A/N: Hi sguys sorry I didn't update alte week!! it was hard with the holidays, but hopefully this makes up for it!
Merlin hit the ground firat. Splattening into a muddy puddle with an nasty squelch he lay on his back and stared into the gapping magic in the few seconds that it took Arthur to reuinte with him. Of course, Arthur landed on his feet and stood gloriously lit by the portal's squirling whirls of golden magic, tinting his whole visage in golden delight. From his muddy patch of ground, Merlin's heart lurched around his narrow chest, shocked, overwhelmed, and disbelieving that he got to have him as his soulmate while the other man was stuck with him, who must look positively drab in his muddy comparison. Arhtur grinned down at him, offering a hand up, and stroking the dirt brown mud from Merlin's brow and face.
"Well that went well. Any idea where we are?" he asked in fake cheeras the portal closed with a sly pop like a soap buubble- sparks flying akimbo from it as is vanished into thin air. Merlin shook his head. Arthur smiled his private smile that he only gave Merlin, an expression that dropped to concern when he noticed the wizard was still ill.
"Are you okay love?" He asked cardleing Merlin's face in his hand. Melin smiled at him gentle and shook his head a little.
"I'm fine. Feeling much better!" Arthur tutted at his warlock's plaour and clamly skiln.
"Come in, let's get you out of those dirty clothes." he said, hands at Merlin's waist.
"Arthu!" Melin joked, pretending to be scalanised, "Now is hardly the time!" Arthur rolled his eye and walked off in a random direction from the clearing in the verdant green forest they had fallen into.
"ARthur you don't know where youre going!" Merlin cried after him but followed with a flap of his arms.
"Yes I do. The sun rises in the east" HE pointed in a direction "And now it's here" HE pointed at where the sun hang in the sky "so this way is west" He looked at Merlin pointedly.
"And waht's west, we don't know where we are so we don't know what's west!" exclaimed Merlin in frustration, a headache lingered beween his eyes and he was keen to find somewhere quickly where he could recover his strength and he and Arthur, his clotpole soulmate, could work out what they were to do nex.
"Villages are always west" explained Arthur, imperially, as thught Merlin was a small child.
"Arthur that so dumb!" merlin said exhausted with his unfounded confidence. Arthur muttered something quietly "What?"
"I said your face is dumb!" replied Arthur, eyebrows raised to his hairline and barely resisting the urge to stick out his tongue at the slighty younger man.
"You love my face" grinned Merlin in response, like a smug Cheshire cat.
"Oh I do" Arthur smiled his blinding and genuine smile as he pulled Merlin in close for a quick peck on the lips. Merlin looked deep into his eyes and was about to his him more resoundingly when something cuaght his ear.
"Wait listen what's that" Merlin held up his hand and Arthur stopped beside him, puzzled. He could see Merlin was listening hard but he couldn't hear anything...no wait! There was a voice somewhere near boy.
"It is someone singing" Arthur said frowning in concentration to make out the words. Merlins face split into a huge grin.
"Not just any someone! Come on" he beamed at Arthur and then bolted away crashing ungracefylly through the undergrowth.
"Merlin!" Arthur called in exasperation, rolling his eyes and running after the dark hair wizard. Someone had to stop his hurting himself after all he thought.
The wizard bounded down the aisle between the treees, like a graceless gazelle, with a speed that Arthur had no idea that he could possess. Arthur hurtled after him, sparing barely a moment to think.
Arhtur pounded through the woodland until he reached another clearing, one that looked vaguely familiar, only to be caught at the waist by a smiling wizard, who raised his finger to his lups in a shushing gesture and pointed another finger to a lone finger under a broad tree. The figure sat on his own, butching up a brace of rabbits. As he worked he sang to himself dulcetly in lilting Irish.
"Gwaine! What are you doing here!" MErlin interuppted him stepping out of the bus. Gwaine looked up and broke into a wide grin.
"Hunting, and yer fine selves?" He asked gesturing between them with his knife. Merlin frowned bbreifly.
"It's a long story. Where are we?" he questioned.
"About foive minutes from the treehouse" Gwaine pointed a thumb over his shoulder. Merlin looked at Arthur in glee, and he couldn't help the responding smile that grew across his face.
"This is perfect! Gwaine Get the guys and meet us as the treehouse. We have to tell you something" Gwaine questioned him with a cock of his eyebrow but Merlin just shook his head silently: 'later' it said. Gwaine nodded and disappeared into th trees.
"Are you sure aout this MErlin?" Arthur asked Turning to his boyfirend.
"We need help. I trust the guys with my life. You would to if you'd been through with them what i've been through with them as well. Together we can all come up with a plan" He took Arthur hands gently as he spoke and gazed into his eyes hopefully and Arthur's concernes crumbled away to dust.
"Of courrse. IF you trust them, I trust them love." said Arthur, squeezing his partner's hands both tightly and raising them up to his moouth to place a small kiss on his bony knuckles, before the two of them headed into the trees, following the sounds of Gwaine's singing.
----
Soon they were all gathered together. Lancelot, Gwen, Elyan, Will, Gwaine and of course MErlin and Arthur sat around a large round table in the treehouse. Arthur had just finished telling what had happened in Camelot, nd nght had fallen outside.
"So what are we going to do?" Gwen was the first to speak in the silent room. Merlin snapped to look at her. From where he was nestled into Arthur's side on their overstuffed sofa. He was buried under far more blankets than he would like, Arthur had tured into a mother hen once they had returned to the treehouse and Merlin had stymled due to the lingering magic illness.
"We? Gwen thi isn't your fight" He said. He had only known her a short while but she was still a friend, and he wouldn't lose her.
"Yes it is. If everyone with magic dies then you and morgana..." She insisted and trailed off. They all knew what would happen to he and Morgana, not mention every other magic user in the world.
"It's all of ours fights" Lancelot added solemnly and Gwen nodded. The linked hands and shared a glnace that left no doubt as to whether they'd bonded yet.
What fight is it if it's just us we'd need an Army to defeat Uther and Camalot" Will said and slumped down in his chair, his voice brittle with defeat.
"Will! Take heart! Merlin's the greatest waarlock to ever live and Dirk's...Dirk's..." Lancelot trailed of unsure. Merlin sighed deeply and shared a quick look with his love before leaning forward resting his elbow on his knees.
"Dirk is actually the kidnapped Arthur Pendragon, heir to the thrown Camelot" he said aburptly. A chorus of audible gasps ran through the room.
"You could have mentioned that earlier Merls!" Will sputtered, sitting up and leabing over the table.
"This is brilliant! He can rally an army and defea Uther!" He shouted enthusiatically with a huge grin.
"An army of what? I have no connections and anyways, I have nothing to even prove who I am!" pointed out Arthur, gesticulating firmly with both hands as he spoke.
"Oh. I guess" Will slumped back again pouting.
"Cheer up lad, we'll thing o' something to properly feck old Uther off" Gwaine said with a brogue, slapping his knee with a grim.
"It's a pity we can't ask King Alfred for help" Elyan said idly picking at his nails.
"Who?" asked Lancelet, speaking for the room
"King Alfred. Of Northumbria" He looked up at everyone staring at him and blinked "Biggest kingdom in Albion...?" he trailed off rolling his brown eyes.
"We know what Northumbria is, Elyan." Gwen snappeed, glaring at her natural brother, who just shrugged.
"Why would we ask him is what we all want to know!" she carried on talking to explained things to him.
"Oh, Northumbrians never beleived Arthur died. Uther was convinced they were responsible for his disappearance for a while, so their allyship broke down. They had a lot of druids who ddn't believe their kind would harm a child, so they believe your alive, Dirk. Arthur." Elyna said, in an offhand manner. Gwen fumed a little at her younger brother.
"Elyan! You could have mentioned that sooner!" she nagged. Lancelot placed a calming hand on her arm and she miled gently at him.
"So we go to Northumbria! See, told you someone would think o' something" Gwaine said and nurged Will in the ribs. The other man rolled his eyes.
"Okay, everyone get some rest we have a long way to go tomorrow" Arthur said looking at everyone. The all nodded and went off to their respective rooms, Gwine, Will, Elyan by themselves and Gwen and Lancelot together, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone in the meting room.
"How are you feeling?" Arhuyr asked his partner tenderly, raising his had to Merlin's brow. Merlin grinned and swiped his hand away, moving into his prince's personnel space for a long kiss.
"Well enogh," he said salaciously with his eyebrows. Arthur rolled his eyes at his bonded.
"You're insatiable." He mocked poking Merlin in the ribs and making his squirm ungracefully flaining his elbows around.
"You're irritable." Rejoindered Merln. Arthur let out a deep sigh, deflating like a balloon into the sofa cushions
"I'm serious, you are." Merlin continued, in a much more serious tone of voice. He ran his thrumb along Arthur's jawline caringly.
"Honey, I know you're worried about taking on Uther, about getting support. But you're the right ful prince and you're... you're amazing. You're irrisitistable. They're going to love you just like I do." He smiled for his princed.
"Hopefully not JUST like you do," Arthur answered, also being salivious.
"If they want you, they'll have to get through me first! Merlin said dangerously, letting his eyes flash gold. Arthur felt a jump in his chest at the sight: he never believed he'd have ended up with someone so gorgeous and powerful.
"Let's get you to bed." He stood up from the sofa and offered Merlin his hand pulling him up with him and with fingers entangled they went into their shared bedroom.