Merlin: Dawn of the Dragonlord

Chapter 13: The Last Home

Chapter 13

Arthur felt numb. His mind was racing to find coherent words to say.

Merlin. Knocked over by Merlin. Merlin isn't dead. Merlin is here. Follow the trail of clumsiness. Lord Merlin Brittanicus. He's here.

The silhouette in front of him looked so much taller than it should. Arthur noticed the high boots, the chain mail and the sword, all of them so uncharacteristic of Merlin. Their eyes met, but no words came out.

"Gwaine! Lancelot!" gasped Merlin, rushing to his friends to give them a quick brotherly hug.

Get up, the prince told himself irritably. You look stupid. Just get up!

"Well, I see that your manners haven't improved," he let out in his most arrogant tone as he was struggling awkwardly. His sword had managed to get stuck under a tree root somehow.

Suddenly, a strong muscular hand grabbed him and pulled him up. Arthur landed heavily on his two feet only to find himself starring at a man the size of a giant.

"What are you doing here?" he heard Merlin say directly to Gwaine and Lancelot. "Is anything wrong? Gaius?"

Arthur was painfully aware that he was being ignored on purpose, which only made him angrier.

"Gaius is fine," said Lancelot straight away.

"Not thanks to you," snorted Arthur.

Lancelot threw him a disapproving glare. "He's worried. We were all worried..." said the knight softly.

They were cut off by a long howling in the distance. The knights all turned to stare at the fallen wolf. They were all dressed in black and chain mail, carrying torches and swords at the ready. They had the look of men who were on a hunt.

"Your timing isn't great," said Merlin, lowering his voice.

"No kidding," growled the prince.

The other knights were standing in semi-circle around Merlin, except for the huge one who was positioned next to Arthur. The heir to the throne of Camelot had never felt so unimportant in his life.

"What's going on?" said Gwaine in a serious tone.

"That would take a long time to explain," murmured Merlin. "Let's just say for now that you just made the rest of the pack very angry."

"Not me," corrected Gwaine. "Arthur."

They're eyes met again as another low howling filled the air. Merlin broke the stare first. He gestured to the tall knight next to Arthur.

"Gregory, you will take Arthur, Gwaine and Lancelot to the keep," said the warlock commandingly. "The rest of us will draw the wolves away from here."

Arthur was in shock again. Merlin giving orders just didn't feel natural. But from the way the others were nodding in approval, the prince did not dare disagree.

"Let me help you," said Gwaine with his sword well in hand. His usual nonchalance seemed momentarily forgotten.

Merlin nodded and then he turned to Lancelot.

"Go with Gregory and Arthur," he said. "We will return before the night is over."

This is ridiculous, thought Arthur, annoyed beyond belief. It couldn't be happening. Merlin couldn't give orders. Merlin could hardly put one foot in front of the other without making a fool out of himself. He was just a servant. Merlin should be joking around and making witty comments, not wearing black and pretending to be an arrogant prat.