The Village Idiot

[em]

So he'd managed to get Arthur this far - that alone was consolation that he was doing something right. He'd even been able to get him into a pair of peasent's clothes! Oh how ridiculous he looked! Merlin couldn't help but try to hold back the laughter everytime he took one look at the King. Who was the idiot now? Of course Merlin was having a hard time trying to get him to go anywhere, as Arthur was becoming so distracted and very easily too. If it wasn't flowers, then he'd be picking up sticks and looking at them.

They had to get to Ealdor and fast, otherwise Agravaine would catch up to them. The Knight had already split up and hopefully they would be able to get there safely as well as the pair of them.

"Come on Arthur" Merlin rolled his eyes as he walked along. The turnip head really needed to catch up with him. His life depended on this - their lives, depending on this. As did the future of the Kingdom. Ealdor was across the boarder and would at least provide them with safety until something was figured out.

What Arthur wouldn't know was that there would be a lot more waiting for him there, than he'd ever think.

Tagged: Arthur Pendragon
Timeline: S4 FINALE BABY!!!
Setting: The forest, afternoon
Notes: Enchanted Arthur! xD
Music: Merlin OST - The Substitute Knight

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was clearly not in his right mind. He was dressed like a fool, his attention span was practically non existent, and he was following Merlin around like a lost child. Agreeing with his every word and suggestion. Even when he took his gold! Arthur had no other thoughts, apart from the ones Merlin gave him. He had lost his free will, and with that . . . lost all the qualities and traits that made him to be King Arthur Pendragon. His title was accurately replaced with Universal Village Idiot. His eyes kept wandering around and he would grow so easily distracted. Whether it be by the pretty color of a flower. Or the greenness of the grass. Or the length of a stick! He decided that he was finding the beauty of nature to be grasping at his attention. It didn't help that they were wandering in the woods. "Come on Arthur." Arthur's head awkwardly turned to look right at Merlin.

His leader! They were quite literally playing follow the leader right now. Part of it seemed like a game. The other part of it was because Arthur didn't know where else to go. He was at Merlin's command! "Right! I'm coming," he said as he speedily tried to catch up with him. Inclusive of what he had lost, he'd also lost his composure and grace so in his hurried attempt to catch up with Merlin, he tripped on a root and fell face flat onto the ground. He paused, startled by the sudden shift in position and abruptly raised his head. Even more abruptly pushing himself off the ground as he tried to regain his balance. Which only made him awkwardly stagger to the side. "I'm alright!" He decided, shaking his head a bit. "Sorry," he added in a happy voice as he walked up to stand alongside Merlin. Giving him the widest grin that was so unfamiliar and unusual to be on the face of Arthur Pendragon.

[em]

THUD!

Merlin turned back to say something to Arthur, only to find that he wasn't there! He looked quickly to his left and then his right, before turning a complete circle - Arthur then quickly jumping up from where he'd completly fallen over air most likely. "I'm alright!" Well the fall hadn't knocked any sense into him so that was good. "Sorry,"

Merlin, with a small smirk, turned to his friend - "It's alright" he shook his head, "just don't try and think too much, it could hurt". He cocked his head in the direction that they were going. "Come on, if we stand around talking for much longer we won't be able to find somewhere to shelter by nightfall".

One thing that Merlin didn't want to be doing was stalking around the forest all night looking for Arthur. He was pretty sure that if he left the King alone for one moment - he'd end up killing himself in some way.

[Arthur Pendragon]

"Just don't try and think too much, it could hurt." Even though Arthur's mind failed to understand that, he did of course agree! "You're of course right," he told him with a nod. "I promise not to think too much," he added, wanting to -- not that he had a choice -- be in full compliance. "Can I think at all? Or is that far too hazardous?" Could he allow an ounce of thought, or should he just stop thinking all together? He didn't even know if it was possible to stop thinking but if Merlin said so, then Merlin was right, because it was Merlin of course who had to give him the answers. He was incapable of making such grand decisions and choices on his own. He was under Merlin's command practically! Waiting for his every word to carry out.

Which was also why when he told him to move along, Arthur did not object in the least bit. He bounded up to him, fully prepared to keep up -- hopefully. The forest was a tricky place to walk! There were so many protruding roots and rocks and slipper mud, which wasn't all that slippery but felt so when he had no grace and balance. "Where will we find shelter? What will happen if we do not?!" Arthur's eyes widened as he asked these questions, and his voice sounded all ominous, in an exaggerated way though not sarcastic. He really was wondering what would happen if they didn't find shelter. So he had that very wide eyes, curious -- slightly fearful in an almost intriguing way -- look on his face. Another expression that was horribly uncharacteristic of Arthur Pendragon. The version that actually had his own free will.

[em]

Merlin ventured on more, keeping a close watch just incase any of Agravaine's men suddenly surrounded them. He didn't bother looking back at Arthur, he knew that he was behind because he was still talking about thinking. "Err...just...you know what forget what I said"
There was no point in trying to explain his sarcasm to Arthur when the King had no clue as to what it meant or who he was. "Just keep following me and you'll be fine..." he hoped. He didn't want Arthur to fall and injure himself before they'd even begun, and he was very accident prone and vulnerable at the moment which made it a lot harder than Merlin had anticipated.

"Where will we find shelter? What will happen if we do not?!" Arthur's expression now resembled that of a small quizzical child. It was a very good question. "If we can't make it to the boarder by tonight, then we'll have to find a cave or something" he explained, looking to Arthur and giving him a resassuring smile. "Don't worry...there's always places to hide in forests, you just have to look a bit harder." Merlin knew all too well about hiding in forests.

"and if you see any men on horses, you need to tell me at once - that's when we'll need to run and hide" he told Arthur. It really was like caring for a child.

[Arthur Pendragon]

"Err...just...you know what forget what I said." Arthur could do that! Of course he could! "Yes Sir!" He announced a bit too enthusiastically. When he went on to say that all he need to was keep following him and he would be fine, well . . . once again Arthur believed him whole heartedly. Why wouldn't he? If he followed Merlin, he would be fine! It was really as simple as that. "Of course. Whatever you say!" Because he was literally just going to keep following him. When he answered his question, Arthur's eyes widened a bit at the sound of resting in a cave for the night if they could not reach the border. Yet, he seemed to relax when Merlin reassured him that there was always a place to hide in forests. "Oh I agree! There are indeed many places to hide. Just like . . . " He stopped walking for a moment and looked around, seeing a rather large rock.

"Well this rock here!" He said, scurrying behind it. He crouched on the ground, holding his knees close to him, hiding behind the boulder. "I bet you can not see me!" He said, as if he was a child playing hide and seek. He poked his head out from the side of the rock to look back at Merlin when he spoke of men on horses. "Why? Who are the men on horses? What will happen if they find us?" Obviously, Arthur was not in his right mind. He tucked his head back behind the rock, going back concealing himself fully behind this hiding rock. "Don't worry. They will not be able to find us here. It is the perfect hiding spot!" Arthur exclaimed, rather pleased with himself for having found such a good place to hide behind.

[em]

As much as Merlin's amusement was wavering slightly, he knew that for Arthur's sake he had to carry on. They were talking about hiding places and the King seemed more enthusiastic about turning it into a game, now proceeding to dive behind a large rock that suddenly appeared to be talking. "I bet you can not see me!"

"Oh of course...what a fantastic hiding place....for an ANT." Merlin sighed, "We need a cave Arthur, something to completly conceal ourselves in, in a part of the forest where no one will even bother to find us." Well that was impossible, Agravaine would search everywhere until he found them.

Arthur's head emerged from the side of the rock. "Why? Who are the men on horses? What will happen if they find us?" Merlin sighed and turned away from him. "They're not nice Arthur, they betrayed you and if they find us then...I dread to think, but you need to just listen to me and follow me ok?" he ran a hand through his hair, "oh and don't talk to any strange men ok..."

Merlin turned round to find that Arthur was gone. "Don't worry. They will not be able to find us here. It is the perfect hiding spot!" He almost jumped as the rock began to talk again.

"Ok...we'll keep this one in mind, but there are better ones out there you need to find for me, can you do that?" he asked, feeling like he was talking to a child. "and you know what to do if you see the men on horses don't you?"