by Emrys Apollo
Tristan ran into the clearing with his sword drawn. "What's wrong?"
Lance flushed. "Sorry, Tristan. I just...."
Merlin sighed. "He's being tormented by the Dark Lord in his dreams. And I raised my voice at him. Sorry, I didn't mean to alert you."
Tristan snorted and replaced his sword. "It's fine, we're all a little on edge tonight."
Hector nodded. "Dinner's almost ready. We need to reserve our strength for the coming days. I doubt the Dark Lord will make it easy for us."
Merlin sighed. "Indeed." He leaned his head on Lance’s shoulder. "If I know him, he's got something planned before the Badlands."
***
Tristan cracked his eye open and grimaced at the blinding green light. He sat up with a start and glanced around the campground.
There on the ground lying next to Merlin was Lance glowing bright green in the darkened night.
Tristan swore and called for Hector.
The archer raced out of the trees with bow in hand. "What is it?"
Tristan pointed down to Lance. "What is that?"
Hector set his bow down and approached the two sleeping men. "I don't know. Is he healing himself?"
Tristan hurried over and leaned down. "Wait, he's healing the sire." He reached over and took Lance’s hand away from Merlin's bare flesh. The green light dissipated around them.
Hector jumped up and looked at the trees. He whispered to Tristan. "We're not alone."
Tristan reached for his sword and waited.
The trees swirled in the light breeze.
Hector trained his bow at the parted forest, eyes searching around for movement.
A lone bird called in the distance.
Tristan frowned at Hector and put his sword away. "What was it?"
Hector shouldered his bow and shook his head. "I don't know, but I could feel something earlier. Something is watching us."
***
Hector frowned at Gareth. He watched the swordsman grimace for the third time that day while setting up camp. "Is something bothering you, Gareth?"
Gareth glanced up and shook his head. "No, I'm fine."
Hector snorted and turned his attention to the trees.
Lance and Merlin came into the clearing with wood for the fire. They both smiled at Hector and dropped the logs on the ground.
Hector made a motion to Merlin and the mage came over to him.
Merlin's eyebrow rose. "Something wrong?"
Hector pulled the mage closer and whispered into his ear. "Gareth is injured. I don't know how seriously, but something is wrong."
Merlin glanced over at Gareth to see the swordsman grimace again. He sighed and headed over to Gareth.
Gareth looked up as Merlin arrived. "Sire?"
Merlin reached out to pat along Gareth's chest with his gloved hand. He stopped on the lower rib cage when Gareth cried out in pain.
Gareth hung his head down. "I...I'd hoped it would heal on its own. I didn't want to trouble you, sire."
Merlin sighed and motioned for Hector. "Keeping this from me is not a good idea. I know as I've done it myself from you and Tristan. We need to be at full strength in order to cross the Badlands."
Hector walked over and pulled up Gareth's shirt. He frowned at the black and blue bruise covering Gareth's lower ribs. "This is bad Gareth, you've cracked a rib. You will need to rest the full night."
Gareth's head shot up. "I can't! We need to watch out for enemies."
Tristan headed into the cleaning with his sword raised. "What's going on?"
Merlin sighed. "Gareth is refusing to rest for the night due to an injury. Tristan, can you do double duty tonight?"
Tristan grimaced and shook his head. "As much as I would, I fear that I would be weakened too much for tomorrow."
Hector glanced over at Lance and then back at Tristan. "What about Lance? He can take Gareth's shift and still get sleep when we're on watch."
Merlin shook his head. "No. I don't want him out there on watch."
Lance walked over to Tristan. "How long would it be? A few hours?"
Merlin raised his hands. "Did you just hear what I said? I don't want you out there alone."
Lance sighed. "If it's only for a couple hours, it's not going to matter much. They have never attacked us at night yet."
Hector glanced at the ground. "Well, there was that one time...."
Tristan interrupted. "Regardless, we need someone else to stand watch. Gareth is unfit and you need your rest. Lance is the only one left."
Merlin shook his head. "I don't like this. Lance out there alone is not a good idea. He's as valuable as I am to the Dark Lord."
Lance sighed. "There will always be someone close by. I can call for help if something happens."
Merlin glanced at the ground. "I have a bad feeling about this."
Lance walked over to Merlin and touched his shoulder. "I want to do this. All I've ever done is sleep beside you every night, it's time that I shared the watch duties like they do."
Tristan snorted. "Well to be fair, you are watching over him, even while sleeping. You'll just be further away this time."
Merlin bit his lip and closed his eyes. "I have no say in this, do I?"
Lance pulled the mage into arms. "It's just one night, for a few hours. I'll be beside you again when you wake up."
Merlin sighed. "Promise?"
Lance grinned and nodded. "Promise."
Merlin slid his gloved hand over Lance’s heart and sighed.
***
Hector finished healing Gareth and started making his bed.
Tristan watched him out of the corner of his eye. He sighed. "How is he?"
Hector glanced down. "I've healed it, but he needs to rest."
Gareth's eyes drifted close and he fell fast asleep.
Tristan chuckled. "You gave him something to put him asleep, didn't you?"
Hector grinned and closed his pouch. "I might have accidentally added something to his medicine."
Merlin moaned in his sleep and moved under the covers.
Tristan sighed at the mage's sleeping form. "I have a feeling Merlin's nightmares are coming back again."
Hector took off his boots and climbed under the blanket. "I wouldn't doubt it. Lance has been having them as well."
Tristan frowned. "Did I do the wrong thing in letting Lance do watch?"
Hector shrugged. "It has to be done. If one of us is killed, he'll need to take over anyway."
"Still I would never…"
Merlin bolted up with a start. He looked around with wild eyes. "Lance.....Lance!"
Tristan scrambled over to Merlin's position. "Sire, you just had a bad dream."
Merlin pushed away Tristan's arms and ran for the trees barefoot.
***
Tristan swore and battled to keep up with Merlin's frantic calls for Lance into the darkened forest. "Sire! Wait!"
Hector followed them close behind with a bow in his hand just in case.
Merlin stopped short in front of an object and fell to his knees.
Tristan frowned and walked over to the object. Once he got close enough, he realized it was Lance’s sword sticking straight up into the ground.
Hector lowered his bow and swore, his eyes reading the ancient words carved into the tree beside the sword.
We have him
Merlin's shaking hand reached out to touch Lance’s sword, fingers sliding along the metal blade. "No....no.....I....no....."
Hector knelt down beside Merlin and pulled the mage into his arms. "Sire, I...."
Merlin wiggled free from Hector's grasp and tried to make a break for the trees to follow.
Tristan reached out and grabbed him, struggling to hold Merlin in place.
Hector ran over to them and held onto Merlin's body the opposite side. "Sire, you can't go after him like this!"
Merlin's head shook violently side to side, tears weaving down his face and lips. "No.....no.....no!"
Sleeping birds s
cattered from the trees into the black sky.
***
Hector and Tristan dragged and half carried Merlin back to the camp.
Merlin slumped on the ground beside his blankets and shook with sobs. "No...no....no...."
Hector knelt down and pulled Merlin into his arms. "We'll find him, sire."
Merlin shook his head. "I can't.....I can't do this without him. I don't....I don't want to do this without him."
Tristan threw his hands into the air. "See? This is why I didn't want them to be together. Now he's lost without him!"
Hector sighed and glanced up at Tristan. "You're not helping. And we will find him!"
Merlin looked up at Tristan with tears in his eyes. "He's dead....there's nothing to find. The Dark Lord will kill him just like the others."
The anger sighed out of Tristan's body. "You don't know that."
Merlin's face crumpled up. "It doesn't matter, the Dark Lord has won."
Tristan pulled Merlin out of Hector's arms and shook him. "Listen to me, we didn't travel for almost ten years to have you abandon it like this. You will do this, Merlin, even if I have to carry you up the stairs to his tower."
Merlin's eyes widened. "You....you called me by name."
Tristan sighed. "Yes, I did. It's the only way I thought I could get your attention."
Merlin stared at the ground. "Tristan...there's something I need to tell you."
Tristan sat beside Merlin and put his arm over his shoulder. "What, sire?"
"I haven't been honest with you. I've been....I've been using my powers fully every day we have a fight, knowing full well that I have Lance to replenish them."
Hector sighed. "That's why you didn't want him to stand watch; he wouldn't be there to give you energy while you slept."
Merlin nodded. "I was scared that he wouldn't come back....and I was right. I've only got enough power for a few more battles, unless we kill hordes of enemies."
Tristan grimaced. "So that means we have to scout for battles now."
Merlin nodded. "And we only have a few more days to do it. The Badlands is a day away at the most."
***
Tristan dropped their gear on the ground and sighed.
Merlin slumped against a tree, gasping for a breath in the dense air. "We should....we should rest here."
Hector put his arm around Merlin and led him to the center of the camp. "You stay here, I'll get the wood for the fire tonight."
Merlin nodded and folded his arms across his chest, slowing the exhaustion from three days of solid battling. "I'm sorry."
Tristan shook his head and kneeled down beside Merlin. "You couldn't have known this would happen. I would never blame you."
Merlin sighed, eyes staring at the ground. "Even if I was the one who got you tangled into this mess in the first place?"
Tristan sat beside Merlin on the fallen log. He pulled Merlin into his arms, sighing against the mage's body. "Well, at least the journey was never dull."
Merlin snorted. "Be serious, Tristan."
Tristan grinned and petted Merlin's head. "I am serious. What would I have ended up still back home? A farmer? A soldier?"
"You wouldn't have made it as a farmer, that's for sure. Not enough patience."
Tristan laughed and laid his head down on Merlin's shoulder. "See? This was my only option - to follow you."
Merlin signed. "This next part isn't going to be easy."
Tristan snorted. "When has any of this journey been easy, sire?"
"This is true, but the Badlands will test our strength to the fullest. We might....we might not make it out alive."
Tristan tightening his grip on Merlin. "Maybe, but we'll face it together."
Hector eyed the two and dropped the wood by the pit. "What is all this?"
Merlin smiled and wiggled out of Tristan's arms. "I'll build the fire, go spend your night together."
Tristan opened his mouth to protest and then closed it again.
Merlin glanced at Tristan. "Gareth is nearby; you can afford to take your eyes off my form for this moment."
"But..."
Hector hauled Tristan up and smiled down at Merlin. "Thank you, sire."
Merlin nodded and started to sort the pieces of wood into piles.
Tristan turned back and frowned.
The tears rolling down Merlin's face reflected in the moonlight.
***
Gareth sat cross-legged on the forest floor. His eyes closed and the only noise around him was the rhythmic sound of his breathing.
He sighed and began to speak. "I fear this is the last time I shall talk to you, that my life is coming to an end. I do not fear it; I welcome a chance to protect my master from harm."
The trees swayed a little in the night breeze and said nothing in response.
"If I could have anything in my life, it would be to die in battle. I know I can't choose my fate but I ask that you grant me this one wish, to make my life meaningful and true. That way I'll be reunited with you and mother in the hall of our ancestors."
Mournful cries of scavenger birds echoed in the distance, circling around the Badlands for dead bodies.
Gareth brushed away a tear from his face. "I miss you, now more than anything. You were the only one who believed in my abilities. Not my teachers or other students, just you." He sighed and opened his eyes to look up at the darkened sky. "I am honored to have you as my father. I would....I would hope that you are proud of me in some way. That I've lived up to your expectations and honor our people with my ways. I'm....I'm not looking for forgiveness, just that I've done the right thing in my life."
A light breeze washed across Gareth's face, his eyes fluttering to stay open.
"Be well, my father. May your love and honor protect me until the very end."
Gareth got up from the ground and headed back into the clearing to the others.
***
Merlin sighed and stared at the dying fire with a frown on his face. He pulled the blankets tighter to his body and willed the tears to not fall.
Gareth walked into the area and frowned. "Sire, where are Tristan and Hector?"
Merlin glanced up and pointed to the trees. "I assume having their last night together."
Gareth nodded and sat beside Merlin next to the fire. He looked over at the mage and frowned. "What is wrong, sire?"
Merlin bit his lip. "How...how do you deal with being alone? Hector and Tristan have each other and at one point I had Lance, but you've always been alone on this journey. How do you cope?"
The warrior pulled Merlin into his arms to comfort him. "We're not alone on this journey. Everyone that has died to protect us will always be with us if we need them."
"Not Lance."
Gareth sighed and stared at the campfire. "It may seem foolish, but I talk to my father every night. Though he may be dead, I still believe he's with me. I tell him of my day and of our journey."
Merlin smiled and laid his head on Gareth's shoulder. "That's not foolish. I'd always wondered why you preferred to take the first watch. Is that when you do it?"
"Yes. I would not feel right saying my thoughts in front of the group. I'm not ashamed of them, I just...they are private to me."
Merlin nodded. "I can understand that. I'd....I'd imagine tonight would be different from the rest."
Gareth sighed. "Yes, it was. Probably the last time I shall have the chance. You know as well as I do that we're fated to die on this journey."
The mage's hand touched over Gareth's heart. "I have every faith in your abilities, Gareth. And I believe that you will die honoring your ancestors. I wouldn't expect any less of you."
Gareth smiled and held Merlin closer, laying his head on top of Merlin's. "You will find him, sire. The one that has captured your heart, I believe he is still alive."
Tears weaved down Merlin's face. "I wish I had your faith. I fear that the Dark Lord has taken him from me, draining all that he contained."
"I do not believe that.
I'm sure you will be with him again. You are destined to share this life together, not even an evil like the Dark Lord can take that away."
Merlin's eyes drifted shut. "I hope you're right. I need him....I need him more than anything right now."
***
Tristan and Hector kissed under the darkened sky, hands never leaving the other’s body for a moment. Passion and lust formed a barrier around their forms that no one, not even the Dark Lord himself, could break.
Hector broke the kiss and gasped into the cold night air. "I'm going to miss this."
Tristan held Hector tighter to his body and said nothing.
Hector frowned and looked toward the trees. "Why do we always do this away from the others? Are you....are you ashamed of having someone like me?"
Tristan sighed. "I used to have a lover once in that first mage town. A woman, in fact. We would be together a lot over those two years."
Hector frowned and said nothing.
"When Merlin was done with his training, he saw us kissing and touching in the middle of town. I'll...I'll never forget the look of hurt and sadness on his face. Not because he wanted me for himself, but because he would never get to experience that for himself."
The frown disappeared from Hector's face. "So you do this away from Merlin to not hurt him?"
Tristan nodded. "Yes. It has nothing to do with you at all. I've never been ashamed of my feelings for you."
Hector smiled a little to himself. "I mean, I'm not exactly that pretty to most people. I'm a good fighter and a pretty good healer, but that's about it."
Tristan shrugged around Hector's body. "Beauty only lasts so long. How much the person means to you lasts forever."
"Really?"
Tristan snorted and pulled away to look into Hector's eyes. "Yes, really. I wouldn't want anyone else, I don't need anyone else. You're stuck with me...hopefully forever."
Tears gathered in Hector's eyes. "I can't think of anyone else I would rather be stuck to."
Tristan pulled Hector back tight to his body, cradling the mage's head under his chin. He sighed and closed his eyes.
***
Merlin tossed and turned on the hard ground when Tristan and Hector came into the clearing.
Tristan sighed and started to make up their bed.
Hector stilled Tristan's hand and dragged the bedding next to Merlin's position.