Beautiful Magic - A Merthur Oneshot

Beautiful Magic

This wasn’t how he imagined it happening. Merlin had intended to someday sit down with Arthur, when he was finally sure the time was right, and tell him. Everything. But not everything goes to plan, especially when a swarm of bandits were running towards them and Arthur was already injured. The stupid cabbagehead had taken an arrow to the arm while protecting Merlin (who at the time was actually enchanting a tree branch to fall on the head of the man trying to kill Gwaine.) 

This was supposed to be a short trip, only requiring two knights when usually there would be a dozen or so flanking the king and his manservant as they rode out of Camelot. But this time, they were only travelling to a nearby village to acquire something for Morgana. (Merlin is pretty sure that Arthur is trying to remedy their most recent fight with gifts.) So Arthur, Gwaine, and Lancelot had all set out for what would only be a three-day trek, and of course, Merlin tagged along. Where Arthur went, Merlin usually wasn’t far behind. Sometimes he was even heard muttering treasonous insults about the king, but no one dared confront him. The last time one of the new knights threatened Merlin, sword pointed at his throat, with being thrown in the dungeon for his treason, Arthur had lost it. The knight had spent the next two days in the stocks and been sent elsewhere for patrol. 

Before they had even arrived at the village on the morning of their second day, they had already run into trouble. Six men, who appeared to be smugglers of some kind, had stumbled across their path and tried to kill them. Or capture them for trafficking. Merlin wasn’t quite sure. Merlin had been too busy dropping a tree branch on the one fighting Gwaine to notice another with a crossbow aimed directly at him. If Arthur hadn’t tackled Merlin to the ground, the arrow would have pierced his heart. Arthur, however, caught the projectile in his upper arm before Lancelot struck the man down from behind. Merlin had been livid that Arthur had risked his life, again, for that of his servant, even though he really was happy to be alive. He still nagged Arthur to no end as he bandaged his arm and wrapped a cloth around his shoulder to keep Arthur from moving his arm as much as possible until they could get him to Gaius for some stitches.

So now, as they faced down more bandits on their way home with Morgana’s gift (a new necklace and a jewellery box,) Arthur was trying to swing his sword left-handed and was barely managing to block attacks, let alone land a fatal blow to his opponent. Merlin could just manage to keep a blade from piercing his abdomen and he held Arthur’s spare sword. Gwaine and Lancelot had two bandits a piece and they seemed to be strong fighters. Merlin slowly took steps backwards so he came back to back with Lancelot.

“Lancelot,” Merlin huffed between the clanging of swords and the grunts of battle around them.

“Yes, Merlin?” Lancelot’s voice was tight when he spoke. It definitely didn’t sound like he thought he was going to win anytime soon.

“None of us is fairing too well and Arthur is already injured. He’s going to re-open his wound.” Merlin blocked another blow before quickly cursing under his breath. He could see more bandits not far off in the woods. “And it looks like we’re about to be surrounded.”

“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine at the moment. Have you always been this doom and gloom?” Merlin knew Lancelot was just trying to make light of the situation, but at this point, there was very little humour to be found in their predicament. Another bandit reached their squirmish and engaged in battle alongside his friend, both of them fighting Arthur who looked worse and worse by the second.

“My point is, I think I’m going to have to use magic to get us out of this alive.” Merlin tried to land a blow to his opponent’s side but his attack was blocked.

“That’s illegal, Merlin. You are in the presence of two knights of Camelot and the king of Camelot. You’ll be killed.” Merlin was silent for a moment as he took in what Lancelot was saying. He thought his friend had supported him. “I’m messing with you, Merlin. I am all for your plan.”