From the beginning, Arthur knew it was going to be a horrible hunt. For starters, Merlin wasn't there. Although Arthur would never admit it, he honestly did enjoy Merlin's company. At the very least it gave him someone to poke fun at and banter with.
Not even five minutes into the ride, the sky grew dark abover Arthur and his Knights, grey clouds blanketing the once blue sky. Arthur did his best to keep his spirits up, but many of his Knights agreed it was more than likely going to rain. Arthur hated hunting in the rain.
Less than ten minutes after the skies went grey, Arthur's horse became lame. It started walking with a severe limp, leaving Arthur with no choice but to turn back. "You go on ahead," he tells his Knights. "I'll fetch a new horse and meet you in the Eastern Wood this afternoon."
Arthur took it easy on his horse on the way back, feeling bad for the obvious pain it was in. As he neared Camelot, he dismounted and walked on foot to the stables. He informs the stable boy of his horses's condition, then set about picking a new one when something caught his eye.
He walks outside the stables, frowning in the direction of the courtyard. Smoke was rising up into the sky in long tendrils. A bad feeling settles in Arthur's stomach. He breaks into a brisk walk, reaching the courtyard quickly, only to be standing on the outskirts of a very large crowd. Arthur forces his way through the throng of people, trying to get a better look at what was going on.
A mass of firewood had been assembled on a large, elevated platform, and flames curled out from the burning wood. A man was tied to a stake in the midstof the flames, struggling weakly against the ropes that bound him. Arthur moves forward. That man looked familiar.
Arthur shoves his way further through the crowd, ignoring the gasps and murmurs of the people around him. He finally catches sight of the man's face. Merlin. In that instant, everything slows. Arthur feels as though he's been stabbed in the gut with a blade, his breath knocked out of him. Merlin. Without thinking he surges forward, forcing his way through the crowd. "MERLIN!!!"
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Forbidden - A Merthur fic
FanfictionUther Pendragon has hated sorcery since the very day it resulted in the death of his wife. He's ruled Camelot with an iron fist, murdering countless of innocent sorcerers in the public eye. He's raised his son, Arthur, to hate magic with equal passi...
