To See You Smile - Merlin

Chapter 4

The group only had to walk five short miles for them to happen upon a desolate town. Well walk was a strong word concerning Merlin.

While everyone was wary of him being on his legs so soon after a traumatic event, he shrugged them off and began walking, stumbling, after them as they set through the forest. They got maybe a mile before Elyan, Leon and Percival noticed Merlin's increasing unsteady footing. Leon pulled Merlin off the ground, away from his walking companions, Lancelot and Gwaine, and placed him onto Percival's back. From then on, they made good time, even if it came with the price of a grumbling Merlin.

The only living thing in the whole town seemed to be the skittish, hungry horses tied in their stables. Six horses, ranging a dark chestnut brown to a startling, dazzling white. The knights checked the houses and found no one. No one living, that is. They found a small stash of food, empty water skins and thankfully, some new bandages. Leon managed to find two extra bed rolls, Gwaine, a thick blue and green cloak for Merlin and Percival stumbled upon a pot of olive oil which he mixed with various herbs that Merlin vaguely recognised.

"My mum was a healer," the large man supplied, slipping the pot into Merlin's new coat, "Nothing special but there was a lot of forest fires around our city. A lot of burns. She used this on them to fight infection and keep swelling down."

The sorcerer looked up at his friend, reached out and squeezed his upper arm, "I appreciate it Percival, thank you."

Then it came to the issue of the horses. Their's had all fled during the chaos of the previous day. Merlin mentally did a headcount and came up with six knights and him. Now while he would have offered himself to walk, he knew Arthur, let alone the other five men, wouldn't let him. However he didn't like the thought of one his friends having to walk in his place.

While Elyan double checked the assortment of thatched homes for another stallion, the others decided what to do in the very likely outcome there wasn't another steed.

Each Knight offered to walk so that Merlin could have a horse.

"We could have a rotation, so that every few hours, the one who is walking swaps with someone that isn't," Leon brought forward and most of the knights seemed to agree with the idea.

"Or-" Merlin began but Arthur cut him off by holding a hand up to him,

"Merlin, you are in no fit state to walk. So you're not included in this conversation."

"Okay or you could listen to what I was going to say, which wasn't that," the dark haired man sassed, and pulled the neck of the cloak closer to him as bitter chill washed over him, "You could string me off the back of one of your horses like cargo. I know you've done it before, Arthur. Shouldn't be too hard to remember."

The knights, including Elyan who came back with a negative on the extra horse, laughed at Arthur's reddening, embarrassed face. It was Gwaine who stopped laughing first and placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder to gain his attention, "You can share my horse, no need for the tying up. I'm not sure why we didn't think of that sooner."

"I always thought I was the most intelligent of you all," Merlin's tone was light and playful, accompanied by a blinding smirk.

"And apparently, the most arrogant," Lancelot retorted, making Merlin laugh.

Merlin's uninjured hand reacher up and placed itself over Gwaine's which was still rested on his shoulder. He looked at the Knights around him with his soulful eyes, which conveyed so much emotion.

"Thank you, so much."

The King swallowed the tears in his throat, "You are most welcome, Merlin."