No one was talking as they set up camp. Percival had placed Merlin on the ground and Elyan had set about making a fire next to the unconscious servant, all of them knowing that the warmer they could get the man, the better. Gwaine had a face like thunder and had stalked off in order to find firewood, but Arthur had gestured for Leon to go after him. He knew that the knight was more likely to try and get back to the hut and take on Morgana for himself for hurting Merlin, and Arthur couldn’t risk losing anyone else.
Not that he had lost Merlin, not yet anyway. Arthur refused to believe that his servant had just been enchanted to kill him. Despite the mocking words he always threw Merlin’s way, Arthur knew that the slighter man was strong. Maybe not physically, but he had a strength of mind that Arthur wasn’t sure he himself possessed. If anyone was to fight of a curse, it would be Merlin.
The sounds of Gwaine and Leon in the trees made Arthur sigh as he sat down. He knew that he had been right in thinking that Gwaine had no intention of collecting firewood, but Leon knew how to calm him down. The older knight knew how to calm them all down, but Arthur wasn’t sure even Leon’s soothing words would be able to banish the feeling of dread coiling in the king’s stomach. He gestured for Percival and Elyan to come closer, unwilling to move more than a few paces away from Merlin in case the man should regain consciousness. Arthur sighed as he stared down at the still form of his servant. It was just wrong having Merlin this quiet.
“Sire?” Elyan’s soft voice cut through Arthur’s troubled thoughts and he looked up to find both men watching him closely with sympathetic expressions on their faces. Arthur refused to acknowledge the look, refused to think about how it almost made them look like they were grieving for their friend. Merlin wasn’t dead, and for all they knew he would be fine! Arthur refused to let an alternative be true.
“Gwaine is Merlin’s friend. He would protect him beyond anything, even me. Leon is the opposite, he will only think of keeping me safe. I can’t trust either of them to do what is right, so I am trusting you two. If Merlin…tries anything when he wakes up, I want him restrained. Under no circumstances are you to hurt him, the only force used is that which is required to stop him from killing me, understand?”
“Yes, Sire,” Percival seemed to be speaking for both of them as Elyan dipped his head. Arthur dismissed them with a flick of his hand, satisfied that they would do as he asked. They needed to get Merlin back to Camelot, for Arthur was sure that Gaius would know what to do. But Arthur knew he also had to ensure that Merlin made it back without someone trying to protect their king and forgetting the fact that the servant wasn’t acting of his own free will.
Loopsta`s Realm 