The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 13

"Well. Shall we get down to business?" said Arthur clearing his throat and trying to sound braver than he felt. Withiut warning he shucked off his crimson cloak, letting it fall carelessly to the floor and drew his sword: Excalibur. The sword glittered harply in the sun.

Barghest grinned wickedly and without even a gesture the monster was upon Arthur. It dove towards the king like a bullet with the power of a train, jaws snarling and snapping as it weaved its tusked head and slammed towards where the man stood en guard with his sword drawn, waiting and ready for the blow. Watching the beast rear down on the man he loved, Merlin thought with a pang of worry that he looked very small and even in his glittering steel armour; fragile.

As the Beast of Dean bore down on him, Arthur parried left, avoiding the monster's biting horns by the width of a hair. Merlin's heart constricted in worry, he could feel the wolf within him whimpering, too weak to stand and fight and pretect Arthur; his Arthur,but his beloved king was in the fray, he swung Excalibur in a strong arch and brought it clashing down on the beast's neck.

Arthur had barely time to think before the beast was on top of him, his sword doing nothing to cut it's thick skin. He gulped a little. The thought of the beast cutting short the life he could have with the raven hair warlock who was screaming at Arthur to get up spurred him on.He could not lose Camalot, he could not lose Merlin. Pulling his strenght together he stood, heaving the snarling beast that snapped off him with super human stregth and shoving it away. He raised his sword to prepare for the next attack, mindless of the blood that seeped through his tunic from a puncture wound to his shoulder.

The Beast of Dean 's eyes opened wide as it sensed the man's injury. The man's eyes closed as he looked at him out of the corner of his wicked burning green eye. It had been watching Arthur's eyes, and the beast was now looking down at him waiting for a chance to strike the killing blow calculatingly.

The creature hooved the ground violently, the only warning of the charge that was coming. Time seemed to stand still for a breath: a long breath, it was a very powerful beast, a beast with a sharp, wicked and cunning tusk. Its feet pounded the earth as it tore towards Arthur who had no time to react as the beast's tusk connected with his side. Arthur's head fell, and his body: flung like a rag doll dropping to the ground like a sack of stones.

"No. No no no!" Merlin muttered, trying to rush over to where the other man lay, cruppled, in the umber mud only to find himself held back by Gwaine.

"He'll never forgive me if I let you get hurt too" explained the caring Irish knight with a gentle mutter at Merlin's pained look.

The beast turned to where the king lay in a heap of armour to charge him. It's hooves beat a tattoo on the ground, sinking in and indelibly marking the spot as it run, full pelt towards the wounded man.

"Arthur! Fight!" screamed Merlin through the taught air oblivious to the mocking snear of Barghest and his men. It was enough to cut through the royal's haze of pain. He raised his head gentle and gave his warlock an tender look that lingered in Merlin's soul. As the monster approached, his hand curdle around the hilt of his sword and, waiting for the Beast of Dean to rear up on it hind legs in violent attack, Arthur moved, thrusting forward with all his might, he impaled the monster through it's soft underbelly, cleaving its beating heart in two.

With a screech of pain and fury the beast was slain and it fell to Arthur's feet: dead. His swordarm collapsed to his side and with a cry Merlin was by his side. Blood gushed oozingly from his wounds and Merlin's deaft hands un-fansted his armour plates and catalgued his wounds. He gazed ashen faced at the lesion in Arthur's side where the boars tusk had entered him. The damage was great, if he couldn't treat it....