A/n this imagine is requested by @TheMazeRunner90. I know this isn't exactly what you requested but I got slightly carried away on describing the forest scenes. Please let me know if you want me to write an alternative ending or something.
Exasperated I sighed as both Merlin and I rode on throughout the woods, Merlin's natural babble of useless words continuing on like a ever ending stream and it was slowly driving me insane.
"Merlin have you ever heard of a certain type of magic?" I questioned looking over at the boy. He shut his mouth, pursing his lips before shaking his head.
"What type of magic?"
"It is called silence you should try it sometime." I turned to look ahead, my eyes now focusing on the road that lay before us.
"Nope," He shook his head from beside me causing me to visibly roll my eyes. "Never heard of it." He continued to talk about nonsense and I was desperately trying to drown his frustrating monotone voice out.
A whimper sounded and I spun my head, thinking it was Merlin, to see him firmly planted on his horse still rambling on. The whimper sounded again, louder this time and I pulled my horse to a stop my ears desperately listening to hear the source of the noise.
"Merlin shut up." I climbed down off the horse, holding out a hand to silence him but he continued to talk. "Seriously Merlin shut up." Finally being quiet, he noticed I had climbed off my horse.
I led the beautiful mare over to a tree stop tying the reigns there before the whimper sounded again, louder and clearer.
"It sounds like a girl." Merlin commented as he followed my lead, climbing off his horse tying her to a tree branch. This time a scream sounded, as if whoever was making the noise were being stabbed repeatedly in the chest.
I drew my sword as we walked into the gathering of trees that surround the road. The whimpering was getting persistently louder as we crept along the forest, on the look out for anything that could lead us to the girl. As we slowly neared a small clearing the sound grew louder with each step we took. The girl had started to sob, her obvious pain too overwhelming.
"There!" Merlin clapped his hand on my shoulder whilst using his other hand to point out a small hunched figure curled on the floor by a tree. Merlin removed his hand and we rushed forward towards the girl, myself leading the way and Merlin shortly on my heels.
In seconds we had reached the her, and she slowly lifted up her head to look up at us. Tears and pain stained her beautiful face which caused me to stop in my tracks. Her striking eyes were glistening as tear after tear fell, leaving streaks down her cheeks. A single piece of hair was stuck to her face where her tears had made her skin wet and yet she's she's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
Slowly I knelt before her and her eyes instantly flickered to my sword. I put it down slowly opening my hands to show her I had no weapon.
"We mean you no harm." She nodded at my words, relaxing her head back as more tears fell. "Where are you injured?"
"My ankle," Before she continued she lifted her skirt slowly to reveal a largely swollen purple ankle covered in tiny cuts and bruises. "And well-" She removed her hand from her side to reveal a large hole in her shirt, where a gaping wound lay underneath the clothing on the skin.
"Merlin go fetch our supplies from the horses." In an instant Merlin shot off, and I turned back to the girl. In the short time Merlin was gone I ripped a strip of my shirt and bound it around the girls torso to stop the bleeding on her gushing wound. Merlin had returned in seconds copying my movements and kneeling beside me. I leant back and let Merlin work, this may be the only thing I do not know how to do and he does.
As Merlin moved her ankled slightly the girl winced, hissing furiously through her teeth. Merlin mumbled an apology as I realised I need to keep the girl distracted to allow Merlin to work without causing her too much pain.
"What is your name?" I questioned. Her eyes flickered from Merlin's hands to my own eyes as she grimaced as Merlin tried to wind a bandage around her ankle.
"Y/n." She was trying to smile at me, despite all her pain, and that small smile sparked a small somersault in my stomach to take place.
"I am Arthur." She nodded the corners of her mouth curling upwards slightly before Merlin accidentally tugged on her bandage causing her smile to be replaced by a cry out of pain. "What are you doing in the forest y/n?"
"Running." Her eyes refilled with tears even though Merlin was not even touching her. My heart contracted as tears fell down her rosy cheeks.
"Where were you running to?" She looked up at me, her eyes glistening as she shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"Anywhere." Her voice was filled with such pain and sorrow it made my heart break just by listening to it. "I just needed to get away."
"Arthur." I did not notice that Merlin had stood and was several paces away way from the two of us. He gestured his head towards him, and I stood nodding my head at y/n before walking over to him. "I have done my best but she needs to a see a physician Arthur."
"Well we cannot exactly send her back." We both turned our heads to look at Y/n who was sat, her facial features scrunched slightly as she willed herself not to cry. "You heard what she said. She must have been running for a reason."
"If she doesn't see a physician soon, she will die." I snapped my head back to Merlin who was looking very solemnly at me.
"We cannot let that happen."
I strode over to y/n who rose her head as she heard me approaching. She smiled softly, like it took what little energy she possessed to do so, before I knelt before her.
"How would you feel about coming to Camelot?" I questioned and her smile instantly fell.
"Arthur I do not know." Uncertainty tainted her voice as her eyes refused to meet mine.
"We need to get you to see a physician." Merlin spoke softly behind me. "I have done all I can for you y/n but," He cut himself off, his sentence trailing into the air as y/n sighed.
"Can you guarantee that I will be safe?" Vulnerability echoed throughout her voice as both Merlin and I nodded. "How?"
"Can you trust the word of a prince?" I smiled at y/n, and despite her weakening state she gasped.
"You are a prince?" Her voice was getting weaker by the second and her skin was slowly getting as pale as a ghost's.
"A royal prat of a prince." Merlin muttered under his breath, but not quietly enough that it did not escape my hearing. Clenching my teeth, I swung my arm out, thumping Merlin on the head. he gasped, his hands reaching for the spot where I had hit and I smiled triumphantly. Y/n giggled softly at our charade, the beautiful sound so quiet and weak it shook both Merlin and I out of whatever mental trance we were in.
"Can you walk?" I questioned, furrowing my eyebrows deep into my forehead. Y/n braced her arms gently pushing herself up before falling straight into my chest gasping in pain. "It is okay." I whispered as y/n slowly lifted her head upwards to look at me. "I have got you." She nodded, breathless either due to our proximity or due to her pain.
I slowly placed her back on the ground, allowing her to resume her position leaning against the tree. My mind desperately thinking of a solution of a way to transport her from here to the horses and I could only think of one.
"Would you be okay if I carried you?" I questioned softly and y/n nodded as sweat slowly began to dampen her forehead. Slowly I scooped her up into my arms, careful not to push against her injuries I held her close to my chest.
We began to walk to the horses and y/n weak with her pain allowed her eyes to flutter close. Her chest was still rising and falling as she breathed in and out, but her pain took away majority of her energy.
"Arthur?" Her voice was barely a whisper that reached my ears but I looked down all the same to see her gorgeous orbs on me. "Thank you for keeping me safe."
I have no idea what stemmed my reply as her eyes fluttered close, but I knew that what I said was true. I could see myself taking care of her, nursing her back to health once we had reached camelot. I could see our future ahead of us, as clear as a crystal path and all because of my one word answer.
"Always."