur had briefly mentioned him the other day, and Merlin was mortified by what he heard. Herold Longwell was sentenced to death for the murder of two mothers, a father, and four children, one that was no older than two. 

Merlin had no sympathy for this man.

Herold obviously didn't know how to get around, so he was relying on this servant. He just didn't count on the particular servant being a stubborn idiot with no sense of self preservation.

Merlin rounded a corner and saw a brief flash of Camelot red (That sounds like a crayon color) disappear around the corner.

'Now or never,' Merlin thought.

"Help! Over here! He-"

Merlin grunted as he was cut off by a sword running through his middle. 

Herold was about to run, but Merlin whispered a small spell and grabbed his feet, sending him sprawling to the ground. The knights were on him in an instant. 

Merlin scooted away from the comotion towards the wall. He pulled his knees up to his chest and tilted slightly to the side so that his back wasn't directly against the wall. That would press the sword farther through him and that would be bad.

More hurried footsteps padded through the halls, and Merlin saw Sir Leon and Arthur round the corner. 

"Well done men," Arthur said as Leon helped restrain Herold by knocking him out. 

One of the guards shook his head and gestured to Merlin, "It was your manservant sire."

Arthur whipped around, eyes wide, "Merlin!"

Merlin gave a half hearted smile that was really more of a grimace. The world was rather blurry and his middle really hurt.

Arthur's face fell into a hard frown, "Merlin?"

Merlin took a painful breath, "He made me into a Merlin Shish Ka Bob," he mumbled drowsily. 

Arthur's eyes widened as he finally noticed the sword protruding from his back. He let out a string of curses as he knelt next to Merlin.

"Just hold on Merlin," He said softly. He turned to the guards. "Get Gaius ready and help me with Merlin."

The edges of Merlin's vision darkened. 

"Just hold on," Arthur said. 

But it sounded far far away. Merlin slipped into the blackness.

***** LINE BREAK *****

Merlin groaned as he rejoined the land of the living.

"Merlin? You with us?"

"No," he grumbled, forcing his eyes open.

Gaius's old face smiled down at him. Arthur was hovering over his shoulder with a mixed expression. A little anger, a little worry, and a little more relief.

"Hey Arthur," Merlin said.

The anger in the prince's expression intensified.

"You're an idiot."

"Yes I'm aware."

"You nearly died."

"Also aware of that."

"And really?" Arthur asked incredulously, "'He made me into a Merlin Shish Ka Bob'?"

Merlin grinned, "Well... he did."

"When Gaius deems you fit for duty I'm going to kill you myself."

"I'll look forward to it."

"Idiot."

"Prat."

**********

A/N- yay another Merlin one. 

That is all.

Love y'all! :)