Wrap Your Arms Around Me (merdred)

8. Hunting Trip

This chapter is SOOOO adorable... just sayin'

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    ARTHUR HAD PLANNED YET ANOTHER hunting trip. He was beginning to think the king could somehow tell when he had no desire to do these things, and then suggest they do it just to make his life a living hell. Merlin wanted nothing more than to stay in Camelot, preferably his room, away from certain knights.

He sighed loudly and stuffed the horses' saddles with food and other supplies. He grabbed the horses each by their reigns and walked them to the front of the castle where the knights and the king were waiting.

"Took you long enough, Merlin," Arthur mumbled once he reached them. He rolled his eyes and handed Arthur's reins to him.

"Prat," he muttered quietly, earning a few chuckles from the knights. He smirked and hopped up onto his horse. He looked behind him to see that Mordred had just done the same and was petting his horse across the mane. Echo neighed softly and shook her head. Mordred looked up from his horse and met his eyes. He immediately pulled them away and forced them onto his own horse.

'You can't tell me to stop talking to you and then keep looking at me,' Mordred chuckled in his head.

Merlin did his best to ignore his comment and focus on the trip. They took off on their horses not a moment later out of the gates and into the forest. They ventured far into the woods since most of the animals had learned not to come that close to the castle. He stayed at Arthur's side like he normally did, but made sure he was at a good enough distance from Mordred. And he made sure not to look back again after that comment he made.

"Princess, I think I see something moving up ahead," Gwaine shouted and pointed to the trees in the distance.

"Next time maybe don't shout. We are trying to actually catch something today, Sir Gwaine," the king shook his head and slowed the horse down. He squinted at the trees, then took his crossbow out and held it so it was pointing at a blob between two trunks. "Gwaine, you want this one? I think it's a deer."

"Sure," the knight mumbled and took his own crossbow out. Before he could take a shot, Merlin sent some of his magic towards the deer. Run, my girl. Just as Gwaine shot the arrow, the deer sprinted out of the way and the tip of the arrow hit the tree. Merlin smiled in accomplishment. "Damn it!" Gwaine groaned and lowered his bow.

They picked up their speed again and travelled deeper into the forest. Merlin had to send his magic towards a few more animals but sadly, a little rodent didn't take the hint and Leon had killed it for dinner.

The sky started to turn dark and anxiety was creeping up on the warlock. He didn't want to have to sleep with all his problems in a forest surrounded by all the knights. But damn, he was tired. When was the last time he'd slept?

Arthur had managed to catch a deer and declared that that would be the last hunt for the night. They stopped at a small clearing and jumped off their horses. It was dark and everyone was starving.

"Tie the horses up, start a fire and then get started on dinner, Merlin," Arthur ordered him and then left to go sit with the rest of the group. He rolled his eyes and began to tie up everyone's horses, except Gwaine's and Mordred's who had both always insisted to tie their own.

When Merlin began unloading the things they needed from the horses, a dizziness washed over him. He hadn't slept in the last twenty-four hours, and it was deciding to take a toll on him right then. He grabbed all of the sleeping rolls and spread them all out on the ground.

"Merlin, just go get firewood already so you can start dinner. We're all starving."

He nodded tiredly and walked away from the clearing. He picked up a few dry sticks and twigs until he had a decent armful and brought them back to start a fire. There were too many people around him to start it by using magic. He hit the flint on the small steel rod, attempting to start it by hand but the only thing he managed to make was a small spark.