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lover-of-midnight · 2 years

Text

It hurts

Rating:

Mature

Archive Warning

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

Merlin (TV)

Relationship:

Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Characters:

Merlin (Merlin)

Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Leon (Merlin)

Gwaine (Merlin)

Gaius (Merlin)

Additional Tags:

Hurt Merlin (Merlin)

Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)

Protective Knights (Merlin)

Aftermath of Violence

Threats of Violence

Whump

One-Shot

Wordcount: 1.000-3.000

FebuWhump2021

febuwhumpday8

Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin)

Hurt/Comfort

Angst

Language:English

Series: ← Previous Work Part 8 of the Febuwhump 2021series

Collections: febuwhump 2021

@febuwhump

The night air was cold, the knights were slowly falling asleep. It was just another day’s ride then they would be back in Camelot.

Arthur was sitting on a rock looking into the darkness, he could hear the men’s breathing evening out.

His eyes strayed to his friend who was slightly outside the ring of knights, Merlin’s mob of hair was even messier than normal.

He could feel the fatigued clawing at him, wanting to drag him under, he couldn’t imagen how his men must be feeling. It was a battle worthy of the history books.

But at the moment, he just wanted them to rest. The patrols were getting more and more with the sorcerers attacks picking up. The people were scared but there wasn’t much more that they could do to keep everyone safe.

Arthur's eyes moved around the trees to see if he could see anything, the woods were silent except for insects making noise.

The animals of the wood were used to the man walking through the clearing, his magic crackling around him.

When he first started to live here, they would fall silent every time he would move, he was a danger to them, but he never attacks them, he doesn’t hurt them, and when they got injured the man would heal them if he found them.

So they continued with their songs of the evening, it didn’t bother them that his magic was more violent than normal.

Arthur could feel his hair standing up like a pissed of cat. He grabbed his sword. He kept his eyes trained on the woods but there was no movement and the wood was still alive with insects.

He knows that a good indication if something is going to happen, is through listing to the wood, but at the moment, nothing was giving him an indication for having a bad feeling.

The man’s green eyes flashed gold and smoke started to drift into the camp, he could see the prince was aware that there was something in the woods that was out for them.

In less than five minutes since the spell was uttered Arthur fell over, his mind felt like it was trapped. And there was simply no way out. Arthur tried to push himself up, but his body felt like it was made of lead.

He could only watch in horror as the man picked Merlin up. He felt himself getting nauseous when the man slapped on demetricuffs around his arms.

For a moment it felt like his mind was going to split in half, he wasn’t sure what he felt. On one hand, Merlin is a bloody sorcerer and on the other hand horror because his friend was taken and he had no idea where he was being taken.

The man and Merlin disappeared into the woods. Arthur tried again to get himself up, but it was impossible, his muscles were locked.

When the sun started to rise Arthur finally managed to get himself upright. He felt like hell, but he wanted to get Merlin back.

He had a long time to think of what it would mean the fact that Merlin is a sorcerer and how it made him feel. He was angry about it. But at the same time, Merlin never gave him any reason to believe that he is against Arthur.

Arthur bit the inside of his lip. They will just have to talk about it when they find Merlin.

“Wake up! This isn’t the time for sleep anymore” His voice echoed around the clearing, he could see that his men struggled to push themselves up. Their eyes were slightly clouded, but it looked like everyone was okay.

“What happened?” Gwaine’s voice was hoarse, and he stretched out trying to work the weird stiffness from his body.

Everyone’s eyes landed on Arthur and a singular question went through everyone's mind. Why didn’t he woke them up for there turn for guard looked out?

“Something happened last night, I am not properly sure what happened because one minute I was still fine and the next I couldn’t move. But that is not the problem, the problem is that the man that caused it took Merlin.” Arthur could feel the anger boiling under his skin. And the worst part is that he wasn’t sure what he was angrier about.

The fact that Merlin was kidnapped or the fact that he had magic.

Arthur was silent as he looked at the knights, he knows that most of them think of Merlin as a little brother to them.

“Why would they take Merlin?” Leon looked firmly at Arthur.

Arthur was silent for a while, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to blab Merlin’s secret to them, but at the same time, he knows they wouldn’t just up and abandon him.

“He has magic,” Arthur’s voice was low, none of the anger he had felt through the night was there, now he was just scared and hoped that he would be able to get to Merlin soon.

There was a silence around the camp and for a moment Arthur thought he had misread how the knights felt about Merlin.

“So what are we waiting for, let's go get him back.” Gwaine glared at the rest slightly. Sometimes they need a kicked under the arse to get it moving.

The rest of the knights threw a shout into the air. Soon everyone was packed.

They walked through the woods which were spent in silence as they tried to find a trace of the man’s footsteps.

Just after the mid sun had started to pass, they stopped to eat something. How bloody far had the man gone?

The man stared at the boy in front of him. This is supposed to be the all-powerful Emerys? He almost scoffed. He couldn’t help but think that Merlin was nothing more than a runt. But in either way, it doesn’t matter what he thought.

They were sure that he was the one destiny had a prophecy about all those years ago.

“Wake up! This isn’t the time to sleep.” The man’s voice was hard.

Merlin woke with a start. His eyes were wide as he tried to figure out where he was. A small whimper escaped his lip when he saw the man.

His heart rate skyrocketed and he tried to pull into himself.

The man just looked at Merlin, he could see the fear clearly in the blue eyes and for a moment he was filled with joy. He so loved the terror he could create.

“Now, now none of that.” The man’s voice was lower but the darkness in it almost made Merlin close his eyes.

When a thumb traced over Merlin’s cheek, he froze up, he could feel his magic fighting to get out, but something was stopping it.

Pain washed over him when he tried to use it. Merlin could feel himself freezing up complete. He could feel the panic trying to smother him and for a moment it felt like it was.

The man only laughed before he calmed himself.

“So you see there are a few people that are pissed that you are helping the prince, betraying your people so that he could sit on the throne one day.” The man was talking as if he was giving information about the weather.

Merlin just stared at the floor. He admits to himself that he hates himself about that. He never wanted to hurt another person, but there was sometimes no choice. He needs to keep Arthur safe at all cost.

“They want information, and you are going to give me that information.” The man continued.

Merlin knows that he wouldn’t talk no matter what. There was simply too much at stake.

When silence was the only answer, the man turned around pulling a tray closer.

“We can start with something easy. A nail, the longer you don’t give me what I want, I will pull a nail out. And we can move on from there, to break your fingers. And we will continue to go through your body and restart if necessary until I have the information I want.” The man informed Merlin.

The knights were just back on their horses when a scream echo to them. They froze for a second before they started to follow from where the sound had come from.

It took them another hour of walking and a constant screams that had to follow before they found a small house.

They could hear someone talking inside the house, but they couldn’t make out what the person was saying. With a nod from Arthur, they pulled their swords and crept closer.

A kicked against the door and they spilled into the house, the man turned to face the knights. He was covered in blood.

With a wave from his hand, he sends the knights backwards, but there wasn’t enough thought in the movement and Arthur manage to jump out of the way.

The man didn’t bother to say a word or look back but simply disappeared from a door.

Leon and Gwaine rushed to try and catch up but when they opened the door, no one was there.

A silent curse was all that left their lips before they turned to Merlin. They were ready to step in when they saw that Arthur was busy to take off the cuffs.

His eyes had softened when he saw Merlin.

Merlin was pale and broken sobs left his lips, both his hands where cradled to his chest. Leon stood closer with a medic kit Gaius had sent with them.

The flinch made everyone feel like shit, this was their friend, they should have helped him more. But they couldn’t.

Arthur crouched down next to Merlin, he could see that Merlin’s right-hand was broken and it looked like some on the left.

“Merlin, can we see your hand please?” Arthur’s voice was low as he looked at Merlin.

It was clear to see that Merlin didn’t want to offer his hands up.

Merlin pulled his hands closer to his chest. He was surprised that the knights were able to get so soon to them.

A sob left his chest and he curls into himself. Arthur gave a worried look to Leon.

“Merlin, can you please settle against Arthur?” Leon gave Arthur a stern look but at the same time was his voice low and soothing.

Merlin gave an unsure look to Arthur, before he was pulled against Arthur’s chest, a warm hand settled against Merlin’s head.

The warmth and comfort Arthur offered calmed Merlin down slightly.

“Can I see your hand, Merlin?” Leon kept his voice in a soothing tone, the same he would use when he needs to help frightened villagers.

A frantic head shakes from Merlin only happened. He couldn’t bring himself to allow anyone near his hands.

Arthur forced himself to take a deep breath. His hand ran gently through Merlin’s hair.

“Merls, give your hand to Leon, he needs to set it so that Gaius can look after it. If it sets wrong you won’t be able to use your hands.” Arthur kept his voice low, but he knows that Merlin would want to keep the use of his hand, even if it was limited.

Merlin gave Arthur a pleading look, everything in him screamed to keep his hands against his chest.

Leon just sighed. “Merlin please, we need to keep it cool and make a sling that you can keep your hands still.”

They could see the fear in Merlin’s eyes.

Arthur gently ran his hand through the sweaty hair of Merlin. He could feel the shiver running through Merlin’s body.

Merlin’s arm was stiff as he handed to Leon, his body was even tenser than a few minutes before. A pain shot through his arm when Leon started to exam the hand.

“St-stop, please.” The pleading broke Arthur’s heart.

Merlin wanted to pull his hand back but he didn’t want to hurt himself even more if he pulled away.

“Calm down, Merlin.” Arthur’s voice was soft but there was a firmness in his voice that made Merlin listen to him.

Merlin forced himself to breath as Leon wrapped a cooling salve on his arm, he knows that it will help with the swelling that was already happing.

But it didn’t stop the fact that it was painful.

When a bandage was put around Merlin whimpered, but it looked like he was starting to calm down.

With the sling finished, Merlin sat back and rest against Arthur. Now only the fingers that were broken need to be splinted.

When everything was finished, Arthur picked Merlin up. He easily helped Merlin onto his mare, before he slipped up behind him.

Merlin was heavy against Arthur. Arthur tried to over as much as support as he could as they rode to Camelot.

Arthur could feel Merlin’s body slowly going heavier as the fatigued dragged him down.

The ride was spent in silence as they rode on to Camelot.

“Merls, it is time that you wake up.” Arthur couldn’t help but ran his hand against Merlin’s cheek.

Arthur could feel the tension returning to Merlin’s body. With some manoeuvring, Arthur managed to get Merlin down from the horse.

The trip to Gaius chambers was long, and Arthur was kicked out as soon as Gaius had learned what had happened.

Dusk was just falling when there was a knock against Gaius door. The physician answered it, he only nodded at Arthur and allowed Arthur into the room.

Merlin was sitting upright, his hand in a bandage. He kept his eyes on the floor.

“I will leave you too it, don’t upset him, Arthur.” Gaius's voice was a warning.

Arthur only nodded and waited until the door closed behind them. Arthur crouched down in front of Merlin.

“How are you feeling?” Arthur’s voice was soft, he wanted to reach out and take the pain away.

“Alright.” Merlin’s voice was soft and childlike.

“I’m not mad Merls.” Arthur's voice was gentle.

Merlin's eyes widen slightly as he looked at Arthur.

“B-But…” Merlin trailed off.

“But nothing, you are the same dollop head that started work for me, if you wanted to hurt me, you had plenty of change, but you never did.” Arthur gently ran his hand through Merlin’s hair.

Merlin gave a broken laugh.

“We will figure this out Merls.” Arthur hopes the smile he gave Merlin was giving him some hope.

Merlin could only sag forward, Arthur easily caught him. Just holding him close to his chest.