Chapter 21: Dangers unseen
Gaius sprang up on his bed; the blanket falling off his shoulders as the warning bell rid him of any chances of sleep. "What in the blazes is that racket...?" the physician asked still half asleep as he looked about the room. He opened and closed his eyes trying to clear the blurry vision of Merlin standing in the middle of the room in his sleeping clothes. "It's the warning bell." Merlin replied as he moved to get his boots and then to the door. "Where are you going Merlin?" Gaius called out at the retreating figure of the young warlock. "To investigate," Merlin stated with a half worried and half teasing look on his face.
Before Gaius could persuade him otherwise, Merlin ran down the steps and slowly made his way to the courtyard. He skidded to a stop and rushed to hide behind the wooden stage that had been built for Evelyn's execution. Arthur, now wearing his armor, was walking down the steps with several guards as he gave out his instructions. "I want the gates sealed and every inch of the lower towns searched. The prisoner must not be allowed to escape." Arthur ordered as he moved past the courtyard with another set of guards and knights in tow.
Merlin stepped back from his hiding spot as the courtyard cleared and looked up at the rope slightly swinging in the stale night air. He swallowed the knot nagging at his throat and rushed towards the direction Arthur had gone, determined to follow. Suddenly a hand shot out of the shadows and grabbed him, pulling him back against a wall where another hand covered his mouth. "Merlin what are you doing here? It isn't safe and Arthur will have your head." Gwaine stated as he looked towards the direction Arthur had gone and finally releasing his hold on his friend. "Go back to your room."
"What's going on? I won't go back until I know." Merlin said with a serious face. "Evelyn has escaped, we don't know how she managed, but we think she had help from the old woman who attacked you and Arthur." The knight explained as he turned Merlin around and led him back towards the opposite direction he had been trying to go. "Now go Merlin, it really isn't safe for you out here." Gwaine said with obvious concern on his face as he fiddled with the hilt of his sword and the uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach.
Merlin nodded and moved back towards his room; Gwaine quickly ran towards the rest of the search party, giving one last look behind him to make sure Merlin had done as he had asked. Once Gwaine was out of sight, Merlin popped his head back out and followed, making sure to not get noticed this time. He kept to the shadows and hid behind crates and barrels as he slowly closed the distance between Arthur and himself. If Evelyn had escaped and magic was responsible, he needed to be near Arthur if he was to protect him, not matter what had happened until know that purpose was even stronger in his mind. His heart skipped a beat as Arthur came into view, the reminder of the hatred the King had for him spread through his body and he had to close his eyes to push it aside.
Taking a deep breath, he ran to the next object that would provide his cover and tripped over something sprawled on the ground. He knocked a few things hanging on the railing of one of the houses as he came crashing down on what had tripped him, his face landing inches from the dead guard's face. Merlin covered his mouth as he gasped and quickly moved to hide. Another guard came rushing towards the noise and stopped to inspect the dead guard. "Sire..!" He yelled at Arthur who came running to stand next to him.
"Inform the rest of the search party that Evelyn is not armed." Arthur ordered as he sheathed his sword and kneeled towards the dead body to inspect a second trail of blood near him. A yell further behind them soon had them running; one of the guards had spotted Evelyn and given her position away. Merlin gave one last glance at the dead guard before quickly following, making sure to be more careful where he stepped.
