Battle Scars (Merlin)

Chapter 5

Right, before I begin, this is some stuff about plot-holes. The lovely servant123 pointed some stuff out, and I realized that as I play it out in my head, it all makes sense, but I don't put the little details in so it sounds confusing.

CHAPTER 2 – Merlin didn't use magic because in the show he never seems to use healing magic for himself unless it's very minute, which this one wasn't. I figured it was along that principal.

CHAPTER 3 – My initial thought was that even though the sword hit Merlin, there wouldn't be blood on it because the wound didn't start bleeding immediately. Also, the sword hit the shield as well as Merlin so Arthur didn't notice the impact of Merlin.

CHAPTER 4 – The bandits shot him in the arm as the three places that promise a slow and painful death are the arms, legs and stomach. He already has a stomach wound and I didn't want to the leg, as it's unnecessary, so I went with the arm. Also, when I said 'masked' I meant as in he had a bandana over his mouth and nose.

Just to clear everything up!

"Merlin!" Arthur yells, his voice hoarse from repeated use. "Merlin!" his eyes swim with tears as they enter the realm of the mountains, about to cross the border of the trees into the long grass of the field. Arthur's several feet in front of the other knights, who are similarly calling out to the loyal, clumsy, goofy manservant who's even more of a friend to them now. Elyan trips over an underlying rock and Percival catches his arm, preventing him from falling onto the dusty surface. "I'm getting as clumsy as Mer-lin..." Elyan jokes, tailing off at the end of the surface. The awkward silence that follows does nothing for the already tense atmosphere. They walk on for five more minutes, during which a bird startles Leon and Percival has a coughing fit. But they didn't find Merlin. Arthur's even further ahead now, at least twenty feet. They passed the invisible fence between forest and field; now only a few trees are dotted around in the tall rushes.

Then they hear a strangled cry from Arthur and the knights run towards him, finding him cradling Merlin's unconscious form, a fresh arrow wound in his arm and his shirt covered in blood. Percival steps forward and slides his arm under Merlin's legs, and another under his back. It reminds them horribly of when Merlin was attacked by the Dorocha.

Elyan lays the blanket down and Merlin's slid onto it, getting paler by the second. Arthur's brain doesn't seem to be working right and he numbly snaps the arrow off, leaving only the head lodged in Merlin's arm. The tear that it caused isn't big enough so Arthur carefully shrugs Merlin's jacket off, rolling it up and using it as a pillow for his wounded manservant. He pulls at the hem of his red shirt and tugs up, gently, so he doesn't dislodge him too much. Then, with his back turned to the rest of the knights and Merlin shielded from view by his body, he freezes.

"Sire?" Leon asks, moving forward, but he too freezes.

Upon Merlin's body are an assortment of scars; the red speckles that a mace inflicts, various cuts and bruises, and, possibly most horrible of all, a large red burn in the middle of his chest. The flesh is charred and red, inflamed-looking although it must be several years old. Fresh bandages are soaked through with blood, and when Arthur carefully removes them he sees a bleeding stomach wound, a clean cut down his abdomen.

The next chapter WILL be longer, I promise.