A/N: Hello all. I just really really wanted to write this little one shot. Not sure its turned out 100% as i wanted but i still enjoyed it none the less. It is inspired by a wonderful piece of fan art on Deviantart. (Will post a link if i get the artist's ok). Just love the idea of a story, if anyone wants to do more art/writing for this it would be brill. I don't really have the time to be writing loads more. Basically the simple plot is that Merlin gets kidnapped and Arthur goes after him. This is a one shot. Hope you enjoy and please R&R. Thanks... enjoy..

Kidnapped

It had been over three days since it had happened. In the dead of night when it had. Three days yet none had spoken of it until now...

Arthur was woken by the familiar clang of metal on metal. He was up in a flash, sword drawn and fighting stance ready. The camps fire had almost flickered out and its lack of light made it hard for him to make out the figures in the darkness. But he could make out shapes of at least 10 men, hooded and armed.

"Protect the King!" Arthur heard Leon blast out and in a second his knights had surrounded them and Merlin was at his side, his own sword drawn out also.

The clanging of swords soon followed and a short lived battle cry commenced. Arthur's friends surrounded him, protecting him from these new invaders. Little did they know that they were not after the King at all. Arthur heard a distinguishable voice then amongst the cries and noise of battle and when he spun on his heels he saw his worst nightmare. Strewn amongst the bandits was Merlin, and the one man behind his servant threw a mace. Before the King had even a second to react the weapon came down on his friend's back with a loud thud sending the warlock crumbling to the ground bonelessly.

"Merlin?" Arthur fought to get to him, but there was little use, the captors held him off with swords as he saw his friend dragged and thrown over the shoulders of one. Within seconds the men retreated, over the shallow rise and into the darkness. Gone, taking Merlin with them.

As Arthur took off at a run Leon grabbed him almost sending the pair to the dirt. "No Sire!" his voice was urgent and worry ridden. "Your injured" The knight pointed to the King's leg and Arthur gasped as he noted the gash just above his knee.

"Damn it!" Arthur clearly was not in the mood for the affliction and it took all the knights to not only calm him but also make him remain still and not run after the attackers while Elyan stitched and cleaned the wound. It was nearly dawn by the time they had managed to pack the camp up, much to the Kings dismay. They all knew though, that they were not returning to the city as planned. Arthur had silently mounted his horse and the knights followed suit, they were going after Merlin and his kidnappers.

Three days it had been since then. They had rode silently, stopping only when needed to eat and catch what little sleep the King had allowed them to catch. None had spoken, the trail was running cold and the knights could sense the desperation in the King as he began grasping at what little signs of the bandit's trail he could. It was only then, on the third day that finally someone spoke.

"Here!" Gwaine had dismounted his steed some meters ahead and was bent over a grubby piece of cloth. Arthur recognized it anywhere, it was his servant's coat. Worn and tattered it was covered in dirt, but what was disconcerting enough was the blood stains across the sleeves. The King bound the cloth up and stuffed it into his saddle bag and returned onto his mount kicking it onward at a pace. The knights followed suit and for the remainder of the day they flew through the forest and meadow following what little path they had. It was Percival who found the next clue. He scooped a red rag from the ground only to have it snatched from him by the King.

"We are getting close" Arthur knotted the neckerchief around his wrist. They wouldn't get away with his servant, whatever they wanted with him.

Not long later they found another item, this time far more worrying. Leon held out the cloth without a word said and Arthur pulled it from him. The blue strips of his servant's tunic was all but coated with dried blood. Arthur kicked the nearby tree, letting out a cry of anger.

"We'll find him Sire" Leon placed a comforting hand on his master, "I promise we'll do all we can to find him"

Arthur only nodded, throwing the tattered clothing to the ground in frustration he remounted and kicked on again. This time faster than before and the knights struggled to keep pace pushing their steeds and themselves beyond the point of exhaustion. Their King was relentless in his search, following the trail even at full gallop for nearly an hour until finally there search was ended.

"Release him!" The knights heard the King bellow with such anger they had never heard before.

The thief's horse ground to a halt in the clearing but their prize was not on it. Merlin was bound by the wrists, laying face down in the dirt. His arms outstretched to the taught line tied to the horse and the bandit sat atop it smirking. His wrists were bleeding freely sending rivulets of blood down his naked arms and into the ground.

"Merlin!" Arthur heard Gwaine's voice from behind him.

Before the King had dismounted the bandit on the horse edged his steed on, dragging the warlock further along the ground much to the horror of both the King and his knights.

Cross bolt's whistled in the air and two of the thieves on foot fell. Arthur jumped from his horse, chasing down the main man dragging his friend away. In a single stroke he cut the bounds and sent his servant face down into the dirt, Merlin made reaction to the sudden movement. Arthur didn't chase down the captor, Elyan had already tackled him off his horse and quickly disarmed the man.

"Tell us! Elyan was almost as angry as the King himself, "what did you want with our friend?" The bandit made no attempt to escape but simply stood in silence watching as the King tended to his fallen friend.

"Tell us?!" Elyan asked again brandishing the sword to the mans throat.

"Never" The thief laughed, "and you'll never get a thing out of the boy, the draught we gave him made him forget everything" with a chuckle he grabbed his hidden knife from his tunic and turned it in on himself, plunging the blade deep into his heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Arthur did not look up at the events before him, he gently turned his servant over to reveal his friend naked from the waste up. His torso was a mismatch of bruises and scrapes. the warlock's right shoulder bore a deep and unforgiving gash which looked to be days old, it was red and inflamed and crusted over with dirt and blood. Fresh crimson ran down the arms of the servant as Arthur cut the bounds there, the ropes were soaked through with red too. Finally as the rope was peeled from his raw wrists the warlock whimpered out.

"Hey Merlin?" Arthur placed a hand on his friend's cheek and lightly tried to rouse him. "It's ok, your safe now" The Kings eyes welled with saltwater as he watched Merlin's eyes open and his usual bright blue eyes were now nothing more than a grey haze, un focusing and darting from one side of his vision to the other. The boy's breath caught his throat and Arthur could hear deep crackles from within his chest.

"I'm sorry" the warlock mumbled, his words jumbled then, making no sense at all. He called out several names in his haste, both Arthur and Gaius being among them, others the King did not recognize at all.

"Merlin?" Arthur stroked through his hair then, quickly taking the cloak Gwaine offered him wrapping his friend in it. "Merlin can you hear me?" There was no response.

The warlock moaned as the King lifted him from the forest floor into his arms and towards his horse. Percival and Gwaine both offered to relieve the King of his burden but Arthur shook them off placing his servant onto his steed before mounting himself. His arm wrapped around his shivering friend's form.

"Where is the nearest settlement?" Arthur pulled his horse up who had barely taken a breather since they had arrived in the clearing.

"Bexfield" Leon pointed East. "It lies just a few leagues over near the base of the mountains of Isgard."

Arthur said nothing, he simply bared east, kicking on into another strong gallop until finally they made the boarders of the village at sundown. The villagers stopped and stared as the small group entered the settlement, their red cloaks flowing in the light breeze and the low sun bouncing off their swords. Arthur made to the centre of the village, pulling his horse to a stop outside the local tavern. Gwaine was at his side before he dismounted and offered to take their injured friend. The King said nothing but simply glared at the knight who gave in, letting Arthur dismount and carry the servant himself.

"We need a room for the night" Arthur said as he strode into the quiet bar, the room fell silent at the sight before them.

"We have no space" The bar tender did not look up as he went about his business behind the bar.

"We will have a room" Leon was at the bar now and placed a small bag of gold coins on the bench, finally the small plump man looked up.

"Of, of course sires" He stuttered and bowed quickly, "forgive me, my lords, I will make room immediately." he rushed off out the back and a small commotion could be heard as a several travelers were herded from the building with some strong words of abuse. "Follow me" the short man finally returned after a few minutes.

Arthur and the knights duly followed and were presented with two large rooms, Arthur made for the largest bed he could see and gently placed his friend down amongst the covers.

"Do you have a physician?" Percival asked the barman before he retreated.

"I'm sorry, my Lord" the man bowed again, "we do not have one in Bexfield, we usually send for the court physician at Camelot if we are in desperate need"

"Thank you" Percival finally said.

"We will need fresh water and bandages" Leon cut in. The man bowed yet again and hurried off in search of the supplies needed for their fallen friend.

Arthur said nothing as he peeled off the cloak from around his servant, revealing his injuries yet again. He finally took a small short intake of breath as he took in each bruise one by one. Merlin had been beaten and kicked, many of the purple areas mirrored shapes of boots and fists. Arthur could tell his ribs were broken in many places, as the warlock's chest rose and fell he could see the many broken area's shift and crunch painfully. His friend's face had not been lucky enough to avoid injury either. A deep cut lay above his friend's left eyebrow, no doubt from another blow of fists. His brows were furrowed deeply in discomfort and bruises marred both cheeks and his jaw line. Arthur resisted the urge to hit something.

The knights gathered around him and Elyan handed over Merlin's satchel which they had brought with them after the kidnapping. Arthur fished out a book of healing which he knew his servant carried around everywhere they went. He pulled out a number of vials and looked through them knowing vaguely what each did he opened one he knew was a sleeping draught and pulled Merlin's head up. He placed the vial to his friend's lips and Leon offered a hand only to have it batted away. Merlin took the tonic with ease and although fell into a deeper sleep his brows still seemed to remain tightly furrowed.

A pail of water and a small handful of cloths were then handed to them in the room by a young boy. The young man quickly retreated away from the large knights who greatly thanked him.

"Let me take over Sire?" Leon gently placed a hand on the King's shoulder.

"No" Arthur pulled the bucket up the bedside and soaked a small cloth into it. "I want you all to leave" he said simply before beginning to clean the dirt and mud from his servant's torso.

"Arthur?" Gwaine tried to reason.

"Thats an order" The King said before anything else could be. "Leave. Go and rest"

The knights did not argue, and one by one they finally left the room, though in truth none would really be resting at all that night.

Arthur remained at his friends bedside and one by one he slowly cleaned each and every wound, every cut and graze from the forest floor, the deep gash on his shoulder and finally he cleaned the deep wounds around each wrist. They bled freely for sometime and Arthur hastily bound them with fresh linens in the hope that the raw skin would finally stop oozing. They did. He sat for many hours just watching his friends chest rise and fall painfully with each shallow breath. Merlin did not rouse to Arthurs kind words, or his gentle touch as his cleaned his wounds several times. Arthur sat back on his chair finally trying to get comfortable. It was going to be a long night ahead.