Merlin Imagines

Gwaine x Reader: Little Bird

"...All I'm saying is that it's weird to keep track of how many apples are in a basket. He shouldn't have been able to tell one was missing," Gwaine shrugged as he bit into his stolen apple.

"He caught you with it in your hand, Gwaine." Leon laughed. "It takes extreme skill to miss a crime that you're witness to." The other knights laughed while they rode along the forest trail.

"Yet I got away."

"It's not that funny, Gwaine." Elyan chided. "You should be glad that you weren't in uniform. Arthur would've had your head."

"No, he wouldn't. His Highness talks a big game. I could get away again if I wanted. We don't even have to be out right now, you know. We could just tell him that we finished the patrol and he would be none the wiser."

"That goes against our code, Gwaine." Percival reminded him. "You know that."

"Yeah I know. But it's healthy to push the limits." Gwaine said cheekily. Everyone laughed. Gwaine opened his mouth to speak again, but he stopped.

"What is it?" Leon asked him.

"Do you hear that?" Gwaine asked.

"Hear what?" The party went silent, listening for any sound. "I don't hear anyth—"

"Shh!" Gwaine shushed his friend. The party listened for any sound. Then they heard someone cough. "That!" The knights looked at each other and began to ride towards the sound. After riding for a short distance, Leon held his hand up and motioned for everyone to stop. The knights dismounted and drew their swords. Elyan signalled for everyone to spread out and search the area. Everyone went silent and serious. All except for Gwaine, who was swinging his sword and loudly chewing his apple. After one particularly loud crunch, the knights turned and glared at him. He shrugged and everyone went back to their search. Just as he was about to turn back, Gwaine heard another cough. His head snapped up and his gaze landed on a gnarled old tree a few metres from where he stood. Suddenly serious, he dropped his apple and brandished his sword. He stood against the back of the tree and took a deep breath. Then he spun around the trunk to the other side, pointing his phone at the source of the sound. He dropped his sword and sucked in a breath. Lying against the base of the tree was a girl with matted H/C hair and covered in scrapes and bruises. Although she was barely conscious, she kept her hands firmly pressed against a wound on her side. From her laboured breathing, Gwaine could tell she needed help, and fast. He crouched down to look at her just as her eyes snapped open. Her face filled with fear and she tried in vain to squirm away from him.

"Please don't hurt me," She gasped. Gwaine held his hands up.

"I won't, I'm here to help." He told her. A faint smile tugged at her lips, and before he could react she was unconscious. Gwaine ripped a strip of fabric from the bottom of his cloak and pressed it against the girl's side. "Over here!" He shouted. Footsteps thundered towards him. Percival was the first to appear.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"I don't know but she needs help. Send someone ahead and tell Gaius to prepare the infirmary!" Still keeping a tight hold on her wound, Gwaine awkwardly lifted the girl into his arms and took her back to his horse.

What happened to you?

...

"...can you hear me?" You slowly returned to the surface. "Miss, I need you to open your eyes if you can hear me." With a small groan, your eyes slowly opened. An old man with gray hair was standing over you. "Well good morning." He smiled down at you. "Merlin, go inform Arthur and his knights that the girl is awake," You heard footsteps and a door slam.