The Lord and the Lady's Maid (Part 5)

[sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com]

Author: sidhe_faerie
Title: The Lord and the Lady's Maid (Part 5)
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Masked bandits, Merlin
Summary: Merlin arrives just a bit late.
Warnings: violence
Word Count: 514
Prompt: 373 Water
Author's Notes:

Part 5
Arthur and Gwen had traveled all day and well into the night. They were just nearing the outskirts of London when three masked men blocked the road in front of them.

"Give us what you got and we will let you pass." The masked man in the middle demanded as he pulled out a knife. "If you don't, we will kill you and dump you in the rover. The water's real murky down this way. They wont find your body for days, if ever."

Arthur pulled the hunting rifle out of the saddle holster. "Thanks for the tip." He pointed it at the masked men. "Let us pass."

"You can only kill one of us before you have to reload that thing." The man chuckled. "You'd be dead before that."

"Arthur, just give them what they want." Gwen moved her horse back a few paces.

"Listen to the girl. Don't be a fool." The man moved his hand with the knife. Moon light glinted off its edge.

All three men started to move closer.

Arthur fired his rifle at the one in the middle and started to reload. A knife flew through the air and hit him in the chest. He fell from his horse as Gwen screamed.

"Get her down and shut her up. Ill go through the saddle bags." The man that had been on the right checked for a pulse on the man Arthur shot. "He's dead."

The man that had been on the left grabbed Gwen and pulled her from her horse. He knocked her out with a blow to the head.

Just then, Merlin appeared in a swirl of air. He looked at Arthur and Gwen on the ground and the man that Arthur shot. He held out his hands and knocked both men out with a spell.

"Please don't be dead!" Merlin ran to Arthurs side. The knife was still in his chest. Merlin could tell it missed the heart but not by much. He pulled the knife out and whispered a healing spell. He nodded as the wound closed and started to heal.

Merlin checked Gwen and realized she was just unconscious. He picked her up and moved her to the side of the road. He went back to get the horses. He tied them to a tree branch and took the water skin off Arthur's saddle.

He went back to Arthur and gently slapped his cheek. When that didn't work he poured water over him.

Arthur woke with a gasp. "Merlin? What are you doing here?"

"Saving you as per usual." Merlin helped him up. "Morgana had a premonition."

Arthur looked around. "Where's Guinevere?"

"She's over there in the grass. They knocked her out." Merlin pointed to the masked men. "What should we do with this lot?"

"We'll throw them in the river. Are those two dead?"

"They will be if we put them in the river." Merlin glanced over at Gwen. "She can't know I was here. Only Gaius, you and Morgana know of my magick."

"I know." Arthur nodded. "Then we better move quickly."