All Evidence Suggests

The Realisation

Arthur's useless toad of a manservant was missing. Again.

It was becoming unfortunately common for Merlin to disappear at the most inconvenient of times, it was a wonder Arthur hadn't sacked him. Though part of him was secretly appalled at the very idea.

Merlin hadn't been his usual annoying self since the Witchfinder accused him and Gaius of being sorcerers. Which was understandable but Arthur was starting to miss his usual blabbering which provided a welcome distraction from the tedium of court life.

But presently there was a mythical creature rampaging through one of the outlying villages and no previous attempts to fell the beast had succeeded. Arthur was being sent out by his father to deal with the beast. He'd gone to his chambers to inform Merlin but his manservant was nowhere to be found. So instead of preparing to leave like he was supposed to, he was searching the castle for the useless fool.

Arthur spent longer looking for Merlin than he'd care to admit before he begrudgingly returned to his chambers empty-handed to begin packing by himself.

When Merlin finally stumbled into the room Arthur was almost ready to go so he was more than a little irritated by Merlin's belated appearance.

"And where the hell have you been?"

He had that stupid confused look on his face again. Like he couldn't possibly fathom what he'd done wrong this time. Arthur thought it only right that he reminded him.

"I was collecting your new dagger from the blacksmith as you asked! And then I had to go and get your freshly polished armour so we're ready to ride out. Then Gauis wanted me to-"

"That's quite enough Merlin! Because of you, we're going to be late riding out, who knows how many villagers will have died because of your tardiness."

Merlin at least had the decency to look sheepish.

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The beast in question had been identified by Gaius as a Jaculus. A serpent-like creature with wings that hid in trees and waited for people or animals passing underneath to attack. But this one had gotten brave. It had been hiding in the roof of one family's home and had slaughtered them in their sleep before making its way through the rest of the village.

The villagers had attempted to kill the beast but their weapons had had no effect, nor had the attempts from the knights of Camelot.

Arthur had taken a few knights with him at Uther's request, in the hopes they'd be more successful this time.

They corralled the beast away from the village and to an open clearing, free from trees or buildings in which the beast could elude them. The beast lashed out at them with claws and teeth, keeping them at bay with tail and wings.

Swords became useless as they could not get close enough, lances and arrows went hurtling through the air in the hopes of piercing its scaly hide. But to no effect. Arthur lost sight of Merlin in the chaos as knights and weapons went flying, the sound of chain mail a roar in the once quiet clearing.

Arthur hurled his new dagger at the jaculus in a last-ditch attempt to quell the creature. By some miracle not only did the dagger hit true, but it also managed to fell the beast.

The sound of celebration and relief rang out from the knights. But their relief was short-lived as a swarm of bandits descended upon them. Today really wasn't Arthur's day.

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It transpired that the bandits had trained the jaculus to invade people's homes and kill the occupants so the bandits could come in and raid the houses. Not that that information was much help in their current predicament against an angry hoard of bandits.