'Do you trust me?' Merlin asks Arthur quietly. 'What?' Arthur looks at him incredulously as the enemies' arrows and fire-bolts rain down on them, 'Merlin this is hardly the time for me to boost your ego! You shouldn't even be here, I told you to stay at the camp and….'
'Arthur would you shut up! Just tell me this, after everything we've seen and been through together, all the times I've watched out for you and all the times you've stood up for me; do you trust me?'
Arthur takes a good look at the man next to him, the man who over the past few years has become his closest friend (not that he'd ever admit it!). Merlin's expression was intense, eyes locked to his and he could see a glimmer of fear in them but it wasn't fear of the battle raging around them, it was him. Merlin was afraid of him. Arthur nods once,
'Course I do you idiot, why else would I have put up with such an incompetent servant for so long?'
Merlin smiles sadly, 'Do you promise me, whatever happens next you won't hurt Gaius or my mother?'
'What are you blathering on about Merlin? Why on earth would I hurt them?'
'Just promise me.'
Arthur simply nods then quickly adds, 'I give you my word. No harm will come to either of them.' Merlin releases a quick breath and quietly thanks him before making to stand up. Arthur grabs him and pulls him back down to the relative safety of the tiny ravine they're hiding in along with Gwaine, Lancelot and Leon and several other knights of Camelot, 'What are you doing you idiot, you're going to get yourself killed!'
'Trust me!' Merlin replies with his trademark grin, although it seems strained and does not quite reach his eyes. He stands again and turns toward the enemy, Arthur and their companions watch as he raises his hand and for a second Arthur could have sworn he sees Merlin's eyes flash gold as he shouts 'Forbærneum!'
A flash of flames erupt from Merlin's outstretched hand and hangs, suspended in mid-air for a moment before Merlin throws it towards their enemy. He quickly raises his hand again and shouts 'bewerian ūs fram ūre andsaca wǣpen' and this time spreads his arms wide over the group huddled together behind him who seem too shocked to do anything but stare at the young man they knew as the prince's bumbling, clumsy servant. All that is, except the prince himself. Arthur had stood up behind Merlin with his sword drawn to protect his friend in whatever foolish endeavour he had planned; and now, as Merlin hesitantly turned to face him, he raised it to Merlin's chest and said quietly,
'Sorcerer'.
